This month's issue of Bon Appetit headlines its main feature "The United Plates of America." It's devoted to identifying the best and most uniquely American flavors in all 50 states. "Whether it's a slice of just-baked cherry pie in
Michigan, an oyster and bacon sandwich in Louisiana ... there's always something
delicious just around the corner in America."
What follows is a "definitive" list of each state and its best dishes, drinks and ingredients categorized into buying, eating and drinking. Here's what Bon Appetit says is the best in Kansas:
To Buy: Lapin Links from The Rare Hare Barn in Leon (east of Wichita)
To Eat: Grass-fed elk burger at Local Burger in Lawrence
To Drink: Oatmeal Stout from Free State Brewing in Lawrence
Again, Bon Appetit called these "definitive." Now here's the list for Missouri.
To Buy: American black walnuts from Hammons Nut Emporium in Stockton (a little more than two hours south of Kansas City)
To Eat: Grilled Berkshire pork ribeye and smoked crispy shoulder with chestnut risotto at Justus Drugstore in Smithville
To Drink: Chocolate concrete from Ted Drewes in St. Louis.
Not
a bad list. Much better than what I was expecting. But the problem is
I've never bought lapin links -- which is really just a fancy word for
rabbit meat -- from Rare Hare Barn and neither have I eaten black
walnuts from Southern Missouri. Plus there is no barbecue on
either state's list.
That's unacceptable.
So without further ado I present my own list which ignores the state line and focuses on Kansas City.
To Buy: a porterhouse or similar cut from McGonigle's Market. A bottle of Gates' barbecue sauce. A pound of the Roasterie's freshly ground Euro bistro blend coffee.
To Eat: Cream-cheese brownie from Dolce Bakery. A Z-Man sandwich from Oklahoma Joe's. The above mentioned dish from Justus.
To Drink: A tour of the Boulevard Brewery, a Guy's root beer, a shake from Winstead's.
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My cousin tried the Room 39 brioche french toast a few months ago and told me he wants to make out with it.
Gates sauce, Tatsu's salad dressing
Au Poivre burger at Blanc
Boulevard Wheat or Saison, butterscotch milkshake from Winstead's
Brisket sandwich from Bryants.
Chicken dinner from Strouds.
BLT from the Peanut.
I believe that covers it.
Yum.
I left KC just over a year ago and have some relatives visiting from KC right now. We were discussing last night what we missed most being down here. Besides the Oklahoma Joe's and Boulevard already mentioned:
Room 39 brioche french toast
Broadway Cafe Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
Cho Ga Korean (maybe that's just me)
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