July 2013 Feast Magazine

local art for your table

reshaping expectations

dine on design

made by hand MASTERs OF THEIR CRAFT TREE TO TABLE

Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

feastSTL.com | juLY 2013 | FREE

THE Artisan issue

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JULY 2013

On sAle NOW!

with

yO-yO MA OCt 19

nOv 1-3 OCt 27

Too Hot to Handel:

A Gospel p Messiah deC 12-13

THE KING

The St. Louis Symphony y p y Performs

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas deC 14-15

A Tribute to the Music of

ELVIS

Five by design: Club nOvswing 10 June 23

BMO Private Bank

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION deC 20-22

deC 31 deC 27-29

314-534-1700 stlsymphony.org Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

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Welcoming Visitors for Over 200 Years!

The Businesses of Historic St. Charles, Missouri Come See What’s Happening This Summer Hats Scarves Jewelry Clothing Small Leather

•Consumables•

Specialty Foods, Dips, Soups, Cheesecakes, Sauces, Mustards, Cheeseball Mixes, Jams, Coffee, Tea, Candy, Spices and Seasonings

•Accessories•

Candles, Wreaths, Garland, Baskets, Ornaments, Spreaders, Americana, Primitive Country

Your Summer

708 South Main Street • www.mainstreetmarketplace.com Facebook: Main Street Marketplace in Historic Saint Charles Missouri

636-940-8626

String Along With Me 625 South Main • St. Charles 636-947-7740

THRO’S

The

Difference D

229 North Main Street • Historic Downtown St. Charles

is in

Detail!

D

Walter's has as an outstanding reputation for high quality jewelry and diamonds, with our knowledgeable staff and our excellent service.

We Buy...

After 114 years. . .

(636) 724-0132

the styles may change, but our commitment to service remains.

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JULY 2013

Mon-Fri 9:30-7 Sat 9:30-5

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Walters Jewelry Inc. Four Generations Since 1925 230 North Main St. St. Charles 63301 •

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500 South Fifth Street, St. Charles (next to Dollar General)

636-949-2203

Spices Spices Spices Fresh, Quality Spices at Prices You'll Love.

• Grilling rubs, marinades and spices • Hot sauces and peppers, including Ghost • Local soup, dip mixes & honey 334 South Main, Historic St. Charles 7 Days A Week www.oldtownspices.com 636-916-3600

ST.CHARLES’ #1 BUYER OF DIAMONDS, GOLD, SILVER, AND COINS

The Beckett Sales, Service and Repair

608 South Main Street Saint Charles, Missouri 636.949.0033 www.jansensclocks.com

We Buy Diamonds and Antique & Estate Jewelry

Antique, Vintage Wrist, and Pocket Watches Antique and Vintage Fine Jewelry | Diamond Jewelry

USED JEWELRY BUYER T. Brian Hill

(314) 313-5804

www.usedjewelrybuyer.com 122 N Main in Historic St. Charles Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

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Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

double feature

reshaping expectations

JULY 2013

from the staff

| 10 |

from the PUBLISHER

The art of craft.

| 12 | feaststl.com What’s online this month.

| 14 | FEAST FAVES

Our staff and contributors share inspired ideas for tasteful living in St. Louis.

COLUMNS

| 26 | One on One

Eliott Harris takes sushi

outside the box and onto

the streets.

| 28 |

the mix

Make history with the Twentieth Century Cocktail.

| 30 | ON THE SHELF

New and notable in beer, spirits and wine.

| 32 |

mystery shopper

Buy it and try it: Tortas de aceite.

| 34 |

how to

Lose a James Beard Award.

| 36 | TECH SCHOOL

A good temper produces great pot de crème.

| 38 |

gadget a-go-go

We put five mezzalunas to the test.

| 40 | Menu Options

Sweet, tangy curried mussels made easy.

| 78 |

the last bite

Cassy Vires and her husband fall in love with “floating brain.”

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY of La Patisserie ChouquettE macarons (P. 44) BY

Jennifer Silverberg Table of contents photography of child playing on hay bales at homestead creamery (p. 64) BY Jennifer Silverberg

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69

art on the table

72 hands on: crafting sustainable furniture from tree to table

SHUBERT FURNITURE & SHUBERT DESIGN FURNITURE

• We offer both residential and commercial design services.

• We provide design assistance anywhere in the United States, including vacation homes.

• We have our own shipping network, so we are able to deliver your furniture efficiently and competitively.

• We offer a large, high-quality, sophisticated selection of furniture & accessories - at prices lower than our competition.

• We have been serving the St. Louis community for more than 30 years.We are a family-owned & run, no-debt organization with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

SHUBERT FURNITURE 14250 Manchester Rd., Manchester MO 63021 (636) 207-5824

SHUBERT DESIGN FURNITURE 161 Gaywood Dr., Manchester, MO 63021 (636) 394-2220

Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm • Sun 12pm - 5pm • www.shubertdesign.com Bedrooms • dining room • Upholstery • home office • home theatre • yoUth fUrnitUre leather accessories • Bedding • and mUch more! names like...

Artistica Metal Designs Bernhardt Brown Jordan Councill Craftsman Crescent Furniture Designmaster

Drexel Heritage Durham Furniture Ferguson Copeland FFDM, Guy Chaddock Habersham Hancock & Moore

Hekman Henkel Harris Henredon Hickory Chair Hooker Howard Miller Jessica Charles

Labarge Lane Furniture Lane Venture Legacy Lexington Furniture Maitland-Smith Massoud

MotionCraft Natuzzi Old Biscayne Old Hickory Palecek Paul Roberts Pulaski

Riverside Sealy Bedding Stearns & Foster Sherrill Sligh Stanley Furniture Taylor King

Theodore & Alexander Vaughan Bassett Wesley Allen Whittemore Sherrill Ltd. Woodbridge Woodmark

Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

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New to St. Louis!

Real People, Real Results...

Lose weight with hypnosis we did!

My name is Bonnie M. I was really feeling horrible about myself on the inside, but I always acted jolly on the outside. I was out of breath with any exertion, and I was wearing clothes to try to hide my extra poundage. My knees hurt all the time. I was just plain miserable.

I told myself I’m the same person no matter how much I weigh, but that little sentence wasn’t working for me anymore.

Results - I always used to have

many excuses to eat, to over eat.

Now my natural appetite is telling me when I’m satisfied instead of my emotions ruling me and letting me stuff myself way beyond full.

The hypnotist has helped me face reality.

Holidays, parties and dining out are a fact of life.

Now I’m choosing to eat healthy no matter what the occasion, and that really has been the key for me.

And this time I have finally gotten rid of all the various sizes in my closet (14 thru 22) for the very first time in my adult life. In the past I kept them around just in case I might need them again. Not anymore! I am a 10/12 and that is where I am staying. It is so much fun to go shopping now and it is so satisfying to be able to wear the latest fashions. I couldn’t claim that for myself at a size 22.

No more dressing or feeling frumpy and goodbye to pants with elastic waistbands.

My name is Angy H. I lost 50 pounds with the Personal Motivation Hypnosis Clinic. I gained weight last year with my pregnancy and then went through a divorce soon after my baby was born. Because I was going through a tough time and was in a state of depression, all I wanted to do was eat! I tried diets, such as Herb-a-Life and Slim Fast, but could never stick with them. I would always gain back any weight I had lost. I felt very insecure about myself and never felt like doing anything. My self-esteem was very low. I didn’t have the energy to give my daughter the type of attention she deserved. My mother and I attended the FREE Hypnosis Screening and decided to do it together. Both of us have benefitted and lost weight.

Results - I lost 26 pounds in the first 9 weeks! By 3 months, I was down 34 pounds and 4 dress sizes.

In just under 1 year, I’ve lost a total of 50 pounds!

I reached my goal!

Within the first week I found that I was drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day and exercising every day.

I am more aware of what I eat and when I eat. I believe that hypnosis has changed my life due to the personal motivation offered at the clinic.

I feel that I am leading a much happier, healthier life. If you want to feel better, look better, and lose the weight in a healthy and safe way, I suggest you call Personal Motivation Hypnosis Clinic for a FREE screening. It worked for both my mother and for me!

Call now for a free screening! • 877.708.5822

Stop Smoking with Hypnosis!

I have been smoke free for 5 years I have been smoke free for 5 years as of February 2012.

I knew I wanted to be smoke free to have my children once I quit. I had my first session and walked out a free woman. I drove home 2 hours away without even a craving. I found myself in situations that would have

broken my resolve during previous quitting attempts, but I didn’t even feel a twinge of a urge to smoke. This was the answer I’d been looking for. Quitting smoking through hypnosis was the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I am better for it and haven’t looked back.

Thank you Personal Motivation Hypnosis Clinic for helping me change my life. - Sarah Fanger

Magazine Volume 4

| Issue 7 | July 2013

Publisher and Editor Catherine Neville Managing Editor, Print Content Liz Miller Managing Editor, Digital Content Kristin Brashares Art Director Lisa Allen Vice President of Advertising Donna Bischoff Copy Editors/Proofreaders Valeria Turturro Klamm, Andrea Mongler, Stephanie Witmer Contributing Writers Tory Bahn, Brandon Chuang, Pat Eby, Chad Michael George Kyle Harsha, Erik Jacobs, Jennifer Johnson, Jeremy Nulik Matt Seiter, Michael Sweeney, Andrew Mark Veety, Cassy Vires, Brandi Wills Contributing Photographers Jonathan Gayman, Jonathan Pollack Jennifer Silverberg, Corey Woodruff Contributing Videographer Hannah Radcliff

Contact Us Feast Media, 900 N. Tucker Blvd., 4th Floor St. Louis, MO 63101 feastSTL.com

I was a slave to cigarettes for 48 years. Edna used Hypnosis Stop Smoking Programs from

William Mitchell and the Personal Motivation Hypnosis Clinic. “I can’t get a cigarette into my mouth.

I don’t have to smoke anymore”. - Edna Varnardo

Clinical Director

William Mitchell

Advertising Inquiries Kelly Klein, 314.340.8562 kklein@stltoday.com Comments publisher@feastSTL.com

M.Div. BCH

Hypnotist of the Year 2009

Personal Motivation Hypnosis Clinic www.hypnoprogram.com Two Cityplace Dr.

2nd Floor • St. Louis, MO 63141 (Creve Coeur) I-270 and Olive

Call now for a free screening!

877.708.5822

WEIGHT LOSS • SMOKING CESSATION • STRESS MANAGEMENT

Distribution To distribute Feast Magazine at your place of business, please contact Tom Livingston at tlivingston@stldist.com.

Feast Magazine does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Submissions will not be returned.

All contents are copyright © 2010-2013 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

These sessions are not designed as therapy but for self-improvement and do not treat or diagnose psychological or medical conditions. Individual results may vary.

8

feastSTL.com

JULY 2013

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publisher’s letter

FEAST EVENTS Jonathan Gayman

Feast In The Park June to September, 5 to 8pm; rotating St. Louis County Parks

PHOTOGRAPHy by

This weekly festival gathers great mobile eats and popular local bands in one spot. Get the full schedule in the Events section at feastSTL.com.

Tomato Explosion Throughout July

Operation Food Search’s third annual Tomato Explosion campaign runs throughout July with 40-plus restaurants serving special tomatothemed dishes to raise funds for the food bank’s mission to alleviate hunger. Get the list of participating restaurants at feastSTL.com.

S.L.O.B.S. BBQ Tour Thu., July 4; BBQ ASAP Sun., July 21; Keeton’s Double Play slobsbbq.com

This rotating barbecue competition takes place through November at various bars and restaurants in the St. Louis area. In the past three years, S.L.O.B.S. has raised more than $60,000 for various charities.

Schnucks Cooks Cooking Class Wed., July 24, 6 to 9pm; Schnucks Cooks Cooking School $40, schnuckscooks.com or 314.909.1704

Join Cat Neville in the kitchen and learn to make curried mussels.

Magnificent Missouri Dinner Series Finale Sun., July 28, 5pm; KETC Channel 9 $125, magnificentmissouri.org

Gerard Craft of Craft Restaurants Ltd. will wrap up the five-part Magnificent Missouri dinner series. This event will benefit Center for Plant Conservation, Garden Club of St. Louis and Channel 9.

St. Louis Food Media Forum Aug. 9 to 11; The Culinary Institute of St. Louis foodmediaforum.com

The three-day conference will cover food writing, blogging, photography and more through a series of hands-on workshops and speakers, including a presentation by Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot from the Ideas In Food blog, book and culinary consulting business.

Sushi & Sake Thu., Aug. 29, 6:30pm; prasino $50, prasino.com or 636.277.0202

Look for this icon. It tells you which articles are part of Feast TV!

Many artisan goods can be found in our region’s farmers’ markets. Strolling through Soulard Farmers’ Market on a Saturday, you can purchase everything from Baetje Farms cheeses to a jar of spicy-sweet Goose Poop relish.

Delve deep into the Japanese art form through a six-course menu featuring sake and sake cocktails. The evening will feature Japanese-style utensils and table set up and guests will be able to purchase different sakes.

Baltic Odyssey Cruise Sept. 3 to 13 314.968.9600, altairtravel.com

We are, thankfully, experiencing a sea change in the way Americans eat, shop and live. Where mass production and homogenization characterized so much of the consumer experience in our recent past, modern shoppers are increasingly seeking unique, handmade goods that reflect the character and skill of the person who made them. The rise of an artisan culture is in direct opposition to price-driven industrial production methods and we are all the beneficiaries of this new focus on uncompromising quality and meticulous processes.

In this issue, we introduce you to local artisans who are contributing to our region’s culinary scene. These professionals are crafting goods that range from oak-log grown shiitake mushrooms to superlative potato chips to stunning dining tables. While each of their products is quite different, what unites them is a focus on creating something that they are proud to put their name on. Scott Carey of Sump Coffee sums up how each of our artisans approaches his or her work when he says, “I’m trying to take something I believe in and make you feel the same way.” And once you taste, feel and see the goods these artisans produce, you’ll be a believer, too.

ch Feast Wat TV

Until next time,

Catherine Neville

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ABC30 at 9:30am on Sun., July 14. on

Join Cat Neville, in partnership with Altair Travel, for our second Oceania culinary cruise. This year’s trip takes you to Scandinavia, the world’s newest center of culinary innovation. Travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm with a three-day stop in St. Petersburg.

2013 LouFest Sat., Sept. 7, and Sun., Sept. 8; Forest Park loufest.com

This two-day festival features national and local bands, great food in the Feast-sponsored Nosh Pit, cool retail and a proactive greening effort.

The Art of Food Fri., Sept. 20; University of Missouri-Columbia muconf.missouri.edu/artoffood

World-class chefs, journalists, authors and media professionals will come together to discuss the art of food in both the visual and gastronomic senses during this fifth-annual day of seminars, presentations, meals and networking.

feedback?

catherine@feaststl.com

Fabulous Finds Your Place to

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July 4 Patriotic Bike Parade & Fireworks July 7 & 21 (6-8pm) Music at Metter Park

Agnes Ross 115 W. Gundlach St. • 618-281-4327

Tues - Fri 10-5 • saT - 10-3

Visit ColumbiaIllinois.com for upcoming event details.

Chateau La Vin 119 S. Main St. • 618-281-8117

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Wine Garden, Great Wines, Specialty Beers & Spirits

chateaulavin.com Closed Monday • Tues.-Thurs. 2-9pm Fri.-Sat. Noon-10pm • Sun. Noon-5pm

119 South Main Street, Columbia, IL 618.281.8117

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Tableware, Textiles, & Gifts 208 N. Main St. Columbia, IL 618.281.8083

www.agnesross.com

Like us on Facebook for Sales, Events & Much More! www.facebook.com/ar.agnesross Located in The Old Distillery Center 115 West Gundlach Street

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• BBQ Every Wed. & Sat. • Large Outdoor Patio • 11 Flat Screen TVs • 12 Beers on Tap, Imported and Specialty Micro Brews • Extensive Wine List • Kitchen Open Late

Imo’s Pizza 1450 Evergreen • 618-281-5552 Joe Boccardi's Ristorante 117 S. Main St. • 618-281-6700 Knott So Shabby Furnishings 117 W. Locust • 618-281-6002 Magnolia 208 N. Main St. • 618-281-8083 Memory Lane Gifts & Floral 515-B N. Main St. • 618-281-4538 Ole Tin Roof 207 N. Main St. Suite 104 • 618-719-2017 Our Coffee House Café 125 N. Rapp St. • 618-281-4554 Reifschneider’s Grill & Grape 608 N. Main St. • 618-281-2020 The Patina Pony 113 W. Gundloch • 618-281-7915 Tiny’s Pub & Grill 602 N. Main St. • 618-281-9977 Vida Verde Studio Salon & Boutique 127 N. Main St. • 618-281-6767

Gruchala’s Restaurant & Bar

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210 S. Main St. Columbia, Il 62236 (618) 281-9901 Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

11

ONLINE CONTENT

feastSTL.com

Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

The Feed

Dine Out

Dine In

Drink

Feast Events

Multimedia

The Magazine

Promotions

ONLINE EXTRAS: Head to feastSTL.com for extended interviews with the artisans profiled in Reshaping Expectations (p. 42), like Stellina chef Jamey Tochtrop, who handcrafts the South City restaurant’s pastas. Plus, get recipes for mixing cocktails with The Big O, cooking with Ozark Forest Mushrooms and preparing party plates with Salume Beddu. PHOTOGRAPHy by Jennifer Silverberg

MULTIMEDIA

FEAST TV: Delve deep into the artisanal techniques behind Ozark Forest Mushrooms’ chef-endorsed shiitakes (p. 42, pictured), Stellina’s handcrafted pasta (p. 56), The Big O’s signature ginger liqueur (p. 54) and La Patisserie Chouquette’s French-style desserts (p. 44). Plus, go behind the scenes at Slow Food St. Louis’ annual Feast in the Field and prepare an Asian-inspired dish using MOFU Soy tofu with publisher Cat Neville.

WEEKEND GETAWAY: Enter to win tickets to the annual Dig IN – A Taste of Indiana festival, plus a twonight hotel stay and dining and entertainment gift certificates. Details at feastSTL.com/promotions.

hungry FOR MORE? Like FEAST. facebook.com/feastSTL

Follow FEAST. twitter.com/feastmag

Watch our videos. youtube.com/FeastMagazine

promotions

PHOTO CONTEST: Operation Food Search’s third annual Tomato Explosion campaign runs throughout July with 40-plus restaurants serving special tomato-themed dishes. Order and photograph any of the menu items, then send us your pics for a chance to win a new smartphone and three-month service contract from T-Mobile! Details at feastSTL.com/promotions. DISH PHOTOGRAPHy by Jennifer Silverberg

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Pin with us. pinterest.com/feastmag

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Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

13

FEAST FAVES

| where we’re dining

7927 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.2999 libertinestl.com

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JULY 2013

PHOTOGRAPHy by

At The Libertine, seasonal cocktails, an Industrial Age-aesthetic and ingredientdriven food combine in a relaxed environment.

If there were a checklist for creating a new American restaurant in 2013, it would look like this. Chef Josh Galliano is behind the inventive menu at Libertine, which is deftly run by Nick and Audra Luedde. Together they’ve created what they call a “watering hole” and we consider a new favorite. She-crab soup with blue crab spring rolls is light as air, jeweled with sherry pearls that burst sweetly on the palate. Bone marrow custard and uni adorn a slice of rustic bread, the richness offset by bitter greens and an acidic vinaigrette.

Pig tails, frog legs, deep-water hake...it’s refreshing to see the variety of proteins on offer. It’s equally refreshing to see such attention paid to veggies. Ash-roasted carrots are stellar, the grilled king mushrooms in dashi are a can’t miss, and every Libertine meal should start with the “twisted” peppers. – C.N.

Jennifer Silverberg

the libertine

FEAST FAVES

Theatre for Any Appetite!

| where we’re drinking

the tamarindo @ gringo written by Jennifer Johnson

2013-2014 Season On Sale

As you sit at Gringo’s sunny, relaxed bar with your back to the windowed storefront, you’ll think a Baja beach is behind you...if only you could smell and hear the ocean. Sure, this new

Mainstage

Baja-Mexican taquería offers craft and Mexican beer that pair effortlessly with its menu, but what’s most notable is the tequila-based cocktail list. Consider the Tamarindo, a casually

6-Show Packages start at just $90.00 or Create Your Own Package with any or more shows.

haute version of a Margarita, with restrained yet complex sweet-sour flavors from fresh lemon juice, tamarind purée and Gran Gala, an orange liqueur. The glass is rimmed with Tajín “fruit seasoning,” a mild chile-salt-lime combination that tames the Tamarindo’s sweetness as it does when traditionally sprinkled over sliced fruit. Enter los tacos: the Octo Taco’s

3

Cabaret Fly The Mousetrap Opus Other Desert Cities Noises Off

cilantro and grapefruit gremolata enhances the natural sweetness of the grilled octopus

Sept. 11 - Oct. 6

and the Tamarindo’s juxtaposed chile and tamarind add texture and depth. This drink acts like a salsa when paired with the fresh simplicity of the Pescado’s grilled snapper with chipotle crema, and the cocktail’s acidity cuts the richness of the Carnitas’ slow-roasted

Oct. 16 - Nov 10

pork while pulling out the meat’s smokiness and the pickled red onion’s punch.

398 N. Euclid Ave., Central West End, 314.449.1212

Dec. 4 - 29

gringo-stl.com

Jan. 8 - Feb. 2

Feb. 12 - Mar. 8

Mar. 19 - Apr. 13

Watch for Studio Theatre Announcement Coming Soon!

Subscribe Now

PHOTOGRAPHy by

Corey Woodruff

Best Seats • Best Prices • Best Benefits

St. Louis-based wine enthusiast Jennifer Johnson is a sommelier, wine educator, journalist and hospitality and marketing consultant who loves to celebrate life, family, food and wine.

(314) 968-4925 www.repstl.org

Single tickets on sale beginning August 1.

LIVE THEATRE SO CLOSE

YOU CAN FEEL IT

130 Edgar Road • St. Louis, MO • 63119 Photo:

Brighton Beach Memoirs Ryan DeLuca

Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

15

FEAST FAVES

| where we’re dining

alumni saint louis Photographs of famous St. Louis faces and landmarks line the walls of Alumni Saint Louis.

On each table sits a small box filled with local trivia questions, some obscure enough to puzzle even the proudest city alumnus. Owned by design firm the Lawrence Group, the restaurant is a love letter of sorts to St. Louis, with a menu developed by chef Eric Brenner that takes contemporary twists on classic local dishes. Here a simple roasted half chicken comes paired with mushroom polenta and Brussels sprouts in a balsamic reduction – a bit different than Sunday dinner at Mom’s. Riffing on the much-loved casserole, the green bean salad mixes crisp green beans with roasted peppers, mushrooms and crunchy shallots in a light porcini dressing. Steak mudiga and St. Louis-style ribs round out the entrée selection, while T-ravs and Gus’ Pretzels with rarebit make obligatory stops on the starter menu. Even dessert gets nostalgic: We suggest the blueberry gooey butter cake or peanut butter frozen custard. – L.M.

PHOTOGRAPHy by

Corey Woodruff

200 N. 13th St., Downtown, 314.241.5888 alumnistl.com

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FEAST FAVES

| food stuff

crafted collaborations This year has seen scads of talented St. Louis artisans teaming up to collaborate and create tasty new foods. Locally made beer cheese, coffee caramels and beer-infused ice cream top our list of recent local partnerships. – L.M.

Savor Your Summer Through August 25

For information about all events listed, visit

www.mobot.org/savor

Serving up something special every day!

Celebrity Chef Mondays Herbs & Heirlooms Tuesdays Backyard Kitchen Wednesdays Food-for-All Thursdays Food of Our Roots Fridays Family Food Saturdays Spicy Sundays

Celebrity Chefs 7/1 7/8 7/15 7/22 7/29 8/5 8/12 8/19

Clara Moore Wayne Pritchard Carl McConnell Lou Rook Josh Galliano Bryan Carr Kevin Nashan Anthony Devoti

saison Ice Cream

Film Series

Join us in Shoenberg Theater from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Thursday of the month for a free film series featuring award-winning, thoughtprovoking, food-themed films.

This month’s film (July 11): GROW! The average age of farmers in the U.S. is 57, but it’s not just “Old MacDonald” on the farm anymore. All across the U.S. there is a growing movement of educated young people who are leaving the cities to take up an agrarian life. Filmed on 12 presented by farms throughout the state of Georgia during an entire growing season, GROW! provides an honest and inspiring look at this next generation of farmers.

Coffee Caramels

What are you Eating?

We want to know about the food that rocks your boat!

Submit a photo or video to our crowdsourcing project, “WHAT ST. LOUIS EATS.” For more details, visit: www.mobot.org/stleats.

Beer Cheddar | 1 | I Scream Cakes Pear Saison ice cream made with 4 Hands Brewing Co.’s Pyrus, $9.99; I Scream Cakes, 2641 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, 314.932.5758, iscreamcakes. com | 2 | The Caramel House coffee caramels made with coffee from Stringbean Coffee Co., $10.49; Straubs, multiple locations, straubs.com | 3 | Marcoot Jersey Creamery Tipsy Cheddar made with Schlafly Pale Ale, $5; Saturdays at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, 4256 Magnolia Ave., Tower Grove, 314.772.3899, tgmarket.org PHOTOGRAPHy by Jonathan Gayman

4344 Shaw Blvd. • St. Louis, MO 63110 ( 3 1 4 ) 5 7 7- 5 1 0 0 • w w w . m o b o t . o r g

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FEAST FAVES

| the big idea

tenacious eats written by Brandon Chuang

J. Pollack Photography

Liz Schuster really wants to do what she loves for a living. The only problem is she has more than one love. Instead of choosing one, the former executive chef of The Scottish Arms and degreeholder in film direction and music performance from Columbia College created Tenacious Eats – a dinner and cinema experience where the food plays as much a role as the characters on screen.

Tenacious Eats, as Schuster describes it, is “fullcontact dining.” Three times a month diners come to Meyer’s Grove and are seated for a movie for which Schuster has prepared a specific menu: if Julia Roberts is eating Pomodoro, you’re eating Pomodoro. Schuster and the Tenacious Eats staff even pepper in their own commentary during the movie, and go so far as to reenact specific scenes on stage. “It’s visceral,” Schuster says. “Not only are they eating what they’re seeing, they’re smelling it cook, hearing it sizzle. What we’re doing is very fine dining … but it’s also kind of squirrelly.”

Photography by

Meyer’s Grove, 4510 Manchester Ave., The Grove, 314.605.3684, tenaciouseats.com

warm nights. cool drinks. hot spot.

1520 s. 5th street, st. charles, mo | 636 277 0202 | prasino.com

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Pairs well with

FIREFL IES

When the air gets thick and the shoes come off, there’s nothing more perfect than a crisp, citrusy bottle of Missouri Vidal. After all, it was made from grapes that ripened on summer nights just like this one.

Inspired Food Culture

missouriwine.org

JULY 2013

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FEAST FAVES

| shop-o-matic

the kitchen cellar written by Brandi Wills

Artisan foods and beautiful hand-crafted goods define the selection at The Kitchen Cellar, a new shop in St. Charles. With items ranging from Amish foods to hand-crafted furniture and accessories to farm-fresh produce, this hidden gem is a tribute to all quality things made with care.

Located in the lower level of a building on Boone’s Lick Road, its name is as straightforward as its honest goods. “The idea behind The Kitchen Cellar is that the best family events always take place in the kitchen,” says co-owner David Sontheimer, who operates the store with his wife, Kelly.

“When we think of the Amish, we think of selfdetermination and making it on your own using your hands and having the support of people around us,” Sontheimer continues. “We basically took a cellar space and built the walls out of pallet wood and leftover paneling with a fresh glazed finish over it.

It’s all old-style and old-school. It’s only about 600 square feet, so we have to be creative.”

The rather extensive line of Amish goods and Amish wedding foods includes salsa, candies, relishes, jams, cheeses and butters, as well as dried pasta, teas and seasonings. In addition to the shop’s selection of tasty treats, David Sontheimer applies custom-painted finishes to existing kitchen cabinets and furniture. On weekends, customers can pick up fresh produce at the stand parked out front. The Kitchen Cellar is a drop-off point for La Vista CSA Farm, out of Godfrey, Ill., and sells a variety of items from local farms. Here, you find everything you need to bring a rustic touch to your home.

412 Boone’s Lick Road, St. Charles, 314.732.3289 facebook.com/thekitchencellar

Three Standout Products at The Kitchen Cellar | 1 | David Sontheimer has been a painter his whole life and creates beautiful custompainted finishes for the kitchen cabinet doors he sells at the store. This display is just a sampling of what he can create, including a selection of furniture. | 2 | The shop stocks chowchow, a pickled vegetable relish. Made in an Amish community in Holmes, Ohio, it’s available in both mild and sweet-and-sour flavors. Served as a side braunschweiger and more, it offers a subtle kick and crunchy texture. | 3 | Specialty cutting boards made by Kelly Sontheimer’s brother are a shop standout. The beautiful colors are from the natural tones of the wood species he uses: purpleheart, Brazilian cherry and walnut, among others.

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PHOTOGRAPHy by Corey Woodruff

dish or topping on sandwiches, bratwurst,

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE FINEST

• Maine Lobsters • Jumbo Lump Crabmeat • Dry-Packed Scallops • Jumbo Shrimp • Smoked Salmon • Wide Selection of Oysters & Fish

2998 Hwy 94 S., Defiance, Missouri 63341

Ph: (314) 223-3423

invites you to join us for

Artisan Month featuring a variety of

Local Artisans each week during the month of July.

314.993.4844

8660 Olive in U City

FRESHEST SEAFOOD IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1978! bobsseafoodstl.com

Custom Silver Jewelry Creations From Just $50

Visit www.robinsnestonthekatytrail.com for a full schedule! Also, enjoy shopping a great selection of merchandise

Buy One / Get One ½ Price!

Like us on Facebook

If you like supporting Local, then you will love being a part of the Fine Arts, Fine Craft and Fun Food Fair on Saturday, 9/21. This year’s fair will include artists and artisans from the Best of Missouri Hands, Augusta Plein Air Festival and many of your local favorites. Join us for a day-filled with art, food, wine and activities for the whole family!

Hand Crafted Coffees Importing Fine Coffees from 20 Countries • QUALITY • EXPERIENCE • SERVICE

Applications now being accepted for booth space.

Visit www.augusta-chamber.org for registration and details or call Robin White at 314.223.3423

“Augusta Harvest Festival” Over 30 years creating unique masterpieces

Olde World Jewelers 4614 N. Illinois • Fairview Heights

618.233.2445

Two nights and one day of fun celebrating the Augusta area’s harvest season, including: Friday, September 20th – Swinging in the Vines Concert & Picnic in a private Vineyard and Saturday, September 21st Wine Makers Social. Hosted by the Greater Augusta Chamber of Commerce.

Full Service Coffeehouse & Restaurant Supplier Fourth Generation Family Owned Coffee Roasters Since 1930

WWW.CHAUVINCOFFEE.COM

314-772-0700

For reservations and details, visit wwww.augusta-chamber.org

Like us on Facebook

Best fried chicken in the midwest Join us for Sunday family style chicken dinners

114 W. Mill St. • Waterloo, IL • 618.939.9933 • gallagherswaterloo.com

Plan your life events with us Banquet rooms hold 25-100 people depending on the setting. Available for rehearsal dinners, corporate meetings, family gatherings, showeres, anniversaries and reunions.

Castelli's is the first and only locally owned & operated restaurant serving the community for over 75 years.

Sign up on our website or scan our QR code for a chance to win a $25 gift card. Only 25 minutes from St. Louis, 255 N IL to Fosterburg Rd., Exit 13. Open at 11am daily for lunch and dinner (Closed Mondays). Closed July 1-4 and reopen on Friday the 5th at 4pm.

3400 Fosterburg Rd. • Alton, IL • 618.462-4620 •castellis255.com Inspired Food Culture

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FEAST FAVES

| whAT we’re buying

prints for the kitchen |1|

written by Brandi Wills

Cooking isn’t the only art fit for the kitchen. These prints – some by St. Louis artists and some depicting our culinary history – bring local flavor to everyone’s favorite room in the house. Images are not to scale

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| 1 | Athens Cafe photograph, Athens, Greece

by Cheryl L. Dorris, $70; Creative Art Gallery and Framing, 3232 Ivanhoe Ave., Lindenwood Park, creativeartandframingstl.com | 2 | J. Winkelmeyer Brewery poster, $12.95; Missouri 22

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History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., Forest Park, mohistory.org | 3 | Transit roll print

by Alex Duenwald, $32.95; STL-Style, 3159 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, stl-style.com | 4 | Diner Culture poster by

William Stage, $12.95; Missouri History Museum | 5 | Whiskey letterpress print, $20 each; The Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District, firecrackerpress.com | 6 | Griesedieck Brothers Brewery poster, $12.95;

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Missouri History Museum | 7 | St. Louis neighborhoods/landmarks cutout prints by Andy Rhode, $60 each (special order only); STL-Style | 8 | Hot dog and peas and carrots letterpress prints, $10 each; The Firecracker Press PHOTOGRAPHy by

feastSTL.com

JULY 2013

Jonathan Gayman

historic Soulard Farmers Market

ExpEriEncE

Chocolate-Covered

the AMbIAnCe OF thIS Old FAShIOned MArket

RASPBERRIES

Fresh Produce, Meats, Seafood, Spices, Flowers, Artisan Cheeses, Snacks, Pets, & Other Unique Items

For a Limited Time in July

www.soulardmarketstl.com

Din e a t on e of our man y res tauran ts or shop a lon g His toric Ma in Street.

Follow Us On PLAZA FRONTENAC | 32 MARYLAND PLAZA 314.367.9750 | WWW.BISSINGERS.COM 636-946-7776

Visit our website for a complete list of events

www. historicstcharles.com

Deans Liquor A full service provider of alcoholic beverages, to include a large wine selection & a variety of tobacco products.

Join us for Tastings every Friday Night from 5pm to 8pm!

• Over 700 wines in stock from grape varieties grown across the globe • Over 200 bourbons, scotches, and other whiskeys in stock • Over 100 micro and import beers in stock • Large selection of cigars • In business since 1939

210 W. Main St.• Collinsville • 618.344.4930 • Visit us on

• Follow us on

• deansliquor.com

Penne Ala Salute 1 28 oz. can peeled Italian style pear tomatoes 3 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup grated Asiago cheese or Romano cheese ¼ cup fresh basil 4 cups cooked penne pasta cooked 2 cups broccoli florets al dente (1/2 lb. uncooked pasta) ½ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes 1 cup sliced mushrooms

In a food processor, mince garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper together for one minute. Cut Italian style tomatoes into small pieces (about 1" cubes), reserve some liquid. In a bowl combine garlic & olive oil mixture with cut tomatoes, add chopped fresh basil. Set aside.

Place pasta, broccoli, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes in a one-gallon pot of rapidly boiling salt water. When water boils again, drain. Toss pasta together with sauce mixture in a large bowl. Serve immediately. Sprinkle pasta with grated Asiago cheese, fresh basil and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Makes 4 servings.

2061 Zumbehl (Bogey Hills Plaza) • St. Charles • 636-949-9005 • Visit us on

Celebrating 30 Years in Business

• fratellisristorante.com Inspired Food Culture

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one on one

Eliott Harris

Owner, CHOPSHOPSTL; Sushi consultant, Central Table Food Hall written by Jeremy Nulik | Photography by Jonathan Gayman

Eliott Harris, a St. Louis native and an experienced sushi chef, has worked in kitchens from San Francisco to the Dominican Republic. After several more moves across the States, he landed the position of executive chef at the nowshuttered Miso on Meramec in Clayton. In 2011 he launched CHOPSHOPSTL, a sushi food truck roving the streets of St. Louis, and today he also serves as the sushi consultant for Central Table Food Hall, a dining and retail destination located in the Central West End. What led you to become a sushi chef?

I love it. For me it is comfort food. I love the idea of sitting at a bar and putting my palate in the hands of a talented chef. It is not a conventional meal, and that is why I have spent the past 16 years behind a sushi bar. How would you describe the job?

There is a lot of creativity. I have worked in all parts of the kitchen, and most of the time is spent prepping. So when the rush hits, you have a sauté pan or tongs in your hand.

But with sushi, everything is made to order.

You have a knife and a ticket. There is a lot of creative freedom. You can plate spicy tuna 1,000 different ways. Is it difficult to source fresh seafood in landlocked St. Louis? The quality of fish from Japan is no fresher if I take it off of a plane in Miami or in St. Louis. There is little that is local with sushi. Almost everything gets shipped. The quality of fish here is no different than San Francisco or Miami. What motivated you to launch a sushi food truck? I think it helps satisfy my restlessness while we remain in the same [city]. I seem to have a necessity to constantly be on the move. We are in a new location every day with a food truck. I can serve the same quality product that I served at Miso, and that we serve at Central Table, from a truck. We quickly started to have a loyal following. My partner and I know our customers on a first-name basis. What are your days like? My alarm goes off at 6. I usually hit the snooze button twice. I get to the warehouse by 7.

We figure out where we are going to be with the truck and prep it to roll out by 10:15. We serve lunch until 1:30. Then I bring the truck back and break lunch down. I help to prep for events or a dinner service and then I am off to Central Table until late in the evening.

I’m up the next morning to do it again. Do you ever get burned out? I love what I do every day. Central Table has been some of the best management I’ve ever worked with.

I was honored to be hand-selected by Matt McGuire, Central Table’s general manager, to become a part of this management team.

CHOPSHOPSTL @chopshopstl chopshopstl.com

My mission is to always make the best sushi in St. Louis – that is true at CHOPSHOPSTL and at Central Table.

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Visit feastSTL.com to read the full interview with Eliott Harris.

Tapas & Wine in the Heart of Kirkwood Stop by One 19 North Tapas Wine Bar, in the heart Of Downtown Kirkwood to enjoy GREAT tapas and an extensive, yet affordable, Wine selection. Chef Christopher Delgado prepares the most flavorful and delicious Tapas in town. The atmosphere at One 19 North is comfortable, invariably crowded and a great place to relax with friends. Owners, Patrick and Ellen Carr are often working the room, talking to guest and making sure that everyone is completely satisfied with their experience at One 19 North

Bring in This Ad for 10% off your bill.

Sunday-Thursday: limit one per table.

119 North Kirkwood Road • Kirkwood • 314.821.4119 • one19north.com • Like Us On

Cool Summer Treats

Choose from our everyday fresh selections of gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, nonfat frozen yogurts and sorbets Come try some of our favorite summer creations: NEW strawberry shortcake, chocolate chip cookie dough and apple pie.

Redeem this certificate for $1 off your next cup of Chill Offer expires July 31,2013

7610 Wydown • Clayton • 314.932.5010 • chillfrozenyogurts.com Inspired Food Culture

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the mix

Twentieth Century Cocktail

Story and recipe by Matt Seiter Photography by Jonathan Gayman

A plethora of retro drinks have found new life in the past decade, and the Twentieth Century Cocktail is certainly one of them. This is a true relic of its time, both in conceptualization and in christening. The recipe was first published in the 1937 tome Café Royal Cocktail Book, compiled by William Tarling, and it was credited to British bartender C.A. Tuck. It was named after the extravagant locomotive the 20th Century Limited, which ran from 1902 to 1967. The train whisked celebrities from New York to Chicago in the grand fashion of the day, complete with red carpets, extravagant architecture in each car and first-class service. This drink makes use of a popular apéritif from that time, Lillet Blanc. At the time, the Brits were well ahead of American bartenders: While we were drinking bathtub gin, rotgut whiskey and bootleg rum, they were mixing with different liqueurs, apéritifs and digestifs that were extremely hard to come by in America. A sip of this libation, as cocktail blog The Cocktail Chronicles describes it, “tastes like Art Deco in a glass.”

I first sipped this treasure when I was manning the helm at Chicago’s In Fine Spirits. One of the owners was doing a bit of research and found this recipe in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks and asked me to make it. It was early in my career, and I had yet to have an understanding of what balance in cocktails actually means. This drink was that revelation. Gin offers a variety of botanical notes, while lemon juice adds tartness and acidity and Lillet a touch of bitterness, which is balanced by the sweetness and creaminess of crème de cacao. Making the Twentieth Century Cocktail was a defining moment in my career.

From that day forward I had a new appreciation for cocktails, apéritifs, gin, dusty bottles and basically everything liquid.

It was this cocktail that helped me realize what my drinks had lacked before: balance.

Try this. Play around with different gins.

Train your palate with this drink. If I were the bartender version of Rocky, this would be my dedicated trainer, Mickey.

All About ApÉritifs and Digestifs An apéritif is an alcoholic drink enjoyed before a meal to stimulate the appetite and usually is on the dry side. Digestifs are served after a meal to aid digestion, and often have sweeter or citrusy flavors. Here are a few of my favorites, including what makes each taste so good.

ApÉritifs

Digestifs

Campari. Bitter orange flavors.

Aperol. A sweeter version of Campari; bitter but softened with sugars. ○ French vermouth. A fortified wine flavored with herbs and spices.

Dolin is a great brand. ○ Dubonnet. Made with fortified wine, herbs and spices. ○ Lillet. A blend of 85 percent Bordeaux wines and 15 percent macerated liqueurs – mostly citrus liqueurs from the peels of sweet Spanish oranges and the peels of bitter green Haitian oranges.

Fernet-Branca. Aromatic spirit flavored with 27 plants and herbs from five continents, all aged at least one year in oak barrels. ○ Strega. Italian herbal liqueur made with 70 herbal ingredients, including mint, fennel and saffron. ○ Amaro Montenegro. Slightly sweet Italian amaro with hints of orange peel, caramel and lavender. ○ Cynar. Italian bitter liqueur made with 13 herbs and plants – artichoke being the predominant one; dark brown with a bittersweet flavor.

○ ○

○

Matt Seiter is a co-founder of the United States Bartenders’ Guild’s St. Louis chapter, a member of the national board for the USBG’s MA program and a continuing educator for all desiring knowledge of the craft of mixology. He is a member of Drink Lab and is the creator of the Sanctuaria Cocktail Club.

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Twentieth Century Cocktail Serves | 1 |

1½ oz Broker’s Gin ¾ oz lemon juice ¾ oz Lillet Blanc ¼ oz Marie Brizard White Crème de Cacao

lemon twist for garnish

| Preparation | Combine all ingredients in a cocktail tin. Add ice, shake for 15 seconds and finely strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Fun Food, Happy People, Great Drinks!

FEAST FAVE • Pork Porterhouse. Rensing’s Porterhouse pork chop, cheddar jalapeno bread pudding, green beans, sunny side up egg PATIO NOW OPEN! We will be closed for vacation July 1st - 7th.

Mon-Fri 11:00-close, Sat 10:00-close Offering Saturday brunch First Come - First Serve (No reservations) Open Mon - Fri starting at 11 am and Sat starting at 10 am.

106 N. Main St. • Edwardsville • 618.307.4830

Big Boys at Gerilyn’s - Traditional, Family Style ALL-U-CAN-EAT Dinners (Chicken, Ham, Cod and More) - Fried Chicken Lunch Buffet Monday-Saturday 11-2pm - Breakfast Buffet on Saturday and Sunday 8am-11am - Kids Eat Free on Thursday Evenings - Banquet Room Available - Buses Welcome - Open Every Day $5 off any $30 purchase w/coupon.

Not valid with any other offer or discount. Expires 8/15/13

275 W. Nor th Ser vice Rd • Wright City, MO • 636-745-9200 • Visit us on

• bigboysfamilyrestaurant.com

Inspired Food Culture

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27

on the shelf

top juLY PICKS

beer

written by Michael Sweeney

Award-winning sommelier and mixologist Chad Michael George is founder of Proof Academy, which covers everything from wine and cocktail list consulting to spirits and mixology education.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co.’S Hopfen

Sombra Mezcal

Available at: Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., 3229

Washington Ave., Midtown, urbanchestnut.com; $5.50 (15-oz draught) Pairings: Penne al telefono• Pulled pork The ingenuity at Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. is always fascinating. I enjoy watching the brewery try and play with the status quo and develop beers outside the box. This time its brewmasters have created a new style, dubbed a “Bavarian IPA.” Instead of using citrusy American hops, UCBC has selected noble German hops to create a complex and earthy IPA.

Stone Brewing Co.’S Arrogant BastarD ALE

Available at: Friar Tuck, multiple locations,

friartuckonline.com; $37.99 Try it: In a Blood and Sand or a Margarita This distilled agave spirit can be an aquired taste due to its intense smoky, earthy flavors, which dominate the palate. The Espadin variety of agave is used for this bottling and is the most widely used agave for mezcal.

That the agave hearts are slow-roasted over a rock pit shines through in all mezcal, but the Sombra is exceptionally smoky and smooth, especially for this entry-level-priced bottle. At first taste, it’s earthy with a touch of citrus and spice. The finish is smooth yet slightly stinging, with a nice high-octane farewell.

Imbue Cellars’ Bittersweet Vermouth Provenance: Oregon (16.5% abv)

Available At: Friar Tuck, multiple locations,

Available at: Randall’s Wine and Spirits, multiple locations, shoprandalls.com; $26.99 Try it: On the rocks

“You’re not worthy” proclaims the label on this bottle, and it’s probably right. Arrogant Bastard is one of Stone Brewing’s original creations, and since its debut in 1997, it has been aggressively impressing palates across the world. Brewed with a secret blend of hops, this beer is a bodacious, bold and bitter challenger to the “fizzy yellow” beers brewed by the big guys.

Professor Fritz Briem’s 1809 Berliner Weisse Style: Berliner Weisse (5% abv) Available At: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple

locations, wineandcheeseplace.com; $5.99 (500-ml bottle) Pairings: Spinach salad• Blue cheese If you’re looking for a bit more “oomph” from your wheat beer, maybe it’s time to step into a Berliner Weisse.

This traditional German-style beer is brewed with a lactobacillus culture, giving it a tart, tangy flavor. It’s this light bit of acidity that keeps the beer very refreshing, and makes it the perfect way to beat the summer heat.

JULY 2013

Provenance: Mexico (45% abv)

Style: American Strong Ale (7.2% abv)

friartuckonline.com; $4.29 (22-oz bottles) Pairings: Apple clafouti• Parmigiano-Reggiano

feastSTL.com

written by Chad Michael George

The creator of stlhops.com and founder of St. Louis Craft Beer Week, Michael Sweeney is also the craft beer manager at Lohr Distributing.

Style: Bavarian IPA (6.1% abv)

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spirits

The heart of Imbue Cellars’ Bittersweet Vermouth is Pinot Gris wine and Pinot Gris brandy, both made with Oregon grapes and aged in American oak by Clear Creek Distillery. Nine dried botanicals are then used to flavor this delicious Northwest nectar. The prominent notes are elderflower, clove, coriander and sage. The finish starts off smooth with a broad, silky-sweet texture, yet leaves you with the soft, bitter note that vermouth should.

Bittersweet Vermouth’s sister product, Petal & Thorn, is also worth picking up, especially for fans of amaro.

Tanqueray Malacca Gin Provenance: London (40% abv) Available at: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations, wineandcheeseplace.com; $29.99 Try it: Neat or in your favorite Martinez recipe

Thanks to the bartending community expressing ceaseless interest, Tanqueray has brought back its Malacca gin. Dating back to the 1830s, the recipe is original to Charles Tanqueray and is a much softer, more citrus-driven gin, smooth around the edges and silky-soft from start to finish. Grapefruit and spicy cinnamon with a touch of clove are the most noticeable flavors along with red berry and hints of vanilla, separating it from other gins. Tanqueray produced only 100,000 liter bottles for its reprise, and there are no plans for an additional run. Grab it while you can.

wine

written by Kyle Harsha

Kyle Harsha is a certified specialist of wine and certified sommelier with over 20 years’ experience in the food and wine industry. He is the St. Louis sales manager for Vintegrity Wines.

La Fleur D’Amelie Bordeaux Blanc 2011

JOIN US FOR DAILY SPECIALS 4 P.M. - 6 P.M.

Provenance: Bordeaux, France Available at: The Porch, 1700 S. Ninth St., Soulard,

soulardporch.com; $14.75 Pairings: Fish and chips• Fruit salad• Goat cheese Zippy, zesty and refreshing are the three words that come to mind when I’m drinking this blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon from Bordeaux. The lime zest and pineapple notes coupled with a delightful minerality make this wine an invigorating drink to sip ice-cold, poolside. It is produced

by Château de Sours, a 200-year-old family owned winery located near Pomerol in southwestern France.

3419 Olive Street ∙ Saint Louis, MO ∙ 314.446.1801

Cardwell Hill Cellars Pinot Noir Rosé 2012 Provenance: Willamette Valley, Ore. Available at: Naked Vine, 1624 Clarkson Road,

NOW BOOKING Enjoy Lunch at:

Chesterfield, nakedvine.net; $17.09 Pairings: Salmon• Brie• Grilled portabella mushrooms It’s not often that a winery puts the same level of care and attention into developing its rosé wines as it does with other offerings. Not so at Cardwell Hill Cellars.

This certified-sustainable winery uses the same methods and grapes to make both its award-winning Pinot Noirs and its Pinot Noir rosé, which features an array of flavors, including fresh-cut flowers and strawberries. Grilling season is in full swing, and there might not be a better wine pairing than this with a piece of finely grilled salmon.

Zestos Garnacha 2011 Provenance: Madrid, Spain Available at: Friar Tuck, multiple locations, friartuckonline.com; $9.99 Pairings: Pepperoni pizza• Manchego cheese • Roasted veal

July is the perfect time of year to eschew heavy-oaked reds and grab something a little lighter. This Zestos red is crafted with grapes from 40- to 50-year-old Garnacha (Grenache) vines planted near Madrid and is aged in stainless steel. The result is a delicious quaffing wine with bright raspberry, red licorice and cherry-candy notes. To beat the heat, throw the bottle on ice 15 minutes before popping it open.

Special Holiday Parties Shower, Birthday, Office Parties!

Full Microbrewery HandcraFted Food Private dining

• Create a stuffed animal at your very own at our STUFFIN STATION • Miniatures for SALE • Many GIFT IDEAS • GIFT CERTIFICATES!

FREE Guitar Lessons to Veterans Saturday Mornings at 9:30am with Bill Dennis Open Tuesday-Saturday 11 to 5 329 South Main Street Historic St. Charles, MO

636/946-0505

11411 Olive Boulevard Creve Coeur, MO 63141 (314) 432-3535 Inspired Food Culture

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mystery shopper

Meet: Tortas de Aceite

story and recipe by Erik Jacobs Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

In Spanish, "aceite" means oil. By the simplest definition, tortas de aceite are olive-oil tortas, yet these crunchy, flaky treats are far from simple. They provide a verstaile canvas for sweet, savory, spicy or herbal dishes, making excellent cakes, cookies, biscuits or flatbreads thanks to a basic base of wheat flour, almonds, sugar and sesame and anise seeds. Approached creatively or classically, there's really no wrong way to experiment with them.

What is it?

Tortas de aceite have an intriguingly rich flavor and a fairly humble history. This Spanish street food traces its origins back to Ines Rosales, who made olive-oil tortas from scratch and sold them to hungry passengers at a local train station in Seville, Spain, beginning around 1910. Ines Rosalesbrand tortas are still in production, and remain one of the most popular producers of tortas de aceite – look for them at local markets. Most Western counterparts are fortified with butter and other dairy products, but authentic tortas contain at least one-third extra-virgin olive oil to preserve shelf life.

How do I use it?

Traditional tortas de aceite are baked with traces of anise and sesame seeds, but modern versions include essence of orange, cinnamon and sugar and rosemary, among others. Serve a selection of tortas with a cheese plate or with a wine tasting, or highlight their sweeter characteristics as a base for ice cream. Stack a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on a torta, then sprinkle with chopped Marcona almonds and a dollop of Mexican cajeta caramel for a quick, tasty dessert on a hot summer evening.

No-Bake Summer Blackberry Crostata with Honey-Lemon Mascarpone By using tortas de aceite instead of baking a classic short crust, you save time and still get to highlight the beauty and opulence of summer fruit.

1½

cups mascarpone, at room

temperature 1 medium lemon, finely zested Âź cup honey, plus more for drizzling

Serves | 6 |

1 pinch ground nutmeg 6 tortas de aceite

| Preparation | In a medium bowl, mix the mascarpone, lemon zest, honey and nutmeg. Using a whisk, whip until fluffy and easily spreadable.

Divide cheese evenly among tortas, spreading cheese to edges. Divide berries evenly among tortas and drizzle with extra honey to taste.

2 pints fresh blackberries

Stop by 30

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to pick up more delicious recipes featuring tortas de aceite. Visit straubs.com for information on its four locations.

JULY 2013

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Like, Follow And Stay Inspired With Us: Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

31

how to

How to lose a James Beard Award

written by Brandon Chuang

should I thank? Cat Neville, obviously, and not just because she was seated next to me but because she’s the one who gave me the opportunity to write for Feast. Michelle, obviously, and not just because she was seated on the other side of me but because she has believed in me and my writing since forever. Suddenly it happened: “The nominees for best profile are…”

The giant video screen above the stage stuttered and started. The cover of Feast appeared and a robotic female voice said, “BRANDON CH-ANG, FEAST MAGAZINE.” Damn it. I knew immediately I had lost. My name is pronounced “chwong,” not “ch-ang,” and if I’d won, I’m pretty sure they would’ve checked that. A few seconds later, GQ’s Brett Martin got up (next table!) to receive the award. Everyone at our table looked at me with consoling smiles.

“You did great, Brandon.”

“Seriously, man, awesome job.”

“I’m proud of you.”

I was walking into the Government Center T-station in Boston when my phone

know – sorry. I didn’t expect me here either.

rang. On the other end was Brandi Wills, the former managing editor of this magazine. To be honest, I can’t remember exactly what was said by either party, but it basically went like this:

On the flight back to St. Louis, I decided to pull up the pieces written by the other nominees to see what I was up against: “Cooking Isn’t Creative and It Isn’t Easy” by Alex Halberstadt of The New York Times Magazine and “Danny and the Electric Kung Pao Pastrami Test” by Brett Martin of GQ. My brilliant mind figured I could preload them onto my phone to read on the plane. But once we reached cruising altitude, I realized it had loaded only the first page of each piece. That was enough.

Brandi: Hey, Brandon. You’ve been nominated for a James Beard Award. Congratulations!

Me: I got it?

Brandi: You got it.

Me: I gotta go.

My fiancée, Michelle, was standing a few feet away from me. We had known for weeks that the nominees were being announced on March 18; but we had forgotten that day was the 18th. I can’t remember exactly what was said by either party, but it basically went like this: Me: I got it.

Michelle: You got what? Ohmygod, the nomination – you got it?

I shook my head in the affirmative, and she ran over and hugged me. Upon letting go, she looked at me in shock. In this instance, I remember exactly what was said by both parties.

Michelle: Are you crying?

Me: Nope, *eye wipe* I’m fine. [pause] Time to get drunk.

“What’s wrong?” Michelle had broken my concentration mid-first-page into Halberstadt’s profile of Christopher Kimball, the mastermind of foodie publication Cook’s Illustrated.

Me: What do you mean?

Michelle: You just said, “Goddamn it.”

“Goddamn it” was right. Two paragraphs deep into the first nominee’s piece, and I’d seen that he’d referenced “Flemish-style oil paintings.” If you’re not familiar with my work, my allusions tend to skew toward teenage turtles accomplished in ninjutsu and late ’90s gangsta rap − and that’s the highbrow stuff. I’ve been to the Netherlands a few times, but only to witness their legal views on cannabis. I know absolutely nothing about their 15th-century art aesthetic.

the venue for the awards, but they were far too difficult to reach amid the throngs of food royalty (“look, there’s David Chang and Hugh Acheson”).

Instead, we grabbed cocktails and asked the reception staff where we were sitting. “Table 33,” the staffer responded after looking up our names.

As I mentioned earlier, I’d had no feelings toward the Beard awards since we’d landed at LaGuardia.

I’m not a psychologist, but I think some part of my brain defensively shielded me from understanding that we were here to see whether I had written the best food profile in the country. Instead, I kept seeing it as just another evening − you know, the kind when you get all dressed up and attend a fancy dinner party with people you see on TV. That all changed when we got to table 33. As we waded through the silver and white linen, we soon realized our table wasn’t in the back of the rounded hall as we expected; it was in the front − like, the front, front.

Holy crap, I’m going to win this thing. Losers don’t sit in the front, right?

As I anxiously took a seat, I finally looked around at where I was. Marcus Samuelsson was sitting behind me; Andrew Zimmern was just a few tables to my left. Looking up at the stage and podium right in front of me, it finally dawned on me: You are at the Beard awards. Get your head right.

“I’m going to get killed.”

For those unfamiliar, the James Beard Foundation Awards are considered by many to be the highest achievement for food professionals, a group loosely categorized as chefs, restaurateurs and, of course, members of the food media. If you made a mental list of every major food-related personality you could think of, there’s a good chance that the majority of people on that list have either won or been nominated for a James Beard Award. And at approximately 10:30am on March 18, I joined that list in your head. Yeah, I

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JULY 2013

On the day of the awards I felt nothing. We arrived in Manhattan the morning of the awards ceremony and had a normal day. We ate lunch at Birreria and went shopping for shoes (I didn’t like the pairs I brought), which made us 45 minutes late for the one-hour cocktail reception before the ceremony.

I know. Great start, Brandon.

It turned out we didn’t miss much. Passed hors d’oeuvres were making the rounds of Gotham Hall,

The night’s emcee, Ted Allen of Food Network’s Chopped, gave his opening monologue, presented a highly polished video montage like you see at the Oscars and then started raining down awards.

It all happened so fast. Before dinner approached the second course we had already trucked through five or six awards. I started thinking maybe I should work on an acceptance speech − you know, just in case. I never prepared one because I honestly thought I wouldn’t win. Whom

I started going through the spiel, thanking them for the kind words and saying what an honor it is just to be nominated. Then my phone had a stroke.

Twitter. Facebook. Text. Not a minute had passed, and iPhone alerts were popping up everywhere.

The food cognoscenti of St. Louis had been following the awards, following me, and the best chefs, writers and personalities had come calling, not with words of condolence but with words of anger. Below, a very small sampling: “Robbed, son.”

“FLIP THE DAMN TABLE.” “Lots of Beard winners, VERY few banned…think about it. Become a legend.”

So, I didn’t take home my very first James Beard Award. That’s OK. Until I sat at table 33, I didn’t think I was going to win anyway. What I did leave with − aside from a hefty swag bag − was a newfound love for the city I’ve called home for the past few years.

The outpouring of borderline-psychotic support was amazing and something I’ll remember far longer than some fancy dinner. It showed how close-knit the food community really is in this town, how amazingly supportive we all are of one another. We know it’s far better to build someone up to represent our city than to tear that person down and let some outsider claim our city’s glory.

It’s long been said that St. Louis is on the cusp of becoming a major player in the national food scene. My evidence shows that it already is, living, breathing and eager to burn down a minor Manhattan landmark for one of its own. I’m proud to claim our city and its food scene, its people and its passions, and as far as I’m concerned, there’s no place I’d rather be.

St. Louis will get its full due soon, and you can be damn sure I’ll be here, along with the many chefs, mixologists, writers and talents of this city, to help it do so.

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Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

33

tech school

Tempering

Story and recipe by Cassy Vires Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Tempering, culinarily speaking, has many applications. The technique involves gradually changing the temperature of something to make it hotter or colder to allow gradual changes in consistency. In some cases, as with chocolate, it can be a very difficult technique to master. Many chocolatiers have specialty equipment that does the hard part for them. The rest of us are left with a thermometer and a painstaking afternoon. To achieve the best texture and sheen in chocolates, you must lower the temperature, raise it and often lower it again to make sure the sugar crystals form correctly.

A more common and much easier application is making custard. It is the base for many wonderful dishes, both sweet and savory – ice cream, crème brûlée, bread pudding, gratins, pastry cream and much more. Being able to make a good custard means you will always have a quick and decadent dessert in your repertoire. Proper tempering is essential to successful custards. The basic recipe for any custard involves adding hot milk or cream to egg yolks. If you were to simply combine the two ingredients, you might end up with a decent scrambled egg but nothing more.

Eggs are custard’s star ingredient. Egg yolks contain proteins that thicken, or coagulate, when heated. Fresh eggs are best and should be stored and chilled properly in the refrigerator. There are some arguments for starting with room-temperature yolks, but I have personally never appreciated any difference in the finished product.

Aggressively whisking the yolks before adding the hot cream warms them slightly, making it easier to temper them in hot liquid.

Now here comes the tricky part. I always say you have to be ambidextrous or have a friend around to make great custard.

While quickly whisking, you must slowly add the hot liquid. If you add too much hot liquid, your eggs scramble and there is no going back – start over. The idea here is to slowly and gently raise the temperature of the eggs so the coagulation creates creamy, smooth custard. Once all the liquid is added, additional cooking is involved, but this is where applications deviate from one another. Ice cream, for example, is cooked longer over a double boiler until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Pot de crème, however, is baked in a water bath in the oven.

The true skill is in the tempering process. If you can get that right, you will be a custardmaking machine.

Cassy Vires is the owner and chef of Home Wine Kitchen and Table.

34

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JULY 2013

Pot de Crème

This simple yet delicious custard is the predecessor to crème brûlée.

Serve this dessert with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Serves | 4 | 2 1 6 ½

cups heavy cream vanilla bean, scraped egg yolks cup sugar

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 300°F. In a small pot, combine heavy cream and seeds

from the vanilla bean. Heat over low heat until warm. Remove from heat and cover; steep for 15 minutes. In a medium-sized nonreactive bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until creamy and pale yellow.

Return cream mixture to heat and heat to just below a simmer. Using a ladle or liquid measuring cup, slowly pour hot cream into

the egg yolks while whisking.

Portion custard into 4 ramekins and place in a warm water bath. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Custards should be slightly set but still jiggly. Allow to cool in the water bath for an additional 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight and serve chilled.

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JULY 2013

35

gadget a-go-go

Mezzalunas

Inox-Solingen Triangle Mezzaluna PROS

The sharpest, most finely honed blade in the bunch makes clean precision cuts without collapsing the structure of fruits and vegetables, even fully ripe kiwis and strawberries. Another notable difference: This mezzaluna emits a crisp, sharp sound as it slices through firm items such as carrots and jicama. On soft, fibrous fruits such as pineapple and mango, the sound softens but remains clear and distinct. With an 8½-inch blade, it’s a great size for big and small jobs.

Norpro Mezzaluna Chopper

Inox Double Bladed Mezzaluna

PROS

PROS

From its easy grip to its no-nonsense double blades, this little rocker delivers a fine mince or small chop with ease and good control. Best uses: mincing fresh herbs and chopping greens, nuts, dried fruits and soft foods such as sardines, olives and roasted red peppers. The design, an elongated oval, eliminates sharp corners on the blade by rolling them into the handle. It includes the all-important blade cover. At just under 6 inches, it will store in a small space. It’s fun, easy to use and dishwasher-safe.

This Italian double-handled, doublebladed mini-mezzaluna cuts and chops like the big boys, but its 6¾-inch highcarbon steel blades work best on small jobs. It works well with herbs, ginger, shallots and garlic and is serviceable on greens, fruits and veggies too – but in smaller quantities.

CONS

CONS

Beware the razor-like corners at both ends of this blade. This is the highestpriced mezzaluna of the bunch, but you’re paying for the terrific blade on this expert tool. $43.95; Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, 314.862.2665, kitchenconservatory.com

written by Pat Eby Photography by Jonathan Gayman

The double blades trap things in the in-between space, especially harder things such as carrots, onions and celery. Clearing these items takes time, which is sometimes worth it, especially for beautifully minced herbs. $9.95; Cornucopia, 107 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.822.2440, cornucopia-kitchen.com

CONS

Pieces of hard and soft foods lodge themselves between the blades. This is easily remedied but ultimately tiresome. The double handle is a little close for my hands. On a chopper this small, a single handle seems better. $13.99; DiGregorio Italian Foods, 5200 Daggett Ave., The Hill, 314.776.1062, digregoriofoods.com

The World’s Greatest Rockin’ Good Seesaw Herb Chopper PROS

This lightweight, single-handled mezzaluna shines when chopping herbs and greens. The chopper holds comfortably in one or two hands and works equally well both ways. It comes with a snap-on blade guard for its 6¾inch stainless-steel blade as well as a cool box, which can be used to store it flat. Dishwasher-safe.

PROS

With its big blade size, comfortable hold and solid construction, this mezzaluna looks impressive. At 9¼ inches, the tool tears through half a head of iceberg lettuce in no time.

Wooden handles feel comfortable and secure when you’re chopping everything from apples to zucchini, hard and soft. This is a serviceable tool for a low price.

CONS

CONS

The Rockin’ Good Seesaw sports a high handle, which made it a little awkward to use at counter height. Tall people might not have this issue. Shorter people can move the cutting board to a table and the problem is solved.

Nothing major; just physics. $9.95; Cornucopia

I Prodotti Di Casalingha Mezzaluna

The blade is honed only on one side, so there’s a little drag as it rocks over foods on the cutting board. Cuts sound squishy on occasion and give some soft foods a mashed-up, weary look going into the bowl. There’s a bit of a learning curve to get the correct rhythm. $14.99; Bertarelli Cutlery, 1927 Marconi Ave., The Hill, 314.664.4005, bertarellicutlery.com

Che

ck o pag ut e

What to look for : Blade arc. Mezzalunas chop and cut as the blade rocks back and forth,

so look for a tighter curve rather than a shallow arc to the blade. Go for more rock in the roll.

Blade length. Shorter, 5- to 6-inch, blades work great for mincing herbs

or chopping small amounts. For bigger jobs, like chopped salads, choose a blade between 8 and 10 inches. To find the blade length, measure the mezzaluna across the cutting-edge side from corner to corner.

Blade materials and sharpness. Look for a blade with a thin leading

edge that tapers smoothly into the body of the knife on both sides.

Stainless-steel and high-carbon steel blades both cut well in the tests.

36

feastSTL.com

JULY 2013

Both can be sharpened easily. The high-carbon steel must be handwashed and thoroughly dried after each use to slow down rusting.

Double or single blades. We tested both. Single blades win. Double blades imply twice the speed, but work slows when you’re dislodging what sticks between the blades with a butter knife.

Storage. Some mezzalunas won’t simply hunker down in a drawer; others will. The pushy ones muscle in, stretch and demand space. You’ll need room for a blade guard too, even if it’s a homemade cardboard sleeve, because these honking-big knives cut quickly. Even the corners can be nasty and nick an unsuspecting hand.

42!

Put your favorite mezzaluna to work when chopping up artisan-made produce and goods in this month’s issue.

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Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

37

menu options

SWEET CURRY MUSSELS

Story and recipe by Lucy Schnuck Schwetye Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Cooking mussels at home might seem intimidating, but this easy-to-make recipe takes the guesswork out of it. Served in a sweet, tangy coconut-curry broth, this dish brings hints of Thai flavors to an affordable and sustainable shellfish that everyone should try. It’s a light, crisp meal to cool down warm summer evenings.

Mussels in Coconut-Curry Broth Serves | 6 |

| Preparation | Place mussels in a colander

2 lbs fresh mussels 2 cans coconut milk, shaken 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved 1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and quartered 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped 1 large sweet onion, diced medium 2 large shallots, roughly chopped 4 Tbsp yellow curry powder, divided ½ cup water ½ cup fish stock 1 to 2 Tbsp red curry paste

salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 bunch fresh cilantro

6 thick slices baguette, grilled

and rinse under cold water, gently scrubbing dirt and external particles from shells. Remove broken mussels. Many recipes advise discarding open mussels. Instead, tap on the shells of open mussels or pinch to close a few times. If the mussel is still alive, it will close back up, so don’t be immediately discouraged by an open shell.

In a medium mixing bowl, place coconut milk, garlic, tomatoes and serrano pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Remove beards, the thread-like fibers hanging out of the flat edge of the shell, by holding the mussel in one hand and grasping the beard with a paper towel with your other hand. Gently wiggle the beard up and down while slightly pulling toward the mussel hinge. Discard beards.

In a large heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat, add butter and oil. When butter is melted, foamy and bubbling, add scallions, onion and shallots. Cook until slightly translucent. Turn heat down to low and add 2 Tbsp yellow curry powder. Add the coconut milk mixture and stir to combine. Raise heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Add water, fish stock and red curry paste. Simmer another 5 minutes. Add remaining yellow curry powder and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place clean mussels in a bowl, then set that bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Remove mussels from the refrigerator. Have a lid ready for the pot with the coconut-curry broth. Add mussels to the pot, slightly raise

the heat and cover. In 4 to 5 minutes, remove the lid to check the mussels. If they have opened, gently stir them and turn heat to the lowest setting. If there are still a few closed mussels, cook for an additional few minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.

Serve in a large bowl, garnish with cilantro and pair with slices of grilled French bread.

JOIN US! RSVP:

schnuckscooks.com 314.909.1704

m a k e th e m ea

chef’s tips :

○

Breathe Easier. If the fresh mussels you buy are wrapped in plastic, be sure to unwrap them immediately when you get home so they can

○

breathe. Doing so will keep the mussels alive longer in the refrigerator.

Fresh Prep. If you buy fresh mussels but plan to cook them the next day or several hours later, wait until closer to cooking time to remove the

beards. This will also help keep them fresh and alive longer.

Grit-Be-Gone. If mussels seem especially sandy and gritty, place them in cold water for about 20 minutes to release some of the sand and grit

naturally. Just be sure to scoop them out gently to avoid adding sand back into the colander or bowl.

○

Jasmine Rice Pilaf

l:

Mussels in Coconut-C

urry Broth

Mango-Coconut Stick

y Rice

LEA r n M ORE :

In this month’s class

, you’ll learn how to properly clean and de-beard mussels. We’ll explor e better knife skills for chopping ve getables, and learn how to add flavo r to foods simply with coconut milk to enhance cooking and baking re cipes.

get hands-on: Join FEAST and Schnucks Cooks Cooking School on Wed., July 24, at 6pm to make the dishes in this month’s menu. Tickets are just $40 for a night of cooking, dining and wine.

RSVP at schnuckscooks.com.

38

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JULY 2013

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PAINT. DRINK. HAVE FUN. Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

39

the artisan issue

artisans are game changers. They embody a postindustrial spirit that rejects high-volume, mass manufacturing in favor of small-batch production. This often involves going back to more basic, step-by-step methods, and almost always involves having a hand in every step of the development process. The end result is a superior, highly specialized product, reflective of the care and character of its creator.

In the coming pages we talk to remarkable local artisans spanning multiple industries with one thing in common: They’re all changing

the way we understand, appreciate and enjoy food. First we meet a handful of local culinary artisans who are diversifying the St. Louis dining scene. Some bring decades of experience to the table, while others have opened shop in the past few months.

Together they represent a sample of the very finest local artisan approaches in action right now.

Artisan dining also extends beyond the food on our plates.

To share the full experience, we profile a St. Louis furniture company building sustainable home furnishings and a group

masters of their craft | 42 - 64 |

reshaping expectations

| 69 - 71 |

well-crafted local art

| 72 - 79 |

tree to table furnishings

of local artists crafting hand-made art for your table.

When we asked each person featured in this issue what being an artisan means to them, they all expressed a version of the same idea: An artisan is someone whose diligent, passionate, hands-on work yields distinctive products that raise, redefine and surpass our expectations for high-quality goods.

It’s our pleasure to introduce the talented group of inspiring local artisans and dedicated craftspeople in this issue.

Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

41

artisan

reshaping expectations

At the heart of artisan food and drink products are passionate farmers, chefs, inventors and problem solvers. They find better ways to make superior products when alternatives prove simply not good enough. Here we meet 12 exceptional local artisans whose processes are not only improving the quality of their goods, but the St. Louis dining scene as a whole.

photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Ozark Forest Mushrooms Written by Erik Jacobs

ONLINE EXTRA: Learn how to make Ozark Forest shiitake spring rolls at feastSTL.com.

You probably will not find Nicola Macpherson’s magnificent Ozark Forest Mushrooms at the local megamart. The proper temperature for storing mushrooms is between 34°F and 36°F. Many grocers display them at room temperature, quickly degrading their flavor and texture. So, after years of tangling with grocery chains, Macpherson decided she will not let the quality of her mushrooms be compromised. She is taking her crop elsewhere. When you exert the time and energy to produce a highly perishable agricultural product, you don’t want to see it mishandled.

Originally hailing from England, Macpherson studied biology and horticulture before moving to the U.S. to be with her husband. Living on their farm deep in the Ozarks, she was frustrated by the ratio of forest to farmable pasture. As is often the case, opportunity became the mother of invention.

After her husband attended an agricultural seminar in Kansas City, the couple learned the Ozark microclimate is ideal for growing mushrooms. Macpherson was seeking products she could raise sustainably on the farm and decided to try her hand at growing shiitakes. The mushrooms she produced were exceptionally good. So good she thought she might have luck selling them to restaurants. A handful of discerning chefs understood the quality of her product, and soon her production increased from eight experimental logs to almost 1,000. Twenty-

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three years later, production hovers at 20,000 logs and counting.

To get those logs, she uses a less traditional farming technique.

The industry standard for raising shiitake mushrooms is indoors on blocks of sawdust. That method can produce decent mushrooms.

Macpherson grows her mushrooms by inoculating limbs of sustainably harvested white oak trees. This method produces a superlative mushroom. The shiitake mushrooms harvested at the farm are meatier and tastier than the competition, with less stem and less water weight. Once oak branches are finished hosting mushrooms, they are burned in the winter to heat indoor growing rooms where oyster and shiitake mushrooms are raised.

Macpherson truly is a responsible steward of the land and emphasizes sustainability along with exceptional quality. Her company is one of the last to grow shiitakes on logs, and the logs she uses are not timber quality, so would not be harvested for building purposes. Culling the logs from the white oaks growing in the region promotes the overall health of the forest. It is this integrated approach to agriculture that positions Ozark Forest Mushrooms as a vanguard of responsible business operations.

Its artisan nature is not only in its product but also the care and intention placed into bringing that product to market.

Ozark Forest Mushrooms, 314.531.9935, ozarkforest.com

Family owned and operated since 1967.

We sharpen • Knives • Scissors

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Wide selection of Wusthof Knives, Global Knives, Victorinox Knives, AllClad Pans, Capresso Coffee Makers, Atlas Pasta Machines, Emile Henry Bakeware, USA Pan Bakeware, Vic Firth Pepper Mills, and other World Class brands.

Great selection of High end Knives, Cookware, Kitchen tools and gadgets. Great Holiday specials.

Bertarelli Cutlery 1927 Marconi • Saint Louis 314.664.4005

Bertarelli Cutlery

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St. Louis’ premier dance studio for 26 years at same location!

We teach social beginners to advanced competitors Swing, Cha Cha, Rumba, Waltz, Tango, Fox Trot, Salsa, etc.

Dance lessons for Wedding Couples and Father/Daughter dance Adult, Children, Group and Private lessons Professional dancers featured in the Independence Center’s “Dancing with the St. Louis Stars”

Summer Fun Special - One Private, 2 Group lessons and 2 Parties for $60 (30% discount) Singles or Couples, New Students Only Gift Certificates available. No Contracts. Open 7 days a week

236 Old Meramec Station Road Southwest corner of 141 and Manchester Road • 636.227.7202 • just-dancing.com

Contemporary Classics Recipe Contest Home cooks, you are invited to submit Thanksgiving recipes to Feast’s Contemporary Classics recipe contest in three categories: appetizers, side dishes and desserts, developed as contemporary takes on classic holiday dishes.

The most inventive, modern spins on classic recipes will be selected by Feast’s editorial staff to be tested by the professional chef instructors at L’Ecole Culinaire. Finalists will be invited to watch the recipe testing and judging unfold, where the dishes will be scored based on appearance, creativity, seasonal appeal and, of course, flavor. Winners chosen from each category will have their dish professionally photographed and featured in Feast’s Thanksgiving issue this November.

Throw your recipes into the ring by sending your contact information, a submission letter outlining your recipe concept and your full recipe including a thorough ingredient list and preparation process to editor@feaststl.com.

Presented by

Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

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La Patisserie Chouquette Written by Brandi Wills

The air inside La Patisserie Chouquette tastes like sugar.

Sweet scents drift off pastel macarons, exquisite pastries and designer cakes and confections – in creative shapes such as high-heed shoes, handbags and jewelry – mingling and dancing together lightly around the room. At the center of it all is owner and pastry chef Simone Faure.

“I’ve learned from experience that once people know you, they trust you,” says Faure, who opened the wildly successful pastry boutique just five months ago after a notable stint at The RitzCarlton, St. Louis. “I make what I like – what I know is good.”

What she knows is good tends to be beautiful French-style desserts alongside classic New Orleans-inspired goodies. The French influence comes from her schooling, while the nod to NOLA calls back to her upbringing. Those two worlds collide when Faure enters the kitchen.

There is no secret recipe. There is no obscure technique. It really is the person behind the pastry. “I don’t make something just because it’s popular. I have to be excited about it,” she says, describing how she creates her menu at Chouquette.

Bakery specialities include house-made butter croissants, bon bons, cream puffs, tarts and the eponymous chouquette, just to name a few. Faure also works with clients to create glamorous custom cakes for weddings and special occasions.

“French pastries are all about tradition, but I break that tradition and use flavors like chocolate and green tea in my canelés. Because I really like how it tastes. No French pastry chef would ever do that.”

What makes Faure’s pastries so novel, though, is her creative imagination and push to constantly improve.

“Pastry people are very critical people,” Faure says. “I’m constantly in competition. Not with my peers but with myself to do better every day than I did the day before. I know my strengths, and I know my limitations. But I put 100 percent of myself on the plate, and then I ask to be judged.”

La Patisserie Chouquette, 1626 Tower Grove Ave., Botanical Heights, 314.932.7935, simonefaure.com

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MAY 2013

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314.991.0900

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Tenacious Eats Presents Movies for Foodies By integrating film and food, we create an original experience, a feast for the senses, an event that brings food and film, chefs and diners together.

TUES, JULY 9 • Cocktail • OUTSIDE ON THE NEW PATIO, WITH BOTTLE-TOSSING BARTENDERS! TUES, JULY 16 • Blazing Saddles • A MEL BROOKS CLASSIC AND COMING SOON ! Attack of the Killer Tomatoes for Operation Food Search Tomato Explosion 2013

Join us for multiple courses and drink pairings while enjoying our feature films. Meals are prepared with locally sourced and hard-to-find ingredients. Each new film inspires a new menu so each dining experience is unique. Reservations required.

Tenacious Eats at www.brownpapertickets.com We are also available for private parties and corporate events!

4510 Manchester Avenue (at Meyer’s Grove) • The Grove • 314.605.3684 • facebook.com/TenaciousEats

Womens Euro Fashion & Comfort Shoes Le Shoe is a new Seliga Company exclusively for Women.

The finest European footwear for the Active Woman, the Business Woman, and the Sophisticated Woman in you!

Le Shoe specializes in all the hottest brands so that you will look and feel great. Your friends will rave when you arrive in fashion and style with your new REd BiRd Footwear. Check out all the coolest comfort collections including: Arcopedico Bernie Mev, Birkenstock, dansko, dromedaris, Merrel, Mephisto, Naot, Softwaves & Taos.

Hours: Mon - Sat 10a - 6p & Sun 12p - 5p

2538 S Brentwood Blvd. • Brentwood • 314.963.1300 • le-shoe.com Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

45

Salume Beddu Written by Erik Jacobs

ONLINE EXTRA: Cook like Mark Sanfilippo with his recipes at feastSTL.com.

Salume Beddu’s Mark Sanfilippo cannot craft artisan-quality salumi without exceptional hogs, and in Missouri, he can draw from an abundance and variety of heritage-breed pigs. For Salume Beddu’s products, the Berkshire hog is used almost exclusively.

Not only does it possess a wonderfully sweet flavor, but its fat is milky white and cures fabulously. Further, Salume Beddu uses only hormone-free, antibiotic-free meats.

Therein lies a clue to the success of Salume Beddu. Sanfilippo and business partners Ben Poremba and Cary Exler are very intentional about the choices they make in crafting Salume Beddu products. The key to their authentic offerings is their deliberate avoidance of shortcuts that sacrifice quality in favor of efficiency. Crafting salumi worthy of being called “artisan” is the result of a collection of qualitative choices that enhance the final product.

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From preparing the meat for grinding to tying off the sausages, everything is done by hand. This gives Sanfilippo and his team the opportunity to make adjustments based on what they see and feel in the raw product. This embodies the artisan process.

Another shortcut not found in Salume Beddu’s products is filler.

Many commercial sausage or cured meat manufacturers include bulk materials to weigh down the final product, detracting from the intensity of flavor but increasing profit. At Salume Beddu, each link is hand-tied. The shop’s sausage stuffer is hand-cranked.

All of its meat is cut and cured in-house. The staff know how the hogs were raised. They know the farmers who raised them, and they value, above all else, the quality of the products.

One such choice deals with the spices that go into the different products. Each batch of spices is hand-blended and hand-toasted.

Toasting whole spices revives the essential oils in the pods and makes for deeper, fuller flavor when the spices are ground. That intensity of flavor defines Salume Beddu’s product, Sanfilippo says.

Salume Beddu was born out of a reverence for the process and an eagerness to exceed the expectations of those who came before.

As business grows and the shop increases production, garnering more national attention and accounts, Sanfilippo is adamant that the essential practices that make Salume Beddu special will never be compromised. Honoring tradition is not necessarily the most economical way to produce cured meats, but it’s the only way the artisans at Salume Beddu will do it.

You will not find a highly mechanized operation at Salume Beddu. The process of creating salumi is very much hands-on.

Salume Beddu, 3467 Hampton Ave., Lindenwood Park, 314.353.3100, salumebeddu.com

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Inspired Food Culture

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47

Billy Goat Chip Co. Written by Valeria Turturro Klamm

The interaction people have with Billy Goat Chip Co. potato chips is something owners Rob Lyons and Brian Roth value highly. From the seven ingredients listed on the bags – russet potatoes, canola oil, salt, onion, garlic, spices and sugar – to the first bite, each bag promises hand-made freshness.

“Opening up a bag and enjoying that initial chip is an intimate experience,” Lyons says.

The chips were created in 2002 as a side dish at the pair’s restaurant, The Billy Goat Restaurant & Bar. In 2008 they sold the restaurant to make chips full time. Five years later, Roth says everything about the process has changed except the spirit. “We’re always asking, ‘Does it make the product better?’”

“Perfect practice makes perfect,” Roth says. That means refining the process so it can be repeated a million times. In March the company moved into a new space at 3136 Watson Road. This facility’s layout offers more open communication for their 14 employees. “To get 70 to 80 batches done per day, every part of the process has to count,” Roth says.

Each batch of chips begins with 22 lbs of potatoes hand-fed vertically into a slicer. Slices are then rinsed in water twice to remove starch and hung in a strainer to drain. They are then submerged in a 145-gallon fryer filled with canola oil that is filtered twice by hand the night before to remove impurities.

The chips fry for 6½ minutes while someone manually stirs the batch. After leaving the fryer, the roughly 7 lbs of chips are tumbled and hand-seasoned with salt, spices and a pinch of sugar. Chips are then sorted for quality control, and the remaining amount – approximately 6.3 lbs – are weighed and hand-packed with the help of a single machine. According to Roth, one machine that can accurately calculate four different weights is a rarity, but this one does the job. The bags are then hand-sealed and packaged into boxes for delivery, resulting in the production of about 50 lbs of usable chips each hour.

Once chips leave the facility, so does a certain amount of control. “Our retailers rise above the normal care to handle our product well,” Roth says. “The subtle things make a big difference.”

Billy Goat Chip Co., 3136 Watson Road, Lindenwood Park, 314.353.4628, billygoatstl.com

Celebrate the Season with Patio Dining Lunch Tuesday - Friday Dinner Tuesday - Saturday Breakfast & Brunch Saturday & Sunday

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p: 314 932 5595 w: centraltaBleStl.com

1415 South 18th Street • Saint Louis MO 63104 (314) 865-3522 www.sqwires.com

Open on Sundays too for Brunch or Dinner!

Turkish/Mediterranean food is a cross between Southern European, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines. Aya Sofia Restaurant and Wine Bar offers a large variety of cold and hot meze (small plates) that are intended to be shared and will complement any of our entrees,including delectable lamb, beef, chicken, and fresh seafood.

Lunch: Tues-Fri - Dinner: Tues-Sun - Sunday Brunch Happy Hour: Tues-Fri NIGHTLY DINNER SPECIALS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES AND CATERING

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6671 Chippewa Street • St. Louis • 314.645.9919 • ayasofiacuisine.com

Chi Mangia Bene Vive Bene!

"To Eat Well is To Live Well" Proudly Serving Authentic Italian Food in a Family Atmosphere.

Try Our Villa Puccini Tosana Wine Paired with Steak Bistacca Pescatore (pictured) Let Us Cater Your Special Occasion Featuring Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials Reservations Recommended, Hours of Operation: Tuesday - Saturday 11am-10pm • Sunday Noon-9pm Closed Monday

5442 Old Hwy 21• Imperial • 636.942.2405 • trattoria-giuseppe.com Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

49

The Farmers’ Larder Written by Andrew Mark Veety

A cursory pulse check of pop culture says Americans have never been more in love with bacon. For every inspired application of bacon – a cured product made from the belly, loin or jowls of the pig – there is a bacon-fueled monstrosity to be found. Bacon, it would seem, has lost its way.

This last point is particularly worrisome, as the bulk of the bacon sold in the U.S. is manufactured from commodity pork.

It’s produced on a massive scale for the sake of economy and to fuel a ravenous desire for bacon on our plates. Diners might be surprised to learn that when it comes to pork – and, by extension, bacon – there are few places in the country producing better pork and pork-based products than Missouri. This pork doesn’t come from large animal-farming operations raising pigs to meet a manufacturing process but from a tapestry of small farms.

At Todd Geisert’s farm in Washington, Mo., heirloom and contemporary breeds of hogs are crossed to create superior pigs for butchering into chops for the grill; shoulders and ribs for the smoker; and, of course, belly for bacon. Geisert’s pork consistently appears on the best menus in St. Louis but can also be found at local farmers’ markets, most notably in the form of charcuterie from The Farmers’ Larder, whose thick-cut bacons have achieved a cult-like following among St. Louis chefs and home cooks.

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Todd Geisert’s pork might make a delicious foundation for The Farmers’ Larder’s bacon, but it is the judicious application of traditional techniques that yields a final product that surpasses the bacon sold in most grocery stores.

“We keep curing spices to a minimum, allowing the natural flavor of the pork to shine,” says Lucian Matoushek, owner of The Farmers’ Larder. “Our sweeteners are natural: floral Missouri honey for lean loin bacon and brown sugar for fatty cuts of jowl and belly.”

Sea salt and naturally occurring vegetable nitrites contribute to the preservation process in place of commercial pink salt, and hickory wood is used to hot-smoke the cured belly before it is sliced thickly and packaged for sale.

For the home cook, the end product is versatile bacon. Baked on sheet trays in the oven, strips caramelize nicely yet retain the satisfying chew that is the hallmark of thick-cut bacon.

Serve with breakfast or on a BLT, or render diced bacon fat for a warming dressing. Combine it with yeast donuts; rich chocolate; or salty, sweet and savory buttermilk biscuits, split and slathered in apple butter, to let the bacon’s smoky richness shine.

The Farmers’ Larder, facebook.com/FarmersLarderMO

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Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

51

YellowTree Farm Written by Andrew Mark Veety

St. Louis is blessed with many accomplished small farmers, but it has only one Justin Leszcz. There is no one trait that easily explains the success of his business, YellowTree Farm, or accounts for how, in a few short years, he outgrew his small backyard plot in suburban Affton and began working a patch of land in Fenton. Here he grows a bounty of rare and heirloom vegetables that consistently stand out at farmers’ markets and on the menus of our city’s finest restaurants.

A background in sales taught Leszcz to hustle, self-motivate and market his goods, with the understanding that every interaction is a chance to make new friends and customers. With affable yet frenetic mannerisms and speech, he draws people into orbit with his personality and the things he grows, gleans and forages for in and around St. Louis.

Spend some time with him, and you’ll eventually find yourself tasting, smelling and sampling the array of produce he proudly brings to market. Once Leszcz gets to know you, these quick samples will be accompanied by recommendations: how to cook with them; as part of a fermentation, pickling or infusion project; or as a natural medical cure for a minor ailment.

The experience is a melding of salesmanship, folk knowledge and research that turns something as simple as a striated baby radish into the most interesting and delicious item available at the market that week. Leszcz has a knack for identifying and propagating rare and seldom planted seeds for vegetables, trading for and importing variations on local favorites that are rarely seen in St. Louis. He then capitalizes on their novelty by limiting sales to a CSA one year and one restaurant the next, creating demand where there was once none.

“I research all year long,” Leszcz says. “I think it’s part of what keeps me going. Deciding what to plant is the hardest part. I like the odd or different. I want to give my customers something that they have never seen, tasted, touched or smelled before.”

The greatest testament to Leszcz and his produce is not his success in selling it, but the experience it conjures in cooking and dining. There is an the undeniable pleasure in reveling in the flavors of the seasons Justin Leszcz brings to the table.

YellowTree Farm, 314.482.9203, yellowtreefarm.com

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MAY 2013

Exciting Summer Pops Concerts by the Compton Heights Band!

The Compton Heights Band’s NEW Indoor concert series at the beautiful

Purser Auditorium at Logan Chiropractic College Every Sunday in July!

Guest Artists #1—Sunday, July 7, 2013 7:30 PM

The Canadian Brass Returns! #2— Sunday, July 14, 2013 7:30 PM Sigrun Hjalmtysdottir (Diddú), Soprano The Icelandic Storm! Fan Favorite! #3 — Sunday, July 21, 2013 7:30 PM Buckwheat Zydeco, Creole Dance Music

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“Randy’s House of BBQ”, Please join us in our live music nights with the greatest food in Troy and Highland IL. You will enjoy our world class BBQ along with the red beans and rice, Jambalaya, Chef salad and last but not least for desert our tasty Gooey Butter Cake.

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2649 Northtown Way • Highland IL• 618.654.1800 • 1595 Troy Ofallon Rd • Troy IL • 618.667.7227 • Randysbbq.com

Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

53

The Big O

Written by Valeria Turturro Klamm

ONLINE EXTRA: Mix cocktails with The Big O using recipes at feastSTL.com.

It took a year and a half of making batches in their kitchen for Bill Foster and Kathy Kuper to perfect the recipe for The Big O ginger liqueur. The husband and wife team now drive 5½ hours to Atchison, Kan., to a distillery that allows them to keep making their liqueur by hand. After chopping and rinsing 22 lbs of Hawaiian ginger, they combine it with other spices and two spirits: fine vodka and a lightly oaked, single-distillation brandy made with Missouri wine. The pair’s distiller, High Plains Distillery, specially makes the spirits for The Big O. “Everyone comes out of the woodwork at the distillery and walks around saying, ‘Oh, this smells so good,’” Kuper says.

The recipe macerates in stainless-steel drums inscribed with “love” so that “love is infused inside,” Foster jokes. The 100 gallons of finished liqueur go into 500 bottles that are manually fed into a bottling machine before two labels are attached to each bottle by hand.

“The handmade quality is the most special part, so we can monitor it at every stage,” Kuper says. “We had to make the decision to distribute it ourselves or make it by hand. The decision was simple; we’d much rather make it just right rather than have someone else making it.”

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The love affair with The Big O led Foster and Kuper to continue experimenting. This past November they made 24 limited-edition bottles of barrel-aged Big O, aged in three 3½-gallon casks for 10 to 12 weeks. The result was an even smoother product with notes of bourbon, vanilla and caramel. They hope to have 250 to 500 bottles available in time for the holiday season this year.

Although The Big O is meant to be a sipper, bartenders around St. Louis have adopted it as a staple ingredient in their cocktail arsenals. On April 14, Foster and Kuper held The Big O Classic Couples Cocktail Competition in search of a signature drink. The winning drink was Frida and Diego by Layla Linehan of Brasserie

by Niche. “The Big O brings a fresh take on ginger to cocktails,” Linehan says. “There is a depth to it because of the variety of spices added that I haven’t tasted before in a ginger liqueur.”

Jayne Pellegrino of Blood & Sand loves the liqueur’s versatility, specifically with gin, tequila or bourbon. “Big O can blend with and enhance many flavor profiles,” she says. “It ties many unrelated things together, like a missing link, leaving you with a lovely rounded, harmonious concoction.”

The Big O, 2510 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.239.5811, drinkthebigo.com

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You will find many excellent fish and seafood restaurants throughout Cancun, often featuring fresh lobster. Cancun boasts three AAA Five Diamond Restaurants – the highest accolade awarded to culinary establishments. Two are located in the Ritz-Carlton Cancun, and Le Basilic is in the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa.

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JULY 2013

55

Stellina

Written by Brandon Chuang

Flour. Water. These are the two components necessary to make pasta. So what’s the big deal with fresh pasta?

To Jamey Tochtrop, it’s a very big deal.

“People can tell the difference,” the chef and owner of Stellina says about why he makes fresh pasta every day. “There are very few places making pasta by hand the way that we do.”

In Stellina’s case, making pasta by hand means mixing and kneading the ingredients, one batch at a time, and feeding the dough through a sheeting machine. Starting on the thickest setting, Tochtrop will crank his proprietary dough of organic flours, extra-virgin olive oil, eggs, sea salt and water through the machine, flattening it out. He then folds it over, dials the machine to the next thinnest setting and cranks the dough through again. This goes on, folding and cranking – each time dialing down the thickness – until the dough reaches its conclusion: thin, lustrous yellow sheets.

“It is a labor of love,” Tochtrop says, laughing, about the process, which takes him about three hours to complete from start to finish – and that’s just for a single batch. “You have to enjoy standing for hours and hours and hours, cranking it out.”

If you’re buying boxed pasta, you’re likely buying extruded pasta. In giant vats, flour and water are mixed with an auger, then dough is pushed through holes to create different pasta shapes. There’s no letting the dough rest or rise and no kneading, which incidentally is a key component in helping the glutens relax. Tochtrop says extruding results in a tough texture, something he’s avoided since beginning to make pasta more than a decade ago.

Aside from what’s served at Stellina, he sells pasta – fettuccine, tagliatelle, capellini – directly to customers daily, just as he did when he first sold at farmers’ markets.

His advice for home cooks? “Make sure the water is at a rolling boil. Have your sauce ready because the pasta cooks in about 90 seconds. And don’t fuss with it too much. It’s pretty simple.”

Stellina, 3342 Watson Road, Lindenwood Heights, 314.256.1600, stellinapasta.com

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Offer subject to change without notice. Offer varies depending on the particular Consort Homes community you are interested in. See Sales Manager in the community that you are interested in, for further details. Offer cannot be combined with other offers or exchanged for any cash value equivalent. Offer does not apply to contracts dated before May 3, 2013. Photo shown does not represent what is offered and may show other features which are optional and may have additional fees associated with them.

Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

57

Askinosie Chocolate Written by Brandon Chuang

Askinosie Chocolate, based in Springfield, Mo., has won countless awards, partnered with national brands and has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine; Bon Appetit; and The New York Times, just to name a few. But if you ask the company’s founder, Shawn Askinosie, what the secret to his chocolate is, there’s a strong possibility his answer will be something along the lines of “love.”

The company touts itself as a bean-to-bar chocolate maker. This means it oversees the entire production process, turning cacao beans into the final chocolate product you see on store shelves. And while it isn’t the only bean-to-bar company, it’s definitely unique.

Only one specific type of bean per chocolate product is used to make the bars – what the company refers to as “single-origin” chocolate. Askinosie does this to benefit his open-management system, giving his cacao farmers in Ecuador, Tanzania, Honduras and the Philippines a lucrative stake in the product’s outcome.

“We import everything ourselves,” Askinosie says about his company’s sourcing methodology. “We believe that the relationships we create impact the flavor of the chocolate you taste – I’m not even aware of another importer our size that is [doing what we do].”

Askinosie visits each of his farmers at least once a year. During these visits he continues strengthening his relationships with the farmers and works with them on how they harvest to get the exact specifications he needs for his chocolate. Once the beans have been imported to Askinosie’s home base, they are roasted and supplemented with organic sugar and house-made, single-orgin cocoa butter. “The cocoa butter gives it the texture and mouth feel,” Askinosie says. “We’re one of the few small-batch chocolate makers in the world that makes our own from the same beans.”

Once the beans are ground with sugar and cocoa butter, Askinosie conches the mixture, exposing the chocolate to air to allow flavors to evaporate off and mellow. Once this is finished, the chocolate is tempered, molded and cooled before it’s inspected and wrapped in 100 percent home-compostable cellophane.

“We try to connect as closely as possible to the people around us,” Askinosie says about his company’s humanitarian ideals.

The company offers unique items, such as dark goat’s-milk chocolate with ancho chiles and pistachio, but its primary line of dark and milk chocolates hold their own interest. Every label has a picture of the lead farmer for that specific bar of chocolate.

“Our goal is to make great chocolate, but our mission is to positively impact the lives of those around us,” Askinosie says.

Askinosie Chocolate, 514 E. Commercial St., Springfield, Mo., 417.862.9900, askinosie.com

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535 S. Lindbergh • St. Louis • 314.993.0735 • kreisrestaurant.com Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

59

Wenneman Meat Co. Written by Brandon Chuang

Wenneman Meat Co. has been sourcing, butchering and serving beef, chicken, pork and more to retail customers and St. Louis restaurants (clients include Herbie’s Vintage ‘72 and Nico) for more than 80 years. “Unlike many places that call themselves butcher shops, we do everything within our own four walls,” explains third-generation co-owner Brad Schmitz.

Because of tightening U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, many butchers have taken to ordering meat from larger companies. It’s delivered frozen, then thawed, and light trimming and portioning occurs before it’s ready for purchase.

But St. Libory, Ill.-based Wenneman has its own hog, cattle and chicken suppliers, meaning that before it butchers animals, it knows everything there is to know about them.

“People want to know more about their products, and if you walk in here, I can tell you exactly which farm that pork chop you’re about to buy came from,” Schmitz says.

As if doing everything in the butchering process except rearing the animal isn’t enough, Schmitz and his 50-person team also make ready-to-eat deli meats such as bologna, roast beef and ham.

In the case of Wenneman’s deboned hams, the process is extremely labor-intensive. First they break down the pork into hams, which are deboned and trimmed before being seasoned.

Then a tumbling process tenderizes and extracts proteins and then each ham goes into a smoking bag that is pressed, loaded onto a cart and rolled into a smokehouse for smoking. Once finished, the hams are chilled and packaged whole or sliced (Wenneman offers both options) for sale. The entire process takes four days. Minimum.

“Freshness and quality: They speak volumes for why we do things how we do them,” Schmitz says about the company’s laborious approach. “It’s how we’ve built our business and our name. The hogs we butchered yesterday are cut today and in some cases are even ready for sale today. Other places get their pork in vacuum-packed boxes where the meat is already two to three weeks old. We understand that what we do may seem like the hard way, but it’s the right way.”

Wenneman Meat Co., 7415 State Route 15, St. Libory, Ill., 618.768.4328, wenneman.com

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JULY 2013

61

Sump Coffee Written by Brandon Chuang

Scott Carey might be known as a lawyer-turned-coffee-evangelist, but right now he’s more mathematician, charting out a graph on the back of one of his menus to explain how to roast coffee. “It’s a thermodynamic problem,” he explains, as he draws a bell curve.

“You’re seeing how it accepts heat.”

He goes on to draw another line, ascending and almost parallel with the initial slope of his first sketch. “My goal is to preserve palate acidity and origin notes. There’s no green or grassy notes (like a raw or under-roasted bean), but I also don’t want to taste that caramelization. It’s like a sandwich: Do you want bread that’s heated to the temperature of the warmed meats, or do you want to taste the electric toast lines?”

Much has been written about Carey’s Sump Coffee – how it’s challenging the way St. Louisans drink their coffee – and now he’s taken the next logical step, roasting his own beans in-house. “I felt like a fraud,” Carey says about initially sourcing his roasts.

“If I make you a good cup, it’s because I’m using someone else’s ingredients. Where’s the pride in that?”

Carey’s approach to roasting is what he calls “peak to peak,” which means buying beans from places such as Ethiopia and Costa Rica as they first hit the U.S. market and then roasting them to his exact flavor profiles and not a minute more. The results, as he

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describes them, are often tart, fruity and light-bodied.

“I’m getting beans from people that are doing this, sometimes, 10,000 miles away,” he explains about his less aggressive roasting style. “I should respect what they do, preserve it. I may roast a bean that has hints of blueberry and brew it at 195 degrees; to a 65-year-old that has had one style of coffee their whole life, they would probably say that I’m just giving them hot water.”

This, in large part, is the cornerstone of Carey’s approach. In making a cup of coffee, in roasting beans for said cup, he isn’t making coffee you want to drink; he’s making coffee he wants to drink. “That may sound selfish, but I’m not trying to take your money and make you drink what I want. I’m trying to take something I believe in and make you feel the same way.”

Sump has been preparing to change over to its own roasts for months, testing and sampling with a small drum roaster. It currently boasts five origins of beans, a number Carey hopes to hover around. “I’m trying to have the best coffee that this corner can afford,” he says. “I want someone to say, ‘I had no idea that was possible with coffee.’”

Sump Coffee, 3700 S. Jefferson Ave., Marine Villa, 917.412.5670, sumpcoffee.com

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Rondy’s Elite Catering & Corporate Dining With a great deal of dedication to quality and the desires of customers, Rondy’s Elite Catering can offer customers remarkable services to complement their event. In addition to our corporate box lunches & buffets, soul food buffets, barbecue family reunions and elegant wedding dinners, we also offer services that allows our clients the opportunity to “BE A GUEST AT THEIR OWN EVENT!”

Mention this ad and receive 10% off any order for 25 or more guests. (plus delivery) 7501 Page Avenue • 314.290.4696 • rondyselitecatering.com

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Join Ty Clodd, Stan “The Man” Musical., Ruth the Babe, Sammy SoSo and other baseball greats when they team up with Sam Spud, Iowa’s greatest and only detective to solve this Baseball-themed murder mystery. The participatory comedy mystery is served with a 4-course meal to DIE for!

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4426 Randall Place • St. Louis • 314.533.9830 • bissellmansion.com Inspired Food Culture

JULY 2013

63

Homestead Creamery Written by Andrew Mark Veety

Jamesport, Mo., might only be a blip on the map, but it’s home to two notable things: the largest population of Amish in the Show-Me State and Homestead Creamery, a small farm where the Flory family turns raw milk from its Jersey cows into a rich cheese called Flory’s Truckle Cheddar.

The Flory family has managed a 300-acre farm in northwestern Missouri since 1998 and expanded to cheese making in 2008.

The bulk of their cheese production is sold directly to the surrounding Jamesport area at farmers’ markets and from a small storefront. Old World cheese-making techniques make Homestead’s cheeses regional favorites, but none of its products are as coveted as Flory’s Truckle.

To make it, Homestead takes unpasteurized milk and combines it with culture, rennet and salt. After curds are formed, they are separated from whey and packed into cloth to form a truckle, essentially a wheel of cheese that has a distinctive barrel shape. The young cheese spends its first two months aging in Jamesport before being shipped to Milton Creamery in Iowa, where it will age for another 10 to 12 months. Then samples are taken and the best of that run become Flory’s Truckle.

Cloth-aging distinguishes Flory’s Truckle from other premium Cheddars. These longer-aged cheeses tend to start creamy and buttery when young, then take on a nutty flavor and drier texture as the years pass. Cloth-aged Cheddar spends a fraction of the time aging and more time exposed to air, adding a distinctive terroir that mingles with the grassy and herbal nature of unpasteurized milk, concentrating the flavor as moisture evaporates. The end result is a style of Cheddar rarely produced in the U.S. but common in England.

Flory’s Truckle is best served by the slice at room temperature, eaten slowly and paired with a sturdy beer – preferably a highgravity stout – or sips of Kentucky bourbon.

Its limited production makes this cheese frustratingly difficult to find outside Jamesport and select cheese counters such as The Wine Merchant in Clayton – and that’s only when the shop can actually procure a wheel of it.

Homestead Creamery, 2059 LIV 506, Jamesport, Mo., 660.684.6970

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art on the table Written by Brandi Wills

|

photography by Jonathan Gayman

artisan Written by Brandi Wills photography by Jonathan Gayman

Artisan-made foods are only the first step to a well-crafted meal.

Once food leaves the kitchen, the dining and serving utensils used to enjoy it are every bit as important.

These pieces of functional, handcrafted art from local shops add lovely balance to serving a truly one-of-a-kind meal.

Pictured clockwise from top left: Tall vase by Sumi Shah,

$110, Creative Art Gallery and Framing, 3232 Ivanhoe Ave., Lindenwood Park, 314.645.4898, creativeartandframingstl.com; Ceramic Mesopotamia-style flask

by Bob Allen, $75, Studio 9 at Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main St., St. Charles, 636.255.0270, foundryartcentre.org; Caramel and cream orb vase by Anchor Bend Glassworks, $200, Craft Alliance, 6640 Delmar Blvd., The Loop, 314.725.1177, craftalliance. org; Black walnut salad paddles

by Spencer Peterman, $30, Craft Alliance; Shallow salad bowl and soup bowl by Sumi Shah, $40 each, Creative Art Gallery and Framing UNDERNEATH above products: John Boos cutting board, prices on next page, Bertarelli Cutlery, 1927 Marconi Ave., The Hill, 314.664.4005, bertarellicutlery.com

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TOP: Handblown red glass pitcher by Sam Stang, $90, Craft Alliance ABOVE: Black walnut salad paddles, $30, and salad bowls, $68 to $136, by Spencer Peterman, Craft Alliance

left: John Boos cutting boards, $30 to $120, Bertarelli Cutlery, 1927 Marconi Ave., The Hill, 314.664.4005, bertarellicutlery.com ABOVE: Dishes

by Sumi Shah, $40 each, Creative Art Gallery and Framing RIGHT: Bowls and chopsticks, $10 each, Pitcher, $20, by Ghost Cat Studios, Fusion, Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, 636.536.0755, fusionbysmh. wordpress.com

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left: Organic stone-inspired teapot by Judy Jackson, $52, Craft Alliance BELOW: Ceramic Mesopotamia-style flask by Bob Allen, $75, Studio 9 at Foundry Art Centre RIGHT: Clique vases by Ed and Kate Coleman, $40 to $72, Craft Alliance

Below: Caramel and cream bowl by Anchor Bend Glassworks, $200, Craft Alliance Bottom: Woven bowls, $65 to $100, baskets with lids, $110 to $125, Creative Art Gallery and Framing

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artisan

hands on:

crafting sustainable furniture ...

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from

tree to table Written by Jeremy Nulik

|

photography by Jonathan Gayman

when the fireplace gets hot enough in Martin Goebel’s parents’ house, you can smell the sap from the white-pine plank dining table. It’s the smell that once occupied the backyard. Goebel’s grandfather planted the pines in the ’60s. After a recent ice storm, the pines had to come down. Goebel, founder of Goebel & Co. Furniture, a three-year-old artisan furniture company in St. Louis, repurposed the pines by building the table for his parents. Now when his parents’ friends come over to have fondue dinners or to talk of old times, the heat activates the sap. And the sap activates aromas and memories for Goebel and his parents. Quietly, in the background of the conversation, Goebel’s mind is flooded with thoughts of his grandfather.

“It is different for everybody, but there is a nostalgic reaction that people have with furniture.

It gives an experience that is not just visual. There are smells and textures that remind us of something – sometimes it is the way a rough edge feels or the story behind a scratch. Furniture is more than an elevated surface,” Goebel says.

However, according to Goebel, furniture is generally overlooked in food culture. The finest restaurants often serve meals with the equivalent of a blank canvas – white cloth on what might as well be a Rubbermaid folding table – that does little except keep food off the floor.

Even when the structure of the furniture is exposed, dining and entertaining furniture has become

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homogenous in appearance. More homes and businesses look as though their decor was taken from the IKEA catalog.

To describe how this trend relates to his artful approach, Goebel is equipped with endless food metaphors.

“Adding a stain to furniture is like asking a chef for a bottle of A.1. sauce. It’s like telling them, ‘I don’t care what you did to cook this.’ You are homogenizing the experience. I don’t begrudge anyone for their taste. If you want a table jetblack, I will make you one. But they should know that they don’t have to do it. You can get a walnut color from a locally sourced walnut tree – it does not have to be a stain,” Goebel says.

The idea behind Goebel’s furniture is not unlike many locavore-inspired, gourmet food businesses. It is farm (or local mill in this case) to table (literally). And much like some of St. Louis’ best chefs, he uses old-school craft complemented with modern efficiency. His aim is to create memorable, distinctive and lasting products that enhance an experience. It is a vision that is diametrically opposed to the way most production furniture is created.

planned for failure “The production-furniture industry is planned obsolescence,” Goebel says. He is standing in his company workshop, located in the same building as Perennial Artisan Ales in the Carondelet neighborhood of south St. Louis. With sawdust around his feet, he holds a small stick that is dripping an epoxy resin and charcoal mixture over a section of an 8-foot-long black-walnut slab.

The epoxy is used to fill in cracks near a knot.

This is a part of the wood that most productionfurniture houses would just scrap, but Goebel knows that with the proper care, it could enhance the uniqueness of the piece. “Most furniture is engineered to fail. The adhesives, the manufacturing, the materials are not meant to last very long. That way you have to buy a new one.”

Goebel traces current production furniture’s roots back to World War II, when efficiencies were achieved in manufacturing. They began using plywood and plastics and flat packing pieces for shipping and at-home assembly.

“I grew up in a house with three boys, and I think that furniture should hold up to family life,” Goebel says. “We do utilize automation for precision, but in most areas we are quite Old-World. We don’t have any metal fasteners. It is wood joining wood, so no expanding will occur – that’s why you get wobbles. No veneers or plywood. Much like how most good recipes only have four or five ingredients, our furniture follows suit – wood, glue, natural oil and clear finish.”

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church parking lots and storm damage Goebel describes the look of his pieces as a merger of mid-century and modern with notes of Japanese and neocolonial inspiration. To the untrained eye, however, they look plain beautiful.

Within the grain of the finished pieces in the shop there are purples, greens and other subtle hues. One of the oak seats of a Cruz-model barstool has unique marbling apparently due to a bug infestation many years ago. Much like many of the inspirational chefs in St. Louis, Goebel seeks to allow a materials’ natural beauty (and sometimes natural imperfection) to shine.

The epoxy resin has started to bubble on the walnut slabs. Goebel gently pops the bubbles and drizzles more epoxy on top. He sourced the walnut from a construction site in north St. Louis County. A church was redoing its parking lot and needed to get rid of the tree. Goebel heard about the construction and the tree through personal contacts and showed up with a crew and some chainsaws. He then delivered the tree to one of the four sawmills he uses within 50 miles of St. Louis. Goebel sources nearly all of the lumber he uses within the St.

“those incredible hardwoods happen to grow naturally here in missouri.”

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Louis metro area, often from building renovations, construction sites, stops at the local sawmill or salvages from storm damage.

“I am not as comfortable removing trees from rural environments or places where someone just wants to make money,” he says. “If the tree does not need to come down, then it should not come down. We do not deforest. We get the best materials. We only use the finest hardwoods. Those incredible hardwoods happen to grow naturally here in Missouri.”

About one-third of what Goebel creates is custom-made – including the walnut slabs in his shop that will soon be a dining table. Often, Goebel is approached with an idea or a problem that needs solving. He then works with designers, architects and other collaborators to create a custom solution.

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intimacy and new spaces As the epoxy is drying, Goebel walks around the drying racks of walnut, maple and cherrywood and past the glue racks to the back of the shop. He is standing next to an Alek-model dining table made with upcycled Douglas fir beams sourced from a remodeling project in St. Louis. The table is 8 feet long and only 25 inches wide. With an average dinner plate size of 12 inches, that means there would be only a 1-inch space down the middle of the table if it were set for dinner. While some might see this as restrictive, Goebel and his clients see new possibilities for enjoying food on a day-to-day basis as well as for special occasions.

“Most people won’t eat that close together,” Goebel says. “It is too intimate, so unless you know me really well, you will not do that. But this table offers unique eating opportunities. If you have little kids, they can sit across the table from you and you can reach them. If you want a formal feel, you can eat at either end of the table. Each client makes the experience their own, and we all do weird things with our furniture.

This creates the possibility for unique memories.”

“commercially made furniture from southeast asia is like the taco bell of the food world.”

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KINDRED SPIRITS Martin Goebel and his team have been regulars at Brennan’s in the Central West End for years. He describes owner Kevin Brennan as a kindred spirit, admiring the bottle shop and bar’s selection of international cigars and aged liquors.

“I spent a lot of time there and I knew that it was similar in methodology to my approach,” Goebel says. “They sell high-quality products that are natural and simple. They want you to enjoy a $20 hand-rolled cigar from the Dominican Republic or a finely aged glass of liquor in the proper way. They’re keeping it simple and not screwing it up. His place is about creating a unique experience and our product offers a way to enhance that.”

These same sentiments are echoed by Brennan, whose cigar bar also functions as a specialized micro-tobacconist.

“At Brennan’s we sell products that have been around for some time: cigars, wine, whiskey, rum. We think it’s important to showcase those products in a different way and we like to update and change the use of our space to keep it fresh,” Brennan says.

Like Goebel, Brennan takes creative, nontraditional approaches to crafting original products. His line of Durango pipe tobacco cigars are aged with herbs, spices, tea leaves, alcohol and wood shavings. As Brennan describes it, a collaboration seemed only natural: “If we are making completely original blends, why not show them and experience them with original pieces of furniture?”

Goebel and Brennan have discussed the custom creation of a “table for one” chair made in the style of a kid’s school desk, but for an adult. They’re also kicking around the Goebel has found that the majority of his clients are not in St. Louis but in cities such as Chicago and New York.

Even some of the most extravagant New York apartments do not have space for a traditional dining table – they don’t usually have dining rooms. Goebel’s approach offers the kinds of eating and entertaining options that production pieces usually cannot accommodate.

idea of a cigar roller’s table or desk made with modular humidor display cases and a large communal or display table made from one massive piece of wood.

For Goebel, it is an opportunity to get his work in a commercial space where it can attract new eyes and further interest in his craft. For Brennan, it’s a chance to create an enhanced experience for his customers, something

“I hope that our furniture encourages and heightens quality experiences,” Goebel says. “Local food, void of pesticides and hormones, prepared by a trained chef or your grandmother, are entirely different experiences.

Commercially made furniture from Southeast Asia is like the Taco Bell of the food world. There is a unique experience created from merging local food, drink and family – all can be heightened by adding the layer of local furniture.”

closely aligned with his company’s mission.

“I hope what Goebel creates will add a better experience to hanging out at Brennan’s,” Brennan says. “We have focused on items that people will be able to buy for their home. If the consumer can see how these hold up in a commercial environment and age well, then why wouldn’t they want them in their home?”

Brennan’s, 4659 Maryland Ave., Central West End, 314.361.9444, cometobrennans.net

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the last bite

Floating Island

Contributor: Cassy Vires, Chef I remember my first dining experience at Brasserie by Niche very well. It was for a wedding anniversary, and my husband misunderstood the server and thought we were served “floating brain” for dessert. He hesitantly took his first bite of “brain” and realized his mistake. Ever since that first bite, for both of us, the floating meringue at Brasserie has been one of our all-time favorite desserts.

No matter how full we might feel after dinner, we always find room for this delectable treat.

The Floating Island, a classic French dessert, is done perfectly at Brasserie. It plates a delicate mound of poached meringue atop a bed of vanilla crème anglaise. Garnished with toasted almonds and caramel sauce, its combination of creamy, fluffy and crunchy textures sing beautifully with its sweet and salty flavors. I recommend pairing this decadent dessert with a glass of Sauternes to really bring out the caramel flavors.

Brasserie by Niche 4580 Laclede Ave., Central West End 314.454.0600 brasseriebyniche.com Turn to p. 34 and learn Cassy’s technique for tempering pillowy pot de crème.

Photography by

Jonathan Gayman