October 2011

a decade of distinction Discovering the unexpected since 2001

Chocolate sweet burger with house-made doughnut bun from Burger Bar

b a c o n’s jam s e s sio n · six d e gre e s of bill c ard we ll · du c k f a t g e t s it s d a y s t. l o u i s ’ i n d e p e n d e n t c u l i n a r y a u t h o r i t y

October 2011

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October 2011

October 2011

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O c t o b e r 2 011 • VO LUM E 11, Issue 10 PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR STAFF WRITER PRODUCTION DESIGNER SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR contributing editor Fact checkers PROOFREADER ONLINE EDITOR EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

OFFICE MANAGER ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES ACCOUNT MANAGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Allyson Mace Stacy Schultz Meera Nagarajan Ligaya Figueras Rebekah Wessels Stacy Schultz Beth Styles Matt Berkley, Beth Styles Emily Lowery Stacy Schultz Byron Kerman Jonathan Gayman, Ashley Gieseking, David Kovaluk, Matt Marcinkowski, Laura Miller, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser Sharon Arnot Shana Cook Erin Anderson, Erin Keplinger, Allyson Mace, Brenda Pollom, Angie Rosenberg Jill George Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, Ligaya Figueras, Kellie Hynes, Byron Kerman, Cory King, Diana Losciale, Anne Marie Lodholz, Dan Lodholz, Meera Nagarajan, Liz O’Connor, Shannon Parker, Greg Rannells, Michael Renner, Dee Ryan, Stacy Schultz, Beth Styles

GET SAUCE DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME SAUCE MAGAZINE subscriptions are available for home delivery NAME_ _________________________________________________________ STREET ADDRESS_________________________________________________ CITY_ ______________________________ STATE _ _____ ZIP______________

SEND A $24 CHECK TO: SAUCE MAGAZINE – SUBSCRIPTIONS for a 12-month subscription 1820 Chouteau

St. Louis, MO 63103

To place advertisements in Sauce Magazine contact the advertising department at 314.772.8004 or sales@saucemagazine.com.

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.

To carry Sauce Magazine at your store, restaurant, bar or place of business Contact Allyson Mace at 314.772.8004 or amace@saucemagazine.com.

Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©20012011 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 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

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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.

October 2011

contents October 2011

17

20

9 À La Carte

Reviews 17 new and notable: Home Wine Kitchen Home Wine Kitchen Feels Like Home

by Michael Renner

20 Time tested: Tony’s Cusine, Service and Charm from the Old World

by Liz O’Connor

23 Dine on a dime: My Just Desserts Just Like a Trip to Grandma’s

by Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz

40

25 Nightlife: 360 A Glimpse of a Future Long Overdue

by Matt Berkley

25

Home cooking 29 What in the world: Chile Threads

by Ligaya Figueras

cover details

30 Vegetize it: Beef Stroganoff

by Beth Styles

32 One ingredient 8 ways: Pumpkin So Much More Than Pie

by Kellie Hynes

35 Cook’s books: Bitters

by Shannon Parker

Stuff to do 54 Stuff to do: Food

by Byron Kerman

59 Stuff to do: Art

by Byron Kerman

features 39 Short List Tiramisu

By D ee Ryan

40 Chewing the fat Duck fat is in, and whether it’s thanks to the nose-totail regime or to its redeeming health qualities, who knows? But when it tastes this good, who really cares?

By D ee Ryan

46 Dipped, Dunked & Dusted Doughnuts get the white coat treatment

62 The New Classics Grace Manor’s Breakfast Risotto

By Meera Nagarajan = recipe on this page

October 2011

By Stacy Schult z

50 six degrees of Bill Cardwell Co mpi led by Li gaya Fi gu er as

Chocolate sweet burger with house-made doughnut bun from Burger Bar, for more on doughnuts turn to page 46.

Photo by Carmen Troesser 10 TASTY YEARS: p. 9 bacon’s jam session: p. 10 six degrees of bill cardwell: p. 50 duck fat gets its day: p. 40

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 5

day. Should we continue? We simply couldn’t predict or imagine how the future of the publication would unfold in such precarious times. But, even in the face of overwhelming unpredictability, an entrepreneurial spirit can be difficult to suppress – and passion is nearly impossible to extinguish. And so, we forged ahead with the gift of a new perspective and a goal to make a positive impact on our community.

I

t was a humble beginning: 12,000 copies. 200 locations. 4 women. 1 tank of gas.

I remember loading bundles of the first issue of Sauce into my SUV and giving the gas gauge a pep talk as it neared “empty” with 25 distribution points still to go. We were armed with little more than a tattered spreadsheet covered in coffee-cup rings, an operating budget comprised of coins collected from couch cushions and admiration for the restaurant community that I had been a part of for the previous 15 years. I recall joking with Shana Cook, the first Sauce staffer and our current advertising manager, about how we were taking the phrase “good things come in small packages” literally as we thumbed through the 16-page inaugural issue of Sauce Magazine.

In some ways, October 2001 was a very inopportune time to launch a new enterprise, especially a culinary magazine. True, we had been preparing at a frenzied pace for months to develop and launch the print companion to our online restaurant guide. But, as our staff huddled in my living room in the South City apartment that served as our makeshift headquarters, we watched the television in disbelief as the scene in New York developed on that September

While shifts in public perception and a virtual freeze in spending shortly thereafter could have derailed our effort, the St. Louis community responded with open arms (and hungry stomachs). In the last decade, Sauce has exceeded our wildest expectations. We’ve evolved from 12,000 issues at 200 locations to 80,000-plus issues delivered to more than 1,000 locations. Our team has grown from 4 to 45 staff and monthly contributors. And we have shined the spotlight on the people and places that make our culinary community so fantastic.

Two recessions later, amid cultural shifts and myriad changes in the media and publishing industries, we are grateful for our existence and longevity. And, we are considerably stronger for the experiences that comprise the early Sauce history. In the pages of this anniversary issue, we take a look back at where we started and highlight the many milestones that have brought us to where we are today.

I am proud of Sauce’s heritage and the manner in which the magazine has evolved over the years. Our success, however, would be impossible without you, our readers and supporters, who have helped shape the direction of this magazine considerably over the last 10 years. On behalf of Sauce’s editors, writers, designers, photographers, marketers and partners, each of whom has added their own immutable signature to this publication, I thank you for your loyalty, interest and support.

Cheers to one seriously delicious decade (and many more).

Allyson Mace Publisher and Founder

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October 2011

COMMEMORATE| Help us celebrate 10 years of Sauce all month long on SauceMagazine.com. From the covers we can’t believe to the stories we’ll never forget to the recipes we come back to year after year, head to the Slideshows section of SauceMagazine.com to see just how far we have come over the last decade. For a look back at the history of Sauce, see the timeline (p. 9) and then head to SauceMagazine.com to check out Sauce’s role in the local culinary scene in the short film, Independent Risk Takers and Page Makers.

photo by matt marcincowski

VIDEO| Gone are the days when bacon was just the loyal companion to your morning eggs. In this month’s Trendwatch (p. 10), you’ll read how a few local chefs are turning everyone’s favorite breakfast meat into a sweet and savory condiment for burgers, bread and everything in between. Want to make bacon jam at home? Head to the Videos section of SauceMagazine. com to learn how to prepare Tim Grandinetti’s version of what he called “the best candied bacon you’ve ever had.” Then, don’t forget to print out the recipe – that swiney sensation isn’t going to make itself!

INTERVIEWS| These days, it seems like everyone and their beer-loving brethren is opening a craft brewery. But when your name is Lemp – and you’re not one of those Lemps – well, the questions just keep on coming. So when you’ve finished reading part 1 of Byron Kerman’s 5 Questions (p. 54) interview with Kevin Lemp (pictured), co-owner of the new 4 Hands Brewing Co., head over to the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com for the rest of this intriguing interview – including the hardhitting questions like, “Have you ever skateboarded on the brewery’s floor?”

Check out our Facebook page for behind-the-scenes pics from this month at Sauce.

October 2011

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October 2011

EAT THIS

Pork belly is all the rage these days, and as soon as you taste the BRAISED PORK BELLY BUNS at HIRO, you’ll know why.

Thick slabs of unctuous, tender meat and pickled veggies get doused in sweet plum sauce and swaddled by a steamed bun that’s soft and perfectly springy. Whether you nibble these bun-wrapped beauties alone or with salty-spicy lotus root chips, this authentic Asian fare will transport you to the streets of Japan – and, we promise, you won’t wanna leave.

Photo by greg rannells

609 Eastgate Ave. • St. Louis • 314.721.9168

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Tasty Years A look back at Sauce’s history

October 2011

{October 2001} Milestone: First Sauce Magazine hit newsstands; 12,000 magazines printed and distributed at 200 locations around STL

{October 2001}

{February 2002}

Still Around: First Gourmet Guru restaurant review (later changed to New and Notable) and first St. Louis Scene nightlife review (later changed to Nightlife) published

What were we thinking?

Foods to Put You in the Mood

Foods to Put You in the Mood – Gail Furman Valentine’s Day is a natural time for sensual thought and action. Long before Viagra hit the headlines, people hit the market. Various foods have been touted as possessing aphrodisiac qualities since the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, rose from an oyster shell.

Although consuming sparrows, tiger genitalia, and snake’s blood may have fallen out of fashion; there are still many widely-held beliefs about the amorous properties of various foods. Scientifically, there is little evidence to support these claims; however, it is known that spicy foods and garlic increase blood flow, and foods such as oysters are high in zinc and in protein for that extra burst of energy. Most nuts contain zinc, which aids male fertility and erectile function, and may be the reason that pine nuts were once a popular ingredient in love potions. (However, if you or your partner are experiencing serious sexual difficulties, please consult a doctor. Don’t rely on food!)

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 9 It’s too simplistic to think that any one type of food will do the trick. Consider instead a symphony, a choir, a harmony of the senses. If it’s amore you are after, don’t concentrate on a single kind of food, or even one type of sensation. A sensual, seductive menu should titillate all senses, and leave each participant satiated--yet at the same time, longing for more.

For visual effect, remember the class of gastronomical aphrodisiacs that resemble, um, an anatomy textbook. Or your wildest imagination. Think banana, asparagus, carrot, and of course, the oyster. Or artfully prepared hearts of palm, in a bed of pickled garlic and the

Tap Into Wine

Last year, Nick Floulis, a St. Louis native and owner of Pushback Winery in Napa, Calif., began putting his Sauvignon Blanc in kegs. Wine on tap was a “green” trend that had been burgeoning on the East Coast thanks to its low shipping cost and waste elimination.

He started with 100 kegs; he sold them all in the first day.

This runaway success gave Floulis and Tom Halaska, general manager of Sasha’s On Shaw and a longtime friend of Floulis, an idea: bring keg wine to St. Louis.

But it’s not that easy. First, there’s the question of whether sitting around changes the character of the wine. “That’s part of the reason to have it in the keg,” explained Halaska.

“It literally goes from tank to keg, sitting in stainless steel the same way it was sitting in those tanks. There’s

no oxidation and no UV penetration; this is wine in its purest form.” An ongoing concern for Nick Guzman, who plans to sell keg wine at his salad and wrap eatery, Green Bean, when it opens this month, is the quantity.

With each keg holding about 27 bottles of wine, he must sell it before the keg’s threemonth lifespan runs out.

Finally, there’s the task of refuting drinkers’ preconceived notions about wine not from a bottle.

“That’s the hardest thing to relay to the consumer,” explained Halaska. “This isn’t a joke; it’s not some crappy wine that we are paying a penny on the ounce [for]. This is premium wine.”

Look for Floulis’ 2010 Aiden Chardonnay on tap as early as this month at Sasha’s On Shaw and at Green Bean in the Central West End. – Stacy Schultz

{October 2002} Milestone: Distribution reached 25,000

Sauce held first Harvest Festival at Shaw Nature Reserve

{August 2002}

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own riff on the Southern condiment to serve at Bon Appétit’s Vegas Uncork’d event in early May. The result – a complex mix of salty and sweet – was a runaway success. Upon returning to Overlook, Grandinetti paired what he called “the best candied bacon you’ve ever had” with his grilled Kobe flank steak, serving it warm over the thinly sliced meat.

Bacon’s Jam Session

Remember when bacon was just the loyal companion to your morning eggs? Nowadays, you’re likely to find those chewy bits smeared into ice cream, studding chocolate chip cookies, rendered into salad dressings – even infused into vodka. So it was only a matter of time until this most savored cut of swine found its way into chefs’ favorite DIY condiment.

Lending flavors both savory and sweet, bacon jam is adding a layer of meaty complexity to dishes all over town.

Overlook Farm’s Tim Grandinetti first discovered bacon jam when he saw Atlanta’s Kevin Gillespie (the self-deemed “King of Pork”) use a candied version on season six of Top Chef. Soon, Grandinetti was putting his

Sauce’s first celebrity interview appeared in print with Lynne Rosetto Kasper

{January 2003}

what’s hot right now

What were we thinking? Sauce was always published with a Table of Contents, yet it took 3 years for page numbers to print on every page.

{April 2003}

At The Tavern Kitchen & Bar in Valley Park, chef Justin Haifley uses a jam made of bacon, onions and spices on his spectacular Tavern Burger – a unique blend of chuck roll, brisket and sirloin. Topped with a slice of sharp Irish Cheddar, the savory jam pushes this toorich-to-be-true burger into truly extraordinary territory. Over at The Block in Webster Groves, chef-owner Marc Del Pietro cooks salty chunks of bacon with molasses and brown sugar until it thickens and then finishes it with robust coffee. He spreads the end product on thick slices of grilled bread.

ONLINE EXTRA: Want to discover the sweeter side of bacon for yourself? Head over to the Videos section of SauceMagazine.com to learn how to make Tim Grandinetti’s bacon jam – and get the recipe.

{July 2003} Milestone: Distribution reached 40,000

Readers’ Choice: First Readers’ Choice Poll; Best Overall Restaurant: King Louie’s

October 2011

bacon jam photo by laura miller

trend watch

[beer] As the crisp chill falls back into the breeze this month, Certified Cicerone and Perennial Artisan Ales’ brewer Cory King suggested these warming brews for welcoming the new season.

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale A touch drier than last year, this amazing pumpkin ale boasts loads of fall flavors. Tastes like puréed pumpkin pie will have you craving cooler temperatures in no time. Schnucks, various locations, schnucks.com

Weihenstephaner Festbier A lighter Oktoberfest beer, this approachable ale has subtle essences of biscuit-y crackers, sweet malt and balanced noble hop bitterness.

Lukas Liquor, 15921 Manchester Road, Ellisville, 636.227.4543, lukasliquorstl.com

Perennial Fresh Hop Red Saison ‘Tis the hop harvest season! By taking the classic saison yeast used for Hommel Bier and melding it with an American red ale, this saison – with it’s massive Sorachi Ace wet hop addition – boasts flavors of bread and malty caramel backed by a fruity, spicy yeast character and sweet lemongrass notes. Perennial Artisan Ales, 8125 Michigan Ave., St. Louis, 314.631.74300, perennialbeer.com

{February 2004}

What were we thinking?

Cover photo, food styling story

October 2011

Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Sidney Street Cafe

{august 2004} Milestone: Distribution reached 50,000

{july 2004} saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 11

Slimy greens? No, thanks. Lightly salted, leafy greens cooked to crispy perfection? Yes, please! For this scrumptious snack, rinse a bunch of kale, remove the stems and tear the leaves into 3-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. When crisp and brown in spots, remove these addictive munchies from the oven.

– Ligaya Figueras

Katz Chef’s Pick Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, available at Extra Virgin, An Olive Ovation

Maude’s Market 4219 Virginia Ave., St. Louis, 314.353.4219

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{october 2004}

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SERVING ST. LOUIS SINCE 1999 I DINE, DRINK & LIVE WELL! I

SpE CI a L IS S UE

Table of Contents

Recognized: Sauce received 2004 AgriMissouri Media Excellence Award for second year in a row

A Perfect Union

Guide to Giving, St. Louis Style

You Don’t Have To, But You Should

Independent Streak

Make Sparks Fly

What About Mom and Dad?

Toys They’ll Treasure

Foodie Bookworm

To You, With Love

Still around: {March 2005} First Guide to Milestone: Sauce Giving published, headquarters moved to later changed to 1820 Chouteau Ave. Holiday Guide

Let the Elves Cook

Resource List

www.saucemagazine.com

{December 2004}

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Still around: First Party Planning Guide published, later changed to Guide to Entertaining

H  of S     AD

Extra Virgin, An Olive Ovation 143 Ritz Carlton Drive, St. Louis, 314.727.6464

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 W  {may 2005} &  were we Food TeD What The Daily Sauce E thinking? Story: No More Mush: Nursing emails launched  cuisine satisfies  TeD    home   {april 2005}  food-savvy seniors L Te

October 2011

photo by ashley gieseking

Kale from Yellow Dog Farms, available at Maude’s Market

[wine]

A winning lineup of fall beers

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.

Say goodbye to the summer heat and hello to the colors of fall – and the copious selection of suds that accompany them. With this list of ice cold brews, you’ll spend less time contemplating your order and more time damning football refs for bad calls or hitting the fall festival circuit – with beer in hand, of course.

FOR THE TAILGATER

FOR THE PUMPKINLOVER

Bob’s 47 Oktoberfest, Boulevard Brewing Co. Oktoberfest types of medium-bodied, dark amber beer are considered the “ultimate tailgating beer,”

by Jon Whitaker, manager at iTap in Chesterfield, especially as temperatures dip to nippy during morning pre-game partying. “Beers like Bob’s 47,” he said, “have a little more body to them, a little more alcohol to warm you up, and a nice biscuit-y, malt profile that goes really well with football food like hotdogs and brats.” Look for it in the bottle and on draft around town.

Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Southern Tier Pumking Brewing Co. With pumpkin beers out in full force, now’s the time to quaff on squash. This imperial pumpkin beer makes the list of top fall beers for Scott Snyder, Certified Cicerone. “[It’s] so rich and flavorful that each chewy sip is like drinking a freshly baked pumpkin bar, with a throat-warming bunch of alcohol to go with it,” he gushed. Find this spicy seasonal ale on tap and as a 22-ounce bomber.

FOR THE HOP HEAD Founder’s Harvest Ale, Founders Brewing Co. For many a beer-lover, autumn means hop harvest and the arrival of hoppy, aromatic ales. “A lot of breweries are doing ‘fresh hop,’ ‘wet hop’ or ‘harvest ales’ in the fall,” said Whitaker. Among this category of brews, Whitaker and Snyder plan on drinking Founders’ super juicy ale. “It’s a big IPA that’s really floral and has a bunch of fresh citrus and pine on the nose and tongue,” said Whitaker. Look for this orange-and straw-colored brew by the bottle, on tap and – if you get lucky – on cask.

– Ligaya Figueras

Hans Wirsching Silvaner Trocken 2010, Franken, Germany Though Riesling is the famed grape of Germany, in the Franconia region, Silvaner dominates. This lovely, crisp and mineral-driven dry white seems to be the perfect antidote to boring ol’ chardonnay. At about $16, virtually all seafood would be memorable with this bottle; think sushi.

Consilience Grenache Blanc 2010, Santa Barbara County, Calif. Not often seen as a varietal, Grenache Blanc has superb body, but remains refreshing. Grab a rotisserie chicken and get to work with this $20 luxury white.

chef’s day off Bill cardwell, chef-owner of cardwell’s at the plaza and BC’s kitchen

pohtos by carmen troesser

Ever since Cardwell’s On the Plaza chef-owner Bill Cardwell opened BC’s Kitchen in Lake St. Louis in 2008, he’s worked seven days a week. “I eat just to survive sometimes,” Cardwell said. So what’s his goto meal after a long day of cooking? A tuna melt. He takes an English muffin, piles on some quality canned tuna, adds a nice cheese (usually Comté or goat) and toasts it until it’s melty and satisfying. For more on Cardwell, check out Six Degrees of Bill Cardwell on page 50.

Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Eleven Eleven Mississippi

{July 2005} October 2011

{september 2005} Still around: First Guide to Wine Country published, later changed to Guide to Drinking

{july 2006}

{may 2006} Sauce On the Street debuted on Channel 4

Milestone: Distribution reached 70,000

Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Eleven Eleven Mississippi

Le petit vin d’Avril, Vin de Table, France This cartoon-labeled, non-vintage blend is actually declassified Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the amazing estate of Clos des Papes. Dominated

by Grenache, this is a $20 ride of flavors and interest that’s utterly connected to its big brother, which is four times the price.

(continued on page 17) What were we thinking? Story: Baby Food Blues: The do’s and don’ts of what and when to feed your bundle of joy

Still around: First Saucy Soirée

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 13

scenes from my life: Robbie Montgomery 1. Montgomery wakes well ahead of her 8:45 a.m., alarm and heads to the West Florissant Sweetie’s to meet with her sister. They compare notes and untangle problems before the restaurants open.

Robbie Montgomery, the former Ikette who cooked her way across the country with an electric skillet as she toured with Ike and Tina Turner, is now taking her iconic Sweetie Pie’s soul food restaurants to the next level. As she prepares to open her third location in Grand Center, her reality show Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s premieres on OWN October 15 to document the entire process. “It’s like a second chance – no, a third chance for me: singer, cook and, now, TV. You know where you’ve been, but you don’t know where you’re going.”

– Interviewed by Diana Losciale, Photographed by Greg Rannells

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2. By 11:30, Montgomery heads for the kitchen – tasting, listening and making sure there’s enough food to go around. Once everyone’s in position, the door opens and Montgomery can be found working the register, serving food, working the line, cooking, cleaning tables – “whatever is necessary.”

3. “Of course I still cook! These are my mom’s and grandmom’s recipes – it’s all the stuff I grew up on.” Her favorite item on the menu? The peach cobbler.

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4. Montgomery fixes herself a plate, but interruptions override eating. “Somebody always needs something or they come up and say ‘so-and-so wants to meet you.’” The reality show was her son, Tim’s, idea. “He thought it would be fun because of all the things that happen at the restaurant.”

5. Time away from the restaurants is spent shopping and at weekly slide dancing lessons.

After getting her hair done at the Galleria, (6) she’s off to the Women’s Closet Exchange – Saks and Nieman Marcus if there’s a sale. “I’m a shopaholic; I’m addicted to shoes, purses and clothes!”

7. “I don’t really sing anymore, but I had a big birthday party with 600 guests, and five of the Ikettes were there. We sang Proud Mary and Wang Dang Doodle.”

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8. Once the doors close and the director stops asking if she can “do that take again,” she drives home, thinking about tomorrow. “What can I do to make the business better, to satisfy my customers? This is fun. The restaurant and my son – that’s my life.”

Sweetie Pie’s 4270 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.371.0304 and 9841 W. Florissant Ave., St. Louis, 314.521.9915

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October 2011

October 2011

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October 2011

reviews

new and notable: Home Wine Kitchen, p. 17 time tested: Tony’s, p. 20 dine on a dime: My Just Desserts, p. 23 nightlife: 360, p. 25

Home Wine Kitchen Feels Like Home

by Michael Renner • photos by Jonathan Gayman

W

ith apologies to Jerry Seinfeld, what’s with all these farmhousethemed restaurants lately? You know, the ones with distressed wood paneling, hardwood floors, chalkboard menus and enough butcher paper to wrap up a pasture of beef. And count on a big wooden farm table somewhere. Only thing missing is the gingham and Auntie Em. While these restaurants can’t be called farm-totable, they often focus on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients as much as possible, changing their menus accordingly. So those meltingly gorgeous beef short ribs I had at Home Wine Kitchen – the latest of these rustic, casual eateries – probably won’t be on the menu when you read this. But it won’t really matter; there will be options available that are just as wellprepared, creative and delicious. One week it could be barramundi, Cornish hen and risotto. Another, it may be lamb meatloaf, wild boar and sole.

Home Wine Kitchen opened in June along the strip of downtown Maplewood that always feels more like Main Street than Manchester Road. The 40-seat space includes three tall tables in the coveted frontwindow section, bar seating and a long wooden Home Wine banquette with seven tables, not close enough Kitchen to graze elbows but comfortably convivial.

7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.802.7676

Husband-and-wife team Cassandra “Cassy” Vires and Josh Renbarger own the place; she cooks, he handles the front. You may recognize Vires from her stint as executive chef at Ernesto’s. Renbarger’s wholesale wine experience plays out in his innovative wine program, in which all wines are $8 per glass or $30 per

Continued on page 20 {January 2008} {March 2007}

Recognized: Sauce received Missouri Wine & Grape Industry Media Excellence Award

Milestone: Sauce Magazine got stapled in trim and went to full color

{October 2006}

{February 2007}

October 2011

What were we thinking?

Story: Pass the Pickles: It’s OK to give into some cravings during pregnancy

Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Eleven Eleven Mississippi

{July 2007}

Milestone: Distribution reached 80,000

{October 2007}

(continued on page 20)

Still around: Sauce redesign revealed: Eat This, Drink This, What In the World ingredient column, Real Deal restaurant review (later changed to Dine on a Dime), New Classics restaurant recipe column, Cook’s Books cookbook review column and Stuff To Do published for first time; front-of-the-book section renamed À La Carte

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 17

review new and notable: Home Wine kitchen ricotta, bacon bits, multicolored grape The classic tomatoes and topped version of chicken with baby spinach.

I also saw bowls of and waffles is steaming mussels straightforward. and plates of bright But take a savory salads pass by, so not rosemary-infused everyone was getting waffle, top it with bruschetta varieties as their first courses. a quarter leg of

chicken confit and substitute tangy maplebalsamic gravy for sweet syrup and … just order it.

Same for the second course; some got tilefish, maybe duck, perhaps pork belly. I was lucky to receive an excellent piece of paprika-rubbed fresh halibut on a bed of basmati rice – heady and aromatic with the scent of cumin. The airline chicken breast, brined in white wine, shallots and lemon, sat atop the most delicious succotash made of corn, leeks, diced sweet potatoes and bacon.

Rich, buttery, sugary, cinnamon-y monkey bread and an adult version of a PB&J sandwich (peanut butter, goat cheese and fig jam on grilled bread) were our desserts. Three courses for $30 is a great way to explore Vires’ style, and the extra $12 to have your courses paired with wines chosen – and explained –

by Renbarger is well worth it.

bottle. The flat price point allows for more customer experimentation based on bottle, rather than price, and greater selection – a practically unheard-of offering of 15 reds, 14 whites, two rosés plus a couple of sparklers and dessert wines during my visits. It’s a rotating list, but count on a variety of highquality, lesser-known Old and New World wines from France, Italy, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain and the U.S., including a Riesling from upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region. It’s this kind of thinking that makes ordering wine in restaurants stressfree and dining out fun. The 11 microbrews

Where Home Wine Kitchen, 7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.802.7676

on the menu round out the drinking options and run from light to full.

Even more innovative is “No Menu Monday.” Here’s how it works: After your server asks a couple of questions, chiefly regarding foods you’re allergic to or just don’t like, Vires prepares a three-course “chef ’s choice” meal and ensures that each diner at the table will receive different courses. So while both of our first courses were bruschetta, one was a mound of salty prosciutto, tangy strawberries and mild goat cheese; the other was layered with

When Lunch: Mon. and Wed. to Sat. – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner: Mon. and Wed. to Sat. – 4 to 10 p.m., Sun. 3 to 9 p.m. Brunch: Sun. – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Now, back to those short ribs, those two supremely tender, pull-apart meaty, lipsmacking ribs. A lot of short ribs in town are too sweet due to the long braise, but Vires added chiles into the mix for a mild heat that cut through any possibility of cloying sweetness. And the bed of apple risotto – soaking up the douse of rich, concentrated braising sauce – made the dish live up to Home’s moniker: “elevated comfort food.”

A side of green beans served sizzling in a mini cast-iron pan was substituted for the eighty-sixed Brussels sprouts, but with bits of crunchy, salty fried prosciutto and sweet chopped figs mixed in, it hardly mattered.

I’m no expert on rabbit, but I always

Don’t Miss Dish Seasonal menu changes weekly, keeps you coming back.

order it when it’s on a menu. A fore- and hindquarter, browned then baked, came off chewier and not as meaty as anticipated. Not to mention that, at $22, it was expensive for the portion. The three baby carrots under the meat seemed fitting, if not ironic.

Both the dandelion and vegetable salads were a bust. Bitter dandelion leaves mix well with tamer greens, but a whole plate of them is overwhelmingly pungent. The saltiness and acidity of the anchovy-lemon dressing clashed; the pancetta punched in even more salt. The vegetable salad wasn’t advertised with dandelion leaves but, alas, there they were, along with beets and green beans. The cornmeal croutons on both salads were house-made but too chewy and bland to contribute much.

The brunch menu, however, is solid and unchanging. The steak and eggs are made with beef carpaccio, the crêpes stuffed with berries, the pancakes filled with ricotta, and it all sounds lovely on a late Sunday morning.

We started with lemon curd served with fresh berries, spooning the sweet, velvety cream on shortbread cookies before diving into the main courses. Eggs Benedict came on thick slices of toasted ciabatta, layered with cured ham and grilled asparagus, topped with two poached eggs and doused with brown-butter hollandaise. It was a delicious mess. But in my book, nothing is better than the marriage of chicken and waffles.

The classic version of this Southern dish is straightforward: fried chicken and a waffle on the side, served with butter and syrup. But take a savory rosemary-infused waffle, top it with a quarter leg of chicken confit and substitute tangy maple-balsamic gravy for sweet syrup and … just order it.

Renbarger and Vires consider Home Wine Kitchen their home, and with the couple making frequent visits to your table, eating there feels like you’re a guest at one of their dinner parties. The few clunkers didn’t stop one diner from commenting on how good the food is: “She sure can cook.” Indeed, she can.

Vibe Casual, farmhouse feel without the barnyard.

Entrée Prices Prices vary, but about $18 to $24.

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review time tested: Tony’s

No matter which dishes you choose, they will all be warmed, poured, spooned or flambéed right before your eyes, as the otherwise lost art of tableside service is proudly upheld here, as evidenced by the bevy of servers at your table’s beck and call. Owner Vince J. Bommarito will drop by your table as well to ensure that everything’s up to snuff.

A huge bowl of linguine with clams and pancetta in a lightly creamy white wine sauce is outstanding.

Cuisine, Service and Charm from the Old World

changed for the better. Fortunately, Tony’s offers the best of both worlds: a dapper setting and impressive service, with food that’s classic yet current.

A huge bowl of linguini with clams and pancetta in a lightly creamy white wine sauce is outstanding. The perfect amount of salt, lemon, wine and clam juices allow the al dente tony’s pasta to absorb and take on the 410 Market briny flavor of the plump biSt., St. Louis. valves and rendered meat. This 314.231.7007 dish is beautifully balanced, bold in flavor and texturally pleasing Entrée prices: with juicy chunks of clams and $21 to $43 delightfully chewy pancetta.

by Liz O’Connor • photos by Jonathan Gayman

T

he lavish service, glamorous clientele and clubby setting of St. Louis’ long-standing fine dining establishment, Tony’s, transport you to a different era – one in which people got dressed up to fly the friendly skies and couldn’t fathom wearing a pair of sweats outside of the bedroom.

Oh, how times have changed.

Yet, since the chefs of the mid-20th century believed fine cuisine meant covering everything in aspic – oh, how times have Recognized: Writer Julia M. Usher received James Beard Foundation Journalism Award nomination for Sauce Magazine’s Prep School column

Meanwhile, chef Vince Bommarito Jr. will be making sure everything is up to snuff in the kitchen. The talent required to create balanced dishes using delicately flavored ingredients like veal and lobster is a lofty task – one Bommarito Jr. proves he’s up for most of the time. Take, for example, the Lobster Albanello, a Tony’s favorite: Tender morsels of sautéed lobster are warmed tableside in a silken cream sauce of wine and mushrooms.

The first bite is lush – the lobster tender and perfectly cooked, the mushrooms earthy, and the sauce slightly sweet with just enough acid. The flavor of the fish may get a bit muffled by the sauce, but it’s a rich and pleasing plate nonetheless.

There are tried-and-true takes on pastas, steaks, chops and seafood in the likes of shrimp scampi, cannelloni and filet mignon. Many have been on the menu for decades, but the kitchen also makes an effort to insert the season’s pick of fresh fruits and vegetables into regular dishes and seasonal specials. For example, an ambrosial Eckert’s peach ice cream accompanied by more sweet rum-macerated peaches was summer in a dish. An appetizer special of squash blossoms stuffed with Gorgonzola, battered, fried and served on a bed of wilted endive, gave delicious due credit to this often overlooked flower.

{March 2008}

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Once you’ve gotten through the antipasti, primi piatti and secondi piatti, dessert is a must – specifically, the browned butter and almond tart, served with praline ice cream. In my book, it’s the best in town: The warmed shell is a tad crispy and quite tender. The center is gooey, nutty, rich, buttery and sweet. The slightly salty ice cream melts into a puddle of caramel. All else fades as you watch it disappear, little by little, until the plate is completely clean.

Then you look up and realize your evening in dreamland is drawing to a close; time to go home and put on those sweats.

Lobster Albanello The first bite of this restaurant favorite is lush – tender morsels of sautéed lobster are perfectly cooked, the mushrooms earthy and the sauce slightly sweet with just enough acid. Warmed tableside in silken white wine-cream sauce, it’s a rich and pleasing plate.

{July 2009}

{July 2008} Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Niche

The Ziti Amatriciana isn’t so balanced. Traditionally a spicy tomato sauce with onions and bacon, pancetta or guanciale, Tony’s rendition was so spicy it masked the other elements of the sauce.

Likewise, the Veal Cutlet Milanese was pounded so thin, you could barely discern

any veal flavor. Far superior was a plate of transparently thin slices of prosciutto with fresh figs and chunky slivers of melon: Bright, juicy, salty and silky. A plate of carpaccio drizzled with truffle oil and dressed with arugula, capers and shaved Parmigiano, was also just right: earthy, aromatic and memorable.

Milestone: Distribution reached 85,000

Sauce partnered with Taste of St. Louis for Sauce Magazine Restaurant Row

Milestone: The new saucemagazine.com website launched

{September 2008}

{January 2009}

Still around: Ones to Watch launched

Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Niche

Still around: Short List feature published for first time (continued on page 23)

{September 2009} October 2011

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review dine on a dime: My just desserts

Just Like a Trip to Grandma’s

by Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz • photos by David Kovaluk

T

he Ryder building in downtown Alton, Ill., is both a historical stop for Lincoln aficionados and a charming café. Used as a courthouse in the 1800s, today it’s the home of My Just Desserts, a sandwichand-pie shop where you can sit down with fresh-squeezed lemonade served in a Mason jar and enjoy a view of the changing colors of fall foliage.

My Just Desserts 31 E. Broadway, Alton, Ill., 618.462.5881 Entrée prices: $4 to $9

The café is open every day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving lunch until 3 p.m. and desserts until close. Prepared from scratch, the fare is made well and sells through quickly. Get there early if you’re interested in the full menu, which changes daily.

Be sure to start with one of the soups.

The green bean and ham was a perfect example of how something as mundane as a side of pole beans, potatoes and a ham hock – combined with a little bit of time and a knowledgeable hand – could render a remarkably satiating bowl. The creamy beef-and-noodle soup showcased soft egg noodles in all their resplendent glory and bits of roast beef, which, although chewy, lent a rich and robust flavor.

The sandwiches transported us back to Grandma’s kitchen table. Though a bit dry, the chicken salad was refreshingly dressed with mayo, sliced green olives and pimentos. This hefty half-pound of roasted breast meat was served on whole wheat bread with crisp romaine (Grandma always made sure we were well fed.). A slightly better choice was the roast beef sandwich, which showcased oven-roasted beef served on a soft white bun with tomato, red onion and lettuce. The cold, tender meat worked well with the tangy horseradish cream.

her sandwiches; it was all about dessert. The house-made pies and cobblers, baked fresh each morning and changed daily depending on seasonal ingredients, were wonderful and well worth the trip. Try any of the pies à la mode with either house-made vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. We usually prefer the purity of fresh vanilla slowly melting and mingling with the berries, but here the cinnamon was just as good, with bonus points for the subtle spice.

While lunch was comforting and nourishing, you never went to Grandma for

Still around: Sauce Celebrity Chef Series {November 2009} debuted with former Still around: Old School Gourmet magazine restaurant review published editor Ruth Reichel for first time, later changed to Time Tested

{October 2009} October 2011

Still around: The List launched

{December 2009}

Everyone’s favorite was the Ozark Berry: a blend of blueberries, blackberries and

Milestone: Publisher Allyson Mace acquired sole ownership of Sauce Magazine

{February 2010}

raspberries, sweetened just enough to balance the acidity and tartness of the fruit. The cheese pies were exquisite as well. The strawberry-cheese pie arrived as a pink tower of sweet, rich goodness atop a house-made graham cracker crust.

It had a tantalizing brightness that paired exceptionally well with that lemonade.

We’re still arguing with the kids over whether this pie or the pineapple-cheese version was better. Then there’s the brown sugar-pecan pie, which made Anne Marie weak in the knees, and the tart-cherry cobbler – finished with an almond-butter crumb topping, it too was a showstopper.

For centuries, “your just desserts,” has been a phrase that meant you got what you deserved. But at this charming little pie shop, it doesn’t really matter if you’ve been a scoundrel or a saint. With more than 130 recipes that rotate through, this kitchen’s karma will ensure you get what you want – whether you deserve it or not.

{July 2010} Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Sidney Street Cafe

Recognized: Sauce Magazine won Ozzie Award for design of Woodland Wonders, published in March 2010 issue

{January 2011}

Still around: Edible Weekend emails launched, replacing The Daily Sauce (continued on page 25)

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review

A Glimpse of a Future Long Overdue

nightlife: 360

by Matt berkley • photos by ashley gieseking

brimming with fresh fruit. Above those sit a DJ booth. The glass-encased lounge, filled with slick, minimalist (and the occasional 1960s retro) décor pieces, also houses an open-facing kitchen and a handful of VIP rooms off the main floor.

On the deck, patrons lounge 360 around glass-covered fire pits 1 S. Broadway, and smooth wooden booths, St. Louis, jumping up occasionally to 314.241.8439 grab reinforcements from an equally glamorous (and Why go? somewhat cumbersome) Bird’s eye outside bar that sits under view of Busch towering white and superStadium and stylish umbrellas, which lush, stunning apparently recycle rain space. water.

I

n a nose-thumbing move to the development giants whose Ballpark Village-of-lies left the city with an abandoned vacant lot sitting dead center on what should be prime real estate, the proprietors of Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark decided it was time for someone to make a serious investment downtown.

The result is finally something we can be proud to show off: 360, the stylish new hub of St. Louis’ nightlife scene.

The view 400 feet above Broadway and Market Street offers a lofty perspective. To the north and east lie markers of the past: the worn dome of a stately courthouse, the shimmering metal panels of an arch rising from the banks of an immense waterway. To the south, there’s a clear line of sight onto the grass of a still new (but not unseasoned) stadium, sitting on the half-exposed grave of the old. Still, more

than a bittersweet panorama, 360 reveals a glimpse of a future long overdue.

The folks behind 360 should be flattered that the rooftop bar had become the most talkedabout venue in town well before its ribbon cutting in late July. On Cardinals game days, crowds clamor into the Hilton’s lobby hours before the opening pitch to grab a place in line for an ear-popping elevator ride to the 26thfloor bar and a spot on the patio with a decent vantage point to view the game. Even on an odd weeknight when Busch Stadium lies dark, 360, still the popular new kid, overflows with tipsy clientele – and for good reason.

{March 2011} October 2011

Still around: First Food Truck Friday held in Tower Grove Park

Though not cheap and often cramped, 360 is one luxury hot spot that lives up to its considerable hype. As winter sets in, the crowds will no doubt taper – but for now, you’ll have to grab a spot in line.

Publisher Allyson Mace honored as one of St. Louis Business Journal’s Most Influential Business Women

{October 2011} Readers’ Choice: Best Overall Restaurant: Sidney Street Cafe

From left: Maggie’s Foglifter [sic] – fresh, bubbly, citrusy with a tequila-laden kick and a smooth wheat ale finish. Brick City Lemonade – a mildly sweet blend of Persian lime, Meyer lemon, kiwi and rum. In short, lemonade for grown-ups.

The Purps – a Bourbon cocktail that’s tart and balanced with a slight hint of balsamic vinegar.

Not surprisingly for a bar that turns out truffled popcorn, this luxurious lounge draws the glamorous types. Two excellent standing rules are enforced by the downstairs bouncers: No one under 21 in the evenings and no ball caps allowed, save game days.

The view is fantastic, and the space is stunning. Off the elevator, guests are met by a streaming two-story waterfall, flanked by an enormous main bar, which houses a half-dozen oversized vats of infused alcohol

{June 2011} Sauce premiered short film: Independent Risk Takers & Page Makers

As chic as its décor, 360’s sipping menu boasts a number of high rollers. The Mixed Liquids specials, which run from $10 to $12 and change with the seasons, are worth checking out. Definitely grab an infused drink. A nice start was The Spring Peeper, a stiff blend of Campari, nectarine/ freeze-dried strawberry Cognac, lemon and saffron. Sure, it sounds odd, but it packs a nice little wallop. Shaken drinks were less impressive. The Old Tub at St. James Gate was especially disappointing, despite the novelty of the frozen cube of Guinness floating inside it. Each bar also offers a fine selection of not unreasonably priced cocktails as well as a score of local and imported brews (Six Row Whale, Urban Chestnut Winged Nut), each served up in fine glassware.

ORDER THIS: From 360

Still around: Sauce and St. Louis Public Radio partnered to launch SoundBites on 90.7 KWMU

{july 2011}

Milestone: Sauce celebrated its 10th year in print

Truffled popcorn – An upscale bar snack that’s salty, cheesy and hits the table with an aroma that gets your appetite going. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 25

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what in the world: chile threads, p. 29 vegetize it: beef stroganoff, p. 30 one ingredient 8 ways: pumpkin, p. 32 cook’s books: bitters, p. 35

These superfine threads of a dried Korean red chile pepper, known in their native land as gochu, are reddish-brown in color and 2 to 3 inches in length. Their delicate, feathery appearance, mild heat level and earthy, smoky flavor – especially when lightly dry-toasted in a skillet – add striking color and depth of flavor to numerous Asian dishes, including the spicy Korean condiment, kimchi.

Use it: Chile threads are traditionally used as a garnish. Capitalize on the color contrast atop eggs or sashimi, or sprinkled over meat and fish dishes. They also make an impressive flavoring agent for soupy noodle dishes and stews.

Find it: East Oriental Grocery Store, 13365 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, 314.205.1882 – Ligaya Figueras

Pajeon (Korean scallion pancakes) Courtesy of Greg Rannells

photo by greg rannells

Approximately 4 pancakes or 8 Servings 5 oz. light soy sauce (usukuchi if available)* 3 oz. unseasoned rice vinegar* 2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger 2 cloves fresh minced garlic 1 scallion, minced, plus 8 to 10 scallions, trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths then sliced lengthwise, divided into 4 stacks 1 tsp. sesame oil 2 tsp. roasted sesame seeds 1 Tbsp. kochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)* ½ cup rice flour* 2½ cups all-purpose flour 3 eggs

2 tsp. kosher salt 2 Tbsp. Korean hot bean paste* 2 ½ to 3 cups ice cold water 1½ cups shredded or chopped vegetables of choice (combination of shredded carrot, shredded Korean zucchini*, diced bok choy or chopped fresh oyster or shiitake mushrooms.**) ½ package or ½ oz. silgochu (shredded red pepper threads)* Canola oil • First, prepare the dipping sauce: Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced ginger, minced garlic, 1 minced scallion, sesame oil, sesame seeds and hot pepper paste in a sealed container and shake until completely mixed. Set aside.

• To prepare the pajeon batter, combine both the rice and all-purpose flours with the eggs, salt, hot bean paste and cold water in a large mixing bowl until the batter is smooth. Do not over mix.

• Add the vegetables and pepper threads, and carefully incorporate them into the batter.

Let the batter rest for 20 minutes. (It should be smooth and a bit on the runny side. Add more water if it’s too thick.)

• When ready to make the pancakes, heat a nonstick 9-inch sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat and pour in 1 teaspoon of canola oil. Lay 1 stack of the scallions in the pan in one direction. Using a 1-cup ladle, top the scallions with 1 cup of batter. Smooth out the batter, if necessary, to a pancake shape.

• After approximately 2 minutes, check the underside of the pancake. If the edges and underside are nicely browned, flip the pancake. Let cook for 2 minutes. Remove and place on a cutting board.

• Cook the additional pancakes in a similar fashion. When all 4 pancakes are completed, cut them into pie-shaped slices and serve warm with the dipping sauce. *Available at Asia Market, 1243-B Castillon Arcade Plaza, Creve Coeur, 314.878.2010 **If using mushrooms, first sauté with a bit of oil, 1 teaspoon minced ginger and 1 minced garlic clove until soft. Once cooled, add back into the batter, so as not to cook the egg.

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home cooking Vegetize it: beef stroganoff different combinations until you find the one that floats your palate. Perhaps a little 101 is in order?

The mushroom you see at most every grocery store – and at the lowest price – is the button mushroom. These are great if you’re cooking for someone with a phobia of fungus, because the flavor is much milder than the brown varieties. Some chefs don’t even bother with them, but I think they’re great for those of us on a budget.

Perhaps the next best-known variety is the portabella. Their size makes them perfect for replicating the long slices of beef found in traditional stroganoff, and they’re the ones I use most for this “vegetized” dish.

Plus, since they’re of the brown variety (aka cremini), they have more flavor to give than the button, without much more cost.

From here on out, you’ve got a smorgasbord of scrumptious and flavorful spores. They tend to be on the pricey side but are definitely worth the splurge. Porcinis are great if you’re looking for a rich, almost woodsy flavor.

Shiitakes are a close cousin, maintaining that outdoorsy taste, but with less water, which helps them trap flavor a little better.

Chanterelles hold up well in a sauté pan and have a slightly fruity undertone. Enokis have a flavor all their own – more fruit than earth – and a unique texture. Oysters tend to have a fishy taste, making them better suited for seafood dishes. And then there are the morels, the deliciously earthy mushrooms that run wild in mid-Missouri.

Mushroom Stroganoff

BY Beth Styles • Photo by carmen troesser

M

aybe it’s because I was born on the autumnal equinox – or maybe I just love when scarf season rolls around – but fall is, and always will be, my favorite time of the year. The air transitions from hot and humid to cool and crisp; the trees descend into a color-filled finale before hibernating for the winter; and it’s peak season for three of my favorite “s” dishes: soups, stews and stroganoff.

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Growing up, beef stroganoff was the meal I requested most from my mom (her meatloaf was a close second), and thanks to the flavor-filled and ever-flexible mushroom, I have been able to keep this childhood favorite on the menu.

Mushrooms are without a doubt my go-to vegetable when I need an ingredient that’s filling, and since there are so many varieties, stroganoff is a great way to experiment with

Once you have your variety of choice, cleaning them is key. You can’t just run mushrooms through a stream of water or they will soak it up, which dilutes their flavor. Instead, grab a paper towel, get it slightly damp and brush the dirt off.

I know your brain is bursting with information right about now, but I must leave you with one last lesson I’ve learned by trial and error: The key to a meaty mushroom is to cook the heck out of it (actually, it’s the moisture you’re cooking out, but who can resist a good faux swear word?).

I generally sauté sliced mushrooms for 10 to 15 minutes, and then finish them over high heat to caramelize the edges a bit. The more moisture they give up, the denser and meatier the texture becomes. But don’t take my word for it, go on and give it a whirl.

MUSHROOM Stroganoff 4 servings

3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus additional for drizzling 1 large onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. freshly minced thyme Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¾ lb. mushrooms (Portabellas are best as a texture/sight replica of the beef, but you can use any medley of mushrooms you want.)

8 oz. egg noodles ¼ cup dry white wine 1¼ cups vegetable broth 1½ cups sour cream 3 Tbsp. flour Fresh parsley (optional) • In a medium Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and let it cook for about 4 minutes, or until it’s transparent.

• Add the garlic and sauté another minute.

• Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together, and then add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are limp and browned, making sure almost all of their moisture has been released.

• Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions.

If they finish before the sauce, drain and return them to the pot, then drizzle in some olive oil and stir to keep them from sticking.

• Once the mushrooms are cooked through, remove the mixture and set aside on a plate.

• In the same Dutch oven, add the wine and vegetable broth, making sure to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom.

• Increase the heat and bring to a boil; let it reduce by about a third.

• Turn the heat to medium/medium-low and add the mushroom mixture back into the Dutch oven, followed by the sour cream and flour. Cook until the sauce is combined and thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

• Serve the sauce over the noodles and top with freshly chopped parsley.

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home cooking one ingredient 8 ways: pumpkin

So Much More Than Pie

BY Kellie Hynes • Photo by carmen troesser

T

here are more than 40 types of pumpkins and just as many ways to prepare them. Be sure to use a cooking or baking variety, as the pulp is less tough and stringy, then bake it into rich soups, crispy snacks and super sweet sippers. Those large field pumpkins – they’re best served with a candle inside.

Most of these recipes start from this basic pumpkin purée: Remove and discard the stem. Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and stringy bits. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 350 degrees until pulp is soft (1 to 2 hours, depending on size). Remove skin while pumpkin is still slightly warm. Purée pulp in a food processor or blender until smooth. A 5-pound pumpkin yields about 4 cups purée and freezes for up to 6 months.

1. Jam Combine 3½ cups purée, ¾ cups apple juice and 1 cup packed, light brown sugar in a large saucepan. Add vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and/ or nutmeg to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes or until it reaches consistency of jam. Use atop toast or warm biscuits.

2. Hot chocolate Whisk together 1½ cups milk, 1 tablespoon purée, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, 2 tablespoons sugar and your choice of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla or cloves. Heat slowly. Pour into a ceramic mug and enjoy by the fire.

3. Waffles Stir together 2 cups flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla, 1½ cups whole milk, 4 tablespoons unsalted melted butter and 1 cup purée. Pour wet ingredients over dry mixture and stir. Cook in waffle iron.

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4. Bisque Sauté 1 medium onion in 2 tablespoons butter until transparent. Add 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, 2½ cups purée, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Cool slightly, then, working in batches, purée mixture in a blender or food processor. Return to pan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Add ½ cup heavy cream. Gently re-warm and serve immediately. Serves 6.

5. Pumpkin-infused vodka Remove and discard seeds, strings and rind from a wedge of fresh pumpkin. Cut wedge into 1-inch chunks, place in a Mason jar and fill with vodka. Add 2 tablespoons allspice and pod and seeds from 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise.

Seal. Refrigerate for 1 week to 3 months.

(Flavor intensifies as it infuses.) Filter vodka through a fine mesh sieve. Mix with simple syrup and a fresh ginger garnish.

6. Jamaican rice In 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, sauté 1 small, diced onion and ½ pound fish cut into bite-sized pieces.

(Traditionally made with salt fish, substitute cod or leave the fish out entirely.) Add 1 cup peeled and diced pumpkin, 3 cups water, 1 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons butter, pinch of salt and 1 sprig of fresh thyme. Simmer until pumpkin is soft. Add 2 cups white rice and steam, covered, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove thyme.

Purists add a whole Scotch Bonnet pepper while the rice steams, but you may prefer hot sauce on the side. Serves 4 to 6.

7. Chips Slice fresh pumpkin pulp in very thin slices on a mandolin. Toss in canola oil, kosher salt and pepper, and bake in 375-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve with barbecue sauce, ketchup or herbed mayonnaise.

8. Sweet sugar-roasted seeds Boil the seeds in salted water for 10 minutes. Coat in melted butter, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon, and roast in 300-degree oven for 20 minutes.

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home cooking

Bitters

Cook’s books: bitters

by Shannon Parker

News pundits often focus their talks of the nation’s economic situation on the national debt. But if you ask the average Joe just what goes into calculating the national debt, I’ll wager that not many could answer. It’s the same with bitters: Most cocktail-lovers know what bitters are, but few can make their own.

But the real treat for cocktail-lovers here is the recipes (about 15 of them), which involve flavors that range with all the seasonality of the farmers’ market. Orange bitters, pear bitters, rhubarb bitters and a host of others all follow the same basic recipe: an infusion process that can take several weeks to complete.

Author Brad Thomas Parsons is out to change all that in his new book, Bitters, which is set to appear later this fall. Parsons is an author on all things behind the bar and a great proponent of homemade bitters, a dash or two of which are frequently used to add bright bursts of flavor to classic cocktails. The book gives more than just recipes; Parsons devotes more than 30 pages to introductory materials including a history of bitters and contemporary bitters manufacturers, the most of popular of which is Angostura.

While you wait, Parsons has included a bevy of cocktail recipes to experiment with, all of which feature bitters as a prominent ingredient, be they homemade or store bought. These include several from what Parsons calls the “Bitters Hall of Fame,” such as the Old Fashioned and the Champagne cocktail. He also gives recipes for lesser known classic bitters-laden cocktails such as the Horse’s Neck and the Pisco Sour. In fact, in terms of volume, the cocktail recipe section far outstrips the section on bitters themselves.

If you’re planning to give your at-home bar a boost with homemade bitters, be sure to page through the introductory materials to learn the bitters basics, including what tools you’ll need and sources for some of the admittedly esoteric ingredients like fringe tree root or schizandra berries. For all your work, Parsons rewards readers with a few recipes which use (store bought or homemade, your choice) bitters in applications other than cocktails – Sweet and Spicy Bitter Bar Nuts and Broiled Bitter Grapefruit some of the most intriguing among them. As long as you’ve invested the time and energy into making the bitters, it’s nice to have the option of taking them beyond the bar.

For the record, according to Parsons, “Bitters are an aromatic flavoring agent made from infusing roots, barks, fruit peels … and botanicals in high proof alcohol.” To figure out the national debt, you’re on your own.

Bitters: A Spi rited H isto ry o f a Classi c Cu re - All, with Co cktai ls, Reci pes an d Fo rm u las, by B r ad Thomas Pa rsons

Four books to experiment with behind the bar Matt Obermark helms the bar at Salt in the Central West End, where he makes his own bitters and mixes up some seriously crafty cocktails. He suggested these books for those looking to take their bar knowledge beyond the basics.

The Bartenders Guide: How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant’s Companion by Jerry Thomas “The recipes and measurements might seem a bit antiquated, but this book is the first record for lots of cocktails considered ‘classics’ today.”

photo by matt marcincowski

Beachbum Berry Remixed by Jeff Berry “If you’ve enjoyed the recent tiki revival, this book is for you. Berry is the foremost historian on tiki cocktail culture, and this is an updated anthology of his first two books, along with added recipes.”

October 2011

Fix the Pumps by Darcy O’Neil “A brief, interesting read that has loads of historical recipes for bitters, syrups, house-made sodas, punches and more.”

The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender’s Craft by Gary Regan “The most authoritative work on today’s bar, its history, technique and etiquette. Regan’s system for categorizing cocktails within families not only teaches history of the cocktail, but it’s a perfect jumping-off point for developing originals.”

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October 2011

Photos by jonathan gayman

At worst, tiramisu can be a travesty of a dessert – a dense mix of mascarpone and too-sweet whipped cream, ladyfingers gone to mush and a finish of cheap booze and bitter coffee. But made well, this classic Italian dessert is truly brilliant – light and airy, rich and sweet but not cloyingly so. The ladyfingers take on the texture of a moist cake, and the liquor is beautifully balanced with the coffee and chocolate.

Sometimes, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you get to the prince. Herein lie my favorite Italian royalty.

— Dee Ryan

I Fratellini

Sugo’s Spaghetteria

Gian-Tony’s

7624 Wydown Blvd., St. Louis, 314.727.7901

10419 Clayton Road, St. Louis, 314.569.0400

5356 Daggett Ave., St. Louis, 314.772.4893

No matter what you order the next time you sit down for a meal at I Fratellini, save room for the tiramisu. This is a dessert that angels would sing about. Ladyfingers are dipped in Marsala and Kahluá, lending their luscious flavors without overpowering the dish. The ratio of egg to mascarpone to whipped cream is ideal, keeping things light – and me giggling with glee.

The recipe is Mary Rose “Mama” Del Pietro’s, and although I used my best detective skills, the only secret I could get out of her son, Michael, was “we whip the heck out of it.” However, there is no question that one of the ingredients is love. I picked up a hint of anise from the ladyfingers, perhaps, and certainly a bit of dark rum.

This version is wonderfully creamy yet incredibly light.

Mama knows what makes it great, but she’s not telling!

Featured years ago on Food Network’s Cooking Live With Sara Moulton, Gian-Tony’s tiramisu is renowned – and for good reason. It arrived at the table sitting in a small pool of Frangelico and Amaretto, a tasty but nottoo-potent puddle of boozy perfection. Substituting these liqueurs for the more traditional rum or Marsala wine gave the dish a delightful nuttiness that paired perfectly with the shaved cocoa and sweet mascarpone.

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

October 2011

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by dee ryan | photos by greg rannells

Duck fat is in, and whether it’s thanks to the nose-to-tail regime or to its redeeming health qualities, who knows?

But when it tastes this good, who really cares?

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October 2011

To find out how to use duck fat to roast rich fall vegetables, turn to page 44.

October 2011

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 41

t’s the essential ingredient that makes duck confit melt to velvet with every bite.

It’s the secret little something that gives roasted potatoes their crisp, golden edges.

A prized possession of French cuisine, duck fat has become the go-to ingredient for chefs looking to deliver that extra je ne sais quois to diners. And as chefs and home cooks dive further into the no-waste approach to cooking with meat, it appears it’s not going anywhere.

Although duck is a longtime staple of Asian fare, it wasn’t until chef célèbre David Chang made duck the star of his string of hip Momofuku restaurants in New York that the culinary world truly sat up and took notice of this web-footed wonder. Soon, Chang was subbing rendered duck fat for butters and oils, using it to poach smoked chicken wings, even doctoring the drippings with garlic to serve as an appetizer.

Since ducks spend much of their lives in water, there is a thick layer of fat between the skin and the meat that helps the bird with, among other things, insulation and flotation. The thickness of the fat makes the meat more tender and flavorful than that of chicken and turkey – and the fat itself culinary gold. Intensely flavored, duck fat is sweet like butter, but richer, even gamier, and isn’t processed like other fats. It also doesn’t break down at high temperatures and has a chemical composition that’s closer to olive oil than butter, making it the perfect companion for both sautéing and frying. It’s the healthiest of the animal fats as well – high in “good” unsaturated fats – making it the choice of champions for those who have grown weary of cooking with butter or bacon fat. And its unmatched versatility is driving home cooks to use it for sautéing vegetables, as a poaching liquid, in salad dressings, even in pie crusts.

Locally, chefs Brendan Noonan and Wes Johnson introduced duck to broader palates back in 2008 with the opening of The Shaved Duck. Diners flocked to what had been Pestalozzi Place, ready to taste duck in all of its glory – from liver to sausage, soup to confit, and the much-loved duck-fat frites: fries that had taken a quick dip in a tub of

42 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

the red-hot renderings until they offered unparalleled savoriness. Though Johnson has since left The Shaved Duck and can now be found manning the kitchen at his own restaurant, Salt, in the Central West End, he’s saved a special place on his menu for his favorite unctuous ingredient. “It just adds a lot of depth and flavor for the amount of fat that is actually used,” said Johnson, who believes that the duck fat trend is a natural extension of the nose-to-tail approach being applied in most commercial kitchens today.

But this fawned-over fat isn’t just reserved for the plate (or even the deep fryer for that matter). Master mixologist Ted Kilgore first began fat-washing liquor while working behind the bar at Monarch. Beginning as all good things do – with bacon – Kilgore soon started infusing duck’s signature richness into sherry and Grand Marnier after overhearing a co-worker wax poetic about how this featherless bird’s fat went with just about everything. These days, he’s bringing gluttony to the glass at Central West End’s Taste with his Ab-duck-tion cocktail: A rich combination of duck fat-infused Grand Marnier, sweet ginger liqueur, lime, mascarpone, black pepper, lavender bitters and absinthe, it’s a surprisingly balanced and bright sipper that’s sure to convince even the most devoted of waistline watchers that a little fat isn’t such a bad thing.

But despite its high marks in the health department compared to other animal fats, duck fat is, of course, just that – fat from an animal – making it high in saturated fats and cholesterol. (In other words, despite your culinary inclination to swim in this stuff, it’s best not to.) And as for those duckfat frites, well, they fit perfectly into the American larder philosophy behind Salt. As does Johnson’s duck fat-fried chicken: Tender pieces of buttermilk-marinated chicken dredged in a simple flour coating and then submerged into a low-temperature bath of rendered duck fat for a low-and-slow fry. The result is an über rich version of everything you dream fried chicken will be: crisp on the outside, impossibly tender on the inside and unctuously rich till the very last bite.

October 2011

Rendered Duck Fat 4 cups

No matter which method you choose, all you need to melt down your own duck fat is the bird, some heat and a watchful eye. First up, buy a whole duck cut into pieces. Frozen ducks are available at area supermarkets and butcher shops. Around the holidays, many butchers and grocers will order fresh duck if you call ahead, but you can regularly find fresh duck at Soulard Farmers’ Market as well.

Once your duck is cut into pieces, remove all of the skin and fat, making sure there is no meat attached to the fat. Chop the skin and fat into relatively uniform 1- to 2-inch pieces.

COOK’S TIP

What to do with all that leftover duck skin? Don’t throw it away – just give it a rough chop, fry it up and toss some kosher salt on those “cracklins” for a sinfully salty snack.

Water Method • Place the duck skin and fat inside a large 3to 4-quart pot and add about 1 to 2 cups of water. (The duck should not be submerged; only a ½ inch of water should be in the pot.)

• Turn the heat on very low and let the fat render out for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until all of the water evaporates. If the pot ever begins to smoke, reduce the heat even further.

• Watch the pot closely; once the water evaporates entirely, the fat should be golden brown with small bubbles. The bubbles will soon begin to get larger (closer to a traditional boil), the liquid will turn a bit darker, and the bubbles will reduce to a simmer once again. Remove the pot from the heat immediately at this point.

• Strain the fat through a fine mesh strainer.

• Let the fat cool to room temperature.

• Once cool, pour the fat into sanitized glass jars and refrigerate or freeze.*

Slow Cooker Method • Place the duck skin and fat in a slow cooker and set to low, stirring every hour or so.

• When the liquid is golden in color, it’s done.

(Depending on the amount of skin and fat you use – and your slow cooker – this may happen in 3 to 4 hours or could take as long as 5 to 6 hours.)

• Strain the fat through a fine mesh strainer.

• Let the fat cool to room temperature.

• Once cool, pour the fat into sanitized glass jars and refrigerate or freeze.* *Refrigerated duck fat should be used within a month or so, though duck fat can be kept in the freezer indefinitely.

October 2011

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Once you’ve impressed family and friends with potatoes roasted in rich duck fat, what’s next? There’s no limit to what you can do with this tasty secret ingredient: Try it in lieu of butter on toasted bagels, rub it on chicken before roasting or add it to baked beans for a layer of robust richness. It’s also wonderful to use when sautéing bitter greens. But who says you have to stop there? Here, a few more ways to make the most of your new kitchen staple.

The DarkWing Duck 1 serving

2 oz. duck-infused Grand Marnier* 10 oz. ginger ale ½ lime • Fill a 12-ounce highball glass with ice. Pour the duck fat-infused Grand Marnier and ginger ale over the ice and stir.

• Garnish with a fresh lime wedge. *Try using the fat washing method to infuse duck fat into your liquor of choice. Combine ¼ cup of melted duck fat with 2 cups of Grand Marnier in a glass measuring cup. Chill the mixture for about 30 minutes or until the fat completely resolidifies. Strain the fat from the liquor using a fine mesh sieve, or pour through a coffee filter, and reserve the infused liquor to use in cocktails.

RosemaryCaramel Popcorn about 3 quarts

½ cup popcorn kernels 3 Tbsp. duck fat, divided 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter ½ cup maple syrup 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary ½ tsp. sea salt ½ tsp. baking soda 1 Tbsp. orange zest • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

• Place the popcorn kernels and 2 tablespoons of the duck fat in a large pot over medium-high heat, and cover. Stir to coat the kernels with the fat.

• Once the kernels begin to pop, shake the pot frequently, until popping slows down to about 3-second intervals between pops.

• Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl. Set aside.

• In a small saucepan, cook the remaining tablespoon of duck fat, butter and maple syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly

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until the mixture turns amber in color.

• Stir in the rosemary, sea salt and baking soda. Pour the mixture over the popped corn and toss to coat.

• Add orange zest to the bowl and toss again, then spread the popcorn onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

• Bake for about 45 minutes and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

switching the racks again. Roast for another 15 minutes and remove from the oven.

• Remove and discard the herbs.

Place the roasted vegetables in a large bowl, toss with balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Duck and Spinach Salad 4 servings as a side, 2 as a main

Duck Fat-Roasted Fall Vegetables 4 to 6 SERVINGS

3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, rinsed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces ½ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half ½ lb. cipollini onions, peeled and cut in half ¹∕³ cup duck fat 6 sprigs fresh thyme 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 2 bay leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Position one rack in the top third of the oven and the other rack in the bottom third of the oven.

• In a large bowl, toss the first 6 ingredients with the duck fat, herbs, salt and pepper until well coated.

• Divide the vegetable-and-herb mixture between 2 cookie sheets lined with foil. Place both sheets in the oven – one on the top rack, one on the bottom – and roast for 15 minutes.

• Remove the sheets from the oven, stir the mixture and put them back in the oven, switching the rack each sheet is placed on.

• Roast for another 15 minutes.

Remove the sheets from the oven, stir and put back in the oven,

1 cup cooked, shredded duck meat ¹∕³ lb. fresh baby spinach ¼ cup chopped dried cherries ¼ cup golden raisins 3 Tbsp. duck fat 1 small shallot, thinly sliced 1 small garlic clove, finely minced Pinch kosher salt 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. maple syrup 1 ∕8 tsp. smoked paprika Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts • Combine the shredded duck meat, spinach, cherries and raisins in a bowl. Set aside.

• Meanwhile, make the dressing: Melt the duck fat in a pan over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the shallot, garlic and salt, and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mustard, syrup and paprika and swirl to combine.

• Pour the hot dressing over the salad, tossing to coat completely.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Cover the bowl with a lid or a plate for a few minutes to let the spinach wilt.

• Just before serving, toss in the hazelnuts. Serve warm.

October 2011

•

•

•

Duck Fat-Poached Halibut

•

2 SERVINGS

2 halibut filets, skin removed 2 garlic cloves, sliced in half lengthwise, plus 2 additional cloves, minced 2 bay leaves 4 3-inch strips zest from Meyer lemon 4 cups, plus 1 Tbsp., duck fat, divided Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice ¼ cup dry white wine 1 Tbsp. capers 1 Tbsp. minced shallot ½ tsp. red pepper flakes 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 bunch watercress, cleaned, trimmed and patted dry ¼ cup chicken stock 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar • Place the halibut filets in a covered container with 2 halved

•

•

•

garlic cloves, bay leaves and Meyer lemon zest, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 and up to 24 hours.

In a skillet or saucepan large enough to hold the filets, melt 4 cups of the duck fat over lowmedium heat until the fat reaches 150 degrees.

Remove the halibut from the container and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the halibut inside the duck fat, cover and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, keep covered, and set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the halibut is cooked through; uncover, and remove from the duck fat.

Meanwhile, make the capershallot sauce: In a small skillet, combine the lemon juice, white wine, capers, shallot and red pepper flakes over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced a bit. Swirl in the butter, and remove from heat.

Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of duck fat in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant.

Add the watercress to the skillet, and toss to coat. Pour in the chicken stock and let cook, covered, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, and toss in the vinegar.

To serve: Divide the wilted watercress between 2 plates, place a halibut filet on each bed of watercress and spoon the caper-shallot sauce over the filets.

Not rearing to render your own duck fat? Pick up a jar at these spots around town.

October 2011

Graisse de Canard Gold duck fat 12-ounce tub: $16, Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, Clayton, 314.862.2665

D’Artagnan duck fat 7-ounce tub: $9, The Wine and Cheese Place, 7435 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.727.8788

Rougié duck fat 11.2-ounce jar: $11, Williams-Sonoma, 260 Plaza Frontenac, Ladue, 314.567.9211

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

Dipped, Dunked

&Dusted Doughnuts get the white coat treatment

By Stacy Schultz | Photos by Carmen Troesser

For decades, St. Louisans have lined up at the windows of

indie doughnut shops, hoping to snag a taste of these discs of deep-fried heaven. Now, chefs all over town are taking

everyone’s favorite pastry from the window to the table (the

kind with a tablecloth), presenting their own unique takes on the beloved buns. While nothing can quite beat standing in

line, waiting for a whiff of those bite-sized cakes fresh from the fryer, these creative confectionaries sure are a sweet way to end – or in one case, begin – your next meal out.

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October 2011

To find out how the house-made doughnuts at The Tavern Kitchen & Bar bring the sweet and savory flavors of breakfast to dessert, see page 49.

October 2011

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Clockwise from top left: Doughnuts from Burger Bar; Half & Half; Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis; Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood; Liluma’s Side Door; and Katie’s Pizzeria Cafe

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October 2011

Ricotta Doughnuts Katie’s Pizzeria Cafe, 6611, Clayton Road, Clayton, 314.727.8585 Fresh ricotta added into the batter of these doughy little pillows lends an almost savory creaminess to this otherwise super-sweet dessert.

Cooked to order until they proffer a golden amber hue, the crispy, almost crunchy, exterior yields to a silken texture for a near velvety mouth feel. Dusted with powdered sugar and finished with sweet honey, they’re accompanied by ripe berries, which cut that über richness with big bursts of juicy flavor. Bet ya can’t eat just one.

Drunken Doughnuts Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood, 620 Market St., St. Louis, 314.421.1540 The perfectly moist, buoyant texture of the doughnuts at this downtown eatery can only be achieved by pulling them from the oven at just the right moment – or possibly just a touch before it. Despite their name, the booziness of these deepfried delights doesn’t stem from rum-soaked dough or liqueur-laden cake, but in the alcohol-inspired dips served alongside them.

Strawberry rum jam offers a little something for the fruit fawning, while the black cherry Wishniak is a bolder, more robust option. And, for those who like a bit of spice with their sweet, the chocolate pasilla sauce provides just the right amount of fire to finish your meal. Double dipping is encouraged.

Doughnuts Half & Half, 8135 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.725.0719 What’s the trick to mastering the crisp-on-the-outside, almost custard-like-on-the-inside texture of the doughnuts served inside one of this Clayton eatery’s signature

October 2011

coffee mugs? Adding 27 eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated into the traditional pâte à choux dough that chef Michael Randolph has combined with whole milk, butter, water, orange zest and flour.

This meticulous approach builds up gluten in the dough, lending spring to the end product and creating a curd-like consistency that’s scented with bright citrus in every bite.

Piped right into the hot oil and rolled in cinnamon and sugar fresh from the fryer, this may not be the greatest citrus-studded funnel cake in the world, but it sure does taste like it – and that’s enough for us to finish the whole mug-full.

House-made Doughnuts The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, 2961 Dougherty Ferry Road, St. Louis, 636.825.0600 Sure, the crisp coating that cracks when you bite into it, giving way to buttermilk-spiked dough that’s been spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg is pretty darn tasty, but put a cup of maple crema alongside it, and dessert takes on an entirely new meaning. Heavy cream is whipped with sweet maple syrup and studded with chewy bits of salty bacon for a sweet and savory combo of breakfast-infused flavor that beckons you to dip – and you do, every bite, until you’re left wondering what time of day it is … and if you can have another serving.

Donut Liluma’s Side Door, 236 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.7771 At this one-bite-fits-all new “side” restaurant to his Italian Central West End restaurant, chefs Jim Fiala and Brad Watts keep things simple – especially when it comes to dessert. When taken through the side door, house-made brioche dough is transformed into a yeasty sphere that’s injected with a dollop

of full-flavored filling, deep-fried and showered with powdered sugar. Our bite encapsulated a house-made strawberry jam, but as this unique new spot evolves, expect the chefs to switch fillings with the seasons (think pumpkin and apple pies). Be it summer, winter, spring or fall, this is one toad-in-the-hole we’re happy to keep on kissing.

Chocolate Burger Burger Bar, 999 N. Second St., St. Louis, 314.881.7580 Inventive, indulgent and wildly ambitious, we’re loving every gluttonous bite of this sweet take on a basic burger, in which a thick disc of nut-studded chocolate ganache stands in for the meat, a passion fruit gelée replaces the cheese and ripe strawberries lend bright bursts of spot-on color. Smothered in a “sauce” of vanilla ice cream and sandwiched between a “bun” of two billowy doughnuts drizzled in chocolate sauce, this no-holds-barred burger delivers in color, texture and downright decadence when compared to its riffed peer. Grab a knife – this is one burger you’ll want to share.

Bombolini The Bakery at The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, 100 Carondelet Plaza, Clayton, 314.863.6300 If you ever sat down at Café DeMun and got lost in the sweet scent of freshly fried dough, you’ll love pastry chef Simone Faure’s take on New Orleans’ beloved beignets. Right from the fryer, these little balls of dough are tossed in cinnamon and sugar and injected with sinfully decadent fillings such as spiced huckleberry and lychee cream. Served just warm enough to make that filling melt in your mouth with every last bite, these are just like the doughnut holes of your youth – if they were oozing with fruit-spiked scrumptiousness.

At Liluma’s Side Door, house-made brioche dough is transformed into a yeasty sphere that’s injected with a dollop of full-flavored filling, deep-fried and showered with powdered sugar.

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 49

joËl robuchon

Since Bill Cardwell opened the doors to his first restaurant, Cardwell’s in Clayton, in 1987, many a standout chef has worked on the line at his restaurants and gone on to exert their culinary prowess alongside a long list of talented pros from around the globe. In six degrees or less, Cardwell can be traced to at least a dozen of the world’s culinary giants. Who says celeb cheffery doesn’t start at home?

Owner, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas

Ryan LaRoche

Executive chef, NoMi in Chicago; worked with Lou Rook III at Annie Gunn’s; worked at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas.

lou rook III

Executive chef, Annie Gunn’s; worked with Bill Cardwell at Cardwell’s in Clayton.

Chris Tirone

Sous chef, Truffles; was hired by Aaron Teitelbaum to work at Monarch; staged at Alinea in Chicago.

Grant achatz

Chef-owner, Alinea in Chicago

Aaron Teitelbaum

Co-owner, Monarch; hired Tim Blessing to work at Monarch and Herbie’s; works with Josh Galliano.

six degrees of

bill cardwell

Chef-owner, Cardwell’s at the Plaza and BC’s Kitchen; former chefowner, Cardwell’s in Clayton

compiled by ligaya figueras

Daniel Boulud

Josh Galliano

Executive chef, Monarch; worked with Tim Blessing at Monarch; staged at Daniel in NYC.

Chef-owner, Daniel in NYC

Wolfgang Puck Owner, Cut in London

Tim Blessing

Kitchen manager, Dottie’s Restaurant in Cuba, Mo.; worked with Bill Cardwell at Cardwell’s at the Plaza.

Dave Owens

Cary McDowell

Executive chef, Winslow’s Home; was chef and coowner at Revival (now closed), where Ryan Maher worked; worked at Daniel in NYC.

chris bolyard

Chef de cuisine, Sidney Street Cafe; worked with Bill Cardwell at Cardwell’s at the Plaza.

Ryan Maher

Jamie Kilgore

Lead bartender, Niche; bartended at Terrene.

Kevin Nashan

Christy Augustin

Chef-owner, Sidney Street Cafe; staged at El Bulli in Roses, Catolonia, Spain.

Chef-instructor, Le Cordon Bleu; worked with Kevin Nashan and Chris Bolyard at Sidney Street Cafe as pastry chef.

Gerard Craft

Chef-owner, Niche family of restaurants; hired Mesrob Yergatian to work front of the house at Niche.

Mesrob Yergatian

Dining room manager, Union Square Cafe in NYC

Owner, Missouri Wild Edibles; worked with Tim Blessing at Herbie’s; worked at Emeril’s New Orleans.

Owner, Union Square Cafe in NYC

Executive chef, Blood & Sand; worked with Ryan Maher at Revival (now closed).

Captain, The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif.; Jamie Kilgore bartended at Niche, where Bryan Lipa was general manager.

Ferran AdriÀ

Matt Murphy

Owner, El Bulli in Roses, Catalonia, Spain (now closed)

Pastry chef, Nightwood in Chicago; Jamie Kilgore bartended at Niche family of restaurants, while Mathew Rice was pastry chef.

Restaurateur; worked with Cary McDowell at Daniel; consulting partner for Carnevino Italian Steakhouse in Las Vegas.

Co-owner, Wild Flower; hired both Chris Bork and Joshua Roland at Wild Flower.

Simone Faure

Executive pastry chef, RitzCarlton, St. Louis; worked with Christy Augustin at Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.

Bryan Lipa

Adam Perry Lang

Phil Czarnec

Chef-owner, The Irish House in New Orleans; worked with Simone Faure at Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans; helped open Gordan Ramsay at Powerscourt in County Wicklow, Ireland.

Mathew Rice

Danny Meyer

Chris Bork

Member of opening team at CUT in London; worked at The Crossing and Liluma, where Cary McDowell was a chef and co-owner.

Gordon Ramsay

Owner, Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt in County Wicklow, Ireland

Jason Vincent

Chef de cuisine, Nightwood; staged at Restaurant Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain.

Mario Batali

Emeril Lagasse Owner, Emeril’s New Orleans

Joshua Roland

Consultant chef; worked as executive sous chef at Jean-Georges in NYC.

Co-owner, Carnevino Italian Steakhouse in Las Vegas

Christina Machamer

Wine director and chef, B Cellars in Calistoga, Calif.; worked with Ryan Maher at Revival (now closed); won season 4 of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen; worked as part of the opening team for Bouchon in Beverly Hills, Calif.

bill cardwell photo by carmen troesser

John McElwain

Co-founder, Terrene (now closed); opened Terrene with Dave Owens.

Owner, Bissinger’s; worked with Bill Cardwell at Cardwell’s in Clayton; was a chef and partner at Cardwell’s at the Plaza.

Ken Concepcion

Jean-Georges Vongerichten Owner, Jean-Georges in NYC

Juan Mari Arzak Owner, Restaurant Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain

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Thomas Keller

Chef-owner, Bouchon in Beverly Hills and The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif.

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by Byron Kerman

food

CLASSES Perfect Your Palette Oct. 19 – 7 p.m., Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. 3145.570.5586 · perfectyourpalette.com After her first drink, Winona thought the parrot she was painting looked more like a rainbow – a rainbow giving birth to a can opener. No matter, she knew she was no artist and she was just having fun. It was about the process, not the product, she told herself. It didn’t have to be beautiful or realistic – not the first time, anyway. After her second drink, she really started to get into the slapping noise that the brush made when it hit the canvas. Slap! She made a big black spot in the center of the image. Slap! She made another. Before she knew what she’d done, she’d attacked the canvas with obscene black gouges of paint in a remorseless fusillade of ugliness and regret. How had that happened? After her third drink, Winona grabbed the biggest brush she could find and painted the whole canvas a solid black while mumbling about her absentee father and how her college boyfriend had “ruined her.” Her classmates had begun to stare. Don’t get carried away at the new Perfect Your Palette art classes/wine and beer tastings. The informal painting instruction is broken up by upscale drink tastings, including a beer flight at UCBC this month.

SPECIAL EVENTS Best of Missouri Market Oct. 1 and 2 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Missouri Botanical Garden 314.577.5100 · mobot.org The Missouri Botanical Garden’s annual Best of Missouri Market is a locavore’s heaven. Now in its 20th year, the huge expo of more than 120 local food and craft producers has become a destination for organic-food mavens, supporters of local farms and growers, and kids excited to milk their first cow in the kids’ corner. Check out jams, wine, fruits and

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veggies, fresh and dried flowers and herbs, baskets, wooden toys, custom jewelry, and many surprises under the huge tents. Live music and a huge pumpkin patch are part of the fun.

Dueling Desserts at Art in the Park Oct. 8 and 9 – noon to 2 p.m., Lindendale Park, Highland, Ill. · 618.654.4727 · highlandartscouncil.org The hugely popular sugar-smackdown known as Dueling Desserts returns to the Art in the Park festival in Highland, Ill., this month, with another all-star lineup of competitors. Simone Faure (The Ritz-Carlton), Leslie Gillette (Salt), Pat Jacoby (Patty-Cakes), Stefani Pollack (The Cupcake Project), Claire Robberson (Eclipse), Kerry Soraci (I Scream Cakes) and Stephan Schubert (Lumière Place and River City) will show off beautiful dessert creations and offer demos to explain how they’ve wrought their edible masterworks. Visitors to the art fair get to vote for their favorites by dropping change into jars, and the proceeds are donated to an area food pantry.

Two Angry Moms, presented by Slow Food St. Louis Oct. 24 – 7:30 p.m., Schlafly Bottleworks Kelly@slowfoodstl.org · slowfoodstl.org There was a salad bar in my high school cafeteria, but I have no idea what was on it – none of us kids really did. We either brown-bagged it, bought icecream sandwiches and other emptycalorie food in the cafeteria line, or some combination of the two. Anyone who saw chef Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution TV show understands that the only thing harder than getting kids to eat healthy away from home is getting schools to remove junk food from their cafeterias. Two Angry Moms is the story of filmmaker Amy Kalafa and nutritionist Dr. Susan Rubin, who came up with some creative ways to bring about this sea of change in their children’s schools – and filmed the whole thing. The documentary is presented by Slow Food St. Louis’ Food on Film series. Admission is free.

For part 2 of this interview, visit the Extra Sauce section of SauceMagazine.com.

five questions for Kevin Lemp Yes, his name is Kevin Lemp. Yes, he runs the new 4 Hands Brewing Co. No, he’s not one of those Lemps – but he gets that a lot.

What is your favorite kind of beer? I really enjoy hoppy beers. IPA is one of my faves, but I also enjoy beers laced with fruit, like Belgian-style barrel-aged beers with wine-like qualities.

Tell us about what you’re brewing.

We’ll have a blond ale with kefir lime leaves, a rye IPA, a brown ale brewed with oatmeal that’s really robust, and a single-hop centennial red ale. Our seasonal collection will include a double IPA that’s big and bold and chewy; a blackberry Berliner Weiss that’ll be nice and crisp and tart for the spring; a fall seasonal, which will include fresh sweet potatoes with freshly cracked allspice, fresh nutmeg and whole vanilla, aged on whiskey-infused pecan chips. We’ll do a couple saisons, which is a Belgian seasonal beer – one will be with sour cherries; the other with pear, white pepper and orange rind. We’ll also have an espresso imperial stout. Our barrel-aged beers will include two Belgian-inspired beers aged in spent

wine barrels, infused with fruit, and two American craft-influenced beers aged in spirit barrels.

What music will you play in the brewing area while you brew? Funk for sure, and hopefully some Widespread Panic to get the heart going.

So you’re a Lemp, but you’re not connected to the Lemp Brewing dynasty? It almost seems hard to believe that my last name is Lemp, I live in St. Louis, I’m brewing beer, but I have no relation. But I get that question every day.

Does every beer-loving American man secretly want to own his own brewery? Deep inside, yes.

– Byron Kerman 4 Hands Brewing Co., 1220 S. Eighth Hands Brewing Co., St., St.4Louis, 314.308.7414 1220 S. Eighth St., St. Louis, 314.308.7414

October 2011

Photo by matt marcinkowski

stuff to do:

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Best seat in the house

the Wounded Warrior Project and Camp Wonderland.

First Annual Soulard Chili Festival Oct. 15 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1731 S. Broadway 314.588.0007 · liftforlifeevents.org

sponsored events Sauce Celebrity Chef Series: Alton Brown Oct. 9th – 4 p.m., Ethical Society of St. Louis · left-bank.com

Chili-lovers still in mourning after the recent demise of the 34-year-old National Kidney Foundation Chili Cook-Off at Westport Plaza may wish to find succor in Soulard. Chili, that mysterious meal of unknown content and strangely efficacious power, is the star of the show at Lift for Life Academy’s inaugural Soulard Chili Festival.

For $5 in advance or $8 at the event, you can taste every competitor’s entry, and the fees benefit the miracle workers of Lift for Life. Other fun includes a children’s area with inflatable romper toys, a beer-and-wine garden, live music and craft booths. Life will disappoint you. Chili will give you strength.

Pumpkin Carving Contest Oct. 29 – 10 a.m., Ferguson Farmers’ Market 314.324.4298 · fergmarket.com

COASTAL BISTRO & BAR

14 N. Central Ave., Clayton, 314.932.7377

When the wind picks up and the temperature begins to drop, we swap summer patio sipping for long, leisurely meals with the family. This rustic farm table, with its sprawling planks of worn wood, is perfect for the job – big enough to keep the elbowing at a minimum and comforting enough to make everyone feel welcome to order another glass.

CONTESTS

Photo by ashley gieseking

Grillin’ Fools Backyard BBQ Bash Oct. 15 - 8 a.m., Big St. Charles Motorsports · 636.946.6487 grillinfools.com Scott Thomas of the instructional barbecue site grillinfools.com puts his money where his mouth is at the annual ‘cue competition Denotes a Sauce Sponsored event October 2011

he sponsors. All entrants at the contest cook on-site using only family-sized, home grills – no large, commercial smokers allowed. This not only levels the playing field and tests the cooks on basic, fundamental barbecuing skills, it encourages complete amateurs to give it a go, too. The second annual contest offers competition in appetizers, chicken and ribs; cash prizes; live bands; beer; and loads of complimentary sampling of competition ‘cue. The proceeds benefit

Cautiously, Clyde opened the case of custom pumpkin-carving tools bequeathed to him by his Uncle Aloysius. The ancient black leather cracked anew, and small pieces broke off near the rusty hinges.

The inside of the case was lined with red velveteen. It smelled like dead cows, moldy squash and bitter memories. Aloysius had dreamed of winning the Ferguson Farmers’ Market Adult Pumpkin Carving Contest, but year after year, he was bested by his arch rival, Langley Hopkins, a man with the sure touch of a surgeon and the eye of Michelangelo. Clyde’s uncle had gone to his grave having taken second place in the contest 10 years in a row. Clyde fingered the steel knives, scoopers and retractors in the carving case and thought of sweet victory. This was the year that Aloysius’ nephew would emerge from the shadows to surprise Hopkins and give that arrogant victor his comeuppance.

Clyde had been practicing his pièce de résistance – the head of America’s sweetheart, Jessica Alba, rendered in pumpkin. He would win the cash prize and avenge his uncle. At the end of the month, he told himself, his family’s sworn rival would slink away in hot shame, and the very city of Ferguson would tremble at his vegetable-carving mastery. Clyde cackled in wicked glee, closed the case and went to feed his gerbil.

As Good Eats enjoys its 14th season on the Food Network, fans can’t get enough of Alton Brown’s wildly inventive, geeky, food-loving spirit. Like Volumes 1 and 2, Brown’s newest book, Good Eats 3: The Later Years, packs a bounty of information and entertainment between its covers. Join Sauce Magazine and Left Bank Books for a special talk by Brown. He’ll answer your questions and sign your books, and he may do it with asparagus in hand. The talk is free and open to the public, but to receive a ticket to the book signing, you must purchase one of Brown’s books from Left Bank Books.

Sauce Magazine’s Food Truck Friday Oct. 14 – 4 to 7 p.m., southwest corner of Tower Grove Park, St. Louis · 314.772.8004 · saucemagazine.com Join us for the final Food Truck Friday of the season, a free monthly event where local food trucks gather for an evening of friends, fun and plenty of good food.

First Annual Soulard Chili Festival Oct. 15 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1731 S. Broadway 314.588.0007 · liftforlifeevents.org For details, see this page.

St. Louis Signature Chefs Auction Oct. 20 – 6 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis · 314.513.9995 marchofdimes.com/missouri Taste signature dishes from some of the area’s finest chefs while raising funds for the March of Dimes. Dining and entertainment packages will also be up for auction.

ArtDimensions’ 10th Anniversary Celebration Oct. 21 – 6:30 p.m., ArtDimensions Gallery · 314-853-6257 weaver.davide@gmail.com At ArtDimensions’10th Anniversary celebration, the gallery will be packed with the movers, shakers and art appreciators who support and participate in the local art scene. A ticket gives attendees access to a cocktail reception, a fashion show, art exhibits, fire dancers, burlesque and more. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 57

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art

by Byron Kerman

The Butterfly House will bring in a real owl on October 25 as part of its October Owls and Orchirds exhibit, which will also feature 2,000 owl butterflies fluttering about all month long.

EXHIBITS October Owls and Orchids

©iStockphoto.com/Megan Lorenz

Oct. 1 to 31 – various times, The Butterfly House 636.530.0076 · butterflyhouse.org Those who know the pleasures of “March Morpho Mania,” when the Butterfly House brings in thousands of additional electric-blue Morpho butterflies, will go similarly gaga over October Owls and Orchids. This time, in conjunction with Halloween, the Butterfly House is hatching 2,000 owl butterflies, which have wings that resemble the eyes of an owl. And, in an attempt to wow visitors with a riot of tropical colors, nearly 100 orchids have been planted in the vicinity as well. The World Bird Sanctuary is stopping by The Butterfly House’s classroom with a real October 2011

owl on October 25 at 5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to arrive early, as late arrivals may quite literally distract and anger the owl. (Not a good idea.)

Guests at this month’s opening reception are encouraged to wear creepy get-ups and, naturally, to BYOB (Bring Your Own Brains).

Expired, presented by Gallery Visio

Phyllis Bramson: Wonderland: A Bright and Guilty Place

Oh, are we still on zombies? I thought we were all busy romancing our vampire and lycanthrope paramours? Whatever the de rigueur creature du jour, people are still enjoying the renaissance of the undead – in films, in books and in art of all stripes.

The artists contributing to the fun-sounding Expired group show have been tasked to “depict the dynamic and horrific nature of zombie culture” in their favorite medium.

It’s virtually impossible to spend less than five minutes looking at each painting by Phyllis Bramson. If you move on too soon, you simply won’t understand what this artist and her wicked sense of humor have wrought. Her recent paintings and works on paper at the Philip Slein Gallery offer more of her trademark themes: doomed romance, Eastern mysticism, allegory, child-like illustration, menace from the subconscious, tart absurdity and poodles.

Oct. 6 to Nov. 3, opening reception: Oct. 6 – 4 to 7 p.m., Gallery Visio, Millennium Student Center, UM-St. Louis 314.516.7922 · umsl.edu/~galvisio

Through Oct. 29, Philip Slein Gallery · 314.621.4634 philipsleingallery.com

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The Italian Suite: New Paintings by Carol Carter Through Nov. 5, The Vino Gallery · 314.932.5665 thevinogallery.com Carol Carter is one of those visual artists whose fame has taken her around the world – to any place she wants, really. So when she mounts a show in her hometown, it’s a real treat. Carter’s Italian Suite, watercolors based on snapshots she took on a trip to Tuscany two years ago, offer her signature brazen color choices that defy reality and simultaneously get to its zinging emotional root. Her fondness for blues and oranges and her knack for capturing light at different times of day are once again demonstrated in this latest series.

FAIRS/FESTIVALS Show Me State Disc Dog Championships Oct. 22 and 23 – 9 a.m., Purina Farms · discdogevents.com Ostensibly, this is a column that leads you to much of the artsy goodness happening in this burg each month, but art comes in many forms. Art in motion, if you will, is an apt description for the dogs that leap and twist their way to the top of the professional Frisbee dog circuit. These natural marvels go for the golden biscuit at the third annual Show Me State Disc Dog Championship, a two-day event at Purina Farms in Gray Summit. Canines compete in five categories, including distance, timed runs and team contests, in both novice and pro divisions. The entry fees are really light for this one, so if Fido can run down and retrieve a Frisbee, consider joining in the fun. If not, just watching is thoroughly entertaining.

THEATER The Who’s Tommy, presented by Stray Dog Theatre

Photo by jonathan gayman

Oct. 6 to 22 – Thu. to Sat.: 8 p.m., Stray Dog Theatre 314.865.1995 · straydogtheatre.org Once you’ve seen the film version of this rock opera, there’s a collection of scenes rolling around your head you’ll never really forget: Keith Moon “fiddlin’ about” as Uncle Ernie the molester, Ann-Margret freaking out all over a white rug and, of course, Elton John’s oversized, freakierthan-usual get-up. Stray Dog Theatre has October 2011

bravely elected to produce the lengthy musical, and it’ll be interesting to see how it scales down those big production numbers at its home in Tower Grove Abbey. The freewheeling story concerns a boy made blind, deaf and mute by emotional trauma who eventually becomes a kind of savior for downtrodden hippies via his preternatural skill at pinball.

before & after The Cinema Club

Alice in Wonderland, presented by Théâtre Tout à Trac Oct. 28 to 30 – various times, Center of Creative Arts 314.725.6555 · cocastl.org Kids and adults alike will marvel at the props that suddenly come to life, the stunts that make actors appear 2 feet tall, and other wild visuals in the troupe’s production of the classic Alice in Wonderland.

The company’s bag of tricks includes outrageous makeup and costumes, masks, puppetry and sleight of hand. The scenic backdrop is a magical bookshelf that symbolically opens to provide entry for the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts and playmates. Stick around after the show for what should be a revealing Q&A with the actors; they’ll demonstrate all the custom equipment – back and front – that makes this one go.

FILM The Cinema Club Oct. 9 and 23, Nov. 6 and 20, Dec. 11, and Jan. 8, 2012 – Sundays: 10 a.m., Plaza Frontenac Cinema · 202.679.3456 thecinemaclub.com Imagine sitting down in a movie theater and not knowing what film you’ve come to see. You do know, however, that it’s a foreign, art-house-type film that will eventually play to the public in the same cinema. You also know that when the film ends, you’ll enjoy a brief coffee or bathroom break, then return to your seat to discuss the film with movie critic Harper Barnes or film professor Diane Carson, the occasional guest speaker and your fellow filmgoers. That’s how Cinema Club works. It’s offered in most major cities, including here, where it’s in its eighth year.

Some films screened last spring included The Names of Love, The Tree, Incendies and Potiche. Visit the website or call the number above to register for the season.

Make a day of it with our suggestions for where to eat and drink before and after the show, at right.

BEFORE:

Before you head out to Frontenac to hobnob with some of the area’s top film critics, you’ll want to caffeinate.

Stop by Deer Creek Coffee, where the doors open at 6 a.m., and the coffee is always hot. Early birds can nibble on the Belgian waffles with berries (pictured) or make things a bit lighter with the potato pancakes topped with sour cream, a sliver of smoked trout and freshly chopped basil. Can’t make the morning bell? Just stop by for a cup of joe before curtain call.

9820 Clayton Road, Ladue, 314.262.8494

AFTER:

Whether you fell in love with the film or are left wondering if you can get the better part of your Sunday back, you’re sure to have worked up quite an appetite. Stop by Via Vino for a diverse smattering of small plates. Looking for something light? Start with the bright and refreshing roasted beets and goat cheese salad. Those who skipped breakfast will want to opt for a warming plate of tagliatelle with porcini broth and truffles, an aromatic and wonderful dish for a crisp fall day. Oh and go ahead and order that glass of vino; you put your culture hours in, you deserve it.

10427 Clayton Road, Ladue, 314.569.0405

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Breakfast Risotto Courtesy of Grace Manor’s Debra Grace 1 Serving ½ tsp. dried oregano ½ tsp. dried basil 1 cup boiling water Canola oil ¼ cup Ozark Forest mushrooms (combination of oyster [torn into thirds], shiitakes and creminis [each cut in ¼-inch thick slices]) 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

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½ cup cooked arborio rice ¼ cup Rensing Farms pork sausage ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 ∕8 cup heavy cream Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 farm-fresh eggs • Mix the oregano and basil together and set aside.

• Combine the hot water and 1 teaspoon of the herb blend in a mug or small boil, cover with a small plate or plastic wrap and let steep for at least 5 minutes.

(The longer it steeps the stronger it gets, and that’s just fine.) Set the herb broth aside.

• Heat a saucepan to high. Once smoke rises from the skillet, add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and the mushrooms. Once browned on one side, flip the mushrooms and brown on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

• Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Once it melts, add the herb broth and the cooked rice. Cook, stirring occasionally.

• When the rice has absorbed most

of the herb broth, add the pork sausage to the saucepan and stir to let the sausage brown a little.

• Add the seared mushrooms back into the saucepan, along with the grated Parmesan.

• Once the Parmesan begins to melt, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Transfer the risotto to a plate.

• Poach both eggs until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, about 1 to 3 minutes. Make 2 small indentions in the risotto mound and place an egg inside each.

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Photo by laura miller

Earthy, creamy and rich, the breakfast risotto at Grace Manor is a new take on the most important meal of the day. Studded with a mix of Ozark Forest mushrooms and Rensing Farms’ pork sausage, the risotto takes a turn toward decadence as two perfectly poached, orange-yolked, farm-fresh eggs get perched atop it. This is a dish to curl up with and savor on cool fall mornings.

– Meera Nagarajan

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