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.

RELATED LINKS:

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

Become a BLISTER+ Member

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

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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 

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

Become a BLISTER+ Member

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.

RELATED LINKS

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

Become a BLISTER+ Member

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

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Blister Podcast

Off The Couch

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Jonathan Ellsworth talks about this very big topic with someone who is in quite a unique position to have this conversation with: Eli Brown, a 26-year-old sommelier who is also certified in mixology and distilled spirits, he has been named a Top 100 Bartender in the U.S., and he is currently working on a project involving N/A and low ABV beer and spirits and wine.

Jonathan Ellsworth and Eli Brown delve into the changing landscape of alcohol consumption among younger generations; the trends — and hurdles — of non-alcoholic (NA) and low ABV cocktails; the complexities of wine and the practices of the wine industry that may be acting as a deterrence; the implications of the US Surgeon General's recommendations on alcohol consumption; and predictions for future trends in the craft beverage industry.

RELATED LINKS:

Blister Craft Collective

TOPICS & TIMES:

Eli’s Background & Credentials (1:34)

The Current State of Alcohol (10:10)

US Surgeon General’s Warning (40:16)

Blister Craft collective (53:49)

White Wines (1:01:55)

Predictions: Which Spirits Will Rise & Fall? (1:04:48)

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Today, you are going to hear what is essentially an ongoing conversation that Jonathan has been having for about 30 years now with one of his best friends, Matthew Halteman, about food, food systems, sustainability, fine dining, and the ethics of what we eat.

Matt is a foodie, a father, a fellow in the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and a philosophy professor at Calvin University (he received his PhD in philosophy at Notre Dame). Matt is also a brilliant writer, and among other things we’re talking about today is his new book, Hungry, Beautiful Animals.

Eating food is, of course, one of the most fundamental activities of human experience, yet many of us could probably stand to further examine our own principles and practices when it comes to food systems, what we eat, and the significance, ethics, and aesthetics of eating. So that is a bit of what Jonathan and Matt are going to be diving into here.

RELATED LINKS:

Read Hungry, Beautiful Animals

Listen to Hungry, Beautiful Animals on Spotify

For More re: Nutrition: nutritionfacts.org

TOPICS & TIMES:

What We’re Talking about Today & Why (0:00)

Food & Current Food Production (4:11)

Matt’s Background in Food Systems (12:41)

How Transformation Actually Happens (24:41)

Vegan Fine Dining? (41:28)

Excellence & Accessibility (51:47)

Jonathan’s Mom's Question about Nutrition (59:48)

Filtering Information & Disinformation (1:06:37)

Hungry Beautiful Animals (1:09:53)

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Happy New Year! Today, we are sharing the craft categories that most captivated some of our Blister reviewers in 2024, and revealing some of the categories they are most curious about heading into 2025.

And over on our Blister Podcast, you’ll also get to hear our team talk about the highs, the lows, and the lessons learned in 2024, plus their resolutions for 2025.

RELATED LINKS

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

Become a BLISTER+ Member

TOPICS & TIMES:

Luke Koppa (1:21)

Kristin Sinnott (16:08)

Simon Stewart (24:57)

Kara Husted (39:29)

Zach Henderson (49:28)

Justin Bobb & Jonathan Ellsworth (58:26)

SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Scott Rao is one of the most influential people in the world of coffee, coffee roasting, and coffee brewing. Scott is also the owner of Prodigal Coffee (located in Boulder, Colorado), and in this conversation, we dive deep into specific coffee topics and discuss the pursuit of quality in general.

RELATED LINKS:

Prodigal Coffee

Become a BLISTER+ Member

TOPICS & TIMES:

Scott’s Entry into Coffee (2:43)

Quality (8:30)

Coffee, Wine, & Tea (16:42)

Rating Systems (21:26)

How to Store Coffee (26:19)

Should You Freeze Beans? (31:37)

Light Roasts (34:32)

Dark Roasts (37:33)

Complexity (39:35)

Conscientious Consumerism & Coffee (42:46)

Espresso, Whiskey, & Fine Tuning (45:58)

Prodigal’s Approach to Quality (52:06)

Politics, Coffee, & Quality (58:40)

Scott’s Current Coffee Interests (1:06:28)

Quality and Perfection (1:08:35)

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Studio Shed was started in the Boulder, Colorado backyard of their co-founder Jeremy Nova, a pro mountain biker and Olympian. Jeremy needed a place to store all his bikes and was uninspired by what was available, so he built his own. Today, Studio Sheds are still built in Colorado, and their portfolio now includes studios, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and commercial spaces. Jeremy built that first shed back in 2008, yet today, many of Studio Shed’s designs still look just like the original. 

Sheds and ADUs are a great way to provide extra room for outdoor gear, remote work offices, or additional living spaces. In today’s conversation, we sit down with Studio Shed’s co-founder Mike Koenig to discuss their unique approach to designing and building prefabricated backyard structures that are well-built, eco-friendly, and stylish.

RELATED LINKS:

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

Become a BLISTER+ Member

Studio Shed website: https://www.studio-shed.com/

TOPICS & TIMES:

Riding Bikes and Founding a Company (0:46)

Tokyo Joe's MTB Team (3:51)

Jeremy’s Homemade Shed (6:24)

Panelized Construction (10:25)

The Studio Shed Design Process & Steps to Purchasing a Studio Shed (21:58)

How to DIY Build a Studio Shed (29:40)

Eco-friendly Designs (36:20)

Mike’s Bike (51:46)

SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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What are two of the best things in the world? Deep powder skiing and a great food truck. And today, we’re talking about both with professional skier, Yu Sasaki. We also talk about Yu’s beautiful short film, Home From Home; moving from Hokkaido, Japan, to Revelstoke; the ins-and-outs of running a food truck; and more.

RELATED LINKS:

Watch Yu’s Film: Home From Home

Become a BLISTER+ Member

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

TOPICS & TIMES:

New Film (2:52)

Japan Origins (5:49)

Food and Canada (7:59)

Food Truck (10:21)

Planning His Menu (15:08)

2 Food Trucks and Ramen (16:27)

Logistics (19:41)

He Skis in the Winter, Staff Runs the Trucks (22:19)

How to Identify Good Food Trucks (25:24)

Ten Minute Timeline (29:23)

Favorite Food Trucks (31:00)

Craft Obsessions and Freeride Coaching (33:05)

Upcoming Ski Season (36:03)

Closing (38:21)

SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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Last year, we talked with Alex LeBlanc about starting Calibration Coffee Lab in Greenville, South Carolina (CRAFTED ep #26). Today, Alex is back to update us on how it’s going, what he’s been learning, how his thinking about coffee has evolved, and how he’s going about trying to build a brand that people will love.

And if you’d like to check out Alex’s coffee, CRAFTED listeners can get 15% off by using the code BLISTER at calibrationcoffeelab.com

RELATED LINKS:

Become a BLISTER+ Member

Check out the Blister Craft Collective

CRAFTED ep #26: Calibration Coffee Lab

TOPICS & TIMES:

Backstory of Calibration Coffee Lab (2:53)

3rd Wave Coffee (9:32)

1st & 2nd Crack (14:18)

Alex’s Philosophy of Roasting (16:46)

Espresso (19:30)

Roasting Temperature & Airflow (25:47)

Catering to Customers’ Tastes (27:06)

Coffee, Wine, & Beer Comparisons (33:08)

‘Single Origin’ Coffees vs Blends (35:10)

How Long to “Rest” after Roasting (36:53)

Natural vs Washed (45:48)

Brand Building (51:03)

SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

Blister Cinematic

Bikes & Big Ideas

GEAR:30

Blister Podcast

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