If you are a foodie at heart, check out these favorite foodie destinations right in the heartland:
Begin with a visit to Powell Gardens Heartland Harvest Garden (1609 NW US Hwy. 50, Kingsville, MO, 816.697.2600, www.PowellGardens.org). Set on 12 acres, the Heartland Harvest Garden is the largest edible landscape in the United States.
Then, enjoy a bit of shopping. Kansas City boasts many delightful shops specializing in the best gadgets, tools and tips for the budding chef in you! Pryde's of Old Westport (www.prydeskitchen.com), a family-owned Kansas City original since 1968, specializes in gourmet housewares and kitchen and home accessories. A Thyme for Everything (www.athymeforeverything.com) is a quaint shop in Lee's Summit's Historic Downtown shopping district, offering gourmet ingredients, kitchen tools and cookbooks. They also offer fun cooking classes for children and adults. Kitchen Thyme (4169 N. Mulberry Dr., Kansas City, MO, 816.587.9100) features a unique blend of kitchen accessories, top-of-the-line cookware, bakeware, gadgets, cookbooks and gourmet food items. Now You're Cookin' (109 Main St., Parkville, MO, 816.505.2338) has the cozy feel of Grandma's kitchen and is right next to Christmas on Main Street (a holiday shop).
The Culinary Center of Kansas City (7920 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park, KS, 913.341.4455, www.kcculinary.com) offers more than 450 contemporary classes and demonstrations in the culinary arts for all ages, interests and skill levels. Learn ethnic cooking, baking, basic kitchen skills, gourmet recipes and culinary classics.
Every good chef values the importance of fine spices and ingredients, and you can find the best of the best at these local shops: Planters (City Market District: 513 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 816.842.3651, www.plantersseed.com). With wooden floors and original seed drawers, Planters brings new meaning to the word "original" with their old-fashioned general store atmosphere. Planters offers a vast selection of spices, mixes, teas, coffees and vinegars. Penzeys (7937 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park, KS, 913.341.1775, www.penzeys.com) sells top quality spices from around the world. With more than 250 herbs, seasoning blends and spices, this is the place to go for hard-to-find spices and top quality products. For more local shops, search “Foodie” on KCParent.com.
For fresh produce, Kansas City is home to more than 30 farmers markets. Read our Guide to Kansas City's Farmers Markets for information.