Tannin Wine Bar! (One of the very Best!)

Where can you find a sample of the best wines around?  Do you obsess over the best cheeses from around the world?  Do you know a spot that forages for local mushrooms in the spring and makes a cream of mushroom soup that makes your whine for more?  Tannins, on Walnut Street in downtown Kansas City, holds the wine novel you seek, and some of the best local food west of the Missouri River.

We started the night with a flight of wines recommended by the bartender, starting with dry whites, then to the bold reds and ending with the crisp, sweet whites.  This just fuels you to order the best glass(es) for the meal to come.  Hand-crafted, hot crepes filled with roasted chicken, fresh ricotta, recently harvested chives and parsley, all dusted with nutty parmigiano reggiano teased our taste buds to order more!  Served alongside my robust Argentine Malbec wine was a truffled, wild mushroom cream soup with local morels sourced from a countryside neighbor.  It was truly exquisite and made my head spin with its mushroom divinity. More! (Please) ;)

I still talk about my perfectly seared steak topped with Maytag blue cheese butter and a balsamic reduction that brought out the juiciest bites, topped with local (thin) frites and sautéed green asparagus.  These three dishes alone made this meal “hands down” one of the best meals I've eaten in Kansas City.  It definitely could be in the running for my "last meal."

The night was young and begging for more food joy, so we finished with something sweet and fragrant.  I revisited my moscato from the taster I had previously enjoyed and paired it with their peach tart with homemade, vanilla ice cream.  And as if that weren’t enough, the grand finale was their famous cheese plate.  If you like cheese even a little, you must try their cheese plate which gives you a sample of the most exquisite cheeses from around the world and a generous dollop of raw honey and spiced walnuts.  Oh, how I adore cheese, and the god of cheese was with me this night!  You get to choose from the bountiful list they offer, and each one piqued my interest.  On this evening, I chose the Comte, Manchego, and Point Reyes.  This was pure HEAVEN and the perfect ending to a gorgeous feast.

Contrary to what you might think, good quality cheese holds enzymes that actually help you digest your food.  (Raw cheese is the very best for this.)  In fact, it typically is recommended toward the end of your meal for this reason.  Or you could order a digestive liqueur, and your digestive enzymes will thoroughly thank you.

I look forward to many more lunches or dinners at Tannins wine bar in Kansas City and hope to also venture in the early evening to their happy hour!  Check out their specials on Sundays and Mondays, and their tasting menu!  Fellow “winos,” this is your Mecca, so dive in and bring a few local friends while you're at it.

For more information please visit:
http://www.tanninwinebar.com/

Share the love~

Tapas are Alive in Kansas City!

Being born in Spain, I have a deep appreciation for "tapas" and even more affection for the taste explosion that reeeeally good tapas can offer your pallet and your hunger.  If you've never experienced a tapas joint (what?!), then please allow the well-renowned (James Beard award winner) Michael Smith to indulge your tasty curiosity at Extra Virgin, in Kansas City!  He studied mainly in France and brought his expertise to us by using the finest ingredients around.

Extra Virgin makes contemporary tapas fare an instant classic.  They transport you to new heights with the artistic elements around the center bar that pull you towards their cocktail magicians and a view to the wood-fired oven that blazes out new creations every few minutes.   I, for one, couldn't pull my eyes from the way the bartender used homemade bitters in my drink and then adorned it with a basil leaf needled through a lemon slice.  I suppose the alcohol content made it seem more majestic as it quickly became the artistic centerpiece to the outrageous tapas that surrounded it.  This simple perfection is what they’re known for.

 Let me preface the description of their food by saying that this is one of the most innovative and fearless kitchens I've seen in Kansas City.  Roasted marrow bones, duck tongue tacos and grilled beef tongues are just a few of their bold offerings.  Please don't be scared!  Michael's a pro, and there's no use in being boring and getting the same ol’ thing.  Seriously folks, the chicken tenders with gravy are down the road (not that I don't adore that), but here, the sky opens up and new flavors sprinkle down like rain on a blistering hot day.  Open your mouth and feel renewed. 

You can start feeling alive with their ahi tuna ceviche tacos that are packed with avocado-wasabi flavor and cutely served in a perfectly crisp taro shell. Genius!  These melted me instantly, and with the slight squeeze of lime, my eyes spontaneously closed and my heart prepared for the perfect bite.  Who doesn't like mac-n-cheese?  Well, add the spice of a poblano, and the thermogenic effect kicks up the flavor to a new height!  Here's an adventure for the Midwest: order the grilled octopus, and sink your teeth into the complementary flavors of the charred radicchio, sweet chickpeas and the crunch of marcona almonds.  It's difficult to make octopus good--but this place does it right.  These are just a few of the tapas tasted... but not one failed in flavor and charm.  This is certainly no place to be timid, so ask what is recommended, and allow the chefs to do it “their way.” 

Do yourself a favor, and ask the server what he would order for dessert.  Ours just put his head down and placed his hand on his heart as he walked away muttering what seemed like a prayer.  And prayer it most certainly was, because what came to our table was a homemade, plum crostata with a pineapple sorbet melting on top, served with a night cap of sangria... OLÉ, I was home. 

Tapas and cocktails are a sacred tradition handed down from Spain and certainly something I hold dear; however, Extra Virgin does a beautiful job of mixing flavors from different regions of the world, adding their own flare and grounding it beautifully here in the soul of Kansas City.

 Head over for their half price happy hour M-F, 11:30 am-6 pm, for their best deals.

Please visit their website to indulge your curiosity:

http://extravirginkc.com/

Local Bakery On The Plaza Feeds My Addiction (and I like it!)

We all have our vices, addictions and, well, our obsessions!  Mine are sweets and, specifically, a little French sweet called, "macarons."  Your mind might just have drifted off to the popular, fluffy coconut cookie called, "macaroons."  Allow me to correct your vision just slightly, because what I speak and dream of are actually French Macarons, not coconut macaroons.  I travelled to Paris a few years back and tried these unassuming cuties, and this officially stoked my love affair with these French delights.

I found my love again on the Plaza in Kansas City at this tiny, local bakery called Natasha's Mulberry and Mott.  A mother and daughter team, Vicky and Natasha, opened this patisserie in 2005 and did so well that in 2008, they opened a second in Leawood, Kansas.  I have become somewhat of a connoisseur of French patisseries (because I adore them so much), and this is one of the best I've visited.  The croissants filled with wonderful goods like spinach and brie, or ham and gruyere hold the perfect texture and have the right amount of homemade, buttery goodness.  If you ever wish to try truly homemade marshmallows, you must taste theirs. Take a bite, and then close your eyes and drift away dreaming of a perfectly gourmet s'more made of a biscoff cookie, a dark chocolate square, and one of their delicate vanilla marshmallows.  Okay, maybe it’s just me who does that... but it would truly make the most divine s'more if I could just wait until I had a campfire to eat it.

Lest I forget the macarons, they are exquisite and just what I've been searching for since I left Paris.  They have the most deliciously decadent, creamy filling sandwiched between two, tiny macaron cookies.  They are light, crisp and creamy all in one heavenly bite.  I love how adventurous they get with their flavors.  Just recently, they had a bright red macaron which held flavors of chocolate, cinnamon, and a touch of cayenne.  It’s a taste of France and South America in one bite.  Don't get stuck with one flavor, try them all and be surprised by the diversity in sensations.   This local patisserie is a little taste of France on the corner of Ward Parkway and Central.

This heavenly bakery feeds my local addiction not just for Macarons but also a taste of true Paris.  Take a stroll through the Plaza while you bite into your favorite croissant or chocolate chip, caramel cookie topped with sea salt.  I can already envision strolling down the walkway when the winter arrives with a scarf and boots, and my gloved hands holding a steaming hot espresso as my mouth bites into the most perfect macaron.  Mmm, now that is love!

For more information on the two bakeries, please visit:
http://www.countryclubplaza.com/Restaurants/Natashas-Mulberry-And-Mott

~For the love of Macarons and all things made with love~

Room 39 Captured My Heart

Blink, and you might miss this little gem-of-a-restaurant located on 39th Street in Midtown, Kansas City.  However, walk inside, and you won't be lost anymore.  The feel inside calls you home, and the generosity and kindness from everyone inside makes it easy to want to dine there daily.  A room bursting with amazing, local food!

It's not just any food.  The local ingredients awaken in your mouth, and the flavors linger on your tongue while you contemplate what secret ingredients were used.  The best part: it's affordable (especially for breakfast and lunch) and simply delicious!  You know you have a great dish when every, single item on the plate is "your favorite"!  There is something truly exquisite about sourcing the best local ingredients and letting the ingredients decide the dishes offered.  It's sort of the difference you taste between
freezer-burned food and something that just came from the farmers market.  Add a few fresh herbs, brilliant cooking skills, passionate combinations, and pure love... and boom: GREAT EATS!

Their fresh nettles soup I tried back in the Spring would put any other "green soup" to shame.  Not only is this soup wickedly medicinal for you, as it brings alkalinity to the body and helps seasonal allergies, but the flavor of nettles mixed with fresh herbs and a touch of cream was one of the best soups I've tasted.  (Note that nettles grow wildly in the Spring when allergies are most prevalent.  Nature is crazy smart this way...  and this is why eating locally and seasonally proves also intuitively smart.)  Order a cup of it, and it will make you hungry for the next dish.



Nettles Soup



I have to sadly confess that I do not enjoy goat cheese.  I try with all of me to adore it to no avail.  So, when their goat cheese gnocchi came highly recommended, I tried to hide my “goat cheese pout” and quickly recommended that my friend get it instead. ;) After watching my friend’s eyes roll back in ecstasy, I decided to try it and instantly fell for the homemade pillows of love—even if they are bathed in local, goat cheese.  For goat cheese fans, these pillows spell the sweetest dreams.



Goat Cheese Gnocchi


Okay, my friends, let's take a moment of food silence for scallops cooked properly, perfectly browned and crisp on the outside, while delicately tender and succulent on the inside.  It’s pure seduction, and I love it!  There are fewer things sexier than a scallop cooked beautifully and topped with a buerre blanc sauce that makes you close your eyes and drool.  Yes, it seems you can chew and drool at the same time.  It's almost like your mouth is impatiently screaming for more, while your soul soaks the flavor up slowly.  No need to thank the heavens, because surely God is in that kitchen! :)

Heavenly Scallops

A delicious sigh also goes out to the farm that provided the okra and green tomatoes that were delicately fried up with a saffron aioli.  I will take two more plates, please, with extra aioli!

We could not decide on dessert because it all sounded perfect, so to save us further agony, the manager brought us three to try all the different flavors.  Life is a beautiful buffet; you should try a bit of all the magic offered.

The menu at Room 39 changes seasonally and sometimes weekly, so please check out their menu online.  The local farmers are listed on the menu also.  I would bet you return there at least 39 more times...

Please visit this link for more information:
http://www.rm39.com/

In Love and Health,

~Christy~

Eat at the Farmhouse! (Impeccable taste and local flare)

There is a Farmhouse in downtown Kansas City that calls me back for consistently good eats over and over again.  It never fails!  Steeped in local enthusiasm with a modern-rustic flare, The Farmhouse Restaurant serves up some of the most innovative, local comfort dishes and cocktails that I've tasted.  Add a dash of superb service, creativity, and a plethora of ever-changing seasonal dishes, and you're already looking forward to their next meal. 

Situated on a corner street, one need only walk by to feel the warmth exuding from the people inside, and the smells pull at your soul as you sit comfortably and unwind.  The Farmhouse has an amazing knack for pulling you far from your stress and transporting you away with every bite of food you take... as if you were, indeed, on a farm, in the city. Next time you're in, check out the proud list of farms that provide the local ingredients prepared daily for you.  Their "farm-to-table," "tip-to-tail" movement breathes inspiration. 

I have yet to go and eat and not make fast friends with the servers.  They are both knowledgeable and charming and make you wish you could stay all day.  In fact, the first day I visited for Sunday Brunch, we had a few minutes to wait due to a happily filled restaurant which proved great for me because it allowed more time to peruse the menu.  Our server brought us fresh apple cinnamon scones with a caramel sauce and homemade butter (fresh, local apples) for having to wait a few minutes.  “Are you kidding me??  You can be late anytime you want if fresh scones are involved.  In fact, please, take your time."

Apple Scones


 

Digestive Elixir

I started with an elixir drink made with a homemade herbal vinegar and soda water, sweetened with honey.  May sound odd, but it was the perfect pick-me-up to get my digestive juices going, and the bitter quality helped me digest the scones.  They certainly know what they're doing over there.  Next, came their famous "chickpea fritters" with a homemade tomato chutney, pickled carrots, and an herbed sauce that I would have dipped anything in.  Their fresh beet salad is pure perfection with the pistachio vinaigrette and honey-marinated feta.  Honey marinated feta?  I'll take that on pretty much anything, please.

Chickpea Fritters

Let me snowball the delicious effect even further by stating that their grass-fed burger with a purely sinful aioli and Bloom Bakery egg bun can be topped with a local fried egg.  There's not much said at the table when the first bite of burger is tasted and juices embarrassingly pour down your chin. (Not that I cared one bit.)

 

Grass-fed Burger



Dessert to go? Never!
I need an entirely new paragraph for the dessert section.  Please do yourself a favor and save room, because these local treats will melt your heart, and everything is seasonal and subject to change... so don't miss out.  Jude's Rum Cake with homemade vanilla ice cream represents tons of rummy-caramelized goodness, and the cake is crazy moist.  The homemade pecan pie stood up to my Mom's own pie, and only the tiniest crumbs were left for the birds.  So far, I have yet to have something there that didn't leave an "mmm" on my tongue and in my memory.

Rum Cake!

Check it out yourself and dive in to local bliss!

http://www.eatatthefarmhouse.com/





Badseed Farmers Market Sprouts Verdent Abundance

Celebrate your community's passion for locally grown food by heading to Kansas City's own Friday night market.  Whether pulled in by the passionate musicians outside or the draw of the vibrant and wild produce seen through the inviting windows, you won't be dissapointed by what you find inside.

Badseed Market is housed in the Crossroads area, in downtown Kansas City and can easily be part of your "First Fridays" or any Friday detour for that matter.  (It perfectly complimented my mini-mission to Christopher Elbow's chocolates just a few doors down.)  Why not go door-to-door hopping while you're down there?  Each door opens a new world of flavor, and begs you to keep tasting... which I gladly did.

Badseed market is not your ordinary farmers market.  I found it to be a world within a greater world of deep awareness and passion for community-based, local health, and it's here in Kansas City!  The proof is in the look, the taste, and the quality of all the produce and products housed there.  Call me a hippie all you like, but there's no disputing that love is felt when tasting the samples offered.  Yes, I'm serious, every fruit and vegetable simply looks super-humanly beautiful and the garlic alone looked like it belonged in some fantastical vampire story--even hanging from the ceilings for extra effect.  I would wager that it can stave off fierce illnesses much like it would vampires. The purple hue of the seasonal eggplant was other worldly, and heirloom tomatoes were such that I had keep taking photo after photo.  "Did someone add color to these tomatoes?"  They even offer organic apples that are pretty-darn-down-the-road.  For a girl who's always on a mission for local apples, this is epic!

 Badseeds Create Superhuman Food?
The Badseed Farmers Market, planted and nourished by Brooke Salvaggio and Daniel Heryer, offers vendors and products that adhere to organic, local, sustainable, and passionate practices.  Their urban farm in downtown KC, "Urbavore" is proudly described as "beyond organic" due to their "no nonsense" farming practicing they love and live by.  In short, they hand pick vendors that live by similar practices, and therefore, produce magical food.


This Friday Night Farmers’ Market offers a fantastic array of local, organic delights including colorful fruits and veggies, baked goods, gourmet mushrooms, goat cheese, eggs and free-range meats.  I sampled some incredible eats, and will never forget the localbucha (homemade kombucha) that can assist in many digestive and health disorders. The homemade pineapple and cilantro soda is also etched in my memory. All this, in our downtown--backyard.

Go out and smile at your local farmers; they will not forget you. Shake the hand of passionate farmers who put health back into our community. The practices of this market is revolutionizing the way that we grow and eat food, and planting great wisdom for generations to come.  Come and celebrate in happiness and health!

Badseed Farmers Market is located at:
1909 McGee Street, KCMO, 64108
Summer hours: 4-9 pm Friday
Winter hours: 4-8 pm Friday

To learn more about their practices, classes, and events please visit their site:
http://www.badseedkc.com/

(If you wish to help our city compost, check out their free composting program that helps us turn waste to gold: http://www.badseedkc.com/farm/services/)

In Love and Health,
~Christy~

Food Truck drives a new Westport Restaurant

You may recall the trendy Food Truck that once beckoned us outside the Rieger Hotel, in the early hours after a late night? Or, perhaps, better suited for memory... the smell of onions, salsa, fried eggs, and tortillas that made up their life-changing, chilaquiles!?

Port Fonda food truck has taken the wheel and driven itself to Westport, as a delicious restaurant.  It seems they have outgrown their truck for good reasons, and now the flavor of true Mexico welcomes you with pride and bright colors.

This is not your typical Tex-Mex, "fill up on chips and salsa," type of place.  This is real Mexico!  Don't be frightened by the fried chicharrones with salt, chile and lime that welcome you to the table.  This is the typical "chips and salsa" in many parts of Mexico. If you want the real experience come here and do it right.

When I say "do it right," that may include letting them twist your arm with a taste of mezcal and agave nectar.  This, of course, was kindly gifted to us by our server to help us taste the real experience. On that note, the service is impeccable and quite informative. The menu describes the taste of dishes very well, and the drink list is deliciously adventurous.

Some featured dishes that are I highly recommend are the chilaquiles, also known as "crack" to some. The queso fundido with chorizo and poblano rajas, was bold in flavor, and this is the only case where I would have begged for chips just to have a vehicle for more. They make a fierce soup that is like no other soup I have had in the States, called: Port Fonda.  It arrives topped with a fried egg and simmering meats, and infused with herbs and spices.  This has to be their grandmother's cure-all tonic.  Speaking of tonics, they carry one of my favorite tequila's called, "Clase Azul" which takes me instantly back to Mexico.  Ask for a slice of orange, drizzled in honey and sprinkled with cinnamon... and sip the tequila after your meal.  This will help bring all the flavors of the meal to life, and create a new, magical experience.  (A huge thank you to my dear friend, Brisa, for teaching me this time-honored tradition!)

Whether in a food truck or a restaurant, the passion of the owners is felt.  Brave and authentic, the tradition of Mexico comes to Kansas City... and we boldly accept the flavor! Venture out and support this local spot; open for lunch and dinner. The experience will surely call you back for more, and I'll come join you anytime! :)

Port Fonda is located at: 4141 Pennsylvania Street in Westport.

(Thank you, Jeff Carroll, once again for such a stellar find!)

Parker Farms Delivers Local Health!

I used to gawk in envy whenever I watched the British cooking star, Nigella Lawson, cook anything with eggs on the food network, because her egg yolks were so orange!  How is it that her yolks from England were so vibrant, and the ones I bought from my supermarket were barely yellow?

Parker Farms is my local answer!
Turns out that Parker Farms, in Richmond Missouri, offers what I envy, and I don't have to jet over to England... at least, not for eggs.  The answer to my question was so simple and the nutrition and taste profile profoundly different in both yolks.  Wildly different!

The one from chickens that graze in fresh sunlight and forage on grass and bugs has a bright orange/yellow yolk whereas the one in our supermarkets grossly pales in comparison.  Supermarket eggs are typically fed a commercial diet of grains, making them vastly inferior in nutritional quality. The bright color tells us something about the health of the chicken and, thus, the nutrients held in the egg.  The eggs and meat from chickens that graze on pasture hold a higher content of Omega 3 fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins like A and E.  With so much controversy on the topic of eggs, it would behoove us to stay informed about the nutrient content in meat and eggs from chickens who graze, and are happy!  Happy, healthy chickens bring back this super food we call eggs.
Of special interest: Don't be fooled by advertised "omega 3 eggs" in supermarkets, where flax seeds are placed in the diet of the chicken.  These are typically poor quality flax seeds that are oxidized before being fed to the chicken, therefore, rendering the egg more perishable and unhealthy, making this practice counterintuitive.



Kansas City is thriving with wonderful resources for local nutrition and great eats.  Parker Farms is a gem of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), offering local meat and egg shares.  Their vision is a sustainable, local food system! They provide far superior products than even your own, local butcher may offer... and I will boldly say, they have changed the way my family eats!  We get to witness nutrition as its very best.  I get to see bright eggs all the time now!   You can tell a difference immediately in the flavor, and cooking takes on a whole new dimension.

When I visited the farm recently, I got the honored privelege of touring the property and seeing the lambs and cows graze so happily.  Chickens were on the grass in the fresh sunlight, and the pigs were blissfully playing about and splashing in water.  I picked my own eggs with pride and deep gratitude.

Parker Farms pride themselves in working as a family and making you feel a part of that very family.  I think many of us take for granted the work and dedication that goes into providing food for our community. There is a passion and synergy alive there that you can both feel and taste.  Something comes to life in us when we feel the love in local food, and our hearts thrive in a plentiful community!



We eat what our animals eat:
We might want to rethink the whole "corn-fed beef" advertisement that's placed so proudly on some of our menus.  It's certainly not for the faint of heart.  Most of us know the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids for inflammatory diseases like cardiovascular, cancer, auto-immune diseases and obesity.  So, with that being known... here's the skinny on fats:
Omega 6 fatty acids are found in: grains
Omega 3 fatty acids are found in: grasses and seeds
The ideal ratio for health is about: 3:1 (omega 6 to 3).  Most western diets consist of a staggering 20:1, or worse yet, 50:1.  This is a real problem!  So if we are eating animals that are fed grains, we are getting even more omega 6 to omega 3.  Easier to remember: Grains fed to our animals make us fat and unhealthy!  Grass fed to our animals makes us thinner and healthier! Let's not make it so difficult.

Stay healthy by sourcing your meat and eggs locally.  To gain more information,  please visit their website, and support your local farms as much as possible:
http://parkerfarmsmeats.com/


Local is delicious!

Get Your Hands Dirty with "Fair Share Farm"

It's amusing to see our habits these days coming full circle, to what once was  just common practice years ago.  My grandmother just visited me recently from Spain, and she grew up near the farm lands of Missouri.  I was ecstatic to tell her about the new local fare that is available to us now in the form of CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture)... and that we no longer have to get our Organic/Local food just from grocery stores!  She gave me a perplexed look and just laughed in amusement at my excitement.  She explained that this "local" concept was something that was in full force in her neighborhood growing up. 

"Honey, you used to just go out back to get your dinner ... and if you didn't grow any, then you went to the nearest neighbor for their freshly picked fruits and veggies, and to the dairy farm for your milk and butter.  All that was left was baking your own bread or supporting the town bakery.  In fact, many times this is how you met your neighbors!"

Neighbors lend you more than sugar:
Hmm... meet your neighbor.  Now there's a concept! :)
Turns out that we have some incredible neighbors in Kansas City, and those neighbors work hard to supply us all with Organic and Local produce.  It's a husband and wife team who own and live on a farm Rebecca's family has owned for four generations.  It is called "Fair Share Farm," located just North of Kansas City, outside of Kearney.  What was once so simple and common is now proving harder and harder to find.  However, "Fair Share Farms" is connecting us again to real food--and community-based agriculture.   It is a different world entirely when you bite into a commercial tomato from the grocery store and one that came from a local, organic farm.  I can see why many kids dislike the taste of vegetable and fruits they eat from the local stores these days.  They resemble a plastic and cardboard taste, devoid of most of their nutrients, and most of the time, they have arrived from different states and/or countries.  Once harvested, the vegetable or fruit slowly starts to lose its nutritional value.  This is why it is best to eat it right from the garden or  soon after.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs):

CSAs provide communities all over the United States with local produce and foods that are harvested and immediately sent to you or to a distribution point.  We pick up our local, organic produce from Fair Share Farms every week here in Liberty, MO, and they have multiple distribution points.  They not only offer fresh, local produce; but their produce is proudly grown organically. 

You can sign up for a half share or full share (highly recommended if you have a large family or would like to share with another family).  The flavor of the produce is a world apart from what you taste in the store, and it will change the way that you feel about "healthy" produce.  Who knew veggies and fruits could actually taste so good?!  It also might even put the flush back in your cheeks, due to actually receiving the nutrients from the food. ;)

One of the greatest benefits of being a part of a CSA is that you receive only what is in season and local at the time.  This is ideal for the greatest health!  Your body responds better to what is in season and also what is picked locally.  Fair Share Farms also provides you the opportunity to work on their farm as part of their program, and this allows you to get closer to your food and even closer to your community; not to mention that you always walk away learning something you didn't know.  We MUST get our hands dirty as we dig deeper into what brings balance into our bodies.  This puts our power of health back in our own hands.  The only way to truly appreciate our food and our health is to put our heart and passion into it.  Know your food, and please know where it comes from.

I had the most incredible time on the farm as our whole family went out early one Saturday morning and picked fresh kale, scallions, snow peas, raspberries, cabbage, lettuce and much more.  You also get the opportunity to pick any wild flowers that are growing, and there are wild, medicinal herbs growing everywhere.  I am a true nerd for medicinal herbs, so when I spotted the pink and white echinacea scattered across the land... my heart skipped with extra love.  I promptly went home and thought of the different tinctures I could make for the winter to come.  Also, growing on their land were comfrey and motherwort.  Comfrey is used traditionally in salves for healing wounds, and motherwort is the star herb for palpitations.  So many of us could benefit from any one of those herbs, and there are so many others just waiting for me to discover.   

I am a firm believer that we must know our land better and find the medicine in our food.  We are dying a slow death from knowing too little about our bodies.  We are the most fed nation, and yet in many ways, we are starving ourselves of real nutrients.  Sadly, we enter massive grocery stores like robots with shopping carts (such large carts, at that).  We are driven by a shopping list that mostly spells out the same ingredients and packaged goods we get week after week.  We follow our addicted bodies to the inner isles where all the packaged and boxed "foods" beckon to us, and some of us rarely go to the outside circle where the real produce and fresh food are located.  Even then, for the few that do shop the outer circle, they are left with the dredgings of produce that is about as nutritious as electrolyte water these days.  Look around sometime at the people who are shopping the inner isles only... we are starting to look like those packages and boxes.  We are getting a little better with the small organic sections!  But still, where did that Organic food come from (check it out and read the label)... and how long ago was it harvested?  Stay informed!

You can't afford not to:
Local and organic produce may cost a little more, but these days, you can't afford not to buy organic at the expense of poor health.  Here's the question you may want to ask yourself: "Would you rather spend money on good food or on medical bills"?  One choice is empowering; the other puts the power in someone else's hands.  We are the problem, and luckily, we are also the solution!  

Start now.  Neither a new way of thinking nor a new life style should start tomorrow nor Monday.  We must begin our life right now, in this moment.  It takes only one thought and one action to begin.  Start small if you must, but start right NOW!  Planting a seed today holds the power for a bountiful garden for all the days to come.  Let's plant some thoughts/actions for future generations. 

We are nothing without each other, and our community is begging for support and for greater wisdom about our health, individually and as a whole.  Support your local farms and get your hands dirty!!  These farms need you, and your health needs them.  Let's empower each other. 

For more information about "Fair Share Farms," please visit this link:

http://www.fairsharefarm.com/

 (The owners, Rebecca Graff and Tom Ruggieri, are incredible people with a great passion and a world of knowledge.  They will make you feel right at home on their farm as they inspire you to greater health and love for what they do.) 

Eat Like the French! (in Kansas)

“Life is so brief that we should not glance either too far backwards or forwards…therefore, study how to fix our happiness in our glass and in our plate.”
- Grimod de la Reynière


"Bienvenue!"--she said smiling, as our server opened the front door to our French adventure.  I couldn't help but hum that song from Laura Calder's cooking show, "Come over, come over... and we'll meet again," while she walked us to our table.  (I know! I just couldn't help myself).  It's just one of those places that makes you feel at home, and yet, thousands of miles away in mystical Paris, at the same time!

"Cafe' Provence" spells delicious, homemade, and truly French fare. The warmth that embraces you when you first enter the restaurant is almost as comforting as the fragrant smells that wrap you in from the kitchen.  Suddenly I was transported from the threshold  of the Midwest straight to France (Where's my steaming hot crepe filled with delectable Nutella?, screamed my nostalgic memory! ;-) I needn't have worried, though, because true enjoyment was written in all of the food to come, and "bon appetit" was infused in our Kir Royale.

The mixture of "Le Vie en Rose" and the rich smells of herbs simmering in butter sauce transported me straight back to France.  If you've never been to France then this could be your first taste, and you really must try it.  Go down the road, and taste France--right in your backyard. Er', well, kind of... (does a strip mall in Kansas count?)

Cafe' Provence is located in Prairie Village, KS... and in your imagination you could hop, skip, or jump there from the Plaza. It's truly worth the adventure, wherever you live in Kansas City or Kansas... and if you wish for some authentic French fare, then please wait no longer. Don't be afraid to try new things like the obligatory Escargot... that will have you begging for more bread to dip in that exquisite butter sauce. Let's be honest, the butter is the vehicle for it's delight, but you might be pleased to know that snails contain a particular lectin that helps to prevent certain female cancers--like breast cancer! (A bell should go off somewhere, because female cancers are now one of the leading causes of death). ... something you can feel good about, and it's dripping in butter??  Not a lot of thought should go into that. Bottom line: it's delicious medicine!

Butter and Bitter are your Friends:

The French have somewhat explained their French paradox (of sorts) to me, and I listened closely. They are ridiculously particular about the quality of their food, where it is sourced, and... drum roll please, THE BALANCE OF HOW FOODS ARE PREPARED AND ALSO DIGESTED.  They care a great deal about digestion! You may have grown up thinking they were just pompous individuals that were snobby about their food, but when you listen and watch carefully, they are truly on to something.  While I was studying nutrition, I had the privilege of being in France for a spell, and I learned some very valuable things that I have brought back with me; when practiced, they will change the way you look at a meal and the way that foods work together in your digestive system.  There is a rhyme and reason to their madness. 
 
I adore the way the French eat, and one of the things they introduced to me were bitters.  What are bitters, you ask?  Well, bitters are comprised of different ingredients like bitter greens, herbs, roots, barks, etc.  Does it sound crazy yet?  Well, in some ways it should, because we are innately programmed to resist bitters, because most things poisonous are bitter, and we have a beautiful mechanism within us that keeps us from liking poisons.  Hence, the bitter taste!  However, there are bitters like endive, dandelion, escarole, chicory and other bitter salad greens that are extremely beneficial for our digestion by way of releasing digestive juices and assisting the liver and gallbladder to break down fats.  Bitters are also used in digestive drinks and aperitifs to assist us in digesting heavy meals and buttery dishes.  We've all heard about the French Paradox where the french shovel in mouthsfull of butter- and cream-laden dishes.  How do they ever stay so thin?  Hmm... could it be the bitters?  I believe it has to do with many things including the fact that their butter and cream are of great quality, but YES, bitters and the way they eat their food speak volumes for the way they can eat as they do.   Also, let's please not forget: Fat is never the enemy!  I could write another full blog on the benefits of good fats, and butter can most certainly be one of them.  I'll dispel its demonic qualities quickly by saying that your body can recognize the benefits of butter much better than the more prevalent refined and rancid vegetable oils (like canola).  Butter has been ostracized in the States for far too long, and the French are having a good laugh at us while we figure it out.  Fat loves bitter and they should be good friends in my book.

THE FOOD!

We dived right in with an aperitif trio, and a glass of Kir Royale. The menu always changes with the seasons (another wonderful thing), but that evening, the trio included: perfectly salted marcona almonds, blue cheese-stuffed dates (even if you don't like dates, you will most likely change your mind with these), and a beautiful assortment of olives.  A good friend from France taught me the benefit of the Kir Royale before a meal, or with the aperitifs... and it has been my favorite ever since.  Simple but elegant, the drizzle of cassis liqueur in champagne adds the perfect tiny bubbles to help digest the starting course.  One sip and your meal is started with celebration and delight.  I usually close my eyes and just soak up the moment, while the digestive juices flow.

If you have any obsession with mushrooms, and especially the delicate flavors of morels,  then you must try the "Poulet aux Morilles."  In English, this is the juiciest Amish chicken breast bathed in a brandy morel cream sauce, perfectly crisp potatoes, and buttery asparagus. Every bite got better and better, and it pairs beautifully with some deep Pinot Noir or light Vouvray.  If they offer you more bread to soak up the sauce (and they almost always do), then you should certainly never say no to such offers.

Their dessert list blew me away with the choices, and all of them were made in house, of course... but when I asked the server what she recommended, she said that we must not leave without trying the tarte tatin. This is a very traditional apple tart that is well known in France and when done well,it will melt in your mouth and have you begging to the gods of caramelized apples.  I'm not really an apple dessert fan, in fact, I will choose chocolate over an apple tart anyday.  However, this tarte turns an apple into a fantasy.  It was said that the original creation of the infamous "tarte tatin" was an accident, so this proves that we should make more accidents in life to create such accidental bliss. Try it with a shot of their delicious espresso! The bitter (ding ding) delight from the coffee will synergistically bring out even more flavor from the sweet caramel flavor of the apples and buttery crust.  Again, this is where bitter and butter breathe partnership.


There are so many dishes still calling me back!  Did I mention that "Cafe Provence" is family owned and everyone that works there is closely related, or at least, treated like a family member.  So you will feel at home when you walk in, and the kitchen will call you back over and over again with the memory of the smells... and the stories of food that the servers share with you.   Please don't be afraid to ask about the dishes, the stories, the culture, anything really. Reach out; learn more! We can feel at home anywhere we go if we infuse ourselves in the sacred moments we are given and allow ourselves to be whisked away to another world with just one bite of heavenly food.


Other "French Paradox" Tips: (For What it's Worth)
These are tips I've learned over the years that I recommend to clients.


1.) Try to always eat with others, to share your enjoyment and celebrate life with each other.  You will eat more slowly also. ;)
2.) Drink bitters before and after your meals, and wine during your meal.
3.) Incorporate bitter greens like escarole, frizee, dandelion greens, endive, etc... with your regular salad greens.  Sauteed bitter greens are nice also.   (This is very helpful to diminish allergies, and in one client, I saw his allergies disappear completely by adding bitters to his diet.)
4.) Eat high quality food, and do your best to go to the city markets where you choose your own fruits and veggies, and ask where they were sourced.  We all have a busy life, but make time for good food and for shopping almost daily for what you will cook that night.  If you aren't able to do this, then shop weekly for what you will cook that week.  I had one French friend say, "Big shopping carts equal big bodies; small shopping baskets equal smaller bodies."  The French shop more often and get less food.  Plus, if you use a basket, then you get the added exercise of carrying the food you are buying. 
5.) Do not overeat!  The key is to eat high quality foods, and when you eat rich foods, you eat less but are more satisfied.  It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to register that you are full.  If you are talking and celebrating, then your body will register that you are full faster than just shoveling food in your mouth and not being mindful of it. (Your first deep breath while eating will usually signify that you are almost full.  We usually eat right through this and never listen.)
6.) Do not eat standing up!  Eat sitting down and while you are relaxing.  If you eat "on the go," then you will be rushed, possibly eat too much and you are most likely already stressed.  
7.) Your first bite should be of protein.  This sets the stage for strong digestion, and it helps in food combining and in weight loss.  Pretty easy step, and it works very well.  
8.)  Eat with Passion and Childlike Delight (this is one is my favorites)! 
9.) NEVER say this, "I shouldn't eat this"!  This programs to the mind and body that the food you are eating is harmful and, therefore, will process poorly.  Do not feel guilty for what you eat, but instead, enjoy it fully and passionately.  When you eat good food from high quality sources, and you don't eat too much... this will ALWAYS work in your favor.
The French never make delicious food and say: "I really shouldn't eat this." 
This is not pompous, this is just smart. 
10.) Cook whenever you can, and love the food while you are cooking it.

I hope you all get a chance to taste "Cafe Provence" in Prairie Village, Kansas.  Even if you aren't normally drawn to French food; you may find that this restaurant speaks to your taste buds and your heart.
Bon Appetit!

 http://www.kcconcept.com/cafeprovence/

 (A huge thank you goes out to "Check Please" and Jeff Carroll for introducing this restaurant to me.) 

The Webster House! (Make your own history)

I recently had the privilege of dining at an exquisite house(!) that I had been hearing about since it opened as a restaurant and antique shop in 2002. Nestled in the heart of the  Crossroads District of Kansas City, this house was formerly a schoolhouse, built back in 1885, and continues to hold the hearts of the community (and now it firmly holds mine).

I was salivating at the description of the menu before I even arrived, as I have this giddy habit of 'checking out' the menu online beforehand.  It's like watching an exciting preview for a movie; my eyes and stomach get very hungry.  Colorful descriptions of the food always tempt my taste buds, and my stomach growls in curiosity...  fueling the perfect anticipation. I always want EXACTLY what they are describing!  I feel like my ears spike up, and my head cocks to the side... much like my dog's do when you say the word, "play."

  I knew the food had a great reputation but I didn't realize, until I arrived, that the house also carries beautiful antiques that spill out of the rooms on the lower level.  I highly recommend arriving a bit early and perusing the rooms to see what random items call to you.  I personally found it interesting that there was an old wooden bird cage that came with a rusted key that must have been centuries old.   I'm not entirely sure the old cage could house a bird these days, but the look and history of the cage certainly caught my eye and made me curious about how much these antiques reflect the history that this "Webster House" also carries in it's creaky floors--or the walls with it's schoolhouse gossip.

  OH! It might be important to note that the gift/antique shops close earlier than the restaurant (8 pm... if I remember right), so if you find that you are floating down the stairs from a divine meal and a perfect bottle of wine after 8 pm; don't be alarmed that the security guards gives you a sideways glare when you decide to smell every candle they have for sale.  It would seem that this is less than welcomed after the shops close, as is playing their antique Steinway piano (Gasp!). Not that I would know anything about that. ;)

I'm not entirely sure how I got pulled from diving into the food scene, but I will delay no further! Okay, let's see. The food is exactly as you picture it when the passionate server is describing the dishes and taking you through the journey of what's special. Our server, Kirby, was amazingly charismatic and so eager to give us her take on what dishes were "over the top" (with eyes rolling back in her head when something really pulled at her heart strings). We had the opportunity to sit at the Chef's Table, which you can request when calling for a reservation.  If you are even slightly interested in cooking; I would certainly recommend this!  You get to sit up-close-and-personal with the chefs as they prepare your and others' delectable dishes.  In fact, you are pretty much overlooking the kitchen and feel like you are in the kitchen at times.  However, the seating is done so beautifully that you can feel as though you're having your own personal experience while also being drawn into the kitchen scene--whenever you choose.  The chefs are very friendly and are eager to show you their work.  I couldn't get enough of watching them make our dishes!! The passion exudes from their faces when they see you take the first bite of their perfectly cooked dishes.

Speaking of first bites, I melted completely when I tasted their appetizer: Herbed Gnocchi!   This has been, by far, one of the best gnocchi dishes I've ever tasted!  Their gnocchi is different than most in that it's prepared with ricotta versus the usual potato, making it more delicate and tasting like little clouds of heaven.  The ricotta cheese makes the dumpling-like pasta melt instantly when it touches your tongue.   It's pan sauteed with pancetta, butternut squash, and a delicious sage brown butter.  A taste of each of these together composed the perfect bite.  You almost think it needs more flavor to accent the beautiful texture until you taste the symphony together.  The saltiness of the pancetta with the subtle sweetness of the squash and the nutty flavor of the herbed butter marry so beautifully with the delicate gnocchi.  It is sweet synchronicity and a true celebration in your mouth.  I had a hand-on-heart, deep-sigh moment when we finished this first dish. Sigh***. Don't be drawn just to this starter, however because the other ones sound just as good... and are certainly calling me back for another visit (right now in fact).

The main courses we chose were: "Pan-Seared Sea bass" and the "Mediterranean Braised Lamb." Let me start by saying that the Sea bass, prepared the way it was, hands down won the award for the best fish I have tasted... and this is a bold statement coming from someone who just came from California and has had some great fish.  It was seasoned perfectly and was simply prepared by just searing it on both sides and finishing it in the oven.  The fish was beautifully crisp on the outside and light and moist on the inside, and I could easily cut it with the slightest touch of my fork.  It was extremely flavorful and had no "fishy" flavor... just the taste of the sea.   To accent its delicate flavor, it came with a light romesco sauce, just splashed on the plate with a bed of escarole and a delectable white bean puree.  I don't mind saying that I ate every bite, and used the fish to soak up all the flavors on the plate.  Shameless, but so needed!

I will be honest and say that the lamb was not as stupendous as the other two dishes, but it's worth mentioning that it has a "stew-like" feeling while eating it.  It certainly is in the category of "hearty" but not as tasty as it sounded. If we're being frank; I would order something else before I order the lamb... but it certainly wasn't terrible.  My last sip of wine made the lamb come to life a bit more, but that could have been just the magic of wine. ;)

Dessert!  (a slight diatribe regarding my thoughts about dessert):

Anyone who knows me, knows my sweet tooth, or maybe more accurately, my sweet 'teeth.'  So, yes, moderation is truly the key... that being said,  I have seen the difference in my body when ingesting foods and sweets that are devoid of love, and devouring foods and sweets full of homemade love. I think dessert should be homemade whenever possible, as this can only infuse it with more love--we all take pride in the desserts we make, or in watching another's face light up when we taste their homemade food.   I know that it IS possible for food to assimilate better in your system when it is homemade and accented with some personal love.   I believe that homemade food and desserts can speak straight to your soul, and yes, actually love you back. I also believe that this speaks louder than calorie counting, and we all know that calorie counting can work only for a period of time. Most of that time we aren't even passionate about the food we are eating... we are just eating to stay in our allotted calorie bracket. Where is the love in that?  You would be hard-pressed to feel the love exuding from a boxed cake, for example. Love in a box has an expiration date.

I say all of this because the Webster House takes pride in their homemade desserts!  We had the pleasure of hearing them described in detail, and I'm positive Kirby was drooling as much as I as she talked about them.  We went for the Featured Dessert that evening which was a layered chocolate mousse cake.  As you can see from the picture, it was just awful! ;)  We made ourselves eat every morsel, and even lick our spoons.  The pastry chef twisted our arms into sampling it again and again, and even devouring the delicious,  homemade whipped cream and berries on the side.  It was love on a plate!!

There was a very wise man who once said to me: "We must LIVE until we die."

It sounds so simple, but it hit me profoundly! Yes! We truly must live every moment until we cannot anymore. My life has not been the same since I heard his words.  They are just words, but words lived and cherished can forever shift the way we see and experience the world.

I find pleasure in the simplest things and casual moments. A gesture, a smile, a passionate expression, food, divine desserts and the magic that arises from sharing it with people you treasure.  Suddenly the simple is profound, and each moment truly lived awakens the soul to reach for more of those precious moments.  It's as if you emit something that attracts more of it.

Food is simple, and a necessity... but let's make it drip with passion.  Let see past the small picture and stretch forward to a greater view of what we can do to inspire our lives and our community further.  Nothing is mundane lest we make it so.  We make our own history and memories with every sacred moment, and each positive thought held around a memory makes something once black and white, something profoundly colorful.

 The Webster house has been part of the Kansas City community for many, many years... now it reaches to us with food and history.  I hope you find the time to visit this beautiful house, to taste it's magic, and to also feel a part of the community by doing so.  Whether that is to smell the candles, touch the antiques, be scolded for playing the piano, slide down the staircase, or soak up the flavors... I hope you live it fully!  Make your food and life more colorful; love it!

http://www.websterhousekc.com/dining.asp

Stay inspired and always hungry for more...

~Christy~

* A special thank you goes out to Jeff Nissen for introducing this gem of a restaurant to me.  I am forever thankful for you!!