moosnsqrl

Whole Foods at 91st & Metcalf is probably your best bet over all (taking into account availability of a wide variety of produce, meat and fish under one roof). I know some people have an aversion, and it isn't cheap, but to their credit they are actively encouraging local farmers to be their suppliers when weather allows. Apart from D&D (see separate thread on the $$ factor), they're about the only retail seafood in the JoCo area. If your corporate aversion is strong enough (mine fluctuates, to be honest) you can drive to Lawrence in about 25 minutes and go to The Merc. While you're there, go to Au Marche and Brits for your European foodstuff needs. I also love Bella Napoli for Italian supplies (meats, cheeses, olives, olive oils, vinegars, pastas, crema di cucina, white anchovies, butter etc). They don't have a website, are located in Brookside, and have a coffee shop on one side and a little trattoria/pizzeria on the other - and they finally have a liquor license so you can enjoy some vino with your nosh. The Hen House you mention participates in the "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" program with Good Natured Family Farms (GNFF). You can get locally produced beef, pork, chicken, eggs, honey, milk, seasonal produce & herbs through that. If kosher is of any interest, there is a Hen House on the NE corner of 119th & Roe that has a kashrut license and a pretty amazing variety of products for these parts. For meat, McGonigle's in town. If you feel like a road trip, Paradise Meats in Trimble, MO has good stuff, including Heritage Foods heirloom items (wagyu beef, berkshire pork, etc). And for lots of info on farmers markets, CSAs and the like, look to the KC Food Circle.

It's hard not to keep that in mind, when you consider that they simply pass the cost of their largesse on to consumers. I went to our local D&D last weekend and left empty-handed. That was a first for me, but I guess I have finally gotten too disgusted by the conspicuous consumption for its own sake. Most of the people who were shopping in there had little or no idea what they were buying or that it could be gotten for a fraction of the cost at an ethnic market (not that they would consider going to an ethnic market, mind you, but that's another topic). I may get some apples and go stand on the street corner in front of the store and under-cut them! Having said that, the holidays will likely find me there, since we are often the benefactor of some of the corporate gifting. At least, as we have a brick and mortar here, we get gift cards so we can opt out of the $8/ear corn and the $18 carmel apples!

Um, you guys, he came through last week. We offered a few recs and some links to previous threads, which included Sandy's bbq listings, but time did not allow for a lot of discourse.

Dried [fill in the blank] definitely - especially porcini and other funghi - since they weigh little, are considerably less expensive and of higher quality there. The Italians (a generalization, of course) do wonderful things with hazelnuts that we haven't picked up on. I love hazelnut crema for an easy dessert 'helper' (since I'm not crazy about desserts and don't like to fuss with them). The only brand I have any loyalty to is Serego Allighieri but I wouldn't make anyone look specifically for that - it's only sold on-premise I think, anyway, but most producers/agricultural cooperatives do something similar. And fig preserves are also primo there and harder to find here. Table linens are unbreakable, relatively light and easy to pack amongst other things and they're so lovely and, again, relatively inexpensive for what you get, compared to here (IMHO). And pasta cutters/molds/stamps are wonderful little pieces of Italy that also travel well. I (of course) bring back olive oil but I'm not sure I would ask anyone else to - given the decent availability here now, travel restrictions, weight, possibility of breakage/leaking. Some pastas might travel ok, too - depending on shape and packaging. Rice - again, we can get quite a lot of it here now. Ditto farro. How does your friend feel about buying an extra ticket and sitting next to a giant prosciutto on the plane?

How about Victoria's Secret blend of 11 herbs and spices?

I enjoyed a Katrina-anniversary special called "Back to New Orleans" last night on a satellite station. Deacon John was a great spokesperson for the comeback and his candor, freshness and genuine enthusiasm and love for his hometown made me re-double my determination to get down there, not only to support them but to render my own soul complete. Vive la Nouvelle Orleans! Laissez les bon temps roulez! And I don't just mean partying . . I mean the "good times" and all that implies in quality of life. We love you guys. Take heart and know that.

Hey jgm, I've always been reticent to buy "uni-tasking" storage solutions, esp for herbs, but I saw an "herb keeper" for <$5 at TJMax and thought "what the heck?" It does not work for a lot of herbs, but Italian parsley or any other long-legged herb works great in it! Just give a slanted cut on the stem, to open up the capillaries and fill the bottom resevoir with H2O and . . . http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/aug/29/r...s_fresh_salsas/ I think it retails for ~$9 but I got mine for $2 and, if it saves one bunch of Italian parlsey, it paid for itself.

KC Media Digest for week of August 2-8, 2007 The Kansas City Star Food Section Lauren Chapin reviews The Cheese Lover's Companion. Gail Borelli shares recipes for homemade catsups and mustards and some of them are real wieners. Mary Jo Pepitone visits with Clayton Crout who applies his eye for quality to his seafood chowder and other treats. In Eating for Life Jill Silva offers a recipe for cold Asian-inspired noodles and suggests reading peanut butter labels carefully. Preview Section Lauren Chapin braves the "ladies who lunch" to review a local treasure The Webster House; and disses one of my favorite characters, Eb, when she visits Green Acres. Business Section Joyce Smith provides a list of lessees for the Corbin Park center, including a second Caliente Cuban. Mary Sanchez confirms the sad truth that Napoleon Bakery is no more. The Pitch If a restaurant rut has you feeling blue, Charles Ferruzza says head to Azul, a small-but-mighty eatery at 1108 Grand; and follows-up with more downtown dish in My Big Fat Mouth Lawrence Journal-World Gwen Mellinger with another look at this month's star, the tomato (of course). In Jayni's Kitchen we see the second installment of the California Wine Country tour. Jennifer Oldridge offers a primer of wine in the Sunflower State. Terry Rombeck on the state of fruits and vegetables. Susan Krumm with some timely advice on canning salsa. Present Magazine Pete Dulin pays dog days homage to le <hot dog>. KCMO 710 AM Chef Jasper Mirabile from Jasper's Kitchen delivers his weekly audio nosh at 11 Satuday a.m.

Since you have only one meal, and keeping your desired budget in mind, if you want the true KC experience I would suggest either bbq or going to Stroud's for pan-fried chicken, real smashed potatoes, etc. I don't typically think to eat a big meal like that at this time of year, but it's supposed to cool off considerably this week, so it might work out for you. There are lots of BBQ threads but here is the most recent. There is (sadly) only one Stroud's now (the original roadhouse having been razed to wide a street); but the food is the same - just a little lacking in the funky atmosphere of the original. Stroud's.

And I am SO happy for you. I know the frustration you must have to deal with, being enlightened but fettered. Honestly I would not have lived through adolescence had Larcher's not been there. Wichita is truly a sad place in its absence. I'm glad to see things improving. And good for Dillon's (/Krogers, now) for promising to go back into Greensburg and rebuild, post-tornado. I have a feeling most of the folks on here would be stunned at the lack of choices for groceries in our neck of the woods, even in the metro areas. Every time I read or hear someone say "go to your fish monger" I just roll my eyes and hope. I try to take consolation in the fact that Heritage Foods meat is processed less than an hour from here and I can actually drive up and fill my cooler with it, thus avoiding express costs.

Now, now, Nathan . . . as a recovering vegetarian (14 years sin carne) I can tell you that's just not true. Be nice

With all due respect ot BryanZ, his Vegas trip actually began towards mid-August. My drive to Las Vegas began in early August. Unfortunately, we missed each other by about a week. BryanZ, we need to make some plans, dude ... Yes, it was hot out there in Las Vegas. That was why I got a very good room rate over at the Wynn. I was going to stay at the Bellagio, but Wynn had the better deal at that time. And once I checked in at the Wynn, I pretty much stayed there. I hardly went out onto the Strip during my vacation. My meals outside the Strip included a couple of places in Henderson called Settebello and Crazy Pita. There’s a gourmet wine and cheese store in that same shopping area called Valley Cheese and Wine and everyone should check out that place. And then there’s Memphis Championship Barbecue on Warm Springs, west of Eastern. Meals on Fri. and Sat. nights were at the Venetian and Caesar’s. From Sun through Wed., I ate at the Wynn Resort. You can say that this was a Wynn, non-Wynn situation ... I’ll be copying the posts of my meals at Wynn on the Wynn thread, here at this link, as well as other individual restaurants where appropriate. ← I'm going to overlook the bad pun for the moment . . . I stopped for the night and a dinner last June and it was so hot it was difficult to get excited about food. I cranked the A/C in my room down to Klondike (feeling somewhat guilty but, hey - 108 degrees?) and waited for my appetite to return. By the time I found a parking place and got to Bradley Ogden I was again too hot to eat. I guess you're just supposed to stay inside. Period. Looking forward to your reports.

call bella napoli - jake sometimes has fresh favas but not always. other than that, al habashi.

i am typing this with my right hand while holding her a millimeter above the keyboard. seriously. oddly you said many of the same things i had (the shank comment was lifted verbatim from my attempted post). i am glad you didn't have wine. you remember everything in greater detail and i appreciate reliving it. i've got to get a door on my office, though.

Cat wiped out most of this and I'm too beat to fix it. His version of the story will have to remain until I can publish the truth.

If you had worded this differently and said "what do you MAKE for dinner" the obvious answer would be "reservations." I feel the same way and my kitchen doesn't have a west window! Fortunately the heat also takes its toll on my appetite (12 courses Tuesday night notwithstanding) so it works out in the end. We're pretty much subsisting on tomatoes, watermelon and cucumbers & onions at this point. And treat yourself to the Mexican place in Towanda - spicy food really does cool you down - people on several tropical subcontinents can't be wrong!

No, silly bbqboy, they don't fit the original parameters, but kansascitykid camped-onto the thread and posed several other questions, including whether Cascone's was still there and where to get good cocktails, hence the list that included CT, bluestem and re:Verse. It *is* possible to get one's spoon greasy in those places, but only with EVOO or Berkshire bacon Again, my bad, and my laziness for not parsing out my responses to each query above. Holly, hope you're enjoying yourself here, despite the heat.

Yeah, I *get* Holly's essence, too. I was replying to several posts upthread all at once, having been off-line for a few days and trying to catch up - hence the cocktails, Mario's, Cascone's BoLings and steak-related things. Just too lazy and far behind to reply to each separarte thing. And I love Calvin Trillin - probably more for "Obliviously on he sailed" of late than any of his food pieces, but he hasn't lived here in some time and Winstead's is a sad shadow of its former self. I really don't know anyone who eats there these days. So, with all due respect, any of the other advice upthread is better currently.

Sorry, Holly, been OOT and no help! To answer many of the above, in no particular order . . . The south Stroud's has been closed since 12/31/2005, sadly. They have not found a suitable location to replace it. Mario's is still open - they had brown paper on the windows for a couple of weeks doing some work - but reopened (unless something very recent has happened). Cascone's still has a breakfast/lunch spot in the City Market but it has moved south across the street from where it was - Blue Nile Ethiopian is in the old space, adjacent to the latest Bo Ling's outpost. I wouldn't recommend any of the "old school" steak places so much these days. I haven't been to Plaza III for a hundred years or so but the Ox and the Hereford House have been lame for a long time, IMHO. As someone upthread said, Frog or bluestem or a trip to McGonigle's and DIY. IF you have time to drive to just this side of Topeka, The North Star would not disappoint you. It's an old roadhouse-like place (you used to have to ring a door bell and say the secret word to get in, before liquor laws relaxed) - they raise their own beef, they pan fry it (yes, you read that right) in cast iron at 5 trillion degrees for a perfect seared rare-to-MR effect, hand-cut fries and gravy in which to dip them, and a "honeymoon salad" (lettuce alone ). I may have to make a run over there tonight! Glad someone pointed out the obvious grease source - In-a-VAT is more like it! Corner is still open as far as I know. Woodswether a perennial favorite, succotash might be to your liking (in City Market). I'm surprised no one (Z) mentioned The Bamboo Hut. Best cocktails . . . City Tavern, Bulldog, re:Verse, Lidia's, bluestem? Oh, and try Seven - the 'queen of the KC barmaids - Susan - is there now, although I've not been yet, she's never let me down in ~20 years.

Apparently business is falling off . . . if you have time to post 4 (count 'em four!) lines here! Slacker. Moos has an op to attend a conference there near the anniversary of my crawling out from under a rock, so we may be darkening your door. I assume you're living in a 10-bedroom bordella-style house with grotto, spa and tennis courts? Let me know which suite of rooms is available early November.

Mike's general recipe is classic: salt, sugar, brown sugar, a little (or alot) of heat . . .but the rest is SO up to your taste . . . paprika, cumin, black/red pepper, granulated garlic (I don't care for un-garlic but I be 90% of competition bbqers use it), perhaps dried mustard, a celery element - be it salt or seed). Finding "the ultimate" is truly a journey. But it's a fun trip. The Smoke Ring links to a lot of other forums (fora?) and some of the "masters" have their own sites and forums off of that. It is boundless. That's why you just have to experiment and find your own nirvana.

I'm peripherally in the financial industry now and my colleagues travel to Boston frequently. They practically fight over who "gets" to go to client sites, since Finale hung out its shingle. And I think they must be doing OK since they've opened 3 locations all in the metro area. I agree with JWest in principle but I would say Crossroads/Downtown could support one in more like 2 years. New things of all stripe opening in Crossroads daily and the Kauffman Performing Arts and other things to come online make my timeline shorter than his. Might want to lock-in a lease, though. I wouldn't wait two more years to find a location.

OMFG . . . I don't have a sweet tooth, don't even, as a rule, eat dessert, but I have been, for the last 45 minutes, in the afterglow of a major food orgasm, courtesy of the blackberry bread pudding that was the final note of the Heirloom Dinner @ Starker's. I am sure mamagotcha and, dare we hope, Chicago Wench, will weigh in with more detail, but I am so myopically transfixed by the epiphany that was our dessert tonight, I can't see past it at this time. Maybe tomorrow. Chef John, you and your entire staff rock. Thanks very much to all and feel better.

I, for one, have missed your input and look forward to "Elements."

Consider Le Petit Robert, if you find yourself near Russian Hill. Psscal has his detractors, but this is the original (IIRC) and tends to have very straight-forward bistro fare . . . and the adjacent bakery doesn't suck, either.