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The world wide web has 1000s of websites focused on pasta cooking recipes. Despite the fact that particular to Mediterranean Italian cuisine within the majority of situations, pastas have entered international gastronomy specifications, being appreciated globally. It suffices to mention spaghetti, gnocchi, lasagna, fusili, penne and noodles, because everybody knows them. Noodles and rice pasta will also be popular in Chinese and South-Eastern cuisine. The cooking distinctions are usually discovered within the dressing, as well as within the some other principal elements.

Pasta cooking recipes vary a whole lot based on the sort of dish you need to get ready. Typically, pasta take much less time for you to prepare, but, that’s not correct for many recipes. Salads, for instance, are always simpler to get ready and you can find a lot of pasta salads recipes. With a Mexican-mix, seafood, green beans, mushrooms and olives, chicken breast, tuna fish or tomatoes, cheese and hot sauce, pasta salads are all set in 15 or twenty minutes at the greatest, and they make a fantastic dish for the total household. You could be vegan or meat eater, it doesn’t matter. Pasta cooking recipes offer this type of a variety of choices that you simply are unable to get tired of these.

Wholegrain or white pasta? This is actually the variety of problem that people usually forget about to inquire on their own. The general opinion is that pasta certainly are a great supply of energy (body fuel) because of their high carbohydrate content. Nevertheless, but, this really is only partly accurate. Pasta produced from white flour are not specifically balanced. White flour is considered accountable for bowel problems, ibs, overweight, diabetes and a lot of other health difficulty. Which suggests that for men and women on dietary limits due to chronic illness, pasta cooking recipes don’t make a viable option.

Therefore, for healthful nourishing pasta cooking recipes, you should decide on wholegrain pasta. They’ve got a slightly longer cooking time nonetheless they present no health dangers in any respect. Quite the contrary! Wholegrain pasta are very good for digestive system and weight reduction simply because they have a high amount of fiber. Considering that the flour utilized for this type of pasta is much less refined industrially, a lot more vitamins and minerals (such as minerals and digestive enzymes) remain in the pastas. This tends to make wholegrain pasta cooking recipes excellent for nutrition-concerned men and women.

Bodybuilders as well as men and women following a weight reduction diet plan can pick from your numerous pasta cooking recipes those that satisfy their dietary specifications and taste choices. The sole mention here remains that of employing wholegrain pasta rather than white-colored pasta.

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It has turn into rather a trend for women, mother and children or groups of friends to just take Italian cooking courses on holiday. It can be a type of vacation that attracts any kind of United states: an opportunity to see one of Europe’s most ancient cradles of civilization and study the secrets of a dishes of predominant Mediterranean affects. Italian cooking courses are prepared by different organizations. The trip packages are sometimes set together by travel agencies together with restaurant chefs, artisan cheese manufacturers or maybe wine producers.

If you arrange a month-long trip or perhaps a full summertime plan apart from property, then, going to areas may not be enough. Lots of men and women decide on Italian cooking courses for the benefit of mastering things that would otherwise be inaccessible to these because of the too active schedule. You will find day courses, longer programs which include lodging and foods or excursions which incorporate cooking lessons. You might be a cook or perhaps a cooking fanatic that wishes to learn authentic recipes and food types from the resource.

Italian cooking courses will introduce you to the main ingredients of Italian cuisine. Extra virgin olive oil, natural herbs, cheese varieties, zucchini and cherry tomatoes, pepper varieties and seafood, you may anticipate to learn regarding these all. A few cooking lessons concentrate on the specific form of dish only such as making pasta or pizza. Other people are focused on favourite Italian desserts like tiramisu or pana cotta. It all depends about the uniqueness and also the level of the study course. The tourist should make a decision in advance about the kind of Italian cooking courses to comply with on trip.

Therefore, you can make plans just before your departure to ensure that everything is set for you personally when you go to location in sunny Italy. In the event you run a short search online, you will see that there are many offers for Italian cooking courses. Several of these are arranged by service providers in the United States Of America, whilst other people are Italian unbiased firms that provide worldwide touristic offers to individuals intrigued to study regarding the Italian culture as well as the strategies of this Mediterranean cuisine.

Check all of the facts, compare the deals and find out what exactly is more suited and hassle-free to suit your needs personal needs. If you buy a ready-made deal within the United States Of America, you will not need to bother about getting very good airfare and help to make bookings for the different stages of the trip; that may all be planned. You may create the itinerary your self too, but then you definitely need to just take care of everything from travel and accommodation to your choice of Italian cooking courses.

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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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If you are looking to savor Italian cuisine that can easily be a challenge just looking for a restaurant that is equally authentic as well as affordable. Italian casual dining and also cuisine is famous across the globe because of its diversity and richness. Quite a few recipes spanned generations which are ready utilizing a number of fresh ingredients. The majority of people’s knowledge of Italian dining is mostly restricted to dishes like pizza and some pastas including spaghetti Bolognese. Even so, there is actually a lot of diversity within the dishes too and because of Italy’s different local cuisines.

Whilst there are many restaurants claiming to replicate the casual dining experience of Italian cuisine, the vast majority of their food selection in fact includes greatly commercialized dishes that are a far cry from authentic Italian Food. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for an inexpensive Italian dining experience, there are numerous restaurant chains that can stay true to the food. Furthermore, another great way to experience the cuisine is via Italian food catering services.

Although a few Italian food catering restaurants offer featuring too, you will find that you can actually save on Italian featuring costs by looking for caterers that don’t possess a physical restaurant. This is because they’re not likely to end up renting a commercial space for which would usually account for high expenses. This is the great way to save on parties as well as events.

If you’re traveling around the country, you may find several good Italian restaurants stops that are able to offer light, but authentic Italian cuisine that’s perfect if you’re on the go. As the average Italian meal comprise of several courses, good Italian restaurants stops offer you budget meals at a fixed price, which can be perfect for those who find themselves trying to save. This is a smart way for the average person to experience fine Italian food without paying a premium for it.

One thing that prevents individuals from having the capacity to experience genuine Italian cuisine is definitely the misconception that it is either too expensive or too inaccessible. Nevertheless, Italian restaurants are plentiful across the country, and can range from the top end experience to the more reasonably priced restaurants for those on a budget. Furthermore, lots of contemporary dishes that people get their ideas come a lot of Italian recipes. With so numerous dishes both taken from Italian cuisine or even inspired because of it, it really is nearly impossible not to taste and experience it in one’s lifetime.

Learn more about casual dining. Stop by Graham Waller’s site where you can find out all about Italian dining and what it can do for you.

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If a non-Italian thinks of Italian food, two dishes come to mind: pasta and pizza. Making the dough for a pizza means some work, so the first meal that most people cook if they think to ‘cook Italian’, they try a pasta dish.

In spite of the fact that there are thousands of Italian pasta (and pizza) recipes, most non-Italians do not cook a dish that an Italian would recognize as Italian. In the rest of this article we will take a look at how to make these dishes more authentic without having to move home to southern Europe.

As this piece is about pasta dishes, we ought to begin with the pasta itself. Assuming that you want to use dry pasta and boil it, you should only purchase pasta that is made from durum wheat semolina flour. If you want whole wheat durum semolina flour, that is all right as well.

Do not be contented with a pasta merely because it has an Italian name. Check the ingredients. Once you have the pasta, inspect it.

Feel it, even look at it under a magnifying glass. It should be course and rough. When it swells up this roughness will cause the pasta to pick up more sauce than ’smooth’ pasta.

Durum semolina flour is course, rough and solid which is why it is used. It is not being used because it is less expensive, so do not let anyone tell you that pasta made from high quality bread flour is better. It most certainly is not.

Pasta is best consumed al dente according to Italians, which translates as ‘to the teeth’ or a bit chewy. Pasta made from most flours other than durum will not attain that quality, because it goes straight from hard to soft or over-cooked. You can easily recognize this low quality if the pasta collapses or breaks up.

When you have bought good pasta, you have to cook it well. Pasta is starchy and will give off starch, just like rice, so it should be boiled in a substantial pan with lots of water. Add salt after the water has boiled, if you have to and then add the pasta.

Buying the correct pasta is only half the battle, unless you only want to pour some olive oil on it or eat it with a salad.

Different pastas take various amounts of time to cook, but most cooks will have started the sauce long before cooking the pasta anyway.

However, if the sauce is very thick and the pasta water is not too salty, you can use some of it to water the sauce down before serving. This blends the flavours fairly well.

The sauce is also of local importance, but it contains tomatoes more often than not in the south and less so as you travel north, where it is cooler.

In the north a sauce to be served with pasta might contain more vegetables and oil than in the south or the pasta may be consumed in a salad.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece writes on a variety of subjects, but is at present involved with Recipes to Lower Your High Blood Pressure. If you want to know more, go to our web site at Gourmet Recipes and Good Health.

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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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Were it not for word of mouth, I might not know about some of this city’s odd but wonderful little eateries, like You Say Tomato.

Save its incredibly low-tech Web site, this quirky luncheonette doesn’t spend a dime on advertising. Yet when I arrived on a busy Sunday morning, I knew to order the apple crostata before I even saw that enormous eyeful selling itself quite nicely atop the counter. And lo, it was good: a beautiful stack of tender apple slices sandwiched between a buttery, crisp topping and a flakey crust. Order it warm, la mode; the vanilla bean ice cream here is fantastic.

You Say Tomato’s menu is just as mismatched as its interior, which looks like a garage sale collided with the corner market. You can order a bierock with a side of potatoes or a tall wedge of quiche, and grab a jug of milk on your way out.

That bierock is like a knish, which is also on the menu, but instead of being filled with potatoes the pastry bun is stuffed with ground beef and sauerkraut. You Say Tomato’s isn’t the most well-crafted version I’ve had-the dough was a bit undercooked in parts-but it had good flavor. I preferred the knish, which was served with grainy mustard.

The breakfast casserole here is the size of a bus. Despite the hefty look of this loaf, it’s unexpectedly light, an eggy souffl studded with sausage and mushroom and bubbly with cheddar cheese. Smothered in gravy, it’s not exactly diet food, but it’s immensely comforting.

They’ll ask you if you want “everything” on your pork tenderloin sandwich at Kitty’s Caf, a cash-only greasy spoon on a desolate stretch of 31st Street. You should say yes. Then they’ll ask you if you want hot sauce. You should say yes again.

The crunchy, battered slices of pork tenderloin-three per sandwich-are moist and tender on the inside and fried to order. Paired with lettuce, onions, pickles and that hot sauce, this is a killer stack.

But you do trade comfort for the value. A half-dozen stools, usually occupied by people waiting for takeout orders, crowd the restaurant’s tight quarters lined with counters. On a busy weekday, a line snakes out the door. Be prepared to bag it back to your office.

One of my favorite restaurants in Kansas City is Happy Gillis in sleepy Columbus Park. Todd Schulte and his wife, Tracy Zinn, opened the casual, self-styled “caf and hangout” in early 2008 after their soup delivery business, Happy Soup Eater, proved successful. And the buzz, boosted by playtime in the national press, has only grown since. Walk into the homey establishment any day at lunchtime or on a weekend morning, and you’ll have to wait for a seat at one of the tables or couches or on the patio furniture on the sidewalk.

The food at Happy Gillis is the tidiest and the most focused of the four restaurants in this article. Everything is fresh and made to order. Scrambled eggs arrive fluffy and soft-a joy on a lazy Saturday morning. Butter lettuce is pert and happy; tossed with baby spinach and spiced nuts, it makes a beautiful salad.

I loved the roasted butternut squash sandwich. Served between slices of ciabatta slathered with goat cheese, it’s mottled with a caramelized onion and walnut relish. The BLT is terrific as well, slicked with house-made mayonnaise and overflowing with waxy rashers of bacon from Webster City Custom Meats in Iowa.

Unsurprisingly, the soups here are dependably good and can always be coupled with half a sandwich for a well-rounded meal.

Succotash is a fun one. This off-kilter “bruncheonette” just two blocks down from You Say Tomato is larger than its peers, a considerable expansion from its cubbyhole beginnings in the City Market. Now, the restaurant offers a sweeping bar and a sprawl of tables of different shapes and sizes.

As the restaurant’s name suggests, the menu leans a bit towards the South, full of hearty comfort.

On a recent visit, I had a warm pot roast sandwich-a special of the day. The meat was tender, flavorful and moist with pan gravy. Served with a side of collard greens, it was great. The tuna melt, however, was a sad story. Served cold, the cheese had stiffened, defying the sandwich’s raison d’etre. What’s a tuna melt without the melt?

Desserts here are large and in charge. There are fruit pies and the famous layer cake-a slice of rainbow as colorful as the restaurant’s sign. Strawberry, lemon, orange, and lime cakes are stacked, twice over, in an eight-layer monster held together with bright blue butter cream. It glows neon and tastes like Fruit Loops cereal.

Mismatched, quirky, and small, you’ll find a smile and an honest plate of food at these restaurants. Spread the word.

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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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