Black Walnut Caramel Ice Cream
approximately 1½ quarts
Black Walnut Butter
3 8-ounce jars
Black Walnut Pesto
1 cup
Sneak Peek: Elaia and Olio
Elaia and Olio are opening in early November. The restaurant and wine bar, located at 1634 Tower Grove Ave., at the intersection of McRee Ave., have been highly anticipated for a number of reasons. Both are projects by well-respected chef-proprietor Ben Poremba, co-owner of Salume Beddu. Poremba has nabbed talented advanced sommelier Andrey Ivanov from…
Just Five: Chicken with Smoked Paprika and Green Beans
My 14-year-old: “Mom, this is good. No, really. It’s good.” Me: “Really? Not too spicy, not too weird?” My 14-year-old: “Mom. For real. GOOD. Can I have some more?” Me: //pumps fist in air// And so went the conversation at my house after I made this dish. I was having a classic “working mom Monday”…
The Scoop: Butler’s Pantry president planning pastry shop in The Loop
Richard L. Nix Jr., president of the St. Louis-based catering company Butler’s Pantry Catering & Events, and his wife, Elizabeth, are opening an Italian pastry shop in The Loop. The shop, Piccione Pastry, will be located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Delmar and Skinker Boulevards. Piccione (pronounced “pi-ch?-nee”) will offer single-serve Italian…
By the Book: The Art of Preserving’s Blueberry-Citrus Preserves
I liked how in The Art of Preserving by Rick Field, Lisa Atwood and Rebecca Courchesne, there were the usual suspects of ingredients like strawberries for strawberry jam as well as some unexpected ingredients like kiwi, pomegranates and kumquats. The book offers ways in which to use the preserve: in crepes, as glazes or in…
Meatless Monday: Enjoying the harvest at Schlafly Bottleworks
While the drought certainly put a damper on summer favorites like tomatoes (and my front lawn), with sunny days and an adequate amount of rain during September and October, the fall harvest is in full bloom. If you’re craving some locally grown veggies but you don’t have a garden, don’t worry. Schlafly Bottleworks has its…
Sneak Peek: The Restaurant at The Cheshire Inn
For the last couple years, renovations have been underway at The Cheshire property. The historical hotel at 6300 Clayton Road, including Fox & Hounds Tavern, reopened late last summer. Now, renovations to the 27,000-square-foot structure located just east of the hotel are almost complete. The Restaurant, an upscale yet casual, 200-seat restaurant and bar offering…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Trick or treat? Can you get tell me how to get a drink on Sesame Street?
Politics makes for Halloween fodder. Last year, my own son dressed as a down-and-out Wall Street occupier. This year, we’ve heard about the run on Big Bird costumes, what with the poor creature from peace-loving Sesame Street having been surreptitiously caught in the middle of a battle between President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney. The…
Thursday Giveaway: The clock is ticking!
Love free stuff? Already stressing about holiday shopping? We have good news! Running through December, we will be doing giveaways every Thursday. Today we are giving away a Ronco 5-tray Food Dehydrator. All you have to do is tell us about the first ingredient you would dehydrate and how you would use it in a dish. Write your…
Tikka Tikka Taco: Only 10 days left to donate!
Either through an email from a friend hoping to buy an underwater robot or a Facebook post by that ex-coworker wanting to film a documentary about pirates, you’ve probably heard of Kickstarter by now. Since 2009, according to Kickstarter’s website, “over $350 million has been pledged by more than 2.5 million people, funding more than 30,000…
Baked: Judy’s Loaded Pumpkin Loaf
As I meander along my path of baking discovery, exploring new ingredients and dishes in my kitchen, I’m also remembering the lessons I’ve learned from my mom that I somehow never recognized before. The other day she sent me a recipe for pumpkin bread that Judy, a now deceased friend and coworker of hers, had…
Bike-based restaurant delivery service now serving downtown
Griffin Delivery, a bike-based restaurant delivery service, recently added the downtown community to its service area. Griffin has been serving South City since its inception in August of 2010. Currently, Griffin offers lunch delivery from two downtown establishments: Pickles Deli and Tortilla Grille. According to owner Andy Heaslet, partnerships with more restaurants are expected in…
By the Book: Alison Walker’s Fruit and Mixed Seeds Bars
There’s a side of me that would love to take a month off work and learn to bake bread and make cheese and brine my own pickles. So as soon as we ripped open the envelope to find Alison Walker’s A Country Cook’s Kitchen, I grabbed it. The beautiful book had all of the projects…
The Scoop: ‘Cue gone cold at Sir’s?
Signs point toward the recent closure of barbecue restaurant Sir’s, located at 6714 Olive Blvd., in University City. Last Friday, The Scoop noticed that lights were out in the restaurant and doors were locked during the hours of operation posted on the front door. In addition, a sign on a post, which had previously been…
Meatless Monday: Everest Café’s Thanksgiving feast minus the turkey (and the guilt)
Everest Café’s weekday downtown lunch buffet is a vegetarian’s version of a Thanksgiving feast – but even better because you won’t have to wait for the fourth Thursday in November. It also won’t leave you in a tryptophan coma. Everest’s buffet is a guilt-free Nepalese, Indian and Korean feast made with fresh ingredients and the…
The Scoop: New cupcake and coffee bar in O’Fallon, Ill., showcases sweet results from local, organic ingredients
“I’ve always dreamed of having a bakery,” said Kate Hendrix. “I always baked, ever since I was a teenager.” Add to that a harmonious relationship in the kitchen with her daughter, Beth (who just happens to love coffee), and the idea for Sweet Katie Bee’s Cupcake and Coffee Bar was born. Sweet Katie Bee’s, which opened…
The Scoop: Llywelyn’s soon to sing Celtic tune in Wildwood
Llywelyn’s Pub is opening in Wildwood. The newest location will sit in the Wildwood Town Center in the Dierberg’s shopping plaza on Manchester/Highway 100, just east of Highway 109. A Wildwood location brings the tally of the locally owned pub to six. (The others are located in the Central West End, Soulard, St. Charles, Webster…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Raise the Bar competition should be cocktailian destination this Sunday
When we cocktailians hear that St. Louis’ top bartenders are assembling in one place, there’s no question as to where we’re headed. This Sunday, check out the Raise the Bar cocktail competition, a cocktailian’s dream, happening in the Roberts Galerie downtown. Need convincing? Here are five reasons to get to 1224 Washington Ave., on Sunday from 5 to…
Sneak Peek: Local Harvest Grocery opens in Kirkwood
Two years ago, when Maddie Earnest and Patrick Horine announced that they would be relocating Local Harvest Grocery to a larger space on Morgan Ford Road, Earnest proudly commented, “We will even have little shopping carts with wheels. We’re big time now!” If grocery carts symbolized to Earnest that she and Horine (pictured below) had finally arrived,…
Thursday Giveaway: The clock is ticking!
Love free stuff? Already stressing about holiday shopping? We have good news! Running through December, we will be doing giveaways every Thursday. Today we are giving away two tickets to Circus Flora for this Sunday’s show at 4 p.m. All you you have to do is tell us which stupid-human-trick you would perform if you were in the circus.…
The Scoop: Italian space switch in Kirkwood: Branica out, Sapore in
Supporters of Sapore Italian Cafe received news via email today that the restaurant would be moving to Kirkwood. Sapore, currently located at 403 Lafayette Center in Ballwin, will makes its new home in the Woodbine Center at 451 S. Kirkwood Road, in the space currently occupied by another Italian restaurant, Branica of Kirkwood. The newsletter also…
By the Book: Suvir Saran’s Peanut Fried Chicken
I was first attracted to Masala Farm: Stories and Recipes from an Uncommon Life in the Country for the pictures (taken on a farm in upstate New York) and the structure (recipes and stories organized by season). I also found the premise romantic: Author Suvir Saran, New York City restaurateur and chef (and self-confessed city…
The Scoop: Pi pizza guys go Gringo with new taco concept
Chris Sommers and Frank Uible are no longer just in the pizza business. The owners of Pi Pizzeria are planning to open a taco-centric restaurant called Gringo, as first reported by Evan Benn of the Post-Dispatch. Gringo will be located at 398 N. Euclid Ave., in the space currently occupied by Rothschild’s Antiques and across…
Meatless Monday: Crusty bread steals the show
When in Rome, do as the Romans do and when at Companion, order freshly baked bread. You know, the bread that cracks when you bite in and leaves flakes all over the table? That’s exactly the type of bread that is served with my meatless Monday favorite, the toasted Green with Envy sandwich. With the…
Just Five: Delicata Squash with Pears and Pancetta
Although you’ve probably noticed delicata squash at the store or farmers market and assumed it was just a gourd for decoration, you would’ve been wrong to have passed it by. It’s the kinder, simpler version of butternut squash; there’s no need to peel these sweet and tender babies, and the skin is beautiful. I frequently…
The Scoop: Di Olivas dips deeper into olive oil market
Area cooks who swoon over specialty oils should prepare to swoon some more as Robert Palleja, owner of Di Olivas, plans to continue adding area locations to his olive oil emporium. In early October, Palleja opened a small store in St. Clair Square in Fairview Heights, Ill. The store, located on the upper level of…
Food Truck Friday: Tails are wagging
Does your dog give you those puppy dog eyes every time you sample another delicious treat at Food Truck Friday but refuse to share? Chef Michael’s doesn’t think that’s right. Today, representatives for Chef Michael’s, a Purina dog food brand, will be at Food Truck Friday in a dog-centric food truck. From 2 to 7 p.m.,…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Hop around the globe with Schlafly’s new special release IPA series
We love a good series. Nope, we’re not talking about the St. Louis Cardinals, although we love them too. We’re talking beer – or anything alcohol-related, for that matter. In this case, we’ll consider Schlafly to be 1-0 for the Year Round Special Release IPA Series that it launched this week to celebrate hops from…
Thursday Giveaway: The clock is ticking!
Love free stuff? Already stressing about holiday shopping? We have good news! Starting TODAY and running through December, we will be doing giveaways every Thursday. For our first giveaway, we are looking for today’s best-looking lunch. Upload a picture to our Facebook wall or Twitter feed of your lunch, and then we’ll pick the one…
The Scoop: Sous chefs battle at Kitchen Conservatory on Monday
Sous chefs (and chef de cuisines) from five of the area’s top restaurants will be battling it out for bragging rights and a cash prize this coming Monday, October 15. The Sous Chef Battle Royale contestants – Chris Bolyard (Sidney Street Cafe), Adam Gnau (Acero), Nate Hereford (Niche), Andrew Jennrich (Farmhaus) and Jesse Mendica (Annie…
By the Book: Gesine Bullock-Prado’s Not-So-Traditional Apple Pie
To be honest, I’ve never made a pie before; they seem like a lot of work because, well, they are. There are a million ways in which they can go terribly wrong. I’ve seen my fair share of homemade pies, and they’re fine, but it seems like something is always a little off: Either the…
Chat with Sauce reviewer Michael Renner on tonight’s Stewed podcast
Ever wish you could chat with Sauce’s New and Notable restaurant reviewer Michael Renner? Well, now you can. No, he won’t be showing his face, but tonight at 7:30 p.m., (after the Cards’ game) he will get Stewed. Stewed STL is a local podcast that puts St. Louis’ chefs, brewers, baristas, sommeliers, farmers, food writers…
The Scoop: Mike Shannon’s Grill to open in Edwardsville
The owners of Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood are opening a restaurant in Edwardsville, Ill. Per a description posted on a LinkedIn advertisement for a head chef, Mike Shannon’s Grill Edwardsville will be an “upscale casual concept.” Co-owner Pat Shannon-VanMatre (pictured) declined to give the exact address for the new restaurant since it will be…
Meatless Monday: At Kopperman’s Deli, you say potato, I say latke
Sure, the Jewish High Holidays have come and gone, but I still can’t get enough of potato latkes, a hash brown hybrid that’s formed into a potato pancake. And if I’m ordering latkes, there’s only one place I’m going: Kopperman’s Deli in the Central West End. These potato pancakes are fried to a crispy finish…
The Scoop: A scouting report on Brendan Noonan
On a recent visit to Harvest, The Scoop was informed that chef-owner Nick Miller’s sometimes right-hand man Brendan Noonan (pictured, left) hadn’t been in the kitchen since late spring when he left for a summer-long trip to England. Noonan had been working at the Richmond Heights restaurant since mid-June of 2010, but earlier this year,…
Baked: Salty Honey Pie
I’ve had my eye on this pie for a long time, but when it comes to honey, I never know what to buy; the options in the honey aisle are seemingly endless. Luckily, my Tower Grove Farmers Market stall is directly opposite Robins Apiaries. Week after week, I watched people buy bottles of Robins’ honey…
A look at Steve Gontram’s 5 Star Burgers, opening today
It’s been quite a while since we told you about chef Steve Gontram’s newest venture, 5 Star Burgers. But today the doors to 5 Star Burgers will finally open at 8125 Maryland Ave., in Clayton. Gontram (pictured, right), who opened Harvest back in 1996, is embarking on his burger-laden path with the aid of his father, Bob…
Drink This Weekend Edition: Cugino’s takes flight
When Cugino’s opened in 2004 at 1595 N. US Highway 67 in Florissant, the bar had just four taps. Since then, a few more tap systems have been installed, but the recent addition of 40 taps nearly quadruples the fresh brews available at the Italian bar and grill, bringing the tally to a whopping 56…
The Scoop: iTap announces new location in the CWE
International Tap House (iTap) owners Sean Conroy and Brad Lobdell have announced their third location at 16 S. Euclid Ave., in the Central West End, as first noted by blogger Mike Sweeney on STL Hops. Conroy and Lobdell were initially looking at 313 N. Euclid Ave., formerly home to a Pasta House, as the Scoop…
The Scoop: Switch among sweets chefs at Eclipse Restaurant
Claire Robberson is leaving her post as executive pastry chef at Eclipse. Robberson, who has worked at the hotel restaurant in The Loop since it opened in 2009, is moving in a matter of weeks to Austin, Texas. While Robberson does not have a position lined up in Austin, she hopes to secure a post…
The Scoop: Celeb chef Marc Bynum hoping to open a restaurant in St. Louis
Celebrity chef Marc Bynum has his eye on the Gateway City. Bynum, a consulting chef and partner of several East Coast restaurants, gained fame in 2010 when he appeared on Food Network’s cooking competition show Chopped and claimed victory twice before falling short in the season finale. During Bynum’s visit to town this past weekend…
The Scoop: Salt plans to stay put despite legal dispute
The owners of Salt are in the midst of a lawsuit with Ta Daa LLC, owner of the building that the restaurant occupies at 4356 Lindell Blvd., in the Central West End. As reported yesterday by Ian Froeb of the Riverfront Times, Ta Daa is suing American Larder, Salt’s corporate entity, for eviction, alleging that…
The Scoop: What’s baking? News on Whisk and Free Range Cookies
In May, The Scoop reported that Kaylen Wissinger, owner of the Farm Fresh Cupcakes stand, was planning to open a brick-and-mortar bakery. Her artisan bakery, to be called Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop, will make its home at 2201 Cherokee St., formerly occupied by Shangri La Diner. While doors are not expected to open until later…
By the Book: Cheryl Sternman Rule’s Gruyere-Crusted Leeks and Apples
Food is fuel. But if you are privileged enough to also eat for pleasure, food becomes deeply intertwined with time and place. Particular dishes and those with whom we shared them become etched in our memories. Maybe it’s the rhubarb pie your mom made as soon as the ruby red veggie hit the market in…
Review: Sassy JAC’s in Soulard
Editor’s note: Sassy JAC’s has closed. At his casual new eating and drinking spot, chef Andrew Ladlie is hoping to serve big food with big flavor or, as he put it, “the comfort food that Grandma made – but better.” Ladlie, a former sous chef at Annie Gunn’s, explained that Sassy JAC’s southern influence comes…
Review: Eau Bistro in St. Louis
Eau Bistro, The Chase Park Plaza Hotel, 212 N. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.633.3000, chaseparkplaza.com A couple of issues ago, in a review of Nora’s at the Renaissance Hotel near the airport, I pointed out that many hotels have fine restaurants. Among them, I mentioned The Chase Park Plaza’s Eau Bistro, based on my 2004…
Review: Livery Co. in St. Louis
Livery Co., 3211 Cherokee St., St. Louis, Facebook: Livery Company For years Cherokee Street has clung tightly to its calling as the hottest little out-of-the-way food district. Staple taquerias like La Vallesana and El Bronco, along with newcomers like Tower Taco, provide authentic Mexican fare to diners who avoid the cookie cutter Mexican “platos especials”…
Recipe: Bistro 1130’s Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and grits are everywhere it seems, but none is quite like the version on Bistro 1130’s brand new Sunday brunch menu. Blackened jumbo shrimp, cooked to tender perfection, flank a steaming bowl of cheesy grits laden with bold chorizo. Warm and comforting, it’s a dish that’ll make you want to curl up in bed…
Pomme Café and Wine Bar’s Apple Brie Toasts
10 servings
Kelly English’s Apple Fritters with lemon curd
6 to 8 servings
Home Wine Kitchen’s Carrot Apple Ginger Soup
4 servings
Blackened Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits
4 servings
Green Apple Potatoes
4 to 6
Kantola Sabji
4 servings
Vegetarian Bratwurst
6 7-ounce bratwursts
Pulled Korean BBQ Pork Apples
4 servings
The Scoop: Excel and Alpha joining the beer scene
The area’s brewing community continues to grow. Excel Bottling Co., bottler of Ski soda and other soft drinks, has begun production of its new craft beer line. The first brew for the family-owned and operated company headquartered in Breese, Ill., is Shoal Creek Wheat, a German wheat beer named for Shoal Creek, the water source for…
Oktoberfest: All of the Beer, None of the Brawn
One of my favorite stories involving my husband’s family revolves around the beer-drinking, brat-eating celebration that is Oktoberfest and cousin Dave, whom I’ve never met, but am assured is a real person living somewhere in Missouri. When mid-October rolled around, Dave, being of proud German heritage, would pick a Friday to have the whole family…
Bringing Home the Harvest
You’re feeling like a proud pilgrim with that bag of shiny apples you picked at the orchard (or out of that giant bin at the grocery store), but now what? Push that heap beyond the pies and ciders of autumns past and into exciting new territory. Stuffed with pork, smoothed into soup, fried into fritters,…
Vermouth: Dusty No More
Before quality commercial vermouths were widely available, industrious bartenders like Taste’s Ted Kilgore made their own. Now, other burgeoning bartenders around town are trying their hands at house-made versions of the fortified wine, putting another notch on their craft cocktail belts. Five months ago, T.S. Ferguson began preparing blanc (dry white) and rouge (sweet red)…
Meatless Monday: Going to Pi and not (gasp) ordering pizza
Tonight, head to Pi where you can enjoy a Meatless Monday without even eating pizza. In no way am I knocking President Obama’s favorite pie; I love Pi and its Meatless Monday creations. I’m just asking you to venture outside the (pizza) box and try something different. The Bada Bing, one of my favorite salads,…
Just Five: Flank Steak with Cilantro-Lime “Chimichurri”
A well-cooked flank steak served with a flash of bright green makes for a beautiful presentation. In Argentina, you will find chimichurri sauce served alongside both meat and vegetable dishes. Although I love traditional chimichurri, made with parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar and red pepper flakes, I decided to play with some different flavors (and less…
Black Walnuts Break Out of Their Shells
Intensely pungent, black walnuts aren’t for everyone. But balance their bitterness with super-sweet desserts, embrace their earthiness with fall squashes and let them lend complexity to full-flavored fish, and you’ll soon understand why people go, um, nuts for Missouri’s state nut. 1. Butter To follow chef Josh Galliano’s recipe, soak 1 pound black walnuts in…
