from ribs to rubs, styles to sides, our guide to the most American of cuisines has you covered
meat-free burgers · st. charles’ bakery + bistro · stl’s newest food truck · falling for farm life t. l o u i s ’ i n d e p e n d e n t c u l i n a r y a u t h o r i t y Junes2011
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J une 2 011 • VO LUM E 11, Issue 6 PUBLISHER EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR EDITOR SENIOR STAFF WRITER SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Fact checkers PROOFREADER EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR OFFICE MANAGER ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES
ACCOUNT MANAGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Allyson Mace Katie O’Connor Meera Nagarajan Stacy Schultz Ligaya Figueras Katie O’Connor Matt Berkley, Beth Styles Emily Lowery Stacy Schultz Rebekah Wessels Ashley Gieseking, David Kovaluk, Wesley Law, Matt Marcinkowski, Jonathan S. Pollack, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser Vidhya Nagarajan Sharon Arnot Shana Cook Erin Anderson, Erin Keplinger, Allyson Mace, Brenda Pollom, Angie Rosenberg Jill George Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, Pat Eby, Ligaya Figueras, Byron Kerman, Anne Marie Lodholz, Dan Lodholz, Diana Losciale, Dennis Lowery, Katie O’Connor, Liz O’Connor, Shannon Parker, Michael Renner, Stacy Schultz, Beth Styles
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To place advertisements in Sauce Magazine contact the advertising department at 314.772.8004 or sales@saucemagazine.com. To carry Sauce Magazine at your store, restaurant, bar or place of business Contact Allyson Mace at 314.772.8004 or amace@saucemagazine.com. Entire contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©2001-2011 by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without written permission by the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC.
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St. Louis, MO 63103
editorial policies The Sauce Magazine mission is to provide St. Louis-area residents and visitors with unbiased, complete information on the area’s restaurant, bar and entertainment industry. Our editorial content is not influenced by who advertises with Sauce Magazine or saucemagazine.com. Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.
Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.
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contents June 2011
departments 13 À La Carte 18 Seasonal Shopper Leek Preview by Pat Eby
20 Chef Talk Filipino Fare Hits the Road
26
20
29
by Ligaya Figueras
23 Cook’s books Paella by Shannon Parker
24 Gourmet Guru Barreling Westward Is Worth the Trip by michael renner
26 Old School Seaside Flavor in the Heart of Clayton by Liz O’Connor
29 Real Deal Riverbend Rocks River City with NOLA fare by Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz
31 stl scene Beer, Booze and Beats – All in Ballwin by Matt Berkley
55 Stuff To Do 56 Food By Byron Kerman
61 Art By Byron Kerman
64 The New Classics Bixby’s Mini Crab Cakes By Katie O’Connor
features
64
cover details
33 Barbecue From ribs to rubs, styles to sides, our guide to the most American of cuisines has you covered. By Ligaya Figueras, Byron Kerman, Dan Lodhol z, D ennis Lowery, M ichael Renner and Stacy Schult z
46 From Downtown to Down Home How two urbanites found their future on a farm By Stacy Schult z
51 Short list Veggie burgers By Beth St yles
Ribs from Bogart’s Smokehouse
Photo by Greg Rannells barbecue, P. 33 meat-free burgers, p. 51 st. charles’ bakery + bistro, p. 24 stl’s newest food truck, p. 20 falling for farm life, p. 46
= recipe on this page
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INTERVIEWS| For more on what you can expect once Guerrilla Street Food hits the streets, read the outtakes from Ligaya Figueras’ Chef Talk interview (page 20) with chef-owners Bryan Hardesty and Joel Crespo, pictured. And to find out whether Pappy’s Smokehouse’s Mike Emerson would ever open a second location, read more from Byron Kerman’s Five Questions interview (page 56). VIDEO| Inspired by all that low-and-slow cooking in this month’s cover feature, Barbecue, (page 33) but don’t have a smoker at home? Don’t fret. Check out the video section of SauceMagazine.com to watch as Sauce contributor and queen of the grill Dee Ryan demonstrates how to transform your charcoal grill into a smoker – a simple trick to mastering that finger-lickin’ flavor.
photo by ashley gieseking
RECIPES| In this month’s Seasonal Shopper column (page 18), Pat Eby explores flavor-packed leeks. Looking for more ways to add leeks to your summer cooking? Find a recipe for a fresh leek marmalade in the recipes section of SauceMagazine.com. While you’re there, be sure to check out the recipe for Scape American Bistro’s potato-green bean salad, the perfect accompaniment to your next backyard barbecue.
Check out our Facebook page for behind-the-scenes pics from this month at Sauce. June 2011
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Seasonal Shopper columnist Pat Eby’s got plenty of suggestions for adding deep flavor to summertime dishes with seasonal leeks on page 18.
letter from the editor
S
ummer! Bring on the iced tea, al fresco dining (and drinking), backyard cookouts and popsicles on the porch.
We’ve loaded up this issue with everything you need to kickoff summer with a bang. There’s an interesting ingredient for perking up lemonade (page 17) and frozen treats for grown-ups (page 16). You’ll find great eats, from killer ’cue (page 33) to flavor-packed veggie burgers (page 51), and cool finds, from a chic new spot for summertime cocktails (page 59) to a surprising source for amazing fried chicken (page 13). And, fittingly for a season whose long and sunny afternoons seem tailor-made for daydreaming, we chronicle several St. Louisans following their culinary dreams, both here in town (Chef Talk, page 20) and in the country (From Downtown to Down Home, page 46). And now, I’m off to work on our July issue, which promises to be pretty exciting: Not only will it contain the results of our annual Readers’ Choice Poll, but we’ll also be rolling out some really fun changes to the magazine. Stay tuned … Cheers,
Katie O’Connor
Join me and my fellow Saucers for The Saucy Soirée at Four Seasons Hotel on June 26, when we’ll toast the winners of our annual Readers’ Choice Poll. Great food and drink, live music and a chance to rub elbows with your favorite local culinarians – hope to see you there! Order tickets via Eventbrite: http://saucysoiree2011.eventbrite.com.
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Photo by greg rannells
The Saucy Soirée
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EAT THIS
Summertime, and the snackin’ is easy: For classic warm-weather fare, head to South City’s FRITANGA, whose CHICHARRON DE POLLO ranks among the best fried chicken in town. Juicy white meat and a crispy, just-greasy-enough crust are elevated with a hint of spice, while a pop of lemon flavor cuts through the richness with a delicious tanginess. Ask Photo by greg rannells
for a side of vinegary chimichurri for extra Latin punch. Fritanga • 2208 S. Jefferson Ave. • St. Louis • 314.664.7777
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The Sweet Life Janet Shulman is sweettalking her way into the local candy scene, one chewy piece of hand-crafted caramel at a time. Her company, The Caramel House, produces the artisan from-scratch candies in six flavors. After years as an avid home cook who cooked for family, friends and events, Schulman began to think about applying her talents on the professional level. Though Shulman herself enjoys all kinds of candy, she eschews working with chocolate – it’s too expensive. And so she first tried replicating her grandmother’s caramelmaking, to no avail. The Joy of Cooking failed her, too, and eventually, even the candy thermometer was tossed aside as she worked her way to caramel perfection through intuition and trial and error.
varieties, beer-and-pretzel, bacon, and coffee among them. Shulman flies around her borrowed kitchen at The Women’s Exchange; timing is everything. No talking is allowed, especially when pouring the golden stuff into the molds. If anything slows Shulman, it’s the individual wrapping, labeling, boxing and bagging the business requires. Her caramels are available through her website, thecaramelhouse.com, and at local shops, including Deer Creek Coffee, Giddyup Jane and Jennifer’s Pharmacy. Unflappable and sincere, this family-centric candy cook may eventually bring her other addictive treats out of the cupboard, too, including her granola and ambrosial brownies. It’s all part of her pursuit to make the world a sweeter place. – Diana Losciale
Not simple candy, her handwrapped lovelies require time, fairy tale-sized cooking pots, some candy chemistry and weather that, ideally, would be a lot less mercurial than STL summers.
chef’s day off Jon Lowe, executive chef at oceano bistro
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“When I’m in the Creve Coeur area, my wife and I eat at La Salsa; we like the variety the salsa bar has to offer. Also, it is an open kitchen so you can see what’s going on. When we’re in the Chesterfield area, we frequent Jason’s Deli. We like the large menu; it’s mostly sandwiches, soups and salads, but you can tell it’s fresh.” Read about Oceano’s menu in our Old School review on page 26.
June 2011
photos by matt Marcinkowski
She uses local ingredients – from vanilla to beer – to infuse flavor into her
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Annie Gunn’s wine director Glenn Bardgett weighs in on which wines to drink this month. Check your favorite wine shop or liquor store for availability.
Marietta Old Vine Red Lot No. 54, California This non-vintage, Zinfandelbased blend is an amazing bottle of deep, dark purple, dense and chunky wine whose price boggles the mind: How can it be less than $15?!
Cielo’s Poptails.
As warm weather settles in, the popsicle, that quintessential summer snack for kids, makes its seasonal debut. But who says that big people have outgrown this frozen treat? That’s the attitude at the Four Seasons Hotel, where the arrival of alcoholic popsicles is sure to entice adult palates. Beginning this month, patrons at Cielo, the restaurant located on the hotel’s eighth floor, will find an assortment of Poptails – frozen cocktails on a stick – on the drink menu; each $10 order of Poptails comes with two frozen pops served on a plate of crushed ice. This cool sundry for tipplers is the brainchild of Robert Jenny, director of food and beverage at the hotel. “We wanted
something to help people cool down and also to get a bit of a buzz,” said Jenny. “This is playful. You remember it from when you were a child, but there’s an adult side to it.”
content, the amount of nonalcoholic liquid needs to be increased. “The highest alcohol we worked with was 40 percent – 80-proof; that is the highest we plan on going.”
Although Jenny conceived of the idea last summer, it took a while to get the recipes just right, a task reserved for Cielo’s pastry sous chef Peter Whitley. The challenge, explained Whitley, was to find the right ratio of alcohol to nonalcoholic liquid so that all of the contents froze. The ratio, it turns out, is approximately 1 part alcohol to 2 parts nonalcohol, which are blended together before being poured into 3½ ounce cone-shaped pastry molds. Jenny noted that for Poptail flavors that use a spirit high in alcohol
Vodka, tequila, cachaça, rum and gin are among the spirits that Whitley has combined with fresh fruit juices to create colorful summertime novelties for the 21-and-over crowd. Among the rotating list of flavors that guests will encounter throughout the summer are pomegranate Martini, pink grapefruit Margarita, Caipirinha, strawberry Daiquiri and basil Mojito, the latter made using rum infused with basil grown in the new chef’s garden on Cielo’s rooftop patio. – Ligaya Figueras
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Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro 2010, California I wish this came in a plastic bottle so that it could join me in a canoe on a mid-summer float in the Ozarks. This sweet and fizzy mouthful of happiness clocks in at 7 percent alcohol and just $12.
Augusta Winery Estate Bottled Chambourcin 2008, Augusta, Mo. When dozens of food and wine bloggers came to town recently, they enjoyed our great Nortons, but they were also impressed with this red from America’s first viticultural district. About $10, this handily competes with nearly anything in its price range.
June 2011
photo by carmen troesser
A Classic Summer Treat Grows Up
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Courtesy of The London Tea Room’s Jackie James
© i S t o c k p h o t o.c o m / Vl a d i m i r
Bridge the gap between winter and summer herbs with salad burnet. The tender, scalloped leaves of this perennial plant offer a mild tang plus crisp cucumber flavor. Use it: Toss those lacy leaves whole into salads. Chop them into soups or use them as part of a sprightly spread for tea sandwiches or crackers. Salad burnet makes an attractive garnish for fish and an unexpected accent for lemonade. Find it: Maude’s Market, 4219 Virginia Ave., St. Louis, 314.353.4219
June 2011
4 servings 4 Tbsp. cream cheese 3 tsp. salad burnet, finely chopped ½ English cucumber 8 slices white bread • In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and salad burnet. Set aside. • Use a potato peeler to peel the skin on the cucumber, leaving alternating rows of unpeeled sections, and cut into very thin circular slices. • Spread 1 tablespoon of herbed cream cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Top each slice with approximately 12 cucumber wheels, overlapping them where necessary. Top each sandwich with a second slice of bread, trim the crust off the sandwiches, then cut each diagonally in half to form two triangle-shaped wedges. • Serve two halves per plate.
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Seasonal shopper too. Uncooked, they stayed fresh for a week or more, a plus when market fever hits and you buy too many things. When raw, leeks feel soft and pliant. Cooked, they retain a satiny texture and a smooth shape. Unlike onions and shallots that can “melt” into a dish, leeks keep a consistency you notice. Even pureéd, they retain substance. For a tasting dinner, I chose leeks with bulbs no larger than 1½ inches wide with white fleshy roots and smooth fans. Recipes ranged from the simplest confit to a complex layered lasagna where individual leek leaves stood in for the noodles. The confit, from a Molly Wizenberg recipe in Bon Appétit, used only butter, kosher salt, leeks cut in quarter-inch rounds and a smidge of water. After just 40 minutes on the stovetop, they were done. We slathered the confit on rustic bread from a local Bosnian bakery. A pear-and-leek marmalade with a hint of jalapeños tasted great on crackers with cheeses; it also spiced up a simple chicken entrée. Leeks poached with half a lemon, five or six stems of Italian flat-leaf parsley, some peppercorns, a few cloves, a little white wine and water made a memorable salad when paired with baby lettuces, roasted red peppers and a rustic Dijon vinaigrette. I discovered poached leeks can be kept only a day or two before they start to slime, so poach sparingly or eat them soon after.
Leek Preview BY Pat eby • Photo by Greg Rannells
U
of emerging spring leaves to flat-folded emerald fans at the top – these slender leeks looked nothing like their bloated supermarket counterparts.
Then I discovered locally grown leeks at Soulard Farmers’ Market, and later at the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market, in midJune. The bulbs nearly white, the necks gradated from pale creaminess to the green
Over the summer, I popped bunches of leeks into my market bag and challenged myself to move beyond the soups to new tastes. The subtle oniony flavor and pliant finish of chopped leeks added depth to Sunday morning omelets, and chopped leeks stirred into potato pancakes tasted great. The locally grown leeks kept well,
ntil two years ago, leeks showed up in two dishes at my house: vichyssoise in the summer and potato-leek soup in the winter. I bought fat, somewhat tattered leeks from the grocery a few times a year just for these soups.
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Look for leeks in mid-June from On the Wind at the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market. Farmer Ron Jones planted three varieties of leeks this year; two of them, King Richard and Tadorna, mature early. The third, Lexton, will be available in the fall. Because I didn’t know much about leeks, Jones read to me from his plant bible: “Leeks, a biennial herb of the lily family, with a long harvest season, summer through fall. Native to Switzerland.” Like me, Jones favors his leeks in soups. He often mixes in chopped leeks with scrambled eggs for breakfast as well. “Leeks are easy to grow,” he said, “but they need constant water, so I add humus and organic matter, hilling around the plants as they grow.” Richie Hahn of Hahn Farm will also offer leeks this summer and fall, although his first planting will mature in late June.
“We’re growing Lancelot, a hybrid we started from seed, for early sales. Late summer through fall, we’ll have Bulgarian Giant as well.” Customer requests drive what Hahn plants each year, which is why he’s added more leeks. Traditionally, Hahn Farms sells produce at the Ferguson Farmers’ Market on Saturdays and at the Wentzville Flea Market on Sundays, but this year, the family has expanded to Soulard Market on Saturdays as well. Swanky, sophisticated, toothsome – leeks add so much to summertime fare. Venture beyond soups this year. Delicious dishes await.
Leek Timbales Adapted from a recipe originally published in The Cuisine of California by Diane Rossen Worthington 6 servings 3 to 4 medium-sized leeks 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock 4 large eggs 1½ cups half and half 1¼ cups finely grated Gruyère cheese, divided ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. white pepper 1 ∕8 tsp. nutmeg (or less, to taste) ¼ lb. spinach leaves, uncooked 8 to 10 fresh chives for garnish, snipped into 2-inch lengths • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. • Trim the root end and the dark green part from the leeks. Split them in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under cold water, separating the layers to remove any dirt. Finely chop the leeks. • Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan, then stir in the chopped leeks to coat. Add the chicken stock, cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside. • In a medium bowl, beat the eggs vigorously with a fork. Add the half and half, 1 cup of grated cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to mix thoroughly, then add the chopped leeks. • Butter six ramekins on the bottoms and sides. Ladle the custard mixture into each cup. • Place the ramekins in a shallow baking dish, then add very hot water to a depth of ½ inch or so. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the custard is firm and lightly browned. • Layer spinach leaves on each of six plates. Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin, then invert and unmold each on top of the spinach. • Top each timbale with chive snips and a sprinkling of grated Gruyère. Serve immediately.
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Chef talk
Filipino Fare Hits the Road BY Ligaya Figueras • Photo by ashley gieseking
production to join Hardesty in a business venture that entails driving around St. Louis in a 23-foot truck outfitted to bring Filipino-inspired food to the streets. Meet the minds behind Guerrilla Street Food, which hits the road this month. What’s the concept behind Guerrilla Street Food? Crespo: A lot of the dishes we are serving are Filipino-influenced but they are not authentic Filipino dishes. We are doing our own interpretation of them and adapting them for a street-food scenario. How about some menu highlights? Hardesty: Lechón. We’ll use the pork belly instead of a whole pig, and slow roast it and serve it on handmade bao bun or over rice. We took the idea of siopao and turned it into this open-faced thing where it wasn’t this static recipe that this specific kind of meat and sauce get stuffed into this bun. Instead it is more versatile. You choose what kind of meat is in there. Crespo: Pork adobo offered over rice or in sandwich form on pan de sal. Tocino: Filipino bacon. It’s very sweet and sticky and yummy. We’ll probably offer it in a sandwich form as well as a salad.
Joel Crespo, left, and Brian Hardesty
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hef Brian Hardesty started in the biz as a teenager washing dishes at a St. Charles restaurant. After stints working at eateries in Portland, Ore., and Minneapolis, he returned to St. Louis, spending time at fine
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dining establishments such as Balaban’s, Monarch, Harvest and, most recently, Terrene, where he was the executive chef. Hardesty’s pal, Joel Crespo, is a self-professed “food enthusiast” who is switching from a career in TV and film
Hardesty: We’ve been talking to the mayor’s press secretary. They are trying to figure out what the best rules are and not taking rules for hot dog carts – but that’s their only model right now. Hopefully, they are going to be looking at other cities that have a complete system in [place] and taking the best of those. All the food trucks are going to be coming together to have one voice in any meetings we will have with the city or the county. The city is about to put out a new license called a “roaming vendor’s license.” Don’t you think it’s curious you are dealing with the mayor’s office instead of some business department? Crespo: They are progressive-thinking. How we hooked up is through Twitter. The whole social networking thing cut through a lot of the bureaucracy.
How difficult has it been to turn your food truck idea into a reality? Hardesty: Very difficult. It’s the tightest budget you can possibly imagine. Crespo: We’re calling in a lot of favors.
Have you dealt with St. Louis County at all? Crespo: We visited a couple city halls to inquire about what we needed to do. The county is a little bit slower on the acceptance of food trucks. Hardesty: Their basic response was, “We don’t do that” or “We don’t know what you’re talking about.” We will continue to press them to, if they are not going to allow us, give us some written reason why. Crespo: Hopefully, the popularity of the food truck movement itself will catch on and they will be like, “Wow! We want this in the county too!”
Tell me about how the truck is outfitted. Hardesty: We bought a gutted truck that was used to deliver laundry and are turning it into a fully health-inspected kitchen. … We have our hood system, a triple sink, a service window, a tabletop convection oven and a wok induction burner – stuff that doesn’t give off crazy heat and that doesn’t take that much power because we are going all electric.
So what’s the problem? Hardesty: Brick-and-mortar restaurants think that there is going to be business taken away from them. We’re trying for the people that are walking down the street, not the people making reservations at their favorite place for dinner. I want to see fresh, well-prepared food available to everybody who has $5 in their pocket.
Tell me about the licensing process. Crespo: The city [of St. Louis] has been really cooperative and embracing the food truck movement. It’s kind of a Wild West status, where no one knows exactly what the policies are.
Guerrilla Street Food 314.529.1328 guerrillastreetfood.com Twitter: @guerrillastreet June 2011
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review: cook’s books
paella by Shannon Parker
Most Americans know paella. Or at least they think they know paella. A little rice, a little broth, some tomatoes, some seafood, big beautiful pan. What else do you need to know? A whole lot more, at least according to Spanish chef Alberto Herraiz, who has penned the definitive volume on the national dish of Spain. Although simply titled, Paella, out next month, is far from a simple tome. Herraiz, a fifth-generation chef, owns a restaurant in Paris that focuses on paella and tapas; he believes that what passes for paella outside of Spain is but a pale imitation of the real thing. Out to change all that, Herraiz provides an extensive (some might say exhaustive), set of directions in the book’s introduction, including a detailed
section on the specific pan (or pans, in some cases) one needs to produce the dish as well as a primer on the dozens of intricate regional versions of paella. The book’s later organization focuses on different methods and different paella preparations, including an entire section on basic recipes for stocks, fumets and flavored oils. It is a tricky task to produce a book such as this, whose mission lies somewhere between anthropology and inspiration. Herraiz’s prose is more than slightly clunky, understandable for someone writing in his third language. His stated goal is to “make paella universal, so that anyone, anywhere can prepare it,” so the directions are quite explicit, with plenty of illustrative photos. There’s also a particularly well-written section on The
Eight Stages of Making Paella Rice. Many of the recipes’ ingredients, however, are pretty esoteric: Caribbean curry powder, hon tsusyu sauce, scorpion fish and redlegged partridge, just to name a few. Herraiz uses metric weights for most ingredients, although the English equivalents are also listed. Some may find this inconvenient, but I think Americans would benefit from using weight-based measurements more often; it’s far more accurate. Even a cursory flip through the pages of Paella will make the reader realize the complexities of the Spanish national dish – it’s far, far more than tomatoes, rice, broth and fish. Whether you want to make the commitment to mastering the dish is up to you.
Paella, by A lberto H erraiz, Phaidon Press
The four cookbooks every cook interested in Spanish cuisine should own Chef Grace Dinsmoor of Modesto recommends these cookbooks for those looking to further their knowledge of Spanish cuisine.
photo by matt marcinkowski
Catalan Cuisine: Vivid Flavors From Spain’s Mediterranean Coast, by Colman Andrews “This book shows a whole different world from this area in Spain. The cooking is fresh, the language is different. It includes great cold rice dishes eaten as salads.”
June 2011
The Foods and Wines of Spain, by Penelope Casas “This should be everyone’s first [Spanish] cookbook. It’s a starter guide to learning the true techniques of the way Spanish people cook, especially old peasant paella recipes.”
Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain, by Penelope Casas “Great photos and ideas for every eater. … [It’s] so traditional and so nontraditional.”
Culinaria Spain, by Marion Trutter “An awesome book: glossy, big and very educational on every region of Spain. The photos alone transport you to a wonderful daydream of traveling to Spain. It gives history on everything produced by every culture that has ever occupied this country.”
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Oak Barrel Bistro’s salmon en papillote.
review: GOURMET GURU
and topping of microgreens was the exclamation point. There was a beautiful chicken pot pie, all golden, flaky and homey looking, that will have to wait until next time. As will those big, plump seared sea scallops we eyed at the next table. Price-conscious wine drinkers will appreciate the $18 bottles of Canyon Road wines; pickier connoisseurs will find the rest of the list anemic.
Barreling Westward Is Worth the Trip by Michael Renner • photo by David Kovaluk
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n the past few years there’s been a mini explosion of West County and St. Charles County indie restaurants. Strip malls aside, the prospects for fine dining out west are now as numerous as Lady Gaga’s costume changes. But even as strip malls go, The Shops at Waterbury, along busy Highway K in O’Fallon, is particularly dismal in its vacancies. This should not deter you in the least from visiting Oak Barrel Bistro and Artisan Bakery. To do so would be to deny yourself a rare experience – and I say that without the qualifier “for St. Charles County.” In June 2010, owner-chef Todd Kussman took over the French Gourmet Bakery, changing the name in February 2011 but keeping the bakery’s popular breakfast and lunch service and full bakery operation. In a gutsy move, Kussman added evening dinner service Wednesday through Saturday. Judging by the charcuterie plate, it was a very good move. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Two glass cases, stuffed with breads, tortes, cookies, cakes and hard-to-find European pastries, greet you at the front door. If you’re there for dinner, take note of the selections; you’ll want to remember them
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for dessert. A cup of mushroom-Brie bisque proved a fitting start to lunch one afternoon: chewy, earthy mushrooms in a perfectly balanced rich, fragrant broth. There are several sandwiches from which to choose, each elevated by different breads made on-site and meats like turkey and chicken roasted and grilled in-house. The Bistro Gobbler with a side of house-made red-skinned potato salad consisted of juicy slices of turkey, thick bacon and a fat slice of peppered tomato served between two slices of soft country French bread. What it didn’t have was the advertised Havarti cheese.
the beets and the bacon’s saltiness. The shot glass-sized serving of carrot flan – warm, creamy, sweet, delicious – nestled on the side is a lovely surprise.
But a good in-and-out breakfast or lunch does not do justice to Oak Barrel’s potential. For that, out come the white tablecloths, dinner menus and that charcuterie and cheese board: thin slices of locally procured lomo (cured pork tenderloin), Genoa and cotto salamis and Amish blue and Spanish Iberico cheeses. Slices of herbed flatbread with a drizzle of truffle oil, a pile of cornichons and a ramekin of Dijon mustard round out the deal. There is a beautiful rustic salad with chopped romaine, sweet roasted yellow beets, toasted sunflower seeds, bits of crunchy guanciale and tossed with a sweet onion dressing that offsets the earthiness of
For entrée-sized starch, Kussman and sous chef Dallas Pursley make their own fettuccine, on my visit it was tossed with shrimp, yellow squash, tomatoes and gaunciale in a cream-sherry sauce. But it was the risotto that drew my attention. Like any good risotto, Kussman’s is simmered to the proper point of softness. Versatility makes risotto endlessly appealing. During our early spring visits, Kussman used seasonal butternut squash, shiitake mushrooms and parsnips with aplomb in this creamy, rich dish. Ladling a bright orange carrot-sage reduction cream sauce around the rice further punctuated the dish’s flavor; a fat slice of Parmesan
Fresh Scottish salmon en papillote was delivered by the chef himself, who proceeded to slice open the parchment paper pouch, releasing a rush of fragrant steam from the slivered leeks and fennel, chopped tomato and sauce of white wine, lemon and olive oil. The whole dish was beautiful to behold, joyous to eat. But I would have gladly paid an extra buck or two for a side starch.
Only a fool will wave off dessert at Oak Barrel. There are four desserts listed on the menu. Or take a second look at that bakery case you passed earlier: German chocolate cake, a mini Budapest pastry, perhaps a Parisian cookie bursting with white, dark and milk chocolate chunks. From the menu we selected bread pudding and a mousse parfait, neither of which fit the standard expectation. Kussman’s version of the former stacks three dense half-inch squares of bread pudding, serving it with a ramekin of crème anglaise and a smattering of confetti-like bits of strawberries. Dip bites into the ramekin or dump the whole thing over the tower; either way, you will finish this dessert. The parfait, served in a martini glass, was a terrible, delicious tease: Reaching the bottom of the glass, after spooning through the smooth mousse and bottom layer of chewy chocolate crumbs, you have to flip the spoon over, using the narrower end to scoop out the final tempting crumbs. You feel like an addict licking the last bit of salt from a pack of airline peanuts. But it hardly matters. Neither does the fact that Oak Barrel will have a new menu by the time you read this. Based on the quality of these early meals, it seems Kussman and the team have all the bases covered. It just goes to show that once you get past the notion you’re eating in a strip mall, all that really matters is what comes out of the kitchen.
NEW AND NOTABLE Where: Oak Barrel Bistro and Artisan Bakery, 957
Waterbury Falls Drive, O’Fallon, Mo., 636.329.8250
When: Tue. – 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wed. to Sat. – 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Don’t-Miss Dish: Salmon en papillote Vibe: Bakery (and lunch spot) by day, white tablecloth restaurant by night. Not overly upscale, but comfortable and quiet. Entrée Prices: $16 to $34
June 2011
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review: Old school
Oceano Bistro’s hamachiavocado ceviche, top, and sea bass with corn and asparagus risotto, below right.
butter-basted decadence. The occasional misstep may stem from random inconsistencies in service or preparation, but never, it seems, with the quality of the product. A tour of the best offerings begins with the hamachi-avocado ceviche. Thinly sliced wisps of ever-so-delicate raw hamachi are drizzled with velvety Meyer lemon vinaigrette the shade of a pale yellow buttercup. Crescents of creamy avocado, dainty microsprouts and sweet green peas are layered and placed just so over the fish. The dish is light and bright yet luscious and inviting. By drizzling the acid over the fish instead of marinating it, the texture of the flesh remains tender, not “cooked” tough. It’s very pretty to look at, too. Conversely, ordering the crab cakes with shiitakes, apples and lemongrass aïoli to start will land you right in the middle of ordinary. They taste fine but don’t offer much texturally. We wanted more tender, meaty morsels, not shredded, breaded mush, and more crisp apple, earthy shiitake, peppery arugula and aïoli, which barely tasted of the advertised lemongrass.
with smoked tomato butter. At first bite, butter, then flakey ocean flesh, then creamy risotto, sweetness from corn, and crisp-tender bites of asparagus. A nice citrus flavor tinged the whole dish, preventing it from entering “too much” territory. Missouri rainbow trout in a yummy lemon almondine butter was crisp at the edges, tender and flaky within. An apple cider-brined pork chop for the non-seafaring type is a big hunk of meat – a bit unwieldy to carve into, but juicy despite being served well-done, and nicely seasoned, sweet and flavorful. Desserts seemed uninspired. The trio of crème brûlée was just OK; the phyllowrapped brownie with ganache and vanilla ice cream is tasty but unexciting. There are lots of servers, busers, foodrunners, managers, etc. floating around the place, and they are more efficient for it. Vaulted ceilings highlighted with soft spotlights and lots of booths and banquettes clothed in muted reds create a sophisticated setting for the bustling crowd on weekends and sturdy after-work crowd on weekdays.
A good alternate is the glazed salmon flatbread with a crisp crust, charred here and there, and caper cream cheese, shaved fennel, chopped greens and shredded Parmesan. An amber glaze drizzled on top was sweet and a little spicy, with a bright kick. Texturally, there’s a lot going on: the superthin crunchy crust, the creamy cheese, tender bits of salmon, crispy fried capers. Even with all those flavors, the salmon still seems to shine.
Seaside Flavor in the Heart of Clayton By Liz O’Connor • photos by david kovaluk
I
was spoiled during my time cooking at a restaurant nestled in quaint Nantucket Harbor: The seafood was überfresh and plentiful. I didn’t expect to find the same when I came back to St. Louis. but while Oceano Bistro, in downtown Clayton, is far from any seaside town, the fresh catch is top-notch,
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resulting in a range of seafood dishes that take me right back to the bay. The kitchen, headed by executive chef Jon Lowe, puts out a selection of dishes inspired by everything from Japan to France to America’s East Coast and ranging from clean, crisp flavors to rich,
Main courses feature a rotating variety of fish based on season and what’s good and fresh at the moment. One night it was a grilled Hawaiian nairagi with potatoes and a rock shrimp genevoise sauce. The fish was firm and served mid-rare, but the sauce was something special. The essence of the rock shrimp was extracted from their shells and combined with aromatics and cream to create a rich, earthy, sumptuous sauce. Nevermind that the potatoes were a bit undercooked that night. It was really, really good – memorably so. Basking in a buttery revelry was the sea bass over corn and asparagus risotto
BACK FOR SECONDS Where: Oceano Bistro, 44 N. Brentwood Blvd., Clayton, 314.721.9400
When: Mon. to Thu. – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri. – 11 a.m.
to 11 p.m., Sat. – noon to 11 p.m., Sun. – 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Don’t-Miss Dishes: Hamachi-avocado ceviche, grilled Hawaiian nairagi, sea bass with corn and asparagus risotto Vibe: A casually sophisticated crowd sports everything from flannel shirts and jeans to expensive suits and pinky rings. Entrée Prices: $14 to $34
June 2011
June 2011
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St. Louis, MO 63103 June 2011
Riverbend’s Cochon de Lait po’ boy and Doc Sewall Oysters, below.
review: REAL DEAL
Riverbend Rocks River City with NOLA fare by Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz • photos by Wesley Law
R
iverbend, a new Creole bar and restaurant in Soulard, brings the tradition of New Orleans cooking to St. Louis with a local river city flair. Although significantly renovated from the previous watering hole that filled this space, the building retains much of its historic charm – on a recent Saturday night it felt as though the restaurant had always been there. With black ceilings, the original bar, new shiny mirrors and brightly colored New Orleans posters, Riverbend strikingly synthesizes old and new. But the restaurant’s real draw is the care and love poured into the food and the hospitality offered by the staff. Starters are found on the menu’s Temptations section. It includes peel and eat shrimp, but before you think, as we did, “It’s boiled shrimp, how good could it be?” let us reassure you: The large, head-off shrimp were fresh and masterfully cooked and arrived with a house-made, Louisiana-style remoulade whose kicky Creole mustard, subtle spice and bright acidity paired beautifully with the shrimp. The Doc Sewall Oysters, June 2011
shucked, seasoned and baked with breadcrumbs and cheese, arrived at the table piping hot. This simple dish needed only a fresh squeeze of lemon and a little patience, so as not to burn oneself. Don’t miss the oyster bread, a concoction of oysters, green onions and other goodies, puréed and spread on crusty French bread, then baked till warm; it left us yearning for another helping. The menu features a selection of sandwiches, paninis and salads, but we suggest passing over these in favor of the Creole fare – the chef is a New Orleans native, after all. Po’ boys, Louisiana’s version of a sub sandwich, are traditionally dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo. Riverbend offers several versions. Cochon de Lait, traditionally made from suckling pig but more often featuring pork shoulder, features wonderfully seasoned, slowroasted, porky goodness. The Roast Beef and The Riverbend, identical except for the latter’s addition of ham and Swiss, were very messy – and by messy, we mean awesome and messy. The warm
brown gravy was rich and savory and the house-roasted beef so tender, you almost wouldn’t need to chew if not for the bread. We would and will order all of the po’ boys again. The specials vary daily. We tried the crab cakes featured on one of our visits; they were a bit too mushy but had a pleasant flavor with a spiciness that was nicely cut by the creamy aïoli. One evening’s fish special, baked pompano topped with oyster dressing, was delicately roasted, finished with a light sherry-cream sauce and served with inviting peas with garlic and lemon. Unfortunately, a chicken breast special was unrelentingly dry; the meal was saved by a side of corn and sweet roasted red peppers and a memorable cornbread and crawfish pudding. If we could order tubs of this, we would. Riverbend’s delightful Creole cooking, neighborhood feel and laid-back simplicity make for a very enjoyable dining experience; we’ll be back for more.
FILLING UP FOR $20 OR LESS Where: Riverbend Restaurant and Bar, 701 Utah St., St. Louis, 314.664.8443
When: Lunch: Mon. and Wed. to Sat. – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner: Mon. and Wed. to Sat. – 5 to 10 p.m.
Dine-in-Ability: A laid-back vibe and occasional live
music make this neighborhood spot a great place to go for a beer or dinner with friends and family. Try it, You’ll Like It: Any po’ boy, oyster bread, house-made stuffing
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review: stl scene
the best local talent to tune up and blow the doors off the barn three or four nights a week. The selection varies: Expect to hear everything from The Beatles to Journey to Queen to INXS to Dave Matthews Band.
Beer, Booze and Beats – All in Ballwin BY Matt Berkley • Photos by David Kovaluk
T
hough its taps have been flowing, its bands have been rocking, and its crowd has been pouring in for about four years, for some reason or another, Sky Music Lounge has slipped entirely from this writer’s radar. Deciding to remedy that, I hopped on the highway and made the trek west, deep into Ballwin to The Barn at Lucerne, where I came upon, much to my surprise, one of the best rock clubs in the entire St. Louis area. Housed in the turn-of-the-century Lucerne Barn (some of which was constructed June 2011
with bricks from the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair), this out-of-the-way rock hall attracts an odd but enjoyable mix of welloff baby boomers, hard-drinking young professionals, kids fresh out of college and cougars. Lots of cougars. How this ragtag, all-ages crew mingles and makes this atmosphere work, I have no idea. But they do. And it’s no mistake that Sky is continually packed every weekend: This place is a music venue that takes its business seriously. These are mainly cover bands, yes, but damn good ones. Management obviously makes it a point to cull some of
Another reason for Sky’s continued popularity is the space itself: smart, impressive and well put together. A main stage dominates the central room, which is flanked by a cozy lounge area, adjacent to an even cozier private room. Rich, warm shades of wood add to the dark and decadent feel of the interior. The seemingly small main room is given air to breathe by an immense, vaulted ceiling, from which hang smartly dressed chandeliers that throw blue light on the dark space. The lounge, with its private bar and deep leather couches and club chairs, is a welcome escape, as the bands can get intense. The obligatory spattering of random flatscreen TVs are less annoying than at other establishments. The two bars that serve the thirsty masses at Sky are well-manned and -stocked. Rotating drink specials and signature cocktails are announced on an oversized chalkboard. There are no real innovations in term of mixology, unfortunately; traditional mainstays are generally renamed and served up in fancy glasses. Examples: the Rich Mahagony (a mix of Three Olives Vanilla Vodka, Baileys and Kahlúa), the Desperate Housewife (a Grey Goose Cosmo) and the Shrinking Violet (Three
Olives Raspberry and blue curaçao). Servers are helpful, though, and quick to sling cold beer during peak hours when space at the bar gets scarce. Prices are right where they should be ($3.50 to $4.50 for domestic bottles, Martinis starting at $7). Friday is a big night at Sky, you’d be well-advised to arrive early to dodge the $5 cover that starts at 8 p.m. and to grab one of the tables or high tops in the main room, especially since the lounge is often cordoned off for private parties. Your guess is as good as mine as to why the joint is named Sky Lounge. It’s entirely inside. There’s no rooftop bar or panoramic view. In fact, the place doesn’t even have any windows. But aside from the name, Sky is firing on all cylinders. Good beer. Good crowd. Good music. All in a smart setting. Why I hadn’t keyed into this joint earlier is a mystery. But now that I have, I’ll definitely be making a return trip.
STL AFTER DARK Where: Sky Music Lounge, 930 Kehrs Mill Road, Ballwin, 636.527.6909
When: Fri. and Sat. – 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Check It: West County’s premier live music bar. Hipser or Hoosier: Chesterfield silver spoon crowd, cougars, preppies, baby boomers, ex-sorority girls
Suds or ’Tinis: Grab a line of lemon drop shots and chase ’em with a pint of local craft beer.
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From ribs to rubs, styles to sides, our guide to the most American of cuisines has you covered.
Photo by greg rannells
By Ligaya Figueras, Byron Kerman, Dan Lodholz, Dennis Lowery, Michael Renner and Stacy Schultz
June 2011
saucemagazine.comRibs I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 33 from Bogart’s Smokehouse.
Whether it’s pulled pork you crave or ribs are your thing, these 10 spots cook up some darn good ‘cue.
Olive Street Smokehouse
1227 Castillons Arcade Plaza, Creve Coeur, 314.205.7059 The dry rubs used on the brisket and ribs at Olive Street Smokehouse produce a subtle flavor, and the meat is tender as can be. But there’s a little something extra that turns heads at this modest joint, hidden in the corner of a Creve Coeur strip mall. The house-made spicy barbecue sauce gets its kick from cayenne pepper, ancho chiles and Sriracha sauce, and it lets you know you’re alive, without sacrificing that sweet barbecue tang. Don’t overlook the creative sandwiches on the menu, like the After School, pulled pork with American cheese, bacon strips and an egg over-easy, and The Poletti, brisket smothered in caramelized onions, fried jalapeños and melted Cheddar. – Byron Kerman
2809 S. McKnight Road, Rock Hill, 314.961.8888 The cherry wood smoke used at Plush Pig creates a nice mellow sweetness in the meat, not too heavy yet very complex – and a nice change from the more common hickory. Ribs here are
moist and tender, but still have a good chew to them; extra points to the Rock Hill spot for selling them by the bone and not just in full or half slabs. The sauce is a bit too sweet for my taste – and too much of it can cover up that wonderful subtle smoke – but there’s also a spicy sauce available. – Dan Lodholz BOGART’S PhotoS by greg rannells; lampert’s PLUSH PIG PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER
Lampert’s Plush Pig BBQ
Bogart’s Smokehouse staffer Zachary Robbins, top left, and the smoked pastrami sandwich, bottom right.
Bogart’s Smokehouse
1627 S. Ninth St., St. Louis, 314.621.3107 From the eclectic music filtering through the sound system to the flying pig light fixture hanging from the ceiling, from the aroma of wood smoke to the incessantly friendly staff, Bogart’s Smokehouse has all the feel of a corner barbecue joint … which it is. Open since February, pitmaster Skip Steele has been packin’ ‘em in for his pork ribs, beef brisket, and slow-cooked, meat-laden pit-baked beans. There’s also the unusual, like prime rib, pastrami and a thick-sliced “Sausage Fatty.” But, oh those ribs! Steele bastes them with an apricot glaze that’s then caramelized with a blast from an industrial-sized blowtorch. Now that’s smokin’. – Michael Renner
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June 2011
Olive Street Smokehouse owner Dave Marting.
Piggy’s Bar BQ
327 S. Main St., O’Fallon, Mo., 636.272.7444
PhotoS by greg rannells
Have you seen the Piggy’s billboard on I-70? It’s the one that shows pink piglet rear ends and screams, “Hot Tasty Butts.” How could you not want to visit this unassuming spot that’s been voted best barbecue in Northeast Missouri for the past three years by Rural Missouri Magazine? Co-owner and Kansas City native Gary Hellyer wanted a KC-style joint, right down to the secret dry rub and sticky-sweet sauce (smoky and hot versions are available, too). Pitmaster and co-owner Mike Killian, pictured below left, stokes the smoker with hickory logs, the brisket is chopped and the green beans are specially seasoned. The best bit? On Fridays, a full slab of ribs is only 15 bucks. – Michael Renner
Chicken on the smoker at Piggy’s Bar BQ.
June 2011
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10 TO TRY Flavors BBQ Sports Bar & Grill
4317 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.533.1288 The service can be slow, the hours inconsistent, and there’s often no sports showing on the six big-screen TVs. But all is forgiven with the first bite into one of the juicy chicken wings: big and plump, dry-rubbed with a peppery essence and deeply smoked. Loin back and spareribs benefit from the same rub and long smoke; the potato salad and sweet potato fries are a must. The aroma of hickory permeates your nostrils, fingers … everything. Even hours later, the scent of smoky ’cue lingers … everywhere. With this much flavor, the house-made sauce seems almost superfluous. – Michael Renner
Roper’s Ribs
Owner Carl Roper says hickory is the only wood you can use if you want to call it barbecue. He might be on to something: This ‘cue has the best smoke of those I’ve sampled; it completely penetrates the meat and magnifies the pork flavor. The sauce is a standout, too – it’s well-balanced, with just enough tangy acidity to keep the sweetness in check. Don’t miss the crispy pork snoots, pictured, (I’m not kidding, so step out of your comfort zone) and be prepared to wait – expect your order to take 15 to 30 minutes – though it’s well worth it. Good barbecue is all about time, after all. – Dan Lodholz
Reuden Robinson
Ms. Piggies’ Smokehouse
10612 Page Ave., Olivette, 314.428.7776 and New Town St. Charles, 314.327.3029
Damian Bridgett readies a pork shoulder for the smoker.
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The cornbread is sweet, the yams, pictured at left, are candied, the okra is deep-fried and the turkey, well, you have to order ahead if you want a whole one fried or smoked. But it’s the meaty rib tips – dry-rubbed and hickory-smoked – and the tender, juicy sliced turkey breast that brings ’em back. But don’t pass up the pork steak, fried catfish, ribs and chicken, from wings to shredded. The sauce: Think a sweeter, spicier version of the classic Maull’s. – Michael Renner
June 2011
ROPER’S RIBS Photo by CARMEN TROESSER; REMAINING PHOTOS BY GREG RANNELLS
6929 W. Florrisant Ave., Jennings, 314.381.6200
Owners Charles and Robbie Butler, at right.
Lil’ Mickey’s Memphis Barbeque
6716 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636.278.4227 There’s the nice level of hickory smoke. And there’s the killer pulled pork sandwich, pictured at left, an enormous helping topped with slaw that rings in at just $7. But the story here is the sauce – it is, in my opinion, the best in the St. Louis area, if not the country. It’s got subtle sweetness, great tang and just enough heat. Even better, it’s applied with a restrained hand, allowing the quiet heat of the spectacular rub to shine through. The only downside to Lil Mickey’s is that it’s in St. Peters and I live in St. Louis – and gas is approaching $4 a gallon … – Dan Lodholz
Tony Reason prepare’s Bigg Daddy’s famous fried ribs, pictured at top.
Bigg Daddy’s Fried Ribs
2812 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.531.7427
Ribs, sauces and chicken at PM BBQ.
PM BBQ Photos by CARMEN TROESSER
103 Chesterfield Towne Centre, Chesterfield, 636.536.1966 I am truly, madly and deeply in love with PM BBQ’s Carolina vinegar sauce. It begins with an übertangy punch to the back of your jaw, followed by a subtle, slow burn of heat and a final mosh pit-body check pop of sweat. I’ve encountered no better
June 2011
accompaniment to a great (and I don’t use that descriptor lightly when it comes to barbecue) pulled pork. Beyond the sauce, this Chesterfield spot absolutely crushes the big three of barbecue: pulled pork, brisket and baby back ribs, all Memphis-style. If they don’t already, everyone living west of I-270 should praise the gods of slow-smoked tenderness that PM chose to locate in The Valley over the city. – Dennis Lowery
Sure, we like our ribs smoked, but Bigg Daddy’s stakes its claim as the only place in town that deep-fries them. The family-run restaurant is bright and clean, accommodating sit-down dining or carryout. On Fridays, there’s fried jack and catfish filets, and Sundays feature sweet potatoes, cornbread and greens, packing the place with the after-church crowd clamoring for the once-a-week sides. Deep-fried and delectable, turkey “ribs” are tender chunks of white meat cut from the shoulder blade. But as one friend said of the fried ribs: “It sounds so fundamentally wrong, but couldn’t be more right.” – Michael Renner
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Butcher shops Baumann’s Fine Meats 8829 Manchester Road, Brentwood 314.968.3080
how to select a good slab of ribs
Pork and beef are the go-to meats for barbecuing, but poultry can handle low-andslow, too. What’s the best way to ’cue up a bird without drying it out? “The No. 1 tip is to brine any poultry,” said Mike Emerson of Pappy’s Smokehouse. “Brine it for a couple of hours. Just salt and water works great; if you want to get fancy, you can throw in aromatics.” You might think that barbecuing the entire bird would be best, but the pros at Pappy’s are keen on certain sections. For chicken, they use only the leg quarters, whose dark meat has more fat and gives more juices. With turkey, they cook only the meaty breast. And Emerson’s tip No. 2? “Everything needs to be fresh.” – Ligaya Figueras
Bill’s Riverview Market and Meats 10009 Bellefontaine Road, Riverview 314.868.0400
Ribs from Lil’ Mickey’s.
Freddie’s Market 9052 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves 314.968.1914
Know Your Cuts of Pork bones and connective tissue make that meat awfully flavorful. St. Louis-cut ribs: A flat rectangular slab, also known as a barbecue cut, is achieved by removing the rib tip section from a slab of spareribs.
You can debate wet versus dry and apple wood versus hickory till the cows come home, but you can’t have barbecue without the meat. Callie, Boston butt, St. Louiscut ribs – all those different cuts can befuddle the best of us. Here’s a bit of pork nomenclature to help you navigate the butcher shop.
Rib tips: Strips containing cartilage and soft bone that are cut from the lower end of spareribs when cutting a slab of St. Louis-style ribs. Butt: Boston butt, pork butt, shoulder butt, shoulder roast, country roast – call it what you will, this cut, from the top of the shoulder socket to the spine, is a weave of muscles, fat, sinew, connective tissue and bone. It falls apart easily when cooked, making it the most popular cut for pulled pork.
Baby back ribs: The most tender and the leanest cut of ribs is that nestled beneath the loin muscle near the animal’s back. Baby backs have a greater meat-to-bone ratio than St. Louis-cut ribs and the curvature of the bone is more pronounced.
Picnic or callie: The upper part of the foreleg, from the shoulder socket to the elbow. The picnic is a good choice for making pulled pork thanks to its fattiness. That extra fat provides flavor and juiciness without drying out the meat during low-and-slow cooking.
Spareribs: Spareribs are cut from the end of baby back ribs, further down the side of the hog. While there is typically more bone than meat in a slab of spareribs, the
Snout: That fat-filled hog meat from the nose and cheek area makes for some crispy, greasy, downright delicious snoots. – Ligaya Figueras
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Frandeka Meat Market 1601 S. Seventh St., in Soulard Market, St. Louis 314.241.4389
Local pork producers Available at Ferguson Farmers’ Market Live Springs Farm Seibert Farms Available at Local Harvest Grocery Buttonwood Farm Hinkebein Hills Farm Todd Geisert Farms Available at Maplewood Farmers’ Market Live Springs Farm Available at Sappington Farmers’ Market Kluesner Farms Red Oak Farm Seibert Farms Todd Geisert Farms Available at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market Greenwood Farms Live Springs Farm Available at Webster Groves Farmers’ Market Sunny Creek Farm Available at Wildwood Farmers’ Market Sunny Creek Farm
Hanlen’s Fine Meats & Catering 11037 Manchester Road, Kirkwood 314.966.8606 John’s Butcher Shoppee 2608 Walton Road, Overland, 314.423.8066 503 N. Mill St., Festus 636.931.7776 Kenrick’s Meats and Catering 4324 Weber Road, St. Louis 314.631.2440 Mannino’s Market 5205 Highway N, Cottleville 636.441.7755 Mateker’s Meat and Seafood Shop 11642 Concord Village Ave., Sappington 314.842.4100 Paul’s Market 1020 N. Elizabeth Ave., Ferguson 314.524.3652 Valenti’s Market and Catering 6750 Mexico Road, St. Peters 636.970.2992 June 2011
Photos by CARMEN TROESSER; chicken illustration by vidhya nagarajan
don’t forget the bird
Do not let yourself be turned off by a little bit of fat. Fat is good – that is what you get flavoring from, especially with spareribs. Avoid thin ribs; you want them to be fairly thick. That makes it easier to cook them without drying them out. – Brady Hanlen, Hanlen’s Fine Meats & Catering
the sauce spectrum Whether you prefer it on the side or slathered on top, no ’cue is complete without a glob of your favorite sauce. Here, a flavor spectrum of styles around town that will leave you lickin’ your chops. – Stacy Schultz
spicy white
Lampert’s Plush Pig Mild: Slightly thinner than the typical Memphisstyle sauce, this version boasts notes of honey flavor and muted sourness.
Southtown Pub’s White BBQ Sauce: Though a bit too ascerbic on its own, this mayonnaise-based sauce diluted by a hefty dose of white vinegar hits the spot slathered on a pile of smoked, pulled chicken.
June 2011
The Shaved Duck’s Bourbon: Bourbon adds bold flavor and complexity to this thick, Kansas City-style sauce while undertones of sunny tomato flavor add a nice finishing touch.
PM BBQ’s Sweet: With a taste reminiscent of classic ketchup, this tomato-based sauce is chunkier and more sugary than its Heinz 57 peer. Bogart’s Pineapple Express: The fresh pineapple juice shines brightly in this light sauce, lending fruity tropical flavor to any smoky sandwich.
sweet
bbq sauce photo by ashley gieseking; ©iStockphoto.com/Elena Elisseeva
Lil Mickey’s Memphis Barbecue’s Sauce: Subtly sugary, slightly cutting and finishing with just a touch of warmth, this mild sauce has something for every taste bud.
PM BBQ’s Mustard Sauce: A thick, deep brown-yellow sauce that’s rich with the earthy aroma and flavor of stone-ground mustard.
tomato-based
mild
Shaved Duck’s Smokey Jalapeño: A hybrid between woodsy and acidic, this vinegar-based sauce has piquant pepper flavor that leaves a tiny burning sensation on your tongue well after the last bite.
The Shaved Duck’s Mustard Sauce: This mustard sauce is thin, almost the consistency of a vinaigrette. We love its subtle sweetness as well as the lingering spice kick.
mustard
Lampert’s Plush Pig Barbecue’s Hot and Spicy: Thinner than most, this sauce carries a sweet spiciness with just enough heat to have you grabbing for something cool and creamy.
Bogart’s Mad Maddie’s Vinegar: The acidity in this thin Carolinastyle sauce is balanced and smooth, delivering plenty of tangy flavor and a kick that doesn’t make you pucker.
vinegar
Olive Street Smokehouse’s Spicy: Intense smokiness adds rich flavor to this potent sauce, which will leave you craving a glass of water – and another bite.
rules of the rub Dry rubs may be the signature of Memphis-style barbecue, but that doesn’t mean you have to head south to get a taste of this tried-and-true technique. Many spots here in town turn to dry rubs to seal in flavor and form a crisp, charred crust around the meat, and with just a bit of basic knowledge under your belt, you, too, can master this wetter-isn’t-better way of barbecuing.
piquant flavor into the mix, from grinding fresh black, white or pink peppercorns to throwing in some cayenne to toasting dried chile peppers for a tad more zing. From there, the choice is yours. Experiment with spices both common and exotic to learn how the heat affects the flavors of your favorite addins. Like a little extra kick? Add some more cayenne or chiles to the mix. Want things on the sweeter side? Toss in some white or brown sugar. Just be careful with sugar, since it burns at 340 degrees, creating a tacky surface that attracts ash from the coals below the meat. Keep in mind the flavors of the other elements of your meal as well, tossing in some oregano for Greek-inspired sides or ground ginger, Chinese fivespice and garlic powder for a little Asian flair.
The first thing to remember when creating your own dry rub is that fresh herbs will always outshine their drier, blander counterparts. Spice grinders, mortars and pestles, and spice mills are your friends here: They will make everything from peppercorns to paprika uniform in size. Salt should be part of your rub no matter what flavor profile you prefer, as it draws the moisture to the meat’s surface, creating a crispy, Rubs can be applied up to an crunchy caramelization that hour before cooking (no need acts as a “sauce” all its own to marinate overnight since – just remember, less is more, the spices don’t soak into the as you still want plenty of meat), but be sure to taste those juices to stay inside the your rub before you apply meat. Just be sure to choose it – there’s no going back your salt wisely: Use coarser after it hits the grill. Once grinds such as sea and kosher perfected, apply it evenly salts, which will dissolve and generously, making sure better on the meat as it cooks every inch of the meat is and give you a bigger bang covered with all your favorite for your flavor-packed buck. flavors. As for pepper, there are a – Stacy Schultz plethora of ways to add that saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 39
experts weigh in on their preferred wood chips
Saucing and gl azing
Mike Emerson, Pappy’s Smokehouse A combination of apple and cherry Terry Black, Super Smokers BBQ Apple wood or a combination of apple and oak
Mike Mills, 17th Street Bar and Grill Apple wood
Most pros use a thermometer to check the internal meat temperature for doneness, but that’s not the only way to determine when ’cue is ready. To check the doneness of ribs, Skip Steele of Bogart’s Smokehouse uses a pair of tongs; if he can snap a rib in half using a quick downward motion, those ribs are ready. For Terry Black of Super Smokers BBQ, ribs are ready when they tear like a paper towel. “Just barely clinging to the bone, but not falling off,” said Black.
Lou Rook, Annie Gunn’s Hickory Trent Toone, Barney’s BBQ Reject barrel staves, mostly oak Tom Coghill, Iron Barley Local oak, or a combination of oak and cherry
“The one phrase that drives me up the wall: ‘It was so good it was falling off the bone.’ Anybody can cook barbecue that is falling off the bone. That just means it’s overcooked.” – Terry Black, Super Smokers BBQ
Marinades, brines, spices and barbecue rubs are ways to penetrate meat with flavor prior to cooking it. However, once the meat is on the grill, wet seasonings are a way to add flavor while also keeping the meat from drying out. Lou Rook III of Annie Gunn’s applies a thin basting sauce every 40 minutes when barbecuing. A typical mopping sauce for Rook is a combination of cider vinegar, honey, turmeric and salt and pepper. “But leave out the sugars,” advised Rook of mops. “Too much sugar, and it will
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brown up and caramelize the outside too fast.” When using a sauce or glaze, the experts say that the right time to apply it is when the ’cuing is nearly complete. “People add sauce too soon,” noted Mike Mills of 17th Street Bar and Grill. “A sauce should be added right at the very end, when you are getting ready to take [the meat] off.” And when Mills adds sauce, such as with barbecued pork steaks, he applies it to each side at least twice, cooking the meat for one minute per side for a total of four minutes.
At Pappy’s, Mike Emerson and his crew apply a brown sugar and water glaze during the last half-hour of cooking. Skip Steele of Bogart’s Smokehouse waits until the ribs are removed from the grill before applying an apricot glaze and then blasting it with a blowtorch, pictured above. “It caramelizes the sugars and burns it into the product,” said Steele. “It’s a fantastic smell of burnt sugar. And it seals and protects the color and appearance. The taste? It is phenomenal.” – Ligaya Figueras
Mike Mills of 17th Street Bar and Grill recommended the OK-hand method: Touch your index finger to your thumb to form the letter O. With your other hand, feel the skin on your palm where those two fingers join. That soft feeling is that of rare meat, explained Mills. Next bring your middle finger to your thumb and touch the same spot on your palm; that firmer feeling is what Mills defined as medium-rare. Continuing to your ring finger, you can feel the texture of medium-done meat, and finally, bringing your pinky to your thumb will give you a sense of what well-done meat feels like. Whichever method you use, never, ever cut into the meat. Why? “You’ll drain all the natural juices out of the meat and it will become dry,” said Mills. – Ligaya Figueras June 2011
©iStockphoto.com/MaryLB; ribs photo by greg rannells; terry black photo by jonathan s. pollack
Skip Steele, Bogart’s Smokehouse Apple wood, otherwise peach or wild cherry
“You can never oversmoke with fruitwood. You can with oak and hickory.” – Skip Steele, Bogart’s Smokehouse
You’ve chosen the perfect cut of meat, perfected a flavorful rub and found your favorite sauce. But you can’t just cook the meat any ol’ way and call it barbecue. Cooking technique is one of the defining elements of this type of fare, and it’s all about low and slow. “A lot of people think that grilling is barbecuing. That is really not how most professionals view it,” said Terry Black of Super Smokers BBQ. What’s the distinction? Grilling refers to the quick cooking of foods directly over high, hot heat – between 350 and 600 degrees. Barbecuing refers to the slow cooking of meats using indirect, low heat. Grilling takes minutes, while barbecuing is measured in hours. Lower temps and an indirect heat source are crucial for barbecuing since the meat used for this type of cooking is typically large and the cuts frequently have tough connective tissue that requires a longer time to break down. Moreover, a longer cooking process enables smoke – created through the burning of wood chips, wood chunks or whole logs – to add more flavor to the meat. “If it’s a higher temperature, smoke doesn’t permeate the meat as well. Meat takes on smoke when the meat is colder,” said nationally acclaimed pitmaster Mike Mills of 17th Street Bar and Grill. Every pitmaster will claim that his way is the right way, but the pros do agree on one thing: Maintaining a constant grill temperature is critical. Most experts shy away from using a gas grill for low-and-slow preparations because this type of grill is limited in its temperature range, so keeping a low temperature is a challenge. Mills’ solution is to use an Ole Hickory Pit smoker, which enables him to “cook with wood, charcoal or a combination and assist it with gas to maintain a constant heat.”
photo by carmen troesser
And when it comes time to light the fire, “always use the cleanest fuel available,” said Trent Toone of Barney’s BBQ, who makes his own charcoal using reject oak barrel staves. If you are using charcoal briquettes, Toone recommended using a chimney starter rather than lighter fluid. Otherwise the meat will “pick up the taste of the lighter fluid,” he noted.
Chicken on the smoker at PM BBQ.
June 2011
And finally, how do you know when the fire is ready? The easiest solution: a thermometer. Otherwise, said Toone, if you are grilling, the charcoal should be covered in a white-gray ash; for barbecuing, there should be no visible red glow. – Ligaya Figueras saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 41
Succotash
Courtesy of Iron Barley’s Tom Coghill
Courtesy of Eclipse Restaurant’s John Stuhlman
6 to 8 servings
6 servings
1 Tbsp. toasted caraway seeds 1 cup cider vinegar ¼ cup honey 1 cup olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper ½ head green cabbage, shredded ¼ head red cabbage, shredded ½ cup julienned red onion
3 slices bacon, diced 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 cups fresh corn kernels 10 oz. frozen baby lima beans, thawed ½ cup diced red bell pepper 1 bunch green onions, diced (keep white and green parts separate) ¾ cup heavy cream ¼ cup water ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper
• Mix together the caraway seeds, vinegar, honey and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. • Place the cabbage and red onion in a large bowl. Pour ½ to ¾ cup of the dressing over the vegetables, mix well, cover and let stand in the refrigerator 30 minutes. • Toss again and serve.
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• Cook the bacon in a 10-inch skillet over low heat until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon, leaving the fat in the skillet. • Add the butter, corn, lima beans, bell pepper and white parts of the onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. • Add the cream, water, salt and pepper, and
simmer for 10 minutes. • Stir in the bacon and the green parts of the onion, then remove the mixture from the heat. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary.
Butcher Block Baked Beans Courtesy of The Tavern Kitchen and Bar’s Jeff Hubbard 4 to 5 servings 2 cups dried navy beans 2 oz. bacon, diced 2 oz. pancetta, diced 1 oz. roasted jalapeño sausage (other sausages will work), diced 1 oz. porchetta, diced 1 large onion, diced 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1 jalapeño, diced (with seeds) 2 Tbsp. minced garlic 2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup chili sauce ½ cup golden molasses ½ cup dark brown sugar, loosely packed ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard 2 Tbsp. dark chili powder 1 Tbsp. granulated garlic 2 Tbsp. paprika 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme Salt and freshly ground black pepper Cotija cheese Green onions, chopped • Soak the navy beans in 1 gallon of water. After 24 hours, drain and set the beans aside. Render the bacon, pancetta, sausage and porchetta in a pot. • Once the meats are rendered, add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic. Sweat until tender and fragrant. • Add the chicken stock, chili sauce, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, spices and drained beans. Stir well. Simmer over medium heat for approximately 45 minutes until the beans are tender and the liquid has reduced by about ¼.
June 2011
photo by greg rannells
Caraway Coleslaw
online extra | For more side dish
recipes, visit the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. • Garnish with grated or crumbled Cotija cheese and chopped green onions.
Smoked Egg Salad Courtesy of Pappy’s Smokehouse’s Mike Emerson 6 to 8 servings 12 eggs Apple wood or cherry wood chips ¼ to ½ cup marjoram mayonnaise (recipe follows) ¼ cup minced shallots 1 stalk celery, diced 4 Tbsp. capers 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper • Place the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a
June 2011
boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the eggs at a bare boil for exactly 10 minutes. • Drain and rinse the eggs under cold running water, then place them in an ice bath to cool. • When chilled, peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. • Take a handful of wood chips and scatter them in the bottom of a stove-top smoker (or into a hot grill). Heat the chips over medium-low heat until smoky, about 10 minutes. • Place 16 egg halves rounded side down on the rack of your smoker; reserve 8 halves. Smoke for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool. • Dice all of the eggs (smoked and not-smoked) and then chill them. • In a medium bowl, combine the diced eggs with ¼ cup marjoram mayonnaise. Add the shallots, celery, capers and parsley, and stir carefully to combine. Additional mayonnaise may be added, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency. • Adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Marjoram Mayonnaise Courtesy of Pappy’s Smokehouse’s Mike Emerson Makes 1¼ cups 1 large egg 1 Tbsp. tarragon vinegar ½ cup olive oil ½ cup vegetable oil 1 Tbsp. fresh marjoram, chopped ½ tsp. salt Pinch freshly ground white pepper • In a food processor, blend the egg and vinegar for 10 seconds. • With the processor running, slowly pour the oils through the feed tube and process until emulsified. (Should the mixture become too thick, with the machine running, add water, 2 teaspoons at a time.) • Add the marjoram, salt and pepper and pulse to blend. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
Annie Gunn’s 16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield 636.532.7684
Pappy’s Smokehouse 3106 Olive St., St. Louis 314.535.4340
Barney’s BBQ 16011 Manchester Road, Ellisville 636.227.230
Piggy’s Bar BQ 327 S. Main St., O’Fallon, Mo. 636.272.7444
Bigg Daddy’s Fried Ribs 2812 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis 314.531.7427
PM BBQ 103 Chesterfield Towne Centre, Chesterfield 636.536.1966
Bogart’s Smokehouse 1627 S. Ninth St., St. Louis 314.621.3031
Roper’s Ribs 6929 W. Florrisant Ave., Jennings 314.381.6200
Flavors BBQ Sports Bar & Grill 4317 Manchester Ave., St. Louis 314.533.1288 Lampert’s Plush Pig BBQ 2809 S. McKnight Road, Rock Hill 314.961.8888 Lil’ Mickey’s Memphis Barbeque 6716 Mexico Road, St. Peters 636.278.4227 Ms. Piggies’ Smokehouse 10612 Page Ave., Olivette 314.428.7776 and New Town St. Charles 314.327.3029
17th Street Bar and Grill 1711 W. Highway 50, O’Fallon, Ill. 618.622.1717 The Shaved Duck 2900 Virginia Ave., St. Louis 314.776.1407 Southtown Pub 3707 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis 314.832.9009 Super Smokers BBQ 601 Stockell Drive, Eureka 636.938.9742 and 7409 Highway N, Dardenne Prairie 636.938.9742
Olive Street Smokehouse 1227 Castillons Arcade Plaza, Creve Coeur 315.205.7059 saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 43
YES
“St. Louis style is actually a derivative from the Kansas City area. I think of St. Louis style and I think of a red sauce, maybe not quite as sweet as Kansas City style, but still prepared in a low-and-slow method.” – Mike Mills, 17th Street Bar and Grill
MAYBE
“I think there are bits of barbecue that are St. Louis barbecue. The pork steak is the obvious answer. St. Louis is a good marriage of a lot of regional varieties. Instead of St. Louis, it is kind of Memphis style with hints of Kansas City style. There is getting to be that identity though.” – Paul Lamers, PM BBQ
kansas city
memphis
KANSAS CITY: Though KC pitmasters are known to toss everything from sausage and beef to chicken and even turkey on the smoker, the city’s signature ’cue revolves mostly around ribs, cooked slowly over a hickory wood fire. Barbecue devotees in this Midwestern city are also quite fond of a delicacy known as burnt ends – the charred, flavorful edges of a beef brisket. A typical KC sauce is dense, sweet, spicy and tangy, a rich tomato mixture with a molasses base that’s slathered on thick or served on the side.
MEMPHIS: Home to the most famous barbecue festival in the country (Memphis in May) and one of the nation’s most beloved barbecue spots (Rendezvous), Memphis is a barbecue city. In this Tennessee town, pork is prime, smoked low and slow until fork-tender. Shoulder is pulled, while ribs – baby back or spare – are thickly crusted with the style’s signature mild-flavored dry rub. Both can be served with a thin sauce typically made of tomato, vinegar or mustard on the side, though the sauce is just as often absent.
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It’s the true American cuisine.You can go all the way back to the cave man: Throw wild game on the grill, and everybody was happy.
NO
“We want to believe that, but I don’t think there really is. We like the sweet, tangy sauce and there is a cut called the St. Louis-style sparerib, but St. Louis style varies.” – Lou Rook, Annie Gunn’s
texas TEXAS: Down in Texas, beef is the meat of choice and brisket is the cut to ’cue. It’s cooked over a mesquite wood fire for up to 18 hours; most pitmasters believe this lengthy time on the grill infuses enough flavor into the meat that rubs or so-called “mop” sauces aren’t needed, but, when used, a Texas sauce is typically thin, tart and vinegary. The meat is sliced thick and served old school-style on cheap, soft, white bread.
– Skip Steele, Bogart’s Smokehouse
carolinas CAROLINAS: It’s a regional battle in this part of the country, but the mainstay is pork, smoked slowly over oak or hickory and served with a vinegar-based sauce. In eastern N.C., the whole hog is smoked and served with a thin sauce of vinegar, sugar and hot pepper; in the west, Lexington-style pitmasters smoke only the shoulder and add ketchup to the mix for a tart, peppery sauce called a “dip.” Mustard and a sweetener are added for a South Carolina spin. Carolina ’cue is classically served on a bun with coleslaw and some of that vinegary sauce. – Stacy Schultz June 2011
mike mills photo courtesy of David Grunfeld; paul lamers Photo by CARMEN TROESSER; lou rook photo by Jonathan S. Pollack; skip steele photo by greg rannells
BURNING QUESTION: Is there such a thing as St. Louis barbecue?
June 2011
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how two urbanites found their future on a farm by stacy schultz | photos by carmen troesser
46 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com
June 2011
W
hen Annie and Simon Lehrer had dinner at Savor on a fall night back in 2005 to enjoy a plate of oysters and a bottle of Champagne, they shared the usual early dating causerie – jobs, travels, favorite foods – as well as a few less predictable companions to the ritualistic eye batting and leg crossing: How come strawberries used to taste so much better? Why isn’t corn as good as it was when they were kids? They had reached the goal of any good first date – common ground – but as their feelings developed, they realized that their mutual interests reached far past how tasty the half shells in front of them were. “We really had a very similar philosophy on food and were noticing that all of our best food was coming from people we knew,” Simon recalled. “Having the memories of food from our childhood and realizing that when something finally tastes as good as I remember it tastes, if you dig deep, you get to know the people producing [it] and you realize that’s why – it’s fresh, it’s local and it’s good food.” The couple’s interest in where their food was coming from was, of course, nothing new. But while most of us are out at area farmers’ markets filling our totes with fresh fruits and veggies to inspire the week’s eats, this sustainably minded pair was looking to go a step further – make that a few steps further. “We realized that we wanted to be able to produce what we want when we want it, not only for raw food products but also for processed products, starting with fruits and vegetables but then moving on to meats and cheese and processing everything ourselves so we know what goes into it initially through the end product,” Simon explained. “That eventually led us to the idea of a farm.”
SURROUNDED BY FOOD
Food had always been an integral part of Annie and Simon’s lives, which had been fiercely different and yet quite similar. Though Simon was born in a large Wisconsin city, he spent weekends on his grandparents’ farm, tending to the chickens, pigs, cows, sheep and horses. He helped with the sizeable victory garden, growing corn, berries and even pumpkins, and he reveled in the traditions of Midwestern farming, like June 2011
canning food. When Simon was 8, his father’s job as a real estate developer led the family away from the small Wisconsin farm and off to explore the country, giving Simon the chance to discover the many cuisines of the nation’s coasts and central region. He eventually moved back to the Midwest and, after an unsuccessful stint trying to start a business with a friend in Columbia, Mo., he began working for EarthGrains, a bread business originally owned by Anheuser-Busch, here in St. Louis. With extra time on his hands, Simon sought work in wine and liquor, lured by the ever-expanding nature of the industries. “[With] all of the product changes every day, … you will never run out of things to learn about,” he explained. This wide-eyed inquisitiveness led him to The Wine Merchant, where owner John Nash had been looking to add a cheesemonger to the staff. Being from America’s dairy land, Simon jumped at the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the artisan cheese industry. “It was 10 years ago, so things were still really just starting in the United States, and there weren’t nearly as many producers as there are today,” he recalled. “Between that and living in the city all my life, I came up with this idea that, eventually, I’d like to move back to the farm. “But all that got put on hold when I met Annie.” Born and raised in the South City neighborhood of Compton Heights, Annie Denny was a city girl. She grew up in a tight-knit Lebanese home with her mother, father, grandmother and great-aunt, a household where the women of the family prided themselves on their garden, a small patch of land that included grape vines, mint beds and other staples of traditional Lebanese cuisine. Her great-grandparents, who had immigrated from Lebanon at the turn of the 20th century, had three daughters who opened a tavern in North St. Louis, teaching the family the importance of supporting local businesses. Like many multi-generational families living under the same roof, the kitchen was where everyone gathered, and, as a curious and culinary-focused child, Annie took great advantage, spending most of her time with her grandmother and great-aunt learning how to grind her own meat, choose fresh
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Strawberries sit atop a window sill overlooking downtown St. Louis; the Lehrers will keep their loft in the city as they make the transition to life in the country; the couple turned their downtown loft into a makeshift greenhouse as they test plants for their garden at the farm.
saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 47
Hospital. “It just so happened that when Gerard Craft was moving into Niche and rehabbing [the space], I had purchased the brownstone across the street and was doing my own rehab, so I felt like it was a booming time in Benton Park,” she said. “There was something on the cusp in that city that I felt was interesting.” As one of Niche’s first customers, Annie was blown away by the then-unknown Craft’s talent and harbored hope that this was the catalyst for St. Louis’ culinary scene she had been hoping for. “At that point, I was very displeased with the state of food in St. Louis, the state of produce I was getting from our local mega marts,” she said. “I was realizing that what tasted good was what I got down from my Uncle George’s produce stand down at Soulard or the Cruise family or Scharf’s.” Something sparked in her. Though thrilled to be back in the city, she dreamt of one day having a big backyard in the country where she could grow all her own food – produce that was free of pesticides, herbs that grew fresh in her garden. It was a sentiment shared by a man she met while he was having a beer on the deck of her building one day after work. A man named Simon Lehrer.
TIME TO PREP
TOP: The first task on the Lehrers’ list: rehab the old hunting quarters into a farmhouse they can live in; Annie is still getting used to the possums, skunks and wasps that come along with it. Because the sprawling 500-acre farm is so large, the couple plans to invite fellow farmers who don’t have the time or property to utilize some of the land for their own projects.
bread and pick out good milk. During the summers, she worked Wednesday lunches at St. Raymond’s Church with her grandmother and the other women of the parish, peeling back the layers of her rich Lebanese heritage the only way she knew how – through food. After graduating from Saint Louis University, Annie accepted a nursing position in Austin, Texas, where her culinary appetite was sated by the smalltown feel and varied food traditions of Texas’ heartland. Her first microbrew at Celis, one of Austin’s most famous craft breweries, opened her eyes to craft foods
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– be they beers, spirits or cheeses – and the local people behind them. From there, Annie went north, accepting a traveling nurse position that, over the next three years, would take her from Pennsylvania’s Amish country to upstate New York to Martha’s Vineyard, where she reveled in the traditions of crab boils and enjoyed the simple luxury of fresh lobster. At night, she worked at the local specialty foods store; on her days off, she was behind the cheese counter at the local market. After five years away, Annie returned to St. Louis to be closer to family, accepting a nursing position at Barnes-Jewish
Over the next few years, the couple, who married a short 18 months after they first met, did all they could to prepare for a life in the country. They trekked across the States for a month, visiting small farms from California to Oregon to Washington, and garnered a network of like-minded friends, farmers and chefs here in town. Simon completed an externship on family farms in Northern Ireland and dove deep into the artisan cheese world. They even spent a year living in Arizona – a move that, while driven by family circumstance, solidified their decision when the land proved unsustainable for even a small vegetable garden. So by the time the Disalvos – a family who had read about the Lehrers in a local publication – called regarding their grandfather’s sprawling 500-acre farm just south of Festus, Annie and Simon were ready. That is, of course, except for the life they had built for themselves in the heart of St. Louis. Annie had reached her nurse practitioner status and was working at Barnes-Jewish Hospital; Simon had worked nearly a decade to establish himself as a well-
respected cheesemonger at The Wine Merchant. Together, they had settled into a cozy loft overlooking Washington Avenue, gotten used to taking the Metro everywhere they needed to go and made a network of local foodies into family. After a few long phone calls, the Lehrers finally made the trip south to see the farm. They fell in love with the land in front of them. A few test gardens and lease negotiations later, and it was clear: Even though the farm was south and they wanted to be north, even though it was 400 acres larger than they had wanted, even though they had established a fruitful life for themselves in the city, their dream of living the sustainable country life was theirs for the taking. And take it they did. They signed the lease and created a timeline for moving out to the country, deciding that they would keep their loft in the city while they rehabbed the old farmhouse and make the 45-minute commute to the city and back each day to continue with their day jobs indefinitely.
THE (COUNTRY) ROAD AHEAD
As soon as the lease for their new farm was signed, the couple got to work on the long journey ahead. The sprawling 500-acre farm had been mostly untouched for the last 50 years, aside from 20 head of cattle that had prevented the land from becoming overgrown, so the tasks were tedious and many. They drew up plans to transform the old hunting cabin into a livable farmhouse and began preparing the fields and pastures for planting. They explored the Internet, read books, went to auctions and spoke with friends about the types of chickens they could use for both meat and eggs, the breed of pigs that local chefs liked to eat, the type of sheep that would produce the milk they wanted for the artisan cheeses they hoped to create, and, of course, which types of animals were sustainable, a process less transparent than it seems. “As much as we may like something because it’s super rare, you have to ask why it’s super rare,” Simon explained. “Is it because nobody ever tried it or is it because – guess what – these are really hairy animals and they don’t like Missouri humidity and they get sick or pneumonia or a number of other things? We are learning just as much about what doesn’t work as what does.” June 2011
The couple also studied what vegetables they would grow, transforming their Washington Avenue loft into a makeshift greenhouse that harbored table after table of tomato plants, sunflower seeds, peppers and greenery. They gathered their friends on a Friday night to swap this type of tomato seed for that one, this variety of squash with another. “That’s one of the things that spurs us on the most, that all of our friends and everyone we know is very excited about the whole program,” Simon said. “They really like this idea of doing it and also … not having to do it themselves but being able to have access to it,” a factor the Lehrers are hoping means their farm can become a place for friends, family and members of St. Louis’ food community to learn more about where their food comes from.
For now, the Lehrers are simply calling their new home The Farm. “It will name itself,” Annie said. “It will ring when it does. Who knows, it may stay [The Farm].”
While that sense of community will, of course, comprise invitations to friends to bring their family down for the day and to local chefs to come make a meal with full access to their garden, it also means, as Simon explained, a learning opportunity. “A lot of people, I think once they even see a chicken being slaughtered really wouldn’t be comfortable eating chicken, much less a cow or a pig,” he said. “While I don’t want people to come out and think they have to watch it, … they should realize that somebody has to do it. It doesn’t come out of the ground looking like that.” It was a fact that hit home for Annie one day when she watched cows roam a nearby processing plant while she unloaded butchered meat. The experience, she admitted, raised her concern regarding the effect raising animals will have on her own meat consumption, but it also further confirmed to her that the life she wanted to lead was right in front of her. “[My animals] are going to be able to forage in our hills and forest and be happy as much as an animal can be, as much as you can project human happiness onto an animal,” she explained. “It will be living in a natural habitat and living the life it’s meant to live.” As the Lehrers prepare to make the move to the farm later this month, it’s apparent that they, too, are living the life they were meant to live. Follow the Lehrers on their farm-building journey in their monthly series, From The Farm, available exclusively on SauceMagazine.com. June 2011
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June 2011
Many chefs have mastered the art of the burger, building thick patties that ooze with protein-packed juices and topping them with an array of gourmet accoutrements. But few have been able to conquer the vegetarian version of this American classic, skipping the frozen mass-market products and relying instead on alternative proteins – beans, rice, lentils and soy – to build a meat-free patty that isn’t bland, doesn’t fall apart or have the consistency of mashed potatoes. It’s a tall order, but the following establishments have created something even a meateater might consider, dare I say, delicious? – Beth Styles
MoKaBe’s Coffeehouse
Sweet Art
The Bleeding Deacon Public House
Both meat-eaters and vegetarians (at least this vegetarian) have those moments when they’re just “craving a burger.” And when your stomach is screaming with such specificity, it wants the quintessentially classic, no-fuss diner burger that you can just pound down and walk away feeling utterly satisfied. If such an occasion arises, I suggest MoKaBe’s Blue Mac Burger. Made with Match meat, the thin-yet-flavorful patty is served on a Kaiser roll and topped with grilled onions, pickles, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, Blue’s special sauce and your choice of Swiss or Cheddar cheese; it’s like you’ve died and gone to diner heaven.
Usually, when lentils are brought in to pinch-hit for meat, it’s to give the dish a more substantial texture, but Sweet Art’s vegan-friendly Sweet Burger also has a lot of flavor – because it’s a lot of burger. Beefed up (wink) with chopped vegetables and textured vegetable protein, the addition of the wheat bun seems almost silly – surely no one has a mouth large enough to accommodate all that goodness. A quick bisection, however, made things much brighter, especially since you could see the colorful layers of organic mixed greens, tomatoes and the vegan house spread. One bite will set loose two advertised yet invisible ingredients: a mouthful of magic and love.
Made with a base of white beans and rice, this clever take on Boudin sausage does not disappoint. The patty itself is intimidating, almost overtaking the wheat bun on which it’s served. But once you’ve got a grasp, get ready for a mouthful of flavor. The combination of Creole spices and the rémoulade sauce creates a pleasant, tangy sensation for your palate that gets hotter with each bite. You can cut the heat by adding the standard toppers (lettuce, onion and tomato), but if you’re looking to take things to the next level, order the spicy coleslaw as a side.
Photos by carmen troesser
3606 Arsenal St., St. Louis, 314.865.2009
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2203 S. 39th St., St. Louis, 314.771.4278
4123 Chippewa St., St. Louis, 314.772.1813
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STUFF TO DO photo by ashley gieseking
Food page 56 • ART page 61
The pools may be open and the Fro-Yo may be flowing, but ask us what we really love about the arrival of summer and we’ll tell you how we revel in the rows at the nearby farmers’ market. The Clayton Farmers’ Market is as good an example as any, tempting our food-fawning abilities with whiffs of freshly baked bread from Black Bear Bakery, the allure of farm-fresh produce and a healthy handful of Grandma’s Nuts. Get all the locally sourced details on page 59. June 2011
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by Byron Kerman
food
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS Peach Festival July 16 – 10 a.m., Kirkwood Farmers’ Market · 314.822.0084 · downtownkirkwood.com Cindy Lou looked left, then right, then left again. She was satisfied that no one was looking. Quickly, she reached down and plunged her thumb onto the center of Lerlene Peterson’s competition peach pie. At once the golden-brown hillock of the pie deflated into a concave bunker of shmushy disaster. “Ha!” thought Cindy Lou. “Now there’s no way that hateful old bat can win the Kirkwood Peach Festival Pie Contest again this year.” Oh, sweet irony! At that very moment, a crow landed six pies away, and began to excitedly pluck segments of fresh fruit from Cindy Lou’s own carefully wrought peach pie. Instant karma’s gonna get you at the annual Peach Festival at the Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. Look for pie and homegrownpeach contests, fresh-peach tastings, peach-dessert concessions, a sidewalk sale and live music.
Belgian Beer and Mussel Mania July 22 and 235PM – midnight on Friday and 11AM to midnight on Saturday, Schlafly Tap Room · 314.241.2337 · schlafly.com The plateful of mussels yawned open like baby birds in the nest, crying for semidigested insects from the mouth of their dutiful mother. But they won’t get insects. They’ll get beer. At the annual Belgian Beer and Mussel Mania festival at the Schlafly Tap Room, chewy mussels are cooled by creamy, yeasty (KATIE: According to their PR rep: “Our beers are not imported. They are all brewed and bottled on premise at the Schlafly Tap Room”)for the two-day binge. The mussels – an entire ton of them – come from Penn Cove Shellfish out of Coupeville, Wash. Consider dunking your mussel meat in the traditional butter-garlicwhite wine sauce or other sauces, which may include a blue cheese-bacon sauce and a chile verde sauce. Chef Andy White is planning some more elaborate dishes, too, and those may include a fried mussel po’ boy, a salad with poached and ground mussels in the vinaigrette, or a spicy mussel pasta. There will be live music in the Club
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Bissinger’s Sip and Savor Sundays Sundays throughout the summer (they have no firm end date for this) ? – 2 to 4 p.m., Bissinger’s Central West End location · 314.367.7750 · bissingers.com Did somebody say free wine at the chocolate shop? Like they say at Busch Stadium, “Charge!” Bissinger’s Sip and Savor Sundays turns every summer Sunday afternoon into a chance to imbibe some tasty wines and sometimes, when the hot sun strikes the foreheads of the woozy chocolatiers, they put out some complimentary chocolate pairings, too. The wine samples, offered up at the confectioner’s Central West End café, “probably include specials on the Bissinger’s brand Chardonnay,” and possibly a sparkling Rosé cava, said Kate Erker, Bissinger’s manager of marketing and social media. “Also,” she added, “maybe a 2009 Pinot Noir from Sonoma County. Our Chief Chocolatier, Dave Owens, makes the choices – he’s a big wine guy.” Look for event specials on select glasses and bottles to take home. (Note: Wine selections and specials will be changing week to week.)
CLASSES Momos’ Chef Maz Cooking Class July 8 – 6 p.m., Schnucks Cooks Cooking School · 314.909.1704 · schnuckscooks.com If Maz Nooran catered a round of Mideast peace talks, it would surely enhance the possibilities for a spontaneous eruption of brotherly love across the borderlines. The Mediterranean-inspired tapas (called “meze”) at Momos Taverna, where Nooran runs the stoves and the coffers, is tasty enough to make even the intractable seem somehow more do-able. At a Schnucks Cooks class this month, the mighty Maz will discuss his love of Mediterranean cooking and prepare steamed mussels with fennel and ouzo, grilled baby octopus in a lemon-oregano-white wine reduction, Moroccan lamb kabobs with Tabouleh couscous salad, and red wine and garlicmarinated lamb chops with fig mustard.
Cruising the Caribbean
five questions for Mike Emerson The contrast between the wild, line-out-the-door popularity of Pappy’s Smokehouse and the thoroughly humble personality of Pappy’s owner is notable – but not as notable as those lipsmacking ribs … Could a vegetarian eat at Pappy’s? There is an irony there. My daughter is a vegan. With our side dishes, they could, yes, and they can thank my daughter for that. What should I do while I’m waiting in line for my barbecue? Check out our barbecuesauce collection, it continues to grow. People get a kick out of it – we have sauces from all over the world that run along the wall. You can also listen to the blues music, and keep an eye out for what people are eating, so when you get to the register you know what you want. I can’t help but get a kick out of it when people wait for 15 minutes and don’t know what they want when they get to the front of the line. How much meat does the smoker hold? We have three smokers, and we can do
between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds of meat at a time. We put one in, and we were selling out, so we added another, and then we had to add a third. We cook almost 700,000 pounds of barbecue a year now. Do you offer wet wipes to the customers? We go through more wet wipes than you can imagine, though I do see a lot of fingerlicking. You have a large, life-sized plastic pig named Barney in the restaurant. Barney came from a friend of a friend. He’s named for my nephew in the Air Force. He could be the most photographed pig in the Midwest, maybe the U.S. – Byron Kerman
July 14 – 7 p.m., St. Louis Public Library’s Buder Branch · June 2011
Photo by greg rannells
stuff to do:
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Best seat in the house Black Plague got started.) Seating is limited at both; call to register.
LECTURE Marcoot Jersey Creamery at SLOWednesdays
Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 1 – 7 p.m., Montelle Winery in Augusta, Mo. · 636.228.4464 · montelle.com
The folks from Marcoot Jersey Creamery will not be bringing one of the cows to SLOWednesdays at the Bottleworks this month, which is too bad, because sometimes a cow likes to get out and see the world. They will, however, be bringing samples of their cheese curds, block cheeses and cave-aged cheeses. SLOWednesdays, sponsored by Slow Food St. Louis, happens monthly through October and features farmers discussing how they create their food. Guests wander in after the conclusion of that day’s Maplewood Farmers’ Market, which is just outdoors on the Bottleworks patio. The culinary staff of the Bottleworks also cooks a special meal utilizing products from each farm, and the restaurant asks that you place your order, should you choose to, before the 7:30 lecture starts. And if you happen to be in Greenville, Ill., stop by the Marcoot Jersey Creamery, which has a cheese shop open seven days a week and special windows for viewing the cheesemaking process.
Romance, thy name is Sunset Dinners at Montelle Winery. Imagine that you and your chosen love monkey have just been seated on the capacious patio at Montelle Winery. The sun is low in the sky. Augusta is taking off its work shoes and putting on its high heels. Your waiter suggests a jovial Montelle fruit wine – will you have the blackberry, peach, strawberry or red raspberry wine? Or perhaps the gentleman would like to suck down a dry rosé or a dry red? Might we suggest the Chambourcin or the Cynthiana? The latter is made with those famous Norton grapes, packed with enough antioxidants to raise Grant from his tomb. Your prix fixe entrée is arriving. In July, depending on which weekend you visit, it’s either a ribeye steak, coq au vin, grilled flank steak with Cynthiana-mushroom sauce, grilled K.C. strip steak with Cynthiana au jus, or braised short ribs with Chambourcin reduction. Your meal includes a chef’s choice dessert. The end of the dining is the real beginning of the wining. Now might be a good time for a brandy from Montelle’s own distillery – apple, peach, cherry, or grape (grappa). Montelle also makes its own own port, frambois, ice wine, dry Vignoles and sweet red. The sun has set. The wine is sweet. It was worth the
University City Market in the Loop 3407 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.338.2500
No plane ticket to España this summer? No worries: Head to the patio at Midtown’s new tapas bar, Café Pintxos, in the recently opened Hotel Ignacio. Basking in the sun on that sleek sofa surrounded by mod Mediterranean-inspired white privacy walls will leave you feeling like you’re on a Spanish holiday.
314.352.2900 · slpl.org and
Photo by ashley gieseking
Salsa Sharks
July 21 – 5:30 p.m., St. Louis Public Library’s Barr Branch · 314.771.7040 · slpl.org Let us sing the praises of the public library. Our tax dollars paid for all these books and DVDs you can borrow. And they have cooking classes, too! The July 14 Cruising the Caribbean class is a demo June 2011
where instructor Spruce Fraser prepares West Indian goodies like cold jerk chicken, plantain chips and more at the St. Louis Public Library’s Buder Branch. You get to try samples. A week later, librarians Katie and Rob lead the Salsa Sharks class at the Barr Branch on July 21. This one shows you how to make a variety of salsas and where to find the freshest ingredients. Again, you get to try samples. (But please – avoid double-dipping. That’s how the
Sunset Dinners at Montelle Winery
July 13 – 7:30 p.m., Schlafly Bottleworks · 314.241.2337 · schlafly.com
ONGOING
Café Pintxos,
(which become downright embarrassing if you go late on Saturday afternoon), and a great sense of humor that seems to buoy the workers through their days dealing with the public. Try to BYO shopping bags.
Thursday through Saturday – 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 6655 Delmar Blvd. · 314.991.3300 Some farmers’ markets come and go like some kind of magical Brigadoon, here for a wink, and then, disappeared into the mists of time (aka the winter months). That’s perhaps the nicest thing about the University City Market in the Loop – it’s year-round, so even in the winter, the Long Acres Farm folks who run the stalls are putting out root vegetables and braving the St. Louis cold. In July, though, it’s summertime goodies like strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and fresh herbs that fill the big forum-style space adjacent to the free parking lot in the University City Loop. These are the salad days (pun intended) for farmers’ markets, and the Market in the Loop crew is known for excellent variety, reasonable prices
sponsored events Webster Art & Air June 3 to 5 – Corner of Lockwood and Bompart · Webster Groves · 314.968.6500 · artandair.com Webster Groves’ annual celebration of fine art, fine music and fine food returns for its eighth year with artists, musical performances and, of course, good food.
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art by Byron Kerman
Webster Groves’ Clean Cut Creations will turn its parking lot into a drive-in theater on the third Saturday of the month throughout the summer.
WORKSHOP Social Dream Matrix
Photo courtesy of skyview
June 11 – 1 p.m., The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts 314.754.1850 · pulitzerarts.org Dreams are pretty personal stuff, but not so personal as you might suppose. That’s because we all share common images and “plotlines” in our dreams, like flying or losing our teeth. These images, and many other idiosyncratic ones, come up at the amazing Social Dream Matrix event held at The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. Artists Nita Turnage and Hap Phillips, along with art therapist Shelly Goebl-Parker, guide guests through a group exercise, in which everybody shares dreams from the past, plus any daydreams they might be having at the time. The shared expression of dreams is intriguing and notably honest, but the amazing part happens just afterward, when everyone opens their eyes and walks over to the adjacent Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis for a freeform creativity session with all manner of artmaking materials. You’ll be surprised at how readily the art tumbles forth from your mind, thanks to those humming alpha brainwaves. Don’t forget to check out June 2011
the reason for all this, the Dreamscapes exhibition at The Pulitzer, a wonderful gathering of works by the likes of René Magritte, Giorgio de Chirico and Paul Delvaux.
St. Louis Drive-In Movie and Car Cruise Series
wee’s Big Adventure (Aug. 20); It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World (Sept. 17); and Ghostbusters (Oct. 15). The movies screen at dusk, but the preshow fun includes a chance to look at a bunch of classic cars and try concessions like popcorn, cotton candy, giant pretzels and pickles from St. Louis Snow Cone, plus that delish Frostbite ice cream made by a local couple.
June 18 and the third Saturday each month through October – dusk, Clean Cut Creations · 314.968.8377 cleancutcreations.com
Contamination Horror, Sci Fi and Pop Culture Convention
FILM
It is virtually impossible to find a drive-in theater in the St. Louis area. Belleville’s famous Skyview is pretty much the only one left. But this summer, the fun people at Webster Groves’ Clean Cut Creations hot-rod garage are hosting a warm-weather drive-in and car cruise. Cars made in ’72 and before are welcome to park in the lot and receive the sound for the movies through their FM radios. Those driving newer cars can park nearby and bring a lawn chair to use while enjoying the movies (and a radio, too, if you like, though there are speakers as well). The line-up includes The Blues Brothers (June 18), Smokey and The Bandit (July 16); Pee-
June 24 to 26, Sheraton Westport Chalet dyerstraitsproductions@con-tamination.com con-tamination.com The group of celebrities signing autographs at last year’s Contamination was about as eclectic a bunch as you can imagine: boxer Ken Norton, movie villain William Forsythe, B-movie scream queen Brinke Stevens, Larry “The Soup Nazi” Thomas from Seinfeld, several of the vampire hangers-on killed off in The Lost Boys, Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, Dee Wallace (the mom from E.T.), various professional wrestlers, more than a dozen actors from Night of the Living Dead and many other notables. This year’s Contamination should prove to be another saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 61
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miasma of B-level fame that’s just a hoot to wallow in. You can meet journeyman actor Eric Roberts, Dan Shor (Ram from the original Tron), 6-foot-8 former Oakland Raider and action-film star Ben Davidson, and three guys who have each played serial killers in slasher-film franchises (Friday the 13th, Halloween and Texas Chainsaw Massacre). When you’re done rubbing elbows with them, you can enjoy screenings of horror films, live music, a large dealers’ room, an “adult puppet show,” cocktail and pool parties, a charity auction, a costume contest and masquerade.
EXHIBIT Tom of Finland
The Royal Family
Can we act like grown-ups here for a minute? Much as we like to pretend that the private and erotic do not exist, and that our animal needs mustn’t be discussed, lest the ears of children and the minds of adults melt into a hot, shameless puddle of goo, lust is simply part of the package (pun intended). One artist who made lust his stock-in-trade, and drew some pretty amazing stuff, was Tom of Finland. Now, some of you know exactly who I’m talking about, but for those who don’t, Tom of Finland was a proudly gay dude who drew hypermasculine (anatomically impossible, in some cases) guys giving each other come-hither looks and sometimes a whole lot more. In a certain world, Tom of Finland is a very big deal, and it’s a huge deal (these puns are hard to avoid) that Philip Hitchcock’s PHD Gallery is hosting a show of 27 of his highly detailed drawings for the first time in St. Louis. The exhibition, which coincides with this year’s Pridefest, traveled here through arrangement with the Tom of Finland Foundation in Los Angeles and Feature Inc. in New York.
Kind Sir
Pond-O-Rama June 25 and 26, sign up for tour for list of locations 314.995.2988 · saintlouiswatergardeningsociety.org Pond-O-Rama is here! Pond-O-Rama is here! What is Pond-O-Rama? Why, it’s your chance to stomp across the June 2011
before & after The Royal Family and Kind Sir at Fontbonne University Fine Arts Theatre
THEATER
June 25 to Aug. 6 (opening reception: June 25 – 7 p.m.), PHD Gallery · 314.664.6644 · phdstl.com
TOUR
Photo by wesley law
grass to the backyards of about 40 area homes with water features. Ponds! Waterfalls! Fishies! Water lilies! Little ceramic frog thingies! You’ll see them all, in a fantastic variety of layouts, from artificial streams that gently slope across manicured lawns to vertical waterfalls that crash into mystically lovely pools annexed to groovy grottos. The hardworking leadership of the St. Louis Water Gardening Society provides you with a map to all the homes once you pay for your self-guided tour. This is Pond-ORama’s 11th year, and each year offers new sights spread across four counties in the bi-state area.
June 10 to 12 and 24 to 26 and
June 3 to 5 and 17 to 19, both presented by Act Inc. at Fontbonne University Fine Arts Theatre · 314.725.9108 actinc.biz Act Inc. does two things that are awfully hard to find these days – it stages revivals of rarely performed gems from the history of theater and it performs in the traditionally “dark” months of the summer. This month, the company’s got two goodies on the docket, both romantic comedies with cracking, witty dialogue from the golden age of 20th-century American theater. The Royal Family is a 1927 George S. Kaufman/Edna Ferber romp that’s stuffed with odd characters, all from the same family, a barely disguised send-up of the Barrymores. It’s a loving and very funny tribute to the world of theater, with cute scenes of angst over small houses, missed curtain calls, scripts anointed as the next big thing, and so on. Kind Sir is a 1954 confection about an affair between an actress and a banker that pinballs back and forth from passion to anguish, but never veers into real darkness. (You may recall the film version, Indiscreet, with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.) Both plays celebrate the boards and the greasepaint, and both offer the house servants, ridiculously glamorous get-ups and impeccable manners of an earlier age, punctured regularly by emotional crises and witty insults. Make a night of it with our suggestions for where to eat and drink before and after the show, at right.
BEFORE: We like to start a night out on the town with a bit of booze, a bite-sized nibble and just enough sparkle to get things off on the right foot. If you agree, you’ll want to head to DeMun Oyster Bar, where you can sidle up to the bar and order up a plate of fresh oysters and a Champagne cocktail (pictured). After all, nothing sparks cultural conversation like half-shells and a little bubbly. 740 DeMun Ave., Clayton, 314.725.0322
AFTER: Just because the show’s over doesn’t mean the night has to be. Head to nearby Remy’s Kitchen and Wine Bar, where the extensive wine list and wellversed staff are sure to find the perfect nightcap for you and your date. Need a little late-night snack as well? The menu features plenty of shareable apps like the cheese plate and the Moroccan-seasoned crab cakes. 222 S. Bemiston Ave., Clayton, 314.726.5757
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Crab cakes aren’t exactly seasonal, but they do make good warm weather fare: light enough for the heat, but substantial enough to leave you satisfied. Crab cakes aren’t exactly exciting, either, but they can be a great canvas for creative chefs willing to kick them up a notch. At Bixby’s, chef Todd Lough serves them in miniature form atop a flavorful black bean salsa whose earthiness is accentuated with pops of bright, sweet citrus, then adds a note of heat with a chipotle aïoli. – Katie O’Connor
4 minutes, then spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan to cool. • Combine the next 10 ingredients plus ½ cup of the panko in a large mixing bowl. Add the peppers and onions. Mix gently. • Roll ¾ ounce of the crab mixture into a small ball, then roll it in panko to coat. With your palm, flatten the crab mixture into a cake. Repeat until all of the crab mixture is used; you should have about 18 to 20 cakes. • Coat the bottom of a sauté pan with the oil and allow to heat. Sear the cakes until heated through, working in batches if necessary. • To serve, place about ½ cup of black bean salsa on individual plates. Divide the orange segments between the plates. Top with three crab cakes and drizzle each plate with orange-chipotle aïoli.
Courtesy of Bixby’s Todd Lough 6 servings ¼ cup fine diced yellow onion ¼ cup fine diced red bell pepper 1 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. dry English mustard 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. lemon juice ½ tsp. lemon zest 1 lb. lump crab meat (drained) Sea salt and ground white pepper to taste ½ cup panko bread crumbs, plus extra for breading Dash Cholula hot sauce Vegetable oil Black bean salsa (recipe follows) 1 orange, segmented Orange-chipotle aïoli (recipe follows) • Place the onion, bell pepper and butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sweat for 3 to
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Black Bean Salsa 2 cups black beans, cooked tender 4 tomatillos, grilled and diced 2 red bell peppers, diced ½ bunch cilantro, chopped Juice of 3 limes 1 small red onion, diced 2 Tbsp. olive oil Salt and black pepper to taste • Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Orange-Chipotle Aïoli 2 cups mayonnaise 1½ tsp. roasted garlic paste ½ tsp. orange zest 1½ Tbsp. chipotle pepper purée, seeds removed ½ tsp. sea salt • Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. • Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Photo by ashley gieseking
Mini Crab Cakes
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