kc bob: FOOD

Showing posts with label FOOD. Show all posts

Q39

The Q in Q39 is the national champion, award-winning dishes from the Muchin’ Hogs barbeque team, led by Rob Magee (pictured). This BBQ restaurant has been in business about two years and is regularly packed with BBQ loving Kansas Citians every night.

I first learned about them when Rob was on a local morning show right after they opened. Ann and I tried them out that day for lunch and have been back many times. I have eaten the brisket (my favorite), the ribs and the burnt end burger and have loved them all. Ann eats the BBQ chicken and says she really loves it - tender and enough for the hungriest appetite. The urban rustic atmosphere makes it a great place to take folks who are new to KC BBQ.

I highly recommend the Q39 restaurant to you if you want authentic KC BBQ.

... a place that I have been to ... part of the A to Z series.

KC BBQ :: all about the meat not the sauce

Advice to all food and travel writers and bloggers writing about Kansas City barbecue:

Don't use the words 'slather', "sweet', or 'sticky'.

If you are contemplating using the words 'slather', "sweet', or 'sticky' it's probably because you're composing a sentence describing how Kansas City barbecue is 'all about the sauce'. This is incorrect. Kansas City barbecue is not 'all about the sauce'. Kansas City barbecue is all about the meat. You probably got the idea that it's 'all about the sauce' from reading what other food and travel writers have said about Kansas City barbecue and not what Kansas Citians themselves say about it. Before writing about Kansas City barbecue, come to Kansas City and talk to the people who make it, and the people who eat it. They will tell you, it's not 'all about the sauce.' Therefore, there is no reason to use the words 'slather', "sweet', or 'sticky'.
Don't use the phrase 'it's all about the sauce.'
Especially don't use the word 'slather'. 'Slather' is the worst.

Love this. Saw it posted on Facebook by Joe's Kansas City, a great BBQ restaurant.

A Coffee Company that makes the World a Better Place

To celebrate National Coffee Day I thought that I would tip my hat to the Rogers Family Coffee Company - makers of the French Roasted k-cups that I buy at Costco. Here is an inspiring 5 minute video about them.

If you like coffee, and companies that help make the world a better place, I recommend Rogers Family Coffee.

Pizza Eating Personalities

Our small group talked about the Enneagram Personality Test this week. So my attention was peaked when I heard that Cosmo came up with personality types based on the way that you eat a slice of pizza. Here is the way that Fox News tells it:

There are 4 distinct personality types—drivers, influencers, supporters, and careful correctors—who tend to have very unique ways of doing things, even small tasks.

Cosmopolitan then applied that same research to people’s pizza eating techniques--and here's what they found:

If you fold it: Those who fold their pizza slice are considered "drivers." They're multi-taskers; they want to eat the pizza fast, and eat it while doing something else.
If you start with the crust: People who eat the crust first are described as “influencers” who are spontaneous and like to be different.
If you use a knife and fork: Those who cut their pizza are known as “supporters.” The research says they approach life relaxed and are warm and friendly listeners who likely let their friends get their slice first.
If you just pick it up and bite: Those who eat it with their hands and bite their slice are known as the "careful correctors." They like to plan ahead so everything turns out as expected. They usually stick with the same flavors and toppings.

I fold it but do not admit to the driver personality. I may be a multitasker but do not think that I eat it all that fast.

So how do you eat your pizza? Do you resonate with the associated personality?

Coffee Day Q&A

Today is National Coffee Day supposedly sponsored by Juan Valdez.
To honor the Day I offer you a few caffeine flavored questions and answers.

Favorite Brand? Starbucks by the bag but San Francisco Bay k-cups from Costco.
Favorite Blend? Verona by the bag but I like French Roasted k-cups.
Cups per day? I usually have one k-cupped coffee in the morning and occasionally a decaf latte in the afternoon.
Cream or Sugar? I do like sugar but can live without it - not!
Favorite Specialty Coffee? Foamy decaf latte in the afternoon.
Favorite Cafe? I like Starbucks but enjoy the Opera House down the street from my place.
Alone or with Company? I enjoy sharing a cup of coffee with the fabulous Ann!

I did this 3 years ago (here) and my answers have changed a bit since Keurig came on the scene.

Please chime in, answer a few of the questions and share a bit about your caffeine addiction.

Keurig Reflections

Seems like I am always a late adopter to new technologies. Weird for a tech-guy like me. In true form I waited until everyone else already owned a Keurig coffee maker and purchased one just before Christmas.

Here are a few surprises and things that I learned ...

I drink less coffee than when I used to make a pot in the morning.
From her wheelchair Ann is able to deal with all things Keurig.
With the proper k-cup brand I can get a decent cup of coffee.

Now I prefer a bold, dark and rich cup of coffee so some brands/flavors did not work for me. Here is my review (in rank order) of what I have tasted so far ...

Folgers Black Silk: surprisingly the best dark coffee for the money yet.
Starbucks Sumatra: similar to the Black Silk but way more expensive.
Emeril's Big Easy Bold: somewhere between Black Silk and Sumatra.
Starbucks Verona: surprisingly disappointingly too weak for a k-cup.
Gevalia Columbia: very weak but I will drink it in a 6oz serving until it is gone.

Wonder if you have any suggestions. I am interested to hear of k-cup brews that you love.

How to Get the Best Cup

Lifehacker has a few good tips on How to Get the Best Cup from an Auto-Drip Coffee Maker. Here they are:

THE BEANS :: Coffee goes stale quickly and the process goes even faster when the beans are already ground, so stick with whole beans. If you're stuck with a grocery store brand be sure to look for a roasting date on the package so you can get something fresh-ish.

THE GRIND :: Coffee gets its flavor and aroma during a process called extraction when the hot water passes through the ground up beans. If this happens too quickly, the coffee will be weak; if it happens too slowly, it will be bitter. The speed of this is decided by how fine the grind of the coffee is.

THE FILTER :: For most auto drip coffee makers you want a fine or medium grind depending on the type of filter your coffee maker uses. Here's an estimation of how fine to grind it:

Flat Bottom Filters: Medium (close to the texture of sand).
Cone Shaped Filters: Medium/Fine (A little finer than granulated sugar).
Gold/Plastic Permanent Filters: Medium.

THE WATER :: Since a cup of coffee is mostly water, the quality of that water is important. If you live in an area where tap water isn't very good then use filtered water for your coffee. You might think the taste of coffee can overwhelm the taste of bad water, but it doesn't.

THE RATIO :: You need to play around and get your water to coffee ratio right. In general, you want about 1 or 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per six ounces of water. Your preferences may vary, so feel free to try different amounts. Once you get a good ratio, stick with it.

THE POT :: If you're in the market for a new coffee maker it's worth it to splurge on one that pours directly into a thermal carafe because they don't use the heating element that burns coffee.

THE CLEANING :: If you're making coffee every day it's important to clean and spray out the carafe daily because otherwise you're just getting a second taste of yesterday's brew. You should also clean out the whole system at least once a month, but if you're a daily drinker then once a week is recommended.

Coffee: Bag or K-Cup? Which is best?

According to an answer at a Yahoo forum that asked the question: "How many 12 ounce cups of coffee can I make with an 11 oz bag of coffee grinds?":

"There are about 52 tablespoons of coffee in a 11 ounce bag. I use about 1 tablespoon per cup of coffee on my drip machine. Each cup is 6 ounces. So, about 26 12 ounce cups or 52 coffee maker cups."

So I got to comparing the cost of an 11oz bag of Starbucks Verona coffee that I pay about 8 bucks for with a comparable amount of K-Cups that people are spending much more for and wonder why folks use K-Cups? Is it all about the convenience?

Coffee is Good for Us?!

I have been drinking coffee for over 40 years. I began sucking down the hot stuff when I worked off Wall Street when I was 18. Since then I have had it with cream and without - but I have always scooped a few spoons of sugar into the mug. These days I leave out the cream and save it for the occasional caffè latte.

So I was intrigued recently by an article in the Kansas Star titled "The many health perks of coffee". The piece highlights the musings about coffee by cardiologist James O’Keefe, a doc who specializes in heart disease prevention. Here are a few benefits that he sees for those of us who drink the dark stuff:

Moderate weight reduction. That’s due to the metabolic boost, plus a lot of people drink coffee as a substitute for beverages with calories. “A big part of what I like about coffee is it has no calories,” O’Keefe says. “Clearly, the increased consumption of sugary and high-calorie beverages is playing a major role in the obesity epidemic.”

Prevention or delay of Type 2 diabetes. Coffee-drinking, even fewer than two cups a day, was associated with a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, and four to six cups a day resulted in a “significantly reduced” risk. Decaffeinated coffee offered some risk reduction.
It could be the chlorogenic acid in coffee that’s responsible for improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, O’Keefe says. (Better insulin sensitivity means lower blood sugar levels.)

Lower risk of several neurological problems, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, dementia and depression. In several studies tracking neurologic effects, caffeine in coffee seemed to be one of the important ingredients. Increased caffeine was related to lower Parkinson’s risk. Three to five cups of coffee a day for middle-aged study participants was associated with a 65 percent decrease in the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Authors of a recent study of more than 50,000 women concluded that the risk of depression decreased with an increase in caffeinated coffee drinking. “This is the scientific data that’s the most compelling and fascinating to me,” O’Keefe says.

O’Keefe's commentary is balanced out a bit by reports that scientists view coffee as habit forming, sleep depriving, calcium draining and bad for pregnant women. But I suspect that folks who love the brown stuff (and show images of it on their blogs) are focusing more on the positives than the negatives. What do you think?

Coffee, Lattes and Cholesterol

Much has been made in recent years of the positive and negatives effects of drinking coffee. However there is something I did not know about coffee that is discussed in an article by Dr. Rob van Dam, Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Here is a clip from it:

Coffee contains a substance called cafestol that is a potent stimulator of LDL cholesterol levels. Cafestol is found in the oily fraction of coffee, and when you brew coffee with a paper filter, the cafestol gets left behind in the filter. Other methods of coffee preparation, such as the boiled coffee common in Scandinavian countries, French press coffee, or Turkish coffee, are much higher in cafestol. So for people who have high cholesterol levels or who want to prevent having high cholesterol levels, it is better to choose paper filtered coffee or instant coffee, since they have much lower levels of cafestol than boiled or French press coffee. Espresso is somewhere in the middle; it has less cafestol than boiled or French press coffee, but more than paper filtered coffee.

Interesting how a simple paper filter makes all the difference between a drink that raises your cholesterol levels and one that does not. Makes you think about those French Press brewers (pictured) and the espresso makers used to produce lattes and cappuccinos. Something to ponder while you wait in line at your neighborhood Starbucks.

What are your favorite Superbowl Munchies?

This dish looks way too fancy for me. My favorite football nosh food consists of a nice hot cheese dip replete with some chips to dip. Add to that some bison summer sausage and a few crackers. Finish it off with a bowl of peanut M&Ms and I am about ready for the game.. and a beer or two.
And I might add a few BBQ wings.
What will you eat with the game?

Small Plates

The United Healthcare Insurance Company is very interested in my well being and often emails me helpful information. Consider this outtake from their website where dietitian Melanie Polk speaks to the differences in how we eat:

A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat or drink — or what you're served. Whether it's from a package, plate or buffet, a portion can be a bite or a feast.

A serving size is a standard unit of measuring food — a cup or ounce, for example. The Nutrition Facts on a food label are based on this. The label tells you how many calories are in a single serving of the food. It also lists how much fat, protein, sodium and other nutrients are in that amount.

Years ago Ann and I recognized that we ate less when we served meals on small plates. At first I think that we went back and refilled our plates but eventually got used to the smaller portions. We often extend this thinking to our eating out experiences. We enjoy places that offer a Tapas (small plate) menu and we will usually share an entrée rather than gorge ourselves on two - and we rarely do buffets.

Are you a fan of small plates or do you enjoy buffets and larger servings?

If Computers made Food

The Gluttony Tax

I heard about the Americans Against Food Taxes website yesterday and decided to check them out. Here is a blurb from them:

We don't want government telling us what to eat or drink by taxing our food and beverages. We can decide what to buy without government help. If we let government tax beverages, who knows where it will end? The next time government wants to fund more programs, they'll just slap taxes on more of our groceries. Government needs to trim its budget fat and leave grocery budgets alone.

This all sounds very high minded and ideological until you consider that the list of their Coalition Members is a laundry list of companies like 7-Eleven, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Yum! and others who would be hurt by taxes on sugary food and drinks.

That aside, I do wonder what some would say if the government raised other taxes because it followed the anti-food-tax rationale and eliminated taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. I think that this kind of gluttony tax is probably in line with these other sin taxes.

All that said I have to admit that I would not support this tax unless it was accompanied by an actual reduction in another tax. Ha! Like that would ever happen!

Smokin' Til Kingdom Come

Kirk, one of my real life friends and Facebook buddy, posted this image today and I just had to share it with you. It is simply hard to imagine something more delectable than this treat.

And don't you just love a BBQ cooking pit crew with the name of "Disciples of the Eternal Flame"? If I am not mistaken I think that these folks might be United Methodists.

Kansas City is known as a center for BBQ - there is a great place for ribs and burnt ends just a few blocks from my place. Ann and I enjoyed some takeout from there last week. And the sweet potato fries were great.

What kinds of food is your city or area know for?

National Coffee Day :: What Do You Drink?

Today is another one of those fake holidays - this one seems to benefit places like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and other places that not only serve the brown stuff but also sell it in bean form. I am sitting and typing on my deck and just caught a whiff of coffee from the downtown KC Folgers plant.. aaah.. nothing like the aroma of coffee in the afternoon.. or anytime. Anywho, I present you this image to commemorate the day and advertise the stuff that I have been drinking since I retired - just can't handle pure high-test anymore.

What brand and flavor are you drinking these days?

Kava

Many moons ago Paul Harvey used to hawk Kava on his radio show as my friend Roger and I carpooled to work. Here are a few thoughts on the subject from my old friend Roger:

I honestly cannot tell the difference between Kava and any other instant coffee. No doubt some people can, so it must be just me and my unsophisticated philistine taste.

It claims to use “premium” coffee beans, and I have no doubt that it does. It is unique in that it is “reduced acid”. Claims range from 50 to 90% less acid than regular coffee.

I am quite opinionated about stomach acid, having studied the subject in college, but perhaps it is suffice to say that the stomach naturally produces acid. (“Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl) in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid.”) The stomach needs acid to work properly. The acid found in a cup of coffee is just a drop in the bucket compared to stomach acid.

One objection I have to Kava is that the acid is removed using potassium hydroxide. (Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula KOH. Its common name is caustic potash.) I believe natural coffee, made by God, with all its acid, is quite alright with me. I say the same for oranges, lemonade, etc. Agricultural scientist and chemist frequently like to tamper with natural foods, and the results are not always beneficial. So will Kava with its caustic potash harm you? Most probably not, but I will continue to use my Italian instant espresso.

There is no charge for this evaluation.

From what I remember.. and I am going back 30+ years.. Kava used to be some nasty tasting stuff.. but to be fair I think that all instant coffee is nasty. I posted a NY Daily News review about Starbucks Via here.. I have since tried and have been disappointed by Via.

Are you a coffee person? Ever tried Kava or Starbucks Via?

New York is Persecuting Bagel Noshers!

Anyone who really knows me knows how much I love poppyseed bagels from Einstein Brothers - I consider those round things, with a schmear of lite Strawberry cream cheese, to be a bit of heaven on earth. So my interest was peaked when I heard of this story from New York (the home of all things bagel and onetime home of Bob) about how bagels are now being taxed. Here is a Wall Street Journal clip on the subject:

In New York, the sale of whole bagels isn't subject to sales tax. But the tax does apply to "sliced or prepared bagels (with cream cheese or other toppings)," according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance. And if the bagel is eaten in the store, even if it's never been touched by a knife, it's also taxed. ... One source of confusion is that the rule isn't spelled out in the tax code. And while sliced bagels are subject to sales tax, a sliced loaf of bread at a bakery isn't, according to tax officials.

Is this a crazy story or what? Speaks to the litigious nature of our governments. When I read stuff like this I am reminded that most politicians are lawyers. This part of the law certainly seems to support the lawyers full employment act.

Mostly this would not affect me too much these days as I generally pick up bagels and eat them at home.. and I do not get them sliced.. and Einstein Brothers do not have stores in New York.. and I live in Kansas City.

What does this story say to you about the law? And are you a lover of all things bagel?

KB BBQ Awards

It was almost 35 years ago.. I believe it was the first week of August in 1976 when I first tasted and fell in love with Kansas City barbeque. Since that time I have tasted this world famous phenomenon at countless different KC venues. I have seen a few of these joints close.. one in particular I was sad to see go. Kansas City has so many great BBQ joints. With this in mind I now humbly announce the winners of the KB BBQ Awards:

Best Pork Ribs: Ribs are at the heart of KC BBQ.. and when I say ribs I mean pork ribs.. and none of that Saint Louis cut stuff.. or Chili's Baby Back variety. The winner in this category is Gates Barbeque. My friend Bob thinks their ribs are to die for - they are very good and the very first ones I tasted in our city.
Best Beef Ribs: Usually I am not much in favor of the beef version of this fare. The exception is the Crown Prime Beef Ribs at Jack Stack Barbeque. These ribs are outrageously good and oh so tender.
Best Burnt Ends: These are the blackened, somewhat charred pieces of brisket ends that cannot be sliced. Sometimes these tasty morsels are too charred or too tough. The ones at Winslow's Barbeque (just down the street from my loft) are the best in KC. They are succulent, tender and quite delicious.
Best Brisket: I love a good smoked brisket.. especially in a sandwich.. it is one of my favorite lunches. I could go with several different BBQ joints but I think I will settle in on Brobeck's Barbeque. Their beef is always tender and tasty.
Best Pulled Pork: The Carolina Pulled Pork topped with slaw and Bubba Sauce may not be true KC BBQ but this sandwich served at Oklahoma Joe's Barbeque is one of my favorite sandwiches in the world. And no it is not related to that state just to our south.. the owners of the place are true KC area cookers. I opined about them here.
Best Sauce: Since that fateful day in August 1976 I have been a sucker for Gates BBQ sauce. All year long a bottle of the sauce sits in my refrigerator. It is a tomato based sauce with the perfect blend of spices and heat.
Best BBQ Beans: No contest here. Jack Stack Barbeque (who used to be Smokestack BBQ) has the best beans in town. They are smoky and full of bits of BBQ pieces. I have loved these for many years.
Best Overall BBQ Experience: If you have never been to Kansas City and want to experience the full BBQ experience you must try Arthur Bryants BBQ. It is reminiscent of what it must have been like eating BBQ in KC 50+ years ago. I wrote about it here. The cartoon about was published in the KC Star the day after Arthur passed away.

Honorable mentions for Kansas City barbeque joints are Zarda Barbeque and Hayward's Barbecue. They were once pretty good barbeque spots but alas it has been a long time since I have frequented their establishments. And I must give a posthumous award to Jake Edwards' Barbeque - no longer in business but they once had the best burnt ends in town.

How about you? Ever had KC barbeque? Any favorites here or where you live?

Confessions of a WiFi Loiterer

On Monday $tarbucks announced that they will be offering free Wi-Fi at all stores nationwide beginning July 1st. Yesterday Jeff Bertolucci from PC World offered the following observation in an online piece, called Starbucks' Free Wi-Fi: Bring on the Loafers, Lazies, and Loiterers:

So, Starbucks plans to offer free wireless Internet at all of its U.S. stores starting July 1. It's a friendly gesture, certainly, one that could very well draw more customers to the coffee chain's thousands of outlets. Then again, the Wi-Fi perk may prove a little too successful, particularly if it attracts a particular breed of wireless hound.

You know the type. Offer free Wi-Fi and they will come--and never leave. Equipped with a laptop, cell phone, orthopedic backrest, and possibly even a Tupperware lunch, they'll hunker down in a leather chair or commandeer the best table--the one nearest the AC outlet, naturally. Often they seem to travel in packs; a free-Wi-Fi zone may face an infestation of laptop-toting loafers, a sea of glowing LCDs filling every corner of the coffee house. The neighborhood java hut often becomes their home office away from home.

Sure, some squatters may purchase a small latte, maybe even a bran muffin or a decaf refill after hours of loitering. But their small acts of patronage won't compensate for the ill will they generate, both in the minds of other (irate) customers who can't find an open table, and in the merchant's undernourished coffers.

My response to Jeff.. in the words spoken by Bobby D in Taxi Driver.. "You talkin to me?" Yes, I have been known to squat at $tarbucks chatting with a friend as I suck down a $3-4 latte - sometimes I am $4-thirsty and others $3-thirsty.. and I rarely buy any of their bad eats.. I mean come on.. can't they find a fresh (emphasize fresh) pastry or bagel? Or maybe a few slices of microwaved bacon? Sadly.. unlike their competitor Panera they do not.

I guess I am glad that $tarbucks finally changed their WiFi policy but I do not think that it will change my laptop loitering venue. I will probably still frequent Panera for my morning coffee and bagel - the place offers free WiFi, free refills on my coffee and food that is not stale.

How about you? Are you a WiFi loiterer? Will free WiFi attract you to $tarbucks?

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