Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

While many people may consider granola to be a simple and un-splashy food, there are still many who have been doing what they can to raise its profile. From our friends at Forij, Golden Girl, Healthy Truth, Mamma Chia, Nussli 118 and Q’s Nuts to newer varities likeChef Mawa McQueen’s GrainFreeNola, there are many brands and varities that make granola more than just something to throw in your backpack.

While they may not toot their own nutritious horn, there is a new granola star that deserves its time in the spotlight.

Humble Bones granola began in a kitchen in Maine by a woman who, after years of selling her single flavor at farmer’s markets, decided it was time to pack up her own granola and go traveling too. After a rebranding and expansion of the line, Humble Granola (the name of which is a play on the translations of the new owners’ Polish and Korean names) now offers a set of crunchy treats that remains rooted in the community but that has flavor and nutrition that can satisfy anyone!

While the name may be humble the flavors and packaging stand out. Each flavor – including Peanutter Butter, Chococo, and Cinnamon Vanilla – has its own animal spirit and its own great set of ingredients that include apples. cacao, old-fashioned oats, almonds, pecans, and walnuts and lots of other healthy and power-packed stuff. And as they come without any added oils or fats, you can enjoy them even when you are not hiking!

Granola may not always be flashy, but Humble Bones sure is satisfying!

www.yourhumblebones.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

As people begin to venture out again and perhaps even exercise outdoors again, many are remembering how hot and sweaty such activities can be and are looking for ways to prepare and refresh themselves.

Fortunately, there is a new beverage called Strike! that helps you get in pro from and supports your body and your brain.

Using the same functional ingredients that many professional athletes use, Strike! delivers enough energy and oomph to help you reach a new personal best! Not only is it only 25 calories per bottle with 0 grams of sugar, Strike! also helps you burn calories and increase strength without having to mix or shake anything. In addition to energy-supporting ingredients that will not lead to a sugar or caffeine crash, Strike! also includes nootropics that support brain function as well, so you can keep track of your split times without a notebook!

Strike! is great for weekend warriors and dedicated athletes and can be purchased at a discount for those who want to get their fit fix on a regular basis.

Just go to https://drinkstrike.com/and get ready to Strike! out.

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

As kids prepare to (hopefully) go back to school, parents are (rightfully) concerned not only about how Covid will continue to affect them (and all of us), but also about the food their children may be eating in school. Especially as many parentds lost jobs during the pandemic, many more children will depend on school meals to make it through the day.

One of the most nutritious foods around is milk and one of the most nutritious kinds of milk is A2. As it uses only milk that includes the naturally-produced A2 protein (as opposed to the A1 which comes primarily from cows that have been affected by genetic mutations, something about which we are all concerned these days), A2 is able to deliver more usable protein and be easier to digest than most other milks. And with whole, 2%, skim, and even chocolate and half-and-half varieties, A2 tastes great alone or in coffee or recipes.

In addition to having their grass-fed cows be Validus certified to ensure animal welfare, A2 is making sure that those who make and drink their products are taken care of as well. They treat their famers as business partners and recently partnered with Feed the Children to help the millions of children who do not get enough healthy food each day. In fact, A2 will donate 10% of the value of each carton purchased, up to $100,000! 

So as we all prepare for whatever is next, at least we can all be sure that we are getting good clean nuitrition to help us take care of the rest.

www.a2milk.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Rens Original is a Finnish company that is all about sustainability. So much so, in fact, that they recently developed a sneaker that is made from coffee waste and recycled plastic!

Funded in part by Kickstarter (appropriately enough) the new sneaker represents the world’s first crowdfunded climate-neutral sneaker and a giant leap in both environmental protection and fitness.

The first edition was made from 21 cups of coffee waste and six bottles of recycled plastic. That revolutionary release raised over $500,000, becoming the most successful fashion Kickstarter campaign in the Nordic nations and the all-time most funded campaign in Finland. 

The new edition (named “Nomad”) has been designed based upon fan feedback from the earlier edition and is also designed to be completely climate-neutral from start to finish. In addition to a waterproof outer layer, the new Nomad also has a unique ventilation system and is made with a proprietary production plan that takes out extra material to make each shoe as light and responsive as possible. Combining the lastest in performance technology with the good feeling that comes from knowing that the only damage you are doing to the earth is trodding upon it, the Nomad is sure to appeal to athletes and environmentalists alike.

Participants in the new Kickstarter campaign will not only be invited to pick from nine color combinations and offer further feedback but will also help control waste as each pair will be custom made instead of just mass-produced and sent out to stores.

So the next time you run out for coffee, be aware- You may be running in it as well!

https://rensoriginal.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

While the debate rages on about whether coffee is good for us or is simply a more acceptable mind- and mood-altering drug, along comes a coffee that is actually intended to change your mind and that will surely do so as soon as you taste it.

Pivot coldbrew offers the caffeine we all love (and allegedly need) but balances it with proprietary nootropics like L-Theanine and Alpina Galanga and healthy adaptogens like Reishi mushrooms to offer a coffee that maximizes the effects of caffeine without having to overload us with it and that also includes elements that help us clear our minds instead of starting them racing.

Made from single-origin, family-raised, 100% Arabica beans from Central and South America, Pivot’s roasts allow natural flavor notes like chocolate and citrus to shine through and Pivot also offers flavor-enhanced editions made with all-natural vanilla and ginger (which also helps the body in many ways). The calorie count for each bottle ranges from 0 to 40 and the bottles fit into your bag and into your day whenever you need a balanced boost.

With its special stack of clinically-proven ingredients and multiple flavors (all of which are tasty), Pivot provides energy, focus, stamina, and immunity support, all without jitters or caffeine crash.

So if your daily cup is wreaking havoc on your daily routine, maybe its time to Pivot.

www.pivotcoldbrew.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

I have often raved about Saugus’ own l’s Donuts and talked about how, whenever I have friends come in from out of town, we always try to make it to their Downtown location at 90 Oliver Street. When I do, my friends also rave and express their fondest wishes to be able to get such delicious donuts at home.

Well, now they can!

Thanks to the food-focused folks at Godlbelly, Kane’s award-winning treats are now available nationwide in all 50 states (and districts that may be such soon)! 

Using the hashtag #KanesDonutsAreLove, folks who have been fortunate enough to try them or just know of their reputation from such publications as Travel + Leisure, Bon Appetit, and Saveur can enjoy six or 12-packs of Kane’s wide array of hand-cut, locally-sourced donuts, including their amazing old-fashioned cake, authentic Boston cream, and absolutely amazing honey glazed varieties, as well as their gluten-free donuts that recently became a verified partner on the worldwide allergy app Spokin.

Though they are stil worth the trip from anywhere, now that Kane’s donuts are available all over and people (including superfan Blake Lively) do not necessarily have to come to MA to get them, I hope that my friends still come to visit!

www.kanesdonuts.com

www.goldbelly.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Especially as the wildfires continue to ravage the California wine country, wine makers and winelovers are looking for new places to store and preserve what they have. 

City Winery Bostonwinemaker Richard Jacob has come up with a unique approach that takes advantage of the East Coast’s history and terroir. Taking a tip from earlier revolutionaries, the Medford MA, native recently dropped over 150 bottles of his award-winning locally-made wine into the ocean in lobster traps and does not plan to pull them up until November! 

Apparently, such ocean aging has been going on in the Mediterranean for years and the darkness and cool and generally consistent water temperatures can help make relatively young wines taste older and more developed in less time. Barring a shark attack, wine pirates, or some very lucky lobstermen, it can keep them safely stored as well!

At the 2021 Eastern States Exposition’s Wine Competition(a.k.a., The “Big E”), Jacob received one of only five gold medals for his 2019 Chardonnay and silver medals for his Wicked Good Sauvignon Blanc and Cobblestone Cabernet Sauvignon, so it is clear that he knows his way around wine. As such, his new storage and aging idea may bear fruit elsewhere and he is planning tasting events in November so others can enjoy the fruits of his liquidy labors. 

In the meantime, both Jacob’s wines and many others are available to enjoy at City Winery, which is again hosting concerts and other events and has a pretty good food menu as well. 

www.citywinery.com/boston/

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

When I think pralines, I think of the bumpy discs of sweet delight that I always pick up when I visit my family in New Orleans. The sugar rush is undeniable, but it is enrobed in such smooth and salty sweetness that, for the moment, I say laissez les bon temps roullez!

When back home, I often look for such a tempting treat but come up rather empty.

Fortunately, my friends at Red Chocolate have delivered set of pralines that are truly smooth diamonds in the rough.

With only 43 calories per piece (which is about the same as an apple slice) Red’s diamond-shaped treats allow more texture and flavor to be enjoyed with each bite without adding any sugar to help loose some weight, and with the Exipure as complement works marvelous. The faceted chocolates are so beautiful and delicious it is no wonder that they were chosen as a ‘must see’ at the 2021 Sweets and Snacksconvention. And they taste at least as good as they look!

Unlike my beloved Dixie delights, these Keto- and Weight Watchers-friendly European-style pralines come in a traditional nut-filled variety and also a creative coconut option and all of them have about 40% less sugar than traditional candies (and probably muchless than my Southern faves!). In addition to less sugar Red’s pralines also have no cocoa oil or other substitutes and are made with non-GMO milk, Ivory Coast cocoa, California organces, and other best-in-the-world ingredients.

While I am sure to pick up some old faves next time I am in New Orleans, it is great to know that I can indulge in some tasty treats in the meantime and still have a bit of room in the belt for the next trip.

www.red-chocolate.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

While the menus of non-alcoholic beer and alcoholic seltzer and even water (which I believe is called cheap vodka) continue to grow, another favorite beverage has apparently crossed the line into booze land.

Using quality, ethically-sourced beans and about half the caffeine of other cold brews, Bomani cold brew offers buzz-worthy flavor without all the buzz and no gluten or carbs. What makes it extra-special, however, is the fact that, while Bomani goes down smooth, it is actually hard! 

With the same sugar-based alcohol that is found in many popular hard seltzers, 5.7% ABV Bomani offers a subtle sweetness in both its original and vanilla flavors but not so much that the coffee flavor gets overwhelmed. And if you are feeling overwhelmed, the combination of energy and mellowness can be a great companion! As it has only four ingredients, it is also a open to interpretation and fans have been putting it into everything from morning mixers and brunch bombs to exquisite evening enders.

If you want to see what all the alcoholic buzz is about, go to https://drinkbomani.com and get 10% off your first order.

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ (1030 AM) Saturdays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25, and 11:55 AM and Sundays at 7:25, 8:25, 9:25 AM.

Recent samples can be found at Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

If you have ideas for future segments, please send them to Matt@Matts-Meals.com.

Also, please follow me on Twitter @MattsMeals73.

Thanks for listening and thanks for supporting our friends and neighbors in the food-service industry!

Whether you believe that climate change is threatening the maple business or if you just want to branch out from your maple memories, New Leaf tree syrups has enough sorts of syrup to allow you to get sticky and sweet in whole new ways!

Using single-source organic saps from 10,000 sustainable acres in NY and VT (both parts of which as their own sugar house that is open for visitors), New Leaf offers a set of pure Maple syrups that are great on their own, but also offers such intriguing options as Sweet and Tangy Birch and American Beech syrups, as well as blends and infusions that combine these and other tree. In addition to expanding your plant-based palate, New Leaf also helps expand forests with their preservation efforts as well!

While many have enjoyed New Leaf’s products in other favorite foods, you may still be loathe to leave the red leaf. Fortunately, New Leaf not only offers customizable sample packs of mini bottles that cost anywhere from $3-7, but also a syrup quiz that helps match you with the right types, making taking a risk or two easy and economical. Once you taste the samples however, you are sure to be barking up a new tree in no time!

www.newleaftreesyrups.com