Breakfast Buffet: Monday, August 24

​No, I’m not drinking java this morning as I temporarily fill in for new Dad Jonathan Bender: I’m sipping California-based Republic of Tea’s answer to coffee — or any morning beverage loaded with caffeine — the herbal tea is called Get Charged, a proprietary blend of organic rooibos, hibiscus, gotu kola, stevia and ginseng — and other herbs. The bright orange container boasts that drinkers (it’s marketed at athletic types) can “get invigorated without feeling tweaked.”

The blueberry flavored herbal tea does have a slight kick, but…excuse me while I go tweak the coffee maker…

The big culinary news in Kansas City today is the appearance of handsome, tattooed celebrity pastry chef  Johnny Iuzzini — the James Beard Award winner, author of the 2008 cookbook Dessert Fourplay and executive pastry chef at New York City’s Restaurant Jean-Georges. Iuzzini is the guest chef at a sold-out fundraiser for the James Beard Foundation at the American Restaurant in the Crown Center complex.

Aaron Deacon of the LTHForumKC went out for Hong Kong-style dim sum at Johnson County’s venerable Pine and Bamboo Garden with local celebrity chef and bon vivant Bonnie Winston.

Over the weekend, the Wort Hog discussed that intoxicating staple of Renaissance Festivals and almost any event hosted by the Society for Creative Anachronism: That’s right, the fermented honey concoction known as Mead! Not be be confused with this Mead.

On the subject of honey, honey, last Saturday was National Honey Bee Awareness Day, but you can still celebrate it today. But maybe not by watching this.