A hefty pat on the back goes to Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., which was recently praised by Ratebeer.com as one of the top new brewers (Wait for it.) in the world. Of the 1,473 new breweries that registered with the site in 2011, the top-ranked breweries were Urban Chestnut at No. 5; California’s High Water Brewing at No. 4; Haymarket Pub & Brewing in Chicago taking third; Yorkshire, England’s Magic Rock Brewing as runner-up; and Anchorage Brewing Co. in Alaska taking the number one spot. Cheers!

Are you following us on Twitter? Come on, get Saucy @saucemagazine

tobriornottobri
woke up in a mad dash for class and burnt my tongue on oatmeal #collegeproblems

chzmongerswife
Well, it was as I suspected. We have ourselves a ROOSTER!

knashan
Nothing like getting a pig delivered at 1 am on a Tuesday. Looking forward to Cochon Memphis. Thanks Carl Blake!! http://www.rustikroosterfarms.com/Rustikroosterfarms/Welcome.html

erikkasusann
Crappy rainy day+ sh*t mood = I’ll be in the kitchen. Cooking is my drug! #FoodIsLove

Dalebo
Why haven’t I been cooking my tortillas in bacon fat forever?

brrgrr
Since when is orange soda caffeinated! Thanks for stealing my sleep, @SunkistSoda. I’m switching back to #Whistle

publiceyestl
At any given daytime moment, 40% of my timeline is talking about food.

inacamba
Currently obsessed with finding someone to have high tea with.

CosmosGirl
Must.eat.cake. Which may signal its time for bed.

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Washington University has long held court as one of the nation’s top schools, academically. And now it’s getting more than just scholarly accolades. The only college in the country to score 10 out of 10 on a survey by collegeprowler.com, Wash U narrowly beat out Brandeis – a Jewish-sponsored college – as the campus with the most palatable kosher and ethnic dining options.

Some cuisine-specific spots on campus include L’Chaim (hot items from a certified kosher kitchen), WUrld Fusion (tandoori ovens, Indian and global cuisine), Ciao Down (pizzas and pastas) and ¡OSOGood! (South-of-the-border fare).

Wash U also offers busy (or lazy) students a service called Webfood, an online ordering system that allows users to “build a meal” from their computers and schedule a pickup.

Are you as confused about the weather as I am? I keep running to the grocery store on these occasional 60-degree days looking for watermelon and fresh heirloom tomatoes only to find ruby beets and hearty kale. But there is one fruit that’s bringing a little bit of summer cheer to these chilly winter months: clementines.

I’ve always been a fan of this tiny, easy-to-eat winter snack, bringing home whole bushels of them, taking handfuls to work, even keeping them in my car, purse and desk (Just don’t forget they’re there!). But I’ve recently discovered the myriad ways to use clementines in culinary confections that are sure to brighten up even the most blustery winter day without lending the cloying sweetness of summer snacks.

When searching for clementines, forgo political correctness. Buy the imported Spanish varieties instead of the Cuties from California. They’re bigger and have fewer seeds and more juice, which makes them perfect for baking.

This recipe is enough to turn even the most passionate panna cotta-hater (my aunt) into a panna cotta believer. It has enough creamy spice to be a rich winter dessert, but the citrus glaze keeps it bright, cheerful and delicious.

Panna Cotta with Clementine Glaze
6 Servings

Panna Cotta
1/3 c. skim milk
1¼-oz. packet unflavored gelatin
2½ cups heavy cream
½ cup white sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

Clementine Glaze
2/3 cup white sugar
½ cup water
One whole clove
Three whole allspice
8 clementines, in segments
2 Tbsp. Cointreau

Candied Lemon and Clementine Peels
1/3 cup clementine zest
¼ cup lemon zest
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

• First, make the panna cotta: Pour the skim milk into a bowl and gently mix in the gelatin. Set aside.
• Stir the heavy cream, ½ cup of sugar, ground cinnamon and ground cloves together in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Carefully bring to a boil, then stir in the milk and gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved.
• Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract and pour into individual ramekins.
• Cool, uncovered, at room temperature. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the clementine glaze: Bring 2/3 cup of sugar, ½ cup of water, 1 whole clove and 3 whole allspice to a boil in a separate pan, stirring regularly for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the clementine segments and Cointreau, stirring well. Set the pan aside to cool.
• Once cool, remove the whole spices, transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve, and reserve the liquid.
• For the garnish, blanch the two citrus zests to remove the bitterness of any leftover pith by dunking the zest in boiling water and then ice water three times.
• Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes a simple syrup. Add the blanched zest and cook until the peels are transparent, about 5 minutes. Drain the zest and spread it on a parchment sheet until you’re ready to serve.

To serve: Turn out the panna cotta onto plates or into a glass and drizzle with the clementine glaze. Top with candied orange and lemon peels.

Welcome to By the Book, a new weekly online column in which we try our hand at recipes from some of the many amazing cookbooks that come across our desks. We thumb through, pick a dish and then get cooking – revealing the recipe we chose and the results of our culinary journey. Scroll to the bottom of the post to find out how you can win a copy of the featured book and to see last week’s By the Book winner.

If you went to the Bluestem dinner held at Niche last Friday (For a glimpse at what was served, click here.), you know that husband-and-wife team Colby and Megan Garrelts, chefs and owners of Bluestem Restaurant in Kansas City, work in season. They use produce at its flavor peak, and they do their best to use locally sourced ingredients. This ethos is clearly reflected in the way the recipes are organized in the couple’s new book, Bluestem the Cookbook: according to season. There are five total chapters, four for the seasons with the last one – “Essentials” – including recipes for sauces, stocks and finishing agents like flavored butters and bread crumbs that are found dotted throughout recipes in the book.

Since the temperatures are hovering around the 30s these days, I decided to test out the Celery Root Soup from the winter section of the book. I love soup but I rarely make it, probably because I tend to think it doesn’t make me feel full. Not so with this bowl of goodness. It’s rich and, best of all, satisfying. Also, the recipe was quick from start to finish. All around, it was clear and easy to follow and, aside from simmering instructions (I let my soup simmer a little longer than the instructions.) and the use of white pepper, I followed the recipe and made a soup perfect for combatting the cold snap outside. One I’d happily make again, might I add.

Celery Root Soup
Serves 8 to 10 as an amuse-bouche, 4 to 6 as a first course

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cups peeled and diced celery root
1 small onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1¼ cups dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
2½ cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

We serve this comforting soup at the restaurant on occasion as an amuse-bouche. If you find the soup a bit thick for your taste, you can always thin it out with some extra vegetable stock.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the celery root, onion, and garlic and stir to sweat, about 5 minutes; you don’t want the vegetables to develop any color. Add the wine and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the mixture until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes (Note: It took me about 20 minutes to get the wine to really reduce down that far.) Discard the bay leaf and add the cream, milk and 2 cups of the stock. Return the soup to a simmer and let it reduce and thicken, about 8 minutes. (Again, I let mine simmer a little longer, about 12 minutes.)

Carefully transfer the soup to a blender. With one towel-wrapped hand firmly held over the lid, blend the soup until it has completely liquefied. If the soup is too thick, thin it out, 1 tablespoon at a time, with the remaining ½ cup stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve.

For a chance to win one of two SIGNED copies of Bluestem, the Cookbook, tell us about your favorite winter soup to make at home in the comments section below.

And now, we’d like to congratulate Deanna whose comment on last week’s By the Book column has won her a free copy of Mourad: New Morroccan. Deanna, keep an eye out for an email from the Sauce crew regarding your prize!

Hamburger Mary’s Bar and Grille has finally opened its doors at 3037 Olive St., in Midtown Alley. The Scoop reported last April that the gay-friendly national burger chain would be coming to St. Louis. Initially, the restaurant was slated to open in June; the development of a parking lot adjacent to the property is partially responsible for the delay.

After a two-year absence, Sameem Afghan Restaurant is now serving up Afghan and Persian cuisine at its new home at 4341 Manchester Ave., in The Grove, as reported
by Ian Froeb of the Riverfront Times. Sameem was previously located on South Grand Boulevard, a location that owner Qayum Mohammad shuttered two years ago. Mohammad is also the owner of Kabob Palace at 14424 Manchester Road in Manchester.

Burger-centric food truck Taste-D-Burger should hit the streets next week, according to co-owner Dennis Miller. Look for Taste-D-Burger to serve hungry diners in St. Louis County. “It will be burgers, fries and drinks only,” said Miller regarding the menu. “It will be fast. Even if there is a big line, it will be fast.”

And finally, change is in the air at Harry’s Restaurant and Bar, located at 2144 Market St. As reported by Katie O’Connor for St. Louis Magazine, the longtime restaurant and bar is shaking things up with the addition of Horizon by Harry’s, a boutique nightclub and event space slated to launch in late February. A post on Horizon’s Facebook page explained the new concept: “Horizon was meticulously designed … to create a chic fantasy world and intimate getaway for those who are in the know and who truly appreciate the finer things in nightlife.” As for Harry’s Restaurant and Bar, the “restaurant” is no longer part of the name and the menu has taken the casual route, per Pieri.

Anheuser-Busch InBev president Dave Peacock is resigning, as reported by Advertising Age and St. Louis Business Journal yesterday. Peacock will be replaced by Luiz Edmond, who is currently the company’s North America zone president. Peacock was one of the last high-level execs still at the brewery since Belgium-based InBev took over the St. Louis based-A-B back in 2008. He will continue in an advisory role at the company.

Peacock’s departure comes in light of seven other A-B big wigs having left the brewery between 2009 and June 2011. Locally, we’ve also seen several former A-B employees move on to pursue other projects. In November, three longtime A-B higher-ups teamed up with William K. Busch  – son of August A. “Gussie Busch” and great grandson of Adolphus Busch  – to launch William K. Busch Brewing Co. (WKBBC). The company is attempting to go head-to-head against A-B InBev with its Kräftig Lager and Kräftig Light products. Partners at WKBBC who were formerly employed by A-B include CEO James Hoffmeister, COO Gary Prindiville and executive board member Michael Brooks.

Local craft brewery Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., established in summer 2010, is also the offspring of former A-B employees. Co-owner Florian Kuplent was a brewmaster for the beer giant while his partner, David Wolfe, worked in A-B’s marketing department for nearly two decades.

I love eggs. I love them poached, fried, scrambled and hard-boiled. I love them made into custards, meringues and quiches. During the week, I’m generally not much of a breakfast person. But on weekends, my body begs for a big breakfast and, on many a morning, an egg sandwich is the only thing that will fill the emptiness in my belly. A fried egg with a slice of American cheese on a bagel is a simple way to take care of this craving (and only three ingredients). But after recent trips to nibble the breakfast sandwiches at Half & Half and the burger at Home Wine Kitchen, I was inspired to elevate things a bit, substituting a slightly sweet challah roll for the bagel and adding a couple of slices of salty, chewy pancetta. Replacing the processed cheese with peppery arugula dressed in a bit of tangy balsamic helped to rationalize the addition of the pancetta. This sandwich is so good, I just might wake up a few minutes early tomorrow to make a tasty exception to my weekday routine.

Egg Sandwich with Pancetta and Arugula
Courtesy of Dee Ryan

Makes 1 sandwich

1 challah roll
2 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 slices pancetta (about ¼-inch thick)
1 egg
1 cup arugula
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Cut the challah roll in half horizontally and lightly toast. Set aside.
• Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small nonstick skillet and, over medium-low heat, cook the pancetta about 3 minutes per side. Place the cooked pancetta on one half of the toasted challah, reserving the cooking oil.
• Crack the egg into a small bowl and remove any shell. Gently transfer the egg from the bowl into the same skillet used to cook the pancetta, still over medium-low heat. Cover the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, until the white appears solid. (If you prefer your egg over-easy or hard, flip the egg and increase cooking time as appropriate.)
• While the egg is cooking, in a small bowl toss the arugula with a teaspoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and a grind of black pepper.
• Place the fried egg on top of the pancetta, the dressed arugula on the egg, and the top of the roll on the sandwich, and serve.

We know what you’re thinking – another vegetarian column, really? Just give us a minute. Meatless Mondays is a movement that’s building across the country, one built not around a hatred of meat or a stance against the way animals are treated but rather a love for vegetables – and the health benefits that come along with them. While the Meatless Monday concept hasn’t quite picked up in St. Louis yet, we’re here to show you just how easily it could. From meat-free recipes to make at home to dishes around town that let the veggies truly shine – welcome to Meatless Mondays, a new weekly online column.

I know, I’ve jumped the gun (Passover isn’t until April.), but when temperatures drop below freezing, I long for a piping hot spoonful of homemade matzo ball soup. The fluffy matzo balls are so comforting, I want to snuggle up with one and use it like a pillow … a nice, warm, doughy pillow … that I then devour.

This recipe was passed down from my Jewish grandmother whose ancestors immigrated to America from Germany. OK, that’s a complete lie. Whilst my grandmother is Jewish and her family did come over from Germany, she was NOT a whiz in the kitchen. She actually used her oven for storage. Not just kitchen storage, everyday storage. Considering my brother and I both love to cook, we must have picked this up from the other side of the family (thanks, Dad!).

I did, however, pick this recipe up after eating many a bowl of matzo ball soup with my Grandma and then working to recreate the recipe with all of my favorite elements. I’ve also converted it to be chicken-schmaltz (melted chicken fat) free, as I opt to make my version meatless. Another tip I’ve picked up over the years (from a friend’s Grandma who does cook): Add some dill into the matzo balls. It freshens up the buttery flavor with an unexpected zest.

This dish doesn’t take long to make and it doesn’t matter what creed you adhere to … this is comfort food for all. Make it on a Monday night when you feel like you need some love back from your food. Or, if you’re anything like my Grandma, stop by Protzel’s Deli in Clayton and get it to go. Though you’ll have to wait till Tuesday; this old-school Jewish deli takes the day off on Mondays.

Not-My-Grandma’s Matzo Ball Soup
Adapted by Emily Luten from a recipe by Manischewitz
4 to 6 Servings

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
½ cup Manischewitz matzo meal
5 dashes dried dill
1 tsp. salt
8 cups plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable stock, divided
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• In a medium bowl, combine the vegetable oil, eggs, matzo meal, dill and salt.
• Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock and mix together until uniform. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Add the olive oil to a large pot over high heat.
• Once the olive oil is warm but not smoking, add the celery and carrots to the pot.
• Add a liberal dose of freshly ground black pepper to the pot. Saute until soft, about 8 minutes.
• Add the remaining 8 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil.
• While the pot is heating to a boil, form about 8 balls (about 1-inch in diameter) from the matzo mixture.
• Once the broth is boiling, drop each ball into the pot, one by one, being careful not to splash.
• Cover tightly and boil for 40 minutes.

In late November, The Scoop reported that Brad Jureka was opening Bliss – a dessert bar – next to his downtown vodka bar, Shiver, on Washington Avenue. Today, Jureka told The Scoop that he hopes to have the late-night, sweets spot open by Valentine’s Day.

In addition, Jureka commented regarding Lotus, a bar/lounge that he is also involved with and that he hopes to open at 2001 Locust St., in the space previously occupied by El Borracho. Jureka noted that, while he would like to see Lotus open in April or May, his immediate focus is on securing the liquor license. Evan Benn of the Post-Dispatch reported last week that Courtney Severit, a co-owner of Lotus who is also involved with the launch of Bliss, had applied for a liquor license for Lotus.

Nearby support for the proposed bar is “looking very positive,” Jureka said. “We are five or six signatures away from getting the necessary [support].”