Paloma Faith has a powerhouse voice belting out pop lyrics in “Picking Up the Pieces,” where she explores the struggle of living with the shadow of a lover’s ex. Backed by spectacular strings and gospel singers, the song thrums with a retro-60s atmospheric wall of sound contained in a rhythmic cage. With this track, I can’t help but think that Adele’s passionate radio hits have paved the way for U.S. audiences to appreciate U.K. talent like this. Faith’s forthcoming album Fall to Grace (May 29, Sony UK) was produced by the great Nellee Hooper (Bjork, Gwen Stefani, Soul II Soul).

Download:  Paloma Faith – Picking Up the Pieces

Of the album’s title Faith takes the well-worn phrase, “fall from grace” and with ‘Fall To Grace’, gives it a positive twist. “It’s a journey and I think it’s hopeful, so I wanted to fall to grace rather than from,” she explains. “I’m taking bad things that have happened and letting them turn me into a more complete person. Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea that inevitably, when anything bad happens to you in life, you always lose a bit of yourself, but then you heal over. In hindsight, even though you’ve lost something, you become stronger. I feel more equipped.”

“There is a certain mood and atmosphere. It’s dark and predatory, our sound, and melancholy, but in that ’80s way of being melancholic but also quite uplifting. But there’s no plan, no real ‘what type of song do we want it to be’ kind of forethought.” – Colette Thurow, quoted on Direct Current Music.

These songs are brooding and dark with distorted guitars and cool, dispassionate vocals. I like the menace that hangs between the notes of “You’re Early” until the guitar and drums enter the scene like an unknown figure’s shadow intruding on a white floor.

“Creeping” begins with distorted guitar and then the rhythm shifts into gear with a heavy-handed beat and lingering bass.

Recently, EBT Restaurant General Manager Adam Horner invited me and a few other folks to sample dishes from the menu updated by Chef Tate Roberts.

Renovated in 2006, the restaurant’s decor and atmosphere reflect its rich history and contemporary touches that offer a classy setting for drinks and dining.  Here’s a description from the restaurant’s website:

Much of the decor for the restaurant comes from the Emery, Bird, Thayer Department Store that operated in downtown Kansas City until the 1960′s. EBT Restaurant was opened to honor that department store, which has ties to Kansas City history dating back to the late 1800s. The stained glass, much of the masonry, wrought iron archways and most notably, the two brass elevator cages were all salvaged when the EBT Department store was demolished in 1971.

Guests can reserve a table in one of the two elevator cages for a touch of elegance and novelty or secure a table in the refined dining room.

The draw for this gathering was Chef Tate Robert’s additions to the classic repertoire of dishes on the menu. Roberts has been with the restaurant for a number of years as it has undergone change to revitalize its offerings and attract new clientele under the stewardship of Adam Horner. Roberts cuisine presents classic dishes with a contemporary touch. Nothing too cutting edge that will discourage traditionalists seeking comfort or so revered that it can’t be reinterpreted for modern adventurous palates.

New dishes under the heading of contemporary include pan-roasted duck breast brushed with sweet currant orange glaze and served with sweet corn and Yukon gold potato hash, and bacon green beans; rosemary studded Colorado lamb T-bone; and grilled vegetable Napoleon. Classic entrees range from peppercorn beef tenderloin medallions to pan seared Chilean sea bass.

Other new items on the starters menu are grilled flatbread pizzas (truffle-dressed spinach, ricotta and candied Shallots; hummus, roasted red peppers and mint infused goat cheese) and my personal favorite, bacon wrapped tiger shrimp. For a list of menu items, check www.ebtrestaurant.com/menu.

Among the new signature cocktails, I tried the Pimm’s “New” Cup and The Original (Old Fashioned). The Pimm’s ‘New’ Cup (Pimm’s Cup) blends Pimm’s No. 1 with cucumber-infused lemonade and is served on the rocks with a lemon twist and cucumber slice. Refreshing and crisp, this drink is the perfect antidote to a busy summer day when it’s time to relax.

The Original (Old-Fashioned) is a pour of Woodford Reserve Bourbon over an Angostura bitters-soaked sugar cube and muddled fresh peach and blackberries served on the rocks with a splash of soda and peach flag. While it was a fruit-filled alternative to the citrus and cherry flavors often found in an Old Fashioned, the execution was not quite as satisfying as the Pimm’s. The drink was too strong and the flavors were not clean and distinct.

I look forward to returning to the restaurant to explore the cocktails, wine list, and other dishes on another visit. Conveniently located at I-435 & State Line, the restaurant also houses a lounge with live music Thursday-Saturday.

Contacts:  www.ebtrestaurant.com | on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/EBTKansasCity || on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/EBTKansasCity |Book on OpenTable www.opentable.com/EBT |

Recently, Pam Taylor and I traveled to Chicago and Boyne City/Traverse City in northern Michigan for a week’s vacation with the kids. We ate a few places that were easy to find if you’re in the area and were not touristy at all.

A standout discovery was Red Mesa Grill with locations in Boyne City and Traverse City. The menu features foods with Latin American flavors from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The atmosphere was upbeat and cordial with bright decor. The Boyne City location seemed to have plenty of locals dining there, but I’ll bet this is a popular spot during the summer tourist season.

Pam had a Sour Cherry Margarita that was sweet, tart, and refreshing. I enjoyed a couple of lightly hoppy pints of Will Power Pale Ale from Right Brain Brewery, based in Traverse City.

The food had distinct flavor combinations and presentation that didn’t feel Americanized at all. I wish I could have introduced Chef Patrick Ryan of Port Fonda to this menu in person.

Subtly spiced ground beef empanadas were perfect light pastries with a chipotle cream dipping sauce. Peruvian armadillo eggs are not what they seem, but they are delicious as an appetizer. I tried the masa dusted sauteed whitefish which was sourced locally and prepared to perfection – light crust and flaky, tender filet. Served with steamed vegetables and a chile sauce, the whitefish was a pleasant change from heavy breaded fish and chips. The Cuban black bean cakes were a hearty vegetarian dish. And the Costa Rican garlic steak was a winner as well. We savored the variety of housemade sauces served with dishes as well as bottled sauces on the table.

Other dishes I want to try on some future visit include corn Roasted walleye, wild mushroom fajitas, and roasted pineapple quesadilla. We did leave room for dessert which was a good call. The coconut bread pudding was insanely tasty. The kids enjoyed trying habanero fried ice cream which sounded adventurous, but was more cinnamon and fried dough than peppery.

Service was friendly and attentive. The only drawbacks to visiting Red Mesa Grill were that we had to leave the area soon for the return trip home and that we couldn’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo there.

Until next time, I’ll settle for this recipe from the Red Mesa Grill’s website.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

5 lbs    Red Ripe Roma Tomatoes
6 each    Fresh Jalapenos
6 each    Fresh Garlic Cloves
1 tbls    Salt
3 tbls    Cider Vinegar
1 lb    White Onion Small Diced
1 bunch    Fresh Cilantro, rough chopped
1 ea 15 oz can    Salsa Diced Tomatoes

Preparation

1)  Wash tomatoes and place on baking sheet, and roast in a 500 degree oven until well charred on the outside.

2)  At the same time on a separate baking sheet roast garlic, and jalapenos until charred.

3)  Place roasted garlic, jalapenos, vinegar, and salt in blender and puree

4)  Add charred tomatoes to jalapeno mixture and slightly puree, leaving salsa slightly chunky.

5)  Add onions and rough chopped cilantro to salsa

6)  Finish salsa with diced tomatoes.

Story and photos by Pete Dulin

In a city with exceedingly good barbecue, some find it difficult to discover palate-pleasing vegetarian dishes. Uninformed critics bemoan the meat-centric restaurant options, but our city is actually home to diverse and sophisticated vegan and vegetarian fare worth exploring.

“Blue Bird Bistro, Café Sebastienne, Eden Alley and FüD are the staples for the vegetarian community,” says Michelle Worrall Tilton, who has been a vegetarian for 30 years. Tilton and her parents began eating vegetarian after learning her father had high blood pressure and cholesterol. “He reversed it in a short period of time,” she says. “My parents are in their 80s and in excellent health.”

“The best vegetarian meal I ever had in Kansas City was a spaghetti squash ‘pasta’ with tomato sauce at Café Sebastienne. I love the jackfruit tacos at FüD and veggie burger at Blue Bird Bistro,” Tilton says.

FüD (813 W. 17th St.), operated by vegan owner Heidi VanPelt-Belle, serves vegan dishes with local and organic ingredients when possible. VanPelt-Belle’s recipes are colorful and imaginative because, “I don’t want to make boring vegan food from the ’70s,” she says.

The never-boring jackfruit, a starchy, fibrous and nutritious fruit with a texture similar to chicken, has been cultivated and used in south and southeast Asian cuisine for centuries and is found on the ingredient list at FüD. VanPelt-Belle uses the fruit in a Tex-Mex burrito ($8) with organic corn, onion, peppers, cashew goji “cheddar” and cashew-based “sour cream.” The raw vegan Rainbow Taco ($6) pockets wild rice, cashew goji cheddar, cashew lemon cream, pico de gallo and guacamole in a collard green leaf. For sweet endings, shakes ($6) come in flavors such as blueberry caramel, and FüD’s soft-serve ice cream ($3–$6) is a satisfying vegan dessert treat.

Many local ethnic restaurants are vegetarian-friendly but not necessarily vegan. The lunch buffet ($10, plus tax) at Taj Palace on West 39th Street uses butter and cream in several foods, so be prepared to ask for specifics. Tasty dishes include saag paneer, vegetable pakora and samosa, lentil cracker bread and naan. Aloo gobhi, a mixture of cauliflower, potato, tomato, garlic and ginger, is utterly delicious. Chole saag, made of chickpeas with spinach, onion and garlic, or the nine-spice vegetable korma are colorful and seasoned with savory spices.

At Blue Bird Bistro (1700 Summit St.), try the grilled polenta and sautéed organic vegetables ($12) accompanied by herbed toppings and feta cheese. It also serves up a mean black bean burger ($8.50), a popular made-to-order, vegan green curry with vegetables ($12) and tempeh ($16) with Mediterranean spices, polenta and vegetable ratatouille.

Jesse Kates, guitarist and singer in power-pop band The Sexy Accident, has been vegetarian for 16 years. His energy level increased once he stopped eating meat. “I chose to become one for many reasons, opposition to factory farming, a desire to minimize my environmental footprint and the health benefits,” he says.

Kates has a slew of favorite local vegetarian dishes: braised tofu noodle soup with shiitake mushrooms ($11.50) at Blue Koi (10581 Mission Road, Leawood), the Vegetarian Heaven assortment of rolls at Friends Sushi & Bento Place (1808 W. 39th St.) and the Jaffar sandwich ($6.99), which is a wonderful conglomeration of eggplant, cauliflower, hummus, falafel, tahini, lettuce, tomato and onions at Aladdin Cafe (3903 Wyoming St.).

Blue Nile Cafe (13316 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park; 20 E. Fifth St.) prepares authentic Ethiopian fare with nearly a dozen vegetarian selections. Any entrée you order comes with two side dishes of smaller portions of other entrées. Dinich watt ($9.95) features semi-firm chunks of potato cooked with garlic in a seasoned sauce of tomato and berbere, an Ethiopian hot pepper. Yekik watt ($9.95) combines seasoned yellow split peas with ginger, turmeric and garlic. The result is rustic, earthy and soothing.

Mushroom shiro ($10.95) is a savory blend of chickpeas and sliced mushroom in a lightly spiced red sauce. And if you’re feeling spontaneous, use the injera, a soft and spongy Ethiopian bread used to scoop up the food, so you eat sans the silverware.

Emily Catherine Hadley, a vegetarian for nearly 20 years and vegan for 10, says, “Once I started to learn about the lives of animals raised for food, I quickly lost my taste for those products.” A fan of Malay Cafe in the Northland (6003 N.W. Barry Road), she raves about vegan dishes such as the curry tofu, basil tofu and laksa lemak. “The curry tofu here has a real mix of veggies, rather than disappointing with just onions and peppers,” she says. “The coconut gravy is mixed to order. Order it very mild or extra spicy.”

Roti canai ($3.95) is a flaky flatbread served with a small bowl of curried dipping sauce. Both the ginger tofu and vegetables ($11.95, dinner) and black pepper tofu ($6.95, lunch) provide generous portions.

Hadley also vouches for Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop (2030 Central St.) as a “go-to restaurant since they recently clarified their vegetarian and vegan menu items. The Foundry (424 Westport Road) is my most frequent dining spot because of their vegan-friendly menu and staff, late hours and fantastic beer selection.”

Green Room Burgers & Beer (4010 Pennsylvania Ave.) in Westport prepares a seasonal veggie burger ($5) with aioli that is savory, slightly spicy and hearty. Dig into the spicy chipotle hummus ($5) or pico salad ($5) for reasonably priced eats.

Take a cue from in-the-know vegetarians about town. Some restaurant menus are meat-intensive, but many offer appealing options. Although there is room in the market for even more options, vegan and vegetarian dining in Kansas City is hardly a matter of survival.

For more photographs, visit http://kcmag.com/food/kcm-food/6453-kcmagcom-cowtown-vegan

This quote from David Simon (The Wire, Treme, Homicide) struck a chord with me:

I’m a writer, and while I’m overpaid to write television at present, the truth is that the prose world from which I crawled — newsprint and books — is beset by a new economic model in which the value of content is being reduced in direct proportion to the availability of free stuff on the web. In short, for newspapers and book publishers, it has lately been an e-race to the bottom, and I have no desire to contribute to that new economy by writing for free in any format.  Not that what is posted here has much prolonged value — or in the case of previously published prose, hasn’t soured some beyond its expiration — but the principle, in which I genuinely believe, holds:  Writers everywhere do this to make a living, and some are doing fine work and barely getting by for their labor.  Anything that says content should be free makes it hard for all writers, everywhere.

Simon goes on to say:

A free internet is wonderful for democratized, unresearched commentary, and it works well as a library of sorts for content that no longer requires a defense of its copyright.  But journalism, literature, film, music —  these endeavors need people operating at the highest professional level and they need to make a living wage.  Copyright matters.  Content costs.

I find his opinion validating, inspiring, and motivating, especially with reference to creating content that is not free.

Pam Taylor and I co-published and -edited PresentMagazine.com from 2006-2011 as an independently owned and operated business. We worked long hours to figure out how to produce a free online magazine that could make money with no print counterpart. Present was published as free online content dependent on advertising as that was the pervasive model. At the time, and still true mostly today, online readers were not inclined to pay for online content.

I bring up Present because I’ve had over a year —  we stopped publishing the magazine in April 2011 —  to reflect on that productive and consuming period of my life. One takeaway is that Present found an audience and then eventually advertisers and sponsors because of the quality and community focus of the published content. Without quality material, no one would pay attention. However, the production of that content in and of itself did not pay the bills. It didn’t matter if I wrote and published one or one dozen articles each week. I earned money from ad sales and not directly from readers or content generation. Advertisers and sponsors paid us to reach the audience drawn to the quality content we published.

Before, during, and after publishing Present, I have written freelance for a number of publications. Currently, I write for The Star Magazine in the KC Star, Home in the Northland Magazine, KC Magazine, KC Originals, and other individual clients. And I’m grateful because I can focus on writing and photography and get paid for that work.

While I miss the independence and adventure of running a publication, I don’t miss the multiple roles that Pam and I shared on both sides of the business. I don’t miss handling ad sales, client service, ad design, administrative work, tracking stats, producing data entry-intensive online calendars, screening hundreds of weekly emails, and so forth. Don’t get me wrong. Publishing great stories, photographs, and multimedia content produced by myself and others was rewarding. Making money at it as a business that requires so many other tasks, time, money, and resources for self-perpetuation no longer interests me at this time.

As a writer, I focus on developing my craft, expressing creativity, and finding means of income tied more closely to my profession. Freelancing for publications and clients satisfies some of those goals and I’m grateful for the work. Working at a full-time job as an editor and writer for a non-profit provides stable income and benefits. However, these modes of work are subject to another party’s editorial agenda. Independent of these income streams, I am developing plans and a platform to develop work that interests me as a storyteller and attracts a paying audience. PeteDulin.com is a starting point to gather and promote such work.

Bringing this back to Simon’s quote, I’ve thought a lot post-Present about how to make a living from my creative work rather than writing only for free on this website or elsewhere.

Fortunately, the marketplace is changing. People are more willing to pay for content in small units and through subscriptions. For example, consumers buy 99-cent music downloads (thanks Steve Jobs and Apple) and episodes of Downton Abbey and Mad Men through streaming services (Amazon, Netflix). eBooks have grown in popularity. Readers of the NY Times and other publications are opting to pay for digital access to content. People are getting used to the idea of pay walls when faced with a choice of access to desired content.

Artists and entrepreneurs are also connecting directly with their audience as investors and paying supporters through Kickstarter and other fundraising platforms.

So, new models for art and commerce are emerging. Consumer mindsets in the market for good entertainment and content are adapting. People are willing to pay for quality and content that they value. Opportunity abounds.

Making a living income from my work involves more than simply writing. I’ll continue to make contacts, self-promote, cross-promote, learn new software skills, experimenting with payment platforms, and other decidedly non-creative tasks. But it is worthwhile because I’m doing it to achieve my goals.

Producing fine work as a storyteller through the written word, photographs, video, podcasts, and more requires time, skill, training, and money. As a professional writer, it takes initiative to get out in the world, find and produce stories, share them, and court a paying audience that finds value in the results.

To emphasize Simon one more time:

Journalism, literature, film, music —  these endeavors need people operating at the highest professional level and they need to make a living wage. Copyright matters. Content costs.

Sofia Perez, editor-at-large for Saveur, recommended that I contact Raquel for the next installment of my series where I ask food writers, “What is Good Food Writing?” Sofia wrote the first thoughtful response. Stay tuned for more to come.

Since Raquel’s expertise and experience lies in cookbook writing and recipe development, she proposed discussing that area of food writing as an alternative to examining my central question. I gladly accepted her offer.

Food + Writing
Turns out that Raquel’s food writing career began in her hometown of Chicago with a few twists and turns.

“In college, I became a vegetarian. I didn’t know how to cook,” she says. “I had a college internship at an advertising agency for food-based businesses, but I spent more time talking to the house chef than writing copy.”

Following her instincts, she decided to attend culinary school and headed to the School of Natural Cookery in Boulder, Colorado. She learned about cooking healthful whole foods to sustain a vegetarian diet. Afterward, she returned to Chicago to finish college and then landed a job in publishing as an assistant editor at Consumers’ Digest Magazine where she wrote about health and travel. She met her future husband and they moved to Boston, his hometown on the East Coast.

While working for a healthcare newsletter, Raquel nursed second thoughts about a baking career. She worried about earning enough money to make a living, but decided to go for it anyway.

“I kept having a romantic vision of being a baker or pastry chef. I quit my job in publishing and started pastry school at Johnson & Wales University in Providence. I worked as a baker in a kitchen in Cambridge, Massachusetts from six in the morning until noon, then drove an hour to Rhode Island where I was in school until seven at night. I’d drive home, eat a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich and pass out from exhaustion!”

She left Johson & Wales to take a job at a small artisanal bakery in Brookline and then moved on to work in pastry at Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park. “It was hard and the pay was dismal, and soon enough I began to miss my old life as a writer with semi-sane hours, vacation time and holidays off. While I loved cooking and working with food, I missed writing.”

Raquel wanted to marry her interest in food with writing. Opportunity knocked when she saw a job opening at Cook’s Illustrated. She wrote a story and made multiple versions of a dish for the interview. Tuna noodle casserole, no less. She got the job and began her career as a professional home cook, developing and testing original recipes and cross-testing and vetting recipes from some of the best chefs in the world.

Developing Recipes
The process of writing recipes and developing a cookbook is complicated and involves several areas of expertise. Raquel offers several pieces of advice for aspiring cookbook writers or anyone writing a recipe for publication.

• Consider the audience. “Speak to the audience and lifestyle. Is it urban, hobby, cooking for a family, working parents, or casual?” she asks. “The audience and lifestyle affects the ingredients, writing tone, and cooking techniques.”

• Have the recipe(s) tested. “At Tasting Table [where Pelzel currently works], we prepare recipes from chefs and cookbooks constantly. It’s pretty amazing how many recipes don’t work—it’s my job not just to fix them, but to make them an accurate representation of the chef and the food he or she serves,” says Raquel.

• Have a keen eye. “Hire a copywriter. Small typos and details can destroy a lot of hard work. Watch the process during the book’s layout and pay attention so instructions don’t drop off the page.”

Lessons Learned

One of Raquel’s first cookbooks was a project for Williams-Sonoma, Williams Sonoma: New Flavors for Dessert (Oxmoor House, 2008). She was hired to develop the recipes and write the book. The publisher was very involved as were the executives at Williams-Sonoma, and before going into the kitchen, Raquel had to have all of the ingredients and techniques for her recipes approved. She learned to be flexible with recipe development.

• Always be flexible. “”There’s always something new to learn and consider. Be adaptable and nimble to requests,” she advises. “I was pushed to come up with more interesting ideas and learned a lot that way. Plus, as a freelancer, it’s a good thing to be easy to work with if you want to get hired again!”

• Originality. “”To truly develop an original recipe, you have to start at ground zero with an idea. ”Think about possibilities and flavor combinations and sketch out a recipe. I consult other recipe sources, take notes on interesting details and techniques. It’s a lot of research, and not just switching out an ingredient here or there.”

• Test and experiment. Raquel sketches out a framework for the recipe. She cooks it and changes out ingredients while testing at the counter. “Then I put the ingredients and method aside and just cook. Paper can tie you down,” she says. “Cooking is unique to you. What makes it interesting is that it speaks to your style.”

• Cite sources and inspiration. “Give credit where credit is due. I know people spend lots of time developing recipes,” she says. “If inspired by something someone else has done, say so as an acknowledgement.”

• Keep trying. “If you have an idea, go for it. You will have failures. Cook through all of the possibilities.”

Part two of this interview with Raquel Pelzel will follow in mid-May. We discuss Masala Farm, a collaboration with chef Suvir Saran (Chronicle, 2011), a forthcoming cookbook project titled Foraging the Wild with chef Matt Weingarten (Storey, 2012), and her current work with Tasting Table.

TapasFest™ is a new food-based festival that debuts June 5-8, 2012 in Kansas City. Celebrating “small plates with big flavors,” the festival goes beyond traditional Spanish tapas and includes creative cuisine presented as small plates from many KC restaurants. Festival founder, long-time Kansas City resident and Spanish native, Maria A. Perez-Andujar, explains the inspiration for TapasFest and how it works.

Each “tapa” is a new creative dish prepared by participating restaurants exclusively for the Festival, and it doesn’t have to feature Spanish ingredients. In fact, none of the participating restaurants (at this point) are Spanish. The idea is to explore interpretations of small plate dishes by local chefs.

Maria A. Perez-Andujar says she wants to bring the flavor and sharing nature of the “tapa” experience to the residents and restaurants of Kansas City. “It’s my hope that people will take advantage of the many different types of restaurants and  cuisines featured during TapasFest, gathering with friends and families to share the tapa/small plate concept.”

Pete:  What was the inspiration for the TapasFest™?

Maria:  I am a native of Spain, where tapas are extremely popular. I always thought that the culture of tapas is something that Americans could enjoy, as it is very fun to eat small portions of a variety of foods and go from one restaurant to the next sampling small portions of delicious food.

Pete:  Tapas, or small plates, take different forms in various countries. Tell us about the background of tapas of Spain.

Maria:  The origin of the tapa is Spain. Tapa means literally “cover” and they called it like that because in earlier times, the glass of wine that was served in Spanish taverns was “covered” with a small plate of food to go with the wine.

The reason for the tapas is that the food schedule of Spain is different from that of other countries: breakfast is at 7 AM, lunch at 2 PM and dinner at 10 PM. So because there is so much time in between meals, people get hungry and have to have small amounts of food.  But tapas are really small plates or appetizers. The ingredients are as varied as foods are: vegetables, starches, meat, fish, eggs, seafood… Everything goes except soups, breads and desserts.

Pete:  Why create a TapasFest™?

Maria:  A couple of years ago, my husband and I were enjoying some tapas in Madrid when it occurred to us that we missed that experience in Kansas City. So we decided to create a festival to feature them and share the experience with our American friends. However, TapasFest™ is more than just a food festival and just tapas from Spain: it is a friendly chef competition that features all kinds of cuisines, not only Spanish cuisine. The four common denominators of TapasFest™ are international, creative, exclusive, and delicious.

Pete:  How does the festival work as far as participation by patrons? Will the restaurants serving tapas be gathered in one place? Or will patrons be able to tour the participating restaurants?

Maria:  The festival runs from June 5-8. Patrons purchase “passports” at www.tapasfest.com or at the participating restaurants. Patrons visit the restaurants to try the featured tapa. Each passport is good for 3 tapas, 1 tapa per restaurant visited. Patrons can use the “passport” any time and at any participant restaurant during the 4-day festival. The only condition to enjoy the TapasFest™ tapa is that they need to purchase a beverage to be able to enjoy the featured tapa. Once they have tried the tapa, they get their “passports” stamped at the restaurant. Patrons also get the opportunity to vote for their favorite tapa, and the one with the most votes gets to win the Kansas City 2012 TapasFest™!

Check out www.tapasfest.com for more information and participant restaurants to date.

TapasFest on Facebook

For the profiles, I interview and photograph the subject. I write about his or her culinary background, training, influences, and philosophy. Local diners learn more about chefs and local owners at these independent restaurants in the greater Kansas City area.

Not only do the recipes and profiles assist diners when scouting out local places to eat or dishes to try, but these assignments demonstrate my longstanding commitment to supporting Kansas City’s local businesses and culinary scene.

Above: Chef Matthew Arnold, The Webster House. Featured chef, December 2011.

Chef Profiles

Chef Debbie Gold from The American Restaurant

Chris Carle, co-owner of Coach’s Bar & Grill

Phil Bourne, owner of Waldo Pizza

Chef Steven Cameron from Gaslight Grill

Chef Stefan Haney from Rumors Steakhouse

Chef Matthew Arnold, The Webster House

Chef Glenn Bindley, The Phoenix

Chef Tom Legg, La Bodega Leawood

Broadmoor Technical Center, Broadmoor Bistro

Chef Grant Wagner, JJ’s

Chef Kathy Fiorello from Carlo’s Copa Room

Recipes

Buttermilk Poached Campo Lindo Chicken Breast and Spring Fiddlehead Ferns
by Chef Debbie Gold, The American

Fried Paella with Mixed Greens and Creme Fraiche
by Chef English Renshaw, La Bodega

BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos
by Kokopelli Mexican Cantina

Champagne Fish and Chips
by Chef Vito Tovar, The Phoenix

Sweet Potato and Leek Soup Recipe
by Chef Charles D’Ablaing, Chaz on the Plaza

Ancho Chili Coffee-Rubbed Steak with Grand Marnier Butter
by Executive Chef Patrick Williams, Pierpont’s at Union Station

Mussels and Pernod Cream
by Chef Robert Padilla, Trezo Mare

Ahi Tuna on Bruschetta
by Chef Amy Presson from Marina Grog & Galley

Sicilian Sfinge
by Chef Victor Cascone of Cascone’s

Shrimp in Mustard Sauce Appetizer
by Chef DeDe Shields, Shields Manor Bistro

Frozia
by Anthony Spino, Anthony’s Restaurant and Lounge

The Kitchen Design Studio at Nebraska Furniture Mart was roped off for Kansas City Home and Garden magazine’s March Cooking School. Cowtown Cheesecake owner Chef Terry Mille and I prepared a light, fresh four-course menu for the season — using lots of ingredients from local vendors — with recipes for guests to take home. Somerset Ridge co-owner Cindy Reynolds paired her wines with each course. Photo: Matt Kocourek

Photo credit: Matt Kocourek. For more photos and recipes, head to www.kchandg.com/springtime-soiree.

The Menu:

Salad of spring greens (from Cultivate KC), strawberries and fresh sheep’s milk cheese (from Green Dirt Farm) with lemon-honey vinaigrette

Mint Pea Soup with Mint Whipped Cream

Baked chicken meatballs (using Local Pig sausage and chicken from Steve’s Meat Market in Desoto, Kan.) with peperonata

Cowtown Cheesecake’s Kansas Cream Cheesecake (made with Shatto cream)