Chris Conatser of Justus Drugstore is many things: botanist, wildcrafter, bartender. He’s even been called a mad scientist, thanks to regular usage of words like terpene and diacetyl. I say he’s just good at what he does. I’ve been up to Smithville, Mo., a couple times recently to see Conatser—the first was in September to… Continue Reading
I’ve been making the coffee rounds this week while researching an upcoming article for Imbibe, getting me, as my oldest daughter puts it, all coffeed up. Which is not a bad thing. I’m astounded at how much Kansas City’s coffee culture has expanded over the last couple years, much less since the Broadway Café &… Continue Reading
During Prohibition, the thirsty drank almost anything they could get their hands on, as long as it carried a kick. But Al Capone preferred rye, especially that from Templeton, Iowa. Which is why Templeton Rye’s featured in Sunday’s season two premier of Boardwalk Empire. It’s hard to say where the product will pop up, but… Continue Reading
I used to think beer should be consumed unadulterated, plain and cold. Then I moved to London and had my first shandy. It was only lager and lemonade (the fizzy, off-dry English sort) mixed half-and-half, but I loved it. Shandies weren’t an everyday sort of drink, but rather the perfect low-alcohol choice for lazing in… Continue Reading
It’s still a buzz seeing something I wrote in print, even 20-odd years on as a journalist. But I’m a perfectionist, so reading my own work can be as frustrating as it is satisfying. In today’s case, it was the realization that I didn’t list all the winners and finalists in my Kansas City Star… Continue Reading