How fresh is fresh? Just ask Chef Roy Santana from Fresh Cafe & Catering! But first, our celebrity co-host for this week, Adam Lehrman (AKA the “Tucson Foodie”) got things started with a rundown of his latest food adventures. Matt and Adam then caught up with Lou Lazos of Kon Tiki, who transported us all to the islands as the restaurant marks its 50th anniversary this year (a celebratory round of Scorpions, please!). Our featured guest was Chef Santana of Fresh, who spoke with great passion and pride about his menu of sandwiches, salads, smoothies, pastries, and coffees. We were also joined by Fresh’s owner Dr. David Lapan, who talked about the role that Fresh plays in a health and wellness strategy. Get Fresh!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:09 — 14.6MB)

Sitting in for a vacationing Matt Russell this week was Acacia’s own Chef Albert Hall.

Joining Albert as celebrity co-host was Chef Ryan Clark from Lodge on the Desert, and the two chefs got right to it with all the latest food news, including the upcoming Iron Chef Tucson competition! Chef Jim “Murph” Murphy of Kingfisher and Bluefin joined the conversation as well, with breaking news from the Tucson Originals, as well as what we can expect to see at his restaurants this summer. Three of Tucson’s top chefs in one delicious hour!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:39 — 14.2MB)

Avez-vous faim pour la nourriture française? If so, this was the perfect show for you…live from Agustin Brasserie!

Bella Joffroy, Tucson community manager for Yelp, joined us as celebrity co-host, and got us current on the latest local Yelpings. We were also joined by Brian Metzger of Jax Kitchen and The Abbey fame, who gave us a report from the National Restaurant Association Convention in Chicago. We were then joined by Agustin Brasserie’s own Adam Weinstein and Chef Brittany Palmer, who together took us on a culinary and cocktail tour of France. We learned about oysters, artisan cheeses, an award-winning La Fleur Margarita, a beautiful twist on a Bloody Mary, and, of course, what a bouillabaisse is supposed to be. Viva la France!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:55 — 14.6MB)

We got our Thai on this week, and there’s simply no better place in town for this adventure than at V Modern Thai! Our celebrity co-host this week was Valerie Vinyard, fellow foodie and public affairs coordinator for AAA Arizona. Val reported on her latest food and beverage encounters, and introduced us to the valuable AAA program called Tipsy Tow. We were then joined by Yvonne Foucher of CataVinos Wine Shop & Tasting Room, who showcased this week’s delicious wine tasting, while teasing us on what she’ll be pouring next week. Our featured guests were Vila Jarrell and Chef Redman of V Modern Thai. We heard all about classic Thai cuisine with a twist, and the role that art plays in an exceptional culinary experience. Of course there was some libating going on, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Zombie with muddled pineapple, and a gorgeous exotic cocktail made with fresh baby coconut. We love V…a slice of Bangkok in the heart of downtown Tucson!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:17 — 14.7MB)

This week’s show was all about buzz, and the food and beverages that are attracting it in Tucson.

Our celebrity co-host Jessica Nenadic of Alliance Beverage, buzz-worthy in her own right, discussed some summertime beverages that were generating some buzz in her circles. We also heard from Travis Reese of 47 Scott, whose grilled cheese sandwich tipped the buzz scales just enough to attract the attention of Esquire magazine! We were then joined by Jon Herrera of Elliott’s on Congress, whose Paloma Nueva cocktail had just taken first place at the Tucson Agave Fest…serious buzz here! Our featured guest was Billy Elliott of Elliott’s, who showcased the more than 20 infused vodkas on his menu. We tasted the cucumber, jalapeno, habanero, basil and strawberry vodkas, each having earned significant buzz from everyone in the KNST studio. These beverages went beautifully with Elliott’s duck sliders, jalapeno-cheese boats, and the chocolate-dipped bacon strips. Get yourselves down to Elliott’s, and let the buzz begin!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:58 — 14.6MB)

Cinco de Mayo weekend is about more than simply celebrating the outcome of the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It’s about celebrating a certain attitude, a lifestyle if you will, that is best manifest with a cold beverage on a beautiful beach. Beaches and beverages in Tucson? We got ya covered at Fini’s Landing for this week’s show! Celebrity co-host John Farlow got us kicked off with his credentialed perspectives on rum, and what may be behind its resurgence in cocktailing today. We were then joined by Troy Roberts, founder and chief distiller at Florida’s Siesta Key Rum, who introduced us to his award-winning spiced rum. Suffice it to say that it’s far and away the best spiced rum that has ever cascaded across our palates! Fini’s Chef Tiki Tim stopped by as well with his newly bottled Chubasco Hot Sauce, a feisty little four-pepper blend that’s now available for purchase. Our featured guest was Fini himself, who got us current on all the action at our favorite beachfront bar and grill. Anchors Aweigh!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:31 — 14.7MB)

The closest you can get to the Windy City without leaving Tucson is Rocco’s Little Chicago, and we were there live this weekend feasting on some serious Chi-chow! Celebrity co-host Jim Strong, fellow foodie and real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, got things started with his perspectives of great local food. We were then joined by David Torkko, beverage manager at Hotel Congress, who educated us all on the differences between tequila, mezcal, bacanora and sotol. We’ll surely be equipped for the upcoming Tucson Agave Fest! Our featured guest was Rocco himself, who rolled out some great beers, from the traditional Chicago favorite, Old Style, to some great craft beer from Chicago’s Goose Island Brewery. He also walked us through the culinary traditions of Chicago’s south side, and served up some of his top-selling treats. Our favorite? The midwestern-style thin pizza with fennel sausage and cheese!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:58 — 14.6MB)

Fans of craft brew had much to celebrate this weekend, during our live broadcast from the Tucson SpringFest Craft Beer Festival, sponsored by the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild. In this action-packed and delicious hour, we checked in with craft beer enthusiast and film-maker Scot Litteer, as well as brewers from Sentinel Peak Brewing Company, That Brewing Company, Borderlands Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewery, Sonoran Brewing Company, and O.H.S.O Nanobrewery. So much happening on the craft beer scene, and it was a privilege for us to help tell these sudsy stories. Cheers!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:17 — 14.4MB)

There’s only one place in Southern Arizona to get real, authentic, fresh olive oils and aged balsamics, and we had the privilege of broadcasting live from there this week: Alfonso Gourmet Olive Oils & Balsamics!

This week’s celebrity co-host, Michael Luria of Children’s Museum Tucson, got us current with his latest food and beverage encounters, and Matthew Landon from Hacienda del Sol shared all the information on his upcoming Zin, Blues & Barbeque event. Our featured guest was Tom Alfonso, who told a delicious story about what fresh really means when it comes to extra virgin olive oil, and how to spot a fake balsamic versus an authentic, aged balsamic. We had the opportunity to taste (or is it slurp?) some of the new releases…wait until you hear how Matt and Michael reacted when they tasted the peppery olive oil from Greece!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:51 — 14.5MB)

Jim Seder of the Wine Inquirer stepped up to the mic this week for a vacationing Matt Russell, and what a star-studded show it was!

Celebrity co-host Rick Paz of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse shared some of the exciting things happening at his restaurant, and Shawn Campbell of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra stopped by to share some information on her upcoming Moveable Musical Feast. Kief Manning from Kief-Joshua Vineyards also called in to talk about his upcoming releases, as well as reporting on an upcoming wine festival that sounded amazing! The featured guest was Tim Laird of Brown-Forman who had helpful tips for entertaining, all around tequila and bourbon!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:36 — 14.5MB)