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Have you heard about Sopranos Kitchen? It is a superb restaurant in St. Louis Park’s West End Shoppes and is essentially a neighbor of our CRAVE West End location.

On Tues. night they hosted a extremely unique event. They invited 2 dozen people in for a private, closed event for a Chef’s Tasting dinner. What makes the it unique is who they invited. After Sopranos opened they experienced some Internet unhappiness with their menu. The attendees of this event were the folks that left these reviews across 7 different websites on the internet.

I should hand it to Sopranos Kitchen. They not only read the feedback that was left for them, they really incorporated it into the continued development of their menu. As a result of this, last Q4 they rolled out a new menu with new pricing and on Tues., they invited these folk in for a closed event to taste a few of these items. They were also given one or two special off the menu selections made solely for them.

The guests arrived, were greeted, and seated in a beautiful personal dining room. A host thanked them for coming and explained the reason they were all there. They were being treated to the great meal they should actually have had the 1st time they came in. JP Samuelson (Executive Chef of Sopranos) talked to them about the new menu, the meal for the evening, and the way ahead for Sopranos Kitchen menu. They enjoyed a 5 course meal, house wine, and some of the best service they've ever experienced. JP personally made and plated every single plate.

As the guests filed out at the end they were all fast to thank Sopranos for the amazing evening. One or two people honored the Salmon as some of the best they've ever eaten. Most commented it was a shining example of top notch consumer service. The results were superb as a 6 folks went back online to leave great reviews for Sopranos for their attempts to regain advocacy.

So kudos to Sopranos Kitchen for getting it rightfood, hospitality and particularly the consumer service!

Tom McLeod has a love of restaurants and has many great articles featuring varied restaurants, food, and reviews. These include great events hosted for foodies.

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I have been on the hunt forever slow cooker quality recipes for a lengthy time, and I can’t seem to find everything which I prefer. I guess it is because I am very picky regarding what I like to eat, and a lot of of the excellent recipes which I encounter possess something in them that I merely can’t stomach. I am still searching though, and I hope to conjure up at least ten of them that are seriously good and actually easy to flip together. Students have simply days when I comprehend I have many function to do and I may a little shell out my free time with my small female compared to by cooking a meal.

Slow cooker recipes are everywhere, and you can find them with a simple search online. The most common type are recipes for stew, but they all seem to have the same ingredients. The problem that I have is that I do not like cooked onions, and if a recipe calls for them, I won’t make it. My husband thinks I’m being silly, but I just can’t eat them. I like them raw on a burger or hotdog, but I cannot stand to have them in slow cooker recipes. Unfortunately, this cuts down my options quite substantially. You may not be as picky as I am, and if that is the case, you should have no problem finding slow cooker recipes that you will love to make for your family. For the most part, you simply add the ingredients to your cooker, turn it on and let it go all day. You shouldn’t even have to stir it. You can even find great slow cooker recipes in your local grocery store. They have kits that are already put together and you usually find them in the freezer section. All you have to do is dump the contents into your crock-pot and turn it on. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

I may end up getting to come across slow cooker quality recipes that I can alter. However doing so may spend doing, I’m sure there is something I can do. I am not a chef, but I do comprehend how to experiment, also if it implies ordering pizza a couple of nights when a few of my creations possess not labored out prefer I had hoped they did. In the mean time, I carry on to search for slow cooker excellent recipes which might be able to be used, and probably try a few from the grocery store.

But, life sometimes seems to be too short on time. Our lives are so rushed in the modern world, you sometimes don’t know if you’re coming or going. You rise early in the morning, get coffee and maybe a hurried breakfast. Get the kids off to school and then you’re off to work. By the time you get home, you may have little starch left in you to whip up a gourmet dinner for the family. You want to serve something tasty and nutritious, but you just don’t have the time to spend hours in the kitchen. Your budget probably doesn’t allow for take-out every night. So what can you do?

Here are a few secrets of the savvy cook, allowing you to put together a quick dinner recipe, from inception to the table in less than half an hour and even without a recipe!

The quick dinner recipe is at your fingertips, so long as your pantry is properly stocked.

A properly stocked pantry includes a selection of pasta, rice and potatoes, canned, fresh or frozen vegetables, chicken or beef bouillon, leftover or fresh meat and a handful of herbs and spices. With just these provisions, you’ve got a quick dinner recipe waiting to happen.

The basic ingredients of a one-dish quick dinner recipe are found in a selection from the basic food groups. Grains and pasta are the foundation of many a quick dinner recipe. All you need to add are vegetables, a bit of meat, a tasty sauce and seasonings to make a dish your family will enjoy and that doesn’t take all night. You know what foods your family enjoys. Your dish needn’t be complicated to be a success. Knowing how to make a sauce will ensure a gourmet touch to simple ingredients, earning you a reputation of a “good cook”. The French roux is a case in point. Melt one half cup of butter in a saucepan at low heat. When the butter is melted, add an equal amount of flour to the melted butter, stirring with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens. Add some bouillon, whisking all the time. If cheese goes well with the taste of your concoction, grate some in to your sauce. Add your vegetables, meat and seasonings and voila! You’ve got your own culinary creation, a quick dinner recipe, sure to please. All you need to round out the dinner is some garlic bread or fresh dinner rolls.

All people’s glad and you’re the hero or heroine of the quick evening meal recipe. Merely stock up on pantry basics, use the creativeness and mix it up. You’ll find it’s rather easy to be a quick evening meal formula expert!

To find more information about Receitas Gelato and Como Vender Sorvete Gelato please visit www.gelatoreceitas.com

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Drinking espresso for many is just that, drinking. However, many believe that other than the drinking per se, an espresso drink should also have an espresso cup that will go along with it. This cup is accepted by many as an essential partner of coffee drinking and in many countries is considered as a form of artwork.

An espresso drink will not be the same if taken from a Styrofoam cup. Espresso should be taken from an espresso cup which looks like a miniature cup and holds at least two ounces or shots of espresso. Despite being smaller than the usual cups used by many, it is interesting to note that there is no standard size made for such cups.

Espresso cups are essential when drinking espresso drinks. These are used to hold a shot of espresso and at the same time ensure that it stays warm until the drink has been already consumed. Some models of these cups are designed with double walls in order to keep the espresso warmer for a longer period. Some are even pre heated and given hot water bath before being used. Other than these, many also prefer to use espresso cups when drinking as they feel that by doing do, coffee drinking becomes more enjoyable and attractive.

Many models and types of espresso cups are continued to be offered in the market following the increase in popularity of espresso drinks. One way of identifying these types is through the materials used to manufacture them. Among these different types, the three most popular includes, stainless steel, glass, and porcelain cups. Stainless steel cups are among fastest growing when it comes to popularity. Such type is loved by many due to the thermally insulated double wall it offers which allow the espresso to be warm longer. The second type is the glass cup which also offers double walls but at the same time is often hand blown and feature a chrome handle and lip. The last and the most common type used is the porcelain cup. Many prefer to use this over the two other types due to their thickness.

Among the many types of espresso cups, it is important that one chooses carefully which one to buy. Before buying, make sure to define or identify the size of the cups to be purchased. This will largely depend on the amount of espresso one can drink in one seating as well as on the amount of espresso one’s machine can process. The cups should also be within your budget. Going over budget is never a good thing to do. Do not also forget to check the handles and make sure that they can be handled comfortably when drinking. Finally, look at the design carefully and choose the one that matches your preference and style.

Stylist and functional espresso cups should go along a hot delicious brew of espresso. These cups are not only essential but can also make serving coffee to visitors and guests more enjoyable.

Charrie Ramos is a coffee lover from Germany. Among the different brews of coffee, Charrie’s favorite is espresso. As such, she not only has the best types of espresso machines available, she also collects different designer espresso cups or “espressotassen” as they call it in German.

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The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating its grand opening September 16. The Performing Arts Center is the latest development in the area between 16th and Pershing and Wyandotte and Cherry Street.

A short walk from the new Kauffman Center is one of my favorite places to explore: Webster House. What was once a public school has been turned into an antiques shop and restaurant that offers some of the best shopping and dining in Kansas City.

Stop by the restaurant for an early supper before a show at the Kauffman Center: I recommend the sauted salmon, Gruyere macaroni and cheese, and lightly battered and fried green beans. Or if you’d rather, drop in for dessert afterward. Webster House has the best caramel corn in town, and you simply have to try the apple crisp during apple season.

Downstairs in the shopping area, the jewelry collection is exquisite. I’m still beating myself up for not immediately buying the multistrand pearls anchored by a cobra-head clasp that was gone soon after I saw it, and you’d be hard pressed to find one-of-a-kind antiques alongside the cutest little baby booties ever made anywhere else.

Retail Therapy

For something a little more personal than baby booties, head over to Birdies, which stocks elegant lingerie, including beautiful bras in hard-to-find sizes. After all, Oprah has made sure we all know that most women are wearing the wrong bra size and type, and I personally can testify that wearing the correct size makes a huge difference in everything from how you look in your favorite dress to how you feel after a very long day. Fortunately, Birdies’ helpful saleswomen won’t let you walk out in anything that isn’t right for your body.

Once you have the proper foundation, it’s time to move onto what goes over it. Whether it’s a gown to wear to a Kauffman event or a casual outfit for bumming around town, you’ll be able to find it in this neighborhood.

The Gown Gallery offers special occasion attire including wedding dresses and attendants’ attire, tuxedos and special occasion dresses. Floor-to-ceiling windows in this second-story, corner space add to its elegance. Check the Web site for the dates and times of trunk shows; that’s when you often can get discounts on dresses that rarely go on sale.

A bit farther north is the base of operation for Tomboy Design Studio. Head designer and owner, Laura McGrew, creates custom and off-the-rack designs that are comfortable, flattering and stylish. Sewing every piece in her McGee Street studio, McGrew guarantees the quality and fit of her garments. Even better, you can walk out knowing your money is going to local talent instead of faceless corporations.

The Shoe Loft is the perfect store to find that pair of shoes to go with that new dress. There’s surely something you can’t live without among this relative newcomer’s dozens of pairs of stilettos. Even if you haven’t been able to stop by yet, you might have seen their woven, strappy wares paired with local designer Tonia Barksdale’s collection at the 18th Street Fashion Show earlier this summer.

Palate Pleasers

On the east side of the Crossroads, two of my favorite bars serve up cold beer, delicious food and hours of stellar people watching. Get your smart friends together to play Trivia Riot at The Brick on Friday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. The winning teams get cash; the losers get needled mercilessly by the regulars.

In addition to having the best thin-crust pizza and chicken wings in Kansas City, Grinders offers live music at Crossroads KC. This month’s concert lineup includes Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Butler Trio, Jonny Lang, Yonder Mountain String Band and TV on the Radio.

For something a bit more refined, hit Christopher Elbow Chocolates, where the chocolates are so beautiful it may seem a shame to eat them-at first. This notion is disabused the minute you place one in your mouth and realize your mother was right about a beautiful interior trumping what lies on the surface. Elbow’s genius lies in his ability to create works of art that taste spectacular.

A discussion of food in the Crossroads isn’t complete without mentioning Freight House Row. Situated along 22nd Street and backing up to Union Station’s train tracks, these restaurants represent some of the best of their individual genres: If you’re in the mood for barbeque, Fiorella’s Jack Stack can’t be beat. Italian? Head to Lidia’s, of course. Craving wiener schnitzel or tafelspitz? Make a reservation at Grnauer, no questions asked.

Art and Soul

But it’s the many art galleries that first drew crowds to the Crossroads. Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. The gallery represents local, national and international artists and is celebrated for building relationships between artists and collectors.

The other side of the tracks from the Crossroads Arts District is anything but the wrong side. Union Station alone holds almost 100 years of Kansas City history. Built in 1914 and renovated in 1999, you probably know it as home to Science City, Pierpont’s and Kansas City’s largest movie screen, The Extreme Screen. You might not know that it also houses the Irish Museum and Cultural Center, a planetarium, The City Stage Theatre (offering performances for children during the day and adults at night) and endless rotating exhibits.

Through August 7, ArtsKC is holding its fifth annual Art/Work Corporate Arts Festival in Union Station’s Grand Hall. The exhibition features artwork by Kansas Citians with regular day jobs who spend their nights creating art. I’ve been every year, and I’m always amazed at the talent displayed-some of the pieces are even for sale.

Something Old, Something New

Just across the street from Union Station is a new store owned by Kansas City home design diva Geri Higgins. Located in the historic Pershing Building, the Portfolio Flagship Store features a showroom that rivals those in larger markets like Chicago and LA. It has a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen, numerous display environments a retail store and a lovely terrace. The space also will be available to rent for private parties.

Up the hill, the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial overlooks downtown. Restored at about the same time Union Station was renovated, I think this is one of Kansas City’s greatest sites. The exterior grounds are awe inspiring and the Memorial itself offers the best bird’s-eye view of Kansas City you can get, short of chartering an airplane to buzz the Country Club Plaza.

If you head to the museum before December, you’ll get in on “Man and Machine: The German Soldier in World War I.” This special exhibit tells the story of the war from the viewpoint of a German soldier and includes personal items that soldiers carried into battle with them. Like many of the permanent displays in this, the only official American museum dedicated to World War I, it offers new insight and an opportunity to go beyond what we think we know about world history.

Crowning Glory

Back down on Pershing Road, Crown Center has long been a destination for Kansas City visitors and residents. With its wide variety of shopping, restaurants and activities, it’s easy to see why. This time next year it will be home to a new, $15 million aquarium. But one of my favorite destinations is an old standby. I first went to Kaleidoscope when I was about 8 years old, and I still have detailed memories of placing my drawing of an orange cat into a giant machine where it was magically transformed into puzzle pieces.

Crown Center also is home to one of the best theaters in the country for young people-Coterie Theatre-which offers performances and classes for children and teens and occasional special shows for adults. This fall, don’t miss “The Outsiders” for teens, “Children of the Damned Corn” for adults and young adults and “Seussical” for families.

While Crown Center houses other theaters, including American Heartland and Off Center, you can have a dramatic dining experience there, as well. Don’t miss Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant, where your meal is delivered to your table by a model train. Kids in your party will leave with engineer hats; the adults, with bellies full of hamburgers and fries.

While d’Bronx offers delicious pizza and sandwiches (without the New York City attitude) and Taste of Philly serves up a delicious gyro, my very favorite place to eat in Crown Center is Milano.

One of the most underrated Italian restaurants in Kansas City, Milano’s beautiful, glass-enclosed dining area offers the perfect view of the Crown Center fountains. I love the pizza Margherita, chicken saltimbocca and eggplant parmesan. And Milano’s tiramisu is so good that I have, on two occasions, ordered an entire pan for a birthday party.

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The American Royal represents all three with double-dares and deliciousness. Alas, the rodeo has moseyed over to the Sprint Center this year. No matter, there’s still plenty of action to catch down by the river.

The Royal gets a jump start with its annual parade. Last year, there were 115 marching bands, including the Marching Cobras, parade balloons, floats from various city groups and more than 50 groups of Shriners with their miniature cars, boats and other vehicles. I go just for the beautiful horses that prance through downtown as if they know the city is throwing a party just for them.

What’s the Royal without their World Series of Barbecue? More than 500 teams bring their sauce and secrets to compete in a series of events culminating in the naming of the Grand Champion, Best Sauce on the Planet and Party of the Year. Kids even get to try their hand at meat mastery in the junior contest.

My advice is to find someone who has a tent for the Friday night Party of the Year event. Corporations, families and individuals attempt to outdo each other with food, drinks, music and entertainment. If you’re not lucky enough to know someone who has a spot, head on down anyway. This is Kansas City, and odds are you’ll have five new best friends before the night even gets started.

Barbecue and ponies aren’t really your thing? Dolphin Gallery offers art from local artists, along with archival framing, art consultation and more. Originally located in the Crossroads, John O’Brien moved his gallery to the West Bottoms in 2008, leading everyone to speculate about the area’s potential for development. There are also numerous smaller galleries and art collectives in the spacious brick warehouse buildings that dot the landscape between the train tracks.

If you are looking for art by up and coming artists then the West Bottoms are the place to be!

Most of the galleries and spaces are open on the first weekend of the month. Look for homemade signs and groups of bohemians hanging around what used to be loading docks. Everyone is friendly, so introduce yourself and ask what you should see first. Someone is sure to have an answer and an extra beer.

The West Bottoms is also home to some of my favorite restaurants. A Kansas City institution, The Golden Ox has been grilling steaks and mixing highballs since 1949. I like to sit in the bar during happy hour (one of the longest in town, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Drinking in the dimly lit room with its polished woods and historical photos makes me feel like an old-time Kansas Citian.

While the Golden Ox epitomizes where we’ve been, the two restaurants across the street tell us where we’re going. The Genessee Royale Bistro serves fabulous morning and mid-day eats in what used to be a gas station. For breakfast, you can’t beat the fried egg and country ham biscuit, which is a glorious combination of sweet raspberry preserves, salty country ham and heat from a judicious amount of hot sauce. For lunch, go with anything that includes fried chicken and wash it down with their fresh-squeezed lemonade.

The R Bar offers a seasonal menu, music on select nights and a top-flight bar. There’s always a vegetarian option, locally raised chicken and some manner of steak available. The bar is scratch and features some of the most creative bartenders in town. I like to give them an idea of my mood and let them decide on my drink. They’ve yet to choose wrong.

Amigoni Urban Winery, located in the bottom floor of the historic Livestock Exchange Building, is the perfect place to stop for a drink before you go to dinner. Drop in Wednesday through Saturday for a wine tasting and wines by the glass or bottle. Amigoni specializes in small-batch wines from their own vineyards in Missouri. A nice red petit verdot or a white malbec is just the ticket for the next dinner party.

Another West Bottoms staple is the antique extravaganza on the first weekend of every month. Vendors set up shop in various buildings on either side of the 12th Street bridge. With charming names like Good Juju, Bottoms Up and the Liberty Belle, the collectives stay open late on Friday and Saturday and offer live music during the busier months. I’ve bought everything from a vintage bowling ball bag, which I proudly carry as a purse, to the best lemon juicer I’ve ever used. If it’s been invented, chances are it’s at one of these markets.

Last, but not least, I’ve heard tell that there’s a speakeasy located down a dusty alleyway, off a seldom traveled street, not quite in the heart of the West Bottoms. Some say it’s called The Ship, in honor of one of Kansas City’s most reminisced, now defunct bars, but I can neither confirm nor deny its existence. I’ll leave it to you to discover it on your own. In a world where almost anything is at your fingertips, a serendipitous discovery can be a welcome distraction and the West Bottoms is the perfect place to go looking.

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At Genessee Royale, such luxuries are par for the course. And while you must be thinking, “Nine dollars for three pancakes and a hillock of sauted apples?” “Six dollars for a slice of pie?” I happily pay a small premium for the pleasure.

Located in a converted gas station in the West Bottoms, Genessee Royale is Todd Schulte’s second restaurant, a slightly more mature-looking sibling to his hippie-go-lucky luncheonette, Happy Gillis Caf & Hangout in Columbus Park.

You’ll find the same, homey feel at Genessee; it’s just dressed with a slightly more coordinated eye. If the place weren’t so bright and neat, it could be a saloon, recalling the stockyard days of the surrounding neighborhood.

And just like Happy Gillis, Genessee Royale is only open for breakfast and lunch-although here you get table service-and you can’t make a reservation. That can create a bit of a traffic jam on busy days, especially weekends, when collectors from nearby antique shops fill the place.

The chef, Blair Corbett, came from You Say Tomato by way of Happy Gillis, where she made a brief appearance at the pastry station.

There’s an efficiency about her food: It’s simple and delicious, clean and confident-a slightly lighter version of comfort food.

One morning I visited, she offered an omelet, fluffy and light, stuffed with melting cheese and sided by roasted potatoes. There was also a comforting bowl of steel-cut oatmeal, creamy and rich, served with a mini-buffet of accompaniments, including dried currants, crisp walnuts, meaty dices of sauted apples and a drizzle of heavy cream.

Her pancakes are not those fluffy ones that sink in your stomach. The tidy discs have a tightly woven cornmeal crumb that is hearty and good, but not heavy. They’re served with real maple syrup. I liked them a lot.

At lunchtime, soups and sandwiches, and salads and sides appear.

There was a juicy Butcher’s Grind burger-almost a little too juicy for its English muffin bun, which arrived a touch soggy-with a choice of cheese for a dollar more. But the patty had good flavor and texture. So did the potato salad, which had a creamier dressing.

And there was an open-faced Farmers’ Market Vegetable Sandwich that, I suppose, was a stylized tartine-a fancy French word for a very unfancy thing. What I expected was an open-faced, vegetarian version of a muffaletta: the bread soaked with dressing, the vegetables roasted and tender. What I got instead was a salad on top of two buttered toasts that were a little too crisp and crusty. To be sure, there were some lovely, roasted asparagus, fennel and onions among the greens. But the parts were a little too segregated, impossible to eat together as one.

But then there’s Cobbett’s Monte Cristo. I’ve never felt virtuous eating a Monte Cristo until I ate this one-a crustless wonder with two buttery, souffl-like slices of toast laminated together with a warm layer of cheese and turkey. It’s lightly dusted with powdered sugar and served with a side of strawberry jam. Though at press time, it had, unfortunately, rotated off the menu, I’m devoting an inch of ink to it in hopes that it will reappear.

Until it does, the Creamtop Buttermilk Biscuit and Fried Chicken represents the best of what’s printed on the menu (twice-it’s offered at both breakfast and lunch. The biscuit was fluffy, gently tanned on the outside. The chicken was tender and evenly breaded with a golden-brown crust that was crunchy and crisp. And the gravy was a thinner, slimmer cousin to the paste-like gruel I usually see. At first I thought it was a bit too runny, but draped across it all was a beautiful, sunny-side egg with a warm, runny yolk that helped give the gravy some hips.

But the best things at Genessee Royale aren’t on the menu. That honor goes to Cobbett’s pies du jour. By my fourth visit to the restaurant, I wasn’t asking the server what they were; I was just asking her to bring us some. Once, it was buttermilk pie with a sugar cookie crumble topping. Another time, it was an apple and sour cream pie, rich and tangy with a beautiful crust. There was also a wedge of chocolate, as dark as Mississippi mud.

Not one for pie? Brownies, cookies and a carousel of sweets rotate around a cappuccino mousse called Coffee Gourmand. In fact, all of the desserts here are great, especially those same brownies that first smited me at Happy Gillis.

I hear that special wine dinners are in the works. The West Bottoms claims another victory. Do give Genessee Royale a holler.

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Never thought I would be on a tour bus with Food Network’s Guy Fieri and his crew. I have been on the road for almost four weeks, starting in Naples, Italy, with America’s Chefs, where I cooked for 1,000 soldiers-and got the idea for Banana Rat Wing sauce. Named after the infamous rodent at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, BRW sauce is on sale at Grinders and we’re donating a percentage of proceeds to military charities.

I flew to South Carolina where I joined the “Guy Fieri Roadshow Tour,” which is being filmed by Food Network. We’re traveling across the United States with a quick side trip jaunt into Canada.

All of these food-related projects have been an interesting turn in my career; until now I’ve primarily been a sculptor. Don’t get me wrong: I haven’t stopped making art by any means. I still start and end every day in a creative mindset. In fact, I don’t think I will ever stop creating and making things.

A logical leap from metal sculpting to cooking, I have been preparing food and working in restaurants off and on since I was young. I worked in a variety of bars and kitchens while attending art school at the Kansas City Art Institute; I would make sculpture during the day and cook at night.

The circumstance that made me a restaurant owner. When I returned to Kansas City after my stint in New York City working with Mark DiSuvero and the Socrates Sculpture Park, I missed the New York-style pizza and Philadelphia cheese steaks that I’d had at my fingertips. Grinders was born.

Guy Fieri came to Grinders to film “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Up to that point, I had done several TV appearances as a sculptor on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “Monster House.” But now my two disciplines have merged, and I have landed my own show on the Spike cable network. It’s called “Hungry Men at Work,” and it pairs acclaimed chefs with men working incredibly dangerous jobs around the world-from fighting forest fires to working on oil rigs.

And it’s through this TV-box that I am hoping to bring the arts to the masses everywhere.

Speaking of art, when I think back to the early years of “plowing the fields of the Crossroads” to create an arts district in Kansas City, I can’t help but remember how wild the area was back then. I rented a 5000-square-foot studio for incredibly cheap. My art gallery, Zone, was the third gallery to move into the area-right after Leedy-Voulkos and the Dolphin Gallery.

A new arts scene without the help of sponsorship or city funding. Now, the Crossroads Arts District is a thriving area that brings thousands to downtown each year. With the addition of Grinders West (my deli located directly next door to Grinders) and the collaboration with CrossroadsKC at Grinders music venue, I have been able to foster an arena where food, art and music converge. That’s what I hope to continue doing on the national stage.

The important thing is that we always learn from others and aren’t afraid to make mistakes. We have to evolve, but we can’t forget where we came from. And we have to have integrity. The paths I’ve chosen have taken me on great journeys, and I have never regretted them.

I’ve just had to keep an open mind and follow my heart.

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A genuine italian espresso machine really is a superb piece of equipment. There are many espresso machines to select from but if like me you are a coffee aficionado and enjoy the idea of barista quality coffee in your apartment then there really is nothing more to think about.

This gadget is so simple to use, it has a simple control panel with back-lit buttons, available in black and stainless the Italian manufactured Saeco Aroma espresso machine is the central detail of the kitchen.

Measuring 8 by 10 by 11 3/4 inches it has a lot of features for it’s compact size, one of my favorites is the built in glass heating surface which agreeably heats the recepticle to bring out the full experience of the cappuccino.

The removable water holder on the Saeco Aroma espresso machine is just the correct size at approx. 85 ounces, it’s uncomplicated to fill and clean and I always have fresh water for my coffee.

The pressure filter can take a wide range of espresso grinds, I use a quite a mixture of ground coffees depending on my humor but if you prefer to stick to just one type you can maintain the unit filled up and not have to measure out independent portions for each round of coffee. The pod adaptor will even allow you to use industry standard E.S.E. pods.

Even with the powerful 15 bar pump this Saeco Aroma espresso machine is no noisier than any contemporary espresso maker in it’s class, no matter how inexperienced you are with professional standard home machines you will discover it quick and easy to make superior cafe standard espressos, lattes and cappuccinos, and with a detachable drip tray there is no spills to tidy up afterward. The stainless-steel kettle will even dispense hot water for the times you call for that fruit tea or mug of soup.

This Saeco Aroma espresso machine is one of merely a couple to use the patented pressurized portafilta and unique Pannarello frothing unit which dispenses steam in three individual directions.

The distance of the wand is sometimes a concern on these espresso units, even the Saeco Aroma espresso machine has the trouble of offering a wand appropriate for all jugs, mugs or cups. I use a thick jug and I find it less difficult if the machine is tight to the side of the sideboard, but all in all this is not a major blemish for such a great machine.

If you just drink one espresso or latte a day then this unit will pay for itself in under 10 weeks, and you can expect the Seaco Aroma espresso machine to continue serving you quality drinks for many years to come. Love it!

Would you like to know more about the Saeco Aroma Espresso Machine or see what the Saeco Aroma Espresso Machine looks like.

Technorati Tags: Coffee, cooking, Espresso Machine Review, food, food and beverage, home, Household, Italian, Italian Food, kitchen, lifestyle, Saeco Aroma Espresso Machine

Making treats is a major part of any holiday, and of course, any Christmas dessert making can be done with family and friends. Having a cookie baking event a few weeks before the holidays is a good opportunity to get together with friends and family and have some delicious homemade Christmas snacks. There are a lot of traditional Christmas snacks that you can make, ranging from typical basics such as iced chocolate cookies to cultural staples including Italian pizzelle.

Making Italian Holiday Treats — Baking a bunch of Italian treats can be a simple way to have many really unique looking treats. Pizzelle is a classic Italian cookie that looks like a thin waffle. The uncooked batter looks similar to waffle batter but will generally also include flavorings such as orange or anise. The batter is dropped onto a pizzelle maker, which also impresses a pattern such as a grid into the cookie’s surface.

Finished pizzelle tend to be sprinkled with powdered sugar while still warm, or spread with a nut or chocolate spread and consumed like sandwich cookies. While there are not many decorating options for these basic treats, they still are sought after at cookie events because of their elegant appearance and the ease in making a batch of them.

Decorating and Wrapping Your Presents — When your group has made all the treats they want, continue the event by exchanging little bags of cookies with one another so everyone can try out all of the varieties. You can embellish paper gift sacks yourself with scrapbook papers, bits of attractive ribbon, and markers, and can craft homemade gift tags to customize each bag.

Have a roll of red and green tinted plastic wrap on hand to wrap up the cookies in small bundles, then finish each cellophane cookie with a silky ribbon before placing in a customized gift bag. When the group has received their snacks, if you want you can continue customizing bags and set them aside as Christmas gifts to take home and gift to people on your Christmas list.

These are only a few tips for hosting an excellent baking party for the holiday season. You can coordinate a bigger celebration by inviting more guests and including many more ingredients and embellishing choices at the party. In addition to just baking pizzelle, you can add in a few different international sweets as well as more popular classics such as snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies. You can also add in several different icing flavors and recipes, ranging from lively glazes to rich cream cheese.

No matter which snacks you incorporate at your baking party, you’re sure to have an enjoyable day with friends and family and end the celebration with holiday sweets that look and taste divine.

Don’t forget, the best way to find the best model for you is to check the pizzelle maker reviews before buying anything. Here’s one for an easy to use Cuisinart Pizzelle Maker available online cheaper than those department store prices.

Technorati Tags: baking, Christmas, cookie party, cookies, cooking, desserts, food, food gifts, gifts, Holiday, home, Italian, Italian Food, party ideas, pizzelle

Pizzelle are a great gift at Christmas or for any special occasion. But when it is time to package them up for gift giving, it can be hard to ensure that the fragile cookies do not crack when transported.

Anyone who has made an effort to send pizzelle or have bought them on the web understand just how vulnerable to crumbling these treats tend to be. And even though one or two damaged cookies may not be dreadful, a container full of them totally destroys the appearance of the gift. So, how do you transport or ship boxes of these treats to family and friends without presenting them with a box full of crumbs in the end?

If you aren’t moving them far, and if you are bringing them yourself, you can organize them on a cookie tray on their own or as part of a cookie assortment. When doing this, be sure that the cookies lie flat on the plate or platter. They can be stacked if you wish, but try to keep them flat. Cover gently with a bit of cellophane wrap and be sure that the tray sits flat during transport.

One other way to give them away as a present is to package them in smaller containers. This works well when carrying them somewhere to share as a number of gifts, such as when going to a party or other gathering. Cardboard mug boxes or medium sized candy and treat boxes are very effective for this.

Having said that, different pizzelle makers make totally different sized cookies, so measure the diameter of the cookie and measure the measurements of the box before shopping for any container to use to place them in. If you do not do this, then you could potentially end up with containers that are just a bit small for your cookies.

Cookie tins work well for when you must have them protected. This is excellent for when you are shipping cookies or where a platter or cardboard box is likely to be crushed while being brought in. Old cookie tins can be used again, or you can usually find them available at discount stores. As with the cardboard containers, be certain that you know the dimensions of the cookies to ensure they will fit into the containers.

When packaging pizzelle for shipping, no matter which type of container that you make use of, make sure to not overcrowd the snacks. Doing so presents a larger risk of breakage. And if you are mailing the cookies or taking them in a carton that is a bit too big, protect the fragile cookies by stuffing the empty areas with clean crumpled paper towels.

Remember, if you want to invest in a classic pizelle iron, then you definitely want to take a look at the Palmer Pizzelle Maker here. It’s just like the one your grandmother used.

Technorati Tags: baking, Christmas, cookies, cooking, desserts, food, gifts, giving food, Holiday, Italian, Italian Food, mailing, pizzelle, Seasonal, shipping