FOOD

Sunday in the Park with the Lanes.

Emily Lane: On March 11 at 11:49 a.m., Stewart and I welcomed our second child into the world. It felt fitting to be celebrating this new life as things were finally starting to warm outside. There were buds on our favorite magnolia tree and life felt hopeful. As any good researcher would do, I promptly did a Google search to see if anything significant in history had happened on March 11, and I wasn’t thrilled with what I discovered. The first hit, “March 11, 2020 marked the day the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.” Our pandemic baby was quite literally born on the anniversary of this strange mutation to our current reality. However, it also gave me time to reflect on how far we’ve come in this year, that we’ve learned to adapt and find new ways to enjoy life, and that most certainly includes our love for food. So as the days continue to warm and we move into the summer months, we hope you’ll follow our lead, get outside for a picnic, and enjoy some of the delicious (and portable) foods from two of our local favorites: André’s Confiserie Suisse and Caffetteria Modern Café & Marketplace.

Stewart Lane: I have always loved a picnic. Eating my dad’s classic macaroni salad and deli sandwiches under the shade of a giant tree in Loose Park was one of the most special memories of my youth. The air is warm and the shade keeps you cool, as a gentle breeze passes over your blanket loaded with treats. It’s a tradition I intend carry on with my family, and Jo Marie Scaglia, the brilliant culinary mind behind Caffetteria Modern Café & Marketplace in The Shops of Prairie Village, makes creating the perfect picnic lunch simple and delicious.

EL: In addition to Caffetteria, Scaglia is also the name behind The Mixx, another Kansas City mainstay, which would make for great picnic fare, as well. We are impressed with how well she adapted her model at Caffetteria for the pandemic, offering a huge selection of grab-and-go items in tandem with her creative and diverse menu.

SL: Caffetteria offers an impressive variety of homestyle comfort foods with a healthy slant and plenty of charm. The rotisserie slowly rotates seasoned birds to golden brown perfection, creating juicy and flavorful chicken that is then used in their signature chicken-salad sandwich with tart granny smith apples, dried cranberries, arugula, and a house-made aioli on seeded grain bread. A classic roast-turkey sandwich is anything but boring: the pastry crackles, the turkey is tender and moist, the peppery arugula, and creamy avocado are balanced by the acid of the tomatoes and slices of Monterey Jack cheese. We couldn’t stop eating a plate piled high with homemade potato chips and a green goddess dip that is creamy, savory, and irresistible.

A departure from traditional picnic fair is the one of Scaglia’s newest creations, the Polynesian Poke Bowl, with fresh yellowfin tuna resting on a bed of spicy greens with chilled rice noodles, avocado, marinated seaweed salad, julienned carrots, pickled ginger, and sweet, fresh cucumbers topped with black sesame seeds and a ponzu vinaigrette. Served with a

Caffetteria’s Polynesian Poke Bowl featuring fresh yellowfin tuna.

Caffetteria’s house-made chips with green goddess dip, their chicken-salad sandwich, and an assortment of cookies sharing a plate with André’s Matterhorn and lemon tart. The brioche sandwiches from André’s are an elegant finger food.

side of Thai peanut sauce for an added kick, this dish accelerates picnic experience into the modern age.

The Caffetteria Market has your beverage needs covered, as well, with sparkling French lemonade, artisanal sodas, and splits of Prosecco and sparkling rosé. And of course, you must indulge in the bakery case for your alfresco dining experience. Breads, giant cookies, bars, and donuts fill the shelves, and it feels unfair to only select one. Our eldest daughter, Evie, could have made her entire picnic lunch on Jo Marie’s cookies alone! At least, until she fixed her eyes on our pastry selections from André’s…

EL: When I’m asked to share my favorite restaurant in Kansas City, it’s a shockingly easy decision for me. André’s Confiserie Suisse has been part of my life since birth, and part of the Kansas City landscape since 1955. André Bollier, a master pastry chef who trained in Switzerland, and his wife, Elsbeth, opened André’s to satisfy their desire to bring European-style handcrafted chocolate and pastries to the Midwest. The business has stayed in the family, with subsequent children learning the trade and keeping a fierce eye on the quality and tradition of the products they create. André’s offers a picturesque Swiss Tea Room where you can dine from their Prix Fixe menu; however, for our picnic, we snagged our meals (and pastries) to go from their a la carte menu.

If you’ve been there before, you know the menu at André’s is predictable in the best way possible. Each day, they offer two types of quiche (Lorraine and the vegetarian cheese pie) along with two sides, which could include green salad with their iconic house-made oil-and-vinegar salad dressing, sliced tomatoes or beets, or my very favorite carrot salad, which is not to be missed. Then, there are usually two rotating specials on the menu, often Swiss specialties such as the Vol-au-vent, with puff-pastry shells filled with chicken and mushrooms in a cream sauce, or the irresistible Croute Zurichoise, which features toasted French bread topped with tomato, melted cheese, and mushroom cream sauce. And, of course, the most important part of your lunch is the choice of pastry to accompany your meal. I always struggle to depart from the Matterhorn, chocolate cake whipped with chocolate buttercream, but other favorites include the Dobash, with thin layers of yellow cake and chocolate ganache, and the Lemon Tartlet, with lemon curd and buttercream in a butter cookie shell. Honestly, I don’t think it’s possible to go wrong with your selection of pasty at André’s – and every single one has years of perfection supporting it.

André’s famous quiche and carrot salad. Caffetteria’s Monterey turkey sandwich on croissant with house-made pickles.

SL: Husband’s edit: I learned very early on in our relationship the best way to celebrate any occasion with Emily was bringing her a box of André’s chocolate raspberry hearts. Take note, they’re a winner every time! It’s hard to go wrong with any of the chocolates that line their display cases.

EL: When I say André’s has been part of my life since birth, I truly mean that. My mother brought me there at a few weeks old because she was craving quiche Lorraine, carrot salad, a latte, and a change of scenery in those early newborn days. She’d then take me to André’s for my birthday each year, and now that she no longer can, I have started the tradition of the André’s birthday lunch for my daughters. I take great comfort in enjoying menu items that have stood the test of time, and that I know my mother enjoyed years ago, sometimes with me tagging along. Perhaps maybe even on a picnic.

So as we welcome warm summer days, it seems we’re also welcoming hope and life as we slowly move into yet another new normal. And what better what to celebrate any occasion, big or small, than gathered on a grassy lawn with people you love and some irresistible bites to eat. Perhaps we’ll see you outside this summer – we certainly hope to!

Caffetteria Modern Café & Marketplace is located in The Shops of Prairie Village at 25 on the Mall. More information and menus can be found at caffetteriamoderncafe.com.

André’s Confiserie Suisse is located at 5018 Main Street in Kansas City, with a second location, André’s Rivaz, located at 4929 W. 119th Street in Overland Park. More information and menus can be found at andreschocolates.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Emily & Stewart Lane are Kansas City natives who have an affection for hospitality. Stewart, a former executive chef, makes his career at SMG and loves to cook for friends and family, and Emily manages community impact and philanthropy at JE Dunn Construction. Along with their daughters, Evie and Catharine, they live a life filled with food, culture, and creativity.

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