Amuse News

It should come as no surprise that the duo behind The Mockingbird know how to have a good time – their business partner is Maneet Chauhan, after all. We welcome Brian Riggenbach and Mikey Corona to HRN Happy Hour for one of our most fun episodes episodes in recent memory!

The Mockingbird is a modern diner in Nashville serving up global fare and delicious fun. Inspired by the restaurant’s namesake, Brian has created The Mockingbird’s menu to mimic its surroundings, offering comfort food favorites influenced by the many global elements that make up American culture and cuisine.

Both Brian and Mikey have backgrounds in food and art. Brian was born in Illinois, raised in Naples, Florida and has traveled the world entrenching himself in global cuisines and fine arts. Mikey, born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, was highly influenced by his Tex-Mexican family cooking, a staple in his home throughout his childhood. His background in graphic design as well as his flavorful upbringing is what adds such flare to The Mockingbird. They met in Chicago, where they began hosting pop-ups in their apartment. Mikey began signing Brian up for cooking competitions, which is how he ended up meeting Maneet Chauhan on Chopped. After establishing a friendship, Maneet convinced the couple to make the move to Nashville to team up on The Mockingbird.

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What does it mean to be a "nimble cook?" Ronna Welsh joins us to talk about her beautiful and amazingly functional cookbook, The Nimble Cook, which encourages attentiveness, flexibility, and pragmatism in the home kitchen. With proper organization and outlook, you can learn to make food for any given moment, no matter what ingredients you have on hand, the number of people you aim to feed, and how little time you have to cook. Ronna's tips and techniques are refreshingly approachable and straight-forward, and have inspired many home cooks to feel confident in cooking delicious meals – no matter the obstacles.

Ronna Welsh is the founder and chef of Purple Kale Kitchenworks, a vibrant culinary studio near the waterfront in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. She's also the author of The Nimble Cook.

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Agave brought together three unlikely friends: Lou Bank, Jay Schroeder, and Salvador “Chava” Peribán. While they don't always see eye-to-eye, these three amigos are working together to help educate mezcal lovers on the world of artisanal agave spirits. We find out about how their friendships blossomed – stories that involve glass blowing, cold-call visits, and complicated feelings about feet. This is a boisterous episode of HRN Happy Hour that you won't want to miss!

Lou Bank is the Founder and Executive Director of SACRED, or Saving Agave for Culture, Recreation, Education and Development. Sacred is an American nonprofit organization that promotes a better quality of life for people who make artisanal agave spirits in Mexico.

James (Jay) Schroeder is the author of Understanding Mezcal, a guide to starting your journey with the Mexican agave-based spirit that has seen explosive growth in the U.S. in the past few years.

Salvador “Chava” Peribán develops strategies and processes to achieve sustainable, fair, and beautiful products, including agave spirits, tumblers, and adobe bricks. He has worked as director of R&D at Xaquixe, a Oaxaca-based glass-blowing studio, and as head distiller at Sombra, where he also helped reduce the distillery’s ecological footprint. He’s currently immersed in a yet-to-be-revealed agave project in Mexico City.

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Are spirits and cannabis a match made in heaven? Chris Joseph is the founder/CEO of Portland-based Wild Roots Spirits and WYLD Canna. He joins the HRN Happy Hour team – ahead of the 420 holiday – to talk about his fruit-forward vodkas, edibles, and forthcoming CBD sparkling beverages.

Photo via wyldcanna.com

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We welcome Priya Krishna back to HRN Happy Hour just five days before new cookbook, Indian-ish debuts! She talks about her parents' influence on her career and cookbook, and the time her dad's photo was featured in the New York Times. Make sure to buy Indian-ish and check out Priya's cookbook tour events at priyakrishna.me!

Image Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Keli Rivers is the Brand Ambassador for Sipsmith, a microdistillery in London known for its gins. This March, Sipsmith introduced Lemon Drizzle Gin, a limited-edition, wonderfully zingy, zesty and ginny delight. We talk to Keli about Sipsmith, G&Ts, and her extensive gin collection.

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Frank Mentesana is the Founding-Director of EcoSpaces Education, a program that brings Food Literacy Education to inner city children through cooking, gardening, healthy eating and exercise.

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"Henry Glucroft opened his eponymous wine shop in Bushwick in 2014. His mission was to offer the neighborhood a wine shopping experience that didn't involve bullet-proof glass in and to support small winemakers around the globe. Since then, he's built a following for the wide varitey of natural wines and unique spirits he stocks. He's also opened an all-day cafe, Sunrise/Sunset, and a wine bar, Petra. We chat with Henry about his roots in Paris and New York, and how that's shaped his approach to food and wine.

Plus, Jordan Werner Barry joins us to catch us up on what's new in the world of cider!"

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Kate Cox and Joe Fassler join us to share the most recent food journalism produced by The New Food Economy, an award-winning non-profit newsroom using independent, deep, and unbiased reporting to investigate the forces shaping how and what we eat. In its reporting, The New Food Economy goes beyond the gustatory to tell the urgent, under-reported stories of a changing system no one can opt out of.

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Andy and Karen Little are the married couple behind Josephine, a Nashville restaurant with Pennsylvania Dutch incfluence and a big helping of Southern Hospitality. Before they dove into the restuarnt industry, both Andy and Karen pursued careers in music – Andy was an aspiring tubist and Karen earned a Bachelor's Degree in Clarinet Performance. They're also joined by their "right hand woman" Ashley Dehnke. Tune in to hear what happens when three of Music City's finest join us in the shipping container for a rousing HRN Happy Hour!

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