Coffee looms large in my imagination lately, thanks to an upcoming article about the Broadway Cafe & Roasting Company’s 20th anniversary. I had a deeply satisfying cup of Mexican Chiapas there yesterday when I stopped to interview co-owner Jon Cates and head roaster Brian Phillips. But today I’m alone in my office, and the closest… Continue Reading
Few recent Plaza openings have made as big a splash as Gram & Dun. Maybe it’s because local restauranteur Alan Gaylin’s already built a following with BRGR Kitchen + Bar and Urban Table in Prairie Village. Maybe this spring weather has folks salivating over the pretty patio. Or maybe I’m just excited because Gram &… Continue Reading
It’s funny how things change. Take Tuaca. The first time I tasted this Italian brandy liqueur, it was at Jasper’s. Not the new Jasper’s, but the original at 75th and Wornall, maybe 20 years or so ago. It was an elegant thing back then, served in a warm snifter and meant to be savored slowly.… Continue Reading
Okay, here’s a confession. I always ask bartenders which cocktail books are essential. They always recommend The Joy of Mixology. I always nod knowingly, pretending I’ve read it. But I hadn’t. Until now. I finally ordered a copy from Rainy Day Books and have spent the last few nights combing its pages, dog-earing and underlining… Continue Reading
I love that phrase, and all it implies—sitting down with a friend, sipping coffee from a real cup and chatting in a way I rarely take time to do these days. It’s a communal experience, one that hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Farmers in small Kansas towns like the one I grew up in… Continue Reading