The perfect “Date Night” for discerning music lovers!

The vintage touches give Ticket Holders the sense of being in the “living room” of the songwriters as they enjoy an unforgettable experience.  

This intimate evening of song will intrigue James Taylor fans and introduce them to the brilliant artistry of Grammy Winning Songwriter, Steve Leslie, as hosts, Jack and Diane, treat listeners to something special at next week’s show.
This special Nashville Unleashed Concert will take place Saturday, May 18th, 2013 inside the Concert Hall at Natchez Hills Vineyard located at 109 Overhead Bridge Road, Hampshire, TN 38461. Doors open to the Tasting Room at 6pm. Dinner service begins at 6:30pm and dinner is included with Ticket.

Source: Nashville Unleashed Dated: May 10, 2013

TICKETS:
Tickets range from $25-General Admission to $40-VIP and can be purchased online at www.NashvilleUnleashed.com or by calling 931.285.2500. Limited luxury overnight accommodations are available at the vineyard’s Bed & Breakfast. Additional lodging and shuttle service information can be found at www.Nashvilleunleashed.com.

ABOUT STEVE:

One of Nashville’s most respected and successful songwriters/composers will bring along stellar accompanists to join Jack & Diane “in the round” and pay tribute to one of the greatest songwriters of our generation….JAMES TAYLOR.
Steve Leslie’s biggest songwriting influence was James Taylor, which is evident in his own body of work.
Steve received his bachelors degree in guitar/jazz studies from Morehead State University in Morehead Ky. After teaching privately in Tallahassee, Fl. for eight years, Steve moved to Nashville in 1992. He was signed to a staff songwriting position at EMI Music Publishing shortly thereafter, where he had songs recorded by Kenny Rogers, Mark Chesnutt, George Strait, Darryl Worley, Rhonda Vincent, and Neal McCoy, to name a few.

Steve earned a Grammy Certificate for the title cut to Ricky Skaggs’ 2004 “Brand New Strings” which won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album of the Year. Steve left EMI after nine years to open his own publishing company, Chord Boy Songs. He signed to Stage Three Music Publishing in 2005. Since 2007 he has maintained a career as an independent songwriter and music publisher. His new company,New Modern Songs, has published works by Darryl Worley and Darius Rucker, all written by Steve.
The perfect “Date Night” for discerning music lovers! This popular and elegant Dinner Concert centers around Hosts, Jack & Diane, and their distinguished ROSTER of fellow, pro-level songwriters, in unprecedented fashion.

Listeners revere concert productions like Austin City Limits and VH-1 Storytellers. Along that idea, Nashville Unleashed honors these concepts, yet offers a more personal experience for the audience.
Much thought and care has gone in to the design of the set, placed right in the center of Natchez Hills vineyard’s 4,000 sq ft Concert Center, with the songwriters surrounded by a limited audience.

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CHEERS!

Summer Berry and Lavender-Ginger Fizz is my special cocktail for a Mother’s Day treat. Enjoy juicy, fresh blackberries and blueberries, homemade Lavender & Ginger Syrup with Vikingfjord Lemon Infused Vodka topped off with fizzy mineral water for a refreshing afternoon of celebration.  Pair this with homemade croissants stuffed with warm chocolate and almond filling and enjoy your day!

Here’s to being a mom! My greatest accomplishment yet!  

CHEERS!

This year, I am celebrating Mother’s Day in the Texas Hill Country. I have been a lucky mom to have experienced living this unique Texas Hill Country lifestyle and all the natural beauty it has to offer. My life has been anything but traditional so I choose to celebrate untraditional. For Mother’s Day, I opt for warm Texas Hill Country breezes on a picnic blanket underneath the big blue Texas sky rather than a crowded restaurant elbow to elbow with tables full diners for a Mother’s Day brunch. The amazing wild flowers are still filling the air with perfume and one of my favorites is lavender. Lavender grows well in Texas because it loves full sun and tolerates the dry conditions so common in Texas. Not only does it give us the gift of its pleasant earthy floral and herbaceous aromas it also can be used to flavor savory and sweet foods.

The homemade Lavender-Ginger Syrup (recipe at bottom of page) is a perfect balance to the cocktail enhancing the freshness of the berries and a perfect accompaniment to the crisp and clean flavors of the vodka.I wanted to capture the essence of the  beautiful Texas Hill Country with this cocktail and using Texas Lavender dried flower buds was a great way to do that. I also used Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water which also adds a bit of the local Austin unique flavor experience!

Have you experienced Vikingfjord Citrus Vodka yet?
This Norwegian Vodka is created from the pristine waters of the Jostedal Glacier in Norway and is filtered to eliminate anything but fresh, clean, neutral flavors. The clean,crisp flavor of this vodka with the hint of fresh lemon peel was perfect for this cocktail. Check out the website to find out more about this vodka and where you can get it.
It was especially divine when I sipped on a chilled glass after dinner. It was like sipping on cool, pure, clean, heavy water with a fresh lemon twist. Be sure to grab an extra bottle for the refrigerator for perfect ending to a special dinner!

So, I didn’t start out planning to pair anything with this cocktail; as far as I’m concerned it pairs with everything! But, I found this amazingly delicious and easy croissant recipe and not only did I find that this would be a wonderful Mother’s Day treat with its warm,rich chocolate and almond filling in flaky puff pastry, I also discovered that it was a perfect pairing!

Fresh dark and juicy summer berries are a perfect pairing with dark chocolate and flaky pastry. So mom gets a extra special treat. Check out Daphne Oz’s Kid-Friendly Croissant Recipe and let the kids make mom something special for mom! I LOVE this recipe. I am NOT a baker so this was perfect for me. They are scrumptious treat for brunch,breakfast or dessert for the whole family to enjoy!

CHEERS TO ALL THE MOMS !

May is the month of celebrations!
I bet that you can find many reasons to celebrate every weekend in May! Cinco De Mayo, The Derby, Mother’s Day and Springtime. Steak on the grill with a great bottle of red wine is my way of celebrating! Here is another favorite wine pairing with Thorny Rose Red Blend  2011 from the Columbia Valley in Washington.
Thorny Rose Red Blend is blend of the structured Cabernet and soft Merlot.

Washington State wines have always intrigued me and here is why. Washington shares the same latitude with the Bordeaux and Burgundy wine regions of France. This area of the Northwest is able to produce quality wines from the same grapes as France and has a knack for producing amazing blends. Because of the arid climate called the rain shadow effect and ripeness being influenced by longer daylight hours during the growing season, the result is fully ripe,lush wines with good acidity,complexity and pleasant fruit aromas. Washington State wines are amazing food-friendly and crowd pleasing wines that are especially fun for wine and food pairings. This red blend is reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends of the left bank Bordeaux region of France.

Thorny Rose Blend 2011 is under $15. This is a great price for such a complex and food-friendly wine. Check the website to see where you can get it in your area for the
next celebration!

I am always on the search for new recipes for grilled steaks. I was inspired by the recipe that was provided by my friends at the marketing agency to pair with Thorny Rose Red Blend 2011. By adding a few ingredients, I put my own touch to it and I just know you will enjoy it too!

Thorny Rose’s Red Blend is full of lush black and red berry flavors and aromas of juicy cherry,raspberry,ripe blackberry ,roasted green pepper and warm spice.  A great balance of acidity  also makes it a great food pairing wine with this recipe. A hint of smoky vanilla from oak aging pairs well with the flavors imparted by the mesquite charcoal I used to grill the steaks.

The glaze is this recipe paired well with this steak and wine. It is complex in flavors (like the wine) with tangy rice wine vinegar, juicy fresh orange and pineapple juice,honey and freshly grated earthy ginger added spicy exotic and citrus flavors. The soy sauce in the glaze added a meaty and smoky depth. I couldn’t help but add the intense and spicy ground chili paste Sambal Oelek for another dimension of flavor along with fresh spicy green Serrano peppers.
Diced and chopped carrots and sliced shallots add an earthy sweetness and unique flavor as well texture and vibrant color. The original recipe called for hangar steak but I used Flat Iron steak and tossed a Flank steak on the grill as well.

Check out the recipe and you might just be in the mood for a celebration tonight!

Smoky and charred long green onions and cherry tomatoes were a fabulous side dish in addition to the flavor and eye appeal to the pairing.

CHEERS TO CELEBRATING!

This was a splendid weekend for the crowd-pleasing Austin Food and Wine Festival 2013. A devout following of foodies,wine lovers and culinary aficionados from far and near gathered at Butler Park in Austin to enjoy some of the best cuisine prepared by world-renowned chefs and some of the best wines around!

We were lucky to enjoy two fabulous pairings and elegant SIMI Wines from Sonoma County in Healdsburg, California which were expertly paired with the culinary creations by Executive Chef Kolin Vazzoler of the SIMI Winery Kitchen.
SIMI Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County were the two featured wines that were paired with the culinary creations by Chef Kolin from the Kitchen at SIMI Winery.

..Chef Kolin is the Executive Chef for the SIMI Winery Kitchen located at the SIMI Winery and beginning this Spring you will be able to sip on a glass of sensational Simi wine and enjoy the culinary creations from the kitchen by Chef Kolin Vazzoler.

Simi Winery Visitor Center
16275 Healdsburg Avenue
Healdsburg, CA 95448
1-800-746-4880

Chef Kolin was inspired by his Italian heritage to pursue his passion for a career in the culinary field.
After receiving his culinary diploma from Vancouver Community College, he landed his first job in the industry at a prestigious restaurant in San Francisco. In 2012, he became the Executive Chef at SIMI Winery which has become a perfect match of his culinary brilliance and wine pairings stemming from his deep Italian roots which pairs perfectly with SIMI’s Italian legacy.

SIMI Winery’s Italian heritage dates all the way back to 1876 when two brothers from Italy produced the first wines in Sonoma under the family name which is still growing strong after 135 years. SIMI wines have been producing exquisite wines for a life time of palate pleasures.

Chef Kolin believes the wine should be the star of the pairings!

He is passionate about his job at SIMI Winery and is able to enjoy his life while doing what he loves to do!
This passion is expressed through his amazing pairings. His philosophy on wine pairings is the wine should be front and center while matching the food to wine.

In a restaurant setting, Chef Kolin said that the food is usually considered first when pairing with with wine. At SIMI Kitchen, he is able to let SIMI wines shine by first understanding the wine’s characteristics and then choosing the food that would best complement the wine!
Chef Kolin also believes in the farm to table food movement and knows that starting with the freshest local ingredients is the key to unlocking the freshest flavors of the food to pair with the wines.

The first pairing was the Crispy Chicken Skin,Mushroom Puree,Dried Cherry,Micro Celery and Ginger Salt with Simi Pinot Noir, Sonoma. The Pinot Noir has notes of fresh, concentrated cherry and cranberry fruit ,exotic spice,firm structure and balanced acidity with a touch of earthiness and perfect for a meal of crispy fried chicken or mushroom risotto. You can taste that with this pairing, he matched the wine’s components and characteristics perfectly with the mushroom puree, house-made ginger salt and dried cherries.

I was so impressed by his philosophy of pairing, I am now adopting this method of pairing  too!

The next pairing is SIMI Sauvignon Blanc with Pickled Beets with Rice Wine Vinegar,Shaved Radish,Sunflower Crema and Rye Crumble.
SIMI Sauvignon Blanc is delightfully mouthwatering with bright acidity of freshly zested lemons and grapefruit with juicy tropical and stone fruits flavors and aromas. This wine is clean and crisp and will certainly be my go-to summer wine! Again, Chef Kolin creates a perfect pairing by matching the acidity and fruitiness of the vinegar and earthy freshness of the local produce. And, he balances it all with a creamy Sunflower hummus (crema).

SIMI Representative Tanya Beers and the volunteers are gearing up for a busy day of wine tastings in the SIMI tent!

Festival attendees were lined up throughout the day to sample SIMI wines and sample Chef Kolin’s creations while learning a bit about wine pairings. There were many happy faces and smiles at the SIMI Wine Tent!

The other SIMI wines to sample were the distinctive and elegant Landslide Cabernet from Alexander Valley and
Russian River  Reserve Chardonnay.
My goal is to drink more SIMI wine and create and share my  pairing creations with other SIMI Wine gems. The wines will shine with my pairings too!
I want to THANK SIMI Winery for choosing me to be included in the amazing wine pairing event and being able to taste some of the finest and most distinguished wines available while interviewing the talented Chef Kolin. SIMI Winery and Wine with Lisa-What a wonderful pairing!

There is no time like the present to plan a visit to SIMI Winery in Sonoma. This summer, the food program will include Friday and Saturday tastings at the Visitors Center. Click here to get details!

CHEERS!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEFF OLIVER! He won TWO TICKETS TO HEAR BOZ SCAGGS! WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!

WANT TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO FRIDAY NIGHT’S SHOW? Read below on how you experience some of the best music around!

Grammy Award Winning Rock Legend and owner of Scaggs Vineyard, Boz Scaggs, will be performing THIS Friday, April 26th  for Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater and I have TWO TICKETS to give away!

Boz Scagg’s music has been a long time favorite of mine and brings back some of my best memories! Lido Shuffle,Low Down, Look What You’ve Done to Me, to name just a few. And, you will be captivated by his latest collaboration of classic earthy blues, R & B and original tunes which were  inspired by some of the great legends such as Al Green and other hit artists. The latest album Memphis was recorded in Memphis, Tennessee at the Willie Mitchell legendary Royal Music Studio.

This will be a unique opportunity to enjoy the best of yesterday and today with his timeless hits and tunes from the  #1 Blues and Top 20 Pop Album in America today!

Here is how to win!

What 1980′s movie featured the song Look What You’ve  Done to Me ?(Hint: This is one of my favorite movies and songs of all time!)

Post the answer in the COMMENT SECTION at the bottom of this post here on my website.

Each person’s name (with correct answer) will go into a hat and the winner will be chosen AT RANDOM and the winner will be announced on Thursday, April 25th at 9pm.

GOOD LUCK!