Photos by Evan Anderson
Wrapping up my trip in the Sunflower State, Kansas I wanted to highlight some places that stood out to me in the last few days I was there. A trip is never complete if you don’t get to Eat something or somewhere that just rocks your socks off, Relax because it’s your duty to mankind not to explode and Discover something new because you’re smart like that, and Smart is Sexy…zinnnnnng, yup I said it! So let’s discover together:
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Eat: Taste and See Restaurant, 3825 E. Harry, Wichita, Kansas
This is the new local spot, with celebrity chef Jason Febres.
The concept at this restaurant is intriguing. It is definitely a good use of its name, Taste and See because here you eat with your mouth and eyes! There is an open kitchen prep area with a projection screen as well that allows diners to see what’s happening in the kitchen, “interactive dinning” dubs the chef. The space is fun, the design is nothing special but compliments the food. Also he has a wine cellar area where regular customers can store their stash. The menu changes seasonally to use farm-to-table style dishes. The menu has dishes chef Febres is known for such as, ceviche, paella, and gaucho steak.
Relax: The key is balance in your life, so take a moment for yourself, slather some SPF and go get some vitamin D….I insist! It’s good for you and let me tell you, some bronze looks good on you too!
Discover: Elderslie Farm, 3501 E. 101st St. N.
Valley Center, KS 67147
I’m a sucker for Farm-to-Table concepts, especially when I get to participate. So check this Farm out, they are called the Elderslie Farm and they are the real deal! Located north of Wichita, Kansas, their agriculture boasts blackberries, raspberries, a small strawberry patch, and an acre of the best veggies in season. I got to stop by and take a quick look around and pick a few fresh produce myself to take back and enjoy at our dinner later that evening. A perfect way to eat healthy while also traveling. As well as a wonderful gift to any host or hostess. It’s like having a best friend that has an awesome veggie garden, where you do none of the work but enjoy all the perks! haha if only!
“We seek not only to produce food that is excellent, but to tend and dress the land in such a way that is delightful to behold and live upon. This desire for both quality and delight inhabits all our endeavors. We love our state, the people in it, and our small part of it. Our goal is to share that love with you, our customers. “- The Elder family
They are hosting their first Farm-to-Table dinner event– outdoors and chef driven and I can just imagine the drool worthy recipes the chef will create! If you are in the area, highly suggest it- not only because it is the perfect date night but a great way to meet new like-minded people, over the love of food! Since seats are limiting, reserve your seat here.
Thought I’d get creative and show off my juggling skills…..the dog was my only audience, can’t tell if he was amused or confused…judging by his face, I think he was blown away ;)!
Explore Food, Eat the Fresh Stuff.
Smart is Sexy.
What fresh ingredients are you eating this week? Does anyone know which veggies are in season for fall?
Xoxoo Beijo!
SMS
So full of life! love every bit of it. Your post has been a great way to start the day :). Thank you for all your work, bringing a wealth of information and experiences. Cheers!
if you like farm-to-table style restaurants you should check out alice waters– a Berkeley person 🙂 –that idea was like her birthchild. and she has a bunch of disciples w restaurants in LA
Quite interesting posting. Made me wish to travel to Kansas. But, answering your question ” Does anyone know which veggies are in season for fall?”, I’ve done a little research and came up with a list and since California grows about 80% of all fruits and vegetables in the U.S., so California seasons (such as they are) are, in some ways, national seasons. That is, you may not be able to get something locally, but even buying nationally keeps you in touch with the hemisphere’s seasons, which is something. 🙂
Artichokes
produce a second, smaller crop in the fall (the first go-around is in the spring) that tends to produce small to medium artichokes.
Arugula
is a cool weather peppery green harvested at different times in different places (winter in warm climates, summer in cool ones) but grows in many places during autumn.
Beets
are in season in temperate climates fall through spring and available from storage most of the year everywhere else. Fresh beets are often sold with their greens still attached.
Belgian Endive
are mostly “forced” to grow in artificial conditions. Their traditional season (when grown in fields and covered with sand to keep out the light), like that of all chicories, is late fall and winter.
Broccoli
can be grown year-round in temperate climates so we’ve forgotten it even has a season. It is more sweet, less bitter and sharp when harvested in the cooler temperatures of fall in most climates.
Broccoli raabe, rapini
is a more bitter, leafier vegetable than its cousin, broccoli, but likes similar cool growing conditions.
Brussels sprouts
grow on a stalk, and if you see them for sale that way snap them up – they’ll last quite a bit longer than once they’re cut.
Cabbage
is bright and crisp when raw, and mellows and sweetens the longer it’s cooked. The cooler the weather when it’s harvested, the sweeter it tends to taste (this effect is called “frost kissed”)
.
Carrots
are harvested year-round in temperate areas. Unusual varieties are harvested during the carrot’s natural season, which is late summer and fall. True baby carrots – not the milled down versions of regular carrots sold as “baby carrots” in bags at grocery stores – are available in the spring and early summer. Locally grown carrots are often available from storage through early winter even in colder climates.
Cauliflower
may be grown, harvested, and sold year-round, but it is by nature a cool weather crop and at its best in fall and winter and into early spring.
Celeriac/celery root
is at its best in the cooler months of fall, winter, and early spring (except in cold climates, where you’ll find it during the summer and early fall).
Celery
is at its best in the fall, with its harvest continuing through winter in warm and temperate climates.
Chard
like all cooking greens, chard turns bitter when it gets too hot. Chard grows year-round in temperate areas, is best harvested in late summer or early fall in colder areas, and fall through spring in warmer regions.
Chicories
are cool weather crops that come into season in late fall (and last in temperate climates through early spring).
Chiles
are best at the end of summer and into fall. Dried chiles are, of course, available year-round.
Curly Endive (Frisée)
is a chicory, at its best in fall and winter.
Edamame
are fresh soy beans – look for them in late summer and fall.
Eggplant (early fall)
comes into season towards the end of summer, but bright shiny heavy-feeling specimens stay in season well into fall.
Escarole
is another chicory at its best in fall and winter.
Fennel
its natural season is from fall through early spring. Like most cool weather crops, the plant bolts and turns bitter in warmer weather.
Garlic
is another produce item that we forget has a season; fresh garlic is at its plump, sweetest best in late summer and fall.
Green beans
tend to be sweetest and most tender during their natural season, from mid-summer into fall in most regions.
Green Onions/Scallions
are cultivated year-round in temperate climates.
Herbs of hearty sorts
are available fresh in fall – look for bundles of rosemary, parsley, thyme, and sage.
Horseradish
is at its best in fall and winter. Like so many other root vegetables, however, it stores well and is often available in decent shape well into spring.
Jerusalem artichokes/Sunchokes
are brown nubs, that look a bit like small pieces of fresh ginger. Look for firm tubers with smooth, tan skins in fall and winter.
Kale
is like all hearty cooking greens – cooler weather keeps it sweet.
Kohlrabi (late fall) comes into season by the end of fall, but stays at its sweet best into winter.
Leeks
more than about 1 1/2 inches wide tend to have tough inner cores. The top green leaves should look fresh – avoid leeks with wilted tops.
Lettuce (in warmer climates),
like other greens bolt and turn bitter when the weather gets too warm, making it in-season somewhere in the U.S. year-round. It can also be grown in low-energy greenhouses in colder climates through the winter.
Mushrooms (wild)
have different seasons throughout the U.S. Most wild mushrooms other than morels are in-season in summer through fall.
Okra (early fall)
needs heat to grow, so a nice long, hot summer in warmer climates brings out its best. Look for firm, plump pods in late summer and early fall.
Onions
come from storage all year round but most onions are harvested in late summer through the fall.
Parsnips
look like white carrots and have a great nutty flavor. Look for thinner parsnips, since fatter ones tend to have a thick, woody core you need to cut out.
Peppers (early fall)
both sweet and spicy- are harvested in late summer and early fall.
Potatoes
are excellent storage vegetables, but most varieties are harvested in the fall.
Pumpkins
are the most common winter squash and come into season in September in most
Radicchio
like all chicories, radicchio is more sweet and less bitter when the weather is cool.
Radishes (all types)
are so fast-growing that they can be sown several times during the growing season in most climates. Fall marks the end of the season for small red radishes and the beginning of the season for larger daikon-type radishes.
Rutabagas
also known as “yellow turnips” and “Swedes” are a sweet, nutty root vegetables perfect in stews, roasted, or mashed with plenty of butter.
Shallots
are harvested in late summer and into fall, and are at their sweetest when fresh.
Shelling beans
are those beans that can become dried beans but are briefly available fresh, as shelling beans, in mid-summer to early fall depending on your climate.
Spinach
indeed, has a season. It varies with your climate – year-round in temperate areas, summer and fall in cooler areas, fall through spring in warmers regions.
Sweet potatoes are often sold as “yams.” They store well and are available from local sources year-round in warmer areas; from late summer through winter other places.
Tomatillos
look like small green tomatoes with a light green papery husk.
Turnips
have a sharp but bright and sweet flavor. Look for turnips that feel heavy for their size.
Winter squash
of all sorts comes into season in early fall and usually last well into winter.
Zucchini have a harvest season from summer into fall in most climates.
There you have it. Enjoy! (y)