Show Details

Biography

gastrotommy with Tom Powers

Tom is the leading online expert in the cultural world of food and wine. He began his industry career in 1993 at Marché restaurant in Chicago. By 1998 “Harvest on Huron”, which Tom owned and operated, was named “Best New Restaurant” by The Chicago Tribune. He was prominently featured in Gourmet, Wine Spectator and Crain’s Chicago Business. Then Powers began to focus on fine wine working with Veuve Clicquot and the Italian Wine Merchants. He launched the online site “gastrotommy” in October 2010 with entrepreneur Dan Halfman. “Gastrotommy” has quickly secured a prestigious position within the food and wine community. Evidence of this is his recent work with distinguished sommelier and restaurateur Rajat Parr and the event “California Pinot Noir: In Pursuit of Balance”. “Gastrotommy” the website and “gastrotommy” the podcast continues to provide unique access to artisan purveyors. These communications provide insight into the latest issues, trends and events in the industry. His educational video series will be released in May 2011.

Tom lives in Chicago with his wife Kara, son Michael and their dogs Remi and Simon. He is an avid scuba diver, a horrible golfer and a mischievous late night critter.

Archived Shows

• gastrotommy – 052112

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• gastrotommy – Cooking with Herbs

  Today we dive into cooking with herbs. We distinguish the difference between herbs and spices first. Then, we jump in on the subject of fresh vs dried. Is there a place for dried herbs? Sure! It is a matter of convenience. However, the great chefs of the world are using fresh herbs. They tend to use these herbs in smaller quantities as well. While Herbs d’ Provence is sold in many places, there are several different recipes. This medley of herbs is a great seasoning for roasted, grilled and sautéed dishes.

  We are thrilled to speak with our friends from Le Creuset this week. The company was founded in 1925 just outside of Paris, France. They are the celebrated producers of the best enamel cast iron French Ovens. These devices are perfect to cook with on the stove or in the oven for long slow cooking techniques, and then can go right to the table. They are as stylish as they are technical. In the last few years, Le Crueset has expanded the line to include porcelain kitchen containers, a wide assortment of cooking, bar, wine and coffee tools as well as range of serving pieces. Be sure, all these products are offered in their bold colors.

  Our wines today are the Qupe Marsanne and the Domaine de la Petite Cassagne from the Robert Kacher portfolio. Qupe primarily focuses on Rhone varietals. This wine has a great medium weight to it, shows some great floral notes and can be paired beautifully with rabbit, chicken, fish etc. The Dme de la Petit Cassagne is from the Costieres di Nimes. The wine is a tremendous value, shows some great dark berry fruit and hints of terroir and herbs. It has a bit of a peppery quality that is rather subtle. We know you will love this, especially because it is less than $10!

  
• gastrotommy – Spring Food & Wines

  This week we begin with an educational piece teaching our listening audience on how to visually analyze wine. This information comes directly from Tommy’s Sommelier training. Mary jumps in and gives us a rundown of some great spring produce. Mary & Tommy discuss a couple of great cookbooks like The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food by Ian Knauer and Seven Fires by Francis Mallmann. Our wine tasting this week focuses on a Vouvray from Dme. Pichot. This wine is from the Loire Valley and is made from Chenin Blanc. This grape is among the most versatile grapes that can make bone dry to sweet wines, flat and sparkling. They have a wonderful aromatic quality that sing of lavender and honey. The red wine is from Sicily. It is the Tascsa d’ Almerita, Lumuri made from Nero d’Avola. This is a delicious wine from an area gaining momentum on the world stage. We hope you enjoy the show.

  
• gastrotommy – Sommeliers, the New Restaurant Stars!?!

  The discussion today moves to the growing role that Sommeliers play in restaurants today. We discuss what actually goes into becoming a Sommelier, the study, the examinations, etc. While it is wonderful to see Sommeliers being recognized for their work, their rise in the awareness of the American diner has increased steadily over a 15 year period. However, the bulk of the dining public is still wary of this service. We can only hope that this service can be better received over a period of time.

  Our featured appliance of the week is the Vitamix. These are the best blenders available on the market. Tommy cites how he uses them daily now with fruit smoothies in the morning, veggie shakes in the afternoon and soups in the evening. The Vitamix is remarkably durable which helps to explain the lofty price.

  Finally, Mary and I had a cookoff of our Chicken Pot Pies. While we were hoping for a vicious battle, we found that our recipes had surprisingly similar ingredients. I am very comfortable recommending either dish as they were both great. For the recipes, please check out our website Gastrotommy. There we will recommend wines to match as well.

  
• gastrotommy – Tastemakers

  Tommy and Mary talk about some of their favorite Chocolate producers including New New Chocolate from Brooklyn, Ococ from LA and Vosges Chocolate from Chicago. In Bon Appetit, the March issues disusses the Tastemakers of 2012. Mary then talks about the great cheesemakers at Uplands Cheese in southwestern Wisconsin who makes great unpasteurized cheese. Tommy then talks about the esteemed Judy Chad from Capriole in the southern part of Indiana. Judy is simply regarded as one of the finest Goat Cheese producers in the world. The conversation then turns to great salami/salumi producers in the US. As always, we start with our friends at La Quercia, but focus on the great product from Fra Mani in California and Creminelli in Utah.

  The second segment of the show turns to our Wine & Food Pairing. Tommy addresses the importance of wine importers to the American industry. One of the foremost of these importers is Robert Kacher or Bobby to those who know and love him. The first wine that Tommy and Mary taste is from Chateau du Tariquet Classic which is about $8 retail and comprised of Ugni Blanc (45%), Colombard (35%), Sauvignon Blanc (10%) and Gros Manseng (10%). The wine is light, crisp, refreshing and only shows 11% alcohol. The wine is a great aperitif, wonderful with shellfish or to be matched with goat cheese. The red wine is Mas de Guiot, a blend of Syrah (60%) and Grenache (40%). The wine is $8.99 and is a steal. It has a gentle tannic quality, drinks easily, and is a medium weight red. It shows subtle herbal qualities, and dark cherries and ripe berries. We love this wine with Red Tail Venison, lamb, steaks, burgers, an assortment of pastas, etc.

  
• gastrotommy – Food & Wine Pairing

  This week we will talk about some of the people, publications that our audience should be following. We acknowledge the quality the articles in the Wine Spectator, but question the merits of their scoring system. Tommy can support Decanter in a more inclusive capacity. Although the magazine has a condescending quality towards American wines, their perspective on the rest of the global wine scene is considerable. Mary, our lovely co-host, has interviewed so many cookbook authors and gives us a short list of her favorite books. She starts with Steve Raichlen and his Planet BBQ or his website BBQBilbe.com. She is also a big fan or the Barefoot Contessa. Tommy is a big fan of Mario Batali’s books which he has Our favorite wine blog is Tom Wark’s Fermentation.

  This week we introduce a new feature to the show where we analyze a specific wine and discuss the types of food that can be paired with it. Although there are a plethora of American food shows and clearly there is a profound love of wine, there is not a structured place to discuss food and wine pairings. Gastro will be that place. There is a specific jargon to this activity that we will help the audience become more familiar with these terms.

  The show closes with our partner Danny Halfman has created the World’s Best Beer Rating System. Danny has moved away from the traditional scale to one that is completely unique, completely original. It will soon become the most used beer rating system.

  
• gastrotommy – Small vs Large Wine Production

  Today, Tommy and Mary focus on smaller production wine versus larger production wine and discuss the upcoming In Pursuit of Balance tasting event in San Francisco and New York this spring. The topic of smaller production wines versus larger production wines has gained quite a bit of notoriety lately. There is a feeling among the fine wine community that the grapes that are harvested by hand, that are produced into wines that have typically less than 10,000 cases to as many as 40,000 cases tend to show a more expressive terroir. The wines tend to be more complex and ultimately tend to taste better. The large-scale productions often have massive marketing budgets behind them. In turn, they receive prime placements on the shelves of our local grocery and wine stores. However, they often have a higher price point and less drinking satisfaction.
  From this movement there was an ongoing discussion within the community to examine and promote balanced wines. Rajat Parr and Jasmine Hirsch decided to highlight outstanding California Pinot Noir producers. The tasting was held last March in San Francisco and was a tremendous success. This year the events will be held in both San Francisco and New York City.

  
• gastrotommy – Where Does Our Food Come From?

  In this episode, our host Gastrotommy is joined by Mary Maguire, a radio personality from the Fox Valley, WI. The show discusses the differences between organic foods and conventional foods. Around the United States, there is a growing movement to consume more local, sustainable and organic products. Why is this? Is it really necessary? What are the consequences of eating fast food, genetically modified food, hormone injected meats and chemically preserved products? They are devastating. In the middle of the show Mary & Tommy discuss the movie Food, Inc., a powerful documentary. Any American remotely interested in their long term health must watch this gripping video. Tune in to this weeks Gastro episode for the truthful tale about our food!

  
• gastrotommy – First Steps for Thanksgiving

  This week Tommy turns his focus onto Thanksgiving. His guests this week are his partners Dan and Mary Halfman. The trio discusses some great products for the feast at a discount on our website www.gastrotommy.com. We go into new and traditional ideas for hors d’ouvres, side dishes, Turkeys, desserts and finally wines. This is the first of our 3 part series. One of the most satisfying experiences we have had a gastrotommy has been hearing our audience discuss how they are buying the products we have recommended and are blown away. Total Satisfaction!
  We have talked about each of these products on past shows.
  They are La Quercia, Murray’s Cheese, and Rushing Waters. The message is spreading.
  It’s time for our radio audience to check out gastrotommy.com. Our membership is only $20 for the year. Great for the holidays.
  In the interview, we discuss the relevance of organic, hormone free meats. We discuss what it is like to buy the products that the best restaurants around the country are purchasing.
  The show is a fun conversation between friends.
  Sure hope you join in.

  
• gastrotommy – Best American Winery: Lioco

  Today Tommy interviews Matt Licklider, Co-Founder of Lioco Winery. Lioco was started in 2005 and has taken the wine industry by storm. Their terroir driven wines are showing the balance, elegance and purity that is now characterizing the best American wines. Tommy provides access to this conversation with a dear college friend with our audience. This session will provide a very rare look into the genesis of a new wine project, an intimate view into the soul of its founder and a unique perspective into the real wine culture.
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• gastrotommy – Garrett Oliver

  This week our guest is the esteemed Garrett Oliver, editor of the newly released Oxford Companion to Beer. This book is already in its 4th run although it was just released this fall. Garrett is the brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery and is world renowned for his keen understanding of our industry. Oliver is brilliant, quick-witted and simply delightful. Have a listen to our show as Tommy and Garrett catch up on a lovely fall day outside of Publican Restaurant. Our show then turns from the brilliant to the sophomoric as Gastro discusses the Twitter sensation of a man chugging a $169 bottle of Cristal. Fortunately, the show then turns to a short lesson about the region of Champagne. There is some discussion about the unique characteristics of the microclimate, the grapes, the inherent qualities of the product and ultimately some great producers.

  
• gastrotommy – Jim Clendenen, The Legendary Winemaker

  Jim is the proud owner and winemaker at Au Bon Climat. Where so many producers get one good review and radically increase the price of their wines, Jim has continued to produce some of the world’s great wines. He is especially well known for his Pinot Noir and Chardonnays. However, he makes a wide array of wines from a number of different grapes. Jim is brilliant, affable and informative. On our gastrotommy site, we are proud to offer a number of Jim’s wines at a discount. Enjoy the discussion we provide with an old friend.

  
• gastrotommy - D’Artagnan and La Quercia

  We begin this wonderful segment with an interview with the esteemed Ariane Daguin from D’Artagnan. Her company was founded in 1985. Since this time she has supplied the finest restaurants not only in New York, but also around the country. She now makes these products available to consumers through her website. We are proud to say that our gastrotommy insiders receive a 20% discount on all their products. Next up on the show is our dear friend Herb Eckhouse from La Quercia in Norwalk, Iowa. Herb and his brilliant wife Kathy make what many consider to be the finest cured meats in the US and as delicious as any made in the world. Herb shares his story from conceiving the idea to produce proscuitto, to living in Parma, Italy and then producing these celebrated meats. Again, our gastro insiders get a wonder discount on these items. We know you will love listening to these great artisan producers.

  
• gastrotommy – 092611

  This week’s Gastrotommy features two great guest segments. First up is my friend Steve Olson who is known in our community as akawinegeek. Steve is one of the leading mixologists in the US. He has founded BAR the Beverage Alcohol Resource with several colleagues where they teach bartenders proper technique. He is as knowledgeable and passionate about our industry as anyone in the business. He is a global traveler exploring the world’s great beverages. Steve was kind enough to share a few great cocktail recipes for the fall. Be sure, they are delicious. Then, we talk to restaranteur Simon Lamb from Tribute in Chicago and his Executive Chef, Jared Case. These gents give us great insight into their world. The conversation is filled with laughter inspired by a couple of friends getting together. I know you will love this show.

  
• gastrotommy – Charles Smith

  I am often very skeptical of people, places and things that are really cool. I find I just don’t typically find the same things cool that most other people do. So when a manager I worked with told me about wines from a guy in Washington that was a self-taught winemaker who used to manage rock bands in Copenhagen…I cringed. I concocted this wild image of a drug-abusing, chain-smoking burnout that had returned to the states with some stupor-induced notion of becoming a Rockstar winemaker. Not on my watch. Not a chance.

  I was ready to shred these wines.

  Then, I tasted the wine. My first experience with Charles Smith’s wines was the K Vintners, Syrah, Cougar Hills, Walla Walla, 2002. Despite the potential cliched nightmare, the wine was delicious. It was balanced. Big, but balanced. It had a good degree of acidity, tannic structure and simply jammy fruit. I continued to enjoy these wines for a period. Then Charles created a new line from a new company.

  The Magnificent Wine Company was the creation. His product was House Wine. I loved everything about this: the simple black and white label, the name, the taste and most of all, the price, $10. Are you kidding me? Charles had cracked the code. As he says, and I paraphrase, rather than putting $2 worth of wine in $20 worth of packaging and charging $10, he put $20 worth of wine in $2 worth of packaging. The result is a product that changes with the harvest, that is delicious and yes, I’ll have another. In fact, just keep ‘em coming til someone falls asleep. Then bring 2.

  Next up for the savvy marketing, crazy haired, self taught Rockstar winemaker was Charles Smith Wines. He took the gloves off, had fun at all price points with many varietals. The wines are magically delicious. From Kung Fu Girl Riesling to Eve Chardonnay to Boom Boom Syrah to Velvet Devil and so on the wines bring place, pleasure and purpose to every sip.

  What I also discovered along the way was that Charles was not simply a guy with crazy hair that likes to get down like he’s going to prison tomorrow (really). He is really smart. He has a tremendous amount of respect for the great old world wines from Europe. He understand and executes marketing strategy as well as anyone in the world. Furthermore, he never compromises his values to gain favor. Ever. I just don’t know if he was ever a chain smoker.

  So you are looking for something that totally rocks that you can find anywhere? Check out Charles Smith’s wines.

  Looking to order a bunch for your house and save 20%? Send us an email. We’ll hook you up.

  ps, our radio show next week features a 30 minute interview with Tommy and Charles. Earmuffs for the children, please.

  
• gastrotommy – Craft Beer talk with Lincoln Anderson from 3 Floyds

  The American craft beer scene has exploded in the last 15 years. The producers show a considerable understanding of traditional techniques with a unique level of creativity. This has enabled the public to enjoy some remarkably delicious beers. Three Floyds is a family production in Indiana that is largely run by Nick Floyd. The company is focused on producing the finest beers in the world. Their commitment to quality is so genuine that they slowly increase production despite the soaring demand for the product.

  Links:

  Tom Powers www.gastrotommy.com

  3 Floyds www.3floyds.com

  
• gastrotommy – 072511

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• gastrotommy – How To Throw an Easy Party

  This week I will provide some great party tips that will enable you to be a guest at your own party. The first critical step is to get organized. So start by making a list. Make a list of the tools you need-glasses, forks, spoons, etc. This list becomes a checklist the day of the party when you begin to feel a bit more pressure and might forget some of these simple items. The next step is to consider the items that can be offered that do not require a lot of cooking. For example, fresh produce from the local Farmer’s Market can be ideal. Perhaps a bit of smoked fish, a medley of olives, cured meats and an array of cheese is perfect. Do you really need anything else for the party?

  Be sure to check out the websites for Rushing Waters Trout and Murray’s Cheese after you listen to this show.

  
• gastrotommy – 070411

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• gastrotommy – 062711

  Thanks for joining us this week. As always you can find a more complete write up of our show on the Gastrotommy site @ www.gastrotommy.com/blog/. This week’s show will help you to get ready for the 4th of July. We start by asking our audience to make this a very patriotic celebration. Indeed, Tommy encourages all of us to read the Declaration of Independence to our friends and families on this day. Here is a great link to the archive http://1.usa.gov/16Frqo. Our guest this week is Heather Nauert who is the Fox Morning Host of Good Morning New York www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/heather-nauert/bio/. Heather gives us some insight into her celebration. In addition to her TV work she is a wife, the proud mother of two little boys and the owner of three German Shepherds. Heather gives us some great ideas that are very simple and wonderful. She recommends a great spice called Slap Your Mama. We sincerely appreciate her insight to spending time with the troops. Tommy strongly recommends the write up produced by Saveur Magazine. There are so many great ideas in this magazine for your holiday. Also, please consider some of our past shows. We go over summer wines, summer cocktails and even have a whole show on BBQ. Have a wonderful, safe weekend.

  
• gastrotommy – Farmer’s Markets

  Farmer’s Markets are continuing to pop up around the United States!  In this week’s episode, Gastrotommy host Tommy Powers explains why it’s so important to support these venues, how you can integrate farmer’s markets into your daily life, and reveals his best tips on what to look for when finding a farmer’s market that’s right for YOU.  To help him tackle this delicious topic, Tommy welcomes special guests Poria Belloc Lowndes, founder of the Slow Foods Chapter in Chicago; Laura Levy, a connoisseur of fresh produce; and Herb & Kathy Eckhouse of La Quercia.

  Tommy starts off the show by outlining a brief history of farmer’s markets from his insider’s prospective via the restaurant industry.  Tommy speaks of a pre-Whole Foods era in which restaurant owners were the only people able to take advantage of these local sellers.  Things, obviously, have changed.  But how do you, the average consumer, find a Farmer’s Market in your area?  What is the proper etiquette? (ie: To haggle or not to haggle!).  And what are the best ways to tackle your local market to get the most pristine produce for the least hassle?  Tommy dishes out his most scrumptious advice; answering all of these questions and several more!

  As his first guest, Portia explains how Alice Waters of Chez Panisse became one of the international spokespeople for the Slow Foods movement–as well as what the Slow Foods movement is.  Portia also discusses her new project, Pitchfork Productions, and goes into detail on why Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is so important (and how shopping at your local farmer’s market can help!)

  “Mommy Blogger” Laura steps in to share some of her best recipes and teaches you how to easily integrate fresh food into your daily life by becoming a patron of your local farmer’s market.  Laura also stresses the importance of knowing where our food comes from.

  The show wraps things up with a visit from Tommy’s Gastronomy partner, Danny, as they check in with Herb and Kathy Eckhouse and get one last view on local Farmer’s Markets.

  Farmer’s Markets give an opportunity to buy organic or sustainable produce. This process not only makes a smaller carbon footprint, but it also helps to support small, local businesses.  Tune in to learn more!

  
• gastrotommy – Alsace Wines

  There is no other wine-producing region in the world that produces such tremendous food-friendly wines that are as value driven. Unfortunately, the wines are relatively unappreciated by the bulk of the wine drinking population. Our mission today is to change this dynamic. Our guest today is Etienne Hugel, the 12th generation owner of Hugel wines. He is not only among the most charming men in the industry, but also his family makes extraordinary wines available at three different price points. We will discuss the primary varietals in the region and give you several different applications to incorporate these wines into your daily lives.

  We can be sure that the wines from Alsace are consistently excellent because the regulatory region from France, the AOC, has rather strict guidelines. Furthermore, the area is relatively small and has a very close knit growing community. When compared to other wine producing regions of the world, these wines are a tremendous value. One should expect to pay under $23 for the entry level wines with very good, upto $40 for the next tier and between $45-$80 for most of the Grand Crus (best vineyards). There are a few wines like Trimbach’s Clos St Hune that will command prices above $100, but they are the extreme exception to what is, in general, a region that produces elegant wines at a very fair price.

  Critical Factors.

  Alsace has several components that ultimately shape the wines. The region borders Germany on the Rhine river and is separated from the rest of France by the Vosges Mountains. This narrow strip of land produces a long growing season where the grapes reach great natural acidity (which enables them to age for years) and to ripen fully. The wines from this region are produced dry unless they are dessert wines. Those wines are either Vendage Tardive or Selection de Grains Nobles. Indeed Etienne Hugel’s ancestor Marc Hugel wrote the rules by which VTs can be produced.

  Interview

  We are fortunate to have Etienne join us from his home in Alsace. His family has been rooted in the region since 1639. He addresses how Americans still have not embraced these wines. He recommends that people look for the yellow Hugel label and to try their Riesling, the Gentil and the Cuvee Les Amours. Please go to his website www.hugel.com. This may be the finest website in the wine business. It is produced in 7 or 8 languages. The site also contains beautiful pictures of the region, the vineyards, the cellars. Furthermore, there are beautiful tasting notes on all the available wines that were written by Serge Daub, World’s Best Sommelier 1989. These comments are spot on and will be very helpful in guiding your purchases.

  Etienne explains that the region has charming Medieval towns, a strong Germanic influence in architecture and cuisine, and yet remains very French. Alsace is the bridge between German and France. These strong influences have made for a single, richer culture. His family is also a part of the First Families of wines. You may learn more about this club @ www.pfv.org.

  The three wines he recommends are:

  1. Gentil

  2. Riesling

  3. Gewurztraminer

  We close with Etienne by discussing Vendage Tardive wines. These represent less than 2% of his production when they are made. These late harvest wines are produced when “botyritis” or the “noble rot” has set in to concentrate the sugars.

  Here are a few fundamental facts about each of the 4 Noble Grapes or Varietals.

  Riesling is characterized by slight floral aromas, a mid palate gunmetal sensation and universally crisp acidity. The wines are bit austere in youth. However, in maturity these show great complexity.

  Pinot Gris shows a touch of peaches and apricots in its youth, a bit of smoke, but takes on some biscuit qualities in ripeness. I love its fruit density. Only in Alsace, does it take on a slightly spicy quality. Look for Pinot Grigio grown in Italy in places like Alto Adige or Pinot Gris from Oregon for interesting comparisons.

  Gewurztraminer will show spicy aromas often reminding me of lychee and grapefruit. In Alsace, these vines will receive the long growing season they need to slowly yet deeply ripen. These are spectacular selections that provide tremendous value and remarkable food pairings.

  Muscat is like biting into a fresh green grape or green melon. The wine often has low alcohol. The freshness of these wines has considerable appeal.

  The other grapes in the region are Pinot Blanc (now the most widely planted varietal in the region), Chasselas, Auxxerois, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir. Edelzwicker are fun blends of these grapes. A “Gentil” is a blend that must have 50% of the Noble Grapes.

  These wines can work beautifully with a broad selection of food items. As an apertif, they work quite nicely. Raw vegetables, pates, oysters, top neck and little neck clams, periwinkles and crab are delicious with these wines. I have seen them paired quite successfully with Nuevo Latino dishes with lighter proteins. Also consider all fresh fish items. Finally, the world of swine is perfectly suited here. The world of salumi offers perfect pairings. Sausages and brats are equally delicious.

  As Dan joins us we address a somewhat challenging concept, why do some wines last longer than others? Simply put wines with a pronounced acidity will age nicely. Think of acid as the skeleton upon which the body of the wine hangs. Without it, the wines will be flabby. While Alsace wines do provide increased complexity with age, they also provide quite a bit of drinking satisfaction upon release.

  In addition to the beautiful wines from Hugel also consider a few others.

  1. Trimbach

  2. Domaine Weinbach

  3. Marcel Deiss

  4. Ostertag

  5. Domaine Zind Humbrecht

  
• gastrotommy – Summer Cocktails

  The cocktail scene is in the most exciting time in our country’s history. The power of the internet has enabled us to learn from the best mixologists in the country. The history of the word “cocktail” has many different origins. There are some who believe that it came from a patriotic lady who was stealing chickens from an English farm. She would then put the feathers into the patriot’s drinks. There are several other ideas listed in our show. Unfortunately, there is no clarity as to the origins of the term. However, we can say that cocktails involve the blending of juices, liquors with bitters.

  Through the years, the American cocktail scene has changed dramatically. During Prohibition, the cocktail culture was killed. The few spirits that people were drinking, in general, were bad expressions of pure alcohol like rock gut gin and watered-down Canadian Whiskey. The cocktail culture gained considerable momentum through the 40s and 50s. Through the 60s people were largely experimenting with other vices. In the 70s we saw some playful drinks that were not necessarily delicious, but creative like Sex on the Beach. This gave rise to the Punk cocktail scene with drinks like the Lonely Lesbian and Windex. However, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, as the country became more affluent, we saw people drinking better quality wines and liquors. Single Malt Scotch and XO Cognacs became rather chic. Prestige Cuvee Champagne was soaring on Wall St even before it became a staple of the rap culture.

  With the rise of the celebrity chef, we saw a real focus on restaurants defining our eating and drinking habits. Shortly thereafter, the celebrated and approachable sommelier gained the favor of patrons around the country. In the last 10-15 years we have seen the rise of the mixologists. These are men and women who have taken the Classic Cocktails and put their own twists on them. Furthermore, they created their own delicious libations. Certainly there are well known mixologists around the country like Steve Olson or Dale Degroff. My favorite mixologist is Mike Lee who is now the beverage manager at Mr. Chow in South Beach. Mike is a Rastafarian with a great knowledge of wine and makes the best tasting drinks I have ever had.

  Mike strongly recommends carefully measuring your beverages to insure consistency. He guides us to stay with white liquors in the summer months. We talk about Mojitos and substituting Splenda for sugar to make a lighter beverage. Caipirinhas are made with Cachaca which is a style of rum made in Brazil. Mike then goes on to tell us about his G Vine Gin martini.

  Dan joins Tommy again to provide some clarity about all great ideas. We go over some of the specifics on these cocktails. You can find the recipes for all the beverages on our site @ www.gastrotommy.com.

  We have a great promotion this week on the site with our friend Jim Clendenen from Au Bon Climat. We are offering our membership with 3 bottles of Jim’s wines ( 2 bottles of Pinot Noir and 1 bottle of Chardonnay) for $75. This is the best offer I have seen on the internet. You can see our interview with Jim @ www.gastrotommy.com/episodes/episode-1/part-1. As always, thanks for joining us this week.

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• gastrotommy – Ten Great Ideas for Summer Food and Drink

  10. Work with a local butcher to purchase larger cuts of meat for your grill. This provides a great opportunity to buy on a more economic scale and use all of the critter for things like stocks.

  For example, grill the whole chicken, roast the bones and make stock. Here is a very easy recipe:

  These stocks can be frozen and used later. I firmly believe that buying stock is a waste of money. If however, you must look at Wolfgang Puck’s line. Among these whole cuts could be legs of lamb, bone in filets, or even a

  9. Stop drinking bottled water. There are reports that suggest that the FDA does not regulate bottled water with anywhere near the focus that our tap water is monitored. Indeed, much of the regulation is left to the companies themselves. There is a mounting suspicion that there are elements that affect or reproductive organs. I highly recommend a simple filter for our water supply. Furthermore, less than 10% of the plastic bottles are actually recycled. Our carbon footprint from this industry is unacceptable.

  8. Punch used to be a delicious homemade beverage that we enjoyed. I would love to see people again becoming more creative making their own punch and chilling it with a large block of ice. Consider making the ice yourself and filling in with edible flowers and whole berries.

  7. The grill is not simple for meat. We all need to eat more fruit and vegetables. We can grill veggies that are lightly tossed with olive oil, chill them and enjoy them throughout the week. Grilling fruit, like peaches, that are marinated in a bit of balsamic vinegar and serving over vanilla ice cream is delicious.

  6. The American Beer culture is raging with wildly talented people around the country. I highly recommend that we all investigate the quality and diversity of this craft beer world. There are so many beautiful styles of beer for us to enjoy. Whatsmore, it will help the local artisan producers!

  5. One of my favorite desserts is also the easiest. Years ago I dined at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Napa Valley. For dessert they served a bowl of perfect cherries on ice chips. The season is relatively short, so enjoy these delicious orbs while they last.

  4. With a plethora of berries and fruits coming into season now, it is a great opportunity to freeze them or even better, to preserve them. If you are freezing berries, consider freezing them individually on a cookie sheet first and then place them in freezer bags. This will prevent them from sticking together.

  3. Make grilled fish tacos with perfect guacamole. For the tacos, squeeze lime juice on the fish (orange roughy, halibut, shark, for example) with a bit of oil. Grill the fish to desired temperature, gentle dice, place on corn or flour tortilla that has been warmed. Add garnish of cilantro, pineapple or other salsa and generous amount of Gastro Guac.

  2. Drink Biodynamic wines. There is a great list of these at www.forkandbottle.com/wine/biodynamic-producers.htm. These wines are made by many of the finest producers in the world. By embracing the natural rhythms of our biosphere, the winemakers are creating wines that are more resistant to the negative affects of oxygen, are healthier because the are not inundated with chemicals and taste delicious. Among my favorite producers is the genius Ales Kristancic from Movia. All of his wines are beautifully made and provide extraordinary value.

  1. Make homemade ice cream this summer. While there are very fancy and expensive machines, I have had tremendous success with the White Mountain 6 qt Ice Cream maker. You certainly could hand crank this, but I recommend the motor attachment.

  
• gastrotommy – Summer Wines

  During the upcoming days filled with glorious sunshine and outdoor living, we provide a special focus on delicious summer wines. Tommy begins the discussion by promoting proper water consumption with any alcoholic beverage. Then we welcome our guest, the esteemed Robert Houde. Robert has been a very successful sommelier and now runs two excellent distributorships in the Chicagoland area. Tommy continues the conversation looking at several different wine producing regions around the world.

  In a recent study on the affects of alcohol on the human body, we have seen how a person can drink two glasses of wine at a lower alcohol percentage and be legally sober, while a slightly higher percentage would have the person legally intoxicated. Therefore, we pay particular attention to wines with lower alcohol contents for this episode. The discussion also includes how dehydration is one of the primary causes of hangovers. By administering water throughout the consumption process, one can dramatically reduce the likelihood of a hangover. Furthermore, the fact that the bottles water industry is one of the greatest scams in the last 100 years is revealed. Now it is clearly time to discuss some wine!

  Robert Houde is our guest this week. He has served as head Sommelier at Charlie Trotter’s brilliant namesake restaurant. After working with several of the finest distributorships in Chicago, he now operates two on his own. The first is Garnacha where he provides the glorious wines from Spain’s finest importer, Jorge Ordonez. The second is Robert Houde Wines where he represents Terry Theise’s stunning wines from Germany, Austria and France and the Marc de Grazia collection from Italy. Robert is a wealth of information but conveys his tremendous knowledge in a passionate manner that is disarming and easy to understand. Robert provides our audience with several wines most of which are under $20. They drink like they cost $45 or more. He recommends Borsao which retails for about $7 and has a wine in a box that will blow your doors off!

  Tommy then takes us on a tour of several of his favorite wines from an assortment of regions from around the world. Among these is the Loire Valley in France. The region is regerred to as the Garden of France. The wines from the area are perfect for chilaxing in the summer sun. For a more complete list of these wines and descriptions about them, please go to the Blog section of our website, www.gastrotommy.com. Thanks so much for listening.

  
• gastrotommy – A fiery education on BBQ and Grilling for National Barbecue Month

  This week Tommy will discuss the history of Grilling and BBQ in time for National BBQ Month. Showing the range of information and education, Gastrotommy has moved from Champagne last week to some great fire cooking techniques this week. While many see BBQ as the private domain of large strapping men, Tommy will show you that this is not the case. His guest this week is the lovely and wildly talented Lee Ann Whippen, one of the country’s top competitive BBQ chefs in the US. Lee Ann is the proud owner of Wood Chicks Restaurants and Chicago Q, a member of the Kansas City BBQ Society, and a winner of the Food Networks Booby Flay throw down. More importantly, she competes very successfully on the National competitive BBQ circuit making the men quiver at her mere presence. This is girl power to the nth degree! Lee Ann gives us some great fundamental pointers on BBQ.

  Tommy then discusses the subtle differences in the regional styles of BBQ. We understand that BBQ was really started in the United States in South Carolina. There are considerable stylistic differences in the various regions of the Carolinas. Indeed, as we look west to Memphis to Kansas City to Texas we see immense pride in the local expressions of BBQ wizardry. The invention of the Weber Grill outside of Chicago, IL really brought grilling to the forefront of the growing American landscape shortly after WWII. Indeed the Weber Grill still remains the most popular grilling device. However, the last few years have seen a considerable rise in the sales of the gas grills. However, most grilling experts still employ wood and large natural charcoal chunks to achieve maximum flavor.

  Our show then looks towards the most celebrated author and TV personality Steven Raichlen. Steven has authored among other works:

  The Barbecue! Bible

  How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques

  Primal Grill Vol I and II

  Planet Barbecue!

  In addition to these award winning books, he is the host of several BBQ shows. His books are a must for any serious BBQ Pit Master. In addition to these fine books, Tommy recommends any of the books from Bobby Flay or Mario Batali’s Italian Grill.

  As always, Tommy recommends several different beverages to pair with this cuisine. This week he really ramps up his suggestions. He starts by discussing the most commonly consumed beverage, beer. While there is a considerable respect for the large houses like Budweiser and Miller to produce a quality product that is enjoyed by the masses, Tommy again discusses the rise of the American Craft Beer scene. There are glorious microbreweries around the landscape that are producing awesome suds. Tommy strongly encourages his listeners to support these regional artisans. Beyond beer, wine can match beautifully with grilled items. While most Americans continue to consume over oaked domestic Chardonnay and massed-produced Italian Pinot Grigio, Tommy recommends several expressions of wines that are great to consider. For those who enjoy Pinot Grigio the northern region in Italy of Alto Adige produces wines that are vastly superior to the machine and mass productions like Santa Margherita. Tommy also recommends that people grilling vegetables and seafood look at varietals like Vermentino and Verdicchio as alternative selections. He especially likes the noble grapes of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Muscat as Refreshing alternatives. Probably the most versatile wines that are not being enjoyed are Roses. The expressions from the US and Spain will typically have a bit more sugar which will pair nicely with spicier BBQ. For a drier style consider Roses from the Costieres di Nimes from Bobby (Robert) Kacher. We also love Pinot noir from guys like Jim Clendenen at Au Bon Climat. For those looking for bigger wines check out the Syrahs from Qupe or a mixed blend like Indica from Lioco.

  Dan joins Tommy again this week and reveals how he loves to BBQ any time of day or night. He then tells us the great success story of Johnsonville Meats that make some of the best brats anywhere.

  This episode will teach the listener not to sauce until the end of the cooking process, to drink a wider variety of wines and to drink some righteous american brew. We know you will enjoy!

  Next Week: Summer Wines

  
• gastrotommy – Champagne & Sparkling Wines

  This week Tommy Powers will introduce you to the bubbling world of Champagne and Sparkling Wines. Tommy will explain how these delicious wines need to be a part of our life today. These wines can be enjoyed as a part of the beginning of a meal or throughout the dining experience. Tommy welcomes Craig Cooper, GM of America’s finest Champagne Bar, Pop’s for Champagne. Craig provides keen insight into the world of sparkling wines. Indeed our audience can watch the episode of Pop’s on the website www.gastrotommy.com. The show will explain the differences between Champagne and Sparkling wines. Furthermore, the audience will have a more clear idea of how to enjoy these fine wines. A few of Tommy’s favorite wines are Krug, Salon, Selosse, Billecart Salmon, and Bollinger. For the Smaller houses he recommends Pierre Peters, Gaston Chiquet and Henri Billiot. For domestic sparklers look at Argyle in Oregon, Gruet in New Mexico and L. Mawby in Michigan.

  
• gastrotommy - Why you are buying food and wine the wrong way

  Tommy Powers, the host of Gastrotommy, will provide you with an education on why you are buying food and wine the wrong way.
  Most consumers pick up a bottle for the evening or a few for the weekend on their way home from work. This buying habit is like
  living check to check. It causes you to drink the same inferior bottles and to pay too much for them. Tommy will explain how his site
  www.gastrotommy.com has enabled his Insiders to buy wines more effectively. His guest this week is his partner Dan Halfman. While
  Dan is a successful entrepreneur, he is just a regular food and wine guy. He found himself staring blankly at a shelf full of bottles with
  no idea which one to purchase. His decisions were guided by wines his friends liked, their cost and their packaging. He is also enjoying
  the premium food products from La Quercia, Rushing Waters and Murray’s Cheese. After working with
  Tommy, Dan has become a more knowledgeable buyer. He is turning his friends on to awesome wines and artisan foods that he is buying at a considerable
  discount all because he is a Gastro Insider. Isn’t it time you became one too?