Summer 2024 Feast Magazine by Feast Magazine

Inspired Local Food Culture SUMMER 2024 DISCOVER Dry Aging Chicken Scratch’s NATE HEREFORD Local Chefs’ favorite scoops

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1 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

8 BEST BITES Feast’s summer food and drink recs Dine 10 LET’S DISH José Venta of Sidney Street Cafe 12 FEAST FAVES Bevo 14 THE POWER OF TWO The friendship that birthed St. Louis barbecue giant Salt + Smoke 18 STAY COOL ON THE COVER: The best ice cream scoops in STL, according to local chefs and makers Discover 24 WEEKENDER Lake of the Ozarks 26 CRASH COURSE Dry Aging 28 STL SPOTLIGHT Tarot Bars 30 SCRATCHING THE ITCH Meet industry veteran Nate Hereford of Chicken Scratch fame 34 SOUND BITES Alex Braden connects sound art to food in his new pop-up Nothing Sacred Shop 37 WHAT’S IN STORE Piekutowski’s European Sausages 38 OFF THE WHEEL Cherokee Street Ceramics makes striking tableware for some of STL’s best restaurants Cultivate 40 GO GREEN Burger with Cannabis-Infused Mayo 42 MEET… Tony White of Tony’s Tomatoes 44 STRAWBERRY SEASON Jump into strawberry season with this practical recipe collection 48 LAST CALL Colleen Clawson of Milque Toast Bar �� 8 �� IN THIS ISSUE

Photo by Judd Demaline Photo by Christina Kling-Garrett Photo by Jennifer Silverman

��8

Photo by Theo Welling

ALWAYS READYTO PARTY PICKUPIN STOREORGETIT DELIVERED BROWSE OURMENU CROWD-PLEASING FAVORITES

Inspired Local Food Culture | St. Louis

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PUBLISHER Ian Caso

Editorial

MANAGING EDITOR

Shannon Weber, sweber@feastmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Emily Standlee, estandlee@feastmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Daniel Puma, dpuma@feastmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Charlotte Renner

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mary Andino, Rebecca Davis, Leah Osborne, John Perkins

Art

ART DIRECTOR

Laura DeVlieger, ldevlieger@laduenews.com

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

Christopher Oth, coth@laduenews.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Judd Demaline, Christina Kling-Garrett, Jennifer Silverberg, Theo Welling

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Jillian Kaye

Sales

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES

Kevin Hart, khart@stlpostmedia.com

Contact Us

Feast Magazine, 901 N. 10th St. St. Louis, MO 63101 314.475.1260 | feastmagazine.com

Distribution

Visit stltoday.com/subscribe to have Feast delivered to your home, or pick up a copy of the summer edition in the June 2 issue of the Post-Dispatch.

Summer

Issue�� < TRY EASY & ELEVATED RECIPES feastmagazine.com/recipes FIND THE LATEST NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES feastmagazine.com/restaurants/guides > < SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS feastmagazine.com/newsletters

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DIGITAL CONNECTION

our

to stay connected to food and drink news, explore neighborhood guides and find simple yet stunning recipes. While you’re there, make sure to look for the expanded stories from this quarterly issue. As you flip through these pages, scan the QR codes with your phone camera to read more on our website.

5 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

Dear reader,

How do you say goodbye to the only thing you’ve known in your post-grad career? I started at Feast as an intern, later becoming associate editor and then managing editor. I’ve written hundreds of stories and edited countless more. I jumped headfirst into St. Louis’ food scene and was exposed to a whole new world – one that this magazine gives you an inside look at. Now, I’m moving back to my hometown, and it’s bittersweet that Feast isn’t coming with me.

Before I leave, I’ve been checking off items on my own St. Louis bucket list, starting with ice cream. If that piqued your interest, flip to p. ��8 foricecreamrecommendations from local chefs and makers (I concur with Chelsea Pfitzer’s choice). Next, take a trip down to Bevo (p. ��)toexplore vegan delis and shawarma spots. The next trip we’ve picked out is a little farther from home: Go to p. �� totakea weekendtriptotheLakeofthe Ozarks, complete with our favorite restaurants accessible by boat.

One of my favorite things about summer is the food, from flavorpacked fruit to sizzling sandwiches. As such, we have a few recipes to get you in the summer swing. Chef John Perkins uses every part of the strawberry on p. �� ,andYonderEats’LeahOsbornelevels up a classic burger with cannabis-infused mayo on p. �� .

It’s also a season spent best with friends and family, an aspect of the food scene I’ve loved exploring at Feast. Meet the two best friends behind St. Louis barbecue juggernaut Salt + Smoke on p. �� ,andsay hello to the generational family-run Piekutowski’s European Sausages on p. ��.

On p. ��8 ,musician-turned-ceramicistJeremySegel-MossofCherokeeStreet Ceramics poses an intriguing question: “I’m interested to see what happens if I spend ��yearson[ceramics] likeI spent��yearsonmusic.How many�� years do you get in your life? If you’re lucky, you find something you like to do.” While I don’t know exactly what my future holds, I’m so excited to explore a new side of myself – just like Segel-Moss – and see what it brings. If you’re interested in what your future has in store, find out which St. Louis bars offer tarot readings on p. ��8 .

To answer my own question, you don’t really say goodbye – Feast will always be a part of me, as I am of it. Thank you to this magazine for shaping who I am as a journalist and individual, and thank you, dear reader, for reading.

Until next time,

Charlotte Renner

A SPECIAL

TO OUR PRESENTIN PRESENTING SPONSOR

6 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

Charlotte Renner, former managing editor Photo by Christina Kling-Garrett; taken at Bowood by Niche

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Illustrations by Jillian Kaye

Thank You

Shannon Weber took over as managing editor of Feast Magazine in March 2024; look for her column in the Fall 2024 edition.

STARTSHERE GRILLING GREATNESS

The keyto grillinggreatnessstarts withthequalityofthemeat.

DierbergsButcherShophasthe highestquality, hand-selected meats,an expansivevariety to explore, andconveniencethat fits yourlifestyle.

SCANTO LEARNMORE

GRILL-READY CONVENIENCE

PREMIUM QUALITY

EXPANSIVE SELECTION

The Feast team’s of the season

favorite dishes and drinks

Press Pizza & Pasta QUARK

GNUDI

If you haven’t tried Press’ recent pasta additions, it’s time for a trip to Jeﬀerson Avenue. The quark gnudi consists of pillowy, cheesy balls atop creamy spinach pesto; preserved lemons add brightness to the dish, and scallions and ginger top it oﬀ.

The

Blue Duck | CHICKEN CLUB

Written by Feast staff

SANDWICH

Duck, duck, chicken! We like it fried or Nashville hot, but you can order this bird roasted if you so desire. The Blue Duck tops it with melted Swiss cheese, thick-cut bacon, avocado and honey chipotle mayo, piling the whole thing between two crispy-chewy green chile brioche buns.

by Emily

Pipers Tea and Coffee

CREAM SODA

COLD BREW

A gentler cousin of the espresso tonic, Pipers’ cream soda cold brew is exactly what it sounds like. Housemade sarsaparilla syrup blends with smooth cold brew and bubbles, resulting in a ﬁzzy, sweet refresher.

La Pâtisserie Chouquette TIRAMISU BROWNIE

Let’s face it: Exiting this awardwinning French pastry shop with just one item is hard – especially when you’ve tried the macarons and canelés – but the tiramisu brownie checks two boxes at once. It also travels well, so feel free to bring a few to your jealous out-of-town friends.

BEST BITES

Photo Standlee

Photo by Charlotte Renner P h o t o by E mi l y S tandlee

Photo courtesy of Piper’s Tea and Coffee

Bold Spoon Creamery SALTED CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

We would put Bold Spoon’s salted chocolate ice cream up against any other chocolate around; it’s the perfect balance of dark chocolate’s intensity and the richness of local cream, cut with a generous hit of salt that ampliﬁes its addictive ﬂavor.

Buzz’s Hawaiian Grill | SPAM MUSUBI

It’s so simple, yet so delicious. Packed full of umami, salty pork and sweet soy, musubi is the perfect handheld snack or appetizer. A rectangular mold is packed with furikake seasoned rice, a slice of teriyaki-glazed Spam and an egg, all wrapped up in a sheet of nori.

Stew’s Food & Liquor KHAO SOI

Stew’s has delighted us since opening this spring, and we can’t say enough about the food. If we had to pick one thing to eat every time we stopped in, it would be the khao soi, a wildly satisfying coconut curry with chicken thigh, cilantro and chili oil.

Little Fox | POTATO CHURROS

Churros? Yes, please. Potatoes, why not? Potato churros, color us intrigued. These delightful little fried treats may throw your brain in a tizzy as you try to ﬁgure out if they’re crispy or crunchy. They are accompanied by ﬁnely grated Manchego cheese and a romesco aïoli.

Photo by Christina Kling-Garrrett Photo by

Photo by ShannonWeber Photo by Shannon Weber 9 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

Christina Kling-Garrrett

José Venta has always had one foot in restaurant life.

As a teen in Puerto Rico, he worked in a bakery, and during college, he had a job at a Mexican restaurant. Even when Venta was in a master’s program for a degree in social work, he worked part-time in kitchens. Around a decade ago, he fully embraced his ultimate calling: the craft of cooking. Now a sous chef at Sidney Street Cafe, Venta has become a rising culinary star in his own right through his willingness to learn and strong work ethic.

José Venta

SOUS CHEF, SIDNEY STREET CAFE

Written by Mary Andino | Photos by Christina Kling-Garrett

How did you get started at Sidney Street Cafe? How would you describe your relationship with owner Kevin Nashan?

With Kevin, I started oﬀ with him at Peacemaker washing dishes. Later I transitioned into Sidney as a prep cook. As I started gaining more knowledge and experience, Kevin trusted me more with projects. I moved up. Kevin had the patience – and sometimes not the patience – to guide me through this kitchen world. A lot of learning aspects early on were how to conduct yourself in the kitchen, best practices, working organized. My level of conﬁdence has grown.

Recently you’ve done more pop-ups and specials at Sidney Street that feature your approach to Puerto Rican cuisine. What do these opportunities mean to you? It can be nerve-wracking. It’s you and your food. You take pride in that, but you know that people have opinions. People paid money for it, and you don’t want to let them down with your food. I grew up with this food and love it. When everybody’s happy, that’s a sense of relief and deep down pride. Puerto Rican [food] is comfort food for me.

When designing a special dish or menu for an event, what are your sources of inspiration?

I try to get inspired by talking to my coworkers and shooting ideas. Nowadays, I’m on TikTok and Instagram, and I’m like, “Oh that’s a cool idea or a cool sauce. Can we do that with spring produce?”

What are your future goals in the restaurant industry?

I think I’ll still be at Sidney. In the next few years, my goal would be to keep doing more of these events, with people and on my own. Getting my food out there. To do more pop-ups and get myself out there a bit more. Having people taste what I can do. I would also like to learn more about the pastry side of things. I like more of the science that’s in ice cream making and baking.

10FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024 DINE LET’S DISH

Unveilingthemagic:

A BENTON COUNTY ADVENTUREGUIDE

IntheheartlandofMissouriliesa hiddengem,ahavenofadventure waitingtobediscovered— welcometo BentonCounty!Nestledamid rolling hills,pristinelakesandcharming communities,thispicturesquecounty boastsaplethoraofactivitiesthat catertoeverytasteandinclination. Goonajourney,takeinthemagicof BentonCountyandexplorethe myriad experiencesthatawaityou.

TRUMAN LAKEADVENTURES

Embarkonanaquaticescapadeat TrumanLake,ashimmeringexpanse offeringboating,fishingandwater sports.Castyourlineintotheclear watersandreelinthethrilloffishing,or cruisealongthelake'stranquilsurface asyousoakinthebreathtakingscenery.

HIDDENTREASURES

Forloversofvintagefindsandtimeless artifacts,BentonCountyoffersan "AntiqueAlley"whereantiqueshops canbefoundinLincoln,ColeCampand Warsaw.Browsethroughthecarefully curatedcollections,fromfurnitureand decortonostalgicrelicsthattellstories ofdaysgoneby.Eachshop isaportal tothepast,offeringauniqueshopping experienceforcollectorsand enthusiasts.

TRAILS,TRAILSEVERYWHERE

Forthenatureenthusiast,Warsaw beckonswithanetworkofhiking andbikingtrails.Traversethescenic

ENTUREGUIDE

OzarklandscapesontheDrakeHarbor andRiverfront Trails,whereeach trailunveilsthenaturalbeautyofthe Ozarks,withwaterassetsgaloreand anabundanceofwildlife.Capturethe beautyofthegreat outdoorswithevery step,runorpedalyoumake.

CULTURALIMMERSION INCOLECAMP

Step backintimeduringtheCivilWarat theBattleofColeCampin1861asUnion forcesclashedwithpro-Confederate MissouriStateGuardtroops.Explore historicalsitesliketheBattleofCole Camphistoricalsite,theGerman Immigrant MemorialandtheColeCamp Museumandabsorbthecaptivating storiesofthisquaint town.Feelthe echoesofhistoryintheairasyoustroll throughthestreetsofOld Townand NewTown,experiencingthehistoryof theColeCampwalkingtour.

FESTIVALS ANDEVENTS

BentonCountycomesalivewithfestivals andeventsthroughouttheyear.From livelyfamily-friendlyfestivalstowine strollsandglowinghot-airballoons, there'salwayssomethinghappening. Immerseyourselfinthevibrant local cultureandcreatelastingmemorieswith friendsandfamily.

CULINARYDELIGHTS

Indulgeyourtastebudsinthediverse culinarysceneofBentonCounty.From

farm-to-table restaurantsserving locallysourcedingredientstoquaint dinersdishingupcomfortfood,savor theflavorsthatcelebratethisregion. Don'tforgettotrymouthwatering delightsata“BestofMissouri” establishment —CosmicCafe(Warsaw), GermanTable(ColeCamp)orCalgaro’s Pizza(ColeCamp).

WATERFRONT RELAXATION

Seekserenityalongtheshoresof TrumanLakeortheOsageArmof LakeoftheOzarks.Whetheryou're unwindinginalakesideresortor campingunderthestars,letthegentle lappingofthewavessootheyoursoul. Waterfront relaxationisaquintessential BentonCountyexperience.

Embracetheenchantment ofBenton County,whereadventuremeets tranquility,and everycorner revealsa newstorywaitingtobetold.Joinusin uncoveringthemagicthatmakesBenton Countyadestinationlikenoother.Your nextunforgettableadventurebeginshere.

Lifeisbetteratthelakes.Tolearnmore about visitingBentonCounty,pleasego tovisitbentoncomo.com.

11 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

SPONSORED C ONTENTANDPHO TO PROVIDEDBYBENTON C OUNTY T OURISMANDRECREATION

SPONSORED C ONTENTANDPHO TO PROVIDEDBYBENTON C OUNTY T OURISMANDRECREATION

Das Bevo

BEVO

BEVO Beat the Heat in

Written by Emily Standlee |

Perhaps most well-known for its vibrant German and Bosnian history, Bevo has a vibe rarely found elsewhere in the city. From shawarma spots to vegan delis, here are five restaurants and bars to check out if you’re ever under the shadow of the century-old Bevo windmill.

To explore our full list of Bevo destinations, scan the code here.

Das Bevo has been a St. Louis landmark since 1917, when the Busch family built the 60-foot-tall Bevo windmill as an outpost between its brewery and Grant’s Farm. Now, the mill sits in the middle of South City St. Louis, likely ﬂabbergasting out-of-towners left and right. Its outdoor biergarten is a must-visit in the summertime, whether you go to eat or drink, see a local band play or enjoy a warm-weather festival. The mill also serves cocktails, Sunday brunch (schnitzel sandwich, anyone?), and Thursday, Friday and Saturday night dinner.

4749 Gravois Ave., Bevo, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-832-2251, dasbevo.com

DINE FEAST FAVES

YOUR SUMMER GUIDE TO THE

NEIGHBORHOOD

Photos by Christina Kling-Garrett

HISTORIC

Majeed Mediterranean Restaurant

If you’re like us and regularly crave shawarma, drive down to Bevo some Saturday afternoon to ﬁnd it at Majeed. The restaurant’s interior aesthetic includes moody blue lighting and specialty desserts like cheesy konafa and baklava in gilded cases up front. Be sure to try the lentil soup and falafel along with your entrée, and don’t forget to order a plate of lemony tabbouleh salad for the table.

4601 Gravois Ave., Bevo, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-282-0981, majeedmediterraneanrestaurant.com

Tiny Chef

If you haven’t wandered into The Silver Ballroom, arguably one of St. Louis’ most distinctive and entertaining bars, you should visit soon – both for its massive collection of pinball machines and for Tiny Chef, a Korean street food-inspired operation located inside the Ballroom. It’s owned by chef Melanie Meyer, who serves her raved-about bibimbap, tacos with napa slaw, and kimchi fried rice – plus specials like musubi burritos ﬁlled with fried Spam or tofu – to Bevo’s hungry masses.

4701 Morgan Ford Road, Bevo, St. Louis, Missouri, facebook.com/TinyChefSTL

Tim’s Chrome Bar

Across from the windmill is Tim’s Chrome Bar, a groovy cocktail lounge that will transport you to a far-out space and time. The staﬀ constantly rotates its drink list, with nostalgic specials like Tim’s Punch of the Moment: Ask the bartender what punch they’re pouring that night and order a single glass for yourself or a funky punch bowl big enough for your whole party. Tim’s also has great food on deck, including its signature crab rangoon nachos, the Big Tim Burger and the pepperoni pizza rolls.

4736 Gravois Ave., Bevo, St. Louis, Missouri, timschromebar.com

Vegan Deli & Butcher

For Vegan Deli & Butcher owner Chris Bertke, the decision to open his brick-and-mortar in Bevo was a no-brainer; he grew up nearby and comes from a Bosnian family. His delicious plantbased frozen pizzas – available in the shop until they sell out –had already reached cult classic status around St. Louis before the brick-and-mortar debuted. In addition to the pies, you’ll ﬁnd vegan Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches, Maine Lobster Rolls, cevapi and more.

5003 Gravois Ave., Bevo, St. Louis, Missouri, stlvegandeliandbutcher.com

Photo by Mabel Suen Photo by Jacklyn Meyer

13 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

Photo by Jacklyn Meyer

Written by Shannon Weber

DINE

Photos by Theo R. Welling

Salt + Smoke has become one of the most successful restaurants in St. Louis during its 10-year run, but the barbecue juggernaut was once a last-ditch effort for co-owners Tom Schmidt and Haley Riley.

alt + Smoke has become one of the most recognizable brands in St. Louis, thanks to its sunny yellow awnings and equally cheerful approach to barbecue. Known for elevated yet unfussy barbecue fare, the brand has remained true to its original focus since opening its doors in June 2014.

Look past all the acclaim, and you’ll ﬁnd Tom Schmidt and Haley Riley, the two friends that started it all. The duo is so aligned after 14 years of friendship that when you talk to one, you hear echoes of the other. Their deeply symbiotic relationship has given way to steady growth; their balances of entrepreneur and dreamer complement each other in every way. “I think the partnership that Tom and I have is really a one-to-one match,” Riley

says. “We’ve been able to rely on one another and learn from one another; he’s smart in ways I’m not and I’m good at things that he isn’t, but our moral ﬁbers and the ideas we have about hospitality and culture are so aligned that it just connects us.”

This dynamic didn’t happen overnight: The two ﬁrst met 14 years ago while working at Schmidt’s Franco in Soulard, where Riley came on board thanks to his friend and sous chef Chris Sternberg. “I loved it,” Riley says. “I loved the people, loved the food, loved the hospitality in the front.” Sternberg eventually moved to Seattle and Riley shifted into his spot, building a connection with Schmidt that led to him helping open Schmidt’s Mediterranean restaurant, Nico, in the Delmar Loop. Riley spent time learning all aspects of the business, going between the two restaurants to help where needed.

+ + + + + + + + + +

But in 2014, Franco was no longer the hot new thing, and Nico hadn’t found the footing it needed to sustain itself. Riley had tentatively planned to move out of St. Louis when Schmidt came to him with an idea. “Tom kind of conﬁded in me that he was going to close Nico because it wasn’t working,” he says. “But the spot on Delmar was so great, and University City is such a rich neighborhood with so much diversity. So we started talking about diﬀerent ideas, and we wanted to turn it into something that made sense there.”

What made the most sense? A barbecue restaurant that imbued casual fare with ﬁne dining sensibility and hospitality to match. Schmidt and Riley shuttered Nico on a Sunday, spending Monday through Thursday transforming the Delmar space. Both refer to it as a Hail Mary – they knew if the new concept didn’t catch ﬁre, they were out of chances.

Salt + Smoke opened that Friday and sold out of everything on the menu by 3 p.m. the same day. The following days only brought in more customers, and the rest is history.

“To look back and know that our backs were against the wall in a way that I can’t even fully describe and to know how precarious things were … to see where we were at that point and look at where we are now is a great feeling,” Schmidt says. “To see the opportunities we have and the great team we have and to be able to have the conﬁdence to expand into more communities is just … what a gift.”

The pair’s partnership and friendship has only strengthened over Salt + Smoke’s 10-year run, and both Riley and Schmidt find themselves at the helm of that same restaurant, now with locations peppering the St. Louis area and expansions in the works. They also find themselves with families; now, they’re dads who have successfully transitioned their time from restaurant workers to “pretty boring office employees these days,” according to Schmidt. It’s a major change for them after decades of inhabiting restaurants, doing everything from bussing tables to cooking from morning to night.

The shift has given them a bird’s eye view of the brand and the chance to shift into organic leadership roles. The partners funnel their creativity by streamlining day-to-day operations, building partnerships and implementing ways to continually improve employees’ work-life balance, something both partners take very personally. “We want people to make a real honest living without having to spend 75 hours a week doing it,” Riley says. “Tom has kids. I’ve got kids. I get to be there for dinner and take my daughter to school and pick her up, and you don’t really get that a lot as a chef. That’s part of the culture we’ve been able to develop: one where people can get that kind of time and balance.”

For Schmidt, shifting into a more administrative role has allowed him space to focus on what’s next for a brand that shows no signs of stopping. “When you get to a scale of hundreds and hundreds of people, things are really expensive and complex and not just things you can turn on without thinking them through,” he says. “I just love [having] the ability to dig into these diﬀerent projects and things that in the ﬁrst 20-plus years I’ve been in the industry, I had no capacity to even think about.”

And so, the two friends continue their run into the future, excited for what's to come but palpably grateful for the present as they look forward to their 10-year anniversary on June 13, saying, “It’s extremely exciting … it all feels like a massive blessing.”

Salt + Smoke, multiple locations, saltandsmokebbq.com

To see where we were at that point and look at where we are now is a great feeling.

Tom Schmidt, co-owner of Salt + Smoke

+ + + + + + + + + +

Written by Feast staff | Photos by Christina Kling-Garrett

Local chefs and makers weigh in on their favorite scoops around the Lou.

Nothing says summer like a scoop of your favorite ice cream: Served in a waffle, cone or sandwich style, it’s a flavor-packed respite from the heat of the day. Whether your palate craves plain vanilla, the chocolatiest confection you can find, lots of toppings or a nostalgic spin on a classic, there’s something undeniably magical about the cold treat. Join us on a journey through St. Louis as local chefs and artisans share their favorite frozen treasures, spanning flavors from green tea to gooey butter cake.

*Editor’s note: When we asked each source about their favorite ice cream in St. Louis, we gave them a couple of parameters, including that the ice cream must be locally made and scoopable (i.e. ice cream or gelato, not frozen custard or fro-yo).

DINE

“My go-to scoop is the vegan Coconut Fudge at Clementine’s [Naughty and Nice Creamery]. Always in a wafﬂe cone and nothing more! Although I’m not a dedicated vegan, I have dabbled, and I always come back to this ﬂavor. I’m a sucker for anything involving coconut. This scoop is creamy, fudgy and delightful without making you feel sinful.” clementinescreamery.com

Chelsea Pﬁster, bar manager, Tim’s Chrome Bar

“At my dad’s old restaurant Sansui, we used to carry a green tea ice cream that was so buttery and not bitter to the tongue at all. The company discontinued it, and for years I’ve been craving that ﬂavor. I sat and bitched to Beckie [Jacobs, owner of Serendipity Ice Cream,] one day about how I missed that ice cream, and she was like, ‘Girl, I got you!’ And sure enough, she made it. She is an ice cream god. It literally needs nothing paired with it. It’s perfect just as a scoop on its own. And if I want to be fancy, I’ll shove some Pocky sticks with it or eat it on a wafﬂe cone.”

serendipity-icecream.com

Heidi Hamamura, chef-owner, Taberu

“I really like The Gelateria Coffee Co. on South Grand. They have a great selection of gelatos, as well as killer sandwiches and baked goods. I usually gravitate toward pistachio or vanilla, but they have lots of fun and seasonal ﬂavors – I tried a black currant one a few weeks back that was great. As a rule of thumb, if there are sprinks available, you get the sprinks. Honorable mention to Niche Food Group’s own Suji Shaw who does gelato for all of our restaurants!” thegelateria.com

Joe Luckey, executive chef, Fordo’s Killer Pizza

19 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

“A classic affogato with vanilla bean gelato from Gelateria Coffee Co. is my favorite afternoon treat. It’s the perfect little hit of caffeine and sugar to carry me through the rest of the day. Gelateria is also [Switchgrass Spirits’] go-to for meetings when we’re not at the distillery.” thegelateria.com

Kate Pogue, marketing and account support, Switchgrass Spirits

“I like Sugarwitch’s core ‘wich Tara – it’s miso brown sugar ice cream on a milk chocolate chip blondie. There’s a savory aspect to it that really sells me something sweet. The saltiness from the miso and cookie complements the deep sweetness of the brown sugar caramel notes. I imagine many of us look to ice cream to satisfy our childhood summertime nostalgia, and this one does it for me.”

sugarwitchic.com

Natalie Suntrup, baker, Comet Coffee

“I have two favorites made by Clementine's Naughty and Nice: gooey butter cake, just as-is, [and] Italian butter cookie with a shot of espresso or in an affogato.” clementinescreamery.com

Andrew Cisneros, chef-owner, Jalea and Brasas

20 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

“I think my favorite ice cream ﬂavor is the Tara from Sugarwitch. I ﬁrst had it at a friend’s wedding and haven’t been able to forget it. I love the complexity that the miso adds to the ice cream; it’s not too much of anything. It’s just perfect.” sugarwitchic.com

Jiana West, bartender, Good Company

“I love Clementine’s gooey butter ice cream, but I also really love the Big Apple from Ted Drewes. I’m a huge fan of chunks of pie and cake in my ice cream in general.”

clementinescreamery.com; teddrewes.com

Allison Schilling, owner, St. Louis Cheese Boards

“You can ask anyone who knows me well that a love of frozen treats is a fundamental part of my identity. I think there are few things better for the soul than a cold, sweet treat. Although there are many great places in St. Louis to enjoy ice cream, Sugarwitch is my favorite. They do such an amazing job of taking this simple, nostalgic thing (an ice cream sandwich) and making it special. There are always new seasonal ﬂavors to choose from, but some of my favorites have been the Gideon (vanilla chocolate-covered pretzel ice cream and peanut butter on a peanut butter chip brownie) and the Baba Yaga (beet coconut lime sorbet between a lime zest Rice Krispies sandwich). I love that they always have vegan and dairy-free options because everyone should be able to enjoy ice cream. And the Rice Krispies sandwiches give me an extra feeling of nostalgia because my mom made the best ones by using twice the number of marshmallows. I'm pretty sure the witches at Sugarwitch learned her secret because theirs are so good!”

sugarwitchic.com

Darcy Heine, owner, Fiddlehead Fern Café

“I think Sugarwitch’s sour cream strawberry ice cream is topping my list at the moment. I wish they had it year-round, but for my health, it’s probably best they don’t.” sugarwitchic.com

Meggie Mobley, owner, Bijoux Handcrafted Chocolates

“Hands down, Crown Candy Kitchen. Nothing is better for morale than getting a chocolate malt with a shaker tin sidecar. It’s thick, creamy and cold enough to make a St. Louis summer feel like a big red-brick igloo. Also, the staff, starting with Andy [Karandzieff] … no one can add ﬂavor with hospitality like them!”

crowncandykitchen.net

Kristen Leahy and Nate Burrows, owners, Stew’s Food & Liquor

“The two that stand out in recent memory are the banana pudding wafﬂe taco from Sugarwitch and the vegan strawberry cheesecake from Clementine’s. My family and I love checking out the rotating fun ﬂavors at both of these local shops either as a celebratory treat or just a fun indulgence after dinner at home.” clementinescreamery.com

Brian Moxey, executive chef, Union Loafers and Bagel Union

“My top choice has to be the peanut butter chocolate served in a wafﬂe cone at Ices Plain & Fancy. Their made-to-order nitro ice cream is truly the deﬁnition of decadence: rich, creamy and layered with pure ingredients. Visiting Ices is always a treat.” icesplainandfancy.com

Connor James, coffee program manager, Quarrelsome Coffee

22FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

BEST IN FRESH

Dierbergsbrings youthe freshest qualitypicks everyday! From farmfresh vegetables to juicy, ripe fruits, eachitemiscarefully selectedand harvestedatthepeakofperfection. TASTETHEDIFFERENCE!

HomegrownstartsinJuly!Stopin yourlocal Dierbergs forthebestselectionof freshandlocal produce. Picked,packed & deliveredin 24 hours. SCANTO LEARNMORE

Written by Charlotte Renner

Your guide to dock-centric dining in The Lake of the Ozarks.

Every summer, thousands of St. Louisans make the 135-mile drive south to the Lake of the Ozarks. For our thoroughly landlocked state, it’s the closest we can get to the beach, with days spent lounging in the sun, drinking frozen drinks poolside and zipping around in water vessels of all kinds. Luckily, the lake has just as many exciting activities, beautiful vacation rentals and top-of-the-line spots to dine and drink. If you’re heading out this summer, we challenge you to try something new – our Weekender guide can help with that.

Illustrations by Jillian Kaye

While you could happily spend your whole trip splashing around and sunbathing at a lakeside rental, we encourage you to get out and witness the Ozarks’ natural beauty. Don’t miss Ha Ha Tonka State Park, which offers 14 hiking trails, a spring, sheer bluffs and picturesque ruins that were once a European-style castle. The lesser-known Lake of the Ozarks State Park is actually the state’s largest, with 85 miles of shoreline, two sandy beaches, kayak and paddleboard rentals and 13 hiking trails. On the south side of the state park, climb into the depths on a guided tour of Ozark Caverns. You can also rent a watercraft to do some exploring – taking the kids tubing or going bar-hopping by boat (see below for

scene, The Cave Bar & Grill (Mile Marker 3, Niangua) boasts a huge pool that extends into a natural cave. The food menu includes calamari fries (fried calamari steak, pepperoncini and lemon aïoli), grotto-style sandwiches, a bourbon chicken pizza and much more. We recommend ordering a frozen drink like the Strawberry Shortcake (strawberry rum, lime liqueur, amaretto, strawberry purée and vanilla ice cream) to beat the heat. If you’re in the mood for a sit-down meal, make your way to The Hatch at Miller’s Landing (Mile Marker 28, Main Channel) for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Pro tip: Schedule your meal time around sunset and sit on the expansive dog-friendly deck for a glorious lake view. And when all else fails, you can’t go wrong with the classics: Redhead Lakeside Grill (Mile Marker 21, Main Channel) and Dog Days Bar & Grill (Mile Marker 19, Main Channel) are perfect spots to enjoy a meal with the family or dance the night away at a swim-up bar.

There’s no shortage of condos, resorts, Airbnbs and hotels to choose from at the Lake of the Ozarks. One thing’s for sure – if we’re running the itinerary, lake access is a must. Our advice? Map out all of your must-visit attractions, restaurants and bars, and ﬁnd a place to stay that’s close by. Crowd-pleasing and centrally located, Bass Point Resort has all you could need, like docks for ﬁshing, watercraft and swimming, plus paddleboards, kayaks, tennis, pickleball and frisbee golf.

25 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM WEEKENDER DISCOVER

PreservationMethods

Take a deep dive into the art of dry aging.

DISCOVER CRASH COURSE

Written by Daniel Puma Photos by Christina Kling-Garrett

Imagine you’re sitting down at one of the many steakhouses in St. Louis. You’re surrounded by dim lights, mahogany wood and servers dressed in Oxford shirts and vests. As you open the leather-clad menu, you ﬁnd your favorite cut of steak, but next to it is a higher-priced, dryaged option. You likely have a few questions: What does dry aging do to the meat? Why is it more expensive? Will you be able to tell the difference? Read on to discover the details of dry-aged proteins with help from local experts.

Dry aging is the process of drawing moisture out of meat in a controlled environment, while safely and effectively allowing microbial activity to tenderize it on a cellular level. The three most important factors to control are temperature, humidity and airﬂow. Simple enough, right? For thousands of years, humanity has sought to safely preserve food. Dry aging follows in that practice, but these days, it primarily serves to alter ﬂavors and textures. "Dry aging is very rewarding,” says meat expert and owner of Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions, Chris Bolyard. “There are so many nuances, and every batch can be a little different.”

Dry aging is often done on primal cuts of the animal before it gets cut down into steaks. “The thing to remember when dry aging is you want as much bone and fat coverage as possible,” Bolyard explains. “The most common [cuts] are rib sections and short loins. It’s mainly because those are the most prized steaks and [offer] a lot of protection for the meat. You can’t dry age individual steaks, or something trimmed up and exposed; otherwise, it will rot into something inedible.” When the protein is dry-aged, it forms what is called a pellicle. Like an aged cheese forming a rind, the pellicle is the outermost layer of the protein that dries out and changes color. Once ﬁnished in the dry-aging process, the butcher will trim the pellicle off before cutting it into individual steaks.

Bolyard says there are many variables that affect the ﬂavor of dry-aged meat, including the animal’s diet, fat marbling and how the animal was raised. “The beef we get from Price Family Farms is fed on grass its entire life, and there are 70 varieties of forage out there for them,” Bolyard says. “But the last 90 days while they’re on pasture, they get a rationed amount of grain. You can taste it in the fat. And when you dry age it, it can get a buttered popcorn ﬂavor. On top of that, there can be tropical fruit in the nose or funky cheese like Parmesan and blue cheese.”

Bognar says the dry-aging process accentuates the natural fats found in the ﬁsh, making the protein tender and dense. “What ends up happening is you lose water content and naturally break down protein barriers on the cellular level,” he says. “It makes this amazing mouthfeel, which is why these techniques have been used for so long.”

The practice of dry aging fish follows a similar process but on a faster timeline, according to Sado and Indo owner Nick Bognar. “At Sado and Indo, we will dry age about a week at the furthest,” Bognar says. “If you have smaller fish – snapper, which is really great dry-aged – maybe only for one to two days. Otherwise, volume loss can get too high.” The practice of dry aging fish goes back centuries in Japan. While the practice may be old, modern dry-aging refrigerators give Bognar and his team more control over the entire process with manual temperature, humidity and airflow settings. “At this point, we’re probably dry aging 85 to 90 percent of our fish,” Bognar says. To prevent oxidation and retain flavors, Bognar keeps the fish intact and dry ages them whole. “You can’t have good, dry-aged fish without starting with fresh fish,” Bognar adds, which is why his restaurant group flies in fish daily with a turnaround harvest time that’s often less than 24 hours.

If you purchase dry-aged meats to cook at home, Bolyard recommends keeping your cooking and seasoning techniques simple to highlight the natural ﬂavor notes. Salt and a little pepper can go a long way – stay away from anything that takes away from the nuanced taste afforded by time, precision and nature.

Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions, 2733 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, Missouri, 314-647-2567, bolyardsmeat.com

Sado, 5201 Shaw Ave., The Hill, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-390-2883, sado-stl.com What is dry aging? What is the process like?

27 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

How does it impact the ﬂavors?

Tarot ON TAP

Written by Rebecca Davis | Photos supplied

From haunted mansions to psychic readings, St. Louis doesn’t shy away from the metaphysical.

Whether you’re facing a major life decision or just want to know what’s in store for your week ahead, readers at these three local bars can offer guidance through the timeless wisdom of tarot cards.

Fortune Teller Bar

Fortune Teller Bar is a Cherokee Street institution and one of the most popular spots in town to grab a tarot reading on the fly. The bar has been providing intimate readings since its inception nearly a decade ago, and owner Ryan Schepers describes them as “a backbone of our business.” Readings are first come, first served; there might be a small wait, but time passes quickly with a drink from the bar’s dynamic cocktail menu or a bite from Fourth City Barbecue. “Tarot reading is intimate, exciting and allows you to look at your life in a different way,” Schepers says.

Tarot readings are available Tuesday through Thursday starting at 7 p.m., Friday starting at 6 p.m. and Saturday from 3 p.m. to midnight.

2635 Cherokee St., Benton Park West, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-776-2337, fortunetellerstl.com

‘ssippi

Owners Brogan Drissell and Emily Kostiuk –the minds behind St. Louis’ cherished natural wine bar – are excited to bring more events to their space this summer, including monthly tarot readings on the back patio. “We’ve had readings a handful of times and got great feedback about it,” the couple says. “Getting a good reading is so emotionally powerful, and we’ve seen how many of our customers are drawn to it.” Grab a glass of vino and relax under the stars before immersing yourself in the mystique of the cards.

Stay up to date via ‘ssippi’s Instagram @ssippi_stl for more information on upcoming tarot happenings.

2926 Cherokee St., Gravois Park, St. Louis, Missouri, ssippi.xyz

Mystic Valley

You may know Mystic Valley for its eclectic array of crystals and candles, but did you know that a cozy coffee bar lives inside the business too? Order a seasonal latte as you browse the shop’s selection of metaphysical treasures, or make an appointment with one of its many skilled tarot readers before stopping in. “Our consultants are experts in their fields who have been guiding people to make decisions about all aspects of their lives,” says Mystic Valley co-owner Kristy Ponticello. If you haven’t made an appointment, visit on the second Saturday of each month from noon to 5 p.m. for the Psychic Fair, where a small group of readers is available for short sessions offered at a discounted price.

Learn more about scheduling an appointment with a tarot consultant on Mystic Valley’s website.

7241 Manchester Road, Maplewood, Missouri, 314-645-3336, mysticvalleystl.com

DISCOVER STL SPOTLIGHT 28FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

GO GLOBAL ANDGETMOREMILEAGEFROMFOOD

AVOCADOS

Butteryavocados add a silken texturetosandwiches and saladdressings,sauces andsmoothies. Eating moreavocados is a great wayto increase potassium intake;these fruitscontain nearly doublethepotassium foundin bananas.Avocados are highin fat,butmore thanhalfofthesefats are monounsaturated, so they may lowerLDL(low-density lipoprotein)cholesterol, sometimes called “bad” cholesterolandhelplower theriskofheartdisease.

DRAGONFRUIT

Also knownaspitaya,dragon fruitare thepink,spiky cousinsof cactus There areseveralkindsofdragon fruit;themost commonhas white flesh,butothers have pink, redorpurpleinsides. Dragonfruitiscrunchy and sweet with ataste somewhere between a pear and a kiwi andmakes a fun,healthy choice.One cuphasaround100 calories, 0fatand 5 gramsoffiber Dragonfruithasprebiotics, which canhelpencourage healthybacteria to grow in thedigestivesystem,and it containsantioxidants, whichare important tocell healthand canhelp reduce inflammation.

SEAWEED

Beachgoers often consider seaweedmore of a nuisance thananythingelse.But when eaten eveninsmall amounts, brown,greenand red seaweed(algae) may have healthbenefits.Seaweedis considered a“high-quality protein”because it contains every aminoacidthebody needs to function.Like many plants,seaweedis low in caloriesandhighin fiber. Algaloil thatis, oilderivedfromalgae is becominganincreasingly popularalternativeto fish oilsupplements.Both containomega-3fatty acids,whichmay helplower bloodpressure,assistin thefunctionof cellsand blood vesselsand ease inflammation. Be sureto purchaseseaweedthat’s been farmed ratherthan harvesting your ownas some varietiesaretoxic.

YOURHEALTHTIPS

Lookingtoaddglobalfoodstoyourdiet andnotsurewheretobegin?Consider theavocado,afruitrichinnutrients.

“They’rehighinmonounsaturated fats,whichcanhavehearthealth benefits.Theyhaveagoodamountof fiber,whichcanhelplowertherisk ofdiabetes,heartdiseaseandcertain cancers,”saidHankDart,seniorhealth communicationsleadatWashington UniversitySchoolofMedicineinSt. Louis.“Andthey’realsogoodsources ofvitaminsCandE,potassiumand otherbeneficialcompoundslike carotenoids.”

There’snorealneedtobeconcerned

aboutavocados’highleveloffat— mostoftheitisconsidered“good” fat,afterall—butdokeepinmind thatthey’realsorelativelysteepin calories,andthosecanrackupquickly. “Avocadosandguacamoleoftenget addedtofoodsthatarealreadyhighin caloriesandmaynotbethathealthy, likenachos,cheeseburgers,andbeef andcheeseburritos,”Dartsaid,“so it’simportanttokeepinmindhow healthyamealisoverallandmakeany adjustments.”

Dartsaidthatdicingavocadosand addingthemtosalads,spreading themontopofwhole-wheatbreador simplyeatingthemwithadashofsalt

QUINOA

Alongwithotherancient grains, suchasamaranth andchia,quinoa(whichis officiallyaseed)hasbeen harvestedthroughoutthe Americas forthousandsof years. Nutritionally, not muchhaschangedsince then: Unlikewhite rice or white flour, quinoa isn’t refined, so it retainsmore nutrients, suchasomega-3s, fiberand B vitamins, and because they’re digested slowly, bloodsugarlevels stay incheck.Quinoacan be a stand-in for white rice instir-friesand can evenbe poppedlike popcorn.

Chicken

Avocado Salad

SALAD

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cookedandchopped into bite-size pieces

1 avocado, diced ¼red onion, thinly sliced

1 mango, cubed

1 cupgrape tomatoes, quartered

½ cup corn,cooked

CREAMY AVOCADO DRESSING

½ medium avocado

3 Tbspolive or avocadooil

2 Tbsp limejuice

3 Tbsp sourcream (canuse plainGreek yogurtifpreferred)

HANK DART

Seniorhealthcommunicationslead atWashingtonUniversitySchoolof MedicineinSt.Louis PHOTOPROVIDEDBYSITEMANCANCERCENTER

andpepperareamongthesimplest, healthiestwaystoincorporate these flavorfulfruitsinyourweeklymeals.

¼ cup freshherbs (or 1½ tspdriedherbs) of choice (parsley, dill, cilantro, chives)

1 clove garlic

4 Tbsp water

PREPARATION

Place alldressing ingredients intofood processororblender andblenduntil smooth.Ifneeded,add morewater to thinout the consistency.Taste andadd salt,pepper andadditionallime juice ifdesired.Prepare all saladingredients asindicated,thenstir togetherinmedium bowl. Mix well. Salad canbe servedasis, on breadas asandwich, withcrackers or over mixedgreens. Drizzle withcreamyavocado dressing.

29 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM PROMOTION

SPONSORED C ONTENT BYKATHERINELEWIS PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMANCANCERCENTER PRESENTED BY

Scratching theITCH

Chef-owner Nate Hereford transitions his ﬁne dining sensibilities into high-quality casual fare with mass appeal at Chicken Scratch.

DISCOVER

Written by Shannon Weber | Photos by Judd Demaline

30FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

Several veteran chefs who put St. Louis on the map have made moves toward the world of casual dining, using elevated techniques and high-quality ingredients to set themselves apart from the pack.

Nate Hereford is one such veteran, with a lengthy resume that includes stints at acclaimed restaurants around the nation. St. Louis got to know him ﬁrst as chef de cuisine at Gerard Craft’s Niche, where he eventually landed the role of executive chef, the only person to hold the title other than Craft himself. He left for a time to work at Hampton Creek in San Francisco but returned to wife Christine Hereford’s hometown of St. Louis to decide what to do next. After a variety of projects (including helping friend Loryn Nalic open Balkan Treat Box), he settled into his current role: Owner, chef and operator of Chicken Scratch, a rotisserie chicken concept with locations in City Foundry STL and Glendale.

Photo by Emily Suzanne McDonald Members of the Niche team in 2015 , left to right: Nate Hereford, Gerard Craft, Brian Lagerstrom and Sarah Osborn.

Hereford may have skipped the restaurant industry altogether had it not been for Christine, whom he met after graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in anthropology and heading to Montana with a friend. It’s a partnership that’s made all the difference. “If it wasn’t for Christine, I would have left this business a long time ago,” he says, noting how critical the partnership has been in both their personal and professional lives. “It’s almost immeasurable the way the support of a spouse can either make or break you in this industry. You need that support during tough times to keep going, but you also need somebody that understands how much it takes to succeed in this business –how much work and how much sacriﬁce it takes.” Together, the duo have grown the concept into a second Glendale location, with Christine quitting a full-time job as a director at Centene to help manage the business.

After a lifetime as a self-described “tweezer chef,” the shift to a more casual concept may seem like a break of sorts from the grind of ﬁne dining. In reality, it’s a shift in stressors that are often just as taxing. “On the surface, I think people see a concept, and they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s easy. It’s just rotisserie. It’s just a chicken sandwich,’” Hereford says. “But I’m thinking about it way more in-depth. And I always refer to it as complex simplicity, because it seems simple.” On the contrary – it’s about getting an uncompromising product into customers’ hands on their terms. “People are so used to being able to pull up and say, ‘I want this now, and I want it cheap, and I want it fast.’ How do you give that to people and develop systems so that can happen and be ﬂawless? To me, that’s the biggest struggle of all of this,” he adds.

For Hereford, it has to do with maintaining the same standards of ﬁne dining within the structures of a concept built for the masses –and getting customers to buy into it. “[Chicken Scratch] is different than ﬁne dining, right? And maybe that’s the confusion. This doesn’t have to be different,” he says. “And actually, I don’t think it is different. We’re still making every single component from scratch. We’re still putting the same love and care into it.”

As for fine dining, Hereford will likely never be rid of it completely. It’s in his DNA. “I do miss it,” he says. “There’s just a different energy when I’m able to command a kitchen at a pop-up dinner in a totally different way.” Hereford still scratches the fine dining itch when he wants to, hosting intimate private dinners and collaborating on larger events, like a live-fire tasting menu he held in collaboration with Ryan McDonald and Farm Spirit at Such and Such Farm in October 2023. At this moment, it’s enough. “Right now, for me, it’s very important to have a life and be able to take a week off and hang with my family and just kind of forget about work,” Hereford says. “Fine dining is all jacked to one side. It’s fun, and the rush is great, but nowadays, it’s not worth how much it takes.”

But the pull toward ﬁne dining and the intensity that comes with it hums quietly in the background, a constant, and Hereford isn’t one to close the door completely. “It’s kind of like a drug,” he says. “You want that juice, you know? Some days it would be cool to have a small restaurant and be able to cook really fun food, but there are different sacriﬁces in that.”

But 10 years down the road? “I wouldn’t say no,” Hereford says. “I’d never turn that down because it sounds kind of fun even talking about it. In the right space and time with the right team of people? Yeah.”

Chicken Scratch, multiple locations, chxscratchstl.com

33 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

DISCOVER

A Feast for the

Alex Braden synthesizes sound art and culinary prowess through his pop-up, Nothing Sacred.

Written by Mary Andino | Photos by Judd Demaline

Alex Braden doesn’t just want to cook you an excellent dish; he wants to create an immersive, memorable dining experience that plays on all your senses. The sound artist, musician and chef debuted his pop-up, Nothing Sacred, in 2023, and the ﬂedgling concept has become one of the most innovative, boundary-pushing culinary experiences in the city.

The intersection of food and art has been a through line for most of Braden’s adult life. While working as a sound artist in Washington, D.C., he gained experience in the restaurant industry and developed his culinary skills. Braden’s love for hospitality followed him when he moved to St. Louis to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree at Washington University in St. Louis. Whenever his artist friends opened shows or galleries, Braden provided the catering. “We were trying to do super high-end stuﬀ for free,” he says. “The gallery would pay me, but I liked the idea of suspending the barrier to entry – that anybody could show up and eat what I consider to be pretty good food and not have to pay for it.”

35 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

Over time, those catering experiences morphed into Nothing Sacred, a pop-up that hosts events that blend food and music. One of Braden’s all-time favorite events was a fundraising dinner at The Luminary. “We had a seven-course meal that I cooked on-site in a back alley of Cherokee Street,” Braden says. “Every course was paired with its own sound experience. I had installed speakers beneath the table and then speakers in the rafters.” Every time a new course came out, the sound began at the

table and then shifted up above by its conclusion. Braden sourced almost all the ingredients from within the St. Louis area and nearby farms, which is also where he recorded material for the dinner’s sound art component. “I went out there and recorded all sorts of ambiance and other sounds and used that to create this semi-musical sound accompaniment,” he says.

As an auditory artist in a ﬁeld dominated by visual mediums, Braden says he identiﬁes with cooking because it requires the use of senses beyond sight. “In a sightdominated world, it is important … to take time to focus on the other parts of our bodies that receive information and that interact with the world,” he says. Just as Braden’s artistic work encourages us to focus on hearing, his culinary work invites us to put aside the barrage of constant visuals and focus on smell, taste and touch.

Braden embraces cooking methods and event spaces that go beyond the classic restaurant setting. Rather than oﬀering dishes à la carte, he prefers ticketed, all-inclusive events where he’s the conductor. “When I’m putting together an

evening, I don’t just want to play a song, I want to put on a performance,” he says. Braden has come to embrace the potential for adaptation that comes with working in spaces like art galleries. “More often than not, I’m in the back alley by myself, roasting something over a basin of coals I brought with me,” he says. “I really enjoy the improvisation and the performance and the mania that come with these nontraditional spaces and ways of presenting.”

The name Nothing Sacred comes from Braden’s willingness to question authority and norms. “I want to treat food, traditions and communities with as much respect as possible,” Braden says. “At the same time, I grew up in a super sheltered religious environment where I felt there was undue respect paid to certain traditions. Recovering from that, I have an attitude that’s fun-seeking and irreverent. I do really enjoy having a script that I can flip a bit.” Last year, for example, he held a pop-up at ‘ssippi the day before Thanksgiving that used all of the holiday’s classic ingredients (sweet potatoes, turkey, cranberries, etc.) prepared in unconventional ways. The menu included dishes like confit turkey, pickled stuffing vegetables, and cranberry-masa tartlets.

Braden says he aims to honor diﬀerent cultures by collaborating with local chefs and artists. “I don’t have any sort of hubris about being able to teach myself how to cook the way that other people cook,” he says. For an event at The Royale, he worked with Sam Slone and Stan Chisholm (aka 18andCounting) to serve a kamayan, a traditional Filipino feast. He walks a line between acknowledging traditions while also refusing to see any culinary rule as etched in stone. “I can’t cook like people in other parts of the world, but I can research and be inspired by recipes and expose myself to processes and ingredients that I haven’t used before as a way of seeing what I can do,” Braden says.

Braden’s next goals include expanding the reach of Nothing Sacred. “I’m actually working on a couple of grants to try to expand this work,” Braden says. “Accessibility is important to me. I grew up pretty poor. The grants would give me a little bit of wiggle room so that I can make sure I get in front of people who might not necessarily be able to aﬀord some of the more expensive spots in St. Louis.” Other plans include collaborating with friend, chef and fellow musician Daniel Gleason from the restaurant Sumac in Virginia. “I want to focus on really quality, unique, memorable, unprecedented ways of eating and being together.”

For updates, follow Alex on Instagram @braden.wav.

Nothing Sacred, alexanderbraden.com

36FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

Written by Daniel Puma

European Sausage

It’s a real treat to see how the sausage is made at Piekutowski’s European Sausage, especially considering the business’ history. The family-run storefront on North Florissant Avenue has been making European-style sausages in St. Louis since 1940 and in its current location since 1960.

Ted Pieketowski Sr. Took over the sausage manufacturing business from the original owner in 1940, changing it to its current namesake. Currently, second-, third- and fourth-generation family members work and run the business.

For this family, making the product can only be learned by doing. “My father is not very willing to let others do things,” says Connie Koch, the facility’s manager. “He’s 83 years old, and up until December, he was here every single day stuﬃng casings. He started staying home, but the rest of us had to learn quickly through hands-on experience. Now we all have it mastered.”

As you enter Piekutowski’s, you’ll see an assortment of sausages, plus cheeses and pickles packaged and ready to go. Planning a picnic? Elsewhere in the store, you can pick up crackers, breads, spreads and condiments – everything needed to create a delicious and varied charcuterie board. And you can ﬁnd the

same great products throughout St. Louis, since the other part of Piekutowski’s is its distribution arm: The small operation has a massive footprint spanning most of the metro area. “We distribute to Schnucks, Dierbergs, Kenrick’s, LeGrand’s, Karsch’s, Flint Hill Market, Mannino’s, Cionko’s and Kelly’s,” Koch says.

Koch recommends Piekutowski’s ﬁrst timers to start with the Kra-kow. “It’s a pork-beef blend with garlic, pepper and other spices,” Koch explains. “It’s great for sandwiches or in scrambled eggs or casserole – it’s our number one seller, and we have it in diﬀerent forms.” From there, the smoked Polish sausage is incredibly popular, and the old-country bologna is the unsung hero of the bunch. The bologna is coarser than its supermarket cousins. It resembles an uncured, tender salami with a hint of smoke. All three products are cooked in Piekutowski’s original 60-yearold brick smokers, which are carefully monitored to account for weather changes throughout the year.

Other options include beer salami, bratwurst, Italian sausage and hot links (garlic, pepper, salt, cayenne pepper and cracked red pepper mixed with beef and pork and smoked in an edible casing). To place an order, visit piekutowskis.com/order-online.

Piekutowski’s European Sausage, 4100 N. Florissant Ave., Hyde Park, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-534-6256, piekutowskis.com

37 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SHOP

Photos by Christina Kling-Garrett

Practice Makes POTTERY

Written by Emily Standlee | Photos by Judd Demaline

How Jeremy Segel-Moss’ otherworldly tableware shows up in your favorite restaurants

Have you ever looked down at your meal – past the food itself – to the plate? Maybe it’s a vibrant salad set within a shallow, matte black bowl, or delicate sashimi arranged on a speckled platter that shows oﬀ the clay’s texture. These types of tableware are only a few examples of Jeremy Segel-Moss’ ever-evolving style and body of work.

The musician and ceramicist, who operates out of his home studio in Benton Park West, is the founder of Cherokee Street Ceramics, and he supplies some of St. Louis’ best restaurants with dishware. You’ve probably admired his pieces while dining at Akar, Sado, Rated Test Kitchen and others, but you may not have known they were local and made by human hands. It wasn’t always this way.

“In the 20 years leading up to COVID, I was a professional musician in St. Louis,” Segel-Moss explains. “I was playing a couple hundred gigs a year and running the St. Louis Blues Society and the Big Muddy Blues Festival. There was a lot going on.” Segel-Moss’ dad played guitar, but his mom worked with clay, exposing him to her craft at a young age. He became talented in both worlds. Amid the chaos of the pandemic – and the pressure that comes with managing large groups of people and events – he set up a wheel in his basement to quietly get back to his roots. “It’s hard starting out as a ceramic artist, having been a musician,” says Segel-Moss, whose partner Leslie Sanazaro is also a professional musician.

SHOP

38FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

“There’s no ceramic open mic – like, how am I going to go build that community?

A lot of our work is private, whereas a lot of music work is public. But this led to that, and suddenly a few restaurants were interested.”

Once the orders started coming in, they didn’t stop. Segel-Moss says he made and sold about 3,000 pieces last year, whether it was through art fairs, farmers markets, private orders from individuals or speciﬁc orders from chefs. “It’s word of mouth,” he says of the latter. He knows Colleen Clawson, chef-owner of Milque Toast Bar, because she ran the kitchen at Venice Café (when it served food), and he played music there. He knew a bartender at Indo who introduced him to chef-owner Nick Bognar. And so on. When creating vessels for restaurants, Segel-Moss wants his dishes to be just that: vessels. “I still want to have a voice there, but I would never want that voice to overpower what they’re putting on the plate,” he explains. In early spring, for example, he crafted dramatic black plates that make Rated Test Kitchen’s precisely assembled dishes pop.

All the impressive food and tableware aside, these partnerships demonstrate how St. Louis artisans are willing to bring others into the fold – whether they’re changing careers or just getting started. “The restaurants are great because they’ve pushed me to be consistent and to make quality pieces,” Segel-Moss adds. “There’s going to be slight variation in color and size, but it’s slight. Each batch makes me a better potter, just like with music: As long as you embrace the process, you’re okay on the bad nights. You’ll do better tomorrow.”

Segel-Moss’ work is often in flux: A chef might request a new glaze color to match the season, just like they would change the ingredients in a seasonally based menu. Someone might want a lid on a cup, which means Segel-Moss has an opportunity to learn something new. Although he went to school for ceramics in Washington, he’ll be the first to tell you his method is based more on feeling things out than on anything overly technical. He’s also a proponent of making his work affordable, even though the process is time-consuming. “Because my thing is about making affordable pieces in large batches, doing things like feet and handles adds more steps,” he says. He usually takes measurements to stay consistent, but he also loves sitting down to throw something on the wheel without any constraints. Just like in music, this freedom produces something completely different. “I’m interested to see what happens if I spend 20 years on this like I spent 20 years on music,” SegelMoss says. “How many 20 years do you get in your life? If you’re lucky, you find something you like to do, and I have multiple things I like to do.”

You can ﬁnd Segel-Moss’ work in the wild at Akar, Indo, Ivy Cafe, Milque Toast Bar, Rated Test Kitchen, Sado and Teatopia.

Cherokee Street Ceramics, cherokeestreetceramics.com

FIND YOUR PERFECT PIECE

The best way to purchase a Cherokee Street Ceramics piece is through the business’ website or by emailing Segel-Moss directly at cherokeestreetceramics@gmail.com. You can also catch him at the Tower Grove Farmers Market on every third Saturday of the month.

EACH BATCH MAKES ME A BETTER POTTER, JUST LIKE WITH MUSIC: AS LONG AS YOU EMBRACE THE PROCESS, YOU’RE OKAY ON THE BAD NIGHTS. YOU’LL DO BETTER TOMORROW.

– JEREMY SEGEL-MOSS

6-inch plate Cup Bowl

FROM GRILL TO CHILL C HILL

Sizzle up your summer with this cannabis-infused burger.

CULTIVATE GO GREEN

40FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

BURGER WITH CANNABIS-INFUSED MAYO

YIELDS ] 2 8-OZ BURGERS

CANNABIS OIL

1 cup(4grams)of12percentcannabisﬂower

1 cupofcookingoil(yourchoice)

INFUSED MAYO

1 egg

1 tspvinegar(yourchoice)

1 cupcannabisoil(recipefollows) salt,totaste

BURGER

1 lbgroundchuck salt,pepperandgranulatedgarlic,totaste cheeseofchoice(AmericanandProvelworkwell)

2 sesameseedbuns,toasted cannabismayo(recipefollows) lettuce,tomato,onionandpickle ketchupormustard(optional)

[ preparation - Cannabis Oil ]

Set oven to 245ºF to preheat. Grind or hand-break your buds on a parchment paper-lined baking pan. Don’t grind them too ﬁnely into a powder, as it will pass through the cheesecloth or strainer and affect the oil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Add oil and cannabis to a double boiler, slow cooker or saucepan, and simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 hours. Make sure oil temperature stays between 160-200ºF.

Strain and store the oil: Put a mesh strainer or cheesecloth over the oil container and pour the cannabis oil mixture through it. Do not squeeze it out – this will add more chlorophyll to your oil and make it taste more vegetal. Discard the plant material. Oil will have a shelf life of at least two months and can be extended with refrigeration.

[ preparation - Infused Mayo ]

Add egg, vinegar and salt to food processor or blender. Pulse with a small amount of oil until blended well. Slowly add remaining oil until you reach your desired consistency. If desired, you can ﬂavor mayo with anything from garlic to hot sauce to herbs. Add pickles, ketchup and mustard for a burger sauce – get creative. You should end up with 1 cup of infused mayo, which contains approximately 480 mg of THC.

[ preparation - BurGer ]

Form meat into two patties. Season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic to your liking. Grill to your preferred temp and toast sesame seed buns. After adding cheese to your burger, spread desired amount of cannabis mayo on the bun – 1 tsp of cannabis mayo contains 10 mg of THC. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, ketchup or mustard.

St

James Winery:

FRESH FLAVOR

St. James Winery is bubbling with excitement as it introduces its latest creations to wine enthusiasts everywhere. Launching on April 1, the acclaimed winery will expand its offerings to include Bubbly Blackberry, Peach Moscato and Cherry Moscato.

Crafted with 100% fresh blackberries, peaches and cherries, respectively, these bubblies offer a delightful twist on traditional sparkling wines, featuring a lower alcohol content compared to other products in the winery's portfolio.

“These new wines are made without added colors, sweeteners or artificial flavorings. As with all our other product lines, they are easy to drink and share with friends and family,” said Kelsey Tucker, consumer promotions manager at St. James.

According to Tucker, these three wines complement a wide variety of foods, adding to their allure.

TASTINGS GALORE

Guests will have the opportunity to sample the three new bubbly wines in the winery’s tasting room, as well

as at area wine walks, festivals and in grocery stores during the coming months.

COME FOR THE WINE, STAY FOR THE ATMOSPHERE

Located off Historic Route 66 amid the Meramec Highlands of St. James, the family-owned winery provides a peaceful respite for visitors year-round.

To learn more about the winery or the three new fruit bubblies, please visit stjameswinery.com.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

SPONSORED CONTENT BY MARY MCHUGH, BRAND AVE. STUDIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

PROMOTION

FULL OF BUBBLY FUN FULL OF BUBBLY FUN

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ST. JAMES WINERY

Tony White, often recognized as Tony Tomato, provides thousands of pounds of produce to local restaurants like Sugarﬁre Smoke House and Olive + Oak. “A lot of the things I do are focused on providing alternative choices to commercial growers to my chefs,” White says. “[Chefs are] creative, and the more [ingredients] you can allow them to work with, the greater things they can create. I love walking into a restaurant with a box of fresh vegetables grown on my farm from seeds sourced in Italy and seeing a light go oﬀ in a chef’s head as they talk about how they will serve them.”

You don’t have to be a chef to order White’s seasonal produce – Tony Tomato has a home delivery option. White also helps other urban farmers ﬁnd the support they need to succeed and is a champion for those experiencing food insecurity.

How did you become Tony Tomato?

When I started farming, the person I was with at the time said, “You know, if we can’t eat [all] this produce, why don’t you take it across the street and sell it?” Across the street was Marcella’s Mia Sorella. [Co-owner] Steve Komorek said, “I will buy every tomato you pick at the peak of perfection.” I used that as fuel. I showed up on a Thursday night with two of my kids, Lauryn and Theren, along with three hundred pounds of heirloom tomatoes. Cafe Napoli co-owner Andy Pietoso was dining next door and came over to see what was going on, and [there was a] bidding war over our tomatoes. Steve bought all the tomatoes that night, and I realized I had hit a farm-to-table niche. Today, we serve all four Napoli restaurants. As far as the name goes, Olive + Oak sous chef Noel Jakel started calling me Tony Tomato, and it stuck.

Tell us about your collaborative work with nonproﬁts and other organizations.

I provided 3,000 pounds of free, fresh produce to Operation Food Search last year. Additionally, when OFS comes out to the farm, they pick 800 to 1,000 pounds as part of their gleaning programs. This is the ﬁrst year I got involved with their gleaning program, but I have donated and brought things to them for years. They also have

Meet... Tony White, Tony Tomato aka

OWNER, TONY’S FAMILY FARMS

Written by Daniel Puma | Photos by Christina Kling-Garrett

Tomato Explosion that happens every July. I oﬀer a discount to all the restaurants making tomato-inspired dishes as a part of that program.

In September, I’ll be a part of OPS’ Feast for Change fundraiser – OFS really works on ending food insecurities for our region’s children.

What’s your vision going forward?

You will soon see our new van rolling around town as we expand into selling refrigerated items. I will continue to help educate urban farmers and historically underserved growers on the importance of establishing an early relationship with the USDA county oﬃces and its many divisions so that they can participate in programs to help them grow more produce to feed our region.

I [hold] an appointment from the White House –and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – on the Missouri USDA Farm Service Agency State Committee. There are only ﬁve [farmers appointed to the committee]. It was a surprising appointment that has really opened my eyes; there is an incredible amount of support from the USDA for farmers, but they need to reach out and be a part of it. Over the next ﬁve years, I’ll receive $200,000 from the government to expand my business, which will create more food.

I ﬁnd a lot of our farmers don’t want to expose themselves to the additional scrutiny. There are lots of urban gardens doing well and making money, but there are so many opportunities to grow with assistance from the government. I’ll be focusing on [advancing] the message to meet/invite USDA staﬀ to your farm.

Tony’s Family Farms, 36 Four Seasons Shopping Center Ste. 200, Chesterﬁeld, Missouri, tomatotony.xyz

42 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024 CULTIVATE MEET

43 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM MO MADE MO MADE

Strawberry rawberrySeaso Season

Makethe mostofyour strawberries withthese recipes.

I admit to a kind of ambivalence about fruit.

I rarely, if ever, tuck into an apple, segment oﬀ an orange or peel a banana. I’m not bragging about this, mind you, I'm just being honest. My mom thinks I should probably eat more fruit.

If you don’t eat fruit by itself, what exactly do you do with it? Some juice it, others freeze it and many throw fading fruit into quick breads or muﬃns. Some folks put fruit in their salad, but those people probably make other questionable decisions. That said, there are a few fruits that catch my fancy. Take, for example, the strawberry.

Written by John Perkins | Photos by Jennifer Silverberg

A peak-season, abundantly juicy strawberry shot through with red is one of the best things you'll eat. If you've only experienced the grocery store variety, you're missing out – a farmers market strawberry is a fruit I will happily enjoy by itself. They are delightful, zingy little things, and they make me smile. If the season slips by you, all is not lost: There's a lot you can do with the most pedestrian of products. The following recipes aren’t complicated and are really ideal for those supermarket ﬁnds.

For more strawberry recipes from this collection, visit feastmagazine.com.

DINE

GRILLED CHEESE & STRAWBERRY JAM

This recipe serves as many as you like. Grab some cheese and a loaf of brioche and get to work. Don’t skip the housemade strawberry jam; it takes a standard grilled cheese into wholly different territory. Don’t be tempted to add the jam to the inside of the sandwich – it prevents the cheese from fusing to the bread.

YIELDS ] 1½ CUPS STRAWBERRY JAM

STRAWBERRY JAM

1 quartstrawberries,washed,hulledandquartered (reservethetopsforstrawberryvinegar)

2 cupsgranulatedsugar

2 mediumlemons,zestedandjuiced Pinchsalt

1⁄4 tspgroundcayennepepper

½ tspgroundblackpepper

1⁄4 tspgroundwhitepepper

STRAWBERRY GRILLED CHEESE brioche,thicklysliced Taleggio,Brieorotherslightlyfudgy,stinkycheese, slicedin½-inch-thickslices mayonnaise,tospreadonslices(Duke’sispreferred) koshersalt strawberryjam(recipefollows)

[ preparation - Strawberry Jam ]

Combine strawberries, sugar and lemon juice and zest to a medium bowl; stir to incorporate and let macerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Add mixture to a large saucepan and set over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Mash berries lightly with potato masher; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; cook for 15 minutes; add salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and white pepper and continue to cook until set. Mixture should reach a temperature of 220ºF. Transfer to glass containers and let cool to room temperature on the counter, then seal tightly and transfer to refrigerator until ready to use.

[ preparation - Strawberry Grilled Cheese ]

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat; once pan is hot, spread brioche slices with mayonnaise; add one slice to pan, mayonnaise side down. Layer cheese slices over top so they overhang edges slightly; top with remaining slice of brioche, mayonnaise side up. Cook until deeply golden and crispy, then ﬂip over; salt the toasted side with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until cheese has melted and bread is deeply golden on remaining side, then remove to a cutting board. Repeat process if making additional sandwiches.

[ To Serve ]

Transfer to plates and top each sandwich with a few heaping spoonfuls of strawberry jam; top with a pinch of fresh ground black pepper. Slice in half diagonally and serve immediately.

45 SUMMER 2024 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM

POUND CAKE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

This was my grandmother’s recipe. Mimi passed it down to my mom, and she passed it on to me. This past Sunday, I made it with help from my youngest, Mimi, and her sister Juniper. It is in many ways a standard pound cake, save for one crucial detail I don’t think you will ﬁnd in your standard pound cake: whipped egg whites. It’s an extra step to separate the yolks, but it adds a bit of lightness to the ﬁnished product and also creates a craggy, crunchy, meringue-like crust that’s one of my favorite things about this cake.

46FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

YIELDS ] 2 STANDARD LOAF CAKES

3 cupscakeﬂour

1½ tspbakingpowder

¼ tspbakingsoda

1 tspsalt

1 cup(2sticks)saltedbutter,roomtemperature

3 cupsgranulatedsugar(reserve1tspforeggwhites)

1 Tbspvanillaextractorwhiskey

6 largeeggs,separated

1 cupfreshbuttermilk

1 cupsourcream

Forserving: freshstrawberriesorstrawberryjam butter,forgriddlingslices freshwhippedcreamorvanillaicecream

[ preparation ]

Set rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 300ºF. Grease bottom and sides of two standard loaf pans.

Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla (or whiskey, if using) and beat until incorporated. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition, until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with rubber spatula and beat for a few more seconds. Whisk together buttermilk and sour cream. Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk mixture and stirring after each addition. Mix until well incorporated and no streaks remain.

Add reserved teaspoon of sugar to egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Divide into prepared loaf pans and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, and use a cake tester to check doneness. Tester should be clean or with a few crumbs sticking to it. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely before serving.

[ To Assemble ]

If you’re macerating the strawberries, quarter or halve strawberries and add to a medium mixing bowl. Add a little sugar according to taste and a pinch of kosher salt to keep it basic, or add in a glug of your favorite spirit or a few shakes of sherry or balsamic vinegar to add complexity and depth. Stir everything together and let sit until ready to serve.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Slice the cake in 1 ½- to 2-inch-thick slices and spread with butter on both sides. Cook until golden on one side, then flip and cook until remaining side is golden. Transfer to wire rack and repeat with remaining slices.

Divide onto plates and layer with ice cream and strawberry jam or macerated strawberries and whipped cream, making sure to add juice from the strawberries so it soaks the cake. Serve immediately.

[ To Serve ]

Transfer to plates and top each sandwich with a few heaping spoonfuls of strawberry jam; top with a pinch of fresh ground black pepper. Slice in half diagonally and serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY VINEGAR

Strawberry vinegar is easy to make, and it makes the most of all those strawberry tops you'll have from a fresh strawberry pie or a homemade strawberry jam.

discardedstrawberrytops(from1quartof strawberries,moreorless)

3½ cupswhitewinevinegarorChampagnevinegar ¼ cupapplecidervinegar

1 Tbspgranulatedsugar

1 tspsalt

[ preparation ]

Combine ingredients in a quart-sized Mason jar and shake well to incorporate. Let it steep for a few days before using. You can use this as a base for a vinaigrette or throw a couple tablespoons in a smoothie or anywhere you might use vinegar. It’s a great way to create a new flavor out of something you might otherwise discard. And listen, I may not like strawberries in my salad, but a vinaigrette made that has a slight hint of strawberry? Now that’s a way to do it.

Colleen Clawson

Written by Shannon Weber | Photo by Jennifer Silverberg | Illustrations by Jillian Kaye

After spending a remarkable decade in a cozy 400-square-foot space, Colleen Clawson’s Milque Toast Bar moved up Jefferson Avenue to the iconic and long-empty California Do-Nut building. At 10 times the size of the original, it features an expanded dining room, multiple stages and a gallery space. We recently sat down with Clawson in her new location to ask her a series of rapid-ﬁre questions about food, music and more.

Music is such an important part of your life. What’s your favorite band? R.E.M.

Best concert you’ve been to?

It might have been Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at The Pageant. Oh! I saw David Bowie at the Fox Theatre; that was incredible. And every single Memphis in May [International Festival] has been amazing. Their lineups are awesome. That’s a top three.

What’s the music like here in the new space?

We’ll have the stage inside and outside, and we’ve moved music lineups to a happy hour format for now that’ll take place Friday through Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. [Expect to see] Eric McSpadden on Friday and Sharon Foehner (Sharon Bear) on Saturday. The biggest difference to our music will be that we can book shows year-round.

Sweet or savory?

Savory. I was never really a fan of sweets at all until this last child, and I craved sweets the entire time I was pregnant. Even after I had him, it’s like the lightbulb went off; I ﬁnally understood it.

Favorite meal of the day?

It’s a meal speciﬁc to my family; it’s called “a little bit of lunch,” and it happens after dinner at 10 or 11 p.m. It’s a big platter or trays of food [with] cold cuts, slices of cheese, pickles, olives, tinned sardines and smoked oysters.

What’s your favorite St. Louis restaurant of all time?

King Louie’s was my all-time favorite restaurant. I just had an awesome memory of a friend who was a waiter at Frazer’s for 25 years and godfather to my older son; his name was Richard AuBuchon, and he just passed away. I had gone over to his house one day to detail a car to give to our chef’s daughter. I was literally ﬁlthy, and he was like “It’s ﬁne, we’re going.” And he treated me to King Louie’s.

48 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024

LAST CALL

YourBBQ&Party Headquarters

52 FEASTMAGAZINE.COM SUMMER 2024 ST.LOUISPOST-DISPATCH 2024 Nominate:May27-June16 STLtoday.com/Headliner24 Celebrate thebestin St.Louis! Supportyourfavoritelocalbusinesses andprofessionalsinthe 2024STLHeadlinerprogram! Vote:July5-28