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VISITING VIETNAM

MOFU TOFU

COMPRESSED FRUIT

Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

feastSTL.com | JULY 2011 | FREE

GET IT WHILE IT’S HOT Inspired Food Culture

Ju l y 20 11

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MOFU makesTOFU

WRITTEN BY Brandi Wills PHOTOGRAPHY BY Geoff Cardin

from a basement kitchen on the saint louis university campus, grad student dan brewer is cooking up something unique: small-batch artisan tofu made from locally grown soybeans.

He calls the stuff MOFU. The inspiration for this venture came from a master’s-level gastronomy course in which Brewer and a classmate explored creating global flavors from local ingredients. “I had never had tofu like [what we made for that project],” he says.

Fresh, nutty flavor and a light, porous texture give it more body than is expected from tofu, and Brewer attributes this to making small batches and to making each batch by hand. “I try as hard as possible to accentuate the beany, nutty qualities,” he says, “which is what a lot of makers try to hide.” Through his efforts, Brewer has managed to give a mild-mannered ingredient a bit of personality. Who knew?

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feastSTL.com

JU LY 2 011

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RAISING THE BAR A look inside St. Louis’ hottest new late-night haunts.

TASTE

BY NICHE

THE CONCEPT: While everyone else is trying to do it bigger, wunderkind restaurateur Gerard Craft has hit the mark by doing it smaller. Located next door to his award-winning restaurant Niche, Taste offers a succinct menu of masterfully mixed drinks and simple-but-flavorful fare that is an amuse bouche of the good life.

WHEN TO SHOW UP: Stop by a few hours before dinner for a light snack and an aperitif, or after your meal for cocktails and a lively crowd.

BEST FOOD & DRINK PAIRING: Try the Gateway Caipirinha: Cabana Cachaça, lemon juice, cinnamown bark syrup and peach preserves. Then ask the mixologist which daily menu item would pair best.

HOW TO GET SERVED QUICKLY: Call ahead.

Such a small space fills up fast, and they only take a few reservations a night, so if you know you’re heading their way, let them know. Otherwise, get there early.

THE BRAINS BEHIND THE BAR: Ted Kilgore, a locally and nationally recognized mixologist, and his protégés have created a menu that is a salute to the golden age of American cocktails. 1831 Sidney St., Soulard, 314.773.7755

82 ALIVE STL MAY 2010

BY BRANDI WILLS | PHOTOS BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG

THE LIBRARY ANNEX THE CONCEPT: The Library Annex is the college bar’s older brother—a little smarter, a little more sophisticated, but still loves to party. Brothers Tim and Seamus McGowan have created a college bar with upscale lounge décor, a number of bar games, 20 plasma TVs, and a dance floor with serious sights and sounds, located just off the SLU campus. It’s got the only dance floor and permanent Beer Pong tables in its area. Tall wooden booths topped with rows of books create privacy and exclusivity and divide the large space into three areas.

WHEN TO SHOW UP: Take advantage of the longer-than-usual happy hour, Wednesday-Friday until 8pm. If you want to dance on Friday or Saturday, get there before midnight, when they usually hit capacity.

BEST FOOD & DRINK PAIRING: The PretzelBurger + a Bud Light WHO TO BRING WITH YOU: Your entourage. Grab a group of your best girlfriends or buddies and look good, because it’s a great place to meet someone new.

IF IT’S YOUR FIRST TIME: Show up early to secure a Beer Pong table.

3693 Forest Park Ave., Midtown, 314.652.8484

BRIDGE

TAP HOUSE & WINE BAR

THE CONCEPT: Downtown’s latest place to be for a social supper and a mile-long drink list with something for everyone (over 200 beers, 36 on tap and over 100 wines, 20+ by the glass). David Bailey, owner of Baileys’ Chocolate Bar and Rooster, has a knack for concept and eye for design and has created the perfect harmony of simplicity and sophistication at Bridge. The wood décor and sleek stringed accents echo the restaurant’s namesake, the bridge of a violin.

WHEN TO SHOW UP: For dinner, get there early (5pm-6pm); for a lively bar scene, arrive after 9pm on Friday or Saturday.

BEST FOOD & DRINK PAIRING: Gorgonzola and Bacon Bread Pudding + K Vintners Viogner white wine.

WHO TO BRING WITH YOU: Great for date night but even better for a small group. Sample a number of new-to-you beers in 4 oz. tasting glasses and share multiple combos from the À La Carte Cheese & Charcuterie boards.

IF IT’S YOUR FIRST TIME: Ask your server for beer selections that may not be on the menu. Since kegs are sometimes delivered mid-shift, you could get a first taste of the freshest beer on tap.

1004 Locust St., Downtown, 314.241.8141

alivemag.com

PI

IN THE CENTRAL WEST END

ERNEY’S

32° VODKA BAR

THE CONCEPT: Pi owner Chris Sommers has perfected the art of turning a pizza joint into a destination. His newest location in the Central West End indulges its patrons’ sophisticated tastes and rewards them with a well-designed atmosphere. Their signature deep-dish, cornmeal-crust pizza made Pi in the Loop a hotspot, and the CWE location turns up the heat with one of the neighborhood’s largest bars, staffed by seriously skilled bartenders.

THE CONCEPT: This white-hot vodka bar is the epitome of cool. The newest venture by Mark Erney and Paul Holst (of The Zone in the CWE) features three bars—two inside and one on the fun-filled patio—and a dancefloor that explodes by midnight. What sets this vodka bar apart from the rest is the VodBox, one of just a few walk-in vodka freezers in the country. Colorful LED lights on white walls keep the mood fresh, while retro fixtures, barstools and curtains add to the fun.

WHEN TO SHOW UP: Grab a late meal (9pm-10pm) then move to the bar afterward for drinks. If it’s your first time, grab a pager from the hostess and stroll the block while you wait. Pop into the surrounding galleries and shops to see what’s new. The next morning, return to Pi for a much-needed cappuccino and cinnamon bun.

WHEN TO SHOW UP: Thursday nights are All You Can Drink Night. For $10, you can drink as you please from 9pm-midnight. For $5 more, you can extend your curfew to 1am.

BEST FOOD & DRINK PAIRING: Central West End pizza + the Infinite Potential: Maison Surrenne Petite Champagne Cognac, Orchard Apricot Liqueur, house-made simple syrup, topped with Chandon Brut THE BRAINS BEHIND THE BAR: Sommers recruited bartenders from California, New Orleans, New York, Chicago and beyond—all of whom have helped shape the drink menu. And a certified sommelier on staff is an unlikely but welcome fixture for this posh pizzeria. 400 N. Euclid Ave., Central West End, 314.367.4300

alivemag.com

BEST DRINK: Double Espresso Martini: Van Gogh Double Espresso vodka, vanilla vodka and triple sec. If you like it sweeter, ask for a little Kahlúa mixed in.

WHO TO BRING WITH YOU: Whoever you want.

The Erney’s crowd is fun and welcoming, so show up with a group or alone and you’re sure make a few new friends.

HOW TO GET SERVED QUICKLY: Yell. If you don’t know your bartender’s name, shout your drink order.

They’ll appreciate your moxie.

4200 Manchester Ave., The Grove, 314.652.7195

SANCTUARIA THE CONCEPT: This “sanctuary in the city” creates unique drinks using only boutique liquors (no mass-market brands), fresh juices and handcrafted accompaniments.

Inspired by the Latin American holiday Day of the Dead, this darkly romantic spot features ominous paintings in Baroque frames, macabre décor and black leather walls.

HOW TO GET SERVED QUICKLY: Sit at the bar. Aside from quicker service, you’ll have a front-row seat for the show. At Sanctuaria, assembling a drink is a ballet-style art form of measuring, muddling and mixing.

BEST FOOD & DRINK PAIRING: Vaca Frita + the Brazilian Flip: Cabana Cachaça, house-made Falernum (rum-based liqueur infused with almonds, lime, clove and lavender), lemon juice, grapefruit bitters and an egg white WHO TO BRING WITH YOU: Someone special. The restaurant’s intimate dining rooms are great for date night.

THE BRAINS BEHIND THE BAR: Mixologist Matt Seiter has been lauded in New York, Chicago and St. Louis for his originality, intuition and dramatic presentation.

4198 Manchester Ave., The Grove, 314.535.9700

MORE ONLINE Log on to ALIVEmag.com to get an on-video inside peek with ALIVE Dining Editor Cristy Miller.

MAY 2010 ALIVE STL 83

FEAST FAVES / SE CR ET I NG RE DIE NT FEAST FAVES | S E CRE T INGR E DIE N T

PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. Pollack Photography

The Big Cheese bigcheesestl.com

EXCEPTION LLY INDULGENT. Exclus ve to July.

KOSHER SALT

OK, we know, salt makes pretty much everything better. But when it comes to the grilled cheese sandwiches from The Big Cheese, it really steals the show.

Each of The Big Cheese’s cooked-to-order grilled cheeses is dusted with kosher salt right before being served. “It’s the first thing you taste when you bite into the sandwich, then the last thing you taste when you lick your lips,” says Susana Moscoso, who takes orders at The Big Cheese’s farmers’ market stand while her fiance, Dave Lowell, grills up the goods.

Every week The Big Cheese offers its classic sandwich – made with raw-milk sharp Cheddar from Marcoot Jersey Creamery on Bakehouse White bread from Companion – as well as a specialty sandwich featuring ingredients found at the market. A few combos to look for this summer are tomato-basil-mozzarella, Pepper Jack-cilantro-tomato-red onion and strawberry-mint-quark – one of the most popular. “Everyone tells us the salt is what makes the sandwich,” says Lowell, “but there’s a lot of other good stuff in there too.” – B.W.

imited

TIME

ONLY

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market Webster Groves Farmers’ Market bigcheesestl.com

FEAST FAVES / SE CR ET I NG RE DIE NT FEAST FAVES | A T HOME |2| |1|

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CHEESE SLICERS | 1 | Chef’n cheese slicer, $9.95; Williams-Sonoma, multiple locations, williamssonoma.com | 2 | Rosle wire cheese slicer, $26.95; Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, Clayton, kitchenconservatory.com | 3 | Bamboo cheese slicer,

$23.99; Target, multiple locations, target.com

Chocolate-Covered Raspberr es Have Arr ved!

P ck up th s perenn al favor te before t's gone!

Plaza Frontenac | Maryland Plaza | www.bissingers.com

– B.W.

Inspired Food Culture

JU L Y 2 0 11

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FEAST FAVES / W HA T W E’R E D R IN KIN G

THE STETSON When it comes to the upper class, there’s old money, there’s nouveau riche, and then there are the robber barons. They’re rough and tumble to start, but before you know it their slick appeal has won you over. The story is the same with The Stetson – a charming cocktail of rye whiskey, Cocchi Americano, house-made pineapple gomme, lemon juice and mole bitters. This devil in disguise has a brash booziness up front that quickly subsides into a smooth, sweet, sophisticated finish.

With so many bold flavors (you get hints of chocolate, various citrus fruits, sweet white wine and rye in every sip), it’s hard to define the dominant element in the drink. Rather, the ingredients work together to create a handsomely seductive sipper that has you instinctively seeking out a cigar and a high-backed leather armchair.

Brasserie

by Niche 314.454.0600 CENTRAL WEST END

4850 Laclede Ave., Central West End brasseriebyniche.com

The Stetson

BY TED CHARAK, BRASSERIE BY NICHE

According to Charak, the pineapple gomme softens the intensity of the alcohols and gives the drink a bigger mouth feel. Pineapple gomme is made by soaking macerated, peeled pineapple in simple syrup and gum arabic overnight at room temperature, then straining the mixture through cheesecloth. If you don’t have gum arabic, Charak says you can simulate the flavor by putting ¼ medium pineapple and 1 cup simple syrup through the same process; however, you’ll sacrifice the silky-smooth texture.

Serves | 1 |

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jonathan Pollack

1½ oz ¾ oz ½ oz ¼ oz 2 dashes

Sazerac rye whiskey pineapple gomme Cocchi Aperitivo Americano lemon juice mole bitters

| Preparation | Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker and shake until mixed. Pour through a conical strainer into a martini glass and serve.

STRAINERS | 1 | OXO Good Grips 3-inch Mini Strainer, $7.99; Bed, Bath & Beyond, multiple locations, bedbathandbeyond.com | 2 | Rösle Tea Strainer,

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$19; Sur La Table, 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd., Frontenac, surlatable.com | 3 | Mesh strainer, $4.95; Cornucopia, 107 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, kitchencopia.com Inspired Food Culture

JAN UA RY 20 11

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. Pollack Photography

FEAST FAVES / SE CR ET I NG RE DIE NT FEAST FAVES / T HE D ISH

Balaban’s Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar

BUTTER & CITRUS POACHED LOBSTER

636.449.6700 CHESTERFIELD

A new addition to the Balaban’s menu in April, this light but luscious dish is the perfect lunchtime indulgence or delightful introduction to dinner. Succulent lobster meat is perfectly seasoned and poached and then plated atop a drizzle of saffron beurre blanc, avocado salsa and fresh tomato concassée (meaning “skinless and seedless”).

The dish marries an assortment of flavors, textures and techniques that pique your palate with every bite. The only thing that could enhance the experience is a glass of expertly paired wine. Try the house recommendation, a 2009 BrewerClifton Chardonnay.

1772 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield balabanswine.com Inspired Food Culture

A PR IL 2 01 1

25

FEAST FAVES / W HA T W E’R E D R IN KIN G

REALLY RYE OLD FASHIONED While the Old Fashioned has experienced a number of makeovers in its lifetime, The Royale’s presentation of the classic is respectfully true to form. It features nothing more than the original sugar-bitters-water-whiskeylemon combo dating back to its creation in the late 1800s.

What makes this drink stand out, however, is the Bulleit rye. Made with a higher-than-usual 95 percent rye, it blends blissfully with the bitters to produce top notes of cinnamon and clove that slowly give way to the warming sensation of the whiskey. A refreshing and relaxing sipper on a warm St. Louis night. – B.W. 3132 S. Kingshighway, Tower Grove South theroyale.com

Really Rye Old Fashioned

BY JOHN FAUSZ & ROBERT GRIFFIN, THE ROYALE

Robert Griffin, on how the drink came to be: “John wondered what an Old Fashioned with the Bulleit rye would taste like, to which I answered, ‘Really good, and probably even better if we muddle the lemon peel with the sugar instead of just doing a twist.’ “ Serves | 1 |

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Geoff Cardin

1 3 dashes 1 2 oz

sugar cube Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters thin-sliced lemon peel splash of water Bulleit rye whiskey

| Preparation | Place sugar cube and generous dashes of bitters in an old-fashioned glass. Rim glass with lemon peel and add to glass with a splash of water. Muddle until sugar is dissolved. Fill glass with ice, and add rye. Stir and serve.

The Royale 314.772.3600 TOWER GROVE SOUTH

SUGAR SERVERS | 1 | Stainless steel sugar pot with tongs, $29.95; Sur La Table, Plaza Frontenac, Frontenac, surlatable. com | 2 | Mini colorful bowls with tray, $14.95; Pier 1 Imports, multiple locations, pier1.com | 3 | Shell

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|2|

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sugar tongs, $2.95; Crate & Barrel, 1 The Boulevard, Richmond Heights, crateandbarrel.com – K.B.

Inspired Food Culture

M AY 20 11

23

stl now

Downtown, On Tap

David Bailey opens Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar Downtown.

By Brandi Wills | Photo by Brian Fagnani

>!The recent opening of Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar marks the trifecta for restaurateur David Bailey. The proprietor of latenight/date-night great, Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, and hip brunch spot, Rooster ( just one block from Bridge), has another hit on his hands in the form of a specialty spot for sipping and supping on local, artisan offerings.

The gem among the handcrafted menu is the cheese and charcuterie selection—featuring a rotating medley of meats both smoked on-site and procured locally. Every brew-o-phile’s fantasy is played out behind the bar with 36 taps, many representing Missouri craft beers. And the globally inspired wine list rotates regularly based on what’s in demand, both by customers and by Bailey’s seasoned palate. In memory of Bailey’s late brother, who was a violinist, Bridge’s décor is composed of solid wood components with stringed accents throughout. Bailey said he chose the name Bridge because, “a violin’s bridge is artistic yet functional, a necessity that is often overlooked.” Poetic, for sure, but you’ll undoubtedly find the simple allure of Bridge impossible to overlook (1004 Locust St., Downtown, 314.241.8141).

Seared scallops tempt at Balaban’s Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar.

The chalet-chic interior at Bridge

The Return of a Legend Balaban’s is back with a restaurant redux in West County.

By Brandi Wills | Photo by Carrie Iggulden A little bit of a good thing goes a long way. But you won’t be able to get enough of the succulent dishes and fine wines at Balaban’s Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar, a rebirth of the CWE classic now in Chesterfield. For 34 years, the legendary Balaban’s wowed locals and national celebs (Paul Newman, Richard Gere, Jerry Seinfeld, the Rolling Stones) alike with its inspired interpretation of a Paris bistro. Now fans of the former great are flocking to its reincarnation for a revival of the recipes that made the original restaurant an instant favorite among gourmands.

A BREATH OF FRENCH AIR Classic dishes such as Beef Wellington and Smoked Trout Pancakes—as well as new creations like the Portabella Eggplant Stack—are served as small plates and expertly paired with wines from the original Balaban’s cellar. An oenophile’s delight, the new spot features more than 500 fine labels, library wines, an online wine store and pairing database, a variety of wine clubs, personal Sommelier service and private wine dinners (1772 Clarkson Rd., Chesterfield, 636.449.6700).

NEWS FROM NADOZ

GARDEN PARTY

LE NEW HOME

Nadoz Café at The Boulevard recently announced a new evening menu with comfort favorites such as Chicken Au Gratin and French Country Beef Pot Pie. The charming café serves breakfast and lunch daily and will have more subdued candlelit dining to accommodate the new nighttime menu, which is available from 5pm-close, Tues.-Sat. (#12 The Boulevard St. Louis, Brentwood, 314.726.3100).

The Terrace View in the CityGarden now serves Sunday brunch. The new menu features savory and sweat AM eats such as eggs Benedict, steak and eggs, French toast, freshly baked muffins and biscuits and gravy. The café also features a fabulous Bloody Mary bar (808 Chestnut St., Downtown, 314.436.8855).

Fans of the Central West End French restaurant Chez Leon take comfort. The established local restaurant has relocated and is now open in Clayton. The new location serves the same classic French fare along with a few new dishes and new lunch hours (7927 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.361.1589).

26 ALIVE STL MARCH 2010

alivemag.com

All Fired Up: Grilling Tips from the Experts

L

awnmowers hum, sprinklers tick and patios populate. It’s Memorial Day in Kansas City. Across the nation, people

refer to this holiday as the start of the summer season. But in Kansas City, we refer to it as the start of grilling season.

Grilling is serious business in Kansas City.

With a baseball team named the T-Bones, annual barbecue competitions and a famous sauce bearing our city’s name, local grillers have a prestigious reputation to uphold. So, how do you choose the perfect cut of meat and prepare the ideal flames on which to cook it? For the secret to creating savory backyard tastes and smells, we turned to some of Kansas City’s most experienced grillmasters.

GRADES REALLY DO MATTER Everyone loves a steak that’s juicy and tender. For meat that melts like butter in your mouth, the right grade is critical. Kurt Kingsley, chef at Morton’s, The Steakhouse in Crown Center, suggests starting with USDA “prime” aged beef for the best flavor and tenderness. “Its trademark marbling ensures a quality cut and a savory final product,” he says. But finding it may be tough. Only two percent of all steaks are good enough to be graded prime. So if you can’t find this rare cut at your grocer or butcher, Kingsley says to opt for bright red “choice” meats with abundant marbling.

Marbling, which is the flecks of fat found within the meat, “is where the flavor and tenderness come from,” says Mike McGonigle,

BY BRANDI WILLS

ABOVE: Perfectly cooked ribeye andT-bone steaks prove your prowess at the backyard grill.Vegetables and even fruit make tasty grilled side dishes and desserts.

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A filet with a caramelized crust and tender center will earn you King of the Grill status. owner of McGonigle’s Market. He recommends a top-quality choice cut, “with bright white marbling. The marbling and the fat that surrounds the cut should be bright and clear, with no pink or yellow in it.” According to McGonigle, the ribeye has the most marbling, making it ideal for outdoor grilling.

You should also pay particular attention to the thickness of the meat. Kingsley recommends cuts at least 1 to 1½ inches thick, such as ribeyes, porterhouses or strip steaks. “Thicker cuts of meat sear on the outside while retaining their juices inside,” he says. “Thinner steaks are more likely to dry out on the grill.”

FEELING THE HEAT “The quality of the steak is key,” says Richard Barry, executive chef at The Hereford House in Zona Rosa, which, like all five area restaurants,

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serves only Sterling Silver Premium Beef. But he also stresses the importance of the fire. What does Barry use when preparing his finest backyard fare? “Charcoal. Definitely,” he says. “I’m a purist.”

During the first few minutes of grilling, the high temperature actually sears the meat, forming a coating that seals in the natural juices.

This high direct heat is vital to the meat’s tenderness, so experts suggest preheating the grill to 600-800 degrees and keeping it at that

Kurt Kingsley, chef at Morton’s, The Steakhouse in Crown Center, prefers thick-cut ribeyes, porterhouses or strip steaks for the grill, which “sear on the outside, while retaining their juices inside.” temperature for 30-45 minutes before actually cooking the steaks. While you’re waiting, bring your steaks to room temperature and lightly oil the grill rack to prevent the meat from sticking and losing natural juices.

To procure a successful fire, Dr. Rich Davis, of KC Masterpiece fame, suggests the following method: n

To begin, make sure the vents are open on

the grill, remove cooking grid until charcoal is ready. Arrange charcoal briquets into a pyramid in the center, bottom of your grill. n

Liberally douse charcoal with charcoal

lighter fluid until briquets appear glossy. Let the lighter fluid soak into the briquets for about one minute. Carefully put a flame to the soaked LUXURY LIVING & FINE HOME DESIGN

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pile of briquets. Keep the lid off until you are ready to start grilling your food. n

Let briquets burn until they are 70 percent

covered with a white/light gray ash and have a slight red glow. Good quality charcoal briquets should be ready in about 20 minutes. n

Once coals are ashed over, spread them

evenly in a single layer along the bottom of the grill using long-handled tongs (charcoal should extend about one inch beyond the area the food will cover). Set the grilling grid back in place and you’re ready to start grilling.

Using too many or too few briquets can hinder the outcome of the meat. For food cooked directly over the coals, it takes about 30 briquets to properly grill one pound of meat. For foods cooked indirectly (over a drip pan) on a full-size covered grill, 25 briquets on each side of the drip pan should be used for up to one hour of cooking time. For each additional 50 minutes of cooking, add eight additional briquets to each side of the drip pan. When adding briquets to an existing fire, be sure to use long-handled tongs for safety. And never add lighter fluid to lit or warm coals. Instead, place the new briquets in a small metal pan and apply lighter fluid. Then add the briquets to the outside edges of the fire. They can be moved to the center of the fire when they’re ashed over.

If you’re grilling on an especially windy day, in cold temperature or in high humidity, you should use a few more briquets than normal to make sure the fire stays hot enough to thoroughly cook the food. You can estimate the temperature of the coals by simply holding your hand, palm down, about six inches above the coals. The amount of time it takes before the heat is uncomfortable and you have to pull your hand away determines the temperature: 5 seconds is low heat, 4 is medium, 3 is mediumhot and 2 is hot.

GRILLING GAUCHERIE The secret to becoming known as the neighborhood’s expert griller goes beyond the meat and the flames. Patience and self-control is what sets the best apart from the rest. So be sure to avoid the following BBQ blunders: n

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The overzealous chef. Turning the meat

too often or too soon prevents searing. Give steaks at least five minutes of solid grilling on one side before turning. Steaks should be seared, turned, seared on the flip side and then cooked to perfection. If your steak sticks to the surface as you try to turn it over, stop trying.

It’s a sure sign that the meat needs more searing on that side. n

Stick a fork in it. Resist the temptation to

use a fork to test the steak for doneness. Instead, use tongs or a spatula so the meat isn’t pierced and juices don’t escape.

“Both grilling and barbecuing are a combination of science and art,” says Dr. Rich Davis, of KC Masterpiece fame.

“With experience, you’ll become the family neighborhood hero.” n

Blowing your cover. Resist the temptation

to sneak a peak under the grill’s cover. Keep the lid closed while grilling to increase the broiling temperature and decrease your cooking time. n

But the most common and most feared

grilling mistake is, of course, overcooking the meat. “Keeping your steaks on the grill too long causes moisture to evaporate, resulting in meat that’s dry and tough,” Kingsley says.

And since the fork test is officially outlawed, he suggests using a better tool: your hand. “For a rare steak, squeeze the pad at the base of your thumb,” says Kingsley. “It feels spongy and offers little resistance. This should be the consistency of a rare steak. For a medium steak, outstretch your hand and press on the middle LUXURY LIVING & FINE HOME DESIGN

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of your palm. It should feel firm and snap back

juicy steak. “I like Syrahs, Shirazes and Zinfan-

quickly.” As for a well-done steak, Kingsley

dels to stand up to the rich flavors of a great

Doc’s Original Pork Tenderloin

says to use the base of your pinky finger as a

steak,” he says. “These wines have peppery

Makes 4-6 Servings

gauge but offers a word of caution. “I wouldn’t

characteristics that enhance the steak’s flavors.”

1 cup soy sauce, divided

cook a steak beyond medium,” he says. “Doing

He also has a red wine he suggests with a local

1/3 cup toasted sesame oil, divided

so dries out the meat and robs it of its tender-

twist. “Dick Vermeil’s Zinfandel from his Cali-

2 large garlic cloves, minced and divided

ness and flavor.”

fornia vineyard is great with steaks.”

3/4 tablespoon ground ginger

However you choose to craft your next

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outdoor feast, remember that practice makes

1 pork tenderloin, 2-3 pounds 1 cup KC Masterpiece Original BBQ sauce

An entire meal grilled over an open flame en-

perfect. There are infinite grilling methods to

sures that a variety of flavors will all comple-

experiment with and a variety of culinary op-

Combine 3/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sesame

ment each other nicely. The opportunities are

tions to pick from. “Both grilling and barbecu-

oil, 1 garlic clove and ginger for a marinade. Set

endless, as a myriad of foods can be cooked

ing are a combination of science and art,” says

aside 1/4 cup of marinade for basting. Place ten-

or heated on a grill. When it comes to vege-

Davis. “Grilling’s a great sport, and with expe-

derloin and remaining marinade in a one-quart

tables, Kingsley says bell peppers, asparagus,

rience you’ll be the family neighborhood hero!”

food storage bag and marinate in refrigerator

mushrooms, potatoes, onions, zucchini, corn-

for two hours (if time allows, marinating over-

RECIPES

on-the-cob, eggplant and carrots all grill well.

And don’t forget to try fruit like pineapples and bananas.

With red meat, think red wine. Kingsley sites a few full-bodied reds that pair nicely with a

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night is suggested). Grill tenderloin on covered

This recipe, created by Dr. Rich Davis of KC

grill over medium heat, turning occasionally,

Masterpiece Barbecue & Grill, was the winner

about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through-

of Kansas City’s first-ever American Royal BBQ

out. Baste with reserved marinade during the

Competition.

last five minutes of grilling.

Combine BBQ sauce with the remaining soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic clove in a small pan and heat on the stove over medium heat until it begins to boil, about four minutes. Remove from heat. Let tenderloin cool for 5-10 minutes, slice diagonally and drizzle with warm barbecue sauce mixture.

For a succulent side dish or a sweet treat to follow your meal, try these tasty recipes from Morton’s, The Steakhouse in Crown Center.

Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges Makes 4 Servings 2 pounds medium sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 6 wedges each 2 tablespoons olive oil Pinch of salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper Large pinch of cayenne pepper Light the grill. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, simmer the potatoes until almost tender, about five minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, black pepper and cayenne.

Grill over moderate heat for 15 minutes, turning until tender and lightly charred. Serve warm.

Grilled Bananas with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce Makes 4 Servings 4 firm-ripe bananas 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 gallon favorite vanilla ice cream Chocolate sauce Prepare grill. Peel bananas and halve lengthwise. In a shallow baking pan large enough to hold bananas in one layer, stir butter and brown sugar. Add bananas, tossing gently to coat. Transfer bananas with a metal spatula to an oiled rack set six inches over glowing coals.

Grill until browned, about two minutes on each side. Serve grilled bananas with ice cream and chocolate sauce. n LUXURY LIVING & FINE HOME DESIGN

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