Drink Local! But where to go?

The EAT staff are working on a very special piece highlighting some of the best local (within 50 to 100 mines of KC) wineries for Visit Overland Park (The convention and visors bureau)! There are many so we need to cull down the list to visit ... what are your favorites (or better yet: which one's should we feature that you haven't been to before) Be sure to vote ... there might even be some EAT schwag to give away from some lucky voters!

Here is the link to the list of options (Vote as often as you would like and while you are there be sure to "Like" the page so we can keep you up to date on what's happening)

Wineries include the following:

- Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
- Belvoir Winery
- Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery
- Amigoni Vineyards & Urban Winery
- Jowler Creek Winery
- Pirtle Winery
- Adam Puchta Winery
- Blumenhof Winery
- Fence Stile Vineyards & Winery
- Stonehaus Winery

https://www.facebook.com/questions/422387021132171/

(Links to their Facebook pages and Web sites are included in the poll)

Voting is open though September 15 (We have deadlines you know!)

Thanks!

Paris of the Plains Cocktail Festival is Coming!

Many of you have heard about and/or participated in The Greater KC Bartending Competition ... well: the great minds who brought that celebrating to fruition are taking it about 30 steps further with the Paris of the Plains Cocktail Festival.

The Paris of the Plains Bartending Competition began in 2007 as The Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition, and was formed by KC residents and beverage industry professionals Doug Frost and Ryan Maybee. The motivation and goals were simple and clear: showcase the talent and skill that exists in Kansas City’s bartending community. By emphasizing and encouraging creativity, knowledge of classic cocktails, and use of fresh ingredients and quality spirits, the competition strived to identify the city’s most talented craft bartenders and promote them and their fine establishments. The competition has grown over the last 5 years to include bartenders from all over the country, while still taking place in Kansas City.

There hasn't been a tremendous amount of information provided as of yet but here is what we know from their Web site: www.popfestkc.com:
- Spirited Soirees: You’ve heard of pairing wine with food, but how about cocktails / spirits and food! These events will feature a sponsored product, along with some local talent to dish up some tasty food and beverage selections for guests.
- Educational Seminars: We’re not just diving into the hows and whys of making drinks… we’re also going to be hosting some special educational sessions with some internationally recognized talent! Learning about things like Beer Cocktails, Cognac, the History of Kansas City during Prohibition, and More.
- Parties & Other events: Kansas City is often celebrated for its renowned influence in BBQ, Jazz, and More, and we plan to highlight these aspects through some VERY exciting parties and events.
- Competitions: We’ll be giving away $1000 to one lucky bartender, as well as awarding the first ever Washington Cup Invitational awards for American Made Spirits! There’s some FUN stuff in the works.
Thanks again for your patience, and stay tuned!

- The Washington Cup Spirits Competition will kick off on July 1st and culminate with People's Choice tasting August 27th!

- The rest of the POPFestKC will take place August 23rd to August 27th (The bartending competition will take place Sunday night, August 26th at The Uptown Theater)

Be sure to visit their web site at: www.popfestkc.com
Like them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PoPFestKC
Follow them on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/PoPFestKC

See you then,

Cheers!

Keeping Warm on those Cool Winter Nights

Yes the winter has finally arrived (sigh) ... at least for a day or two before we are in the 50s and 60s again ... nonetheless, at this time of the year we look to stay warm (in almost) any way possible!

Sp how about with some port? Or some vintage port? Or even some variations on the standard dessert wines that you have seen in the past? Whatever you do be sure to try something new in your drinking adventures!

Here is some good information on ports and other great dessert wine options from an article in a recent Enhance Magazine: http://issuu.com/enhancemagazine/docs/enhance_april_2010/18!

(FYI: if anyone has a lead on the bottle in the picture please send it my way as I have been looking for a vintage port from the year of my birth)

A Toast to Champagne (again and again!)

Lots of wine, sparkling wine and Champagne questions this time of the year ... time for the annual review of what you are (or need to be) drinking!

Poetic quotes and romanticism aside, Champagne is merely wine that has bubbles ... But how does it get those bubbles? Who started all this fuss over bubbles? Why aren’t all wines with bubbles called Champagne? There is some debate as to where sparkling wine was first made and by whom, but most will concede that it was a monk from the Abbey Hautvilliers who is the true father of Champagne.

Read my full article from a previous edition edition of Enhance Magazine at  http://issuu.com/enhancemagazine/docs/issue_8/71 (Sorry about the previous error in the link - all should be corrected now)! Happy New Year to you and yours!

Julian - Back for a Repeat Performance!

It was a festive holiday weekend in our household … we didn’t plan on it but all of our meals happened to take place in Brookside. It’s a great neighborhood with quaint restaurants, shops and locally-owned businesses: for us it's perfect; for others, well, it’s just not for them! Oh well!

Chef Celina Tio in her kitchen (from her Web site)

The first meal was at Julian: James Beard award-winning (and Top Chef Master’s contestant) chef Celina Tio’s first foray on her own has turned out to be something exceptional. According to her Web site: Julian is “your favorite soul-satisfying dishes, crafted with the finest local and seasonal ingredients, refined with signature twists and served in a comfortably sophisticated atmosphere.” Agreed!

Our first few visits did not blow us away but it was early on and we gave it time. This past Labor Day weekend we stopped in on Friday night and sat in the bar. No kids, no babysitter and no curfew meant we could enjoy ourselves!

The staff was great from start to finish and have always been on their game. Service Manager Mike took good care of us and worked with the bar staff to ensure a positive experience! Tonight, as with many nights, we went the wine, appetizer, dessert, wine route as that allows us the most flexibility. At Julian, it works even better as many of their plates are designed for this type of dining – or at least that’s we told ourselves!

So here is our evening in 140 character "bites" at a time (Twitter posts are shown in reverse order meaning the first are the last of the evening):

kcwineguy via HootSuite

Very good evening: food + service + wine @JulianKC ... Some new favorites as well! Might be back for #brunch on Sunday!

Not actual cheese served but a great pic nonetheless

We love our cheese and it’s such a proper way to finish a meal! Almonds and jam really added to the experience!

kcwineguy via HootSuite

Final course: cheese board & accompaniments: w/#manchego #Brie #smoked Gouda and #Gruyere, #Marcona almonds and blueberry jam ... @JulianKC - Great finish!

If the Mrs. is an “egg slut” I think I could be the macaroni and cheese version … add some bacon and, well, we’ve got us a good time! This was a very simple but tasty dish that used all the right ingredients and hit the spot!

kcwineguy via HootSuite 

5th course: #Boulevard #PaleAle Mac & Cheese with #bacon showed up and had to be enjoyed! Perfect as I hoped! @JulianKC

Some times food magically appears at our table … this time I was hesitant: pretzels can be tough and chewy but these were soft with a light salty coating on the buttery exterior. Not too shabby … the spicy cheese dipping sauce was a perfect balance and the red wine clinched the deal … we was pleased!

kcwineguy via HootSuite
So ... (4th course) some housemade #pretzel sticks, #horseradish cheese sauce made it out and really had a perfect pairing w/the wine tonight! @JulianKC

Bowl o’ mussels, garlic, white wine … always a solid option here! ‘Nuff said!

kcwineguy via HootSuite
3rd course: #mussels w/ lots of crusty baguette! ... A must have! Very happy now! @JulianKC

My wife uses the term “egg slut” … of course it was borrowed from Anthony Bourdain but it still fits: wow! Circulated egg, prosciutto and ricotta … the right amount of flavor and food to make you want just a bit more … but we had other ideas!

kcwineguy via HootSuite
2nd course: ricotta, circulated egg, crispy prosciutto, crostini ... OMG this may be my new favorite dish! Runny, tangy, rich and filling! @JulianKC

Big fan of Conn Creek but I had not had the Herrick before (the Anthology was always a solid performer and a great value at $65/bottle) … good producers make good wine!

kcwineguy via HootSuite

Great value and a great find on the wine list!

Trying the 2007 #ConnCreek Herrick Red ... A great #Meritage w/#Syrah ... Very excited to pick up a bottle for home! $9/glass and $39/bottle

I am sketchy on typical crab cakes as most of the time they are mostly cake and minimal crab … no this one and it really stood up to the remainder of the Sauvignon Blanc!

kcwineguy via HootSuite
Maryland #crab cake was very good as well ... 2 for 2 on apps tonight! Yay for Julie the "ordering queen" @JulianKC

kcwineguy via HootSuite
Salmon deviled egg is outstanding! Kudos on this one ... A must have! @JulianKC!

So how many times can I state that the deviled eggs are amazing … you must order them!

kcwineguy via HootSuite
1st course: house-smoked salmon, deviled egg, pickled red onion plus their special Maryland crab cake! @JulianKC

It’s rare that I drink white when I am out but the Mrs. wanted some and I was happy to oblige her needs … besides, it was a glass of Neil Ellis (and not a bottle) so why not start the night off right for a bit of South African love!

kcwineguy via HootSuite
Starting with a #South African #Sauvignon Blanc ... Yes, it's a white! @JulianKC

Foursquare check in is mandatory … but I digress!

kcwineguy via foursquare
Back for more! (@ Julian) 4sq.com/rqAAT7

All in all a very positive and memorable experience … so good, we opted to come back for brunch 36 hours later with the family … more on that later!

Be sure to check out Julian and Chef Celina Tio at:

             

6227 BROOKSIDE PLAZA

KANSAS CITY, MO 64113

816.214.8454

http://www.juliankc.com/

You can make your reservations on Open Table as well!

Congrats to Chef Tio on a great menu, quality staff and a wonderful experience!

The Great “Two Buck Chuck” Taste Off!

Even though it costs $2.99 now the famed Trader Joe’s line of Charles Shaw wines have taken off like no other. The “Shaw” line wines currently include Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Valdiguie in the style of Beaujolais nouveau, and limited quantities of Pinot Grigio. These wines were introduced exclusively at Trader Joe's grocery stores in California at a price of $1.99 per bottle, earning the wines the nickname "Two Buck Chuck”.

The Charles Shaw label is owned by the Bronco Wine Company, headed by Fred Franzia (formerly of Franzia Brothers wines). The Bronco Wine Company produces the Charles Shaw label at their Ceres, California winery, which is not open to the public. There once was an actual, eponymous winery owned by Charles F. Shaw, which produced Beaujolais-style wines in the Napa Valley AVA. That winery went out of business, and the name was sold to Bronco in 1990.

Fast-forward to today and millions of cases have been sold through the California-based stores popping up around the country (including spots at Ward Parkway in Missouri and One Nineteen in Leawood, Kansas). Having recently visited the Missouri location (the Kansas store cannot sell alcohol based on their archaic state laws) I thought I might grab a bottle to see what all the fuss is about … more on the taste test in a moment.

Note to self: shopping at Trader Joe’s on a Sunday afternoon is not advised. The crowds were stupid … and I mean that is most literal way! People were purchasing fake flowers and a 12-pack of beer (both of which could have been bought at any other store) and waiting in line for 20 minutes … who does that? So back to the task at hand: tasting wine!

The idea was to see if I could tell A) which wine was the Charles Shaw and which was the “similar bottle” as well as B) which wine I would prefer to drink. I am not an expert but I am quite knowledgeable on wine and tasting. My sense of smell is above average and after numerous years of sampling, sipping and spitting I have a pretty good idea of what’s what!

So the wines were purchased: a bottle of 2010 Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa & Sonoma California) at $2.99/bottle and a 2009 Cartlidge & Browne Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast meaning Napa and Sonoma, California as well) at $9.99/bottle (I could not find any other bottle of wine at $3 that I would recommend using for the comparison).

Both bottles were opened and poured in another room by the Mrs. so I could not see what was from either bottle. Same amount of liquid in identical wine glasses.

The results:

•        Color: Both were ruby red translucent with a washed out rim of color on both wines (Not surprising for 1 to 2 year old vintage)
•        Smell: Both had a rich Cabernet scent … a bit of earth, cedar and spice but one of the glasses had a bit brighter scent than the other (Let’s call that glass RIGHT)
•        Flavor: My suspicions were confirmed: RIGHT was fruitier in a very California (or Aussie) fruit-forward kind of way. Both were soft on the finish but RIGHT was a bit smoother than LEFT. LEFT was a bit drier (more of the style I liked and was hoping for)

So my guessing began … millions of cases sold, fruitier and soft on the finish led me to believe RIGHT was the Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck and LEFT was the Cartilage & Brown. Suspicions confirmed! I was correct. Having guessed correctly I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the Two Buck Chuck fared against other Cabernet. It’s not a Napa Valley big boy but it is a decent $3 bottle of wine for Wednesday night with burgers or pizza … so now I get it!

Will I purchase it again … maybe? I think I am ok with spending $10 to $12 on a bottle but for mass gatherings where non-wine drinkers will be in attendance I now have a suitable offering for those occasions as well as a good fruity base for my next batch of sangria!

Feel free to do your own taste test and let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Recovering after another great @Friends of Turning Point Art of the Cocktail!

In addition to great food we enjoyed: The Pendergast (w/ @Jefferson Bourbon); @Milagro Kicker (w/ spicy Soda Vie and Tequila); Rhum Punch (w/ @The Official Sailor Jerry Rum); Pisco Punch (w/ @Pisco Capel); Hendrick's HiBall (w/ @Hendrick's Gin); Seasonal Stoli Sour (w/ infused @Stoli Vodka); and a few shots of @Samogon and @Shpilka Vodka to boot ...

Unfortunately, we are paying this morning for our adventurous eating and drinking (but it had to be done for the cause)! Thx 2 @Jason Burton from @LAB5702 for keeping us hydrated too!