Eat, Drink and Be Merry

Wine country, waterparks, supper clubs, and yoga with alpacas: Wisconsin Dells has something for every season, and it’s not just a summer destination. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with the International Food Wine Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), host/producer Lisa D. Smith talks with Ken Leiviska of the Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau. He shares what to see, taste and do in the Dells all year long. Ken explains how the Ice Age shaped Wisconsin’s wine country and why the Dells’ wineries are worth a stop. You’ll also hear about: - Harvest season and fall color - Winter markets and the Tree of Light - Ice fishing - Indoor waterparks that stay open all year, in the “Waterpark Capital of the World” - Classic Wisconsin supper clubs, from relish trays to brandy old fashioneds - Alpaca yoga, cheese curds and farm visits - Where to stay, and what to know before you go Pack a sweater, a swimsuit, or both. Whatever the season, the Dells is ready for you. Piece together our Wisconsin Dells fall colors jigsaw puzzle of a Dells boat tour, and get the episode highlights: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/wisconsin-dells-in-every-season  Learn more and plan your trip: - Wisconsin Dells: https://www.wisdells.com  - Food, Wine & Travel Podcast with IFWTWA: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/food-wine-travel-ifwtwa  - Travel, Food & Wine Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine  - International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA): https://www.ifwtwa.org 

Come hungry! Every third Sunday, Travel Avoyelles hosts Wilbert Carmouche and Mary Guillory join Lisa D. Smith for a visit to Avoyelles Parish in Central Louisiana. This time they brought a special guest: caterer John Ed Laborde of Panaroma Foods in Marksville, the creator of Crawfish Bread®. We talk crawfish étouffée, boudin and boucherie, cracklins, court-bouillon, sweet potato crunch, king cakes, cinnamon rolls, drive-through daiquiris and gas station plate lunches. Then each of them plans a full day of eating for first-time visitors, from breakfast to dinner. Pull up a chair for this shared episode! LINKS Plan your visit: https://TravelAvoyelles.com  Panaroma Foods, John Ed Laborde: https://panaromafoodsinc.com  Crawfish Bread: https://www.nolacrawfishbread.com  Big Blend Radio: https://bigblendmediahouse.com  New episodes of the Travel Avoyelles Podcast air every 3rd Sunday at 6pm CST on Big Blend Radio. Listen: https://travel-avoyelles.podbean.com/ 

Why would a cruise line skip the hot seafood chowder in the Caribbean, then serve it on deck in Glacier Bay?  On this shared episode of BIg Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Podcast with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), host Lisa D. Smith sets sail with Emma Ciciriello, Senior Manager of Food & Beverage Product Development for Holland America Line and Seabourn, for a behind-the-scenes look at destination dining at sea. Emma explains how menus, cocktails, table settings and even a Panama hat help guests taste the place they are visiting, from Alaskan halibut and glacial ice cocktails to Caribbean rum and a global fresh fish program. We also visit Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island, where a new beach club is bringing an all-inclusive day on the sand. Plus: Magnolia Bakery banana pudding, baked Alaska nostalgia, Marmite versus haggis, Emma’s perfect day of eating at sea, and tips for breaking into cruise food and beverage. MORE INFO: - Holland America Line: https://www.hollandamerica.com  - IFWTWA: https://www.ifwtwa.org  - More Food, Wine & Travel podcast episodes:  https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/food-wine-travel-with-ifwtwa  - Travel, Food & Wine Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine  Photos courtesy of Holland America. 

Celebrate Pizza Month, Italian American Heritage Month, and Family History Month with pizza, wine, and Sicilian family stories in this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Wine Time with Peggy" Podcast! Peggy Fiandaca, co-owner of Arizona's LDV Winery, starts with a fall update from the vineyard and the tasting room in Old Town Scottsdale, including a Burgundy wine talk, Petite Sirah in November, trivia night, and two new wine releases. Then she and Lisa D. Smith dive into Peggy's Italian American heritage: growing up Sicilian in Chicago, why so many Italian immigrants came to America and the discrimination they faced, and the close-knit extended family and Sunday suppers that shaped the way she cooks. Peggy shares the Sicilian pizza traditions of her childhood, a thick, rectangular, focaccia-style pizza baked in an olive-oil-slicked pan and made at home every Friday night. She also explains her Wine Term of the Month, Nero d'Avola, Sicily's flagship red, and what makes a ragù different from a Sunday sauce. Then it's time for pizza and wine pairings: what to pour with a cheesy slice, ham and pineapple, Margherita, and white pizza, plus why pizza for brunch with bubbles sounds like a great idea. LINKS & RESOURCES - Get Peggy's pizza and wine pairing tips, plus more of her Italian-style recipes: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/how-to-pair-wine-with-pizza  - Learn more about LDV Winery: https://ldvwinery.com  - Check out the "Wine & Bites" Recipe & Podcast Digital Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/fmlb  - Follow "Wine Time with Peggy" Podcast: https://wine-time-peggy.podbean.com/ 

It's October, and that means The Peanut Patch is open! Donna George, owner of The Peanut Patch in Yuma, Arizona, joins producer Lisa D. Smith on this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "The Peanut Patch" Podcast, to celebrate the start of the season, with fresh peanut brittle and fudge back on the counter for Yuma locals, winter visitors, and road trippers passing through. Donna shares what it takes to get the store restocked, from making peanut brittle every day to a fudge table that can hold about forty-five flavors at once. They talk pepitas and pumpkin seeds, about twenty Peanut Patch salsas for Taco Day, apple butter and preserves, sugar-free candy, and the pickled vegetables and local products on the shelves. You'll also get a look behind the storefront. Peanuts are roasted on site and ground into fresh peanut butter, and the kitchen makes brittle, clusters, and fudge, alongside Medjool dates grown in Yuma. Donna's grandson Matthew is busy freeze drying goodies too. Along the way, Lisa makes the case for real candy at Halloween, Donna and Lisa swap ideas for candy corn and peanuts, and Donna shares her twenty-nine years of owning The Peanut Patch. Her store anniversary party is Saturday, November 21, and Medjool date shakes will likely start that day. 🛒 Shop year-round: https://thepeanutpatch.com/  🎙️ The Peanut Patch Podcast (new episodes every 1st Friday): https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/the-peanut-patch-podcast  🍽️ Recipes from The Peanut Patch Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/recipes-from-the-peanut-patch