tasteMAKERS

At the heart of Askinosie Chocolate’s mission, aside from hand crafting bean-to-bar chocolate, is the desire to impact the lives of cacao farmers across the globe. Through direct trade, the team at Askinosie is helping to create economic opportunities for farmers, who are seen as not simply suppliers, but partners.

Rice is one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world, and most is grown using a massive amount of water. At Castor River Farms, they sow the rice directly into the soil and focus on regenerative practices to care for that soil above all else. No tilling, no burning, no flooding, no chemicals and cover crops are key to this unique farm’s approach.

In the shadow of the Gateway Arch, Dave Weglarz, a river-guide-turned-bonds-trader-turned distiller is hard at work, hand crafting Missouri bourbon, rum, brandy and thoroughly unique botanical-forward gins that have been ranked among the top spirits in the country.

Foeders have been used to store and age beverages for centuries. They are traditional, large-scale wooden casks typically used to age beer, but can be used for wine and spirits as well. At Foeder Crafters of America, they handcraft these massive barrels out of Missouri white oak, customizing each one for makers across the globe, from Japan to St. Louis.

Meet a woman born and raised in Sonora, Mexico, who is honoring her history while crafting James Beard-winning flour and corn tortillas in the heartland. At Yoli Tortilleria, they use local ingredients and traditional techniques like nixtamalization, where dried corn is cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution, creating masa, the dough that’s pressed into corn tortillas.

Founded in 1855, Adam Puchta Winery is the oldest, continuously -owned family farmed winery in the US. Seven generations have worked this land in the Hermann, Missouri, AVA. In this episode, you’ll meet Parker Puchta, who, after his father’s sudden passing, is at the helm of this historic winery. Today, he is building its legacy for his own son and the generations to come.