Drink This Weekend Edition: Sip berries in booze while pining for summertime fruits
This winter has lasted so long, I can barely remember what a plump, sun-kissed beefsteak tomato tastes like. Or a peach that’s so ripe, the juice runs down my chin from first bite to last. Or a strawberry so sweet, it would be sinful to add a single granule of sugar. As we get…
The Scoop: Mike Randolph to open Público, a Mexican gastropub in The Loop
{Mike Randolph, center} Mike Randolph, owner of The Good Pie and Half & Half has announced plans to open a Mexican gastropub called Público at 6679 Delmar Blvd., in The Loop. The new spot, reminiscent of Randolph’s former restaurant-within-a-restaurant, Medianoche, is two doors down from The Good Pie, which reopened just days ago. Randolph…
St. Louis’ Joy in Cooking: Legendary cookbook author celebrated in Missouri History Museum exhibit
{The Joy of Cooking, first edition, currently on display at Missouri History Museum} It’s as common a sight in the kitchen as a stove. For decades, The Joy of Cooking taught millions everything they needed to know about cooking. Less well known is that the author of this classic cookbook, Irma Rombauer, was a…
13 Gluttonous Mardi Gras Recipes
Mardi Gras: that one holiday of the year devoted to entirely to excess. We love it so much that we spread that decadence out over a full weekend of gastronomical indulgences. So before you commit to Lenten promises that will torture you until Easter, here are 13 decadent dishes worth the guilt. 1. Combining…
The Scoop: Chef Bryan Carr to cook at James Beard House in New York
Talk of James Beard continues. Last week, St. Louis received seven 2014 James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists nods, and now another local chef has James Beard news of his own. On Bryan Carr, chef-owner of Pomme Restaurant, Pomme Café & Wine Bar and Atlas will cook at the venerable James Beard House in New…
The Scoop: Pappy’s, Guerrilla Street Food in the running for The Munchies awards
Two popular eateries – Pappy’s and Guerrilla Street Food – are in the running for a national award. Now in its second year, The Munchies: People’s Choice Food Awards, organized by foodie online reference Tablespoon.com recognizes “the most amazing tastes, faces and places in the food world,” as stated on its website. The awards…
Baked: Rum Punch Cake
My family and I recently spent a week alongside the gorgeous turquoise waters coast of Turks and Caicos, sinking our toes into sand soft as powdered sugar and clear blue skies. Throughout the trip, our nautical activities were punctuated with rum-filled drinks and rum-soaked desserts. The islands are known for Bambarra Rum (as well…
Nathalie Benezet’s Melting Chocolate Cake
12 mini loaves
The Scoop: Southern Illinois breweries continue to multiply
Southern Illinois looks to become a hotbed for craft brewing in 2014. Granite City will see Six Mile Brewery and Smokehouse open sometime in late spring or early summer; Recess Brewery is expected to begin brewing this fall on Main Street in Edwardsville. A third brewery, 4204 Main Street Brewing Co., is coming to Belleville,…
The Scoop: BlackFinn American Grille closes
BlackFinn American Grille, located at the northern end of the Saint Louis Galleria, has permanently closed its doors, as reported by St. Louis Business Journal. The independently owned restaurant, which also has locations in Houston, Jacksonville, Fla., and Mt. Prospect, Ill., was open for just less than two years. While The Scoop has been…
By the Book: Nathalie Benezet’s Melting Chocolate Cakes
Nathalie Benezet’s Le Petit Paris: French Finger Food takes a bite-sized look at French cuisine. Teacup-sized bowls of onion soup, beef tartare on tiny toasts and foie gras burgers far too dainty to be called sliders grace the pages of this cookbook. I opted to try her mini Melting Chocolate Cakes, small but sophisticated…
Meatless Monday: Athlete Eats’ Bibimbap Bowl
The delicious bibimbap bowl at Athlete Eats is a low-carb, healthy lunch or dinner. The “Caulirice” is actually raw cauliflower, blitzed in a food processor, then sauteed in a little oil and spices. This faux-rice serves as the base for MOFU (a hearty replacement for the usual spicy grass-fed beef), bright green edamame, pickled…
The Scoop: Barbecue joint Doc’s Smokehouse and Catering opens in Edwardsville
Edwardsville is on a roll. Doc’s Smokehouse and Catering opens doors today, Feb. 24, at 1017 Century Drive, adding to a growing roster of new Edwardsville eateries and bars like newly opened Brevan’s Patisserie and soon-to-join Recess Brewing. Doc’s is the fulfillment of a longtime goal for co-owners Doc and Susan Richardson, who thought of…
Drink This Weekend Edition: 2014 Perennial Sump
About this time last year, on the heels of its wildly attended barrel-aged Abraxas release, the folks at Perennial Artisan Ales quietly tweeted the details of its next barrel-aged beer: the barrel-aged Sump, an Imperial stout collaboration with South City’s Sump Coffee aged in Rittenhouse rye barrels. Despite the low-profile announcement via Facebook and Twitter,…
Soundbites Extra: 14 St. Louis-area CSAs
After learning about the hows and whys of CSAs on today’s Soundbites on St. Louis Public Radio, you may be considering joining your own neighborhood CSA. Below are 14 organizations that fit every need, from the occasional half-share of produce to a full weekly shares of produce, eggs, meat and more. Know another great…
Honey-Vanilla Pork Tenderloin
4 to 6 servings
Just Five: Honey-Vanilla Pork Tenderloin
There are no exotic ingredients or fancy prep work required for this dish, just simple, satisfying flavors. The sweetness of the honey and vanilla are cut with the slightly acidic cider vinegar, though you could substitute any vinegar you like. Balsamic adds sweetness, rice vinegar would be wonderful and in a pinch, plain old…
The Scoop: Bistro 1130 in Town & Country to reopen Feb. 24
Bistro 1130 is set to unveil its recent changes. The restaurant, located at 1130 Town and Country Crossing Drive next-door to newly opened Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant & Winery, closed Jan. 5. In the subsequent weeks, owner Mikki Jones has given the restaurant a new look, a new focus, a new chef and a new menu,…
Wheatless Wednesday: Wild Rice Salad
Having a new rice cooker has resurrected my desire to regularly cook whole grains. Morning porridge and whole-grain salads are wholesome and filling on these lingering cold, winter days. The fun part is trying the cooker out with various types of rice and grains. Wild rice (a local Missouri variety) surprisingly turned out best…
The Scoop: St. Louis is well-represented among 2014 James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists
The James Beard Foundation has announced this year’s restaurant and chef award semifinalists, and St. Louis is well-represented in among 2014 nominees. Rick Lewis of Quincy Street Bistro was announced as a semifinalist in the Rising Star category, which recognizes chefs 30 years old or younger who “display an impressive talent and who is…
Alice Medrich’s Fallen Chocolate Soufflé Cake
10 servings
The Scoop: Master Pieza to open carryout spot on Cherokee Street
William Porter has served his Master Pieza pizzas at popular Cherokee Street event spots like Foam, 2720 Cherokee and The Livery for two years, but soon, he will have a permanent place to call home. Porter hopes to open a carryout space at 2846 Cherokee St., by March 20. Each Master Pieza pizza is…
By the Book: Alice Medrich’s Fallen Chocolate Soufflé Cake
Alice Medrich’s newest cookbook, Seriously Bittersweet: The Ultimate Dessert Maker’s Guide to Chocolate is a follow up to her hugely popular Bittersweet from 2003. The book covers everything from ganache to torte to savory mains with chocolate. I am admittedly not much of a baker, but as a lifelong chocolate enthusiast, I was…
Meatless Monday: Mushroom Bread Pudding
Who says bread pudding is only for dessert? This Mushroom Bread Pudding’s requisite cubed bread and egg-based custard ensure substance and richness, while savory spices and a mix of earthy mushrooms keep flavor delicately toothsome. You’ll fall for it at first bite. Click here for the recipe. -photo by Geoff Cardin
Sneak Peek: Nadoz Bakery + Café in Chesterfield
Nadoz Bakery + Café opens its third location today at 17089 N. Outer Forty Road at the Taubman Prestige Outlets in Chesterfield. Nadoz owners Stephen and Cathy Becker, who have two other locations in Midtown and at The Boulevard in Richmond Heights, brought old Nadoz favorites – and then some – to the new spot. From an…
The Scoop: South Hampton to see small plates venue Grapeseed in April
The South Hampton area will soon be getting a new neighbor. Bar and restaurant Grapeseed is on target to open in April at 5400 Nottingham Ave., at the corner of Nottingham and Macklind avenues. Grapeseed is a project by Ben Anderson, whose Gist Bistro in Manchester shuttered last year after a nine-month run. Grapeseed, explained…
Drink This Weekend Edition: An ode to a dive bar
“Dive bar.” I didn’t even know there was such a term until my mid-20s when I lived near Dive Bar in New York City. This sleek Upper West Side haunt featured a lengthy menu, including seven salads, a growler program and more than 20 wines by the glass. While I knew Dive Bar was…
The Scoop: Lulu’s Local Eatery to open a brick and mortar on South Grand
{Lulu’s owners Robbie Tucker and Lauren Loomis} Vegetarian food truck Lulu’s Local Eatery is getting a permanent home. Earlier this week, owners Robbie Tucker and Lauren Loomis, aka Lulu, signed the lease on the space at 3201 S. Grand Blvd., recently vacated by Natty’s Pizza. Natty’s is joining forces with and moving its operation to…
The Scoop: Blank Space to expand on Cherokee Street
Blank Space, a community arts and event space at 2847 Cherokee St., will soon color its empty canvas with an expanded beverage program following renovations this spring. Currently, Blank Space patrons can sip pour over coffees, experience gong fu-style tea service and alcoholic beverages at its main bar. Owner Kaveh Razani wants to renovate…
The Weekend Project: Chicken & Homemade Andouille Gumbo
During the week, recipes are all about speed and ease. But when the weekend rolls around, it’s time for cooking low and slow, proofing dough and overnight marinating, soaking and resting. It’s time for a project. Each month, Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz present The Weekend Project with the game plan, the shopping list…
Baked: Seven-Layer Bars
I usually tell people I started baking around the age of 21, but that’s not entirely true. For some reason, I had completely forgotten about a short phase during my high school years when I baked these seven-layer bars nonstop. When an old friend from my freshman year asked if I still made…
Tongue & Cheek
1 serving
Valerie Gordon’s Chocolate Cookies
50 cookies
Macho Vegan Cauliflower Poppers & Dip
4 to 6 servings
By the Book: Valerie Gordon’s Chocolate Cookies
I love dessert, particularly cookies. They’re the perfect end to a meal, and the possibilities are endless. They can be sweet, savory, sophisticated, nostalgic … whatever. Valerie Gordon’s new book, Sweet, has a chapter on cookies I knew I would tackle. (Although the celebration desserts chapter sounded cute, it looked too ambitious for…
The Scoop: Giuseppe’s Ristorante to close, focus on catering
Giuseppe’s Ristorante will celebrate a bittersweet Valentine’s Day; Feb. 14 marks the final day of service at the restaurant at 4141 S. Grand Blvd., in the Dutchtown neighborhood. Giuseppe’s is closing to shift its focus on catering, according to a press release. Giuseppe’s vice president Eric Stockmann said the closing of the restaurant marks…
The Scoop: O’Fallon Brewery to open second brewery, tasting room in Maryland Heights
St. Louis suds cannot be stopped. O’Fallon Brewery announced today that it will open a new, larger location in December. The new facility at 45 Progress Parkway in Maryland Heights will more than double O’Fallon’s annual brewing capacity to 25,000 barrels. The new space will also give O’Fallon its first tasting room. “Our current…
Meatless Monday: Sandrina’s Portobello Sandwich
Sandrina’s in South City has long been the go-to spot for late-night meals. The kitchen serves up dishes like duck quesadillas, crabcakes and bacon-wrapped meatloaf with portobello demi-glace well into the night. Even vegetarians have choices beyond the usual midnight basket of fries or onion rings. We’re partial to the portabello sandwich. A meaty…
The Scoop: Winslow’s Home adds a new baking program, new chef and new event space
{Lisa Fernandez-Cruz, baking with sons George and Wil} Winslow’s Home, located at 7213 Delmar Blvd., in University City, is expanding in more ways than one. Under the guidance of its new executive pastry chef, Lisa Fernandez-Cruz, the cafe and shop is expanding its baking program. Fernandez-Cruz plans to add more sweet and savory baked…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Valentine wine for any situation
Just the other day we saw an obese infant shoot an arrow at a disembodied heart; after we called the police, we realized Valentine’s Day was upon us. With that in mind, we have some Valentine wine suggestions with an eye toward rectifying disparate dispositions and choosing the right wine at the right…
The Scoop: Mediterranean bistro The Purple Martin to open in Fox Park
The Purple Martin, a Mediterranean-inspired bistro, is slated to open doors in mid-March at 2800 Shenandoah Ave., in Fox Park. Co-owners Brooke Roseberry and chef Tony Lagouranis hope to offer a worldly menu at an affordable price point. Lagouranis and Roseberry designed the menu around the flavors of Lagouranis’ travels and experiences, including Italian, Greek,…
Just Five: Cheese Tortellini with Browned Butter
Trolling the Internet recently, I came across a great website: seriouseats.com. I was lost down the rabbit hole for days after and found several gems. The author of one post went through a lot of trial and error (and a heck of a lot of cookies) to come up with “the best chocolate chip…
What I Do: Stephen and Sara Hale of Schlafly Beer
“It was love at first sip,” said Stephen Hale, recalling the day in 1991 when The Tap Room opened, and he handed a brunette named Sara her first Schlafly beer. The couple eventually married, and Schlafly’s former utility girl – she’s worked as a brewer, hostess and manager of the brewery’s art department and design…
Sneak Peek: The Good Pie
After The Good Pie closed its doors in Midtown last August, the much-anticipated pizza joint is almost ready to open in its new space at 6665 Delmar Blvd. But expect more than just pizza, salads and great beer. With the closure of restaurateur Mike Randolph’s fine-dining establishment Little Country Gentleman last month, he was able…
Wheatless Wednesdays: Chickpea Skillet Pizza
It was getting late, but having had “linner” (that meal you eat after lunchtime but well before dinner) around 3 p.m., a big meal around 8 p.m. was not in the cards. But something savory and earthy in a one-skillet dish to heat up the kitchen did sound enticing. I have to give credit…
The Scoop: Recess Brewing to open on Main Street in Edwardsville
Main Street in Edwardsville, Ill., has a lot to offer – from restaurants and cafes to a wine bar and a movie theater. Now, Main Street also will become a destination for craft beer drinkers this fall when Recess Brewing opens its doors at 307 N. Main St. “My wife and I love the…
5 Women Changing the Face of Farming
My 10-year-old daughter wants to be a farmer. When I hear my kids talk about what they want to be when they grow up, I put on my supportive face and say, “If that’s what you want, I’m sure you’ll make the best one ever,” … knowing they will change their minds many times before…
By the Book: Mast Brothers’ Chocolate Cranberry Pork Tenderloin
To kick off this month’s By the Book theme of cooking with chocolate, I explored Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook by Rick and Michael Mast. Mast Brothers Chocolate, based out of Brooklyn, N.Y., is one of the most progressive bean-to-bar craft chocolate companies in the country, meaning its owners do everything from…
Blood & Sand owners to open restaurant at Citygarden
Blood & Sand owners Adam Frager and TJ Vytlacil have another project in the works. The business partners are going to open a restaurant called Death in the Afternoon at 808 Chestnut St., in Citygarden, as reported by the Post-Dispatch’s Ian Froeb. The restaurant is expected to open in mid-to-late April. Lunch will be the…
Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Bourguignon
No one sneers at vegetarian cooking like the practitioners of classic French cuisine. Their recipes are so sacred, their art so carefully considered, that any substitution is viewed as an insult to the French people as a whole. Kelp powder in your veggie bouillabaisse? C’est scandaleux! So when I was assigned boeuf bourguignon to…
A guide to drinking Sherry
Sherry is seeing a resurgence of late – for good reason. These Spanish fortified wines are of great complexity and, given the amount of aging involved, often sell for a song. We’ll never fully understand why sherry was out of fashion for so long, though we suspect a misunderstanding of its myriad intricacies may be…
The Scoop: Local Harvest reaches fundraising goal
One week ago, Local Harvest was on the brink of closure due to financial troubles at its grocery store, cafes and catering operation. Today, things are looking bright. Local Harvest owners Maddie Earnest and Patrick Horine announced that they have reached a $120,000 fundraising goal that will help keep doors open – and with…
The Scoop: Chef Chris Bolyard’s sights set on opening a butcher shop
Sidney Street Cafe’s chef de cuisine Chris Bolyard is making plans to venture out on his own – but not with a restaurant. Bolyard wants to go whole hog, literally, and open a butcher shop. If all parts line up as planned, doors would open this fall. “It’s going to be an old-school, artisanal,…
St. Louis’ best house reds
The challenge: Find the best “house” red wine for $9 a glass. The reality: You rarely hear someone ask for a glass of “house” wine. Moreover, locating interesting reds on restaurant and bar menus at $9 is becoming difficult; that $10 note seems to have become the tipping point if you want to go beyond…
Make this savory oatmeal
Serving breakfast for dinner is one thing, but Savory Oatmeal turns a classic morning staple on its Quaker-hatted head. In a large bowl, whisk together: A 14-ounce can coconut milk, 1 cup chicken stock, ½ cup chunky peanut butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon lime juice…
A Buffalo cauliflower recipe is a meat-free game day go-to
Super Bowl Sunday is the hardest holiday for a vegetarian. While the guys on the big screen are passing the pigskin, the folks at the party are passing the pork rinds. And the buffalo chicken wings. And the barbecued meatballs with those festive fringed toothpicks. I feel like the odd girl out when someone offers…
Try this Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc
After recently watching the movie My Week with Marilyn, it occurred to me that I had spent 24 hours this fall with a different superstar: winemaker Merry Edwards. Edwards’ first trip to St. Louis included two major wine dinners and a lunch tasting. While she is renowned for her pinot noirs from the Russian River…
Make this cocktail from one of history’s first female bartenders
February puts us in the mood for a little Hanky Panky … the cocktail, of course! Ada “Coley” Coleman, one of history’s first well-known female bartenders, created this tasty sipper in the early 20th century. In 1903, Coley landed a job in London’s prestigious Savoy Hotel, which, undoubtedly, forged a path for female bartenders to…
3 malty beers perfect for sipping on the couch
Malty beers are perfect for sipping on the couch, pairing with food and using in cooking due to their richness, softness and gentle nature. When properly fermented, malt offers a rounded palate of caramel, bread crust and toffee, not a sugary sweetness people might expect. As a general rule, if you like a maltier beer,…
8 things we’re obsessed with right now
From a super-affordable wine to a tricked-out snack, here are the products at the top of our shopping list right now.
Review: Gamlin Whiskey House in St. Louis
Rich, bold and uncomplicated by sweet mixers, the Gamlin Manhattan at Gamlin Whiskey House is the way all whiskey cocktails should taste. This classic drink pairs Knob Creek Single Barrel bourbon with a gentle splash of Carpano Antica Formula vermouth poured over a pair of thick, seemingly hand-chipped ice cubes. It might not be perfection…
Review: Juniper in St. Louis
I recently thought about two unrelated restaurant events from 2008: the unfortunate closing of Juniper Grill in Soulard and the exciting launch of John Perkins’ dining club dubbed Entre: Underground. Back then, Perkins kept his identity a mystery, assuming the name The Clandestine Chef. A year later, he revealed only his first name. When Chef…
Review: Southwest Diner in St. Louis
They serve Southwestern cuisine at Southwest Diner on Southwest Avenue. The wordplay, like the diner itself, is cute. When you walk into Southwest Diner, you know you’re going to have fun because that’s what everyone is having. The interior of this breakfast and lunch spot is a riot of bright colors, and the house stereo…
Creole Seasoning
INGREDIENTS ½ cup paprika6 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to season chicken2 Tbsp. garlic powder2 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper2 Tbsp. onion powder1 Tbsp. dried thyme1 Tbsp. dried oregano1 Tbsp. dried basil2 tsp. cayenne½ Tbsp. sugar½ tsp. chili flakes PREPARATION • Mix paprika, salt, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne, sugar and…
Wild Rice Salad
8 servings
Andouille Sausage
20 6-inch sausages
Cheese Tortellini with Browned Butter
4 servings
Chickpea Skillet Pizza
2 to 4 servings
Creole Roast Chicken
1 chicken
Savory Oatmeal
4 servings
Chicken & Homemade Andouille Gumbo
10 to 15 servings
Eat This: Farmhaus’ Mushroom Salad
The Ozark Forest Mushroom Salad at Farmhaus is a locavore’s dream. A bed of lightly dressed Crop Circle Farm winter greens, a generous helping of toasted Missouri pecans and dollops of goat cheese from Baetje Farms are the foundation for a gigantic pile of crispy shiitake and oyster mushrooms. The ‘shrooms are meaty with the…
How St. Louis Chocolatiers are Raising the bar
It was a Saturday at Kakao Chocolate during the height of the Christmas shopping season. The little bell on the door of the Maplewood shop tinkled incessantly, a sign that yet another person was on the hunt for sweets. Shoppers browsed the retail area, picking up little bags of chocolate bark and ornament-shaped chocolates. They…
Vegans tackle the Super Bowl
Super Bowl Sunday is the hardest holiday for a vegetarian. While the guys on the big screen are passing the pigskin, the folks at the party are passing the pork rinds. And the buffalo chicken wings. And the barbequed meatballs with those festive fringed toothpicks. I feel like the odd girl out when someone offers…
