by Sharm | Dec 17, 2010 | Articles
Have cupcakes will travel
Meet Simonie Wilson owner of 3 girls cupcakes, Kansas City’s first mobile cupcakery. While on a visit to Nashville in October of 09, Simonie noticed many cupcake shops and one of them offered curbside service. The idea of a mobile cupcake truck popped into her head and 3 Girls Cupcakes was born.
Up at 4:00 am you will find Simonie baking away at her commercial kitchen in Liberty and then it is off for the day to make deliveries and sales.
Simonie’s route is mostly in the downtown area, you can find her in Westport, The Crossroads District, Crown Center and everywhere in between. Currently her route goes as far south as 91st and Stateline, NKC and Riverside, but is based on demand, so give her a call! She even does drive by’s and deliveries.
That is where I caught up with her. I have been aware of this mobile cupcakery for quite some time but have not written about it just because I had not had the chance to try a cupcake. I had been in communication with Simonie about wanting to get my hands on some of those sweet gems, but did not have time to go downtown just for a cupcake. She sent me a message one day letting me know she would be in my area and we could meet!
The timing was perfect; it was the day before Thanksgiving so I placed my order and checked dessert off my list. I got half-dozen cupcakes 2 red velvet, 2 pumpkin, and 2 vanilla. They were all topped off with some of the best icing I have ever tasted. When I asked her the secret behind her icing, she told me that although she could not reveal any secrets, it is from an old family recipe that she has perfected. The cupcakes are moist and decorated with handmade candy.
3 GirlsCupcakes is a family business, and the three girls are her daughters. They help by labeling boxes, stamping bags and lending a hand at festivals and farmer’s markets. Ten percent of all sales go to local children’s charities on a quarterly basis, and they are constantly donating cupcakes and gift certificates for good causes around the city as well.
A daily schedule of times, flavors, ordering and delivery information is available at the 3 Girls website and on their facebook page. You can also call: 816-813-6999
If you have a great food find in KC you think I am missing, email me.
In Good Taste,
Sharm
by Sharm | Dec 17, 2010 | Articles
Not Your Average Mexican Fare
The motto at Frida’s is “Expect the Unexpected.” So what exactly does that mean? It means at Fida’s you will not find your usual burrito smothered in cheese and sour cream, but something much more elegant. If you are familiar with Ixtapa or Guadalajara Café, which are owned by the same family that owns Frida’s, you know this is not your average Mexican fare.
I will be the first to admit that I love those cheesy Mexican American combos, because I really do, it is just that Frida’s different, and I mean that in a good way!
When the owner Ivan Marquez came over to check on the table, I commented on all the unique dishes on the menu. He said,” This is how we really eat in Mexico; we don’t use a lot of cheese.” The fare at Frida’s consists of a variety of chicken dishes, fresh seafood, steak, pork and vegetarian items, all prepared in authentic Mexican way.
As I scanned the menu for a starter, the Guacamole Duo practically screamed my name. I love guacamole and it did not seem to out of the ordinary since guacamole is considered traditional Mexican fare. The twist is, one is made with pomegranate and apples. I had to get it just because I found it to be very unusual and sounded so intriguing. I was trying to imagine how in the heck you make something like that. When the guacamole platter arrived, the presentation was beautiful. The traditional guacamole was great and had a wonderful hint of lime, the pomegranate and apple had a much sweeter flavor and much more texture. Both were delicious. I thought the apple pomegranate would make a beautiful dish to take to a holiday party with all red pomegranate seeds against the greenness of the avocado.
For dinner, the dish I chose was the Pollo en Hoja Santa, which is a charbroiled chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and squash blossoms wrapped in a hoja santa leaf. Our server explained that the hoja santa leaf is believed to have certain healing powers. Though I was not ill, it seemed to unique to pass up. I also love goat cheese and decided it would be a good choice.
I split this dish with my husband and we were both pleased. The dish is served with steamed vegetables and green rice. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, having the perfect level of “crisp tender” steamed vegetables are supposed to have, and the color against the white plate made a great presentation.
Now about the rice, I really did not mean to devote a whole paragraph to the rice. It was tasty and was filled some unique spices. However, I also like rice and really did not think much of it until my husband tried it. You see for some reason, he is just not a big rice fan. He loathes the red rice that comes with your typical Mexican fare and says, “Rice is for Chinese food.” Therefore, I was surprised when I saw that he was trying it and then even more shocked when he said, “That rice is really good.” So if he likes you know it has to be good!
The chicken was moist and the goat cheese was salty and creamy. Those flavors most people are familiar with, but the hoja santa leaf not so much. I kept thinking it tasted a little bit sweet and like something, I have had before. As I was eating the leftovers the next day, and still could not put my finger on it, I used the power of Google and searched “hoja santa leaf flavor.” The results came up and I chose a sight that was about plants and herbs. The description about the hoja santa leaf mentioned the healing powers which our server had mentioned and that the flavor is compared to root beer. I am not much of a soda drinker these days and it has been years since I have had root beer, but that was it! I was so glad to have solved the mystery flavor. If you enjoy that salty sweet flavor combination, I recommend the Pollo en Hoja Santa.
I had my camera with me and of course was taking pictures of all the food. Ivan asked if I was with a magazine. I told him no, but that I wrote a blog about locally owned food finds in Kansas City. As generous gesture he gave us a complimentary dessert. It was Especiales de Atole which is a homemade corn milk ice cream. The topping of goat milk caramel and toasted nuts, gives this dessert a rich and creamy texture with a little crunch. Our server described it as a mix between gelato and ice cream. On the menu, it is hailed as their most successful mistake. Evidentially, it came about from a mishap one night in the kitchen. Ask your server to tell you the story.
Named after the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo whose work is described to have featured intense and vibrant colors, Frida’s food, and décor are along those same lines.
The building is adorned with paintings, colorful light fixtures, and vibrant orange walls. The food is presented in a beautiful fashion and is truly a piece of art. The vegetables are a mix or vibrant orange, green and yellow that pop against the white plates. The dishes are also arranged in such a way that they are almost too pretty to eat. If the saying, “we eat with our eyes first” truly meant that, you would be stuffed even before your first bite!
Frida’s is open for lunch and dinner daily. Appetizer, soups, and salads range in price from $6.99 – $8.99. Lunch menu entrees range from $6.99 – $9.25 and dinner ranges $13.35 – $17.25.
Frida’s is located at 14861 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS 66223. 913-897-0606.
If you have a great food find in KC you think I am missing, email me.
In Good Taste,
Sharm
by Sharm | Dec 15, 2010 | Articles
A treat year around!
You may be asking yourself, “Why is she writing about frozen custard in the winter.” I am sure I would have thought the same thing if I had never been to Foo’s, but now I have and here is why.
Foo’s has two locations in the city, one in Brookside the other in Leawood. Both locations mix up a mean concrete but it is the Leawood location that will warm you up.
Open for breakfast at 7:00 a.m. (8:00 a.m. on Sunday), Foo’s offers Le Monde pastries and a variety of coffee and espresso drinks featuring Kansas City ‘s own Roasterie coffee.
Not up that early? Then stop in for lunch. Served from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Foo’s offers a variety of sandwiches made with bread from the locally owned Farm to Market Bread Company, wraps, salads, and soups.
The most popular soup at Foo’s is the roasted red pepper with smoked gouda cheese. I had that along with a turkey sandwich and was not disappointed. The sandwich was great, but the soup is what sold me! For starters it was nice to have something warm on a chilly day and second the flavor. The sweetness of the peppers combined with the saltiness of the cheese is a delicious combination.
Foo’s was the idea of Joe Bremser whose nickname is Foo, and his wife Roseann. Foo’s opened in 1988 and is recognized as the original custard shop in all of Kansas City. The store was purchased by Foo’s sister, Betty Bremser, in 1996. Today, Foo’s is one of the most recognized brands in Kansas City. Foo’s custard is served at all area blanc locations and b:2 where they use the frozen custard in their shakes.
Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard was selected as Kansas City’s Best Local Ice Cream/Custard by KC Magazine in 2010. Foo’s prides itself as a being a locally owned Kansas City business and shares that spotlight with other locally owned Kansas City products. Foo’s carries the locally made Hippie Chow granola, Best Regards cookies, coffee from The Roasterie and Christopher Elbow signature chocolates. Christopher’s chocolates are available by the piece or in 9 piece, 16 piece, or 21 piece boxes along with 14 chocolate bar flavors.
Even though the weather was chilly, I was at Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard after all, so how could I not leave without a custard. I had the Reese’s Lovers – Reese’s, Peanut Butter, Chocolate. I am a sucker for about any combination that contains peanut butter and chocolate. Though similar to ice cream, custard is richer, thicker, and creamier because there is more egg yolk and butterfat mixed in and less air incorporated. Foo’s has perfected the recipe and it is delightfully sweet and creamy!
If you are just too chilly to go the custard route but your sweet tooth is aching, you can warm up with one of their signature coffee drinks or a Christopher Elbow Drinking Chocolate (Cocoa Noir, Venezuelan Spice, Peppermint, or Mocha). The drinking chocolate is served with one of his handmade marshmallows, now that is heaven in a cup!
Be sure to stop into Foo’s and warm up with nice hot bowl or soup and sweet cup of Christopher Elbows drinking chocolate. Also be sure to pick up some great local products and share a little bit of Kansas City with your family and friends.
Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard location and hours
Brookside
6235 Brookside, Plaza Kansas City, MO 64113
Phone: 816-523-2520
Sunday and Monday 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday and Saturday 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Leawood
9421 Mission Road, Leawood, Kansas 66206
Phone: 913-383-3667
Fax: 913-383-3666
Sunday 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Monday – Thursday 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday, Saturday 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
In Good Taste,
Sharm
by Sharm | Dec 14, 2010 | Articles
Support local and “Let them eat cake.”
I was at the Holiday Mart this fall and had a sample of Jude’s Rum cake. It was love at first bite! I gave the guy behind the booth my card and told him I wrote about locally owned food business and restaurants in KC, and that this cake was amazing! He gave me his card and it turned out to be the owner, Craig Adcock who also owns Belly Up BBQ, a company that includes full service catering, BBQ products and more.
As I have mentioned before I really love meeting the business owners. I love seeing their eyes light up when you tell them how yummy their product is.
Craig sent me some information, and I was delighted to write about it for the Kansas City Food Examiner page I write for. As a thank you, Craig called me up and said he wanted to give me one of his cakes. What a generous gesture, I was not going to turn down that offer. I promptly made my way to Lenexa where they are locally made to pick it up.
When I went to pick up my cake, I was able to visit a bit more with Craig and see the commercial kitchen where he bakes them. These cakes truly are a labor of love and only finest quality ingredients are used. Jude’s Rum cakes are hand-made in small batches using whole eggs, real butter, Barbancourt Rum from Haiti and locally grown pecans from Missouri Northern Pecan Growers.
As it so happens, the cake was given in perfect timing to double as my birthday cake! I was delighted to share it with my family. Everyone raved!
My sister-in-law said that the cake was “killer” and wants to order one to have for Christmas. My father-in-law said, “Man that cake is really good.”
The cakes are soaked in rum, which makes them delightfully moist, and the combination of the pecans and sugar adds a wonderful sweet crunch.
Jude’s Rum Cakes are recognized nationally by Foodie Extraordinaire David Rosengarten, who is also author of the Rosengarten Report, a James Beard winning food and wine newsletter. On the local scale the cakes have been featured in KC Magazine, Present Magazine, and Glace owner Christopher Elbow has even made ice cream using it.
These cakes make excellent holiday gifts and are shipped nationwide, what a great way to share a bit of Kansas City to those on your list. If you are local to the Kansas City metro area order one to share at your next event or take as a hostess gift. These cakes are available all year around so don’t just wait for the holidays to enjoy.
Jude’s Rum Cakes come in three sizes. The large 4-pound version ($50) yields 16 large slices and the smaller size 2-pound ($30) will yield 8 slices. They also bake and sell mini muffin-size and two-bite teaser rum cakes. ($12 – $15)
Order online or arrangements can be made for pick up and by calling 913.526.6708.
If you have a great food find in KC you think I am missing,email me.
In Good Taste,
Sharm
by Sharm | Nov 17, 2010 | Articles, Food & Drink, Kansas City, Local Products, What You're Missing KC!
If you have had a Boulevard beer in the past 21 years, stop by your favorite drinking establishment on November 17th at 10pm, and raise a glass of Boulevard to toast their 21st Anniversary.
On November 17, 1989, the first keg of Boulevard beer was sold to Ponak’s Mexican Kitchen just a few blocks from the brewery. Since then boulevard has added numerous beers to their line and is shipped nationwide.
Boulevard beers are currently available throughout Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas, with partial distribution in Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
The 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale is similar to the brewery’s signature pale ale, but kicked up a notch to celebrate its coming of age.
Boulevard is passionate about beer and has many unique opportunities for those who are passionate as well.
In addition to making exceptional beers, Boulevard offers public and private brewery tours, event space rental, beer-pairing dinners and a BrewMasters Luncheon, which is a collaboration between the brewery and a local restaurant.
I have had the wonderful opportunity to attend both a private brewery tour and a Brewmasters Luncheon.
The tours really give an in depth look at the beer making process as well as lots of fun facts on how some of the beers got their names and of course tasting, tasting, tasting! Did I mention tasting, because you will not go away thirsty!
The Brewmasters Luncheon is held in the beautiful event space on the third floor. The view from this space is one of the best in the city.
The Luncheon I attended featured Webster House and had wonderful dishes prepared by their chef Charles d’Ablaing.
The first pairing was Amber Ale and a Chilean Sea Bass. The second was a seared duck breast and the Long Strange Triple and the last was a Bully Porter paired with an elk tenderloin.
If you have not had the chance to go to a Brewmasters Luncheon, put it on your list. It is a really neat to experience meet Boulevards Brewmaster Steven Pauwels and learn about all the different beers as he explains them in relations to dish, and then of course tasting the way the flavors work together is the added bonus!
Happy Anniversary Boulevard!
For more information on brewery tours, Brewmasters Luncheons and other opportunities Boulevard offers visit the Boulevard website.
And as always if you have a great food find in KC you think I am missing, email me.
In Good Taste,
Sharm
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by Sharm | Nov 16, 2010 | Articles
I was most disappointed when I heard that One80 Lounge in Westport had closed, it was one of my favorite places in KC. I loved the sleek and urban vibe and the sophisticated menu offerings were amazing!
What once housed the sleek and sophisticate One80 Lounge is now called Beer Kitchen.
Owned by the same group as McCoy’s, The Foundry and the late One80. I was sure it was worth trying and added Beer Kitchen to my list. I could not have been happier when my friend Shannon from FrothyGirlz, (which is an awesome site about pop culture and movie reviews) called me to go to go lunch there. She knows the owner James and we had the chance to visit with him.
So the big question for James, why the switch? He said that his partner and him have a such passion for beer and really wanted to focus on bringing in unique beers and while serving up gourmet bar food.
I am here it to tell you , even though I am sad to lose One80, Beer Kitchen did not disappoint! The food is phenomenal and the menu is just as impressive, but in a very different way.
With a variety of burgers ranging from the Barvo burger which has crispy prosciutto, the Braut burger, a house-made bratwurst patty with beer-braised kraut and of course a classic with lettuce, tomato and pickles makes the menu approachable.
The comfort food offerings include oven-fried chicken, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and a create your mac and cheese with mix-ins like prosciutto, caramelized onions, maytag blue cheese and more. I also cannot forget to mention there is breakfast available anytime.
For my lunch I chose the “build your own lunch box” which includes a choice of sandwich or flatbread and then add a salad, soup, or a bucket of fries or chips.
The sandwich I chose was the short rib sandwich. It had smoked Gouda, caramelized onion, oven-dried tomato, arugula and horseradish aioli all grilled up on sourdough bread. This sandwich is unbelievable. The flavors are so good and I love the texture of grilled sourdough bread. The salad I chose was the baby arugula salad it had beets, walnuts, shaved fennel, sun-dried cranberries and was topped with a goat cheese croquette. I am a sucker for a salad like that. I love the combination of the salty goat cheese and the sweet cranberries together. Shannon opted for the grilled four cheese sandwich and the butter lettuce salad. We also shared an order of the truffle fries. Everything was exceptional!
Beer Kitchen’s burgers and sandwiches are made from a custom blend of brisket, short rib and chuck tenderloin from the locally owned McGoingles Market. The breads and buns are freshly baked and from the locally owned Farm to Market Bread Company. Beer kitchen also house makes their bread and butter pickles and three kinds of ketchup. I loved the chipotle it was the perfect blend of spicy and sweet.
With a name like Beer Kitchen, I am sure you are wondering about the beer. Beer Kitchen offers a variety of beers and beer cocktails. All though I did not partake at this particular luncheon, the summer beer, which is a scrimshaw pilsner with citrus vodka and rosemary infused lemonade, would be right up my alley. They also offer a variety of martini’s, specialty cocktails, and wine. The beer menu changes constantly so there is always something new to try. You can check the website for a complete listing of beers for that day.
After this meal, I have decided I will miss One80 that much! I was so impressed I checked back with James to see if we could come in and “show” you what you are missing, by shooting some video. He was very gracious and took the time to talk a bit about Beer Kitchen and let me sample a few dishes. Check out this link to get to see what you are missing. Warning…it will make you hungry!
I am really looking forward to visiting Beer Kitchen again. I hope you do the same! I promise you will not be sorry.
For more information visit the Beer Kitchen Website.
Beer Kitchen
435 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO
(816) 389-4180
And as always, if you have a great food find in KC you think I am missing, email me.
In Good Taste,
Sharm
