Episodes
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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 Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Fine Dining & Tasting Menus (1:58)
Alinea: what Mark Learned There (9:46)
PARC Aspen (16:42)
Tasting Menu: what Jonathan had at PARC Aspen (23:59)
Goat Cheese Sorbet & Olive Oil Candy (31:26)
Consistency vs Being Consistently Good (47:46)
Craft & Trust (56:17)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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“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 chefs; & more.
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
How Mark & Jonathan Met (3:53)
Mark’s Background (9:33)
Punk Rock & High-End Cuisine? (22:08)
The French Laundry (37:50)
Italy (40:43)
Celebrity Chefs (46:04)
Palettes (53:25)
Frozen Pizza (1:06:20)
Wine (1:11:38)
Junk Food & Topics for ‘Part 2’ (1:21:37)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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Missing episodes?
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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 of fostering real communities and constructing vibrant towns.
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
Blister Podcast Ep.275: Zack Giffin
TOPICS & TIMES:
Zack’s background (3:48)
Why are smaller houses controversial? (9:05)
Construction & Craft (21:20)
Renting vs Owning + Rules of the Road (32:36)
Designing a Tiny Home for Jonathan (37:17)
Strangest Build Request? (58:40)
Where Should People Find Out More? (1:00:21)
Current State of Prohibitions (1:04:18)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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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 turntable, the travesty of “smashed” music, turntables that cost as much as a house, and tons more.
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Records Just Sound Better (3:11)
The Vinyl Revival (7:16)
Michael’s Today Show appearance (8:08)
What’s A Pressing? (11:11)
Record Store Days (14:22)
Turntables (21:11)
Michael’s First Turntable (24:34)
A Turntable As Expensive As A House (25:46)
Quincy jones and Michael Jackson (27:34)
Turntables Are Vibrations Measuring Devices (30:16)
Phono Preamps (33:41)
Choosing Records (40:57)
“Smashing” Ruins Good Recordings (43:04)
Bob Ludwig’s Cut Of Led Zeppelin II (46:52)
How To Really Listen To Music (54:04)
Current Vinyl Sales (1:06:46)
Michael’s Two Records (1:08:09)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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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 Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
Blister Pod #41: Sage on Skiing Spines
Blister Pod #270: Angel Collinson / Sage’s Pizza
TOPICS & TIMES:
Pizza & Skiing (5:58)
Outdoor Pizza Ovens (15:00)
Pizza Team (18:14)
Pizza & Espresso (21:08)
Outdoor Pizza Ovens, Part 2 (23:25)
Angel’s Story of Sage's Pizza (37:31)
Sage’s Most Recent Trip to AK (43:15)
Pizza 101: Getting Started (54:40)
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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 LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Accademia del Caffe Espresso
Innovation (5:39)
Avoiding Fads (14:12)
How Did You Get Your Position? (16:43)
Lina Micra & Mini (20:28)
Other Areas of Design Inspiration (25:12)
Espresso Machines & Watches (27:48)
Officine Fratelli Bambi (30:08)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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After much deliberation, we’re revealing the machine that Jonathan ended up going with on his quest to create daily doses of “hero espresso” — a phrase coined at the end of this conversation. Simon Stewart joins Jonathan for all the glorious, dorky details, and they also discuss decaf coffee & N/A beer; the price of a thing vs. the amount of joy it brings; mtn bikes vs. espresso machines; & more.
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Tea?? (4:36)
PSA: Great Coffee can be Cheap (6:15)
Origins of JE's Obsession (9:57)
E61 vs. Saturated Group Head (15:37)
JE's La Marzocco Linea Micra (26:38)
Beans (31:45)
Other Machines JE Considered (36:38)
Microfoam, Cortados, & Macchiatos (39:33)
Decaf Coffee & N/A Beer (45:16)
Manual Machines & Simon’s Quest (52:37)
Weighing Beans (1:03:52)
Cost & the Economics of this Setup (1:08:39)
Florence, Italy (1:15:31)
Hero Espresso (1:20:51)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jonathan Ellsworth was recently at JING Tea headquarters in London for another CRAFTED conversation with JING founder, Ed Eisler. After a proper tea tasting, they sat down to discuss all things tea (and skis); agriculture as art; and the qualities of a great tea.
RELATED LINKS
CRAFTED ep. 23 w/ JING’s Ed Eisler
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Coffee, Tea, & Skis (5:12)
Curiosity (12:41)
Standards (21:47)
Buying Local (25:49)
Principles & Sourcing Tea (30:26)
Going Forward (32:13)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Today we are discussing a product that people get very passionate about — and even more opinionated about: cast-iron cookware. Jonathan is joined by Blister senior bike editor, Simon Stewart, who has been using cast-iron cookware for more than twenty years, but is now on a quest to see if the fancier, more expensive options out there are better than their cheaper counterparts. We also discuss the notion of ‘elevating the everyday’; cast-iron cookware as heirlooms; the introduction of new tech; the return of old tech; and more.
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Why are we talking about cast iron cookware (2:57)
Defining "Nicer" (9:26)
Amatuer Hour PA (13:25)
Price Ranges (15:28)
Rape Seed Oil Sanding (21:20)
Why Cast Iron and the Obsession (23:53)
Current Landscape of Cast Iron (27:57)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, aka, the ‘Sauna Shaman’, talks about how Hoji kicked off his obsession with saunas; their numerous benefits; and lays out what it takes (and costs) to build your own sauna. (On our site, you can check out a bunch of photos of the sauna that Matt built. It’s sweet.)
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Defining Terms (8:59)
The cold plunge trick (25:15)
Heart and inflammation (27:19)
hot tub vs sauna (29:42)
planning a sauna and costs (31:17)
Temperatures (43:14)
Sauna Enthusiasm and becoming a Shaman (48:30)
Infrared (51:57)
Wrap Up (55:02)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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To wrap up the year, we are sharing the craft categories that most captivated our Blister reviewers in 2023, and some of the categories they are most curious about heading into 2024. This is a fun one, and it certainly fills out the picture of the people behind our reviews, videos, articles, podcasts, and Blister Summit events.
And over on our Blister Podcast, you’ll also get to hear our team talk about their highlights of 2023, and their resolutions for 2024. Happy New Year!
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
1: Luke Kopppa (2:11)
2: Dylan Wood (13:49)
3: Simon Stewart (26:17)
4: Kara Williard (36:56)
5: Jonathan Ellsworth (45:33)
6: Eric Freson (56:59)
7: Sascha Anastas (1:10:42)
8: Kristin Sinnott (1:18:28)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
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Over 30 billion bottles of wine are consumed each year around the world, and today, we’re talking about why we need to — and can — move away from ‘business as usual’ in the wine world. Our guest is Revelshine founder, Jake Bilbro, and Jake lays out some fascinating, rarely discussed facts about the impacts of the wine industry; his mission to change that; and why the likes of Jeremy Jones, Shane Dorian, Selema Masakala, Michelle Parker, Tanner Gudauskas, Patrick Gudauskas, Dane Gudauskas, Chris Davenport, Emily Harrington, Drew Holcomb, Vasu Sojitra, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Adrian Ballinger have all signed up to push this mission forward.
RELATED LINKS
Revelshine Wines
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Join Us! Become a BLISTER+ Member
TOPICS & TIMES:
Special Offer on Revelshine: (2:43)
Jake’s Background in the Wine World (4:30)
Limerick Lane & Starting Revelshine (6:30)
Assessing Our Impacts on the World (33:25)
Other Benefits of Shaking Things Up (40:54)
The Juice: Revelshine’s Offerings (48:24)
‘BLISTERSHIP’, Distribution, & purchasing (59:45)
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Last year on CRAFTED, we talked with Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, about the art, ethics, and craftsmanship of traditional bows (episode #8). And this is the companion conversation to that episode, about the art of making arrows.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Kodiak Island (5:29)
Only a Traditional Bow (11:10)
Arrows: An Amateur's Take (14:42)r
Relating Arrow's to Skis (28:39)
Feathers: Weights, Forces, and Angles (34:10)
Broadheads (44:17)
Price Range (52:07)
Summary of arrows (54:49)
Arrow Makers (57:54)
Beginner arrows vs advanced Arrows (1:00:19)
Art and Science of Arrows (1:04:10)
RELATED LINKS
Check out the Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
CRAFTED ep. 8 on Traditional Bows
Blister Pod ep. 287 on Broadening the Outdoor Community
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Based in Vermont — where they still make their products — Bag Balm is an American company with a 125-year history and one very remarkable story. Bag Balm’s president, Libby Parent, joins us to talk about cow udders, celebrity endorsements, and the countless uses of their products, and you’ll also get a great lesson on how to steward a company with such a rich history into the modern world.
TOPICS & TIMES:
From Cow Udders to Celebrity Endorsements (2:38)
BLISTER & Bag Balm & Strange Uses (20:04)
Changes to the Formula (24:34)
Made in Vermont (27:36)
Marketing Product Uses & Discovering New Ones (31:01)
Bar Soap & (Serious) Exfoliation (35:08)
Stewarding a 125-Yr-Old Heritage Brand (40:08)
Most Common Uses & Emotional Support Chickens (47:36)
How Libby’s Background Informs Her Work at Bag Balm (53:33)
RELATED LINKS
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
Bikes & Big Ideas
Off The Couch
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
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Dearborn Denim founder, Rob McMillan is a thoughtful guy with some grand ambitions. He’s working on building a big apparel company that ethically manufactures premium products at an affordable price, right in Chicago. Impossible you say? This past Monday, Jonathan Ellsworth met up with Rob at Dearborn Denim’s factory in Chicago to tour the factory with him, then record this conversation where he lays out the blueprint.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Why Rob started Dearborn Denim (2:47)
Profitability vs Mission/Ethics (7:25)
Why Chicago for Apparel Manufacturing? (13:38)
Misconceptions about US Manufacturing (18:46)
‘Made in the USA’ Debate & Shopping Local (22:11)
Cost (28:33)
Solving for Fit & Advertising Challenges (33:39)
Premium -- but Affordable?? -- Products (38:03)
Growth & Scale (41:11)
Materials & Fabrics: What Should We Know? (49:46)
New Products & Contract Work (56:08)
RELATED LINKS
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Bikes & Big Ideas
Off The Couch
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Happy Hour
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Yia Vang is a multi-nominated James Beard Award chef; the founder & head chef of Union Hmong Kitchen, and he’s carved out time to compete on the Netflix show, “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend,” host the show, ”Feral” on the Outdoors Channel, host another show, “Stoked” on the Food Network, and host the excellent podcast,“Hmonglish” which focuses on the Hmong people, their culture, representation, and Asian excellence overall.
Yia and Jonathan discuss all of the above, plus his ‘run & gun’ approach to running a restaurant; the history of the service and sacrifices made by many Hmong people on behalf of the USA; patriotism; curiosity; football; the art of Hmong cuisine; and more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Managing Restaurants, Flexibility, & Football (8:29)
Current State of Food Culture in the USA (22:16)
Being Anti "Fusion" (28:01)
Hmong / US History (34:02)
Hmong Cuisine & Hmong Clans (46:41)
The Craft of Hmong Cuisine (51:46)
Past, Current, & Future Projects (56:20)
RELATED LINKS
Hmonglish Podcast
Union Hmong Kitchen
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
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How do you define “consistency” — the ability to produce the exact same thing time & time again? Or producing a product that is never exactly the same, but is always of high quality? That question is at the heart of this conversation about official offerings vs independent bottlings, but Matt and Jonathan also find time to talk about Scotch and spit buckets; Matt’s current top-3 ‘hottest’ Scotch brands; the short lifespans of humans vs the long lifespans of craft categories; upcoming ski trips to Japan (Blister members, listen up); and more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Peated Scotch & Spit Buckets (3:18)
Signatory, Edradour, & Independent Bottling Co’s (6:41)
Matt’s Top-3 ‘Hottest’ Scotch Producers (14:22)
Country-Specific Offerings: Scotch & Skis (21:38)
Blister Members: want to go to Japan? (26:15)
“Consistency,” Quality, & “Craft” (29:00)
Sherry (43:49)
The Short Lives of Humans & Craft Products (49:45)
Cheese, Gin, & Maple Syrup (56:22)
Fair Warning: Things Get Loose. Stop Listening? (1:01:30)
Austrian Food Review (1:01:35)
Arran 10, Arran 18, & Tamdhu 15 (1:09:54)
Drunken Blister Summit Offer & Ramblings (1:19:52)
RELATED LINKS
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
CRAFTED: Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 1
CRAFTED: Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 2
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Bikes & Big Ideas
Off The Couch
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Happy Hour
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Matt Manser (Atomic Ski Boots), is back to dive into the world of Scotch and independent bottlings. He and Jonathan compare a Bunnahabhain independent bottling against their official 12-year offering; discuss a single cask that cost $19M; debate whether you should add water to your Scotch; learn about the fanciest bottle Matt currently owns; and more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
What does a ski boot designer do in the summer? (4:10)
Recapping our first Scotch conversation (10:08)
What’s Your Fanciest & Favorite Bottle You Own? (13:23)
Red Cask (16:55)
Barrel & Cask Talk — plus a $19M cask (19:34)
Time to start sipping! (23:56)
Independent Bottlings (26:24)
Adding / Not Adding Water to Scotch (30:46)
Oban 14 (37:55)
Back to Independent Bottlings (41:44)
First Sip: Bunnahabhain 12 & the Magic Spoon (51:13)
Bandaids & American Oak vs European Oak (55:16)
Letting Your Pour Rest (58:50)
Production volumes of Various Producers (1:06:25)
More on Red Cask (1:11:39)
RELATED LINKS
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
CRAFTED: Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 1
CRAFTED: Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 3
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Bikes & Big Ideas
Off The Couch
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Happy Hour
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Today’s conversation explores the broader question of how to assess greatness? To get there, Jonathan Ellsworth and Troy Russ discuss the art & craft of tennis (and whether it is the greatest of all sports?); the art & craft of great sports writing (and whether David Foster Wallace’s essay, Roger Federer as Religious Experience is the pinnacle of the form?); and finally, we discuss Troy’s Top 5 All-Time Tennis Players, which leads us back into the big question of how to think about assessing greatness in any sport.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Troy’s Tennis Background & Playing Andre Agassi (5:59)
Tennis — the Greatest Sport? (9:07)
David Foster Wallace: Roger Federer as Religious Experience (18:40)
Watching Tennis on TV vs In-Person (25:32)
Troy’s Top 5 Men’s Tennis Players (29:56)
Troy’s Top 5 Women’s Tennis Players (49:55)
Plot Twist: Re-Ranking the Top 5 (55:49)
RELATED LINKS
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Bikes & Big Ideas
Off The Couch
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Happy Hour
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Today, Napa Valley is home to some of the most respected wineries and coveted wines being produced, but not too long ago, it was a sleepy farm community. So in this conversation, Jonathan talks with Marilyn Harris of Paradigm Winery about how Napa … became Napa. Marilyn and her husband, Ren, own Paradigm Winery in Oakville, CA, and they’ve had a front-row seat — and played a first-hand role — in the evolution of Napa Valley.
TOPICS & TIMES:
How I met Marilyn & her lifelong history in Napa (2:19)
When did winemaking start in Napa? (11:33)
Importance of 40-acre lots in Napa (17:03)
Zinfandel (18:07)
Napa & Cabernet Sauvignon (22:46)
Cult Wines & Organic Grapes (24:59)
Scale & Growth (27:28)
Paradigm’s Paravines Red Wine & Rosé (29:00)
Climate Change & Napa Wine (34:20)
Pringles (38:22)
Monday Morning Calls (40:13)
The Business of Paradigm & Where to Find It (42:31)
RELATED LINKS
Blister Craft Collective
Become a BLISTER+ Member
SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Bikes & Big Ideas
Off The Couch
GEAR:30
Blister Podcast
Happy Hour
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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