February 2021 Feast Magazine

Carryout You Can Count On! get to know the condiments in your to-go bag

february 2021

midwest

Co

lu

mb

ia ,

Mi

s so

uri

P. 3 6

20 must-try takeout dishes

in

/

4

lin

Inspired Local Food Culture

P. 26

fine dining at your doorstep restaurants go all in on ghost kitchens

ed P ull

Por

k

s Ha

hf

r

om

Ca

f

e eB

r

P. 39 P. 30

P L E A S E D R I N K R E S P O N S I B LY WHISKE Y SPECIALT Y, 35% ALC. BY VOL., (70 PROOF.) JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, LYNCHBURG, TENNESSEE. JACK DANIEL’S, TENNESSEE FIRE, AND TENNESSEE HONE Y ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS. ©2020 JACK DANIEL’S. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

103

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Presented by:

In this year’s exciting new virtual format, celebrate two amazing Gold Award Girl Scouts and taste Girl Scout Cookie-inspired desserts delivered directly to your home along with dinner and wine.

Purchase tickets at girlscoutsem.org/dessertfirst Individual Legacy Builder

Corporate Legacy Builder

Community Legacy Builder

Megan and Tim Piechowski

Boeing and The Employees Community Fund of Boeing

The Magic House

Sponsors Centene Charitable Foundation • Edward Jones • Ameren Missouri • A-Mrazek Moving Systems, Inc. • Boeing • BKD, LLP • Husch Blackwell • Ashdon Farms • Bayer • Brown Smith Wallace LLP • CBIZ Employee Benefits • Commerce Bank • Cord Moving & Storage Company • Daughtery Business Solutions • Emerson Hermetic Motor • Little Brownie Bakers • Missouri Baptist Medical Center • Palmer & Cay • Thuy Vi Quach-Braig • UniGroup • FEAST • Stone Hill Winery

Inspired Local Food Culture /

midwest

february

2021

Volume 11 / Issue 2 Publisher

Catherine Neville, publisher@feastmagazine.com

EDITORIAL

sales

Editor in chief

general manager

Heather Riske, hriske@feastmagazine.com managing editor

Susan Eckert, seckert@laduenews.com 314.269.8838

Rachel Huffman, rhuffman@feastmagazine.com

Special projects coordinator

assistant editor

Aubrey Byron, abyron@feastmagazine.com

Kasey Carlson, kcarlson@feastmagazine.com Kansas City Contributing Editor

Jenny Vergara St. Louis Contributing Editor

Mabel Suen Springfield Contributing Editor

Tessa Cooper Columbia Contributing Editor

Jessica Vaughn Martin

FEAST TV producer: Catherine Neville production partner: Tybee Studios

Contact Us

Karen Parkman Proofreader

Alecia Humphreys Contributing Writers

Kala Elkinton, Amanda Elliott, Amy Feese, April Fleming, Teresa Floyd, Hilary Hedges, Rogan Howitt, Liz Miller, Claire Porter, JC Sandt, Jenn Tosatto, Shannon Weber

34

take me home tonight

39

special delivery

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

Distribution

fact checker

30

virtual revolution

To distribute Feast Magazine at your place of business, please contact Rich Hudson for St. Louis, Jefferson City, Columbia, Rolla and Springfield at rhudson@post-dispatch.com and Jason Green for Kansas City at distribution@pds-kc.com.

ART

Ghost kitchens are taking over the restaurant industry – here’s why.

Dig into some of the best takeout dishes in the state.

Stone Soup Cottage delivers the fine-dining experience to your door.

Art Director

Alexandrea Povis, apovis@feastmagazine.com

/ 9 / the mix Seven Rings of Saturn

Contributing Photographers

Zach Bauman, Judd Demaline, Teresa Floyd, J. Pollack Photography, Anthony Jinson, Sean Locke, Mark Neuenschwander, Ben Nickelson, Aaron Ottis, Anna Petrow, Pilsen Photo Co-op, Matt Seidel, Jennifer Silverberg, Alistair Tutton, Kim Wade, Cheryl Waller, Brad Zweerink

/ 10 /

Feast Magazine does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork.

Submissions will not be returned.

All contents are copyright © 2010-2021 by Feast Magazine™. All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents, without the prior written permission of the publisher, is strictly prohibited. Produced by the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis, LLC.

on the cover Pulled Pork Hash from Cafe Berlin in Columbia, Missouri, by Aaron Ottis table of contents The Prosciutto Happiness from Secret Sandwich Shop in Springfield, Missouri, by Mark Neuenschwander

4

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

dine & Drink Blackstone Gastropub, Chi-Town Eats, Love At First Bite

/ 11 / One on One

Seth Kean of Sweet Emotion and Outland Complex / 12 / shop Here Big Mood Natural Wines

/ 19 / ONE ON ONE

Ben Grupe of Tempus / 20 / sugar rush Cognac Chocolate Truffles / 23 / ONE ON ONE

Johnny and Helen Jo Leach of The Town Company / 24 / quick fix Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein

/ 14 / midwest made Chocolate Bars

/ 25 / culinary library Elizabeth Paradise of The Restaurant at 1900

/ 16 / mystery shopper

Curry Leaves

/ 26 / crash course Condiments

/ 18 / healthy appetite Red Lentil Falafel Bowl

at home

CELEBRATIONS Join us for our virtual event series celebrating St. Louis traditions like no other! Tickets include a custom cocktail kit, offers to local establishments, recipes, local goodies and more - all delivered to your door!

All events feature exclusive access to a live cooking and cocktail demo hosted by Feast Publisher Cat Neville.

FEAS FEAST

Bourbon Bour Street eet Bash Thursday, February 11, 7pm PRESENTED BY

FEAST

St. Patrick’s Day Party

FEAST

Taco Tuesday Tuesday, May 4

Thursday, March 11, 7pm

BUY ONE EVENT OR BUY THE FULL SERIES AT:

FEASTMAGAZINE.COM/ATHOME Limited tickets available. Delivery to Missouri residents only.

Letter

from the

Publisher

A

Building on this dining-without-a-dining-room theme, ghost kitchens have emerged as a game changer in the industry. The definition of “ghost kitchen” is tough to pin down, but essentially, it’s a restaurant without a dining room – one that was developed to operate in an entirely virtual space. Wondering where to find one? Just turn to page 30 and dive into the story of our region’s range of virtual kitchens.

6

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

Catherine Neville

publisher@feastmagazine.com

PHOTOGR APHY BY captiva studios

s the pandemic tightened its grip on Finally, fine dining has arguably taken the culinary industry, the biggest hit of all during the past the minds behind our region’s year. Fast-casual classics such as I’m back in the kitchen creating an all-new series of recipes and videos. This time we’re thinking spring!

Just head to the video section of feastmagazine.com and get cooking. favorite restaurants began to pizza travel well, but fussed-over brainstorm. With restrictions and dishes with delicate compositions? mandates in place and fewer people dining in, how could they continue to serve Not so much. The husband-and-wife team behind Stone Soup Cottage in their loyal customers? Moreover, how could they continue to serve those Cottleville, Missouri, drew on their shared experience working on private jets customers in a manner consistent with the quality they’d come to expect? and international icebreakers (yes, you read that correctly) to fit their fine-dining Those challenges have led to an evolution in the quantity – and the quality – of experience into a hat box (again, you read that right). Turn to page 39 to meet Carl carryout and delivery options in our area. and Nancy McConnell, who are personally delivering their Stone Soup experience to doorsteps across the St. Louis area.

Today, the range of restaurant-made food that can be enjoyed at home has expanded exponentially. And not only has the diversity of dishes evolved, the One thing remains – we love dining. Not just eating. Dining. They’re different way food is packaged has changed – in fact, some chefs have rethought their things. We love the connection dining creates with the people who grew, cooked menus to focus entirely on food that travels well until dining rooms are able and served our food. That’s what is at the heart of this industry: connection to to fully open again. Turn to page 34 for a city-by-city roundup of our favorite people and connection to our community. While we remain distanced, our desire takeout dishes. From the chewy pork-and-peanut tapioca dumplings from Chiang for a communal experience endures. A time will soon come when we can raise Mai in Webster Groves, Missouri, to an elegant multi-course feast from the a glass together, but for now, we’ll enjoy digging into these restaurant-quality Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City to Cafe Berlin’s famous dishes in our jammies. pulled pork hash in Columbia, Missouri, to a family pack of Tortilleria Perches tamales in Springfield, Missouri, our recommendations should be on your list.

Until next time,

Love At First Bite!

Book Your 4-Course Valentine’s Experience Online Available All Weekend 2/12 - 2/14

1311 Lodora Drive • Wentzville, MO 63385

314-375-4855 • Junction-House.com / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

7

PROMOTION

SPONSORED CONTENT BY

ALLISON PRIMO

SCHNUCKS REGISTERED DIETITIAN

SPREAD LOVE THIS FEBRUARY WHILE CELEBRATING NATIONAL HEART MONTH

RECIPE PROVIDED BY CALIFORNIA WALNUT ASSOCIATION

SERVES 4 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 Tbsp gouchujang red chili paste

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

¾ cup onion, minced

2 cups cooked jasmine rice

loved ones. Whether this is your spouse, friends, kids or your parents we show

2 tsp garlic, minced

2 cups ribboned cucumbers

love and affection to those around us with tokens of gratitude and kindness.

1 ½ cups walnuts, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

As cold as it can be, there’s a lot to love about February. The first thing that comes to mind is Valentine’s Day on the 14th. Although it can be filled with cheesy cards and chocolates, it really is a day to remember and appreciate our

With two little girls in my house, this holiday is full of heart-shaped cards filled

1 cup riced cauliflower

4 fried eggs

with glitter, stickers and sweet treats. Covered in sparkles and smiles, time spent

½ cup diced dates

½ cup candied walnuts

with my girls reminds me of the importance of showing love, not only to others but also to myself. We often forget that one of the biggest ways to show our family love is by loving ourselves and taking care of our health.

February isn’t just for Valentine’s Day, but an entire month dedicated to heart health. Taking care of ourselves includes having habits that support a healthy heart. Many factors go into this, but one way to keep our heart beating strong is by being physically active. Aiming for at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day is a good starting point. Need new ideas on how to be active or to jump start your physical activity? Check out schnucks.com/fitness for free weekly fitness routines to get your heart rate up.

Another vital part of having a healthy heart is eating a well-balanced diet.

Choosing foods like walnuts which are packed with omega-3 heart-healthy fats, is a smart step you can take to benefit your heart. Great for topping everything from salads to yogurt parfaits, walnuts can be simply added to meals or recreated into culinary experiences, like we’ve done in this month’s recipe. This sweet and spicy bowl transforms walnuts into a flavorful meat-substitute to create a bulgogi bowl unlike any other. And while February may not be the easiest time of year to get out and about, it is the perfect time to stay in and make delicious, heart-healthy meals worthy of celebration.

8

WALNUT KOREAN BULGOGI BOWL

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

PREPARATION In a large skillet, heat vegetable and sesame oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions become translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in walnuts, cauliflower, dates, chili paste and soy sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until cauliflower has softened, stirring occasionally.

In 4 shallow bowls, evenly distribute cooked rice, walnut mixture, ribboned cucumbers, shredded carrots, fried eggs and candied walnuts. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onions and additional hot sauce, if desired.

Visit walnut.org for more delicious walnut recipes.

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

Inspired by the 1960s tropical gin cocktail The Saturn, this variation splits the base spirit with applejack – a seasonal staple – topped with ginger kombucha and orange bitters. Lemon, passionfruit and homemade grenadine (pomegranate juice blended with sugar to create syrup) add bright, fruity notes to the mix, which evoke summer vibes even in the coldest months of the year.

Story and recipe by Rogan Howitt, beverage director, Good Spirits & Co. in Springfield, Missouri Photography by cheryl waller

Serves 1 Grenadine (Yields 9 oz) 8 oz pomegranate juice 1 oz lemon juice 1 cup granulated sugar

Look for the Reàl brand in well-stocked liquor stores or online.

Seven Rings of Saturn 1 oz gin 1 oz applejack ¾ oz lemon juice ½ oz passionfruit syrup ½ oz grenadine (recipe follows) 4 oz ginger kombucha 3 dashes orange bitters lemon wheel, for garnish Spring Branch Kombucha, based mint sprig, for garnish in Springfield, Missouri, offers a variety of other flavors that work in this recipe.

/ preparation – grenadine / Add all ingredients to a blender; blend on high until sugar has dissolved. Transfer syrup to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. / preparation – seven rings of saturn / Add gin, applejack, lemon juice, passionfruit syrup and grenadine to a shaker tin with ice; shake until cold and slightly diluted (the kombucha will dilute the mixture further).

Strain mixture into a 12-ounce glass with ice. Top with kombucha and bitters; stir to incorporate.

Garnish with lemon wheel and mint sprig.

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

9

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

pizza puff ▶ COLUMBIA, MO

Chi-Town Eats ▲ JOPLIN, MO

Blackstone Gastropub Written by Claire Porter / photography by mark Neuenschwander

In November, Damien Tiregol, chef-owner of Crabby’s Seafood Bar & Grill in Joplin, Missouri, debuted his newest venture, Blackstone Gastropub. The restaurant’s location previously housed a barbecue joint, and although Tiregol redesigned the space for a brighter, more modern feel, he kept the cast-iron smoker, drawing inspiration from it for his menu of upscale yet approachable dishes. Try the wings, which are brined, smoked and then fried to perfection, with the sweet bourbon sauce or ranch-garlic Parmesan dry rub (two of our favorite choices). For something more substantial, dig into the bourbon-glazed pork belly served with peach-ginger jam and Brussels sprout slaw or the signature smoked burnt ends with Coca-Cola barbecue sauce and spicy pickles on the side. The bar program features handcrafted cocktails as well as 16 beers and nitro brews on tap to wash down your meal.

1521 E. Broadway St., Joplin, Missouri, facebook.com/pages/category/Gastropub/ Blackstone-Gastropub-103614464743358

Written by Jessica Vaughn Martin / photography by ben nickelson

Blowing in from the Windy City, Chi-Town Eats recently opened in north Columbia, Missouri, serving up the iconic fare that you’d expect to find at Navy Pier or one of Chicago’s beloved chicken and fish shacks. Here, chicken wings abound, alongside combos of fried catfish or jumbo shrimp with fries and a small selection of burgers and sandwiches such as the Italian beef with giardiniera, cheese and peppers. Need to satisfy a late-night craving? Try the pizza puff from “Da Munchies” menu, which is available until 1am throughout the week and 2am on weekends, and round out the experience with a cup of Kool-Aid in your favorite flavor.

2900 Trimble Road, Columbia, Missouri, chitowneats.net

▶ ST. LOUIS

Love At First Bite Written by Mabel Suen / photography by sean locke

Last September, local chef Jason Lamont opened Love At First Bite in St. Ann, Missouri, with a takeout-only menu. His goal is to make your taste buds fall head over heels for every dish you order, from sandwiches to loaded fries and smoked meat plates to plant-based fare. Lamont’s signature BBLT, for example, features beef bacon, lettuce, tomato and roasted garlic mayonnaise on sourdough. Other craveable items include Lobster On My Spuds (fries topped with poached lobster tail, Grand Marnier cheese sauce, beef bacon, shallots and chives) and a vegan version of St. Louis’ iconic St. Paul sandwich made with JUST Egg, vegetables and Vegenaise.

10479 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Ann, Missouri, loveatfirstbitestl.com

10

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

ONE ON ONE /

SPRINGFIELD, MO

with Seth Kean / co-owner, Sweet Emotion

ONE on

general manager and talent buyer, Outland Complex What changes have been made to the lounge and bar? We [overhauled] everything in the front-of-house lounge and branded it Odyssey Lounge. We redid the bathrooms and got in all new tables and chairs. It’s a 130-year-old building, so the rooms definitely needed some TLC, but we didn’t want to take away from the vibe and the style that our patrons love; we just wanted to show what it could be. It’s a cool hangout spot, but it’s also a full-fledged venue with the same [entertainment] gear we have upstairs in the ballroom. We’re also currently renovating Outland Bar, which is the space right next door.

We’re planning to have a larger kitchen, and there won’t be a cover charge in that section. So if you’re at a show at Odyssey, you can walk over to Outland Bar, grab food and bring it [back].

Written by Tessa Cooper photography by brad zweerink

Attending a show at Outland Ballroom in Springfield, Missouri, has been a rite of passage for countless locals over the past 20 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the entertainment industry, however, thwarting that tradition, and in June, the venue’s former owners announced plans to sell the business. Following an outpouring of support from the community, the Outland found a new owner, who has already established new and exciting revenue streams.

Plunging deeper into the hospitality industry by updating the first-floor lounge, enhancing the bar program and opening Sweet Emotion (an adjoining vegan ice cream and pizza stand), the entertainment complex has found a way to survive. Here, Seth Kean, who co-owns Sweet Emotion with Jimmy Kochs and works as the general manager and talent buyer of Outland Complex, dives deeper into the changes taking place at this beloved locale.

What are the plans for the upstairs ballroom?

We’re going to do minor cosmetic updates to give it a new face to last the next couple of decades, [but] due to the current climate, there’s no need for us to open the ballroom upstairs yet.

Our focus right now is just keeping Odyssey’s calendar full [while] operating at half capacity with increased safety standards like mandatory masks and temperature checks.

What was your inspiration for Sweet Emotion?

Unfortunately, live entertainment was left out to dry. None of us got any sort of support from government bailouts or funding, so we had to either close or adapt. And after almost losing the place, I was like, “We’re adapting.” I didn’t expect to be opening an ice cream parlor at this point in my life, but here we are! The great thing about [Sweet Emotion’s] walk-up window is that we can operate whenever the venue itself isn’t open.

322 South Ave., Springfield, Missouri, facebook.com/sweetemotionSGF; outlandcomplex.com

st -t r y it e

at Sweet Emotion

ms

mu

and

Made with oat milk, the soft-serve vegan ice cream at Sweet Emotion comes in two flavors: chocolate and

A take on Dole Whip, Sweet

In partnership with The Big

vanilla. In keeping with the pop-punk

Emotion’s Dream Whip is

Slice, Sweet Emotion serves

theme, both have a black hue – thanks

available in pineapple or

pizza by the slice. Order vegan

to a few drops of food coloring –

strawberry. No matter which

or traditional flavors at the

and you can add an assortment of

one you choose, expect a tang.

stand and walk away happy.

toppings to your cup or cone. / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

11

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

▶ KANSAS CITY

Big Mood Natural Wines Written by Jenny Vergara / photography by anna petrow

Located in the Crossroads Arts District, Big Mood Natural Wines is a stylish splitlevel corner shop that sells exclusively natural wine, along with Mexican spirits and Repetition coffee beans. Boasting a groovy yet approachable vibe created by business partners Richard Garcia and Jamie and Liz Zoeller, the store offers more than 120 bottles of natural wine from all over the world with varying flavors and levels of effervescence.

Currently, no legal definition of natural wine exists, but winemakers generally agree that natural wine is made from grapes that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides and contains no additives. Big Mood also ensures that the grapes are handpicked and fermented using native yeasts. The team encourages questions and conversation so they can find the perfect bottle for every customer, as the experience of drinking a natural wine should be unpredictable, fun and one you’re eager to repeat.

2020 Baltimore St., Suite 102, Kansas City, Missouri, bigmoodnaturalwines.com

Natural Wines To buy

12

il farneto

forks and

foradori

rio rocca

knives rosé

teroldego

frisant bianco

Produced by Milan Nestarec –

A longtime favorite of Garcia’s,

This biodynamic wine is made

a star winemaker of the Czech

this deep-colored biodynamic wine is produced by Elisabetta

in the style of Pét-Nat from

Republic – this natural wine has

Spergola and Sauvignon Blanc

depth. Nestarec uses carbonic

Foradori in the foothills of

grape varieties. Produced in

maceration to transform

the Dolomites. Bursting with

Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region,

Cabernet Franc, along with a

flavors and aromas of cherry and

at

it’s refreshing and juicy with

small amount of Regent and

leather, it’s perfect on its own or

some savory notes that pair

Zweigelt, into this exquisite

paired with hearty dishes – and it

Big Mood

well with light snacks, cured

wine, which is admittedly more

proves that not all natural wines

meats and cheeses.

of a light red than a rosé.

need to have flashy labels.

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

WWW.CLASSIC1073.ORG

GUTTER PROTECTION

NEVER-FAIL TECHNOLOGY Eliminates Cleaning Gutters For Good - GUARANTEED

THE SLATKIN SHUFFLE

New Year Savings

• Shingle Safe Install Follows Roof Pitch • Installs on Existing Gutter • Unique Filter

85%

Off Labor and a

$25

Restaurant Card with presentation.

Call to Schedule a Free, Easy & NO PRESSURE ESTIMATE

Expires 2/28/2021

314-334-4113

Sweetheart Special

MasterShield of St Louis (“MSSL”) is neither a broker nor a lender. Financing is provided by third-party lenders unaffiliated with MSSL, under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and such lender, all subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Any finance terms advertised are estimates only. MSSL does not assist with, counsel or negotiate financing, other than providing customers an introduction to lenders interested in financing MSSL’s customers. Patents: https://micromeshgutterguards.com/patents/

FOR TWO

Can only be mixed or matched if pre-ordered

Your Choice 2 - 10 oz. Strip Steaks U.S.D.A Choice 2 - 8 oz. Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignons U.S.D.A Choice 2-1 10 oz. Rib Eye Steaks U.S.D.A Choice 2 - 8 oz. Apple Stuffed Pork Chops *Upgrade Your 2 - 8 oz. Chicken Spedini Filet Mignons To

MENTION THIS AD to receive a FREE Bottle of My House Steakhouse Seasoning with your Sweetheart Special purchase.

Each dinner includes: Your choice of Meat Entreé, Gourmet Twice Baked Potatoes, Bacon Braised Green Beans, Caesar Salad, French Bread with Garlic Butter and 4 chocolates from Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!

Steak & Lobster for 2

$44.99 2, 8 oz. Bacon Wrapped Filets & 2, 4 oz. Lobster Tails

$

for only

Choice For An Additional $10

44.99

Olde Tyme Personal Butcher Service

Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-6 • Sat. 8-5 • Sun. 9-4

Price Good Through February 17, 2021 MEATS & CATERING Prepared Food

We accept EBT

Always Sliced Fresh To Order Over 100 Varieties of Deli Meats & Cheeses

4324 Weber Rd • St. Louis, MO 63123 • 314-631-2440 • Fax 314-631-6452 • Kenricks.com / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

13

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

e t la

o s c r o h a c b

e, ecu . b r ba ter a n d s we e r e n nto be e ve i v i t y i ith s ’ t w t a ate a ri col e th d cre o sou r h s e i om h an fc . Fr k te M ustry on yo i s t a r s i e as oc nd ari a vo t o d a r tp a s s ra f t i e v ary fl u v p n i e c re’s ate n rs ss oft tie mpre her sio hocol lt, the s. i e t a l l v o p o i n d c lic sa Peo re’s a l choc ng an ity an -milk oho sea c i l e a t c n o a h c u n u a h t u lo to c o n a wa i i j u s t c hq rod but ed kin o c p l t n c , E o el t H o a eid al n ow r wo r k t o p - n el t a and e – no ts yK Re m t i b a i a h m m on en ar the s wit by itt e - c a c a d a e ve r y hy Wr ap b a r o ra n g r r m fo og ith ot od ing ph te w meth blo a l co so cho

14

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

After training as a master pastry chef in Switzerland, André Bollier immigrated to Kansas City with his family and opened André’s Confiserie Suisse in 1955. A cornerstone of the city, the company specializes in handcrafted Swiss-style confections, but it’s also expanded its selection to include high-quality singleorigin chocolate bars. The signature Swiss 60 percent dark chocolate bar filled with caramel infused with J. Rieger & Co.’s Kansas City Whiskey is a must-try. Pick up that and more at the South Plaza location or order online at andreschocolates.com.

Made with love – plus fair tradecertified chocolate and sugar and years of experience – the chocolate bars from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Co. are hard to resist.

The family-owned and -operated company offers dark chocolate bars – think strawberry-Champagne truffle and blackberry-honey caramel – and milk chocolate bars, including peanut butter-banana and cannoli truffle, which are available in retail stores in St. Louis, St. Charles, Missouri, and Edwardsville, Illinois, as well as online at chocolatechocolate.com.

At Askinosie Chocolate in Springfield, Missouri, founder and CEO Shawn Askinosie, along with his daughter and CMO, Lawren Askinosie, makes chocolate from scratch, grinding sustainably sourced cacao beans purchased directly from farmers in Ecuador, the Amazon, Tanzania and the Philippines to craft his awardwinning chocolate bars. Exploring both classic and extraordinary flavor combinations, Askinosie has created showstoppers such as the dark milk chocolate bar made with goat’s milk powder and a touch of fleur de sel and the rich dark chocolate bar made with creamy Hass avocado and rosemary.

Check out these and other flavors at the Commercial Street storefront or online at askinosie.com.

While many people head to Christopher Elbow Chocolates in Kansas City for its distinctive bonbons, you can’t go wrong with a few of its artisan chocolate bars either.

Crafted with great care and the finest ingredients, the line of signature chocolate bars come in both traditional and seasonal flavors. The crème brûlée white chocolate bar is a customer favorite, but the blueberry-lavenderdark chocolate, coffee-cardamom-dark chocolate and cherry streusel are also crowd-pleasers. The chocolatier makes bean-to-bar chocolate bars as well, with single-origin cacao beans from countries such as Belize, Haiti and Vietnam. Snag a selection for any occasion at the Crossroads location or online at elbowchocolates.com.

Sweets at Panache Chocolatier in Leawood, Kansas, begin with the highest quality single-origin chocolate. While fans flock to the signature Choco Poppo (popcorn drenched in that decadent chocolate), you’d be remiss to overlook the chocolate bars. Available in flavors such as espresso and black pepperpistachio, they’re part of the reason the International Chocolate Salon listed Panache as one of the Best Chocolatiers and Confectioners in America in 2019 and 2020. Shop for the handcrafted artisan chocolate bars and more at the storefront in Park Place or online at chocolatekc.com.

The bean-to-bar chocolate bars from Honeymoon Chocolates start with cacao beans from Colombia, Haiti or Peru, which owners Cameron and Haley Loyet roast using their own recipes.

Bursting with flavors of eucalyptus, coffee, apricots and rum, the chocolate bar made with 67 percent cacao from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and therapeutic-grade raw manuka honey from New Zealand is a must-try. All of Honeymoon’s products are sweetened with raw honey purchased directly from beekeepers, and a portion of the proceeds goes to the Pollinator Partnership. hmchocolates.com

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

15

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

What Is It? First things first: Curry leaves have nothing to do with curry powder,

Curry Leaves

though curry leaves are often used to impart flavor to curries.

Confused yet? Don’t be. Shiny and grass-green, curry leaves are a wee member of the citrus family. Their lemon-esque flavor, which leans savory and pungent, is recognizable but not as the star of the show; instead, curry leaves play a supporting role in Indian staples such as curry and dal. They’re also one of the main ingredients of gunpowder, a dry condiment with varying levels of heat that’s used in South Indian cuisine – and my favorite all-purpose powerhouse.

What Do I Do With It? You can pick up curry leaves at any Indian or international market in addition to well-stocked grocery stores, and if you find yourself with leftovers, they freeze beautifully.

Unlike bay leaves – which you have to fish out of a dish before serving – curry leaves are edible. Grind them into spice mixtures such as the aforementioned gunpowder, or bruise and quickly poach them in ghee or another fat along with spices, chiles and other aromatics to make tadka. Utterly delicious, this infused liquid fat can be drizzled over rice, vegetables or savory yogurt; it even works with popcorn and tastes way better than the fake butter used at movie theaters. I can confirm that tadka scorches easily, so it might take you a few tries to get it right, but once you do, you’ll want to use it on everything.

Story and recipe by Shannon Weber, Writer and Recipe Developer, aperiodictableblog.com Photography by jennifer silverberg

16

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

These little leaves pack big flavor – and they might be the reason tonight’s takeout is so delicious.

The curry leaf tadka in this risotto recipe brings much-needed magic to dreary February days.

Keep things simple here: Whole spices, leaves and chiles don’t burn like chopped or finely ground ingredients, so you can avoid scorching your first few batches. If done right, the fried curry leaves will shatter like glass into the finished dish, creating stunning flavor and texture.

Coconut Risotto with Curry Leaf Tadka

serves 4 Coconut Risotto 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 Tbsp ghee ½ cup finely chopped shallots

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice 1½ tsp kosher salt ¾ cup unoaked Chardonnay

1 cup coconut milk ¼ cup cashews, finely chopped

1 medium lime, quartered Tadka ¼ cup ghee 1½ tsp whole cumin seed 4 to 5 byadgi dry whole chiles 16 fresh curry leaves

/ preparation – coconut risotto / Heat stock in a medium saucepan until simmering.

Meanwhile, heat ghee in a large, heavybottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add rice and salt; stir to coat and then cook until fragrant and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine; stirring slowly and continuously, cook until liquid is absorbed. Add ½ cup stock to rice mixture; stirring slowly and continuously, cook until liquid is absorbed. Repeat process with remaining stock, adding ½ cup at a time. Repeat process with coconut milk, adding ½ cup at a time. The entire process should take 20 to 25 minutes.

/ preparation – tadka / Heat ghee over medium high heat. Add cumin seed; stirring continuously, cook, 15 seconds. Add chiles; stirring continuously, cook, 45 seconds. Add curry leaves; stir once to coat and then immediately remove from heat.

Continue to stir gently for a few seconds as mixture cools slightly. / to serve / Divide risotto onto plates. Drizzle 2 teaspoons tadka over each serving and top with four curry leaves from tadka. Sprinkle with cashews and garnish with one chile from tadka.

Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze over top.

Enjoy immediately.

pair with: Riesling

PA I R IT!

A light, aromatic white wine with a refreshing touch of sweetness will balance the complexity of this dish. Try the Riesling from Riverwood Winery in Rushville, Missouri. Its fresh, fruit-forward flavors pair nicely with the coconut risotto and cut through the chiles’ heat. –Hilary Hedges riverwoodwinery.com

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

17

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

Growing up, I occasionally ate falafel, but it wasn’t until I traveled to the Middle East and saw how deeply the food is ingrained in life there that it took on a whole new meaning for me. When Ben Hamrah and I opened Beet Box, I made sure falafel was on the menu – basically, I knew I wanted to eat it multiple times a week, and I hoped customers would, too. Traditionally made with ground chickpeas, fava beans or both and served in a pita, the recipe for falafel lends itself to experimentation. Here, I apply the concept to a different legume – the red lentil – and serve it in a bowl with seasonal vegetables and herbs. The preparation is quicker, and the flavors are unforgettable.

Story and recipe by Amanda Elliott, chef-owner, Beet Box in Columbia, Missouri Photography by kim wade

serves 4 Red Lentil Falafel 2 cups red lentils 4 cups water 1 small red onion 2 medium carrots, peeled 5 cloves garlic 1 cup fresh parsley 1 cup fresh cilantro ¼ cup chickpea flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp salt 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp ground cumin Bowl 2 cups cooked bulgur 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted ½ cup sliced red onion 1 cup crumbled Feta 2 turnips, sliced 1 cup mustard greens or arugula 1 cup pickled beets 1 blood orange, peeled and sliced into wheels ¼ cup freshly chopped dill 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar Dressing ½ cup sour cream ½ cup thick Greek yogurt 2 cloves garlic, grated 2 Tbsp tahini 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ tsp honey ½ tsp sumac salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

/ preparation – red lentil falafel / Add lentils and water to a bowl; soak, 1 to 1½ hours. While lentils are soaking, prepare bowls and dressing (recipes follow).

In a food processor, add onion, carrot, garlic, parsley and cilantro; pulse until finely chopped and then transfer to a bowl. Drain soaked lentils; transfer to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add processed lentils to bowl with onion-carrot mixture; add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Let rest, 10 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat 4 inches of oil (canola, soybean, vegetable – any oil for frying) to 350°F. Once oil is hot, gently form falafel into balls and place in oil, four at a time; cook, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a skimmer, remove fried falafel from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Repeat process until all falafel is cooked. / preparation – bowl / Evenly divide all ingredients, except oil and vinegar, between four bowls. / preparation – dressing / In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Set in refrigerator until ready to use. / assembly / Divide falafel between assembled bowls; drizzle with dressing, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

pair with: American Pale Ale City Wide pale ale – which helps raise money for nonprofits across the state – matches the earthy red lentil falafel without blowing out its delicate nature. The ale’s citrusy hop character alongside the blood orange in the bowl balances the acidity of the vegetables, and its crisp, carbonated finish cuts through the richness of the tangy dressing. –JC Sandt 4handsbrewery.com

18

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

PA I R IT!

Red Lentil Falafel Bowl

ONE ON ONE /

ONE on

st. louis

with Ben Grupe / chef-operator, Tempus Must-Try Dishes to Pick Up

at

tempus

carolina gold rice

This starter features rice, roasted and preserved root vegetables and a touch of nori finished with vadouvan-spiced granola and shaved country ham.

chicken sandwich Written by Rachel Huffman / photography by sean locke

After years cooking in some of St. Louis’ top kitchens and competing in the Culinary Olympics, James Beard

It might look like something out of a fast-food chain, but the chicken sandwich at Tempus exists on a whole other level in terms of quality and flavor.

The chicken patty – made in-house from brined

semifinalist Ben Grupe finally has his own restaurant. Tempus, located in The Grove neighborhood, is not

Buttonwood Farm chicken thighs – is breaded and

exactly what he originally imagined, though: Since opening last October, the restaurant has been serving food

then fried. Topped with Duke’s mayonnaise, shaved

exclusively for takeout. Focused on chef-driven American cuisine, the menu is designed to bring a sense of what

iceberg lettuce and housemade bread and butter

is familiar, craveable and comforting to customers’ homes. Grupe believes that’s just what we need right now.

What’s the ethos at Tempus? We’re rooted in a classical foundation.

My apprenticeships have always been rooted in classic technique and classic cooking – not necessarily French cooking but proper stock making, proper sauce making, proper butchery, etc. Through and through, [I’ve learned] the right way to do things, and that’s what Tempus is built on. We’re not trying to throw the arsenal of current trends and techniques on our menu; instead, we’re focused on proper, straightforward execution, which translates into thoughtful, purposeful, genuine hospitality.

How has the original concept of Tempus changed? We scrapped all food concepts – the food that I intended to do simply does not work or make sense for takeout. So, during the construction delays at the beginning of the pandemic, I started honing in on what delicious food looks like as takeout. At first, it was like, this is no big deal, but as we started R&D, it was like, oh yeah, that’s not going to work at all. I think a lot of people take for granted the amount of work and coordination that goes into takeout; it’s just not as easy as putting food in a box, putting the box in a bag and sending it out the door.

How do you offer thoughtful service and genuine hospitality without the dine-in experience? That’s the challenge, right? The COVID-19 pandemic has really taught us to rethink what we do. A lot of places, speaking in general, have kicked into autopilot over the past few years; now we have to rise to this new challenge and find ways to sustain and develop the hospitality industry given our situation. With the menu at Tempus, it’s about keeping the food very familiar, and we’re not trying to pigeonhole ourselves with one style of food – there’s a lot of influence throughout our menu. We have a collaborative kitchen, so if there’s a cook who wants to do a dish, great – bring the ideas and let’s work on them. We’re focused on inclusivity in the kitchen and throughout the restaurant. It’s about taking a step back and asking ourselves, “What does it mean to be a restaurant in 2021?”

What kind of dishes have you found work well for takeout? A lot of our bar snacks and finger foods that were slated for Tempus were fairly well-composed, and if you have any experience with takeout, you know that if you have something even remotely composed and you jostle the bag or drop the box, that composition turns into a jumbled mess. Some of those were also a quick fry, but we found that doing fried food is no bueno, with the exception of our chicken sandwich – I put that sandwich through the ringer. But we’re constantly tweaking recipes, tweaking techniques and finding the most efficient, effective way to execute [each dish] while also looking at it from the guest aspect. The way I see it, it’s the little things that make a big difference.

4370 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, tempusstl.com

pickles, it’s served in a squishy sesame potato roll.

beef rib

The braised beef rib at Tempus features a mustard glaze and a mixture of dehydrated sauerkraut, horseradish and mustard, which blends beautifully into the glaze and adds another layer of flavor.

The rib is paired with braised red cabbage, carrots, pickled mustard seed and a cornmeal dumpling topped with a crust of Gruyère, crème fraîche and ParmigianoReggiano, which could be a dish on its own. / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

19

ogna

c

C

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

truffles t a col

e

C

ho

Dark chocolate truffles are the epitome of decadence – yet they couldn’t be simpler to make.

With ganache as the base, these silky truffles are flavored with smooth, warming cognac and finished with a coating of velvety cocoa powder.

Since chocolate is the primary ingredient in this recipe, use the highest quality you can find – the splurge will make a world of difference in the final flavor and texture.

Story, recipe and photography by Teresa Floyd, food writer and recipe developer, now-forager.com

Yields 36 truffles 9 oz 63 to 65 percent bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ½ cup heavy cream 1 Tbsp glucose or light corn syrup ¹⁄₈ tsp fine sea salt 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces and softened 1½ Tbsp cognac or brandy 1 cup unsweetened, Dutch-processed 100 percent cocoa powder / preparation / Place chocolate in the bowl of a food processor; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring cream, glucose or corn syrup and sea salt to a boil. Carefully pour hot mixture over chocolate; let sit, 1 to 2 minutes. Secure lid of food processor; process until mixture is just blended into a smooth ganache. Add butter and cognac or brandy; process until completely incorporated and ganache is once again smooth and glossy. Transfer ganache to a wide, shallow container; set aside to cool and crystallize, up to 24 hours.

Place cocoa powder in a bowl; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once ganache is fully set, scoop 1 tablespoon-sized pieces onto prepared baking sheet (a mini spring-loaded ice cream scoop works well here). Using the palms of your hands, gently roll each truffle into a smooth ball. Dredge each truffle in cocoa powder and then lightly shake to remove excess powder. Serve truffles at room temperature.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days; lightly recoat with cocoa powder as needed.

For more ideas on fun infusions, decorative drizzles and flavorful coatings to add to the ganache base in this recipe, visit feastmagazine.com.

20

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

pair with: Rum

PA I R IT!

Like chocolate and chile peppers, cognac and rum are a match made in heaven, which is why I suggest pairing this decadent dessert with Smoke and Fire Rum from 1832 Distilling in Concordia, Missouri. Infused with chipotle peppers, the white rum is slightly sweet and smoky with a spicy finish. Its flavor profile dances with that of the cognac chocolate truffles, creating a distinctive and delightful experience for your palate. Serve it on the rocks for the best effect. –Jenn Tosatto facebook.com/1832Distilling

Imagine your home, totally organized!

KCMO Opening March 1219 W. 103rd St.

|

I-435 & State line

Shop Eat Taste Learn

Custom Closets Garage Cabinets Home Offices Pantries, Laundries and Hobby Rooms.

Pantry

500+ Craft Beers | 24 Taps 200+ Sauces & Rubs | BBQ Menu 60+ Local Whiskies | Weekly Events

Come visit us for some of the best burgers, beer, and atmosphere in town!

Jack Nolen’s 2501 S. 9th St.

Jack Nolen’s Is Always Open, Except Monday’s!

in Soulard!

Sunday: 11:00am–5:00pm Monday: Closed Tuesday – Saturday: 11:00am – 10:00pm

y B e v i r D e m o C and r u o Y d Buil ! e i P n Ow B GRa

$

a

99

5Ty pIZZa

eCIaL 8” sp ILD yOUR or BU pIe! OWn

BLUES FIRED PIZZA

10800 Big Bend Rd 63122 HOURS: 11am-8pm Open 7 Days a Week

2018 © All Rights Reserved. Closets by Design, Inc.

www.beersauceshop.com

40% Off 15%

Plus receive a FREE GIFT with purchase

Plus FREE Installation PLUS TAKE AN EXTRA

Off

40% off any order of $1000 or more. 30% off any order of $700 or more. On any complete Closet, Garage or Home Office. Take an additional 15% off on any complete system order. Not valid with any other offer. Free installation with any complete unit order of $500 or more. With incoming order, at time of purchase only. Expires 12/31/2020.

For Feast Magazine Readers

www.closetsbydesign.com

SPECIAL FINANCING for up to 18 Months!

With approved credit. Call or ask your Designer for details. Not available in all areas.

Call for Free Estimate

314-310-0099

FM

Locally Owned and Operated Like us on

and

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

21

PROMOTI ON

Onions bring the zing — and health benefits too SPONSORED CONTENT BY KATHERINE LEWIS

RED ONIONS Reach for reds when you’re looking for onions’ trademark bite. They go best with bold flavors, like red meat and peppery greens, such as arugula.

Although red onions can spice up dishes, there’s evidence that they may calm down inflammation.

Fun fact: The red onions found in stores during winter months tend to have a stronger taste than at any other time of year. To mellow them, cut and soak in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes.

Although onions are usually relegated to a supporting role, they are part of nearly every cooking tradition in the world — bringing bite, color and texture to endless dishes. They also deliver significant nutritional benefits. Organosulfur compounds — the compounds that give onions their strong smell and taste — are the same ones that protect your heart by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

Onions have a good amount of fiber, a big contributor to gut health. “Nowadays there’s a huge interest in microbiomes, which are the very small organisms that live on and inside the body, like bacteria and fungi. But for microbiomes to live, they need food, and one of their main sources of food is fiber,” explains Dr. Yikyung Park, a Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center. “Onions have inulin. It’s a type of fiber that isn’t digested in our stomach, but it goes directly to the gut and then feeds the biome. That’s also why fiber is good for maintaining body weight: It doesn’t have any calories, but fiber-rich foods make you feel fuller, so you may eat less.”

Antioxidants known as flavonoids clean up free radicals in the body, and there’s evidence they fight inflammation to help prevent chronic illnesses, like heart disease and some cancers. “Chronic inflammation is related to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Foods that fight inflammation (anti-inflammatory foods) reduce chronic inflammation,” Dr. Park says.

Although cooking onions significantly decreases the quantity of organosulfur compounds, many of their other nutritional benefits remain. Just be careful if you’re suffering from heartburn, Dr. Park says: Eating onions may make it worse.

YELLOW ONIONS If you’ve ever read a recipe that simply calls for an onion, know that yellow onions are up to the task. These versatile veggies are the most widely grown onions in the United States, and they work in everything from soups to tacos.

Plus, yellow onions are your best bet for caramelizing. Their

Dr. Yikyung Park Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER

pungent taste comes from organosulfur compounds, which can help protect against inflammation, reduce oxidative stress and metabolize food.

in good taste PRESENTED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER

French Onion and Mushroom Frittata SHALLOTS Not quite an onion, not quite a bulb of garlic, shallots can be a bit of a mystery — but one that’s worth unraveling.

They’re a bit sweeter

• 2 Tbsp butter, divided

• ¼ cup 2% milk

• 2 cups croutons

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional, and if desired, can substitute 1 cup cooked chopped ham, crumbled bacon or other protein)

• 8 large eggs

• ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese

• 1 ½ tsp salt, divided

than red onions and

| Preparation | Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Add

have more zing than

1 Tbsp butter to a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. After the butter has melted, add croutons and coat. Stir until well coated with butter, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Reduce heat to low. Add thinly sliced onions to skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp salt. Cook onions until browned and soft (about 30 minutes). Add balsamic vinegar and stir onions to coat. Whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and remaining salt and pepper. Stir in chopped mushrooms. Add croutons and remaining 1 Tbsp butter to skillet with onions and stir to mix, arranging in single layer.

Pour egg mixture over onion and crouton layer. Tilt skillet as needed to make sure all areas are covered evenly. Top with cheese and cook on stove until edges of mixture begin to set, about 4 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until set in the center. Check by cutting a small slice into middle of frittata. If eggs run into the slice, it has not yet set. Remove from oven once set. Let cool for 5 minutes, then slice

garlic, and their diminutive size makes them perfect to use in recipes that call for just a few tablespoons of onion. Use raw shallots in salad dressings, or roast them alongside steak or chicken. Any preparation will bring a dose of potassium, antioxidants and folate.

and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

LEEKS While most members of the allium family (onions, garlic, shallots) are known for their assertive taste, leeks provide a mildmannered counterpoint: Their white and lightgreen ends deliver subtly sweet flavor, as well as a heap of vitamin A. Potato-leek soup is a winter classic, but lighter options abound, such as fish sauteed with tomatoes and leeks or frittatas made with leeks PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN

and asparagus.

ONE ON ONE

/

kansas city

with Johnny Leach / executive chef, and Helen Jo Leach / executive pastry chef, The Town Company

ONE on

clara bow rolls

Johnny takes pride in these rolls, which are made fresh daily with a lot of time and care. They are proofed and baked in a cast-iron pan and served with cultured butter and a roasted carrot dip.

Written by Jenny Vergara / photography by pilsen photo co-op

In their own words, chefs Johnny and Helen Jo Leach are “a family package.” Where one goes, they both go, along with their five-year-old daughter, Perri. At the beginning of the pandemic, the trio moved from Portland, Oregon, to Kansas City so Johnny and Helen could work at the new restaurant inside Hotel Kansas City, The Town Company. Johnny is the executive chef and Helen is the executive pastry chef of the hotel’s signature restaurant – a modern Midwestern eatery that spotlights seasonal produce and local staples – as well as Hotel Kansas City and El Gold, its cellar saloon slated to open this year. Helen also bakes the breads and pastries sold at the hotel’s coffee bar and market, including a rich chocolate cookie that Perri helped her name, Boom Chocolata. The collective talents of this culinary family

lamb skewers

Grilled leg of lamb, braised lamb tongue and housemade lamb sausage are presented on a single skewer and served with roasted eggplant purée, pickled cauliflower and honey vinegar.

are already impacting the city’s food scene, and we expect they’ll leave a lasting impression on you as well.

What was your inspiration for the menu at The Town Company?

Helen and I have always worked very collaboratively, so when we talked about what we wanted The Town Company menu to be – both on the savory and the sweet side – we knew it should be really, really simple and delicious. We let the seasonal ingredients found here [as well as] the wood-burning hearth be our guide. –Johnny Leach We are both serious cooks, but we want to have fun with the menu and the food we serve. We are both a little goofy and nerds at heart, and we want

that lightheartedness to show in our food; we want it to be approachable but unexpected. –Helen Jo Leach Now that The Town Company is open, what are you working on next? We will continue to dial in the dishes we are currently serving, and we also have things we still want to do, like starting our reserve steak program. –J.L. I’m really looking forward to working with our white oak-burning hearth within my pastry program. Having live fire means I can grill and smoke fruits and vegetables like apples and parsnips

to bring out or deepen their flavor for my desserts. I also like to experiment with different savory flavors within my desserts, like the touch of pink peppercorn that I have in my apple pie crust. –H.J.L. What has surprised you the most about cooking in Kansas City?

Realizing that the local farmers would be able to supply produce representing four different seasons.

We have always worked closely with local farms when building our menus, but in Portland, we have fall weather about eight months

out of the year, so being able to have access to so many different ingredients depending on the month of the year is something I am excited to wrap my head around.

–J.L. We were able to go on some local farm tours when we first moved to Kansas City, and we were so impressed that there are farmers who are willing to grow ingredients for us to use at our restaurant. That level of collaboration between farmer and chef is a dream. –H.J.L. 1228 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, Missouri, hotelkc.com

angel food cheesecake

Helen makes this dessert with black sesame ganache that she says has almost a peanut butter flavor. It’s then topped with a pomegranate-poached pear and lemon sorbet. / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

23

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein I’m always looking for more ways to get my kids to eat – and enjoy – veggies. This recipe does just that – plus, it’s the perfect way to utilize a rotisserie chicken.

You can prep everything ahead of time and then it takes less than 10 minutes to stir-fry the ingredients for a quick, nutritious meal that’s easy to make and clean up between work and activities. The silky, flavorful noodles combined with crisp vegetables and juicy chicken will be gobbled up with gratitude,

In this class, you’ll learn how to properly stir-fry chicken and vegetables, plus how to shape dumplings and make your very own fortune cookies.

making you a home-cook hero in no time flat.

Recipe adapted by Amy Feese Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Get Hands-On Join Schnucks Cooking School chef Amy Feese on Zoom at 5pm on Mon., Feb. 15 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 24

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

serves 3 to 4

8 1½ 2½

4

2 5 to 6 1½ 1½

2

1

1

2 ½ ½

2

1

1

oz Chinese egg noodles Tbsp sesame oil tsp kosher salt, divided Tbsp vegetable oil Tbsp grated ginger cloves garlic, minced cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms cups broccoli stems medium carrots, thinly sliced on a bias 15-oz can baby corn, drained (if whole, cut each into 3 pieces) 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained cups slightly shredded rotisserie chicken cup chicken stock cup soy sauce Tbsp dry sherry tsp sugar Tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold chicken stock

/ preparation / Cook noodles according to package instructions.

Once cooked, drain and MAKE THE MEAL thoroughly rinse noodles in cold water; toss • Chinese Cucumber Salad with sesame oil and 2 • Pork Dumplings with Dipping Sauce teaspoons salt. (Cooked • Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein noodles can be stored • Fortune Cookies in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to two days, if necessary.) Heat vegetable oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over high heat; add ginger and garlic and stir until aromatic, approximately 15 seconds. Add mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, corn and water chestnuts; toss until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add chicken; cook until heated through.

In a bowl, combine chicken stock, soy sauce, sherry and sugar. Add sauce to pan; simmer, approximately 30 seconds, and then add cornstarch mixture. Stir until sauce begins to thicken and then add noodles; gently toss to incorporate. Serve immediately.

CULINARY LIBRARY /

kansas city

with Elizabeth Paradise / pastry chef, The Restaurant at 1900

tWith so many ingredients missing – the warm hospitality, the atmospheric lighting,

the creative and thoughtful plating, the hubbub – it’s impossible to replicate a restaurant experience at home. Takeout from The Restaurant at 1900 in Kansas City, however, is impeccably executed and travels well, and the dishes taste almost as good at home as they do in the dining room, establishing the foundation for a special night in. Wherever you enjoy it, a meal from The Restaurant at 1900 isn’t complete without dessert. Pastry chef Elizabeth Paradise dazzles guests with picture-perfect desserts inspired by classic recipes such as the apple tarte tatin with brown sugar-walnut streusel served with vanilla bean ice cream. Here, Paradise shares three cookbooks that inspire her cooking as well as her outlook on life. –April Fleming photography by pilsen photo co-op

The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual

by Frank Castronovo, Frank Falcinelli and Peter Meehan (2010) “Frankies 457 [in Brooklyn, New York] does everything right in a really unpretentious way, and this book is a great example of how you can bring that same skill and attitude to your own table, even if it’s 1,200 miles from one of theirs. The Franks also taught me to not save the ‘good’ olive oil – use it!”

FOR SALE

Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé

Cake Portfolio

by Dorie Greenspan (2001)

by Amanda Faber (2019)

“You get the best of both worlds with this: brilliant creations by one of the world’s top pastry chefs and thoughtful, useful insights from an invaluable baker and writer. This is a book of classic French pastry, ranging from beginner to advanced levels, but Dorie’s writing makes even the most difficult recipe approachable as long as you have the time and the proper tools.”

“I became infatuated with Amanda’s Instagram photos during the shelter-in-place order [last March and April] and ordered her – self-published! – book as soon as I started following her. Her writing and instruction encourage makers to break out of their comfort zones and try new things, which I think is useful for novices and professionals alike.”

R E D M O O S E W I N E RY

• Tu r n k e y w i n e r y re a d y t o b e t a k e n t o t h e n e x t l e v e l • K n o w n fo r t h e i r q u a l i t y S o u t h C e n t ra l O z a r k , M i s s o u r i w i n e s • 2 B e d ro o m s p e r fe c t fo r h o s t i n g v i s i t o r s , o r s e t u p a s a va c a t i o n re n t a l fo r a d d i t i o n a l i n c o m e • N e s t l e d i n t h e O z a r k h i l l s s u r r o u n d e d b y t h e M a r k Tw a i n N a t i o n a l Fo re s t

L i v i n g t h e D re a m l a n d . c o m

• L o c a t e d o n t h e M i s s o u r i w i n e t ra i l w h i c h b r i n g s v i s i t o r s f ro m a c ro s s t h e c o u n t r y • R e d M o o s e W i n e r y i s i d e a l l y s i t u a t e d b y t h e M e ra m e c , C u r re n t , and Jacks Fork Rivers

$699,900 / 44± acres

H E R E ’ S YO U R C H A N C E T O O W N A B E A U T I F U L W I N E RY I N T H E H E A R T O F M I S S O U R I ’ S W I N E T R A I L

B RO K E R /O W N E R DA R R E L L H I N D M A N

855-289-3478 / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

25

the mix / dine & drink / shop here / mIdwest made / MYSTERY SHOPPER / HEALTHY APPETITE / sugar rush / QUICK FIX / CRASH COURSE

BALKANS

CHINA

INDIA

Ajvar

XO Sauce

A thick, rich blend of roasted

A combination of dried

Aam ka achaar

red peppers and eggplant,

shrimp, dried scallops

There’s a lot to love about all

ajvar has a body that

and Jinhua ham makes

Indian pickles and chutneys,

won’t quit. Its surprising

this hallowed condiment

but mango pickle is special.

brightness amplifies

luxurious (and expensive).

The tangy mix of green

anything it touches, from

The umami blend is primarily

grilled meats to poultry to

used over fried rice and

mango and savory spices adds a satisfying hit of

fish, and it can even be used

noodles, along with meat,

flavor to everything from

as the base for pasta sauce.

tofu and vegetable dishes.

rice to yogurt.

ITALY

Colatura di Alici

JAPAN

Furikake A dry condiment, furikake

LIBYA/ISRAEL

Filfel Chuma

is the everything bagel

Spicy, with more spice to

seasoning of Japan. Composed

spare, this thick pepper

and salt ferment for a very

of bits of dried fish, sesame

sauce features heaps of

long time, resulting in a

seed and chopped seaweed,

garlic and fruity undertones.

Italy has fish sauce too – and it’s aged. Anchovy fillets

completely different flavor profile than the Asian classic.

Use it in pasta or splash it over meats and vegetables.

MEXICO

it’s sprinkled on top of cooked

It’s aggressive but not

rice, vegetables and fish –

overpowering, adding a

admittedly, I’ve also eaten it

pleasant kick to yogurt,

straight out of my hand.

lentils, rice or fish.

PHILIPPINES

SOUTH AMERICA

Salsa de Toyomansi Chimichurri Packing a roundhouse cacahuate Half marinade, half sauce, y chile de punch from calamansi juice, chimichurri looks like pesto, árbol toyomansi is a step-up from but it’s airier with bright green Made with peanuts, chiles,

standard soy sauce but just as

flavor from fresh parsley,

onion, herbs and spices, this

versatile. Mix it with shallots,

oregano, chile and garlic. These

smooth peanut salsa works

garlic and chile to create an

ingredients swim in a generous

wonders on top of meats, fish and all manner of tacos.

THAILAND

Nam Phrik

Nam phrik is an umbrella term for a family of delicious

U.K.

Piccalilli

dose of red wine vinegar, perfect for grilled meats and fish.

U.S.

Remoulade

A descendent of Indian mixed

What I define as France

vegetable pickle, piccalilli is

by way of New Orleans,

a beloved relish in the U.K.

remoulade is a briny

fish paste, shallots, garlic,

Bright yellow and typically

mayonnaise brimming

strewn with cauliflower,

with capers, anchovies,

base for regional variations,

cucumbers, green beans and

cornichons and a generous

which include galangal,

pearl onions in a sweet-tart

helping of herbs for balance.

lemongrass and tamarind, to

mustard-like sauce, it shines

Use it with seafood-based

name a few. Use it to add life

on cured meats, cheeses and

dishes, cold meats, cheeses

to more subtle dishes. feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

grilled meats.

Thai condiments. A layer of lime and chile works as a

26

outstanding dipping sauce for

meat pies.

and fried foods.

When faced with the litany of condiments at any international market, initial fascination can easily give way to utter helplessness. What’s in these mysterious jars and bottles? How do I use them? Would I even like them? To answer that last question, it’s up to you to find out – that’s the fun part.

As for the what and how of the matter, here are some of my favorite condiments from around the world and how I recommend using them. story and recipe by Shannon Weber, writer and recipe developer, aperiodictableblog.com / photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Chef says,

“

Ajvar is considered the caviar of the Balkans.

With roasted red peppers, eggplant and garlic, it has a smoky, deep and rich flavor that’s bursting with freshness. Growing up, ajvar was a staple condiment in our house. When I was about 8 years old, my mother taught me how to make it the same way her family has been making it for generations back in Bosnia. It was a true labor of love, from picking the vegetables, perfectly charring them and peeling them one by one to slowly stewing the batch and then canning and preserving it. Each Balkan country has its own version, but the end result is always phenomenal!

Senada Grbic,

”

Grbic Restaurant and Lemmons by Grbic

How To Use Your Leftover Condiments We’ve all seen it: shelf upon shelf of partially used condiments, forgotten or abandoned until they ultimately tip and leak all over the refrigerator. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The internet has a wealth of recipes that call for these condiments, but here are a few tips to get you started.

Play with the flavor profiles of

thinner liquid condiments by adding fresh or dried chiles, sesame oil or scallions, among other ingredients.

They make terrific marinades for meats, fish and vegetables, or mix them with thicker condiments to give them more body for hot or cold noodle dishes, vegetables and dressings.

Chunky preserved or fermented condiments such as

Besides working beautifully on

Indian achaars and preserved lemon

almost any grilled meat, poultry or

are powerhouses on their own, but they

fish, fresh

reveal their superpower when added

herb-based

condiments are perfect simply

to unexpected dishes. Toss roasted

slathered on bread. Cool down

Brussels sprouts with aam ka achaar or

condiments that pack significant heat

throw preserved lemon in with roasted

such as z’hug (a hot sauce originating in

chicken and olives. These condiments

Yemeni cuisine) by blending them with

also make good dressings, as they boost

creamy condiments such as crema,

both flavor and texture.

Kewpie Mayonnaise and labneh to use as a sandwich spread, dip or drizzle.

Dry condiments serve a different purpose than liquid condiments, but

paste-style or thicker liquid condiments

they’re just as versatile – and delicious.

as the base for dipping sauces, glazes

on top of a bagel and cream cheese

and sauces for any number of noodle

as it is on rice. Za’atar is the perfect

dishes. Ajvar adds life to classic tomato

companion for tomato toast, and

sauce while Kewpie Mayonnaise makes

gunpowder regularly finds its way into

grilled cheese extra crispy – just two

winter stews and roasted chicken in my

out of countless examples.

house because everyone loves it.

Use

Furikake, for instance, is as sensational

Homemade versions of piccalilli just taste better than store-bought.

Here, we get to use two condiments from across the pond – malt vinegar and Colman’s mustard powder – to make another. If you’re not a fan of heat, simply adjust the ratio of English mustard powder to regular mustard powder.

Piccalilli yields 5 8-oz jars Mustard Sauce ¾ cup malt vinegar 2 Tbsp Colman’s mustard powder 1 Tbsp ground yellow mustard 1 Tbsp ground cumin 2½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp celery seed 1 large pinch fresh nutmeg 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp capers Piccalilli 2½ cups apple cider or malt vinegar ½ cup granulated sugar 2 Tbsp kosher salt 1 large (or 2 small) dried bay leaves mustard sauce (recipe follows) 3 cups chopped cauliflower florets 1 cup seeded and small dice English cucumber 1 cup trimmed ¼-inch pieces green beans ¾ cup small dice shallots ²⁄₃ cup small dice carrots

/ preparation – mustard sauce / In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustards, cumin, turmeric, coriander, celery seed and nutmeg. Add flour; whisk until smooth. Stir in capers; set aside. / preparation – piccalilli / In a large saucepan, whisk together vinegar, sugar and salt; set over high heat. Add bay leaves; bring mixture to a boil, whisking until solids have dissolved.

Once boiling, remove from heat; stir in mustard sauce to incorporate. Add remaining ingredients; set over medium high heat. Stirring frequently, heat until mixture comes to a boil and then cook until vegetables have softened slightly but still have some snap and mixture has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool in pan, 30 minutes.

Divide into canning jars and seal. Store in refrigerator for up to four weeks. / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

27

Find

Food, Drink, History

599 St. Denis Street, Old Town Florissant

GIRLL SCOUT

HendelsRestaurant.com • 314-837-2304

COOKIES NEAR YOU!

Thank you for your continued support.

girlscoutsem.org/cookies

Dining Room Open!

Upscale casual farm-to-table restaurant, serving craft cocktails, local beers, and an extensive wine and bourbon list!

www.clevelandheath.com • 618-307-4830 106 North Main Street - Edwardsville, IL 62025

Now Order Online www.ricehousestl.com Delivery or Take Out

The Best Fried Rice in Town

Celebrate Chinese New Year February 12, 2021 OFF Entire Purchase

10

%

New Dishes and Daily Specials

Excludes any other offers, Feb. 12, 2021 only.

2.59

$

1/2 Orders

Chicken Fried Rice (Limit 2)

Must present coupon.

Cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 2/28/2021

“Like” us for additional deals and info

or

5.39

$

www.ricehousestl.com

Voted Best International Restaurant

Hot Braised Chicken Boneless Combo Plate Must present coupon.

Cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 2/28/2021

2.39

$

1/2 Orders

g Hirin Now sitions o All P Online ly p p A y Toda

Plain Fried Rice (Limit 2)

Must present coupon.

Cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 2/28/2021

2.59

$

1/2 Orders 8438 North Lindbergh • Florissant, MO 63031 • 314-837-0711 • 2725 N HWY. 67 • Florissant 63033 • 314-921-0711 SPECIAL CATERING OFFERS FOR YOUR OFFICE OR EVENT! 28

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

Pork Fried Rice (Limit 2)

Must present coupon.

Cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 2/28/2021

CHRISTINA KLING-GARRETT

Back left, Event Vice Chair Kathie Winter; back right, Women of Achievement President Marian Nunn; front left, Event Chair Ida Early; front right, Event Vice Chair Lynn Hamilton. Not pictured, Women of Achievement Vice President Pam Toder.

Nominations are now being accepted The Women of Achievement Award recognizes and honors women of diverse cultures, roles and accomplishments who have demonstrated commitment to the betterment of the St. Louis region through significant volunteer contributions.

A committee of community leaders will choose 10 honorees to be recognized during the 66th Women of Achievement Awards Celebration broadcast on Nine PBS in September 2021.

Nomination forms are now available. Deadline for nomination is midnight on Friday, March 19, 2021.

Nominations online preferred. Visit www.woastl.org for criteria and nomination form. For questions call (314) 896-4962.

Presenting Sponsors:

Broadcast Sponsor:

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

29

COVID-19 has turned the

restaurant industry

upside down, forcing full-

service restaurants to pivot to carryout and delivery.

For many,

virtual brands

and

answer .

are the

ghost kitchens

written by heather riske

30

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

jacob kruger operates cosmo burger

jacob kruger has a confession:

he didn’t know what a ghost kitchen

out of dodson's bar and commons PHOTO BY ALISTAIR TUTTON

was until after he opened one.

The chef is currently operating Cosmo Burger, which serves juicy smashed burgers exclusively for carryout from the kitchen at Dodson’s Bar and Commons in Kansas City, but he wasn’t familiar with the idea of a ghost kitchen – which is quickly becoming one of the industry’s hottest trends – until he read a Kansas City Star article about his new concept last fall.

“I will be 100 percent honest about this – I did have to look that up,” he says with a laugh. “It was like, oh yeah, this is exactly what we’re doing. What’s funny is that the concept of being a ghost kitchen really wasn’t something that was on our minds; it just kind of organically happened that way because of everything that we’re going through right now.”

Also referred to as a delivery-only restaurant, cloud kitchen or virtual brand, the concept is having a major moment as restaurants continue to grapple with COVID-19. The idea typically involves creating a new restaurant concept that exclusively offers carryout and/or delivery, making it a natural fit amid restrictions on indoor dining. Many spots are already pivoting to more casual, carryout-friendly concepts, and ghost kitchens allow them to create – and market – a new menu that makes more sense for the times. And they’re not going away anytime soon; this past summer, market research firm Euromonitor International estimated that ghost kitchens could become a $1 trillion business by 2030.

Ghost kitchens can take many forms, too, and there’s hardly a set definition of the term. When the term “ghost kitchen” first entered the culinary lexicon a few years ago, it generally referred to a company buying real estate, setting up a kitchen and then leasing the space out to several different chefs without brick-and-mortar spaces of their own, such as CloudKitchens started by Uber co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick. More recently, as the restaurant industry has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, the term has been applied to any form of carryout- or deliveryonly concept, including individual restaurants creating their own takeout-friendly concept under the same roof. What separates a ghost kitchen from a delivery-only restaurant or a virtual brand largely comes down to semantics.

For his first virtual brand, he chose to riff on Coley’s popular

Whatever name you give it, the concept has been readily

Brian Coley, who owns Coley’s American Bistro in Columbia,

hot chicken sandwich and “church it up a bit.” Brassy Bird

embraced by full-service restaurants across the region, many

Missouri, recently launched Brassy Bird, a fried chicken-

offers seven different fried chicken sandwiches, ranging from

of which are offering takeout and delivery for the first time.

focused concept, choosing to market it as a virtual brand

the Brunchy Bird with Brie, sliced apple and honey to the

By creating a new virtual concept – including a new name,

rather than a ghost kitchen. “I don’t know if I’m being too

Spicy BBQ with pickled jalapeños, honey chipotle and creamy

menu, branding and website – under its own roof, a restaurant

picky about not using those interchangeably,” he says. “From

garlic slaw to a take on a Vietnamese bánh mì. “We started

can utilize its existing kitchen space and equipment without

what I’ve read, a ghost kitchen is a place that does not have

with things that we know will travel well and really developed

relying on traditional dine-in service while also designing a

a dining room; it’s just a kitchen that offers food for delivery

a menu based on that,” he says. “Potatoes do not travel well;

new menu that’s more suited to carryout.

and houses multiple brands in the same place and could

French fries and sweet potato tots, which we have on Coley’s

even relocate. We do have Coley’s – we have a dining room, a

menu, don’t do so well, so we tried to eliminate things like

For the team at Kansas City Marriott Downtown, opening a

full-service restaurant – and we’re just creating these virtual

that. I’ve taken home one of those hot chicken sandwiches

ghost kitchen was, first and foremost, an opportunity to bring

brands to work out of the same kitchen. That’s why I haven’t

[many times] during the pandemic, and it really hits the spot

in a new revenue stream when event and convention business

really used the term ‘ghost kitchen.’”

25, 30 minutes later when I get it home on my couch.”

plummeted amid the pandemic. But it also allowed the hotel’s / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

31

the spicy bbq chicken sandwich from brassy bird at coley's american bistro PHOTO BY Anthony jinson

Factory with a little bit of everything. It has to be very toned and focused – we do this one thing, and we do it really well.”

With that in mind, ghost kitchens typically hone in on a specific dish – pizza, for instance, or wings or burgers – to make the menu both approachable to diners and conducive to a carryout environment. Dave Bailey, who owns Baileys’ Restaurants in St. Louis with his wife, Kara, says that, for him, it boils down to a simple equation: “Travels well plus delicious food equals something we could do well as a ghost kitchen,” he says.

No stranger to developing new restaurant concepts, Bailey opened two ghost kitchens of his own in St. Louis this fall after testing them out through neighborhood delivery. When the new menus proved popular with diners, he says, the team decided to go for it. Wing Ding Dong specializes in dry-rubbed, smoked and oven-baked wings, while Playing Ketchup offers fried New Jersey-style ripper hot dogs and specialty brats,

in-house restaurant team to let down their hair and have

and they both offer delivery and pickup from Baileys’ Range in

some fun. Epic Burgers, the hotel’s ghost kitchen, specializes

Downtown St. Louis.

in indulgent hangover food such as loaded tots, over-the-top burgers and a grilled cheese stuffed with mozzarella sticks.

For many restaurants, ghost kitchens are an easy way to utilize existing kitchen space and keep employees on the

cluster truck . This Indianapolis-based

company operates a commissary in Kansas City’s River Market that’s home to multiple ghost kitchens, serving everything from biscuits and gravy to pad Thai. kansas-city.clustertruck.com

holy mole . Inspired by the late, great Milagro

Modern Mexican, the new ghost kitchen from Mission Taco Joint features three variations of the rich, complex Mexican sauce paired with different proteins.

Sous chef Alyson Martin, who designed the menu alongside

payroll during this tumultuous time while also making their

executive chef Ronnie Kotz (who initially presented the idea

menus more congruous with a carryout environment. In Kansas

for the ghost kitchen), says the so-called “crazy” burgers help

City, for instance, Waldo Thai Place has earned a reputation for

bring a little joy to people in an otherwise difficult time, and the

its exceptional Northern Thai fare, but culinary director Ted

lunchtime concept from the team behind The

flexibility of a ghost kitchen allows the team to get creative

Liberda readily admits that the menu of regional specialties –

in a way that a traditional restaurant doesn’t always permit.

think gaeng hung lay and laab moo kua lanna – was not

Bellwether and Polite Society in St. Louis serves

“Especially in a convention hotel, we see so many guests from

designed to be eaten out of a takeout box.

all over the country with different backgrounds and different

milagromodernmexican.com

sub division sandwich co . This

creative sandwiches with even more creative names. subdivisionstl.com

interests, so the menus have to reflect a wide variety of things,”

“We have a very detail-oriented fine-dining concept, and our

sugarhi ghost kitchen . A collaborative

she says. “But this is just what we think is fun.”

food doesn’t travel well,” he says. “A lot of our [customers] were

effort from the owners of Sugarfire Smoke House and

staying home, and we wanted to come up with a concept that

Hi-Pointe Drive-In (get it?), this new umbrella company

Ghost kitchens also offer a low-risk way for restaurateurs to

we could deliver, that packs well, that reheats well and that

first brought us KC Bones, specializing in bone-in

test the waters with an entirely new concept without taking on

doesn’t pull away from our current concept.”

smoked spare ribs and fried chicken wings. kc-bones.com

the overhead that a brick-and-mortar location requires. Simon

the tender project . The second ghost

Lusky, who co-owns Revel Kitchen in Brentwood, Missouri, has

Serving dishes such as a spicy Thai chicken sandwich with

been interested in ghost kitchens for years, and eventually

chile jam aïoli and house slaw on a crunchy bánh mì roll,

kitchen to open out of Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar in

he hopes to open a large-scale ghost kitchen or “digital food

seasoned saap saap fries and stir-fried Drunken Noodles, the

Kansas City specializes in double-dipped tenders with

hall” featuring several of his own in-house concepts operating

restaurant’s new ghost kitchen, Thai Now, is quite a departure

scratch-made dipping sauces, including curry ketchup,

under one roof. For now, though, he’s using Motor Town Pizza

from the menu at Waldo Thai – and that’s exactly the point. The

honey-gochujang barbecue and apricot-habanero.

to test the proof of concept. The ghost kitchen debuted in St.

ghost kitchen is helping the restaurant pay its bills and keep

jaxfishhouse.com/kansas-city/menus/the-tender-project

Louis this past summer, serving cheesy Detroit-style pizzas

staff on the payroll despite a 30 percent drop in revenue amid

out of the kitchen at Revel, which, by contrast, typically offers

the pandemic, but Liberda says the more approachable menu

more health-conscious salads, bowls and wraps. The thick,

also offers an entry point to diners who might be intimidated

rectangular pan pies are layered with brick cheese, tomato

by the traditional dishes served at Waldo Thai.

wing runner . “Dope wings on the fly” are served

to go from BEAST Butcher & Block in St. Louis, ranging from classics such as Buffalo sauce and roasted garlic butter to roasted shishito-lime and fish sauce caramel.

sauce and a range of fun toppings – think sausage, sporting pepper and giardiniera or artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives

“It’s brought us to those customers who didn’t even know we

and mushrooms – and can be ordered online for carryout or

existed,” he says. “There are a lot of [people] in Kansas City who

delivery within a 10-mile radius of the restaurant.

haven’t even had Thai food before, but if you say, ‘Thai spicy

wingrunnerstl.com

chicken sandwich,’ they’ll say, ‘OK, let me try that.’ And then

continue to support their favorite restaurants through the

“I was pretty adamant about wanting to do a ghost kitchen for

they’ll go ahead and grab a pad Thai or krapow, and it gets their

pandemic in a way that’s comfortable, convenient and, most

quite some time,” says Lusky. “And then obviously when all of

foot in the door.”

importantly, safe.

to make up some of the lost revenue from COVID. It’s funny

Whether it’s spicy Thai chicken sandwiches, juicy smashed

“I’ve seen such a swelling amount of support from the local area,”

because the term ‘ghost kitchen’ doesn’t really have a firm

burgers or cheesy Detroit-style pizzas, the ghost kitchen

says Kruger. “That’s one of the things that really has kept any

definition yet; it’s a whole ‘nother business model, a whole

model has proved pivotal for keeping local restaurants alive

sort of amount of positivity up through all this mess that we’ve

‘nother way of rethinking things. But the big thing is it has to

during one of the most challenging times for the industry

been sludging through since 2020 – there are a lot of people who

be a very item-specific thing; you can’t get too Cheesecake

in recent memory. But for customers, it also offers a way to

want to support local, and I think that’s absolutely awesome.”

this happened, the idea came to fruition because we wanted

32

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

Expert Cabinet Refacing Now Available

Want an over-the-top kitchen fast?

Then go over the top.

Janet’s smarter way to renovate: √ Little-to-no demolition √ Heat, stain and scratch restistant √ Maintenance-free with ForeverSeal® √ Lifetime Limited Warranty √ Built-in 24/7 Microban antimicrobial technology

$1500 Off Complete Kitchen Remodel Offer expires 2/28/2021

QUARTZ | GRANITE | GLASS | TILE | CABINETS

636-373-7445 / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

33

it’s easy to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal without There’s never been a better time to order takeout.

Almost every restaurant across the region now offers a form of takeout and delivery, but some are going above and beyond with new dishes – and, in some cases, entirely new menus – designed to taste just as good out of a to-go box as they do in the restaurant. Whether you want to enjoy an elegant three-course meal on your grandma’s china or dig into a pizza made by a fine-dining chef on your couch, these 20 takeout options will bring the restaurant experience home to you. –Kasey Carlson

St. L o u i s s ta n d o u t s Sidney Street Cafe

Brasas by Original J’s

Beef Tenderloin Dinner

Pollo a la Brasa

Thanks to a new curbside pickup

Original J’s Tex-Mex & Barbecue

program, dinner from Sidney Street

recently introduced Brasas by Original

Cafe doesn’t have to be reserved

J’s, bringing Peruvian ember-roasted

for only special occasions. The beef

chicken to St. Louis. Available

tenderloin dinner for two – available

Wednesday through Sunday, the wildly

five days a week – comes with

popular pollo a la brasa pairs a juicy

medium-rare tenderloin, two house

roast chicken with fries, salad and

salads, a choice of sides such as

a bevy of colorful sauces, including

roasted potatoes or mixed vegetables

aji verde, crema de rocoto and a

and cookies for an elegant evening in.

family recipe for salsa a la huancaína.

sidneystreetcafestl.com

originaljs.com

Elmwood

Chiang Mai

Taco Pizza

Sakoo Sai Moo

The taco pizza from Elmwood features

Housemade sakoo sai moo is hard to

shredded mozzarella, Cheddar and

come by in St. Louis. Luckily, we now

a drizzle of taco sauce topped with

have Chiang Mai, where the masterful

seasoned ground beef, serrano-spiced

tapioca dumplings – filled with

crema, red onion, tomato, lettuce and

minced pork and peanuts – combine

tortilla strips for a mouthwatering

soft, chewy and crunchy textures in

mash-up. elmwoodstl.com

one bite. chiangmaistl.com

34

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

Juniper Chicken Biscuit Sandwich Juniper’s chicken biscuit sandwich takes the restaurant’s coveted biscuit recipe to the next level. Featuring succulent brined fried chicken between buttery biscuit halves, it’s a casual bite that’s perfectly executed. Snag one on any given Sunday between 9 and 11am. junipereats.com PHOTO BY j. pollack photography

dining out – you’ll just have to do the dishes yourself.

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

35

KANSAS CIT Y k e e pe r s Coconut Curry Rice Bowl

Blue Bird Bistro

Say goodbye to boring salads and opt

House-Cured Salmon

for the coconut curry rice bowl from

A refreshing play on bagels and lox,

Park, featuring sautéed cabbage,

the house-cured salmon at Blue Bird

carrots, celery, Brussels sprouts,

Bistro spotlights wild Alaskan salmon

shiitake mushrooms, asparagus and

cured with lime, jalapeño, onion and

broccoli tossed in a coconut curry

tequila and served with quark from

sauce and served over jasmine rice.

Hemme Brothers Creamery, capers and

In need of protein? The ahi tuna

triangles of toast. bluebirdbistro.com

Park Restaurant & Bar

plays perfectly into this flavor profile.

Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room

dineatpark.com PHOTO BY AARON OTTIS

Seasonal Fried Rice Fried rice is a fixture on Corvino’s menu, although the ingredients vary depending on the season – and the mood of the cooks in the kitchen.

A recent vegan iteration included poblano peppers, leeks, tofu “chorizo” and fried elephant garlic. corvino.com

C OL U M BI A C R AV I N G S

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Kauffman Dining Experience: At Home

Cafe Poland

Sycamore

Lecho

Beef Short Ribs

Cafe Poland is perhaps best known for

Claiming a permanent spot on the menu

Home offers a rotating three-course

its pierogies, but its lecho will make any

in 2005, the beef short ribs are a staple

meal that promises to dazzle diners

cold winter night more enjoyable. The

at Sycamore – and it’s no surprise why.

no matter the season. This month,

stick-to-your-ribs stew is loaded with

Braised in Belgian-style ale and served

the Valentine’s Day-themed menu for

spicy bell peppers and Polish sausage

with caramelized onions and mashed

two features vichyssoise, pan-seared

and served with potatoes. facebook.

potatoes, you’ll be tempted to order the

Hatfield strip steak with a lobster

com/Cafe-Poland-319144234869858

double plate. sycamorerestaurant.com

risotto cake and spiced pear Bavarian

The Kauffman Dining Experience: At

cream for dessert. kauffmancenter.org

Barred Owl Butcher & Table Pecorino Gnudi

Cafe Berlin at Cafe Berlin – now you can savor

Queen Sweets and Mediterranean Grill

Pulled Pork Hash No more waiting in line to score a table one of Columbia’s best brunches on

Mashawi Mix Plate Single

Barred Owl specializes in seasonal

your couch. Indulge your mid-morning

With the Mashawi Mix Plate Single,

dishes made with high-quality local

cravings with the pulled pork hash made

diners get a real sense of what Queen

ingredients, and its takeout menu is no

with Patchwork Family Farms pork,

Sweets has to offer. Skewers of

exception. Case in point? The luxurious

roasted potatoes with sautéed peppers

lamb, white-meat chicken and kofta

Pecorino gnudi with aged balsamic,

and onions and a soft-poached egg,

shish kebabs alongside saffron rice,

roasted mushrooms, fried sage and an

all served with chipotle mayonnaise

salad, hummus, grilled vegetables

earthy white wine-brown butter sauce.

and a slice of Uprise Bakery rye bread.

and pita bread create quite the feast.

barredowlbutcher.com

cafeberlincomo.com

queensweetsofmediterranean.com

36

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

Farmers Gastropub

Progress

Bacon-Miso-Mushroom Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Think you hate cabbage? The wok-

Packing umami in every bite, the

change your mind. Served over roasted

bacon-miso-mushroom mac ‘n’ cheese

cabbage purée with pickled apple, lime

at Farmers Gastropub is a far cry from

and hazelnut salsa macha, the exquisite

anything you’ve made out of a box.

dish will banish any bad memories of the

farmersgastropub.com

vegetable. springfieldprogress.com

Secret Sandwich Shop

Niji Sushi Bar & Grill

The Prosciutto Happiness

Teriyaki Chicken Bento Box

Secret Sandwich Shop believes that

Sometimes thinking inside the box is a

everyone has the right to life, liberty

good thing. The teriyaki chicken bento

and The Prosciutto Happiness. Made

box from Niji packs a ton of flavor into

with crisped prosciutto, sliced chicken,

a convenient package with a four-piece

melted Provolone, sun-dried tomatoes,

California roll, two gyoza, a house salad

lettuce, housemade ranch and Cuban

and white or fried rice. Not in the mood

bread, each bite of this sandwich will

for chicken? Order a bento box with beef

bring you joy. secretsandwichsgf.com

or shrimp instead. nijisushigrill.com

Wok-Seared Cabbage seared cabbage at Progress just might

s p r i ngf ie ld spe cials Tortilleria Perches Tamale Family Pack When you have a lot of mouths to feed, the tamale family pack from Tortilleria Perches will do the trick.

After divvying up the 24 tamales (chicken, pork or a mix), rice, beans and gallon of horchata, you’ll have a table full of happy campers. tortilleriaperches.com PHOTO BY mark neuenschwander

Observation Pizza Robert Marley The Robert Marley from Observation Pizza piles pickled mushrooms, roasted sweet potato, local greens, pine nuts and ricotta on top of a garlic oil base that’s finished with Grana Padano, sea salt and olive oil. Is this love? We think so. observationpizza.com PHOTO BY zach bauman

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

37

9757 Clayton Road • 314-942-1536 • petalspatio.Com

neW liFe and ColoR FoR 2021

Now that the holidays are over, and the decorations have been taken down, you might think that your house is looking a little … bare.

Add some life and a punch of color with glazed hand-thrown pottery from London’s historic Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; hand-forged garden tools by Fisher Blacksmithing; Haws copper watering cans, made in England since 1886; double-stemmed orchids flown in from Hawaii; and hearty green houseplants.

Petals Patio & Garden’s website www.petalspatio.com is the exclusive online retailer in the U.S. for Kew pottery, offering shipping to all 50 States, as well as contactless curbside pick-up.

Stone Soup Cottage brings the essence of fine dining to your door. written by liz miller photography by judd demaline

Special Delivery

Fifteen minutes before 6pm on a crisp Friday in late November, Nancy McConnell arrives at my front door.

She carefully sets a blue and white striped hat box and a white paper bag filled with food on my porch and then calls me to make sure I’m home to receive the packages.

This is Cottage to Carriage, the fine-dining meal delivery service that Nancy and her husband, Carl, launched in March 2020. The couple have operated the revered Stone Soup Cottage for almost 12 years, and since 2013, the restaurant has been situated on a picturesque 43-acre farm approximately 40 miles west of St. Louis. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stone Soup was known for its warm and attentive service, white tablecloths and crackling fireplaces, setting the tone before artful plates of food and expert wine pairings arrived at each table. The restaurant is famous for serving meals that stretch out across three hours, allowing guests to savor every sip and bite.

Last year, as restaurants across the country sat empty for months due to the pandemic, restaurant owners grappled with how to best capture that sort of hospitality through takeaway orders. The crisis hit fine-dining restaurants especially hard: As restaurateurs scrambled to establish curbside and delivery services – many for the first time – chefs began adapting their menus to offer more casual fare. For many, creating a thoughtful hospitality experience to-go took a back seat to simply keeping the lights on. / f e br u a ry 2 02 1

39

When it became clear that the dining room at Stone Soup

tasting notes, two linen napkins tucked inside shiny napkin

would be closed for the foreseeable future, the McConnells

rings and a tealight candle. In addition to elevating the

found a way to preserve what makes dining at their

at-home experience, this benefits Stone Soup’s purveyors,

restaurant so special, including the masterful hospitality

including the linen company they’ve worked with for years.

they’ve always provided.

(The napkins, napkin rings, stemware and candle holder are picked up in the hat box the day after the meal.) The

“You can’t ever totally recreate the dining room experience,”

presentation is elegant and interactive, allowing diners

says Carl. “It’s tricky. We had to figure out a way that we could

to immerse themselves in the experience by finishing and

do [takeaway] that would represent our brand, otherwise

serving the meal at home.

it wouldn’t be Stone Soup. Nancy and I found our creativity within our brand, and I think that’s important because it gives

It’s also a way to translate the warm hospitality so essential

you boundaries – it keeps you fenced in so you don’t get too

to great restaurant service. Often that service is intangible –

crazy or faraway from what you’re doing.”

fresh silverware that seems to appear out of nowhere or a water glass that’s always full – yet you feel its absence.

For $150, including tax and a 20-percent service fee, guests

This sort of hospitality satisfies a deeper need within us for

can have a three-course meal for two delivered to their door.

comfort and community – something that lingers long after

The food is packed in disposable paper takeout boxes snugly

your last bite. Nancy and Carl know this well, and recreating

stacked inside a white paper bag. This is by design, says Carl,

that magic through their delivery service has been key to

to preserve the integrity of each course as best as possible.

the success of Cottage to Carriage.

The service aims to offer customers “a special night in” that reflects the same thoughtful yet simple approach the

“It had to make structural sense but also give our guests

McConnells have always shared at Stone Soup.

something they could unpack and say, ‘Wow, wine glasses and a candle’ – something that’s tactile,” explains Nancy.

“When you look at our brand, it really is very simple –

“Anything that we could fit into the box that would help with

thoughtful and simple,” says Carl. “People aren’t going to be

that experience and give our guests, for a moment, a nice

able to have that main dining room experience we’ve become

feeling that they are being taken care of.”

known for, but hey, I can sure as heck give it a great try by delivering your meal and getting to know people that way.”

For months, Billy and I have eaten takeout at the kitchen island or in front of the TV, but a spread of this sort

Meals are delivered between 4 and 7pm, usually by Carl or

deserves something special. As Billy preheats the oven

Nancy themselves and often with the help of their eldest

to 300°F for the osso bucco, I clear off our dining room

teenage son, Christian. (Sometimes marketing director

table and cover it with a fresh tablecloth. The heating

Amy Kaller pitches in, too.) Depending on demand, Nancy

instructions indicate that the osso bucco needs to be

says that she and Christian have spent up to 14 hours

finished in a pan in the oven for 30 minutes, covered in foil,

driving around the greater St. Louis area to ensure each

with one cup of water. In total, the meal prep should take

order arrives on time and then picking up the hat boxes the

approximately 30 minutes, but most of that isn’t active

next day. “It’s not just getting a Styrofoam box and having

cooking time. This is one reason Carl likes to serve braised

Grubhub deliver it,” says Nancy. “Whoever is delivering and

meats in the Cottage to Carriage meals, as they are quick

picking up these boxes is part of the Stone Soup family.”

and easy to reheat at home.

Standing in our kitchen, my husband, Billy, and I open each

“I’m doing a lot of braised meats, where people can just

paper takeout box with care and excitement, the way

reheat them,” says Carl. “I’m using fresh vegetables and

you might unwrap a package labeled “fragile.” Each box is

wine sauces. For dessert, I’ve done crêpes with mascarpone

clearly labeled: Housemade Rolls, Soup (potato and leek

and pears – simple things where [guests] just sauce it and

with Taleggio cheese croquettes), Entrée (osso bucco with

put it on a plate. I’ll put little garnishes with it, too, with

a brandy, truffle and late-harvest mushroom sauce and

instructions. So it gives them hands-on experience, but it’s

arancini) and Dessert (chocolate crème brûlée). I gently slide

not going to overwhelm them. It’s prepared at Stone Soup,

the crème brûlée cups into the fridge, as they don’t require

and they just put the final touches on it.”

PICTURED: Stone Soup Cottage in Cottleville, Missouri; Co-owner Carl McConnell prepares entrées for delivery; deliveries include wine, glasses, linen napkins and a candle

any preparation before serving. To protect the integrity of the meal – which is prepared at Stone Soup in Cottleville,

While the osso bucco heats up, we have some time to kill, so

Missouri, and sometimes travels as many as 50 miles – some

I uncork the 2016 Tommasi Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo from

of the food arrives par-cooked, with easy instructions for

Tuscany, Italy, which Nancy chose to pair with our meal,

reheating or finishing courses.

and pour it into our neglected wine decanter. As the wine breathes, I catch the savory aromas of the main course

Inside the hat box, we find heating instructions for the food,

wafting in from the kitchen. The wine is meant to pair with

a printed menu, a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, wine

that juicy bone-in veal shank.

It had to make structural sense but also give our guests something they could unpack and say, ‘Wow, wine glasses and a candle’ – something that’s tactile.

40

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

Since the beginning, Nancy’s wine pairing strategy with the Cottage to Carriage meals has been inspired by the main course while also considering the flavors in the soup and dessert. For our meal tonight, her tasting notes promise “aromas of blueberries, blackberries and flowers” and “a full body with firm and chewy tannins” with “a long and flavorful finish.”

“It’s a little bit different than the wine pairing we would normally do at the restaurant, where I pair different courses with wine,” says Nancy. “I have to sort of pivot and say, ‘OK, what wine is going to go with the main course?’, as opposed to, ‘I’m going to do two whites, two reds and a rosé with the entire tasting menu.’ So I’m trying to choose wines that are maybe a little bit more feminine, that will go with the three courses but will definitely enhance the entrée. I love old-world wines, so I’m trying to stick with those – and maybe they’re something that our guests normally wouldn’t experience.”

The osso bucco is almost done, so we add the two cups of soup to a saucepan and set it over medium heat. While Billy stirs the soup, I retrieve our fine china, rinsing the bowls and plates in preparation for plating the meal. Next, we crisp both sides of the Taleggio cheese croquettes and arancini in a sauté pan with olive oil. We love to cook, but if we didn’t, none of this would be challenging.

That simplicity is, of course, intentional, and largely due to Carl’s and Nancy’s almost two decades of experience working on luxury cruise lines and private jets. The couple met while working aboard the Clipper Adventurer, a Russian icebreaker, in 1998; Nancy was the cruise director and Carl was the executive chef. Over the course of almost 20 years, Carl had the chance to cook on every continent; he estimates that he’s traveled to 130 countries, adding that Nancy has visited even more. For both Nancy and Carl, those years of creative problem-solving and travel proved incredibly valuable during R&D for the Cottage to Carriage program.

“I was producing high-end, fine-dining meals for up to 60 passengers,” says Carl. “I would par-cook food, and once it got on the ship or plane, I would finish it. So I wanted to offer that experience to our [Stone Soup] clients.”

Nancy also credits her many years working in hospitality in the international travel industry with preparing her to launch the Cottage to Carriage program. “For years I had to think on my feet when I was working with guests where something didn’t turn out the way that we needed or an itinerary change occurred and we had to pivot on the spot,” she says. “So when all of this came about, we really had to think about how we were going to present our guests with a luxury, very personal delivery experience – and we had never even done carryout before at Stone Soup Cottage. So we had to think on our feet, put our heads together and see what would be the best experience for our guests.”

Anything that we could fit into the box that would help with that experience and give our guests, for a moment, a nice feeling that they are being taken care of.

–Nancy McConnell, co� owner, Stone Soup Cottage

/ f e br u a ry 2 02 1

41

As at the restaurant, the Cottage to Carriage three-course

As we sit down with our first two courses, plus the incredibly

meals are influenced by the seasons as well as Carl’s career

flaky housemade crescent rolls with infused butter, we can’t

focus on European-inspired fare, and the menus are heavily

help but marvel at the dishes in front of us. Our first course,

informed by the many lessons Carl learned while cooking

the soup, has a slight natural sweetness from the leeks and

around the world. While developing the initial Cottage to

an earthy depth from the potatoes, while the croquettes

Carriage menus, Carl chose dishes that would travel and reheat

offer crunch and tang. Next up is the osso bucco – now barely

well yet could be garnished and served easily and with style.

clinging to the bone and swimming in some rendered fat – with that mushroom, truffle and brandy sauce, which adds

“It’s important, from an R&D perspective, that the menu items

umami to every bite. For dessert, we crack into the chocolate

can be reheated and be of high quality,” says Carl. “That’s a big

crème brûlée, with its delicate top layer of caramelized sugar

deal, and honestly, it’s much harder to write menus this way –

giving way to the decadent chilled custard underneath.

but I’m up for the challenge. I remember that from my travel days – how difficult it was to write menus for those private jets

The wine, which I started sipping with the second course,

because you’re having to reheat the food later, and you want it

takes on new flavor and dimension alongside the dessert. The

to turn out like, ‘Wow, you just made that right now?’”

bold blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon matches the intensity of the rich meat, yet the wine doesn’t overpower

To that end, soups and side dishes are meant to be quickly

the richness of the dessert – and just as Nancy promised,

reheated or crisped up in a pan; main courses often feature

each sip ends with a long and flavorful finish.

braised meats, which are easy for home cooks to finish in the oven, such as our osso bucco. The inaugural menu in

Maybe it’s the candlelight or the intriguing wine pairing, the

April featured asparagus bisque with fresh crab and French

fork-tender osso bucco or the comforting potato and leek

gnocchi, smoked duck crêpes with brown butter and arancini

soup, but as we dine and sip and talk, I feel the same familiar

and caramel flan. By December, the program offered a meal of

intimacy that Carl and Nancy create at Stone Soup. We

lobster chowder with a dill biscuit, Châteaubriand with Parisian

couldn’t make this meal at home for myriad reasons – we’re

potatoes and a fig bread pudding with eggnog anglaise.

not chefs, we’re not sommeliers, and we certainly couldn’t pull it all off in 30 minutes or for just $150. The most important

Tonight, though, our menu captures the very essence of

reason we couldn’t recreate this experience on our own,

autumn, especially the rich, earthy sauce paired with the

though, is simply because we’re not Carl and Nancy. Their

veal. When the potato and leek soup is at temperature, Billy

passion, experience and expertise have brought the meal to

portions it into two bowls and gently places the Taleggio

life, and with it, they’ve given us a chance to reconnect with

cheese croquettes on the rims. He then garnishes each bowl

one another. Restaurants are at their best when the service,

with the delicate fresh sorrel and marigolds provided by Carl in

the food and the wine work in harmony, allowing everything

a small plastic cup. “I’m a chef,” I hear him whisper with a laugh.

else to fall away, and for just a little while, you can immerse

That’s the beauty of the Cottage to Carriage meals, though –

yourself in a meal, a conversation, a comforting place where

even as you’re keenly aware that you didn’t create this food,

you feel like family. That’s an experience we crave now more

you’re still a part of the process.

than ever, and one that Carl and Nancy have somehow, magically, managed to deliver.

“We’re very hands-on with our clients, and this gives [them] a way to be hands-on with us,” reflects Carl. “This time has been very scary for all of us, especially [those of us] in the restaurant industry, but a real light for me, personally, in all of this, is to be able to go to my clients’ homes and touch [their lives] in that way.”

As we’re reheating the meal and delighting in each step of the process, it hits me just how personal this all feels for us, too.

Billy and I both love to cook – a shared passion that has been put to the test during the pandemic – but this is something else altogether. Tonight, we’re entrusted with finishing and serving this special meal that Carl created, and it’s a thrill. That feeling has clearly resonated with others across the St. Louis area, as the McConnells say the meal delivery service has been a big hit.

“I don’t know of anybody else offering fine-dining [meals] for delivery,” says Carl. “That’s a big thing for people; they want that. We’ve created a new business offshoot for the restaurant.

Even when we [reopen the dining room], I don’t envision Cottage to Carriage going away. It’s given us a bigger audience. There are people who haven’t been to the restaurant that have gotten the Cottage to Carriage meal a few times – that’s what they prefer, and we don’t want to lose those clients.”

42

feastmagazine.com / febr ua ry 2 0 2 1

PICTURED: Nancy McConnell hand-delivers Cottage to Carriage meals; the Stone Soup Cottage dining room has been repurposed for delivery fulfillment

February warrants a fresh feeling, and what better way to accomplish that than by dreaming up new and creative ways to enjoy cleaner eating? By partnering with family farms that share our obsession with quality, Liberty Fruit offers an unparalleled variety of local and specialty produce that will shine on any dish.

It’s takeout time, friends—

let’s get back to fresh!

Kansas City, KS

913.281.5200 | libertyfruit.com

/ nov e mbe r 2 02 0

43

WE ARE PROUD TO STAND WITH THESE LOCAL PARTNERS.

SCHNUCKS.COM/UNITY ©2021 Schnucks

44

feastmagazine.com / n ov em ber 2 0 2 0