Rogues on The Road

We had the privilege to meet up with artisan cooper, John Cox for an afternoon of discovery and learning about the lost art of coopering. "Whale oil, tobacco, cotton, cement, salted meats, fish, eggs, pelts, nails, glass, you name it...it was shipped, stored, and used in a barrel. In 1901 there are 90 million people in America and there are 93 million barrels. Our ancestors relied on this and the Cooper’s who made these, maintained them, stored them and access them for 2000 years."We originally thought this episode was solely about traditional barrel manufacturing; however, we found out rather quickly that it's not just about barrels. Yes, barrels are a big part of Johns story and his cooperage; however, he designs and manufactures other wooden vessels for for fermented foods as well as fermentable drinks. He has worked with many brewers, distillers and now chefs. Firkins, barrels, wash backs, muro cabinets, kojiban, kioke, krout mashers, mash paddles are the range of John's products.We look forward to sampling products aged in John's vessel in the near future! Interested in his products? click on the link QUERCUS COOPERAGE for more information.

We spent an amazing hour with distiller/winemaker, Stephen Osborn & drummer/musician Lou Caldarola at Hudson Valley's, Stoutridge winery & distillery. We learned & consumed absinthe from around the world including an absinthe distilled and bottled over 121 years ago! Historical absinthe was produced for medicinal purposes and can be traced as far back as Egyptian times.Stephen shared his passion for distilling which is deeply rooted in chemistry. He is relatively new to producing absinthe but after consuming his expressions as well as different absinthes from around the world it is very clear, Stephen has a deep understanding and passion when it comes to producing this wonderful liqueur.There are many myths and pre-conceptions when it comes to the "green fairy". Lou helped to debunk some of these misconceptions by sharing his historic knowledge of absinthe as well as the some of the classic ways to both prepare and consume the liqueur. Lou also opened a french absinthe which was distilled over 120 years ago! Consuming it was the equivalent of traveling back in time. It also was clear that the base spirit of this historic absinthe was most likely, cognac. Which was a little unusual but not surprising.We highly suggest making your way to the Hudson Valley and spend an afternoon at Stoutridge. There are a few absinthe expressions to sample as well as a many other spirits and liqueurs to try. Don't worry, there's a food truck! The experience was unforgettable and we're looking forward to return soon.

We had a follow-up conversation with Kentucky poultry farmer, Charles Morris. Charles produces around 1.1 million chickens every 6-8 weeks for consumers. Charles and John Buttram were featured in Morgan Spulock's documentary, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken. The documentary opened consumers eyes to "big chicken" and how oppressive and misleading the poultry industry is. Since 2017 Charles, John and other farmers have all received threats and other painful reprocussions for their role as "whistle blowers" in Morgan's documentary. Change has definitely begun as a result of the 2017 documentary but clearly, more needs to be done.Most recently, some "big chicken" executives are showing up on the radar accused of price fixing by the federal justice department. CNN "The one-count indictment levels charges against the Pilgrim's Pride CEO, Jayson Penn, and former vice president, Roger Austin. Colorado-based Pilgrim's Pride (PPC) is the second largest broiler chicken supplier in the country, after Tyson Foods. Also charged were Mikell Fries and Scott Brady, president and vice president of Georgia-based Claxton Poultry Farms."We support our farmers 100% and it is our hope that positive change WILL come; however, It's just not coming quick enough. Please listen and help spread the word.

This episode is about the worlds first indoor aquaculture farm. "Heron Farms started as a research question asked by graduate student and founder Sam Norton at the College of Charleston: what if we used the problem of sea level rise as the main resource for a new kind of agriculture? In June 2018 the concept won first place at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture's inaugural ACRE Start-up Competition." And so it began...Not only has Sam created a succesfull indoor farming system, he has also created opportunity to expand and potentially franchise his model. His systems have been designed utilizing shipping containers and are becoming increasingly streamlined and easy to operate. Food AND habitat restoration could be popping up in a coastal city near you.Sam has also worked with local Charleston chefs and brewers to produce some innovative dishes including a Coastal Harvest Gose with Low Tide Brewing. We also have word that there is a distilled spirit project in the works. Cant wait, Tyler! Order your sea beans here!

Meet Jean Black, AKA the "Black Wine Guy". Jean has had a very long, interesting and unconventional career in the wine business, which began at the oldest wine shop in New York City, Acker wines. "What started as a package store in 1820, has today become the oldest and most respected wine shop in America. Acker Merrall Condit, located on the beautiful and historic Upper West side of Manhattan, has provided expert wine services for nearly two centuries." While at Acker, Jean sold, stocked, learned and tasted wines from all over the world. Jean quickly rose through the ranks at Acker and quickly became one of the top wine experts at Acker. It wasn't long before Jean found himself traveling to California wine country to buy wine directly from the vineyards. It was this time Jean fell in love with the "wine country" lifestyle. Hard-working farm life surrounded by great people, great wine, great food, even greater stories, occasional campfires and late nights. Many of Jean's selections come from this award winning vineyards and although we're not in California sipping on these fine wines it does give the consumer subtle whispers of Jean's amazing experience's at these vineyards. A FEW of Jean's top vineyards include, Ledge, Turtle Rock, Hill of Tara, and Argot.This episode Jean paired two wines to serve with our Chef Jose Andreas "tinned" sea urchin ( Matt loved the urchin, Rich did NOT). A California blend from Willamette Valley and Spanish Txakolina. Both wines are phenomenal with seafood and affordable.

Had a great time meeting up with Matt Ketchum, an oyster farmer from the North Fork of Long Island. Matt owns and operates Peconic Gold Oysters which has been operating since 2013 on a 10 acre underwater plot. Matt: "The nearby Peconic River provides a unique input of minerals. It is believed that the iron supplied by the river and the algae that bloom in the shallow waters combine to produce the gold color apparent on the oysters' shells throughout the growing season. They've noticed that an edible red algae, Gracillaria (seaweed salad) also thrives here. It is this combination of environmental factors acting in perfect harmony that combine perfectly to make for a cool, crisp, sweet flavor, and creamy texture, with a slightly metallic and smoky finish."In addition to selling whole oysters, Peconic also sells freshly shucked oysters to go. Their farm stand is open every day and is set up for no-touch, curb side service.In addition, Matt has also collaborated with several business to produce oyster kimchi, oyster quiche and plans on working with a local brewery to produce an oyster beer.We wrapped up the session discussing food and beverage pairings. Peconic loves to pair their oysters with wines from local vineyards. In particular, a cold, crisp Chenin Blanc. We met up with Sterling from Mama Roux who crafts "Cest Bon" a White Negroni made in collaboration with The Spirits Lab. We can't wait to try Peconic oysters matched up with the White Negroni!

We met up with Rick and Andrew at Shady Knolls distillery to learn about their distilled spirits which are made from apples and rye grown right on their own farm. This is a father, son-in-law operation which began in 2011. They both love traditional French apple brandy which is why decided to utilize traditional NY fermentables, apples and winter rye. They planted 1800 trees with 120 varieties. By 2015 the trees were producing, processing equipment was purchased, all they needed was a still. In 2016 they purchased a vintage 225 gallon Alembic Charentais Pot Still manufactured by the leading French manufacturer, Chalvignac Prulho Distillation which required two technicians from France to fly in to help and install. They built a grainery and installed a grain silo, hammer mill and grain processing equipment and by early 2017 Shady Knoll finally started distilling. They produce apple brandy, pommeau and rye whiskey.

We met up with Hudson Valley farmer, Doug Giles at Walbridge Farm. Doug has been raising predominantly Black Angus since 1994. He purchased the farm in a 15 minute sale from the the Wallbridge's which have been operating the farm since 1950. Today Doug manages around 250 head on a fed on a diet of their own silage, haylage andsunflower meal (they grow sunflowers for Hudson Valley Cold-Pressed Oil). They don't spray pesticides or insecticides and their soil and water are tested yearly. In addition, crops are rotated and cattle are frequently moved throughout their fields preserving pastures from erosion. After approximately 18 months cattle are taken to Adams Farm Meat Processing where they are humanely processed and aged. The Livestock holding pens at Adams have been professionally designed by Dr. Temple Grandin, the world's foremost authority in the humane handling of animals. The movement of the animals from the holding pens to the processing plant is through a series of one-way gates along a calming, circuitous path that never retraces steps. This is the most humane method possible and substantially reduces and even eliminates the release of stress hormones to provide a better tasting end product. All this care definitely ensures a tasty end product. We enjoyed a medium rare, bacon, Jalapeño and cheddar burger topped with a sriracha mayo.Wallbridge products are available at Hudson Milk, Black Snake Brewing & The Market at Mabbettsville. Questions about buying whole, half or quarter cows as well as beef farming questions contact Farmer Doug directly 1-845-235-3789

Two Sunday's a month Nod Hill Brewing in Ridgefield, CT hosts morning yoga at their brewery. We signed up for a little "ohm & foam" followed by a conversation with father-son brewing team, David and Rob Kaye. SaraDavid's wife was responsible for the "ohm" part of our day and led our yoga practice which was fantastic. David and Rob Kaye were inspired to open their own operation after a 2008 visit to Salzburg where Rob had beer for the first time! Not a huge fan of carbonated beverages at that point, something changed in him and he's been enjoying craft beer ever since. They've been operating since 2017 and have converted all their power needs to solar, inspiring other breweries to begin the process themselves."We founded Nod Hill Brewery in northern Fairfield County, CT in 2017 with the intention of crafting expressive, balanced, and unique beers that encourage a spirit of thoughtful enjoyment. We gravitate towards brewing hop-forward modern beer, traditionally-influenced European styles, & wood-aged native ales."TAPROOM HOURSWED & THURS: 4-9pmFRI & SAT: 12-10pmSUN: 12-6pmCLOSED MON/TUES

Another great DeCicco's beer podcast. We met up with a"Zen" sour-master John Anthony Gargiulo of Hudson Valley Brewery. All though they brew many styles, we chose to focus on their sours for this episode. We have seen and experienced the relatively new American wave of sours and we've learned that brewers like John have approached sours very much the same way chefs approach their dishes. It's all about balance. John brews utilizes a spectacular array of fruits, berries and other unique ingredients to help achieve balance which results in some of the best sours we've experienced. We say experience because thats exactly what it is. Sours hit all the senses and then some! If you are in the Hudson Valley or plan on going, visit beautiful Beacon, NY. Go for a hike in the Hudson Highlands and be sure to stop by Hudson Valley Brewery to imbibe and experience!

Another great brewing podcast at Deccico's markets. We met up with Rushing Duck Brewery co-founder Nikki Cavanaugh. Nikki has been brewing beer since college which led her and her husband, Dan to open Rushing Duck in 2012. Nikki is our first female brewer to interview and It was refreshing to hear her perspective on craft brewing from a largely male-dominated industry. And wow, she has brewed a lot since 2012 their list of beers brewed, including cider is impressive, tasty and always inventive."Rushing Duck Brewing Company is a small, family owned and operated brewery located in the Historic District of Chester, New York that began selling beer in August of 2012. Based in Orange County, our beer is distributed throughout the Hudson Valley exclusively by Gasko & Meyer Inc. We produce a wide variety of tasty beers. Hoppy, malty, American-styled, Belgian influenced, barrel aged, sours, you name it. First and foremost we brew beer that we like to drink."TASTING ROOM

Had a great sit down with brewery co-owner Paul Halayko of Newburgh Brewing. Paul a former CPA partnered with college friend Chris Basso a brewer and French Culinary grad to start up their own project in the heart of Newburgh. Newburgh city, proper has an incredibly rich AND dangerous past. The dangerous part is rapidly diminishing in part to local business and residents committed to turning this historic gem around. We have posted multiple podcasts highlighting the renaissance Newburgh is feeling and it's incredible to see young entrepreneurs set up diverse business bringing light, energy and good karma back to a city that has seen its day. Hudson Valley Magazine asked Paul about setting up shop in Newburgh: “Look, on the logistical side there’s no doubt that it was more financially feasible in Newburgh. And strategically, it’s located at a crossroads of Interstate 84, the New York State Thruway, and the [Metro-North] train station, which is right across the river in Beacon,” Halayko says. “But for everybody who asks us ‘Why Newburgh? Why in such a decayed spot?’ we reply that it’s not decaying. Yeah, it’s fallen on hard times. But Newburgh has a rich, amazing history and was once considered one of the best places to live. It’s coming back, and we want to be part of the revitalization.” If you have found your way to Beacon, NY perhaps you'll go a bit further and explore the west side of the Hudson, Newburgh. Enjoy, art, food, diverse culture and of course a cold beer at Newburgh Brewing.

We sat down with Anthony, head cider maker at Hardscabble Cider. Hardscrabble Cider's location and production takes place at Harvest Moon farm and orchard in North Salem, NY. "Hardscrabble Cider was founded by three brothers with firm horticultural backgrounds – Alex, Kevin and Ben Covino of Brewster, NY. Farmers, scientists and businessmen all around, the brothers found inspiration in the words of local hero, Theodore Roosevelt, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”; and (Mother Nature willing) apples they have a plenty." They have a few varieties growing at the farm; however, Anthony typically uses Macintosh for the ciders which are prevalent through out the orchard. The family run operation is an iconic destination for people looking for a quick getaway from the hustle-and-bustle of NYC. The farm is the quickest, far away place from the city and although visiting anytime is great, the weekends during the fall season is full of all sorts of fun activities which includes much imbibing & music. Anthony and the crew at Hardscrabble have carved out a niche for themselves by partnering up with farmer Todd to explore a multitude of produce and botanicals available to them at Harvest Moon. They often infuse into their base ciders producing some amazing blends. We explored a beet cider, jalapeño cider as well as a hopped cider. One of our favorites is to blend both beet and the hopped cider together. With a rich display of tap handles and expressions we highly suggest having some fun by exploring the limitless blending opportunities. They have a full service tasting room including retail for NY craft spirits, wine, beer and cider. Enjoy your visit next time you're in the Hudson Valley.

We met up with Zac a local historian & bartender at The North Plank Tavern in Newburgh, NY. We sat down over a couple of classic prohibition-era cocktails (recipes below) and proceeded to learn its rich history dating back to the mid nineteenth century. The original tavern was built as a hotel and became a tavern and boarding house by the turn of the twentieth century. During prohibition the tavern continued to sell alcohol and operated as a speakeasy complete with illegal stills and trap doors to hide production and alcohol. Mitch Nixon, owner at the time of prohibition was reported to make the finest applejack in the Hudson Valley. Similar in flavor to a fine French calvados. Zac's father bought the dilapidated tavern from Mitch in 1980 where he began a rebuild. This is when his father found moonshine stills, trap doors filled with prohibition era bottles (still filled), gambling equipment and guns. This is when the true history of the historic tavern became very apparent. We ended the episode learning about the two ghosts that inhabit North Plank. This includes one ghost that has been described as looking like the "Monopoly man", complete with morning suit, bowtie and top-hat. If you're in the Hudson Valley add North Plank to your list of must try experiences. The North Plank Road Tavern is a fine dining restaurant. They use locally sourced ingredients to produce the finest meals for their clientele. The dining rooms are a mastery of "Trompe l'oeil," a unique rendition of painting plaster walls to resemble other materials such as wood paneling and stone. This favored early art form is highlighted by a circa 1900 impressionist fresco of the scenic Hudson River entitled "Pecheur" by a W. F., in the middle dining room.Between The Sheets cocktailHanky Panky Cocktail

We met up with Jean-Paul Kyrillos, Co-founder/ CRO at Farmshelf to learn about the newest hydroponic farming technology on the market. Unlike other hydroponic systems Farmshelf's integrated smart farming has made it incredibly easy and productive for restaurants, other business's to enjoy year-round farming. We we're able to see Farmshelf units in action at José Andrés's new restaurant, Mercado Litte Spain."We grow sage, kale, parsley, and lettuce in our Farmshelf. It’s very high-tech, and it’s about the future.” -José AndrésIs Farmshelf sustainable? "Farmshelf eliminates food waste and plastic packaging; you are growing and harvesting just what you need and using the produce where you are. Plus, while most fresh food is shipped across the country (in the US food travels an average of 1,500 miles), Farmshelf reduces the distance traveled from miles to feet. Farmshelf is a closed-loop hydroponic system that uses 90% less water than conventional farming. Each unit plugs into a standard wall outlet and uses custom, efficient LED lights."Contact farmer@farmshelf.com for general questions or grow@farmshelf.com for sales inquiries.

We met up with Scott & Kyran to discuss the next evolution in craft beverages! This is what happens when Captain Lawrence brewery has an abundance of fermented mash. The next logical step? Build out an addition to the brewery, buy a monster still that can be fed 300 gallons an hour and start distilling! The result? Amazing spirits ranging from whiskey, vodka and gin. AND they have great plans to create and collaborate on a whole range of other craft distilled spirits. In addition to the distillery they have a beautiful art-deco themed tasting room conducive to liberal imbibing."The tag line for the company — "Distilled and Hand Crafted Using Current Method for Traditional Enjoyment” — is meant to reflect the here and now."Current can mean a lot of things," Vaccaro told The Journal News/lohud. "Distilling has always been considered something old; we're trying to modernize that and put a current spin on our spirits."What sets Current Spirits apart is the continuous column still, which allows distiller Kyran Tompkins to keep the gin flowing (more or less). In more technical terms, it allows the spirits to be in a constant process of distillation, meaning they're capable of drastically higher production than pot stills, which require cleaning after each batch. Column stills also provide a purer, cleaner distillate, he said."

We met up with Tariq, Cindy & Jacqueline at Two Alices Coffee who represent a very unique travel program Global to Local, located in Newburgh, NY. "The program global service-learning provides students with an opportunity to learn while working on a meaningful volunteer project that addresses an authentic community need in a foreign country. By immersing ourselves in another culture to volunteer for positive social change, young people will be better prepared to work within our city of Newburgh to make it a better place." 2020 PROJECT:"After visiting Ecuador in 2017 Cambodia in 2018, and Thailand in 2019, our 2020 project involves traveling to the California-Mexico border, where they will learn about the rich relationship and history between the cities of Tijuana and San Diego. Students will meet with border security guards and tour both sides of the border wall. Because Global to Local also focuses on spending time with grassroots change-makers who have identified a need in their own communities and worked towards solutions to address those needs, students will learn from local organizers who support refugees and immigrants who are seeking entry into the United States, as well as families that have been separated because of recent federal policy decisions."After their trip to Mexico, the students will act as project managers for a volunteer projects in the city of Newburgh. In the past, students’ projects have involved creating and facilitating a Newburgh Youth Leadership Summit and last year, they were finalists in a competition to win $100,000 to fund a to create a shared public learning space in Newburgh that traces and celebrates the city’s rich history. is program is richly diverse with many wonderful facets giving students a very rewarding experience that can last a lifetime. Global to local is funded through donations. Global to Local is a 501c3 charitable program. 100 percent of the funds received ($2,500 for one student) will go towards two weeks of food, airfare, and lodging for one student’s 2019 trip. Donations can be made HERE

Excited to finally meet up with our "coffee shaman", Mike Love. Mike is co-owner of Coffee Labs located in Tarrytown, NY and knows just about everything there is to know about coffee production and tasting. A former proffesional chef, Mike became burnt out at his job and decided to go into business for himself along with his wife, Alicia. Mike took what he knew as a chef and quickly honed them towards the amazing world of coffee. He then took it one step further by actually traveling to coffee plantations around the world and sourcing his beans personally. As a result, he has developed many close relationships over the years ensuring truly fair-trade practices from his sources. Experiencing Coffee Labs coffee is much more than a great cup of coffee. We feel as if we're being transported to that particular plantation while drinking their coffee.Mike: "Coffee Labs Roasters is exceptionally proud to offer a variety of what we like to call Relationship Coffees. Relationship coffee is more to us than just buying green coffee from farmers at origin, it's about forming real friendships with people all over the world. We do business with these people, but we also break bread with them and we know some of their families. We get to know a lot of them pretty well, and we strive to visit origin at least one or two times a year. It's not just about inspecting the farm and tasting the coffee, it's about people."Also Joining us on this podcast via phone from his family coffee plantation in Colombia is Ivan. Ivan is a veterinarian as well as a coffee grower and owner of Cafe Tio Conejo Coffee (Uncle Rabbit). Mike and Ivan have formed a deep relationship over the years producing phenomenal small batch coffee that is truly sustainable and fair-trade. Ivan not only runs the operation he also offers eco-tourism adventures at the plantation. We hope to go soon!

ZOMBIES ARE COMING TO BEACON (for a great cause)! FAMILY FRIENDLY _ FREE EVENT!!The first annual Beacon Zombie Outbreak will be on November 16th, 2019.The Zombie Outbreak will start at Dogwood Restaurant at 2pm. Bring the whole family already made up or get your makeup done for FREE (we just ask that you tip your makeup artist).Everyone registered for the Beacon Zombie Outbreak will receive a free button. This button will get you discounts at various businesses on main street during and after the day of the outbreak.LET THE ZOMBIE OUTBREAK BEGIN!Around 4-4:30pm the Zombie Horde will walk down main street to Tito Santana taco restaurant. THIS IS THE ZOMBIE WALK PART THROUGH TOWN!!! At Tito's they will be offering $2 tacos for all you hungry Zombies and Zombie Hunters. Prizes for all our zombies under 12 years old will be announced including/ but not limited to the winner of BEST KIDS COSTUME for a $25 cash prize!After the zombie walk don't leave Beacon! Grab tickets for a special screening at our movie theatre on Main Street, Story Screen Beacon, of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Your ticket stub will give you 10 free raffle tickets.You can also visit a participating restaurant to eat up before the 3 AFTER PARTIES BEGIN!The After parties will be at Quinn's, Dogwood and The Beacon Hotel. Raffle tickets will be sold at all the locations and throughout the Zombie Outbreak.Zombies Can't Love will start at Quinn's around 6pm collecting names for BEST COSTUME and handing out prizes until around 7:30, then we will be at Dogwood until around 9pm. Finally we will be at The Beacon Hotel where we will be giving out the GRAND PRIZE ( a 2 night stay at The Beacon Hotel + dinner + brunch) and the $100 best costume prize at Midnight! (must be present to win these prizes)Other prizes being raffled of are The Walking Dead comic books signed by Penciler and cover artist Charlie Adlard, a signed Ron English art book, gift certificates and more!There will also be a 50/50 raffle where you win half the cash!Dogwood will have Happy Hour pricing all night for Zombies and Zombie Hunters who have registered and received a button! (Quantities are limited so register soon!!)DOGWOOD will have Blakmajiikforist performing LIVE.The Beacon Hotel will have Bosco performing LIVE.Quinn’s will have Pat Irwin & J. Walters Hawkes opening for Open Kimono - LIVEAll proceeds will go to benefit our first responders in Beacon. The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corp and The Benevolent Policemen Assoc.

Mike Love of Coffee Labs introduced us to Amy Rothstein at the New York Coffee Festival. Suprisingly, Amy the founder of Dona Chai was not a big chai tea drinker prior to starting her successful Brooklyn-based company. She new she wanted to start a company that encompassed her love of food and passion for ingredients; however, many markets in the beverage industry had become saturated. Thats when she noticed a gap in the market...premium chai tea-based beverages. Amy took it one step further by acquiring single sourced spices which are carefully chosen from around the world. "...We source spices from collectives across the world, paying attention to place of origin, growing conditions, and end quality. Each spice is cupped to test for flavor profile, natural sweetness, and body." The time and energy Amy invests into carefully choosing superior ingredients is immediately noticeable when tasting through the Dona line, which also includes some amazingly balanced sodas. For us, it's great to see the effort when sourcing ingredients. We've found that consumers increasingly want to know the backstory on where their products are sourced from as well as the moral and ethical principles that follow.A big "Cheers" to Amy and her crew at Drink Dona's! We're hooked...Shop Dona's

We met up with Ryan Hiebendahl, vice president of sales at Sail Away Coffee. Also Joining us was coffee expert and "shaman", Mike Love from Coffee Labs. Both Ryan and mike gave us an education on the art of cold brewing which interestingly, has many similarities to craft beer brewing. The sail away slogan: ""live young"...Sail Away pairs it free-spirited approach to flavor with a well traveled palate."The crew at Sail Away focus on single-origin roasts, blends and signature cold brew coffee. This episode we stuck to cold brew which is trending. Yep, Dunkin' has joined the band wagon. We've had cold brew before; however, flavor profiles range from amazingly smooth and balanced to "what were you thinking!" Ryan tasted us through what we thought were some of the best cold brew's we've experienced. We tasted through five, nitrogen cold brews. The cans included sweetened, unsweetened, horchata, salt and caramel and pumpkin chai. We were very skeptical on the pumpkin chai; however, ryan collaborated with Amy Rothstein owner of Dona Drinks to create an amazingly tasty and balanced cold brew. "Balanced" being the key to great cold brews. Sail Away has also "sailed" into the craft cocktail movement utilizing their cold brews. We're eager to try!Big thanks to crew at Sail Away, we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise!Shop Sail Away

Prologue: We suggest you purchase a couple of bars of chocolate from Dandelion Chocolate while listening to this podcast. It will definetly enhance the experience! The single-origin chocolates we sampled were incredibly complex and different depending on country of origin and Terroir. It was very helpful having both a chocolate expert and coffee expert joining us to help guide.This was a fascinating experience for us! We met up with chocolate maker/educator, Christine Keating from Dandelion Chocolate at the New York City Coffee Festival. Also joining us was Mike Love from Coffee Labs our resident "coffee Shaman". Yes, coffee and chocolate have many similarities when it comes to processing and tasting. The experience began with the opening of a beautiful, raw cacao pod, which has an almost alien appearance. The flavor and textures we experienced from the raw beans completely different from the end product we know as chocolate. Notes of mango, squash, banana, citrus and slimy almond came through. We had no idea how fermentation and processing affects the final flavors found in chocolate. Willy Wonka never told us that at the factory tour. Christine then took us through the whole process of making chocolate as well as educating us on the differences between a chocolate maker and a chocolatier.Dandelion Chocolate: "At Dandelion, we believe great chocolate starts with the bean. Because we only use two ingredients to make our chocolate—cocoa beans and organic cane sugar—the flavor of the beans we buy is critical. While genetics and processing play integral roles in developing flavor, getting good flavor reliably has everything to do with building good relationships."Dandelion Chocolate: "We do our best to work directly with the producers who grow, ferment, and dry the cacao we buy. We travel to origin as frequently as possible to learn about our producers’ best practices, exchange feedback, and make sure that high standards of quality and sustainability are met. We pay a premium far above the world market price and work to strengthen our relationships year after year in order to maintain our collective commitment to sharing the best and most distinctive cacao."Not enough chocolate for you? Dandelion chocolate also provides a host of different experiences which include tours, classes, private events, talks and cocoa trips!Shop at Dandelion Chocolate

We met up with Dani and David at a local gastro pub, Country Fare to discuss their latest epic costume design for Magic Wheelchairs. Together they are working on a Halloween themed build that will be revealed at Comic Con For Kids."Magic Wheelchair is a nonprofit organization that builds epic costumes for kiddos in wheelchairs — at no cost to families. Their mission is to bring communities together to create unforgettable moments for children around the world by transforming their wheelchairs into magic. To be eligible for a Magic Wheelchair costume, a kiddo must be between the ages of 5 and 17 and primarily use a wheelchair for mobility."There are teams from all over the world donating their time to create unforgettable costumes for wheelchairs. Each team is given a budget of $1500 for their build and team sizes range from just a couple of people to large college groups. Intially, Teams meet with the kids to discuss ideas and themes but nothing is revealed until the costume is complete. Additional materials can be donated and as you can see on their website, some builds are incredibly detailed and elaborate.Magic Wheelchair operates on donations and volunteers only. If you are interested in becoming involved please check out the links below.DonateVolunteerApply for an epic costume

We met up with Yvan at Deccico's markets in Armonk, NY. Yvan De Baets is a founder and brewer at the famed brewery, Brasserie De La Senne, in Brussels. He is also a social worker and beer historian. Belgium has a long rich history when it comes to brewing and is also trend setter to the entire brewing industry. Yvan is extremely passionate about the beers he and fellow brewer, Bernard Leboucq produce. Together they brew beers they love while remaining uninfluenced by trends and profit. As a result they brew beers that are wonderfully bitter, low in alcohol and superior when it comes to quality. Many consumers in the brewing industry consider Brasserie De La Senne to be "some of the best beer in the world"."The beers of Brasserie de la Senne are produced by two passionate brewers from Brussels: Yvan De Baets and Bernard Leboucq. They work in a small brewery honouring the traditional ways of brewing beer: unfiltered, unpasteurized, free of any additives and using only the finest raw materials of the highest quality. Their dedication to un-compromised quality is definitely one of the outstanding characteristics of the brewery. The beers, with their complex flavour and well-distinguished personalities, are true beers of character, made in Brussels.""Brussels is the place where we were born and where we live. We love this city. We are very proud to have doubled its number of breweries, as, when we opened, the only other active brewery in Brussels was Cantillon. We brew in the Brussels Region, on 565 Chaussée de Gand, in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, since 22 December 2010. This date has also become the date of our anniversary brew, only brewed once a year – the Brussels Calling. We have designed our production facilities by carefully selecting the technologies in use. For some stages we have purposely opted for simpler technologies in order to preserve all the aromas of our beers. We take pride in being a local brewery; Brussels is our first market, followed by the rest of Belgium. We limit our exports, despite the success we have encountered abroad. We are, however, available in a dozen countries, with a leading presence in the United States, Italy and Japan."We hope at some point to follow up with Yvan at his brewery in Brussels for an "on the road" episode.

Finally...an episode that has given us the most complete education on sour beers. We met up with Alex Wallash at, Deccicos & Sons in Brewster, NY. Alex is a founder, brewer, innovator and surfer from The Rare Barrel, in Berkley California. The sours produced at The Rare Barrel are some of the finest and most innovative we've experienced. RARE BARREL: "We are an all-sour beer company. Sour beer is our favorite style of beer. The flavors produced by this unique fermentation and aging process cannot be replicated in any other food or beverage. Due to the involved process, sour beer is not often a commonly brewed style, making it difficult to find. We’d like to help change that.Aside from our personal preferences for the beer, there are also practical reasons for going all-sour. By focusing completely on sour beer, we can concentrate on learning as much as possible about the reasons why those unique flavors are produced in sours. With our entire focus on sours, we have crafted a cellar around the production of sour beer. Our space is dedicated to the conditioning of barrel-aged sour beers. With high ceilings, a moderate climate and plenty of space, we give our barrels an ideal home to create their unique flavors.It’s been said that constraint breeds creativity. By adopting a singular focus on crafting sour beer, we plan on thoroughly exploring flavors through both conventional and experimental methods to create exciting new beers.Periodically, we will organize an extensive search (tasting) of our barrel house to find our finest barrel of sour beer. A team of craft beer enthusiasts, sour-heads, homebrewers, brewers, BJCP judges, cicerones, and foodies will taste through our barrel house and select our finest barrels of sour beer. Once the “Search Party” has determined the top barrels of sour beer, the founders of The Rare Barrel will taste them, and name the finest of the final barrels as “The Rare Barrel.”

Thirty minutes before this podcast we had no idea we were going to record this. This episode is dedicated to the oldest barber in the world and WWII veteran, Anthony Mancinelli. We never met Anthony, however we thought it appropriate to honor Anthony by attending his funeral Mass, procession and grave-side service. This is where we met up with military bugler, Dani Masterson.Dani Masterson is a volunteer bugler working with Bugles across America and Spiritof45.org. She's been a horn player for over 30 years and for the past 20 years sounding TAPS for over 3500 details. When she shows up for a detail, she feels, " It"s the last nicest thing that can do for someone." These are the times when Dani feels her service is most pure. "I don't do this to receive a pat on the back or even a thank you. I do it to serve. I'm personally grateful because it has given me a place to serve those who have served. My mission is to educate people on the significance and history of TAPS, why it is important to have a live Bugler and to sound TAPS in all 50 states."Anthony was born March 2, 1911 in Montemilone, Italy. The son of John and Savino Madrisi Mancinelli. Anthony came to America in September of 1919, on the ship Caserta. He served in WWII and was honorably discharged in 1945. He took up barbering in 1924 and continued to work until July of this year. He was a life member and the oldest member of the New Windsor American Legion 1796. He was Grand Marshall of the New Windsor Memorial Day parade for 13 years. He was inducted into the Barbers Museum and Hall of Fame and is listed in The Guinness Book of World Records. He has been honored numerous times and received many awards/certificates from government officials, including Senator Larkin, Representative Thomas Kirwan, Congressman John Hall, Supervisor George Green, County Executives Edward Diana and Steven Neuhaus and many others. March 2nd was named Anthony Mancinelli Day in Orange County.A big thanks to the members of the New Windsor American Legion 1796, The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, and the Newburgh/New Windsor police department.SIDE NOTE: Towards the end of the service we listened to a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria. We've heard this classic many times before, however this was the most beautiful we've ever experienced. The entire moment brought us to tears as we tried to figure out who was singing. Looking up behind the pews we could see a woman in military fatigues and then we realized who it most likely was, Master Sergeant, Mary Kay Messenger. Sergeant Messenger is the premier vocalist for the West Point Band and has extremely long list of accolades. This day she played humbly and then quietly exited with little notice. Thank you for your service.Rest well, Anthony...

Big thanks to Delta Sky Club for hosting this episode with Damrak Gin. We met up with Tanya from Damrak to discuss cocktails, gin history and trends. Delta Sky Club's complimentary cocktail of the month is a Spanish-Style gin and tonic made with Damrak. The gin recently won silver at Food and Beverage Magazine's PROOF% awards Damrak is light on the juniper with a lot of subtle flavors, predominantly citrus. These characteristics opens it to whole host of cocktails. There are 17 different ingredients that give Damrak Gin its DAM good taste. Some of them they disclose, but some are the Master Distiller’s secret. The main distillate consists of the best quality Curaçao oranges. The distillate of these peels highlights the citrusy character of Damrak Gin; like a triple-sec liqueur without sugars. Valencia oranges give Damrak Gin its sweet and distinctive aroma, while lemons provide the freshness. In every gin, there are juniper berries. Even though they deliberately added little less juniper berries, it is still clearly noticeable in taste and smell. Adding some herbs and spices like angelica root, cinnamon, lavender and star anise results in the unique flavor of Damrak Gin.Recipe: Damrak gin, good tonic (we love Fever Tree), two slices of cucumber, FRESH sprig of rosemary or thyme or even lavender. Toss in a few dried juniper berries and there you have it! This style of gin and tonic is great on a hot day paired with tapas or even on cold day paired with short rib sliders. Tanya loves to pair Damrak with oysters on the half shell or even served as a shooter.Delta Sky Club is an amazing experience and we are very much looking forward to returning to take advantage of ALL the great amenities they have to offer!

This episode we met up Morgan Spurlock at his pop-up restaurant, Holy Chicken to discuss the newly released Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Morgan is an award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer, director, producer, playwright and president and founder of full-service New York-based production studio Warrior Poets. Joining us were poultry farmers John Buttram and Charles Morris. Although the start of this documentary is about opening a truly transparent fast-food chicken restaurant, it became quickly apparent that this film is about the farmers, there struggle and the corruption surrounding "big-ag" in our country. 99% of the chicken consumed is the United States is produced by a monopoly of five main companies. These companies control all aspects of chicken production and essentially "own" the farmers who grow their chickens. The whistle-blowing in this documentary has resulted in John has being black-balled the the industry and no longer grows chickens. Charles is still working because he has no choice which is a struggle every day. He currently grows approximately 1.2 million chickens every 8 weeks with a 10% average die-off. Thats an average of 100,000 chickens to compost that he is also responsible for disposing of. Both John, Charles and their families are struggling to survive with a constant barrage of threats from the retaliating industry which includes lobbying group, The National Chicken Council. This film did NOT stop us from eating chicken; in fact, immediately following the episode we ate a spicy, grilled, crispy chicken sandwich which was delicious. Morgan, john & Charles DID open our eyes to the corruption in "big-ag" as well as the struggle our farmers deal with on a daily basis which is carefully and strategically hidden from the average American consumer. We will continue to stay in touch and hope to do a follow-up episode with a more positive change to the industry.

Another first for us! Truly honored to be guests & students at The Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY. Not only home to the famous X-men mansion its also home to 50 North American wolves. Species at the center include Gray, Mexican Gray and Red wolves. We met up Maggie Howell who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Canis Lupus. Maggie, Executive Director, has worked at the Wolf Conservation Center since 2005, starting as the WCC's Managing Director and taking the helm as Executive Director in 2013. She continues to lead the WCC's education and advocacy initiatives and be the main voice of the WCC. The remaining staff is made up of dedicated professionals that include educators, scientists, veterinarians and volunteers. As we learned, the center has many moving parts; however, there are two main components, education and breeding. In regards to education, WCC has ambassador wolves, Zephyr, Alawa and Nikai who work directly with the public and will never be released into the wild. Don't worry, they live an amazing life in their enclosure which includes donations of filet mignon & octopus from Whole Foods. The breeding component is made up of the remaining 47 wolves and have limited contact with humans as to protect them for eventual release into the wild. Their diets are kept more wild and depend solely on donations which include road-kill and hunter drop-offs. The breeding component is absolutely fascinating and WCC along with US Fish & Wildlife have had many successful reintroductions. Surprise guest Rocio La Rosa also joined us to give insight into the spiritual side of wolves as well as their symbolism. We had an amazing experience and very much look forward to following the WCC progress and continued success in bringing back Canis Lupus and the 38 sub-species.The Wolf Conservation Center is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and rely heavily on donations and volunteering. Please give at the following link: THE WOLF CONSERVATION CENTER

This episode we met up with Brittany Chardin of Movers and Shakers. Brittany is a beverage and bar consultant who has partnered with Delta to help transform the Delta Sky Club into a whole new experience. The key word is "experience" and that's what Delta is striving to accomplish. An all-encompassing, multi-sensory "Shangri-La" thats surprisingly affordable. Delta: "We’re constantly updating our offerings at THE BAR for our guests, including premium spirits and cordials, craft cocktails, local beer choices, and hand-selected wine options by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, who works closely with Delta to make selections from vineyards worldwide.Hand-Crafted Cocktails:Curate your experience with our reimagined list of craft cocktails including a refreshing Bramble Tonic, a Luxe Manhattan, a Day Tripper Spritz and more. Old Forester Whiskey Row series:Take a journey through the history of bourbon with our new Old Forester flight. This bourbon experience includes four distinct offerings that highlight this historic brand's major milestones. Pop the Champagne:Celebrate something truly special with us. Dom Pérignon is now available for purchase with money or miles by the bottle or glass at most Delta Sky Club locations featuring THE BAR.Miles with a Twist:Now you can use miles for premium drinks. Simply order your premium drink, then scan your boarding pass or provide your SkyMiles number and enjoy."

We met up with Antonio Guarda Nardini from Grappa Nardini. Antonio's family has been making premium grappa in Italy since 1779. Although the family originated with distilling traditional grappa they also produce liqueurs, brandy, aperitifs and bitters. This episode we stayed within the grappa category. The name “grappa” originally comes from the Italian word “grappolo”, meaning grape. Grappa is distilled from grape skins, or pomace. The pomace is a byproduct of wine-making. Grappa is therefore a type of pomace brandy. This grappa is NOT "Italian moonshine". And contrary to many American palates, this grappa is complex in flavor, incredibly smooth and very versatile. Typically the spirit is bottled un-aged OR aged, Matt is particularly fond of their aged expressions. Grappa can be enjoyed neat or in a cocktail. Antonio was kind enough to give us a copy of his book "The Grappa Handbook". Not available on Amazon. The 132 page book was created to underscore grappa’s accessibility, as well as discussing the spirit’s history‚ distillation methods and offering food-matching ideas. The handbook features over 30 cocktail recipes‚ led with a foreword from the ‘King of Cocktails’ himself‚ New Yorker‚ Dale DeGroff. The cooking section‚ featuring 18 mouth-watering recipes. We can't thank Antonio enough for joining us and broadening our palates. We very much look forward to tasting through their diverse portfolio.

This episode we met up with Lisa Laird Dunn of Laird and Company. The first legal apple-mash distillery operating in the United States. Lisa shares her incredible family history that reaches back generations and samples us on a rare cask celebrating her son's legacy, the tenth generation. So, whats the difference between applejack and apple brandy? "Applejack (also known as apple brandy or “straight applejack”) must be produced from 100 percent apples, blended applejack is a blend of apple brandy and grain neutral spirits (this is a category that Laird's petitioned for; it was passed in 1972). She describes it as functioning like an “applewhiskey.” Lisa and her family have been making applejack and apple brandy for over two hundred years. "Prior to 1760, George Washington wrote to the Laird family requesting their Applejack recipe. Entries appear in Washington’s diary in the 1760’s referring to the production of “cyder spirits”. As a Revolutionary soldier serving under George Washington, Robert Laird and his family provided the troops with Applejack." since then the Laird family business has survived fires, prohibition and WWII. Today they produce an entire line of apple-based spirits. We were fortunate enough to taste a couple of rare items as well. For a fun and different treat, replace your favorite whiskey cocktail with Lairds, it won't let you down! The Gramercy Tavern in NYC has a favorite on their menu, which is easy to execute at home, the Applejack Rabbit. Delicious!

We met up with George Manska, the creator of the Neat Glass. George has revolutionized the the way the alcohol industry is experiencing spirits! Just about every major spirit competition in the world is taking on this glass to judge spirits to their fullest.George Manska: "In 2002, a simple glass blowing mistake created an amazing shape which displays the true expression of spirits, and launched a new, scientific approach to glass design, Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology (NEAT) the scientific foundation for the best spirits glass available. To properly savor spirits, one needs a spirits nosing glass which displays aromas and accents flavor.Studying human olfactory physiology and applying physical and chemistry science, we unlocked the hidden dimensions of distilled spirits with a spirits nosing glass that enhances drinking pleasure, enjoyment, and diagnostics. Nine years, fifty two design revisions, hundreds of tastings and aroma profile studies resulted in perfection - the NEAT spirits glass. The tulip glass is now “old school” obsolete and non-functional as more serious drinkers pick up the NEAT spirits glass to discover and understand true spirit character and quality.Taste the Truth: Taste and aroma are true measures of a spirit's quality. Alcohol burn numbs the nose and overwhelms the truth, spoiling your drinking experience. NEAT eliminates nose burn and numbing, enhancing ability to detect, savor, and enjoy the subtle, wonderful aromas the distiller intended. NEAT is the best spirits glass ever.Science Drives Design, Form Follows Function: NEAT spirits glass was tested against tulip whiskey glass, glencairn, and other spirits glasses under controlled, uniform conditions by University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) Chemistry Department to verify results. Other whiskey nosing glasses and spirits glasses can’t compare to NEAT aromas and flavor. Science built a better glass.How to Use: Pour to max bowl diameter (1 1/2 oz), swirl, hold level, and smell at center of the rim plane for characteristic aromas without alcohol. Breathe in slowly with mouth CLOSED, evaluate. NEAT spirits glass presents character aromas without alcohol. Position nose at rim to smell alcohol and other high-end distillates. Place nose deep inside glass for aroma profile same as with tall narrow glasses if you are in love with alcohol nose burn (not recommended). Adding water shuts down evaporation and results in much less aroma to savor. Tulip whiskey glasses fail to focus aromas and instead, concentrate nose-numbing ethanol, destroying your sense of smell."

We met the crew at Chinola during a visit to Bar Convent, Brooklyn. They are "passionate" about the entire operation. This includes carefully growing their own Passion fruit. This is the most authentic passion fruit liqueur we tasted. We love it chilled; however, a splash on top of a fresh Caipirinha and it doesn't get much better."Passion fruit is widely referred to as maracujá throughout Latin America, except in the Dominican Republic where this local treasure is termed Chinola. Our chinola are meticulously grown and varies in shade, each carefully selected from their farm."Bitters and Bottles: "Chinola can be sipped straight or over ice, and tastes wonderful when mixed. You can use it in a Highball with straight seltzer or sparkling wine, or add it to an Aperol Spritz. It also works wonderfully in tropical or tiki cocktails that call for a passion fruit syrup like a Hurricane. It’s drier, boozier, livelier and fresher tasting than any other passion fruit syrups or liqueurs on the market

We had a great time sitting with artist, dad & philanthropist Michael Godard! "Michael Godard is known as the explosive “Rockstar of the Art World” and global top selling artist!"His world of art invites us to see his lighthearted perspective, surrounding us with animated olives, grapes, and dancing strawberries. His unique portrayal of fun is an exciting combination of imagination and subtle humor, evoking the creative side in “Olive” us. He has redefined art as we know it and, of course, given it a punch line.""His paintings are thought provoking and full of enigmatic illusion. They show pain, love, conflict, and success, making people smile, laugh, reminisce, and exclaim, “Oh My God..ard!”"Godard’s work is highly collected by young and old from all walks of life including movie stars, rock stars and private collectors. “We both love to see people respond to our art and it’s probably why we’ve been given a gift to create and entertain. Get ready to go crazy over the artwork of Michael Godard” -Ozzy Osbourne. Godard’s imaginative world of art is seen by millions of people each month, worldwide through cruise lines, galleries, hotels, television, magazines and countless merchandising kiosks and stores. His paintings even adorn the walls of the Officer’s Lounge in the Pentagon.""Michael Godard has dedicated himself to philanthropic causes through his art. “The funds I help raise save lives and at the end of the day, it’s the most important thing I do,” declares Godard. In 2006, his 16 yr. old daughter passed away after her battle with brain cancer. “All the money in the world can not bring her back, but the funds I help raise for a cure will help save another child,” said Godard.""Godard works very closely with St Jude’s, Make a Wish, Nevada Cancer Institute and The Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Foundation “You’re not only buying something that is a work of art but that money is going to save somebody’s life” -Sharon Osbourne.""His continuing effort has driven him far beyond the canvas, bringing him closer to his goal of raising money to help win the war against cancer. Current projects are in the works making this achievement happen. Godard says, “The world is small – you can truly make an impact on everyone you meet.”

Chicago deep-dish pizza is expanding beyond its borders. We had a lot of fun with Evan from Giordano's Pizza! He met us in Vegas where the company has recently opened two restaurants and its apparent that he as well as the entire company are extremely passionate about their famous deep dish pizza. This style of pizza is a bit foreign to all of us as we are dedicated New York Pizza fans. The kinda of pizza that folds. After this episode we have come to the conclusion that we enjoy both styles of pizza and they can coexist harmoniously. Yep, we're craving it now...Their story: "It's creation began in a small northern Italian town near Torino, Italy. Mama Giordano was famous around town for her exquisite cooking. Of all her renowned dishes, her most beloved meal was her “Italian Easter Pie”. Mama Giordano would serve this double- crusted, cheese stuffed masterpiece on special occasions. This pizza pie became a sacred tradition in the Giordano family and a legend in the town of Torino. Years later, Italian immigrants Efren and Joseph Boglio moved to Chicago to start their own pizza business. The brothers introduced their Mama’s recipe for stuffed pizza. In 1974, on Chicago’s historic south side, Efren and Joseph opened the first Giordano’s in the world. Over the next 40 years and counting, millions of happy and loyal fans as well as hundreds of critics call Giordano’s the city’s “best” stuffed pizza! The rest is history you can still taste today, along with our other great starters, fresh salads, outstanding pastas and unique sandwiches.Giordano’s is constantly making headlines, both in Chicago and nationally. The brand garners frequent media coverage and continuously tops “Best Pizza” lists and dining guides. Giordano’s has been acclaimed “Chicago’s Best Pizza” by NBC, CBS Chicago, New York Times, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Eater, Home & Garden Magazine, Concierge Preferred and more!

This is a first for us! We spent the evening podcasting live from craft beer mecca, DeCicco and Sons in Brewster, NY. Consumers arrive from all over the trip-state area to experience the amazing and often rare craft brews. Joining us for a tap takeover was Diner Brew Company, Plan Bee Brewery, Industrial Arts Brewing and Brendan from DeCicco and Sons. What you won't hear are the dedicated crew behind the bar who help organize this great event. Big thanks to Vinny, Greg, Nate and Rob. Couldn't have done it with out you."DeCicco’s award winning beer department sometimes leaves people wondering, “Is DeCicco’s a supermarket with awesome beer? Or a beer store that sells awesome food?” Visit one of our locations and decide for yourself. We have one of the most comprehensive beer selections in the state, with vast bottle selections and an ever-changing draft list for growler fills. Our stores in Brewster and Armonk also have beer and wine bars, and regularly host brewers for specials events and releases.The DeCicco beer team also pairs with some of the area’s best brewers to create some wonderful and unique collaborations, including Captain Lawrence, Six Point, Peekskill, Yonkers, Newburgh, Rushing Duck and Evil Twin. Stop by and see why DeCicco’s has been rated “Best Beer Retailer in New York” and “Top Places For Beer In The World.”

A must visit if you are in the Hudson Valley! We spent the morning at a traditional family-owned, German butcher. East Fishkill Provisions is an art form with a broad spectrum of specialties dating back generations. The original owner, Rudy is 94 years old and is still going strong making traditional brats. Rudy sold to current owner George Mustakas and his son and they've been expanding the menu since. What do they produce? Bierwurst, Ham Bologna, Shickenspeck, Hot Dogs, Kielbasa, Wursts, Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Knockwurst, Bauwernwurst, Smoked Sausage, bacon, Smoked Ham, Smoked Turkey, Roasted Beef, Corned Beef, Pastrami, Kassler Rippchen (smoked pork chops), Bologna, Liverwurst, Laberkase, Pepperloaf, Headcheese, Sulz. In addition all this and their deli, they have full catering and BBQ including whole hog. During hunting season almost every hunter in the Hudson Valley has dropped off game meat for processing. Venison Menu. The day we visited George had bear sausage smoking! We had an amazing time with George and his family. We're looking forward to returning in the fall for a follow up hunting podcast.

We had a great time with Mike and Dani from Coconut Cartel! Amazing founding story that created a Guatemalan rum proofed with coconut water."Coconut Cartel is the story of Mike and Dani Zig and all the places theyve called home. Born in Miami to Latin parents, the Zigs grew up between Miami, Guatemala and El Salvador; often spending weekdays in Central America and weekends in Miami. These two drastically different, yet culturally connected places, are the very inspiration behind Coconut Cartel.As soon as they settled back in Miami, they began their first venture: 'smuggling’ coconuts in their suitcases from islands off the coast of El Salvador directly to Miami Beach’s best hotels. Creating one of the first ‘Instagrammable’ beverages to hit the beaches opened up a lot of doors into the hospitality and spirits industries, allowing them to collaborate with brands such as Soho House, Standard Hotels, The Surf Lodge and into the hands of mega celebrities like Drake, Martha Stewart, HRH Prince Harry Sussex, Cristiano Ronaldo and many more.Coconut Cartel was born.Today Coconut Cartel is keeping the smuggler spirit alive with the launch of its coconut water infused, premium Guatemalan anejo rum, Coconut Cartel Special. Developed with Central America’s best coconut, coffee and rum producers, and delivered straight to the U.S. via the Port of Miami, Coconut Cartel Special brings the best of the region to the rest of the world in a bottle."

We met the crew at El Silencio Mezcal at Bar Convent, Brooklyn last year. This year we came back to taste and wow, what an experience! We'll leave the actual tasting experience to the episode. Mezcal can be misunderstood because many people who try them for the first time are often disappointed. Mezcal flavor profiles are on a wide spectrum. They can be incredibly bold, medicinal & smokey or they can be more soft, floral and balanced. The key is balance. El Silencio Mezcal is perfectly balanced for a broad range of Mezcal consumers.The mezcal Espadín is double distilled in Oaxaca, Mexico and is the "perfect companion for cocktails or simply to sip on its own. A robust, deep flavor profile recalls earthly delights and hearty tastes, providing a subtle smoke and pronounced finish unlike any mezcal or spirit you’ve encountered in your travels."COLOUR Clear with solid white accents. TASTE Roasted figs, sweet potatoes and charred stone fruit. AROMA Balanced smoke, ash and baking spices. FINISH Predominantly white pepper, bell pepper, and a myriad of baking spices."While similar to their super premium Joven Ensamble Mezcal, Espadin is perfect for being adventurous and mixing it up. Give the classic cocktail a twist, and elevate the experience by making El Silencio the center of the recipe. Make a bloody mary a Mezcal Mary; put some smoke in your margarita. Espadín is a pure agave mezcal for people that know what they want in life, whether sipped, shaken or stirred."After our neat experience we had two amazing cocktails:TEARS OF THE GODDESSMezcal El Silencio EspadínGifford Passion FruitRockeys Milk PunchTears of The Black Rabbit (proprietary to Silencio)ELIXIR OF LIFEMezcal El Silencio EspadínKleos MastihaHella Eucalyptus Bitters

Kyrö may be the first stop on our European tour! We love theses guys and their rye-based spirits. Kyrö produces gin, whiskey, bitters & a cream liquer. In America Rye is usually associated with aged whiskey. Bold flavors followed by a spicy somewhat medicinal finish. Finland's terroir plays an important role and the Rye grown, harvested and processed in Finland is full of flavor, very approachable and lacks the medicinal burn found in many American rye whiskeys. Don't misunderstand us we DO love American rye just not in this context. As a result, Kyrö's un-aged spirits are incredibly diverse when it comes to imbibing neat or crafting cocktails. KYRO YOUTUBE LINK"The obvious question on everybody’s lips was why hasn’t anybody made a Finnish rye whisky, especially given the fact that Finns consume six times more rye than the world average and rye bread is the official national dish! From there the idea grew and before long, our distillery found a perfect home in an old dairy in the Finnish village of Isokyrö. After some gentle renovations, stills were first heated up in 2014 and from there the distillery has gone to win several international prizes and we now sell our products in dozens of countries around the world. We are proud to be the world’s northern most gin and whisky distillery producing the finest single malt rye whisky and rye gin.""Napue gin was voted as “The World’s Best Gin for Gin & Tonic” by the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2015 and in 2016 Napue won the gold medal in the San Francisco World Spirit Competition premium gin-series.""Enjoy your Napue Gin & Tonic with plenty of ice, a twig of rosemary, a few cranberries and your favourite tonic water." We love Fever Tree! BCB SPIRIT SERIES #1: In RYE we trust: Finnish craft distillery, Kyrö is the result of an idea conceived in a traditional sauna!

We're back recording at one of our favorite spots, Ibizia Kitchen in Chappaqua, NY. Joining us is special guest AND friend, Phoenix-Kelly Rappa. Phoenix is co-owner of Cuca Fresca cachaça who gave us a bit of an education on Brazils national spirit. Included in this lesson, our teacher crafted a perfect passion fruit Caipirinha topped with Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur. We then proceeded to "nosh" on slow-cooked, beef cheek tapas, imbibe and chat...THE STORY Created by a fourth-generation cachaça-making family, Cuca Fresca is made using age-old methods passed down for almost a century. The entire process is done at our distillery located in the heart of Minas Gerais, the world’s most famous cachaça-producing region. “Cuca Fresca”, which literally translates to “cool head” and is a Brazilian expression meaning “to be cool” or “have a chill vibe.”THEY HAVE A "GREEN" THUMB Master distillers know that to make the world’s best cachaça, you must begin with superior quality cane. At the distillery, the soil and weather combine to create the ideal growing conditions for cane. All of the sugarcane is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, which have a serious long-term impact on the environment. Our fermentation and distillation process is also completely natural and Cuca Fresca Cachaça is USDA-certified organic.THEY USE ONLY THE BEST INGREDIENTS All of their sugarcane is closely monitored and harvested at its peak, using the traditional methods of cutting-by-hand, and never burnt during harvests. While this is a more time-consuming method of harvesting, it is essential to maintain the delicate balance and sweetness of the cane.ARTISANAL PROCESS After fermentation, each batch of Cuca Fresca is double-distilled in traditional copper alambique stills. These small-batch artisanal methods of distillation produce a spirit that is smoother and more refined than other cachaças, which are typically mass produced using a column distillation process.AGED TO PERFECTION After each batch of Cuca Fresca is double-distilled, it is put in barrels to age. This aging process makes the cachaça even smoother and adds complexity. Our Cuca Fresca Prata is aged for one year in oak, resulting in a premium silver cachaça that has been called the “ideal slate for cocktail creativity.” Our Cuca Fresca Ouro is aged for four years in Jequitiba, a native Brazilian wood, resulting in a gold cachaça that is perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks, as well as in ultra-premium cocktails.The Perfect Passion Fruit Caipirinha1/2 Lime2 tsp Sugar.5 oz Fresh Lime .5 Simple Syrup2 oz Cuca Fresca Cachaca.75 oz Chinola Passion Fruit LiqueurInstructionsCut lime in half lengthwise. Carefully cut out white-pith centerline and transfer to a cocktail shaker. Add sugar and muddle hard to release the lime's juice and essential oils. Add Cuca Fresca cachaça and 4–5 ice cubes. Cover cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour into a glass (preferably a tumbler or an old-fashioned or rocks glass), garnish with fresh basil and chili pepper, top with Chinola and serve. Imbibe.

This podcast was recorded live at Ibizia Kitchen in Chappaqua, NY. It marks our first official interview with chef/owner Ignaciao Blanco. We're big fans of Ignacio and his Galician style Tapas and have been customers of his Ibizia restaurant in Danbury, CT from the beginning. Ignacio got his start opening in Manhattan and then moved to Norwalk and New Haven, CT. He then opened in Danbury, CT where we met him. His most recent venture is in Chappaqua, NY where him and his partner Ben Wallace of Cellar Raiders opened in November 2018. What is Galacian style tapas? Galicia is on the coastal Northwest region of Spain and has an abundance of rich seafood. Ignacio utilizes a lot of seafood acquiring the freshest ingredients and letting them speak for themselves. Although this may appear simple, Ignacio is incredibly inventive with his cuisine including the incorporation of molecular gastronomy. He changes his menu frequently to accommodate what's in season. In addition to their innovative fare, Laura Arias is in constant development of the cocktail menu and as a result has brought a bit of of fusion between Colombia & Spain. Bring all these elements together and eating at Ibizia is truly an experience. We are often there for 3-4 hours at a time eating, socializing and consuming Spanish wines. The experience also includes impromptu meet-up's with food critics like Bryan Miller and Spanish wine enthusiast, Gerry Dawes. You never know who will walk into one of Ignacio's establishments. All of THIS is why we love the The Ibizia experience.

We were a bit thirsty so we packed up our gear and travelled a short distance to a boutique distillery, Still The One in Port Chester, NY. The business is predominantly a three man operation: Owner, Albert Savarese, head distiller Tyler LaCorata & assistant distiller Ryan Sadis. The trio have it dialed in and are producing some unique and amazing expressions. Albert believes in letting his team express themselves. As a result, there's a small testing still ready to create strange and awesome experiment. We got a definite Charlie & the Chocolate factory feel when we walked in. Small bottled "experiments' are scattered throughout including a mint-chocolate absinthe that came to Tyler in a dream. Yes, he keeps a dream book. Still The One began in 2009 producing vodka and then Gin. Whiskeys came later and they've definitely carved out a delicious niche for themselves. Nothing is mass-produced and almost every expression is a single barrel. We sipped a beautiful wheat whiskey #3 that was incredibly soft, flavorful and had that signature touch of sweetness that was expected. The distilled single malts are the results of beer mash they acquire from local breweries. The mash is brought to the distillery in 270 gallon totes and then pot distilled. Their pot still is perfect for capturing just the right amount of beer characteristics. We've had a few whiskeys derived from beer mash at other distilleries and Still The One is "one" of the best!Still The One is open to the publicFriday 4pm-11pmSaturday 1pm-11pmSunday 1pm-5pm They will host your Saturday afternoon with a Craft Spirits Tasting! No reservations are needed. Tastings are $10 and include a flight of four samples of customer’s choice of spirits. They offer distillery tours by appointment only. They conduct tours on Saturdays between hours of 1pm – 7pm; last tour available at 6pm. Tours are $10 and last up to 30 minutes.

A few boundaries have been broken with this special podcast interview. Three separate podcasts partnered to bring you an evening with philanthropist, Harris Rosen. The Hangover Takeover , The Fork On The Road and Rogues on The Road spent an amazing two hours at Jacks Place restaurant in Orlando Florida conversing with Harris about life, food and the amazing caricatures his father, Hy Rosen drew while working at the Waldorf Astoria, in New York City. Perfectly executed dishes were prepared by Executive Chef, Michael McMullen and his creative team. They had us from the start! We ate, drank, laughed, lamented and even shed a few tears along the way. What an evening! We were truly humbled and honored that Harris shared his story with us. We're looking forward to our return AND a possible skydive experience with him in the near future. We hope you enjoy this rare podcast as much as we did. We would like to dedicate this podcast to Harris Rosen's son, Adam.

Rocio is a certified special education teacher, shaman, minister and single mom! She is good friend of Matt & the Rogues and we've all had the honor of experiencing a traditional Cacao Ceremony with her. This ceremony is just one of many, Rocio conducts with clients.Rocio was born in New York and began her spiritual work publicly in 2007 after years of serious illness. Part of her spiritual initiation, was being diagnosed with many things such as Cancer, Lupus and Fibromyalgia, which brought her to reawaken her lineage into healing for herself and others. It was a visitation of light one evening that brought her to return to her roots and seek what true happiness really was.Respecting all religions and traditions, Rocio’s unique work allows her to balance the physical and spirit, providing clarity and insight as well as healing to her clients. This work is deeply guided from her family’s Peruvian lineage of Curanderos, where even at the age of five, she was aware of her gifts. Incorporating different traditions and techniques Rocio teaches other to empower themselves, to remember their own divinity.Rocio is available to clients via appointment. Rocio La Rosa - Medicine Woman/Curandera2125 Albany Post Road, Ste. 303, Montrose NY 10548, U.S. Email: Curandera444@gmail.com

This episode opened with a brand new voice over intro from across the pond. Following the new intro, we jumped right in to the growing world of food allergies. Asha LeRay, this weeks guest owns Food Allergy Unboxed. A parent of a child with severe food allergies Asha's company provides a combination of food allergy training, as well as allergy-sensitive recipes & recipe boxes. According to Food Allergy Research and Resource Program: "A group of the eight major allergenic foods is often referred to as the Big-81 and comprises milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybean. These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States and must be declared on any processed food according to the USA food allergen labeling act (FALCPA)1. In addition labeling of the Big-8 is mandatory according to EU, Canadian, Japanese and Australian / New Zealand regulations, all of which follow Codex Alimentarius recommendations.Asha, "We look at daily life routines and unbox them finding the important details while simplifying complexities of the process. We also take a look inside at emotions that we encounter as caregivers and how to keep balance through self care as part of our routines. In short...Asha helps families learn to live with food allergies so that they can focus on the joys of life!

This weeks podcast highlights Rogue fan, cook and neighbor, Linda Morganti. She has been cooking her whole life and is also a master at making the perfect "neighborhood" Martini. Linda has very few recipes written, most have been handed down through oral tradition. As a business owner of The Barbers Daughter and single mom she always finds the time to cook amazing dishes! She says cooking is her therapy and therefore cooks on a daily basis. The Tonetta Lake community in Brewster, NY where Linda resides is a tight-knit community which gets together often for dinners and events. Many on the block cook for these potlucks including Linda's sister-in-law, Cathy Murphy. It's almost always guaranteed that Linda will have prepared not one but multiple dishes for such events. Many dishes are Italian in origin and all are guaranteed to be amazing!There's one particular recipe called "Recipe" that Linda prepares often. Follow if you can. Origin of the name comes from Linda's Nephew, Josh "Styles" Murphy, member of the band "Daddy Long Legs". According to legend, when Josh was young he always asks for Linda to make the "Recipe". Hence, the "Recipe", follow? It's one the best Italian Comfort dishes we've tasted. It's simple to make but surprisingly difficult to master. "Recipe" was handed down to Linda via her grandparents. It was most likely created around post World War 2 era where somewhat hard times forced people to be creative by not waisting ingredients. This included the leftover breadcrumbs and egg mixture from fried chicken cutlets. "Recipe" is a mix of these leftover ingredients along with some added onion and cheese. The few we've spoken to about "Recipe" have noted that it's very challenging getting the proportions correct.The show closes with a comedic discussion on sauce vs. gravy and a nosh of Lindas famous meatballs. Secret: Don't overwork the mixture, flash fry and immediately drop them into the sauce.

This episode begins with a bit of bad news. Rich & Matt recently auditioned for a nation-wide Dell computer commercial. They were in the running but at the last minute they were turned down because they were too straight! Cant make this up, folks.From here, the Rogues move into a new wine label APP, Living Wine Labels. Interesting but gimmicky & the APP needs to have better "juice" behind it. Perhaps some craft spirits?Main focus of this weeks podcast celebrates chefs José Andrés & Albert Adria's new Mercado, Little Spain. We arrived as guests of wine importer, writer and Spanish culinary expert, Gerry Dawes. Eater New York "The result is a 35,000-square-foot food hall with three full-service restaurants; tapas, wine, and cocktail bars; a coffee shop; nearly a dozen food stalls; and three shops selling flowers, dry goods, and souvenirs. Most products ranging from the cured Ibérico hams to the flour used to make churros will be directly imported from Spain, Lopez stresses. And they include ingredients from all corners of Spanish cuisine, not one region neglected." This concept is absolutely amazing and definitely hits all the senses! A must visit in NYC.We close with another trend building momentum in the US. Tinned seafood. Although this is popular in many countries, including Spain. It's relatively new to the US. We visited three establishments highlighting "tins". Began with a visit to Angelicas in Buffalo, NY Haley Henry wine bar, Boston. Mercado Little Spain is also on board with Tins. Jose Andres imports his own & sells a variety at the the market place.

This episode begins with a trip to Newburgh Brewing company where they partnered with River Keeper to screen two new films about the Hudson River. River Keeper began in 1966 by a group of concerned fisherman. Together, they defend the Hudson River, its tributaries and help to protect the drinking water supply of 9 million New Yorkers. Volunteer opportunities. This includes the discovery of an incredibly rare and old sturgeon caught on side-scan radar just off the coast of Hyde Park, NY. At one point sturgeon ran so strong in the Hudson they fish showed up on many menus up and down the Hudson Valley. By the end of the 19th century it was commonly known as "Albany Beef". Hudson River sturgeon are currently on the federal endangered list.We quickly transition from the Hudson to opening a forty year-old can of JR Ewing Beer. Cans can still be found on the secondary market for purchase. The beer was brewed in 1980 by Pabst Blue Ribbon and is described as an American pale ale. It tasted like it was brewed on a hot summer day in dry Texas.Our Beer paired well with the discussion and tasting our core topic, comfort food. "CF provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any food with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking." Add nostalgia as well as high fat & high caloric to the definition. Every culture has a list/s.Matt’s list: Egg-foo-young, chocolate pudding & cinnamon rolls, Captain Crunch & Chicken, Pizza w/cold cheese, Italian combo, disco fries, gyro, Irish breakfast, wings, loaded tater totes Recipe: Lobster mac & cheeseRich’s List: Ploughman’s, prawn cocktail, curry, Cadbury mini eggs, hot sausage roll, bacon sandwich, scampi and chips, walker, marmite, Toad in the hole, English Fry-up. Recipes to taste: English cheese biscuits w/Branston, Shepherds pie, pavlova.Gypsy: Ritz crackers with cheese and smoked oysters. Delicious!

This is one of our favorite times of the year! Days are warming up, Red-Wing blackbirds have arrived in the Northeast which means it's time to get out and tap Sugar Maples and make syrup. Sugar maples are tapped for the high sugar content found in the sap. Sugar maples are native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and the northern parts of the Central and Eastern United States, from Minnesota eastward to the highlands of the upper eastern states and the interior Midwest. On this episode we discuss the when and HOW of maple sugaring and how easy it is to produce your own. We visited our friend Glen Niese at his farm where he puts out 14,000 taps a year!Once you have maple syrup, there are plenty of RECIPES including a new trend, Bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup!