May 2012 by Sauce Magazine

going green the appeal of unripe fruit

re d b e r r y re dux · a we e ke nd in Wa t e r l o o · Ed wardsvill e’s n ew “it ” c o up l e s t. lo u is’ i n d e pe n d e nt cu l i n a ry au th o r it y May 2012

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may 2 012 • VO LUM E 12, Issue 5 PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR STAFF WRITER SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Contributing Editor Fact checkers PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER ONLINE EDITOR EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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Allyson Mace Stacy Schultz Meera Nagarajan Ligaya Figueras Stacy Schultz Kylah Brown Robert Severson, Lindsay Toler Emily Lowery Rebekah Wessels Stacy Schultz Byron Kerman Jonathan Gayman, Ashley Gieseking, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, Kylah Brown, Ligaya Figueras, Kellie Hynes, Byron Kerman, Cory King, Meera Nagarajan, Michael Renner, Stacy Schultz Sharon Arnot Shana Cook Erin Anderson, Erin Keplinger, Allyson Mace, Brenda Pollom, Angie Rosenberg Jill George

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use, in 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. Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

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.

May 2012

contents may 2012

9 A La Carte

Reviews 19 new and notable: Cleaveland-Heath It’s a New Song in Downtown Edwardsville by Michael Renner

23 Nightlife: The Crow’s Nest A Nest Worth Flocking To by Matt Berkley

25 Cook’s books: Kelly English’s Favorites By Kylah Brown and Stacy Schultz

Home cooking 27 What in the world: Safflower by Ligaya Figueras

28 Vegetize it: Empanadas by Kellie Hynes

30 One ingredient, 6 ways: Strawberries Red Berry Redux by Kylah Brown, Ligaya Figueras and Stacy Schultz

cover details

features 36 My Last Meal Pondering the age-old question of how to culminate a great life with one heavenly spread

32 The New Classics Handlebar’s Frank Blinchiki By Meera Nagarajan

Last course Reviews 52 Stuff to do this month by Byron Kerman

54 Five questions: Jon Parker by Byron Kerman

i ntervi ews By Li gaya Fi g u er as

44 going green The appeal of unripe fruit By Li gaya Fi g u er as Green-papaya salad at King and I: p. 44

49 Short LIst Beignets BY Byro n K er man

Photo by Greg Rannells red berry redux: p. 30 a weekend in Waterloo: p. 12 Edwardsville’s new “it” couple: p. 19

= recipe on this page

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TGIF | Each month, we keep you apprise of the latest trends in drinking culture. But you don’t have to wait till next month for more sipping suggestions. Every Friday, head to the blog at SauceMagazine.com for Drink This Weekend Edition, where we suggest freshly tapped brews, exciting new wines and artfully crafted cocktails to help you kick off the weekend right. RECIPES | Once you read this month’s Vegetize It (p. 28) column, you’ll be wondering just how easy it really is to make homemade puff pastry. Head to the recipes section of SauceMagazine.com to find out – then, dwell on the possibilities of your new DIY creation. And for those intrigued by the un-aged ways of white whiskey revealed in Backwoods Booze Returns (p. 15), head to the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com for a few ways to add this trendy throwback spirit to your next cocktail party. INTERVIEWS | Great days are measured in great meals. So, how would you spend the last of both? We posed that age-old question to five local chefs and in My Last Meal (p. 36), we reveal their surprising answers. Now, head to the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com to see how other local chefs answered our culinary inquiry, then find us on Twitter and Facebook and let us know what you’d like for your last meal using hashtag #mylastmeal. At the end of the month, our favorite answer will win a copy of Melanie Dunea’s My Last Supper: The Next Course.

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 KWMU’s Cityscape on Friday, May 4 at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. as we talk with chefs Gerard Craft and John Griffiths about this month’s James Beard Foundation Awards and the rise of St. Louis’ restaurant scene.

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Find us on Twitter and Facebook and let us know what you’d like for your last meal using the hashtag #lastmeal. At the end of the month, our favorite answer will win a copy of My Last Supper: The Next Course. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 7

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EAT THIS

Each component of the CHOPPED SALAD at THE RITZ dances together in perfect unison, creating a culinary ballet that’s worthy of a standing ovation. Tomatoes and roasted corn reveal the sweetness of the summer, while candied almonds offer crunch and crisp fried onions provide salty chew. Chunks of fresh jumbo lump crab, in all their succulent glory, add delicate luxury to the bowl o’ greens, blanketed in a rich buttermilk ranch. This is a salad we

Photo by carmen troesser

could eat every day – and think about just as often. The Grill at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis • 100 Carondelet Plaza • Clayton • 314.863.6300 ritzcarlton.com/stlouis

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best seat epic pizza & Subs 1711A S. Ninth St., St. Louis, 314.436.3742, epicpizzaandsubs.com

Eat inside when the weather’s this gorgeous? Not a chance. We could follow the crowd and opt for patio seating. But when we sojourn to Soulard, we head to Epic Pizza & Subs, place an order at the garage doorstyle retractable walk-up window and grab a streetside stool before scarfing down some bythe-slice pie. Now that’s real city eating.

No beer style fits the month of May better than the maibock. It literally translates to the “bock beer of May” and is a strong, usually golden lager that’s perfect for the cooler nights of spring before the steamy summer sets in. – Cory King, certified Cicerone and brewer at Perennial Artisan Ales

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Rogue Dead Guy Ale A slightly darker version of a maibock, Dead Guy Ale pours amber with a cherry hue and a pillow-white head. Breadcrumbs, crackers and a warming alcohol presence are balanced by a mediumbodied caramel backbone and some spicy, zesty, herbal hop notes.

Boulevard Boss Tom’s Golden Bock The traditional rich, clear golden color gives way to cereal grains, a medium body and a hint of fruitiness on the tongue. The body is balanced by a prickly amount of carbonation with a combination of alcohol and an earthy hop note.

Hofbräu Maibock A big pour will fill your glass with copper and bronze hues on the edges and foam that leaves a nice lacing on the glass. The expected biscuit and caramel malts are accentuated with sweet brown sugar and a hint of smoke and cinnamon from the German hops. May 2012

photo by ashley gieseking

[beer]

When we’re tired of slapping meat and cheese between slices of bread for lunch, we get rolling with this unconventional black bean and veggie “sushi” inspired by Lorna Sass’ recipe for Black Soybean and Vegetable “Sushi” in The New Vegan Cookbook. Purée 1 cup of cooked black beans with half an avocado and a couple dashes each of sweet red chile sauce and sesame oil. Spread half of the purée on a 10-inch flour tortilla and top with a nori sheet. Spread the remaining bean purée on the nori, followed by a layer of crisp, colorful veggies – shredded cabbage, shredded carrot and thin strips of red bell pepper – arranged side by side in long rows across the middle of the nori. Roll up tightly, press into a log and slice into 8 pieces. – Ligaya Figueras

photo by greg rannells

Serve this atypical roll with conventional sushi spice-kickers: wasabi and pickled ginger. For dipping, try soy sauce, sweet red chile sauce or chile oil.

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Clockwise from left: A glimpse of Waterloo, Best of the Wurst platter at Dreamland Palace, a child enjoying the Bird and Animal Swap Meet, bear claws with crunchy icing at Ahne’s Bakery, Shorr Lake Vineyard & Winery

a tour of waterloo

Bird and Animal Swap Meet This monthly flea marketmeets-zoo is a must for those in the market for a chicken, rabbit, duck, pony, goat, sheep, peacock or pig. Get there early – as in 6 a.m. Arrive after 9 a.m., and you’ll miss the best of the barnyard animal action. Monroe County Fairgrounds, 4177 Illinois Route 156, last Sunday of the month: March to Nov. except July – 5 a.m., Monroecounty-fair.org, mbaba.org

Dreamland Palace Located some five miles west of Waterloo, Dreamland Palace has to be among the kitschiest German restaurants east of the Mississippi. Once you’ve gotten your fix of beer steins, nutcrackers and other Deutsches collections on display, put a fork into the Wurst Platter, nicknamed Best of the Wurst: Bavarian bratwurst, Polish sausage and mettwurst. Add potato pancakes, applesauce and red cabbage, plus all you can eat from the soup and salad bar, and you’ll need

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to do laps in the trinketladen lobby. 3043 State Route 156, Foster Pond, 618.939.9922, dreamlandpalace.net

Gallagher’s Life is blissfully uncomplicated when you visit Gallagher’s on a Sunday. That’s when meal choices are fried chicken or fried chicken. Stuff yourself silly on the all-you-can-eat family-style dinner in a beautifully restored, three-story, 1870s building that carries the air of a Western saloon. 114 W. Mill St., Waterloo, 618.939.9933, gallagherswaterloo.com

Ahne’s Bakery You’ve got two hands, which means you can’t

leave this family-owned bakery without at least two pastries. The cherry Danish and bear claw with caramel crunch icing are our picks. Yours might be the cinnamon buns and doughnuts. Screw the diet; that gooey butter cake is too good to pass up. 201 W. Mill St., Waterloo, 618.939.3131, ahnesbakery.com

J. Fires’ Market Bistro Since opening in 2009, this bistro – located inside an 18th century farmhouse – has given many a St. Louisan reason to head south on Illinois Route 3. Haven’t been yet? The cochon de lait (fire-roasted suckling pig) is a house specialty. Throw in a classic cocktail from the well-tended bar, grab a

seat on the patio shaded by a vine-covered pergola, and the rustic charm will make you forget all about that Rural King mega farmand-feed store right across the road.

chicken, duck and turkey eggs laid by birds living on the estate.

725 N. Market St., Waterloo, 618.939.7233, jfires.com

Bean Tree Café

Schorr Lake Vineyard & Winery Hit the tasting room for free samples of Schorr Lake’s numerous dry, semi-sweet and sweet wines, then select a bottle (We liked the 2010 Vignoles and 2005 Cabernet Franc.) and enjoy it on the patio for a view of the vineyard on one side, the lake on the other. On your way out, plunk down $1.50 – the best deal in town – for a dozen assorted fresh

1032 S. Library St., Waterloo, 618.939.3174, schorrlakevineyard.net

Waterloo’s newest dining option gives the morning crowd a sugar high with Hawaiian-style French toast: coated with a crunchy topping, sandwiching ricotta cheese, topped with sliced bananas and pineapples, and drizzled with coconut syrup. Round things out with an espresso-based coffee drink made from beans freshly roasted inhouse. 219 S. Main St., Waterloo, 618.939.5330, beantreecafe.net May 2012

Photos by CARMEN TROESSER

What’s that? You haven’t been to Waterloo? Located just 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis, this town of 10,000 may be small, but it sure can teach city slickers a thing or two about enjoying life. A weekend in Waterloo means country-style fun, picturesque views, enjoyable eats and some of the friendliest folk around. What are you waiting for? – Ligaya Figueras

Glenn Bardgett, Annie Gunn’s wine director and a member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, weighs in on which wines to drink this month. Check your favorite wine shop or liquor store for availability.

Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier 2009, Carneros I don’t know if this is the only pinot meunier made in Calfornia, but I’ve never seen another. Welcome to the “other” red grape, used to make sparkling wines and Champagne and related to the more familiar pinot noir. It may be a bit expensive, but even at $30, it’s a solid value that delivers high amounts of berry-osity. You probably have to special order this, but it’s worth the effort.

Attitude by Pascal Jolivet 2009, Loire, France From famed Loire Valley producer Pascal Jolivet, this is made just outside the prestigious Sancerre region. A crisp and lovely sauvignon blanc, it’s just waiting for the soft-shell crabs of spring or a dozen beautiful oysters. This is what great sauvignon is all about – and at under $20, it’s a mega value when compared to its high-priced neighbor, Sancerre.

Herencia Altés Garnatxa Blanca 2010, Catalonia, Spain One of my favorite obscure grapes, Garnatxa Blanca will often be blended, but this clean and fresh, dry white shows this grape on its own. With ripe, yummy fruitiness, this will appeal to lovers of riesling, chenin blanc or anyone looking for an amazing value (about $10) that doesn’t say chardonnay and wants to have some fun. Time for a picnic!

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For ways to stir white whiskey into your next cocktail, visit the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com.

Backwoods Booze Returns Distilling was legal and untaxed in this land until the Whiskey Act of 1791 came along, enraging

farmers who sold their grain in the form of whiskey. Whiskey rebels took to the backwoods, giving rise to the black market of moonshine: bootlegged hooch so rough and raw it hardly deserved to be called “whiskey.” Some two centuries and a score later, a new generation of whiskey rebels is making news. No, they aren’t evading excise taxes. Instead, they’re producing a palatable unaged whiskey known as white whiskey. Death’s Door Spirits of Middleton, Wis., is a modern pioneer in the un-aged whiskey category. Made from a mash bill of organic winter red wheat from Washington Island in Door County, Wis., and organic malted barley from Chilton, Wis., Death’s Door White Whisky exemplifies the trend among craft distillers to carefully select grains and other ingredients, thereby satiating consumers who seek a handmade spirit with authenticity and character. (For other “artisan” white whiskies, see Five White Whiskeys to Try, at right.) Economics is one reason white whiskey is crowding liquor store shelves. A distillate sitting in a barrel for years isn’t generating revenue, but an un-aged spirit can. Hungry for cash flow, even industry giants like Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace have added white whiskies to their portfolios. For the same reason, white whiskey May 2012

2 is often the first product a new micro-distillery launches. Such will be the case when St. Louis’ newest distillery, Still 630, opens its doors this summer at the corner of Fourth Street and Chouteau Avenue. It will be six to nine months before rum is available at the Still 630 tasting room, while bourbon and rye are some two years away. So owner David Weglarz will allow St. Louisans to “taste our approach” with his twice-distilled 80- to 90-proof white whiskey.

Another reason white whiskey is experiencing a boon: The clear spirit is a fresh alternative to vodka. While the latter only carries a hint of its origin, white whiskey can proffer the distinct flavors of the grains used to distill it. For drinkers, that means a tastier nip and an interesting option for mixing. Local drinkers can get a taste of the white dog in action, shaken and stirred in springtime sippers. Danno’s American Pub bar manager Chris Muether created a sour using Koval Raski Millet White Whiskey, while at Sanctuaria, mad chemists Matt Seiter and Joel Clark opted to use Koval’s white rye to concoct Vieux Carré Our Way, a barrel-aged twist on a NOLA-born cocktail. Downtown at The Thaxton Speakeasy, Hudson New York Corn Whiskey is featured in a seasonal ‘tail called EZ-Fizz. Whiskey purists may raise a brow to the white lighting revolution, but backwoods booze has never tasted so good. – Ligaya Figueras

Five White Whiskeys to Try

Look for these bottles at all major liquor stores. 1 American Craft Whiskey Distillery Low Gap Clear Wheat Whiskey Distilled from malted Bavarian hard wheat on an antique cognac still, this smooth sipping whiskey offers fruitiness with a wheat tang.

2 Death’s Door White Whisky Made entirely from Wisconsin grain, this palatable white whiskey tastes of vanilla, chocolatecovered raisins and dark cherry.

3 Heaven Hill Trybox Series New Make Whiskey and New Make Rye Whiskey Straight from the still, these are Heaven Hill’s solutions for folks too antsy to wait for what would become Evan Williams Straight Bourbon or Rittenhouse Rye if they went to barrel.

4 Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson New York Corn Whiskey When you sip this 80-proof soft whiskey distilled from 100-percent New York corn, savor the flavors of corn bread, roasted corn and buttery popcorn.

5 Koval Organic Raksi Millet Whiskey Grainy with the faint sweetness of brown sugar and candied fruit. Other Koval single-grain white whiskies include: rye, spelt, wheat and oat.

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reviews For the “porterhouse” chop, pork from Chad Rensing’s nearby farm gets seared until juicy and pink and then perched atop cheddar-jalapeño bread pudding and sweet-and-salty green beans. A bright sunny-side-up egg tops things off.

new and notable: cleaveland-heath p. 19 nightlife: the crow’s nest p. 23 cook’s books: kelly english’s favorites p. 25

It’s a New Song in Downtown Edwardsville by Michael Renner • Photos by Jonathan Gayman

agic Carpet Ride was filtering through the speakers as I tucked into a dish of Brussels sprouts at ClevelandHeath, the eponymously named restaurant by the girlfriend-boyfriend team of Jennifer Cleveland and Eric Heath in downtown Edwardsville. The obvious reaction as a food writer would be to overplay the coincidence, to blather on about what a magical ride it was to eat Brussels sprouts deepfried to such tenderness, how the salinity of the capers and gentle sweetness of the shallots was a magical combination, how tossing it all with a tart lemon vinaigrette and topping it with shreds of Parmesan was some sort of magical inspiration. But really, it was just Steppenwolf and some damn good Brussels sprouts. Though the fact that “classic” rock was playing and that those leafy, green, mini cabbages were so simply prepared yet so notably delicious said a lot about the attitude and approach of Cleveland and Heath. Despite the digs – once home to the fancy, pricey and very good Fond – there is nothing chi-chi about C-H: terra cotta colors offset with neutral-colored walls; a copper-topped bar and lots of dark wood accents; plain brown fastener file folders holding the menus; Cleveland-Heath affordable prices; knowledgeable, well106 N. Main St., trained, jean-clad servers bobbing-andEdwardsville, weaving around tables. The relaxed 618.307.4830, nature is not to be confused with clevelandheath.com insouciance, however. There is no indifference here, no slacker mentality. The menu is compact, the quality of ingredients above reproach and the attention to detail so focused that when I requested half-and-half for my cup of Goshen coffee, the server made it to order with heavy cream and milk. The closest local comparison is Home Wine Kitchen – in philosophy, prowess and partnership (What is it about couples owning a restaurant together that always seems to pay off with such delicous dividends?). But when you attend The Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, as the couple did, and cut your culinary teeth at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry and Ad Hoc restaurants, as well as at the highly rated JoLe and May 2012

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review new and notable: Cleaveland-heath Braised Rensing pork gets piled atop a Companion pretzel bun with house-made pickles, a spicy barbecue sauce and a blue-cheese coleslaw for a sandwich so satisfying, it’s reason alone to make the drive out to Edwardsville.

A bit Southern, a bit Mexican, a little Californian and predominately local: There is rich culinary soil here.

Farmstead restaurants, opening your own place is a natural progression for funneling all that experience. Not bad for a couple who met while working in a Salt Lake City brewpub. Kale may be the green of the moment, but C-H’s Facebook-famous kale salad is a fine way to explore the simple and sublime: a chiffonade of tender, raw greens tossed with garlic, a lemon vinaigrette, salt, red pepper flakes and Parmesan chips for a little crunch. I paired the salad with an order of cheddar-ham sliders and “chicken-fried” quail, two of several

WHERE Cleveland-Heath, 106 N. Main St., Edwardsville, 618.307.4830, clevelandheath.com

appetizers available at the time. The sliders arrived three to an order as cheddar cheese drop biscuits stuffed with shaved prosciutto. They were already addictive without the smear of house-made cherry jam that finished off this salty, tart, cheesy, slightly sweet decadence. These addictive biscuits are also available as a side; caution is advised. The quail – plump and whole, lightly breaded and pan-fried – was nestled on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes and topped with spicy bacon gravy, soaking the bird’s crispy skin and making a luscious mess of a sauce; a standout not to be missed.

DON’T MISS DISHES Berkshire Pork Porterhouse, Pulled Pork Sandwhich, Cheddar Ham Sliders

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A bowl of posole (or pozole), robust and piquant with house-made pork broth and red chiles, is as beautiful in the bowl as it is delicious on the lips, with marble-sized hominy and braised pork topped with crunchy red cabbage, a dollop of spicy aioli and a burst of citrusy lime. There are sandwiches, four of them, most notably a pulled pork ’wich so hefty that it served as lunch a few days later. Heft is one thing; flavor, quality and pure satisfaction are quite another. C-H braises pork from Chad Rensing’s nearby farm, piles it high on a Companion pretzel bun with four house-made pickles, slathers on a spicy barbecue sauce made in-house, then, in true Southern style, heaps on blue-cheese coleslaw for another drippy, delicious mess. Even without the accompanying fries – a mix of thinly sliced sweet and russet potatoes – this sandwich is worth the drive. There is more of Rensing’s pork, too, this time as a “porterhouse” chop (read: big, about 12 ounces and 1 to 1½ inches thick), cooked juicy and pale pink, and served on a bed of sharp-cheddar-spiked jalapeño bread pudding

VIBE Low-key with enough panache to make it interesting. High decibles when crowded, which is often. Reservations not accepted.

ENTREE PRICES $9 to $28

and seared green beans with capers and shallots. The dish alone redefines the standard protein-starch-vegetable combination. Top it with a sunny-side-up egg, and you either luxuriate in the decadent creaminess of yolk and juices marrying with the piquant, salty, onion-y flavors of the capers and shallots, or you find the whole thing too rich. I was in the former camp. Beef comes from R&K, another central Illinois meat producer, and the cut changes depending on availabilty. During one visit, it was (thankfully) ribeye: a generous cut cooked medium-rare and, like the pork, served on a starch and vegetable bed. This time it was potato purée and gorgeous Broccolini that soaked up the juices and, rather than egg yolk, the melting creaminess of bacon butter. Rabbit is a great dish to see on menus lately. C-H’s is a ragout of braised, shredded rabbit meat, carrots, celery and onions (mirepoix), mixed with fusilli pasta, topped with gremolada, and baked and served in a casserole dish. The long braise brought out the meat’s dark richness, while the sweetness of the carrots contrasted beautifully with its peppery seasoning. Desserts should not be missed, either. An order of brioche beignets, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, come four to a plate with sides of chocolate sauce and Kahlua whipped cream for dipping, making them the perfect shared sweet. Old Fashioned Cherry Pie is actually rather newfangled: a ramekin of tart cherries baked with a flaky, butter-topped crust and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It’s far better than old-fashioned. At some point while savoring that pie, We Will Rock You was on the playlist, a fitting leitmotif for a restaurant that will do just that.

WHEN Mon. to Thu. – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri. – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sat. – 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Bar open until midnight Mon. to Thu., until 1 a.m. Fri. and Sat. May 2012

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review nightlife: the crow’s nest

A Nest Worth Flocking To by Matt berkley • photos by Jonathan gayman

but this is some seriously smart comfort The Crow’s Nest grub presented with 7336 Manchester flair. I devoured a plate Road, Maplewood, of buttermilk-and 314.781.0989 gorgonzola-fried frog’s legs, which paired surprisingly well with an Urban Chestnut Winged Nut Ale. Another pint, followed by a pear-gorgonzola bread pudding drenched in thick caramel sauce, was enough to clear up any misgivings about this innovative kitchen. Don’t expect too much of the same innovation behind the bar – which, while extensively stocked, is wholly underutilized in terms of stirring up cocktails. Asking the bartender for a drink menu, I was all but laughed at. (Apparently, they’re working on creating one.) Make no mistake; The Crow’s Nest is a beer hall. Expect as much and enjoy selecting a frothy brew from the imposing chalkboard that hovers over the main bar with an abundance of drafts, bottles and cans. The best bet: Choose from the dozen or so beers on tap ($4 to $6), of which local craft options dominate: Perennial, Urban Chestnut, Civil Life, 4 Hands and Schlafly, to name a few.

diosyncratic, scatterbrained and quirky are all decent adjectives for The Crow’s Nest, the gritty little restaurant that hopes to succeed in the prime spot on the Maplewood strip abandoned by the less imaginative Grateful Inn and Red Lion. Since opening in October, this hipster nirvana has spawned a solid following of in-the-know locals. And for good reason: On top of offering one of the most comprehensive, locally focused draft beer lists in town, the folks behind the popular, now-defunct Bleeding Deacon are continuing to redefine bar fare. In the process, they’ve carved out a cozy, clandestine drinking and eating house with substance to spare. The deep, narrow space of the main room is dominated by a massive bar, flanked by a wall of dark church pew booths, over which hangs a spattering of retro 1970s and ’80s rock ‘n’

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roll posters. The somber lighting and punk/ funk paraphernalia are juxtaposed with an artsy 1960s Italian film silently projected on the wall of the front space (perhaps a bit unnecessary, but it adds to the avant-garde flavor). The music is also a collection of mismatched retro tunes. A patio through the back provides some welcome outdoor seating for chain-smokers and patrons looking to escape what can often be an overpowering decibel level inside. Dining menus pasted on vintage record albums (Think Peter Frampton, not Peter, Paul and Mary.) boast what would seem to your average pub-hopper to be a pretentious lineup of hopelessly out-of-place items: i.e. cheese soup infused with local beer and smoked mozzarella, chorizo-encrusted fish tacos, pulled pork sandwiches smothered in smoked pineapple barbecue sauce, roastedoyster and arugula flatbread, calf’s brain sandwiches. It’s definitely not for all tastes,

ORDER THIS: The Crow’s Nest

The Crow’s Nest is redefining pub fare with smart comfort grub like gorgonzola-fried frog’s legs (pictured) and calf’s brain sandwiches.

Though a few random pinball machines provide mindless fun, the establishment plays host to a regular score of weekly events as well. Trivia nights and karaoke are to be expected. But once a month, The Crow’s Nest hosts its own Drink and Draw – a booze-fueled, artistic battle royale in which participants vying for free drinks put pen to paper and sketch live burlesque dancers who dance and pose until a winner is crowned. A strange place attracts a strange crowd. There’s more than a whiff of oddity in this joint where the servers can be detached if not obnoxious, but it’s all part of the charm. On a Friday night, the place buzzed with laughs and tipsy chatter from a group of pre-gaming college kids in one corner and a pair of leather-clad bikers sipping pints in another. Expect anything in this laid-back, T-shirt-and-jeans booze den – except any sign of a see-and-be-seen mentality. People are here to lose themselves, whether it’s in the food, the booze or the atmosphere. Though there’s no lack of character, The Crow’s Nest is still wanting in a clear presence and décor of its own – one to match its superb menu and independent vibe.

Wash it all down with a craft brew from The Crow’s Nest’s rotating tap. On my visit, an Urban Chestnut Winged Nut Ale paired well with the kickedup comfort food.

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review

Four Books for Cooking the Southern Way

Cook’s books: kelly english’s favorites

Kelly English trained under chef John Besh. Now, Besh’s new book is up for a James Beard Award, and English – who has a Beard nomination of his own – is bringing his talent to Kelly English Steakhouse, which he opened last fall inside Harrah’s. He recommended these books for Southern cooking. – Kylah Brown

Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine by John Folse “[This book] lets the world know the cooking I grew up on was as influenced by other cultures as it was French and Spanish. For example, cooking in Louisiana was heavily influenced by African cuisine. There’s a chapter on Italy, a chapter on Germany and their influences.”

Frank Stitt’s Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill by Frank Stitt “I usually separate Louisiana cooking from Southern. But when I think of the South as a whole – about Southern cooking and the backbone of it – I think of [this book].”

River Road Recipes: The Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine by Junior League of Baton Rouge “Every home cook, every chef in southern Louisiana has [this book]. It’s the backbone of Louisiana cooking; it was the first time anyone took home recipes and compiled them.”

My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh “I was around for a lot of the recipe development. I was working the line and I’d make something and he’d ask me, ‘Is this something your grandma would make?’ If not, he’d ask, ‘Then why would we do it at a restaurant?’ John is passionate about restaurant settings the home cook can execute.”

photo by greg rannells

With the James Beard Foundation Awards being announced this month, we’re giving you a peak into some of the cookbooks and chefs garnering national acclaim this year. Every Tuesday on the blog at SauceMagazine.com, check out By the Book, where we cook and share recipes from these books. Then, enter to win a copy to add to your collection.

How to Cook Everything the Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food by Mark Bittman New York Times columnist Mark Bittman has done it again with his latest addition to his How to Cook Everything series. Bittman, a Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductee, breaks down everything from breakfast to breads, poultry to pasta. May 2012

Girl in the Kitchen: How a Top Chef Cooks, Thinks, Shops, Eats and Drinks by Stephanie Izard In her first cookbook, chef Stephanie Izard, a finalist in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category and the only woman to win Bravo’s Top Chef, reveals stories and recipes she acquired throughout her career.

A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen by Hugh Acheson This rustic take on “new” Southern cooking, nominated in the American Cooking category, deconstructs the fun and whimsical way Hugh Acheson approaches food.

Cooking with Chocolate: Essential Recipes and Techniques edited by Frédéric Bau This cookbook, nominated in the General Cooking category, is a compendium of sugary info – from fundamental techniques to building-block recipes and all the macarons, sauces and sorbets in between.

My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking by John Besh In John Besh’s new book, nominated in the General Cooking category, the celeb chef takes his Louisiana flair to the home cook’s dinner table with chapters like How To Cook a Fish and Breakfast with My Boys.

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what in the world: safflower p. 27 vegetize it: empanadas p. 28 one ingredient, 6 ways: strawberries p. 30 the new classics: frank blinchiki p. 32

While safflower is widely cultivated

safflower?

for the oil extracted from its seeds, the flowers of this Mediterranean plant are frequently used as a coloring agent. On the culinary front, when you can’t afford to stain that soup gold with pricier-than-gold saffron, spend a fraction of the cost on safflower, often referred to as “false saffron,” to lend a warm, reddish-orange hue to dishes. Though not nearly as potent as saffron in aroma or flavor, these thistlelike flower heads, sold as dried threads, will improve the color of broths, soups and stews. Use it: as a replacement for saffron – using up to eight times the amount of saffron the recipe calls for – to impart a rich color to rice and egg dishes. Give tea a sunshine yellow tint by adding a few pinches of safflower threads to your favorite loose tea mix. Find it: Global Foods Market, 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.835.1112, globalfoodsmarket.com; El Torito Supermarket, 2753 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.771.8648 – Ligaya Figueras

Sweet peach and safflower iced tea 1 serving 8 oz. water 3 tsp. peach herbal infusion (such as Teavana’s Peach Tranquility*) 2 tsp. safflower threads 1½ tsp. sugar

photo by greg rannells

• Heat the water to 208 degrees, just below the boiling point. Add a tea ball filled with peach herbal infusion and safflower threads. • Steep the tea for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on strength of desired flavor. Remove the tea ball. • Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Refrigerate until chilled, then add ice and serve. *Available at all area Teavana locations, teavana.com May 2012

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home cooking Vegetize it: empanadas

Black Bean Empanadas BY kellie hynes • Photo by carmen troesser

have to share. Her recipe was a logical starting point. I used canned black beans like she does, but I sauteed the onion to soften it up. I love fresh cilantro like I love those vegan margaritas, but I thought coriander, cilantro’s hardy sibling, would stand up to the oven heat. And to make it look like a beef empanada, I pulsed everything in a food processor. A little research on Empanada Pastries of the World revealed the same “whatever we always have on hand” philosophy. Cornmeal, plantain flour and rice flour are all used. However, I prefer white flour in my baked goods. (Please don’t judge.) And my freezer is stocked with homemade puff pastry, so I tried that. Now, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to make your own puff pastry. It’s surprisingly easy and delicious and will hang out in the freezer for a month, but if prepared puff pastry is what you have, that works too.

ooking for a Mexican restaurant? Ask vegetarians. Their GPS will find one like chips find salsa. Mexican restaurants, no matter how plain or fancy, promise a variety of meat-free options well beyond the ubiquitous iceberg wedge. Plus, margaritas are vegan. As a home cook, I heart Mexican cuisine because the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to prepare. But how many taco nights can you have? (Not a rhetorical question – I’m really asking. Is two per week too many?) So, in honor of Cinco de Mayo – and in hopes of expanding my repertoire beyond cheese quesadillas – I studied up on empanadas.

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The realization that I could take virtually any combination of flavors, throw them in a pastry and call it an empanada hit me like a ton of bricks. From now on, Leftover Night would go by its new, sexy stage name: Empanada Fiesta Night. “Empanada” is Spanish for a pastry stuffed with yumminess. The specific yumminess depends on what’s produced locally. In some parts of the world, you’ll find empanadas filled with beef or eggs. In other parts, street vendors sell sardine or chorizo empanadas. And in warmer regions, sweet empanadas ooze with gooey yams and fruit.

I experimented with the mystery contents of my Tupperware containers. Some produced clear winners. Baked sweet potatoes and chickpeas made a wonderful filling, as did dried apricots, dried cherries and leeks. Others were less successful. Pureed shrimp was just nasty. And the peanut butter-andjelly empanada oozed all over the pan.

Here in the Midwest, our empanadas usually tout chicken or beef, so I decided to create a vegetarian version. Black beans are the abundant resource in my habitat and would make a substantial filling. My friend Carolyn makes a black bean, raw onion and cilantro salsa that’s so good, I eat the entire thing in a closet so I don’t

It’s easy to invent delicious empanadas. Just make sure whatever filling you use is already cooked, since your oven time is only long enough to puff the pastry. And pay attention to texture. My shrimp empanada became edible when I chopped up the shrimp instead of mushing it in the processor. Buen provecho!

Black Bean, Spinach and Feta Empanadas Makes 18 empanadas 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 small white onion, coarsely chopped 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 1 garlic clove, minced ½ tsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice ¹∕³ cup crumbled feta 2 sheets puff pastry* 1 egg white • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. • Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute. When the onion begins to turn translucent, add the spinach. Saute until the spinach is wilted and the onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 more minutes. • Add the garlic and coriander. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper. • In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the onion mixture, black beans and lime juice. Pulse until the beans are chopped but not a paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the feta. Season to taste. • Cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 even squares. Place 2 heaping teaspoons of the black bean-feta mixture in the center of each square. Fold the squares in half diagonally, stretching the pastry to cover the beans, making a triangle. Use your fingertips or the tines of a fork to seal the pastry edges. • Place the empanadas on non-greased baking sheets. Mix the egg white with 1 tablespoon of cold water, and brush the empanada tops with the egg wash. • Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with salsa and sour cream. * For more on making puff pastry at home, visit the recipes section of saucemagazine.com. May 2012

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home cooking one ingredient, 6 ways: Strawberries

Red Berry Redux BY Kylah Brown, ligaya figueras and Stacy Schultz Photo by Kristi Schiffman

elted into jams. Chopped into sundaes. Sliced into salads. Marinated in sweet liqueur. These days, strawberries’ resume goes far beyond the pie plate.

1. Salad In a large salad bowl, combine 2 cups thinly sliced strawberries, half of a thinly sliced cantaloupe, 2 thinly sliced avocados, 4 cups baby arugula and 6 ounces feta cheese. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons aged sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and a pinch kosher salt. Whisk to combine and then drizzle over the salad. Toss to coat and serve. 2. Strawberry-jalapeño jam Place 1½ cups crushed strawberries, ¾ cup finely chopped jalapeños (stems and seeds removed), 1½ cups sugar, juice and zest of 1 lemon, and 2 tablespoons liquid fruit pectin in a non-corrosive pot and bring to a boil. After 2 minutes of boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Store in a sanitized glass jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. 3. Marinated To make this adults-only dessert, pour ½ cup Grand Marnier over 3 cups sliced strawberries in a shallow casserole dish. Refrigerate for 5 hours. Remove strawberries, reserving marinade, and divide strawberries evenly among 4 dessert bowls. In a cocktail shaker, combine ¾ cup heavy whipping cream and reserved marinade. Shake hard and pour atop strawberries. 4. Shortcake in a jar Whip ½ cup sugar and 8 ounces heavy whipping cream until stiff and set aside. In each of 6 halfpint glass jars, crumble a store-bought mini shortcake, and gently press to the shape of the jar so it takes up the bottom

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third of the jar. Top with a hefty dollop of fresh whipped cream and evenly spread atop the cake. Each jar should be roughly ²∕³ full. Fill remaining third of each jar with chopped strawberries. 5. Sweet and salty sundae Place 2 heaping scoops vanilla ice cream in a small bowl. Sprinkle 3 coarsely chopped strawberries on top. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce and ¼ teaspoon thick, syrupy, high-quality balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle atop 1 tablespoon shelled, salted pistachios. 6. Pop tarts If making your own jam, place 1 pound coarsely chopped strawberries in a non-corrosive pot with 6 ounces sugar. Toss to coat and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and toss with 6 more ounces sugar until absorbed. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil slowly. Cook until thick and gel-like, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a sterilized glass jar and cool completely before capping. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out prepared pie dough into a roughly 9-by12-inch rectangle of 1∕8 -inch thickness. (If using homemade dough, make sure it’s been refrigerated for at least 2 hours.) Using a knife or pastry wheel, cut out 12 equal rectangles. Whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon cold water together in a small bowl. Place half the rectangles on a prepared baking sheet. Place 1 heaping teaspoon strawberry jam in center of each rectangle. Brush the edges with egg wash. Carefully place a second rectangle on top of each rectangle, pressing firmly to seal. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges and to poke a few holes atop each pop tart. Sprinkle with sugar and bake in 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.

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We’re suckers for a hot dog. But a hot dog wrapped in a pancake? Well now you’re just killing us. The Frank Blinchiki on Handlebar’s new Russian-inspired menu contains all the big flavors of a Chicago-style dog wrapped securely inside a teensy little package. A Russian pancake in lieu of a bun conveniently holds together the meat and all its fixin’s so you can eat your blinchiki with one hand and take a swig of beer with the other. – Meera Nagarajan

Frank Blinchiki Courtesy of Handlebar’s Trevor “Flynt” McCoy 10 SERVINGS

There’s a saying about the difficulty of cooking blinis in Russia – “Pervyi blin komom,” which means: The first blini’s a lump. It takes time to get the technique down, but with practice, almost anyone can achieve the perfect pancake.

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• First, make the blini (Russian pancake) batter: Combine the beer, flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, egg, milk and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer and blend until smooth. • Heat a 10-inch Teflon skillet to about 250 degrees. Once hot, coat lightly with oil. • Slowly pour ¼ cup of the batter into the hot skillet as you carefully roll the skillet around to make a thin, uniform pancake. Cook for about 45 seconds or until the batter has set. • Carefully pull the edges of the pancake up using a spatula, and use your hands to peel the pancake off the skillet and onto its other side. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until the other side is golden. • Transfer the pancake to a plate. • Repeat with the remaining blini batter. • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. • Now, assemble the blinchikis: Top each blini with 1 hot dog, 1 pickle slice, 1 tomato slice, 2 red onion slices, half of a romaine lettuce leaf, a drizzle of mustard and a dash of celery salt. • Fold either side of the blini into the middle and then carefully roll the blini up, so that all sides are tucked in and sealed. • Repeat with the remaining blinis. • Working in batches, place the rolled blinis in a pan and bake for about 8 minutes, or until the pancakes are crisp.

May 2012

Photo by jonathan gayman

½ cup draft beer (such as Six Row’s Vanilla Porter) ½ cup flour ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 egg 1 Tbsp. milk ½ Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus additional for cooking 10 hot dogs, fully cooked (such as Nathan’s allbeef franks) 10 thin slices dill pickle 10 slices tomato 20 slices red onion 5 romaine lettuce leaves, halved Yellow mustard Celery salt

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my last meal pondering the age-old question of how to culminate a great life with one heavenly spread interviews by ligaya figueras photos by greg rannells and carmen troesser

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Natasha Bahrami Owner, Cafe Natasha

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Natasha Bahrami Owner, Cafe Natasha

It would be a simple wonderland of garlic: a

bowl of garlic-infused

bok choy and

noodles, mashed potatoes with roasted garlic cloves, spring rolls with fresh mint and peanut

sauce, and the ripest persimmons. But I absolutely couldn’t leave this world without a last taste of my father’s lamb chops. The

marinade is addictive. It’s the only meat I ever craved in the 12 years I was a vegetarian. 38 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

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Christy Augustin Chef-owner, Pint Size Bakery

Grilled Shrimp, Fried Green Tomato & Remoulade Po’Boy from Mahony’s. They also have some seriously sick Dirty Fries (french fries with gravy) that are great. Followed by a Nectar Snowball topped with condensed milk from Hansen’s Sno-Bliz. Both [are] in my favorite place on earth, my old neighborhood: uptown New Orleans. May 2012

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Steven Caravelli

Executive chef, Pi Sunday “zugu” at Grandma’s. My family is Italian and every Sunday when I was a kid, we’d eat pasta with zugu. My grandma had an interesting dialect so instead of saying “sugo,” which means “sauce” in Italian, she pronounced it “zugu.” It was pasta sauce with a pork neck bone in it and a nice Italian meal of spaghetti and meatballs and a pork ragù sauce.

It’s nothing fancy.

May 2012

Vince Bommarito Jr. Executive chef, Tony’s

My mom’s chicken and dumplings. They are awesome. Chicken and dumplings and a bottle of Champagne, and I’d be happy as hell – though hopefully I wouldn’t be going there. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 41

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Ben Poremba Co-owner, Salume Beddu

A breakfast consisting of gravlax from Russ & Daughters in New York; poached eggs; good, strong coffee; freshly squeezed orange juice; and toast and good butter.

Add Champagne. May 2012

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GOING GREEN The appeal of unripe fruit by ligaya figueras | Photos by greg rannells

nripe fruit doesn’t drip with sweet juices like its lush, more mature counterpart. It hardly proffers a floral bouquet to make your taste buds water. Its colorless flesh tastes bland, bitter, even sour, and feels hard as a rock instead of soft and supple. Ah, but don’t be so quick to dismiss it. The unique flavor and firm texture of unripe fruit – positing it more like a vegetable than a fruit – can add an entirely new dimension to dishes. Raw, pickled, cooked or fried, unripe fruit can breathe new life into salads, side dishes, entrees, even desserts. At these area restaurants, chefs are using acerbic green fruit as the yin that balances the yang, offering that perfect interplay between sour and sweet, tender and crunchy, pale and prismadic.

Mango achar

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ceviche with plantain chips Ceviche of lightly smoked, Missouri farm-raised trout and shrimp, brine of lime juice, lime zest, salt and red pepper flakes, cucumber, spring onions, served with plantain chips

Do it at home: At Local Harvest Café, plantain chips are the ideal accompaniment to a Midwestern-style ceviche. “It’s kind of like chips and salsa,” said executive chef Clara Moore. “The sweetness of the plantain chip works with the briny, saltiness of ceviche. Ceviche is soft in texture and the plantain chip is the perfect complement – crispy and crunchy.” Fried or baked chips are a popular use for hard, green plantains, yet the starchy texture and bland flesh of an unripe plantain make it an ideal substitute for potato dishes. Boil them in chunks, then add to spicy soups or stews. For a fruit version of a baked potato, bake an unripe plantain with the peel on, then serve as a side for roasted meats. For an easy dessert, bake the fruit until the peel can be split open, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, add a pat of butter and bake until caramelized. Local Harvest Café, 3137 Morgan Ford Road, St. Louis, 314.772.8815, localharvestcafe.com

Do it at home: In fine Nepalese fashion, the green mango at Everest Café is fermented with spices before making its appearance in a sour, bitter, salty and spicy-hot relish called achar. Besides May 2012starring in relishes that make great

plate mates for dal and tarkari (vegetables fried in ghee then simmered in their own juices), green mango lends tart, taste bud-awakening flavor and crunchy texture to Indian chutneys and curries. For a bright summer salad, toss

Everest Café & Bar, 4145 Manchester Ave., St. shredded green mango with bean sprouts Louis, 314.531.4800 and 711 Olive St., St. Louis, and fresh basil and cilantro in a tangy dressing 314.621.8533, everestcafeandbar.com of Thai flavors – fish sauce, lime juice, Thai chiles, garlic and sugar. Garnish with chopped peanuts and toasted coconut flakes. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

green-papaya salad Shredded fresh green papaya, tomatoes, ground peanuts, garlic, fresh red chile peppers, fish sauce

Do it at home: Green papaya is the goto fruit for this salad not just thanks to its crunchy texture but because of the blank slate it presents to the culinary artist. “The green one has no flavor, so we can add flavors into it,” said King and I GM Sasi White of the main component for this traditional Thai salad. “Garlic, heat from the chile, tangy sauce — it’s perfect.” Shred unripe papaya for use in slaws or cook it as a vegetable in curries and stews. To make a unique side dish for shrimp or white meat, poach sliced green papaya in a simple syrup scented with lime juice and cardamom pods. Drain, purée, then add cream, salt and pepper, and simmer on the stove until smooth, thick and buttery. When marinating meat, add a piece of fresh green papaya; the fruit contains an enzyme called papain that helps make tough cuts tender and juicy. King and I, 3157 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.771.1777, thaispicy.com

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Strawberry Shortcake Green and red strawberries, black sesame cake, balsamic, dill, buttermilk sorbet

Do it at home: How to make unripe strawberries soft and palatable? Pickle them. “The green ones are going to be firm but the pickle kind of breaks it down,” explained Sidney Street Cafe pastry chef Bob Zugmaier. Follow Zugmaier’s lead and pickle the tart, unripe berries in a brine of red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, cinnamon and star anise. Other spice options for pickling pale strawberries include: cloves, coriander, peppercorns, fresh ginger and orange rind. Too pressed for time to pickle? Serve a simple salad of sliced ripe and unripe strawberries on a bed of arugula, lightly tossed with olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper. As Zugmaier noted of his dish, your green and red creation will demonstrate “the progress of the strawberries.” For dessert, spike a bowl of mixed green and red berries with a splash of crème de cassis. When making a soft-set strawberry jam, including a few unripened strawberries will eliminate the need for commercial pectin. Sidney Street Cafe, 2000 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314.771.5777, sidneystreetcafe.com

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Behold the beignet, the doughnut’s Southern cousin. These holeless fritters, made world-famous by Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, have pride of place a bit further up the Mississippi River, too, on menus at a passel of area eateries. At breakfast, dessert or – let’s face it – any old time, these locally perfected beignets bring a sugary smile. – Byron Kerman

Café Ventana

2 Girls 4 Wheels

Lucas Park Grille

3919 W. Pine Blvd., St. Louis, 314.531.7500, cafeventana.com

618.363.8154, 2girls4wheels.com

1234 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.7770, lucasparkgrille.com

Photos by Greg Rannells

People come from near and far for Café Ventana’s authentic, New Orleans-style beignet: square, hollow and showered in a blizzard of powdered sugar. The cafe also offers them in chocolate-filled and Mexican (cinnamonand honey-drizzled) variations, but the original classic endures. Pair it with a cappuccino or a rich, house-made hot chocolate to complete the sugary sweet experience.

The grinning gals of the 2 Girls 4 Wheels food truck have a knack for comfort food, and their take on the beignet is a winner. Their serving of four – made with a denser, less sugary dough than the norm – includes two plain and two filled with blackberry jelly. The latter are particularly delish and all are coated in the requisite powdered sugar, transformed by the heat of the doughnut (and your fingers) into a truly messy delight. Consider ordering coffee to go with your beignets – these sweets and quality java have a symbiotic relationship.

Available until the kitchen closes each evening, Lucas Park’s beignets are the perfect late-night nibble after a great evening out. They boast an eggy interior reminiscent of French toast, with a convoluted, flavorgrabbing texture on the fried exterior. Eaten with the caramel-sauce drizzle and molten white-chocolate dip, they’re utterly divine.

ONLINE EXTRA| Visit the Extra Sauce section of saucemagazine.com to see this month’s Short List Runner-Up.

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stuff to do:

this month by Byron Kerman

Pigs & Pints May 6 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., The Civil Life Brewing Co. thecivillifebrewing company.com Pigs & Pints is nominally a celebration of roasting pigs and pouring beers, but it has evolved into a party for the locavores and those who feed them. A festival hosted by The Civil Life Brewing Co., Pigs & Pints will include Kluesner Farm’s Red Wattle pigs prepared by The Block restaurant, as well as coffee from Sump Coffee and treats from Local Harvest Café, Baileys’ Range, Companion, the newly opened Pint Size Bakery and YellowTree Farm. Look for the release of Civil Life American Pale Ale, speakers, music for kids and grown-ups alike, and a book signing for Missouri Harvest, a new guide to local small farms. Admission includes all the food, beer and fun you could want. Tickets are available at Civil Life, The Block and Sump Coffee.

Sweeney Todd – The Secret’s in the Seasoning May 7 – 7:30 p.m., Ethical Society of St. Louis · 314.961.0644 experienceopera.org It’s not often that we here at Sauce expound on the finer points of cannibalism. Admittedly, it’s one of those culinary specialties we may have overlooked. The Opera Theatre of St. Louis, in conjunction with this month’s performances of Sweeney Todd, has no such druthers. In fact, it’s bringing in a baker to offer her view of the meat pies at the center of the Stephen Sondheim musical. Linda Smith of Carondelet Bakery will hold forth on baking history from the Victorian age to the present at Sweeney Todd – The Secret’s in

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the Seasoning, a spotlight on opera discussion sponsored by OTSL. Smith is joined by Tony Award-winning singer and actress Karen Ziemba, who portrays Mrs. Lovett and will sing a few bars for the assembled. OTSL music director Stephen Lord and Sweeney director Ron Daniels will speak as well.

Food Truck Friday May 11 – 5 to 8 p.m., Tower Grove Park 314.772.8004 saucemagazine.com/ foodtruckfriday.php The magic numbers are 19 and six. Nineteen is the number of food trucks (not including the Schlafly beer booth) that will line up in the southwest corner of Tower Grove Park for Food Truck Friday, which returns this month for its second season. Six is the number of Food Truck Fridays, which will occur on the second Friday of the month from May to October this year. The dictum for Food Truck Friday: Arrive early and bring something to entertain you as you wait in line – a spouse, a child, a dog, a chinchilla on a leash, a pop-up book, a yo-yo, a macramé project, a crossword puzzle, a journal, a Hacky Sack, a Hula-Hoop, or, if you prefer, a friend. And now, because you are surely curious, behold – a list of those 19 trucks: Cha Cha Chow, Chop Shop, Falafelwich Wagon, Feed Me, Go! Gyro! Go!, Guerrilla Street Food, Holy Crepe, Hot Aztec, Le Food Truck, Lulu’s Local Eatery, Papa Tom’s Gateway Dog House, Sarah’s Cake Stop, Seoul Taco, Shell’s Coastal Cuisine, Speedway Eatery, Sausage Syndicate, The Sweet Divine, 2 Girls 4 Wheels and Zia’s Italian Food Truck.

Trailnet Bike Month Events See below for dates, times and locations 314.436.1324 trailnet.org May is a great month to be a bicyclist. Trailnet, a group continually exhorting us to make our commute green by doing it on a bicycle, is sponsoring a series of events that combine complex carbs and carb-burning exercise. On May 6 starting at 4 p.m., Dinner and Bikes at the William A. Kerr Foundation will feature vegan chef Joshua Ploeg, publisher/filmmaker Joe Biel and writer/blogger Elly Blue stopping in The Lou on their tour to promote pedalpowered transport. They’ll supervise a happy hour, a vegan dinner, a talk and a screening of short films. Registering online, where $12 will get you dinner and one drink ticket with more booze available for purchase, is highly encouraged. On May 18 from 7 to 9 a.m., and on the third Friday of every month, there will be a Breakfast for Bikers at the new downtown bicycle station, featuring free scones, regular and iced coffee, and bananas donated by Park Avenue Coffee to bike commuters. May 18 is also National Bike to Work Day, for which bike commuters will receive free bagels, cream cheese and coffee donated by Companion from 6:30 to 9 a.m. at Big Shark Bicycle Co., the Missouri History Museum, the Missouri Botanical Garden and Temple Emanuel.

Cinco de Mayo on Cherokee Street May 5 – 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Cherokee Street at Iowa Avenue 314.632.6498 cincodemayostl.com Cinco de Mayo takes on an added dimension of high weirdness when

the People’s Joy Parade makes its way through the Cherokee Street neighborhood. The food, however, is mostly what you’d expect from the venerable Mexican restaurants in the area that will vend on the street for the event. Look for booths by El Torito Supermarket, Don Carlos Restaurant, Garduño’s Mexican Food, Siete Luminarias, Taqueria El Bronco and La Vallesana, all offering burritos, tacos, quesadillas, sopaipillas and more. Festival food will be sold, too, including kettle corn, ice cream and the locally produced Madrina’s Horchata. The parade, a freewheeling performance-art extravaganza, has been known to offer paper floats, giant puppets, art cars, bike brigades, moving installation artists, Elvis impersonators, drag queens, marching bands and Mexican wrestlers.

Mayfest May 18 to 20 – various times, Ballpark Village mayfeststl.com Ballpark Village will finally be used for something when a new festival, Mayfest, bows this month. The food fun includes a Louisiana-style crawfish and shrimp boil; concessions like funnel cakes, smoked turkey legs, brats, kabobs and freshly squeezed lemonade; a cocktail station with mojitos, margaritas, sangria and beer; and Food Truck Alley, presented by Sauce Magazine. Live music includes an Electric Lot Party with noted DJs on Friday, classic rock acts War and Foghat on Saturday, and an array of rock tribute acts on Sunday. Five bucks gets you entry to the fest all weekend long. Denotes a Sauce sponsored event. May 2012

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