New Music: Mat Kearney

One of my go-to CD's when I want to chill is "City of Black and White" by Mat Kearney. So I was really excited when Kearney stopped by 96-9 WINK FM yesterday with his guitar and some new music. His last CD was released in 2009 and fans have been eager to hear more.

A couple of years ago Kearney performed an acoustic set for 96-9 listeners at my favorite coffee shop, Bennett's Fresh Roast. He is a great song writer, his voice has nice resonance and Bennett's was a perfect venue for us to get up close and personal.

Kearney has a new label and is coming out with a new album in August. His first single called "Hey Mamma" is more upbeat than much of his previous music. He told us it was a "fun summer song" and I agree. He is currently performing on the VH1 Best Cruise Ever out of Tampa and will be in Orlando in June. If you have not checked out his music (www.matkearney.com) it will be worth your effort! One of my favorite songs is "Closer To Love"  

Egg-stra special Easter

Organic, farm-fresh, sustainable; hot buzz words in the food industry right now. More Americans seem to be more concerned with their health and the condition of the planet now, than ever before. Yes, I' am one of them.


My parents live in Central Florida and over the years I've traveled just about every back road that leads home. On one route in-particular, I would often see a handwritten sign  reading "eggs". It was outside of a home in the middle of nowhere so I was a little apprehensive about stopping. However, after watching the documentary "Food Inc" the idea of buying from local farmers took on a whole new meaning and my desire to knock on the door of these strangers continued to grow. When I finally pulled into the long dirt driveway, I was welcomed like an old family friend and wondered why I had taken so long to introduce myself.


Look at how beautiful these eggs are! The colors of the shells indicate the breed of chicken. The eggs themselves are more flavorful than the mass produced grocery store variety. The yolks are perfect, bright yellow balls and the white is tender. My new friends use organic feed in the coops but also let the chickens run free-range at least one day a week. That combination is what gives the eggs such great flavor. It's a
good time to buy eggs from free-range chickens because the grass they ingest is at its peak in the spring and early summer. 


Buying tips: Supermarket labels include “cage-free” and “organic”  but these labels don’t specify what the chicken was feed or if the birds spent time outside of their coops. “Pasture-raised” isn’t a government-approved definition, but it’s generally accepted to mean that the chicken got most of its nutrition from foraging, with some grain to supplement.


When I visited my parents for Easter, I called on my new friends, hoping there would be some farm-fresh eggs left for me. I got the last two dozen and we talked about their chickens like they were family members. I think there may be another reason why these eggs taste better; the chickens are loved. I don't know to what depth a chicken feels but I have to believe these are happy birds.

Lovin' The Lager

I’m a wine lover. I do drink beer on occasion and even keep it in my refrigerator (typically to bribe male friends to do odd jobs). I've never really developed a pallet for beer but made some progress last night at a Beer Tasting at The Morgan House in downtown Fort Myers. 

We enjoyed a selection of Alexander Keith’s Nova Scotia Style beers that were expertly paired with appetizers. The beers were also used in at least one step of the food preparation. (Great job chef!)

I confessed my lack of lager knowledge to the beer distributor adding that I also found it too filling. He told me that if a beer is poured properly, it will not be filling. The proper pour helps release the CO2 that otherwise expands in your belly. He said if a bartender poured my Lager with a nice foamy head, I would actually drink MORE not less.

With my new knowledge I was excited to start tasting. The Pale Ale was a bit nutty and sweet (the tasting notes said citrusy). I could definitely see sipping this one on a hot day! The Brown Ale was, well, brown; and the Lager was crisp. All three of these beers had 5.4% alcohol and were 140 calories, if you're counting.

The Morgan House has several of Alexander Keith's beers on tap right now. Typically home to a wine tasting the third Tuesday of every month (mark your calendar), The Morgan House promises to mix it up a bit over the summer with a bourbon tasting and perhaps more hops!

Escargot Ecstasy

I've blogged about Sasse's previously. I obviously love the food and thought I had tried almost everything on the menu. So I'm not sure how I managed to overlook the Escargot in a creamy pesto sauce served with goat cheese toasts. I wanted to rub that sauce all over my body. It was everything I could do not to pick up that darn plate and lick it clean. It's an appetizer but it did me in for the night, in a good way!

I was at Sasse's for their monthly wine tasting (2nd Tuesday of every month). It's not your typical wine tasting. Instead of milling around a tasting table waiting for pours, we sat at tables set for dinner. The tasting is complimentary and there is a discount on dinner if you stay; everyone stayed! Brilliant way to fill up a restaurant on a Tuesday night.

The favorite at my table was Masciarelli's signature Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. It is one of those Italian wines that you can enjoy on it's own, most are better with food. It was full of blackberry and black cherry with some spice on the finish.

We tried the Valpolicella Ca Panvino from Villa Erbice next. I think it would've been great with Sasse's eggplant parm. I really liked the Cannonau Di Sardegna "Templum". It tasted green (bell peppers) and fresh, again with some spice on the finish. These wines and many on Sasse's list come from Masciarelli Wine Company. There's always something new and fun to try. But by all means, try the Escargot!

Move Over Goose, There's a New Sheriff In Town: Tito's

Years ago I remember my vodka loving friends pining over Tito's; a handmade, distilled six times vodka from Austin, Texas. It was not widely distributed and definitely nowhere to be found in Southwest Florida. I became very popular after revealing that I had a Tito's connection.

My brother, Eric, lived in Austin and had turned me on to the smooth vodka before it's cult-like following. He would bring bottles home for Christmas and make his famous "Mexican Martini's".  It was a brilliant move; putting the entire family into vodka induced, afternoon naps. I still don't know if he did it to gain control of the remote or just revel in a moment of peace and quiet in our household.

If I'm not drinking wine, vodka is next on the list and yes, I almost always have Tito's on hand. Not too long ago my neighbor, Michelle, brought over some Chopin for Bloody Mary's. She is gluten-free and so is Chopin. When I think of gluten I think of bread not vodka. However some vodka's use grains that contain gluten in the distilling process.

We made beautiful Bloody Mary's full of olives, pickles, celery, shrimp and the works. I used Tito's. Michelle took a sip of mine then put on a sad face, Tito's was better. I was reading some press on Tito's yesterday when Michelle called. She was sharing something important when I suddenly shouted "Oh My God!"; she paused, I kept going, "Tito's is gluten free!......I'm sorry, continue."

(This photo was taken at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival; mainly because I wanted to brag to Eric that I found the greatest Tito's display ever, at least outside of  Texas.)

When I began seeing Tito's in places like Total Wine I was both thrilled and deflated at the same time. It's exciting to get your hands on something that is hard to find. And when you do get it, you often categorized it as "the best". Now comes the real test. Tito's was so good when I had to wait for it. Will it taste as fabulous now that I can find a bottle in 15 minutes or less? I see a blind vodka tasting in my future.

Either way, I'm happy that my gluten free friends have another choice for vodka! Yo quiero Tito's!

Little Black Dress Night

Blu Sushi's Little Black Dress Night on Thursdays is getting streamlined to Ladies Night. No little black dress is required but it is certainly welcomed. I get the fun job of broadcasting live once a month at one of the two Blu Sushi locations. This may sound like a shameless plug on my blog but I have to say I've always loved Blu Sushi and have spent many evenings sitting outside, enjoying their fabulous Happy Hour!

Happy Hour at Blu is called the "Dive at Five". I'm a big fan of the Tuna Tower and Crab Stuffed Jalapenos for only $5, and of course the 2 for 1 drinks; even on the "good" stuff. You really can't go wrong with any of the rolls and there are lots of creative cocktails on the menu also. The Ginger Cosmo goes great with sushi. Wine can be tricky with sushi but Blu's list has lots of great options and I hear they are in the middle of tweaking it even more.

So Ladies Night is 6-8 on Thursdays, free Sky Vodka. Then from 8-midnight, $3 Sky with a portion of the proceeds going to Voices For Kids of Southwest Florida. Come on, have a drink for the kids! Not like you need an excuse or anything.....

www.blusushi.com

St Pete Sippin'

I actually had a free weekend and decided to take a drive to St. Petersburg Saturday and do a little exploring. When I think of St Pete the first thing that comes to mind is the Dali Museum and the Pier. The downtown area has really grown into a destination over the years and there always seems to be some event to keep the crowds coming.

We stumbled upon "Funk Fest 2011". Unfortunately we did not bring our lawn chairs, parachute pants or plan enough time to hangout with the likes of Bobby Brown and MC Hammer. You Can't Touch This! How much fun would that have been???

Instead we browsed the galleries and the waterfront before settling down for lunch outside at the Parkshore Grill. The sun was at full mast, a fresh breeze was blowing and we had a great view of the bay. Inside, the restaurant was sophisticated with a wine cellar that was calling my name.

The Parkshore has been written up a lot lately and now I see why. The chef is "green". I don't mean he's a novice, he buys food from local organic farmers, sustainably fished seafood, etc etc etc. Every dish on the menu had flair and looked appetizing.

The lunch menu was full of creative combinations; wraps, salads, panini's, sashimi and more. We opted for the "Picnic". Its a three-course feature including a salad, entree and dessert for $16. The Parkshore Salad was a bright combination of spring greens, pecans, blue cheese and dried cranberries in a creamy vinaigrette. We entertained our waiter guessing (quite successfully) the spices on the nuts. Yes, you can make spicy nut jokes now.

I had a flavorful, moist Lump Blue Crab Cake with spicy sweet tomato jam, buttermilk mashed potatoes and glass of Honig Sauvignon Blanc. I also got to try the Pecan Crusted Tilapia over sauteed spinach, simple and delicious. I wanted to stay for dinner to try more dishes. Next time.

If you're touring the Dali or attending any other events downtown St Pete, be sure to put the Parkshore on your itinerary.

Get Your Hands On This!

I was so fortunate last week to sit down with a group of five outstanding women in the wine industry to do an article for the next issue of CRUSH Magazine! I don't want to upstage the article now but will post the link and give more info when it is published.

I can tell you that one of the women was Amber Moshin of Moshin Vineyards. There will also be a feature on her and the vineyard in CRUSH. After our roundtable the men were allowed to crash the party, one of the them being Amber's husband Rick. His price of admittance, a bottle of Rose' that made us all squeal with delight.

What makes this Rose' so coveted is not only it's limited production but how it is produced. When the bins of Pinot Noir grapes are dumped onto the sorting table, there is a small amount of juice left behind. It was pressed from the grapes during transport from the vineyard, having very little contact with the skins. The juice is collected and fermented to make a lovely clean wine, with minimal tannins that critics, bloggers and fans rave about.

You may have to join the wine club to get it. You wont be disappointed, all of the Moshin Wines I tried were outstanding!

Gaga Vino

I know what you're thinking: "Lady Gaga is now producing wine?" The pop icon is many things and entrepreneur is certainly one, however, wine maker is not on her resume; at least not yet.

The California Rose' may look like Lady Gaga's blush but it's flavors are not near as flashy; quite simple actually. The first thing I got was a mouthful of raspberry followed by a little strawberry. Although full of fruit, the wine is dry. It went well with the salty cheeses on the tasting table at The Morgan House.

You should be able to find Gaga Rose' for under $15. It's a good value for sure. I know Lady Gaga likes red wine, I wonder what she has to say about Rose'.

(The Morgan House Restaurant, downtown Fort Myers FL, has wine and tapas tastings the third Tuesday of every month.)

Check This Guy Out! Andrew Allen

I know I typically write about food, wine and travel, however, I have to turn you on to Andrew Allen if you haven't heard about him yet. As an unsigned artist he made it big in Canada, booking his own shows knocking on doors of radio stations, doing concerts in living rooms, whatever it took.

With over a million hits on YouTube and a spot in the Top 100 on  iTunes, he finally got the attention of the folks at Epic and they signed him. Andrew stopped by 96-9 WINK FM today and played a few acoustic songs for us. He's the real deal! Talented, nice, gracious, I can't wait to see what happens with his career! "Loving You Tonight" is the first release in the U.S.

SOBE: Food, Wine & Thongs

The Food Network South Beach Food and Wine Festival in Miami is one of my favorite events to attend each year. Hosted by Southern Wine and Spirits of Florida, it has grown to be one of the premiere food and wine events in the country! There are actually dozens of events during the four day festival but the one that draws the biggest crowd is the Grand Tasting Village. Tents, stretching the length of a football field, line the beach. Underneath, a playground of food, cooking demos, famous chefs, wine, spirits and more.

You never know who you will run into. Over the years I've met almost all of the big guys, the food network stars. Kinda funny, this year I ran into Dennis Rodman of all people. Yes he is still alive and no he was not wearing a boa or make-up.

I drank some amazing wine, tried some delicious food and sampled lots of new products....too many to even begin to list here. Emerging from the tents on the beach with a nice buzz made the people watching on SOBE even better than usual. Of course there are topless women but I swear I saw a man with thong that looked  like a pasty! There's always someone with a snake or monkey or some exotic animal on their shoulder, drag queens, girls in bikinis and their boots with the fur, beautiful models on photo shoots, etc. A man on roller blades wearing nothing but knee pads and a thong made even the most jaded local bar tenders laugh out loud.

The tickets for the events of  the Food and Wine Festival have gotten quite pricey over the years and many sell out. The festival has raised some 12 million dollars for The Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. I'll see you on the beach next year!

Taste Of Love

Taste of Love is an annual event raising money for the Special Equestrians. Special Equestrians is a therapeutic horseback riding program for both kids and adults, who live with a wide-range of disabilities. The stories of how riding a horse can change the life of a participant are amazing. If you are looking for a charity to give of your time and resources, please consider this one.

I helped to emcee the event last night with Jay Severson and while the numbers are still coming in, the volunteers were very happy with the tally at the end of the night. Besides bidding on art, jewelry, vacations and more; ticket-holders were treated to delicious food and wine pairings from a dozen local restaurants and caterers.

I loved the flavorful Patatas A La Brava and the creamy Croquetas de Queso con Ali Oil served by "Trattoria Cafe Napoli". It was paired with a juicy Vina Roja Tempranillo. "Sasse's" served up Sicilian Sweet & Sour  Braised Short Ribs that melted in my mouth!. The dish was paired with a Masciarelli Montepulciano. Bistro 41's chef Reiner said he worked for four days preparing his Sauerbraten with Red Cabbage. The surprise ingredient was amazing; ginger snaps! "Angelina's Ristorante" never disappoints with it's ravioli but this year added Lobster Risotto Fra Diavolo for a spicy treat. I nurtured the glass of The Villa Erbice Valpolicella Ca Panvinio that was poured with it.

The event is held at the Design Studio by Raymond. It's a building showcasing different styles of kitchens, the latest designs and accessories. It will make you want to remodel for sure! It's a perfect venue for a food and wine event. I could go on and on about the food and wine; and of course the charity. Bottom line....don't miss this event next year!

Spice Is Sooooo Nice

Like it or not, packaging effects our buying habits and our perceptions of products. I found that to be true even at the wine tasting I went to this week at the Morgan House in downtown Fort Myers.

The last bottle on the tasting table was a  Shooting Star Cabernet from Steele Winery. I looked at the wine rep and said "That label looks like cinnamon, does it taste like cinnamon?". He said, "See for yourself." and poured me a glass.

Sure enough, I tasted cinnamon. I was left wondering whether or not I tasted what I wanted to taste; that which I was looking for. To quenched my curiosity I went to Steele's website and looked up the winery tasting notes on Shooting Star. I found that the Lake County Cab was blended with a small percentage of Merlot and Cabernet Franc to round out the flavors.

Guess what else I found: "This wine has aromas of dark fruits with some mint and cassis."  Come on, blend mint and cassis and for sure you get a flavor similar to cinnamon! Vindication!

The Morgan House will host it's next tasting in the roof-top bar on March 15th, St Patty's Day week!

From Cab to Coffee....

It's great to see small, locally owned businesses thriving. Congratulations to Bennett's Fresh Roast on your three-year anniversary! We celebrated the occasion Friday with a jam-packed wine tasting at the world famous coffee shop, downtown Fort Myers. My favorite wine of the night was the Sequoia Grove Cabernet from Napa.

It was nice and dark with intense black fruit and a little tobacco. Some California Cabs will knock you over but this was nicely balanced and very drinkable! It'll cost you $35-$40 retail.

As I was drinking the wine I recalled visiting Sequoia Grove's Tasting Room in Napa some 15 years ago. I remembered it being quaint and friendly so I went online to do a little reminiscing. At first I was disappointed to read that the facility had been remodeled. Disappointed because so many in Napa are abandoning their small, cozy tasting rooms; remodeling them to look more trendy and austere. But as you can see by the photo, the new tasting room appears to be quite warm and inviting.

Funny how Bennett's coffee shop can be turned into an inviting tasting room too! Over the years I've been accused of being biased towards Bennett's. After-all, I've had a 20 year friendship/partnership with owner Bob Grissinger. We are all biased towards our friends and the people we love. However, history and friendship aside, Bob and Frankie have made Bennett's Fresh Roast a place like very few others in Southwest Florida. The attention to detail, unique products, the great staff and of course the amazing donuts and coffee.You'll discover a new love for donuts after tasting his hand cut, from scratch varieties. And I bet you've never had coffee the way it is really suppose to be made and served until you've had Bennett's. See for yourself and if don't agree, then you can call me biased. I wont be holding my breath :-)

Elvis Lives!!!!

Elvis lives! He lives in the form of a delicious new donut unveiled this week at Bennett's Fresh Roast in downtown Fort Myers. "The Elvis" is a hand cut from scratch donut, filled with vanilla custard and fresh banana's. Then it's topped with delicious chocolate icing and peanuts. My eyes rolled to the back of my head after the first bite and I had to sit down. Have it with a cup of his freshly roasted Columbian Blend and you will be set for the rest of the morning.

This Friday is Bennett's Fresh Roast Wine Tasting and Anniversary Celebration from 6-9. Space is limited so you should buy tickets ($20) in advance, at the shop.
www.bennettsfreshroast.com