Local Spotlight - Snow & Company ~ Artful Frozen Cocktails

I'm an ice cruncher. I prefer my drinks to be chock-full of crushed (not cubed, please) ice whereby I can simultaneously crunch and sip on...whatever beverage I've chosen to crunch and sip on. I am also a lover of (artfully concocted) cocktails, especially I have the option of ordering a "taster pack" so that I can try the whole kit and caboodle without committing to just one drink. If you like tasty, granulated iced beverages that are made fresh every day in a sleek shop manned by a funny, informative mixologist-cum-juicer-cum-waiter, then head on over to Snow and Company - an orange-exteriored, blue- and green-interiored, modish bistro that sells unique frozen cocktails and light meals.

Located on Wyandotte Street in the Kansas City Crossroads district, Snow and Company - which has been open for less than a year - is known for its unique icy, mixed, smoothie-esque drinks that are made fresh several times per day and that churn in slushie machines that can be seen from the front door.

The interior is very spacious and has a mod element to it. The decor fuses stark industrial elements (high, exposed ceilings and simple, streamlined furniture) with warm, relaxing touches (a wide palette of design colors, comfy chairs and couches) that strike the perfect balance.

When my friend Shannon and I walked in, Adam (the aforementioned mixologist-cum-juicer-cum-waiter) greeted us jovially and told us he'd be with us in a minute after he quickly finished juicing a few fruits. Snow and Company offers happy hour on items like glass wines, Boulevard beer and snacks such as quinoa and hummus and THEN there are more drinks to consider.

This is when Adam showed up. He was juicing all of the fruits that are used in every drink in the store, as the drinks are made fresh as many times as needed per day. There is a full page of drinks offered on the menu, such as Snow Drinks which are chilled and iced, including the Sunshine Boulevard, made with lemonade, a Boulevard Wheat and 360 Vodka from Weston, Missouri or The Rockefeller, which is an iced Manhattan made with Old Overholt Rye Whiskey, cherries, sweet vermouth, bitters and simple syrup. Then there are Hot-Tails, such as the Tres Irish which combines Tres Leche liquer, Jameson and Oddly Correct's Pot Kettle Black coffee. Shots are available, as are beer and wine, as well as non-alcoholic drinks such as the Rieger Hotel Cola, which the local restaurant actually creates itself, as well as Soda Vie's cucumber soda.

This is when we found out that there are tasters options for trying a little bit of some drinks instead of a lot of just one drink. There is a Frozen Flight that offers three different flavors, and then there are two types of tasting trays: one that serves five small tasters, and one that serves 10.
Shan and I opted to each get a Frozen Flight.
Adam let us know about a few drinks that aren't on the regular menu, including:
a) The Fashionista - a mix of strawberry puree, moonshine and whiskey
b) The Pink Slipper - a mix of bitters and grapefruit and ginger liquor infusions
c) The Crossroads Iced Tea - similar to a Long Island Iced Tea, this drink mixes five liquors with root beer. The side note in this description was that this drink is so good that it will sneak up on you.

Shannon chose The Pink Slipper, Elbow's Sexual Chocolate (mixed with spiced Christopher Elbow chocolate, St. Germain, Cointreau and milk), and The Fashionista.
I chose The Fashionista, The Rockefeller, and the Sailor's Gold (Sailor Jerry spiced rum, lemonade, Gran Gala, orange juice and pineapple juice).

(Left to right: The Fashionista, Sailor's Gold, The Rockefeller)

Consensus: 
The Fashionista was the lightest and easiest to drink, which surprised up both considering that it was mostly a whiskey-moonshine drink.
Elbow's Sexual Chocolate was good, though thick, and it started out tasting like a Wendy's chocolate shake and ended with an overt spiciness that tasted like Christmas...if you can try and picture that.
The Pink Slipper I really enjoyed, though the tartness of the grapefruit showed up early to the party and never left.
Sailor's Gold was creamier than The Fashionista due to the orange juice, but was just as refreshing.
The Rockefeller tasted like...well, a Manhattan. It can be a little rough going down in smoothie form, though, as every little ice crystal sticks to your throat, ensuring that your tastebuds really milk out every bit of liquor.

(Co-owner Jerry and Adam kicking it behind the counter)

There are two happy hours every day that include light meals and drinks, the shop is relaxed and spacious, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the drinks are delicious and fresh. Pay Snow and Company a visit when in town and follow the company's musings on Twitter at @SnowAndCompany whenever you aren't in the neighborhood.

Local Spotlight - Mud Pie Vegan Bakery

Mud Pie Vegan Bakery, located on 39th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, is a shop full of treats that everyone can enjoy. If you're gluten sensitive, then this is your new favorite sweets stop. Also, if you're a coffee connoisseur, a pastry hound, prefer to eat locally-derived foods or are a student looking for a comfy place to relax and catch up on studying, then this is also your new hangout.
As summarized on the shop's website, Mud Pie came to be when owners Sharon Hughes, Michael Valverde and Ashley Valverde realized that Kansas City needed a bakery where folks with dietary restrictions and allergy concerns would be able to snack and imbibe without worrying about their health.

I found Mud Pie as I was driving to Donna's Dress Shop, and I decided to pay a visit after doing a little bit of vintage shopping. Even Donna (of the Dress Shop) recommended that I try the pumpkin muffin at Mud Pie when I mentioned to her that I would paying the bakery a visit. The shop makes it home in a yellow house replete with a white picket fence and patio (with warmers should you choose to sip on some hot choc when it's cold).

The counter faces the entrance, so I was able to take stock of the whole inventory of goodies that was offered that day, from donuts to scones to muffins.

 One thing I noticed immediately - and loved - was how many options for each type of product were available. For instance, a chocolate chip muffin comes in a jumbo size with icing, a regular size with frosting, a tiny size with frosting and a regular size without frosting...so that everyone is pleased.

When I told Andrew, the baristo, about Donna's recommendation, he said that the bakery will create some pastries for limited, seasonal offerings, but if they become uber-popular, then said pastries will be kept on the menu indefinitely, which is the case with the pumpkin muffin. Other items, he said, change daily.  When I asked Andrew about his favorite item on the menu, suddenly every customer in Mud Pie jumped in to give their suggestions. Andrew recommended the pumpkin-chocolate spice muffins while another guy - didn't catch his name - recommended the spice cake, but without the icing as he thought it was too rich. A guy that was waiting in line said that he liked the coffee chocolate chip muffin because the inside tasted like raw cookie dough and coffee (and I'm sold). Then there was a lighthearted free-for-all as everyone asserted why their preferred muffin/cake/cookie was, in fact, the best. It was great.

I ultimately decided on the coffee chocolate chip muffin, though I was tempted by the donuts as they were tiny and thus, adorable, and because they looked crispy, which is an intriguing concept. I've never had a crispy donut. Ah, next visit I'll grab one. The muffin was moist and fluffy, due in part to the lack of gluten, thus giving it that cookie dough texture. I am a fan.

 

The menu listed everything from scones to fruit bars to banana bread to cupcakes, muffins, biscottis and more. The drink menu was just as extensive, with teas, coffees and italian sodas making appearances (I was intrigued by The Hammerhead and The Dirty South drinks, but didn't get a chance to ask what was in them).

I bought a plain black coffee, but it wasn't just any cup of coffee. It was an amazing cup of coffee. Mud Pie serves coffee made by Oddly Correct, a small independent roaster that operate in midtown  Kansas City. The tagline, "Coffee to freak our your morning cup", is pretty fitting, as I found it to be very flavorful, but not overpowering. Oddly Correct, located on Main Street, sells Mud Pie's donuts in its small shop, so the two stores definitely help each other out and keep it local.

When I asked for creamer for my coffee, Andrew asked if I would like to have creamer, milk, rice milk, coconut milk or cashew milk. I was taken aback. Cashew milk? Haven't ever been offered that before. Apparently, the bakery makes its own cashew milk. Would I like to try it? asked Andrew. Yes, I freaking would. I replied. And it was great and nutty. There were even some tiny pieces of cashews left in the milk.

And the bakery would be a great place to catch up with friends or to catch up on some homework. To be honest, I've never been able to study at coffee shops. The constant stream of new people coming in and out, the smells of pastries, the awkward moment when the only chair left leaves you without a plug-in...all of these things make me opt out of coffeehouse studying. Mud Pie is different. Everything looks comfy, as though you were at home or at a friend's house.

Mud Pie Vegan Bakery = Love. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Local spotlight - Chez Elle

Chez Elle, a creperie and coffeehouse in Kansas City, is a hidden gem of an eaterie that's worth its weight in gold. I'd heard of it and happened to drive past it one day. Whilst driving, I caught sight of the Chez Elle sign in my periph and pulled an immediate u-turn in my car until I had sidled up to the curb out front. Chez Elle was converted from a historic theater into a restaurant, so it's got the charm appeal on its side. Catching the facade near dusk didn't hurt the ambiance either.

The menu is divided into sweet, savory and breakfast crepes as well as drinks and desserts.

The old ticket booth has been converted nicely right next to the register. The girl that took my order was friendly and gave me the rundown of the menu offerings, including her favorite crepes.

The coffee served(this part is important) was a delicious, nutty roast. Serve me a delectable cup of coffee and I'd be willing to excuse a multitude of sins. Chez Elle, however, backed up a delicious cup of joe with an even more delicious crepe. The Acropolis crepe is made with buckwheat batter, chicken, feta cheese, olives, tomatoes and baby spinach covered in cucumber sauce.

It was so good that I've already chosen the crepe(s) for my next visit:
Le Franco, which has caramelized green apple, spices, toasted walnut, brie compote and Brie cheese as well as The Tropicale, a wrap on the sweet side that contains coconut cream custard, almond brittle and tropical fruits.
Safe to say that Chez Elle turned me into a bit of a glutton.

Oh yeah, and I left with a coconut macaroon. It was succulent, but I'll admit that I would have liked to have seen macarons on the menu since it is a French restaurant. Overall, a must-try.