Cooking With Fire

What does a communion wafer and one of my favorite breakfast foods have in common? More than you would think.

Some foods are simply polarizing, with people taking stances on whether or not they should even be consumed. And no, I’m not talking about vegans protesting the eating of animals. I’m talking about oysters.

When people ask me what I do for a living and I tell them I get to basically eat great food and write about it, well, that’s a conversation starter.

There used to be a time when I would stand at the butcher counter at my local shop, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options in the case in front of me -- and that was just in the beef section.

Crab cakes have become a staple in restaurants across the U.S., but it wasn’t that long ago that crab was seen as a difficult and dangerous crustacean that wasn’t worth the time and effort it took to catch them.

Duck à l’Orange was once the best known duck recipe in the world. Popularized in the United States by Julia Child, it seemed to be on the menu of every French restaurant in the 1960s.

Over the years the dish’s star power has faded, according to some food experts. But if that is the case, someone forgot to let the rest of the world know.

Brisket burnt ends are one of the more fascinating foods in barbecue. Their storied history, which I’ve spoken of here before, makes them a true Kansas City original.

Of course, the great thing about food is that it is meant to be played with, no matter what your grandmother repeatedly told you at dinner time.

We’re taking a break from the grill this week, because what better way to ring in the new year than by diving into one of our other passions: spirits.