Inspired Local Food Culture
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global flavors for the grill
to delicious destinations
Escape to the Tree House Bed & Breakfast in Hermann, Missouri.
july 2021
Come See Us in
Springfield…
We’ll Show You Around! When you visit Springfield, Missouri, ask a local! We know where to get a bite— whether it’s mouthwatering local fare or the sharks at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. We love our city and know the best places to eat, drink and play. See you in Springfield!
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RECIPES BY CAT NEVILLE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CAPTIVA MARKETING
GRILLED MEATBALL SUBS YIELD: 6 SANDWICHES
• 1 lb ground chuck • 2 hot or sweet Italian sausage links (salsiccia) • ½ cup breadcrumbs, plus more, if needed • ½ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves • 2 large eggs, beaten • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper • vegetable or canola oil • 6 (6-inch) subway-style French rolls • 12 slices provolone cheese • 2 cups marinara sauce • ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced • giardiniera, drained
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| PREPARATION | Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling with half of grill set up over high heat and the other half prepared for medium heat. Meanwhile, in large bowl, add ground chuck. Remove sausage from their casings and crumble into bowl with beef. Add breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, oregano and parsley and work with your hands to combine. Add eggs, salt and pepper and work again. If the mixture is too sticky, add more breadcrumbs. Form meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. Drizzle enough oil on a few paper towels to moisten but not saturate; with tongs, use to oil grill grates.
Grill meatballs until cooked through or 160°F, turning occasionally with tongs to brown all sides. Transfer meatballs to plate; keep warm. Partially open rolls and place, cut sides down on grill over medium heat; cook until toasted. On large platter, assemble subs: Divide meatballs between rolls; sprinkle with onion, then top with marinara sauce and 2 slices provolone. Place subs on grill over medium heat; cook, covered, until cheese melts. Return subs to platter; serve with giardiniera to place inside subs.
PROMOTION
GRILLED PINEAPPLE SUNDAES WITH BROWN SUGAR SAUCE YIELD: 4 SUNDAES
• wooden skewers • 3 Tbsp plus ¼ cup unsalted butter, divided • 1 Tbsp honey • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper • 3 cups fresh pineapple chunks (about 1-inch chunks) • ½ cup packed brown sugar • ¼ tsp salt • ½ to ¾ cup half-and-half • vanilla ice cream • shredded coconut • toasted pecans, chopped | PREPARATION | Submerge wooden skewers in water and set aside at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill. Meanwhile, prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling with half of grill set up over medium-high heat and the other half prepared for medium heat. In microwave-safe medium bowl, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add honey and cayenne and stir until well combined. Add pineapple and toss until well coated in marinade; let stand about 5 minutes. Thread pineapple onto skewers. In small stainless steel or cast-iron skillet, add remaining ¼ cup butter; place on grill over medium-high heat to melt butter. Add brown sugar and salt and stir with whisk until combined. Cook until sauce bubbles and thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. Whisk in half-and-half, beginning with ½ cup and adding more, if necessary, to achieve a thick, creamy sauce. For gas grill, turn down burners to the lowest setting. Place skillet on coolest part of grill to keep sauce warm. If using a gas grill, reduce heat to medium on other side of burners. Drizzle enough oil on a few paper towels to moisten but not saturate; with tongs, use to oil grill grates over medium heat. Grill pineapple until nice char marks appear and pineapple is heated through. Divide grilled pineapple between each of four dessert bowls; top with a scoop (or two) of ice cream. Drizzle with brown sugar sauce and sprinkle shredded coconut and pecans on top to serve.
GRILLED CAESAR SALAD WITH CHICKEN YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided • 2 lemons • 1 cup olive oil, plus more for romaine • freshly ground black pepper • salt • 3 heads romaine lettuce • 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets • 1 tsp sea salt • 1 egg yolk • 1½ tsp Dijon mustard • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil • 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish • croutons, for garnish | PREPARATION | Place chicken thighs in large bowl; add olive oil, one-third minced garlic, juice of 1 lemon and 1 teaspoon each pepper and salt; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate a couple of hours to marinate. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over mediumhigh heat. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place chicken on hot grill and cook 12 to 14 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, cut romaine heads lengthwise in half through core to keep root-end intact. Lightly brush both sides of romaine with some olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill a couple of minutes on each side or until caramelized, but do not allow to burn. Transfer romaine to cutting board to cool. Prepare Caesar dressing: Chop anchovy fillets, sea salt and remaining garlic until they form a paste; transfer to medium bowl. With whisk, stir in juice of ½ of remaining lemon, egg yolk and mustard. In slow, steady stream, drizzle in extra virgin olive, whisking vigorously to emulsify; stir in cheese. If desired, add additional lemon juice or salt to taste. Cut romaine into large pieces. Divide romaine between each of 6 plates. Slice or shred chicken and arrange on top of romaine. Sprinkle with croutons and drizzle with dressing. Top with a shower of additional cheese and pepper.
IMAGINE YOUR HOME TOTALLY ORGANIZED
Live Fire Cooking is brought to you by Closets by Design. For more recipes and cooking videos, visit feastandfield.net/partners. / j u ly 2 02 1
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/ 11 / sugar rush Frozen Margarita Pie
/ 12 / dine & drink Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar, Taco Naco Market & Taqueria, The Golden Hoosier
/ 13 / one on one
Dave Owens of Proper Cannabis
/ 14 / the mix Citrus Curd Sour
/ 16 / hot blocks The Iron District
/ 18 / mystery shopper Grains of Paradise
/ 20 / shop here Schuchmann Meat Co.
/ 22 / the dish Brock’s Green Pepper Rings
/ 23 / one on one
James Worley of Yum Yards
/ 24 / healthy appetite Salmon Burgers with Cucumber-Jalapeño Salad
/ 25 / midwest made Hot Sauce
/ 26 / hometown hits
Ivory Grille, The Station House at Katfish Katy’s, All Aboard Burgers and Ice Cream
/ 27 / one on one
34 38 44 6
Francine Pratt of Queen City Soul Kitchen
brat pack From South African boerewors to Filipino longganisa, we’re exploring Brats of the World.
hit the road Let your taste buds be your guide on this culinary road trip.
/ 28 / quick fix
Grilled Peaches with Heirloom Tomatoes and Manchego
/ 29 / culinary library
Kaylen Wissinger of Whisk and Poptimism
/ 30 / crash course Pork Steaks
cream of the crop Get the inside scoop on Bold Spoon Creamery in St. Louis.
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Columbia Contributing Editor
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Meghan Baker
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on the cover Sunset Cottage at the Tree House Bed & Breakfast in Hermann, Missouri, by James Setser table of contents Sai Oua with Asian Slaw by Matthew Seidel editor’s letter Heather Riske at Oak Meadow Farm in Troy, Missouri, by Matthew Seidel
it's tim e c you elebra to r fa t vor e ites !
Check back next month to
O
n an unseasonably warm February day, I stopped by Jeff Suchland’s stall at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market with two goals in mind – first, to find out more about the Medieval German brats, South African boerewors and Alsatian sausage on his menu board, and second, to pet his spotted dog, Einstein. We quickly got to chatting and I learned that, in addition to the hogs he raises for his line of globally inspired sausages, he tends to a herd of fuzzy alpacas, goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens and the occasional peacock on his family farm in Troy, Missouri. You can read all about Brats of the World on p. 34. In early June, Suchland and his wife, Gita, invited the Feast team out to their farm to tour the property, meet the animals and taste those sausages for ourselves. After more than a year spent working remotely and communicating largely through Zoom calls, our day on the farm provided a much-needed escape – even if it was just an hour away. As we chowed down on Louisiana po’boy sandwiches with andouille sausage, Argentinian choripán with chorizo and chimichurri and pap en sous with boerewors, I was reminded that good food is always worth traveling for.
In that spirit, our annual Summer Spectacular issue offers several occasions to hit the road in pursuit of great food and drinks. Many of us are eager to finally get out of town, and on p. 38, Feast editors Kasey Carlson and Rachel Huffman take us on a culinary road trip, highlighting delicious destinations across Missouri. From a treehouse in wine country to refurbished grain bins just off the Katy Trail to tiny homes on the site of a world-renowned goat farm and creamery, there are plenty of unique places to eat, sleep and explore right in our own backyards. If you’re sticking closer to home, you can also check out an open-air food hall (p. 16), master St. Louis’ beloved pork steaks (p. 30) and scoop up some farmfresh ice cream (p. 44). Wherever your summer adventure takes you, I hope there’s some good food along the way.
Until next time,
meet your winners! the . st louis
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editor’s letter
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Kennedy
2021 Homers for Health Co-Chair
PLED PLEDGE FOR PATIENTS glennon.org
PRESENTED BY:
Heather Riske
editor@feastmagazine.com / j u ly 2 02 1
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PROMOTION PROMOTION
SPONSORED CONTENT BY
ALLISON PRIMO
SCHNUCKS REGISTERED DIETITIAN
ENJOY THE PEAK OF SWEET SUMMER FLAVORS Nothing quite says summer like fresh corn on the cob. It’s a family favorite and shows up across many meals throughout summer at our house. From frittatas and fritters to salads and salsas, its sweet juicy kernels pair well with almost any food. Not to mention it’s a staple for 4th of July celebrations and backyard barbeques. Knowing that it’s grown locally and each corn on the
SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS 2 cups cooked quinoa
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 green onions
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 ears of corn
1 large tomato, diced
1 avocado
1 red bell pepper
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 poblano pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
cob I enjoy supports our community of farmers makes
DRESSING
the experience even sweeter.
½ cup avocado oil
½ tsp cumin
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
From the minute I bring corn home, my girls can't get enough of it. They love to help me peel back the husks as if they are unwrapping a treasure of sweet golden kernels. This can get messy with little hands helping, so we often end up outside for an activity we all look forward to. Prepared simply by steaming or boiling on the stove or my personal favorite tossed on the grill, it is a delicious treat ready in minutes. Although the girls are happiest eating it straight from the cob, I love to cut mine off the cob and combine it with other local veggies for fresh salads like this month’s Southwest Summer Salad recipe. Next time you are at Schnucks, be sure to pick up some of our local corn on the cob to support our farmers and enjoy this essential summer vegetable. If you are like me, you may want to buy more than you need so you can enjoy the extras all week long.
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SOUTHWEST SUMMER SALAD
feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
1 tsp garlic powder
PREPARATION In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, rice, black beans and diced tomatoes. Stir and set to the side. Prepare veggies for the grill by cutting peppers in half, removing ribs & seeds, removing husks from corn, and cutting avocado in half, removing the seed. Heat grill to medium-high heat and lightly brush all veggies with oil and place over direct heat. Turn occasionally, until veggies are charred on all sides and remove from grill to cool. While veggies are cooling, prepare the dressing. Add all ingredients to a small food processor or blender and pulse until well combined. Once veggies are cooled, remove corn from cob and dice remaining vegetables into small pieces. Add all diced grilled vegetables and chopped cilantro to the quinoa mixture. Toss with dressing and serve with additional cilantro leaves.
sugar rush / dine & drink / the mix / hot blocks / mystery shopper / shop here / the dish / HEALTHY APPETITE / hometown hits / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE
Frozen Margarita Pie Serves 8 Salted Graham Cracker Crust 10 full sheets graham cracker 3 Tbsp sugar ¼ tsp kosher salt 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted Margarita Pie Filling 1 cup heavy cream 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk ²⁄₃ cup fresh lime juice (approximately 8 limes) ¼ cup tequila blanco 1 Tbsp Cointreau ¼ tsp kosher salt Whipped Yogurt Topping 1 cup heavy cream ½ cup Greek yogurt 1 Tbsp sugar zest of 1 lime, finely grated
Refreshing and easy to make, this frozen pie features all the flavors of the best Margarita. The graham cracker crust is salted, and the creamy filling is spiked with tequila blanco and orange liqueur. Topped with tangy whipped Greek yogurt and garnished with lime zest, this boozy dessert is perhaps all you need for your next summer soirée. / preparation – salted graham cracker crust / Preheat oven to 350°F. Place graham crackers, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade; secure lid and process until graham crackers are finely crushed. Add melted butter; continue to process until mixture is combined and resembles wet sand. Transfer crust to a 9-inch round pie dish. Using a measuring cup or the bottom of a drinking glass, press crust into an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Bake, 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely. / preparation – margarita pie filling / Add heavy cream to a bowl; using a hand mixer, whip into medium-stiff peaks. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk remaining ingredients together. Using a spatula, fold in half of the whipped cream until no streaks remain and then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour filling into cooled crust and spread into an even layer. Transfer pie dish to the freezer; freeze, at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. / preparation – whipped yogurt topping / Make topping when you’re ready to serve the frozen pie. Add heavy cream, Greek yogurt and sugar to a bowl; using a hand mixer, whip into stiff peaks. Remove frozen pie from freezer and top with whipped yogurt. Using the back of a spoon, gently swirl the topping for an elegant effect. Sprinkle lime zest over top. Cut and serve immediately. Story, recipe and photography by Teresa Floyd, food writer and recipe developer, now-forager.com
pair with: German Kölsch
PA I R IT!
It’s as if the Salted Lime Kölsch from 4204 Main Street Brewing Co. in Belleville, Illinois, was made to pair with this pie. The salted crust and the salted ale obviously share key flavor components, and the orange liqueur in the filling rounds out the citrusy nature of the beer’s yeast and hops. Finally, the beer’s crisp finish lightens the filling’s rich topping. –JC Sandt mainstreetbrewingco.com
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sugar rush / dine & drink / the mix / hot blocks / mystery shopper / shop here / the dish / HEALTHY APPETITE / hometown hits / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE
▶ st. louis
The Golden Hoosier Story and photography by Mabel Suen
In the newly dubbed Crown District in south St. Louis, The Golden Hoosier provides the perfect setting to create new summer memories. Complete with a campground-themed patio and a sizable taxidermy collection, the neighborhood bar also has a robust bar program and food menu. Inside the restored Art Deco space or outside by the firepits, try the Backwoods Barbie flight with a miniature Busch beer, pomegranateagave liqueur and Cazadores tequila blanco and tequila reposado. To eat, we recommend the one-pound Duroc pork steak; spiced fish and chips with wild Atlantic cod and Parmesan-rosemary matchstick fries; or veggie enchilada casserole with corn tortillas, grilled vegetables, black beans, creamy avocado, salsa roja and salsa verde. 3707 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri, thegoldenhoosier.com
▼ COLUMBIA, MO
Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar Written by Jessica Vaughn Martin / photography by aaron ottis
From now on, Columbia, Missouri, diners will always know where to find the buttery, Southern-style biscuit sandwiches from Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co. The company’s new brick-and-mortar location, Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar, serves the food truck’s characteristic fare alongside new dishes with a more coastal vibe such as the barbecue shrimp dinner. Owner Bryan Maness is also working with local farmers to source fresh ingredients for seasonal options such as a summer sharing plate featuring pickled and fried okra and fried green tomatoes. He invites patrons to find a spot on the sprawling, open-air patio – measuring almost 2,500 square feet, there’s space for everyone – and dig into the expanded all-day menu. And don’t forget about drinks; the bevy of beverages includes locally roasted coffee, craft cocktails and beer. 1204 Hinkson Ave., Columbia, Missouri, ozarkmountainbiscuits.com
▲ OVERLAND PARK, KS
Taco Naco Market & Taqueria
Written by Jenny Vergara photography by anna petrow
salsa, Margarita mix, Mexican sodas and more. Starting at 8am Friday through Sunday, Reyes serves breakfast tacos and breakfast burritos, but lunch and dinner draw the biggest crowds throughout the week. The seven specialty tacos on the menu are made with tortillas from Yoli Tortilleria and stuffed with al pastor, barbacoa brisket, chimichurri carne asada and cochinita pibil. Reyes also offers two vegan options with either potatoes and green pumpkin seed mole or wild mushrooms, pickled red onion and mild mole.
Chef Fernanda Reyes Gonzalez started Taco Naco as a side hustle. She had a full-time kitchen job and only planned to do pop ups at the Overland Park Farmers’ Market, but her food received such rave reviews that she and her husband decided to open Taco Naco Market & Taqueria in Overland Park, Kansas. The bright and colorful space has tables inside and out, plus a 8220 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kansas, small on-site market with fresh produce, guacamole, taconacokc.com
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feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
ONE ON ONE /
st. louis
with Dave Owens / culinary director, Proper Cannabis
ONE on
Has your methodology changed since you started making cannabis candies? I really felt that these products – particularly the chocolates and gumdrops – should be delicious and just so happen to have cannabis in them. So, my methodology is just start with ideas of flavors and start a big spreadsheet with those items, noodle on it, narrow it down, talk to the team and see what resonated with them, and then I went back to start making samples after that. Cannabis products can sometimes have a “green” or “hashy” flavor. Is that the case with Honeybee Edibles? We’re using what’s called distillate, which is a highly refined liquid version of THC, so it doesn’t have as much flavor impact. We’re using flavorful ingredients – chocolate is very flavorful, and the real fruit in the gumdrops is also very flavorful – [which] overshadow any real cannabis taste. So that ended up not being a problem for us.
Written by Kasey Carlson / photography by spencer pernikoff
Dave Owens has been working with chocolate for years, but his most recent creations have an extra special ingredient: cannabis. After 12 years as chief chocolatier at Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, Owens made the move to the medical marijuana industry. Now, as the culinary director of Proper Cannabis, he has developed a line of marijuana-infused edibles dubbed Honeybee Edibles, which offers products that are as delicious as they are therapeutic. The chocolate bars, gumdrops and microdosed mints utilize both THC and CBD from cannabis plants grown at Proper’s St. Louis-area facility to ease patients’ pain and relieve stress. Right now, you still need a medical marijuana card to buy the confections, but Owens
ro
Right now, what is the most exciting part of your position at Proper Cannabis? Getting these products in front of our patients is what’s really exciting me. At the end of the day, we’re really trying to produce fine confections for folks who have a need for medical cannabis. I really want everyone to have an experience where they enjoy what they’re consuming and it’s not just medicinal. The best thing I’ve heard [so far] is someone said they were so good that they couldn’t eat just the one that they needed. honeybee-edibles.com
ducts to t
from
ry
p
is laying the groundwork for chef-driven edibles in Missouri.
How do you determine how much cannabis to put in each confection? Dosing – that’s the interesting part. What happens is, we get a lab test on the distillate, it tells us the concentration of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids, and that tells me how much volume to put in. Then [each product] goes to the lab, where it’s tested for potency along with some other things. That [test] comes back and tells us, OK, did we hit the mark? Patients are expecting a certain amount for their medication, so it’s important that we hit the mark; we’d rather be a little bit heavy than a little bit light.
Proper
Cannabis
Made with real fruit, Honeybee gumdrops are so good that the black cherry cola flavor outsold smokable cannabis at the launch of Proper’s medical dispensary. Other flavors include sour raspberry lemonade and mango-chile.
Honeybee chocolate bars come in six flavors. The strawberry crunch with white chocolate, for instance, has 100 milligrams of THC, while the blood orange and candied hazelnut with dark chocolate has 20 milligrams of THC and 100 milligrams of CBD.
Proper’s ratio tablets, or “microdosed mints,” have 2.5 milligrams of THC to help patients achieve a balanced feeling. They’re what the company refers to as an anywhere, anytime solution for those who want to dose low and slow. / j u ly 2 02 1
13
sugar rush / dine & drink / the mix / hot blocks / mystery shopper / shop here / the dish / HEALTHY APPETITE / hometown hits / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE
Story and recipe by Rogan Howitt, beverage director, Good Spirits & Co. in Springfield, Missouri Photography by cheryl waller
The star of one of my favorite desserts, citrus curd isn’t just good in pies and tarts. Typically made with eggs, butter and fresh juice, it also adds intense flavor to cocktails. Similar to a cocktail shaken with an egg white, this citrus curd sour has a silky and frothy texture for your drinking pleasure.
Citrus Curd Sour Serves 1 Citrus Curd Cordial (Yields 16 oz) 8 oz lime curd 8 oz fresh grapefruit juice
You can make lime curd at home, but feel free to buy it premade.
Brûléed Grapefruit 1 grapefruit 2 Tbsp sugar
In the top of a double boiler, whisk together 1¼ cups sugar, 4 eggs, 4 egg yolks, 1½ tablespoons lime zest (finely grated) and ¾ cup fresh lime juice until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Divide 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened) into tablespoon-size pieces; add one piece at a time to pot and whisk to incorporate. Remove curd from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
Citrus Curd Sour 1½ oz lightly aged rum 1½ oz citrus curd cordial (recipe follows) ½ oz Licor 43 ½ oz lemon juice 2 dashes orange bitters 1 slice brûléed grapefruit, for garnish (recipe follows) / preparation – citrus curd cordial / In a bowl, add all ingredients; mix until combined. / preparation – brûléed grapefruit / Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice off top and bottom of grapefruit. Lay flat and slice in half. Set both halves on their centers and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices, creating half rings. On each slice, cut a slit going from the middle to the peel so that it will easily slide onto the rim of a glass. Arrange slices on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle sugar evenly over slices. Broil until sugar has crystallized, 2 to 3 minutes. / preparation – citrus curd sour / Add all ingredients except garnish to a shaker tin with ice; shake until well chilled. Strain mixture into a large coupe glass. Garnish with brûléed grapefruit.
PROMOTI ON
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» LET’S BAKE!
PINEAPPLES SWEETEN THE SUMMER WITH VITAMIN C AND MORE S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T BY K AT H E R I N E L E W I S
Pineapple Rhubarb Bars SERVES: 12 FILLING
PINKGLOW
RED SPANISH
SMOOTH CAYENNE
SUGARLOAF
After nearly 20 years of experimenting with lycopene, the nutrient that gives pink and red fruits and vegetables their color, Del Monte® has developed the Pinkglow pineapple. Grown in Costa Rica, they look like any other pineapple on the outside, but they’re pretty in pink on the inside. Pinkglows take almost two years to grow, and in that time they develop a sweeter, juicier taste than their traditional counterparts. They’re photogenic but pricy: Expect to pay about $50 a pop.
These pineapples occasionally make their way north to the United States from Mexico and the West Indies, where they are predominantly grown. True to their name, Red Spanish pineapples have red spikes as well as red-orange flesh, and they’re a bit smaller than the pineapples typically seen in stores. These sweet, fragrant fruits are at their peak right now, so nab one if you can.
This pineapple was Hawaii’s most commonly grown variety for a century — and by extension, the variety most commonly found in U.S. grocery stores. Smooth Cayennes weigh about six pounds and have beautiful yellow flesh, but they brown when refrigerated. To fix that problem, growers came up with the less-fun-named “MD-2” pineapple in the 1990s, a Smooth Cayenne hybrid that keeps its sunny color even when cold. Today, MD-2s are the most popular pineapples in the country, and they remain great sources of vitamin C, manganese and antioxidants.
Hawaii’s other chief pineapple export, Sugarloaf pineapples are slimmer and longer than Smooth Cayennes. Their flesh is white, not yellow, and their texture is creamy rather than stringy. Plus, unlike most other kinds of pineapple, they have edible cores. Although they tend to be smaller than Smooth Cayennes, they are surprisingly heavy, thanks to their significant sugar content. As a sweet snack, Sugarloafs are fine ways to introduce more potassium, fiber and calcium into your diet.
DOCTOR'S There are few fruits better at the peak of summer than pineapples. They’re sweet, juicy and bring a taste of the tropics to everything from drinks to salads. They also bring health benefits by the boatload. Pineapples’ sunshiny color is a clue to the hefty amount of vitamin C they hold: Just one cup of them more than fulfills the recommended daily amount. Besides being a boon to the nervous and immune systems, vitamin C helps prevent free radicals from forming, which in turn may decrease the risk of some cancers. Dr. Adetunji Toriola, a Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center, points out that pineapples are unique because they’re the only known natural source of an enzyme called
Although eating pineapples exclusively is not a healthy or sustainable way to achieve weight loss — as some fad diets may have you believe — they are a fabulous source of fiber, and they will keep you fuller for longer, meaning you’re less likely to reach for other snacks. Pineapples are low in calories when eaten raw or grilled, but other preparations aren’t as healthy. “Be
siteman.wustl.edu/YDR
2 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 1 tsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp cornstarch 3 Tbsp water 1 tsp lemon juice
CRUST 2 cups old-fashioned oats, divided ¾ cup packed brown sugar ½ tsp salt 4 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, mix pineapple, rhubarb, applesauce, cinnamon and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rhubarb is soft (about 5 minutes). In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to fruit mixture and return to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
ORDERS
bromelain. “While the health effects of the enzyme haven’t been scientifically proven, it has a long history of use in traditional medicine because it’s believed to help fight inflammation and aid digestion,” he says. “A few small-sized studies also suggest that it may play a role in reducing pain and swelling, although these have not been verified in larger well-designed studies.”
2 cups small, fresh pineapple chunks (or canned pineapple tidbits, drained)
DR. ADETUNJI TORIOLA
Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER
sure to buy the kind that is canned in 100 percent fruit juice, not heavy, sugary syrup,” Dr. Toriola says. “You’ll also want to be careful when drinking pineapple juice, as it can contain a lot of sugar and calories. Try to find one without any added sugar, and enjoy in moderation.”
To prepare crust, put 1 cup of oats in food processor or blender and pulse until fine, with a texture similar to flour. Transfer to medium bowl and add remaining oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Pour melted, cooled butter and applesauce over oat mixture and stir until well coated. Grease 9"×9" pan. Pour two-thirds of crust mixture in bottom and pat to form crust. Pour fruit filling on top of crust. Add remaining crust mixture to top of fruit filling so that it is mostly covered. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until sides are browned and fruit is bubbling. Let cool and slice into bars for serving. Top with ice cream, if desired! Approximately 198 calories, 6g fat, 33g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 13g sugar, 4g protein per bar / j u ly 2 02 1
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north kansas city
There’s no better time to enjoy a meal at the Iron District in North Kansas City. The open-air food hall features colorful shipping containers stacked like Legos, serving everything from fresh sushi to birria tacos to Tiki cocktails. In addition to the spirited atmosphere, it’s a great place to meet up-and-coming chefs and taste their creative concepts. –April Fleming 1599 Iron St., North Kansas City, Missouri, irondistrictnorthkc.com
e at h e r e
Crepe KC
Just Slide
Kind Food KC
Sushi MO
Crepe KC offers three sweet crêpes, but the original – a recipe from owner Sandra Zuercher’s mother – is still the fan favorite. Filled with tart lemon curd and topped with a blueberry reduction sauce, whipped cream and fresh mint, it’s best paired with a coffee drink such as a cappuccino or latte made with beans from Hammerhand Coffee in Liberty, Missouri. crepekc.com
Chef Jayuan Smith, a partner of Sauced in the Crossroads Arts District, knows what it takes to make a great burger. At Just Slide, Smith offers square-cut smashburger, slow-cooked barbecue pork and fried chicken sliders bathed in either barbecue sauce or a combination of spicy honey oil, garlic and Parmesan. He’s also added a jerk-marinated shrimp slider to the menu – as if it wasn’t difficult enough to choose what to order. instagram.com/justslide.kc
Even if you don’t adhere to a vegan diet, you’ll find something to enjoy at Kind Food KC. Try a wrap with housemade Buffalo soy “chicken” or crispy coconut “bacon,” or bite into a veggie burger with flavorful toppings such as the BBQ Jackpot mix (slow-roasted jackfruit and sweet potato tossed in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce). We bet you won’t miss the meat. kindfoodkc.com
To craft their made-to-order sushi rolls, husbandand-wife team Louis Guerrieri and Sarah Nelson focus on sustainable species of tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab and eel. They offer recognizable favorites – think spicy tuna, California and Philadelphia rolls – but also bring more adventurous dishes, including fresh mackerel drizzled with Sriracha and pancakes stuffed with sweet red bean paste, to the table. sushimokc.com
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Come visit us for some of the best burgers, beer, and atmosphere in town!
Taquería Gordita All of Taquería Gordita’s tacos – from housemade chorizo to citrus-braised barbacoa and chicken mole to avocado with chile-lime salt and lime juice – are phenomenal, but the superstar here is the quesabirria taco. Rich, slow-cooked lamb and artisan sheep’s cheese, both from Green Dirt Farm, are folded into a soft tortilla, grilled and served with deeply flavored lamb consommé. taqueriagordita.com
Jack Nolen’s Jack Nolen’s Is Always Open, Except Monday’s!
2501 S. 9th St. in Soulard!
Sunday: 11:00am–5:00pm Monday: Closed Tuesday – Saturday: 11:00am – 10:00pm
Thaiger Pronounced “tiger,” this spot serves flavors of northern Thailand and Laos. Highlights include crispy fried pork belly, spiced pork wraps and Lao-style pho, which is richer and sweeter than the Vietnamese dish, alongside a rotating selection of savory noodles and marinated steaks. facebook.com/ thaigerkc-107433290759464
photography by zach bauman
Tiki Huna Spirits expert Trent Kesterson uses freshly squeezed juices, housemade shrubs and a lot of rum to make the playful cocktails at Tiki Huna. Classic Tiki cocktails such as the Zombie and Mr. Bali Hai have a permanent place on the menu, but Kesterson also experiments with seasonal recipes for those in the mood for something new. facebook.com/TikiHuna / j u ly 2 02 1
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Each of these small seeds packs a multitude of flavors.
Story and recipe by Shannon Weber, Writer and Recipe Developer, aperiodictableblog.com Photography by jennifer silverberg
What Is It? Grains of Paradise is the pungent, peppery seed of the plant Aframomum melegueta, a species in the ginger family and a close relative of cardamom. The plant is native to swampy habitats along the coast of West Africa, where the seeds are a common element of the cuisine. While black pepper dominates the flavor profile, it’s accompanied by notes of lemon, cardamom, clove, coriander and juniper. The aromatic spice is woodsy but bright, shot through with a sunny heat that goes with almost anything.
What Do I Do With It? A chameleon of sorts, Grains of Paradise deftly pushes different flavors to the forefront depending on the pairing. If you’re intimidated, just think of it as pepper that you can grind into all manner of spice rubs, marinades, brines and basting sauces for meat, poultry and fish. Its flavor blooms in soups, stews and curries, and it can infuse unique flavor into butter, oil or cooking liquid for vegetables, rice and other grains – simply crack open the whole seeds, add them to the simmering liquid and remove them prior to serving. Grains of Paradise is fabulous in fruit-laden desserts as well; apples, cherries, peaches and pineapple embrace the notes of citrus and clove.
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You might n ot find Grains of Pa radise at your loca l market, bu t it’s sometim es available at internati onal markets an d easy to order online .
spiced Carrot Hummus yields 3 cups 1 Tbsp Grains of Paradise ¾ lb organic carrots (3 to 4), scrubbed 6 Tbsp, plus 2 tsp, olive oil, divided 1½ tsp kosher salt 1 14.5-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped ¹⁄₃ cup Chinese sesame paste juice of 3 to 4 medium limes ½ cup water
WANT TO PROMOTE YOUR EVENT? Contact your local rep for details on getting your event listed in
/ preparation / Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small skillet, dry-toast whole Grains of Paradise seeds until fragrant and then grind them into a powder with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Set aside. Toss whole carrots with 2 teaspoons olive oil; sprinkle with salt. Place on a lipped baking sheet; roast until fork-tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Slice roasted carrots into 1-inch-long pieces. Add carrot pieces, remaining olive oil, chickpeas, garlic, sesame paste, lime juice and ground Grains of Paradise to the bowl of a food processor; pulse to blend. With the motor on, stream in water, adding more as needed until hummus reaches desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to sealed container and refrigerate, at least 2 hours, to allow flavors to blend. / to serve / Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with more toasted and ground Grains of Paradise, if desired. Serve at room temperature with assorted crackers, pitas and crudités.
pair with: Pét-Nat
All-natural, handmade chocolates and confections.
Watch confection s being mad e in our open-a ir kitchen.
PA I R IT!
The flavors in this recipe shine even brighter when paired with the TerraVox 2018 Pét-Nat, a limited-production wine made from the America grape in Kansas City. Dry and slightly effervescent, the fine wine is light-bodied and refreshing. Notes of candied cranberry, pomegranate, citrus and clove happily mingle with the complex layers of flavor in Grains of Paradise. –Hilary Hedges voxvineyards.com
Now serving ice cream sundaes!
7272 Manchester Road | Maplewood, MO 63143 314.645.4446 | kakaochocolate.com / j u ly 2 02 1
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Builds Her Favorite Charcuterie Board carr valley apple-
stonewall kitchen
saint angel
smoked cheddar
bellini jam
triple-crème
This white Cheddar is hand-rubbed
Ripe white peaches and sparkling
A thin rind, rare square
with paprika to complement its
white wine come together to
shape and tangy flavor
slightly smoky flavor.
produce this summery jam.
define this dreamy Brie.
▲ SPRINGFIELD, MO
Schuchmann Meat Co. Written by Lucie Amberg / photography by cheryl waller
Stock up on everything you need to complete your summer grilling bucket list at Schuchmann Meat Co. in Springfield, Missouri. The bright and airy butcher and specialty shop is the latest venture for Chad Schuchmann, a veteran of the cattle industry, and his wife, Julie, who’s leveraged her extensive experience in high-end retail to curate a delectable selection for the “food-fascinated.” Meats range from gorgeous cuts of Prime, high Choice and legendarily tender Wagyu beef – all raised and grazed in the U.S. – to farmto-table options from the family’s own ranch in Clever, Missouri. If you really want to impress a crowd, try the bone-in filets and tomahawk steaks too. The shop also has an impressive array of sauces and seasonings, and its charcuterie boards are quickly becoming the talk of the town. 4406 S. Campbell Ave., Suite 100, Springfield, Missouri, schuchmannmeat.com
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rustic bakery
jamón ibérico
beef and mozzarella
artisan crisps
de bellota
summer sausage
These organic crisps come in
The thinly sliced cured
Hearty and thick-cut, this
a variety of tempting flavors,
pork has a melt-in-the-
summer sausage is smoked at
including rosemary-olive oil
mouth texture and a rich,
the Schuchmanns’ meat locker
and citrus-ginger-thyme.
savory flavor.
in Conway, Missouri.
Come for the specialty foods, and local products, and house-made deliciousness, and vintage cookbooks, and kitchen tools, and recipe sharing.
Stay for the cooking classes and tasting events, and virtual classes, and grilled cheese every Thursday and Friday lunch.
7310 Manchester Road | 314.571.9554 | www.taletotable.com
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green pepper rings The first time you see fried green peppers tossed in powdered sugar on the list of appetizers at Murry’s in Columbia, Missouri, you might be skeptical. But if you’ve dined at the local institution before, you know better. Co-owner Bill Sheals credits the recipe for Brock’s Green Pepper Rings to a longtime friend named – you guessed it – Brock, who tried and subsequently fell in love with a similar dish at a restaurant in upstate New York. Breaded with spiced flour, the peppers are light but crisp, and the powdered sugar on top gives them a funnel cake flavor. “The fact that the dish is unusual makes it a favorite,” says Sheals. “Everyone’s reaction is that it’s crazy, then they try it and want more.” Fortunately, the recipe is simple enough for fans to make at home – and it’s even better if you can pluck the peppers straight from your garden. –Hope Timmermann
Recipe courtesy of Bill Sheals, co-owner, Murry’s Photography by aaron ottis
serves 4 4 1 1½ 1 1½ 4 1
cups vegetable oil, for frying cup all-purpose flour tsp garlic salt tsp freshly ground black pepper cups 1 percent milk large green bell peppers cup powdered sugar (more or less to taste)
/ preparation / In a deep pot, heat vegetable oil to 390°F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, garlic salt and black pepper; mix until well combined. Add milk to a separate medium bowl. Core each pepper and remove seeds. Working with one pepper at a time, place on its side and slice into ¹⁄₈-inch-thick rings. Repeat process with remaining peppers. Working with one ring at a time, dip in milk and then dredge in flour mixture. Repeat with remaining rings. Carefully drop rings, one at a time, into hot oil; spread out and fry until crisp and golden brown. Remove rings from oil and transfer to a paper towel or a wire rack to drain. Top with powdered sugar and serve hot.
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ONE ON ONE
ONE on
/
kansas city
with James Worley / owner, Yum Yards How does Yum Yards work? Yum Yards specializes in planning, planting, maintaining and harvesting vegetable and herb gardens. [During the first on-site consultation] the homeowners and I choose the right place to put the garden – usually a spot close to the kitchen that gets enough sun with easy access to water. Then they take my veggie survey, which helps me plant the vegetables and herbs they will like and eat. I don’t sell raised beds or smart pots, but I send links to the ones I recommend. Once the beds and containers arrive, my team and I come with compost, seeds and plants – whatever we need to start planting. Finally, the homeowners pick one of three levels of service that Yum Yards provides.
Written by Jenny Vergara photography by zach bauman
As a kid, James Worley learned how to take tomato cuttings from his parents’ backyard garden and successfully propagate them – to his immense pleasure. At one point, he had filled almost every cup and bowl in the house with soil and starter plants – to his mother’s horror. Years later, Worley
What are Yum Yards’ three levels of service? The partial garden service includes four visits to the garden to plant seasonal vegetables and clean and close the beds at the end of the season. The full garden service includes the same services as the partial with two additional unscheduled visits to the site each month, [when we send you] a video about what’s happening in your garden. We also do all of the necessary weeding and fertilizing and maintain the drip irrigation system. The
bought a house in Kansas City and started his own vegetable garden with three raised beds, which has grown to 40 raised beds and 150 containers, rightfully earning him the nickname “The Tomato Whisperer.” Working with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Worley taught nature and conservation classes while running multiple greenhouses,
premium garden service includes everything in the full but also weekly visits to the garden to do all the work involved in its upkeep and to harvest the vegetables, which we leave by the client’s back door. My team provides everything from technical know-how for beginners to additional labor for more experienced gardeners.
but he eventually decided to branch out on his own. In January 2020, he launched Yum Yards and hired a team of “yardeners” to help people in the Kansas City metro area create edible gardens in their own yards. Someday, Worley hopes to expand Yum Yards to other Midwest
What are some of the more interesting things you’re growing for people this year? This year, I’ve had a lot of requests for pattypan squash. Joe Paris [CEO of Paris Brothers Specialty Foods and co-owner of Parisi Coffee] asked me to grow cucuzza squash, which is found a lot in Italian cuisine, and I have a family that asked me if I could grow bitter melon and several different kinds of basil for them. Listen, if it can grow here, I will do it.
cities; his goal is to plant at least 1,000 vegetable gardens before he retires. “If the gardens I build now are tended to, they will still be growing long after I’m gone – that will be my legacy,” he says.
field guide: Useful Gardening Tips from James Worley Plant the Right Crops at the Right Time
Try Container Gardening
According to Worley, spring vegetables
You can grow a lot of great
should go in the ground under row covers
vegetables and herbs in containers.
in early March. You should plant summer
Peppers and eggplants love them, but
get diseased. They’re desert plants that
vegetables in May and fall vegetables in
remember to water them frequently.
are used to living in dry conditions, so
September, then clean out your
Worley recommends smart or fabric
only water them when they need it, and
beds and plant garlic in October.
pots over plastic ones.
then water the soil around the stem.
Don’t Overwater Your Tomatoes
Overwatering tomatoes creates shallow roots that
Is there anything new on the horizon for Yum Yards? Yes! Alix Daniel, who is the vice president of the Kansas City chapter of the Missouri Mycological Society, and I are looking at offering mushroom gardens through Yum Yards. We would come to your home and inoculate logs in a shady spot to grow edible culinary mushrooms in your own backyard. Cool, right? yumyards.com / j u ly 2 02 1
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Salmon Burgers
with Cucumber-Jalapeño Salad At the height of grilling season, there’s nothing better than a burger. Delicate and full of flavor, these salmon burgers are destined to become the star of your summer cookouts. I top them with a drizzle of hot honey and a cucumber-jalapeño salad for extra zing. Story and recipe by Amanda Elliott, chef-owner, Beet Box in Columbia, Missouri Photography by kim wade
Serves 5 Cucumber-Jalapeño Salad 2 cups Persian cucumbers, cut on the bias 3 jalapeños, charred and cut on the bias 1 avocado, cubed 1 cup cilantro 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp salt ½ Tbsp freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 orange, zested and juiced 1 lime, zested and juiced Salmon Burgers 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, small dice 5 cloves garlic, sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 lb salmon, finely chopped 1 cup Panko bread crumbs 1 egg 5 Tbsp mayonnaise 5 buns, sliced 5 Tbsp hot honey / preparation – cucumber-jalapeño salad / In a medium bowl, add all ingredients; toss to combine. Set aside until ready to use. / preparation – salmon burgers / Preheat grill. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat; add olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, approximately 5 minutes, and then transfer to a large heatproof bowl to cool. Add salmon, bread crumbs and egg to cooled onion mixture; using your hands, mix thoroughly. Divide mixture into five even patties; set on plates and place in refrigerator, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chilled patties to grill and lightly season with salt and pepper; cook, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove from grill and set aside. Spread mayonnaise on both sides of the buns; place cut-side down on grill to toast, 1 to 2 minutes. / assembly / Layer each toasted bun with a salmon patty, a drizzle of hot honey and cucumber-jalapeño salad.
pair with: Apple Brandy The apple brandy from Of The Earth Farm + Distillery in Richmond, Missouri, is aged in Missouri white oak barrels. Dominated by appley sweetness, the nose is straightforward, while the palate has hints of honey, vanilla and caramel. I suggest using it in an apple brandy sour. Combine 2 ounces apple brandy, ½ ounce Dry Curaçao, ½ ounce fresh lemon juice and 1 egg white in a shaker tin; reverse dry shake. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an Amarena cherry and orange peel. –Darrell Loo oftheearthfarm.com
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PA I R IT!
midwest made
Those of us who love hot sauce know that it’s good on just about anything. Luckily, these Midwest makers offer different levels of heat for all of our condiment and cooking needs. Written by Rachel Huffman / photography by matthew seidel
In 2015, Joseph Gidman – who owns Café Cusco in Springfield, Missouri – started to officially bottle and sell his homemade Peruvian-inspired hot sauce. The Loco Roco hot sauce features raisins, brown sugar, serrano peppers, aji rocoto peppers, garlic, cilantro, Key lime juice and Himalayan salt. “It’s sweet up front, you get the heat from the serrano pepper in the middle, and about when you think it’s over, the oils from the rocoto pepper kick in,” says Gidman. He developed the hot sauce with Café Cusco’s menu in mind, incorporating ingredients that appear most consistently in his cooking, so that it complements every dish. Loco Roco is available at the restaurant on Commercial Street as well as Chabom Tea + Spices down the block. cafecusco.com
Danny Higgins and Todd Schulte launched R.J. Iguanas Hot Sauce Co. in Olathe, Kansas, after first connecting on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company’s Everyday Hot Sauce is slightly sweet with mild heat to enhance your food without burning your tongue. An immediate tang of vinegar is followed by a hint of vine-ripened tomatoes, and the tingle from fresh habanero lingers just long enough for you to take your next bite. Truly an everyday condiment, you can splash it on everything from eggs to avocados to pork chops. rjiguanas.com
Charlie Backer of Hot Charlie’s in Oakville, Missouri, developed his original hot sauce to appeal to a wide audience. It has a more manageable heat, while the brand’s ghost pepper hot sauce reaches the same scorching level as Tabasco. St. Louis-area restaurants, including Paddy O’s and Sugarfire Smoke House, have used Hot Charlie’s products as condiments for different dishes, while Backer’s wife loves to cook with them – think garlicky green bean casserole and zesty potato salad. hotcharlies.com
Packaged in glass flask-style bottles, Grinders signature hot sauces provide different levels of heat. The Wimpy sauce features garlic, mango and cayenne peppers for a milder flavor, while the BRW Molten sauce also includes habanero mash for a punchier product. Hotter still, the Near Death sauce boasts a habanero and cayenne mash, and the Death Nectar harnesses the power of capsicum and ghost peppers for an inferno-like heat. Despite being downright dangerous, the latter still has a good flavor from a combination of pineapple juice, mango purée, espresso grounds and squid ink. facebook.com/ GrindersSignatureHotSauces
On weekends, Joel Anderson, owner of Anderson and Son Pepper Co., used to turn his home into a hot sauce laboratory. While cooking with some of the world’s spiciest peppers, his wife frequently reminded him not to touch their then-6-month-old son, and so when the time came to name the perfected recipe, Don’t Touch the Baby was only fitting. Citrusy, sweet and tangy flavors come from the habanero peppers, red bell peppers and vinegar, respectively, and agave nectar adds yet another sweet element to the small-batch hot sauce. Order bottles online or pick them up at a handful of stores in the St. Louis area. andersonpepperco.com / j u ly 2 02 1
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These three delicious destinations are under the radar – but should be on yours.
▲ COLUMBIA, MO
The Station House at Katfish Katy’s written by Jessica Vaughn Martin / photography by aaron ottis
▲ SEDALIA, MO
Ivory Grille Written by Jenny Vergara photography by christopher smith
Hugged by the Katy Trail and the Missouri River on the outskirts of Columbia, Missouri, The Station House at Katfish Katy’s is a welcome oasis for travelers and denizens alike. The restaurant underwent a complete remodel in 2016, and this year, mother-and-son team Vanessa and Jake
Leitza took ownership. The duo has already released a new menu with health-conscious options, including quinoa tacos and a grilled chicken salad, alongside staples such as the Katfish Platter, Katy’s Grilled Cheese and The Station House Burger featuring a regionally raised, grass-fed beef patty.
Enjoy your meal with a Clear State hard seltzer; made in Missouri with all natural ingredients, flavors include tart cherry, passionfruit and Key lime. 8825 W. Sarr St., Columbia, Missouri, katfishkatys.com
Dating back to 1927, Hotel Bothwell sits pretty on the square in downtown Sedalia, Missouri, a stone’s throw from the Katy Trail. Here, Classical Revival style meets modern amenities, but many guests visit for the food and drinks. At Ivory Grille, executive chef Chris Paszkiewicz presents a generous dinner menu where seasonal dishes join consistent favorites. Start with the fried artichokes or bacon-wrapped dates and then dig into the Kansas City strip steak au poivre, lamb chops, jumbo crab cakes or chicken piccata. On weekends, the prime rib dinner is a proper indulgence. Thanks to the recent addition of the handsome Oak Room Lounge, there’s also an extensive wine list with price points for every budget. We recommend trying a glass or two of Missouri wine from Les Bourgeois Vineyards in Rocheport or Wildlife Ridge Winery in Smithton.
photography by Mark Neuenschwander
317 S. Ohio Ave., Sedalia, Missouri, theivorygrille.com
102 Castle Dr., Joplin, Missouri, facebook.com/allaboardicecream
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◀ JOPLIN, MO
All Aboard Burgers and Ice Cream Written by Jessica Vaughn Martin
In Joplin, Missouri, All Aboard Burgers and Ice Cream brings two hallmarks of summer together. Sink your teeth into an oldfashioned hamburger from Whisler’s, which opened in Carthage, Missouri, in 1953, and then grab a waffle cone piled high with colorful scoops of ice cream made with a recipe that dates back to The Great Depression. Celebrate the season with a half gallon of the Fuzzy Peach made with fresh peaches from Pate’s Orchard and Produce in Stockton, Missouri, or the palate-cleansing lemon.
ONE ON ONE
ONE on
/
springfield, mo
with Francine Pratt creative partner, Queen City Soul Kitchen Written by Tessa Cooper
A Brief History of Popular Soul Foods At Queen City Soul Kitchen, Francine Pratt and business partner Lyle Foster aim to educate their customers on the history of the soul food they serve.
photography by cheryl waller
At Queen City Soul Kitchen, the peach cobbler is always in demand, and Francine Pratt remembers the precise details of how she refined the recipe. Living in Sacramento, California, at the time, she worked as a caterer, serving high-profile clients such as Patti LaBelle and Kenny G, but she always wanted more: a restaurant. Her first business
smothered chicken
partner agreed to open one with her
Pratt explains that many enslaved people only received the feet, wings or butt of the chicken to eat. In order to create a meal from those pieces of meat, they would fry them and smother them with gravy. Queen City Soul Kitchen also offers smothered pork chops, which are oven-fried and then baked with gravy until tender.
if she could learn to make soul food. “Long story short, my peach cobbler recipe is my favorite because he brought in three different grandmothers who lived in the Sacramento area to show me how to make it,” she says. “It was so nice because they were joking with me like, ‘How are you Black and you don’t know how to make that?’ And so I watched them and watched them, and I mastered my peach cobbler thanks to those three.” Pratt’s culinary experience, Black heritage and childhood spent in Europe are all ingredients in her signature cooking style, which fills the menu at her new Springfield, Missouri, restaurant. What is your first memory of soul food? My first memory is watching my aunt make sweet potatoes – I guess because sweet potatoes are one of my favorites. She didn’t measure anything. Back in that era, at least in our culture, children were, in a sense, seen but not heard – not in a negative way; it was out of respect. You did not ask a lot of questions unless you were told to. So, I would watch her and observe. Then I would try to remember everything so that I could master what she did. How did growing up in Germany influence your culinary journey? In Germany, I ate horse, I ate cow’s tongue and I ate pig ears. Of course, I also ate German bratwurst, sauerkraut and apple strudel. When I came to the U.S. and I asked for those things, my aunts and uncles were like, “Child, we don’t eat that stuff here.” But my overall gourmet flair really came from my father. My father’s job required him to go to all seven continents on a regular basis. When he [traveled], he would eat different cuisines and bring back various spices from the different countries. He could remember the exact flavor of a
collard greens
According to Pratt, in the early 1800s, many white people considered collard greens a weed; however, enslaved people would gather the nutrient-rich leaves and cook them for their families. The tradition has carried across generations – Pratt even remembers her grandmothers foraging some for dinner.
dish, and he would challenge me to replicate it. He would say, “No, not quite, not quite. You need a little bit more of this, a little bit more of that.” And so, I learned how to cook [food] from those different countries. How do you apply your gourmet cooking style to soul food recipes to create the dishes at Queen City Soul Kitchen? Well, some of it is with the spices that I use. So, for example, when my grandmothers or my aunts made smothered chicken, they were just using salt, pepper, garlic and water; I’ll add a little bit of tarragon. And with my greens, I use smoked turkey legs instead of ham hocks, plus sugar, salt, pepper and garlic, and I add a little bit of basil. So, I slip in spices and herbs to enhance the flavors and kind of give [my dishes] a different taste. I tell people, “A cook is one who follows a recipe, but a chef is one who creates.” 2006 N. Broadway Ave., Springfield, Missouri, facebook.com/QueenCitySoulKitchen
peach cobbler
Typically, enslaved people were also only allowed to gather peaches that had fallen from the trees or those that were overripe. “They got the fruits that weren’t at their best, so they would cut off [the good parts] and put them in different dishes,” says Pratt.
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sugar rush / dine & drink / the mix / hot blocks / mystery shopper / shop here / the dish / HEALTHY APPETITE / hometown hits / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE
In this class, we’ll explore different ways to use a grill to make the most of the season’s ripest ingredients.
Grilled Peaches with Heirloom Tomatoes and Manchego In the middle of the growing season, sweet summer peaches abound. This appetizer celebrates their natural goodness by simply caramelizing them on the grill and adding salty Manchego cheese and colorful heirloom tomatoes to balance the overall flavor. Written by Amy Feese Photography by Jennifer Silverberg
Get Hands-On Join Schnucks Cooking School chef Amy Feese on Zoom at 4pm on Thu., July 22 to learn how to make the dishes on this month’s menu.
For more information on everything you’ll need for the virtual class, from cookware to ingredients, contact the cooking school directly. nourish.schnucks.com/web-ext/cooking-school or call 314.909.1704
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feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
serves 4 2 ¼ 3 2 3 to 4
peaches, halved and pitted cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided oz crumbled Manchego juice of 1 lime sea salt, to taste medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced oz fresh basil, chopped
MAKE THE MEAL • Grilled Peaches with Heirloom Tomatoes and Manchego • Grilled Scallops with Ginger and Lime • Grilled Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Chive Butter • Grilled Blueberry-Lemon Crisp
/ preparation / Preheat grill. Brush cut-side of peaches with 2 tablespoons olive oil; place cut-side down on grill until marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn peaches over and top with Manchego. Cover grill and continue cooking until cheese has melted. Meanwhile, add remaining olive oil and lime juice to a bowl; mix until combined. Season with salt to taste. / to serve / Lay tomato slices on a serving platter; season with salt to taste. Place peaches on top; drizzle with olive oillime juice dressing. Garnish with basil.
CULINARY LIBRARY /
st. louis
with Kaylen Wissinger / owner, Whisk and Poptimism t In 2012, Kaylen Wissinger founded Whisk, a sustainable bakeshop in St. Louis’ Benton
Park neighborhood, and seven years later, she officially launched Poptimism, the cutest ice pop truck in town. The shop’s baked goods range from cherry pop tartlets to bananachocolate chip muffins to housemade Twinkies, and local producers inspire the seasonal ice pop flavors. Wissinger’s newfound interest in foraging, as well as her efforts to turn her backyard into an edible landscape, have also informed the menus. Recently, she made wild garlic scones with onion and Cheddar and lavender lemonade ice pops filled with fresh violets. Here, she shares three books that she hopes will bring you as much joy as they’ve brought her. –Rachel Huffman photo by miranda munguia
Cherry Bombe: The Cookbook
The Nordic Baking Book
Foraged Flavor
by Kerry Diamond and Claudia Wu (2017)
by Magnus Nilsson (2018)
by Eddy Leroux and Tama Matsuoka Wong (2012)
“I’ve been obsessed with Cherry Bombe [the magazine] ever since the first issue with Karlie Kloss, and when the cookbook was announced, I preordered it that day. Women in food is a subject that’s very near and dear to my heart, and having this gorgeous cookbook with these beautiful pictures and short stories from the female chefs behind the recipes is such a treat.”
“Nordic baking is completely different than what we do at Whisk, which makes it fun and interesting. The Nordic Baking Book is a tome – I estimate that there are 800 recipes in there – and I haven’t even scratched the surface. It includes a lot of naturally leavened stuff, which is something I’m slowly learning, and everything I’ve made has turned out so well.”
“I got really into foraging at the start of the pandemic, and that hobby has stuck around. This is one of the books I bought to teach myself how to identify everything. It’s divided into seasons, and it talks about what you can find in each region during that time and exactly where you’ll find it, whether it’s by a creek, in a forest or on an open plain. And it has really clear color photos so you can see what each item looks like [before you] start picking stuff and eating it.”
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sugar rush / dine & drink / the mix / hot blocks / mystery shopper / shop here / the dish / HEALTHY APPETITE / hometown hits / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE
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feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
story and recipe by Shannon Weber, writer and recipe developer, aperiodictableblog.com photography by Jennifer Silverberg
A well-executed pork steak, grilled and slathered in barbecue sauce, is a nostalgic sign of summer around these parts. I’m no pitmaster, but I am a St. Louis native, so I know my way around the cut. And I’m happy to delve into how this humble piece of meat became a Midwest staple.
A pork steak – sometimes sold as Boston Butt or pork blade steak – is cut from the shoulder of the pig in varying degrees of thickness. The bone-in meat has a large amount of intramuscular fat (marbling), making it especially succulent, and it has a more pronounced pork flavor than the oft-used chop.
\The St. Louis Connection The first rustlings of pork steaks as a proper cut of meat were at the turn of the 20th century, according to food writer and culinary historian Robert F. Moss, when some butcher shops carried them as pork blade steaks and The Boston Globe mentioned the specific cut in a roundup of meat prices. Over the years, pork steaks made tracks across the U.S., popping up on menus and in cookbooks, touted as a cheap protein that could hold its own against other more expensive cuts, provided you treated it right.
I’ll never knock St. Louis-style pork steaks – in fact, I can still recall piles of them simmering in vats of barbecue sauce while I lazed poolside as a kid. But it’s not our only option. Consider brining or marinating them to achieve maximum tenderness. Brining is a great, neutral choice if you plan to soak them in barbecue sauce later, while a marinade will infuse more flavor into the meat and allow you to skip the sauce for a change. Consider building on these foundational flavor profiles:
Classic Americana
Apple cider vinegar, sweet onion, garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh rosemary or thyme and olive oil.
Starting in the 1950s, several St. Louis columnists wrote intermittently about the understated charm of a barbecued pork steak, and all that chatter eventually found its footing in the hearts and minds of locals. Pork steaks were a natural fit for backyard barbecues and large gatherings: Hosts could slow-cook them without much hands-on work, and they could be kept warm indefinitely in sauce. Today, pork steaks remain a practical and beloved option for home cooks and professional chefs alike. At Kenrick’s Meats & Catering in St. Louis, Steven Weinmann says they sell approximately 100,000 pounds a year. “The cost is very reasonable, and pork steaks are something that Midwesterners are raised on,” he says. “It’s just something that we’re used to, which is why I think they’re still so popular.”
A Taste of the Tropics
Garlic, chiles, spices, citrus (lemon, lime or orange) and neutral oil.
Asian Inspiration
Soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, honey and sesame oil.
b If you decide to marinate or brine them, I recommend letting them sit for four to six hours. Then it’s time to party.
A More Traditional Route / Mariah Kinkade, The Upper Cut in Kansas City “My grandma made pork steaks pretty regularly when I was growing up because they’re economical, but they’re really good, too. So I think of them as an old-school cut, and it’s kind of funny to hear of people in their 20s and 30s learning to cook them now. A pork steak is a fattier piece of meat – it’s not real lean – so I tell people this, ‘If you like a rib eye, you’ll like a pork steak; if you only buy fillets and you don’t like much fat, it’s not the cut for you.’ I like my pork steak an inch and a half thick, which is rare; a lot of people ask for a half inch or three-quarters of an inch. And I love to grill them over indirect heat. I use our garlic butter seasoning, butter brush them with barbecue sauce and then leave them alone. I don’t put sauce on much, but I do like sauce on my pork steaks.” / j u ly 2 02 1
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sugar rush / dine & drink / the mix / hot blocks / mystery shopper / shop here / the dish / HEALTHY APPETITE / hometown hits / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE
procure
that
Pork
If you live in Missouri, you can likely find pork steaks at your local butcher shop or market, but here are a few of our favorite places to get you started.
Columbia Barred Owl Butcher & Table 47 E. Broadway, Columbia, Missouri, barredowlbutcher.com Mizzou Meat Market 147 Eckles Hall, Columbia, Missouri, mizzoumeatmarket.wordpress.com
Kansas City North Oak Quality Meat Market 7711 N. Oak Trafficway, Suite Q, Gladstone, Missouri, northoakqualitymeat.com The Upper Cut 9769 N. Cedar Ave., Kansas City, Missouri, theuppercutkc.com
Springfield Hörrmann Meats 1537 W. Battlefield Road, Springfield, Missouri, horrmannmeat.com Harter House, multiple locations, harterhouse.com
St. Louis BEAST Butcher & Block 4156 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, beastbbqstl.com Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions 2733 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, Missouri, bolyardsmeat.com Kenrick’s Meats & Catering 4324 Weber Road, St. Louis, Missouri, kenricks.com 32
feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
In this recipe, we’re skipping the barbecue sauce and using a marinade to pack these grilled pork steaks with unexpected flavor. I use black vinegar, which is common in Asian markets and keeps things light, but you can substitute balsamic vinegar for a similar flavor or apple cider vinegar for a more classic approach.
Grilled Pork Steaks with Rosemary-Sage Finishing Sauce serves 4 Grilled Pork Steaks ¾ cup olive oil ¹⁄₃ cup Chinese black vinegar 3 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 2 tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp whole allspice berries ¼ tsp chile flakes 4 pork steaks, at least 1 inch thick freshly ground black pepper Rosemary-Sage Finishing Sauce 6 Tbsp ghee 6 to 8 fresh sage leaves 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 2 cloves garlic, smashed
/ preparation – grilled pork steaks / In a medium bowl, whisk oil and vinegar together; stir in garlic, rosemary, salt, allspice berries and chile flakes until combined. Add pork steaks to a wide, shallow dish and pour marinade over top; flip steaks until coated. Tightly cover dish; marinate pork steaks in refrigerator, 4 to 6 hours. Remove marinated pork steaks from refrigerator and bring to room temperature prior to grilling. Meanwhile, prepare grill for indirect heat by shifting coals to one side. Remove steaks from marinade, place directly over coals and sear, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and sear, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer steaks to the other side of the grill for indirect heat; cover grill and cook, keeping heat at approximately 300°F and turning steaks occasionally, 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 145°F. Remove, loosely tent with foil and let rest, 5 minutes. / preparation – rosemary-sage finishing sauce / While steaks are resting, heat ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. / to serve / Divide steaks onto plates; divide finishing sauce over top. Serve immediately.
Mike Byassee, Kenrick’s Meats & Catering in St. Louis “I like to use a Weber charcoal grill. I season the pork steaks with salt, pepper and garlic and grill them right on top of the fire for 15 to 20 minutes per side. Then I transfer them to an aluminum pan or glass dish; I add a little apple juice or beer – whichever I have at home – cover them and put them in the oven, set at 200°F, for 45 minutes to an hour. After that, I drain the juice, sauce them up and put them back in the oven, uncovered, for another 25 to 30 minutes.”
When the world relies on you for healthy food choices, rely on SOYLEIC™ SOYLEIC™ is a non-GMO, high-oleic soybean oil option for today’s kitchens – and those they serve. • High Smoke Point • Neutral Flavor • Zero Trans Fat • Reduced Waste That means the future of a healthier food system isn’t manufactured – it’s grown. See why chefs are turning to SOYLEIC™.
Missouri
s
Meats & Catering PrePared Food ST. LOUIS’ LARGEST BUTCHERSHOP
Ready to grill, homemade deli meats, specialty steaks, prepared food, gift packages, wholesale meats & fundraisers. Head to our website to plan your next shopping trip to Kenrick’s Meats.
Visit us online At KenRiCKs.Com 4324 Weber Rd • St. Louis, MO 63123 • 314-631 314-631-2440 Hours: Mon - Fri 9-6 • Sat to 8-5 • Sun 9-4
soyleic.com
(573) 635-3819 734 S. Country Club Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109
Cooking with Joe Tender Baby Back Ribs Ingredients: • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt • 1 rack of baby back ribs from Kenrick’s. • 1 teaspoon black pepper (Ask the butcher to take skin off the back of the ribs.) • 1 teaspoon onion powder • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1 tablespoon garlic powder • 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika • 1 tablespoon chili powder Directions: 1. Mix the dry ingredients together to form a rub. 2. Apply the rub to the ribs and let them stay overnight in the refrigerator. 3. Grill the ribs on indirect heat for about an hour or until the temperature reaches 155 degrees F. 4. Remove the ribs from the grill and drizzle your favorite barbecue sauce over the top of them. 5. Wrap the ribs individually in aluminum foil and put in oven at 225 to 250 degrees F for another 45 minutes until the meat tenderizes in the oven and comes right off of the bone.
We Accept Food Stamps
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From Thai sai oua to South African boerewors to Medieval German bratwursts, Brats of the World in Troy, Missouri, brings international flavors to the backyard barbecue.
Written by Heather Riske Photography by Matthew Seidel
Jeff Suchland wants to help you travel the world from the comfort of
but he decided to take a gamble on one sausage less common at
your own backyard – all you need is a grill and some brats.
your typical neighborhood cookout: boerewors. The coiled sausage, which means “farmer’s sausage” in Afrikaans, is a staple at braai,
The third-generation farmer is perhaps best known as the face of
South Africa’s answer to the barbecue, where it’s cooked whole in
Alpacas of Troy, a family-run operation in eastern Missouri that raises
its spiral shape. Suchland makes his with a combination of lamb and
approximately 40 alpacas for fiber that’s spun into yarn or felted
pork (when lambs are not in season, he subs in goat and beef), spices
and knitted products. But when he isn’t hawking colorful fuzzy dryer
it with allspice, cloves and nutmeg and infuses it with red wine from
balls, socks and felted soap made by his wife, Gita, at a local farmers’
Adam Puchta Winery in Hermann, Missouri. “All of South Africa
market, he’s offering customers a taste of fragrant and funky sai oua
has fallen in love with this sausage,” he says. “It’s the centerpoint
from Thailand, slightly sweet Filipino longganisa and robustly spiced
of every grillout or braai that a South African has. When I make it,
Medieval German bratwursts.
people come out of the woodwork to get it because I only make it about three times a year. It does take all of those different animals,
Approximately a decade in the making, Brats of the World, Suchland’s
and everything’s got to be timed perfectly for that.”
latest endeavor, offers internationally inspired sausages made from the pasture-raised goats and hogs he tends to on his farm alongside
One such fan of the boerewors is Ryan Sherring, co-owner of Six
Huacaya and Suri alpacas. He initially brought hogs onto the farm to
Mile Bridge in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Born and raised in South
protect his alpacas against mountain lions (the hogs keep the grass
Africa, Sherring started his brewing career in Cape Town before
low enough to deter predators) before deciding to process their meat
launching Six Mile Bridge with his wife, Lindsay, in 2015. The pair
into fresh sausages. “Every animal on my farm has a purpose, and they
first met Suchland a couple years ago at a farmers’ market and have
all support alpacas – except rabbits and sheep,
a symbiotic relationship with the farmer;
which are just cute,” he says.
Oak Meadow’s hogs are fed spent grain from the brewery, and Suchland hosted several
Lest anyone think he was selling alpaca meat,
pop ups at the brewery before its in-house
Suchland dubbed the meat side of his operation
restaurant opened.
Oak Meadow Farm, and it also offers classic pork cuts such as bacon, pork belly, tenderloins,
“Boerewors is a huge point of nostalgia for
chops and smoked ham hocks. “[Brats of the
me,” says Sherring, adding that he was excited
World] really started because I noticed that
to be able to find the South African staple in
a lot of sausages were mainly made from the
the St. Louis area. “Our sports revolve around
leftover parts of the hog,” he says. “When a butcher breaks down an
rugby and soccer, and outside any stadium, there are vendors selling
animal, they trim up the cuts, and the trim is what’s left after you cut
boerewors, so it’s a very common occurrence for us to grab one
the animal into segments like chops and shoulder – it’s what’s left
before or after a game. [Suchland’s] boerewors definitely ranks up
after you make the pork look good. The trim is typically made into
there; it’s delicious. Maybe it’s just because I grew up eating it, but
ground pork because you can’t really do anything else with it, and
it’s way better than any other sausage I’ve had.”
that’s traditionally what sausages are made from. I don’t like waste and I realized we’ll make better sausages if we use the whole animal
Suchland describes his boerewors as a “fluke,” but it was a happy
instead of just the leftovers. So far, we’ve been able to use every bit
accident, and one that led him to start exploring traditional
of the hog except the oink, which was our goal.”
sausages from all over the world. A longtime home cook and selfprofessed Food Network devotee, Suchland also has a passion for
With that in mind, Brats of the World sausages are all made from the
learning about different cultures – he studied linguistics in college
whole hog, including prime cuts such as the shoulder, loin and ham.
and worked as an ESL teacher for 20 years. “I’ve been a foodie
Suchland raises all of the animals on his farm in Troy, Missouri, which
forever, so I wanted to offer those different types of sausages that
was started by his great-grandfather, and he feeds them a diet of
people weren’t going to come across every day so that they could
acorns, nuts, weeds, alfalfa, fodder and non-GMO feed. He takes them
experience that,” he says. “Food is really a wonderful way to travel.
to a nearby butcher and brings them back to his commercial kitchen
Whenever I go to a new country, the first thing I do is eat the food.”
on the farm to process the meat into sausages. Today, Suchland offers 14 different sausages from all over the
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When he first began making sausages, Suchland tested the waters
world. These range from sai oua, a pork-based Thai sausage made
with classic flavors such as bacon-Cheddar, apple and even blueberry,
with makrut lime leaves, lemongrass and shallots, to longganisa,
/ j u ly 2 02 1
%PG
Ready to fire up the grill? Head to feastmagazine.com for Suchland’s recipes featuring Brats of the World sausages.
In addition to regular appearances at the Ferguson Farmers Market, Point Labaddie Farmers Market and Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, Brats of the World offers delivery within an hour’s drive of St. Louis, minus southern Illinois.
a traditional Filipino breakfast pork sausage flavored with
and quickly became a fan of his products – especially the sai oua.
“I didn’t want [customers] to take the sausages home and pour
pineapple, brown sugar, garlic and paprika, to Moroccan-style
“I’m a huge fan of Asian flavors, so I was blown away by his Thai-
ketchup and mustard on them,” he says. “For certain sausages,
merguez made with goat, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and
style sausage,” says Miller. “What I like most about it is how he
like the Filipino longganisa, that would just ruin it.”
housemade harissa. A new addition to the lineup is the
has mastered the balance between the fragrant aromatics and
Alsatian sausage, a pork sausage flavored with nutmeg,
delicious funky flavor this sausage is known for. [Suchland] truly
As a farmer, frequent traveler and all-around food-lover,
cinnamon, allspice and clove that’s the centerpiece of classic
has a passion for the sausage he makes, and the story he tells
Suchland is passionate about not just making these sausages
French cassoulet. Of course, Brats of the World also offers
through each of his creations really resonates with me as a chef
but using them as a vehicle to help people explore other
several varieties of regional German brats, including an old
and as a lover of all things edible.”
cultures. Buying a package of brats from his tent at the farmers’ market is more than purely transactional; it’s an educational
world-style Thüringer Rostbratwurst made with fresh garlic, marjoram, white pepper, mace and caraway from a recipe
Since many of these sausages aren’t what you’d find at the
experience where he’s just as likely to wax poetic about how the
dating back to 1404.
average supermarket, Suchland often prepares a dish to
spice trade influenced his modern German brat as he is to share
serve at the farmers’ market to show customers how to best
a recipe for a tangy slaw he thinks would be perfect with the sai
Chef Michael Miller, who co-owns Kounter Kulture, Songbird
use the sausages at home. He might serve a rich, slow-cooked
oua you’re taking home with you.
and the prepared foods brand Field to Fire in St. Louis, met
French cassoulet with his Alsatian sausage, for instance, or a
Suchland while vending at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market
Moroccan merguez and couscous tagine another day.
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bratsoftheworld.com
Looking for a new recipe? Find our best bites at: STLtoday.com/food
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Written by Kasey Carlson and Rachel Huffman
Need to get away? These eight destinations across Missouri offer unique environs to explore outdoors, sightsee, sleep and, most importantly, eat.
Culinary Road Trip
The Inns at Overlook Farm e ll
History: The Inns at Overlook Farm is tucked into the pastures
arksvi Cl
and hillsides of an operating 310-acre farm run by fourth-generation owner Nathalie Pettus. Built in 1842 by a dashing young riverboat captain, one of the inns is the oldest B&B in Missouri. Today, there are five freestanding inns in total, each with its own personality and breathtaking view.
Eat: Recognized for its grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork and Nothing says summer like a road trip, and after a year of quarantines and restrictions, many of us are ready to hit the road. That doesn’t mean you have to spend countless hours behind the wheel in search of adventure, though; Missouri’s diverse landscape offers picturesque places to hike, bike, paddle and more. One of the best parts of traveling is enjoying the local food, so we’ve compiled a list of unique spots to stay where you can also get a real taste of the Midwest. Savor fresh goat milk caramels in a refurbished grain bin or sip a smoothie after a night sleeping in the trees.
and many of the ingredients that make up the menus are raised and grown on-site. Guests can savor a continental breakfast, a charcuterie board, take-and-bake housemade pizzas, chocolate truffles, wine and Champagne. Pettus also grows fruits and vegetables, from cherries to black raspberries and pears to rhubarb, which make exquisite jam for your morning croissant.
Sleep: All five inns are spread out over the land, and they house between one and seven suites. Each inn has a hot tub or a swimming pool, and every suite has a Jacuzzi.
Explore: Take a walk or go on a picnic with the bluffs and the Mississippi River as your backdrop and further engage your senses in Pettus’ lush gardens. You can also venture off the property to play a round of golf or meander through the sculpture park at Saint Louis University’s Lay Center for Education and the Arts in Louisiana, Missouri.
Go:
16095 Highway W, Clarksville, Missouri; overlookfarmmo.com
Ca
the inns at overlook farm photography by gregg goldman; old caledonian bed & breakfast photography by emmlee henley
free-range chicken and duck eggs, this is a farm-to-table establishment,
Old Caledonian Bed & Breakfast
History: Situated on four grassy, wood-lined acres on the main street of Caledonia, Missouri, the Old Caledonian Bed & Breakfast resides in the grand Ruggles-Evans-Dent House, which was built in 1849 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The B&B opened in May under new ownership, and with partners Michael Amen and Frank Ugolini at the helm, the experience is even more memorable.
Eat: Each stay includes a two-course
Sleep: The four guest suites
breakfast featuring hearty farmhouse
offer vintage luxury in a Victorian setting,
cooking and homemade desserts such as
and the property also includes a hot tub,
cobblers and crisps with seasonal fruits,
sauna and yoga studio.
chocolate mayonnaise cake and tart lemonade pie. The owners raise chickens, which produce all the eggs for dishes such as omelets, frittatas and baked goods, and
With so many special places throughout the state to eat, sleep and explore, we suggest you follow your gut when deciding where to go first.
donia le
Amen and Ugolini grow approximately 10 types of heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs and other veggies on-site. At dinner, Amen dazzles diners with everything from beef tenderloin to sun-dried tomato chicken to meatloaf, and he and Ugolini also make their own handcrafted cheeses for the different plates. Guests can order a picnic lunch to take on a hike as well.
Explore: On the property, Amen and Ugolini have set up a petting zoo for kids and adults alike. Outdoor activities abound in this area, too. Elephant Rocks State Park, Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and Mark Twain National Forest are all within 25 miles of the B&B.
Go:
116 S. State Highway 21,
Caledonia, Missouri; oldcaledonian.com / j u ly 2 02 1
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Tiny Homes at Baetje Farms
Eat: It’s no surprise that cheese is always
Explore: If you let them know your
within arm’s reach at Baetje Farms. Like a
itinerary ahead of time, the team at Baetje
Sleep: Baetje Farms offers five “tiny
mini bar in a typical hotel room, you’ll find
Farms can take you through the entire cheese-
home” suites that range in size, but in total, the
cheese for purchase in your room here, and
making process on the same land where you
more than 20 years. It all started when
property can accommodate up to 17 people. Each
you can also have a charcuterie board ready
sleep. Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, is also a short
co-founders and previous owners Steve
named after a different Baetje goat cheese –
for you when you arrive. For something a bit
drive away – hike through Pickle Springs
and Veronica Baetje bought a single goat;
Amoureux, Bloomsdale, Coeur de la Crème,
heartier, purchase a ticket to one of Baetje’s
Natural Area or Pere Marquette State Park,
now, you can find an entire herd of the fuzzy
Miette and Vallée – the suites might
full brunches, featuring many dishes that
grab a glass of wine at one of the many local
heroes behind the cheese.
be “tiny,” but they don’t lack luxury.
incorporate the signature goat cheeses, which
wineries or take a free walking tour through
is served in the farm’s venue, The Artisan.
the historic district.
msdale oo
8932 Jackson School Road, Bloomsdale, Missouri; baetjefarms.com
Dawt Mill
History: Located in the heart of the Ozarks on the North Fork of the White River, Dawt Mill dates back to the 1860s. In 1995, Dr. Edward Henegar purchased the mill and began a major renovation and restoration of the surrounding property, including the construction of the Cotton Gin Inn, which is one of the lodging options available to guests today.
Eat: At The Chef’s Table, available by reservation only, chef de cuisine Brandy Barstow serves her choice
Sleep: The family-friendly rustic resort has
of seasonal takes on a selection of dishes – think
rooms that sleep two, four or six people, plus four stand-
Brussels sprout Caesar salad and beef shoulder
alone cabins that sleep two people each. There are no
tender with grilled garden vegetables grown
TVs here, but that’s all the more reason to get outside and
on-site. Barstow also takes requests and
explore the area.
accommodates dietary restrictions so that everyone leaves her dining room completely satisfied. On Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, guests can also grab burgers, chicken strips, hand-cut fries and other bar food from a food truck parked on the property.
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Explore: Add swimsuits to your packing list – Dawt Mill’s location is ideal for water sports, including kayaking, canoeing, rafting and tubing, and the resort provides all the equipment you need for an additional fee.
Go:
8 Dawt Mill Drive, Tecumseh, Missouri; dawtmill.com
baetje farms photography by sean locke; tree house bed & breakfast photography by james setser
umse ec
h
T
Go:
Bl
History: Baetje Farms has been making its award-winning goat cheese for
Culinary Road Trip
n
rm he an
Tree House Bed and Breakfast
History: A modern abode, this
spot hasn’t been around for too long, but
the backdrop of Hermann, Missouri – one of the state’s historic wine regions – makes for a charming locale.
Eat: The menu at the B&B changes
every day, but you’re always guaranteed a sweet treat, a savory protein and a
smoothie packed with fruits and veggies. You might find a “volcano” French toast filled with cinnamon butter, an apple bread pudding, a gluten-free banana pancake or a frittata. Plus, ingredients are locally sourced whenever possible for a farm-totable feel.
Sleep: This B&B offers three
treehouses – Sunrise, Sunset and
Moonlight – plus a cabin for you to stay in. With typical amenities such as Wi-Fi, a microwave, mini fridge and relaxing bonuses, including a hammock and outdoor picnic tables, this forest escape makes for an ideal respite. And no matter who you are, it’s possible to get up in the trees: These treehouses are kid-friendly, and thanks to an incline, the Moonlight treehouse is wheelchair-accessible.
Explore: When you head down to
breakfast, the staff can help you plan your
itinerary, given that they are knowledgeable about pretty much every spot in town. You’d be remiss to skip Hermann’s wineries, but the town is also known for its 19th-century brick architecture, shopping and nearby outdoor adventures.
Go:
1185 Highway H, Hermann, Missouri; hermanncottage.com/ tree-house-bed-and-breakfast
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The Gobblers Roost
History: Tucked away in rural Nevada, Missouri, The Gobblers Roost will give you a glimpse into Missouri small town life as it’s been for decades.
Eat: The Gobblers Roost Restaurant is elegant, intimate and exclusive – dining is by reservation only, and those reservations have been even harder to come by amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The menu centers on beef, given that owners Kent and Kathy Abele have been raising cattle on the surrounding land for years, but you can en ri
e dg
e gr
also make fish, pork or another protein the star of your five-course meal. Other dishes on the prix fixe seafood chowder or Italian lemon cream cake.
Sleep: The owners describe The Cabin at The Roost as a chance to escape. The loft sleeps
The Silos at Prairie Vale
History: Located just minutes from Sedalia, Missouri, The Silos at Prairie Vale
up to six, making it perfect for any occasion, from a rustic honeymoon to a girls’ weekend getaway. Plus, it’s only steps from the restaurant.
is situated on a 14-acre former dairy and grain farm. Doug and Wendy Needy bought the
Explore: Stop by The Gobblers Roost
property in 2011 and later converted two of the eight grain bins into small apartments,
if you have an event at its space, 3 Cedars, or make
creating a farm stay like no other in the state.
a day of it by first visiting the Nevada Vernon
cinnamon-apple Dutch pancakes. Wendy is also known for her delectable casseroles, including the blueberry French toast topped with housemade blueberry syrup, and she leaves fresh goat milk caramels in everyone’s refrigerator as a final touch.
Bushwhacker Museum and Jail to learn about the penal system of yesteryear and the role Nevada played in the Civil War.
n
Eat: Start the day with a farm-fresh breakfast with housemade options such as quiches, seasonal muffins and pancakes – think
County Farmers Market for fresh produce or the
Sleep: Affectionately dubbed “Lil’ Silo on the Prairie” and “Farm Punk Silo,” each of the refurbished grain bins sleeps up to four
ada ev
guests and is outfitted with a full kitchen, on-site bathroom and all the amenities. The original apartment has a more rustic feel, while the Farm Punk Silo has an industrial farmhouse style.
Explore: Many guests take advantage of the bicycles at the main house to pedal down the nearby Katy Trail, but there’s also fun to be had on the farm. Grab a fishing pole and hit the stocked pond right outside your door or feed, pet and play with the farm’s Nigerian Dwarf goats, miniature donkeys, miniature horse, Katahdin sheep, chickens and cows. Wendy also has a small shop where she demonstrates how to make goat milk soap, and the firepit is perfect for making s’mores into the night.
Go: 42
29300 Highway 127, Green Ridge, Missouri; thesilosatprairievale.com
feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
Go:
24327 E. Old Town Road, Nevada, Missouri; gobblersroostrest.com
the silos at prairie vale photography by zach bauman; the brinkmann farmstead photography by anthony jinson
menu could include baked basil-infused gnocchi,
nsvil we
History: Cool Cow Cheese owners Tom and Martha Blatchford purchased
le
The Brinkmann Farmstead
O
Culinary Road Trip
Sleep: There are two suites
the 80 acres of land home to M&T Farms in 2011; two years later, they hosted their first
and three deluxe rooms – each with its
guests at The Brinkmann Farmstead Bed and Breakfast. Since then, they’ve had so many repeat
own designated farm animal décor – in
guests that they started a rewards program: If you spend 12 nights, you get the 13th night free.
the 3,000-square-foot hayloft above
Eat: Breakfast starts with fresh fruit, granola, yogurt and a meat and cheese tray followed by one meat, one egg and one pastry dish. Occasionally, Tom uses his mother’s recipe to make cinnamon rolls, too. He and Martha have also been sweet-
the dairy processing area. Mismatched furniture sits below 18-foot ceilings with exposed wood beams, creating a charming atmosphere amongst modern conveniences.
Explore: The Brinkmann
talked into making light suppers for guests
Farmstead is at the end of a long gravel
in the past – Martha says her husband
road and over a creek – literally – but
makes a mean grilled cheese. If you buy
there’s plenty to do on the working farm.
wine in nearby Hermann, Missouri, Tom
Milk the pure-bred Jersey cows and learn
will even help you pair it with varieties of
about the steps that go into making Cool
the housemade cheese such as the creamy
Cow Cheese, or sit on the porch with a
Gouda and the slightly sweet Havarti.
glass of wine and a good book while the
Go:
1613 Tschappler Road, Owensville, Missouri; coolcowcheese.com
kids play with the cats. Tom also hosts hands-on mozzarella-making classes upon request, after which participants get to take home 2 pounds of fresh mozzarella.
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How a persistent patch of mint inspired Rachel Burns to launch BOLD SPOON CREAMERY,
a line of small-batch ice cream in St. Louis.
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feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
Five summers ago, Burns got to thinking about uses for the
If her brother was instrumental in helping her with the
mint – beyond the Mojitos she and her husband had been making –
professionalization of her craft, her friends were key to
when it struck her: Why not make mint ice cream? Recalling the
her research and development. Calling themselves The
ice cream maker, she brought it up from the basement and got
Spoons, her inner circle, which includes Jourdan, would
to work researching recipes and experimenting with different
regularly come over to her house to taste test her recipes
batches on the friends and family who’d come over to use her
and different flavors. As Jourdan recalls, it was a serious
small swimming pool. Before she knew it, the ice cream became a
affair; there were questionnaires and forms, blind tastings
condition of their visits.
and in-depth discussions, all leading up to the launch of Bold Spoon Creamery in 2019.
“We had a fair amount of visitors who would come over in the summer, and every time they came, I’d give them the mint
“I think what she’s done really resonates with people,”
ice cream,” Burns says. “It went from a surprise to something
Jourdan says. “It’s so brave of her to launch this business.
they required.”
She’s extremely smart and has a successful finance career, but she found this thing that she has such a passion for. It’s
Elizabeth Jourdan was one of those visitors who became
been such a pleasure and delight to watch her explore it.”
enamored with Burns’ frozen handiwork. A friend and neighbor, Jourdan vividly remembers the first time Burns pulled the
With The Spoons’ feedback and her brother’s scaling
Tupperware containers filled with mint ice cream out of her
skills, Burns was emboldened to let her creativity soar.
freezer, knowing then and there that her friend was on to
Well beyond mint, she began concocting unique ingredient
something special.
combinations, such as goat cheese with fig jam, Brie with spiced honey, salted chocolate and lemon curd. True to her
“I’ll never forget the first time I tried her mint ice cream,”
company’s name, Burns wanted to create ice creams that
she recalls. “It was just a normal backyard party, but the ice
went beyond typical offerings – a move that has gained her
cream was so delicious. The flavor really popped, and we were
a following as a food-lover’s ice cream brand.
all saying to her that it was just incredible and better than any other ice cream we’d ever had. After that, we all guilted her into making more.” achel Burns cannot recall how many times she walked past the small ice
The more mint ice cream Burns made, the more obsessed she
cream maker that was tucked away
became with the endeavor. Although her days were filled working
in her basement. It’s not the number of trips by the old
as a financial consultant, she spent every bit of her free time
Cuisinart that has her stumped; the appliance was simply
learning all she could about the craft of making ice cream. From
so insignificant, it failed to register with her. Likening it to
academic books on the science of frozen desserts to those more
a value-pack of paper towels, Burns passed it numerous
geared toward the casual home cook, she soaked up every bit
times on her way to do laundry, having no idea just how
of information she could until she realized this was more than a
much that forgotten machine would change her life.
pastime; it was a calling.
“Really, it sat on a shelf next to the other stuff we didn’t use,
“I told my husband that I was thinking about this way more
and I paid it no attention,” Burns says. “We moved into that
than just a casual hobby and that I thought I’d like to make it
house in 2012, and it sat completely untouched until 2017
a business,” Burns says. “Looking back now, I hardly had any
after I planted mint in the dirt instead of a pot. It’s crazy
information, because I only knew what I knew, and that was
because it was such a simple action that you’d think would
the teeniest bit. Unbelievably, he said OK.”
have no impact. Now, here we are.” Burns knew just the right person to take her from a home That old Cuisinart might have been instrumental in the
hobbyist to a professional ice cream-maker. Her brother, Brad
founding of Bold Spoon Creamery, the artisanal ice cream
Burns, is a veteran culinarian and has been the executive chef of
brand Burns launched in the St. Louis area in 2019, but it
Lorenzo’s Trattoria for the past 21 years. He became an invaluable
would likely still be sitting on the shelf in her University City,
resource to her and, with his help, she was able to nail down her
Missouri, basement had she not made a fateful gardening
base and scale her recipes – even if he wasn’t initially on board
mistake. Not thinking about how much it would grow, she
with her newfound endeavor.
planted a patch of mint in her small backyard directly in the dirt rather than in pots as her friends suggested. It didn’t
“The first time she said something to me about it, I told her,
take long for the prolific plant to take over a sizeable chunk
‘You already have a great day job. Why do you want to take this
of her yard, and no matter how much she and her husband
on? The restaurant business is terrible,’” he says. “I have a much
struggled to find a use for it, they failed to put a dent in the
different understanding of it than she does, but she kept bringing
growing bush. Even neglecting the plant could not deter it;
it up, and I could see how serious she was about it. That’s always
Burns stopped watering it and pruning it, hoping that would
been her: When she decides she wants to do something, it’s going
slow it down, but the mint was simply determined to live.
to happen, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else says.”
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Even in the midst of a pandemic, Burns has managed to expand her business from a small outfit serving her neighbors out of a wagon into a growing presence in the area. She’s still fulfilling online orders, but Bold Spoon Creamery is now available at St. Louis-area stores including Schnucks, Straub’s Markets, The Annex, The Smokehouse Market and The Woman’s Exchange. Burns and her husband recently took a major step to continue to grow the company. The pair moved to a farm in Park Hills, “We took delivery of our commercial equipment in March of 2020, right when all of the restaurants were closing down,” Burns recalls. “I couldn’t exactly go into them and ask them to
Missouri, where they built out a commercial kitchen of their own; they’re also in the process of planting gardens and fruit trees to source ingredients for the ice cream. This will allow Burns to turn Bold Spoon Creamery into a true farm-to-scoop company,
start carrying my ice cream in the midst of so much
wherein she will use as much of her homegrown ingredients
uncertainty. I didn’t have that as an option, and I didn’t have
in the ice cream as possible. It’s a much larger operation than
the farmers’ market channel because those were all shut down
plucking leaves from an unwieldy mint plant and spinning them
STL Foodworks, a commissary kitchen and culinary incubator,
too. However, I knew I had to do something, so I set up an online
in a once-forgotten ice cream maker, though she sees a clear line
was also instrumental in helping her bring her vision to life.
shop, packed up a bunch of ice cream and walked around my
between where she’s been and where she is now – a path that has
From assistance with licensing and certifications to health
neighborhood giving out free samples.”
given her more fulfillment than she could have ever imagined.
to her heart’s content, Burns used STL Foodworks as a way
Burns’ pivot worked. Before she knew it, she was getting orders
“It’s funny to think that such a simple action you think would have
to launch her business with a straightforward plan: She would
for her ice cream, at first from people she knew, but then from
no impact turns out to be so significant. You have to be open
make ice cream out of its commissary kitchen to sell to
those she didn’t. She remembers jumping up and down in her living
when opportunities come your way and seize them, because
restaurants around town. She purchased equipment to do so,
room with her husband and son when the first order came in. It
never in a million years can you realize what can happen.”
had her business plan all sketched out and was in the process of
was just $40, but she felt like it was a million because it gave her
receiving her equipment – and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
the validation she needed to see that her endeavor could work.
inspections and kitchen space where she was free to create
boldspooncreamery.com
10th AnnuAl Blues Funk FestivAl Saturday, August 7th, 2021 Crites Park sundAys At sunset ConCert series
www.cityoffestus.org 46
feastmagazine.com / july 2 0 2 1
Every Sunday evening 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 8/22, 8/29, 9/12, 9/19, 9/26
“A richly theatrical experience that lingers in the mind long after the actors have taken their bows.” - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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