The Making of a Foodie

Experience Dining in the Dark

The first time I heard about the concept of "Dark Dining" was when I was doing research for the Test Kitchen. It only took me a few minutes of understanding what it was for me to put it on my bucket list.

I had been reading about the founder of the "dining in the dark" movement in the states, Ben Uphues, a German man who had brought this concept over from Germany, and opened a restaurant in Los Angeles called Opaque. Ben has been so successful that he now has restaurants in San Diego and San Francisco, as well. Seems "dark dining" has legs. The tagline Ben Uphues uses to promote Opaque is "close your eyes, and see." Indeed.  

The great news is that you can have a "dining in the dark" experience right here in Kansas City. Alphapointe Association for the Blind and United Healthcare have teamed up and consulted with Ben Uphues, to create an authentic "dining in the dark" experience as an annual fundraiser for the blind. For the third year in a row, they will be hosting this "dark dining" experience at the Westin Crown Center, on November 4 with a reception starting at 5:30. Tickets to this one of a kind event are $250 per person, and worth every single penny for the experience I am about to describe to you. 

How do I know so much about "dark dining" if it is still on my bucket list? Well, I was invited to attend a mini-dark dining experience at the Westin this week as part of the press kick-off. It wasn't close to the level that guests will be experiencing it, but it gave me enough insight for me to know that this was a blog-worthy event. 

It is, simply put, a unique dining experience that takes place in utter and complete darkness. Imagine the possibilities . . .the challenges . . .the excitement of tasting food you cannot see.

Since your sense of sight is hampered, all of your other senses are on high alert.

It all starts when you are led into the dining room, single-file, one behind the other, with your hands on each others shoulders, through a pitch black maze that sends your senses into a confusing mash of right turns, left turns and double-backs until you finally reach the dead dark dining room, where all of the exit signs and smoke detectors are covered, all you can do is by seated by your attendant. 

Now, imagine hearing someone, say, pouring wine into the wine class in front of you. Your mouth waters in anticipation of whether it might be a crisp, citrusy white or a bold and smoky red.

Then, imagine your sense of smell hightened, as something is placed before you to eat. As the aroma's penetrate your nose, it might give you a clue as to whether something you are about to eat is spicy, sweet or herbaceous, or it might not.

Imagine touching the food, before you begin trying to cut it with cutlery that thankfully can be found in their usual "Miss Manners" places on the table. Does it feel leafy, hard, soft, squishy, cold or hot? How about your plate? Is it too hot to touch? Of course, cutting your food into bite-sized pieces may become so challenging that you begin to eat with your fingers. Go ahead. Who cares? No one can see you break with traditional table manners. The other alternative is that you begin pushing food off your plate in an attempt to get some on your fork and actually to your mouth. Sometimes you have something on your fork and sometimes you don't.

Next, you begin eating, placing something in your mouth that you cannot see. Your palate prepares itself, as your mind begins to play tricks with you. The texture of the item in your mouth and it's immediate flavors may give you a clue, but honestly you are not sure whether you are eating a potato or a turnip.

It is all part of the shared dining experience that you are having with everyone else in room. Although, the truth is, that each of you is having your own unique experience and challenges eating this dinner. You look for support by talking to others at the table. You are trying to determine if you have actually picked up your fork or wondering if you are now eating with your neighbors fork. You begin asking the table if anyone else tasted lemon in the sauce that was on the fish . . . or was it fennel. A discussion ensues on guessing what might actually be in this dish. It brings you all closer together, because sitting in utter darkness can feel a bit lonely, without confirmation there are others with you at the table.

Perhaps, you boldly lean over to steal a kiss from the person, who you assume is your lover, sitting next to you. (I suggest calling his/her name softly to make sure it is really them before you lay one on them.) Kissing someone in the dark, without being able to see them . . .well, for me, xxxxxxx. Go for it. Besides, this is one time you PDA-phobes can take a walk on the wild side, safely. There is an undeniably sexy aspect to this kind of dining, that I would be foolish not to call out and address here. (As a public service announcement, to assist the folks from Alphapointe, I would ask you to keep it clean and to a minimum. It is a charity dinner, people. Sheesh.) 

Now, what if I told you that all of your servers in the restaurant were legally blind? Their whole world is darkness, so who better to work in a "dark" restaurant? The courses are ropes off, and chairs around the table are marked with pieces of tape that let them know where to stop. Fuzzy car mats are laid on the floor around the table to clue them into where to stand to serve and clear. Waiting in the wings are managers who see quite well, and are wearing night-vision goggles to keep track of what is going on in their dining room, and to escort you out to the bathroom or to leave the dinner in the event that you need to leave for any reason. A note, the dinner is only 2 hours long, I would suggest a potty break before the meal, not during, as it takes time for your eyes to readjust to the dark. You don't want to miss a moment. 

I can't share any more details about the food at this dinner, other than to tell you there are 3 courses and plenty of wine served during the meal. I should note there is also a vegetarian option for dinner, should you desire that. Chef Todd Coaytor, Executive Chef for the Westin Crown Center, has prepared a confusing, but absolutely delicious dinner for you to enjoy on Nov. 4, 2010. 

Just know, you will leave knowing what it feels like for the blind to eat a meal in a restaurant. You will leave with a renewed appreciate for your sight, and you will be glad you made your donation to help fund the creation of tools that assist the blind in doing things everyday that we take for granted.  

For more information, or to reserve your seat for "Dining in the Dark", please contact Jennifer Kraenzle at 816-237-2099.  Due to the nature of the evening, seating is very limited so contact Jennifer today to reserve your table.

Here's a video of Ben Uphues and his "dark dining" restaurant in LA, Opaque. Enjoy.  

January 2010: good enough to eat

Happy New Year, everybody! I want to wish each and every one of you a year of eating well with friends, family and lovers alike. To good meals and good wine with good friends in 2010.

I'll confess, I was a total bump on a log this year for New Year's Eve. So, after watching the ball drop, I was so ready to rip down my Christmas decorations and get on with devouring this exciting new year of food and wine that lays ahead. Weren't you?

To get myself in the spirit, I decided to start the new year off, with a little luck and a lot of wealth. So, I spent New Years Day cooking up all the luck and money we would ever need to eat and enjoy on the first day of 2010.

I made, the usual:

Black-eyed peas for luck in 2010.

Lentils for coins in my pocket in 2010. 

Greens for greenbacks in my pocket in 2010. 

Golden Cornbread for gold in my bank in 2010.

We make this spread every year, and are usually eating it by the time the Rose Parade ends and the bowl games begin. It is a tradition that we believe in, and if history serves as the measuring stick, we have had some pretty flush years . . .so if it ain't broke, eat it. The only unfortunate side effect of this first meal of the new year is what it does to our collective digestive tracks. The results of eating a meal like this, can be, shall we say "explosive." We'll just leave it at that. 

January is typically a pretty non-eventful month in food. Not much is coming from the ground with the 10 feet of snow that just seems to just keep falling, and the restaurants use this month to set new priorities and goals because typically it is a slow month. Perhaps, they do a little fix-up work on their restaurants or maybe they take a little time off to travel and eat to come back refreshed and inspired ready to cook again.

But this year, January is going to be different as there are a host of new food-related activities that will keep you busy and hungry for more. Dig in.

Winter's Farmers Markets - Farmer's markets do not have to end when the leaves are off the trees and the snow has fallen. We are lucky enough to have a few hard-core farmers willing to brave the cold (if you are) to continue to provide local, seasonal ingredients. Yes, please!

The Grand Court at Kansas City, 501 W. 107th Street, KCMO 64114 (816) 941-7777. Every Saturday, November thru May from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. "Come and meet your Local farmer and sample items fresh from the Farm. They have winter vegetables,  soaps, milk, breads, mushrooms and more."

BADSEED, Friday's Farmer's Market, 1909 McGee Street, KCMO, 64108. Winter Market Schedule: Every Friday Night, 4-8 PM (thru Feb. 12th) "The Friday Night Farmers’ Market offers a plethora of local-organic delights including colorful fruits and veggies, baked goods, gourmet mushrooms, goat cheese, eggs and free-range meats. Come on down and “greet your farmer”! Together we can build community and collective consciousness through the universal pleasure that comes from eating GOOD FOOD." 

Culinary Events - There are several new culinary events that will be taking place for the first time in Kansas City. When you have nested long enough, and it's time to get out of the house . . .check out these events in January that you will not want to miss.

Kansas City Restaurant Week -  95 restaurants. 10 delicious days. 1 great cause. Eat well & give back. Mark your calendar—from January 22-31, 2010, Kansas City will hold its first metro-wide restaurant week event. 95 of the best and finest Kansas City metro area restaurants will offer multiple-course lunches and/or dinners at the deliciously low prices of $15 for lunch and $30 for dinner (beverages, taxes and gratuity are not included). 10% of the price of each multi-course meal purchased will go to Harvesters to help fight hunger in the Kansas City community. You can dine at restaurants like The American, Cafe Sebastinne, EBT, Julian, Lidia's, Michael Smith,Trezo Mare, Webster House and many more.  Take this as your opportunity to dine at some of the finest restaurants in the city at a bargain price, or choose some restaurants you have been meaning to try and make this your reason to finally get in there to dine. With 95, restaurants participating you will find something to crave. Take advantage of all 10 delicious days. Make plans with your spouse one night, lunch with a friend the next day and then get a group of friends together to take advantage of this special offer. Once you decide where you want to eat, make your reservations via the website to ensure you have a table waiting for you. I love the fact that 10% of the price of each meal will be going to our local food bank Harvesters to help feed those in need.

Gordon Ramsey's new reality cooking show, MasterChef, is hosting auditions in Kansas City on January 17, 2010. Do you think you have what it takes to be a MasterChef? Do you want to cook on TV? Here's your chance. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for one of our own local home cooks, food bloggers or recipe hounds. Gordon Ramsay from Hell's Kitchen (who is promised to be a nicer, kinder personality on this show) and the producers of The Biggest Loser are coming together to develop this reality show for FOX. The Hollywood Reporter calls the show, based on a hit show in the U.K. and Australia,  ”a culinary American Idol” for foodies, where contestants around the country will create dishes for a judging panel to consider.

To get an idea of what the show will be like check out Eat Me Daily who has posted episodes from the Australian show.

The prize has not been announced for the US version of MasterChef, but if the Australian show is any indication, the winner of that show received culinary training in the finest kitchens in Australia, a cookbook deal and $100,000 cash.

Auditions for the show will be held in the next few weeks in New York, Seattle, Boston, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, New Orelans, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This makes Kansas City the smallest market they will be hosting auditions.

Auditions in Kansas City will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at The Culinary Center of Kansas City in downtown Overland Park from 12 noon - 5 pm.

The only two things you cannot be in order to qualify for the audition:

1) They will not be considering professional Chefs that work in professional kitchens.

2) Nor will they accept anyone who has been to culinary school or had formal culinary training.

In order to be considered for an audition, please  email masterchefkc@gmail.com your name, age, occupation, contact number, a current photo and a brief description of your cooking experience and style.

Broadmoor Bistro Wednesday Night Dinners & the Wysong Family/James Beard Chef Lecture Series dinners and Baking Fridays at the Broadmoor Technical Center.

The Broadmoor Technical Center, located at 6701 W. 83rd Street in Overland Park, KS, has a fantastic culinary program for High School students. Several years ago, as a fundraiser for the school and as a way to give the students practice cooking for guests in a restaurant setting, they built a gorgeous dining room and began serving 4 course dinners on Wednesdays that the students make for only $25 per person. The dates for the January dinners are the 13th, 20th and 27th. There is a choice of most menu items, just like you would find in a real restaurant setting. The quality of food you receive for the price is unbelievable, besides you are supporting the culinary arts. There is long tradition of ‘Bistro Nights’ selling out in the past.  You can see the entire menu online for the date you choose, and you can then make your reservations right online. A wonderful way to encourage and sample fresh new talent before it hits the streets.

Broadmoor Bistro also hosts a Wysong Family James Beard Lecture Series dinner on January 19, 2010.  The visiting chef for this event is Chef Gregory Zapantis, the Corporate Chef and Partner of Kellari, a Manhattan-based restaurant serving authentic Mediterranean seafood. Hors d'oeuvres begin at 6:00 pm with a classic Greek dinner starting at 6:30. Tickets are $50 per person for this lovely 6 course dinner and should be purchased in advance through the Broadmoor Bistro website.

Finally, enjoy a wide selection of student-made pies, tarts, cookies and cakes during the Broadmoor Baking Fridays. On certain Fridays of the month, the pastry students will be selling the delicate pastries that they have made in their classes at Broadmoor. The 2009-10 Baking Friday Schedule will be January 15, February 19 and April 9 from 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. in the Broadmoor Technical Center foyer. Credit cards only, NO CASH will be accepted for these purchases.  

Tastebud Magazine Presents - Culinary Series hosted at The Cooking Studio at Whole Foods

Gordon and Jennifer Roe, the owners and editors, of Tastebud Magazine are working in partnership with The Cooking Studio at Whole Foods to host a series of culinary lectures and tastings that tie in with certain content located inside of Tastebud Magazine each month.

If you have not yet been to a class at the Whole Food's Cooking Studio, located right next door, then you have been missing out. It is a a real treat. Lovely room with state of the art equipment and plenty of comfortable seating.

The first class in this series has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 27th, from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm. The class will be called Beer & Cheese: A Dynamic Duo and will cost $30 per person.

Superhero Instructors for this class:  Emma Marshall and Anna Smith are the cheese specialists at Whole Foods Market.  Neil Witte is the Field Quality Manager at Boulevard Brewing, a former brewer, and certified Cicerone (beer guru).

Beer and cheese pack a one-two punch of fabulous flavor. Learn to pair this dynamic duo and discover why they are so well-matched. Your questions are welcome in this interactive, hands-on class.

Menu:  Sample a wide variety of cheeses, including local favorites, and beers from the Boulevard Brewing Company. 

Register at the customer service counter at Whole Foods Market or online .

Well, that's what I have on my calendar for the month of January. How about you?

Kansas City Bartending Competition - TONIGHT!

Thirsty? After listening to the drink that finalist Beau Williams is going to make tonight, you can't tell me you aren't ready for a little liquid libation. Oh, come on. It's the weekend before Thanksgiving and if you are working at all this week, you know it is going to be a light week. Which means, if you love craft cocktails, you have no excuse not to be at the Uptown Theater tonight for the Kansas City Bartending Competition. Event starts at 6:00 pm and tickets are only $5 through Ticketmaster, or at the Uptown Ticket window, with all the proceeds go to the HALO Foundation.

I have been attending the Kansas City Bartending Competition almost since it's creation. Unfortunately, I missed the first year when Beau Williams, now at Manifesto, won the competition. What I remember was hearing after year one, from people in the restaurant and bar business, was that this is a serious competition. I also heard it is considered a serious honor to win. It earns you major street cred among your peers, but more important to us lay people outside the circle, it tells us who in this town can really make a mean cocktail.

Let's be honest. When you find yourself in need of a cocktail to help relax you into your evening, to wash away your blues, or just to be social - you want it, no, you NEED it to hit the mark. That takes a bartender that is knowledgeable beyond the "Bartender's Guide to the Galaxy" book hidden beside the cash register at the bar. It takes someone who takes the time to get to know you, and can almost, just by the look of you, tell you the drink you SHOULD be having, and has the skills to create it before your eyes.

That's the level of talent that will be creating one unique cocktail and one classic cocktail (the judges will choose for them) for a chance to earn the highest bartending honor in these parts. This event is the heart and soul of the revival of the craft cocktail movement in Kansas City. It honors those who have come before and those who are taking things, as Beau said in his video "to a whole new level."

The brainchild of Ryan Maybee, the king of craft cocktails in Kansas City, this is a once a year opportunity to watch the best bartending talent in the city come together in a healthy competition to see who has the right stuff. It's a honor to make it into the competition as a finalist, but it is even better to be the winner with prize money and your cocktail recipe printed in Cheers Magazine.

The finalist competing in tonight are:

• Jennifer Tosatto

  Currently Working at: Double T’s Roadhouse | Watch Video

• Heather Searls

  Currently Working at: Topshelf @ The Gusto Lounge & The Brick | Watch Video

• Van Zarr

  Currently Working at: Bluestem | Watch Video

• Christopher Conatser

  Currently Working at: Justus Drugstore | Watch Video

• Anthony “Tony” Beyer

  Currently Working at: Benton’s Steak & Chop House | Watch Video

• Shawn Moriarty

  Currently Working at: R Bar & Restaurant | Watch Video

• Arturo A. Vera-Felicie

  Currently Working at: R Bar & Restaurant & 1924 Main | Watch Video

• Jaci Shelby

  Currently Working at: Kennedy’s Bar & Grill | Watch Video

• Ryan Rama

  Currently Working at: Extra Virgin | Watch Video

• Beau Williams

  Currently Working at: Manifesto | Watch Video

• Missy Koonce

  Currently Working at: The Piano Room | Watch Video

If you see someone on this list that you have enjoyed a cocktail of their creation, then come to the Uptown tonight to cheer them on. If you are interested in learning more about any of these bartenders, then you should come and help us judge the winner of this year's competition. 

Speaking of the judges . . . after years of sitting in the dark of the Uptown Theater and watching this city's finest make some of the most mouth-watering cocktails, I have been asked to join David Wondrich, Ryan Maybee, Doug Frost and Katie VanLuchene at the judges table. So, please stop by, I'd love to know which bartender you are cheering on tonight.

Finally, if for no other reason . . .you should come to this competition if you want a good drink in this town. You know the best way to get a good drink, don't you? Get to know the bartender. I'm just sayin'.

Gourmet Nomads

Well-rounded foodie friends are hard to find. I mean there are foodie friends that will go out and eat at new restaurants with you, but aren't interested in the little dive joints. There are foodie friends who are just interested in going to the places with the best wine lists but who could care less what food is being served. There are the foodie's that shop only at the farmers markets and might be vegetarian or vegan. There are foodie friends who just love to cook or bake, but could care less about eating out. There are foodie friends that can grow a vegetable garden like no one's business or grill BBQ so good you will wonder why they aren't in competitions. There are foodie friends that follow trends in food or know all the important Chefs across the country. Finally, there are foodie friends that just like to read food magazines or cookbooks, but do very little cooking on their own.

Then there are Foodie friends that eat, breathe, sleep and talk about it just like you do. You no longer feel like you are the only person in the universe with this condition. You have found and have identified your OTHER in food. Amanda Frederickson is that foodie friend to me. (See her in photo above, taken at the March Test Kitchen event by the ultra-talented Chris Pavlacka, photographer from Lawrence.)

When we met a year ago in March, it was at a Share Our Strength event at The American. A food event that helps feed the hungry nationwide. We ended up having the most magical night talking to all the Chefs, and going out to drink with all of them afterwards. In the wee hours of the night, we looked at each other and could not believe our luck. We had broken through the unknown world of food and Chefs in Kansas City, and we had done it at exactly the same time. We had done it together.

When I started Test Kitchen, my underground supperclub, it was a stressful time. A time, in which I was laser focused on trying to launch my baby to the world. It was a venture that I had 100% support from my family by Eatie (hubby) and Tastie (son), my mother-in-law Anna, my Mom (BABZzzz), my Dad and Mynette and my brothers. And Amanda was the foodie friend, who sat up late nights and listened to all my worries and concerns. The one when I thought things couldn't be done, assured me they could be and ultimately the friend that help me get the names on my Test Kitchen list by telling everyone she met in food about my venture and how to get on the list. (Click here to become a member of the Test Kitchen, and get on the list.)

Although I cannot repay her for her help in money, I can by showing my ultimate support and total excitement of her newest venture. It is my supreme pleasure to introduce to you to Amanda's new labor of love, her baby: Gourmet Nomads. Gourmet Nomads is a group of foodies who travel together to places of interest on the food scene in the US and across the globe. Never was there a foodie, that I would trust more to put together foodie trips than Miss Amanda. She not only has impeccable taste, but she demands only the best in terms of her experiences around food and wine and now in travel.

And having planned many, many foodie trips for myself and advised others on where to eat in drink in places they might travel to, I can assure you, finding all of the right foodie hot-spots to hit in any town is a challenge. It takes time, research and lots of looking before agendas worthy of your time and money can be assembled. Amanda has taken the guesswork out of foodie travel with her short excursions. She travels to the places she recommends before-hand to make sure that it meets her high standard and would be something of interest to others like her. She has the professional contacts from her restaurant PR contacts and her social media skills to really negotiate the best rates and most unique packages for even the most discerning traveler. You will do things on Gourmet Nomads trips that are unavailable to the public and get behind the scenes to really get a sense of what life is like in a particular destination.

I am very excited about her latest trip which will be happening July 17-20, 2009 to Sonoma, CA. It's called Eating Sonoma - Ground to Grapes. As someone who is going to try out for Murphy-Goode's Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent position , I recently just came back from traveling through wine country and Sonoma. I can tell you first hand, a trip to wine country, is one of the neatest and most fun trips a foodie can take. I had only briefly stopped through wine country in the past, but having the chance to really stay and explore the rolling hillsides heavy with grape vines, olive oil tastings, local cheese producers, farmers markets and dined at some of the hottest restaurants, as well as educating myself about the many wineries in the area . . .a trip to Sonoma this summer is something I would happily suggest to everyone.

If you are in the process now of planning a couples getaway weekend or even a trip with another couple or two, please check out Gourmet Nomads for their trip July 17-20, 2009 called Eating Sonoma - Ground to Grapes for more details. This will be a fun and easy way to travel like a real foodie, with others who are real foodies like you.

You are a foodie, aren't you?

Awww, Nuts!

I recently traveled with my son on Southwest Airlines.  My son had a wonderful time experiencing the entire travel process now that he is a big boy of 6 years old. One of the great things about having children is seeing things through a child's eyes again. I was a corporate road warrior for a couple of years in a previous life. Although I secretly enjoyed traveling to new places and eating at new restaurants, truly the airport grind and time in flight could get a little routine.

I knew I had earned my expert travel badge when the TSA guys stopped trying to explain to me like I was stupid what I needed to do with my laptop and my shoes and the fact that my favorite hoop earrings would not make it through the metal detector.

(I knew better about my hoops and it became a favorite game to make bets with the agents about whether I would set off the detector or not. I won enough money with that game to keep me in gin and tonics for most of my flights. Anything to break up the routine and feel like a personable person during an impersonal time in our aviation history. Ask me about the time I flew with my husband on a trip with my breast pump when I was breast feeding my infant son. My husband was nice enough to carry the heavy thing through security for me. Let's just say his chest went under some serious scrutiny that day.)

So, considering myself a somewhat seasoned traveler, imagine my surprise when we arrive at the sky-cap booth to check our bags, and my son's eyes get really big as he watches the ripped attendant pick up our huge bag and throw it over his shoulder as if it were a pillow onto the belt moving the bag quickly out of sight behind him. My son, looking at the attendant says: "Wow, you are super strong, are you a superhero or do you just work out?" The attendant smiled at him and whispered: "Both." My son smiled and gave him the two thumbs up as if to say his secret was safe with him.

Inside the terminal we go to the restroom before we hit security, and all he can talk about is water and soap that come out with a wave of his hand. "Like magic, Momma", he says to me eyes sparkling.

At security, my son is thrilled when his backpack is chosen for search. I did not know that the little Nintendo DS needed to come out and ride in it's own tub like a laptop would. I am annoyed at this delay, and look down to check my watch for the time, when suddenly I hear the sound of my son's laughter as the TSA guy is describing to him in animated detail his favorite game he likes to play on his break with his own Nintendo DS. My son is happy to have found a kindred spirit and playmate.

On the plane, the fun continues . . .I watch the older gentleman in front of us sitting in the aisle seat roll his eyes when my son announces he will also take the aisle seat versus the window seat. This does not please our friend  in front who is pretending to read the Wall Street Journal. I ask my son if he wouldn't want the window instead, and he says: "No Momma, the aisle seats are much better. Look how everyone has taken them first before the middle or window seats." I look up astonished he would notice something like that, but he is right, the aisles are almost all taken.  I sigh and agree to let him have the seat, while mentally reminding myself to watch his feet to make sure he isn't absentmindedly kicking Gordon Gekko in the back during the flight.

When the flight attendant, a charming gentleman, comes to take our drink order my son orders first. "May I have a Sprite, please?" The attendant shoots me a look and murmurs: "Good job, Mom, you don't see manners like that any more." I wish I could take the credit, but he is really good about remembering his manners.

By the end of the flight, my son has played a little with his DS, he has chatted with the woman in our window seat about school and his friends, and he has drank a Sprite and had two bags of Southwest peanuts as a snack. I never did understand why Southwest chose to make peanuts the snack of choice. It is the one food most related to food allergies (hence the appearance of peanut free flights with pretzels) and honestly, when over 100 people eat peanuts in an enclosed cabin it smells a bit like urine to me. Perhaps, I am just weird that way, but I am reminded of the smell every time the peanut bags rip open and people begin to eat the only snack they will see for the next hour and 30 minutes.

Although I was not drinking on this flight, as I had my son with me and it was a morning flight afterall, but it did strike me that perhaps the choice of peanuts came from the liberated 60's and 70's, during the era of hot and friendly, mini-skirted, female "stews" and how every businessman who flew always had a drink in his hand after a long day at the negotiations table. Planes were like flying cocktail lounges back then. . .and what would be served as a free salty snack at the bar, peanuts.

When I fly, and am in the mood for a cocktail, I will order a gin and tonic. It's easy, it packs a punch and I don't have to wait too long for it. But something about peanuts and gin, just do not mix. Try it, you will see what I mean. Foodie votes "just say no". (High five, Miss Traci Loub.)

At the end of the flight, they sang Happy Birthday to someone celebrating up front, and then the flight attendant from before came back to my son and plopped this peanut hat on his head. Look at the time and creativity that went into making this thing. overlapping peanuts with pretzels then held together with Luv cocktail stirrers. There is even some additional detail in the front to let people know that this is the front of the Nut Crown.

I was instantly charmed - with my son, the crew, Southwest, even with the stinky peanuts. Foodie fun on a flight, I loved it. Enjoy.

The Foodie and The Candidate

I would like to introduce you to my best friend since college, Georgianna Oliver. She is currently the Democratic nominee for US Congress representing District 1 in Oklahoma. She has recruited me to help her run for office and given me the position of Web Master on her professional campaign team. Of course with our history, I could not say no. Not that I would want to, as this has been my friend's dream since the day I met her.

I met Georgianna on the first day of my Sophomore year in 1988 at Oklahoma State University. She was hosting a bean bag toss for the incoming Freshmen on behalf of the Student Government Association and I was a volunteer tour guide taking a group of Freshman through their orientation on campus. I liked her friendly energy immediately, and our friendship was born while the Freshmen threw bean bags at her display. 

In college, she was very serious and hard-working. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life and how to achieve it. She worked for the college in a high level administrative position while going to class and still made time for her campus committees and friends. She encouraged me to get involved with the school and through her persuasion I applied and got a position as a reporter with the school newspaper, The O'Collegian. I later went on to work in the Advertising department for the newspaper selling ad space, as that is what my major was in. (I think it is ironic today that I have a degree in journalism but always wanted to work in advertising. So, I built my career around marketing and advertising and now all I want to do is write.)

 We had much in common. Her one serious boyfriend in college was friends with my one serious boyfriend in college as they both worked for the school newspaper. She grew up in the small town of Sapulpa, outside of Tulsa and I grew up in the small town of Claremore, outside of Tulsa. She lived off-campus and I lived off-campus. We both graduated from OSU in 1991. She with her degree in political science and me with my degree in journalism. She wanted to help the people of Oklahoma and impact change in the world, I wanted to sell more stuff to more people through my impactful advertising campaigns. Okay, so we did have a few differences.

I can remember sitting in the living room of her small apartment across from the OSU campus and talking about our futures as graduation loomed. She was in the kitchen making green beans from a can and toast for our dinner. Seriously, we ate that many nights. My inner Foodie would not be discovered until later, but don't knock it . . .veggies and wheat toast was a healthy and filling dinner for all college girls on a budget.

That's when she asked me: "So what do you want to do after graduation?"
I said: "I am getting the heck out of Oklahoma, I want to work on Madison Avenue in New York."
She said: "Well, I am leaving to go to Washington D.C., but then coming back to Oklahoma to run for office."

She had so much determination in her voice as she explained how she would go to Washington DC and get a job as a aide on "The Hill", and then come back to Oklahoma to raise her family and run for office. I remember thinking, I wonder if either of us will really do what we think we are going to do with our lives? The talk that night seemed like pipe dreams of young ladies about to be let loose on the world. I clearly underestimated us and our drive and determination at the time.

We had our pictures taking together with our families on our graduation day from OSU, and Georgianna did indeed go to Washington DC and work for Congressman Bill Brewster. I remember traveling up to visit her many times while she was in DC, and I toured Bill Brewster's office and the capital and had brand new respect for my friend who did exactly what she said she was going to. She was on her path.

I went home after graduation and packed up my car and told my Mom and Dad I was headed to New York City to work in Advertising. They told me that maybe I should drive to Kansas City to stay with my Grandmother for a week or so to visit and then head off for New York once I had a job and a place to live. It sounded like a good plan, besides my ex-boyfriend from college was living in Kansas City so at least I would know someone there. I knew little about Kansas City, but I knew it was bigger than my little town and that was all that mattered to me.

I never made it to New York. After a month in Kansas City, I got a job working in the Marketing department for Payless Cashways downtown, and my life was off in a new and exciting direction. I met my husband at that job and once I was married and settled in, New York didn't seem like such an exciting dream. We had a dog and a little bungalow on the Plaza with a yard. We were good. My son was born about 10 years later, and that's when my dream of New York living died. I just didn't think about it anymore. It was no longer in the master plan.

 Georgianna was in my wedding and I was in her's. I gave birth to my son and she adopted her's from overseas. I grew into being a businesswoman, wife and mother and so did she. For a while she and her family lived in Kansas City, where her husband Jack is from originally. This is where she started her technology company, Evergreen Solutions and grew it into the multi-million dollar business it is today.

When she asked me to be on her campaign team, she told me: "Oh, come on, it will be fun." I have traveled to Tulsa many times since her campaign started, and although our days are filled with campaign strategy, plans for winning, fundraising events and appearances . . .she has always remembered to honor my dreams at the same time we are planning hers. Again, just like in college, she is out to help the people of Oklahoma and impact change in the world and I am out to become a Foodie.

She always makes a point to take me to a different or new restaurant for lunch or dinner while I am in Tulsa. Not that she really wants to, as she is happiest eating at home with her son and husband, but she does it because she knows that I want to. She patiently sits, waiting, while I pull out my camera and take pictures of both her dishes and mine, and she always asks to have the Chef come out to talk to us and introduces me as her friend, "The Foodie from Kansas City." I have learned through her what an interesting food scene Tulsa is cultivating. Much different than when I lived in those parts, for sure. Georgianna doesn't have to do that for me, but she knows I care about it, so she makes a point to care about it too.  I love her for that.

We have enjoyed exploring Tulsa's north side, which is full of wonderful authentic Mexican restaurants. We blew through the drive-thru of Mr. Taco, where The Candidate snapped this photo above of the nice man who recommended the shredded beef quesadilla.  We were suspicious of what we would get, but we took this young man's recommendation and we were pleasantly surprised to find almost no cheese but instead they were brimming with moist meat, lettuce and a little queso fresco sprinkled on top. Best of all, they came with a home-made red sauce or green sauce for dipping.

Then we went to El Rio Verde which has been in the same location for almost 17 years in Tulsa. The place was packed at lunch with corporate suits, construction workers and at least one Candidate and one Foodie. I had a beef tongue soft taco and a beef cheek sopa so good it would make you cry. Muchas gracias to The Candidate for showing me that delightful place.

We have enjoyed the fun atmosphere and fresh fish at In the Raw on Peoria which is basically restaurant row in Tulsa.

We have had quieter meals of a French persuasion at The Brasserie, where Executive Chef Justin Thompson has been voted the favorite chef in Tulsa by Oklahoma Magazine. The special of the day, Steamed Mussels with Frites stole my heart when it came to the table in a tiny red Le Creuset pot.

After a few evening meetings or fundraisers we have stopped in for a quick snack at the Polo Grill, where we sat quietly and shared a fruit and cheese plate while we went over our notes from the event and made our list of to-do's for the morning.

Oliver Twist was a recent stop for a quick bite before heading off to our next meeting with the campaign team back at the office. We interrupted a staff meeting they were having to order our food, but they did not miss a beat with deep fried olives that had been stuffed with cheese and bacon-wrapped shrimp that were perfectly grilled.

Finally, across the street and down from campaign headquarters is Lucky's on Cherry Street. This is a relatively new spot in Tulsa, but the appetizer of smoked trout with cucumbers, horseradish and crema on toast was an unexpected treat during a long endorsements conversation with the team at the table.

I joke with "The Candidate" about the very different quests that we are on, and how her dream is so much more lofty than mine. She says: "Well, that what friends do, they help each other realize dreams. You are helping me achieve mine by being a part of this campaign and I am helping you achieve yours by re-introducing you to how cool the Tulsa food scene has become." Then she said the thing that makes her the best candidate for US Congress: "How could I be happy living my dream, if you weren't living yours as well?" It's about collaboration and caring for others.

I respectfully ask the people in Oklahoma living in District 1 for their vote for Georgianna Oliver for US Congress.

I Like the Bartender

What follows is a list of finalist that will be competing live on stage at the 2008 Greater KC Bartending Competition coming up on August 10 at 6 pm at the Uptown Theater.

I just bought my ticket to this event and you should too, only $20 if you purchase your tickets in advance. The money goes to support the HALO foundation.

This event is really the only one of it's kind in Kansas City, besides with free food and entertainment it is definitely worth the price of admission to see our local talent throw down.

 

Looking at this list there are a lot of heavy hitters in Kansas City, coming out to rep their crew.

Some of these talented bartenders I know, I have drank their stuff and I can attest that they know their craft and are very personable too. Shout out to: Victor from Potpie and my good friend Arturo Vera-Felicie from Blanc.

Some of the drinks I have had and loved, but I never met the bartender that created them, such as the Silver Elder Fizz from Justus Drugstore, hands down, my favorite cocktail of the summer!

Some of the names I recognize from last year's competition, such as the winner of the 2007 competition Dave Smuckler from Morton's.

Some I DO NOT recognize from last year's competition but are P.O.I.'s (people of interest) whom I am curious to see what they bring to the table, such as Chris from the newly relaunched Delaware Cafe with Chef Joe West of Bluestem fame at the helm of the kitchen.

Some of these cocktails make me want to go now to these restaurants and try them just to say I did: The Devious Emu (something I have always suspected, by the way!) and The Original Axis of Evil, because I want to know the origin from where all evil flows.

Finally, some of these places are places I can't wait to drink at such as Manifesto.

If you are looking for me, I'm at the bar with 'em. Enjoy!

UPDATE: I am pleased to announce the winner of this year's contest and the person who walked away with $1,000 check and their recipe in Cheers Magazine is Christopher Conaster, representing Delaware Cafe with his cocktail called the "Go Figure cocktail."

Honestly, it was a tie between Christopher and the darling Jen Nye Johnson from Pierpont's with her cocktail called The Velvet Rope. In an interesting twist they had a run-off, where each were quizzed on different cocktails in front of the live audience. Christopher's answers were more right than Jen's and he gleefully took the crown.

The rumor I heard later was that Christopher is actually working out at Justus Drugstore now, and since the charming bartender from there, Jay Beavers, was already competing in the contest, Chris needed to find another restaurant to sponsor him (Delaware Cafe).  Chris, I also heard, is a botanist or someone that has an interest in  scientific study of plants, and brings his own flowers and herbs to Jonathan's place to see if he can use any of them for his dishes and or in his cocktails. I can see why those two would get along, can't you?

I knew Chris looked familiar to me, and that's when I realized, about a month ago I was meeting a friend for coffee at JP's Wine Bar and Chris was my barista, then that same night I had reservations at Jonathan's place and Chris was behind the bar that night as well.

Our man, Chris, is a man about town. Now I suspect, he will be a man in demand.

Hottest Ticket in Town

The arrival of the first day of Summer, ahhhhhh! Can you feel it? I can. OMG, it is hot. It is 400 degree oven hot. What do the soaring temps mean to me: time off, traveling to eat/drink my way through other cities or my own, more time by the pool wondering the answer to the question tan lines or no? (never have figured that one out), perfecting my sangria and experimenting with new home-made ice cream recipes (this summer it's basil ice cream and bacon and eggs ice cream) and finally droppin' da' top on the Foodie-mobile.

As the city clears out and the tourists take over the Plaza and the Power and Light District, it also seems like the official Foodie events start to drop off, as people start entertaining and getting together with family and friends in their own backyards and neighborhoods. I don't know about you, but we lit our grills and our Green Egg up on Mother's Day and they have been fired up ever since.

However, there are some Foodie Events that I have placed on the blog that I think are some of the hottest Foodie tickets in town this summer. One of them is my Brazilian cooking class at Culinary Center of Kansas City, so some do fall in the shameless self-promotion category . . .but isn't that what having a blog is all about? I plan to attend all of these events just to break up the monotony of all that sun, sangria and grilled food. You should too!

Chef's Classic - Sunday, June 29, 2008 6:00 pm, The American Restaurant. Knowing the good works that Harvesters, our Community Food Network, does for the hungry children and families in Kansas City, I feel only too happy to support such a worthwhile organization with both my time and money. I told myself if I volunteered my time to help put on Forks and Corks this year . . .and survived (Look Bob, still standing!) , I would treat myself for the first time to tickets to Chef's Classic. I purchased my tickets back in April. I bought them then because it is a limited seating event that sells out every year. I didn't want to miss out on all of the fun. But, a little birdie has told me that there are a handful of tickets remaining, so checkout the line-up and the menu and then buy your ticket and come sit with me.

Of course, little did I know when I bought my tickets, that this would be the final opportunity for me to see the now former Executive Chef of The American, Celina Tio, in action as she and her family will soon be moving to Charlotte, NC where she will be opening her own restaurant she plans to call "Julian" after her two culinary idols and teachers Julia Child and her uncle Julian. Meanwhile, July 1st is when American alumni, Executive Chef Debbie Gold, of 40 Sardines fame, will take back over the kitchen where she and ex-husband Executive Chef Michael Smith put Kansas City on the culinary map by winning our city's first set of matchy-matchy James Beard Awards. So, this dinner will be bittersweet for me, as I say goodbye to a fire-starter of a KC Chef in Celina who brought fresh, creative new food and flavor combinations to a restaurant that may not have always embraced the new and can sometimes suffer under the weight of it's own history. Celina will surely be missed from the Kansas City culinary landscape, but Debbie Gold will clearly rock as The American's new culinary Queen Bee. Buzz-buzz!

So besides getting to witness this changing of the guards at The American, the rest of the Executive Chef line-up for Chef's Classic is impressive and the menu looks even better. Check it out.

 • Eddie Allen, Ameristar Casino, Kansas City, Mo.
• Roberto Donna, Bebo Trattoria, Washington, D.C.
• Mike Lata, FIG, Charleston, S.C.
• Joe Hafner, Gracie's, Providence, R.I.
• Keith Luce, The Herbfarm, Woodinville, Wash.
• Nick Wesemann, The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo.
• Dan Swinney, Lidia's, Kansas City, Mo.
• Howard Hannah, The River Club, Kansas City, Mo.
• Jonathan Justus, Justus Drug Store, Smithville, Mo.

Brazilian Party Food Cooking Class - Wednesday, July 23, 2008 6:30 pm, The Culinary Center of Kansas City - So before I was a Foodie, I was the owner of The Brazilian Cargo Company located west of the Plaza on Holly Street, a successful retail store that sold foods, arts and crafts from Brazil from 2000 to 2005. We provided the ever growing Brazilian community and Americans with Brazilian ties the staples to make the dishes from their beloved country.

I opened the store to have access to the ingredients of the Brazilian cuisine, which at the time I was trying to master. It all started in 1995, when as a newly married woman, I needed to learn how to make some of the Brazilian dishes my new husband and his family were used to eating on weekends and holidays. I didn't even think that what a Brazilian would eat on Christmas would be different than an American, but as soon as I saw my husband's face when my family served jello salad as part of the Christmas meal . . .I knew I needed a crash course in Brazilian cuisine. And fast.

So, I called up my husband's mother, Anna Lucia, who was also my devoted partner and right hand in the Brazilian Cargo Company, and asked her if she would teach me the dishes of Brazil. She confessed that she was not the cook in the family, but that her mother, my husband's grandmother, "Dona" Ita would be happy to come teach me the dishes their family grew up making and enjoying.

Over the next few months, we cooked together, with me writing everything down and then practicing over and over . . .and of course over time, I got better and better. I knew I had really achieved some level of expertise when Dona Ita declared my Brazilian cooking to be better than most Brazilians she knew. That's when I proudly gave myself the title: "The Dona from Oklahoma."

That's also when I reached out to Laura O' Rourke, the owner of the awesome Culinary Center of Kansas City, as a way to promote the store . . .if I taught Kansas City how to make the dishes of Brazil, then they would need to come to my new shop to buy the ingredients. I am in Marketing, ya know.

(Um, see this guy in the blue shirt in this picture . . .that's Kurt Oetting, owner and founder of the now famous local catering company CHOP! who was the "culinary host" for my cooking classes back in the day. Look at Kurt serving my food!)

Laura was willing to take a chance on a newbie, and I taught several classes there with much success and I even had a few requests for private party classes, which I happily did on the side to earn extra money for the store. I loved teaching cooking classes. It was a kick. 

Many years passed, and I forgot how much fun it was to take classes and give classes at the Culinary Center . . .it had dropped off my radar screen. Life got in the way, and the store needed more attention than either Anna or I had time for with my new infant son, Dominic, now on the scene, so we sadly closed it and that chapter in our lives.

Imagine my surprise, when Laura calls me out of the blue (someone in her office found my blog) and asks me to teach a class, my old Brazilian Party Food class. I happily agreed and am proud to give you the details. (Just call the Culinary Center to register for a class.) If you never knew this place existed in KC, you need to. It is a wonderful resource for all home cooks and wanna-be Chef's.

BRAZILIAN PARTY FOOD
Get ready to party Brazilian style with “Table Hopping” columnist for Tastebud Magazine, former Brazilian Specialty Store owner and dedicated foodie. We’re happy to have Jenny back in the house teaching with us again!  The national dish of Brazil is a black bean, sausage and rice dish called “Feijoada Completa” and is prepared only on weekends or celebrations. We’ll also learn to make Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Queijo) Brazilian Rice, Manioc Meal with Butter and Egg (Farofa), Collard Greens (Couve), Vinaigrette Sauce, Passion Fruit Mousse (Maracuja) and Brazil’s most famous muddled lime and sugar cane rum drink, the Caipirinha, which you’ll learn to make the “right way”! We’ll also enjoy Guarana, a Brazilian soda pop made from berries picked in the Amazon jungle. (Tasting) Wed. 7/23/08 6:30-9:00 $50 Instructor: Jenny Vergara.

2008 Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition - Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 6:00 pm, The Uptown Theater.

Last Year, I attended the first annual Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition at The Uptown. I brought my ex-bartender husband to the event, along with my Foodie friends from Lawrence. After settling them into a table in the back, I partied with the crowd filled mostly with service industry professionals, who were attending and/or competing in this event. Yep, if it is on a Sunday night, you know it is filled with industry folk. I was among my restaurant peeps. Word!

With last year being the first year of this event, I wasn't sure what to wear or what to expect. It was basically like a combination of one of those Sunday afternoon food competition shows on Food Network, mixed with a rock concert. Only this event was a really cool cocktail competition, and the bands were awesome local hot shots. I later referred to it as a: "competitive cocktail-licious concert". It is certainly a youth movement event, with different hipsters from different restaurants camped out in the crowd cheering on their home team bartender. I wasn't sure what drew the bigger crowd last year, the bartending event, the delicious free food from local restaurants or the bands that played afterwards. It was all good.

As for the competition, each of the twelve finalist last year were asked to make their signature cocktail under a certain time limit, then they described it as each of the judges tasted the drink and they were rated. Then they were subjected to some pretty basic cocktail trivia questions they had to answer. Last year, there were 100 entries and 12 finalists that represented some real heavy hitters in the local restaurant scene: Bar Natasha, M&S Grill, VooDoo Lounge, JJ's, Morton's, Bluestem, Potpie, JP Wine Bar, Thai Place, 1924 Main, City Tavern and The Drop. Last year's grand prize winner was David Smuckler of Morton's, who walked away with $1,000 and his recipe published in Cheers magazine.

I thought that the panel of judges really gave an air of creditability to the competition, as they were taking the event serious, but not too serious. Of course, neither were the contestants, which was obvious when Potpie's bartender wore overalls and no shirt, and at one point pulled a flask out of his back pocket to add a special ingredient to his cocktail as he competed on stage. Then there was the antics of the bartender from The Drop who pulled a stunt at the end of making his drink that rivaled the Bobby Flay standing on the cutting board moment on Iron Chef, offending his competitor Iron Chef Morimoto.

This event is the love child of Ryan Maybee and Doug Frost. Ryan is an Owner/Sommelier of JP's Wine Bar and a mean Mixologist himself. He is soon to be responsible for a new bar downtown called Manifesto which is going to be serving old school cocktails with new school flavors. Doug Frost, well, he is an international wine expert, consultant and writer as well the Wine Zen Master to the Sommeliers of tomorrow. If you meet someone in Kansas City who is wicked smart about wine, see how many degrees of separation that person is from Doug Frost, usually only 1 to 2 degrees. We are lucky Doug Frost calls Kansas City home.

The event is put on for charity benefiting the HALO Foundation and at last year’s inaugural event, they raised nearly $8000 for the HALO Foundation. But as important as raising the money for charity was the goal was to “raise the bar” for the art of mixology in Kansas City. A lofty and important goal, my friends.

Dale “King Cocktail” Degroff will be the celebrity guest judge this year, along with Ryan, Doug and Lisa Burgess.  Dale is one of the most revered experts in his field, and authored the book “The Craft of the Cocktail”.  Lisa Burgess is a local expert in the restaurant and bar community. 

This year your $20 ticket price will include not only front row seats to the bartending competition, but also live music from 2 local bands, a DJ, a flair demonstration by the Angel’s Rock Bar bartenders, and food catered from Jp Wine Bar, JJ’s, The Drop, and Makers Mark Bourbon House. 

Quixotic - Esoterra Show, Thursday June 26, 2008 and Friday June 27, 2008 8:00 pm at The Uptown Theater.

Okay, so honestly there is nothing truly Foodie, in the strict sense of the word, about this event. Not unless you count feeding your soul as a Foodie activity, like I do. This little local troupe of artists feeds me in powerful ways, and gives me such hope for the future of performance art in Kansas City, along with all of the other, more traditional, art genres this city has to offer.

Quixotic means: Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality. Yes, I want to be that . . . I want to support that kind of frivolity in myself and in KC.

I am one of the many in Kansas City who supports, protects, and champions this troupe; I am a sponsor, a benefactor and a regular customer. I am a patron of the art this troupe delivers with their impressive aerial feats and beautiful and whimsical costumes and choreography.

Every time I see the name Quixotic attached to any event, I buy tickets because I know it is going to be a good show and I know it is going to sell out. I even spent my New Years Eve night this year at Harrah's Casino at the VooDoo Lounge just to catch another live performance of this talented, local theatrical troupe. They never have put on anything less than a spectacular performance.

For a taste of our very own local Cirque du Soleil, buy your tickets now before we lose this talented team to bigger venues and larger cities. If you have never been Quixotic, there is no time like the present.

Have a tasty Summer. There is so much to sink your teeth into. Enjoy!

2007 U.S. Foodie Tour

In 2007, at the start of my Foodie adventure, I went on my own private U.S. Foodie Tour. I had frequent flier miles left over from my previous corporate gig and I wanted to use them to travel and do something to signify the start of my new interest in food. However, my funds were limited so I had to get creative about where I could go and what would be important to see.

I did some research and discovered that many of the cities that I had a couch to crash on, also had significant food events that were FREE to attend. So, I got out my calendar and mapped out the 6 different "Taste of Insert Your City Here" food and wine events I would be attending. I decided to use these events to see if I really could indeed get a "taste" of each city.

The cities were picked based on nothing more than if I had a friend/relative in each city I could stay with to avoid hotel costs. My plane rides were free, and I had cab fare and eating/drinking money, so I mailed each event asking for a press pass using my Tastebud Magazine Table Hopping credentials. The passes just started rolling in.

I attended the Taste of KC, Taste of Chicago, Taste of Dallas, Bite of Seattle, Taste of Colorado and finally the Taste of St. Louis. I was on the road at least once a month with one of these events from April - September 2007.

I learned so much about myself and food on those trips. I learned what I knew about food and wine, and what I didn't know. That was the most humbling realization and fueled the fire to learn more and push myself further along this path. It is the reason I chose to call this blog - The Making of a Foodie.

The Taste of KC was held at Harrah's last year and was sponsored by The Pitch. It was like an Iron Chef Battle between local hotel and casino chefs, and did little to capture my interest or imagination. However, I did get a chance to meet Eddie Crane, Josh and Abby Jo Eans at the event, the owners of The Drop and Blanc Burgers + Bottles who were providing their excellent food for the event. They really made this event for me, as not much else did.

Next, it was time to get out my suitcase. Before I would step on a plane, I used Chowhound to post and ask local Foodies in each city what I should eat at the festival in order to get a "taste" of their city's food roots or current food scene. The second thing I asked was if they believed I could get a "taste" of their city while attending events called "Taste of . . .", and if not, then what restaurants should I seek out to get a taste of the food their city was built on. I approached these trips like book reports and did my homework before I went.

The answers I received to my posts were interesting and unexpected. Some cities really wanted to take on the challenge and help me taste their city, and some wanted to complain that I had picked the wrong event to really sample the best cuisine their city had to offer. Some posters had no idea what one should taste when visiting their city.

My question seemed to touch on something that many of the Foodies on Chowhound may have not have ever considered about their own city - what does one eat to taste the food of their city?

I starting placing these posts on Chowhound after I did the Taste of Chicago, which was one of the first and largest events I attended. I traveled to Chicago by myself and roamed the event in search of what would give me a "Taste of Chicago." That's when I decided just to stop and ask the locals what they would recommend.

After stopping several groups I was given this short list of things to eat to Taste Chicago:
1 - Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza
2 - Chicago-style Hot Dogs
3 - Italian Beef Sandwich

This is not fancy food, this is food that came from the large immigrant population and workforce that flowed from the port into the Windy City. It is food that all Chicagoan's know and call their own. So, I ate it, and it was good. And I realized that working class food, or comfort food is what points to the immigrant population that has most impacted a city's culinary roots. America, as we all know, is the ultimate melting pot . . .and that goes for our food as well.

I did eat a lovely sashimi dinner one night at Japonais where I was one on one with their head sushi chef as I was seated in front of his station. I ended up here after calling fruitlessly to get a last minute seating for one at Alinea, Topolobampo, Blackbird and Avec.

When I came home from Chicago, I did my postings on Chowhound to ask for recommendations in Dallas, Seattle, Colorado and St. Louis.

Next, I attended the Taste of Dallas, where I was directed by Chowhounders in DFW to go eat: Texas BBQ, Country Cookin' or Tex Mex food . . .or really any dish involving lots and lots of meat, preferably BEEF.

This is food that came from the men out on the ranges herding cattle and eating trail food and from the Mexicans that moved across the border into Texas that influenced their cuisine. I dutifully obliged and ate BBQ beef, prime rib beef sandwich, soft tortillas filled with tender pork and finally fried chicken and mashed potatoes from the most beloved Babe's Chicken Dinner House. I even had a bite of a frito chili pie . . .which no matter how old you get still tastes nostalgic and comforting.

I went back to Dallas later in the summer and enjoyed a wonderful dinner at York Street and the best tacos I have ever had at Fuel City.

From there I attended the Bite of Seattle, where the Seattle Chowhounders suggested I eat at Chef Tom Douglas, Seattle's most well-known restaurateur's, upscale culinary booth. (Chef Tom hosts a FOODIE tasting within the bigger event that one can experience for an additional price.) They also suggested anything the Indians would have eaten such as corn, fresh salmon and berries and finally any Asian food booth . . . and there were plenty to choose from: Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian etc. Heck, I walked around this event drinking fresh coconut juice straight from a coconut. Unforgettable.

Seattle's food scene seems to come from what the Asian population has brought with them and their access to fresh fish and the desire to buy local, eat local . . .fresh and in season whatever the land gives you, much like the Indians. I read an article last year that said the Northwest might be the only region in the US that can claim to have it's own distinctive regional cuisine.

As you can see from the photo gallery on the side of this blog, the other culinary high point of this trip was spending time with my favorite Aunt eating at restaurants I had only read about in Food & Wine Magazine. Sitka & Spruce and Lark were our dinner choices, after we tried twice to get into Elemental at The Gasworks only to be turned away as they were full both nights at 5 pm.

Then, I headed to Taste of Colorado in Denver over Labor Day weekend, and although the festival was impressive and large, I found very little to eat and enjoy that I would say came close to representing the cuisine of Colorado. Lots of funnel cakes, corn dogs and candied nuts . . .when I was looking for local corn, green chili sauce and succulent grilled lamb. However, I also had one of the best dining experiences of my life at the stand out restaurant in Boulder called Frasca Food and Wine. This restaurant experience alone, and meeting the person who recommended it to me, made the trip more than worthwhile from a personal and culinary standpoint. Imagine the smile on my face when I saw Jerry Shriver of USA Today in December of 2007 name Frasca - "The best meal of the year."  I ate there, I thought. I've had the best meal of the year.

Finally, I completed my trips with the Taste of St. Louis. My posting on Chowhound brought back some very interesting and thoughtful comments. I was told by bobzemunda (AKA Bill Burge, food writer  extraordinaire from St. Louis and contributor to one of my favorite food magazines Sauce.)  to eat the following to taste St. Louis:

1 - American Lager aka Budweiser
2 - Toasted Ravioli
3 - Gooey Butter Cake
4 - Slinger - eggs, home fries, and a hamburger patty all covered in chili and topped with cheese
5 - Pork Steaks - cut from the pork shoulder blade
6 - St. Louis style pizza - Cracker style thin crust pizza with provel cheese
7 - St. Paul Sandwich - an egg foo young patty with bean sprouts and white onions, dill pickle slices, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, and Wonder Bread.

This list is interesting because it is all items that originated in St. Louis. There were only three I did not find or taste while I was in St. Louis, they were the Slinger, Pork Steaks and St. Paul Sandwich. I don't think my stomach was up to the challenge, but next time I am in St. Louis . . .watch out, I plan to finish the list.

All of the comfort food items recommended to me were really not so different in terms of influence from the many delicious "fancy" restaurants, many Chowhound posters thought I should be eating at to get a taste of their city's best cuisine. These upscale restaurants serve food that usually comes from some specific influence in the Chef's background, his education, his ingredients, his interests or his experiences. French, Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese . . .heck even California, I suppose, could be listed. Fusion cuisine comes from melding two or more of these influences together.  It is still an outside culture bringing their cooking style and cuisine to America. After all, aren't we all considered immigrants to this land?  Unless, of course, you are an American Indian.

So, perhaps the bigger question is what should you eat to get a "Taste of America?" I think my answer to that would be to eat it all . . .every cuisine from every culture that has landed in America and call it ours. Because it is us, it is food we brought from our countries of origin to America. We are the land of opportunity . . .opportunity to eat and enjoy a bounty of foods from the many cultures that have come to this country.

So, the next question should be why we, as Americans, are obsessed with whether the ethnic cuisine we are eating are authentically prepared, or if they have been dumbed down to suit the American palate. Our ancestors brought these recipes here, and then they were passed down through generations and added to and substitutions were made for what was available and in season . . .and then they dipped it in corn meal batter and deep fat fried it and put it on a stick. (Just kidding.)

Seriously, I wonder why we, as a nation, give our collective palate so little culinary street cred? We eat food from all over the international UN buffet in this country. So, why are we so obsessed that we might be getting the ethnic wool pulled over our eyes or our stomachs? 

Of course, I say this having represented Brazilian cuisine in Kansas City for the 5 years I owned the Brazilian Cargo Company, and I had plenty of Americans come into the store and ask the most navel gazing questions about the food of Brazil. But as an American, I wanted to educate them about the food. To teach them what I knew about it, so they could move in the world with some level of confidence and understanding about a cuisine from a different land. We all have to start our Foodie journey somewhere.

Mine, started last year, on this U.S. Foodie Tour . . .but it was less about the cities I traveled to and even about the food I ate along the way.

What made these trips memorable were the people I met who shared similar interests and passions.  The ones on Chowhound who offered to meet me in St. Louis and show me around, the ones I did meet for a drink at Frasca in Boulder, the friends and family members I spent time with and reconnected with after a long time in Dallas and Seattle, and getting the opportunity to interview the lovely and down to earth, Chef Cat Cora at the Taste of Colorado. We talked about health and diet advice, her role as the only female Iron Chef on Food Network, her new restaurant concept (Global BBQ) and she shared tips on how I could get my son to eat a larger variety of foods based on her parenting experiences. And the last person I met who made an impact on me, was a quiet guy who was standing on the Pier in Chicago on July 3rd with me watching the fireworks who was from Cuba and eating his first burrito since coming to the US.

I guess our American food can also impact those from other countries coming here for the first time. Life is a journey, and I am so glad I took this one.

 

Do Foodies get to have Roadies? Or Groupies?

Below are the foodie events that I have attended or am making a point to attend this year. Most of them are new events for me, that is to say it will be my first time. The food festivals I chose were ones specifically hosted by local restaurants as a way to showcase their food, as that is where my current interest lies. I also chose ones where I could afford to travel to and usually had a place to stay once I got there.

The original idea behind attending these food festivals was three-fold:
o To learn more about the restaurants, food and wine trends in this country.
o To gain press credentials to give me access to the chefs for interviews etc.
o To potentially meet and impress the folks from Food Network sent to cover these types of events.

Kansas City is now being nationally recognized for our sheer numbers of fairs and festivals. Check out this article from the Kansas City Star regarding our ranking as the city with the third most festivals each year. Columbus, OH is number 1 and Austin, TX is number 2. Columbus, OH number 1? REALLY?

If you have suggestions on where or what I should be attending, please email them to me at tablehopping@gmail.com. Looking forward to seeing you at some of these table-hopping events.

APRIL 2007

April 15, 2007 - Giada De Laurentiis, Cookbook Signing
Unity Temple on the Plaza – Kansas City, MO
Girlfriend had two tickets and invited me to go, met Jasper Mirabile, Jr.

April 15, 2007 - Cooking with Suba, Indian Cooking Class
Michael Ong’s House – Kansas City, MO
Suba is a good friend who is teaching Indian cooking classes.

April 20, 2007 - Party at The Wine Bar at Lukas Liquor
Lukas Liquor 136th & Stateline Rd. – Kansas City, MO
Met Chef Terry Barkley who is the new Executive chef at the Wine Bar and the original culinary chef of Nara’s restaurant.

May 2007

May 3, 2007 - Forks & Corks, a benefit to raise money for Harvester’s Food Bank.
Grand Ballroom of the new Convention Center – Kansas City, MO
Bought $75 ticket to see some of the cities finest restaurants serve small plates and sampled local wine.

May 4, 2007 - Interview with Jasper Mirabile, Jr. for Tastebud Magazine
Jasper’s 103rd & Stateline Rd. – Kansas City, MO
Met with Jasper on behalf of Tastebud on Slow Food and sampled some of his delicious cooking.

May 9, 2007 - ODV Wine Club, Wine Tasting Event
Cellar Rat at 1701 Baltimore - Kansas City, MO
Attended Wine Tasting Event for $21, just a wonderful wine shop in downtown.

May 15, 2007 - Eclectic Eats, Em Chamas at the Downtown Central Library
14 W. 10th Street – Kansas City, MO
FREE. Hosted by Charles Ferruzza of The Pitch

May 17, 2007- Taste of KC, hosted by The Pitch
Harrah’s Casino – Kansas City, MO
Bought a $20 ticket to attend what used to be called the Iron Fork to watch local chefs battle with over 15 different food booths by local KC restaurants.

May 19, 2007 - Dinner at Chef Robert and Molly Krause’s House in Lawrence
917 Delaware, Lawrence, KS
Invited by local Lawrence foodie crew to attend this dinner.

May 22, 2007 - Eclectic Eats, Blue Nile at the Downtown Central Library
14 W. 10th Street – Kansas City, MO
FREE.

May 29, 2007 - Eclectic Eats, Tasso’s at the Downtown Central Library
14 W. 10th Street – Kansas City, MO
FREE.

June 2007

June 8-10, 2007 - Festa Italiana
Zona Rosa, I-29 & Barry Rd., Kansas City, MO
FREE. Another longtime Kansas City tradition, Festa Italiana debuts at Zona Rosa bringing a popular local family event to the Northland. This once-a-year celebration will transform Zona Rosa to all things Italian and will feature food booths, a beer garden, vendors, live Italian music, dancers and more.

June 20, 2007 - The Drop - Foodie Experiece
409 East 31st Street, Kansas City, MO
A gathering of local "underground" foodies to taste what one of my favorite restaurants has to offer. An opportunity for me to meet other local foodies in Kansas City.

July 2007

June 29 – July 8, 2007 - Taste of Chicago
Grant Park, Chicago, IL
The world’s largest FREE food festival with over 70 different food booths by local Chicago restaurants.

July 13-16, 2007 - Taste of Dallas
Historic West End, Dallas, TX
The largest FREE food festival in Texas with over 40 different food booths by local Dallas restaurants.

July 20-22, 2007 - Bite of Seattle
Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
The Northwest’s premier FREE food festival with over 60 different food booths by local Seattle restaurants.

August 2007

August 12, 2007 - 2007 Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition benefitting the Halo Foundation.
Uptown Theater, Kansas City, MO
Bartenders from all of best restaurants will be competing to see who has the most creative and original cocktail recipe.

August 17-19, 2007- Ethnic Enrichment Festival
Swope Park, Kansas City, MO
My favorite hometown food festival with over 40 different food booths, representing foods from all over the world.

August 31 – Sept. 3, 2007 - Taste of Colorado
Civic Center Park, Denver, CO
FREE. The Taste of Colorado has over 50 different food booths by local Denver restaurants.

September 2007

Sept. 1-Oct. 14, 2007 - Kansas City Renaissance Festival
Bonner Springs, KS
A 16th-century English marketplace comes to life for seven weekends amid a beautiful wooded setting. Entertainment includes fair damsels, jousting knights, sorcerers, artisans, craftsmen, dancers, musicians, cooks, jesters and royalty—all in authentic and colorful costumes.

Sept. 21-23, 2007 - Taste of St. Louis
Gateway Mall, St. Louis, MO
FREE. The Taste of St. Louis has over 30 different food booths by local St. Louis restaurants.

October 2007

Oct. 4-7, 2007 - The American Royal Barbecue
American Royal Complex, Kansas City, MO
The American Royal Barbecue is the opening event of the American Royal and the season finale for the competitive circuit. Spreading over 20 acres in Kansas City’s historic Stockyards District, and with nearly 500 teams competing in four culinary contests, The Royal is the largest barbecue contest in the world.