The Making of a Foodie

McLain's Bakery: A New Home for an Old Friend!

When I moved to Kansas City in 1991, I lived with my Grandmother Betty. She was my Dad's step-mother, and when I graduated from college, she placed a phone call to my Dad, inviting me to stop by and stay with her in Kansas City. (I was supposed to be on my way to New York to work at a big advertising firm.) She encouraged my Dad to have me stay with her a couple of weeks before moving on to NYC, you know, just to see if KC might be a place I wanted to stay and put down roots. My Dad was floored by her offer and told me so. He explained that Betty never really had displayed much patience for us kids, as she had never had children of her own. Intrigued by her offer, and anxious to get out of Oklahoma and on my path, I headed out the following week and stayed with Betty in Kansas City. I immediately felt at ease with her and after living with her for only two weeks, I was suddenly sending out resumes to find a job in Kansas City. The rest is history, I did put down roots here, and 20 years later I still call KC home.

My Grandma Betty was a career girl, an accountant at the TWA corporate office downtown for over 20 years. (She he worked in the building with the TWA rocket on the top of it in the Crossroads, now the home of Barkley Advertising.) She married my Grandfather Bill after my Dad was born and his first wife died giving birth to my Dad, and Betty had no children of her own. She was a Pisces, like me. She smoked a lot and drank a little. She enjoyed eating well, and going out to restaurants. After Grandpa Bill died she taught herself how to drive a car so she could get around. She lived frugally, but never cheap. She spoke up and said what was on her mind. She scolded me with humor. She told the best dirty jokes in the world. She was a one-of- a-kind, and she needed me in the final years of her life. She was lonely and looking for someone to be there for her, when she needed it. What I didn't realize at the time, was how much I needed her, too. I needed her workplace wisdom, as I was starting my career. I needed her financial discipline, as I was opening my first bank account and learning to manage my finances. I needed her advice on men and love and sex, as I was just starting to date in Kansas City. Her best sex tip for me came after I got married. She gave me her large and luxurious fur collection. She gave me coats, capes, drapes, shawls of every fur imaginable, all with her initials embroidered on the inside of them. They were given to me with this word of advice: "I don't think you can actually wear these furs on the streets these days. I know it is not considered PC anymore to wear them, but if things ever get a little stale in the bedroom, dear . . .simply wrap yourself in one of these furs wearing nothing but a smile and his favorite perfume." I loved her. She loved me.

One of the rituals I watched Betty do every week, that first year I lived with her, was she would pick up the phone on Thursday and place her order for a dozen pecan rolls to be picked up on Saturday from McLain's Bakery just down the street. She liked to have a pecan roll with her coffee each morning for breakfast. If it was a special occasion, she would also order a dozen chocolate cup cookies from McLain's Bakery. They were her favorite and became mine too. They are basically a pecan sandie with a dollop of chocolate frosting on top of them. Every Saturday, I was dispatched from the house with cash in my hand to collect her order of pecan rolls from McLain's Bakery. I thought this practice was so quaint at the time. I had no idea people still visited these types of shops for their foodstuff, when I was coming straight out of college. I was used to shopping for EVERYTHING at large Wal-Mart SuperCenters. One look at the shop, one taste of the things that they made in there and it was clear that this was an old-fashioned bakery. By today's standards, it still is. There are no French macarons in rainbow colors, no adorable cupcakes with glitter on them and no donuts with maple frosting and bacon sprinkles to be had at McLain's. This place was, and still is old school, in the best possible way.

Flash forward to today . . . the couple that owns Grand St. Cafe recently purchased the old McLain's Bakery, moving it from Wornall it to a much prettier location at 210 E. Gregory Street. The space is rustic, but warm. It has views from the dining room of their giant pastry production kitchen, which is visible behind glass. There is a counter where all of the same delicious favorites are still for sale. The old fan favorites sit next to some newer pastry options, that I suspect will continue to enter the mix as the customers will allow. There are large tables scattered about, and they are serving The Roasterie Kansas City Air Roasted Coffee and Shatto Milk Company milk to enjoy with a pastry of your choice.

I ordered a smattering of old and new favorites to take home with me, and as I stopped to take a picture of the inside of the space I noticed Test Kitchen alumni and Executive Chef of Grand Street, Aaron Cross Wells-Morgan sitting with pastry chef and long time friend Amy Berlau. I watch them for a minute as they both sat strategizing the future of the bakery, and I realized I have nothing to worry about. My Grandmother Betty's McLain's Bakery is in really excellent hands.

 

Julian's Patio: On a perfect day, there is nothing better.

When you have a restaurant in Brookside as small as Chef Celina Tio's, JULIAN, a large, well-appointed, well-positioned, 3-season patio can make or break your your entire year. A patio can double your seating, and when the weather is nice, like it is today, there is nothing better. It literally can print money for you, when the weather is on your side.

Today, I was running errands when I rolled down my window and realized what a gorgeous day it was. I had been craving a good burger since July 4th, and on the recommendation of my burger sensi, Paul M Ingold, I decided to hit the patio at JULIAN for one of Celina's burgers.

Say whatever you want . . .there is always that one perfect burger that you enjoy every single bite of each summer. Today, I found my own personal Jesus in Celina's cheeseburger.

I could not have been more satisfied. I ordered my burger with cheddar and grilled onions. I had them cook it medium rare. The juices from the burger came running out of it and onto my chin, plate, t-shirt. It came on a soft brioche bun with house made french fries and homemade ketchup. Do you guys have any idea how much time it takes to make housemade ketchup? Forever . . .and then some. Celina's was delicious . . .as was my entire lunch. That lovely, drowsy feeling of satisfaction and utter bliss after a nice burger on a pretty patio on a gorgeous day.

Summer is for taking days like today and acting like a European . . .so go and enjoy lunch al fresco on the patio of your favorite lunch spot. Take total advantage of this weather while it is here, my friends. Fall is lurking right around the corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fervere Cheese Slipper Saturdays, define summers on the Westside

Living on the Westside of Kansas City, I can tell you that everyone looks forward to Fervere Cheese Slipper Saturdays. They are an easy and delicious Saturday night solution to take to the patio or rooftop and eat with a green salad and a bottle of wine, which is exactly what I did this Saturday night. We left the house about 5:15 pm enjoying the gorgeous weather and the short one block walk to our destination. When we arrived at Fervere we found only a handful of people in line, and took our place in line behind them, knowing we had about a 30 minute wait ahead of us. Doors opened at 6 pm. We felt lucky to have gotten there so quickly, and so close to the front of the line.

He was dispatched for thirst quenching house made soda's from Little Freshie, which he brought back to me. I was left behind to continue to stake our claim in the ever growing line. The delicious Ginger Fizz and Root Beer soda's from Little Freshie hit the spot, and we watch as the line starts to snake down the block for almost a block. We notice Chef Brian Archibald take his place in the line, and we see darling Taylor Triano duck around the corner seeming to head to the back of the cheese slipper line or back to her car, we weren't quite sure as we lose sight of her in the crowd that's gathering.

We allow the first woman in line to become the spokesperson of this Saturday night Cheese Slipper flash mob. We listen as she patiently explains over and over to the younger couples headed to Novel Restaurant, and to the older couples headed in to blue bird bistro for an early dinner before a show at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts why we are all standing in line outside of a bakery. She does a nice job of representing the neighborhood, while at the same time inviting the couples to come back next weekend for Cheese Slippers . . .all the while carefully minding her place in line.

Suddenly, the door swings open and a couple of typed menus are handed out the door to our leader, the first lady in line. These are to be looked over, decisions made, and then passed behind to the next in line. They want you coming through the door knowing what you want to order to keep the line moving fast. The list this week appears to have 2 old favorites and 2 new ones. The toppings on the Cheese Slippers change depending on what is in season at the Farmer's Market.

Saturday we were treated to the following Cheese Slipper options:
• egg : garlic : cheese curd
• Good Acres heirloom tomato : basil : garlic
• herbed polenta : Crum's Heirlooms cherry tomato : Wakarusa Valley Farm mushrooms
• Missouri Freestone peach : sweet corn : roasted bell & banana pepper : Green Dirt Farm Tuffet : cilantro

The people who don't look at the list have either already been on Facebook and made up their mind after looking at the pictures of the Cheese Slippers of the week, or they already know they are just going to get one of each of them to take home. There are no tables, this is a to-go only operations. Each slipper is $8 and they accept cash or credit cards.

Suddenly, at 6 pm on the dot the door flings open and we all file in single file. Cheese Slippers are leaving the bakery 4 at a time as each person gets one of each, or some selection of 4. There is a man at the pizza oven, ready to shove in an egg slipper whenever the order takers yell for one. They take a bit longer to prepare, but they are delicious and well worth the wait.

Finally, it is our turn and we order two Heirloom Tomato Cheese Slippers, one for us and one for our friend, Paul M Ingold, who was working that night and wondered if we could snag him one for his supper. Of course, what are friends for! The other two we ordered were the Herbed Polenta and the other Missouri Firestone Peach.

We were in and out of the bakery in a matter of minutes carefully balancing our four golden eggs, gleeful to be headed home to devour them for our dinner. They did not disappoint. One was better than the next one, and it was impossible to pick a favorite.

If you haven't you must . . .stand in line at Fervere for a Cheese Slipper this summer. They are a seasonal delight that will be gone by Labor Day. You have 5 more chances to go and enjoy these darling delights. Go!

 

Preservation Market: How could something so good be so misunderstood?

I'd like to think that during my years as a full-time Foodie, I have learned a thing or two about restaurants, their operations and openings. But, I stand before you today, willing to admit to you . . .I had Bridger's Bottle Shop and Preservation Market brought to you by Chef Alex Pope's Local Pig completely and totally backwards in my mind. And if I was confused about what this concept is, I am almost positive that some of you might be, as well. So, I'd like to take this opportunity do a little myth-busting, based on my recent lunch here, if for no other reason than to help you immediately find yourself at their door for lunch, dinner or Happy Hour. I mean, like, pronto . . .no, right now, you have to go.

MYTH #1: Bridger's Bottle Shop is a beer bar in Westport, first and foremost, with hundreds of beers on tap or in coolers you can take to-go that GM & cicerone Erica Pyles has carefully selected for you.

TRUTH: Kinda TRUE, but mostly FALSE. I would tell you this place is more of a restaurant than a beer bar, although if you just wanted to come and just drink here they would be tickled pink if you would. There is no bar to sit and drink at here. No bartender, either. In fact, there are only a select few beers on tap. What they do have are massive coolers well-marked above with the style of craft beer that is kept in each one, so you don't have to hunt and peck for a new IPA or Porter to try. Why hasn't someone thought to do this at the liquor stores, I ask you. It is the best way to shop for craft beer. Erica Pyles has done a great job with the beer selections here, as well.

MYTH #2: Preservation Market is simply a small counter inside of Bridger's Bottle Shop where you can come and grab some meats, pickles and meat butter to-go like you do at the Local Pig, and additionally you can get a sandwich like you can at Pigwich.

TRUTH: FALSE. This place definitely feels more like a casual restaurant that has an awesome beer selection. It looks like a restaurant. It has a kitchen. It is set up to work like a quick-casual restaurant with a kitchen talking up a large portion of the space and a dining room with tables and chairs scattered throughout the space. This place SHOULD be called Preservation Market with Bridger's Bottle Shop inside, not the other way around. Beer sales may make up the most of income generated here, but Preservation Market makes up most of the square footage. EAT AND DRINK here.

MYTH #3: The food served at Preservation Market is simply the same Pigwich sandwiches you can get in the East Bottoms with a charcuterie plate thrown in to go with the beer you are drinking.

TRUTH: FALSE. This menu offers a much more upscale menu with a selection of light and creative salads and sandwiches for $9 with your choice of barley salad, chips or cornbread as a side. There is a lighter more refined touch to the food here, it is fresh, inventive and totally craveable. The trick is just deciding which beer you want to drink with each delicious item. Oh, and there is also a killer charcuterie board available to share. That much is true.

MYTH #4: Bridger's Bottle Shop and Preservation Market have table service and servers coming around to take your order.

TRUTH: FALSE. When you walk into to Bridger's Bottle Shop it is not immediately clear how the process works, but once you look around it makes total sense. There are two cash registers at the counter in front of you with a chalkboard menu of food items above that you can read and make your selection from. There are beer coolers to your right where you can pick out the beer you want to drink. Collect your frothy beer beverage from the cooler and head to the cash register and place your order for any food items you might want. Pay for all of your items at this time. If you ordered food, they will give you a number that you can take with you to any table you choose. They will bring the food out to you when it is ready. Want more food or beer? Rinse. Repeat.

MYTH #5: Bridger's Bottle Shop and Preservation Market is not a good place to go with a group of friends or family.

TRUTH: FALSE. With plenty of tables and chairs that can push together for your flock of friends, a huge beer selection with something for everyone and a shareable charcuterie plate . . .plus there is the opportunity for each person to order at the counter and pay for their own drinks, allowing for no awkward check splitting at the end . . .it might just be the perfect place to bring your friends.

There, you have now been schooled. Don't let my confusion be yours, get into Preservation Market today.

 

 

 

 

Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market: 2 cute 2 miss!

Owner, Antoinette Barbieri Spohn, and her husband Christopher, had been traveling back to Kansas City from California for years to visit her family in North KC. So, when the couple started talking about opening an Italian Market & Deli, they knew Kansas City would be the right place to build their dream. They had roots and they had family here. The building, originally a warehouse used by Piggly Wiggly Markets, is a historical space that has been arranged in a such a way that it makes you feel like an Italian market has always existed in that space. Big long wooden family style tables are situated in front of smaller 2-top bistro tables to sit and enjoy along with a pretty outdoor patio. It is adorable, and a tasty place to land for a sit down lunch or just take something to grab and go.

Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market opens for lunch at 11 pm. You order at the counter, next to deli cases overflowing with various Italian meats, cheeses, salads and pastas all ready to be dished out. Then they hand you a number, and bring your food and beverage out to your table when it is ready. There is a full bar area, serving wine, beer and cocktails with TV's that are playing the World Cup games at the moment. A gelato counter rounds out the dessert selection. The market is basically scattered across the entire space, from the deli counter to the dry goods, they have a nice selection of authentic Italian food items for sale.

Pezzettino, which means “small bites” in Italian, lives up to it's name at happy hour with antipasto and a few dinner items from 4 pm - 7:30 pm. The couple has hired local KC Chef Tomas Digregorio as the Executive Chef at Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market. Chef Doug Miller is the Sous Chef.

If you live or work anywhere close to this part of the Crossroads, just walk down someday for lunch or meet a friend for happy hour. This place is 2 cute 2 miss. — at Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market.

 

A lazy woman's guide to ice cream . . .I had Uber deliver it to me.

I am all about alternative business models, being a bit of one, myself. So, it should come as no surprise, as someone who likes to go out to eat, meet friends, take in a concert and basically enjoy my city it is nice to have a car service that actually picks you up (when they say they are going to) and delivers you home safe and in one piece for a reasonable amount of time and money. Before Uber, these had not been my experiences with car services in Kansas City. Face it. We are not a taxi cab kind of town.

So when I got an email from Uber saying that they would deliver 5 different kinds of ice cream to wherever I was today between 11 am - 5 pm, I thought . . .Why not? Who doesn't love ice cream? It is summer after all, and frankly I was curious as to how it would would all work.

Simply use your Uber app and hit the button that says ice cream at the bottom of your main screen. It will show your current address to confirm that is where you want it delivered and then you hit confirm and a Uber driver (or so I thought) is dispatched to your address.

When the Uber app announced that they were at my doorstep, I ran downstairs to meet them. That's when I realized they had brought an ice cream truck to make their delivery. Right behind them, pulled a silver car, which I assumed was my Uber driver that had accompanied the ice cream trucks they hired for the day to my door. I headed for the driver of the silver car who was coming around towards me, while talking to the driver of the ice cream truck. They definitely seemed to be on the same team.

I held out my hand and introduced myself, as the woman's face changed to confusion, she extended her hand none the less and I shook it. I said to her, "Thanks for coming, this is such a cool idea." She looked at me blankly, so I tried again, "So, how does this work, what do you need?"

She then said, "Oh, I am just here to get some ice cream, same as you." That's when she headed back to her car to pull out some swag or paperwork or something for me.

At that moment, a perky brunette jumped down out of the ice cream truck with a pair of hot pink sunglasses that said UBER on them and a t-shirt that had Uber's logo on it and said: "Hi Jenny, I am from Uber and your ice cream has arrived."

THAT'S when I realized, the woman I had introduced myself to in the silver car . . .was not with Uber at all. She was simply a harried Mom with all of her kids in the back seat, all of whom were demanding ice cream from the ice cream truck. She was disappointed when the Uber rep explained to her that they weren't a real ice cream truck that they were with Uber and you had to order the truck from the app to get ice cream . . .the woman (and her kids) quickly apologized and drove away.

I should have offered to by them some ice cream, but they were gone before I even knew what was going on.

Lady, wherever you are . . .I owe you and your kids some ice cream.