Sara Shepherd | DesotoExplorer.com

Sara Shepherd is the Lawrence Journal-World's features reporter, covering food, arts, lifestyle and culture. Prior to joining the Journal-World staff, Sara was the news editor and city reporter for The Shawnee Dispatch. She also was a reporter at The Kansas City Star, covering primarily crime and courts, as well as Johnson County schools and city government. Sara is an Emporia, Kan., native and — proud! — fourth-generation Kansas University graduate. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/KCSSara.

Recent stories

Food: Miracle of oil inspires Hanukkah treats: By Sara Shepherd; December 12, 2012; Decadent treats are common fare for many holiday celebrations. In Jewish culture there’s a religious reason behind this — at least during Hanukkah.
Food: Sweet ‘n’ salty — Nutella, pretzels and white chocolate together at last: By Sara Shepherd; October 24, 2012; These cookie bars have mini pretzels and white chocolate chunks in the cookie dough. The Nutella is scooped straight out of the jar and sandwiched safely between layers of dough.
Food: Offal gets gourmet treatment at trendy eateries: By Sara Shepherd; October 15, 2012; Animal brains, glands, tails, intestines, feet and other organs are nothing new at many ethnic eateries. But the oft-spurned meat parts known as offal have made their way into some of the area’s hippest mainstream restaurants, where chefs say foodies and more timid diners alike seem to be nibbling.
Food: Nature at work on honeybee farm: By Sara Shepherd; October 3, 2012; Buzzing bees blanket the tray of honeycomb in Richard Bean’s bare hands. At close range, their striped abdomens and delicate wings are visible in detail. After 40 years of keeping bees, Bean still marvels at them.
Food: Will new law water down Kansas wines?: By Sara Shepherd; September 26, 2012; Little-known fact: Even though your wine came from a Kansas winery doesn’t necessarily mean it has many — or any — Kansas grapes in it.
Food: Area farm’s hydroponic lettuce growing in popularity: By Sara Shepherd; September 12, 2012; Two Sisters Farm is the only commercial farm in the area specializing in hydroponics, or soilless growing, and their lettuce has been catching on around Lawrence and Johnson County since their first harvest this spring.
Food: Compulsive smokers — Quest for perfection propels area barbecue team to top of national ranks: By Sara Shepherd; August 29, 2012; For Truebud BBQ team members, meticulousness is as much their signature as their secret rib seasoning, and it’s helped propel them to the elite ranks of the country’s top competition barbecue teams.
Food: Fresh recipes bring apples out of autumn, into August: By Sara Shepherd; August 22, 2012; Apples may be early this year, but there’s no reason to rush these fall favorites into their signature cool-weather dishes. Chilled desserts and bright ingredients help bring apples out of autumn and into the light lunches, cookouts and 90-degree days of August.
Food: Apple crops arrive early, but drought makes for dicey harvest: By Sara Shepherd; August 22, 2012; With many buyers just beginning to realize it’s apple time, Ernie Richardson’s Gala crop has already come and gone. Following the lead of early summer stone fruits and most other produce this year, northeast Kansas apples are arriving one to four weeks early. The size and quality of early crops also varies.
Food: One of region’s last family dairies hopes retail will help bottom line: By Sara Shepherd; July 18, 2012; When his father and uncles ceased their milking operation on the family dairy farm in 1972, Tim Iwig embarked on his own one-boy fresh-milk enterprise. Then only 12 or 13, he kept several heifers, milked them daily and recruited customers. Even if no one was home, they could pull into the driveway, walk into the barn, leave their money in a pan and take their milk.

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Recent photos

Ariela Unz, who moved to Kansas from Israel, has a number of her latke recipes written in Hebrew. This one is for Apple Cinnamon Latkes, one of the recipes she often makes for her family during Hanukkah.

Sweet and salty come together in Pretzel-Nutella Bars with White Chocolate Chunks.

Sopa Port Fonda at Port Fonda, 4141 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Mo. The spicy dish features pork belly, shredded pork shoulder, fresh vegetables and a fried egg.

Tacos de Lengua are one of the best-selling dishes at Port Fonda, 4141 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Mo. The main ingredient is braised beef tongue, served street taco-style with spicy salsa, onion, cilantro and fresh lime.

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