Off the Record with The Sporting Chef and Michelle

Scott & Michelle welcome Chef Susie Jimenez to the show! She is as talented as she is funny and energetic. She's a Chef to the stars, which she dishes in this episode.

Susie was the runner-up to Season 7 of Food Network "Star" and lost to an idiot. But she's doing great, don't worry about that. She is a Hustler with a capital "H" and tells all about how she got to be a Chef to the biggest celebs in Aspen and beyond.

Susie was drinking wine from Usual winery out of California. https://usualwines.com

Follow Scott http://instagram.com/sportingchef

Follow Michelle Http://instagram.com/ladysportsman

Follow Susie http://instagram.com/spiceitupsusie

Scott & Michelle talk the state of commercial fishing with Tommy "The Fishmonger" Gomes. He's funny & full of passion and knowledge of the fishing industry. You will come away knowledgeable about how to buy fish from your local market - and perhaps adventurous to try new kinds of fish.

Tommy explains what exactly is a Fishmonger, how he supports the American fisherman and our fishing industry, and how the pandemic has affected the industry. It has changed attitudes on local fish, prices and behaviors that will forever affect the fishing industry, like making the docks in San Diego a new destination for families.

And Michelle tries to get Tommy to visit the Midwest for a Fish Fry...keeping trying Michelle...

Follow Tommy https://www.facebook.com/TommytheFishmonger/

Join Michelle & Scott with special guest Nick Pinizzotto, CEO of National Deer Alliance AND QDMA, as they talk future of conservation groups in America and quality of this week's wine selections!

Wines we were drinking: Going Viral - Merlot by Michael David Winery; Red Dog Road - sweet red table wine from Pennsylvania

Scott & Michelle welcome Mark Strand as the show's first guest. And it just so happens Mark is the show's editor, so it was fitting to have him as our guest. We talk wine (of course), Central Coast of California, if Scott ever gets sick of cooking, Michelle's role as The Adequate Cook at her own house, and much, much more!

Follow Mark's Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/markstrand

Wines we were drinking:

Michelle was drinking the 2017 Bogle Cab Sauvignon https://www.wine.com/product/bogle-cabernet-sauvignon-2017/571434

Scott was drinking Ravenswood 2017 Cab Sauvignon https://www.ravenswoodwinery.com/collection/cabernet-sauvignon/?main=varietal&selected=cabernet-sauvignon

Mark was drinking J Lohr Vineyards 2017 Cab Sauvignon from Paso Robles https://www.jlohr.com

What is Michelle's nickname? Only her parents use it. (hint: it's Mickey) Is Mickey picky? Scott gives her a picky eater's test and we find out.

Shocker of the week: turns out that cooking is subjective!

Scott reveals that he doesn't love cooking competition reality TV shows. He says cooking should be celebrated and shared, not turned into a loser-leave-town cage match with three ill-tempered judges pretending to speak for everyone.

You'll love this open discussion between two friends who love to challenge each other!

If you host television shows and travel all over cooking for a living, stuff happens. So Michelle asked Scott for some juicy BTS tales.

One starts with friends squishing dog poop between their toes at the foot of their bed in the middle of the night. What?

Sticking with this theme, Scott reluctantly shares the story of a morning after a night of eating street food while on a duck hunt in Mexico. We'll leave it at that for now.

Then Michelle asks about Scott's go-to recipe for cooking waterfowl. What he does to change somebody's mind if they say they don't like duck. Then a go-to venison approach, which draws to the surface a pet peeve… something about backstrap medallions.

And a go-to fish recipe. And Michelle scoffs at Scott's claim of being a multi-tasker, a bold assertion for any man.

Isn't Scott going to ask Michelle for her go-to recipe? Of course: for "cheese."

What? You'll have to listen to find out what happens after that.

Just once, you'd love to be a fly on the wall when a world-class chef is kicking back and spilling the beans about things he does every day to make food taste so good, right? Well, buzz your way over to this corner and listen, as Scott Leysath, The Sporting Chef, dishes on his favorite kitchen hacks.

Hack #1: most kitchen gadgets are things you can throw away.

Oh, and he's big into brine. It adds moisture, flavor, and all that briny goodness replaces what would taste like blood. Ewww.

More of what you will learn:

* What do coolers have to do with moist meat that stays hot for hours?

* Should you let your guests see you remove cooked chicken from a cooler, wrapped in a towel?

* When is it a good idea to freeze cheese?

* What does soup have in common with books?

* How many times did Michelle's family start the kitchen on fire while deep frying dinner?

(A: zero, because they called it supper! rimshot... But there's more to the story.)

* Do you know what it takes to make good bone broth?

* get ready as Scott begins his war against bullion cubes.

* What, for God's sake, is the difference between stock and broth?

* Does anybody still have a fondu pot? How about the little forks with color-coded markings so you can keep your cheese bath separated from everybody else's?

Until next time, keep your hooks wet but your fish fillets dry in thick paper towels, so they can soak up the flavor of what you cook them in!

Not sure if we drank enough during this show...

Scott and Michelle test vodkas while attempting to record an episode. Scott pierces the veil on brand-name vodkas - and the shenanigans that he does during parties. Plus, he dives into his favorite vodka drink - and how people mess it up time and again. (We welcome ideas to name his drink.)

We debate whether Two Buck Chuck is real wine. Other meaty questions: Michelle's value system doesn't allow her to eat non-meat forms, can housewives fillet fish? At what age are you expected to unhook your own fish?

Celebrate the art of cooking and wine pairings with The Sporting Chef Scott Leysath and Outdoor Insider Michelle Scheuermann. Michelle visits Scott at his home in Northern California just before COVID-19 hits us hard. So its good we got to drink this wine!

Wines drank during the podcast:

Michael David Winery Freakshow Chardonnay $18: https://shop.michaeldavidwinery.com/product/2018-FREAKSHOW-CHARD-12/750ML

Michael David Chardonnay $24

2018-Michael-David-Chardonnay-Copy

Buena Vista Winery for "Winemaker for a Day" & visit the Bubble Lounge! https://buenavistawinery.com

Scott's fav oyster place in Napa: https://hogislandoysters.com

Scott's fav place to eat in Vegas: https://lotusofsiamlv.com

Miles drank a 1961 Chateau Cheval Blanc in the movie Sideways

Visit Scott:

http://instagram.com/sportingchef

http://TheSportingChef.com

Visit Michelle

http://instagram.com/LadySportsman

http://bulletproofcomm.com

More in-depth talk of cooking medium and medium-rare foods - this time with salmon - and good wines. It's salmon challenge week: will Michelle like the "not so done" piece? Scott seasons it with Hi Mountain Salmon Rub. Plus, he shares a lox-style salmon tips for DIYers.

Scott shares his best duck recipes and why when someone says "this doesn't taste like duck" is NOT a good thing as a Chef.

Plus, the virtues of Instant Pot are discussed, and why you don't throw in the towel on your favorite foods just because you got sick from them.

Another sushi lover is Melissa Bachman, whom we discuss. Find her at http://MelissaBachman.Com

We were drinking 2017 Windy Oaks Estate Pinot Noir - Henry's Block. https://www.windyoaksestate.com