Very Berry Frangipane Tart
1 9-inch tart
Watch This: Panorama at Saint Louis Art Museum
The new East Wing at Saint Louis Art Museum opens this weekend, and its new restaurant, Panorama, opens its doors July 1. Publisher Allyson Mace talks with Chef Edward Farrow about his latest project. Click here for more.
The Scoop: Princivalli’s Cafe opens second Alton location
Princivalli’s Cafe opened its second location yesterday, June 27, in the Riverbender.com Community Center, a teen center in downtown Alton, Ill. “In the last few years we have just expanded so much with our clientele,” said co-owner David Princivalli. “For the downtown public, we decided it would be a good thing to do.” The new…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Drink The Dirty Persian at Cafe Natasha now, and for another 30 years
When Natasha Bahrami tapped my shoulder recently to tell me I just had to try The Dirty Persian at her Cafe Natasha’s, I arrived at the restaurant’s doorstep at 3200 S. Grand Blvd., in record time. The draw? First, hearing the martini contained a spicy, 8-year-old brine her father had made for pickling Persian…
This week, Meera Nagarajan is obsessed with…
{The Brussels sprouts salad at Nico is a wonderful mix of bold flavors: Shaved raw sprouts, pancetta lardons, Cabrales bleu cheese and a brassy vinaigrette made with Spanish Muscatel vinegar.} {The Best Scrambled Eggs recipe courtesy of Mark Bittman is anything but fast, but it is incredibly satisfying. It takes 40 minutes to make these…
Make this: vegetarian Monte Cristo sandwiches
My first encounter with a Monte Cristo sandwich wasn’t that long ago. I was visiting my best girls in Los Angeles, and we had decided to do something we’d never done: Disneyland. By midday, we’d spun in the teacups, screamed in the Tower of Terror and had our picture taken in front of Sleeping Beauty’s…
Just Five: Trout with Apple-Fennel Slaw
Recently at the farmers market, a woman was selling trout so fresh, it was swimming in the lake just 24 hours before. There are few things more gorgeous than trout, with its silvery rainbow skin. I didn’t want to hide the fresh flavor of the fish, but I wanted to give it some sweetness…
Little Country Gentleman switches things up
Little Country Gentleman chef-owner Mike Randolph is making numerous changes at his Clayton restaurant. The goal is to give diners a memorable experience at an affordable price, while pushing the culinary envelope in Midwestern cuisine. For starters, patrons at Little Country Gentleman will find a different dining configuration. Seating is now consolidated only to the…
The Scoop: Mississippi Mud to open coffee house downtown
Local, small-batch coffee roaster Mississippi Mud is teaming up with Art Saint Louis to open a hybrid cafe-art gallery downtown in the Park Pacific building at 1223 Pine Street. The coffee house will be called Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters and will offer coffee drinks, teas and smoothies, as well as pastries and other fare…
By the Book: Naomi Duguid’s Smoky Napa Stir-Fry
This time of year, spending hours over a hot stove is about as appealing as layering on a knit sweater. Luckily, with so much fresh produce at my fingertips at the farmers market each week, I enjoy tons of fresh salads, quick pickles and fresh fruit from breakfast to dinner. But sometimes, a raw…
The Scoop: Closings, moves, makeovers and more restaurant news
While The Scoop was away from the keyboard, many a development took place in the local dining scene — from closings to moves, for-sales to projects put on hold and restaurants doing some upgrades. Here’s a roundup on the latest action around town. Duff’s held it’s final day of service yesterday, June 23, after 41…
6 octopus dishes from St. Louis restaurants we’re obsessed with
Editor’s note: Central Table Food Hall, Modesto, The Libertine and Chop Shop have closed. Pulpo, poke, tako, octopus. Whatever you call it, this cool squid species is hot, hot, hot. This summer, it’s starring in dishes that span the globe, from a Spanish tapa to a Japanese salad to a spoonful of the Mediterranean Sea.…
Meatless Monday: Puri Bhaji at Gokul
Everything at Gokul Indian Restaurant is vegetarian, so there are 88 items to choose from if you’re going meatless on Mondays. Take your pick from a wide range of Indian dishes, including everything from street food, or chaat (We love their Panni Puri), to lesser known South Indian staples, like Idli Sambhar. We have…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Cool Down at a Wash Ave. Anchor
There are a few new places downtown around Washington Avenue where you can sidle up to the bar. Hiro Asian Kitchen and Alpha Brewing Co., are two recent additions welcomed by the over-21 crowd to this downtown strip. And while it’s fun to check out new arrivals, it’s always a pleasure to find a fine…
This week, Allyson Mace is obsessed with…
{The ginger sake martini at Mai Lee combines three of my favorite things: ginger, green tea vodka and sake. I usually don’t drink martinis with dinner, but this smooth cocktail pairs surprisingly well with the food at Mai Lee and, um, goes down nicely!} {Food truck food that’s super healthy for you, and it tastes…
The Scoop: Get a taste of R&D at Niche via test-kitchen menu Mondays
Niche has gained a reputation as a restaurant that pushes food boundaries. Evidence comes as recently as the June issue of Sauce featuring chef Adam Altnether’s barrel-aged milk transformed into ricotta for use in a light, springtime dish (pictured). Wish you could see the research and development for dishes like this up close and…
Only 10 Days until Saucy Soirée 2013
Be sure to get your tickets for the largest Sauce party of the year! Saucy Soirée 2013 showcases a 35 of the best St. Louis area restaurants, wineries and breweries. Tastes are plentiful, complimentary and top-notch. The party begins at 5 p.m. at the swanky Four Seasons Hotel Grand Ballroom, then moves upstairs to…
Baked: Very Berry Frangipane Tart
Berries are everywhere right now, and you should take advantage of that. This tart was made with the freshest berries around, brought to my doorstep from Green Bean Delivery. “Frangipane” is one of those words that I could never remember the proper definition of. I actually think it’s a rather unpleasant-sounding word for a…
By the Book: Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton’s Fried Fish and Tarter Sauce
Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, authors of Canal House Cooks Every Day, met while working at Saveur. Hirsheimer is the magazine’s founding editor; Hamilton was the director of the Saveur test kitchen. They left magazine life to open The Canal House, a place where they develop recipes and photograph food. As the title of the…
Meatless Monday: Carrot-top Pesto with Pasta
Last summer, Dan came across a lovely bunch of leafy, Parisian carrots from Claverach Farm and could not bear to let the greens go to waste. Not wanting a salad, his mind wandered to a pasta sauce or a purée. A leafy purée that becomes a sauce is nothing but a pesto, and that’s…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Perennial Artisan Ales collaborates with Woodside Urban Honey on Belgian-style Tripel
Sauce beer columnist Cory King makes his living as the brewmaster at Perennial Artisan Ales. Sauce photographer Greg Rannells has turned his beekeeping hobby into a burgeoning business called Woodside Urban Honey. While we at Sauce are delighted with King’s and Rannells’ contributions to this publication, the St. Louis craft beer-sect can get excited…
This week, Ligaya Figueras is obsessed with
{Riesling has a reputation for being super sweet. Not so with dry riesling, as Sauce wine writer Glenn Bardgett reminded me not too long ago. So when I head to wine shops lately, I’m on the lookout. I found Selbach Dry Riesling for $10 at Parker’s Table, and it’s kept me a different kind…
What I Do: James Smallwood, owner, 33 Wine Bar
When Jeff Stettner announced he was selling 33 Wine Bar to James Smallwood in February, it marked the second time the Lafayette Square watering hole was handed down to one of its customers. Now that Smallwood has re-opened the doors to 33, he shares what it’s like to sit on the other side of one…
The Scoop: Cherokee Street sees opening of two restaurants this week
{Melt’s Wake and Bake bacon waffle with shredded cheddar, egg and syrup.} There’s action up and down Cherokee Street this week, with doors opening at two restaurants. Table, located at 1821 Cherokee St., is now up and running in the space formerly occupied by The Stable. The restaurant, announced last December, is a project by…
Sneak peek: Hiro Asian Kitchen
Editor’s Note: Hiro Asian Kitchen has closed Last year, Japanese izakaya restaurant Hiro closed its doors in The Loop. Its home at 609 Eastgate Ave., was demolished to make way for a mixed-use development by Washington University. Hiro owner Bernie Lee and his business partner Sui Toh didn’t call it quits; they decided to take…
Just Five: Frozen Lemon “Meringue” Parfaits
I was inspired recently by a Facebook posting by Olio, the garage-turned-hip diner on Tower Grove Avenue. The picture was “Key Lime Pie Jars.” They were adorable and sunny and I wanted to eat them and also line them up in a window. Food in jars seems to be trending, and I think it’s…
Make This: Barbecue cryo-pickled onions
Ideas in Food authors Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot have superb pickling and freezing ideas. Michael Natkin goes a step further in his cookbook, Herbivoracious, by combining the two methods into what he dubs “cryo-pickling”: freezing and thawing food in pickling liquid, a technique that results in a more concentrated flavor. Natkin gives his cryo-pickled…
By the Book: Andrew Weil, Sam Fox and Michael Stebner’s Strawberry-Chile Salsa
With strawberries finally in season and frequently on sale, I find myself buying in bulk every time I go to the store. Yet, as much as I love these juicy red berries, more often than not, I can’t get through them before I lose at least a handful to mold and bruising. The recipe…
The Scoop: Mojo Tapas shutters
Mojo Tapas has shuttered. An announcement regarding the closure of the restaurant and bar, located at 3117 S. Grand Blvd., was posted yesterday on the Mojo Tapas Facebook page as reported by the Post-Dispatch’s Ian Froeb. The Scoop has been unable to reach chef-owner Eric Erhard for comment regarding the sudden closure of the…
The Scoop: La Tejana Taqueria revs it up with a food truck
La Tejana Taqueria owner Tyler Garcia is not going to waiting for you to visit his brick-and-mortar Mexican restaurant at 3149 N. Lindbergh Blvd., in North County. He’s bringing the taquería to you. Garcia recently bought the now-defunct Papa Tom’s food truck. He gave it a Tejana makeover and sent the Mexican food-mobile onto…
The Scoop: Colleen’s Cookies expands with Caife Caife
Colleen’s Cookies is expanding. It will no longer be just a bakeshop, as owner Colleen Thompson will be entering the cafe scene with the opening of Caife Caife at her shop at 7337 Forsyth Blvd., in University City. In a letter sent yesterday to supporters, Thompson noted that the cafe will “have lots of…
Strawberry Cupcakes
24 regular-sized cupcakes
Taste’s Strawberry Beret
1 serving
The Scoop: Duff’s in the CWE to become Italian gastropub by “crazy kitchen” guys Baldanza and Haifley
{Expect to find twists on classic pasta dishes at Cucina Pazzo.} Karen Duffy took a chance when she opened Duff’s in the Central West End back in 1972. The risk paid off and the restaurant, located at 392 N. Euclid Ave., has been a vital part of the neighborhood for more than 40 years.…
Meatless Monday: Cold Noodle Salad with Spicy Sesame Sauce
Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of being a vendor at Art Fest in Richmond Heights. Some of you might have put two and two together, but for those who haven’t, let me quickly complete the equation. Besides stuffing my face all over St. Louis and writing about it for Sauce, I also…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Backing bartender Joel Burton and his Strawberry Beret
Joel Burton, bartender at Taste, will compete next week in the finals of the Four Roses Bourbon Cocktail Competition. In early May, Burton earned one of 10 spots in the finals of this bartending shakedown, created in conjunction with the Starz Network for its TV show “Magic City,” when he competed in a regional…
Eat this: Key lime pie from Windowsills Cafe & Marketplace
Editor’s note: Windowsills Cafe & Marketplace has closed. We rarely abandon our dedication to chocolate desserts, but for the Key lime pie at Windowsills Cafe & Marketplace, we make an exception. A graham cracker crust serves as the base for the filling of cold custard spiked with tart Key lime juice and a topping of whipped…
This week, Michelle Volansky is obsessed with
{Now that summer finally seems to be making its grand entrance, my cravings for the Hot and Sour Soup at Yen Ching really should be vacationing until the fall, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’ve sampled many a bowl of this classic Chinese treat. While others are watery and bland, Yen Ching’s is spicy…
Farmhaus to go whole hog on collaboration dinner with Chicago rising chef Nate Sears
Nothing gets wasted at Farmhaus. The culinary brigade at the farm-to-table restaurant in Lindenwood Park has been breaking down whole animals and using all possible parts in every possible manner since doors opened in 2010. Last August, chef-owner Kevin Willmann, chef de cuisine Andrew Jennrich and the rest of the cooking crew demonstrated their talent with nose-to-tail fare at…
Sneak Peek: Tree House
We’ve been waiting patiently for vegetarian restaurant Tree House to open its doors at 3177 S. Grand Blvd. The wait is over; Tree House will open its doors to the public tomorrow at 11 a.m. Tree House owner Bay Tran, executive chef John Intrieri, pastry chef Veronica Lopez and the rest of the Tree…
Baked: Strawberry cupcakes
Strawberries are in season. Everyone is eating them fresh or putting them in salads. I’m putting them in desserts, as usual. These are so easy to whip up and perfectly capture the essence of strawberries — moist, light and sweet. The frosting is not too sweet but very fluffy, and both frosting and cake…
The Scoop: The Docket to open downtown at Saint Louis University School of Law
Saint Louis University School of Law has announced that it will be opening a restaurant called The Docket on the ground floor of its new downtown location at 100 N. Tucker Blvd. The Docket will be a cafe and bistro operated by Bon Appétit Management Company, the same food service group responsible for dining…
By the Book: Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel’s Bouchons
My most memorable food moments while travelling have centered around baked goods. That’s probably because my pocketbook is thin and bread is cheap. Now nearly 20 years removed from college, I can still navigate my way to the panadería in Madrid where, for a good year at least, I popped in regularly for a…
John Perkins’ The Agrarian to pop up in the Central West End next week
Entre chef-owner John Perkins is preparing to launch his latest pop-up restaurant. The Agrarian, which debuts Tues., June 11 at 360 N. Boyle Ave., in the Central West End, will showcase the unsung heroes of the Midwest: summer vegetables. The primarily vegetarian menu is categorized by crop, with headings such as “root,” “leafy,” “field”…
Summer Seitan Tacos
4 to 6 tacos
Meatless Monday: Summer Seitan Tacos
I remember one of the first times I went with my now-husband (then-boyfriend) to visit his family in Texas. I had just flipped the vegetarian switch, and now, here I was, going into the lion’s den of meaty cuisine, where nothing is quite right until you slap some beef or bacon on it. We…
Hit List: Two new restaurants to try this month
THE LIBERTINE: 7927 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.2999, libertinestl.com Check your preconceptions at the door of The Libertine, the long-awaited new restaurant from Nick and Audra Luedde and local super-star chef Josh Galliano. Here, “buffalo style” crispy pig tails (pictured below) stand in for chicken wings and are far more addictive than their poultry counterparts. The…
Review: Sugarfire Smoke House
For years when people asked me who had the best ribs, the most piquant sauce or the tender-est brisket in town, their questions were met with a raised eyebrow and a smug “I grew up in Kansas City.” And for years, that was all that needed to be said on the matter. St. Louis barbecue…
Recipe: Taste’s Mussels
Editor’s note: Taste has closed. “My friends and I absolutely loved the mussels that used to be on the menu at Taste*. The spicy broth was to die for, and we would always ask for extra bread to sop it up. We were extremely sad to see it off the menu, and I have looked…
Review: Flying Saucer Draught Emporium in St. Louis
It’s easy enough to dismiss Flying Saucer Draught Emporium as a prefabricated beer hall/restaurant chain. It is a chain – and a kitschy one at that. The St. Louis location – the 16th by the Texas-based group making serious bank on the imported and craft suds market – has all the hallmarks of its sister…
Mussels
2
Square One Maple Stout Ice Cream
1 quart
Barrels find a life outside the bar
Editor’s note: Taste, Niche, Gringo, and Vino Nadoz have closed. Three years ago, Ted Kilgore let a cocktail age in a whiskey cask and served the city’s first barrel-aged cocktail at Taste six weeks later. Now that barrel-aged cocktails are on menus all over town, the aging craze has migrated out from behind the bar. Folks…
The secretive world of competitive barbecue
At 12:35 p.m., Matt Riordan lifts the lid off the grill to reveal what appear to be 18 chicken breasts. I move in for a closer look but, mainly, to feel the heat. For although it’s mid-April and the sun is directly overhead, the crisp air reminds me that winter has not yet loosened her…
3 recipes using St. Louis beer
Though we’re generally card-carrying members of the empty-plate-and-glass club, let’s just pretend for a second. Say you had a barbecue and a friend brought over a growler of a great locally brewed craft beer. And let’s say, for argument’s sake, that you didn’t finish it (rain; has to be rain). What’s left over may be…
Make this grilled daiquiri
Editor’s note: Salt has closed. Grilling season has arrived. And at Salt – a restaurant where the kitchen crew works hand in hand with the folks behind the bar – that means grilled fare is just as likely to end up in your glass this summer as it is on your plate. When fresh fruit…
