Jonathan talks with Blister reviewer & Blister Summit director, Kristin Sinnott, about her lifelong love of ice cream; what we should know about making ice cream at home; and why she always hunts for small-batch ice cream when she’s traveling.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

How Kristin’s ice Cream Habit Started (2:36)

Being Picky about Food (8:36)

Getting into Making Ice Cream (14:45)

Ice Cream vs Coffee (18:42)

Cookbooks for Ice Cream (22:23)

Eggs vs no Eggs (23:27)

Linden’s Ice Cream Reviews (26:14)

Ice Cream vs Gelato (28:54)

Kristin’s Current Practices (31:28)

Coffee vs Ice Cream Equipment (37:05)

Pro Tips (42:08)

Affogatos (47:29)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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We’re all familiar with ‘Top Gun’ — a school that separates the best of the best. But what if we told you there is an elite certification program designed to test the best bartenders in the business? Today, we’re discussing that program — Bar 5 Day — with Steve Olson and Doug Frost.

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BAR 5 Day

BAR Documentary

TOPICS & TIMES:

Their Background (2:27)

Bar 5 Origin Story (5:47)

Mentorship (21:34)

Mescal and Decision Points for Bar 5 (33:05)

How They Choose Educators (45:11)

Certifications and Film Tour (1:00:22)

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Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Bitters have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, and in cocktails for centuries. But they receive far less attention than the spirits in our glass. So today we’re talking with the founders of a bitters company that has taken the craft cocktail scene by storm: Joseph Bennett & Yana Crow of Bennett Bitters. We discuss bitters in general; the complex process they use to produce some of the best bitters currently on the market; the inspiration behind Bennett Bitters; how they got started; and more.

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Bennett Bitters

TOPICS & TIMES:

How Joseph Got into Bitters (1:32)

What are Bitters?? (8:31)

How Yana Got into Bitters (11:11)

Flavor First (21:23)

Flavor Concepts (23:55)

How Bitters Work (32:39)

Spirits & Proof Levels (37:26)

Quantity vs Time (45:27)

Blends & Batches (56:04)

How One Flavor Profile Informs the Next (1:01:13)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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We talk with Jeff Galli, the General Manager and co-owner of Campione, a roman kitchen that was named to the New York Time’s 50 Best Restaurants in the U.S. list in 2023, and was the first restaurant in the state to receive that sort of national attention. 

In this episode we explore the philosophy that underpins Jeff’s exceptional approach to hospitality; his background in food and beverage; and the founding of Campione Roman Kitchen, We also discuss restrooms, tile floors, and the yellow bitter conundrum, so this episode has a little something for everyone. 

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Campione Roman Kitchen

Campione Instagram

TOPICS & TIMES:

Reservations (1:13)

Running a Restaurant in Livingston (3:17)

Jeff’s Background (4:55)

Making the Move to Livingston (10:10)

Finding Campione (16:09)

In The Service Of Others (25:12)

The Importance of Bathrooms (28:14)

NYT 50 Best List (33:00)

Analog Restaurants (36:42)

Yellow Bitter Conundrum (46:37)

Redefining the Industry (56:11)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Matt Capozzi has always loved being in the mountains, but he’s also enjoyed an incredible career working in product design for brands like Burton, Nike, Nixon, and Smith. In 2015, Matt had a wild idea to help people ‘bring the mountains home,’ which led to the creation of North Drinkware, which produces beautiful, artisanal products — like handblown glassware — made in Oregon.

Today I talk with Matt about how a life spent designing everything from snowboarding bindings, to wearable fitness tech, to watches led him to the improbable (and rather harrowing) launch of North Drinkware. We also get into the art of glass blowing, the science of crafting your favorite mountains into the bottoms of drinkware, why authenticity is everything, and what the future of North looks like.

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North Drinkware

TOPICS & TIMES:

Blister Craft Collective (1:20)

What is North Drinkware? (3:12)

Matt’s Love of Snow (7:08)

Designing for Burton, Nike, Nixon, & More (11:44)

The Initial Idea of North (16:05)

The Highs & Lows of Launching (21:55)

How Their Glasses are Produced Today (38:02)

Other Products (41:42)

Selecting the Next Mountain? (45:40)

How North Thinks about Growth (49:19)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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There are more ways to listen to music than ever these days, and cheap Bluetooth speakers are everywhere: hanging in your shower, sitting on your kitchen counter, and on tailgates at football games. Unfortunately, these kinds of speakers often cultivate an experience where the music very much takes a backseat to whatever else we're doing. 

In today's conversation, Heaven 11 Audio’s Itai Azerad offers a different perspective, one that puts a premium on really listening to music and feeling an emotional connection to it — and his company Heaven 11 Audio produces amplifiers to do exactly that. Their Billie amp blends old-school vacuum tubes with cutting-edge class D amplifier technology to capture the heart and soul of music, and with a stunning industrial design, it invites you to just listen to the music, and nothing else. Itai also talks about his inspiration to start an audio company, his unconventional path in industrial design, vacuum tubes, circuit boards, wooden knobs, and a whole lot more.

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Heaven 11 Audio

TOPICS & TIMES:

Bauhaus (2:45)

Itai’s Audio Journey (5:22)

Music is a Ritual & the Stereo is the Shrine (8:38)

Starting a HiFi Company (10:22)

The Billie Amp (12:34)

Why use Vacuum Tubes (14:04)

Why use a Class D Amplifier (16:55)

Chasing Perfect (31:38)

Beautiful Design is as Important as Sound (38:12)

The New MK3 Billie Amp (40:47)

Music Matters (43:00)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Today’s guest is a sort of pioneer in Australian winemaking; his focus on 'lo-fi' production methods and non-traditional flavors has helped redefine what consumers expect from the land down under. Uffe Deichmann is a Dutch-born winemaker who found love at a music festival in Australia and never looked back — his winery, Poppelvej wines, now produces bottlings that are standard on some of the more groundbreaking menus across the U.S. In this episode we dive deep into the history of the winery, Uffe’s own journey through winemaking, the philosophy that underlies the incredible wine they are producing, and even touch on the topic of native bird species. From underground bunkers to stolen street signs, this conversation has it all.

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Poppelvej Winery

Poppelvej Instagram

https://vsimports.com/australia/poppelvej/

TOPICS & TIMES:

Current Wine Making (2:33)

Origins of Poppelvej (5:49)

Finding Australia (15:04)

Fruit Selection / Picking Process (21:01)

Lo-Fi Wine (23:49)

Music’s Influence on Poppelvej (31:44)

Poppelvej's Growth & Expansion (35:19)

The Wine Making Process (41:36)

Australian Terrior (52:39)

Wine’s Generational Crises (58:30)

Flavor Exploration (1:04:06)

The Hand Painted Sign (1:07:56)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Jonathan Ellsworth’s preferences for red wines over white wines are well established. But in this conversation and wine tasting, we’re going to see if Eli can change Jonathan’s mind.

This past weekend, Jonathan and Eli opened four bottles of white wines and hit the record button. We tried a few different white varietals and blends that Eli believes may appeal to those staunchly in the red-wine camp to see if we can get Jonathan more interested in what certain white wines have to offer.

We’ve also included links to the four wines we tasted if you’d like to try any of these for yourself.

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The Wines We’re Tasting:

Poet’s Leap Riesling

K Vintners Viognier

Kiki and Juan Orange Wine

Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis

TOPICS & TIMES:

The White Wine Experience (3:36)

JE''s Bottle of White He Likes? (3:36)

What Reds Does JE Like? (7:07)

Sweet Wines (11:35)

White Burgundy Flavor (13:01)

Riesling (14:27)

Scotch (17:57)

Red vs White: the Simple Differences (21:30)

Champagne (26:10)

Aeration (38:52)

Wine Anchoring Memories (44:32)

Wine with or w/o Food (47:48)

Orange Wine (51:34)

Jonathan’s Final Thoughts (1:13:09)

Eli's Final Thoughts (1:20:10)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Our guest today is Chef Paul Jensen, who is the executive chef of fine dining at Big Sky Resort, a former restaurant owner, seasoned culinary competitor, and a newly named member of the 2028 U.S. Culinary Olympic team.

With over 30 years of competition experience, Paul has represented the U.S. on the global stage, honing his craft through more than 100 contests. His dedication to food, mentorship, and the art of receiving feedback has shaped his journey, culminating in his spot on the Olympic team. In this conversation, we explore his background, the unique world of culinary competition, and what it means to represent the U.S. in one of the most prestigious food contests on earth.

RELATED LINKS:

Culinary Team USA

Learn More: Culinary Olympics 

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Apprenticeship & Student Chef Competitions (5:38)

Classic Culinary Arts (10:25)

Competition History (and squid tubes) (18:19)

“Everyone Has a Plan Til You Get Punched in the Face” (22:54)

Culinary Olympics (29:14)

Influence of Olympics on Cuisine (33:23)

Trying Out For the Team (44:30)

Training Sessions (48:59)

Which Countries Dominate? (54:03)

Recipe Development (58:00)

Why Farm-to-Table Should Not Be a Movement (1:00:49)

Follow the Culinary Olympics (1:02:02)

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Jonathan talks with Kara Williard and Eli Brown about one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world: garlic. We discuss hardneck garlic vs softneck garlic; how to grow garlic; its medicinal properties; black garlic; garlic honey; and yes … vampires.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Kara's Farming Background (4:34)

Sunny Sage Farm (6:53)

Eli's Love of Garlic (9:20)

Medicinal Value of Garlic (11:37)

Types of Garlic (15:45)

Egyptian Gold? (22:44)

Elephant Garlic (24:00)

4 of the 400 varieties (24:31)

Black Garlic (31:11)

Favorite Dishes with Garlic (33:21)

Vampires (43:28)

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Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

Off The Couch

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