October 2013 Feast Magazine by Feast Magazine

ramen rundown

gone fishin’ with

sustainable sushi

ON-TREND SOUP

KEVIN WILLMANN

FISH IN THE RAW

Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

DIVE IN!

feastSTL.com | OCTOBER 2013 | FREE

Clayton: 314-721-9400 Chesterfield: 636-536-9404

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First Course

Foie Gras Cromesquis

(deep Fried Foie gras Custards) with yukon gold potatoes and tarragon oil Val de mer Cremant de BourGoGne Brut nature, nV

seCond Course

oyster and CraB Country toast

with Creamed spinaCh and pink pepperCorn hollandaise Chateau lamothe de haux Bordeaux BlanC, 2012

third Course

slow Braised Veal roast

with orange & spiCes over goat Cheese polenta with petite brussel leaves and sour Cherry gastrique saint-Joseph rouGe oFFerus,

Chesterfield

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strawBerry and CheVre pots de Creme

with pistaChio sponge, basil gelee stuFFed strawberries and orange blossom powder domaine ehrhart Gewurztraminer,

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Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

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feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

plazafrontenac.com Located at Clayton Road and Lindbergh Blvd., just south of I-64/40

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

OCTOBER 2013 from the staff

| 10 |

from the PUBLIsher

Gone fishin’.

| 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

Executive chef Nelson Tran takes us behind the scenes at Mi linh in Rock Hill.

| 28 |

the mIx

Japanese whiskey lifts a classic cocktail in the samurai swig.

| 30 |

oN the sheLf

New and notable in beer, spirits and wine.

| 32 |

pure. natural.

mystery shoPPer

Buy it and try it: White miso.

| 34 |

how to

Make sushi at Tani sushi Bistro.

| 36 |

tech schooL

Beer-braising chicken with suds from Perennial Artisan Ales.

| 38 |

gadget a-go-go

We put five spider basket strainers to the test.

| 40 |

Asian soup dumplings inspired by one New York City eatery.

CHESTERFIELD MALL SAINT LOUIS GALLERIA UPPER LEVEL DILLARDS WING

NEXT TO ST. LOUIS BREAD

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314.725.5222

PLAZA FRONTENAC

WEST COUNTY CENTER

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314.966.2225

UPPER LEVEL, NEIMAN MARCUS WING

meNU oPtIoNs

| 78 |

the Last BIte

Writer Andrew Mark Veety gets the scoop on Pastaria’s playful, seasonal gelato menu.

LOWER LEVEL NEXT TO NORDSTROM

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Of RAMEN (P. 44) BY Jennifer Silverberg TABlE Of CONTENTs PHOTOGRAPHY Of KEVIN WIllMANN sTOCKING A fIsHING BOAT (P. 64) BY Jennifer Silverberg

stlbackstore.com follow us:

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

ramen 44 revolution

gravity defying

double feature

sleep.

charting his course 64

Exclusively at

UNIQUE

BA BOUTIQUE.

THE

notable

nigiri

made in JaPan

THE BACK STORE

sleep well. weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got your back.

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

American GrassFed Beef

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Magazine Volume 4

| Issue 10 | October 2013

Publisher and Editor Catherine Neville Managing Editor, Print Content Liz Miller Managing Editor, Digital Content Kristin Brashares Art Director Lisa Allen

CONNECT WITH

Vice President of Advertising Donna Bischoff

Like FEAST. facebook.com/feastSTL Follow FEAST. twitter.com/feastmag Watch our videos. youtube.com/FeastMagazine Pin with us. pinterest.com/feastmag Share pics. @feastmag on Instagram

Got a classic car between the years 1946-1972 gathering dust in your garage? Turn that old car into cash now! (314) 795-5584

Copy Editors/Proofreaders Valeria Turturro Klamm, Stephanie Witmer Contributing Writers Brandon Chuang, Pat Eby, Chad Michael George, Eliott Harris Kyle Harsha, Jennifer Johnson, Valeria Turturro Klamm Lucy Schwetye, Matt Seiter, Michael Sweeney Andrew Mark Veety, Cassy Vires, Shannon Weber Contributing Photographers Jonathan Gayman, Demond Meek Jennifer Silverberg, Steve Truesdell Feast TV Hannah Radcliff Ed Calvey Contributing Videographers Joshua Cassell, Haley Disterhoff, James Jackson Charles Thomas

www.webuyclassiccars.com

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

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

Professional & caring dentistry 1126 W. Pearce Blvd., Suite 110, Wentzville, MO Make your appointment today!

636-327-5188

www.wentzvillefamilydentist.com

Find us on Facebook! 8

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OCTOBER 2013

free Exam • X-Ray • Consultation Limit 2 Per Family. Regular value $99. New Patients Only. Expires 11/1/13.

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

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

PHOTOGRAPHy By

Jennifer Silverberg

puBLiSHEr’S LETTEr

FEAST EVENTS S.L.O.B.S. BBQ Tour Sun., Oct. 13; PM BBQ 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.

Magnificent Missouri Conservation Celebration Sun., Oct. 13; Daniel Boone Home, Defiance, Mo. magnificentmissouri.org

Take a trip to Pensacola, Fla., to go fishing with Farmhaus owner and chef Kevin Willmann and meet his mentor Frank Taylor.

Feast on local food prepared by the St. Louis region’s most talented chefs, with award-winning Missouri wine and beer pairings.

Feast Your Eyes

What defines a chef’s culinary perspective? Not surprisingly, if you ask 10 chefs, you’ll get 10 answers. Ask one chef in particular and you’ll find that the answer is quite personal. When you dine at Farmhaus, Kevin Willmann’s Lindenwood Park restaurant, you experience a melding of his personal history, his commitment to supporting local producers and his intense focus on his craft. In July, I had the opportunity to go deep-sea fishing with Willmann in Pensacola, Fla. During the three days we spent together, I experienced the place he once called home and met the people who most significantly impacted his career, including chef Frank Taylor, Willmann’s friend and mentor, who is pictured above. When you peruse the Farmhaus menu, Willmann’s love of the sea and seafood is unmistakable. Turn to page 64 for Charting His Course and watch this month’s episode of Feast TV for an intimate look into the background of one of our city’s best chefs.

Tue., Oct. 15; Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis camstl.org/feast

In partnership with Blood & Sand’s Chris Bork and T.J. Vytlacil, CAM and Feast present an intimate four-course meal inspired by the exhibitions and followed by a tour of the shows.

Whole Foods’ 3rd Annual Grass-Fed Beef Chili Cook-Off Sat, Oct. 19, 1 to 4pm

Cast your vote for the best grass-fed beef chili recipe prepared by Whole Foods Market’s very own team members at this free event.

Schnucks Cooks Cooking Class Rounding out this issue are features that broaden our focus on seafood and give October a Japanese spin. We tap chef Eliott

Wed., Oct. 23, 6 to 9pm; Schnucks Cooks Cooking School

Harris of CHOPSHOPSTL and Central Table Food Hall for our focus on nigiri (p. 56), Kyle Harsha delves into the growing world

$40, schnuckscooks.com or 314.909.1704

of Japanese whiskey and beer (p. 53) and Andrew Mark Veety deconstructs ramen (p. 44), the traditional Japanese noodle

Join Cat in the kitchen and learn how to make Asian soup dumplings with shrimp chow mein.

soup that is finding new focus in restaurants across the country.

ch Feast Wat TV

Until next time,

Catherine Neville

0 ABC3 at 9:30am on Sun., Oct. 13. on

4 Hands Brewing Co. Food Truck Feast Sat., Oct. 26, noon to 5pm; 4 Hands Brewing Co.

Join us for an afternoon of great eats, drinks and entertainment, featuring local food trucks, live music and more!

EarthDance Farmers’ Formal Sat., Nov. 2, 5:30pm; College Hall, Washington University

This farm-inspired celebration will feature local food and drink, a bumper crop of auction items, toe-tappin’ live music and more.

Look for this icon. It tells you which articles are part of Feast TV! 10

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

FEEDBACk?

catherine@feastSTL.com

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

OnLInE COnTEnT

feastSTL.com

Inspired Food Culture | Saint Louis

The Feed

Dine Out

Dine In

Drink

Feast Events

Multimedia

The Magazine

Promotions

GIVEAWAY: Dying to dine at Farmhaus after our profile of chef

PHOTOGRAPHy By Jonathan gayman

PHOTOGRAPHy By Jennifer Silverberg

Kevin Willmann? We’re giving away a dinner for two! Details at feastSTL.com/promotions.

MuLTIMEDIA

FEAST TV: Join Farmhaus owner and chef Kevin Willmann on one of his deep-sea fishing excursions in Florida and find out how his life experiences have influenced his St. Louis restaurant.

ONLINE EXTRA: Eliott Harris, owner of local food truck CHOPSHOPSTL and sushi consultant at Central Table Food Hall, shares his extensive knowledge on sushi making in Notable Nigiri (pg. 56). Then, he chats further with us at feastSTL.com about everything from where he sources seafood to the best serving methods.

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

Follow FEAST. twitter.com/feastmag

Watch our videos. youtube.com/FeastMagazine

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DInEOUT

TRAVELOGUE: Publisher Cat Neville shares her fascinating food experiences during a recent cruise in the Baltic region. Her photo essay includes a stop at Stockholm’s Ekstedt (pictured), where everything in the kitchen is wood-fire fueled.

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OCTOBER 2013

Share pics. @feastmag on Instagram

BUY INTELLIGENT

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Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

Celebrate Oktoberfest with us! Remember your heritage, celebrate a special occasion, or just sit back and relax in a unique atmosphere. Taste and discover authentic German food, freshly prepared following regional & family recipes. Now serving Oktoberfest Bier and Pork Haxe. Thursday, Oct 10th ªB avarian Oktoberfestº from 5pm-10pm Live from Munich, Germany the party band ªCh ikeriaº Bring your Lederhose, Fraulein and your dance shoes We have Bier, Food, Music and Gemuetlichkeit. Live music every 2nd & 4th Saturday • Patio seating Groups welcome. Tues-Fri 11-2 & 5-9, Sat & Sun 5-8pm

1415 McKinley St. • Mascoutah • 618.566.4884 • roemer topfllc.com

October is International Turkish Cuisine Month 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

Turkish Mediterranean Cuisine

Known for our meze (small plates) and excellent wine selection

$5 Off Purchase of $25 or More. Offer expires October 31, 2013 (Must present ad)

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. Let Us Cater Your Special Occasion Featuring Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials Feature of the Month: PIZZA! PIZZA! PIZZA! Try our Original Godfather Pizza. Pizza served everyday except for Friday & Saturday evenings. 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

Yes! Ocha Thai & Japanese Cuisine Now open 7 days a week! At Ocha, we offer the freshest ingredients and the finest authentic Thai and Japanese cuisines. Visit www.OchaStl.com for details! We also offer delivery!

15% off Entire Bill! Dine in only. One coupon per table. Not valid with any other promotions, discount or Happy Hours. No cash value.

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OCTOBER 2013

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Daily 10-8 Sunday 12-5 O’FALLON, MO O’FALLON, IL SOUTH SIDE ROTHMAN 2101 E. TERRA LANE 1776 HWAY. 50 WEST 7737 WATSON RD. MATTRESS 636-978-3500 618-632-1700 314-968-5595 CREVE COEUR SOUTH COUNTY DELLWOOD ALTON 11353 OLIVE ST. BLVD. 5711 S. LINDBERGH 10132 W. FLORISSANT 3001 WASHINGTON 314-942-1616 314-892-9002 314-388-0200 618-462-9770

Inspired Food Culture

THE BEST REST for less! OCTOBER 2013

FEAST FAVES

| where we’re dining

15860 Fountain Plaza, Ellisville, 636.227.6800 veritasgateway.com

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

PHOTOGRAPHy by

When Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine opened its doors nine years ago, it was a wine and specialty foods shop with a small kitchen. In July, Veritas relocated to new digs in Ellisville as a fine dining restaurant also offering a full bar area and a wellcurated wine shop. Chef Mathis Stitt, co-owner of Veritas with parents David and Stephanie Stitt, says the restaurant side of the business simply outgrew the former space and the family wanted to create a place where fine dining, casual dining and retail could more efficiently comingle. Stitt describes his menus at Veritas as American, produce-focused and Southern-influenced, with the dining room menu changing each week based on seasonality. On a visit in early September, we dined on an appetizer of Gold bar and Striata d’Italia squash with squash blossoms, crispy pork, corn, pesto and Ricotta cheese, followed by an entrée of fresh red grouper with roasted radishes, white carrot purée, potatoes, corn, edamame and crowder peas. Wine pairings also change each week to complement the menu. – L.M.

Jennifer Silverberg

veritas gateway to food and wine

FEAST FAVES

| where we’re drInkIng

sipping wine @ table written by Jennifer Johnson

enjoying wine at Table, a communal dining restaurant in benton Park, brings to mind wandering into a european neighborhood café filled with locals, who go out to eat to see friends, not worried about what wine is poured into their glass. their trust in great regional food and drink is inherent, as it is their own. enjoying familiar as well as new company is at the heart of dining at table and ordering wine from its diverse selection feels effortless. the 24 options on the wine list cost the same amount – just as at table’s sister restaurant, Home wine Kitchen in Maplewood – and are available only by the “glass-and-a-half,” by the bottle or by the liter, at $12, $30 or $42, respectively. Mass-market wines are absent; instead, the menu is informed by quality, interesting flavor profiles, food pairings and the suggestion to try something new. take the sparkling rosé treveri brut from yakima Valley washington: it’s a terrific aperitif, and everyone can have a pour. it is dry and crisp with notes of lemon and toast and serves the menu’s small bites well, enhancing the marvelous flavor combinations in the rosemary-Parmesan popcorn, the lavender-sea salt marcona almonds and the marinated shrimp. the white Domaine Galévan, a Grenache-roussanne blend from sunny Southern rhône, can be likened in weight and acidity to Chardonnay and pairs splendidly with shellfish, pork and poultry dishes, while offering subtle almond, spice and floral aromatics. the Forth “All boys” Cabernet from Dry Creek Valley represents the warmer, highly regarded sub-region of Sonoma, as its moderate blackberry, cherry and vanilla notes still allow its earthy undertones to complement savory lamb, short ribs and mushroom dishes. it’s said italians drink most of their greatest native wines and export the rest. At table, the wine list and menu pay homage to this thought, offering a balance between enjoyment of a great meal and the company that you keep. 1821 Cherokee St., Cherokee business District, 314.449.1888 tablestl.com

House Butchered Steaks & Chops, The Freshest Seafood Join our Cocktail Club today! Earn rewards, expand your Wine and Spirit knowledge, choose from over 30 different modern & classic cocktails. Call to book your Holiday Parties today in our Private Dining Room! Hours of Operation Tuesday - Saturday 11am - Close Sunday Brunch 9am - 2pm Dinner 5pm - 9pm, Closed Mondays 618.307.9300

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.

Join us for The Art of Entertaining, Saturday October 5, 2013 ~ 4-11pm at City Park. 101 South Buchanan Street ~ Edwardsville IL, 62025 Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

FEAST FAVES

| where we’re dining

the biergarten Oktoberfest might be winding down in Europe, but stateside we’re just getting started. Knocking back a few pints at the Anheuser-busch St. Louis brewery and Tour Center got a little more lively this past August with the opening of The Biergarten, an expansive, open-air beer garden. Located just off the Tour Center entrance, the outdoor space retains the architecture and feel of the historic St. Louis brewery, while offering a beer menu spanning the Anheuser-busch Inbev offerings. On our first visit, we counted a whopping 24 lagers, eight ales and seven specialty drinks from around the world, as well as four beer flights. At press time, construction was still in progress on The biergarten’s forthcoming indoor restaurant, though a temporary menu of brewpub fare was available – think soft pretzels and cheese, barbecue sauce-slathered burgers and bratwurst served on pretzel buns. Anheuserbusch forecasts a fall opening for the restaurant, which will feature a full food menu, including other classic brewpub fare. – L.M.

PHOTOGRAPHy by

Steve Truesdell

1200 Lynch St., Soulard, 314.577.2626 anheuser-busch.com

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

FEAST FAVES

ISCREAMCAKES Custom Art CAkes

| Food StuFF

brew buddies

· Gluten-Free · Dairy-Free Options · Organic Ingredients

Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant This month’s Tech School column on beer-braising meat (p. 38) left us thirsty for some seasonal pints – and these three collaborations between local businesses and breweries definitely did the trick. – L.M.

A 2012 "FEAST" Favorite!

Order your very own custom, Halloween ISCREAMCAKE today!

Thank You all Local Area Chefs for Making Us #1 Located in the Meridian Shopping Center at Hanley & Eager Roads behind the Best Buy.

FREE PARKING IN THE METRO LINK GARAGE Tu-Th: 11am-9pm • Fr-Su 11am-10pm 8396 Musick Memorial Dr. • 314.645.2835 www.MaiLeeRestaurant.com

2641 Cherokee

314-932-5758 • iscreamcakes.com

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE FINEST

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

Smoked PIGaSuS

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8660 Olive in U City

FRESHEST SEAFOOD IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1978!

Homemade Greek Food Carry out • Catering Private Parties Gyros • Kebobs • Baklava oLYmPIa keBoB HoUSe aNd TaVerNa 7 days a week from 11am 1543 McCausland • 314-781-1299

bobsseafoodstl.com

CoFFee Stout Porter

Taste and Tour with the winemaker Saturday October 5th 12-2pm Please call for reservation.

PeaCe oFFerInG

| 1 | 4 Hands Brewing Co.’s Smoked Pigasus made with smoked malt from Pappy’s Smokehouse, $5/draft; 4 Hands Brewing Co., 1220 S. 8th St., LaSalle Park, 4handsbrewery. com | 2 | Alpha Brewing Co.’s Coffee Stout Porter made with coffee from Stringbean Coffee Co., $6/draft; 1409 Washington Ave., Downtown, alphabrewingcompany.com | 3 | Perennial Artisan Ale’s Peace Offering made with squash from YellowTree Farm, $6/draft; 8125 Michigan Ave., Carondelet, perennialbeer.com PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jonathan Gayman

Oct 20 - Corvette Car Show 12-5pm Oct 27 - Fall Family Fun Day 12-5pm Live Music Every Weekend Vineyard Hayrides every Sat/Sun 100 Hemsath Road Augusta,MO 63332 636-482-4500

www.noboleisvineyards.com weddings@noboleisvineyards.com

Awarded Best Sparkling Wine and Best Vignoles in Mo Wine Competition O Open Year rOun d: MOn-Fri 11aM-5pM Sat 11aM-7pM and Sun 12-5pM Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

FEAST FAVES

| The Big iD ea

flipt Demond Meek

written by Brandon Chuang

PhotograPhy by

opening a restaurant isn’t easy. For a restaurant to work, you need to concern yourself with much more than making sure your signature appetizer is on point; that’s where Flipt comes in. the progeny of corporate restaurant veterans, Flipt bills itself as a design firm with a soft spot for food shops. working hand-in-hand with new and existing eateries (the upstart’s most recent, er, flip being Stacked burger bar in Carondelet), Flipt immerses itself in a business, rethinking and redesigning restaurants. “we design logos, pick out wall colors, and even help with things like menu development and inventory management,” explains co-owner Cassandra Simmons. “but above all, we strive to make sure everything we do works on a busy Friday night.” Simmons, along with co-owner Christy Stevens and graphic designer Katie Sprock, take pride in the firm’s design ethos: a mash-up of bold, upcycled materials. and though the business just launched in March, big plans are in store for the future. “our goal is to open our own restaurant,” Stevens says. “we want to design, rebrand and be restaurateurs; we’re looking to be a powerful, multifaceted entity.” Christy Stevens (left) and Cassandra Simmons (right), co-owners of Flipt. Shot on location at Stacked Burger Bar.

COCA Presents 2013-2014 A new performance series offering family theatre favorites and even more options for older children, teens and adults.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 314.561.4877 | www.cocastl.org

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

314.499.8759, fliptstl.com

Come visit any of our convenient locations: Edwardsville

1063 S State Rte 157 Edwardsville, IL 62025 618-659-2100

Springfield

4525 Wabash Ave. Springfield, IL 62711 217-547-0011

O’Fallon, IL

455 Regency Park O’Fallon, IL 62269 618-624-0700

Join the Bella e-club at www.bellamilanos.com

Open Tuesday – Sunday seasonal salad: spring mix w/feta cheese, dried cranberries, grapes, apples, strawberries and candied pecans served with house poppyseed dressing and focaccia bread.

Fresh and inventive fare, made from scratch. Unique pizzas, sandwiches, pasta and wings. Diverse selection of craft beers and fine wines.

2125 South State Route 157, Edwardsville Il 62025

921 South Arbor Vitae in the Park at Plum Creek, Edwardsville | 618-659-8561 | peelpizza.com

618-655-9595

Mon – Fri 6:30 am – 5:30 pm Sat & Sun 7:00 am – 5:30 pm www.teaspoonscafe.com

OPEN FOR LUNCH AND DINNER DAILY

871 S. ARBOR VITAE — EDWARDSVILLE, IL — 618.655.9911 MIKESHANNONSGRILL.COM

fun food

happy people

great drinks

Gourmet Comfort

calamares con Fideos vermicelli, calamari, tomato, pimenton melon salad honeydew, cantelope, Vietnamese vinaigrette, peanuts, mint chiva cuBana smoked local goat or lamb, black beans, ginger, cilantro, garlic, local peppers Beignets warm brioche beignets, chocolate sauce, Kahlua whipped cream. dining hours: m-th 11am-10pm | Friday 11am-11pm | saturday 10am-11pm | closed sunday Offering Saturday Brunch

First come First serve. no reservations

106 North Main Street | Edwardsville, Illinois 62025 Located in the Bohm Building

618-307-4830 • WWW.clevelandheath.com

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

FEAST FAVES

| Shop-o-maTic

east east oriental grocery In this month’s issue we explore a cross section of Asian-inspired food and drink, including how to make Japanese tonkotsu ramen at home (p. 44) as well as the art of preparing fresh, sustainable sushi (p. 56). At East East Oriental Grocery in Chesterfield, aisles overflow with authentic Asian specialty products, from packaged food and drinks to fresh produce, seafood and housewares. Though the store shares a name with East East Oriental Grocery in University City, the shops are not under the same ownership. East East in Chesterfield opened 16 years ago, occupying a fairly large footprint on Olive Boulevard near Missouri Route 141. The store offers a wide selection of Korean specialties, but also carries a nice variety of Japanese products. Asian kitchen gadgets and tools are quite the bargain at East East, including spice grinders, bamboo steamers, clay pots, woks, spider basket strainers and serving pieces such as chopsticks, rice and noodle bowls and soup spoons. Of particular note is the store’s selection of Japanese knives, which are inexpensive and serve a variety of uses. On one visit, we spotted sushi knives for less than $30 – a bargain compared to $300 price tags at other stores. Explore the breadth of sauces and condiments – we love gojuchang, a spicy, savory Korean paste – and experiment with different types of noodles – wheat flour, rice, egg noodles and more – as well as a wide variety of teas and frozen and packaged foods. Earlier this year, a Korean restaurant called Korean Café opened inside the store, serving lunch and dinner with a lengthy menu of eats, including bulgogi, kimchi fried rice and bibimbap. The restaurant is accessible from the street but is also connected to the grocery store for convenient post-shopping bites. – L.M. 13365 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, 314.205.1882 easteaststl.com

Three KiTchen eSSenTiaLS from eaST eaST orienTaL Grocery | 1 | Kewpie mayonnaise is a popular condiment in Japan, with a sweeter flavor than American mayo. Add a dot of Kewpie mayo to sushi or use it as the base of a Japanese coleslaw. Learn how to make spicy mayo with Kewpie on p. 60. | 2 | The variety of kitchen utensils and housewares at East East is small but well stocked, with all the essentials for Asian cooking available. We knives, specifically the reasonably priced sushi knives. | 3 | Packaged noodles make up almost an entire aisle at East East, replete with ramen, udon, soba, somen and more – we were excited to find kimchi ramen by Nong Shim for a taste of something different. Once you’ve stocked up on noodles, learn how to make Japanese ramen on p. 49.

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

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PHOTOGRAPHy By Jonathan Gayman

were most impressed by the selection of

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Annual Events

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April 19 and 20, 2014

November 16 and 17, 2013 January 11 and 12, 2014

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Weingarten Vineyard 12323 Rottler Lane Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670 573-883-2505 www.weingartenvineyard.com ww.w

Craft Beer Festival! Saturday, October 19, 2013 12:00 – 4:00 pm Sa

WELCOME TO OUR WINERY AND GARTEN HAUS RESTAURANT Gorgeous Tasting Room. Scenic Setting for Weddings. Designed & masterfully built for large and small events especially receptions, business gatherings, and special occasions. Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

FEAST FAVES

| whAT we ’re buying |1|

soup’s on! |2|

This month’s feature on ramen (p. 44) has us hungry to serve hearty helpings of Japanese noodle soup at home. Enjoy bowls of ramen like you’re dining in a Japanese ramenya with these Asian-inspired housewares and accessories. – L.M.

|3|

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|7| |8|

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| 1 | Ceramic bowls with edamame design (sold with plastic lids), $11.99 each; Sur La Table, 295 Plaza Frontenac, Frontenac, 314.993.0566, surlatable.com | 2 | Wood-patterned bowls, $5.99 each; Seafood City Grocery, 8020 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.993.2800 | 3 | White flower-etched bowls, $4.99 each; World

feastSTL.com

OCTOber 2013

Market, multiple locations, worldmarket.com

| 4 | Small black ceramic bowls (sold with

ceramic lids), $12.99 each; Olive Farmer’s Market, 8041 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.997.5168, stlouissupermarket.com | 5 | Black ceramic soup spoons, $1.49 each; World Market | 6 | Square, bamboo trivet,

$2.99; Olive Farmer’s Market | 7 | White cat chopsticks rest, $2.99; Sur La Table | 8 | Stainless-steel chopsticks, $5.99 for five pairs; Olive Farmer’s Market | 9 | Blue and white soup spoon, $8.95 for set of 12; Dragon Trading Co., 1601 Woodson Road, Overland, 314.995.9999, dragontradingus.com | 10 |

White ceramic soup spoons, $1.29 each; Olive Farmer’s Market | 11 | Black and white ceramic chopsticks set with rest, $3.99; World Market | 12 | Wooden chopsticks, $1.99 for one set; World Market | 13 | Red fish chopsticks rest, $.99; World Market | 14 | Dark brown bamboo place mat, $3.99; World Market

PHOTOGRAPHy By Jonathan Gayman

| 14 |

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OCTOBER 2013

“Footless”

Interactive Comedy Mystery Dinner Theatre Join us as we find Ma Donna and Barishnacough trying to keep the mob from bilking their business for protection money while Katherine Done Em flirts with every man who will to do her bidding. Will she be tip toeing throught the tulips, or pushing up daisies? The participatory comedy mystery is served with a 4-course meal to DIE for! Call for Reservations 314-533-9830.

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Saturday, Oct. 5 Noon until 6PM Proceeds to benefit Six String Heroes & the Adoption Exchange. Sample the pigs of 7 teams competing for the championship & the Gumbo of some Music by Willie & the Po’ Boys Great beer features, raffles & lots of fun. Book Your Holiday Parties Now!

34 S. Old Orchard • Webster Groves • Hwy61roadhouse.com

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by WomenCertified® The Voice of the Female Consumer The Women's Choice award tells ourr customers that we are a dealership off integrity and equality. Buying a car is a o major purchase and every consumer wants to feel confident that they have received the bestt possible deal. Providing top notch customerr service is one way we go above and beyond to create lifetime customers who are more than happy to recommend us to friends and family. The award is really a badge of honor that helps convey our values before the customer reaches our door. said Liz Kelly, e-Commerce Director for Suntrup Kia.

9 out of 10 female customers highly recommend Suntrup Kia, to others. This dealership demonstrates great service and a sincere commitment to meeting the needs and preferences of their female customer. Suntrup Kia is proud to announce we have been named a Women Certified Dealer for the second consecutive year. Suntrup Kia is one of two Kia dealers in the United States to have earned this prestigious award.

Automotive Group

suntrupkia.com 26

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

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Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

one on one

NElsON TRaN

ExECuTivE ChEf, Mi liNh WRITTeN bY Valeria Turturro Klamm |

PHoTogRAPHY bY Jonathan Gayman

Chef Nelson Tran has been surrounded by culinary teachers his entire life. First it was his mother and family members, until, at age 19, a Chinese chef approaching retirement taught him the finer points of cooking. After a career spent in kitchens in New York, Washington and Philadelphia, Tran brought his passion to St. Louis to become executive chef of Mi Linh, a Vietnamese restaurant in Rock Hill owned by his sister, Dee Dee Tran. Tell me about your culinary background. I learned how to cook from a very talented Chinese chef in his late 60s with more than 45 years of cooking experience who was ready to retire. He was willing to teach me because he saw that I had an interest in and creativity with food. Cooking is very creative. I think when you have that and you cook with your soul and heart, then whatever you cook will be outstanding. Like my teacher told me, you can learn so much from school, books and others, but the most important thing is to cook with passion. I’m very particular about my food – besides it tasting and smelling good, the display has to look pretty, too. The ingredients also have to be quality and fresh, which is why I still do most of the shopping myself. What is your family’s history with food? We love food! My sister and I always love to try out different food. I grew up in a family where my mom cooked every day. Since we opened this restaurant, her kitchen is closed. How did the idea to open Mi Linh come about? Like any chef, I always wanted my own kitchen, so I would be able to create any dish I love without answering to anybody. My sister knows cooking is my passion, and she studied the market and found how much people love Vietnamese food. The most important thing is my kids are old enough now that I’m able to be at the restaurant 24/7. What’s it like working with family? Working with family isn’t easy, but one thing we always have in common is we all focus on how to make this restaurant successful. I’m very blessed that my sister and I always get along together. Tell us about the menu at Mi Linh – the inspiration behind the food, the ingredients and the house specialties. All my favorite dishes that I love and grew up with are on this menu from my own or my family’s authentic Vietnamese recipes. I’m able to find most of the ingredients I need in St. Louis, other cities or imported from Vietnam. There are a lot of popular dishes, but the house specialties are pork in clay pot, chicken simmered in coconut juice and yellow noodle soup (mi). Where do you eat when you’re not

Mi Linh 9737 Manchester Road, Rock Hill 314.918.8868 milinh.net

working? Since we opened this restaurant [in May], I haven’t had a day off yet. The only place I eat is here.

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

Visit feastSTL.com to read the full interview with Nelson Tran.

Feast Your Eyes Tuesday, October 15, 7:00 pm Limited seating available. $75; $50 for CAM Members.

At this new incarnation of one of CAM’s most popular programs, Chris Bork and T.J. Vytlacil of Blood & Sand present an intimate four-course meal inspired by the current exhibitions and followed by a tour. Help us celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Museum’s critically acclaimed building with some of the most creative dining in town.

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis 3750 Washington Blvd St. Louis, MO 63108 314.535.4660 | camstl.org

2003 2013

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2538 S Brentwood Blvd. • Brentwood, MO 63144 • 314.963.1300 • le-shoe.com Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

the mix

SamuRai Swig

SToRY anD RECIPE BY matt Seiter PHoTogRaPHY BY Jonathan Gayman

This lovely palate pleaser features a whiskey from our neighbors in the Far East (or if you go via San Francisco, the near West): Japan. The Japanese have been producing whiskey commercially since the 1920s. In general, Japanese whiskeys most closely resemble Scotch whiskys, retaining the same smokiness and maltiness associated with Scotch whisky. The whiskey featured in the Samurai Swig, the Yamazaki Single Malt Whiskey 12 Year, is a perfect example of Japanese whiskey standards. For the most part, Japanese whiskeys follow the standards of the production of Scotch whisky – they are a blend of malts distilled twice in a copperpot still and grain whiskeys run through a continuous still. Japan does not rely on peat as much as its counterparts in the upper U.K. Instead, they focus more on the malts themselves. They are aged a minimum of three years, and the barrels used for aging can be used bourbon barrels, sherry barrels or new barrels made by the distilleries. Yamazaki is a rare Japanese whiskey, as it is single malt instead of a blend. It is because of that last bit – that Yamazaki is a single malt – that it's great in this cocktail. Single malts have more flavor, as they are not blended with neutral-grain spirits. This product is fairly fruity and has great notes of subtle vanilla and varying wood characteristics. I first tasted Yamazaki at a guest bartending event at Pi Pizzeria in the Central West End in 2010. That’s where I created the Samurai Swig. The drink itself is modeled after the classic cocktail Perfect Rob Roy, which is a Manhattan made with Scotch that uses both dry and sweet vermouth – instead of just sweet. Traditionally, Rob Roys and Manhattans contain bitters. In the Samurai Swig, I use cynar (pronounced CHÊ-nar), a bittersweet digestif from Italy made with artichokes. The next time you’re in the

Copper-pot StillS vS. Column or ContinuouS StillS Spirits are produced through a process called distillation. Distilling is

spirit to lose some of the characteristics of the original product.

mood for a Manhattan, try one of these for a twist on the classic.

a process where fermented beverages are boiled and the vapors are collected and reconstituted into a liquid. This process decreases the

Continuous or column stills are usually constructed in a tall column

amount of water in the liquid and increases the amount of alcohol. The

and are made with stainless steel and copper. These columns contain

process occurs in a contraption called a still. There are two main types

various amounts of metal plates throughout, which heat and cool

of these stills: copper-pot stills and column, or continuous, stills.

vapors as they rise up and fall down the column. The up and down motion of the liquid and vapors is the process of distillation, but

Copper-pot stills are just that, big copper pots. They allow one “run”

instead of one pass at a time, it is continuous. The process is quicker

of distillation to happen. By using a copper-pot still, the end product

and the end results from a continuous or column still are more neutral.

retains the majority of the flavor and characteristics of the original

This means fewer flavors from the original product remain. The more

product used for fermentation, be it grain, fruit, sugar, molasses,

times a product is distilled the more the end taste resembles that of

etc. These stills tend to leave the end spirit a bit creamier, with a

water. If you have ever seen an advertisement for “10-times distilled”

heavier mouthfeel. Each additional pass through the still causes the

liquor, odds are it is made in a column still.

Samurai Swig Serves | 1 | 1½ ½ ½ ½

oz Yamazaki Single Malt Whiskey 12 Year oz French vermouth oz cynar oz Italian vermouth flamed orange peel for garnish

| Preparation | add all ingredients except orange peel to a mixing glass. add ice and

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 a consultant at Sanctuaria.

feastStl.com

OCTOBER 2013

stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with orange peel.

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OCTOBER 2013

on the shelf

TOp OCTOBER 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.

Ballast Point BreWing anD co’ sculPin

Dolin’s généPY Des alPes

AvAilAble At: Randall’s Wine and Spirits, 10800 Lincoln

Trail, Fairview Heights, Ill., shoprandalls.com; $13.99 (six-pack, 12-oz bottles) PAiringS: Baked ziti• Roquefort There used to be a large difference between the Illinois and Missouri craft beer markets. Many times you could find beers available in one state that weren’t available in the other. We’ve recently seen more parity, but you can still find some gems. Ballast Point produces one of the best IPAs in the country, with a big apricot nose and a bold bitterness that balances the slightly sweet backbone – and you don’t need to travel to California to find it.

Morgan street BreWerY’s oktoBerfest

AvAilAble At: Starrs, 1135 S. Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights, starrs1.com; $29.99 try it: Neat, on the rocks or as a green Chartreuse substitute in a cocktail

Génépy can refer to many things, including the region of France where this delicious spirit is made. It also refers to the genus of plants known as wormwood. Génépy is a main ingredient in Chartreuse, the high-proof, intensely botanical spirit made in France since 1605. Think of the Dolin bottling, based on an 1821 recipe, as a more direct representation of the génépy family. The nose can come across almost pungent and its herbaciousness might be an acquired taste. On the palate, it is slightly sweet and minty with a strong, balanced lavender and eucalyptus flavor.

Yahara BaY Distillers’ V BourBon WhiskeY ProvenAnce: Madison, Wis. (45% abv)

AvAilAble At: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations,

AvAilAble At: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations, thewineandcheeseplace.com; $29.99 try it: Neat or on the rocks

Oktoberfest in Munich is usually winding down by late September, but that doesn’t stop Americans from enjoying seasonal lagers through the end of October. Morgan Street Brewery has crafted another outstanding lager, which is not surprising, as they specialize in lagers. It features an intricate maltiness that is never overwhelming or cloying. This makes an ideal autumn beer – with or without lederhosen.

anchor BreWing’s Porter

yahara Bay is the first producer of whiskey in Wisconsin since Prohibition, and now it is making bourbon as well. All of yahara Bay’s spirits are produced in small batches, including its bourbon. yahara’s V Bourbon Whiskey is aged in small barrels for up to three years. The color is intensely dark and the nose is sweet and slightly oak heavy. Vanilla, cinnamon, clove and sawdust are the dominant flavors. It is sweet and very soft for a 90-proof bottling, which points to high-quality distillation.

la Muse’s Verte aBsinthe

Style: American Porter (5.6% abv)

ProvenAnce: France (68% abv)

AvAilAble At: Lukas Liquor Superstore, 15921

AvAilAble At: Randall’s Wine and Spirits, multiple

Manchester Road, Ellisville, lukasliquorstl.com; $8.99 (six-pack, 12-oz bottles) PAiringS: Chocolate torte• Rack of lamb

try it: In classic absinthe or Brunelle cocktails

While everyone is well aware of the ubiquitous Anchor Steam beer, many people aren’t aware that Anchor brews a bevy of other styles. One of its best is the porter. Anchor’s version of the porter is wonderfully balanced, featuring notes of coffee and chocolate while also packing a bit of a hoppy note, thanks to the generous use of northern brewer hops.

OCTOBER 2013

ProvenAnce: France (45% abv)

Style: Marzen (4.9% abv)

wineandcheeseplace.com; $8.99 (six-pack, 12-oz cans) PAiringS: Pan-roasted salmon• Bratwurst

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: American IPA (7% abv)

spirits

locations, shoprandalls.com; $55.99

Roughly six years ago, absinthe again became legal in the U.S. Since then, many new brands have surfaced, and many old brands have once again been imported to the U.S. La Muse’s recipe is almost 100 years old and is made with the utmost attention to detail in regards to how the various botanicals are handled and macerated into the bottling. The finished product is filtered through wool and paper in a true toast to the original preparation process. The taste is largely star anise driven, but great notes of lemon zest, fresh herbs and a nice fennel note contribute to a really well-rounded product.

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 drinks more wine than he probably ought to.

The Rule CabeRneT SauvIgnon 2010 Provenance: Napa, Calif. available at: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations,

wineandcheeseplace.com; $19.99 Pairings: Charcuterie• Roasted quail• Gorgonzola Every once in a while a wine pops up in the market that is such a ridiculous deal that you should consider buying a case instead of a bottle. The Rule’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 is one of those wines. This delightful Cabernet is made with grapes sourced from one of the most famous and sought-after vineyards in Napa, Calif., and made by California wine legend Tony Leonardini. It is plump, with blackberry, currant and vanilla flavors, and drinks like something five times the price tag.

RudI WIeST MoSel RIeSlIng 2011 Provenance: Mosel, Germany available at: Friar Tuck, multiple locations,

friartuckonline.com; $12.99 Pairings: Butternut squash soup• Spiced apple tart • Foie gras Usually late autumn means readying a collection of red wines on the rack at home, but the Rudi Wiest Mosel Riesling 2011 is the exception to the rule. This quaffer matches splendidly with the apple and pumpkin flavors ubiquitous this time of year. It is hand-picked by Robert Eymael, the owner of a German winery founded in 1177, and displays wonderful notes of white peach, pear and honeysuckle without being cloying. This is real Riesling – not the blue-bottle stuff – at an amazing value.

CaSTellI MaRTInozzI bRunello dI MonTalCIno 2005 Provenance: Tuscany, Italy available at: DiGregorio’s Market, 5200 Daggett Ave.,

The Hill, digregoriofoods.com; $67.79 Pairings: Wild game stew• Pecorino• Roasted pheasant The holidays are on the horizon, so why not splurge on a bottle for a crisp evening? This wine, hailing from an ancient region near the town of Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy, is made by a fortified vineyard that dates back to the 14th century, and is certainly worth the extra few dollars. It displays the flavors of earth – plus cherry, blueberry and leather – that you would expect from one of the finest wine regions in the world. Pop it open, decant it for an hour and indulge in the simple, bright flavors. Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

mystery shopper

MEET: WhiTE MisO

story and recipe by Shannon Weber photography by Jennifer Silverberg

There are loads of visually stunning ingredients out there, but miso isn't one of them. It’s what you might call “pretty on the inside” – the blind date with the magnetic personality – and it overflows with qualities that more than make up for its bland appearance.

What is it?

Miso is commonly made with soybeans, salt and a fungus, which, when fermented, becomes a thick paste with a meaty umami flavor reminiscent of soy sauce. A powerhouse of protein and B vitamins, miso is touted as much for its health benefits as it is for the unique pungency it possesses. Available in an array of flavor strengths ranging from sweet to astringent, it has been a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine for centuries, and is now found in markets around the world.

What do i do With it?

Miso is extremely versatile, and can breathe life into ordinary soups, dips, dressings and marinades. Shiro miso, or white miso, is the type with the shortest fermentation time as compared to aka miso (red miso) or other less common varieties. Sweet and light, white miso is the easiest to use without overdoing it. Less is more with miso, so go slowly when adding it to dishes and experiment until you find the right ratio; your efforts will be worth it, as its complex flavor has an addictive quality you will want to return to again and again. Though miso can be paired with almost anything, it really shines alongside fish, tofu and vegetables.

Root Vegetable Lettuce Wraps with Citrus Miso Dressing If you own a mandoline or kitchen slicer, employ it here; it's a time saver (and a finger saver, if your knife skills are lacking), and your beets and carrots will be beautifully uniform. Beets tend to bleed, so use rubber gloves and prepare the beets first, laying them out on a paper towel, which allows their surface to dry slightly and reduces the bleed on your finished product. Tossing them in the dressing just before serving rehydrates them without the color transfer.

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

serves | 4 | ½ ½ 2 ¼ 3 2 2/3 4 1

cup shiro miso (white miso paste) cup orange juice Tbsp granulated sugar cup rice wine vinegar tsp freshly grated ginger tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce cup grapeseed or vegetable oil small heads Boston lettuce, cored, leaves separated bunch (6 to 7) scallions, sliced lengthwise and then diagonally in ½-inch segments

1 10 to 12 2 1

bunch (8 to 10) radishes large basil leaves, chiffonade medium red beets, peeled and sliced into matchsticks bunch carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks freshly ground black pepper

| Preparation | In a medium bowl, whisk together miso paste, orange juice, sugar, rice wine vinegar, ginger and soy sauce. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking as you go,

until sauce has emulsified. Set aside.

| To Serve | Divide the lettuce leaves, scallions, radishes and basil into individual stacks on four large plates. Add beets and carrots to a large bowl and toss with a ½ cup of miso dressing, adding more as needed, until vegetables are slick and coated. Divide evenly over plates and season with pepper to taste. Serve with small bowls of miso dressing to use for dipping or drizzling over wraps.

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Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

how to

MakinG SuShi WiTh Tani SuShi BiSTRO

In food lore, there are few things as magical and mystical as sushi. Tales are told of the dedication and patience required to master the craft. In Japan, it’s said that before one can even touch the fish, chefs must first spend years learning how to make shari su, the rice vinegar that forms the literal foundation of all sushi. Only once they have perfected this basic element can they graduate to the next level – beginning to learn how to handle and cut the fish, often times with knives made by the descendants of samurai bladesmiths. So it’s kind of messed up that I’m learning how to make sushi in Clayton from a Croatian dude named Tom. But make no mistake, Tom – yup, just “Tom” – is legit. His career began in the most Japanese of places – Florida. Tom had been learning how to make sushi for more than two decades before landing at the hip, dimly lit Clayton eatery Tani Sushi Bistro. “I’ve learned a lot,” he explains of his more than 20 years working alongside Japanese chefs around the country. “I respect the food and the traditions.” And while Tani might not be the three Michelinstarred sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo, it definitely has its own traditions and methodologies. You can’t just walk off the street and become a sushi chef at Tani. Like in Japan, you must first start from the bottom: washing the dishes, scrubbing the floors and, yes, learning to make the rice. Just to be clear, you’ve never made sushi rice. Rephrase: You’ve never made real sushi rice. That recipe you Googled in preparation for your fancy,

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

heavy apps party ain’t legit. Sorry, Morimoto. Now, to be fair, it might be close; you might have all of the proper ingredients (rice, water, rice vinegar, salt and sugar are the most common), but you almost certainly don’t have a hangiri, the large wooden bowl used to mix and make sushi rice (if you do, my apologies; please skip ahead). You see, the secret to good sushi rice – real sushi rice – is in the mixing of ingredients in the wooden bowl. Placing the cooked rice inside, a skilled practitioner begins integrating the appropriate proportions of vinegar, salt, sugar and whatever else makes up that shop’s proprietary mixture. Meanwhile, a second individual uses a large wooden paddle to begin spreading and folding the mixture around with one hand, while the other person cools the sushi rice with a large fan. It’s this combination of folding and cooling that gives proper sushi rice its appearance and texture – shiny and slightly sweet and sticky, with each grain completely independent and seasoned from the other. Like many things, sushi rice is best made in small batches. In the case of Tani, it’s made almost nonstop. “The rice is the most important,” Tom deadpans. “You have to make it all day; otherwise, the sushi will be no good.” Once a trainee has a good grasp on the basics, they level up and help break down fish. As you might imagine, if you’re going to serve raw fish, it needs to be fresh, which is why Tani gets its supply flown in several times a week. “No, don’t do it,” exclaims Tom when jokingly asked

WRITTEN BY Brandon Chuang PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jonathan Gayman

why he can’t just go down to the supermarket for his supply. “That’s stupid; you’ll get sick.” Upon delivery, the not-from-the-supermarket fish is broken down into the necessary cuts. Certain parts, like the Hamachi jaw, might go to the kitchen’s fire-added side, while the choicer cuts, such as the loin and the belly, go to the place where you graduate to after butchering: the sushi bar. The sushi bar at Tani isn’t all that long – maybe 15 feet – but within that space, there’s a lot of experience. Each chef behind the line has earned his stripes folding rice and butchering fish; it’s what got them here, to the big show. With three distinct stations, Tani’s sushi bar is compartmentalized for perfect raw fish efficiency. Station one is where the specialty rolls are made: items with names such as Sex and the City, Jurassic Park and the Oh My God roll, which is called Oh My God because it comes to the table on fire. Station two is where the more common rolls are constructed: tuna rolls, salmon rolls, California rolls and the like. The third station is the sashimi and nigiri station – this is the station that requires the most care, and of course, this is where Tom sets up shop. As most of you probably already know, just because it’s raw doesn’t mean it’s sushi. Technically, sushi is anything that’s served with sushi rice. Meaning, if you put a Big Mac on top of sushi rice, you’ve made, quite literally, Big Mac sushi (you’re welcome for that image). So while raw fish can most definitely be sushi, it doesn’t mean that it’s always sushi. Raw fish that’s just raw fish is known as sashimi, and items (most

commonly raw fish) that are placed atop a small bed of sushi rice are known as nigiri. While seemingly simple, sashimi and nigiri are some of the most difficult dishes to make correctly. This is because of the deftness of touch required to cut the fish and shape the rice perfectly. “The style of cut isn’t important,” explains Tom, who immediately shatters all of my dreams of a small Japanese dojo filled with aspiring sushi chefs chopping one succinct way in unison. “It’s how clean you cut.” When cut incorrectly, whether with poor form or a dull knife, raw fish tears instead of slices. The result is a less-than-ideal mouthfeel that’s often described as rough, grainy and, weirdly enough, fuzzy. Cut properly, as Tom is wont to do – making quick, tearfree cut after tear-free cut to fulfill an order that’s just come in – creates the beautiful straight lines you see every time a plate is placed in front of you at Tani. “It’s art,” nods Tom about what he and his fellow sushi chefs do night in and night out, and he’s right. As guests continue to spill in off the Clayton streets and subsequent orders follow, Tom and his crew methodically go about their work: heads turned down toward the cutting boards as rice and fish and whatever else come together to form elegantly petite dishes – gourmet sculptures wrapped in seaweed. And as the sushi chefs of Tani continue to work without a burner or oven in sight, Tom looks up to me and smiles: “Just because it’s not cooking, doesn’t mean it’s not cooking.” Spoken like a true Croatian sushi chef.

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Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

tech school

BEER-BRaiSEd ChiCkEn

Story and recipe by Cassy Vires photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Braising is one of the most common cooking techniques. The cooking process can be done completely ahead of time with no infringement on quality – in fact, the flavors only get better when left to sit overnight. Braised meats are one of my favorite things to prepare and serve. They are the epitome of comfort food – warm, tender, juicy and bursting with flavor. And, like most things, the braising process benefits from a bottle of beer. Braising is a fairly simple technique to master, with endless applications. It should be in every cook’s repertoire. The technique requires a mix of dry and wet heats, as well as low and high temperatures. The first step is to sear the meat at a very high temperature. This is vital. Not only does this sear lock in the juices, but it also creates a caramelization on the surface of the meat that will look attractive when plated. This step is one thing that sets braising apart from poaching. Once the meat is properly seared, it is then cooked on low heat for an extended period of time, completely submerged in liquid, typically stock or wine. The intense flavor comes from this liquid, so it is essential to pack as much flavor into this step as possible. Mirepoix, the standard mix of carrots, onion, celery, herbs and spices, is the most common ingredient. A great way to get more flavors into the braising liquid is to deglaze the pan after searing the meat. During the searing process bits of meat are left stuck to the pan. After removing the meat from the pan, add a bit of liquid while the pan is still hot, and force those bits, which we lovingly call fond, from the bottom of the pan and into the braising liquid. I prefer to use alcohol for this, whether it is whiskey, wine or, as is the case with this month’s recipe, beer. To finish the process, the liquid needs to be

Perennial Beer-Braised Chicken

defatted and thickened. The ideal process for removing fat is to allow it to sit overnight in the refrigerator to let fat rise to the surface. It is the easiest way to remove impurities, but it also allows the flavors to develop further. To thicken the sauce, many cooks will add flour and water. With today’s tendency away from gluten, I prefer to allow the sauce to slowly simmer, allowing the sugars to naturally thicken. As the sauce reduces, the flavors are enhanced. Braising isn’t limited to just meat. Braised fruits and vegetables, including beets, fennel, cabbage and peaches, are just as delicious. The process can be easily applied to seafood, too. Cassy Vires is the owner and chef of Home Wine Kitchen and Table.

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

Serves | 4 | 1 1 4 1 2 2 24 2 2 ¼ 2 2

lb hickory smoked bacon, diced Tbsp olive oil chicken quarters, bone in, skin on yellow onion, chopped large carrots, chopped stalks celery, chopped oz Perennial Artisan Ales’ Heart of Gold sprigs thyme sprigs rosemary cup grain mustard Tbsp light brown sugar cups chicken stock, plus more as needed

| Preparation | Heat a large pan over high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy and fat is rendered. Using

For this recipe, choose a beer with high sugar content, such as an American strong ale. Here, we use Perennial Artisan Ales’ Heart of Gold. The sugars caramelize nicely, creating a thick, sweet sauce for the flavorful and tender chicken.

a slotted spoon, remove bacon and set aside.

completely submerge chicken in liquid.

In the same pan, over high heat, add olive oil. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken, skin-side down, in the bacon fat. Once skin is seared and golden brown, flip chicken over and sear the other side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and simmer on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken pieces from the pot, taking care to keep pieces whole. Place on a sheet pan while finishing the sauce.

Reduce heat to medium and add onion, carrots and celery. Cook until soft and fragrant. Deglaze pan with beer, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add herbs, mustard and brown sugar, and stir to combine.

Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer, and discard the mirepoix and herbs. Remove fat from the sauce using either a gravy separator or ladle. Return sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes to allow sauce to thicken.

Return bacon and chicken to the pot, and cover with chicken stock. Add stock as needed to

Reheat chicken in sauce and serve over roasted vegetables.

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each week Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

gadget a-go-go

SpidER SkimmERS

wrITTEN By pat eby PHoTogrAPHy By Jonathan Gayman

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|3|

|4| |5|

|1|

|2|

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9-iNcH SpiraL Wire Skimmer Spider TaB-2409

Joyce cHeN 5-iNcH STaiNLeSS-STeeL STraiNer Spider

STaiNLeSS-STeeL STraiNer pH

PROS

Strong, handsome and value priced, this spider provides a peachy way to lift heavy meats and roasted vegetables from a big, shallow cast-iron pot or braising pan. A fun tool to hang on the wall and a conversation starter when guests come to dinner. The chrome plating is well done, and the long handle with a proper grip balances nicely in hand. It has an interesting spider pattern and strong supports on the basket.

A user-friendly tool, this spider’s smooth and sturdy bamboo handle affords cooks a cool, comfortable grip. The intricate 5-inch basket seems deeper than the 1¾ inches it measures. It’s sturdy enough to easily remove chicken, vegetables, garlic cloves and bay leaves from a pot of boiling hot stock. A good, general size for multiple tasks, this stainlesssteel spider with bamboo handle is dishwasher safe as well.

NaTuraL Home recycLed STaiNLeSS-STeeL aNd BamBoo Skimmer

CONS

This is for big pots only, six-quarts and larger. The super size seemed best for stock pots, but the shallow handle angle doesn’t allow a clean sweep to the bottom without tilting the basket. This one might be too much of a good thing, but Session Fixture Company stocks a number of smaller spiders, all nicely priced. $5.85; Session Fixture Company, 6044 Lemay Ferry Road, South County, sessionfixtures.com

CONS

Its small size means cooks need to make several passes to clear a big pot, but Joyce Chen also makes a 7-inch basket model, with the same fun construction, if you’re cooking a larger amount of food.

PROS

At just over seven-inches in diameter, this big-enough spider fits in 4-quart pans or larger. It removed heavy bones, veggies and most whole spices from ham broth with ease. Made from stainless steel with a comfortable hard-plastic black handle, the basket supports segment from edge to edge. CONS

No cons, just a caution: It’s big. The same style is available in smaller sizes. $5.99; Olive Farmer’s Market, 8041 Olive Blvd., University City, stlouissupermarket.com

CONS

The light weight of the mesh and the shallow depth of the basket limit the use of this skimmer to easy tasks. The mesh doesn’t release particles easily. Several careful hand washings pushed the basket a little out of shape.

wire – a Chinese puzzle basket design of chicken wire and rings, or mesh baskets with solid rims. If you plan to lift heavier foods with the spider, consider wire supports on the underside of the baskets. For looks, solid spot-welded supports win, but the old-fashioned hooks over the rim

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

The best thing about this strainer is the jaunty, steeply angled handle for its ability to plunge straight down to the bottom of a 6-quart pot and remain level. Second, it’s constructed of stainless-steel from the finest mesh in the basket to the handle and the wire supports. CONS

Hate the construction of the skinny loop handle with no grip. Hot pads, welders’ gloves or oven mitts – nothing helped make the lift of garlic and ginger from hot oil feel secure. Buyers, use this with care. $2.99; Olive Farmer’s Market

$7.99; naturalhomemerchandise.com

Che

Ck o pag ut e

seemed sturdiest. Choose mesh or slotted baskets based on preference. Size. From diminutive 3-inch mesh skimmers to 18-inch behemoths,

there’s a spider for every pot, mini to mammoth. Match size to your pot – not just the diameter, but to its depth as well. HaNdleS. Shafts should measure 10 inches or longer to keep hands clear

BaSket CONStRuCtiON. Choose a basket with a classic web pattern in the

PROS

Made from recycled stainless-steel, with sustainable bamboo handles pinned to its shaft, the fine mesh basket of this skimmer corrals foam from poached chicken and gently lifts finished dumplings and tortellini. Deftly grabs ginger pieces and whole garlic fr om hot oi l. Di shwasher s afe.

WHaT To Look For : They fish foods from pans of broth, hot oil or water with no loss of time or cooking liquids. Bigger baskets make faster work of the job than slotted spoons. Each spider performed best when its size, construction and weight-carrying capabilities meshed with pot sizes and the weight of retrieved ingredients.

5-iNcH STaiNLeSS STeeL FiNe meSH STraiNer

PROS

$7.95; Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, kitchenconservatory.com

SPideR SPeCifiCS. Plain and simple, spiders are like portable colanders.

|5|

of hot oil or liquids. Sturdy grips made of plastic or bamboo help steady the transfer from pot to plate. Slim wire handles felt flimsy and flexed when pulled from the pot. Most handles attached to baskets at a 30- to 40-degree angle. A steeper handle angle of 60 to 70 degrees allows cooks to reach deeper into pots to pull out foods.

44!

Spider skimmers make easy work of soups, stocks and broths. Check out this month’s feature on ramen to give one a workout.

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PAINT. DRINK. HAVE FUN Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

menu options

AsiAn sOup Dumplings

Going to culinary school in Hyde Park, N.Y., meant that I was just a quick train ride from the big city. One special place I always loved to visit was Joe’s Shanghai in Chinatown. This restaurant is famous for its authentic Chinese cuisine, especially its xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings. The second you were seated, they asked how many orders you wanted so they could get them started right away, as they take a

STOrY aNd reCIPe bY Lucy Schwetye PHOTOGraPHY bY Jennifer Silverberg

little time to prepare. They would come out hot and fresh and filled with the richest meat. I was always in awe of these creative little pockets – and always curious how they were made. Was the soup frozen, was it injected, was a special tool or kitchen utensil used to fill the dumplings with soup? after a little research and some fun experimentation, I realized it required a quick-gelled stock.

Asian Soup Dumplings serves | 6 | doUgh

¾ ¼ 1½ 7 to 8

cup bread flour cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour tsp grapeseed oil Tbsp hot water

soUP

2½ 3 2½ ½ 1 2

cups chicken stock scallions, sliced Tbsp ginger, sliced cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced, with stems Tbsp powdered unflavored gelatin Tbsp chopped smoked ham, from a hock or jowl

filling

2 2 ½ ¼ 1 2½ 1¼

Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped scallions, chopped tsp salt tsp freshly ground white pepper tsp sugar tsp soy sauce Tbsp dry sherry

1¾ ½ 1 to 2

tsp sesame oil lb ground pork cups Napa cabbage leaves for steaming

diPPing saUce

Dark vinegar and ginger for dipping

| Preparation – Dough | In a food processor, combine bread flour and all-purpose flour. add grapeseed oil and hot water, and mix until combined. This should yield a soft, warm dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about two minutes, until dough is smooth and slightly elastic. It should have some elasticity when lightly pressed. Place in a sealed bag, taking care to remove excess air, and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

| Preparation – Soup | In a saucepot, combine stock, scallions, ginger and shiitake mushrooms and bring to a boil. allow to reduce by half, until you have a generous cup and a quarter. Strain and set aside to slightly cool. return stock to a saucepot and add gelatin. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until you reach a boil and the powdered gelatin dissolves. Pour stock into a small baking pan or bowl to create a thin

layer of stock. refrigerate until completely cooled and gelatinized.

| Preparation – Filling | In a food processor, add peeled ginger, scallions, salt, white pepper, sugar, soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil. Process until smooth. add pork and lightly pulse until slightly combined. remove and place in a bowl, and further combine with a wooden spoon. Set aside and let rest for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. add gelled stock, mixing lightly. refrigerate for 10 minutes to recongeal.

| Preparation – Dumplings | Using a dough scraper, divide dough into four pieces. Take one piece of dough and roll it into a 5-inch log, cover other pieces until needed. Cut the log into five pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Working one at a time, roll each ball into a 2 ½ to 3 inch in diameter circle. as you do this, roll the ball out slightly and then just roll the outside edges to extend to 2 ½ to 3 inches; you want to have a thicker center to help prevent soup from leaking. Scoop about 2 teaspoons of filling into each rolled-out dumpling, leaving a ½ inch of dough on the perimeter. bring four edges of the dough up

to make a bag-like shape. Continue by pleating each section in the center; if the dough seems too sticky, lightly flour it. Once it is entirely pleated, twist the top of your purse slightly to secure closure. Place formed dumplings onto a lightly floured piece of parchment on a sheet tray or baking sheet and cover. Continue until you use all of the dough. To cook the dumplings, cover a steamer with lightly oiled cabbage leaves. Steam them over boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes, or until meat is cooked through. To serve, gently pick up dumplings and place in a bowl. Finish dumplings by dipping in dark vinegar and ginger, or a sauce of your choice.

JOIN US! RSVP:

schnuckscooks.com 314.909.1704

m A k e Th e m eA ○ ○

chef’S TipS :

○

fresh frozen. If you are not serving the dumplings immediately, freeze them instead of refrigerating them, as the filling will start to break down. forward Thinking. You can make your dumpling dough a day

ahead: Simply put it in a bag, refrigerate it overnight and bring it to room temperature before preparing dumplings. PracTice Makes PerfecT. Test different ways to fold and finish your dumplings to be sure you are closing them and rolling them properly.

○

L: Shrimp Chow Mein

Asian Soup Dumplin

Sautéed bok Choy

Coconut Ice Cream

Le A r n m Or e:

In this month’s class, yo u’ll learn how to make quick-gelled stock and how to add a little bo k choy to your meals. We’ll also explo re how to use coconut milk to make easy, tasty ice cream in your home kit chen.

get hands-on: Join Feast and schnucks Cooks Cooking school on Wed., oct. 23, 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. 42

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013

Discover Historic Main Street Columbia Illinois Where you will find hospitality, charm and friendly faces! 17 Unique Retail Shops & 14 Delicious Wine/Restaurant Locations

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Agnes Ross 115 W. Gundlach St. • 618-281-4327 Chateau La Vin 119 S. Main St. • 618-281-8117 Fabulous Finds 315 N. Main St. • 618-281-1954 Fashion Attic 128 S. Main St. • 618-281-7467 Fashion Attic 4 Kids 103 West Gundlach St. • 618- 281-7466 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 Rabbits & Rags 124c S Main St. 618-560-9744 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 Who Dat's Southern Food 123 S. Main St. • 618-281-2229

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OCTOBER 2013

ramen revolution story and recipes by Andrew Mark Veety

photography by Jennifer Silverberg

ramen is a murky bowl of contradictions. It is a beloved Japanese dish, slurped at narrow ramen-ya counters at all hours of the day and into the early morning, when ramen becomes the required ending to a night of drinking. At the same time, ramen occupies a position in the upper echelon of Japanese cuisine; a pairing of decadent broths and long, chewy noodles that is revered, debated and obsessed over with the same passion that Westerners reserve for culinary institutions such as pizza and barbecue. On the small island of Japan, dozens of regional versions of this noodle soup can be found; briny seafood broths in the north give way to a half dozen variations of tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen in the south. Ramen is woven into the fabric of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dining culture, but its roots stretch back into its long, tumultuous and violent history with neighboring China like a tangled nest of hand-pulled noodles.

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For most Americans, ramen is most commonly known as a brick of flash-fried noodles – easily bought with change found under a seat cushion – that are briefly boiled and then tossed into an unreasonably aggressive bowl of instant broth, salt, spice and, if diners are lucky, a few dehydrated scallions and mushrooms. Japanese ramen, it would seem, is the stuff of voyeurism; in the form of travel and food television, glossy photography and the tales of adventurous eaters seeking out this dish as a matter of personal pride and bragging rights. Yet, following the assimilation trajectory of another famous Japanese export – the now culinarily ubiquitous and commoditized dish known as sushi – Americans have seen a proliferation of ramen shops appear, particularly along the coasts. Additionally, thanks to cookbooks and social media, ramen-yas such as Momofuku in New York City and Hapa Ramen in San Francisco have come dangerously close to being household names and inspired more than a few home cooks to try their hand at making ramen in their own kitchens. The truth is that making ramen at home is well within reach for curious home cooks possessing a bit of time, patience and access to a well-stocked Asian market. Miso and shoyu, soy sauce-based broths, require a minimal amount of kitchen dexterity to prepare and allow cooks to concentrate on toppings and adornments. Meanwhile, time-intensive broths such as tonkotsu broth require more attention and ingredients to complete but pay off with deep and savory flavors that are rarely found in homemade – or most restaurant – soups. The foundation for all ramen is dashi, typically starting with kombu – sheets of mineral-encrusted kelp that has been dried in the sun – which

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is a natural source of umami, a savory flavor originating from the extraction of glutamic acid, a building block for creating the pleasing “roundness” found in the finished broth. Kombu dashi is vegetarian and can be used as is, but can also be fortified further with katsuobushi, tuna that has been dried, fermented, smoked and shaved. Once a kombu dashi is prepared, home cooks can quickly make miso ramen, or use it to build tonkotsu broth. The broth is created over many hours of rapidly boiling pork bones – for a minimum of 12 hours, but 24 or 48 is not uncommon – to release a heady combination of proteins, calcium, fat and marrow. This creates a thick stock that is milky in color and opaque enough to mask the noodles that will ultimately rest within it. Tonkotsu broth is all about building and layering flavors, offering cooks a chance to personalize their broths. Master the basics, and the rest of the process is essentially the “secret sauce” when it comes to ramen recipes. Methods of preparation differ; some call for roasting pork bones in the oven before boiling, others blanching bones in boiling water. More than a few cooks will add chicken bones and meat for flavor and collagen to help thicken the broth. Others will add smoked pork belly or the occasional pig trotter. Next come root vegetables and sections of leeks, onions and ginger that have been charred over flame. Dried or fresh mushrooms help to round off flavors and contribute to umami. When broth reaches a boil, it is time to prepare toppings. Eggs are customary, typically cooked till the yolk is just set, then marinated in a salty and sweet liquid. Cuts of roasted pork belly or loin are sliced to be fanned out atop a bed of noodles, ready to tempt chopsticks. Mushrooms

of all varieties and bamboo are common, as are greens such as bok choy and starchy vegetables including kernels of corn. Strips of nori, dried seaweed, infuse broth with the briny flavor of saltwater, while the playful swirls of pink and white kamaboko add a bit of whimsy and color to the bowl. Each of these toppings are traditional, but are by no means required. The beauty of ramen is paying homage to tradition, all the while nodding to your local culture and ingredients. When it comes to ramen toppings, there are norms, but no hard and fast rules. Noodles can be a source of consternation, especially if the goal is to prepare authentic, “alkaline noodles” that are chewy and tinged yellow from the addition of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and wheat flour high in protein. While some choose to buy or make fresh noodles – by all means, break out the pasta machine and go for it – home cooks will find great success by paying up for quality instant ramen noodles (look for packages from Nongshim or Myojo) or dried noodles (we’re partial to Rocket Brand Sapporo Noodles) from your local Asian market. With these guideposts roughed out, we set out to give home cooks an arsenal of recipes to create the foundations for authentic tonkotsu ramen at home, and share how a classic ramen style can be infused with local flavors and ingredients to create a dish that is respectful of the original, yet something new unto itself. In this case, we start with tonkotsu ramen topped with an egg, roasted pork belly, scallions, fresh mushrooms and corn. Then we’ll take that base and infuse this traditional dish with flavors from the Midwest: swapping out roasted pork belly for smoked, adding sweet and acidic pickled peppers, tender greens and a Japanese-inspired take on the pork rib, playfully created with a rubbed chicken thigh.

TOP TO BOTTOM: Charred leeks, onions and ginger; roasted pork belly; shichimi-rubbed chicken thighs; marinated 8-minute eggs. See recipes on page 49.

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

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ramen recipes Tonkotsu Ramen Broth Serves | 10 to 12 | Kombu Dashi

2 12 1

4 inch-by-4 inch sections kombu cups water cup katsuobushi

RoasteD PoRK bone bRoth

9 1 15 2 3 2 1 1 6 1½ 3

1 2

quarts water lb shiitake mushrooms peppercorns lb parsnips, peeled leeks, cleaned onions, peeled and halved finger ginger, peeled head garlic lb pork ham bones sawn into 4-inch pieces lb pork neck bones Tbsp olive oil sea salt freshly ground black pepper lb chicken backs lb chicken wings and tips double-fermented soy sauce chile oil chicken schmaltz (optional)

| Preparation – Kombu Dashi | Gently wipe kombu with a damp cloth, place in large saucepan and cover with water. Heat until simmering, then remove from heat. Add katsuobushi, cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve.

| Preparation – Roasted Pork Bone Broth | Fill stockpot with kombu dashi and water, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add mushrooms, peppercorns and parsnips. Char leeks, onions and ginger over flame on a grill, then add to the water. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange head of garlic and pork bones on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Remove garlic after 20 minutes, then bake remaining bones for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove mushrooms, peppercorns, parsnips, leeks, onions and ginger from the pot and discard. Separate roasted garlic from skins and add to the pot. Add chicken backs, wings and roasted pork bones to the pot. Top off with water, then bring to a rolling boil. Season aggressively with salt. Spoon off any foam or scum that rises to the surface as needed. Remove chicken after 90 minutes. Cover pot tightly and maintain a rolling boil for at least 12 hours, topping off as needed with water for the first 8 hours. If planning a 12-hour boil, allow the liquid to reduce by a third to one half. Adjust seasoning to taste. Strain liquid before using.

| Traditional Tonkotsu – To Serve | In a wide and deep bowl, add 1 tsp each of soy sauce, chile oil and chicken schmaltz (if desired), then ladle enough broth to fill the bowl by half. Add prepared

noodles (per their cooking instructions) and toss in broth with chopsticks, then add enough broth to cover. Top with marinated 8-minute egg (recipe below), sliced roasted pork belly, mushrooms, scallions and corn.

| Midwest Tonkotsu – To Serve | Prepare in the same manner as traditional tonkotsu, but top with marinated 8-minute egg, sliced smoked pork belly, a chicken thigh “rib,” scallions, Brussels sprout leaves, pickled peppers and chile-garlic sauce.

Marinated 8-Minute Egg 6 1 1 1 3

large eggs cup dark soy sauce cup mirin cup water Tbsp honey

| Preparation | Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water, then place over high heat until boiling. Cover and remove pan from heat. Remove eggs after 8 minutes and place into an ice bath. In a bowl large enough to hold all 6 eggs, mix soy sauce, mirin, water and honey to combine. Peel eggs, then place into the marinade. Allow eggs to marinate for 12 hours, turning occasionally.

| To Serve | Remove eggs from marinade and slice in half. Top noodles with egg before serving.

350°F, basting belly regularly with its own fat and juices to crisp pork skin. Rest before slicing.

| To Serve | Slice pork ½-inch thick, and fan atop noodles before serving.

Shichimi-Rubbed Chicken Thigh “Ribs” chicken thighs shichimi seasoning salt 2 Tbsp olive oil black sesame seeds

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken thighs with shichimi and salt. Add olive oil to a frying pan and cook over medium-high heat. Place thighs into pan skin-side down and fry until skin is crisp and golden brown. Remove thighs from pan and finish skin-side up in the oven, about 15 minutes. Repeat process as needed. Strain and reserve rendered chicken fat (schmaltz). Rest thighs before slicing.

| To Serve | Place thighs skin-side down on a cutting board. Using a butcher’s knife, slice thighs along the bone to create a “rib,” leaving crisped skin intact. Place atop noodles before serving, garnishing sparingly with black sesame seeds and chile-garlic sauce (recipe below).

Pickled Peppers

Roasted Pork Belly

3 1 1

4 1

lbs pork belly, skin on Tbsp Chinese five-spice powder Tbsp salt

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub pork belly with spice and salt, place on baking sheet and roast for 90 minutes, basting belly regularly with its own fat and juices to crisp pork skin. Rest before slicing.

| To Serve | Slice pork ½-inch thick, and fan atop

¼ ¼ ¼ 1 ¼

medium fresno peppers, thinly sliced (leave ribs and seeds) cloves minced garlic finger ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins cup ponzu cup sushi vinegar cup water Tbsp honey tsp salt

| Preparation | Combine ingredients, seal in a ½-pint mason jar and refrigerate overnight.

noodles before serving.

Chile-Garlic Sauce Smoked Pork Belly 3 1 1

smoking wood lbs pork belly, skin on Tbsp salt Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

| Preparation | Arrange coals and smoking wood in charcoal grill or smoker for indirect cooking. Rub pork belly with salt and pepper, and smoke indirect for 90 minutes at 250°F. Remove from grill, place on baking sheet and roast in oven for an additional 60 minutes at

3 2 ½ 1 1 2 1 ½ 1

medium fresno peppers, ends trimmed small Thai peppers, ends trimmed red pepper head garlic, peeled Tbsp fresh ginger Tbsp light soy sauce Tbsp distilled vinegar tsp sesame oil tsp salt

| Preparation | Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. Reserve in a ½-pint mason jar and refrigerate overnight.

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made in

JaPan Written by Kyle Harsha

photography by Jonathan Gayman

midwest Palates taP into JaPanese Pours

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Bill Murray slowly turns his gaze, fixing it squarely upon you. “for relaxing tiMes, Make it suntory tiMe,” he says. as this scene from sofia Coppola’s 2003 film Lost in Translation suggests, Japanese whiskey has been gaining popularity in american culture for some time. the Japanese beer industry is currently experiencing a craft movement similar to the one taking hold of the u.s. market, while Japanese whiskey is fast becoming a trendy inclusion in specialty cocktails. liquor stores across the st. louis area, such as lukas liquor superstore, friar tuck and the wine & Cheese place, are, more and more, stocking Japanese whiskeys. Meanwhile, Japanese beers are popping up on beer lists at local restaurants including 33 wine shop & tasting Bar, niche and Mai lee. to better understand the distinct appeal of these bottles, we must take a look at where they began and how far they’ve come.

Japanese Beer

the beer industry in Japan traces its roots back to the Dutch, who constructed the man-made island Dejima as a trading post in the bay of nagasaki in the 1600s. in addition to – or rather, due to – building the trading outpost, the Dutch also built watering holes for travelers. Breweries started cropping up and the popularity of beer in Japan increased rapidly. according to a 2010 report by the kirin institute of food and lifestyle – the research arm of kirin Brewery

Co., one of the major players in the Japanese beer market – Japan is currently the seventh largest global consumer of beer annually, with China clocking in at no. 1 and the u.s. claiming the runner-up spot. like the craft beer movement in america, Japanese beer consumers are beginning to reject larger macrobreweries in favor of microbrews. this isn’t simply a trend; a weak yen has caused the price of popular imports from america to increase. a large portion of what is consumed in Japan is labeled as happoshu instead of beer, indicating that the beverage has lower grain content, and is subsequently taxed less by the government. the bulk of Japanese beers available in the u.s. are actually brewed domestically or in Canada, usually by breweries owned by overseas holding groups. that’s right, kirin ichiban is brewed in torrance, Calif. larger production beers from asahi Breweries ltd., sapporo and kirin are similar in style to the lagers most americans are familiar with from the big Belgian-owned brewery in soulard. they are priced about the same as american macro-lagers. the sapporo premium lager is crisp, clean and refreshing, with a very slight note of malt and a hint of hops. sapporo claims the distinction of being the oldest brewery in Japan, founded in 1876 in the town of sapporo. another example of larger production Japanese beer is asahi’s super Dry, a middle-weight beer with distinct notes of baked bread, corn and a touch of malty richness. asahi uses a specific yeast strain for fermentation with the goal of producing a karakuchi (or dry) beer that “doesn’t interfere with the taste of food.” while big brewers such as sapporo and asahi are more widely known, it’s the smaller Japanese beer producers that gain the most respect among beer aficionados. of particular note is kiuchi Brewery located in naka, ibaraki, Japan, which makes the

Where to Buy

A handful of local liquor stores, bars and restaurants stock or serve Japanese beers and whiskeys, making it easy to experiment and explore. here’s our roundup of the best places to find pours of both in the St. Louis area.

○ Beer ○

33 Wine Shop & tasting Bar, 1913 Park Ave., Lafayette Square, 33wine.com Mai Lee, 8396 Musick Memorial Drive, Brentwood, maileerestaurant.com International tap house, multiple locations, internationaltaphouse.com Straub’s, multiple locations, straubs.com the Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations, wineandcheeseplace.com Friar tuck, multiple locations, friartuckonline.com

○ WhISkey○

33 Wine Shop & tasting Bar the Scottish Arms, 8 S. Sarah St., Central West end, thescottisharms.com Lukas Liquor Superstore, 15921 Manchester road, ellisville, lukasliquorstl.com the Wine & Cheese Place the Wine Merchant, 20 S. hanley road, Clayton, winemerchantltd.com

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Turn to p. 30 for a cocktail recipe using Japanese whiskey. much-loved hitachino nest ales. kiuchi was founded in 1823 by kiuchi gihei and produces not only ales, but also small amounts of sake and shochu. the hitachino ales, known for the owl on the label, are well made and come in a number of different styles. the white ale is bright and refreshing, with notes of lemon, coriander and pepper. the Classic ale has been aged in cedar casks and shows a slightly malty characteristic, along with hints of bitter chocolate, vanilla and sourdough bread.

Japanese whiskey

the history of whiskey in Japan is significantly shorter than beer, but has seen a meteoric rise in quality and popularity. the first malt-whiskey distillery in Japan was yamazaki, located in the suburb of kyoto and owned by suntory. it was started by a pharmaceutical wholesaler named shinjiro torii, who hired a Japanese man named Masataka taketsuru, who studied in scotland, as his master distiller. these two men were responsible for starting the Japanese whiskey industry and founding two of the most popular companies – suntory and nikka. it must be noted that the similarities of Japanese whiskeys to their scotch counterparts are due to the fact that taketsuru not only studied in scotland, but also brought a scottish wife back with him from his travels. he even carried on the scottish tradition of dropping the “e” in whiskey. Currently there are about a dozen separate whiskey distilleries in Japan. their use of single malts in some of the products, as well as their locations near sources of good water, make for products that, when tasted blind, could very easily be mistaken for scotch. there are single-

malt products, as well as less expensive blended whiskeys available. one difference in the industry is that the malts and the whiskeys are typically owned by the distilleries, and are not shared with competitors, as they often are in scotland. with the rise in quality and international interest, many Japanese whiskeys are available at local liquor stores and are typically priced from $50 to $180 per bottle. they are also starting to show up behind bars, and can often be sampled by the glass. at 33 wine shop & tasting Bar in lafayette square there are four different options, one from nikka and three from suntory. the nikka 15-year-old single Malt yoichi is from a distillery located in hokkaido, Japan, a place that taketsuru claimed has a natural environment similar to scotland. it has a heavy peat note, along with burned orange peel and strong oak flavors that put it in contention with some of the best scotch whiskys available. the single Malt 12-year from yamazaki has a citrus-driven nose and notes of coconut and butter on the finish. the crowd favorite at 33 wine shop is the hakushu 12-year, a blended malt product from a distillery located at the foot of the southern Japanese alps, and owned by suntory. it has a nose more reminiscent of grass and apples than peat, and has a rich, cookie-like finish. all of the options are considered “sipping whiskeys” and should be sipped either neat or on the rocks. please do not mix them with cola. Based on the quality of the products available on the market, it should be easy to follow Bill Murray’s advice: Drink Japanese beer and whiskey, for a refreshing – possibly even suntory – time.

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notable

nigiri WrITTEn BY Liz Miller

PHOTOGrAPHY BY Jonathan Gayman

Chopsticks, culturally, are for passing food. If you’re eating sashimi, you’re going to use chopsticks. Nigiri is like finger food. – Eliott Harris

Pristine, fresh sashimi and nigiri are the most honest ways to experience the distinct flavors and textures of seafood. But in the broader sushi lexicon, sashimi and nigiri often get confused. Simply put, sushi refers to anything with cooked, seasoned rice – maki (rolls) and nigiri (sliced raw fish atop a small bed of rice). Sashimi (sliced raw fish) is not sushi. In Japanese, maki means “roll” or “rolled,” while nigiri means “compress” or “compact.” In both cases, the names just describe the role the rice plays. Eliott Harris, owner of local food truck CHOPSHOPSTL and sushi consultant at Central Table Food Hall, has dedicated decades to learning, experimenting and developing creative spins on classic Japanese cuisine. He describes sashimi and nigiri as the purest forms of seafood. “You can’t really hide the quality of fish with [nigiri and sashimi],” Harris says. “That’s why I’m not really big on masking with sauces or complicated garnishes. The fish should stand on its own. You start [a meal] with sashimi and progress to nigiri, then to standard rolls like tekkamaki, which is tuna.” Harris approaches nigiri and maki with the intention to spotlight the seafood, relying on sushi rice to add subtle, complementary texture and flavor. “I like to use pretty little rice when it comes to nigiri,” he says. “At a lot of restaurants, the rice goes the length of the fish. Sushi is meant to be one bite, that’s why there are no forks and knives. One piece is meant to be one bite. At some restaurants, rolls are the size of your face...how are you supposed to eat that in one bite without it falling all over the place? Then you get filled up on rice. I’d rather highlight the fish. That way you can order a variety and taste a menu up and down, instead of getting bogged down with rice.” Just as important as the proportions of sushi rice is the sushi knife (or yanagi) used to cut the fish. It is a single-edged blade made from carbon steel that requires regular maintenance and knife-sharpening experience. These knives can range in price from $150 to $2000. Harris recommends brands such as Korin and Global – look for the latter locally in stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate and Barrel and Williams-Sonoma, priced around $140. Inexpensive versions can be found at Asian specialty markets. Curious to learn more about Harris’ approach to nigiri, we asked him to share eight examples that capture the distinctive qualities of various types of sustainable fish and seafood, with simple garnishes that play nicely with the seafood and rice. To finish it off, Harris also shares recipes for sushi rice and sauces for dipping and garnishing.

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

That’s the beauty of Japanese cuisine, |1|

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WRITTEn BY Eliott Harris, CHOPSHOPSTL, Central Table Food Hall

s ustainable nigiri made with: ○

Maguro/Yellowfin Tuna

| 1 | Shrimp with fresh jalapeño and spicy wasabi

I started using it. It’s made with pollack, a white

easy to grow, especially in St. Louis’ climate.

mayo: It’s one of the easiest types of seafood

fish. | 4 | Salmon roe with a quail egg yolk on top

It grows like mint. | 6 | Salmon with lemon and

to get locally. Here, we make it a little sexier

wrapped in nori with cucumber matchsticks:

green onion: This bright orange color is how fresh

through garnishes. | 2 | Yellowfin tuna with

Salmon roe with a little quail egg on top is a pretty

salmon should look. | 7 | Canadian albacore tuna

radish sprouts: This combination creates a nice

traditional accompaniment. Then, I added just a

with cilantro leaf and a dot of sriracha: Tuna is

peppery mouthfeel. | 3 | Imitation crab stick

little bit of cucumber. The salmon roe are nice and

my favorite. They say in Japanese thinking that tuna is the backbone of a decent sushi bar. The

○

Shiro Maguro/Albacore Tuna

○

Ikura/Salmon Roe

(shellfish-free) made with pollack, wrapped in

salty, and the quail egg yolk is rich and creamy,

○

Sake/Salmon

nori with cucumber matchsticks: The good thing

so you often see the two of those paired well

sriracha gives it a nice heat. | 8 | Striped bass

○

Suzuki/Striped Bass

about imitation crab stick is it’s shellfish-free,

together. Quail eggs are a typical pairing with any

with flying fish roe and green onion: Flying fish

○

Ebi/Shrimp

and shellfish has been a long-standing allergy.

type of roe. They’re never served alone; they’re

are super small fish, so flying fish roe is how most

always served with roe. | 5 | Scallop wrapped in

people describe this. It’s a classic pairing with

○

Imitation Crab Stick

It’s easier to use this or different byproducts for this. I was opposed to imitation crab for years,

nori with shiso leaf and flying fish roe: Shiso leaf

striped bass, a white fish, which is traditionally

○

Hotate/Scallops

but there are just too many shellfish allergies, so

is a Japanese herb in the mint family. It’s fairly

served with ponzu sauce.

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OCTOBER 2013

less is more. |4|

– Eliott Harris

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smart seafood choices Seafood Watch, an organization managed by Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif., estimates that close to 85 percent of the world’s fisheries are overfished, damaging habitats and ecosystems, and endangering species across the globe. Through long-term research, the group’s team of scientists draft lists of seafood that is caught in responsible ways, with a specialized Seafood Watch Sushi Guide offering recommendations for “best” and “good” choices, as well as overfished or endangered seafood to avoid. In the Midwest, the “best” and “good” sustainable options available form a lengthy list, including the seafood used here for nigiri. This info is helpful for home cooks, as well as for your next trip to the sushi bar.

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

ReCIPeS by Eliott Harris, CHOPSHOPSTL, Central Table Food Hall

making the sushi ric e Rice is the foundation of quality nigiri and maki. A short- or medium-grain rice is preferred. First you rinse the rice to remove starch. Having a rice cooker takes the guesswork out of making rice and guarantees a consistent result each time. After you rinse the rice and get all the excess starch out, you steam it in a rice cooker. Then it’s transferred into a large wooden bowl called a hangiri – the wood disperses heat as opposed to steel, which will retain it. The trick to making good rice is to cut it and cool it as soon as possible. Sushi rice is cut with a wooden spatula and then slowly drizzled with shari su, a mixture of rice vinegar, granulated sugar, iodized salt and mirin. This seasons the rice and gives it a nice sheen. When you’re cutting sushi rice, you want to separate the grains of rice so you don’t have big clumps. Next you incorporate the shari su into the rice as quickly as possible. Then, 20 minutes later or so, you come back and give the rice a little turn so that the bottom rice becomes the top

rice and everything cools evenly. The entire process, from the time you rinse it, cook it, cut it and let it cool, takes about an hour and a half to an hour and 45 minutes. Cutting it takes 2 minutes – you don’t want to overwork the rice, just incorporate the seasoning into the rice as quickly as possible. Pro TiP: you can’t buy shari su pre-made. you can buy rice vinegar, but that doesn’t have the sugar, salt and mirin. If you don’t use shari su, the rice won’t get the sweetness. Adding the shari su is what makes it sushi rice. Mirin is available in most specialty markets and grocery stores.

Serves | 6 to 8 | SuShi rice

4 4 ¼

cups short-grain rice cups water cup shari su (recipe follows)

Shari Su

5 3 ½ ½

cups rice vinegar cups granulated sugar cup iodized salt cup mirin

| Preparation – Sushi Rice |

In a fine strainer, rinse rice under cold water for 2 minutes or until water runs clear. Add rinsed rice and water to rice cooker insert or pot. Follow rice cooker factory directions (cooking time should be between 30 to 45 minutes). Once rice is cooked, it needs to be transferred into a large wooden or plastic bowl to cool and be seasoned. Using a rice paddle, evenly distribute ¾ of a cup of shari su (see recipe below) over rice to cool and incorporate flavor, being careful to gently turn rice to remove all clumps.

| Preparation – Shari Su | Add all ingredients to combine and whisk until all solids dissolve.

Nigiri is on the forefront. Sashimi and nigiri are how the Japanese consume sushi. – Eliott Harris

making the sauces These three simple sauce recipes can be found as condiments and in menu items at CHOPSHOPSTL and Central Table Food Hall. The ponzu and toasted garlic soy sauces make nice alternatives to soy sauce for dipping, while the spicy mayo adds tang as a garnish. Transfer all sauces into plastic squeeze bottles for future use. Pro TiP: In Japan, you normally get a warm cloth to wash your hands before you eat. The nigiri is picked up, then, fish-side down, it’s dipped in soy sauce, and then you taste the fish first and the rice second.

Ponzu pictured top Ponzu sauce is a classic Japanese sauce. It’s light and soy based, but it also includes rice vinegar, fresh citrus and bonito flakes – dried tuna – that give it a smoky flavor. It adds a more vibrant flavor to food than soy sauce. 4 4 1 1 2

cups soy sauce cups rice vinegar cup dried bonito flakes orange lemons

| Preparation | In a pot, add soy sauce and vinegar and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and add bonito flakes. Once the bonito flakes sink to the bottom, squeeze in the juice from the orange and lemons. Refrigerate overnight and strain.

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OCTOBER 2013

Spicy Mayo pictured middle Kewpie mayonnaise is used in various types of salads in Japan, such as the base for Japanese coleslaws. Sweeter than American mayonnaise, it’s mixed here with wasabi for a sweet and spicy condiment. Kewpie isn’t usually used as a dipping sauce because of its thickness. Garnish rolls with just a tiny bit for extra zip. 1 bottle Kewpie mayonnaise 2 Tbsp shichimi pepper mix 4 Tbsp sriracha

| Preparation |

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Toasted Garlic Soy pictured bottom This sauce is really good on tuna and meatier fish. To be honest, it’s good on everything. ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups soy sauce

| Preparation | In a sauté pan, add oil and minced garlic, and cook over low heat until garlic starts to brown, being careful not to burn the garlic (approximately 8 minutes). Turn off heat and add soy sauce.

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e s r u o c his ions t c e n n o c s t s a c f one local chlef coast to st. louis from the gu | therine Neville Written by Ca

Jennifer photography by

Silverberg

sun., july 21 ’s surface. h breaks the water With a flash, the fis xico’s navy Me ainst the Gulf of Bright vermilion ag e. The lin the per writhes on blue, a 12-inch snap d the fish an uth ed from its mo hook is gingerly fre ct. board to inspe is held out for all on

this place: h to be exactly in to Pensacola Beac our city’s of e r, fishing with on on the open wate chefs. most celebrated

e gardens still have incredibl he reflects. “They nville, Ill. Gr en I was five in ee that were there wh ” the same rows. The same things in

sh cropping, transitioned to ca Even as his family n an impetus illm the W home gardens, r of Farmhaus, they retained their As chef and owne love to uis Lo uld . wo st in food. “I a focus on the St for Willmann’s intere is well known for he t ” he bu it, t e, ea uc d t pick stuff an d seasonal prod walk around and jus region’s meats an of x s tato bo ble d po ta a an e th re off d would rinse ul seafood to er. Let’s stay he remembers. “My da also brings bountif “This one’s a keep at le salt th litt a nu s me wa a urant. His is und, and there right out of the gro his South City resta some mingos.” th wi t es dw Mi well.” flavors of the shaker right on the melds the earthy ction of his r, chef and fle ylo re A Ta lf. nk Gu Fra e ys th sa the salt spray of “You got it, Kev,” erie in restaurant speaks to ection and camarad al Grill, a Pensacola fare at Farmhaus Food created conn experiences, the owner of The Glob the a at g ste Ta thers and din y. an mo wa St nd . e in an intimat al small plates “The great-gra Willmann’s family. Willmann’s history serving internation en al be s loc , ha how to o ad ew re wh kn r, nb aunts that all SeaVee, Taylo per with spoo grandmothers and dish like red grou helm of his 32-foot to , ma ars to ye s come to 15 rm y’d for Fa d the ntor and frien and preserve, ash and Fournie cook and prepare vegetable succot Kevin Willmann’s me the his to of h se s out of dt clo an ea it be br ing vessel, keep harvest green perience the our house and we’d cream and you’ll ex carefully guides the e th nned m ca fro ay, r. h aw pe y’d all get put of mingo snap on one plate: fis the garden and the personal history unsuspecting pod rn he ut s, So ‘60 e d th an m s life in the ‘50 oonbread fro or frozen. The farm Gulf of Mexico, sp d n an over. h an as rry llm ot ca Wi cc the at, su wing up in – side of the bo north Florida and that’s what I was gro Braced against the g food ways of pin in op ch ed dr ea en s, d rip ok fee e ho to uc rk together squid onto his de with prod Everyone had to wo tomato cream ma feeds slices of raw nnect ly co ab n on ca d as se foo anding that is sun. o the Gulf’s un other.” This underst the southern Illino the taught lines int that d ea thr a is relationships people and sustain choppy waters. in efs Ch w Ne st . & Wine’s Be llmann’s life runs throughout Wi Named one of Food Pensacola, -finalist in 2012 mi of h se ut ard so e Aw du ard les Be 2011, a James We’re seven mi accolades, acola, e are r got a job in Pens innumerable local feet of water. Ther When his stepfathe and showered with Fla., in roughly 80 : en ply ev sim d himself ry an , ve nd on n fou riz ga , ing on the ho Farmhaus be n 12 years old Fla., Willmann, the Willmann’s path to dark clouds gather l ful to ts life to the h ke wn ric jac a dra n d ch rai su d by water an are wearing en. “I’ve had seaside, surrounde in his family’s gard though it’s July, we ” , ld co are ll of sti d ray an sp rs ing e chill-induc ily were farme of flavors. My fam protect against th urs from St. Louis ho 13 e th e ov dr saltwater. We

RIGHT: Traveling toward the Bob Sikes Bridge. FAR RIGHT: Willmann shopping and catching up with old friends at Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle.

teeming life beneath the waves. He quickly took up fishing, casting from bridges and throwing nets to catch bait. He and his friends loved catching fish. “But it makes more sense if you do something with what you caught. I’d try to blacken fish in the house. The whole place smelled like hot peppers, and everyone’s coughing and mad at me,” he says, adding that he would even try to smoke mackerel. “We were smokin’ out and stinkin’ out our parents’ houses. My mom hated me; I did not know what I was doing.” A couple of years later, work permit in hand, he began working at The Fish Peddler, a fish retailer and wholesaler, and then Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle, giving him his first taste of entrepreneurism and opening the door to life in the kitchen. His experience watching The Fish Peddler and Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle weave people and products together to form a community directly influences Farmhaus’ ethos today. “Always around us there were these people who brought the product – very similar to what we do in St. Louis with farmers. [John Wright and Vic Mitchell] had created this business from their youth and shared it with so many of us. ... They were good enough to teach me how to clean fish, let me drive them around to all the restaurants in the area, and I had the good fortune to meet Frank [Taylor] along the way,” Willmann recalls. We’re now 17 miles from the Pensacola Pass and in 100 feet of water. Those dark clouds that were once on the horizon have rolled toward us and flashes of lightning spark the sky. The haul of mingo snapper is on ice and it’s time to call it a day, so Taylor tells us to hold on tight and he guns the twin 275-horsepower Mercury Verado motors, pointing us toward the Pass, where we speed under the Bob Sikes Bridge into the safety of the marina. Back at the beach house that night, we’re beat. Totally exhausted after being dashed against the boat on the run back to the marina, we decide to leave our mingo in the cooler and head to McGuire’s Irish Pub, where we eat 18-cent bean soup and huge burgers in the restaurant’s wood-paneled booths. That night we all sleep soundly, readying ourselves for another day out on the water. mon., july 22 “This place is full of life. The seaweed, tiny fish. Here, eat one,” Willmann says as he grabs a handful of sargassum, a brown seaweed that collects on the water’s surface in long, snaking lines and teems with tiny sea creatures of various species. He

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ture sea life. r small and imma rds. ective haven fo acola naval ya ot ns pr a Pe e as th es t rv otec assum se ilt in 1829 to pr bu ABOVE: Sarg rt fo a s, en ck RIGHT: Fort Pi ABOVE, FAR

hands me a baby shrimp no longer than a quarter of an inch. It crunches between my teeth.

LEFT: Willmann casts a net to catch bait on day two of the trip.

That morning we’d had a late start thanks to another round of storms that brought sheets of rain and crashing thunder. Rather than stand under the marina’s awning to wait for the weather to pass, we ducked into the lounge. It was hot coffee all around with the television tuned to the forecast while we read fishing magazines and discussed the merits of each flavor of Zapp’s potato chips to pass the time (Spicy Cajun Crawtators was the favorite). Finally the skies cleared and we climbed aboard Taylor’s vessel and headed out. The sun is shining and we’re on the hunt for bait. Baitfish feed on the small creatures that find a home in sargassum’s protective tangle, so we’ve stopped to catch scaled sardines, trying to make the most of what’s left of the day. “It’s all about the food chain,” Willmann says. “Bait comin’ atcha!” shouts Taylor, slowing the SeaVee to a stop close to Fort Pickens, a fort built in 1829 to protect the Pensacola naval yards. “Ease in there. Ease in there. They’re behind us. Back up!” Willmann says and then snags some of the sardines he’s been hunting. “There’s black snapper down there, but I don’t have the right hook.” With our bait in the boat’s seawater-filled live tank, we zip out to where the Navy scuttled the USS Massachusetts in 1921. In just 30 feet of water, the ship serves as an artificial reef, attracting a range of fish species. Asked if this is a typical thing to find in the Gulf of Mexico, Taylor retorts, “An old captain told me, if you drained the Gulf of Mexico, it would look like a junkyard with all the stuff that’s been artificially dropped. Back before they’d regulate what went down in the water. School busses, airplanes, tanks.”

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The wind, which had been calm, has picked up, making whitecaps dance on the water’s surface. We watch the sky warily as Willmann and Wayne Massey – an entrepreneur and a deckhand – lower the anchor and feed the silvery sardines onto their hooks, but it’s not meant to be. The storm comes in fast, and we decide to pull the anchor and speed home, where we head into the kitchen to cook yesterday’s catch, the rosyhued mingo snapper. “We’re going to make something Frank taught me how to do: snapper Feta. Baked, broiled almost, with Feta, tomatoes, scallions and wine. A simple, family-style dish,” says Willmann as he cleans the mingo in the bright-white kitchen. Taylor and his wife, Jane, are set to arrive shortly. “If I rinse this, I degrade it,” Willmann says, running his knife between the snapper’s flesh and its skin. “I don’t want to introduce water at all.” He continually stops to clean the cutting surface and his knife to keep scales off of the fish and to ensure the exterior doesn’t touch the flesh. Fillets pile up on one side of the cutting board, while fish bones and trimmings go into a large stockpot with onion, olive oil and water. Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

RIGHT: Breaking down a mingo snapper into fillets. FAR AND BOTTOM RIGHT:

Stockpot simmering with the fish carcasses, olive oil, onion and herbs.

“When you learn what good fish is, when you see it directly off the boat for so many years, you know exactly what it looks like,” he continues. “I can see it from 30 feet away. You don’t have to touch it. You don’t have to smell it. You can tell. There is ridiculously fresh fish and there’s everything else.” At Farmhaus, Willmann works only with whole fish and breaks each one down by hand. Much like pig-centric “snout to tail” cookery, Willmann strives to use the entire animal when he’s cooking seafood. “You’re watching me break down one of these beautiful mingo snappers that we caught and we’re cleaning out every little thing. You’re not just going to take the fillet off and throw the fish away,” he says. “If we can get tuna super fresh [in St. Louis], we will cut out the blood line and poach it or pressure can it. Olive oil. Salt. Little bit of lemon juice. And people think, ‘Oh, that’s just the junk, that’s the trash.’ But if it’s super fresh, it’s delicious. What we try to do is show people that there’s more to it than a fillet of fish or something you can grab at the grocery store. I think it’s important to not do what’s simple and what you know is going to sell. I think it’s important to serve people by challenging them, too.” The Taylors arrive in the midst of yet another thunderstorm and the rental house feels snug and safe against the threatening weather. While Jane Taylor chats on the sofa with Willmann’s wife and the Farmhaus financial manager, Jessica, Frank Taylor rolls up his sleeves and helps with the prep for our meal. Asked what it was like working with Willmann all those years ago, Taylor says, “I’ve seen a lot of guys. Kevin was exceptional. Spunky, little firecracker. Just running around wanting to know everything. Like a sponge. You feed off of him soaking up all the knowledge.” While Taylor works on couscous (which will be made with the fish broth that’s simmering on the stove), Willmann layers the mingo fillets with sliced tomatoes from Taylor’s garden and marinated Feta from Baetje Farms in Bloomsdale, Mo. He splashes the assembled ingredients with wine. “Frank was this big dominating guy and he was a young cook, full of life,” Willmann tells me. “I would go in there all cowardly and scared, bringing him fish from The Fish Peddler, just trying to stay out of his way more than anything. Then one day I got it in

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my head that I had enough. If I was going to work somewhere, I was going to work for this guy.” Willmann captured the attention of one of Pensacola’s best chefs by challenging Taylor to a contest. “I was like, ‘If I can clean this as good as you, can I work here?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, whatever. Sure. I’m not giving you a freaking job.’” Clearly, Willmann’s performance did the trick. “So, I got a job,” he tells me. “He was like, ‘Alright, you gotta give me two fishing holes.’ So I gave up a honey hole (a prized fishing spot) and I did my fish cleaning duty. That’s how I remember it anyway.” They share a knowing laugh. That one gutsy move paved the way for a life-changing relationship. “Frank’s story, or our story together, is more special than you can pick up on in a couple days of fishing,” Willmann says as he puts the fish in the oven. “What he’s meant to [Farmhaus], it’s incredible. Having a chef who is a mentor who could teach me how to cook and then encourage me as we started stepping out on our own to try things. There is no Farmhaus or me or any of the guys at Farmhaus without him.” The Global Grill, the restaurant that Taylor runs and that Willmann helped launch, will celebrate its 10th anniversary in November. When working together to get the doors open all those years ago, “we didn’t have much time,” Taylor says. “We didn’t have a nine-month conceptual period to get it built out. It was, ‘We need to open the restaurant in like six weeks or I’m going to be broke.’ Then, it took off like crazy.” Willmann adds, “It teaches you a lot about what you can get away with, and when you’re doing it all together you don’t care. You know the food is going to be great. We’re going to get this thing open and it’ll be fine, it’ll be fine.” He pauses to pull the fragrant baked fish from the oven. “Just like how Farmhaus happened. With that experience, I had all the confidence in the world. I had seen it happen before. I knew that we could do it.” Just after The Global Grill opened its doors, Willmann moved back to the St. Louis area. He was the opening chef for Lucas Park Grille in Downtown St. Louis and then had a stint just down the street at Mosaic. Willmann gained the attention of the local fooderati, however, during his time at Erato in Edwardsville. “After the success we’d had with Erato, we knew we were TOP OF PAGE: Willmann and Taylor work together in the kitchen. ABOVE: Baked

snapper with Feta, tomatoes and scallions. Recipe on page 79.

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Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

Pensacola for his custom-wrapped

fishing rods (like the green and yellow

design shown here).

es. TOP: Willmann is well-known in Neville and Massey show off their catch (LEFT TO RIGHT): Taylor, Catherine THREE BOTTOM OF PAGE PHOTOS

going to be under the microscope [when Farmhaus opened], so we were careful. Calculated.” When Farmhaus opened in 2010, Willmann and his wife Jessica put in the sweat equity required to build the space out on as tight a budget as possible. “We were building and scrubbing walls and painting, and we hit a day where we didn’t have any more money,” Willmann says. “It was like, ‘Clap your hands, OK, we’re opening tomorrow.’ She was out there serving and answering the phone and I was cooking everything. Then we both would do dishes together. So it was a genuine mom-and-pop. That was really fun.” Willmann pauses for a moment, reflecting, and then says, “We look back and we can’t imagine how we did it and how we could ever do it again.” All of us gather around the table to share the snapper Feta, fish-broth-infused couscous, tons of veggies from Taylor’s garden and a platter of compressed melon and opal basil with cured coppa Romano that Willmann brought down from Farmhaus. Wine is poured, stories are told and we strategize how to attack the next day, our third and final day on the water together.

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A simple wrap can take more than 10 or 12 hours of intense concentration, a task well suited to Willmann’s inward nature. He takes a similar approach in the kitchen. “As you’re sitting there utilizing products, fabricating whatever it may be, you’re constantly looking at, what are we not using here that is magical that we forgot about,” he says. “What if I spend 15 more minutes packing

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the little threads together, will the weave look better? Or, what if we spend an extra couple hours on these chickens rendering the fat so we then have that to use somewhere else?” That focus characterizes his approach. “The way we look at inspiration [for the food at Farmhaus] is the way we look at the craft. That’s a big word that we use. This is our craft. This is what we do. Can we put more processes into it that will improve the final product, in turn, giving back to our craft? We want people to wonder why our simple this or that tastes [so good]. Well, it’s because we did this process to the tomatoes that took nine hours before they went into the succotash.” We turn our attention to scanning the water, and when asked what it is he loves about fishing, Willmann says, “It goes to that focus thing. There’s this sequence and this process that keeps your brain moving in the background, and maybe that’s what I love about it. “Bait’s right there. We’re good right now!” Willmann shouts when he sees a pod of scaled sardines. He’s using a multi-hook line that’s designed to catch multiple small fish at once. Scaled sardines keep coming up, two, three and four at a time. The fish are removed from the hooks with a tiny metal tool and a flick of the wrist. They flop onto the deck and into saltwater-filled buckets where they’re transferred to the live well. “What’s really magical about it is you’re in an amazingly wild environment,” Willmann continues. “I love being way out in the middle of nowhere. There is nothing but blank. There is nothing but horizon and sea, until all of a sudden, there’s this beautiful creature. That’s what keeps you going back. “Full pole! There are five. One’s a butter, though. Still count?” Willmann asks. “Still counts. Full pole,” Frank Taylor shouts. “I think we got ‘em, man,” Willmann says, indicating that we’ve caught enough bait to head out. “Can we go fishin’?” Massey asks. “Let’s go fishin’,” Willmann says, and we speed to the continental shelf, which locals call the Edge, with the hope of catching some big predator fish like amberjack and wahoo. At 28 miles out, we’re in 314 feet of water and the choppy seas toss the boat. Luckily we’ve all remembered to take Dramamine. The trolling lines are prepared for the outrigger and Massey, Taylor and Willmann all pitch in to assemble the spider-like arrangement of poles. The way the poles and the bait are staggered, it creates the “illusion of a school of baitfish. Then you put a big one in the middle...he’s the straggler behind the school,” Taylor says. “Right now there’s a good chance we’ll catch wahoo, tuna or mahi mahi.” Very slowly, we motor through the water. “Beer?” Taylor asks. “Beer,” says Willmann, who reaches into the cooler for a few cold cans of Busch. ABOVE: The dishes at Farmhaus, like this snapper with spoonbread, tomato

cream and succotash, bring together the breadth of Willmann’s experiences.

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willmann’s fresh catch recipes Willmann is entirely at home out here, in the middle of the Gulf, and he visits as often as possible, four or five times a year. This is where he recharges and finds inspiration for his work back in St. Louis. And when he’s home, it’s the days he spends winding along country roads in his pickup truck, gathering produce from local farms, that he most looks forward to. “It’s one of my favorite parts of my job,” he says, sipping his beer and watching the lines for signs of a bite. “It’s almost like connecting back with my grandparents to be spending time with Bob and Mary Craft [of Grandpa’s Berry Farm in Edwardsville] and to get to see them every week is such a highlight. To have the relationships with the people that [grew the food], it makes you want to sell their stuff that much more. Trying to help them in their seasons of bounty. It’s hugely important. Highlighting these farms is our responsibility.” The name Farmhaus nods to Willmann’s Germanic heritage, as well as his commitment to supporting and promoting the work of our region’s food producers. “Our job is to be executing our craft and presenting this wonderful bounty that’s around us,” he says. His dedication to highlighting local producers at Farmhaus is born of his experience working for The Fish Peddler in Pensacola, where he observed firsthand the connection between the fishermen, the shop and the restaurant community. “All of that stuff had a huge influence before there was any kind of a local food movement,” he says. “The idea of businesses being a part of their community and involving so many people. A fast food restaurant may employ 50 or 60 people, but beyond that, there’s very little connection. The bait and tackle store and The Fish Peddler had [connections with] thousands of people and that had an impact on what was going on. It’s a connectable, similar situation to what we do [at Farmhaus]. What an influence that had, and an impact that had.” Just then, one of the poles bows deeply. A fish is on the line. Willmann jumps up, tucks the pole to his body and lowers the pole toward the water, reeling in the line, and then pulls the pole up, only to lower it again, reeling the fish closer with each turn. Soon, we can see a glint of yellow and green, and we know it’s a mahi mahi – a dazzling fish that is as delicious as it is beautiful. When the fish breaks the surface of the water, Willmann holds the mahi mahi up so we can all see its striking aqua, green and yellow color. He removes the fish from the hook and, standing in Florida’s bright sunlight, beams with a joyful satisfaction and says, “And then we get to eat him!”

Hop on board and go fishing with Kevin Willmann in Pensacola in the October episode of Feast TV.

Grilled Gulf Triggerfish and Collards, Sauce Soubise and White Raisin-Onion Chutney By Kevin Willmann, FArMHAuS rESTAurAnT

Select fresh fillets that are translucent for this recipe. Fresh triggerfish has a slightly sweet smell, and any color around where the fins once were should be red. You will need about 7 to 8 ounces of fish per person if not trimmed. If trimmed, aim for 6 to 7 ounces per person. This recipe also calls for fragrant olive oil. At Farmhaus, they use Colli Etruschi oil from Extra Virgin, an Olive Ovation in Ladue.

Coat fish with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill, presentation-side down, for about 2 minutes (for ½-inch fillets) and rotate 90 degrees, grill about 2 more minutes. Carefully turn over fillets and grill until fish is just cooked – as soon as the fillets lose their translucence in the middle, they are done. When fish is cooked, place on a plate to rest for a few seconds, presentation-side down, as it will be moist and give off a bit of juice.

| Preparation – White Raisin-Onion Chutney | Combine all ingredients in a

Serves | 4 |

saucepan. Bring to a very slow simmer and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often until the liquid begins to thicken.

Sauce SoubiSe (yields 2 cups)

| To Serve | Ladle a serving of sauce soubise

3 to 4 2 1 2

Tbsp butter, divided yellow onions, thinly sliced cup fish fume (or chicken stock) Tbsp basmati rice kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper cup heavy cream grated nutmeg to taste

into a bowl. Add grilled collards and then triggerfish. Top with 2 Tbsp chutney and serve. noTe: Sauce soubise recipe adapted from cookbook Frank Stitt’s Southern Table by Frank Stitt. noTe: Sauce soubise and chutney recipes make more than enough for four people and can be refrigerated and reserved for other uses.

collardS

1½

lbs collard greens water extra virgin olive oil sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

TriggerfiSh

8-oz triggerfish fillets extra virgin olive oil sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

WhiTe raiSin-onion chuTney (yields 3 cups)

2 2 ½ ¼ 1 1 1

cups diced onions cups white raisins cup apple cider vinegar cup light brown sugar Tbsp turmeric bay leaf cinnamon stick kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

| Preparation – Sauce Soubise | Over low heat, heat a medium saucepan. Add 2 Tbsp butter and onions and cook, stirring until onions are softened but have not taken on color, about 15 minutes. Add fish fume and rice. Season with salt and white pepper, bring to a simmer. reduce heat and cook slowly until rice is very soft, about 20 minutes. Blend the sauce in a blender – take care to hold the blender lid down firmly while blending. Pass through a fine mesh strainer and return sauce to saucepan. Add cream and nutmeg and return to a gentle simmer. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp butter to the onion sauce to enrich it and serve.

| Preparation – Collards | While preparing the fish, clean collards using cold water. Let them dry. remove the thick stems if desired. Lightly coat the broad leaves with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill for a few minutes, until crunchy and a little charred.

| Preparation – Triggerfish | Divide fillets into 6- to 7-oz portions if large, or use whole if they are about that size. remove any pin bones and the red colored fin areas, as larger fish will develop small bones under those areas.

Snapper Feta By Kevin Willmann, FArMHAuS rESTAurAnT, ADAPTED FrOM A rECIPE By franK Taylor, THE GLOBAL GrILL

This is the recipe Willmann and Taylor used to make the snapper Feta described in this story. If snapper isn’t available, grouper or striped bass also work well in this recipe. Serves | 4 | 4 to 6 2

¼ 2

1 ¼ 1

cloves garlic lb skinless, boneless, ¾-inch thick snapper fillet sea salt and freshly ground black pepper cup white wine 6-oz containers Baetje Farms marinated Feta (strained, oil reserved) leek, white part only, thinly sliced fresh marjoram or oregano cup chopped scallions pint preserved or fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped extra virgin olive oil

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 475ºF or use broiler for best results. Crush 4 cloves garlic with the side of a knife. Season fish generously with salt and pepper and rub crushed garlic into fillet. Place fillet into large glass baking dish or roasting pan. Add wine, 2 to 3 ounces of reserved oil from Feta, white part of leek and marjoram (or oregano) to the pan and place in the hottest area of the oven. roast fish for 8 to 11 minutes. Baste with its juices. Sprinkle scallions onto fish and return to oven. Cook 3 to 5 minutes more. Continue basting and check for doneness; fish should be nearly cooked. Scatter tomatoes onto nearly cooked fillet and top with coarsely crumbled Feta. return fillet to oven to melt the cheese, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve family style with crusty toasted bread and olive oil.

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OCTOBER 2013

the last bite

gelato at pastaria

Contributor: Andrew Mark Veety, Writer I have a confession. With the exception of the occasional slice of apple pie, I’m not much of a dessert guy. That being said, I do have a favorite family dessert: sharing a large serving of gelato from Pastaria in Clayton with my wife and son. Pastaria’s pastry chef, Anne Croy, brings a Wonka-esque vibe to this timeless Italian-style ice cream, with flavor combinations ranging from the classic – vanilla that is anything but, and decadent dark chocolate – to the downright inspired, especially when it comes to flavors that appear in the case fleetingly and then disappear. Be it the slow burn of a dish of Aztec chocolate or gelato made with Perennial Artisan Ales bourbon barrel-aged “17” – a chocolate stout that tastes like thin mints – blended with spearmint marshmallow, each and every dish has me thinking about that last spoonful long after my meal is finished. Pro tip: Spoon a generous helping of dark chocolate gelato into a cup of hot black coffee. You’ll be glad you did.

Pastaria 7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.6603 pastariastl.com Check out more of Andrew’s work on p. 44, where he explores the rise of ramen in the U.S. and shares recipes for traditional Japanese ramen as well as a Missouri spin on the noodle soup. PICTURED: Pastaria’s Camping In the Ozarks gelato, made with 4 Hands Brewing Co.’s Reprise Centennial Red ale, milk chocolate gelato combined with toasted sage-marshmallow gelato and tiny house-made graham crackers.

Photography by

Jonathan Gayman

Inspired Food Culture

OCTOBER 2013

Craft Brews!

At Schnucks, you’ll find hundreds of craft and microbrew beers including an impressive selection brewed right here in St. Louis! In fact, we partner with Schlafly for our exclusive seasonal beers like Culinaria Schlafly Old Ale. We’re proud to carry beers from some of the most respected brewers including New Belgium, Goose Island, Firestone Walker and 4 Hands Brewing. Don’t forget to ask about ordering barrels or kegs for parties. Check in-store for craft beer tastings and seminars!

For our beer experts and locations, visit schnucks.com

feastSTL.com

OCTOBER 2013