If you’re from the Czech Republic or a neighboring country, or your family is, or your friends are, you probably know what kolaches are. But I’m not, they aren’t, and I didn’t. At least, not until we drove to Austin, Texas, last spring. I wondered what all those signs were for along I-35, south of… Continue Reading
It seems like white whiskey’s always been around in America, since the days when settlers distilled surplus corn into something more transportable and profitable. Some is still made from corn, but rye, wheat and other grains are used, just as in aged whiskies. But unlike bourbons, rye, Scotch or other whiskies that spend years in… Continue Reading
It’s just 3 a.m., but Barbara Vratanina’s already up and headed to Barb’s Kolache Bakery in Shawnee. By 4 a.m., she’s pulling trays of dough from the fridge and sliding them into the proofer. At 5 a.m., the first kolaches go into the oven, along with a batch of cinnamon rolls and meat-and-cheese pastries. Not… Continue Reading
Sara Moulton has made a career out of cooking family dinner. She was a Food Network pioneer with Sara Moulton Live, Sara Moulton Primetime and Sara’s Secrets, and her subsequent PBS show and three cookbook titles established her as a major food personality. She still draws crowds, and her recent appearance in Kansas City was… Continue Reading
I have one celebrity interview to my credit: Lyle Lovett, in 1996. We met at his office in Tomball, Texas, a nondescript building behind the local Whataburger, and the conversation continued through dinner at a nearby Tex-Mex joint. The next morning we were back at his office, where I donned a helmet and hopped on… Continue Reading