Sourcing in Kansas City...

[ulterior epicure]

hi k.c.'ers!!

i'm back from my travels abroad and returning most recently from turkey - where i fell in love with their many mezzes and dried fruits. fearful of getting grief from the customs officials in the u.s., i refrained from buying many wonderful food-stuffs. i know k.c.'s not exactly n.y. or frisco, or detroit (etc...) in terms of ethnic food products, but i'm hoping some of you might help me find some local sources of middle eastern goods.

specifically, i'm looking for (affordable) dried figs (smyrna), grape leaves (for dolmas/dolmades) and good white cheese (ie. feta).

thanks!

u.e.

EDIT: add black nicoise/salty olives, good anchovies and non-bottled capers to that list... and not that i don't like whole foods, but i'd also love to know about local purveyors of these items.

Edited December 20, 2005 by ulterior epicure (log)

[moosnsqrl]

specifically, i'm looking for (affordable) dried figs (smyrna), grape leaves (for dolmas/dolmades) and good white cheese (ie. feta). 

Welcome home, UE. There are actually many places that would have these items. Without knowing what part of the metro you are in, let me first offer-up Al Habashi Middle Eastern Grocery in the City Market (816.421.6727). If that's inconvenient or you are unable to find any of your needs there, let us know as there are others.

[ulterior epicure]

moosnsqrl.

thanks for the welcome... it's great to be back - though it's much colder than miserable istanbul (it was cold and rainy - but not freezing!).

yes, i know of al habashi, but was hoping for others too... al habashi actually isn't that inconvenient. i am mostly wondering if there are any larger markets - like the many asian markets that have been popping up here.

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

just a quick update... found everything i needed at al habashi, only because i had no time to look for the materials elsewhere. with the exception of the honey orange-blossom cheesecake, i managed to make an entire mediterranean Christmas dinner... stuffed grape leaves, hummous, pita, and roasted leg of lamb.

u.e.

[moosnsqrl]

Glad it worked out. I thought I might investigate some of the other markets (never having failed to find what I was looking for at al Habashi) but a cold has taken the wind out of my sails and limited my enthusiasm for non-essential activity. I did subsequently remember another Mediterranean market on Metcalf, a block or two north of 75th, on the east side of the street, tucked into a little strip mall.

God, I LOVE googlelocal! I just found the exact spot, address, telephone etc without knowing the name, in about 15 seconds! Here it is for your future reference:

Mediterranean Market Inc

7417 Metcalf Ave # B,Overland Park, KS

(913) 722-7744

[ulterior epicure]

God, I LOVE googlelocal!  I just found the exact spot, address, telephone etc without knowing the name, in about 15 seconds!  Here it is for your future reference:

Mediterranean Market Inc

7417 Metcalf Ave # B,Overland Park, KS

(913) 722-7744

←

thanks moosnsqrl.

i'm actually headed out that way for dinner tonight - although there's nothing as bad as a tardy host, maybe i'll swing by if i have the time.

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

while we're on the topic of sourcing in kansas city. i've scoured the (four) nearest grocery stores for fromage blanc. can't find it. i was finally told by one that the supplier has yanked their contract and possibly explains the absence... grumble, grumble. i'm sure whole foods or the better cheddar might have it... but honestly, i don't have the time going all over town chasing down what i thought would be a fairly common item... sigh... i guess i'm not in europe anymore!

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

Looking for smoked haddock. Does anyone know of a place in K.C.?

u.e.

[moosnsqrl]

Looking for smoked haddock.  Does anyone know of a place in K.C.?

u.e.

←

When would you be wanting it?

[ulterior epicure]

Looking for smoked haddock.  Does anyone know of a place in K.C.?

u.e.

←

When would you be wanting it?

←

No time soon. I plan to be moving back to K.C. area next month, but I'm just trying to get an (impatient) head-start on my summer food options.

Does smoked haddock have a season? Speaking of smoked foods - does anybody know of someone who smokes fishes locally - like trout, salmon, chubs, etc...?

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

ISO fava beans. Whole Foods has pretty suspect and slim pickin's - and nothing in the freezer aisle. Ideas?

[maftoul]

ISO fava beans.  Whole Foods has pretty suspect and slim pickin's - and nothing in the freezer aisle.  Ideas?

←

This isn't really the time for fresh fava beans. At this point I wouldn't even attempt to peel them. Some Asian or Middle Eastern markets sell frozen broadbeans, which are a type of fava, but who knows how long they've been frozen. I haven't had very favorable results with frozen favas or broadbeans. They seem to be dry and gritty.

Dried favas are readily available in Indian and Middle Eastern markets. The come in several varieties.

I like the split kind. Not even a substitute for the fresh kind, but great for stews and pureed mezze dips.

[ulterior epicure]

ISO fava beans.  Whole Foods has pretty suspect and slim pickin's - and nothing in the freezer aisle.  Ideas?

←

This isn't really the time for fresh fava beans. At this point I wouldn't even attempt to peel them. Some Asian or Middle Eastern markets sell frozen broadbeans, which are a type of fava, but who knows how long they've been frozen. I haven't had very favorable results with frozen favas or broadbeans. They seem to be dry and gritty.

Dried favas are readily available in Indian and Middle Eastern markets. The come in several varieties.

I like the split kind. Not even a substitute for the fresh kind, but great for stews and pureed mezze dips.

←

Okay - then what about corona beans (or large white broadbeans) that I can stew? Same - Indian/Middle Eastern market??

[maftoul]

Large white broadbeans seem to be readily availabe in Indian, Middle Eastern and Arabic markets. The last time I bought them, which was this past Spring, I purchased them at Al Habashi in the City Market. They were very good.

What are you thinking a making? I'd love some new ideas for stewy things with different beans.

[moosnsqrl]

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

[joiei]

ISO fava beans.  Whole Foods has pretty suspect and slim pickin's - and nothing in the freezer aisle.  Ideas?

←

This isn't really the time for fresh fava beans. At this point I wouldn't even attempt to peel them. Some Asian or Middle Eastern markets sell frozen broadbeans, which are a type of fava, but who knows how long they've been frozen. I haven't had very favorable results with frozen favas or broadbeans. They seem to be dry and gritty.

Dried favas are readily available in Indian and Middle Eastern markets. The come in several varieties.

I like the split kind. Not even a substitute for the fresh kind, but great for stews and pureed mezze dips.

←

Okay - then what about corona beans (or large white broadbeans) that I can stew? Same - Indian/Middle Eastern market??

←

can you possibly substitute These? I have two bags on order and plan on using a smoked turkey wings when I cook one bag.

[Frog1879]

This may be a case of thread hijacking, but since the original title is general sourcing I'm going to go with it.

My wife and I will be moving back to KC at the end of the year and have been trying to think of the best places to go to get the highest quality produce. We'll be in Lenexa so places close to there are good, but we're willing to go a bit out of the way for purveyors that stock high quality products.

Specifically we'd really like to find a good butcher and a fish monger, but if there are other places we should be checking out then please let me know those as well.

TIA,

Frog

p.s. For the staples we already know we like the HyVee and Hen House on 87th. I'm interested more in specialty shops.

[moosnsqrl]

This may be a case of thread hijacking, but since the original title is general sourcing I'm going to go with it.

My wife and I will be moving back to KC at the end of the year and have been trying to think of the best places to go to get the highest quality produce.  We'll be in Lenexa so places close to there are good, but we're willing to go a bit out of the way for purveyors that stock high quality products.

Specifically we'd really like to find a good butcher and a fish monger, but if there are other places we should be checking out then please let me know those as well.

TIA,

Frog

p.s.  For the staples we already know we like the HyVee and Hen House on 87th.  I'm interested more in specialty shops.

←

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.

[chileheadmike]

This may be a case of thread hijacking, but since the original title is general sourcing I'm going to go with it.

My wife and I will be moving back to KC at the end of the year and have been trying to think of the best places to go to get the highest quality produce.  We'll be in Lenexa so places close to there are good, but we're willing to go a bit out of the way for purveyors that stock high quality products.

Specifically we'd really like to find a good butcher and a fish monger, but if there are other places we should be checking out then please let me know those as well.

TIA,

Frog

p.s.  For the staples we already know we like the HyVee and Hen House on 87th.  I'm interested more in specialty shops.

←

Bichelmeyer's at 7th and Cherokee in KCK is the place to go for pork and beef needs. Lot's of Mexican stuff there too (Carnitas and tamales)

For fish, the Chinese Market just North and East of the City Market downtown has fresh (live) fish and shell fish. Lots of veggies, canned goods, and Mexican stuff there too.

[joiei]

Judy showed me where to go to get sausages, Krizman's in the Strawberry Hill section of KCK.

[Zeemanb]

I actually just got back from the formidable Chinatown Market in the River Market. Definitely a great selection of nasty bits, everything from pig's blood to duck feet. Lots of whole fish, the white bass looked particularly good. As far as the current live selection...lobster, dungeness crab, blue crab, manila clams, mahogany clams, and periwinkles...I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things. Not feeling very inspired or adventurous today, I picked up some beef shortribs for $2.99/lb, and the nice thing is they are not cut down into pieces of individual ribs like you normally see them in the grocery store (although the guys at the counter offer to cut them if you want). I also got some 8-10 count head-on shrimp for $6.99/lb. I've decided that I have to have a recipe in my hand before I go back into the huge grocery section, it's way too easy to trick yourself into thinking you need to buy more than you need when faced with that many sauces, pastes and powders.

I also happened to stop by the Green Acres market in Briarcliff Village on my way home. From what I can tell, it is supposed to be a cross between a deli/prepared food mart and a grocery store...but doesn't do a very good job of either. No meat or seafood counter, but they do have a good selection of vitamins and supplements (25% off many of them right now, so that really was a nice find). AND if you want to pick between five or six hundred different kinds of organic yogurt, you may want to check it out. I can't see myself going back there, it's no Whole Foods Jr., which I'm assuming is what they were shooting for? And $7/lb for GARLIC is just offensive.

[moosnsqrl]

periwinkles

Damn, I've never seen periwinkles anywhere in town! That's exciting! Actually the last time I happened in there, the selection was slimmer than ever. I'm glad to hear I just caught them on an off-day.

I also happened to stop by the Green Acres market in Briarcliff Village on my way home.  From what I can tell, it is supposed to be a cross between a deli/prepared food mart and a grocery store...but doesn't do a very good job of either.  No meat or seafood counter, but they do have a good selection of vitamins and supplements (25% off many of them right now, so that really was a nice find).  AND if you want to pick between five or six hundred different kinds of organic yogurt, you may want to check it out.  I can't see myself going back there, it's no Whole Foods Jr., which I'm assuming is what they were shooting for?  And $7/lb for GARLIC is just offensive.

←

Having shopped at the Green Acres in Wichita during my mother's waning months, I was pretty excited about having one here. I even showed up before they opened (I was on time - they were a little slow out of the gate). I have been there 3 times since and they have never yet had anything I've gone in search of. And in each case it was a pretty basic "health food store" staple which, by their manager's own admission, they should have had. I have officially given up on them.

[Zeemanb]

Damn, I've never seen periwinkles anywhere in town!  That's exciting!  Actually the last time I happened in there, the selection was slimmer than ever.  I'm glad to hear I just caught them on an off-day.

Forgot to mention they are going for $3.99/lb and they had two tanks of them. I wasn't sure if the texture was something I could handle right now with my limited diet, but I ALMOST grabbed some.....I'm guessing you'd cook them like escargot?

Yes the selection is pretty good right now. In fact, the guys in the back were breaking down a beluga whale. I was too tired to wait around for any.

[Aaron Deacon]

I also like the meat at Costco, though that's probably not what you're looking for.

There's a halal market and butcher around 87th and Quivira in Lenexa, I think right next door to Holy Land Cafe. I haven't purchased from there, though I've browsed once or twice. According to the Turks at Mediterranean Market (also a good source in its own right for some nuts, spices, middle eastern canned goods, Olive Bakery pita, and freshly prepared savory pastries) on Metcalf, they have the best lamb in town.

There's a Korean grocer on the north side of Shawnee Mission parkway a bit east of Antioch for your kimchee and frozen Asian seafood needs. We mostly use it to stock up on pocky for the kids.

There's a Russian import store on 79th just west of Metcalf with some interesting deli items, like Armenian basturma.

And there's Werner's on Johnson Drive between Nall and Lamar, an old German/Scandinavian sausage shop (they make their own), deli, and a limited but decent butcher counter.

[Frog1879]

This is all great everyone! Thanks a heap. I can't wait to get back to KC and start cooking. I feel pathetic for not finding a lot of these places before.

Cheers