Kansas Travel: Pancakes in Liberal

A mural painted on the outside of the City Hall, in Liberal, Kansas, depicts two women running down opposite roads that meet at a 'Y,' as they each carry a skillet. Painted by renowned muralist, Stan Herd, it is a daily reminder of an annual event that has occurred here for more than 60 years.

International Pancake Day began when Liberal residents challenged residents of Olney, England, at a race that began there in 1445. An Olney woman, who was using up the last cooking fat in her house before Lent began (use of the fat was prohibited during the Lenten season), scurried out of her kitchen with skillet and pancake in hand so she wouldn't miss the church service that immediately preceded Lent. She left in such a hurry that she still wore her apron and a headscarf - the latter required for women attending church.

The next year, the women of Olney launched a race in which they each tried to reach church first while carrying and flipping a pancake and, of course, wearing aprons and headscarves. Today, women in the two towns race simultaneously and Liberal's four-day event also includes pancake eating and cooking contests, a parade, English High Tea and other races.

Pancakes have become an integral part of Liberal's culture, and griddle cake lovers have flocked to The Pancake House, on Pancake Boulevard, for more than three decades.

This homey spot offers hearty food at great prices, such as this breakfast of strawberry pancakes accompanied by Canadian bacon, hash browns, a fried egg and coffee, plus an gargantuan helping of whipped cream. Hunters, ranchers, travelers, social workers and families all enjoy breakfast here. Adventurous diners may try chocolate chip or butterscotch pancakes and berry syrups too - or waffles or crepes.

The restaurant also serves sandwiches and a wide variety of entrees. But in a place that serves legendary breakfasts, why would you order anything else?

Kansas Travel - Circle S Ranch & Country Inn

It has been more than a decade since my husband and I celebrated our anniversary in this room at Circle S Ranch & Country Inn, outside of Lawrence, Kan. After we drove down a long country road to reach the inn, the exterior that resembled an old Kansas barn was nothing like the casual luxury we found inside.The Blue and White Room still has the same claw foot tub and soothing blue walls that I remember from that special weekend.

The two story 'living room' hasn't changed much either. Double fireplaces still warm visitors during cold weather as they sink into deep leather couches and oversized chairs, chat and relax. The massive hot tub built in the modern silo looks very similar too.

Visitors can still fish on the property, hike throughout the farm's undisturbed acreage, watch the sunset from a rocker on the front porch, or read away the hours beside a roaring fire. They still enjoy enormous, country-style buffet breakfasts after each night's stay and can purchase a multi-course dinner in the casual dining room with Western decor.

But Jack and Mary, the owners of this family farm and highly successful inn don't rest on their laurels. In recent years, they've added a bar, an entry courtyard and patio, and a conference and media center. There's also a party barn where weddings and private parties of up to 200 people frequently take place.

Since none of the 12 rooms at Circle S are the same, visitors can choose a different environment each time they make a reservation, such as this one, called the Cowboy Room. There's also the Celestial Room, with moons and stars in the headboard and a private fireplace, or the Claret Room. Often called the honeymoon suite, it has a double-sided fireplace, a two-person whirlpool tub and a loveseat.

For a luxury getaway amidst calming natural beauty, Circle S delivers - time after time.

Fried Potato Salad with Mustard Glaze - Thanks Richard!

I recently raved about the Fried Potato Salad with mustard glaze that I enjoyed during my meal at Cafe on the Route, in Baxter Springs, Kan. After I also talked about this lovely stuff during Jasper Mirabile's most recent Saturday show on 710 KCMO Radio, Kansas City, I decided I absolutely had to make a stab at creating this dish myself.

My potato chunks weren't as well 'blackened' as Chef Richard Sanell's were, and his glaze was creamier/less grainy, but Mark and I were quite pleased with the results - given that it had been more than a month since I sampled his delicious spuds. So, with thanks for Richard's inspiration, I give you my version of Fried Potato Salad with Mustard Glaze.

Fried Potato Salad with Mustard Glaze

Makes 4-5 large servings

1/2 medium onion, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

             plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

6 small Yukon gold potatos, cut in bite size chunks with skin on

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 cup dijon mustard

          (VOE - Country Style is more grainy than traditional, which I'd use next time)

 3 teaspoons honey

Heat skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and then add potatoes. Fry, covered, but stirring frequently, about 25-30 minutes until skin is dark brown.

Remove potato/onion mixture from heat and pour into a large bowl. Add salt and pepper and coat potato chunks evenly. Stir together mustard and honey and then add to bowl, coating evenly. Serve at room temperature.

The (Surprising) Henderson House Inn and Retreat Center

There's a surprising 'neighborhood' in tiny Stafford, Kansas. From the outside, Henderson House looks like nothing more than a beautifully restored 1905 National Register of Historic Places home, with a nicely painted sign. But it's only one of multiple buildings that comprise Henderson House Inn and Retreat Center, located less than an hour outside bustling Hutchinson.

The equally impressive Spickard House lies on the opposite corner. Guests also may stay at Littlefield House, just down the block, or at Weide House, which anchors the next intersection. The entire 'neighborhood' provides dozens of beds and multiple private baths amidst Victorian luxury and modern convenience. At Spickard House, guests from all houses eat breakfast on lace and linen-topped dining tables, which range from egg casserole - a comfort-food concoction of shredded hash browns, eggs, and cheese - to large, homemade cinnamon rolls.

But owner, Clare Moore, had more in mind than a traditional bed and breakfast when he assembled his neighborhood. That's why he also purchased an antique church and added a pavilion to the back of Littlefield House, with meeting rooms for up to 125 people, WiFi, a commercial kitchen and contracts available for multiple meals and refreshments. Moore also offers Murder Mystery or Wings N Wetlands Weekends (Quivira National Wildlife Refuge is nearby) and encourages wedding or hunting gatherings.

The Henderson complex is perhaps Stafford's busiest neighborhood - and it's best kept secret.

Horchata Chases Away Summer Heat

Fruit-rich sangria, icy margaritas, chilled Pinot Grigio, or a frosty bottle of draft beer - they're all great thirst quenchers during steamy summer days and nights. A tall glass of iced tea or lemonade is another way to chase away the heat. But in recent years, one of my favorite summer beverages has been horchata, an especially popular drink in Spain and Mexico.

According to the book, The Food Lover's Companion, these refreshing coolers are 'drinks made by steeping nuts, grains or chufa (nuts) in water. They're usually lightly sweetened with sugar and sometime spiced with cinnamon. Horchatas are generally served cold or at room temperature.'

A family-owned restaurant near our house, Tarahumara Mexican Food, makes a fabulous and huge version of horchata, which I have relished several times since summer began. However, I hadn't tasted horchata elsewhere within an hour of home, until last week.

During a lunch visit to Pachamama's in Lawrence, Kan., I ordered horchata as a liquid dessert after I enjoyed a serving of Wakarusa Farms Mushroom Tart. Opened in 1996, the restaurant is known for its innovative cuisine using fresh ingredients and was named one of Zagat's World's Top Restaurant 2009/2010. So when the menu mentioned Cardomon Horchata dusted with jicama, I wasn't surprised by their inventiveness.

The only problem is that when you're using fresh ingredients the ones you want sometimes aren't available - or affordable - in this case, the jicama. So the chef prepared my horchata with cinnamon and orange instead. Pretty in a glass at the table, it also quenched my thirst from a 'to-go' cup as I returned to a steamy, rainy July day.

Midwest Luxury at Chateau Avalon

I had just finished lunch at a Kansas City, Kan. restaurant when I decided to visit an unusual hotel located nearby. My camera and I had a wonderful time touring the award-winning Chateau Avalon. Each room or suite has a distinctly different character, but all offer an escape from the everyday. And, with nearly two dozen themed rooms/suites, the hotel offers surroundings for every taste.

This area is part of the Roman Dynasty suite, with a 20-foot floor-to-ceiling mural, and a curtain-draped bed full of sumptuous linens located through an adjacent archway. As with every room at the Chateau Avalon, there is also a private bath. A stay in Seville means sleeping in a dark wood, four poster bed surrounded by classical Spanish art and furnishings. Visitors experience a whimsical escape when they stay in Pirate Cove, with murals of pirates and their ships, and a head- and foot-board decorated with skulls and crossbones.

Love Camelot? There's a suite for you at Chateau Avalon. Dream of living in a New York penthouse? Try it out here. Like the beach? Make a reservation for the Tahitian or the Tahitian Treehouse Suite. Enjoy fresh cider and cookies at check-in, breakfast in bed, and a complementary library of DVDs. You also can order beer and wine or a list of delectable 'evening indulgences.'

Chateau Avalon also lies within minutes of the Village West shopping, dining and entertainment district. A stay here is all about luxury, escape and romance.

Lunch With a Side of Railroad Atmosphere

It's been years since my husband and I took our young daughters for cooked-to-order burgers and shakes with a side of railroad atmosphere, at the original Fritz's Railroad Restaurant in Kansas City, Kan. Trains have continously run near the ceiling here since 1954 and, in 1990, a second location opened at Kansas City, Mo.'s Crown Center Shops (pictured above).

We placed our order by a phone at our table as the girls put on cardboard engineer hats. Our waitress brought beverages and then the 'Skat Kat' delivered our food. From the train track overhead, a mechanical arm gently placed our order on the table and then moved on to the next booth. My chocolate shake was divine and fries got kudos too. We also heard the chili was outstanding.

Apparently, the shakes and chili still deserve outstanding marks and this place can get packed, particularly around lunchtime, and especially at Crown Center. But trains running overhead and food delivered by a mechanical arm remain two great reasons to check out Fritz's Railroad Restaurant - at either location.

If you love trains and diner food, this is a place you shouldn't miss.