Dinosaurs in the Garden: Discover heirlooms’ long-forgotten tastes
In this time of environmental worries, it’s refreshing to know that there is something that you and I can do that will make a measurable difference: Save seed. Garden space and farmers’ markets have suddenly become the front lines in the fight to save plant species from extinction. The species in question are the vegetables,…
Olive Oil 101: You shouldn’t sizzle what you drizzle
Americans love olive oil. Studies indicating that it is a more healthful choice than other oils helped double the consumption in the United States since 1993. And just last November, the Food and Drug Administration announced that consumers might reduce their risk of heart disease if they consume monounsaturated fat from olive oil. But which…
Something’s Fishy: Many locally caught fish are not safe to eat
Summer fish fries are awaited throughout the year and are among Missourians’ favorite summer meals. Not only delicious, fish boasts many health benefits. It’s high in protein and low in saturated fat. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart and brain. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish two or…
Savory Tomato Sorbet
8 servings
Sweet Green Tomato Pie
1 9-inch pie
Review: Tanner B’s, Van Goghz, and Shugga’s in St. Louis
On the wall of my bedroom, I have a neighborhood map of the city of St. Louis in which each neighborhood is given its own contrasting color. Upon first glace, the map makes sense. There’s Downtown. There’s The Hill. There’s Lafayette Square. But as you skim the entire city, you begin to think the cartographer…
Review: The Scottish Arms in St. Louis
Some time ago I was forced to say goodbye to my favorite wine shop. It started as an old dive bar, complete with rumors of mob ties (two bodies without any identifying features were supposedly found in the basement years ago), and was then transformed into a gorgeous tavern and an excellent wine shop –…
Jackie’s Famous Just-Picked Bloody Mary
Courtesy of Iron Barley’s Jackie Jones
Home Plates: Baseball just wouldn’t be the same without the food and the beer
American baseball at its best may well be summed up at home plate. Not the plate at the batter’s box – the dinner plate. Ballpark concessionaires pitch more than peanuts and Cracker Jack. Fans’ choices now run the gamut from gourmet hot dogs to haute cuisine. From the traditional red hot and beer to prime…
Hillbilly High Jinks are Back, for Better or Worse
DaimlerChrysler AG is bringing back the Dodge Charger.Perhaps you’ve seen the commercial already – a smartly attired black gentleman glides his Charger through misty streets, the sinuous lines of the car hinting at the barely restrained muscle of the hemi under the hood. An equally stylish black woman standing nearby spies the scene and gets…
To Be Successful, Wine Lists Must Be User-Friendly
For most of my 30-plus years on the retail side of the wine business, I gave little thought to what it took to develop, organize, produce and maintain a restaurant’s wine list. Sure, I admired stunning selections of rare or older wines. It was always fun reading to see huge vertical selections (multiple vintage of…
Tomatoes Lend Themselves to Many Forms of Competition
Don’t even try to argue with me on this – there’s no reason to eat anything but locally grown tomatoes for the entire month of August. Grocery stores, farmers’ markets and roadside stands abound with plum tomatoes for sauces, cherry tomatoes for snacking and huge tomatoes for slicing and stuffing. Maybe it’s compensation for our…
A Summer Makeover for Heavy Beers
The most common beer mixer is the Black and Tan, a 50-50, layered combination of Guinness beer floated atop Bass Ale. The Snakebite, a similar alliance, merges cider and Guinness. Both of these mixers are classic ways to lighten a hearty Guinness, but as it turns out, other, more fantastical combinations of beer with juices…
First a Poet, Then a Teacher – But Passionate About Both
What’s the use of an office job if you can’t use the Xerox to make copies of your poems?” laughed Jane Ellen Ibur. The locally based poet and teacher had spent the afternoon cleaning out file cabinets in her home study. “I was once a Xerox addict,” Ibur said. “But now I’m in recovery. I…
In St. Louis, Larry Forgione Finds a Crossroads of American Cuisine
Life magazine listed chef/proprietor Larry Forgione of An American Place as No. 41 on its 1996 list of the “50 Most Influential Baby Boomers” and called him the Godfather of American Cuisine. He was the only restaurateur named. Why? Well, he was one of the first chefs who believed in the American bounty and championed…
Dawdle Over Coffee in Comfort at Sofia Bistro
Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a laid-back, hassle-free kind of Sunday brunch – nothing too fancy, but someplace where you can relax, enjoy good food and not feel rushed to leave. Sofia Bistro is that place. Nestled in the neighborhood that borders Clayton and University City, Sofia Bistro is the latest incarnation on…
A Little Label From Maplewood Rides the Ups and Downs of the Music Biz
The lifecycle of any music scene necessitates the constant emergence and departure of record labels, each unique. Maybe they’re centered around a certain type of music, which gives buyers a sense of what to expect as soon as they hear (or hear of) a new release. Or they’re given shape by a club, or handful…
