Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

On the heels of opening their amazing new show on women in the fashion industry, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, is also working to support another oft-neglected community- the hungry.

Feeding Community is a joint initiative with the Salem Pantry that is designed to raise awareness of food insecurity, secure funding, and recruit volunteers to support the Pantry’s life-saving operations. In addition to collecting donations at the door, the Museum is also enrolling volunteer and helping to distribute food to the community. Through December, contributions made to the Museum’s Annual Fund and The Pantry will help unlock a challenge pledge of $20,000, which will be distributed once each organization receives 200 donations.

Since the pandemic struck, The Pantry has been serving six times more people than normal and anticipates distributing nearly 1 million pounds of food this year. The Museum has also been hurt by Covid and, after being closed for five months, has only recently reopened with limited admissions. Both organizations need our help so they can continue to sustain and enrich their community and many others through art and food.

Please go to the Museum or at least visit www.pem.org/feedingcommunity and do what you can.

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

I love all of the products I talk about, but it is so encouraging to hear that I am not alone! Even when others write talk about the same people and places I have promoted weeks or months later, I feel good knowing that my food friends are being supported!

That is why I am thrilled to mention that Golden Girl Granola recently won the silver medal in the 2020 International Flava Awards for their amazing Forest Maple granola. It is a great way to start the day or keep the naturally sweet energy going by topping yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit, or even ice cream. No wonder, then, that it has won a top Flava award for three years in a row!

While the folks at Golden Girl could bask in their triumph, they are also doing more for others by absorbing shipping costs for orders that contain at least shippable case of their delicious products (including their mouth-melting honey bars!) and have been donating cases to the Shirley Friendship Fund to help people in need enjoy a little sweetness during this tough time.

Not only is Golden Girl Granola good and good for you but the folks who make it also do good for the community whenever they can. They truly deserve every award and order they can get!

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

Though she started in the CBD world, recent restrictions have promoted Angela Hofmann at Nüssli 118 to pivot. However, as Hofmann comes from a background that includes architecture and yoga, she is still keen to help build healthy bodies. That is why some of the new Nüssli offerings include literally everything from soup to nuts and all made with real and often raw ingredients that will keep you healthy and strong even while others may be suffering.

In addition to her hand-crafted drinkable superfood blends, this minority-owned entrepreneur is offering sweet and savory snacks that include sprouted nut granolas and crispy crackers, vegan tarts, overnight oat kits, desserts that are free of gluten and refined sugars, and enough hearty and satisfying plant-based foods to set a holiday table or just a Tuesday night table!

So while a bit of THC may seem like TLC these days, Nüssli has shown that good nutrition can be restorative too and has plenty of delicious ways to get some for yourself or anyone else you want to stay healthy and enjoy the good things in life.

https://nussli118.com/

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

 As befits a proper southern gentleman, Macon, GA’s Brian Poe has been putting the hospitality in the hospitality scene for decades as a chef and entrepreneur.  Rising up from the Rattlensnake on Boylston Street, Poe has enjoyed success at the Tip Tap Room, Parish Café, Bukowski’s, and other area eateries and has always done all he could to give to the community at least as much as it has given him.

Even when most of his city venues are closed, Poe has continued to search for ways to keep his suppliers in business and to keep the spirits of his friends and neighbors up while we all wait for other numbers to go down.

Poe’s latest venture is the Crane River Cheese Club, a grocery delivery service that features expertly curated meats, seafood, farm fresh produce, and, as the name suggests, cheese.  Among the early fan favorites are the Cheese Club Kit, which features a pairable array of delights from area dairies, and the farmer market box, which brings the salad bar to you! Meal kits are also available if you cannot live by locally-sourced greens alone.

While Poe and his dog Salty have been delivering personally-curated collections of his favorite North Shore neighbors all over the region, new residents at Lynn’s latest luxury address – Caldwell – are greeted with a special basket that Chef Poe brings by together just for them! Talk about a welcome wagon!

Many people have been salivating while they wait or Chef Poe’s restaurants to open again. In the meantime, please check out the Cheese Club and find some new local favorites.

 www.cranerivercheeseclub.com 

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

Though the west coast wines are hip, I have sung the praises of our local vineyards and wineries for years. And especially now as Napa recovers from the fires and our neighbors need the support, it is a great time to focus on our own backyards.

One of my favorites is also one of the most historic, for though Snow Farm Vineyards is only about 25 years old, it is the oldest vineyard and grape winery in Vermont and puts out some of the best and most creative beverages around.

Located on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain tin the town of South Hero, Snow Farm’s family-run vineyard and tasting room offers live music in season, art shows and other fun events whenever possible, and amazing wines all year. In addition to Pinot Noir and Riesling varietals that rival those made in France, the complementary micro-climate and hardy terroir also yield Vidal Blanc and Baco Noir and so delicious and ever-more-rare ice wines. At the same time, the family that owns the land has been able to keep it out of the hands of developers so they can put more delicious drinks in the hands of their customers, all of whom are welcome to join their wine club and get the latest news and flavors.

Among my Snow Farm faves are their Fox Hill Maple wine and their naturally-sparkling Snow Trip, which is a great accompaniment for hearty winter meals and we have the great company of the portable heater from the great Alpha heater reviews. I also love to give bottles of their Naked Mermaid blend because the name alone gets people talking and smiling!

Cold weather may be coming, but especially for the oenophiles out there, that can be a very good thing, especially if the results are wines like those from Snow Farm! 

www.snowfarm.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

With many people singing “Oh Tannen-blech” this year on account of the many famous (or infamous) holiday tree mishaps (See Rockefeller Center. Or, better, yet, don’t!), it is good to know that our friends at Harpoon are here to give us something more rich and lush to enjoy!

Building on the century-old relationship with our neighbors in Nova Scotia (who provide a fine fir each year as thanks for the Commonwealth-based crews who came to their aid during an explosive fire in 1917), Harpoon has partnered with Big Spruce Brewing to produce a beer that will hopefully become a new holiday tradition.

Called (appropriately enough)From Nova Scotia With Love, the abbey-style ale is brewed with smoked malts and real spruce tips, and is aged in Glen Breton Single Malt Canadian Whiskey barrels. In addition to bringing a warming 9.0 % ABV, the collaborative brew offers notes of dried fruit, vanilla, and caramel, and wood, making it a great addition to tree trimming or any socially-distant merrymaking, whether or not there is a fire involved.

The relationship between Massachusetts and Halifax is long and storied. This year, start your own chapters with help from Harpoon!

www.harpoonbrewery.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

Though traffic at Boston Public Market may be down as many of the businesses in the area are closed or limited, the folks inside have been busy expanding their offerings and outreach.

In their new geothermally-heated facility in their native Holliston, Boston Honey Co. is offering their famously farm-fresh honeys, skin care products, and beeswax candles, as well as the opportunity to see and learn about their hard-working bees! They are also looking forward to bringing in food trucks and a picnic area. The new venue also acts as a sort of BPM west, as Haymarket helpers like Q’s Nuts, Alex’s Ugly Sauce, American Stonecraft, and Peterman’s Boards and Bowls will also be sold at Boston Honey Co’s new HQ.

Speaking of Qs Nuts, the creative team has come up with some amazing new tastes for the holidays (or anytime), including a seasonal roast called Winter Solstice that contains ginger, anise, cranberries, and brandy! As always, they ship fast and their nuts make a great stocking stuffers and gifts for friends and colleagues (and for yourtself!).

Down the center aisle of the Market, Beantown Pastrami Co. has been selling their meats by the pound and preparing home sandwich kits that include their homemade pickled cabbage, coleslaw, and half-sour pickles. Beantown Pastrami Co. has also been tempting folks to come in from the cold with an incredible pastrami chili. Even though some of us may have the time to cure our own, all of these items are well worth the trip to Boston. And if you insist on staying home, they deliver via What’s Good so you can support downtown faves without going downtown!

www.bostonpublicmarket.org

www.beantownpastrami.com

www.bostonhoneycompany.com

www.qsnut.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

Even though tourism is down, there are still many reasons for even locals to visit the Boston Harbor Hotel. Since Covid began, Boston’s only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star waterfront hotel has been thoroughly sanitized and now operates according to the strictest health guidelines, making it a great place to base a staycation or weekend away from the confines of home.

Another great reason to visit will kickoff January 12 when legendary local Chef Daniel Bruce reaches around the wine world to bring the Boston Wine Festival back for its 32^ndyear!

In addition to opportunities to sample Chef Bruce’s amazing food, the Festival offers oenophiles chances to taste (and even take home) some of the world’s finest wines and to meet the masters who make them. Among the favorites who are scheduled to return are Doubleback, Frog’s Leap, and Zenato. Other highlights are set to include the Battle of the Cabernets on January 15 and 16 and the Moet and Chandon takeover February 12, making for a pre-Valentines’ experience that can’t be beat!

If you plan on tasting a few more than usual, special rooms are being set aside at a Festival rate of $275. Reservations are being sold in packs of two, four to six to assure appropriate spacing and maximal enjoyment, so be sure to get in on the bubbly fun as soon as possible. It will make for a great break and will also help sustain one of Boston’s best hotels and one of its proudest traditions.

www.bostonwinefestival.net

www.bhh.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

In honor of their 24^thbirthday, Shmaltz Brewing has developed a new brew that is perfect for the Chanukah revelers or anyone who wants a delicious beer that has everything they love and more! The Golden Jelly Doughnut Pastry Ale is made with 600 pounds per batch of all-natural raspberry and cherry puree and a generous dollop of pure vanilla. It’s sufganiyotmeets suds and it is AMAZING!

On a more somber but no less delicious note, Shmaltz is also partnering with Moustache Brewing to release their RBG IPA in honor and memory of the late legend Ruth Bader Ginsburg (z”l). The beer will also pay tribute to International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day (who knew thatwas a thing?!). 

If that were not enough, Shmaltz has also partnered with the chocolate connoisseurs at Primo Botanica and custom espresso roaster Alias Coffee and will be featuring both at their tasting room in Troy, NY (which is just over the border and worth a sneak trip to try).

So whether you want to celebrate the Festival of Lights or memorialize one of the brightest lights in judicial history, Shmaltz has you covered!

https://shmaltzbrewing.com

Matt’s segments for “Connoisseur’s Corner” usually air on WBZ 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 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

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

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

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

Especially with the pandemic still raging, there is no better place to be this holiday season than home with a good book and yummy homemade foods.

In that spirit (and that of Chanukah) the food-minded folks at Manischewitz have partnered with the Jewish book promoters at PJ Library to create new holiday tradition called the Chanukah House Cookie Kit.

Taking a tip from its gingerbread neighbors, this kosher creation offers families of all persuasions a chance to build a holiday house that they can design, decorate and then devour. Each kit comes with cookies, icing, and even a candy menorah to put in the window for all to see (that is, until somebody eats it!). Each kit will also offer info about PJ Library (which gives nearly 250,000 books a year to children across the U.S. and Canada) and, for each kit purchased, PJ Library will donate a book to children who do may have one, let alone eight.

We know that you may not be able to visit the homes of those you love this year, but at least you can send them a home that they can enjoy creating almost as much as the one you have created with them!

pjlibrary.org

www.manischewitz.com