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!

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. 

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.

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!

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 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!

Mocha Latte 2

Drink: Mocha Latte
Type: Coffee
From: Parisi Artisan Coffee
Price: $3.25
Description: Robust

Driving down I35 through downtown, I've seen the building with Parisi neatly printed across the side for years. I finally made it to one of their cafes, and was pleased to be able to try their house-made chocolate in a coffee.

The chocolate has the strong flavor of a dark cocoa, which mixes well with their espresso. It has an earthy flavor with creamy aroma. I paired mine with a champagne macaron in the modern-style cafe at Park Place in Leawood.

The drink: rich, cocoa-y, creamy, strong.

Parisi's Arte Della Tazza is based on hand-crafted practices such as infusing espresso on site, made-from-scratch marshmallows, and pour-over or press style brews.

Latte

Drink: Latte
Type: Coffee
From: Quay Coffee
Price: 12 oz. $3.50
Description: Flavorful

This adorable coffeehouse is located in the heart of The River Market district and is about as hipster as coffeehouses come. Mustachioed baristas will whip you up one of the few drinks on their simple menu. They keep it simple because of the high quality beans they use from Oddly Correct Roasters. There's loads of indoor seating, which can be found peppered with customers with laptops and books, plus sidewalk seating under the shade of the trees.

The drink: full coffee flavor, light, airy, creamy without being heavy.

With such a hearty (and not bitter) coffee flavor in the latte, I'm looking forward to going back from a regular cup to experience the true flavor from the Oddly Correct beans. You'll probably find me on the patio with a book.

Mocha Latte

Drink: Mocha Latte
Type: Coffee
From: Broadway Cafe and Roasting
Price: ~$3.75
Description: Wonderful

With window seating and great people watching, Broadway Cafe has got a lot to offer. After ordering my latte (and grabbing a croissant), the first thing I noticed was of course, how beautiful the foam and steamed milk was. I think it's such a lovely tradition and talent, and definitely adds to the drinking experience.

The drink: smooth, rich, foamy, warming.

Broadway's espresso is very good. It has almost a carmel flavor to it's subtle sweetness, and I loved that the mocha wasn't overpowering or too sugary. It was definitely one of the best latte's I've had. I can't wait to go back and try one of their coffee tastings (offered on Wednesdays).

Non-Fat Cafe Mocha

Drink: Non-fat Cafe Mocha, no whip
Type: Coffee
From: Parkville Coffeehouse
Price: $4.10 for 16 oz.
Description: Delectable

Oh, Parkville Coffee. Obviously this is my favorite coffee shop. Surrounded by unique local artwork and unusual furnishings (seats from an actual airplane? check.), baristas will whip you up any of the usual coffee standbys. I'll save their freshly roasted and ground coffee for a later date and focus on my own, personal favorite: the non-fat cafe mocha, served hot with no whipped cream (although it's also delicious iced). I like Parkville's espresso - it's got lots of flavor without being sharp or overpowering, and the baristas are great at crafting this drink without heavy-handing any of the ingredients.

The drink: flavorful, creamy, frothy, and chocolatey without being too sugary.

What's really great is the location. At 103 Main Street, finding seating is easy with all the extra seating upstairs, but I prefer to sit at the windows at the front and watch the slow bustle of historic downtown Parkville. It's cutesy and artsy, and very small-town Missouri. If you're ever in the area, this is worth a stop. Plus, the baristas are incredibly nice.