Mother's Day and Quiche

What a wonderful day on Sunday (as if I deserved anything extra - on top of the regular, run-of-the-mill happiness that I am so fortunate to enjoy). Sergio and the girls delivered me some lovely cards and a gift certificate for a massage (Solaris is the best!) and let me pick our dinner spot (Spin! because it's next to Glacé).

a happy mother on Mother's Day

We went to the lawn at the Nelson-Atkins to see a puppet show by the Stone Lion Puppet Theater troupe. Great stuff, truly. You must make an effort to see them if you haven't already. Puppets of incredible proportion and messages of great import! I loved the crane; Julia loved the turtle; Sergio loved the snake; according to Julia, Clara loved the snail. (We'll take Julia's word for it.)

Later that night while she was playing outside, Julia brought me one of the plastic flowers from her wheelbarrow set and said, "Happy Mother's Day!" It melted my heart. Then she brought the other plastic flower inside, gave it to her daddy and said, "Happy Mother's Day, Daddy!" And since bucking gender normativity is a favorite past time of mine, well, that melted my heart again.

Oh, and I forgot the most important meal of the day - Sergio made quiche for breakfast! Two years ago on my first Mother's Day, Sergio insisted on serving me breakfast in bed. I carelessly told him that I did not like eating in bed and he was crestfallen. He replied, "if I don't bring you your breakfast in bed then today won't be any different than all the other days when I make you breakfast." He was so right. He is always in charge of the morning meal. I had forgotten to be grateful for that. It was a good reminder.

Anyway, this year he wanted to do breakfast in bed again but let's be honest - breakfast in bed when there's a bouncy toddler and a grabby infant nearby is just a big load of dirty laundry waiting to happen. So we ate in our kitchen at our breakfast nook, watched for birds in our new bird bath, and enjoyed our quiche. Or as we call it ... "gheesh." Sergio's been getting into ghee lately - it is lovely and makes a stellar quiche. Here's his crust recipe.

Ghee Whole Wheat Pie Crust 
(for a 2 crust 8” pie)

  

½ tsp salt

2 2/3 c. flour (1 1/3 c. white flour & 1 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour works nicely)

2/3 c. melted ghee (clarified butter)

4 TBSP cold water

Mix dry ingredients. Blend in ghee with a fork or pastry blender. Slowly add water, blending. Roll out.

Julia wanted to take her "umbeya" on our walk.
(Note the outline of the shadow of her hair.)

The bush to the side of the garage began to bloom.
Turns out it's spirea! Clara approves.

A Moveable Feast

Outstanding

Several years ago I heard of a program called Outstanding in the Field. The project of chef and artist Jim Denevan, this program hosts a farm-to-table dinner at farms throughout the country featuring local chefs in each place. I thought this sounded like a fantastic idea the first time I heard of it. But this year it got even more fantastic when our CSA farm - Fair Share Farm in Kearney, MO - got to host the event.

I jumped at the chance to join in and snagged 2 of the 150 tickets available, which quickly sold out. The chef for the evening was the famed Jonathan Justus of Justus Drugstore, which I know from previous experience to be absolutely superb. And his OITF dinner did not disappoint.

The evening started with hors d'ouvres and drinks and mingling around the farm. In typical Justus Drugstore fashion, the simplest of foods so expertly prepared were such a pleasant surprise. The server offered me a seemingly boring watermelon chunk topped with a foamy blueberry, but boring it was not. Watermelon + blueberry + black walnut + lemon = something else altogether.

"sweet pea," the Fair Share Farm van

Rebecca demo-ing the tractor.

After mingling, Jim Denevan gave a big welcome to all the guests and introduced farmers Tom and Rebecca, who then told a little bit of their story and shared about their farm before leading us all on a brief but informative farm tour which featured a perfectly quiet demonstration of their electric tractor, the illustrious 1948 Allis Chalmers "G."

The tradition of the plates.

After the tour we all filed back over to the long table that seemed to stretch to infinity and - on our way, picked up our plates. Guests were invited to bring their own plates to the event, the eclectic result of which adds to the charm of the whole evening. (Although I think I won the prize for The Most Boring / Least Charming Plates with my scratched up old white plates from Target).

"Spinach Cherry Limeade" spinach, cherry limeade, black pepper pecans, cherry basil rose sorbet, beets

The first of seven incredible courses commenced. Everything was served family style so the whole meal felt warm and friendly. My dinner date that evening was my sister-in-law and we enjoyed the company of some other members of the FSF CSA who were, for the course of this meal, our food-sharing "family." We marveled at the duck egg fettucini, the carrot gnocchi, the grilled romaine, the corn pastry. Outstanding, indeed.

I was so impressed with how smoothly the evening was run, how charming and beautiful the array was, how sharp the servers were, rattling off not only the intricacies of each dish, but the provenance of each ingredient as well. 15+ local farms contributed their local produce and products to the meal. Even the wine was local and extra local at that - from Fence Stile Vineyards right next door to Kearney in Excelsior Springs.

We lucked out with a less-than-scorching day on Sunday and to avoid the heat of the day, the dinner began an hour late. As best I could tell, no one melted over the course of the evening, although I can't say the same for the Shatto butter on the table. By the time the sun set, we were still holding out for the last two courses and finishing off our outstanding dinner by candlelight. Even in the dark, the food was divine.

Happy Mother's-To-Be Day

Today marks the half-way point in my pregnancy - 20 weeks - and everything I read says you can start to feel the baby move by now. I was so anxious to feel it, to feel something. But what, I wasn't sure. Maybe the baby's moving and I just don't know how to recognize it? BabyCenter suggests that the feeling is like a goldfish swimming or a butterfly fluttering or - my favorite - popcorn popping, all of which are only mildly helpful since I have never had a goldfish swimming in my belly, a butterfly fluttering in my belly, and certainly not any popcorn popping inside my belly.

The Tomato (last week's nickname based on BabyCenter's food corollary) - 5.3.10 - 19 weeks

Then on Thursday morning I was at work writing an email, minding my own business, and I felt the funniest ping in my abdomen. Not a ping, like a twinge. Or maybe like a twitch? Kind of a spasm ... sort of sensation. An itty bitty, split-second spasm. Or flick. But like a soft, padded flick. Kind of... Anyway, I consulted with a couple of pregnant/previously pregnant co-workers and confirmed. That had to have been the baby.

I have spent the days since then getting to know all the subtleties of the baby's movements. (And yes, I admit I can kind of get the goldfish/butterfly comparison. Still no popcorn.) How funny that I felt nothing before (or just didn't know how to feel it before) and now I feel something every day, several times a day. What a kick. Literally.

AND, just in time for Mother's Day.

So today we celebrated - Mother's-To-Be Day, the first feel-able baby wiggles, the 20-week milestone - with a delightful lunch at Happy Gillis and long awaited Fresher than Fresh snow cones for dessert.

Creamy Tomato Soup and the*new* Tartine sandwich (featuring hummus & arugula)

Opening weekend at the snow cone stand!
(clockwise, starting with the pale pink: Ginger Rose, Agave Hibiscus (daredevil!), Pineapple Serrano, Espresso with Mexican Cane Sugar, and Green Tea Pear)

It was a very Happy Mother's-To-Be Day indeed.

5.9.10 - 20 weeks

Drinking Chocolate

Well, last summer I got hooked on snow cones. Really hooked. Then, about a month after the snow cone season ended, when the weather had finally began to get chilly and I was just about ready for a new obsession, I was reminded of Christopher Elbow Drinking Chocolate.

drinking chocolate - that's drinking the modifier, not the verb

This was nothing new as I've been a fan of Mr. Elbow and his artisanal chocolates (strawberry balsamic is still far and away my fave) since he first started up in the tiny kitchen in the back section of the antique store on Southwest Blvd. But this year, since I was ready for my next fixation, I guess, when I was reintroduced to the drinking chocolates, I got hooked. Really hooked. It was a weekly thing at first - on Fridays before each trip to Badseed, just down the street from Christopher Elbow. Now that it's the new year all full of resolutions, I've cut back a tiny bit, but not without significant longing.

There are several flavors of drinking chocolate to choose from - Venezualen Spice, Mocha, Dark, Peanut Butter, and - I think - Curry. All delicious, I'm sure. But the one that steals my heart each and every time is the Peppermint. Truth be told, I could give up chocolate altogether if it weren't for the way that it tastes when combined with mint. And this combination of hot drinking chocolate with cool peppermint is something else.

pepp, indeed

If you're interested in marshmallows, I can tell you that your best bet is one marshmallow only and a lid (which traps the heat which melts the marshmallow which prevents you from having to messily fish the marshmallow remainder out at the end of your drink). Or, if you're marshmallow-averse, definitely go for a bit of Shatto cream. (OR, if you're a vegan, they will make the whole drinking chocolate for you with water instead of milk!)

Truly - you can't go wrong.

The Westside Local

This place has "local" right in the name, so it was promising right from the start. I decided to have my birthday dinner there last weekend and try it out for the first time. I liked the looks of the logo, the name, the website - I was delighted to find that I liked the actual place, too.

in the beer garden

We dined al fresco that night; it was lovely weather. And we happened to encounter some friends in the beer garden and shared their end of the long communal picnic table. The proprietors at The Westside Local hope that "these communal seating areas make for an interactive dining experience, encouraging chance meetings, networking, new friendships, and even love." I'd say it kind of worked.

The food proved to be as pleasant as the ambiance. I had deviled eggs, which came with pea shoots (and I love LOVE pea shoots), and a Musser's tomato salad with heirloom tomatoes, both dressed exquisitely with citrus vinaigrette dressing. And then a vegetable gratinee that was far more interesting and complex than it sounded. The menu says "thin potatoes" but it doesn't tell you that they are creamy soft wafers that melt in your mouth; the menu says "local sautéed vegetables" but it doesn't tell you one of those veggies is kale. (Fortunately the server clued me in, and boy am I glad she did.) The entire dish was topped with arugula and when I told the server it was good she told me that they get it from a farmer just down the street. I said who, Lew? She didn't know the farmer's name; but I did.

beer and localities

Despite having ordered and consumed a beer of sizable proportions, in addition to the other fantastic food, I managed to save room for the Mojito Blueberry Tart for dessert - a clarifying and rich combination of lime, mint, and berry. And a charming cap to the lovely birthday evening. I can't wait to go back.

Founding Farmers

Just as all of the reliefs, murals, and monuments in Washington DC commemorate in symbolic detail the pantheon of American history, the smart logo at the restaurant Founding Farmers also pays homage to the nation's foundations. One F looks to the left, honoring the agricultural origins of the land; the other F looks to the right signaling the importance of farming for the future. The figure in the middle of the logo is a corn cob with multicolored kernels to represent the diversity of all of the founding farmers.



The food and the principles behind the restaurant pay homage, too, with nostalgic entrees, clever names, and of course, a list of local farmers and producers. The full range of the menu reflects a sophisticated respect for heritage, history, and - as the slogan says - true food and drink. The pasta is handcrafted using "only the best '00' flour, inspired by Thomas Jefferson;" the "Simply Barackwurst" is from Simply Sausage Farm in Virginia; there is pimiento cheese and tomato jam on the menu, both of which were decidedly the best I've had.



To start, I ordered a drink called "Nice Coat!" (with an exclamation mark) - "A little fresh basil, a little lime juice, a little Blue Coat American Dry Gin, a little love. Nice!" And indeed it was. Just the first nice step in a very nice meal of fried green tomatoes, skillet cornbread, flatbread, butternut squash ravioli, and a fresh fruit tart (peaches) with pristine house made vanilla ice cream.



Dad ordered the Steak and Enchilada; it came with a corn cob in the middle. Two in our party ordered entrees that came with a side of green beans that were remarkable (so remarkable that I can't remember what their entrees were). Sergio ordered the veggie burger, of course. Everything was delicious.



The decor is rustic but refined - a sort of historical hip with agrarian influences. Bird lamps and cloud lamps suggest open air and bucolic notions of farm land; beautiful canned vegetables line the walls. The salads are served in big mixing bowls; the water comes in milk bottles and the water glasses are thick and homely. The entire experience - food, drink, and ambiance - is equal portions new and old, expected and unexpected, clever and plain, all perfectly combined into something at once refreshing, comforting and unique.

Oh yes, and on the window encircling the entire restaurant is a charming relic from Thomas Jefferson - a recipe for Macaroons.

Macaroons
From the Thomas Jefferson Papers
*Pour boiling water on your Almonds & take off the skin.
*Wash them in cold water wipe them well in a towel
*Beat them
*Add whites of eggs from time to time beating them always to prevent them from turning into oil
*Take them out of the water
*Add sugar
*Add whites of eggs
*Beat them well with a wooden spoon
*Taste the paste to see if it is too bitter
*Add sugar if you find it too bitter
*Dresser les avec deux couteaux le grosseur d'un noix sur des feuilles de papier.
*Put them in a oven, not too hot but hotter than after taking out the bread.
*You prove proper heat of the oven by holding in a bit of white paper. If it burns it will burn your macaroons. If it just browns the paper it is exact.

Happy Gillis

The first time we tried to go to Happy Gillis Cafe and Hangout in Columbus Park, it was "Sad to be Closed," according to the sign. But today we went and they were "Happy to be Open" - I was happy, too.



We placed our order with the Happy Soupmaker himself - Todd Schulte, whose daughter is the artist behind the inviting spatula-wielding face that greets you on the business card and sign. Schulte answered all our questions ("What's a bialy?") thoroughly and eagerly. We wanted to know what was the soup of the day and did he happen to know if it was vegetarian? He said he did know because he'd made it and it was not only vegetarian, it was vegan. It was also, we soon found out, delicious.

To go along with our South Indian Tomato Lentil soup with Almonds and Thai Basil, we had sandwiches - a Caprese on Ciabatta and a Smoked Salmon with asparagus, egg, pea shoots, and green goddess dressing, on a bialy. And to drink - a mimosa (that came with a mermaid on the side, literally) and a bloody mary (that came with a Slim Jim on the side which neither of us ate). Sandwich, soup, and drink were all equally divine. Every bite of these classic flavor combinations was superb.



We didn't want the deliciousness to end, so we ordered dessert, suspecting that anything we might order at this Cafe and Hangout would be good. We were right. Todd's wife Tracy wanted to know which one we liked best. But that was an impossible decision: The Best Brownie Ever and The Breadiest Cookie Ever were a neck and neck tie all the way to the last bite.

I could have stayed at Happy Gillis and hung out (as the name suggests) for much longer than we did, but we scooted out shortly after they began closing and pulling in the thousand-and-one-spoons railing that marks the edge of their lovely sidewalk seating. We said good bye to the charming squirrel s&p shakers, the bubblegum pink bathrooms, the orange couch, the wall of abandoned artwork of the week, and the proud proprietors. And we vowed to come back soon for more incredible food.

The Gospel of Michael Pollan

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
- Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food

Last Wednesday at Unity Temple on the Plaza, after eating a delicious dinner of quinoa ("Pollan's Perfect Food" according to the menu) at Eden Alley, I got to hear Michael Pollan preach. Rainy Day Books hosted him on this visit - his first to KC since Botany of Desire (I was there for that one, too). He, like his books, is clear and compelling, and his notion of "nutritionism" from In Defense of Food, is a refreshingly straightforward and essential way to think about food in our world of mixed marketing messages and competing interests.

We Americans, according to Pollan, have obsessed about health but cannot get healthy. We over-emphasize nutrition but don't eat nutritionally rich food. We have limited our understanding of foods by breaking them down into individual components and processing out everything healthy and natural in order to fixate on one element.

Marketers have been "feeding" us everything they think we need or want to know. Even as consumers become more savvy, marketers step up their game by catering to our health concerns. (Like the ice cream that is called "5" because - in response to consumer concerns - it has no more than five ingredients.)

But the majority of those tidbits and "facts" about food that are going around in the public are as empty and hollow as high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soy bean oil themselves. And they miss the importance and value of what really matters which is whole foods in their naturally nutritious state. I liked Michael Pollan's final admonition, after his long and entertaining exposition on nutritionism, in which he encouraged us simply to not buy anything you see advertised on TV. That - to me - seems the best way to know you're buying food that has your best interests in mind.

Peach Mint Smoothie (in honor of Magazines and Coffee)

A while back there used to be a delightful place called Magazines and Coffee. It was a small, endearing deli-type spot that specialized in (you guessed it) magazines and coffee. It had Kansas City's most thorough array of periodicals, it had delicious coffee, it had TWA decor that gave the whole place great charm. But it also had food and other drinks, too, and I loved to go for lunch and get a Provolone and Basil sandwich and a Mango Mint Smoothie. Mango and mint? I hadn't seen that combo before. But just one sip and I was sold on it.

I was heart broken when Magazines and Coffee had to say good-bye and it's been a long time since I had a Mango Mint Smoothie. When yesterday's CSA share came with a big bunch of mint, I remembered I had frozen peaches (local, from last summer) and frozen peaches make great smoothies. So I made a mostly-local Mango and Peach Mint Smoothie in honor of Magazines and Coffee. It was divine.

Mango and Peach Mint Smoothie

I did not measure anything (rare for me) and had to call on Master Smoothie Maker Sergio for advice. But here's how it goes, roughly:

frozen peaches (local!)
frozen mango (from an undisclosed location - optional)
honey (local!) or agave nectar
milk (local!) or soy milk
mint (local!), chopped very finely
a blender

I used two kinds of mint - last week's and this week's. One has smaller leaves and is thin, the other has larger, thicker leaves and stalks. The two flavors afforded by using both types of mint offered a range of mintiness that was quite nice.

Now if only I had a Provolone and Basil sandwich and the newest issue of something to read.

Savvy

Sergio was headed down to do laundry tonight when he realized he was completely out of quarters. Uh oh! we said sarcastically. Guess we'll have to run to the grocery store and get some. The truth is we were both looking for any reason to drive our new car. We jumped at the chance to run an errand, be it ever so short a trip.

So off we went to Cosentino's, the happiest place on earth, which is just down the street from this new place we've been eying for a few weeks called Savvy. And it just so happened that tonight was Savvy's opening night; we decided to pop in for an espresso before our grocery store jaunt.

Savvy is a coffee and wine bar and has a full array of both on their menu. This little spot is a welcome addition to downtown, and I fervently hope it will balance out the pulsing Power & Light party vibe. It is a stylish and hip place but simple; the menu is plain and straightforward and presented in a slender binder. The coffee menu, however, isn't printed but rather is written in bright neon marker, of all things, on the board above the bar; it stands out like a sore, unstylish, illegible thumb amidst the otherwise coordinated decor.

lemon lime pound cake, espresso torte, and espresso con panna

There are a few appetizers on the menu and some pastries in a large case. Those looked very inviting indeed. Well, while we're here, we might as well have a dessert we figured. And we did. We opted to sample the sweet side of the menu, rather than the savory, though I am curious to return for their cheese flight and wine. In the meantime, I highly recommend the lemon lime pound cake. It is light, tiny, and fresh. It was a welcome morsel to enjoy with my espresso con panna, which was not bad at all; quite a bit of panna, but that's okay.

And off we went to get groceries and quarters. Not bad for laundry night.

Fresher than Fresh Snow Cones

Snowie the mascot

I found out about this charming idea last fall at the end of their season and have waited all winter to try one. These are snow cones made all naturally - no artificial, chemical, dubious, specious, untrustworhty, unpronouncable flavorings here. Instead, owner and snow cone doyenne Lindsay Laricks uses real food with real flavor to flavor these real snow cones. ("I think high fructose corn syrup is the devil," says Lindsay). And really, why shouldn't the world include all-natural fun food?

the trademark trailer

The best part of ordering your Fresher Than Fresh snow cone is that the little ice-shaving machine that makes the snow sounds like a drum roll from inside the minty 1957 Shasta trailer. Standing outside the trailer, you hear a tiny, tinny, toy-drum drum roll that prefaces the delicate circus trick that is the snow cone. We ordered one blackberry lavender and one ginger rose and I couldn't believe the flavors; an astonishing performance. The lavender was clear and fresh and brought the blackberries down to earth; the ginger rose was pastel and smooth. No harsh tang, no cloying artificiality. Just pure flavors paired perfectly.

ginger rose and blackberry lavender in 100% compostable cups made of corn

The good news this year is that FTF will have a permanent location on Saturdays in the garden across from Blue Bird Bistro at 1700 Summit. Lindsay will also be dishing up her unique treats on First Fridays in front of Hammerpress. Check out schedules and flavors - including daredevil flavors - on the FTF blog, become a fan of FTF on Facebook, follow FTF on Twitter ... and be sure to stop by in person for a very nice treat in real life.

FTF season opener at Hammerpress on First Friday, May 1

First Friday

gallery space in the Crossroads

Last night was First Friday in the Crossroads district and everyone was out and about. I've missed every First Friday for months - it was nice to go last night when the weather was decent and the sun was out. We had a full roster of events for the evening. Our first stop was Badseed for the Grand Opening of the Friday Farmers Market. I have been so so eager for the start of the season; I could hardly believe it was here. We bought lemon sorrel (greens), two bags of spinach, rice, steel cut oats, cheese, broccoli sprouts, chinese radish sprouts, and green coffee beans which Sergio intends to roast himself. Lots of food. Even so, we were out for the night, not cooking at home, so we scurried down the street for a quick bite - a veggie burger, actually. Sergio's ceremonial first veggie burger since the VB project ended precisely one month ago.

tea herbs at Badseed

There were so many exhibits, events, and openings; we could have made a number of stops throughout the course of the evening but we had our sights set on just a few. First, "Mañana" at Digital Labrador - an exhibit of photography from Nicaragua by Maria Brenny, whose selected works capture a full and diverse range of Nicaraguan impressions. Across the street we joined the crowd around the Fresher Than Fresh Snow Cones trailer (more on that...) and we hovered briefly outside the interesting things to see at Hammerpress Letterpress Studio while we tasted our First Ever FTF Snow Cones and accepted a piece of paper from a man dressed as a donkey.

artist's statement

fresher than fresh

reading what the donkey gave us

We moseyed to the west side for our next two stops and we happily stumbled upon the urban farm of Lew Edminster, the Herb'n Gardner, whom I had just chatted with at Badseed. Lew wears overalls and farms a corner lot across from the Primitivo Garcia World Language Elementary School on 17th street and Belleview. I said hello to the little lettuces which I hope to buy in a couple of weeks.

baby heads of lettuce and headless bodies of art

the syringe

Up the street then to The Syringe (right next to Mattie Rhodes) where "Mortality" - works by Jessica Dassing featuring needle felting, hand died protein fibers and renderings of birds - was on view. After learning some remarkable things about fibers and admiring a delicate, sheer tapestry comprised of human hair, it was time to go. We had to head out to the last stop on our agenda: "Jutting and Swerving," a show by Jane Gotch and Tiffany Sizemore at La Esquina.

finding our seats

waiting for jutting and swerving to start

Having recently attended my first modern dance event already, I was less unsure and even more amazed. I watched as the dancers worked with fluidity and tension, and I even stopped searching for symmetry. The music and movement cleared my head and aligned my thoughts. The dancers looked so graceful after it was over; exhausted, but graceful. I didn't want it to end and I thought perhaps they didn't either.

espresso

I thought the evening would end, too, until we emerged from the show to find that the Crossroads were still hoppin' so we stopped in at Extra Virgin for espresso and churros with chocolate. Nothing like churros in Mexico, but delicious, and the espresso was just the thing on the patio in the chill.

The only bad thing about First Friday is that it's only once a month.

the patio at extra virgin