CAVIAR PASS THE
gunkan nigiri with toro tartare and osetra caviar at sado
JULY 2024 • VOLUME 24, ISSUE 7
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Meera Nagarajan
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Leah Clay-Downing, Izaiah Johnson, Christina Musgrave, Meera Nagarajan, Carmen Troesser, Michelle Volansky
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Alexa Beattie, Lauren Healey, Meera Nagarajan, Iain Shaw, Michelle Volansky
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Sauce was founded by Allyson Mace in 1999.
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Many salads are eaten at Sauce HQ, but the Southwestern-inspired Grain-Go salad from Revel Kitchen is one of our favorites. A generous portion of chicken sits atop a fibrous array of veggies, including organic greens, purple cabbage, roasted corn, pickled red onion, black beans and jalapeno. Add a sprinkling of cotija cheese and a big scoop of quinoa for an extra dose of fiber, along with a citrusysweet cilantro-agave-lime vinaigrette, and you’ve got a flavorful salad so multidimensional that it doesn’t even need a crunchy element as most salads do (although adding a handful of crispy jalapenos really kicks things up a notch). It’s such a filling lunch that we can skip our usual afternoon snack. Multiple locations, eatrevelkitchen.com
hit list
2 new places to try this month
FLORENTIN
Ben Poremba’s second restaurant in the Delmar Maker District is currently operating as a daytime cafe serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, though Poremba has said he plans to add dinner service and a selection of wines and beers in the near future. Florentin pays tribute to one of Poremba’s favorite Tel Aviv neighborhoods, and not just with the photography displayed on the walls. If you’re looking for a hot brunch dish, the shakshuka here is a satisfying and richly spiced blend of poached eggs and tomato-based sauce; this isn’t the only dish aided by Florentin’s warm, spongy pita bread. The spinach borekas feature crisp, flaky pastry with a fresh, flavorful filling, while there are also cold items like overnight oats and parfaits with creamy Greek yogurt, topped with a variety of nuts, fruits and more. The menu offers multiple options for sharing, like the irresistible dip trio (mohammara, green tahini and tzatziki), there are fresh juices and all the coffee you could want, while the sorbets are a perfect summer treat – we loved the coconut and mango flavors.
5090 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.348.1111, bengelina.com/florentin
AND PASTA
This fifth St. Louis-area restaurant from The Napoli Group recently opened at The District in Chesterfield featuring a robust menu of Italian classics. About half of the offerings are unique to this particular location, while the rest are borrowed from other Napoli restaurants. Our favorite dish was the grilled Caesar salad. Charred to perfection, this was one of the best Caesars we’ve had in a long time. The arugula salad is also delicious, with plentiful textural counterpoint thanks to the crispy prosciutto. Other standouts include the super cheesy vodka al forno pasta, along with the tagliatelli Bolognese, which is an ideal accompaniment to the verdant arugula pizza. On the beverage side, we favor the mildly spicy Mamma Mia, which features Una Vida Blanco tequila, Cointreau, peach and lime juices, plus a drizzle of hot honey. The Bro Code is another hit: It’s a delightfully smoky riff on an OldFashioned served with an adorable ice cube stamped with the Napoli Bros. logo (courtesy of custom ice company Good Ice).
17084 N. Outer 40 Road, Suite 205, Chesterfield, 636.200.6300, napolistl.com
This page, from top: dishes at Florentin, from left, owner Ben Poremba and chef Teagan DuBois
NAPOLI BROS. PIZZA
IN THE KNOW
VANCHOVY
Stephanie McKinney loves cookbooks, and she wants to share that passion with Vanchovy, the mobile cookbook store she operates out of a 1992 Honda Acty Kei van. “I love cooking. I cook all the time at home,” she said. “I collect cookbooks, and I like reading cookbooks.”
A trip to San Francisco’s Omnivore Books, a goldmine for new and used cookbooks, inspired McKinney to open her own similar store in St. Louis. However, conscious of the expense and risk involved in leasing a brick-and-mortar space, McKinney instead settled on the idea of using a Kei van (a compact style of van imported from Japan).
McKinney currently has a collection of between 300 and 450 secondhand books for sale, and she welcomes donations. She also plans to add new cookbooks to her range. “I especially like reading cookbooks that tell a story about someone’s culture, history or anything like that,” she said. Vanchovy also stocks other items including Big Heart Tea and a selection of tinned fish. “I’m just trying to create in my mind what a bookstore experience is, like having a cup of tea and just being able to buy little kitchen things, food items,” McKinney said.
McKinney said she would eventually like to open a brick-and-mortar store, as well as organizing events with cookbook authors and dinners based around selected cookbooks. For now, her priority is building a community of local cookbook enthusiasts around her little Kei van. “I feel like if you’re interested in cooking and you’re interested in cookbooks, you found the right place,” she said.
Follow Vanchovy on Instagram or Facebook for details of upcoming popups. If you have cookbooks you’d like to donate, email hello@ vanchovybooks.com or contact Vanchovy via social media.
vanchovybooks.com
DRINK THIS
The Lucky Accomplice’s bar manager Corey Moszer is thinking outside the box – and if you love a savory cocktail, the Martini Scorsese has your name on it. While the Fox Park restaurant’s kitchen uses fermented tomato water as a base for broths, Moszer uses it as the starting point for this savory cocktail, which has a zippy, salsa-tinged taste. Moszer combines the tomato water with Roku gin, dry and nutty manzanilla sherry, a dash of salty MSG and red pepper pickle brine. The final ingredient is an olive oil-washed vodka that Moszer makes in-house. The vodka has a viscous texture and heft, and when shaken it develops a foam that helps to deliver the drink’s aromatic flavors. The finishing touch is a pickled tomato garnish. It’s a mashup of a clarified bloody mary and the saltiest dirty martini you’ve ever had.
2501 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314.354.6100, theluckyaccomplice.com
chef tour
WITH ROB CONNOLEY
Rob Connoley wasn’t always a chef. He has a doctorate in sports psychology, and spent some years working for nonprofits, which included three years at a meth treatment facility in New Mexico. However, over a five-year run as chef-owner at Bulrush, Connoley amply demonstrated his gifts in the kitchen, notching up successive James Beard Award semifinalist nominations in the Best Chef: Midwest category in 2022 and 2023. This year, he went a step further, receiving a finalist nomination in the same category.
However, Connoley is now at a crossroads. In June, he announced his decision to close Bulrush, citing growing unease over what he described as “election-year hate politics” targeting LGBTQIA+ communities in Missouri. Connoley hasn’t announced what his next move will be –he said nonprofit work may be a part of his future – but the closure of one of St. Louis’ very best restaurants has sent shockwaves through the industry.
Connoley is a champion of a broad range of cuisines, and we spoke to him recently about some of his own favorites. “I have developed my entire culinary career around the quote from Jiro Dreams of Sushi, where Jiro says, ‘To make great food you need to eat great food,’” Connoley said. These are the places he says feed him great food in St. Louis. – Alexa Beattie
ChiliSpot
“There is no restaurant even close to ChiliSpot in my heart. I eat here at least once a week, and the staff knows better than to bring me a menu because I know it inside and out. My love affair is a result of my best friends introducing me to Sichuan hotpot a number of years ago. It’s the reason I’m learning Mandarin –to order my meals in Chinese.”
7930 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.925.8711, chilispotusa.com
Sueño Latino Restaurant
“This family-run Honduran spot is great for lunch or dinner, and I can eat their chuleta asada (grilled pork chop) over fried
plantains any day of the week! I would put their empanadas against any in town.” 2818 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.899.0777, Instagram: @suenolatino.stl
The CurryClub
“I love unrestrained spice. Not spice for spice’s sake, but for the burn which helps flavors to linger and dance in your mouth. Curry Club does that for me with dishes you don’t find at the majority of Indian restaurants. But it’s their dosas that make me swoon, especially the fruit and nut dosa.”
1635 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, 636.778.7778, stlcurryclub.com
The taco truck outside El Volcán Discoteque
“El Volcán is the Mexican discotheque at Interstate 44 and Kingshighway Boulevard. It features live music a couple of times each week. That’s when you’ll find an unmarked white truck sitting outside. This family business is putting out some of the best tacos in town. Typically, the choice is beef or pork – both are good – but for me the star of the show is the salsa they set out. It’s open very late for us restaurant workers.”
4920 Northrup Ave., St. Louis, 314.954.9876, Facebook: El Volcan Dicoteque
EAAT
“EAAT (Easily An Awesome Time) is one of the most exciting pop-ups around right now. Chef Ben [Brennan] grills skewers and other Asian-
inspired light dishes, perfect for hanging out with friends over a few cold ones. Big on flavor and technique without ego or high prices.”
Instagram: @eaatstl
Grand Pied
“I often nutritionally deplete myself through the long restaurant work hours, and when I get to the weekend it is time to refuel. Grand Pied is hearty, flavorpacked and soulful. Small neighborhood feels with strong New Orleans leanings. The slinger or burgers get the job done.”
3137 Morganford Road, St. Louis, 314.974.8113, grandpied.com
Black Salt
“Black Salt has slightly elevated takes on traditional Indian dishes. You can see the chef is very proud of his food and wants to engage the diner who is tired of the same old
tikka and curry.” 1709 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, 636.204.6441, blacksaltstl.com
Pizzeria
da Gloria
“This Neapolitan-style pizza house on the Hill
is always bustling, and the orange glow from the oven is a beacon. I am not discerning when it comes to pizza. Just give me yummy toppings, a sauce, and dough that has some chew.”
2024 Marconi Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.3734, pizzeriadagloria.com
Upper Crust Bread
“Jeffrey Moll is making some of the best bread in town. I’m the baker in the family, so I rarely buy breads and pastries, but Moll has so many options of flavors and flours. If you can’t decide, just order a bag of pretzels and the damn-good rye chocolate chunk cookies!”
Pre-order and pickup only, 636.575.3224, uppercruststl.com
Levels Nigerian Cuisine
“The quality of this Nigerian cooking is definitely next level. Enjoy a sweet cocktail and a big spicy plate of egusi soup. Or if you’re less adventurous, grab a hearty burger or traditional jollof.”
1405 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.571.9990, levelsstl.com
Kitchen 95
“The founding chef from the original Tai Ke split off when Tai Ke moved locations and transitioned to Tai Ke Shabu Shabu. Lovers of the original Tai Ke can find many of the classics like beef noodle soup, as well as new favorites to please the neighborhood.”
2336 Woodson Road, Overland, 314.801.8895, kitchen8895.com
from top, ono ikanone, co-owner of levels nigerian
Umami Seasons Hotpot
“Umami Seasons is the hotpot we’ve been waiting for. Umami has the best sauce bar in town, solid meat offerings, a tasty base stock and excellent service. Yes, I know your auntie’s is the best, but I’d rather go somewhere with a people-watching scene.” 6602 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.319.1146, Instagram: @umami_ seasons
Sum Tea House
“I often grab a boba after a spicy meal at ChiliSpot. Sum Tea is less crowded than a nearby competitor, and they can talk me through choices in a way that is personal, fun and caring. You’re always with family when you come here.” 8501 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.222.1540, sumteahouse.com
cuisine; margherita pizza at pizzeria da gloria
caviar service for two at blood & sand
CAVIAR’S C A CHET IS ON THE R ISE
BY MEERA NAGARAJAN // PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER
gunkan nigiri at sado
Caviar is more accessible than ever, and depending on what variety you buy, it’s also more affordable.
Diners are curious – especially those who have never tried it – and restaurants are responding by putting caviar on their menus in applications that range from the traditional to the creative.
The term “caviar” refers to the roe (fish eggs) from any one of several species of sturgeon: White sturgeon caviar comes from white sturgeon, osetra caviar comes from osetra sturgeon, and so on. Different caviars can vary in everything from price point to color and flavor profile. Osetra, for example, which can be found on several menus in St. Louis, combines a nutty quality with a rich, buttery texture.
“I think more people are interested,” said Nick Bognar, chef-owner of Sado
At Ben Poremba’s The Benevolent King in Maplewood, chef and general manager Eliott Harris uses Poremba’s private label caviar on several menu items. Sourced from just outside Quincy, Illinois, the caviar comes from wild hackleback sturgeon. “It’s got a light brininess and the caviar is creamy and has a simple taste: not strong, not overpowering,” Poremba said.
Harris uses Poremba’s caviar on The King, from the maki section of The Benevolent King’s recently reimagined and Japanese-inspired menu. Here, the caviar is served in a sushi roll with lobster, cucumber, avocado, torched Hokkaido scallop and yuzu-truffle aioli. It’s also seen atop raw oysters with ponzu; and in a more stripped-down presentation, two ounces of hackleback roe are served with a rice crisp, which lends a neutral crunch to accentuate the caviar’s true flavor.
Floraison serves deviled eggs with golden kaluga caviar. Here, smoked creme fraiche adds a little nuance to the filling, combined with cooked egg yolks, lemon juice and vinegar. The caviar applies the final flourish. “It’s a good price point, it’s golden and has a nutty, hazelnut, briny flavor. Not too salty, really nice and balanced and buttery and works with the egg,” said Aaron Martinez, Take Root Hospitality partner and culinary director. “It’s not cheap, but not breaking the bank either.”
and Indo. “Delicacies like sea urchin, nothing else tastes like that ... caviar, same thing. When people start to have it in unique ways, that bite won’t taste like anything else, it’s special. We’re lucky that people are curious about what we do, there is a value when diners know more and with social media and food TV and food media you see [caviar] more often and people are curious.”
At Sado, Bognar offers a gunkan nigiri on the fish market menu. It’s a seaweed cup with rice, toro tartare and osetra caviar. The toro, or fatty tuna, is chopped up and carries a velvety, rich texture. It’s also unseasoned, and that’s where the osetra comes in.
“The one that we’re using, it’s golden osetra – it’s really high quality, it’s not cheap,” Bognar said. He explained that the osetra caviar is the perfect foil for the tuna. “It’s a big salt bomb in a unique way and the tartare is plain –it’s seasoned by the caviar. [It has an] over-the-top richness, and the nori and vinegar rice on the bottom … It’s almost like a match made in heaven,” Bognar said.
Meanwhile, Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.’s dedicated caviar menu offers caviar in a variety of forms: deviled eggs with caviar; caviar with a shot of vodka and johnnycakes; or the caviar service, which offers a half-ounce of caviar with prosciutto, shallot, egg, capers, creme fraiche and johnnycakes.
Peacemaker’s baseline caviar is white sturgeon, but optional upgrades give customers the chance to compare and contrast different varieties. The best way to do this is with their caviar sampler, which offers seven grams each of three different varieties. The selection currently includes white sturgeon, osetra from North Carolina and a Belgian osetra that’s new to the menu. The sampler is served with egg, caviar, creme fraiche, shallot, capers and johnnycakes.
John Messbarger, executive chef at Peacemaker, is another fan of osetra caviar, and especially its golden variety. “[It’s] almost a copper-ish color, and the eggs are creamier and individualistic and bigger,” Messbarger said. “People are curious and love learning about it.”
Messbarger said Peacemaker’s happy hour option of a $5 deviled egg topped with caviar is popular with customers, and they’re not the only restaurant using deviled eggs as a delivery mechanism. Bistro La
“Delicacies like sea urchin, nothing else tastes like that ... caviar, same thing. When people start to have it in unique ways, that bite won’t taste like anything else."
The salinity, brininess and complexity that caviar can bring is exactly right for cutting through the richness of things like toro, eggs or even dips. At None of the Above, the onion dip with potato chips comes with the option of a caviar-enhanced upgrade, with the caviar lending extra flavor and texture to each scoop. At Three Sixty Westport, adding an ounce of osetra caviar and creme fraiche is an option for their cheddar and chive drop biscuits, a luxe way to upgrade a humble dish.
Whether you’re trying caviar in creative formats or traditional presentations like Blood & Sand’s caviar service for two, which comes with blinis, cured egg yolk, egg whites and creme fraiche, caviar is no longer the preserve of the elite. “It used to be this luxe thing that was out of reach and it was just for rich people, but people are interested in it because it’s more approachable. It’s just really good,” said Messbarger.
First Look Milque Toast Bar
BY ALEXA BEATTIE
Colleen Clawson, the chef behind Milque Toast Bar, has moved up a few notches from her 430-squarefoot restaurant on Jefferson Avenue to a 5,400-square-foot space inside the old California Do-Nut Co. building at 2924 Jefferson Ave. She now has seats for 40 people, as well as a bar and patio. It’s already clear that this has enabled Clawson to expand operations significantly and push beyond the bounds of the toast-centric concept of her previous digs. “There’s room to move about,” she said.
Personally, I’m all about the toast: beans on toast, marmalade on toast, Marmite on toast; and, when I’m feeling devil-may-care, cold butter on toast, slabbed as thick as a 1970s heel. I don’t love toast any less when it’s burnt. I may not eat it with quite the same lust, but the rasp of knife against stiff, black bread is morning’s music; an awakening song in my ears. Bread still plays a supporting role in many of Clawson’s dishes, but not always.
Like Clawson’s former restaurant, the new Milque Toast Bar is all about “hygge” (the Danish concept of comforting, cozy ambiance). Inside, it’s sweet, soothing and Scandi, with pale woods and curtains which – to my undiscerning eye – could pass for IKEA. They’re not IKEA. Not even close. Clawson had fabric customprinted with a friend’s artwork. “You should feel them,” she said, as though the look of the drapes and their ability to block out light (or dark) is only part of their point. Which is interesting, because Clawson’s food is similarly multidimensional: she is acutely concerned for all its properties.
“There’s a lot going on in there,” Clawson said when I mentioned how much I adored her potato gnocchi. The thick, dark, almost medieval-looking soup isn’t the prettiest dish in the world, but it’s complex and rich. I suspect it’s the copious amounts of wine and butter that make the difference, as well as
the big flaps of oyster mushroom, the toothy shiitake stalks. And then there are the gnocchi themselves, which step out of character in a delightful way. Clawson explained it’s because they’re gluten-free, with no flour to make them “tough.” Consequently, each of Milque Toast’s gnocco is a little ephemeral bite, so light they melt away.
This food cannot be neatly pegged. It sallies across borders, marrying the flavors of disparate lands, from the Middle East to Norway and North Africa to Mexico. You are surprised by the chorizo which has, among other things, allspice in its mix. You are charmed by her American burger, griddled to a crust, served with chipotle mayo and charred onions, and then topped with an Indian-ish mint and cucumber dressing. It tastes like the best homemade burger you ever had. And, you think to yourself, why didn’t you think to pop to Afghan Market on South Grand Boulevard to pick up some flatbread and top it with turnip greens and seeds, and creamy Bulgarian blue cheese?
Why, in other words, can’t I have this knack for bringing flavors together, for twisting and weaving ingredients until they become the food equivalent of a warm, wooly sweater? And how lovely might life taste if I actually abandoned – in my own cooking – the boring old concerns about sugar and salt and fat? Because when dishes rich with those kinds of things are coming off Clawson’s stove, you just don’t care. You salute them, from first to last bite.
It’s very clear that this chef, who blows the doors off traditional definitions of comfort food, is happy to be where she is. That fact is writ large across a menu which is an ever-changing, ever-evolving testament to her artistry. “I just want to play around,” she said.
2924 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.0085, milquetoastbar.net
MARKET REPORT
BY ALEXA BEATTIE
With summer unfurling like the leaves of a hosta, it’s market time again. And like those hostas, many of these markets in our area go from strength to strength, increasing in breadth each year. Now, in addition to shopping for local produce, you can enjoy an agua fresca, taste some local gin, eat Thai food and listen to live jazz. Here are six markets to scope out this season, along with some of the vendors we think you’ll be frequenting all summer.
market – another successful offshoot of the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market group after only two seasons. We always feel rich when we have a sourdough boule in our basket, and We’re Dough Baking has a good one. The bakery also pops up at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market on Saturdays with interesting weekend specials like cherry-chocolate and dill pickle sourdough. Big Mama’s House has vegan dishes like meatless meatballs and pulled “pork” shawarma in addition to bundt cakes, tarts and fruity drinks. Summer Family Farms, in town from rural Illinois, brings bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, which – come to think of it –you can enjoy over that same farm’s sausage. And we always cheer to see Mister’s Hand Pies. On a recent visit, we noticed strawberries and cream, Mexican veggies and chicken mole. Mylk + Hummus, a sustainable food start-up, also makes an appearance with nutrient-dense, pulse-based foods. What’s not to love about that?
The Summit All Seasons Market at Kirkwood Farmers’ Market
The Boulevard Farmers’ Market
At the height of the season, this offshoot of Tower Grove Farmers’ Market is host to more than 45 vendors. We like this one because it takes place on a Sunday. Yes, it’s smack in the middle of Brentwood (in the breezy passage between Maggiano’s Little Italy and Crate & Barrel), but it feels perfectly pleasant, especially after a sampler of local whiskey from Switchgrass Spirits. We particularly loved the stunning melon-y cantaloupe microgreens we found from Ferguson-based microgreens farm Ann’s Roots. We also enjoyed the gorgeous, robust produce (specifically the big bucket of leeks and the rainbowcolored selection of cauliflower) brought to market by Howie Farms & Produce from Villa Ridge. The big bags of fresh pecans from Friedel Family Farm in Batchtown, Illinois, also caught our eye.
Sundays through Oct. 29 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Boulevard, Richmond Heights, tgfarmersmarket.com
Rockwell Beer Garden Farmers’ Market
The patter of small feet is unavoidable at this family-friendly Francis Park
Thursdays through Sep. 26 – 4 to 7 p.m., 5300 Donovan Ave., St. Louis, tgfarmersmarket.com
SOL
Food Farmers Market
SOL (which stands for “sustainable, organic, local”) recently moved from the Schlafly Bottleworks parking lot to the lot at Living Room Coffee & Kitchen on Sutton Boulevard. It feels like a better space – leafier, edged by trees – and a good fit for vendors like Josh Plack of Wine Creek Farm. Plack is an herbalist whose lineup includes teas for anxiety, which he makes with ingredients like valerian, jasmine and sarsaparilla. Meanwhile, next door, Christina Svetz distills her own version of “anxiety medication.” Svetz, who owns and operates Samuel Berton Distilling, merrily hands out generous samples of her six different spirits and three liqueurs. Her gin – light on juniper, heavier on licorice root and clove – will knock your socks off.
Wednesdays through Oct. 27 – 4 to 6:30 p.m., 2810 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, solfoodfarmersmarket.com
To a greater or lesser degree, this is a year-round affair: plants and produce in spring and summer, pumpkins in fall; and Christmas trees, wreaths and ornaments as the holidays come around. Summit owner Dan Mitchell has been working at the market since 1978 when he was 9 and his job was “to look after the strawberries.” Now he’s grown up a bit, his goal is to increase the number of vendors from Missouri and neighboring states. “I want as much local as I can possibly get.” He’s not doing too badly: There’s a good selection of regional frozen meats from Robinson Family Farms out in Wellsville, Missouri, and local aged and smoked cheddar from Hemme Brothers Farmstead Creamery in Sweet Springs. Goat cheeses in various flavors like chive and cranberry orange from Baetje Farms can also be found here. In any event, who doesn’t adore the quaintness of a covered market across from an old feed store with the odd train rumbling by?
Monday through Friday – 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday - 8 a.m to 5 p.m.; Sunday – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 150 E. Argonne Drive, Kirkwood, downtownkirkwood.com/farmers-market
Tower Grove Farmers’ Market
Now with more than 100 vendors, this has become a behemoth. It’s a place to buy your groceries for the week, yes, but it’s also the place to chow. On Saturdays, you can have hotteok (Korean sweet pancakes filled with cinnamon sugar and walnuts) from Food With Yoo or a croissant and pain au chocolat from Comet Bakery. Fourth City BBQ usually brings their delicious brisket breakfast sandwich to the party, as well as breakfast fried rice and blueberry cornbread. (Pinch us, we must be dreaming!) Tee Rak Thai makes an excellent lunch or breakfast with its rotating menu of dishes like pad see ew (stir-fried noodles), drunken noodles and pad Thai, and occasional specials like khao soi. To boot, Amaizing Arepa Bar, the Venezuelan restaurant
in Downtown St. Louis that started out as a market vendor, still has their Amaizing Cakes Latin Food stall, where you can find reliably delicious cachapas and arepas. STL Barkeep is in the mix, as well, with cocktails to kick off your weekend in style. Kim Winn Yoga hosts a pay-what-you-can, drop-in class at 9:30 a.m. The Tuesday market features a scaled-down lineup, but it’s still a fine way to decompress and enjoy the outdoors.
Saturdays through Nov. 2 – 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Tuesdays through Sep. 26 – 4 p.m. to sunset, west of Center Cross Drive, Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia Ave., St. Louis, tgfarmersmarket.com
U City Farmers Market
Snug in a mini piazza just behind the Delmar Loop’s main drag, this market offers a perfect after-work stop-off on Wednesday evenings, but it’s an equally fine way to start a Saturday morning. What we love here are the unctuous homemade caramels (coconut, crunchy sea salt, cardamom and more) from Steele Caramels, a new woman-owned business; and the gorgeous eggs of all varieties laid by Rosalie Truong’s birds at Grand Army Farm in Labadie, Missouri. Also from there, baby peas, darling in their pods; and nettles for soup (or pesto). There are also seasonal jams and jellies handmade by Cindy Higgerson of Larder & Cupboard. If you’ve come ready to eat or drink, there are beautiful vats of agua fresca and birria quesadillas from Brew Tulum, and Tee Rak Thai is also here, perfuming the air with sizzling Thai street food. On Saturdays, enjoy ready-to-eat food from vendors like Pie in the Sky, Selma’s Real Treats and Juice Be Happy, and shop for produce from farms including Thies Farm and Greenhouses, Idle Wind Farms and Biver Farms.
Saturdays through Nov. 23 – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Wednesday through Oct. 16 – 4 p.m. to dusk, 6655 Delmar Blvd., University City, midwestfarmersmarkets.org
HELFER’S PASTRIES
BY ALEXA BEATTIE
There’s a mixing bowl in the middle of the floor big enough to hold a sleeping child – and it once did just that. The bowl belongs to a seven-foot industrial Hobart mixer, and it easily accommodates 78 pounds of sugar, 22 pounds of shortening and 23 pounds of butter. It’s a busy week at Helfer’s Pastries in Florissant – and there are a lot of cakes to be made.
That child who actually did nap in this giant “bucket” is all grown up. Jamie Lewis took over the family business with
her husband, Cameron Lewis, three years ago. But Helfer’s got its start back in 1977, when it was just a one-room shop on Manchester Road in Ballwin. Jamie’s parents ran the business there until 1992, when they moved Helfer’s to its present location, a 3,000-square-foot space in Florissant. Helfer’s is now among the oldest businesses in town.
“I grew up here, I know this,” Jamie said. She’s standing at the long counter looking down through the glass. These are the kinds of pastries dreams are made
of. There are cupcakes and cream cakes, cheesecakes and custard cakes. There are Danish pastries, strudels and lattice pies with fillings dictated by the season’s fruit: strawberries and peaches in summer, apples in fall.
It’s safe to say that Cameron turns out hundreds of items each day – not bad for somebody who, prior to taking over the business, had no formal baking experience besides working in a sandwich shop. A lot of Cameron’s work is done through the night: He arrives at work at
one o’clock in the morning, not knocking off until 10 a.m. “I think I’m good at this,” he said. There’s a wisp of hesitancy in his voice, but among all the other fruits of his labor, the cherry edelweiss stollen, ladled with gooey butter, tells it like it is: Cameron is a master at this.
Considering the dizzying choice of confectionery, Helfer’s is not a large store. Most of the space’s square footage is taken up by the behind-thescenes areas where people like Darlene Markovich get to work. “I randomly
decorate however I want,” she said. There’s a little cake spinning on her work bench. As it spins, she deftly drags a scraper around it, smoothing its sides to meet the top at a sharp 90 degrees. All of this happens in a matter of moments. “I’ve got to be fast,” Markovich said. After this, she’ll start on the shelves and racks around the room. “This is last night’s work,” she said, pointing to yellow cakes and white cakes, red velvets, German chocolates and marbles. “This
is prime decorating season.” Cameron concurs: For graduations alone, he recently made a whopping 500 pounds of cake, including 27 full sheets and 87 eight-inch rounds.
On the way to this “factory floor,” there’s a small office where a few photos are pinned to a board. One is an old black-and-white shot of a woman (Jamie’s mom) decorating a wedding cake with a baby (one of Jamie’s three
older sisters) strapped to her chest. “Now I get to raise my three girls in the same environment I was raised in,” Jamie said. She looks dreamy for a moment, lost in a sweet memory – something about childhood and the Sunday before Christmas when the baking and packing of Christmas cookies took place. “It’s by far my fondest memory,” she said.
It’s true that at 10 o’clock in the morning Cameron looks a little weary.
He has flour on his beanie and his apron is dusty. “I’m thinking about ways to respect the past while bringing us into the 21st century and investing in the things we are good at,” he said. “And I’m learning about work/life balance.”
380 St. Ferdinand St., Florissant, 314.837.6050, helferspastries.com
GUMMIES WITHOUT THE MUNCHIES
by Lauren Healey
As cannabis becomes increasingly commonplace in Missouri, and the companies peddling it work hard to set themselves apart from the pack, a growing number of more obscure cannabinoids are popping up in their products. When I saw Good Day Farm’s High Dose Daydream THCVinfused gummies at Codes Dispensary marketed as a sativa-like product – my personal preference when it comes to weed – my interest was piqued. Spoiler: I didn’t find them to be too reminiscent of sativa-forward products; however, the THCV gave the gummies something unique.
THCV, or tetrahydrocannabivarin, is one of “the major components isolated from cannabis sativa,” along with CBD and THC, and has “unique properties that set it apart from the more common cannabinoids,” according to the National Library of Medicine. THCV can reportedly both decrease appetite and increase satiety, as well as boost metabolism, leading Healthline to note that THCV has been called “diet weed” and “weederall.” Stay tuned to find out how that played out with my incessant weed-induced munchies.
The whole bag cost me $64 and contained 10 gummies that each contained 20 milligrams THC and 5 milligrams THCV. The product description states that “each multidose gummy is scored into four parts,” which was not the case. It’s fine: I can estimate where to cut, but I do prefer a product to come as advertised.
I tried them for the first time on a Friday evening, taking roughly a quarter-gummy, equal to 5 milligrams THC and 1.25 milligrams THCV. They were imbued with citrusy notes as described, and the texture was soft, chewy and melted fairly well in my mouth, but the chemical solvent flavor lingered a bit — not unheard of for gummies made with extracted THC rather than rosin or resin.
It was about an hour before I began to feel the gummy take hold. Rather than a hard hit right out of the gate, the high crept on and escalated a bit over the next couple hours. I never did get the cheery cheer-squad vibes I was expecting for a sativa-adjacent product. However – remarkably – my typical urge to eat all of the things never came (hallelujah!), and I did sleep pretty well, so that was nice.
I decided to try the gummies again during a trip to Tower Grove
Farmers’ Market with a friend whom I always get the giggles with, stoned or not. I thought this might lead to a more sativa-like experience, but alas, no hilarity ensued – completely unheard of for us. But once again, I did not get the munchies (the bane of my pothead existence).
At first, I was disappointed these weren’t giving me the typical euphoria and happy-go-lucky vibe I’ve come to love about cannabis, but I sensed THCV could be otherwise useful. Perhaps these gummies would be best approached with a different mindset, in the comfort of my home rather than during a social outing.
I decided to forgo my self-imposed, loosely enforced “no weed on a weekday” rule and try the gummies again with the intention of chilling and avoiding eating the entire contents of my pantry, as I often do when high. This was the sweet spot. Indeed, I was able to zen out at home without the urge to eat everything in sight. While definitely high, I was also fairly productive. This made me feel a little better about the product’s categorization as a sativa gummy, even if I never got that initial rush of elation I’ve come to expect with sativa.
If you’re looking for edibles that will allow you to relax peacefully while not giving you an extreme case of the munchies, these would be a great fit. The lack of energetic euphoria means they are not my top choice for a social event, but they’re perfect in the comfort of your home or perhaps at a foodie event where you want to be a little stoned without going overboard on snacks. Multiple locations, gooddayfarmdispensary.com
JULY
BY ALEXA BEATTIE
Sauce Food Truck Friday
July 12 – 4 to 8 p.m., Tower Grove Park, 4501 Southwest Drive, St. Louis, 314.772.8004, saucefoodtruckfriday.com
Like tough choices? Tower Grove Park offers bites and sips from local food trucks on select Fridays this summer through early fall. More than 20 of our favorite trucks will be there and, luckily, you can’t go wrong with any of them. Free admission.
Art Hill Film Series
July 12 & 19 – 6 p.m., Saint Louis Art Museum Art Hill, 1 Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.721.0072, slam.org
This year’s iconic feature films are Back to the Future on July 12 and Meet Me in St. Louis on July 19. Music, food trucks, a cash bar and various pre-show festivities start at 6 p.m. The featured film will begin at 9 p.m. Free admission.
Stoner Cinema at The Factory
July 14 – 1:30 p.m., The Factory at The District, 17105 N. Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield, 314.423.8500, thefactorystl.com
In addition to a showing of the iconic stoner film Half Baked, this get-together will also offer an opportunity to learn about a host of cannabis brands. The event starts at 1:30 p.m., with the movie beginning at 3:30 p.m. A VIP pass includes priority entry, a swag bag, exclusive dispensary offerings, front row balcony seats and complimentary food from Hi-Pointe Drive-in. Tickets available online.
Eckert’s Farm-to-Table Dinner
July 15 – 5:30 to 9 p.m., 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville, 618.233.0513, eckerts.com
This collaborative dinner sees Eckert’s partner with chef
Cameron Settle of Perennial on Lockwood to mark the two-year anniversary of Eckert’s Cider Shed. Sit back with a cocktail, hitch a wagon ride to pick peaches, then enjoy a delicious four-course meal employing the farm’s seasonal produce. Tickets available online.
Parties on the Plaza
July 18 – 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., Westport Plaza, 111 West Port Plaza Drive, Maryland Heights, 314.576.7100, westportstl.com
Every third Thursday of the month through October, Westport Plaza hosts Parties on the Plaza at its new 10,000-square-foot green space. This month, shimmy to original music and covers from country and Americana band The Big Rigs. You can also enjoy yard games, cold drinks from the bar or food from one of the restaurants at Westport Plaza. Free admission.
Red Lantern City Night Market
July 20 – 4 to 11 p.m., 10 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, Instagram: @redlanterncity_nightmarket
This celebration of food, art and community returns bigger than ever for its fourth year. Asian food stalls, artists and other vendors will set up shop across a whole block of Euclid Avenue between Laclede Avenue and West Pine Boulevard. The event will support the Japan America Society of St. Louis, in addition to collecting books for The Very Asian Foundation. Free admission.
St. Louis Burger Week
July 22 to 28, multiple locations, burgerweekstlouis.com
Enjoy $8 burgers at more than 35 participating restaurants across the metro area. Download the St. Louis Burger Week app to plan your week of eating: The more restaurants you check in at and the more burgers you eat,
the more points you earn and the greater chance you have of winning $250 in restaurant gift cards. Order a Schlafly Beer with your burger for additional points.
St. Louis Pickle Fest
July 27 – noon to 4 p.m., Armory STL, 3660 Market St., St. Louis, armorystl.com
Prepare to get pickled at The Armory when more than 50 community vendors come together with live music, entertainment and dill-icious drinks. The VIP option includes express entry at 11 a.m., two beverage vouchers for a pickle-themed booze drink and a festival T-shirt. Tickets available online.
Pedal the Cause: A World Without Cancer Day
Aug. 2 – participating bars and restaurants, pedalthecause.org
Support cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center and Siteman Kids by grabbing food and drink from participating bars and restaurants during A World Without Cancer Day. Seoul Taco, Nudo House, Brasserie by Niche and Ices Plain & Fancy are just some of the more than 100 local businesses that are donating a portion of the proceeds to Pedal the Cause. Find a full list of participating venues online.
SLAM Jam
Aug. 2 – 5 to 8 p.m., Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, 314.721.0072, slam.org
This month’s installment of Saint Louis Art Museum’s new event series features live music and yard games. Food trucks slated to attend include Cajun Seduction, Farmtruk and Go! Gyro! Go!, with beverages also available. Free admission.
denotes a sauce-sponsored event
