Remember this treasure of a place? Oh how I miss it! My mom and I were in KC one day and decided to go there for dinner, but when we pulled into the parking lot we realized that we were the only car there. This has never happened before (there is usually a substantial wait) and we knew something was wrong. Upon arrival at the door, we saw the worst possible news: (as far as restaurant closure is concerned!) CLOSED. We were so saddened that I don't even remember where we ended up eating dinner that night. Wherever it was, it will never compare to my beloved Stephensons! No more Piggy Wiggy (the most DIVINE pork chops to ever meet a fork!!), no more apple butter, no more apple fritters, no more cold cider during the aforementioned substantial wait, no more walking past the rows of corn relish, no more green rice or frozen fruit salad...seriously sad.
But alas! I have a Stephenson's family cookbook that I had purchased years ago!!! I was never forced to make any of the recipes...it just seemed easier to drive an hour and a half and get everything made by the professionals with the accompanying atmosphere. (One room even had an apple "tree" in it...so fun!!) Given the recent events though, yesterday I made apple butter (a different recipe) and the mighty tasty apple fritters. YUM-O Rachel Ray!!! Together they are a match made in heaven...pure ecstasy! Yes, I've got serious food issues and I'm not afraid to admit it. I've got the green rice recipe but I still have to figure out how they made those pork chops so tender that the meat literally fell off the bone by saying "Man, I'm hungry for some pork chop!". You could almost get away without chewing at all...oh how I would love one of those right now.
Those of you who know and loved Stephensons the way I do probably understand the sadness. Those of you who weren't fortunate enough to have experienced it are truly missing out!
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4 comments:
You won't believe this, but I was having lunch with a bunch of women in downtown Astoria last winter, and one of them mentioned going to Stephenson's. When I told her they had closed (your mom had already told me) another woman at the table said, "Oh no!" Turns out the one woman grew up in Independence. The other lived in Nebraska and they would go to Royals baseball games and then go to Stephensons! It's a small world.
Tweetie
Those chops were delicious, I wish you could make pork chops like that too:D At least you make the best potato soup in the world!
Tweetie: I think my mom told me that story, but it's still interesting. I don't think there's anyone who knows Independence and doesn't know of Stephenson's. I wonder what they did with all of the "stuff" that was inside. Remember those chairs that had apple buckets for the backs? My mom and I went one time and the "Muffin Man" came around with a tray of muffins. He asked if we wanted one and my mom asked him what kind they were. He didn't know and went off to check. When he left, my mom said "What a dumb muffin man!". Really, isn't that something you ask on your way out the door with the tray?!
I wonder if any of you might be interested in selling a copy of the Stephenson's Old Apple Farm cookbook. I would be happy to pay for time andtrouble in making a copy if you don't want to sell.
Thanks, garymcferrin@aol.com
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