moosnsqrl

I'm going to let someone (anyone?) else sort this out. I just know that, on past occasions, I have been corrected on this and didn't want my point about msg to be obscured by a discussion of nut (or non-nut?) allergies (none of which I have anyway, I'm happy to report)

Doesn't that point to a food sensitivity, rather than an allergy to msg? You can develop sensitivities as you age, and Chinese food contains a number of potential culprits (shellfish, peanuts, etc). If you were able to drink the stuff straight, and it only happens occasionally, it seems likely that something else-not msg-is bothering you. ← I don't know. Honestly, I have never had anything even close to a food allergy, apart from the literally several episodes I described. There were never nuts (that I know of) involve, as I don't care for Chinese foods with nuts (e.g. I never order cashew chicken -- oops, bad example -- not really a nut, but I also don't order stuff with peanuts. Not because of allergy, just don't care for it. And I wish I could attribute it to any thing else whatsover, including the company I happen to be in, but I can't. That's why I became a believer that there is something to it. Don't even know if it is, in fact, MSG, but it's happened only after dining at Asian restaurants. And three of the five times, it has been at places that I frequent. And places where I continue to dine. Making me imagine that on any given day, msg is applied with perhaps a slightly heavier hand than on other days. That's why I'm weighing in on this. I used to poo-poo the whole notion until I experienced it, up close and personal. And there's no common thread -- once I ate only soup w/noodles, once an egg fu yung dish, once it was lo mein...but the symptoms were the same. And, just to make it more random, sometimes it was at lunch when I drank only water, sometimes at dinner when I had a glass of wine. So the variables are ALL over the place. Bottom line is, I used to think it was a bunch of hooey but, having had ~5 epidodes, I [unfortunately] know it's not a figment of anyone's imagination. I only hope it remains the exception rather than the rule for me, because I can't imagine a world without Chinese (or any Asian) food.

I've gotta go with Quince.

I was a non-believer for around 40 years. I have, in the last 3 years, had the classic symptoms ~5 times. No idea why it happens when it does - last week, having eaten at our favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant (where I've eaten conservatively 200 times) I experienced a pretty good case. I slept it off and all is well and forgiven, and I will go back again, but when it happens it is unfortunately all to real. Oddly, while participating in a wine/food pairing class, we were given something to represent all of the tastes, including umami, which was emulated using msg diluted with water. Even taking it essentially straight like that, I didn't experience any affects. And that was sandwiched in between the three years and ~five episodes, so go figure. I just put a cold towel on the back of my neck and lie down. Somehow setting myself (or anything else) on fire seems a bit drastic but maybe I've just never really had it bad enough.

I gather, then, that my guestimate of flavor loss was high? Or do you think customers tend to value the visual enough to compensate for the flavor loss? I guess I'll have to do some 'sperimenting (not to be confused in spearminting ). I've read/heard of this before but could never bring myself to do that to herbs. This time of year they're so pretty I can hardly bring myself to chop them!

I think this is one of those things that is a best practice (for food service) but not something I would do at home. I'm sure it would stabilize and extend the shelf life but doggone it, I want that fresh flavor and can't imagine that blanching, even if you shock it after, wouldn't knock it down about 50%. I missed this thread previously but glad you bumped it because the chive blossoms are tasty right now and it never occurred to me to put them in compound butter (duh). And a little later in the year, one of my favorites is tomato-basil butter (on corn, zucchini, actually just about anything).

Amen to that. Some friends and I planted about 10 different kinds a few years back and had a garlic tasting. Pretty hard-core but it did help to decide what we preferred and what did well in our climate. I also have noticed in the past few years that the regular, commercial garlic (coming mostly from Gilroy, I suspect) hasn't been dried properly or adequately, and starts sprouting much faster than in the past. Definitely inspiration to grow your own.

Here, at last, is the semi-comprehensive list of area farmer's markets. If you find any of this outdated, incorrect or in need of clarification OR there is a market not listed, please let everyone know. It may save someone else a few gallons of gas. These are listed by day of the week, first Kansas, then Missouri (hey, it's the alphabet, don't blame me ) KANSAS Wednesday Markets Ottawa Market Town & County Supply, Ottawa, KS 4 pm-sellout Saturday Markets Kansas City, KS Market 4601 State Ave, KCKS 7 am-sellout Leavenworth Market 100 Block of Delaware, Leavenworth, KS 8 am-12 pm Lebo Market Lenexa City Park, Lenexa, KS 8 am– sellout Merriam Market 5740 Merriam Drive, Merriam, KS 7 am-sellout Olathe Market 200 W Santa Fe, Olathe, KS 7 am-sellout Ottawa Market Town & County Supply, Ottawa, KS 7 am-sellout Overland Park Market 79th St & Marty St, Overland Park, KS 6:30 am-sellout Paola Market Paola Park Square, Paola, KS 7:30 am-sellout Shawnee Market Shawnee City Hall, Shawnee KS 7 am-4 pm Spring Hill Market S Webster & 215th St, Spring Hill, KS 7:30 am– 11 am MISSOURI Tuesday Markets Bannister Federal Complex Market 10:30-1:30 PM Troost & 92nd, KCMO Lafayette County Market in Higginsville 4-6 PM Behind the Post Office North Kansas City Market 4-8 PM Zona Rosa Shopping Center , KCMO Liberty Farmers’ Market 7-1 PM Sutherland’s on Hwy 29 Wednesday Markets Blue Springs White Oak Market AM till sell-out S of Intersection Hwy 7 & Hwy 40 Cass County Market 3-6 PM Mill Walk Park, Harrisonville City Market 8-2 PM Walnut & 5thKCMO Crossroads Farmers’ Market 4-8 PM Wyandotte & 18th, KCMO Independence Market 7-1 Truman Rd between Main & Liberty Liberty Farmers’ Market 7-1 PM Sutherland’s on Hwy 29 Parkville Farmers' Market 11-3 PM Market Pavilion Warrensburg Farmers’ Market 7-4:30 PM North & Holden Clinton Farmers’ Market 3-6 PM Courthouse Square Thursday Markets Thursday Nite Market 5-7:30 PM Loop Rd, Belton Saturday Markets Cass County Market 7:30-12 PM Mill Walk Park, Harrisonville Troost Community Market 8-1 pm Linewood & Troost, KCMO Kansas City Organic Market 8-12:30 pm Minor Park, KCMO Excelsior Springs Market 6-12 PM 314 Concourse St Brookside Farmers’ Market 8-1 PM 63rd & Wornall, KCMO Blue Springs Farmers’ Market 8-12 PM Main St Liberty Farmers’ Market 7:30-1 PM On the Square Independence Farmers’ Market 7-1 PM between Main & Liberty on Truman Holden Farmers’ Market 7-sellout Holden City Park Lee’s Summit Farmers’ Market 8-1:30 pm 123 E 3rd St Parkville Farmers’ Market 6-12 Market Pavilion City Market 7-5 pm 5th & Walnut , KCMO Clinton Market 7-12 PM Courthouse Square Platte City Market 7 AM-sellout Paxson School Parking Lot Lowry City Farmers’ Market 8-1 PM 3rd & Main St Vernon County Farmers’ Market 9 AM—Sellout Locust & Osage Sunday Markets The Sunday Market at Plaza Unity Church 9-1 PM the 1st & 3rd week of the month Unity Temple on the Plaza, KCMO

Is that new knife book finished yet? I never knew I needed a comprehensive book about knives, yet since I've read that it's in the works I've found myself relentlessly curious about knives and now I don't know what to do about it

This guy is a veritable font of heirloom garlic knowledge. Chester Aaron I notice he's written some fiction, too, and it's at the top of the page so scroll down a bit for the garlic-related titles, links, etc. He's in NoCal and could probably hook you up with SF and wine country chefs who are 'paying the price' for the good stuff. Other people who come to mind are a fellow named Darrell Merrill in Tulsa (I believe joiei knows him; he's a/k/a "The Tomato Guy with Garlic Breath") and Kent Whealy of Seed Savers.

Alas, they do not carry that line. Now that I know you're looking for them I'll try to remember to check other places. I love a good challenge (and a good knife).

I didn't notice but my office is only a few blocks from there so I can take a look.

When would you be wanting it?

I hope you never find yourself at a wedding in central KS.

We must've just missed you guys - sounds like made the same rounds. We ended up going to the Brookside Market as well, and hit Bella Napoli for some supplies. We brought home a pound of the same shrimp but were pretty restrained since I brought home all I could carry and store on Thursday. I don't know about the dollar part but they do sell a wide variety of spices by the scoop in the Habashi Market, which has grown two-fold and has an incredible selection of products, including the best pistachios around. It's a great time to be a food lover in these parts, no doubt.

No, it's not where the Arabia was and, if fact, isn't truly in the City Market. It's set-back off of Forth & Grand and they have large yellow letters that stand out well against the brick, so it's hard to miss. Thanks for asking - that post was disrupted by actual work ( ) several times and I hastened to add it before the pagelet timed out, but an address or more specific location would have made a nice addition to the info.

We went through a chocolate Dr. Pepper phase in late elementary grades. Anyone know if that is on-tap for future release (or were we the only weirdos who ordered it that way? I've asked people about it before and they act like I'm making it up).

The City Market has long had a collection of Asian markets, many offering dizzying arrays of products - fresh, canned and frozen. But there's a relatively new kid in town and I finally managed to stop in yesterday after several months of driving by when I didn't have time to stop. The Chinatown Market is the most comprehensive and closest thing to an Asian "supermarket" we have here. They have rows and rows of the usual fare, including some Hispanic and Indian products and a fair amount of cookware, serving pieces, gifts and other miscellany. What really sets them apart, though, is the variety of fish, meats and produce they offer. I was enroute to another event (which probably merits its own post, if I can summon the courage to relive it) so I couldn't take advantage of the cornucopia, but I'll definitely go back. They have a full butcher counter (featuring trotters, heads and various cuts not easily found here), a wide variety of fresh fish on ice (mostly clear-eyed and appealing, from what I saw) and some live tanks with eels, crabs, lobsters. They had a selection of sizes and varieties of head-on shrimp that I've not seen here before, fresh squid and other delicacies that we typically see only in the freezer case. The produce aisle features many of the usual suspects, but they also have a nice variety of melons, tubers, herbs, 6 kinds of bananas, frozen whole durian, and on and on. Near the check-out is the most extensive counter of medicinal herbs I've seen in the metro as well.

That looks really close - the proof would be in the texture which is a little difficult to evaluate online Thanks very much for posting this. I have a friend who comes from Boston from time to time and will see if I can convince him to make a stop here on the way to the airport next time. Of course if it turns out to be the stuff of my dreams, I'll have to sell my soul to FedEx.

KC Media Digest for week of April 20-26, 2006 In the Kansas City Star Food Section Jill Silva offers some food for thought about the paradox of surplus and need in her article Land of Plenty?. Earlier this week local gossip wonk, Hearne Christopher, gave us the 4-1-1 on new local snack shop Munchiez. In The Star Preview Section Lauren Chapin re-visits the lovely Pierpont's now under Patrick Williams (former sous under Celine Tio at The American). In The Pitch Charles Ferruzza and friends say hurray for Bollywood. Sometimes the whole is less than the sum of the parts. It sounds like that may well be the case when middleeastern meets downhome southern fried at Cafe Cedar at the Skillet in Parkville. <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some area media outlets, which do not 'go to press' before we do, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

Just returned from trying the spicy salami pizza and wish I had recruited some colleagues to come with me so I could've tried more of the offerings. The crust is almost as good as I make . I loved the sauce but it is definitely Italian style (mostly just naturally sweet tomatoey goodness - if you're accustomed to pizza hut, this is NOT the highly blended, deep red with lots of herbs -style they use). The salami was spicy, as advertised, and the balance of toppings were essentially a Margherita (fresh mozzarella, roughly torn basil and, yes David, I think the hint of grated hard cheese is parmeggiano but I didn't ask, either). I had a small salad (mesclun with a couple of grape tomatoes - nothing ground-breaking but I like a little salad with my pizza) with a herb citrus dressing that was very bright and tart. Definitely have to go back and check out the Bianco, the Anchovy, the pastas and contorni. Prior to opening Bella Napoli, when he was a managing partner in Carollo's in the city market, we had a running joke about "body by Jake" (my office is near there and it was too easy to go too often). I'm grateful that I neither live nor work near La Cucina for that very reason. I also forgot to ask the ETA on the beer/wine license but it is planned and that will complete the experience for the winos among us.

As mentioned above, if it's just a base on which to build, Barilla is good as is Muir Glen (flavor and texture consistent and they don't put a lot of *stuff* in it). Also, in aseptic packaging, are Pomi brand and they're pretty unadulterated as well.

No, and probably never will be. Not his style.

This is an ongoing controversy at the moosnsqrl lodge - whoever gets to the corn first gets their way and, honestly, I don't think anyone "loses" because good, fresh sweet corn is a treat either way

Another vote for radicchio (pref Treviso). And fennel. I love cut romaine in half lengthwise (but leave the heart intact on each half, to hold it together) and grill it gently, then make a caesar with it. Or just serve it simply dressed. Grilling really turns it into a whole different food. Later when the ingredients are ready, a ratatouille with grilled ingredients is tough to beat. And fruit kebabs (as mentioned, figs, dates, grilled pineapple is great). Edited to add: avocado (can't believe I left that out )