Sylvia Anderson
Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008
Monday, Sept. 29, 2008
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008
Friday, Sept. 26, 2008
Friday, Sept. 26, 2008
Make your own cookbook
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008
Sensational settings
Monday, Sept. 15, 2008
Come home to dinner
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008
Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008
Friday, Sept. 5, 2008
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008
The city of water gardens
Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
Romipen at the Renaissance
Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008
Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008
Friday, Aug. 29, 2008
Smokin' good chicken
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008
Pickup power
Monday, Aug. 18, 2008
Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008
Friday, Aug. 15, 2008
Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008
Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008
Friday, Aug. 8, 2008
Sneak in a zucchini
Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
Second chance for gardeners
Monday, Aug. 4, 2008
Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008
A phantom with humor
Friday, Aug. 1, 2008
Friday, Aug. 1, 2008
Artist in the kitchen
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
A new kind of treasure hunt
Monday, July 21, 2008
The little drug store that wouldn't die
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008
Age can have its advantages when you travel. One specifically is Elderhostel Adventures Inc.
If you want learning, adventure and fun all in one package, Elderhostel offers more than 8,000 programs each year in more than 90 countries, including several getaways in Missouri. The non-profit organization offers an all-inclusive price for its programs, which include lodging and food at a lower cost than you would find in traditional travel packages. The only catch is you must be at least 55 years old, or be with someone who is, to participate.
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008
General Mills has come out with a new way to eat its popular Chex Mix — bars. They are being promoted as a “crunchy, chewy, calorie-conscious snack that packs indulgence into every bite, yet has less than 150 calories.” With at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving, combined with pretzels, nuts, chocolate and caramel, it sounds like a great idea. I personally love sweet and salty combinations, and Chex is one of my favorite cereals. But I think General Mills needs to go back to the drawing board.
Farmers' markets for Oct. 1, 2008Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008
Farmers' markets for Oct. 1, 2008
Saving the planet one home at a timeMonday, Sept. 29, 2008
A star was born at the Lakes at Oakmont subdivision in Platte City, Mo. An Energy Star, that is.
It’s a home built by Gary Kerns Homebuilders LLC in St. Joseph, and it’s one of the first to receive the Energy Star rating from Platte Clay Electric Coop, a rural electric cooperative that serves a six-county area north of Kansas City.
Although they are rare in this area, homes with this designation are increasing and are expected to approach 1 million nationally by the end of the year, says Sam Rashkin, national director of Energy Star for homes. The program was launched by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1995.
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008
Lara Muse was looking for a hospital table to put by her bed so she could work on her laptop computer during a difficult pregnancy. Steve Allen happened to have one in his basement that he didn’t want.
Even though they both live in St. Joseph, they would never have known about each other’s situation just a few years ago. But thanks to the advent of stjoefreecycle.com, Ms. Mose now has the table, and Mr. Allen has less clutter in his basement at no cost to either of them. Stjoefreecycle.com is a local online community of The Freecycle Network, a nonprofit movement of people all over the world who are giving and getting with no strings attached. The main goal is to keep things out of the landfill by keeping usable things from being thrown away.
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008
As Oprah likes to say, here are a few things I know for sure: We need to eat healthy meals if we want to feel good. And if you are busy working all day, that means planning ahead. But this I also know: stuff happens. So I don’t always plan ahead, my family is starving when I come home, and chips and snacks can be opened in seconds. So I was very anxious to try a new line of time-saving, family-size entrées from Stouffer’s called Easy Express. The claim is that you can take the entrées directly from the freezer, put them into the microwave and they will be done in less than 20 minutes. They also have no preservatives. I tried the cheesy garlic lasagna and cheese manicotti.
Religion in brief for Sept. 27, 2008Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008
Religion in brief for Sept. 27, 2008
Celebrate OktoberfestFriday, Sept. 26, 2008
So you can’t make it to Munich this year to celebrate their annual Oktoberfest. You can head to the next best thing: Oktoberfest at Crown Center and Washington Square Park in Kansas City.
Eats: When you want fried chicken, Galvin’s is the place to goFriday, Sept. 26, 2008
You could say Galvin’s Dinnerhouse is like the St. Joseph version of Stroud’s in Kansas City. Although there are certainly differences in decor and some menu items, they both pride themselves on tender, pan-fried chicken served up family style in a down-home setting. And they’ve both been around long enough to get pretty good at what they do.
Make your own cookbook
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
Need a recipe? Literally thousands of them are as close as your fingertips with just a click of the mouse on the Internet. That’s in addition to all of the new cookbooks every year on bookstore shelves, plus different selections every day in magazines and newspapers.
So you might wonder, why anyone would go to the trouble of making their own cookbook?
For Veda Heldenbrand of Gallatin, Mo., the reason is family. You could Google all day and never find Mrs. Heldenbrand’s secret recipe for salmon patties or her mother-in-law’s recipe for scalloped tomatoes.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
Farmers' markets for Sept. 24, 2008
Beyond lil’ dogs and swordsSunday, Sept. 21, 2008
The sky is an ominous gray with the threat of rain, but John Perry isn’t worried. For the past five years, he’s been coming to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s Parties on the Parkway and can’t remember the last time it was cancelled. Whatever the weather brings, he knows that soon there will be a crowd swarming him. So he carefully puts on his 30-pocket apron filled with all colors of the rainbow and gets ready to work his magic.
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008
It’s bad when you’re the one with the sniffling, sneezing, aching, coughing, stuffy-head, fever, got-to-get-some rest cold. But it can be torture watching your child suffer with it. You can’t give a baby a slug of NyQuil. And with the recent ban on children’s decongestants and possibly a broader one to come, there’s not much you can do to make them feel better. Med-Systems has a new product they think will help. It’s called SinuCleanse Kids Mist. It’s a saline wash they claim will relieve allergy symptoms, nasal congestion, sinus drainage, dry air and post-nasal drip for infants and children up to 12 years old.
Farmers' markets for Sept. 17, 2008Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008
Farmers' markets for Sept. 17, 2008
Sensational settings
Monday, Sept. 15, 2008
Thanksgiving has become a lost holiday in the season of decorating. It tends to get missed in the fanfare of the more flamboyant holidays of Halloween and Christmas. As soon as the goblins come down, Santa goes up, and Thanksgiving is lucky to get a turkey on the table.
But that’s not the case for Sherry Trout, owner of Keeping Good Company, and Jamie Buczek, owner of Jamie’s Secret Garden. Thanksgiving is a time they like to go all out, especially when it comes to dressing up the dinner table.
Come home to dinner
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008
It’s Thursday night at the home of Ed and Sharon Catron in St. Joseph, and they are about to sit down to eat dinner with their children. During the 1950s, that would have been the norm for most households across the country, but today, with both parents in the workforce and the never-ending sports events, practices and extracurricular activities competing for that time, fewer families are doing it.
According to a report this year by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), just over half of teens surveyed reported having dinner with their families on a regular basis.
Mayor Ken Shearin was struck by the prevalence of this trend when visiting a friend one evening.
“All the kids were just fending for themselves and getting their own dinner,” he says.
Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008
Not every child can grow up to swim like Michael Phelps or perform on a balance beam like gymnast Nastia Liukin, two of the superstars from the 2008 Olympics. But with all the excitement, it’s inevitable that children begin to dream, and parents wonder if their child has a future in the Olympics or professional sports.
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008
Years ago, I remember how my neighbor seemed to always be drying her white tennis shoes out on her patio table. At least during the summer months, there they were, every day. I don’t know if she washed them every day or they just took a long time to dry. My guess would be the latter. I prefer to put wet tennis shoes in a dryer, but it has some negatives. You’re stuck with that banging noise that sounds like a small person is inside with a sledgehammer as the shoes are slung around the inside of the dryer. Eventually, the door swings open from all the pounding and your shoes are still not dry.
Try it, you'll like itFriday, Sept. 5, 2008
A trip to the Kirkpatrick Cafe in downtown St. Joseph is worth a visit, if not just for the unique decor.
The weathered barn paneling, stained-glass lamps, folk art paintings and unusual wood furniture are one of a kind. But even if you’ve been there before, you need to return to try the menu. In July of this year, Vincent Daunay became the new owner and Matthew Langford, the manager.
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008
Farmers' markets for Sept. 3, 2008
The city of water gardens
Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
St. Joseph may one day be known as the city of water gardens — that is if the St. Joseph Water Garden Society continues its present course.
The non-profit group is observing its 10th anniversary this year of encouraging and building ponds and water gardens throughout the area. To celebrate, they will be hosting a 10-pond tour at members’ homes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 6. The tour is free and open to the public.
Romipen at the Renaissance
Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008
Thum-thum, thum-de-da-bom-bom, thum-de-da-bom, bom...
The sound of drums becomes intoxicating as Cezar Boleyn and his brothers dance to the beat. Sweat drips down their bare chests as they whirl and whoop in unison.
Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008
Every year, just like cars, manufacturers come out with a new model of sponge mops. I can’t say there seems to be much difference between last year’s and this year’s model except when it comes to finding replacement sponges and the old model can’t be found. Most of the sponges are so thin that they need replacing at least once a year, if not more often.
Holiday musicFriday, Aug. 29, 2008
Don’t say there’s nothing to do in St. Joseph. Fred Moore, professionally known as DJ Heat, has taken care of that problem — at least for this weekend.
Smokin' good chicken
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008
It’s hard to beat a weekend barbecue — relaxing with family and friends outdoors with mouth-watering aromas scenting the air. But instead of the usual burgers, steaks or ribs, why not try the other barbecue meat: economical and healthful chicken?
Granted, that may not sound too appetizing if your former grilled chicken experiences were tasteless and dry, so we talked with grilling expert Rodney Dyche, with the All American Barbecue team, to learn how he does it.
Mr. Dyche and his wife, Cecilia, of Easton, Mo. won the chicken category at the Apple Blossom barbecue contest in St. Joseph this spring and were the grand champions at the Harrah’s barbecue tournament in June. The first weekend in October, they will be competing in the prestigious American Royal Invitational in Kansas City. And they also are certified barbecue judges.
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008
Farmers' markets for Aug. 27, 2008
Pickup power
Monday, Aug. 18, 2008
Buying a vacuum cleaner today is a lot like buying a car. With all the different brands, styles and options, it’s hard to know what to choose. Will it be an upright or canister, bagless or bagged? Do you want a lightweight or heavyweight? And what brand?
A new kind of bikerSunday, Aug. 17, 2008
A bike rack in downtown St. Joseph is not a common sight. Even more unusual, though, is what’s in the rack outside the Pony Espresso coffee shop on a recent Thursday morning. It looks like your everyday bicycle, painted green and white with a standard V frame. It probably would go unnoticed if not for the shiny, gray engine strapped to it.
Savannah Realtor wins pie contest at state fairFriday, Aug. 15, 2008
With only two minutes to spare, Mary Kay Lyle raced across the street with her lemon meringue pie in hand to the Home Economics Building at the 2008 Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. The pie had to be there at 9:30 a.m. to be qualified to enter Melanie Blunt’s First Lady Pie Contest.
Farmers' markets for Aug. 13Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008
Farmers' markets for Aug. 13
Sylvia says: Gum lets you support your candidateSaturday, Aug. 9, 2008
They say it’s a no-no to discuss politics at the dinner table or anywhere there is polite company. But during this election year, it’s only natural to want to express your views. So the question is, how can you do this discreetly?
Bonus Gum may have the answer with its “gum that gives you more.”
Friday, Aug. 8, 2008
Walt Marek Catering and Deli is well known among local foodies, but easily missed if you are new to town. The family-owned business is hidden away among rows of small homes in on the South Side of St. Joseph off of U.S. Highway 59 (Lake Avenue). You’ll find it on Virginia Street in what was originally a neighborhood grocery store. The building dates back to 1919 when it was owned by John and Frances Marek, the grandparents of the current owners, Walt and his sister, Elizabeth. Their parents, Walter and Mary Alice, started the deli in 1982.
Sneak in a zucchini
Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
Just imagine the look on your neighbor’s face when he opens the door on Friday morning and discovers several giant green zucchini sitting there. In case you forgot, Aug. 8 is National Sneak Zucchini On Your Neighbor’s Porch Day. It’s a day that gardeners around the country anxiously await to share their bounty, or some might say get rid of those unwanted squash which tend to grow faster than weeds once they get started. Sneaking can be a problem, especially if you do it at night. You don’t want to get shot over a zucchini.
Zuchini recipesWednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
Zuchini recipes
Farmers' markets for Aug. 6, 2008Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
Farmers' markets for Aug. 6, 2008
Second chance for gardeners
Monday, Aug. 4, 2008
So you miss picking fresh spinach out of your garden now that the summer has put it to seed. You long for more of those tender green beans, already harvested. Maybe you just didn’t get around to planting anything this year. Good news! You have another chance. “Fall can be a very good time for cool-season-type crops,” says Tom Fowler, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. “Heat can sometimes be a challenge, but if you can get them through August, you’ll have some tasty stuff in the fall.”
Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008
Ask any good chef what is the most important tool to have in the kitchen, and the answer will most likely be a knife. But it has to be a sharp knife. Dull can be dangerous. You could use a sharpening stone, but you had better know what you’re doing or you’ll ruin the edge. So if you’re not so skilled, or even if you are, you might want to try EdgeCraft Corporation’s new Chef’sChoice Diamond Hone AngleSelect Sharpener Model 1520.
A phantom with humor
Friday, Aug. 1, 2008
A phantom will be haunting the Missouri Theater this weekend, but you’ll feel more like laughing than screaming. In fact, you’ll want to bring the kids. At 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 2 p.m. on Aug. 3, Creative Arts Productions (CAP) will present a comedy spoof of the classic mystery “Phantom of the Opera.”
Eats: Get your Boogaloo onFriday, Aug. 1, 2008
You can dance the boogaloo, but in St. Joseph, you’ll want to eat there. Boogaloo’s Bar-B-Que is the real deal when it comes to tender slabs of babyback ribs, barbecued brisket and piled-high shredded pork sandwiches. Owner Wilbur May makes everything fresh at the restaurant, including a slightly spicy barbecue sauce. He also serves Kansas City Masterpiece on the side for those who like it sweet. But you really don’t need any sauce on the baby back ribs, thanks to Wibur’s special (and top secret) rub.
Artist in the kitchen
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
It was 6:15 Monday evening as Karen Foley took the stage. The auditorium at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art was filled to capacity with people standing outside the door and along the walls. “Who ever heard of announcing an event and never sending out invitations?” Mrs. Foley asked the group. It would be an unlikely situation, she said, but that’s exactly what happened for this evening’s museum fundraiser — a three-course, $100-a-plate dinner called “A Culinary Dining Experience.” The invitations never went out because it sold out before they could get them to the printer.
Local farmers' markets for July 30, 2008Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Local farmers' markets for July 30, 2008
Bring ‘America’s Test Kitchen’ into your kitchenSaturday, July 26, 2008
When you’re ready to step up your culinary skills without investing in a cooking school, you should watch “America’s Test Kitchen” on PBS. It’s kind of a Consumer Reports version of a food show where they experiment with cooking products, recipes and techniques, testing them over and over until they come up with the best way of doing things. So instead of showing off some bizarre recipe you can make in three minutes, you might learn how to make perfect manicotti, with noodles that don’t fall apart, a sauce that’s not runny and a finished product you know will be perfect every time. You would also learn what the best noodles to use are, along with the best Parmesan cheese and the best garlic press.
America’s Test Kitchen baked manicottiSaturday, July 26, 2008
America’s Test Kitchen baked manicotti
A new kind of treasure hunt
Monday, July 21, 2008
On weekends, Richard Stout likes to don a 19th-century top hat and coat while working at his jewelry shop in Weston, Mo. That’s not as strange as it sounds, since the whole town looks similar to the days Weston was a significant river-port community in the mid-1800s, with many of the buildings dating to pre-Civil War days. Inside his store, R. L. Macy’s, you’ll find antique rings that were made during that period. There’s a ring made with tiny, natural pearls dating back to the 1830s. (They started to be cultured in the 1920s.) And you’ll see rose gold filigree rings made during the late 1800s to early 1900s, with delicate, intricate craftsmanship — something like great-grandma would have worn.
But he also has reproductions and new jewelry, such as a set of three rings he made for a customer.
“A customer had inherited great-grandma’s ring but had three granddaughters,” he says. “And they all wanted the ring.”
Then there are new art deco rings, a popular style during the last five years, designed to look just like the designs from 1900 to 1930. Both versions are beautiful. But how do you know what you’ve got? Old or new?
That’s one of the questions he will help visitors answer the first weekend in August at the Weston Ten Mile Trail Antique and Garden Show. Vendors specializing in high-quality antiques and everything to do with gardens will be set up at four locations in a 10-mile area for the event, with experts on hand to give appraisals, answer questions and speak on specific topics.
The little drug store that wouldn't die
Sunday, July 20, 2008
About 12 miles west of Interstate 29 in Northwest Missouri, the road makes a downward slope towards what looks like a riverbend. It becomes the town of Forest City, a once prosperous community in the late 1800s, until the Missouri River changed course. Now quiet railroad tracks run alongside farmland and a scattering of buildings, with little to remember the town’s heyday — until now. This year, 149 years after it was built, and several years after it was closed and left for dead, the Forest City drug store is making a comeback. A new lock on the door was just the beginning.
Sylvia Says: Old Bay Seafood Steamers make shrimp dinners quickSaturday, July 19, 2008
Old Bay Seasoning has come out with a new way to spice up shrimp. It’s called Old Bay Seafood Steamers, which is essentially a package of seasonings and a special steaming bag to cook shrimp in the microwave. If you aren’t familiar with Old Bay Seasoning, it’s been the standard for flavoring seafood for years.
Area designer chases dreamSaturday, July 19, 2008
Terry Oldham hopes he doesn’t see his daughter cry on Sunday, but there’s a chance he will.
Try it, you'll like itFriday, July 18, 2008
When visiting the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., art educator Mary Helen Stuber was amazed at the ornamental tin work children were creating in a class there. It’s a craft the people of Santa Fe developed during the mid-1800s using tin cans brought in by the military.
Eats: Cook’s Corner CafeFriday, July 18, 2008
You’ll want to get going early and loosen your belt buckle a notch when heading over to Cook’s Corner Café in Dearborn, Mo. Although sisters Charlene Cook and Darla Dubois just opened the 120-seat former pizza shop in Nov. 2007, it gets busy soon after they open at 5:30 a.m. (7 a.m. on Sundays) and stays that way until they close at 2:30 p.m.
Crazy over colcannonWednesday, July 16, 2008
In Maryville, Mo., where burgers and fries usually rule for lunch, guests sat elbow to elbow enjoying steak and ale pie, colcannon and treacle.
This feast might be a common occurrence in England, but not here. We like the variety of international cuisines, but for whatever reason, British fare has not caught on like Mexican, Italian or Oriental. Most people don’t even know what British food is, let alone like it. This lunch proved to be an exception.
