Jonathan Bender
Reporter
Jonathan Bender is a former KCPT Food Content Editor and the founder of the Recommended Daily. He is the author of "LEGO: A Love Story," "Cookies & Beer" and "Stock, Broth & Bowl." He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where has judged the American Royal World Series of BBQ, eaten sandwiches for a month, and pitched grain as a brewer’s assistant — all in pursuit of learning more about what Kansas Citians eat and drink.
Stories by Jonathan Bender
Ethnic Enrichment Festival & Other Weekend Possibilities
Eat your way around the world at the Ethnic Enrichment Festival, today through Sunday. Whether you’re craving crepes or sticky rice, there’s a host of food booths that’ll make you feel like Epcot Center got transplanted to Swope Park for a weekend. There’s a host of live acts, including traditional dancing and music performances. The EEF…
Best Eat In the House | Char Bar’s The JackKnife
Best Eat in the House features dining recommendations from people in and around Kansas City. For this episode, we asked City Councilwoman Jolie Justus for the one dish she loves and her answer might surprise folks in and outside of KC. Justus pointed us to Char Bar’s The JackKnife sandwich, made with cold-smoked jackfruit, cheese,…
Third Base: Fielder’s Choice
The sandlot of yore has disappeared, and we’re uncovering why. See what it takes to keep a game going in today’s age and the impact of the $19 million investment Kansas City and the Royals are making with the Urban Youth Academy. Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played…
Donuts & Coffee-Infused Beers & Other Weekend Possibilities
Maybe you’d like a donut with your beer? Tapcade NKC (1735 Swift Avenue, North Kansas City, Missouri) is hosting a Donuts and Coffee-Infused Beers event with Cinder Block Brewery on Saturday from 12 to 3 p.m. Cinder Block will be randalling (a device that allows beer to be infused with a given spice, herb, or…
Second Base: Around The Horn
In this week’s episode, get to know Kansas City’s long and dynamic history of sandlot baseball. Learn about it from Royals’ historian Kay Cee, and discover a hidden modern sandlot game in Kansas City. Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played until their mothers called them in for dinner….
Tomato Tasting, BLT Challenge & Other Weekend Possibilities
Give summer a proper sendoff with a pair of tomato-focused events. The ninth annual tomato tasting is at Local Pig (2618 Guinotte Ave) from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Think of it as a tomato potluck — bring a tomato dish or ripe tomatoes from your garden — and then dive into the bounty of fruit. Later…
Order Up | Paleterias Tropicana’s Paletas
Order Up is a regular series that takes a layered look at drinks and eats across Kansas City. Got a dish you think we should feature? Drop us a note below or on Twitter @FlatlandKC.
First Base: Get Your Glove
Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played until their mothers called them in for dinner. Flatland looks back into the city’s baseball history to tell you why sandlots disappeared and how Sam and Ana Beckett, a Kansas City couple, and the Kansas City Royals are looking to bring the tradition…
KC Cocktail Club at Lifted Spirits & Other Weekend Possibilities
Wine and cheese, please. Discover how to pair wine and cheese with The Better Cheddar’s Wine & Cheese 101 class ($50). Wine sommelier Matthew David and Lincoln Broadbrooks lead a lesson and tasting on from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at The Better Cheddar (604 W. 48th St.). [FLEX-CONTENT] Learn to make cocktails and tour a…
Kansas City’s Big Picnic & Other Weekend Possibilities
This is the time of year when you gather the whole city for a picnic. Kansas City’s Big Picnic is Sunday on the lawn of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak St.). The event will celebrate the Department of Parks and Recreation’s 125th anniversary and runs from 4 to 8 p.m. Enjoy live music, art…