Seems to be "infected" again

Zing Zang. It's good stuff.

I live in Kansas City, the state line that separates the town lets me shop 2 different distribution chains. I can buy White Horse and Black Bottle in Missouri but not in Kansas.
Be sure to ask your vendor if they can order it for you. They'll be glad to help if possible because they want your money.

For 'good' and 'cheap' I really like A Mano Primitivo and Laurel Glen 'REDS'. Another fine QPR choice is Columbia Crest - their offerings all present good value but their Grand Estates series is really amazing quality for the price.

This month:
Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 White Blend and Rose'
Marques de Caceres Rosado
Jacob's Creek Riesling
Laurel Glen REDS

Forgot to mention Macon-Villages. Should be able to find some in your price range and I'll bet you like 'em. Drouhin, Duboeuf, Jadot...all the big negotiants Macon are pretty easy to find and won't break the bank. Good hunting!

Under $10 and crisp I'd list Columbia Crest Two Vines or Covey Run Quail series as 'everyday sippers' and if you shop carefully Toad Hollow unoaked "Francine's Selection". I find it here at $10 on sale, crisp and delicious.
If you don't mind blended Chard, look for Hedges CMS white blend - contains some SB with the Chard and Marsanne if that's a deal breaker but it really tastes great. It may be creeping out of your price point soon but should be 10ish. Likewise, the Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 white blend. It's been on sale here several times this summer - great taste and excellent value, esp. if you catch it on sale.

http://www.coveyrun.com/wines/quail.asp
http://www.toadhollow.com/available.asp#2
http://columbia-crest.com/2006_TWV_Chard.cfm
http://www.hedgescellars.com/ourwines...

Borsao would be great. I've had good luck with Rene' Barbier red or Falling Star Malbec/Merlot as well.

Born in Rolla, and my Dad retired to the area again. His favorite restaurant in Rolla is Zeno's steakhouse, mentioned above, even w/new ownership. YMMV, of course.

http://www.zenos.biz/intro.htm

Slice of pie, already mentioned, is worth hunting for. 601 Kingshighway St Rolla, MO 65401

One of my favorite places in the region is the Whitestone Inn in Rich Fountain, MO, closer to Jeff City. Their bistro puts out some great food - if/when they're open.

http://www.whitestoneinn.info/

More from that area:

http://www.rockeddy.com/eateries.htm

A giraffe will walk into your bar and order a sazerac. When he pays the bill you'll say "We don't get many giraffes in here" and he'll say "At $17 for a Sazerac I should think not. If your drinks were cheaper I'd tell the other customers to drink up, the high balls are on me".

Sat. breakfast - I head down to the city market and try Cascone's Grill for breakfast. 20 East 5th street. Great breakfast, and a nice part of the whole early morning city market gestalt.

http://www.pitch.com/locations/cascon...

I'll add to the Di Majo Sangiovese chorus, and suggest the Steen (Chenin Blanc). Their Chenin Blanc is one of South Africa's great (and inexpensive) gifts to the world.

Agreed. I like caraway Akvavit + Zingzang + celery seed.

You did see the less expensive carbon cleavers at the Wok Shop, yes?

http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products/...

I can vouch for the No. 1 from that site and one of my friends raves about the Dexter-Russel.

Laurel Glen 'REDS' - a Zin field blend
Pacific Rim dry riesling

I like my old cheapo Chinese cleavers, recommend them as good QPR. Here's a tip - when I buy any new carbon steel blade I rub mustard all over the blade, put it into a plastic produce bag or wrap it with plastic wrap. Let that sit overnight, wash the mustard off in 24 hours or so. Instant patina. I also find the Norton ''india' stone gives a great 'toothy' edge on most 1095 carbon steel knives if you can freehand sharpen. Norton India stones are recommended by Jerry Fisk for his carbon knives, and a 'national treasure' knifemakers suggestions are good enough for me.

Thanks to early exposure to Frank Zappa's cover of 'White Port and Lemon Juice' I still drink this in the summer. Squeeze half a lemon into a tall glass. Add ice, fill with white port. Find a hammock in the shade, listen to Denny Matthews announce the Royals on the radio.

Buffalo Trace is my favorite sub-$20 bourbon. Bulleit, Beam Black, Elijah Craig, W.L. Weller's reserve and Old Ezra 7 yr/101 are good choices as well. Evan Williams black label is my 'cooking bourbon', a good choice if someone wants a bourbon and coke.

Rye - Old Overholt, Rittenhouse 100, Wild Turkey 101 rye

Blended scotch - Grants and Teachers, White Horse. If you're really on a budget Clan MacGregor is blended by the same man who blends Grants. Fewer 'name' singlemalts, but still pretty tasty. He's very good at his job.

Gin - Beefeater's, Gordons, Seagrams Distiller's Reserve. Beefeater's is my fave. Gordon's gin (and their vodka) is copper distilled (getting rare in US white liquors), and all three of these are distilled with the botanicals rather than with a later added infusion. All three make a tasty martini. Burnett's is decent 'well' liquor in Gin and Juice or a Seabreeze, another 'distilled with botanicals' choice. I like Plymouth but it's no longer sub $20 here.

Vodka - Most Wanted (multi-distilled local product) Stoli, Finlandia and Svedka. I hear good things about Sobieski but we don't have local access. Burnett's is a decent 'well' choice for juice/mixed drinks.

Rum - Gosling's Black Seal, Cruzan 2 yr, Appleton's. Bacardi Solera

Irish - Powers, Jameson

Brandy - Another vote for Korbel. Maxim's cognac offers great QPR if you can find it.

Wasn't until I moved away that I realized KC has some great sausagemakers. Couldn't get quality brats and sallisicca when I left town. McGonigles, already mentioned, makes a great bratwurst and excellent sweet italian sausage, I've only had it frozen but talk to the counterman.

My favorite italian sallasicca is from

http://www.scimecassausage.com/

Mendolia's italian sausage is also very good, I find both of these in various local grocery stores.

Don't forget Werner's specialty meats on Johnson drive. Sausage/charcuterie and Scandinavian/German specialties. Darned good sandwiches, too.

Another item to search for locally - Real country ham just like Grandpa used to make from Burger's Smokehouse. Other meats as well, but it's the country ham and bacon that I like.

http://www.smokehouse.com/

One final local name to remember is Boyle's. Love their corned beef. Always good meat.

http://www.boylesteaks.com/oursteaks....

Salty Dog

5 oz grapefruit juice
1 1/2 oz gin (sub. vodka if you prefer)
1/4 tsp salt

Pour all ingredients into tall glass over ice, stir well.

I usually drink Maxim's Cognac and since I have it on hand it sometimes goes into the eggnog. When I'm buying brandy just for eggnog, I go with California Korbel XS. Smooth, sweet, won't break the bank.

Another Creamscicle recipe

2 oz. Vanilla Vodka
1 oz. Triple sec
1 oz. Orange juice
1 oz. Heavy cream.

Combine all ingredients in mixing glass with ice, stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

W. L. Wellers Special Reserve (7 year) is a good inexpensive bourbon, lots of wheat in the mash so it's smooth. Their same whiskey aged to 12 years old is a heckuva buy. If you like Rebel Yell this will probably be to your taste. They don't market this very aggressively outside of Texas, so if you see it...buy it.

Old Charter 8 year is my favorite 'well' bourbon, their 10 year old is a nice step up, but their 12 year old "Classic" is worth the extra money. Still less than $20 a bottle, good whusk.

Last but not least, Old Fitzgerald 1849. Old Fitz (another wheat recipe) but aged 8 years and sold at 90 proof. Worth looking for.

I like a shot of Old Overholt with half-a-bottle of Stewarts Ginger Beer, on ice.

I use this Spyderco sharpener, shop around as I bought mine for about half the MSRP. Works well for me, very easy to use.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.p...

Ho-Ki is ok but not my favorite. Their 'house special pork' (a spicey sweet and sour pork) is pretty good. I wouldn't drive across town for it, but I'd stop in if passing by.

I noticed that Ho-Ki on Nieman in Shawnee was open, and Tsien Dynasty @ 87th & Farley in O.P. One of my co-workers confirmed that Ruchi was open (college and Antioch).

Pizza - Da Bronx, with Minsky's running a close 2nd place
BBQ - Oklahoma Joe's (pork and overall), Bryant's (beef)
Italian - Lydia's, Cascone's
Burger - Max's Auto Diner, Blue Cheese burger -old Streetcar Named Desire
Rings - Winsteads
Shakes - Otto's, but honorable mention to the Steak and Shake chain.
Fries - repeat - Oklahoma Joe's with Bryants 'congeal a meal deal' runner up
Chickenshack - the late lamented Strouds