March 2014

the insider issue

Crashing the part y p. 34 March 2014

Wa i t e r s t e l l a l l

Wash U.'s

the dishes they crave

b e s t- k e p t s e c r e t

p. 12

p. 17

Tap into Sauce's Guide to Beer FREE, march 2014

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M arch 2 014 • VO LUM E 14, Issue 3 PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Fact checker PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

What's the most underrated restaurant in St. Louis?

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine

Events coordinator Listings manager ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Account Executives Advertising Accounts Coordinator interns

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All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©2001-2014 by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. The Sauce name and logo are both registered to the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. Reproduction or other use, in

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whole or in part, of the contents without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While the information has been compiled carefully to ensure maximum accuracy at the time of publication, it is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change.

The publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information or be responsible for omissions or errors.

Additional copies may be obtained by providing a request at 314.772.8004 or via mail. Postage fee of $2 will apply.

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.

Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

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.

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St. Louis, MO 63103 March 2014

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Trout at Ibby's p. 17

contents march 2014

dine & drink

editors' picks 11

25

EAT THIS

A SEAT AT THE BAR

Lemon-Maple Custard at Niche

Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

12

INSIDE THE SERVER'S STOMACH

by glenn bardgett, cory king, and ted and jamie kilgore

An inside look at what the staff craves

27

ELIXIR

14

In a nutshell

HIT LIST 4 new places to try this month

by matt obermark 28

reviews 17

NEW AND NOTABLE Ibby's

by michael renner 20

Vegan egg salad

Features

by kellie hynes

34

VEGETIZE IT

MAKE THIS Roasted bone marrow

by dee ryan

POWER LUNCH

last course

St. Raymond's Wednesday lunch

Photo by jonathan gayman

by byron kerman 23

NIGHTLIFE Planter's House

by matt berkley

How to sneak past the velvet rope by kellie hynes

40

Cooking with heart(s)

Kevin Brennan puffs on one of his custom-blend cigars in Durango Cigar Lounge, a members-only hideaway above his bar, Brennan’s.

For more on how to hang with the cool kids, turn to p. 34.

photo by carmen troesser

by catherine klene 48

STUFF TO DO by byron kerman 50

WHAT I DO Philip Marshall, the ultimate insider

by ligaya figueras March 2014

The Insider Issue

Getting in

30

cover details

(Flip your magazine over for Sauce’s Guide to Beer!)

From left: Eric Scholle, Josh Galliano and Sean Netzer attempt to tell the difference between porters and stouts at Sauce's Blind Beer Taste-Off. In this year’s Guide to Beer, we celebrate St. Louis’ ever-growing suds scene by exploring the products, places and trends every beer and soon-to-be beer lover should know. – Photo by Ashley Gieseking saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 7

letter from the editor brewing techniques. How did I manage to pass through security, find the unmarked entrance, hop on a freight elevator and then climb a flight of stairs to arrive at this beer heaven? And convince Mayor Francis Slay to do the same? Call me an insider.

In our themed issue The Insider, we examine what it means to be on the inside, both literally and figuratively.

We dig into culinary insides like bones, eggs, nuts and hearts. We uncover secret dining places and clandestine experiences (p. 34); we share tips from those who work in the restaurant industry (p. 12); and we offer a glimpse of our industry – that is, the processes of writing and editing a food column (p. 28). In What I Do (p. 50), we even chat with a fellow who can work his way into more restaurant kitchens than I can.

This month, we’re also debuting our Guide to Beer. (Flip the magazine over to check it out.) Did you know that St. Louis has been in the beer business for more than 200 years?

In this special section, we explore and celebrate the current state of beer – our growing breweries, their award-winning suds and the brews you must have in your hand right now.

OK, it’s getting chilly out here. I’m going back inside. See you there.

Cheers,

Tucked away in the heart of the brewery’s massive campus, this “secret brewery” is where A-B’s beers are first created, tested and

refined. It’s also the place where A-B’s brewmasters get to be mad scientists as they experiment with ingredients, beer styles and

Ligaya Figueras Executive editor

The recipe for a successful restaurant isn’t just good food. It’s about making smart business decisions and understanding what’s working and what’s not. On this month’s Sound Bites, restaurateurs Chris Sommers (Pi Restaurant, Gringo) and Mike Randolph (The Good Pie, Half & Half) join Sauce executive editor Ligaya Figueras to discuss the challenges of owning a restaurant and what it takes to survive and thrive. Tune in to St. Louis PublicRadio 90.7 KWMU’s Cityscape Friday, March 14 at noon and 10 p.m. to get the inside scoop.

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Photo by jonathan gayman

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elcome to the rooftop of the Research Pilot Brewery at AnheuserBusch InBev’s hq in St. Louis.

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editors' picks

eat this

The signature lemon-maple custard at Niche is what happens when chef-owner Gerard Craft takes liberties with chawan mushi, a savory Japanese custard. Presented in a Double Star Farms eggshell with the top cut off, bonito caviar garnishes a nest of roasted shiitake mushrooms. Hidden underneath these earthy, salty layers is a silky, citrusy custard with a sweet touch of local maple syrup. Don’t worry if this divine starter has you scraping the sides of the shell with your little spoon. photo by greg rannells

Everybody does it.

Niche, 7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.773.7755, nichestlouis.com

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i n s i d e t h e s e rv e r ' s

stomach

Staff members know the offerings at their restaurants, but not just because they have the menu memorized. All shift long, a restaurant’s front of the house sees and smells your dining experience – from the soupe du jour to your last scraped bite of dessert. But what does a server order while he’s rolling silverware or counting his tips? Here, an inside look at what the staff craves.

– Kate Essig and Brooke Hamroff

“Duck confit. It’s a little lighter and doesn’t sit heavy on your stomach when you’re working a whole shift.”

– Melissa Forck, cashier, PM BBQ

“Duke Calzone or one of the specials. Every time they whip up something new, I have to try it.”

– Blake Exline, delivery driver, Sauce On The Side

“Louie Wings.

You can tell a lot about a bar by their wings.”

– Dylan Clark, bartender, Dooley’s Beef-N-Brew House

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“Reuben on sourdough. I’m not a rye person, and the BLT is just too big.”

– Cliff Pittman, server/bartender, Herbie’s Vintage ’72

“The tomato bisque with the Royal Grille – that’s where it’s at.”

– Killian Wood, server, The Fountain on Locust

“Yellow curry or Phad See Eew. They’re like comfort food to me – the first dishes I ate when I started working.”

– Emily Montgomery, server, Pearl Café

“Cuban sandwich and a chocolate milk shake with Oreos. The mojo sauce and Gouda are such a good mix.

It’s heaven.”

– Sharon Denich, manager/server, City Diner at The Fox

– Tammie Siebels, head waitress, Crown Candy Kitchen

“Cheese quesadilla.

It’s finger food. Don’t have to worry about diving into a bathtub after eating it. Not too heavy, not too light – it stays with you.”

– Pierre Jeanty, kitchen manager, Nachomama’s

“Exclusive Beef Shish Kebab. I’m pregnant, so I just eat all day long.

They feed all of us at the end of our shifts, but I just eat all day.”

– Savannah Hofstetter, manager/ server, Cafe Natasha’s

“Lomo Saltado and red sangria. I’m usually a beer and whiskey kind of guy, but the sangria’s really awesome. Red sangria. Always red.”

– Andrew Arato, server, Mango

March 2014

mango and shaved duck photos by michelle volansky

“Sliced brisket sandwich with sweet corn spoon bread and creamy mac-n-cheese.”

– Mike Tevlin, server, The Shaved Duck

“Carpaccio of beef tenderloin or Wellington of beef. I go back and forth.”

March 2014

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hit list

4 new places to try this month

Brevan’s Patisserie 1009 Century Drive, Edwardsville, Ill., 618.307.5772, Facebook: Brevan’s Patisserie

In late January, husband-wife pastry chef duo Dan and Amy Maddox opened Brevan’s Patisserie, named for their sons Brendan and Evan. Dan worked for eight years as pastry chef and sous chef at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel before he and Amy decided to strike out on their own in Edwardsville, Ill. The Brevan’s display case sees a frequent rotation of traditional and gluten-free muffins, breakfast bars and cookies, as well as customary cakes, tarts and flourless tortes featuring whatever combination of fruit, chocolate, peanut butter and nuts suits the Maddoxes’ whimsy. Be sure to try the cinnamon roll, warmed so the sweet frosting drips into every cranny of that flaky, buttery spiral. We’re also partial to the caramelized banana chocolate tart (or any of Brevan’s chocolate-banana combinations). This decadent tartlet hides a sweet banana purée and is the perfect size for sharing – or not.

3

Athlete Eats 2837 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.932.5566, athleteeats.com We love Cherokee Street for its Mexican cuisine and artsy bar scene. Now we’ll head there to get our healthy on. Athlete Eats is a project by two area chefs: Simon Lusky, team chef and nutrition specialist for the St. Louis Cardinals, and Bob Brazell, formerly of Monarch, Niche and most recently Entre. Grab one of the dozen seats at Athlete Eats’ counter and choose from made-to-order smoothies, juices (We recommend Hugo’s Jugo, a mellow-sweet combo of pineapple, watermelon, apple and orange.), coffees, loose teas and even house-made kombucha on tap. Athlete Eats’ five-item lunch menu changes every few weeks to showcase seasonal produce. On a recent visit, we made fast work of a hearty warm winter salad and a delicious bibimbap bowl with Rain Crow Ranch’s grass-fed beef. A brunch menu is available on weekends, and a fridge stocked with healthy grab-and-go items lets time-pressed customers still eat like pros.

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The Good Pie The Good Pie, 6665 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.899.9221, thegoodpiestl.com

Many St. Louisans have missed The Good Pie something fierce since it closed its Midtown doors last August. But the long wait is over – and worth it. At its new location in The Loop, expect what originally ignited your fervor: wood-fired pizzas boasting a bubbly, charred crust; simple yet delicious salads; a well-curated beer list; and an intimate setting.

But the relocation also brings a giant, blue-tiled, fire-breathing oven; an herb wall; pasta and some charcuterie made in house; and impressive cocktails. Start your meal with the tomato polenta as you sip on No. 46 or Pennyworth’s Vacation from the cocktail menu. Then move on to an appetizer-sized portion of kale tagliolini pasta, and, of course, revisit your favorite Good Pie pies.

4

WildSmoke 12316 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, 314.548.2222, wildsmokehouse.com Andy and Dee Dee Kohn, owners of EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery in Chesterfield, have opened WildSmoke, a fast-casual smokehouse.

With a reclaimed barn-wood interior, cowhide-patterned dining booths and counter service, this 150-seat barbecue joint feels upscale and modern, but also rustic and low-key. Whether heading there for lunch or dinner, we recommend the chicken wings, ribs and prime rib sandwich. Save room for sides like a poblano-cheddar corncake, corn on the cob roasted on a wood-fired grill and massive onion rings served with barbecue aioli. While you wait for your order, sip from a frosty mug of WildSmoke’s house-made root beer.

March 2014

brevan's and the good pie photos by michelle volansky

1

Rumor has it

… that the former Niche space in Benton Park is going to see life as a restaurant again and that Sidney Street Cafe’s Kevin Nashan is the guy behind it.

… that restaurateur Ben Poremba is opening a bar called Private near Elaia and Olio in Botanical Heights.

… that Cleveland-Heath’s proprietors Ed Heath and Jenny Cleveland are trying to open a casual cocktail bar in the old Township Grocer space on Main Street in Edwardsville.

Get the scoop on these stories as they develop. Go to samg.bz/ saucescoop for the latest news on the St. Louis dining scene.

March 2014

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reviews All Sauce reviews are conducted anonymously.

Roast chicken at Ibby's

new and notable

Ibby’s

by Michael Renner | Photos by Jonathan Gayman

N

estled inside the Danforth University Center, in the heart of Washington University’s campus, is a small restaurant called Ibby’s. It’s easy to miss this quiet, inviting dining room tucked away in a corner of the bustling student center. Unless you’re a student or faculty member, you’ve probably never even heard of this place or knew it was named after Elizabeth “Ibby” Gray Danforth, the late wife of Wash U.’s former chancellor William Danforth.

new and notable ibby's p. 17 / power lunch ST. RAYMOND'S WEDNESDAY LUNCH p. 20 / nightlife PLANTER'S HOUSE p. 23 March 2014

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university. There’s room for about 50 diners and, weather permitting, 50 more on the patio. There’s a large, open kitchen in the back of the restaurant and a chef’s table for up to 10 people. The lighting is subdued, and the tables are draped with white tablecloths and butcher paper. The menu – with its emphasis on local procurement – could easily compete with any number of local bistros.

reviews new and notable p. 2 of 2

Case in point: pork, braised so The open long that collops kitchen at of luscious, tender meat slid Ibby's off the bone with the slightest poke of a fork. A sprinkle of Mexican cotija cheese added salty whimsy, and the accompanying bed of creamy polenta was a nice change from standard mashed potatoes. A napping of pan jus mixed with mirepoix added a deeper savory flavor, but any taste of the advertised green chile was so faint as to be forgotten.

footprint, cage-free eggs, sustainable seafood) and local sourcing from farmers and area producers. At each of its 500 sites, including The Docket at Saint Louis University Law School and Saint Louis Art Museum’s restaurant Panorama, meals are cooked from scratch using seasonal ingredients, and the chefs have fairly free reign to create and innovate. It’s no surprise, then, that Wash U.'s food service has landed on several “Best Of” lists, including The Daily Meal’s “Top Ten Universities for Food Lovers.”

But if you follow St. Louis culinary news with even a passing interest, you know there’s been a revolving door of top area chefs leaving some pretty good gigs over the past few years to work at the university, including Amy Zupanci (Fond), John Griffiths (Truffles), Wil Fernandez-Cruz (The Restaurant at The Cheshire), and Ibby’s current chef de cuisine, Jon Lowe (Oceano Bistro). But why? Isn’t Ibby’s just another college eatery owned by some food service conglomerate that’s dishing out crappy, high-profit food to meal card-carrying students with dull palates? Oh wait, that was my college.

Even though it doesn’t advertise off campus, Ibby’s is the antithesis of a neighborhood restaurant – it’s open to anyone, including civilians like you and me.

During a couple of visits, Ibby’s struck me as a restaurant that could thrive off campus.

Aside from backpacks piled around the coat rack and tables full of undergrads paying with meal cards, you’d never know you’re situated inside the student center of a major

Ibby’s is, indeed, operated by the national corporation Bon Appétit Management Company. But that’s where any similarity to other food-service giants ends. Bon Appétit’s Farm to Fork program is built around ecological practices (e.g., reduced carbon

AT A GLANCE Ibby's

Where First floor of the Danforth University Center, Washington University, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, 314.935.3940, ibbys.wustl.edu

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Trout from Troutdale Farm is another entree worth trying. Smaller appetites will appreciate the simplicity of two fillets char-grilled quickly to retain moisture and flavor, served atop a bed of white beans and cherry tomatoes with a crown of wilted kale. If desired, fill out the large white plate’s real estate with a seasonal side or add a house or kale salad, both lightly dressed and excellent. The roast chicken alone is worth a repeat visit: an unadorned half-chicken with a memorable crust, a few roasted Brussels sprouts and a dollop of sweet potato purée.

The potato gnocchi were light – with just the right chew – and quickly pan-seared after their boil, before being tossed in a Parmesan cream sauce with broccoli, cherry tomatoes and leeks. There was no praise for the Winter Risotto, however, with its asteroidsized Brussels sprouts weighing down the clearly undercooked arborio rice. Cooked properly, the magic of risotto happens when the diminutive grain naturally renders its creamy starchiness; any ingredients added

Don’t-Miss Dishes Roast chicken, trout, pork

Vibe It’s a university campus; come as you are. There’s a lunch buffet, but at night the white tablecloths come out.

should be chopped small enough to fit on a fork with the risotto for the perfect coupling of tastes. There was no magic here.

Economical eaters, like some students I noticed, can easily build a meal from the eight appetizers, such as pairing a salad with a crispy flatbread smeared with rosemary-onion spread and loaded with potato, oyster mushrooms and havarti; or ordering the meze plate with the excellent French onion soup – deeply flavored and stringy with local cave-aged Swiss cheese.

Just because Ibby’s sees a lot of students doesn’t mean service is slack or inattentive; when our server accidently filled a water glass to the brim, she instantly whisked it away, replacing it before we even noticed. Don’t look for craft cocktails or any hard liquor for that matter; the beverage program is limited to wine and beer and mostly recognizable, middle-range labels like Artezin, Shooting Star, Steele, Castle Rock and Schlafly.

Desserts also are pretty standard issue: creme brulee, apple crumble and a take on s’mores. Local Serendipity ice cream shows up by itself or atop dishes like the crumble (salted caramel) or a warm sweet potato pound cake (Tahitian vanilla bean), which is latticed with caramel and sprinkled with pumpkinseed brittle.

Whether attending a performance at the Edison Theatre, cheering on the Bears, conducting a sociological study of modern campus life or just because it’s worth the trip, Ibby’s is a fine spot for an aboveaverage meal. It may be hard to find, though, so let me give you a little insider advice: Park in the basement garage of the Danforth University Center (Sometimes it costs, sometimes it doesn’t; either way, it’s cheap.), take the elevator to the first floor, wander into the main student dining area, think about your college student center and sigh. Ogle the Citizen Kane-sized fireplace, and sigh again. Find the corner of the food court and then proceed through the only doorway that looks like a real restaurant – the one with the cheerful college kid standing behind a host stand.

Entree Prices $12 to $24

When Lunch: Tue. to Fri. – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Dinner: Tue. to Sat. – 5 to 10 p.m.

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reviews power lunch

Power Lunch

st. Raymond's wednesday lunch

by Byron Kerman | photos by Elizabeth Jochum

They say that if you want a pothole fixed in St. Louis city, all you need to do is pull up a chair at the Wednesday cafeteria lunch in Cedars Banquet Hall at St. Raymond’s Maronite Cathedral. There, the powerful and plebeian mingle over spinach pies, kibbee aras and other Lebanese fare. You just might bend the ear of a sympathetic commissioner of streets, and if you know what chow to order before sidling up to that muckety-muck, so much the better.

[2] [1]

triangular meat pies – dough stuffed with ground beef, onions, lemon juice and spices – are also worthwhile fare. Before you leave, don’t miss the dark, full-bodied Lebanese coffee that will keep you going when you get back to the office – even after all those fried footballs.

Go for the Atmosphere; Stay for the Atmosphere It must be noted, right off the bat, that St. Raymond’s Wednesday lunch is not epicurean fare. The baked chicken has a disturbing yellow-green color, as if it might glow in the dark. Some of the side dishes are bland and soft enough to serve as workable baby food, and the desserts, one church volunteer admitted, are often less-than-fresh.

The regulars know this, but they keep coming back. Why? Because at these large round tables, strangers become pals as they take the pulse of the city. Even if you don’t spy a pair of aldermen deal-making over their baklava, you can launch an easy overture at your tablemate. (“What part of town do you live in?” “How ’bout those Billikens?”) There is a relaxing, Lenten fish-fry vibe here. And the cafeteria service manned by a friendly grayhaired volunteer corps is old-fashioned fun.

So what if the hummus needs more garlic?

You’re here to soak up the ambiance.

What Not to Order One of the volunteers at St. Raymond’s told me they could use a few more warm bodies to help out with the weekly lunch.

Maybe that’s why the quality has suffered of late. The list of venial sins includes

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The Takeaway St. Raymond’s Maronite Cathedral’s Wednesday lunch 931 Lebanon Drive, St. Louis, 314.621.0056, straymondsmaronite cathedral.com

under-spiced stuffed green peppers, lentils and rice, and cabbage rolls. A side dish of blended wheat and cabbage was a dispiriting mush, while a triangular spinach pie had a filling that tasted as if a clump of swampy spinach went straight from the can to the pastry. Plain and moribund, the stuffed grape leaves didn’t deviate from the theme.

Saved by Beef On the other hand, if you know what to order, this cafeteria can be both saved and

savored. Start with a simple tomato and onion salad made tangy with a Lebanese dressing [1]. Consider enhancing your meal with pita baked with a generous sprinkle of the classic Middle Eastern seasoning zatar, starring sumac. Spice to the rescue!

True redemption arrives in the form of fried, football-shaped kibbee aras, made with a shell of ground sirloin and cracked wheat and a filling of beef, onions and spices [2]. They’re savory and filling, and your children will devour them, too. The

With no single menu item even hitting the $6 mark, this is one cheap lunch.

Unfortunately, it may very well taste that way. But that matters not, brave diner.

If you’re there for the beef dishes, you’re doing it right, and you may very well run into frequent customer Mayor Francis Slay, who’s of Lebanese descent and a member of the congregation. Regardless, you’ll probably have a grand time making new friends at this weekly kibbee-nkibitz.

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nightlife

reviews

Planter's house

nightlife

by Matt berkley | Photos by jonathan gayman

and the pours are not short. Standouts from the house cocktail menu include Smoking Apples, a must for fans of scotch, and Dutchtown Collins, a smooth, summery drink featuring Bols Genever that is made complete Planter’s House with long, custom1000 Mississippi Ave., made rectangles of St. Louis, 314.696.2603, ice. Someone at my plantershousestl.com table described the Dutchtown as so dangerously good, she could drink it by the pitcher. Four cocktails are, indeed, available in large format. If your group thinks Planter’s House Punch sounds too sweet, opt for the bottled Manhattan, which has a serious kick from Old Fitzgerald bottled-in-bond bourbon laced with house-made sweet vermouth.

A

fter drinking the Planter’s House Punch, I’ll never look at rum and cognac the same. Served at Lafayette Square’s newest bar and restaurant Planter’s House, this rich, citrusy punch is the type you’d imagine sunburned aristocrats sipping while fanning themselves on the long porch of a colonial home overlooking the Caribbean – or the Mississippi.

Planter’s Punch, the drink from which Planter’s House Punch is based, originated (debatably) in St. Louis’ historic Planter’s Hotel. The hotel, which was named The Planter’s House before being renamed Planter’s Hotel, claimed credit for inventing the punch because its head bartender, Jerry Thomas, authored the nation’s first bartender’s manual. Built in 1817 and considered palatial for its time, Planter’s Hotel rose to national prominence as a St. Louis landmark and chic rendezvous spot for the rich and famous. After a short sojourn at the opulent hotel, visiting writer Charles Dickens penned, “It is an excellent house, and the proprietors have the most bountiful notions of providing the creature comforts.”

Though Dickens wrote those words in 1842, the same language holds true about today's Planter’s House and its proprietors Ted Charak and Ted Kilgore. If you want to grab a quick drink and check out the latest March 2014

on SportsCenter, don’t go to Planter’s House.

If you want a solid cocktail in a beautiful homage to saloons of old, this is the place.

Between the soaring oaked ceiling and the all-star staff behind the stick, it’s hard not to feel like you’re in on a secret when you pull up a stool at Planter’s. To the side of the bar, through some sheer curtains and up a half-flight of stairs, you’ll feel even more like an insider. Here in the Bullock Room, Planter’s swanky side bar, a seat is hard to come by – even on a Wednesday night. There’s neither a TV in sight nor any discernible soundtrack, just the heavy din of a crowd lingering in this dimly lit, plush parlor.

Like Planter’s House, the Bullock Room also pays homage to bartending of a bygone era – this time to Tom Bullock, famed bartender of St. Louis Country Club and the first African American to write a cocktail book. With just 34 seats, this intimate saloon features an expanded cocktail menu heavy on classics that are shaken and stirred with as much painstaking care as the well-styled room itself.

The bartenders pay attention to everything: proper glassware; cuts of ice specific for different drinks; fresh-made grenadines, cordials and liquors; carefully sliced garnishes; and gently frothed egg whites. Drinks are by no means huge, but the flavors are immense

Reinforcing a menu of original concoctions is a list of more than 30 house favorites such as the mint julep, Sazerac and Hemingway daiquiri. There’s nothing quirky or over the top with these drinks, just honest classics shaken the way they should be. Another neat throwback is Beer & Bond, which pairs any 8-ounce draft (Almost all drafts are local brews.) with a shot of a bonded spirit.

order it: Planter's House

The open-faced duck burger is served on a crisp pumpernickel bun and topped with Gouda, a fried duck egg and dressed frisee.

Though food can be ordered in the Bullock Room, larger tables in the main dining area are better-suited for Planter’s House’s affordable yet upscale comfort fare. You won’t go wrong ordering an open-faced duck burger served on a crisp pumpernickel bun, or falling-off-the-bone, hay-roasted chicken wings smothered in a thick lemon-truffle sauce, or poutine made with fried fingerling potatoes showered with a red wine pork gravy and hunks of Gouda. While each of these is worthwhile, the best bang for your buck is, without a doubt, the lamb loin. The smoked potato salad paired with this luscious cut set this dish into a different stratosphere.

Like me, Ted Kilgore and his wife, Jamie, draw a paycheck from Sauce Magazine as spirit and cocktail writers. I know who they are, but they can’t say the same about me. I was even uninvited to the Sauce holiday party so our paths wouldn’t cross. Anonymity intact, on multiple visits to Planter’s, I was treated with stellar service. With this winning trifecta of drinks, food and service, it’s easy to call Planter’s House what it truly is: an instant classic.

Planter’s House Punch is a phenomenally bold and refreshing concoction that’s so good, you’ll order it by the pitcher.

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Check out Glenn Bardgett's pick for a standout pinot noir

dine

& drink

A Seat at the Bar

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

Here’s a little secret: Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS), one of the top-ranked stouts in the world, will arrive in St. Louis cory king this spring. KBS is a Certified Cicerone, head beautifully-crafted coffee brewer at Perennial Artisan imperial stout that’s Ales and founder of Side aged in bourbon barrels Project Brewing and rich with notes of freshly ground coffee, vanilla pancake batter, dark cocoa, and of course, bourbon. This beer is so sought after that even though it’s slated for distribution April 1, you should ask your favorite beer manager now when you’ll be able to buy a four-pack, or you will miss out on one of the best beers in the world.

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Rye whiskey is one of the oldest American spirits and was the spirit of choice before Prohibition. Ryes are back in fashion, but longer-aged ryes are rare. A special release from Cooper Spirits is Lock Stock & Barrel Rye Whiskey. This one is a bit pricey, but for the collector, it’s not to be ted and jamie overlooked. Aged for 13 years in new kilgore charred-oak barrels, Lock Stock & USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart Barrel is 100-percent rye, double and co-owners/bartenders at Planter’s House distilled in copper pots and bottled at a nearly barrel proof of 101.3. It lives up to the hype with complex favors of tobacco, chocolate, coffee, nuts and dried fruits and has a long, clean finish. If you’re looking for something new to fill the void on the shelf where your Van Winkle 13-year rye used to sit (if only!), then give Lock Stock & Barrel a shot.

Adam Lee of Siduri Wines is a master of the finicky pinot noir grape. Even though Lee uses grapes from vineyards as far south as Santa Barbara and as far north as the glenn bardgett Willamette Valley of Oregon, Member of the Missouri Wine the consistency of his wines and Grape Board and wine never ceases to amaze me. director at Annie Gunn’s On his most recent visit to St. Louis, Lee brought 25 pinot noirs from the 2012 vintage. The Siduri 2012 Sonoma County Pinot Noir stood out, even among wines more than twice its $25 price tag. Although it’s a blend of pinot noir from multiple vineyards, the fruit comes mostly from Van der Kamp Vineyard from Sonoma Mountain. If labeled with the acclaimed Van der Kamp Vineyard name, that bottle would be twice as expensive. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 25

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cocktails

in a nutshell

By Matt Obermark

Photo by elizabeth jochum

Just like food fads, drink trends come and go.

However, as imbibers who have long enjoyed classic tiki-tipples like a mai tai, Fog Cutter or Scorpion will tell you, using nuts in drinks is not new. Almonds, more specifically orgeat (almond syrup), are a common ingredient not just in drinks inspired by the tiki revival of the past decade, but also in pre-Prohibition recipes. Nuts can add savory elements, complexity and unique depth of flavor to drinks. Today’s bartenders are going further by utilizing varieties of nuts in bespoke ingredients like homemade nocino (walnut liqueur), milks, infusions, syrups and foams.

Mr. Carver at Juniper

Winter’s Respite at BC’s Kitchen

Almond Milk Punch at Tree House

Peanut-infused cola pairs well with the bright tropical fruit and ripe banana notes of El Dorado 5-year rum in this carbonated and bottled spin on the timehonored Southern treat of a bag of salty peanuts dropped into a bottle of Coke. Juniper, 360 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314.329.7696, junipereats.com

This modern iteration of hot buttered rum is finished with pecan foam. The foam, with a base of pecan syrup, finds depth from cognac, amaretto, cinnamon and mace. Warm and inviting, Winter’s Respite is a great example of how a modern mixology technique can complement a comforting classic. BC’s Kitchen, 11 Meadow Circles Drive No. 400, Lake St. Louis, 636.542.9090, billcardwell.com

Almond milk lends a lighter body and texture to this frothy, rum-based milk punch while preserving its vegan classification. Notes of fruit, spice and maraschino complement the almond milk. Tree House, 3177 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.696.2100, treehousestl.com

March 2014

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vegetize it

Getting Devilish with Egg Salad BY kellie hynes | Photos by carmen troesser

O

ccasionally I meet a regular reader of this column who, unlike most of my fans, isn’t related to me. This person will inevitably ask if I really make all the mistakes I write about, which is a polite way of inquiring if I even know how to cook. The answer is yes, it absolutely takes all those tries to get a recipe right, and usually more.

So, for this Insider edition of Sauce, I’m letting you in on how I write a Vegetize It column. I hope that you’ll read this and become fearless about your own cooking, or at least a little less critical of yourself when things don’t work the first time – or the fourth. Every mistake teaches you something. Even if that something is that you should order pizza.

First, the column needs a topic – a dish to make vegan or vegetarian.

Topics are decided months in advance, in a brainstorming session with my charming and talented editor, Ligaya.

Since I believe in sucking up to my brilliant, vivacious boss, I tell her that of course I know how to make everything she suggests. I never know how to make anything she suggests, which is why it takes me numerous attempts to create a recipe. It’s called “learning on the

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job.” This month we’re making something I’ve made before (No, I haven’t.): vegan egg salad.

Because egg salad is made from what’s inside the eggshell, and this is the Insider edition. Get it?

You’d think a recipe for vegan egg salad would be straightforward – just vegan mayonnaise and an egg substitute. Unfortunately, my experience making vegan mayo from scratch is less than stellar; I tried to make one for my cauliflower poppers last month with ugly, oily results. I could give up and use store-bought products like Vegenaise or Just Mayo. But thanks to an afternoon of Internet research – and I mean real research, not just online shopping – I discovered Mark Bittman’s recipe for vegan mayo. Unlike mine, his is tasty, stays emulsified for days, and, after I added a pinch of saffron, is the exact color of traditional egg salad. Note: Make sure to use a high-quality olive oil. The first time, I used an olive oil I wasn’t crazy about.

I wasn’t crazy about the mayo it made either. Lesson learned.

Next I had to find an egg substitute. Tofu seemed like a good, neutral canvas for Mark’s

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yummy mayo, but I worried that its slick surface would make the eggless salad rubbery. After a little more research, I learned how to change the texture of the tofu by pressing out moisture using layers of paper towels. After half an hour of pressing, the tofu crumbled into something that looked and felt like hard-boiled eggs.

To keep the recipes interesting, I like to add a surprising or unusual ingredient. This month, I’m adding kala namak, which sounds like a Hogwarts spell but is really a salt from India. Kala namak tastes like eggs, thanks to either magic or sulfur. Just a pinch of this superlative sodium is enough to make our vegan dish taste eggy.

So often, people are scared to deviate from a written recipe. I want readers to feel comfortable turning Vegetize It recipes into their own, so I often suggest variations. This recipe calls for curry and cumin, because the saffron sent me in an Indian direction. But you should substitute whatever flavors you enjoy. Red onions, celery, radishes, capers, dill … the possibilities, and opportunities for mistakes, are endless. Now that you’re an insider, you’ll appreciate them both.

VEGAN EGG SALAD Serve on vegan crackers, or make into finger sandwiches using Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin bread.

MAKES 1½ CUPS 1 12 oz. pkg. extra-firm silken tofu ½ cup finely diced white onion ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise (recipe follows) 1 tsp. Dijon mustard ½ to 1 tsp. curry powder Pinch kala namak* Pinch ground cumin Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. chopped chives for garnish • Remove the tofu brick from its package and blot it with paper towels. Sandwich the brick between several sheets of fresh paper towels, and place it on a cutting board.

Place a heavy plate or other weight on top of the tofu so that the liquid is squeezed out. Let the tofu rest under the weight for 15 minutes.

Replace the wet paper towels with dry ones, place the weight back on top of the tofu, and let the tofu rest for an additional 15 minutes.

Discard the paper towels.

• Place the pressed tofu in a bowl and break it up with a spoon. Add all the remaining ingredients except the chives and stir until well blended. If desired, add more vegan mayo to make the dish creamier. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with

chives before serving. The salad will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for three days. * Available at Whole Foods Market, 1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, 314.968.7744, wholefoodsmarket.com

VEGAN MAYONNAISE Adapted from a recipe in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman MAKES ¾ CUP 6 oz. extra-firm silken tofu, drained 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. apple-cider or white vinegar 2 tsp. Dijon mustard ¼ tsp. salt Pinch saffron strands (may substitute turmeric) • Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides. Blend again for 3 minutes. Stop and scrape the sides. Blend for 1 minute longer, or until mayonnaise is fluffy. If specks of saffron are visible, allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes, then gently stir with a spoon until the saffron is fully incorporated. Vegan mayonnaise will keep, refrigerated, in a covered container, for three days.

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roasted bone marrow active time: 5 minutes

Sure, you want to get to the meat of the matter, but why not take it down to the marrow? This high-protein, high-fat, butter-like delicacy may be something you’ve only ordered at a restaurant, but preparing roasted bone marrow at home is foolproof. Here’s how to make this rich yet simple dish: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil and place 4 bones (Each bone should be 5 to 6 inches long and split lengthwise.), bone-side down, in the dish. Bake 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and season bones with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with a spoon to scoop out the soft marrow and spread it on crostini or toasted bread. – Dee Ryan

You can find marrow bones at all Dierbergs locations.

Call ahead in case the butcher needs time to order the bones and prep them for roasting.

Roasted bone marrow tastes even better on toast when topped with a bit of gremolada. Whip up a gremolada by mixing together 1 cup chopped parsley, 1 minced shallot, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon horseradish.

Everyone loves quick recipes but when you’ve got the time, we’ve got The Weekend Project. Go to samg.bz/sauceweekendproject where we’ll show you how to make Corned Beef step-by-step, and then use it in a St. Patrick’s Day feast.

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photo by greg rannells

MAKE THIS

make this

March 2014

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by kellie hynes | photos by carmen troesser

Kevin Brennan, owner of Durango Cigar Lounge, smokes one of his creations.

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Every city has them: impossible-to-get-into bars, restaurants and clubs frequented by people who are much, much cooler than you. These joints aren’t advertised anywhere. Cool people hear about them from other cool people in cool conversations that occur while you’re watching Downton Abbey and slurping boxed chardonnay. And even if you know about these haughty hideaways, and even if you can locate their hallowed doors, there’s the matter of getting your name on the entry list. That’s right, places like these actively and unapologetically turn people away, which, according to the laws of supply and demand (and ninth grade), makes them even more attractive.

Big-eyed tuna, bone marrow, apple and togarashi at Blood & Sand March 2014

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Now, I am the first to roll my eyes at any list-brandishing establishment that isn’t in the North Pole and manned by elves. But I wondered, how seriously do these places really take themselves? Could I work my way around the velvet ropes, even though my only club membership is Costco? With this challenge in mind, I threw on my Members Only jacket and hit some of St. Louis’ most exclusive spots to see if I could get inside.

Turns out, I could, and here’s how you can, too.

First, some ground rules: For this mission, limit your party size to two. A few people can sneak in. Your entire Masterpiece fan club cannot. Secondly, be very polite and upbeat.

Your smile and charming personality are your ticket to ride. Lastly, bring cash – for tipping the valet, paying for dinner or buying a drink for a perfect stranger.

Rogue Underground Dining Society Twitter: @rudse

Rogue doesn’t have an address. Sometimes, it doesn’t even have a kitchen. But a dinner with the Rogue Underground Dining Society is an adventure worth the pursuit. Rogue events happen monthly or whenever the chefs feel like it. The location is ever-changing and so is their carefully orchestrated guest list. The themed, multi-course menu is a secret until you arrive, but you can be certain the food will be clever (think popcorn crusted, deboned chicken wings and foie gras lollipops) and the drinks potent. Bring cash and an open mind – they don’t take credit cards or uptight attitudes.

How to get in Follow Rogue on Twitter and be on the lookout for information regarding future dinners, or better yet, have a current listee add you to the invite list. Once you’re on the list, you’ll receive an email with the date and time of the next event. Here’s where it gets tricky: You can reply and tell them you’re available, but only a small group (around 20 to 30) will be selected to attend. Who gets in? Preference goes to people who’ve helped with past events or who’ve never Rogued before. It might help to show you’re legitimately interested in the Society, so ask why they serve foie at every event, or mention a food pic you saw on Twitter. Prove you’re every bit as game as the Rogue chefs themselves.

Thaxton Speakeasy’s Prohibition Thursdays

1009 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.323.3146, thaxtonspeakeasy.com By day, The Thaxton is an elegant event space, best suited for wedding receptions, office dinners and good behavior. But on some Thursday nights, it loosens its tie and moves the party below ground to the speak-easy in the basement. The Thaxton calls it Thaxton Speakeasy’s Prohibition Thursdays … you’ll call it a hoot. The place is swinging with live boogie-woogie music where dapper dandies and their best girls, many in flapper costumes, do the Lindy Hop with unabashed cheer. You can take a swing dance lesson or just sit back and soak in the bugle’s wah-wah wail. Be sure to order the peach-infused moonshine, but don’t let its yummy sweetness fool you into gulping it down. We’re talking grain alcohol here, people. It will mess you up.

How to get in (for less) Prohibition Thursdays don’t happen every week. Check Thaxton Speakeasy’s website to see when you can get your jive on – and take note of the week’s password.

You’ll knock a few bucks off the cover charge if you whisper the word to the cool cat at the door.

Durango Cigar Lounge at Brennan’s

4659 Maryland Ave, St. Louis, 314.497.4449, cometobrennans.net

How to get in Choose a low-key Thursday night, and knock on Durango’s door. Jordan or Stephen, the lounge hosts, will invite you in and give you a tour and a membership sales pitch.

Order the Pappy Van Winkle bourbon and make conversation with the hosts to prolong your stay.

Sample topics include the eponymous Durango cigars created by owner Kevin Brennan himself. You can also chat about Durango’s plans for expansion into a larger space this year. Still at a loss for words? Inquire about Brennan’s personal collection of sneakers that are displayed in the way, way back.

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Photo by rick forrestal

Durango Cigar Lounge, formerly known as Zino Platinum Cigar Lounge, is for members only.

But the hardest part about initially getting in is simply finding it. First, look for the double doors to the left of Brennan’s front door. Open them and climb a spiral staircase where, at the top, you will find Maryland House, Brennan’s gritty, later-night, cigarette-friendly bar. Tucked off to the side is Durango’s locked door.

Jayne Pellegrino, bartender at Blood & Sand, can whip up a customized cocktail that is so completely you that you’d be spooked.

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The Back Room at the Cheshire 7036 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7830, backroom-stl.com

Hidden between The Restaurant and The Market is The Cheshire’s cigar lounge. It’s called The Back Room, but the dark-wood walls and soft leather chairs make it feel like home, particularly if your home is in Huntleigh. You can order food from both The Restaurant and Basso menus, but the real treat is a snifter of 17-year Balvenie DoubleWood from the carefully cultivated scotch collection. Thanks to an excellent ventilation system, the lounge has only a whispered scent of fine tobacco. It’s how I imagine Thurston Howell III smelled – if he lived in Huntleigh.

How to get in After dining at Basso or The Restaurant, ask to see the cigar room. You will be escorted to The Back Room where Logan Mann, the ever-gracious manager, will welcome you with a tour of the bar and lounge. (Resist the urge to steal one of the member’s engraved brass nameplates off a humidor.)

The Back Room members – who go by the incongruently pedestrian name “package customers” – are warm and welcoming. Buy them a round of drinks, curl up in a leather chair and chat with your new best old friends.

Blood & Sand

1500 St. Charles St., St. Louis, 314.241.7263, bloodandsandstl.com The strict members-only policy at Blood & Sand meant it was the only place I couldn’t crash with my chutzpah and good hair alone. I visited as my member-friend’s plus one, ready to be snarky if they were snobby. I could not have been more wrong. The vibe is Los Angeleschic meets Midwestern-nice. Members are eclectic but not elitist. The food is tasty but not pretentious. And owners Adam Frager and T.J. Vytlacil dispense hugs and complimentary appetizers like doting dads. Special mention must be made of savant bartender Jayne Pellegrino. After swapping a few sentences, she can whip up a customized cocktail that is so completely you that you’d be spooked – if you weren’t so busy ordering a second one. And she names it after you. (Mine is Dangerous Dragon Lady – bourbon, champagne, chocolate bitters and magic.) Pellegrino keeps your recipe in a little book behind the bar, so you can order it every time you visit. How cool is that?

How to get in In all seriousness, just become a member. It’s only $10 a month for a weeknight membership, which will also put you on the waitlist for a $15 full membership that includes weekends. I signed up on the spot and keep going back. Sure, it was fun to sneak into the other places, but Blood & Sand’s food, drinks and sense of community turned this sarcastic dragon lady into an unapologetic joiner.

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Cooking with Heart(s)

By Catherine Klene

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from left: chicken heart skewers, hearts of palm panna cotta recipes on p. 45

th heart(s) by catherine klene | photos by greg rannells

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beef heart bourguignon r eci pe s o n p. 45

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M

y friends seemed wholeheartedly enthused about a heart-themed dinner party – until I clarified what I meant.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: “I’m working on a story about cooking with heart.”

Them: “Like cooking with passion? How sweet.”

Me: “No, heart. Like literal hearts. Beef, chicken, lamb, artichokes … ” Them: “Oh.” And then a strained smile would creep across their faces as they leaned back in polite revulsion. “Why?” I get it. When I started batting around the idea of preparing a dinner with hearts, I wasn’t picturing the prettiest of dishes. Thanks to horror movies, Halloween props and Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, hearts aren’t exactly at the top of everyone’s “eat this” list. But these ultra-lean muscles, which historically were consumed only because they were cheap, are actually packed with flavor. And they just so happen to be a favorite among area chefs.

“I really like the taste of beef heart – the texture of it, too. I think it could be off-putting, though, to some people,” said John Perkins, chef-owner of Juniper. “[It’s] unlike any other cut of beef where you might get marbling or any other kind of loose musculature. With the heart, it’s compact, but that denseness actually gives it a robust beefiness.”

Before diners can experience that robust flavor, though, they must be convinced to take the first bite.

This apprehension is why chefs turn to familiar preparations as an entry to hearts. Bob Colosimo, general manager of Eleven Eleven Mississippi, explained how the muscle can be used for anything from carpaccio to pasta sauce. Colosimo, also a trained chef, hosts weekly Bob’s Butcher Block specials at the restaurant, where he showcases offal in appetizer-sized portions. Unlike kidney and liver, Colosimo finds hearts mild and not overpowering.

He thinks beef hearts, in particular, are great for their rich flavor and economical price tag. “Heart definitely can be made approachable,” he said.

Likewise, Farmhaus’ chef de cuisine Andrew Jennrich has turned pig heart into pastrami. While its taste and appearance was familiar – deliciously

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salty and smoky with a peppercorn crust – the paper-thin slices were so tender, they practically melted in my mouth. “Any time you can bridge things for people in their brain, you improve chances of getting them to eat it,” said Farmhaus’ chef-owner Kevin Willmann.

Despite nose-to-tail chefs’ love for all the odds and ends, hearts don’t often make an appearance on restaurant menus due, in part, to their lack of availability. Jennrich said that to put his salad of smoked chicken hearts on a weekend menu, he needs 210 hearts to sell just 30 orders. This translates to Farmhaus’ staff slowly collecting hearts as the restaurant works through hundreds of chickens. The same philosophy employed by Five Bistro’s chef-owner Anthony Devoti means he utilizes every bit of one cow in about three months before he gets another.

While these elusive cuts aren’t impossible to find, be warned: it’s an insider’s game. The pros recommended calling local butchers and processors to see what’s slated to arrive in the coming days – or ask what they have stashed away. They also advised befriending farmers market vendors and asking for a heart or two – if you manage to beat chefs to them. “The hunt for the product is part of the adventure and the fun,” Willmann said.

Once you’ve nabbed a few of these muscular organs, there is an infinite number of preparations (and puns) available for a heart menu. As with most lean proteins, there are two schools of thought: low and slow or hot and quick.

Willmann recommended that the not-solionhearted start with chicken hearts, whose small size and pleasant chew make them the ideal first step toward cooking animal heart. While your guests will recognize that they’re eating chicken, they’ll be pleasantly surprised by the more nuanced smoky, dark meat flavors.

“Once a chicken heart is brined, you can throw it in a saute pan. It doesn’t really matter what you do after you get that flavor throughout,” Willmann said. To do so, simply heavily salt the hearts for 15 minutes, then experiment with different cooking techniques: sear, saute, braise. A starter of smoked chicken heart skewers establishes the theme – it doesn’t get much clearer than hearts pierced by a stick.

With big hearts like beef, a little butchering is required to ensure that the connective tissues

don’t interfere. For those who may have forgotten middle school biology, a refresher: The heart is divided into four chambers – two atria and two ventricles. While smaller hearts like chicken need minor prep work, to get to the steaks inside a beef heart, a cook must break through a tangle of connective tissue and blood pathways.

A typical beef heart should yield six 2- to 4-ounce steaks when trimmed and can be used much the same as any other lean cut of meat. For Five Bistro’s “Valentine’s Day: It’s Just Offal” dinner last year, Devoti served beef heart bourguignon. “[Beef heart] is thick, it’s fibrous, it’s going to take four hours to braise or more,” he cautioned.

“That’s a big commitment for something you’re going to scarf in 15 minutes.” But, he added, the dense, layered flavor is so very worth it.

Still feeling squeamish? Animal parts don’t have to be the only hearts on this menu. Even unyielding plants like prickly

artichokes and palms hold delicious hearts at their cores – provided you’re patient enough to ferret them out. Cleveland-Heath’s chef-owner Ed Heath said artichoke hearts are versatile enough to withstand all sorts of preparations, and they provide real heft to a meal. His ovenroasted artichokes hold up to sharp anchovy and balsamic flavors. “They absorb anything,” Heath said. “They really do have that beefy, meaty texture to them.”

Hearts of palm, on the other hand, provide gentle, softer flavors perfect for a delicate dessert like panna cotta – and one piece of heart goes a long way. After flavoring the silky custard, Heath candies that same piece to use as a garnish and provide some crunch.

A heart-themed dinner certainly won’t be the easiest meal I pull off. These little guys – whether locked in a palm tree or tucked away in the butcher’s freezer – are tough to find, are strange to look at, and require patience to cook. Still, those initial, less-than-enthusiastic exchanges with my friends have evolved to more inquisitive, heartfelt conversations, and my own curiosity has led to discussions with chefs and butchers about the merits of these hidden gems.

As Devoti said, meals like these are meant to get people talking – and that’s why we do them.

“It’s getting you engaged with other humans ...

That’s a good thing about cooking in general,” he said. “But something like this is a definite conversation piece.”

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oven-roasted artichoke hearts r eci pe s o n p. 45

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Chicken Heart Skewers

Courtesy of Farmhaus’ Kevin Willmann 4 Servings 1 pkg. bamboo skewers 1 handful hickory or applewood chips ¼ cup kosher salt 2 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns, toasted 2 bay leaves 1 lb. chicken hearts, trimmed* • Soak the skewers in a tray filled with water. In another container, soak the wood chips at least 1 hour.

• In a 32-ounce measuring container, dissolve the salt in 2 cups hot water with the peppercorns and bay leaves, then add enough ice to bring the total volume to 1 quart. Let sit until the brine is cold to the touch. Add the chicken hearts and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

• Strain the hearts and discard the brine.

Pat the hearts dry with a paper towel and return them to the refrigerator, uncovered, to dry.

• Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill** for low, direct heat. Once all the coals are lit, spread them in the grill and cover them directly with the drained wood chips. Cover the grill and open the dampers halfway. Wait 5 minutes for the fire to cool to 250 degrees, closing the dampers more if the fire is still too hot.

• Thread 3 hearts on each skewer, leaving a little room between each.

Place skewers on the grate and cover.

Smoke 20 to 30 minutes, flipping as needed, until the hearts are cooked and have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. To enhance the smoky flavor, allow hearts to rest 20 minutes.

• Serve the hearts on skewers; add to a salad; or chop and toss with minced onion, olive oil, parsley and a splash of vinegar and use as a topping for grilled bread. * Available at Jay International Food Co., 3172 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.772.9393 ** If using a gas grill, heat to 250 degrees and place wood chips on a smoker tray.

breaking down 4 whole artichokes and removing their hearts.

1 cup balsamic vinegar 1 head radicchio, torn in large chunks 1 lb. fresh artichoke hearts or baby artichokes* halved Vegetable oil Kosher salt to taste ¼ lb. tasso ham**, diced 8 white anchovies, preferably boquerones*** Extra-virgin olive oil for garnish Chopped fresh parsley for garnish • Reduce the balsamic vinaigrette in a small pot over medium heat until thick and syrupy and about ¼ cup remains.

Set aside.

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

• Soak the radicchio in ice water at least 10 to 15 minutes to remove the bitter taste. Dry thoroughly.

• Toss the artichoke hearts in vegetable oil and salt to taste. On a sheet pan, roast the artichoke hearts 15 to 20 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes or so, until caramelized. Set aside.

• In a large pan, saute the ham over high heat 2 to 4 minutes, until just browned.

Add the radicchio and saute until just wilted.

• To serve, spread the ham and wilted radicchio on a platter. Top with the roasted artichokes and the anchovies.

Garnish with the reduced balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and the parsley. * Available at Whole Foods Market, 1160 Town and Country Crossing Drive, Town & Country, 636.527.1160, wholefoodsmarket. com ** Available at Global Foods Market, 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.835.1112, globalfoodsmarket. com *** Available at all Straub’s locations, straubs.com

Beef Heart Bourguignon

Courtesy of Five Bistro’s Anthony Devoti

Oven-roasted Artichoke Hearts

Courtesy of Cleveland-Heath’s Ed Heath 4 to 6 Servings If you cannot find fresh artichoke hearts or baby artichokes, Heath recommended March 2014

4 to 6 Servings 1 beef heart (about 2 lbs. meat)* Kosher salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste ½ cup cognac 1 sprig thyme 3 Tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. bacon, diced into ¼-inch lardons 3 carrots, peeled and diced 2 cups diced onions 2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered 4 garlic cloves, diced 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 750-ml. bottle red Burgundy, divided 1 quart beef stock 3 cups diced red or Yukon Gold potatoes Pat of butter Three days before serving: • Trim the beef heart by using a sharp knife to slice down the back of the heart until it falls open like a book, exposing the chambers. Trim the thin layer of fat from the back of the heart. Then, carefully slice the steaks away from the stringy bits of muscle fiber and veins. Cut into 2-inch cubes.

• In a large bowl, season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Douse the cubes with the cognac and rub vigorously.

Add the thyme sprig. Cover and refrigerate, rotating and rubbing the beef with the brine daily.

Day of: • Remove the beef cubes and discard the marinade. In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Sear the meat until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

• Add the bacon lardons to the pan and render slowly until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside with the seared beef.

Pour off about half of the rendered bacon fat and return the pan to medium-high heat.

• Saute the carrots, onions, mushrooms and garlic 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and stir until it deepens in color, about 2 to 3 minutes.

• Return the bacon and beef to the pan and stir. Add half the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Pour in the rest of the wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the liquid by two-thirds, stirring occasionally.

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Add the beef stock to the pan and boil 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, cover** and braise in the oven 2 hours.

• Add the potatoes to the pan, cover and return to oven. Braise 1 hour longer, until the beef is tender.

• Return the pot to the stove and bring to a heavy simmer over medium-high heat 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is

reduced by two-thirds and has a glazelike consistency. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and serve. * Available at Global Foods Market, 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.835.1112, globalfoodsmarket.com ** If using a pan, cover with foil and cut a few slits in the foil to let steam escape.

Hearts of Palm Panna Cotta

Courtesy of Cleveland-Heath’s Ed Heath 6 Servings 2 cups buttermilk 2 tsp. kosher salt 1 2-inch piece hearts of palm, rinsed and halved lengthwise 1 vanilla bean 1 cup heavy cream 2½ cups sugar, divided 1½ tsp. powdered gelatin • Mix the buttermilk and salt together in a small bowl. Add the two pieces of hearts of palm, cover and refrigerate overnight.

• Remove the hearts of palm from the buttermilk; reserve the buttermilk.

• Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepot.

Add the bean pod, hearts of palm, cream and ½ cup sugar to the pot.

Over medium-low heat, bring the mixture to just below a simmer, until it reaches about 190 degrees. Stir in the gelatin to dissolve. Add the reserved buttermilk.

• When the sugar and gelatin have dissolved, strain the mixture into a pourable container. Reserve the hearts of palm halves, letting them dry thoroughly. Pour the mixture evenly into 6-ounce panna cotta molds.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

• Meanwhile, candy the hearts of palm: Julienne the reserved hearts of palm.

In a saucepan, bring ½ cup water, the remaining sugar and the hearts of palm to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let simmer 10 to 20 minutes until the mixture is nearly caramelized.

• Pour the mixture on a sheet pan lined with wax paper and let cool and harden. Break apart.

• To serve, gently slide the panna cottas from their molds onto plates. Garnish with the candied hearts of palm. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

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March 2014

March 2014

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stuff to do:

this month

by Byron Kerman

Food for Thought Dates and times vary, St. Louis Public Library branches, slpl.org Food for Thought is a citywide celebration of cooking, food and books happening throughout the month at every St. Louis Public Library branch.

Events include a grilling tutorial, foodie film screenings, a “chat” with a live chicken, author talks, book discussions, interactive kids’ cooking days, and presentations discussing homebrewed beer, fancy olive oil, Cuban food and much more. March 7 is exceptionally sweet; that’s when a library fundraiser, A Taste of Fiction, challenges some of the city’s most accomplished pastry chefs to create literary-themed showpieces at Central Library. Tickets available online.

Pi Birthday Celebration March 10 to 15, all full-service Pi locations, restaurantpi.com President Obama’s favorite pizzeria, Pi, celebrates its sixth anniversary with a slate of offers and activities. Kicking off March 10, all full-service Pi locations’ menus celebrate the week with a birthday cake dessert and debut two birthday pizzas: a Mexican-inspired thin-crust pie and a deep-dish with meaty mushroom “steaks” and spinach dip. On March 12, anyone who purchases a draft beer goes home with a commemorative pint glass, and on March 13, the restaurants offer a one-day $5 dine-in menu. But Pi Day (3.14 – get it?) is where it’s at. Diners with March 14 birthdays get a free large pizza, and you should start practicing

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now for a pi memorization contest (3.1415926yadayadayada). Check out loads more specials and prize drawings online.

Tower Grove Farmers Market Winter Market March 8 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., City Garden Montessori Charter School, 1618 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.772.3899, tgmarket.org An indoor farmers market may look funny, but it sure tastes good. The mighty Tower Grove FM offers its final indoor winter market, featuring goodies from Black Bear Bakery, Doggie Wanna Cookie?, Kuva Coffee, Marcoot Jersey Creamery, Might As Well Ranch, Missouri Grass Fed Beef, Naked Bacon, Silent Oaks Farm and Windy Lake Farm. Lulu’s Local Eatery food truck will also be parked outside to serve up vegetarian fare.

Spring Pruning at Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard March 15,16, 22 and 23, Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard, 10035 Edg-Clif Drive, Potosi, Mo., 573.438.4741, edg-clif.com Remember the days of yore when the whole village came together to help with the town harvest? Neither do we. But we’ll still pull on our work gloves and check out the volunteer spring pruning event at Potosi’s Edg-Clif Winery. Learn how to prune grapevines with your buds, then help in the fields. Lunch is provided, and your hard work is rewarded with a winetasting. As a winery volunteer (officially dubbed a “Grape Friend”) you’ll learn about winemaking and receive discounts and invites to special events.

March 2014

sponsored events

Hunger for More 2014 March 4 to April 20, participating St. Louis restaurants, 314.776.1410, i58ministries.org

St. Patrick’s Day at John D. McGurk’s March 17, John D. McGurk’s, 1200 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.8309, mcgurks.com Behold the madness that is March 17 at the sprawling Irish pub, John D. McGurk’s.

All six bars at the venerable watering hole will be awash in green-garbed guys and gals for St. Patty’s Day. Live music from Irish musicians will fill the air, and an Irish menu that includes corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, Guinness (beef) and Irish (lamb) stews, fish-n-chips, Reubens and more. And look for Lucky the Irish bartender, who will share stories of the motherland while he passes you a pint.

History of Chocolate Class March 18 – 7 to 9 p.m., Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., 314.577.5100, mobot.org Chocolate addicts have something in common with the ancient Olmecs, Aztecs and Mayans, according to Brian Pelletier, owner of Kakao Chocolate. He and former Missouri Botanical Garden educator Kim Petzing teach a class on the history of chocolate.

Students will learn about civilizations that revered the cocoa bean, how Europeans co-opted chocolate and how cocoa beans are processed. The many samples doled out in class include single-origin chocolates, and pupils get take-home bags, too. Online registration required.

March 2014

Dine out to support Isaiah 58 Ministries in its effort to fight local hunger and poverty.

Each week, participating restaurants will donate a percentage of one day’s sales to the nonprofit, which serves more than 600 St. Louis-area families a month.

The initiative kicks off with a portion of local bars’ beverage sales benefiting the cause. A list of participating restaurants is available online.

Budweiser Best of St. Louis March 17 – 6 to 10 p.m., Anheuser-Busch Visitor and Tour Center, 12th and Lynch streets, St. Louis, stlchefs.brownpapertickets.com Local chefs and artisan food producers will unite at Budweiser Best of St. Louis, the flagship affair for the American Culinary Federation’s Central Regional Conference. Experience some of the best of the local food scene as you sample fare

by St. Louis’ top chefs, specialty shops and purveyors, and sip your way through Anheuser-Busch, Stella Artois and Goose Island beers. Cooking demonstrations featuring Budweiser Taste of St. Louis Battle Royale winners will also take place.

All proceeds benefit St. Louis-based nonprofit PGA Reach; tickets available online.

Wine & Dine with Sauce Magazine March 28 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Dierbergs, 1080 Lindemann Road, Des Peres, 636.812.1336, dierbergs.com/school.aspx Join Sauce executive editor Ligaya Figueras and art director Meera Nagarajan as they host a cooking class featuring Sauce recipes and cocktails. Get the inside scoop on the newest restaurant openings and the latest trends. Class limited to 18 people; register online.

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Do you always go out alone?

I never go out by myself because wherever I go, there’s someone there.

Philip Marshall doesn’t earn his paycheck at a bar or restaurant.

By day, he works in branding, marketing and design. After hours, though, he’s everywhere you wish you could be.

Table or bar?

Bar. I’m not always comfortable in social settings. The bar gave me a way to circumvent that. I could engage or disengage as I felt comfortable, so I was still in a social setting without needing to be “on.”

You go to restaurants and bars all the time.

Well, yeah.

Any good conversation at the bar?

It’s interesting to hear someone speak about the establishment or the proprietors candidly when they don’t know that you know them personally.

What’s the allure?

I grew fond of the type of person and personality that dedicates themselves to the hospitality industry.

How did that happen?

I became friends with a group that opened rBar in The Grove. I had recently moved back into the city after living in West County. I didn’t really have a social outlet. I wasn’t officially on the books at rBar, but I would help out as needed. I did everything from watching the door, to bar backing to doing a little bartending. I slowly got to know some of the more celebrated bartenders around town. The great thing was that Gerard Craft opened Taste, which was a block and a half from my apartment.

I was always intrigued by Niche, but it was out of my price range. Going to Taste allowed me to access that quality of food. That’s when I started to be able to appreciate higherquality cuisine and cocktails.

You can walk into any restaurant kitchen, and no one says anything.

I worry all the time of being overly presumptuous. I am grateful that St. Louis is the type of market that is

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the hours that a chef puts in at a restaurant or how hard a server or a bartender works to make sure that the guest leaves happy.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

You know I can’t say that.

OK, then what’s your favorite dish in town?

It changes throughout the year. The restaurants I enjoy are constantly changing their menus. The classic

egg that Gerard [Craft] sends out [at Niche] – that’s like seeing an old friend.

Are there other people like you?

I hope not. That would be annoying.

You’d have a bunch of people just walking into kitchens like they belong there. Hopefully, I can recognize when I’m in the way. I try to respect that this is a place of business. It’s a social outing for me, but it’s work for them.

– Ligaya Figueras

Do you share that information with the owner?

Sometimes. Usually it’s very complimentary, and that’s the sort of conversation that you’re very pleased to share.

What if it’s negative?

It depends if I feel like it’s constructive criticism or not.

I think most business owners and those in the hospitality industry want to know what their patrons feel about it.

When Planter’s House first opened, you worked two days at the reception desk. Then, you informed the staff you couldn’t come the next day. Why say anything? You’re not an employee.

It is absurd when you put it that way.

I know how challenging it can be to open a restaurant. If I’m able to help, I would like to help.

What have you learned most by being on the inner periphery of restaurants and bars?

How much work goes into it that’s often thankless. As hard as I may work, it’s nothing compared to

Photo by ashley gieseking

What I Do Philip Marshall, the Ultimate Insider

hospitable in a way that doesn’t pay lip service to hospitality. We have a high standard of restaurants and bars, but the proprietors aren’t closed off.

When you show that you appreciate it, it’s a very welcoming environment.

March 2014

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