Hey Everyone, it’s Valerie here, todays show is with Melina Schein of The Saucy Soprano where we talk all things like covid, without work, a new side hustle or two like her Blog and Podcast along with learning a great work in Yiddish that is so appropriate for the times we are living through, meshuggeneh – which means ‘that’s so crazy’ in Yiddish. She’s tackling The Jewish Cookbook by Leah Koenig based our of New York. Melina is making her way through EVERY. SINGLE. RECIPE in order…She’s creating quite the fan base check out her Instagram @TheSaucySoprano and you will know why.
Enjoy this episode with Melina, her wit, and charm is just so magnetic.
This lady Melina Schein from The Saucy Soprano falls into my theme of EAT and CREATE so famously, she’s vivacious and funny and her cooking and photos of her cooking are exceptional although I’ve never gotten the opportunity to even try something…such as a life with a friend who lives far away…we also both narrate for audible and belong to the same ‘study group’ this is how you become friends with people, same passions, foods and a sense of humour. Her claim to fame though is through her voice, she’s an incredibly successful opera singer, that has been put on hiatus (for now) due to the pandemic so she’s turned her focus to food, Jewish food…welcome to the show Melina.
BREAK ONE – MUSIC AFTER INTRO
BREAK TWO – insert music “ where do you get your inspiration”
BREAK THREE – insert music… “ the title is…”
BREAK FOUR – insert music… “ who taught you how to cook”
BREAK FIVE – insert music…“do you have a big family?”
BREAK SIX – insert music “favourite dish”
BREAK SEVEN – insert music “do you know the person that wrote the book?”
BREAK EIGHT – insert music – tell us a bit about your podcast, The Saucy Talk
BREAK NINE – insert music – your singing is incredible
BREAK TEN – insert music – your singing then Juilliard – from New York to… Wait, What?!
BREAK ELEVEN – insert music – “who was funny around you…?”
BREAK TWELVE – insert music – “popular show or episode”
BREAK THIRTEEN – insert music – “do you have a set schedule formula?”
BREAK FOURTEEN – insert music “she wants me to be a guest…”
BREAK FIFTEEN – insert music “if you like me which I believe…”
BREAK SIXTEEN – insert music “do you read?” Your favourite book is Gone ….
BREAK SEVENTEEN – insert music “let’s end on a yiddish word, Meshuggeneh!”
Well, wasn’t that just the best interview I’d had in a while since I can’t have people in my studio – zoom is great cause you can SEE the person. This is my friend that I met because of our love for producing audio books, she thinks I can be priminister – what a compliment, thank Melina.
And to close here’s a clip of her podcast to inspire you to listen to another canadian podcast show as a product of covid – be sure to share this episode with like minded cooks and jewish ladies or any ladies for that matter – get inspired in the kitchen by follower Melina’s posts as her writing is sure to make you have a giggle here and there – she even sings to a pickle – YEP it’s a true story.
First time my hubby takes a spot on my microphone..todays show is about Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey or whisky? I’d like to Welcome my husband Jeff to the show, you’ve heard his name over the course of the last 99 shows here and there. He listens to the show sometimes and gives me feedback on the episodes where I’ve recorded him and some of our intimate discussions…but todays show is different today we are doing a tasting episode. A few burbans, and scotches to wetted our pallets – enjoy the episode. This episode was originally recorded later in 2019…
Well our first interview together now you finally know what my husband sounds like and thanks for joining us on our first whisky tasting – it was very enjoyable to learn and try these out…not sure they are for me but I’m always up for trying something new. If you’ve gone down this bourbon rat hole, let me know what you’ve tried and enjoyed. I’m thinking there will be more experimentation in the future with my hubby. If you have any questions about whiskeys please check out the show links to everything we’ve discussed today and drop a comment or question and we will get back to you 🙂
Some cool things to check out…happy tasting!
I’d like to Welcome my husband Jeff to the show, you’ve heard his name over the course of the last 99 shows here and there. He listens to the show sometimes and gives me feedback on the episodes where I’ve recorded him and some of our intimate discussions…but todays show is different today we are doing a tasting episode. A few burbans, and scotches to wetted our pallets – enjoy the episode. This episode was originally recorded later in 2019…
Break One
Monkey Shoulder is a blended malt scotch a product of multiple single malt scones – in this case of Money should it’s from their 2 neighbouring speyside distilleries includes whisky from Kinivie, Balvenie and Glenfiddich, this particular distillery has been opened since 1990.
Break Two
Mash is made from grain
Scott whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least 3 years to All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years. Any age statement on a bottle of Scotch whisky, expressed in numerical form, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to produce that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed-age whisky. These barrels are USED
Break Three:
These barrels for example Jack Daniels cost roughly $160 these are the original JD barrels they used to age their whisky – for $300-$600 you can find quality barrels that are not sanded or polished as they are used for function and storage. They can only be used once when making the Jack Daniels batches- then they are sold to hot sauce makers, beer brewers and Scotch whiskey distillers who will reuse them…In Kentucky you can only use the barrel once, Burbon has to be in a brand new barrel – scotch cannot be used in the brand new barrel…
Break 4
Glencairn – spell it – these glasses are the coolest scotch, bourbon and whiskey tasting nipping glasses. A Glencairn is a tombstone erected on the highest mountain peaks to mark the grave sights and honour fallen Scottish warriors. The glass was designed with aid of master blenders from five of the largest whisky companies in Scotland – in 2001. Specifically for ‘nosing’ the whisky sample. The glass itself is small just holds 6 ounces when plumb full but typically should only hold 1.75 ounces. Guess what this glass on the Queen’s award for Innovation in 2006.
Break 5
We’ve all heard the word proof before when describing alcohol or moonshine even. The term proof dates back to the 16th century in England or 1848 in the USA – when spirits were taxed at different rates depending on their alcohol content and proof was on a score of 0 – 200. Originating in England proof was equal to 1.82 times the alcohol by volume ABV or generally twice. 100 proof would be to the equivalent in today measurement at approx 57% Alcohol by Volume or ABV. So if 100 was the middle anything above this when tested in a burn or no burn test which was based on alcohol igniting was said to be above proof.
Break 6
Whiskey or Whisky
– the word whisky is the spirit or alcohol that is used as the base this word actually just means water of life in Gaelic. The spelling tells you the location it originated from whiskey is for Ireland and whisky without the e is used in all other whisky producing regions. Scots, Canada and Japan to not use the ‘e’. So the top 9 are Irish Whiskey (e) Scotch Whisky (no e) Japanese Canadian, Burbon Whiskey (American), Tennessee (American)Whiskey Rye Whiskey (American) and then blended whiskey – made for cocktails
Break 7
When you smell whisky with your mouth open the alcohol in the whisky doesn’t burn your nose…and you can smell the floral ness of it
Break 8
Jeff’s so accurate in his details, the level of smokiness is of a whisky is determined by the time the barley grain is exposed to the pungent peat smoke during drying. Damp malt is usually dried for approximately 30 hours. Others dries its malt over peat fire for about 18 of these 30 hours, some only use only unpeated fire. Scotland has large peat bogs wich grow approx 1mm a year. – so a 3 meter peat bog takes 3000 years to grow!
Break 9
Okay so here’s a bit of a breakdown, alcohol vs sugar…the spirit should not have any sugar in it like gin, vodka, whiskey – unless you add mix of course. White wine is approx 3 grams per 5 ounces and and beer is approx 5 grams/12 ounce. For wine, just to clarify this comment, also Alcohol levels in wine are directly correlated with the amount of sugar that’s developed in the grapes at harvest time: the higher the sugar levels, the higher the potential alcohol. This doesn’t mean higher alcohol wines are sweeter, though sometimes this is the case.
Break 10
There are 5 regions in Scotland where whisky without the e remember comes from Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland and speyside
Break 11
Markers mark does indeed come from Loretto, Kentucky, USA by Beam Suntory originally called th eBurks Distillery and production began in 1954 so not quite hundred of years old but definitely getting up there. It had a slogan of “ it Tastes expensive…and it is”
Also one of the most unusual qualities about markers mark is that no rye is used as part of the math over 70% is corn and it’s aged for about 6 years.
Break 12
Makers Mark fires each barerel for a customary number 3 char in just 40 seconds – new American white oak is seasoned outdoors for nine months, including the summer before the firing takes place. Also all barrels are rotated by hand in their warhorse ensure proper exposure to different temperatures first with a minimum of 3 hot Kentucky summers on the top of the rack house.
Break 13:
Yes aficionados of bourbon and corn whisky (at least 51% corn) say it’s sweeter and more robust in
Whisky room – try all sorts of options here with different woods they use to smoke the glasses and different types of bitters, mixes etc. something fun to maybe try with friends…
A bit of a re-cap – we tasted Monkey shoulder $60/bottle Blended Malt Scotch – Genfiddich 18 year Scotch $130/bottle – GlenFarclas single malt scotch 21 year about $150/bottle – makers Mark Burbon $50/ bottle.
Well our first interview together now you finally know what my husband sounds like and thanks for joining us on our first whisky tasting – it was very enjoyable to learn and try these out…not sure they are for me but I’m always up for trying something new. If you’ve gone down this bourbon rat hole, let me know what you’ve tried and enjoyed. I’m thinking there will be more experimentation in the future with my hubby. If you have any questions about whiskeys please check out the show links to everything we’ve discussed today and drop a comment or question and we will get back to you 🙂
Hey Everyone, it’s Valerie here, Todays show $14 Bottle of Rose in New York I have a special guest, Rod Lechalt, we originally met when I was working on an audiobook production/radio show called Project DF he was one of my casted characters, take a listen…
He was so good I casted him for another part
…take a listen
And then we followed each others socials and I discovered we have similar interests like food and drinks so, we got to talking and here’s our interview, think EAT – great good around the world, CREATE – great memories about travel and a good storyteller, oh and he’s from Calgary, Alberta also like me, enjoy the show! This show was originally recorded in May of 2020, there is some light swearing which I do not beep
One thing you’ll notice right away from Rod is his love to tell a quick snippet story here and there like this one..
As I mentioned at the top of the show this was originally aired in May of 2020 when covid was in full swing in our city…
Michelin stars is a rating that was first introduced in 1926….
Has this every happened to you – I’m sure it has…
More Corona virus chat…
I had not seen the video – I have however watched it – well part of it…
Rod and his wife posed nude …..
Sous Vide…
Why do they call it Hell’s kitchen
Le Pain Quotidien….oui oui
Wow what an interview, such a friendly guy hey? We had a great time, and since we originally recorded this episode in May there’s so much that has happened in the world and one of the major things for this episode is numerous places that Rod has visited on his food travels are no longer open or temporarily closed due to covid. So many great restaurants haven’t made it through this difficult time and with more and more people learning to cook at home this will likely continue.
One thing I have to confess is we each recorded our sides of the conversation on our own mic as well as over zoom…I however when it came to editing this show late in 2020 could not find my side of the recording…so the editing and processing was a bit of a feat with the online audio.
Until next time, I’m Valerie from Valerie’s Variety Podcast in Studio 17
