moosnsqrl

KC Media Digest for week of August 2-8, 2007 The Kansas City Star Food Section Lauren Chapin on the restorative powers of watermelon. Media darling ratatouille co-stars with pasta in Jill Silva's Eating For Life. Preview Section Lauren Chapin gives the vital statistics of the new Michael Smith; and checks out reader-recommended Lucia's in Liberty. Business Section Joyce Smith on The Studio soon to open at 11th & McGee; and demystifying the process of restaurant inspection. The Pitch Scotty's on 39th can live up to - and live down - it's own former reputation. Chales Ferruzza and friends explain. My Big Fat Mouth revisits the many ways of handling server stress. And in Featured News newly expanded Boulevard Brewing Company is giving interlopers a bully good fight for local taps, but competition is stiff. 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. If you're looking forward to sampling the wares at a county or state fair, don't read this article by Susan Krumm. Present Magazine Present visits newly expanded City Market fav Succotash. KCUR 89.3 FM Walt Bodine visited with the Food Critics this morning. It will be posted in the archives in the next couple of days at their website. KCMO 710 AM Join Chef Jasper Mirabile from Jasper's Kitchen. Go here and click on Listen Live. ← This week he joins us from the Farrand Farms Tomato Fest, where he will be joined by the inimitable Charles "Onion Ring" Ferruzza and other less-food-related local celebs. ←

Judy, have you been out in the sun too long? Your grammar has regressed to Rachel Ray levels. ← She says "Yummo" if I'm not mistaken. I got "yumbo" from Nick - I think he's been saying it since Rachel was a thorn in her father's side - er, a twinkle in his eye I mean.

Ditto the props for Dividend's selections to share with the eG world. Tomorrow's brunch will give a very laid-back-yet-top-notch view of our fair city. Some of us who just had to show our support of Div's efforts (oh, okay, you saw through us, we just want an excuse to go out for a great brunch) are gathering at bluestem tomorrow at NOON (if that time is news to you, check your listserve email, please!!) for the best of the midwest. Relatively humble "normal" food done righteously with primo ingredients.

Now I see why you're not answering my pm - you've been a busy girl! Love Papa Keno's - they were on the City Market (where Harry's Country Club is now) a little too early to make it. Now that there are enough people living down there, I wish they would try it again. Boulevard - the brewery is one of the places I am considering for the Saturday evening meal when The Heartland Gathering comes to KC in 2009 (since Ronnie already hijacked it for 2008 ). They have a fabulous new event area with a brilliant observation deck offering great downtown vistas. End of advert. I'm surprised we don't run into each other all of the time, considering that we go to the same places. That's another thing about Kansas City - it's still very much a small town in the sense that it is rare to go somewhere without randomly running into someone you know. Always an excuse to stop somewhere for a bite and a drink. You're holding up remarkably well 6 days into your tour of duty and it's really fun being a tourist in our own city!

Yes, it was in KC - sorry, that's what I get for post-haste (sorry). It was great, too, and we will be eating some really good stuff this week. Yumbo!

I totally missed this until Dividend told me everyone thought it was going to be me blogging. You guys don't know me very well . . . I am w-a-y too lazy to blog and I would have to clean and re-arrange for about six months to post pictures of my cabinets online! I'm glad someone took the initiative, though, and she's doing a great job of showcasing our fair city, with great support from Sandy who knows more about his hometown than I will learn if I live to be 100.

Yikes - the Star's Food Calendar wasn't available online this week when I did the digest so I nearly forgot about this. If you've never been to this and love tomatoes, it's great. They typically have a table with lots of different varieties to sample. The going rate for them at this all-organic market is usually $3-4/lb, depending on the glut, but the samples are free and give an opportunity to try different varieties that you might want to grow next year, if that's out of your range. And Jasper Mirabile typically does a demo of some sort (and it's usually 100 degrees but he still wears his chefs' whites - talk about taking one for the team!)

Hutchinson? Salina? Wherever, welcome aboard

KC Media Digest for week of July 26-August 1, 2007 The Kansas City Star Food Section The winners of the first cocktail contest (IIRC) enjoy their 15 minutes of well-deserved fame. Tandoori Beef -- it's what's for dinner. Jill Silva shows you how in Eating For Life. Business Section Joyce Smith brings us up-to-date in Kansas City with her City Scape. The Pitch Charles Ferruzza reminds us that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I plan to go to the Zebra Room at the Aladdin Hotel for my second visit tomorrow. Join me soon, won't you, and let's keep the indies alive in downtown KCMO! And just to help us avoid repeating mistakes, My Big Fat Mouth offers a bit from which to learn. Lawrence Journal-World Rob String on the front lines of the attack that is killing tomatoes. Terry Rombeck on a Nebraska native who eats ham and jam and Spamalot! and has the credentials to prove it. I should recruit him for our AR BBQ team. In Jayni's Kitchen discovers the wonder of grilling with lavender, as did we a couple of years ago in Sonoma. If it sounds good and you need a source for culinary lavendar (different from the perfume variety) pm me; if you grow it, use the "chaff" (stems) as you would smoking wood (but gently). Gwen Mellinger with some kitchen seasonal tips. Present Magazine Check out the ever-changing and always interesting food & drink low-down on Present Magazine (online). KC Magazine China Clipper calling Alameda . . . Fellrath, are you out there? Come out, come out, wherever you are. We need you! KCMO 710 AM Join Chef Jasper Mirabile from Jasper's Kitchen. Go here and click on Listen Live. ←

Careful what you ask for.... ← OK, Scoville-Boy, you were once a cook at what was then the best restaurant in Lawrence . . . perhaps you can find time between snide remarks to illuminate Dinger?

Um, I think Sandy means non-resident historian . . . Seriously, I'm glad the expats are weighing in because I am certainly not a native. Although I did just realize today, over lunch, that I have now called the KC Metro my home longer than my place of birth or the place I went to college for, um, 14 years. Yikes.

Hey Brad, Our most vociferous Tulsan has often wondered this same thing but, as his roots are in FL, he doesn't so much mind keeping up with the Southeast. In any case, joiei, long-time member and frequent poster on The Heartland, lives in Tulsa and I'm sure he will be a fabulous resource to you. You might PM him and call his attention to this, since I'm not sure how regularly he looks at this Forum (unless he's planning a trip home). Have fun - they DO have a lovely farmers market that you must check out (Cherry St.). I'm sure joiei will give you the full 4-1-1. Safe travels. And if you need a Dog Mother for the new pooch, I will make you an offer you can't refuse.

Div, I PMd you in reply to this; don't know if you check them regularly but . . .

That's funny . . . one of our neighbors came over on the 4th of July; we bought our house from his mother and he had helped her a lot after his father died. He walked over and saw all of our tomatoes in the raised beds that his dad built and he actually teared-up! He's not the kind of guy I expected to ever see demonstrate emotion like that, but homegrown tomatoes are powerful things. He said it made him happy to see someone growing them there again, since his mother never had a green thumb. And every time I'm driving all over the backroads looking for that previously undiscovered old farmer with the sweetest, best old variety for canning (we don't end up with any surplus from our few plants), it's as if my grandmother were in the passenger seat spurring me on. It's a good thing gas wasn't as expensive when she was alive - her habit would have been financially ruinous! We do oven fries a lot, too, but it never occurred to me to cover them either. I'll have to try that. I do cut mine with a crinkle to improve the crispiness.

I like it as well, but I told a couple of colleagues that it's open now. They were already planning to dine at 1924 so they just did a drive-by but they didn't think it looked open. I guess, after all those years of untreated windows, the curtains and large picture of young Michael threw them off. I have a lunch there Wednesday; will let everyone know if the SmithBurger can hold its own against a JonesBurger ← Jonesburger, where do you get one of those? ← Why, chez moi, naturellement. We could hardly call our signature sandwich a moosnsqrl burger, after all. And to bring this back on topic, the burger on Michael's menu really is called a "SmithBurger" - served with port ketchup, tomato and bleu cheese. I'm guessing that they will actually risk my life and serve it MR, to, unlike an unfortunate number of places who have caved-in to the tort laws.

You've always kicked a$$ - no reason to think you won't do it again! Best, Judy

Not off the top of my head but don't give up hope - as PT Barnum said "there's one born every minute." I'm glad to see your meals improved steadily throughout the day. Woman does not live by V-8 and nicotine alone. Good to see all of these midwesterners coming out of the woodwork, though. I'm sure everyone is finding a change of voice (from the usual Greek chorus) refreshing. And I'm glad you found a good CSA, too. Tom and Rebecca are amazing and, for those who don't know, probably the closest thing to *real* 100-mile dieters as we have around here.

Have you gone off your meds again Z? That is a sad, sad sign, though. I have to agree. I wonder what would happen if you pretended not to notice? D'you think the countermen would refuse a deftly palmed fin? Perhaps the signs and the scale are a ruse to encourage the practice? Playing ignorant is a role I've spent my whole life preparing for. Maybe I'll give it a whirl and see what happens. They can't really incarcerate you for illegal tipping, can they? I suppose they could ban me for life or something, but I have a closetful of costumes/disguises so unless they've invested in some high-tech surveillance equipment in addition to the evil scales, I think I can fly under the radar.

I like it as well, but I told a couple of colleagues that it's open now. They were already planning to dine at 1924 so they just did a drive-by but they didn't think it looked open. I guess, after all those years of untreated windows, the curtains and large picture of young Michael threw them off. I have a lunch there Wednesday; will let everyone know if the SmithBurger can hold its own against a JonesBurger

I was bearing up quite admirably until I saw the lentil dish. I am now sobbing loudly. And to think all of you lightweights couldn't finish the job. You're all on double-secret probation! I still remember how I felt rolling out of Tammy's Co-Housing Community after last year, barely able to waddle to my car. But seriously, that Cerrino's meal, OMG.

Well, I'm at the office and looking at the menus but there aren't hours listed. I've also not found an official phone number. When I made opening night reservations I called the number on tacovendor's email and it was Michael's cell, so I guess you'll just have to try your luck. Smart money says they're open for lunch at least Mon-Fri, though.

This is great, Dividend, I had no idea you were going to do it. If you need any help eating, you know what to do Good idea including Pryde's too. It is a treasure and must be supported in the face of the big, bad competition. I once received a sauteuse as a gift from a mega-department store and could tell by the wrapping from whence it came. I slyly returned it, too the $$ and bought the same item from Pryde's. And I am sitting 2 blocks from the Folger's plant as we "speak" - it's great but it does make me crave *real* coffee all day long. Looking forward to your blog!

I reluctantly admit to watching the silliness and enjoying it from time to time. But I was betting heavily on Rory -- because I was for Amy and the FN seems to be going out of their way to punish/eliminate classically trained chefs in favor of the telegenic laic cooks. I was vaguely hopeful after learning that Amy won. If we want to see them trend back toward people (and shows) that don't totally dumb-down the subject, we need to be vocal about the viability of the show, try to demonstrate that those advertising during her show are getting some bang for their buck (although the likelihood of it being something most of us would actually ingest is, admittedly, slim) and, in general, letting them know that someone with formal culinary training is to be treasured, not vilified.

I couldn't figure out why this thread was buried so deeply - I just ate at Starker's in late May - and now I see I didn't manage to post about it. Oy, I hate when that happens. We took a neighbor there for his birthday and enjoyed three great appetizers and entrees. Six in all and not a bad bite in the lot. I was so sure I wrote about it - will have to check the desktop at the office to see if I can find it. Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk (actually, if I had been drinking milk I probably would still remember the details and rewrite it) . . . the point of this post was to remind everyone about the upcoming heirloom dinner. This is the 3rd year Chef McClure and his merry band of farmers have celebrated the high season with a five-course menu showcasing local foods. I highly recommend it to everyone! You can find details here. I can't wait! I was trying to post pix from last year's but ImageGullet and I seem to be at cross-purposes at the moment. I will try again later.

I was just getting ready to write an expanded review of my dinner there and provide the hours, etc, and realized that I took the @#$% menus to my office and left them. I'll try to remember to post them first thing Monday morning - long before you get a day off from your indentured servitude.