French Bloom Delivers Flavor and Elegance to DC without Boozy Battles
You want to celebrate. You want to “pop the cork”, enjoy the flavor, but you don’t want the after-effects. The drunkenness. Certainly not the hangover. And women? Of course there needs to be ways to elegantly celebrate even (and especially) during pregnancy. Imagine a pregnant-friendly wine?
It’s a situation that should have been solved already. But now it has and with style. It’s a subtle, elegant, flavorful answer.
French Bloom Re-Invents the Game
Now everyone can share “moments of pleasure” as their website mentions. French Bloom’s organic de-alcoholized chardonnay and pinot noir, alcohol-free French sparkling cuvées combine French tradition with innovation.

French Bloom Co-Founders Maggie Frerejean – Taittinger and Constance Jablonski
The Team Behind French Bloom
Maggie Frerejean – Taittinger and Constance Jablonski bring different and complementary skill sets. Equally important, they bring the desire for the vision and the motivation for innovation.
Through their innovative and female-founded brand, French Bloom gives an alternative and inviting drink to those wanting to celebrate elegantly and differently, making the most of the precious moments shared with friends and family.
If the names sound familiar, Constance is a globally-working fashion model you’ve seen representing Estée Lauder and countless luxury brands.
Maggie is director of the Michelin Guide and married to Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, chief executive of Champagne Frerejean Freres.
Carl Héline, the former head of Champagne Krug, joined French Bloom.
Let’s Taste French Bloom
Le Rosé
Pale pink in the glass. Rose petals, freshly picked red currant, raspberry aromas on the nose. Indulgent white peach notes on the palate. Elegant. The organic French grapes give a nice acidity. Well-balanced complexity of minerality and freshness. Tartness and a rounded balance on the finish.
Certified Vegan- Organic- Halal
0.0% Alcohol
Pregnant-friendly
Low Calorie
Sulfite-Free
No preservatives
No sugar added, 4,2g/ 100ml
A blend of de-alcoholized organic French Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, organic grape juice, Gensac spring water and natural organic flavors such as lemon.
Le Blanc
Organic French Bubbly, 0.0% Alcohol
Medium golden amber in the glass. Minerality and pear aromas on the nose, that just keep opening and opening. Pear, banana, melon, white flowers. An explosion of complexity on the palate. As the flavors open, Granny Smith apple, spicy citrus. A full-bodied mouth with a luxurious, zesty finish that keeps going.
De-alcoholized organic wine, organic grape juice, French sparkling Gensac spring water, organic lemon juice, organic natural flavors.
Certified Vegan- Organic- Halal
0.0% Alcohol
Pregnant-friendly
Low Calorie
Sulfite-Free
No preservatives
No sugar added, 5,9g/ 100ml
Learn more: FrenchBloom.com
https://www.facebook.com/frenchbloomsparkling
https://www.instagram.com/french.bloom
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DC Demands Juicier BBQ Chicken: The Secret? Shark Tank’s Turbo Trusser revealed by Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust.
Secret to BBQing a Juicier Chicken? Shark Tank’s Turbo Trusser revealed by Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust.
Want juicier chicken? Yes. More flavor? Yes. Get it all setup in seconds? Yes. Two guys who love good food decided to tackle the problem.
Luckily, a Chef and a Builder were on the team. And luckily the team has business smarts, creativity and can-do spirit. Lastly, the team got global attention by winning their way onto hit TV show Shark Tank where Kevin O’Leary got excited by the flavors, the team and their product.
Today Turbo Trusser partners Brian Halasinski and Kirk Hyust stopped by for a conversation about delicious food, creating a great team and the secret to cooking.
The below conversation was edited for length and clarity. Find the full conversation on our YouTube channel.
Can you guys share a memory about how being in the backyard with your family and friends inspired you to create the Turbo Trusser?
Brian Halasinski: Kirk and I have been working together on inventions for the last eight years and oftentimes we’ll have an idea that’ll come up and we’ll text each other and we’ll write it down in a notebook and then we’ll come and visit it later.
It just happened that I was getting ready to make chicken for my family and I was going to do a rotisserie chicken and I was trying to figure out how to tie this bird up with traditional strings. So I got my iPad and I’m watching a video.
I have to pause the video. My hands are covered in chicken juice. And after it was all done, it wasn’t done well.
I texted Kirk because he’s a trained chef from the culinary Institute. There’s gotta be a better way. We started working on the Turbo Trusser from there.
After your success on Shark Tank, Turbo Trusser has become a global hit. How have your backgrounds inspired where you are today?
Kirk Hyust: I’ve been a building contractor for 25 years. Before that I was a chef. I got burnt out [being a Chef] and then I started building things and that’s how Brian and I met. I renovated his house for him.
I was in the middle of inventing a wrench and Brian saw it [and said], ‘I want to start inventing too. You want to be inventing partners.’
We still haven’t quit our day jobs. We work seven days a week. Luckily working for us a lot of the time is cooking. Which is good.
You mentioned you are a trained chef. Tell us about your chef side.
Kirk Hyust: I went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Classical French cuisine. We’re from Ohio, so I like meat and potatoes and hearty casseroles.
Do you have a favorite dish?
Kirk Hyust: Fettuccine Alfredo and Turbo Trusser chicken.
Brian, can we touch on your background and how how you ended up with TurboTruster?
Brian Halasinski: I have been in the pharmaceutical sales industry for the last 20 years. I have a fairly flexible schedule to where I’m on the road and can be on the phone and be multitasking quite a bit when I’m working.
I’ve had that entrepreneurial spirit in a way. Then when I met Kirk, he had invented this wrench and he was working on my house and he was there for it was a pretty decent sized project.
So over time we became friends. I became interested in the whole process of inventing.
And then with that, you could actually take your invention and license it to somebody, basically renting out your idea and collecting a royalty. Kirk and I always thought that would be great.
We did a couple of products and we licensed them. Didn’t end up working out […]. We learned a little bit about the failures. And then ultimately that day I texted Kirk and said, listen, we got to come up with a better way to trust a chicken or Turkey. And we looked out there and there was nothing available other than butcher’s twine, which has been the way it’s been done for a hundred years.
A huge majority of people cook chicken and turkeys the wrong way. That’s my assumption.
When we compare your final chicken to a poorly done chicken what’s the difference?
Kirk Hyust: Trusting actually is a technique that brings all the meat together. If you don’t trust a bird, you’re actually cooking five pieces of meat separately. You got two wings, you got two legs and thighs and a breast. What you do, when you truss a bird, you actually bring all the pieces together and it cooks as one piece of meat, so it’s cooked more evenly and it’s juicier.
If you don’t cook it, if you don’t tie it up, if you just throw it in the oven or on the grill, what happens is all the meat cooks separately. The breast is gonna be done before the legs. The wings probably are going to dry out and they’re going to be inedible. Because when you use the Turbo Trusser the wings are great.
It makes one ball of meat essentially and cooks it as one piece of meat instead of five.
Is it the ego of the grill master? Or how do we help people realize they can have a better bird?
Kirk Hyust: That’s a really good question because we get that a lot. People have never even heard the term truss. To truss a bird.
Your bird’s gonna be a lot better, but it’s gonna take you about five minutes to do it when it takes 20 seconds to use our product. Especially a Thanksgiving Turkey because that will dry out a lot faster than a chicken.
Brian Halasinski: With the Turbo Trusser, the way it’s designed it’s going to hold the stuffing in place too. So the stuffing’s not going to dry out the way it closes the cavity.
If you’re going to do a rotisserie, you absolutely have to tie that bird up or your legs and wings are going to be just flopping around the whole time.
Can we talk a little bit about the process going from zero to where we are today?
Brian Halasinski: It was when we came up with the concept.
First, we started making prototypes. We made them out of cardboard. Then we made them out of wood. Kirk’s got all these tools so we could easily cut things. Then through trial and error with prototypes that we could make cheaply, we ended up with a very similar design to what we have today.
Then from there, we found a local fabricating shop that was able to laser cut out some samples for us so we could actually cook with them. We did all these things, refining the process and refining the product down to where we wanted to make it. Then we had to make a decision: make this here in the U.S. or go overseas.
Kirk and I made a decision based on our beliefs and our values that we wanted to make it here in the U.S. Being in Ohio, we were close to Cleveland, Ohio. This was the rust belt. There’s still a lot of manufacturing here.
So within one hour of our headquarters, we were able to source everything we needed to mass produce and launch this product to the world from Canton, Ohio.
Kirk Hyust: We had six prototypes by the time we got to our seventh one. That was the one that we stuck with. We just kept refining the prototypes until we landed on the seventh one, which is that what in the stores or online.
Can you tell us a little bit about from prototype one to seven? How did we get there?
Kirk Hyust: When you’re doing a prototype, obviously you have to solve a problem. When you build a product, it has to work correctly or you’re going to get bad reviews.
But we started out with a couple different designs. We bought a chicken and a turkey; and we put this contour gauge on the leg, so that made the dips that you see now where the legs go into. Then we were in my shop, cutting it out and it looked like [bird] wings so we ended up putting the heads on it because it already had wings that the legs sat into the cradle.
It’s a lot of detail.
Kirk Hyust: Yes, exactly. We just got our patent […] issued for the very first time. Even if it’s a piece of stamp metal and 2 wires. How intricate it really is.
Kirk, between your chef skills and your contractor skills. A perfect combination of bringing those two skill sets together.
Kirk Hyust: It is. We have sales and numbers and Brian’s also creative. […]The technical stuff, the websites, we develop everything together, but we have our strengths, he has a master’s degree in business. So he’s trained really well for that.
So it’s lie our strengths and weaknesses definitely fit together with each other.
Can we just talk through in the most simple, basic steps, how to use the Turbo Trusser?
Kirk Hyust: It’s really very simple. I usually buy a five pound bird. [With] smaller birds, it still works. It goes up to a 10 pound chicken.
Then you take the plastic off, pull the packet of giblets and everything out of the inside. Rinse it off. Pat it dry with a paper towel and if you have time, put it in the refrigerator and let the skin dry out. Put the Turbo Trusser on it, hook the legs in, hook the wings.
Use duck fat or some kind of a binder to put your spices on it. Salt and pepper, your favorite rub, something spicy, something sweet. Coat it with some kind of oil, or ghee or olive oil.
Put it in the oven at 375 for an hour and a half until it hits 165 degrees. That’s pretty much in a nutshell how easy it is.
Brian Halasinski: The Turbo Trusser is just three pieces. You got the main piece. Then you have two hooks. The hooks are going to go through the holes on the body of the chicken. You’re going to put the sharp end through the hole. It’s going to lock into place with the other end.
So it’s simply, put the two hooks into the Turbo Trusser body. You hook them onto the wings. The legs go into the cradle and in 20 seconds, you’re done.
How do we get that strong-willed Backyard Grillmaster to give the Turbo Trusser a try?
Brian Halasinski: Just telling them to keep it simple and go back to what people have been doing for 100 years. And that’s using string to tie it up. Only we came up with a simpler solution. So it’s what everybody’s been people don’t do it because they’re intimidated, but now they don’t have to be. The turbo truss are so easy to use.
Anybody can use it. Even if you have dexterity problems, you’re never going to figure out how to, you’re not going to be able to tie up a bird if you have problems with your fingers, right? older people, maybe they have arthritis and it’s hard for them to tie a knot. Now with the turbo trusser, you can do that without fear and you can, it’s simple and effective.
As we wrap up, tell me about the Shark Tank experience.
Kirk Hyust: It was crazy.
Brian Halasinski: I’ll give you a high level view. We launched our product on November 1st of 2021.
Right away we went online and we applied for Shark Tank. It was 100% online. Before COVID they would do open casting calls like Like American Idol.
About 50, 000 people apply. They narrow that down to about 125 people that tape [a TV segment], and maybe 100 or so will end up airing on television for the season that you’re in.
So we apply, we have no sales, we don’t hear a word from them for a couple months. So we launched the product. We did pretty well. We sold like $50,000 worth of Turbo Trussers in the first two months of being in business with nobody ever heard of us.
We went back and we re-applied again, we got some sales numbers. Eventually they called. I Six months after we initially applied, they called us.
You basically work down through the process every week. They’re giving you something new to turn in, to make a video.
Our first video, we came up with the idea to wear the chicken and turkey costumes. We said we wanted to stand out. We know that Shark Tank is television. If it’s not good TV, people aren’t going to watch it. They loved it.
We made it all the way down through. We went all the way out to California and taped [our episode]. We ended up getting a deal with Kevin O’Leary, which was incredible.
Kirk Hyust: Brian’s a salesman. I’m not used to that. So when I was on Shark Tank, I messed my lines up. I went blank for a couple seconds. I missed my cue to go over to my spot and I was really flustered, but I recovered, but man, that was the worst part.
Tell us the website, social media, where to find you, where to browse your products, where to learn more about you.
Brian Halasinski: The first thing for our product is TurboTrusser.com.
You can make your decision if you want to buy from our website, or you can go to Amazon Prime across the country.
You can find us on all the regular social media at Turbo Trusser on Facebook, Instagram, TikToK
You can find me, Brian Halasinski on LinkedIn, connect with us and be happy to chat or answer any questions with anybody.
Kirk Hyust: I’m on LinkedIn as well.
You can reach out if you have any questions. I write a lot of the PPAs (provisional patent applications) and stuff. So any kind of questions, how to cook a good bird we’re accessible. We want to help we want to help anybody out there that we can, because we’ve had a lot of people help us along the way.
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Join Dominique Crenn, the Three Star Michelin Chef Behind hit foodie movie “The Menu” on a global adventure
Dominique Crenn, the Chef Behind movie “The Menu” on a global foodie adventure.
Chef Dominique Crenn, the first and only female chef in North America with three Michelin stars, helped the filmmakers of the horror movie “The Menu” bring to life the perfect menu for the main event which has been described as a real 9-courses culinary and artist masterpiece.
And now there is an opportunity for an intimate group of guests to meet, dine and discover with Dominique in person in France
Dominique Crenn, the Chef Behind movie “The Menu” on a global foodie adventure.
Enjoy Dominique Crenn for 5 days in France for a Hosted Experience with Satopia Travel
As the chief technical consultant for The Menu film, Dominique Crenn was responsible for advising on all aspects of food preparation and presentation to bring to life the concepts of the menu based on Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s screenplay.
Crenn is known for her creative approach to cooking
She has been working closely with Mark Mylod, the director and producers to ensure that the film accurately portrays the culinary world.
Her menu is inspired by her travels and experiences around the world
Crenn is known for her creative approach to cooking, and her menu is often inspired by her travels and experiences around the world. Dishes that Dominique Crenn designed as a consultant are presented with the slow-motion pomp and string accompaniment of a “Chef’s Table” episode. Indeed, the food-worshiping Netflix series, which featured Crenn in season two, was an inspiration for “The Menu”.
There is an incredible opportunity for an intimate group of like-minded travelers
There is an incredible opportunity for an intimate group of like-minded travelers to meet chef, icon and activist Dominique Crenn.
In collaboration with Satopia Travel, Crenn conjures up five magical days and evenings where creativity and nature converge. Our most inspired Hosted Experience is a wonder to behold for our guests. Combining the magnificent culinary delights of triple Michelin star chef Dominique Crenn with the stunning backdrop of an ancient French chateau is certain to ignite your palette and spirit.
Dominique Crenn brings her soul to the feast
Dominique Crenn brings her soul to the feast, transforming ingredients through the poetry of gastronomy. Those fortunate to share her table and her stories will discover a world of passion and gratitude for food, community and life. You’ll create and share unforgettable memories.
Ancient olive groves, crisp French linen, the vintages of Cognac and the sound of boisterous laughter under a starlit sky. Step into a magical world of natural beauty, wonder and awe.
Booking is now open. Book before the 1st of January to take advantage of the holiday rates before prices increase.
About Satopia Travel
Satopia Travel (www.satopiatravel.com) specializes in unique experiences, led by world-class hosts. Providing guests with unprecedented access to some of the most extraordinary people on the planet, Satopia hosts world-class leaders who champion the potential for the future of humanity, creating meaningful connections through shared experiences. Every hosted experience has an element of giving back, either to a local community, social or environmental cause close to their heart.
Website http://satopiatravel.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/satopiatravel
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‘Wine Makes You Travel’: Kosher Expert Gabriel Geller Visits for Passover
‘Wine Makes You Travel’: Kosher Expert Gabriel Geller Visits for Passover
With Passover coming up, Expert Gabriel Geller visited to talk about his passion for wine, Kosher wines and his favorites for family celebrations like Passover.
What was the moment that inspired you to get into wine professionally?
Okay. So this is actually 2 questions. So first thing. What I like most about wine is wine makes you travel.
There was a wine writer and critic who used to say that when you open a bottle of wine, you’re opening 5,000 years of culture and history. I love that.
And you know when you open up a bottle, whether it’s the Carmel single vineyard, Volcano from the Upper Galilee Israel or Herzog Special Reserve from the Santa Rita Hills in California.
Whether you are here, California, Israel, France, that region, this region. You’re traveling, you experience, different expressions of grapes, of wine-making style coming from all parts of the world, and all of that has an impact and influence that comes from the history, the culture of the specific region the wine comes from.
I think that it’s part of what makes you know wine such a special beverage, it brings people together. It’s not just about the wine itself, the way it tastes, it smells. But where it comes from. What’s the story there? And that’s really what I love most about wine.
Do you have any amazing wine picks for Passover this year?
Okay, so let’s start with this one.
That’s the Carmel Single Vineyards Volcano Merlot 2020. It comes from a vineyard called Evyatar Creek, in the Gallilee in Israel. This is a full bodied Merlot.
Carmel Single Vineyards Volcano Merlot 2020
It is grown, as the name of the series Volcano indicates, in volcanic soil, which brings a great mineral profile to it, elegance to it, natural acidity that keeps the wine really refreshing. There’s great complexity here. It’s a very enjoyable wine now and has the potential for development and aging for about a decade.
I love to pair it with lamb chops; they go great together. But, if you’re not so much into land and game, a nice rib roast would do just fine. So that’s a really good one for that. It’s fresh out on the market and just introduced last month.
So I’m a big Merlot fan. Ever since the movie ”Sideways” came out almost 20 years ago. Now you know that there’s some people who, just because of the Hollywood movie, steered away from it, and it’s such a shame, because it is a great variety. So many great wines for you just like every other grape, you just need to pick the right wine, but they are there.
Talk for a minute about Kosher vs Non-Kosher wine
I don’t want to say it’s a misconception, but the difference between a kosher wine and non kosher wine is the label itself. There may not be that much other of a difference exactly.
You can take the most knowledgeable experienced sommelier in the world, a master of wine and it doesn’t matter, they won’t be able to tell you which one is kosher because there is absolutely no way to tell based on taste. It’s only about who handles the process itself.
To learn more about Gabriel Geller visit Kosher.com
To shop for the wines Gabriel Geller suggested
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