A Few Culinary All-Stars
This week's guests on the LIVE! Culinary Series brought their a game with deep knowledge, passion about wine, hospitality and the pursuit of great cocktails.
Sitting at home interviewing people almost every day can take a toll on you, but I’m lucky to always have guests who are engaging and just plain fun to hang out with on Instagram.
This week, for example, had me laughing so much I almost fell out of my chair. Regine Rousseau of Shall We Wine joined me for what I thought was going to be her talking about how to pair various wines with holiday cuisine. She expertly flipped the script and instead discussed how she prefers to pair wine with her mood. That was a fascinating, indepth conversation, especially her vivid descriptions of each choice, and her picks of Black-owned wineries for Kwanzaa. Check out the video here.
During my chat with Cleetus Friedman, the director of hospitality at Camp Aramoni, he gave an extensive virtual tour of the 96-acre facility that’s 80 miles southwest of Chicago. The long-time Chicago chef has traded in his city slicker lifestyle for a more laid-back existence in Tonica, Ill., which is near the picturesque Starved Rock State Park.
Camp Aramoni is glamping at its finest, with South African-imported safari huts for guests, spectacular views of nature, restaurants and bars, and much more. When it opens next summer, it’ll certainly be a great weekend getaway for Chicagoans. I’m looking forward to learning more about all the events Friedman has planned. His lively personality is certain to attract many food enthusiasts. Watch the tour of Camp Aramoni right here.
And Lynn House, the national spirits specialist and portfolio mixologist for Heaven Hill Brands, wrapped up a spectacular week with her usual bubbly and knowledgeable approach to cocktail culture. Who knew eggnog had such an illustrious history?! She breaks it down with a history lesson, explains how an eggnog is a riff on the classic flip cocktail, and puts her own spin on a couple of drinks. She had me at BRANDY. Watch the action right here.