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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

What becomes a Ph.D. in genetics most? Apparently, making wine!

At least that is the strong impression I get when I enjoy Red Tail Ridge wines.

Located in the Finger Lakes of New York, Red Tail Ridge was created and is run by Dr. Nancy Irelan, who has used her advanced studies to specialize in viticulture and oenology.

Crafted on a LEED Gold-certified, sustainable 35-acre estate that resembles the microclimates of Europe’s finest wine regions, Red Tail Ridge also benefits from the West Coast backgrounds of Dr. Irelan and her husband. The dynamic duo makes about 9,000 cases each year and the hand-picked care shines through in every taste of their Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cab Franc. In recent years, they have expanded their menus to include reds with roots in Germany and Austria as well. No matter what you try, however, you will see why Red Tail Ridge was New York’s first winery to be recognized by the James Beard Foundation and why many of their wines have been selected as finalists for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine!

It is PhD good!

www.redtailridgewinery.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

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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

I am a BIG pretzel fan. In fact, I can get pretty twisted when I see or smell pretzels.

As I am also a fitness trainer, however, I know that, with every carb, you need some protein.

That is why I am so in love with Protein Pressels from Dream Pretzels!

Though they have all the crunch and flavor of other pretzels and come in flavors like everything bagel and BBQ, these tasty treats are made not just with whole-grain wheat, but also with red lentils and white beans, so they pack fiber, protein, and even amino acids in each pretzel as well!

As they have so much going for them, they are an easy choice when my kids want a snack (which I love because it gives me an excuse to grab some for myself!).

As good as what they do have is what they do not. Non-GMO Protein Pressels have no artificial flavors, added colors, or chemical preservatives, and no cholesterol or trans fat. So they make a great snack even when the kids are at school.

If you love pretzels like I do, these are a great choice. And if you don’t, try some and you will!

www.pressels.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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

I talk a lot about what goes into our mouths and what we like to share with our friends. 

Now, I think it is time to give some of our other best friends some time.

Though it may sound like a new drink company, Soda Pup is actually more in line with the second part of its name. Owned and operated by a Veteran who worked for in the sports world before going to the dogs (and who has a pair of pups of his own), Soda Pup produces a series of some of the best-built and most fun dog toys available.

All of Soda Pup’s products are approved by veterans and veterinarians and are made in America of high-quality, FDA-compliant and BPA-free materials that assure customer satisfaction and keep them begging (or rolling over) for more. From the military-inspired USA-K9 line and the out-of-this-world Spotnik collection to the come as you are set called Mutts Kick Butt and their eponymous menu of chewable food, Soda Pup has something sweet and bubbly for every dog and pet owner. They even have Dogtastic treats and a new line called Harvard’s Finest that pay tribute to the company’s Bay State roots.

In addition to helping dogs and dog lovers, Soda Pup also helps the planet through a partnership with Carbon Click that purchases carbon offsets with each Soda Pup purchase.

It may be a dog eat dog world, but now you can be sure that your dog has something good to eat!

https://sodapup.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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

As anyone who is paying attention can attest, there are too many people talking too much about too many foods to keep track.

Fortunately, we can now just Hum along!

Hum is a revolutoinary and wide-ranging set of clinically-proven, non-GMO, gluten-free, and naturally clean supplements that can help with anything from anxiety, energy, gut health, and insomnia, to skin, sleep, and stress support. From hydrolonic acid to pre- and probiotics, Hum has all the buzzwords packaged in a system that is easy to use and easy to remember.

In order to find which Hum products are right for you, there is a brief questionnaire on their website (www.humnutrition.com) that is reviewed by Hum’s team of registered dermatologists, nutritionists, sleep experts, and physicians to determine what you need to get where you want to go most efficiently. Customers can even access registered dieticians for help and support after their purchases have been made!

So if you are overwhelmed by the ever-changing and often contradictory claims that are made about the lastest food crazes or simply the long aisle of supplements at your local drug store, forget all those worss and just Hum.

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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

In addition to featuring such legends as Ming Tsai and Tony Ambrose, the curated collection at Grapevine Shops (which donates proceeds to Family Reach to support families dealing with cancer) also lets you hear about Maitland Mountain Farms, which offers some of the best pickles this side of Grand Street.

Now Matt’s Meals fans know I LOVE pickles, but I have not loved pickles so much in some time! And to learn that they are made by a father-daughter team from my old hometown of Salem, MA, makes it all the sweeter (or sour-er).

In addition to cucumber-based pickles, Maintland Mountain makes over 20 other pickled products, including krauts and kimchees, as well as plain and pickled radishes, onions, green beans, and even cauliflower (much of which is available through their own CSA program). They might even help you get picky eaters to enjoy their veggies! In any case, they are sure to pucker you up and impress you with some locally-sourced sweet and sour success

www.maitlandfarms.com

www.grapevineshops.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 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 and look for my latest food-related writing in Food & Beverage Magazine.

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

Bon appétit!

While the hard seltzer movement continues to roll on, I think it would be wise to remember that many canned products from multinational entities may not have the healthiest ingredients, etc. As such, I have come up with my own, locally-sourced way to make my own seltzer a bit more sparkly.

As a native New Englander, I am a devoted fan of Polar Seltzers, which have been pumping out the flavorful fizz for over 100 years. And while I love sipping it solo, I have found another family-owned beverage maker that compliments it well.

Having been passed down through four generations, St. Julian is Michigan’s most awarded and longest running winery.  While their “I am Detroit” and “I am Grand Rapids” red and white blends shout their Wolverine State pride, I have come to reach most often for their single-fruit varieties, like their blackberry, blueberry, and cherry wines. While they may admittedly be a bit too sweet for more particular palates, I have found that pairing them with Polar makes for a refreshing seltzer spritzer that is at once hard and soft and always delicious!

In addition to their mellow fruit and Motor City flavors, St. Julian also offers a wide range of other varietals, including Spumante, Cabernet Franc, and even a late-harvest Vidal Blanc that captutes the season deliciously!

So if you want to dip a toe into the hard seltzer thing or make a recipe that suits you perfectly, try the family-founded combination of Polar and St. Julian. Your family eill surely enjoy it too!

www.stjulian.com

www.polarbeverages.com