Features

Nine Ways to Wine and Dine, Musically

Grace Under Fire Chocolate Bar

With the announcement that 90s boy band Hanson was creating their own beer – “MmmHop” – we realized that there are a slew of culinary musicians who have also brewed beers, opened restaurants or created snacks for our gastronomic pleasure. We pulled together nine notable culinary creations from musicians – ranging from upscale restaurants and bistros to beer and wine to chocolate bars and barbeque rubs.

Grace Potter – Grace Under Fire Chocolate Bar

Fiery songstress Grace Potter and her rocking band partnered with Vermont company Lake Champlain Chocolates to create “Grace Under Fire,” a bold chocolate bar. With a little heat (red pepper) and a little crunch (roasted pistachios) mixed into the dark chocolate, the combination is a pretty suitable taste for the Nocturnals. Grace also joined forces with another Vermont company – Cabot Cheese – for a little tour bus cooking demonstration.

Tool – Maynard Keenan’s Merkin Vineyards

When Maynard Keenan isn’t making sold-out crowds headbang into a frenzy, he spends his time tending vineyards as the owner of Merkin Vineyards/Caduceus Cellars, and co-owner of Stronghold Vineyards in Arizona. The prog-metal vocalists list of wines includes his “Nagual del Judith” Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Petite Sirah and the 2006 Merkin Vineyards “Chupacabra.” In addition to his wines, Keenan also is co-owner of the Los Angeles restaurant Cobras & Matadors, and owns a produce market in Arizona where his products are sold.

Moby – Teany

Performer/producer Moby owns a little café in the lower east side of Manhattan. This small shop hosts a large assortment of teas, beers and wines as well as bistro-type sandwiches – like the vegan BLT and chicken salad sandwich.

Justin Timberlake – Southern Hospitality

While he is known for bringing sexy back, the lower Manhattan resident Justin Timberlake grew up in the south and co-owns a southern style barbeque joint on the Upper East Side. The place serves an assortment of barbeque and soul food, like deep fried pickle chips (it might sound weird, but fried pickles are incredible) and pulled pork sandwiches and smoked brisket sandwiches. Timberlake himself is even known for dropping in and even playing some short acoustic sets!

Kyle Hollingsworth (String Cheese Incident)- Hoopla Pale Ale and More

String Cheese Incident keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth has been an active homebrewer for years. In 2009, Hollingsworth teamed up with Mountain Sun Brewery to celebrate the release of his album Then There’s Now with his first beer, the Hoppingsworth IPA. Earlier this summer at the Bonnaroo “Broo’ers Festival”, Hollingsworth and Colorado’s Boulder Beer Company created the Hoopla Pale Ale, a “festival drinking pale ale” that according to Hollingsworth, is “the perfect beer for watching live music.”