CRAFTED

Andrew Jones didn’t set out to make wine. Instead, he spent decades planting vines for other people — some of the biggest names in California (e.g., Beckstoffer). But along the way, Andrew started stockpiling stories — and grapes — and what began as a side project turned into Field Recordings, a brand known for bending rules and bottling attitude. The brand has since been featured in Wine Enthusia...

Jonathan talks with Blister reviewer & Blister Summit director, Kristin Sinnott, about her lifelong love of ice cream; what we should know about making ice cream at home; and why she always hunts for small-batch ice cream when she’s traveling. RELATED LINKS Check out the Blister Craft Collective Become a BLISTER+ Member TOPICS & TIMES: How Kristin’s ice Cream Habit Started (2:36) Being Pic...

We’re all familiar with ‘Top Gun’ — a school that separates the best of the best. But what if we told you there is an elite certification program designed to test the best bartenders in the business? Today, we’re discussing that program — Bar 5 Day — with Steve Olson and Doug Frost. RELATED LINKS: Check out the Blister Craft Collective Become a BLISTER+ Member BAR 5 Day BAR Documentary TOPICS &amp...

Bitters have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, and in cocktails for centuries. But they receive far less attention than the spirits in our glass. So today we’re talking with the founders of a bitters company that has taken the craft cocktail scene by storm: Joseph Bennett & Yana Crow of Bennett Bitters . We discuss bitters in general; the complex process they use to prod...

We talk with Jeff Galli, the General Manager and co-owner of Campione, a roman kitchen that was named to the New York Time’s 50 Best Restaurants in the U.S. list in 2023, and was the first restaurant in the state to receive that sort of national attention.  In this episode we explore the philosophy that underpins Jeff’s exceptional approach to hospitality; his background in food and beverage;...

Matt Capozzi has always loved being in the mountains, but he’s also enjoyed an incredible career working in product design for brands like Burton, Nike, Nixon, and Smith. In 2015, Matt had a wild idea to help people ‘bring the mountains home,’ which led to the creation of North Drinkware , which produces beautiful, artisanal products — like handblown glassware — made in Oregon. Today I talk with M...

There are more ways to listen to music than ever these days, and cheap Bluetooth speakers are everywhere: hanging in your shower, sitting on your kitchen counter, and on tailgates at football games. Unfortunately, these kinds of speakers often cultivate an experience where the music very much takes a backseat to whatever else we're doing.  In today's conversation, Heaven 11 Audio’s Itai Azera...

Today’s guest is a sort of pioneer in Australian winemaking; his focus on 'lo-fi' production methods and non-traditional flavors has helped redefine what consumers expect from the land down under. Uffe Deichmann is a Dutch-born winemaker who found love at a music festival in Australia and never looked back — his winery, Poppelvej wines, now produces bottlings that are standard on some of the more...

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 cam...

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,...

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 (...

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...

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 hi...

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 Blis...

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. We Want to Hear from You! Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? E...

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 f...

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 o...

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 b...

Camper vans seem to be everywhere these days, and for good reason — the level of versatility and convenience they offer is hard to ignore. But starting down the road of ownership can be extremely overwhelming, so in today’s conversation, we sit down with Wayfarer Van’s Andy Mullins to answer some of the common questions people have, and to get an inside look at Wayfarer Van’s unique approach to bu...

Mark Connell is the executive chef at PARC Aspen , and he’s back to talk about fine dining and the importance of tasting menus; what he learned at Alinea; the specific tasting menu Jonathan recently had at PARC Aspen (including what Mark put on the plate & why); the difference between striving for consistency vs. striving to be consistently good; and more. RELATED LINKS Check out the Blister C...

“My whole goal in life was to be a ski bum and a chef.” For Mark Connell, the executive chef at PARC Aspen , we can definitely say: mission accomplished. Mark is a passionate skier and a culinary genius, and we discuss how Mark & Jonathan first met; Mark’s background and his time working at The French Laundry; what punk rock has to do with high-end cuisine; frozen pizza; white wine; celebrity...

These days, owning a beautiful home is often prohibitively expensive, while “affordable” housing too often fails to include quality craftsmanship. But there is a solution, and today, Zack Giffin reminds us of this fact and discusses the craft of designing smaller structures that address our true needs. This is a conversation where design and philosophy come together in a big way, as does the art o...

In this episode, we get a crash course on the vinyl revival and why spinning records on a turntable is a more engaging way of listening to music. Our guest, Michael Fremer, is regarded as one of the premier experts in the audio field, and he's extremely passionate about it. Michael and Simon get into how Led Zeppelin II was made, why Howard Stern hates vinyl, how to go about buying your first turn...

One of the greatest big-mountain skiers of all time is also seriously passionate about making great pizza. So what’s the story here, and what do pizza and skiing have in common? What has Sage learned about the art of making dough and sauce? And what do you need to know to start making great pizza yourself? We cover all of this, plus Sage’s most recent trip to Alaska. RELATED LINKS Check out the Bl...

La Marzocco is the most iconic espresso-machine maker in the world, and last month, Jonathan went to the La Marzocco Accademia to talk with their head product designer, Stefano Della Pietra, about the history and core principles of the company; how he became the head of product design there; and the task of taking La Marzocco into the future while staying true to the brand’s storied past. RELATED...