Best of 2014

As 2014 comes to a close, I thought I'd join the reflective bandwagon and look back at the cocktails, coffee, tea (as well as soda, wine, chocolate, beer, ice cream, etc) that I've enjoyed over the past year (really since April when I started this little blog) and share with you my top ten favorite beverages. Cheers!

P.S. You can find all the beverages on the spirits, beans, and leaves pages of the blog.

Ten:  

Cali Cola, One More Cup

Nine:

Harry's Reviver, Harry's Bar & Tables

Eight:

Autumnal Seasonal Italian Soda
Second Best Coffee

Seven:

Cream Royal
The Blue Teapot

Six:

Lavender-Honey Latte
Second Best Coffee

Five:

Pendergast
The Rieger Hotel 

Four:

Brown Sugar & Rosemary Latte
Kaldi's

Three:

 Charlie Sour
The Westport Cafe

Two:

Red Velvet Rooibos Tea
Anna Marie's Teas

One:

The Old Square, Bluestem

Happy New Year, Kansas City! Here's to more great beverages and local love!

Homemade Irish Cream

Looking for a last minute DIY gift? This easy, quick, and affordable Irish Cream recipe works wonders in coffee, desserts, and as an evening nightcap. Mix up a batch for friends and family, neighbors, co-workers, or to keep to yourself! You won't regret it. Happy Holidays, Kansas City!

Irish Cream

1 2/3 cups good Irish Whiskey*
1 cup heavy cream
1 (14oz) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 T. Hershey's chocolate syrup
2 T. cold coffee
2 t. pure vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix on high speed for 20 seconds.

Transfer the mixture to an airtight container (I used recycled starbucks glasses).

Store in the fridge for up to two months. Shake well before using.

*I used Jameson and it turned out lovely. The only thing I might change is perhaps adding another tablespoon of coffee. Creamy, flavorful, and indulgent. Perfect for the holidays.

Brown Sugar and Rosemary Latte

Drink: Brown Sugar and Rosemary Latte

Type: Coffee

From: Kaldi's

Description: Fragrant

Kaldi's Coffee is quickly becoming one of my favorites, especially with discovering the drive-through location in Briarcliff. The syrup compliments the espresso perfectly, is light, and well-balanced. I literally could not stop enjoying this latte. Every time I took a sip, it was delightful. With the house-made syrup, this latte has the perfect blend of dark sweetness and herbal lightness. 

The drink: warm, calming, soothing, perfect. 

This is the most perfect cold-weather beverage I can imagine. Shout out to Laura Clark for introducing me to this phenomenal drink! Forget your PSL and peppermint mochas, this blend of dark sugars and fragrant rosemary will keep you warm this winter season. 

Fall Caffeine Crawl 2014

Better late than never, right? The fall Caffeine Crawl back in October took Kansas Citians and visiting caffeine addicts a tour of some of the best bean joints in town. 

My tour started out at Parisi, where we were served coffee before experience a phenomenal demonstration of molecular gastronomy to make coffee caviar. To illustrate the juiciness of the coffee pearls, Kate served them with homemade pomegranate pop rocks. It was a truly unique way to experience the coffee flavor.

Molecular Gastronomy Demonstration at Parisi

Coffee Caviar and Pomegranate Pop Rocks at Parisi

Kate and the folks at Parisi also served carbonated plums in order to illustrate "sparkling stone fruit acidity" which is a coffee term, but one that can be sometimes difficult to place. "Coffee should be fun." - Kate. 

The second stop was at Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard, where our group was again offered some home-brewed coffee while getting the run-down on how they make their famous coffee custard (for special occasions, only!). The coffee frozen custard, which uses a unique toddy-like ice cream method) was paired with Christopher Elbow citrus chocolate bar and was literally the smoothest and creamiest dessert ever experienced.

Foo's has been serving KC custard and coffee since 1988.

Leaching out coffee flavor for frozen custard. 

Coffee Frozen Custard with Christopher Elbow
Chocolate Square at Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard. 

Oddly Correct, the primarily whole sale coffee roaster, was our next stop. Their location downtown is their tasting room, where they focus on educating coffee lovers about the effects of temperature and time on the end flavor results in the coffee.

The Costa Rican coffee was served three ways. 

Coffee 1, the control coffee, was sweet, complex, uniquely smooth and flavorful. Coffee 2, roasted at 8* hotter than the first coffee, resulting in a darker roast, had a more caramel flavor, it stayed on the tongue longer, was heavier and had diminished sweetness. Coffee 3, which was roasted 7* lighter than the control coffee, was lighter on the tongue, sweeter with an up-front sweetness and was less complex and almost underdeveloped.

Discussing the effects of roasting time and
temperature on coffee beans at Oddly Correct.

PT's at the Crossroads began their presentation with three different types of chocolate that were blended with different types of coffee. They have recently re-blended and re-launched for the new season, so you'll always find something different in their chocolate selection. 

The Ethiopian chocolate was smooth and phenomenal. 

Jeff began the company in 1993 and began roasting in 1997. According to USA Today, they are the 5th best roaster in the states, which along with his two Cup of Excellence wins with at least two coffees in the top five of the competition since 2007 proves this is one of the best local coffee shops.

Jeff telling us about his family/friends from
whom he gets his coffee from Guatemala. 

The first coffee, a caturra, was sour, bitter, and floral. The second coffee, the Paca Mara (a likely future cup of excellence winner, and my personal favorite) was smooth and sweet, while the third coffee, margagatura, was bold and robust. It was created by blending two coffee varieties and has won the Cup of Excellence twice. 

Caturra, Paca Mara, and Margagatura coffees from Guatemala. 

Black Dog Coffeehouse began their presentation with a wonderful array of Ibis toast and jams (seriously, you haven't had toast till you've had this stuff!) 

Using Messenger Coffee, they demonstrated the flavors of pour over coffee. The Ethiopian was sweet and tasted of berries, while the Guatemalan had flavors of red apple and chocolate. The third coffee, Suluwase, tasted almost of garden vegetables. They explained that for pour-over, the water should be 204-208 degrees and the coarseness of the grind depends on the filter and how strong the coffee will be.

It was nice to have the flavors and grinding explained by people who understand them, as well as be able to relax and enjoy their large space. 

Our final stop of the day was to Homer's, where Jarred had the local band, Attic Wolves, performing while we sipped on Messenger Coffee and tasted a great variety of snacks that they offer. 

Homer's is a place of fellowship, where people can go to hear (free) live music in a non-smokey and non-bar environment. It's a great concept, and with delicious coffees like the Adado, which tasted of blueberries with a sweet finish, and Sumatra, which had a dry finish, it's nice to know that you can find both great entertainment and great coffee. 

Homemade scones, ginger cookies, and sugar cookies. 

All in all, this was a perfect Caffeine Crawl, and I can't thank the folks at The LAB enough for making this a thing. It's always a phenomenal time where patrons can enjoy a multitude of coffees, teas, chocolates, and other treats while learning about all the things that are involved in making our cup of joe. 

Latte 3

Drink: Latte
Type: Coffee
From: Barista de Casa
Price: $3.25
Description: Creamy


Tucked away in the basement of one of Liberty's quaint houses in the old towns square is Barista de Casa, a family owned coffee shop and roaster. For the past three years this cute and cozy shop has been serving up snacks, tea, and most importantly, coffee. The latte that I had (while settled next to the fire) was perfect. It felt like being at a friend's house.

The drink: smooth, nutty, roasted, light.

The espresso has a wonderful toasted flavor to it that compliments the smooth nature of the latte. There was virtually no bitterness, but it also wasn't overly sweet. I can't imagine how lovely it must be to sit beside the fire sipping on coffee while the snow falls outside the low windows.

Cold Brew

Drink: Cold Brew
Type: Coffee
From: Thou Mayest
Price: $3.25
Description: Complex

Thou Mayest, located in The Crossroads, has a great space with both indoor and outdoor seating on two levels and a range of both coffee and cocktails available. Obviously this cold brew is perfect for warm and hot days (of which we are not currently having), but it's so delicious I couldn't resist doing the write-up for it!

The drink: rich, nutty, earthy, bold.

This cold brew coffee has just the right amount of dilution from ice and has a bold, acidic flavor that isn't overwhelming. Best enjoyed on the upstairs patio looking over the Crossroads KC stage, this coffee is delicious and flavorful.

Lavender-Honey Latte

Drink: Lavender-Honey Latte
Type: Espresso
From: Second Best Coffee
Price: $3
Description: Perfect

Don't let the name of this coffee shop fool you, it's certainly one of the best in Kansas City. Second Best Coffee in Waldo focuses on simplistic quality in its beverages. With a focus on espresso, they own the only Slayer (a high-end, custom, professional espresso machine) in KC.

The drink: frothy, bold, smooth, full-flavored.

The absolute best part of this latte is the perfect foam and the subtly of the house-made syrup. Second Best Coffee prides itself on the quality and flavor of their coffee and espresso and have created their syrups to compliment those flavors, rather than cover them. The result is a phenomenal latte.

Cappuccino

Drink: Cappuccino
Type: Espresso
From: Kaldi's
Price: $3
Description:

Kaldi's (also known here in Kansas City as Latte Land) just came out with their fall specials, but it's hard to ignore such a great classic.

The drink: creamy, smooth, thick, flavorful.

This cappuccino had lovely, sweet foam and great espresso flavor with just the right amount of acidity and robustness. Kaldi's baristas are well-trained and educated, and do a wonderful job at creating memorable coffee and espresso drinks.

Latte 2

Drink: Latte

Type: Espresso

From: Little Freshie

Price: $3.25

Description: Frothy

It's hard to go into Little Freshie and not order multiple sodas and slushies, but when a place puts "espresso" in their name, you just have to try it, and I'm really glad I did. On the cloudy and cool afternoon, this little pick-me-up was the perfect mix of warm and frothy. 

The drink: strong, sharp, bold espresso flavor. 

The espresso was well-pulled, but it was the foam that made this drink so great. It was wonderfully thick and lasted the entire beverage, always smooth and delicious. 

Local Blogs

There's something special about Kansas City. Perhaps it's our central location in the country, the easy port access that made it historically pertinent, or just the fact that we're the perfect mix of urban and rural. Regardless, the Kansas City food and beverage industry is exploding. Phenomenal new restaurants, bars, and shops are popping up faster than any of us can keep track (you should see my list - every time I cross off one location, I seem to add two or three more).

It's evident from the success of local events like the Paris of the Plains Cocktail Festival and the Caffeine Crawl that KC is becoming more important and influential on national food culture.

So how does one person keep track of it all? One of the easiest ways is to follow local bloggers. These people are passionate about food, beverage, and all things Kansas City. With each blog's individual speciality and focus, it allows the reader to grasp and locate exactly what he or she is looking for.

Here are a few of my favorite local food blogs:

Around the Block

Located at  http://aroundtheblockkc.com/

Written by Mary Bloch, the author of the Kansas City Star's Restaurant Guide as well as regular contributor to the Star's Food section and member of the Association of Food Journalists. This blog features restaurant profiles, travel recommendations, cooking tips, and food trend discussions.

Chow Town

Located at http://www.kansascity.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/chow-town/

This blog, run through The Kansas City Star, has over a dozen contributors ranging from local foodies to chefs and experts in the field. With daily posts about the entirety of the Kansas City food scene and easy-to-read posts, this is a great location to find out what people are loving the most in Kansas City.

Eat It Kansas City

Located at http://eatitkansascity.com

Written by Kansas newcomer, Shanley, this locally-focused blogger has been featured in Ink Magazine, Kansas City Home & Garden, Better Kansas City, and National Geographic with her blurbs about restaurant openings, local food events, and abundant recipes.

The Feed

Located at http://thefeedmeblog.com

Run by culinary creative and marking agents Jeff Akin and Emily Farris, this blog features recipes dining diaries in the form of posts and podcasts. Regular contributors to Food and Wine, they started Feed Me Creative - a food based marketing firm (branding, marketing, design, and content development) where their blog is now located.

KC Beer Blog

Located at http://kcbeerblog.blogspot.com

Full of calendar events, beer travel guides, homebrewing resources and every beer-related event in Kansas City, this blog is a can't-miss for beer lovers. Run by Pat, Kyle, David, and Jay this blog is completely full of information and events. These guys have done their research and do a great job of keeping up-to-date with local events.

KC Morsel

Located at http://kcmorsel.wordpress.com/

Elegantly designed and run by Laura Clark, talented barista and educator at Kaldi's Coffee, this blog covers more than just coffee, beer, and cocktails. Laura does a great job including food, restaurants, and events around the metro area. Be sure to follow her on social media, as she has a great online presence.

The Making of a Foodie

Located at http://www.makingafoodie.com/

With a focus on becoming a better "foodie", Jenny Vergara is all about learning and teaching others about the best sides of food and drink, and how to better enjoy them and refine the palate. Her in-depth posts are full of detail and information and explanations that are accompanied by lovely photographs from around the Kansas City area.

Shang Tea Blog

Located at http://www.shangtea.com/blog

Considered the "educational arm" of the Shang Tea company, this blog is a wonderful addition to any tea-lovers resources. With posts about growing, harvesting, brewing, and enjoying tea, the reader gets an abundant amount of information ranging from tea history to current tea events. Straightforward and well-written, this is my favorite place to gain a little tea knowledge.

Team Cocktail! 

Located at http://blog.teamcocktail.com/

If you're looking for cocktail recipes from local drinkers and travelers, this blog is for you. With the idea of "travel globally, drink locally," this local blog has a much larger stake in international drinking and traveling, which is a great thing for Kansas City. Search their blog for recipes, merchandise, and local events.



Other resources to find the best of Kansas City are Yelp, Urbanspoon, The Kansas City Star, The Pitch, and Visit KC. What are some of your favorite locals to follow for the best of food and drinks in KC? Leave your answers in the comments!

Cafe au Lait

Drink: Cafe au Lait
Type: Coffee
From: Mildred's Coffeehouse
Price: $2.45
Description: Smooth

With locations both in The Crossroads and downtown on Main, this family owned and run coffeehouse has a very laid-back vibe that's perfect for settling down with a book or chatting up with friends. A cafe au lait is brewed coffee with steamed milk and foam. Mildred's has a brewed coffee station where you select your brew while the barista whips up the milk and foam. I chose the Mildred's Blend drip coffee, fully caffeinated.

The drink: creamy, light, nutty, smooth.

The foam was really great - it was fluffy, long lasting, and plenty of it. The Mildred's Blend coffee was mild, smooth, and nutty. All in all, a wonderful combination that I easily could have had multiple cups of. With the open and light space in the Crossroads location, it's a truly lovely and wonderful coffeehouse.

Cali Cola

Drink: Cali Cola
Type: Coffee / Soda
From: One More Cup
Price: $2.75
Description: Balanced

During the Spring Caffeine Crawl, we sampled this unique beverage at One More Cup, and I'm not entirely sure why it took me so long to get another. Mexican Coke with a shot of toddy makes for a perfectly bubbly beverage, especially nice for warm Fall afternoons.

The drink: sweet, earthy, fun, tangy

The use of Mexican Coke (which is made with natural sugar) really adds to the flavor. It's not syrupy, and as a non-soda drinker (for the most part), the toddy cuts through some of the sweetness and adds a depth to the overall flavor.

Lavender Latte

Drink: Lavender Latte
Type: Coffee
From: City Market Coffee House
Price: $3.55
Description: Smooth

Through social media I learned that the City Market Coffee House was selling their house-made lavender syrup and immediately planned a trip in order to get some. Yes, yes, I could have made my own, but it came so widely recommended and I've been working at Manifesto a lot recently, so I couldn't resist.

Emily, the barista working, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, allowing me to sample several of the coffee houses specials including the Hippie - cold brew, honey, and soy milk and completely delicious, as well as the house-made cold press coffee itself, which had a very smooth, non-bitter flavor with a richness similar to peanut butter. Emily also made the perfect recommendation of the iced Lavender Latte - one of the most popular beverages.

The drink: light, creamy, sweet, complimentary.

Made with cold press coffee, half almond milk, half soy milk, and lavender syrup the drink is perfectly smooth, naturally sweet and well mixed. The lavender syrup compliments the cold press coffee flavor and the milks compliment each other very well without overpowering the other flavors.

Iced Mocha 2

Drink: Iced Mocha 2
Type: Coffee
From: The Friendly Bean
Price: $3.63
Description: Chocolatey

Thanks to some Yelper friends, I finally made it to The Friendly Bean over at the corner of North Oak and Barry Road. Small, but full of charm, this coffee shop definitely lives up to its name. The staff is incredibly friendly, as were the patrons who were sipping on coffee, chatting, and plucking away at laptops.

The drink: smooth, creamy, light, full of mocha.

Along with a delicious brownie, I enjoyed the iced mocha, reminiscent of chocolate milk with the hint of espresso aftertaste that isn't overpowering or harsh. It was light and felt like a true treat.

Iced Mocha

Drink: Iced Mocha
Type: Coffee
From: One More Cup
Price: $3.25
Description: Blended

On a hot day, I just can't so no to an iced coffee. The only issue being sometimes they're overly sweetened and upset my stomach. This was not the case at One More Cup in Waldo. The drink was a perfect blend of coffee and mocha flavor.

The drink: creamy, light, chocolatey, with great coffee flavor.

What I think my favorite part of this coffee shop, besides the delicious and unique drinks, is the obvious family aspect to it. The space is so warm and inviting, leaving no one feeling socially awkward or unsure. The staff is incredibly friendly, especially owner Stacy, and concerned with making sure each guest feels as though they're at home. The small shop (with an awesome patio out front and out back) is cozy and perfect for relaxing, reading, catching up on work, or spending time chatting with friends. Next time I'm definitely getting one of their signature Cali-Colas.

Columbia

Drink: Columba
Type: Coffee
From: Black Dog Coffeehouse
Price: $1.80
Description: Rich

Black Dog Coffeehouse in Lenexa serves locally based and roasted Messenger Coffee. This fair trade sourced dark roast was well-roasted and had a great deep flavor to it and a somehow sweet bitterness.

The drink: deep, rich, dark, earthy.

Despite being 100* outside the day I went, it was nice and cool in the large space with lots of comfy chairs and tables and even a space for live music. The coffeehouse had plenty of variety of drinks and snacks, lending itself to a great atmosphere to hang out and work, read, or fiddle with a phone. Also, get some toast while you're there.

Blueberry Matcha Latte

Drink: Blueberry Matcha Latte
Type: Green Tea Latte
From: Headrush Roasters
Price: $4.49
Description: Unique

 While not technically coffee, this beverage is made as a latte complete with frothy smoothness. It's made with matcha - a very fine Japanese green tea known for it's health benefits and natural ability to work well in cooking and beverages. Traditionally it was served in ceremony, but with a burgeoning popularity has found itself in cookies, smoothies, scones, and lattes.

The barista at Headrush, located on North Oak Trafficway, suggested this due to it's overall popularity, and after tasting it I can see why.

The drink: fruity, sweet, light, warm.

The blueberry aroma and the greenness from the matcha is the first things you notice before even sipping the sweet froth and enjoying the smooth and light green tea and blueberry flavors. It wasn't heavy or too strongly flavored (and went really well with my chocolate chip orange scone). I imagine it would be awesome iced. Next time I think I'll try it with the lavender syrup (I am a sucker for lavender).

Iced Raspberry Mocha

Drink: Iced Raspberry Mocha
Type: Coffee
From: Scooter's Coffee
Price: $3.25
Description: Fun

I was driving through North Kansas City and saw the cute little Scooter's Coffee hut off Burlington and just couldn't resist grabbing a treat. If you're still going to that sub-par National chain "on every corner" for your fun, flavored coffee drinks, you're doing life wrong. Scooter's coffee is delicious, and they have a way of flavoring their specialty drinks so that they still feel coffee-based rather than milk-shake based. Which is a win-win in my book!

The drink: mocha-y, smooth, delicious.

This drink was recommended to me by the barista, and I loved the good coffee flavor with a hint of raspberry in the finish. It wasn't overwhelming or syrupy, and sweet without being "too" sweet. I love that Scooter's has different latte flavorings as well as fruit and espresso smoothies, tea and tea lattes.

Need other coffee suggestions? Check out the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Kyoto

Drink: Kyoto

Type: Coffee

From: PTs At The Crossroads

Price: $4.00

Description: Chocolatey

Kyoto is a specific system where coffee is cold brewed in large glassware devices, giving the coffee a fuller flavor. The coffee is served cold, without ice or embellishment, allowing the drinker to experience a deeper coffee taste. The newly remodeled location in The Crossroads has the glassware on full display and the staff is knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. 

The drink: sweet then bitter, earthy, chocolately. 

Unfortunately, I missed what brew was used in that day's Kyoto, but the fullness of the flavor is what sets Kyoto apart from other cold brews and toddies, and is available daily at all PTs Coffee locations. If you're looking for something complex, cold, and flavorful this is worth a try. 

Want more coffee? Check imbibe: [kc]'s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 

Honey Almond Toddy

Drink: Honey Almond Toddy
Type: Coffee
From: Kaldi's Coffee
Price: $3.80
Description: Light


Kaldi's Coffee (a Saint Louis original) has been on my radar for some time, so I was pleased to discover one near me in Zona Rosa. Recently, Kaldi's bought out the six area Latte Land shops and are slowly making the change over. According to the barista, Latte Land had been brewing Kaldi's coffee and the change made logical sense. Make sure you #FollowTheGoat and check out this unique iced coffee drink:

The drink: smooth, clean, refreshing, semi-sweet.

The signature summer drink is toddy shaken with honey and almond milk, giving it a very subtle hint of sweet and nuttiness. I couldn't get enough, and nearly ordered a second one.