Baked: Nutty Bars
This is probably one of the healthiest recipes you’ll ever see me write. I’m not a fan of granola, but I suppose this comes quite close to it! Whisk Bakeshop serves a popular gluten-free thumbprint cookie similar to this recipe. The cookie seemed so similar to granola that I never bothered to taste it,…
2013 Readers’ Choice: The Ultimate Cup of Coffee
The 2013 Readers’ Choice results are in. You voted for your top places to eat, drink, shop and enjoy all things food in St. Louis. Winners ran the gamut from classics like Sidney Street Cafe and Pappy’s Smokehouse to new-and-notables like Pastaria and Sauce on the Side. And when you need the best cup of…
By the Book: Michael Symon’s Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peaches, Mint and Almonds
I am a devout carnivore. Some of my fondest memories involve the sweet sizzle as a thick hunk of meat hits a hot grill. I will put up a fight for the crispy skin or burnt ends — or worse, steal them before anyone notices. My stomach growls at the smell of charcoal, even…
The Scoop: Planter’s House names Bradley Hoffmann exec chef
{Bradley Hoffmann} Bar and restaurant Planter’s House has been the talk of the town since it was announced in December last year. While there is still much the ownership group of veteran bartenders – husband and wife Ted and Jamie Kilgore, and their business partner, Ted Charak – have to do to ready the…
Meatless Monday: Maque Choux with Corn-Miso Soup
With all the delicious tomatoes and corn available now, we wanted a twist on the traditional southern dish, maque choux, so we deconstructed it to use it with a corn-miso soup that is always delicious this time of year. We decided to pickle the tomatoes to lend a little more acidity to the dish, and…
Readers’ Choice: Best Bar for a Nightcap
The 2013 Readers’ Choice results are in. You voted for your top places to eat, drink, shop and enjoy all things food in St. Louis. Winners ran the gamut from classics like Sidney Street Cafe and Pappy’s Smokehouse to up-and-comers like Sump Coffee and Sauce on the Side. And after all that eating and imbibing,…
Drink This Weekend Edition: St. Louis Craft Beer Week
This Saturday marks the start of St. Louis Craft Beer Week, an annual sud-stravaganza hosted by area breweries, distributors, restaurants, bars and retail outlets to celebrate the best of the local beer scene. From beer dinners, beer and cheese tastings, a Firkin Fest and Tap Takeovers, there are events for everyone, every night of…
The Scoop: Red Fox Baking gets its own den in South City
After months of leasing space at Black Bear Bakery, the owners of Red Fox Baking finally have a home to call their own. The faces behind Red Fox Baking – Jake Marks, Chris Scheets and Jenny Wilson – have relocated their operation to 3101 Arsenal Ave., putting a brick oven (pictured) fashioned by their…
Hyatt hosts kids’ healthy cooking contest
At a time when one in three children are considered overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch is promoting healthy eating for youth and families. The hotel chain announced the For Kids, By Kids Family Cook-off, a competition in which families…
This week, Meera Nagarajan is obsessed with…
{Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a documentary about an 85-year-old sushi-ninja-warrior king … well, kind of. He makes sushi, but to leave it at that would be an understatement. He lives and dreams sushi. The film shows every step in Jiro’s masterful process, from selecting fish from the famed Tsukiji fish market to training young…
Readers’ Choice 2013: Most Underrated Restaurant
The 2013 Readers’ Choice results are in. You voted for your top places to eat, drink, shop and enjoy all things food in St. Louis. Winners ran the gamut from classics like Sidney Street Cafe and Pappy’s Smokehouse to up-and-comers like Sump Coffee and Sauce on the Side. Below, your pick for Most Underrated Restaurant,…
Just Five: Grilled Mussels with Curry Butter
It’s that time of year again. The mosquitoes are bitin’, the air is almost too thick to breathe, and your day is probably filled with driving camp carpools or working in a somewhat climate-controlled office. If you’re lucky, you’re baking at the pool, but even sitting poolside can sap your energy in this weather.…
By The Book: Yvette Van Boven’s Crab Legs with Garlic Butter
All summer long, I’ve dreamed of flying to Maine for the weekend: walking along the beaches and eating just-caught seafood three times a day without ever putting on shoes. Since I’m running short on time – can you believe the summer is more than half over? – I figured I’d make the coast come…
Sneak Peek: Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine
After a half-year wait, Veritas opens this week in its new location at 15860 Fountain Plaza Drive on the northeast corner of Clarkson and Clayton roads. The new-and-improved, family-owned, Ellisville restaurant and wine bar features an open kitchen (just like the old place at the Dierbergs Market Place in Chesterfield) as part of the…
The Scoop: Ted Wilson to bring artisan bakery to Botanical Heights
{Ted Wilson} It’s been more than a year since The Scoop announced that Ted Wilson, former baker at The Good Pie, was planning to open his own artisan bakery-cum-restaurant. At the time, Wilson had not settled on a space, but today, he moves one step closer to getting his venture, Loafers, off the ground. Wilson…
Meatless Mondays: The Olympian at Green Bean
Green Bean, located at 232 N. Euclid Ave., in the Central West End, has offered healthy eating options for on-the-go diners since doors opened nearly two years ago. Salads and wraps with grilled meats are always an option at the fast-casual eatery, but a recent addition – The Olympian – is a fine choice…
Eat This: Fat Daddy Pickle Coins from Circle 7 Ranch
Sure, you could start your game-watching session at Circle 7 Ranch with fries or pretzel sticks this summer, but opt for the Fat Daddy Pickle Coins instead. Dunk each deep-fried, Panko-crusted sliver into the house-made Ranch, then savor how the cool, creamy sauce counters the briny dill pickles with their salty-spicy kick. This is bar…
Drink This Weekend Edition: The best sweet-potato vodka (that we know of) arrives in St. Louis
Covington vodka touts itself as “The Best Yam Vodka on Earth,” yet the vodka is made from sweet potatoes – which aren’t quite the same thing as yams. However, since I’ve never tasted a yam or a sweet-potato vodka before, until proven otherwise, I’m going to agree with the claim. Covington’s new-to-the-market vodka is pretty…
The Scoop: Adam’s Smokehouse joins Pappy’s, Bogart’s ‘cue family
The barbecue family at Pappy’s and Bogart’s is growing. Mothership, the ownership group behind these two local barbecue joints, is bringing another into the fold. Adam’s Smokehouse, the first licensee for Mothership, will be located at 2819 Watson Road. Mike Emerson, one of the Mothership partners and the face behind Pappy’s, explained that Adam’s…
This week, Julie Cohen is obsessed with…
{After three years of anonymity (and even a James Beard journalism prize for humor), this past week Josh Friedland aka @RuthBourdain revealed his identity to The New York Times. If you haven’t read Friedland’s hilarious Twitter feed, an irreverent mash-up of over-the-top, haiku-wielding former Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl through the filter of foul-mouthed Tony…
The Scoop: WUSTL Loop Development gets a 24-hour diner and a grocery store
Joe Edwards, owner of numerous venues in The Loop, is adding another attraction to Delmar Boulevard. So too is Suchin Prapaisilp, owner of Global Foods Market, King and I and co-founder of Jay International Food Co. In a press release from Washington University in St. Louis, the university announced today that Edwards will…
Baked: Summer Trifle
I made this using extra scraps of sponge cake from my Chili Chocolate Marquise. It was a happy surprise. The sour cream is tangy and sweetened, and it pairs well with soft, juicy raspberries. The chocolate sponge turns soft from the weight of the cream and adds another dimension of texture. You also can…
Sauce Celebrity Chef Series Presents an Evening with Edward Lee
Join Sauce Magazine, in partnership with Left Bank Books, for the next Sauce Celebrity Chef Series event with Edward Lee. Lee, chef-owner of 610 Magnolia and MilkWood in Louisville, Ky., came to national attention as a three-time James Beard Award Finalist for Best Chef: Southeast and as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef: Texas.…
By the Book: Tyler Florence’s Dungeness Crab with Greek Yogurt, Cucumber, Tomato and Mint
Everything about Tyler Florence’s new book, Fresh, completely lives up to its name. The photographs, the type, the layout and the recipes are so clean. Recipes like Seared Halibut with Crushed Watermelon Gazpacho and Lime, or Octopus with Aioli, Lemon Crushed Potatoes and Fried Capers show Florence’s ability to balance sweet with sour, savory…
The Scoop: Bombay Food Junkies in running for nation’s best vegetarian food truck
Bombay Food Junkies has only been on the streets for a few months, yet this local food truck is already receiving national attention. The Indian mobile eatery is in the running with 10 other food trucks around the country, all vying for the title of 2013 Vegetarian/Vegan Food Truck of the Year in a poll…
How to make the ultimate bellini
The Bellini is the quintessential summertime sipper, classic in its flavoring – white peach purée and prosecco – and simple in its assembly – the purée goes in the glass first, chilled sparkling comes next. But to elevate this minimalist drink to greatness, all the components have to be great. Here, we share the best…
Make this shaved zucchini salad
This shaved zucchini salad is a triple threat: beautiful, healthy and easy enough to dig into in mere minutes. Wash and trim the ends of 4 zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into flat, 1?8-inch-thick ribbons. Add the ribbons to a bowl along with the kernels from 1 ear of fresh, raw corn,…
Wilted Greens with Mushrooms in Black Bean Sauce
Chinese dried black beans, also known as fermented black beans, are salted or preserved black beans. They are used in Chinese cooking to season meat, poultry and seafood. You can find them at any Asian markets in the St. Louis area. Since the beans are preserved, they will keep indefinitely, and once you learn…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Southtown Pub’s summertime slushie
When I heard that Southtown Pub had a boozy slushie on its new upstairs bar menu, I immediately felt nostalgic. As a kid, slurping Slush Puppies by the pool was my definitive summer jam. For some unwise reason, the pool concession stand was set up so that kids were able to add their own…
The Scoop: Cathy’s Kitchen Now Open in Downtown Ferguson
A two-month road trip across the U.S. inspired Cathy Jenkins to open a restaurant. Three years later, her inkling has become a reality; Cathy’s Kitchen, located in downtown Ferguson at 250 S. Florissant Road, opened earlier this month. The diner’s core menu is built around dishes the Jenkins family ate during their coast-to-coast trek.…
This week, Ligaya Figueras is obsessed with…
{Skirt Steak is a book about female chefs, but rather than ask why so many “gals of the galley” leave the culinary profession (Duh, motherhood is a deal-breaker.), author Charlotte Druckman takes a fresh approach to gender studies and investigates how some women have charted successful careers as chefs. Interviews with Gabrielle Hamilton, Stephanie Izard,…
Readers’ Choice 2013: At The Bar
The 2013 Readers’ Choice results are in. You voted for your top places to eat, drink, shop and enjoy all things food in St. Louis. Winners ran the gamut from classics like Sidney Street Cafe and Pappy’s Smokehouse to up-and-comers like Sump Coffee and Sauce on the Side. Below, your favorite picks at the bar.…
The Scoop: Location No. 3 for iTap, No. 5 for Syberg’s
Expansion is in the air. Beer haven International Tap House has opened its third location at 16 S. Euclid Ave., as reported by the Post-Dispatch’s Joe Bonwich. ITap owners Sean Conroy and Brad Lobdell announced last October that they had settled on this space in the Central West End, having first considered the spot at 313…
Just Five: Soda-Pop Pork with Roasted Strawberries
This recipe was inspired by an early summer meal at The Restaurant at The Cheshire: a thick-cut, bone-in, smoked pork chop with a delicious black pepper and strawberry sauce. It was pretty transcendent, but it also was simple enough to set off my “Five Ingredients” alarm. Smoking the meat is the challenge. If you…
By the Book: Andrew Feinberg’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Pecorino
If I ever write a cookbook (haha) and Alice Waters writes the foreword, I will immediately retire from the business because it just doesn’t get better than that. Such is the case in Andrew Feinberg, Francine Stephens and Melissa Clark’s much-anticipated cookbook Franny’s: Simple Seasonal Italian, which is based on recipes from Feinberg and Stephens’…
How to cook the perfect grits
Grits are essentially corn kernels that have been ground until they offer a gritty texture. Simple? Sure, but don’t let that fool you. Cooking grits skillfully is an art form – one that, when mastered, makes you wonder why you ever bothered with any other grain. Born in Louisiana and trained at the venerable NOLA…
A chat with Corey Smale and Tyler Fenwick of Strange Donuts
Corey Smale and Tyler Fenwick aren’t your typical doughnut shop owners. The entrepreneurs have a background in advertising and marketing, not in making long johns and fried rounds of jelly-filled goodness. Since the spring, they’ve held tastings (and pog tournaments) to build a buzz about their concept, Strange Donuts, opening in the coming weeks in…
Craft beer bar in Ellisville nears opening
Freshly brewed beer will soon flow from the taps at Crafty Chameleon, a new bar opening at 1384 Clarkson Clayton Center in Ellisville. That’s good news for craft beer aficionados, who will have their pick of microbrews among the 40 draft selections – half of which will be dedicated to Missouri breweries – as well…
Meatless Monday: Sweet Potato Enchilada at Atomic Cowboy
The sweet potato enchilada at Atomic Cowboy is rich and satisfying. Hunks of sweet potato are rolled up in a tortilla and topped with a creamy, savory poblano sauce. A final crown of melted cheese finishes things off. For $3.75, this a la carte item is a steal. Go ahead, spring for two. …
The Scoop: The Kitchen Sink relocating to Rhine Haus space on Union
{Crab Cake Benie at The Kitchen Sink} The Kitchen Sink opened in September 2012 at 280 DeBaliviere Ave., in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood. The diner, which specializes in Cajun and Creole cuisine, has been well received during its first year, and owner Anthony Ellerson Jr., is preparing to go bigger by relocating The Kitchen Sink…
The Scoop: Moroccan restaurant Baida to open on South Grand
South Grand boasts the widest selection of ethnic restaurants in town. Enter one more, Baida, which will focus on Moroccan fare. Owner Abder Meskine plans to open Baida at the end of August at 3191 S. Grand Blvd., in the space most recently occupied by short-lived Orkeed. Baida will offer both classic and contemporary…
The Scoop: Salt announces closure
Salt has closed. After a little more than two years in business, Salt, located at 4356 Lindell Blvd., in the Central West End, has shut its doors for good. Salt’s ownership group, American Larder, announced on Friday that it was closing the restaurant; the final day of business was Saturday, June 29. In a press release, the company…
This week, Catherine Klene is obsessed with…
{Russell’s on Macklind recently thwarted my attempt at healthy when I saw this: lemon and blackberry strata. Normally part of the Sunday brunch, we ordered it as a small treat with our veggie-filled wraps. What arrived was a hunk of quivering egg pastry served with house-made lemon curd and maple syrup. The lemon zinged against…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Drinking On Military Thyme
In late May, Salute American Vodka held a cocktail competition challenging area bartenders to make a drink that reflected the Salute American patriotic theme. The original creation also had to use the brand’s vodka along with no more than four other ingredients. Walking away the victor – and with a nice $1,000 cash prize – was Andy Brown (pictured) of Lucas…
Baked: Chili Chocolate Marquise
I know some of you are deep in summer, getting your fill of popsicles, ice cream and lots of lemony things. Well, this marquise is the opposite. It’s a deep, rich, sinfully luscious chocolate dessert. The outside is a simple chocolate sponge cake that encases a smooth chocolate mousse. This is a great dessert…
The Scoop: Tripel opens in Lafayette Square
Belgian restaurant and bar Tripel Brasserie opened its doors at 1801 Park Ave., at the end of June in Lafayette Square, as reported by Ian Froeb of the Post-Dispatch. With decades of combined industry experience, Tripel is the first ownership venture for partners Terry Oliver, Jim Darst and chef Max Crask. Their original concept evolved…
Vegan Carnitas
6 servings
Strawberry-Chile Salsa
2 cups
Perfect Grits
4 to 6 servings
Chow-Chow
2 quarts
By the Book: Russell Norman’s Grissini, Pickled Radicchio & Salami
I tend to think of Italian cooking – no matter the region – as minimalist cooking because that nation doesn’t complicate its food. When you have fresh produce and protein, why weigh them down with umpteen ingredients? Russell Norman extols this philosophy in Venetian cookery – whether it be the preparation of antipasti, vegetables, meat…
Pastaria is your Readers’ Choice 2013 Favorite New Restaurant
The 2013 Readers’ Choice results are in. You voted for your top places to eat, drink, shop and enjoy all things food in St. Louis. Winners ran the gamut from classics like Sidney Street Cafe and Pappy’s Smokehouse to up-and-comers like Sump Coffee and Sauce on the Side. Below, your pick for Favorite New Restaurant,…
Review: Pan D’Olive in Dogtown
While Pan D’Olive, the pan-Mediterranean restaurant housed in the former Mihalis Chophouse on McCausland Avenue, is not new (It opened in November 2012.), it is notable for a few reasons. First, there’s the affordability: Most entrees are in the mid-teens and no meze is over 10 bucks. And happy hour revelers can truly revel over…
Recipe: Eleven Eleven Mississippi’s shrimp & corn bisque
Eaten a dish at an area restaurant that you’d do just about anything to make at home? Email us at pr@saucemagazine.com to tell us about it. Then let us do our best to deliver the recipe By Popular Demand. Shrimp & Corn BisqueCourtesy of Eleven Eleven Mississippi’s Wade Waller4 to 6 Servings 1 Tbsp. olive oil2 red…
Review: Robust in Downtown St. Louis
Editor’s note: The downtown location of Robust is now closed. The Webster Groves location remains open. The buzz in the air on a Friday night at Robust is enough to deter any thoughts of Washington Avenue losing its after-hours steam. Stationed on the corner of Seventh Street and Washington, Robust is a few blocks away…
Sweet and Spicy Pickled Okra
2 Pints
Okra Rellenos
• Cut a slit in each okra pod and push the seeds to the side. Place 1 to 3 cheese pieces into each okra pod and set aside. • Combine the flour and corn muffin mix in a large bowl. • Whisk together the egg, beer, buttermilk and honey. Pour the wet ingredients into the…
Maque Choux
4 to 6
Shaved zucchini salad
3 to 4
Our 3 favorite house margaritas in St. Louis
Seeing as the margarita is a cocktail popular enough to boast a personal holiday (Yes, Feb. 22 is National Margarita Day.), we figured it was about time we call out some of our top picks for this classic, warm-weather treat. Our parameters were simple: It had to be a house margarita, and it had to…
Kale Spoonbread with Red Lentil Sauce
A perfect side for any summer barbecue, this southern-inspired spoonbread uses leftover grilled corn (canned corn could be substituted) and the leafy greens that come to market during these hot summer months. Don’t hesitate to cook down the extra greens from the bunch, too; they make an excellent accompaniment to the dish and are…
Make these vegan jackfruit carnitas
Like most things that are good for me – exercise, “moderate” drinking – my vegetarianism can be a struggle to maintain. Sure it’s easy to blame bacon (drool). But that bored, heavy sigh when it’s dinner-making time is the saboteur of selective eaters. Friends, I am just one seitan recipe away from strapping on a…
3 okra recipes to try this summer
Okra is a funny little vegetable. It’s chock-full of textures, from the slight peach fuzz on its rigid green skin to the crunch of the seeds to its oft-mentioned sliminess. There tend to be two camps in the world of okra, and, yes, those tend to be split along the Mason-Dixon line, as okra is…
