417 Magazine

3 weeks ago | 417mag.com | Jamie Thomas

Various locations around southwest MissouriLet’s get the most obvious one out of the way: Southwest Missouri has an absolute ton of Fourth of July celebrations to attend, whether you’re looking for fireworks, floats or food. In the interest of not making this whole page just about the Fourth of July, we’ve got a roundup just for that over here. Details often aren't finalized until the event date, so check back regularly for more info.

3 weeks ago | 417mag.com | Tessa Cooper

When you marry ice cream and espresso together, you get an affogato, and let’s just say we are forever indebted to the Italians for this perfect union. Sips & Scoops is part ice cream parlor, part coffee shop, and it’s a great place to grab one made with local ingredients. The coffee beans come from Copper Canyon Coffee Roasters, and the scoops are the handiwork of The Ice Cream Factory.

4 weeks ago | 417mag.com | Heather Kane Kohler

Photo by Tessa CooperDebbie Johnson (far left) and Ron Johnson (far right) create a dreamy atmosphere—from the food to the decor— for their backyard garden party. The smell of fried chicken filled the air in the backyard of Ron and Debbie Johnson’s home last summer as guests mingled throughout the flowers. The weather was perfect and the decor and food were just as expected: perfectly executed.

4 weeks ago | 417mag.com | Jordan Blomquist

Springfield Community Gardens (SCG) is redefining the connection people have with food through 15 community gardens, two urban farms, a food forest and a mix of initiatives around town. Maile Auterson, SCG’s founding executive director, went to college for the first time in her 40s. During a group project, two urban planning students eagerly invited her to join their team, and together, they partnered with locals to open a community garden in Grant Beach.

4 weeks ago | 417mag.com | Heather Kane Kohler

It’s easy to walk by a gooseberry bush and not notice a single berry. But if you look closely at just the right time, you’ll see green berries beginning to form on the bush’s big, woody branches. The tart and flavorful fruit is almost invisible, blending perfectly into the bush’s foliage. It’s not until later that gooseberries take on a more purplish hue and can be easier to spot. When picked green, gooseberries are very tart. They sweeten as they become more mature and rosy colored.