September 2013

against the grain

a locavore's quest for better bread

cucumbers get cooked ∙ winner, winner, chicken dinner ∙ a cure for lox s t. l o u is’ i n d e pe n d e nt cu l i n a ry au th o r it y September 2013

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contents september 2013

13 A La Carte

Reviews 21 new and notable: The Libertine

by Michael Renner

25 Nightlife: Atomic Cowboy

37

by Matt Berkley

26 Cook’s Books: Wisdom from Jewish Kitchens

28

by Catherine Klene

Home cooking 28 Vegetize it: Carbonara Pasta and a Glass of Pinot

by Kellie Hynes

30 One ingredient, 3 ways: Cucumber Beyond the Pickle

features

by Dee Ryan

32 By Popular Demand Scape's Toasted Nut & Honey Grits

32 cover details

37 Lox of Love Making a mark on tradition is easier

Last course

than you think

47 Stuff to do

by Stacy Schultz

by byron Kerman

48 a chat with: Anthony Ellerson Jr.

by Ligaya Figueras

40 Richard Knapp's quixotic dream

by Michael Renner

(Flip your magazine over for a big surprise!)

Kevin Kious, office manager of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America, swims in a sea of beer cans. Who knew this national club was based right here in the Gateway City? This year’s annual Guide to Drinking holds plenty more surprises. We’ve scoured the city to find hidden gems from the world of beer, wine and spirits. Read the guide to get the buzz. – Photo by Ashley Gieseking

Richard Knapp p. 40

Photo by Carmen Troesser cucumbers get cooked p. 30 winner, winner, chicken dinner p. 21 a cure for lox p. 37

= recipe on this page

September 2013

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letter from the editor

What did we discover about the drink scene in 2013?

There are beer fans who care as much about the can as they do about its contents (p. 5). Buying seriously good spirits doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank (p. 24).

Missouri wine production is reaching new heights (p. 5).

And, local bartenders are not only keeping up with bartenders around the country, they’re beating them, as Justin Cardwell of BC’s Kitchen proved recently when he took top honors at the Bittercube National Cocktail Competition held at our nation’s preeminent cocktail convention, Tales of the Cocktail. Luckily for us, Cardwell was willing to share the recipe for his winning entry, The Lost Dutchman. Cheers to Cardwell, and cheers to that!

In this month’s main issue, we sober to the fact that Missouri doesn’t produce a local organic wheat suitable for baking bread

as Sauce contributor Michael Renner follows one fellow’s unlikely quest to make it a reality (p. 40). Sauce contributor Stacy Schultz preps us for the Jewish High Holy Days by teaching us how to cure lox at home (p. 37).

Eating and imbibing are (mostly) light-hearted affairs, but knowing where that food and drink comes from requires thought. We hope this issue inspires you to eat well, drink well – and think well.

Cheers,

Ligaya Figueras Executive editor

The Lost Dutchman Courtesy of BC’s Kitchen’s Justin Cardwell 1 serving 1½ oz. Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve ¾ oz. grilled lime juice (Recipe follows) ¾ oz. orange blossom honey syrup (Recipe follows)

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1 egg white 1½ drops Bittercube Jamaican No. 2 bitters 5 to 6 drops Bittercube Blackstrap bitters • In a cocktail shaker, combine Rhum, grilled lime juice, syrup, egg white and Jamaican No. 2 bitters. Dry shake for 10 seconds.

• Add ice to shaker and shake hard to combine.

Fine strain into a goblet or coupe.

• Add drops of Blackstrap bitters across the top of the foam in a half-moon, then drag a pairing knife or cocktail pick through the bitters to create a streak design.

Grilled lime juice Cut a lime in half. Place each half, flesh side down, on a hot charcoal or gas grill. Grill until charred, about 3 to 5 minutes. Place lime halves in bowl to cool. Once cooled, juice and fine strain to remove any pulp. One lime will yield approximately 1 ounce of juice.

Orange blossom honey syrup Mix 2 parts orange blossom honey* with 1 part warm water. Stir until well combined.

(If orange blossom honey is unavailable, use neutral honey, adding ¼ ounce orange blossom water to each cup of syrup.)

PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

Confession: Sauce’s September issue is my favorite of the year because it includes our annual special section, Guide to Drinking. Having covered the spirits beat since 2010 (throughout St. Louis’ crafteverything renaissance), I’m continually excited to curate new products and trends into a 24-page catalogue raisonné fit for discerning drinkers.

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se p t em b e r 2 013 • VO LUM E 13, Issue 9 @allysonmace

PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Fact checker PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Events coordinator Listings manager ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Account Executves Advertising Accounts Coordinator INTERNS

Allyson Mace @ligayafigueras Ligaya Figueras Meera Nagarajan @meera618 Julie Cohen @julieannacohen Catherine Klene @catherineklene Ligaya Figueras Rosa Heyman Emily Lowery Michelle Volansky Byron Kerman Jonathan Gayman, Ashley Gieseking, Elizabeth Jochum, Laura Miller, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser Vidhya Nagarajan Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, Julie Cohen, Ligaya Figueras, Kellie Hynes, Byron Kerman, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Cory King, Catherine Klene, Meera Nagarajan, Katie O'Connor, Greg Rannells, Michael Renner, Dee Ryan, Stacy Schultz Rebecca Ryan Rebecca Ryan Allyson Mace Rachel Gaertner, Bruce Prediger, Patrick Shaw Jill George Darren Arabie, Jennifer Mozier, Joe Ponzillo

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SEND A $25 CHECK TO: SAUCE MAGAZINE – SUBSCRIPTIONS for a 12-month subscription 1820 Chouteau To place advertisements in Sauce Magazine contact the advertising department at 314.772.8004 or sales@ saucemagazine.com.

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

All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©2001-2013 by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. The Sauce name and logo are both registered to the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. Reproduction or other use, in

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

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

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

Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

St. Louis, MO 63103

editorial policies The Sauce Magazine mission is to provide St. Louis-area residents and visitors with unbiased, complete information on the area’s restaurant, bar and entertainment industry. Our editorial content is not influenced by who advertises with Sauce Magazine or saucemagazine.com.

Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.

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We’re (obviously) big proponents of print here, yet we can’t help but squeal at all that the digital age offers. Did you know how many ways you can enjoy Sauce Magazine these days? From your computer screen to your tablet, even your phone, the options are nearly endless. Here are a few ways to connect with us all month long. Thanks, Internet. We owe you one.

WIN After you read this year’s Guide to Drinking (Flip the magazine over to check it out.), we know you’ll want more from the beverage world. So this month, we’re giving away drink-related accessories – from cool coasters to a newage wine tote. But you’ve got to play to win. Every Thursday in September, go to saucemagazine.com/ blog and enter our Thursday Giveaway contest.

LISTEN Restaurateurs Derek and Lucas Gamlin are on a tear. The brothers have made their Sub Zero Vodka Bar in the Central West End the go-to spot for vodka aficionados, but the Gamlins are just getting started. Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 KWMU’s Cityscape Friday, Sept. 13 at noon and 10 p.m., as the Gamlins chat about how they are shaking up the dining scene with two new restaurants, one slated to open this month (Read more on p. 19.), and even helping thirsty Rams and Blues fans find refreshing Sub Zero vodka drinks at games this season.

READ Living gluten-free doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a diet of quinoa and almond flour. This month, we launch Wheatless Wednesdays, a biweekly online column meant to inspire those who don’t eat gluten and home cooks hosting gluten-free guests. Columnist Jill Duncan shares new ideas for cooking and baking inventive, glutenless recipes that will leave everyone at your table – wheatless or not – full and satisfied. Head to saucemagazine.com/blog to see how a world without gluten can still taste amazing.

facebook.com/saucemagazine | twitter.com/saucemag | pinterest.com/saucemagazine | instagram.com/saucemag

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EAT THIS

If a pig and a zombie had a baby, swaddled in bacon and laid in a warm pretzel bun, you would have the Aporkalypse Pretzelwich. This juicy, garlic-y peppered pork roast, bacon and gooey provolone sandwich, topped with pickles and spicy boom-boom sauce, is only served on Wednesdays at Blues City Deli. From the massive muffuletta Photo by carmen troesser

to the Benton Park po’ boy, all of Vince Valenza’s sandwiches are served up spectacularly, but if the world ended tomorrow, the Aporkalypse would survive; it would be rewriting the history books.

Blues City Deli • 2438 McNair Ave., St. Louis • 314.773.8225 • bluescitydeli.com

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MAKE THIS tomato sandwich active time: 5 minutes

This is the sandwich we wait all year to make. It may be just a basic open-faced tomato sandwich, but right now, it’s everything. Toast one slice of Miller’s Five Grain bread from Companion and slather it with a layer of high-quality mayonnaise. Pile it with slices of the season’s most colorful tomatoes, like Green Zebras, Cherokee Purples and grape-sized Sungolds, sweet reminders that tomatoes are, indeed, a fruit. Sprinkle it with crunchy Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper.

Before you take a bite, give thanks to the tomato gods, er, farmers.

— Meera Nagarajan

Go global on mayo. Try Kewpie, a Japanese brand of mayonnaise sold at Global Foods Market.

Companion, companionstl.com Global Foods Market, globalfoodsmarket.com SCHLAFLY FARMERS MARKET, schlaflyfarmersmarket.com

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photo by greg rannells

Head to the Schlafly Farmers Market on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. to find heirloom tomatoes in an awesome array of colors.

The stuff we can’t get enough of

Dee Ryan One Ingredient, 3 Ways and Just Five columnist

photos by laura miller; illustrations by vidhya nagarajan

Michael Renner New and Notable reviewer

When soda sounds too sweet, but I want more than just bubble water, I turn to DRY Soda. Flavors include rhubarb, blood orange, juniper berry, lime, lavender and vanilla bean. Wonderfully effervescent, these are the Champagne of sodas. Float juniper or rhubarb on top of a French 75; mix the blood orange or lime with spiked or straight lemonade. Low sugar, low calorie, no weird ingredients and a classy, clear glass bottle: This is soda for grown-ups.

Starrs is my one-stop shop when I need a few bottles of wine, a bag of hardwood lump charcoal, a pound of store-roasted coffee, a fresh free-range chicken and a dozen local cage-free eggs. And, oh let’s see, how about some fresh, net-caught Oregon King salmon or halibut, a bottle of hard-to-find Show-Me Liquid Smoke Bar-B-Q Sauce from Columbia, Mo., some silky French SaintAndre cheese or a hunk of hand-cut beef tenderloin? Hell, owner Bud Starr even bakes French bread and makes his own protein bars! Starrs, 1135 S. Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights, 314.781.2345, starrs1.com

Kellie Hynes Vegetize It columnist and contributing writer

British cuisine gets a bad rap, but a recent trip across the pond left me fixated on Branston Pickle. This magical relish is both sweet and savory, thanks to a flavorful combination of malt vinegar, carrots, onions, rutabagas and other veggies. Its native habitat is the pub, on a meat and cheese plate called a ploughman’s lunch. But it’s equally delicious slathered on a sandwich made from aged cheddar and crusty bread. This crown jewel of condiments can be found right here in town, no passport required. $5. Cost Plus World Market, 24 Brentwood Promenade Court, Brentwood, 314.918.7800, worldmarket.com

Greg Rannells Photographer

Early this spring when my beehives began producing honey, I started experimenting with making mead.

Known in mythology as ambrosia or nectar of the gods, mead is man’s oldest fermented drink and dates as far back as ancient Egypt. By simply combining yeast, honey and water, you can create a honey wine that’s lightly effervescent within a week; let it age and it mellows and develops further character. I’m making sweet and dry versions, aging it in bourbon barrels and infusing it with elderflower. I like it all!

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use this

Apps you need right now

A Seat at the Bar Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

If you’re like us – smartphone in one hand, fork or glass in the other – these four free apps (all available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices) should always be at your fingertips. – Catherine Klene

Beer Citizen If you’re a fan of Untappd, check out this app that unites craft beer nerds from across the globe. Snap a pic of your glass and share your thoughts on its appearance, scent, taste and mouth feel to help build an aggregated beer profile that serves suds-loving citizens everywhere.

ted and jamie kilgore USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart and coowners/bartenders at Planter’s House (opening soon)

Lately we find ourselves enjoying amaro, a bitter, rich and herbaceous after-dinner digestif from Italy. The range of intensity can vary greatly between brands. Fernet-Branca is the craft bartender’s shot of choice with extreme bitter, menthol and woodsy flavors. Good introductory amaros include Zucca, which holds citrusy and fresh notes, and Averna, which is heavy with vanilla, orange and caramel flavors. For those hesitant to swallow this bitter pill, try amaro with tonic, seltzer or soda pop (cream soda, ooh!), or drink it neat alongside a shot of espresso after dinner (aah!).

Seafood Watch Before you buy that salmon or tuna steak, check this user-friendly app from Monterey Bay Aquarium to see how eco-friendly your fish is.

You also can locate and report on sustainable seafood served at local restaurants or sold in area stores, helping others make sustainable choices.

This cocktail guide has thousands of drink recipes from classics to shockers. Search by ingredient, or choose your favorite liquor, mixer or garnish, and the app shows you all the drinks you can concoct. Want to go more in-depth with your favorite spirit? For a few extra bucks, an app like Speakeasy Cocktails offers recipes and video tutorials from pros.

cory king Certified Cicerone, head brewer at Perennial Artisan Ales and founder of Side Project Brewing

All Recipes Dinner Spinner If you like Epicurious, try this take on the recipe hunt. Say you want to take a stab at a new bread recipe and you want to eat it in 20 minutes. Lock your requirements into the Dinner Spinner and view your results culled from the vast All Recipes database. You can save your favorites or search for a dish, narrowing with dietary filters if needed.

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glenn bardgett Member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board and wine director at Annie Gunn’s

The good news: I have been on a few exciting wine trips recently. The bad news: I had to deal with airports. I stayed sane with one wine that seems to be everywhere: 2012 Mirassou Pinot Noir. Once the oldest family-owned winery in the U.S., Mirassou is now owned by the Gallo family, who purchased it in 2002. Looking in frustration at airport offerings of burgers, chicken wings, nachos and “pizzas,” at least I can almost always find a solid, decent wine from Mirassou before making sure my seat is in the full, upright position. You should be able to find this dry-ish, well-made red for less than $10 at your favorite retailer.

September 2013

illustrations by vidhya nagarajan

Mixology

There’s almost no limit to the ingredients that can be added to beer during the brewing process to add depth, character and uniqueness. This time of year, I want some spice in my beer. Classic styles like a witbier use orange peel and coriander; saisons often use herbs, spices, flowers and fruit; modern styles like pumpkin ale rely on pumpkin pie spices for their characteristic flavor profile. Seek out Avery White Rascal, Brasserie à Vapeur Saison de Pipaix and Schalfly Pumpkin Ale for expressive, spiced beers.

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hit list

3 New Restaurants to Try This Month

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Element 1419 Carroll St., St. Louis, 314.241.1674, elementstl.com

Gamlin Whiskey House 236 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, Facebook: Gamlin Whiskey House

Sept. 7 marks the grand opening of Element, a restaurant and lounge located on the second and third floors of the former City Hospital power plant. Collaboration is the core concept at Element, where executive chef Brian Hardesty and four other chefs will offer new American cuisine that highlights peak-of-season ingredients on large and small plates. The newly renovated space retains an industrial feel with exposed metal and brick, yet it’s softened by warm lighting and dining tables fashioned from reclaimed wood. If it’s date night, head upstairs to the lounge and grab a seat at the massive, elegant bar or one of the royal high-back armchairs.

Then enjoy draft beer, wine or one of a dozen cocktails paired with a cheese or charcuterie plate from the lounge menu. Before you leave, catch a glimpse of the downtown skyline from the terrace.

From the owners of Sub Zero Vodka Bar comes whiskey-and-steak place Gamlin Whiskey House, opening in late September.

Brothers Derek and Lucas Gamlin have brushed the dust off the old-school steakhouse concept and have given it contemporary flavor, pairing beefy entrees with a selection of fine whiskeys from around the world. You’ll find classic steakhouse fare like a 16-ounce dry-aged rib-eye steak, as well as comfort fixin’s like a grass-fed beef potpie and bourbon fried chicken. Booze highlights include hand-selected whiskeys on tap, bourbon and whiskey flights and nearly two dozen craft cocktails.

photos by michelle volansky

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The Biergarten at AnheuserBusch St. Louis Brewery 12th and Lynch streets, St. Louis, 314.577.2626, budweisertours.com

September 2013

It holds a permanent place on your where-to-take-out-of-towners hit list, but A-B has given us another reason to return to its storied brewery in Soulard. The Biergarten, a new, 275-seat outdoor space adjacent to the tour center, offers 17 A-B beers on tap along with beer-friendly food. Best of all, you don’t have to take the tour to hang at The Biergarten. So let the in-laws listen to the spiel while you sip on Stella. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 19

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reviews

new and notable: THE LIBERTINE p. 21 nightlife: ATOMIC COWBOY p. 25 cook’s books: JEWISH COOK BOOKS p. 26

New and Notable: The Libertine

by Michael Renner • Photos by Jonathan Gayman

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eadline be damned, I wanted fried chicken.

Specifically, I wanted Josh Galliano’s fried chicken: the deep-fried, crunchy, spicy bird that I – and seemingly half of St. Louis – devoured last year at his one-night pop-up event. This was well after Monarch (where most of us first fell under the spell of Galliano’s chicken) had closed, so there was much pent-up demand and curiosity about what he was going to pull out of the skillet this time. Since then, the New Orleans transplant put on another pop-up (gumbo-themed) and designed and executed the menu at MX Movies downtown.

Earlier this year, Nick and Audra Luedde tapped Galliano to head the kitchen at The Libertine, their new The Libertine restaurant in downtown Clayton; 7927 Forsyth Blvd., and you thought all that buzz you Clayton, 314.862.2999, heard was the cicada invasion. libertinestl.com Nick is a practiced mixologist, sommelier and restaurateur, while Audra is a master chef and sommelier. A year ago the husband and wife team moved to St. Louis (Nick’s hometown) from Chicago to open The Libertine.

By May, the former space for the restaurants Chez Leon, Mazara and Shiitake – and even a Woolworth’s back in the ’30s – was refurbished, reinterpreted and ready for business. Then, in July, the question everybody had been asking for months was finally answered: The royal baby is a … no, wait, that was the second most-asked question. The first: Will The Libertine serve Galliano’s fried chicken? “July 21,” came the tweets and blog posts – no town crier required.

Benjamin Bauer (left) with The Libertine's general manager Nick Weber (right)

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Fried chicken was the inaugural meal for Sunday Suppers, a three-course, prix fixe dinner offered every Sunday for $30 per person. The chicken is now only served the second Sunday of every month; the rest of the Sundays rotate. (Other meals have been built around Italian, Vietnamese and barbecue cuisine.) At this point, you should be questioning my effusive praise for something as basic and downhome as fried chicken. But consider these facts: These birds are raised on an Amish farm in Illinois saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 21

review new and notable: THE LIBERTINE The Lueddes described The Libertine as a “reimagined neighborhood eatery that serves accessible yet ingredient-driven food,” an approach well matched to Galliano’s philosophy of sourcing locally and his cooking style that balances sophistication and simplicity. The menu is built around three categories: vegetables, meat and seafood.

Each category includes appetizer- and entreesized dishes, which your server will explain if the prices aren’t enough of a clue (roughly, anything more than $11 is an entree).

Fried chicken

As if readying diners’ palates to expand, the kitchen kicked off the meal with a complimentary bowl of deep-fried garbanzo beans dusted with powdered guanciale.

Your eyes tell you Cocoa Puffs and powdered sugar; your brain gives up; your tongue doesn’t care because it’s fun.

not far from where Galliano lives, brined in sweet tea, soaked in spicy buttermilk and coated in cornmeal and flour before being submerged in lard and canola oil. It arrives hot and crackling on the outside, juicy and glistening on the inside. Its shaggy, crunchy crust – dark with paprika and black pepper – was so noisy, I had to ask my dining companions to repeat what they just said.

There is nothing healthy or refined about this five-piece dish, but the side of stewed cabbage and roasted zucchini offered a bit of lightness. Dessert was peach cobbler, filled with not too mushy early peaches

held in a buttery and crisp crust with just a bit of chew – a great texture all around.

Nothing goes better with fried chicken than sparkling wine and, in this case, even better with a cabernet Franc rosé sparkler. But fried chicken is a populist dish equally comfy with beer. Victoria Mitchell, one of the restaurant’s two general managers, constructed an appealing and affordable wine list, including a strong wine-by-the-glass selection. Her fiancé and The Libertine’s co-manager, Nate Weber, put together a beer selection heavy with popular craft beers and a solid cocktail list.

One evening, monkfish subbed for walleye, its meaty flesh folded and poached in olive oil. Because monkfish must be cooked thoroughly to be tender, it’s often dry and stringy; however, poaching it kept the fish tender and moist, while using olive oil added a denser, more satisfying texture. On the side: Flavors from each vegetable rang through with a beautiful, bright mélange of three-bean ragout (green and wax beans, crowder peas), roasted red peppers and verdant tatsoi.

Three Little Birds exemplifies Galliano’s Louisiana roots and reputation for reinventing simple dishes. Here, thick slices of roasted game hen, chicken and quail came pressed into a short stack atop creamy rice grits and maque choux. A whole charred okra served as a Southern exclamation

point. While succulent, it was difficult to distinguish the individual flavors of the birds without dissecting the stack.

Tired of pork belly on every menu in town?

How about something that tastes like belly, only fattier? (Yes, this is possible.) Deboned, stuffed, rolled, deep-fried and served four to an order, crispy pig tails “Buffalo style” combines the sticky, spicy goodness of Buffalo wings with the richness of belly. The texture reminded me of Korean barbecue pork, with its crunchy exterior and chewy interior. Served on a bed of creamy brownbutter polenta with whipped Gorgonzola and a celery seed vinaigrette, the reference to real Buffalo wings did not go unnoticed. Be warned though: this is one rich dish.

Ever richer is the She-Crab soup, a Southern coastal staple made with the meat of female blue crabs, roe, cream and sherry. Galliano’s version has a deeper than normal orange hue from the roe and a pleasant, sneaky heat from the addition of Turkish marash ground pepper. A trio of mini crabmeat spring rolls sits in the puddle of deeply flavored soup, topped with icy beads of spherified sherry, exploding with each bite.

Galliano’s desserts are not to be missed, such as The Libertine Candy Bar: a crunchy chocolate dacquoise base layered with salted caramel semifreddo and hazelnuts and dipped in chocolate. A slice of blueberry pie with a cornmeal crust was topped with cinnamon ice cream; a scattering of caramel corn added whimsy, but not much else.

While every meal I had at The Libertine showed off Galliano’s sophisticated yet playful approach, and each dish was executed beautifully, there’s only one that will make me miss a deadline – one that will make me wait until the right Sunday rolls around again.

AT A GLANCE : the libertine Don’t Miss Dishes Crispy pig tails, SheCrab soup and fried chicken

Vibe Casual and energetic setting with exposed brick walls, bar and tables made from reclaimed wood and diners comfortable in everything from shorts to chic.

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Entree Prices $11 to $23

Where The Libertine, 7927 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.862.2999, libertinestl.com

When Tue. to Thu. – 5 to 10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. – 5 p.m. to midnight (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), Sun. – 5 to 10 p.m.

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review

Nightlife: Atomic Cowboy

nightlife: atomic cowboy

by Matt berkley • Photos by jonathan gayman

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Atomic has never been at a loss for talent behind the bar, and earlier this summer, it brought on a ringer, Lucas Ramsey of Eclipse and Blood & Sand fame, to lord over the mixers, maraschinos and margaritas. Ramsey works with frantic grace (if there is such a thing). His version of a classic Manhattan – Atomic Cowboy served with 4140 Manchester Ave., High West St. Louis, 314.775.0775, Double Rye atomiccowboystl.com whiskey (which has since been replaced with a house-infused cherryvanilla bourbon) – was a more than adequate substitute for the aforementioned Beetnik margarita. The other margaritas each feature infused tequilas and a variety of fresh juices that are also used in sangrias (red and white) and bloody marys. The new drink menu is reinforced by the spoton mixology-MacGyver action of Ramsey, new bar manager Amanda Gaines and crew. By far the best cocktail I’ve had this summer (a tall number laden with Malibu) was seemingly invented out of thin air. For those sticking to suds, Atomic offers 20 brews on tap, plus 46 varieties of bottles.

Nobody’s going thirsty. t’s 9:15 p.m. on a Friday, and Atomic Cowboy’s juicer is on the fritz. It’s busted. Inoperable. Man down.

The bartender shrugs. I sulk.

Under normal circumstances, I could care less about the functionality of a kitchen appliance; however, tonight its out-of-orderness means that I can’t get one of the bar’s signature beet juice or Beetnik margaritas, which, though it may sound froufrou as all hell, has become a personal obsession.

Though I’m indifferent to beets, beet juice and actual beatniks, I love this drink. It’s a savory-sweet monster of a cocktail with a surprisingly tangy kick and a healthy wallop of tequila. It blissfully blurs all thoughts of spreadsheets and TPS reports. It makes my cheeks red. I want one again. Now, even.

As sad as the juicer fiasco is, I’m not surprised.

This is the second time Atomic has deprived me of one of my favorite cocktails on its new drink menu (Last time they were out of beets.).

September 2013

Much like Atomic itself, this reimagined take on a classic is still somewhat under construction.

Fans of this institution, where neon lights and backyard bonfires have urged on many a boozy late night over the last decade, are starting to witness some major changes. Say hello to a new menu, drink selection, music venue and bar.

Although, “newish” is a better word. Die-hard Atomic fans won’t be offended by the changes, and everyone else (myself included) will simply look around, nod in happy acceptance and maybe even wonder what took so long.

The Foxhole, the former music/burlesque/ performing art venue has been recast as The Demo, which is cut from a similar cloth, albeit touched up a bit. The bigger news is the massive outdoor concert area that has doubled Atomic’s open-air space and added something of a festival vibe to what was once a secluded tropical atmosphere. There is still an outdoor metal bar, but it has tripled in size and, in terms of space, is situated in a less than ideal location. Patio drinks have always been pretty watered down. They still are, but inside, luckily, this is hardly the case.

As the sun sets on this corner of The Grove, diners file in to sample what is some of the more underrated Mexican fare in town.

Adding fuel to the fire here, Atomic brought on chef Derek Holthands to build a “newish” menu. More streamlined and focused (Chorizo meatballs have ousted the lobster Rangoon.), the Tex-Mex menu with a barbecue flair now has scratch-made sauces, house-smoked meats and as many locally sourced products as possible. The results are simple but impressive: A la carte staples like fish and pork tacos wash down with a cold pint better here than some of the fashionable new taquerias across town.

Likewise, a pulled pork sandwich brimming with jicama slaw served on a light, vanilla bun is reason alone to return to the Cowboy.

At Atomic, wannabe retro punks still tilt their noses on occasion to yuppie scum like myself; women lost in text-lation still hog the bathroom lines; and college friends still huddle around metal tables out back, bumming Marlboros and downing Wild Turkey shots. But while many of its clientele have refused to grow up, Atomic Cowboy certainly is coming of age.

order it: Atomic Cowboy

Beetnik margarita “Though I’m indifferent to beets, beet juice and actual beatniks, I love this drink. It’s a savory-sweet monster of a cocktail with a surprisingly tangy kick and a healthy wallop of tequila.”

Pork sandwich “A pulled pork sandwich brimming with jicama slaw served on a light, vanilla bun is reason alone to return to the Cowboy.”

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review Cook’s books: Jewish Cookbooks

The New Jewish Table: Modern Seasonal Recipes for Traditional Dishes by Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray

Wisdom from Jewish Kitchens

Arthur Schwartz’s Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited by Arthur Schwartz

You could never mess with your grandmother’s matzo ball soup recipe. But say you wanted to shake things up a bit (We won’t tell Grandma.). These cookbooks offer ideas for Jews and gentiles alike, whether you want a new twist on a traditional plate or to try your hand at kreplach for the first time. Join us every Tuesday at SauceMagazine.com/blog as we cook and reveal recipes from these books. Then, enter to win a copy to add to your own collection. – Catherine Klene

Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes from the House That Herring Built by Mark Russ Federman

For more on The Mile End Cookbook, read “Lox of Love” on p. 37.

The Mile End Cookbook: Redefining Jewish Comfort Food from Hash to Hamantaschen

by Noah and Rae Bernamoff

Expert pick: Classic Italian Jewish Cooking by Edda Servi Machlin

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illustration by vidhya nagarajan

St. Louisans can thank chef Dana Holland’s mother for the knockout brisket at Jilly’s Cupcake Bar & Café; that and other Jewish recipes in Holland’s arsenal are time-tested through generations. But when Jilly’s “Food Dude” catered the nuptials of an Italian-Jewish couple a few years ago, he took inspiration from Classic Italian Jewish Cooking: Traditional Recipes and Menus to meld these timeless cuisines. “This is an excellent example of a different look at Jewish foods. … I remember doing a Jewish caponata as an hors d’oeuvre, along with an Italian chopped liver and a bean paste, all on bruschetta made with fresh, sourdough challah. There was an Israeli couscous salad and Jewish artichokes. I also served a braised beef, Italian-style.”

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vegetize it carbonara p. 28 one ingredient, 3 ways cucumber p. 30 by popular demand honey nut grits p. 32

Pasta and a glass of pinot BY kellie hynes Photos by Carmen Troesser

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ooking dinner is fun, but you know what’s really fun? Sipping wine while Internet shopping. Or Facebook stalking. Or watching your favorite TV show while the kids clean the house. And yet, even if they ate breakfast and lunch, even if you made them dinner yesterday, right around 6 o’clock, your people are going to take the pinot out of your hand and demand another meal.

Which, I’m 98 percent certain, is why the Italians invented carbonara.

Whipping up a batch is faster than picking up takeout, and it uses ingredients you probably have around the house anyway – pasta, eggs, bacon, cheese and pepper. Omit the bacon for a vegetarian version, and you’re looking at a yummy homemade meal in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.

So how do you omit the bacon when the traditional recipe relies on it? I had no idea. But I ran the question past my friend Lucinda, who is a good cook and never throws a pizza at her family so that she can watch Game of Thrones.

Lucinda thought I should use smoked cheddar as a substitute for the smoky bacon and add sauteed eggplant to give the pasta some heft. The smoked cheese was delicious, but the eggplant was problematic. First, it takes at least 30 precious minutes to sweat the eggplant, which, contrary to the name, does not mean lying down with a cool towel while the eggplant works out for you. Second, eggplant is a polarizing vegetable. People either love it or hate it, and if they hate it, they won’t touch it. Not even if you use its sexy nickname: aubergine.

Back to square one, I stared into my open refrigerator, looking for inspiration. A half-full jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil stared back. Sun-dried tomatoes pack a lot of flavor, and, if you squint, vaguely resemble bacon. I didn’t have Parmesan, but I did have a drawer full of goat cheese. Yum.

you pour the whole shebang over hot pasta. I used an electric mixer to blend the goat cheese and eggs, which made a beautifully creamy pasta sauce. Too bad it tasted like glue. Only blander. I frantically added two more logs of goat cheese – almost a pound, people – and it just got gluier.

1 large yellow onion, diced 3 large eggs 3 oz. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, julienned, drained 3 oz. goat cheese crumbles* 2 oz. fresh basil leaves Freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)

I thought the phrase “less is more” was just an excuse for Mini Oreos and “tiny diamonds.” But if too much goat cheese was disastrous, maybe less would indeed taste better. Instead of adding a log of goat cheese before the sauce was cooked, I finished the dish with a few crumbles on top. Much better. Every bite of pasta had a quick burst of flavor and wasn’t weighed down by a heavy cheese sauce.

• Fill a pasta pot with water and heat until boiling. Cook pasta according to the “al dente” directions on the package. Reserve ½ cup of hot pasta water before draining.

• While the water is heating and pasta is cooking, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds to the dry skillet. Stir often until the almonds are toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

• Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent and slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Set onions aside.

• Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with a mixer until well blended.

The other ingredients were easy. My friend Dee suggested toasting almonds to add a little crunch and smoke.

I used rotini instead of traditional spaghetti because those nooks and crannies give the egg something to hold on to. (Use whatever pasta you have handy.) And my favorite brand of sun-dried tomatoes. (Ditto.) And pasteurized eggs or freshly-washed farm eggs. (Because salmonella is a bummer.) Best of all, the entire thing took 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish. Or, as I prefer to say, just enough time to enjoy a glass of wine.

• After draining the cooked pasta, return it to the pot. With the heat off, add the eggs. Stir until the eggs coat the pasta and start to thicken, but not scramble. Add a little hot pasta water if the sauce needs thinning.

• Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and sauteed onions.

• Divide hot pasta evenly onto plates. Top each with two heaping tablespoons of goat cheese crumbles. Coarsely chop the toasted almonds and add 1 tablespoon to each serving. Garnish with sprigs of fresh basil. Season with freshly ground black pepper if desired. * Whole Foods Market Goat Cheese Crumbles, Whole Foods Market, 1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, 314.968.7744, wholefoodsmarket.com

Vegetarian Carbonara 6 servings 1 lb. rotini or other dry pasta 3 oz. whole, unsalted almonds 1 Tbsp. olive oil

California Sun Dry Sun-Dried Julienne Cut Tomatoes with Herbs, Straub’s, 8282 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.725.2121, straubs.com

In traditional carbonara, you mix the Parmesan into the raw eggs before

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home cooking one ingredient, 3 ways: cucumber

Beyond the Pickle

Enjoy cucumbers as a garnish for drinks like lemonade, sparkling water or a gin and tonic.

By Dee Ryan | Photos by laura miller

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ucumbers are so prolific that if you decide to plant some and aren’t creative, you can easily end up with a basement filled with jar upon jar of pickles. But there’s so much more that can be done than just brining those babies.

Shrimp and Cucumber Stir-fry Peel 1 cucumber, slice in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Slice into 1∕8 -inch half-moons. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Saute 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon minced ginger for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in cucumber, ½ cup snow peas, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Add 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp. Saute 3 minutes. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar until sugar is dissolved. Add to skillet, stirring to combine.

Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes.

Garnish with thinly sliced green onions.

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Head to the Clayton Farmers Market on Saturday mornings this month to find cucumbers from ecofriendly grower Silent Oaks Farm of Opdyke, Ill.

Cucumber Avocado Soup Peel and dice 1 cucumber. Add to a blender with 1 ripe diced avocado, 1 chopped green onion (green and white parts), 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño, ¼ cup chopped mint and ½ cup buttermilk. Purée until smooth. With blender running, add up to 1½ cups cold water to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Chill 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Cucumber and Honeydew Margranita To a blender add: 1 cucumber (peeled, deseeded and coarsely chopped), 1½ cups chopped honeydew melon, ¼ cup simple syrup (made by dissolving ¼ cup sugar in ¼ cup hot water), 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon lime zest.

Purée until smooth. With blender running, add ¹∕³ cup tequila and 1 tablespoon triple sec. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl, cover and place in freezer.

After 1 hour, scrape the ice crystals with a fork. Recover and return to freezer. Continue scraping every 30 minutes until it reaches a slushy consistency.

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home cooking

By Popular Demand: toasted nut & honey grits

photo by greg rannells

Scape stopped serving its delicious honey nut grits a while ago. The taste and texture of the dish was perfect. I would love the recipe! – Jennifer Poindexter

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Eaten a dish at an area restaurant that you’d do just about anything to make at home? Email us at pr@ saucemagazine.com to tell us about it. Then let us do our best to deliver the recipe By Popular Demand.

Toasted Nut & Honey Grits Courtesy of Scape American Bistro’s Eric Kelly 4 servings 2 oz. pecans, chopped 2 oz. walnuts, chopped 2 oz. pine nuts 2 oz. slivered almonds 2½ cups heavy cream 2½ cups chicken stock 1 cup stone-ground grits 3 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded 4 Tbsp. lavender honey* • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Toast the nuts in the oven on a cookie sheet until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Cool on a rack.

• Once cool, place the nuts in a bowl and mix evenly.

• In a small saucepan, bring the cream and stock to a simmer over moderate heat. Slowly whisk in the grits.

• Stir constantly for 12 to15 minutes until completely cooked.

Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese.

• Spoon the grits into a large warmed bowl. Sprinkle with 2 ounces of the toasted nuts (Store remaining nuts in a sealed container in the refrigerator.), then drizzle with lavender honey. *Lavender honey can be purchased at all Straub’s locations, straubs.com

Scape American Bistro 48 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, 314.361.7227, scapestl.com

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lo x lo v e of

making a mark on tradition is easier than you think by stacy schultz | photos by greg rannells September 2013

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I

n the Jewish religion, holidays mean food – a whole lot of food. Growing up, we’d clamor into the car to drive to Memphis and ring in the Jewish new year with my grandma and grandpa over a spread that lasted three glorious days. (Sure, there were services, but I just remember the sweet, pull-apart challah that we dipped in a golden puddle of honey.) When Passover rolled around each spring, my Baba made a cauldron of soup that was so flawless – light-as-air matzo balls bobbing in a broth that tasted of rich chicken, sweet carrots and fragrant herbs – it actually made me wonder what all the fuss about bread was anyway. And every year when we light the candles for Hanukkah, my mom serves her legendary brisket – a tough cut reared tender thanks to a two-day Jacuzzi in a sticky-sweet tomato sauce. These are my holidays.

Everything else is just a reason to come to the table.

As I inch into the finale of my 20s, I’m beginning to wonder how I can make my mark on cultural traditions that have had a decadeslong head start. After all, why mess with perfection? (In case you’re wondering, that’s exactly what my mom’s brisket is.) Somewhere in between peeling russets for my Zada’s mashed potatoes and onions, and baking my mom’s citrus-scented blintz casserole, I realized that there was only one way to transition myself from hungry guest to gracious host: lox.

Everyone loves it; no one makes it.

When you grow up in a Jewish home, lox is how you communicate. At 13, all bright-eyed and brace-faced (with 200 of your “closest” friends and family remarking, “Wow, I only heard your voice crack twice during your haftorah.”), you awkwardly cross that bridge into adulthood with freshly toasted bagels, a good schmear and lots of fatty lox. You graduated high school? Have some bagels, lox and a gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond. A new baby?

You’ve got your hands full; I’ll bring the lox. When there’s a tragedy,

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tray after tray of everything bagels, slivers of bright purple onions, tubs of chive-studded cream cheese and shavings of sun-orange lox seemingly appear out of thin air.

And this month, as we forgo food and water to repent for all the gossiping and scheming we’ve done this year, we’ll welcome our zombielike bodies back to civilization with toasty bagels and salty lox.

But first thing’s first. Before I could make lox, I had to figure out what exactly it was. These days, lox is used as a catchall term for anything that’s orange, salty, sliced from the flesh of a salmon and folds like a ribbon atop a toasty bagel half. But in the 1800s, people were more specific. Unlike Nova, an Atlantic salmon that was smoked, lox (derived from laks, the Yiddish word for salmon) referred to fillets of Pacific salmon that were cured in a super-salty brine – and, importantly, not smoked.

Barrels of lox took the trip across the transcontinental railroad to New York City, where Eastern European Jews fell for its salty flavor and ready-to-eat nature.

Because of lox’s longevity in the Big Apple, it seemed like a logical place to start. I cracked open The Mile End Cookbook by Noah and Rae Bernamoff, a couple who is reinventing classic Montreal Jewish fare at their from-scratch delis in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Next, I dug into the archives of Michael Ruhlman, famed food blogger and master at deciphering kitchen techniques. Luckily for me, both books offered recipes for homemade lox. Unluckily for me, the techniques were utter opposites. While the Bernamoffs recommended a six-day stint of cure, rinse, repeat, Ruhlman consolidated the whole process into just two days. I tried both. A few days in, Ruhlman’s recipe left me with a fillet that had the look and taste of sushi. (Great for a rainbow roll. Not so great for a bagel.) Four days later, the Bernamoffs’ version yielded tender, rich lox that had a melting texture, just the right amount of salt and a faint hint of September 2013

Lox

dill. For my next batch, I doubled the black peppercorns and fresh dill sprigs. Bingo.

Though lox is traditionally made with king salmon, the über-friendly fishmongers at Bob’s Seafood pointed me to Scottish fillets that are big on flavor for about half the cost. But if you don’t mind throwing down $28 per pound, then by all means, all hail the king.

Another trick from my friends at Bob’s: Look for farmed fillets, since wild salmon will be too lean to fully absorb the salty cure. As for the cure, kosher salt will be the dominant flavoring agent for the lox, so don’t cut corners. Take time to track down a top-notch brand like Diamond Crystal, known for its coarse texture and smooth flavor, if you can. If not, Morton will get the job done. The most important thing to remember is to get the ratio of salt-to-sugar exact, running the sugar granules through your fingers to make sure that there are no clumps, as this is the brine that will essentially be “cooking” the fish.

The toughest part of the entire process is slicing. As Ruhlman explained in his book Ruhlman’s Twenty, lox should be sliced so thin you could read a newspaper through it. Easier said than done. Start with a very sharp chef’s knife, then cut off the top layer of the fish, which will have hardened during the curing and drying process. Next, work your way down one side of the fish at an angle, moving slowly to cut so thinly that you can see the knife through your slice the entire time.

This takes practice, but if a few thicker pieces land on the table at break fast this year, I promise no one will mind.

Once you master the technique, you can play around with replacing the white sugar with brown for a sweeter version or switching out the dill and black pepper for citrus zest to get a tangier, lighter slice.

This Yom Kippur, though, I think I’ll stick with the classics. Even I don’t have the chutzpah to mess with perfection.

8 to 10 Servings

Adapted by Stacy Schultz from a recipe by Noah and Rae Bernamoff, as published in The Mile End Cookbook

get the goods Salmon Get the freshest catch from Bob’s.

Bob’s Seafood, 8660 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.993.4844, bobsseafoodstl.com BAGELS Find them plump and perfect at The Bagel Factory.

The Bagel Factory, 1256 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, 314.432.3583

1 2-lb. boneless Scottish or king farmed salmon fillet, skin-on* ²∕³ cup whole black peppercorns ²∕³ cup sugar 1 cup kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal, can also use Morton) 2 bunches fresh dill For serving: 8 to 10 bagels Cream cheese Red onion, sliced Tomato, sliced Capers, drained • Wash the salmon and pat dry. Turn the fish skin-sideup and, using a very sharp knife, cut 3 equally spaced, shallow cuts into the skin. Set aside.

• Combine the peppercorns, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Break up any lumps in the sugar with your fingers and stir, making sure the sugar and salt are thoroughly combined.

• Place 4 to 6 sprigs of dill in the bottom of a large nonreactive baking dish.

Sprinkle ¼ cup of the sugar and salt mixture on the bottom of the dish.

• Place the salmon skin-sidedown in the baking dish atop the dill and sugar and salt mixture.

• Place another 4 to 6 dill sprigs atop the salmon.

Sprinkle with another ¼ cup of the sugar and salt mixture.

Loosely cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 24 hours.

• Transfer the salmon from the baking dish to a clean plate

• •

•

•

or cutting board. Pour off any liquid that has accumulated in the baking dish. Discard the dill sprigs in the bottom of the dish and replace with 4 to 6 new sprigs. Add another ¼ cup of the sugar and salt mixture to the bottom of the dish, and place the salmon back in the dish, skin-sidedown. Replace the dill sprigs atop the salmon with 4 to 6 new sprigs and sprinkle with another ¼ cup of the sugar and salt mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 24 hours.

Repeat this process 2 more times.

On the fifth day, remove the salmon from the baking dish.

Rinse the fish well and pat dry with paper towels. Place a drying rack over 2 layers of paper towels. Place the salmon on the drying rack and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

On the sixth day, the salmon is ready for slicing and serving. Using a very sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice off only the very top layer of the salmon in several pieces.

Discard. Next, work at an angle to slice very thin slices of salmon, moving from one end of the fish to the other.

The slices should be so thin that you can see the knife through the fish at all times.

Continue until you have sliced the entire fish.

Serve with freshly toasted bagels, cream cheese, sliced red onion, freshly sliced summer tomatoes and a sprinkle of capers.

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Richard Knapp's

uixotic

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n a hot June morning, the summer sky was clear and still. Puffy clouds hung languidly on an azure background, like giant, listless parade balloons. Richard Knapp had left his shiny Mini Cooper in the driveway, favoring his dusty, dinged-up Subaru wagon to pick up his son, Oliver Knapp, and Gerald Crow. The first stop was a residential treatment center where Ollie, as his father calls him, lived.

Down the street, Crow waited in his lived-in truck outside St. Francis House, a homeless shelter where he sometimes stayed.

“Hot damn, about time!” Crow exclaimed, as he snapped up from his supine position and bounded out of the truck’s cab. Knapp had enlisted both men to work a patch of land 11 miles southwest of his home in Columbia, Mo. It’s only 5.44 acres, a gentleman’s farm of sorts, except Knapp has big plans for the all-silt Missouri River bottomland.

It was an interesting crew: two men working through their troubled pasts, each on a new path. For Knapp,

hiring Ollie and Crow, who some might consider liabilities, merely exemplified his belief in the healing power of “righteous work,” as he called it. “We have to get together to heal the problems,” Knapp said, matter-of-factly. “I am confident in the basic goodness and intelligence of ordinary people.”

In 2011, shortly after cashing in his retirement savings, Knapp bought the land and quickly fashioned it into something of a real farm. He designed and, with the help of friends and family, built a beauty of a barn, complete with a distinctive gambrel roof, a greenhouse and a cold storage room to hold grain. He bought a 1940s Ferguson tractor on Craigslist. He planted vegetables. And on 1 acre, as an experiment, he planted wheat. “I might call it Easy Digging Farm, but I don’t want to give folks the wrong idea,” Knapp said. “It hasn’t been all that easy so far.”

What hasn’t been all that easy is Knapp’s desire to do what is nearly impossible in Missouri: Grow organic hard red winter wheat for bread flour to mill and

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distribute locally. For those who didn’t major in agriculture, wheat is categorized by three basic characteristics: soft or hard, red or white, and spring or winter.

Soft wheat is lower in gluten-producing protein, and its flour is preferred for pastries, cakes and cookies; whereas, hard wheat (bread wheat) is prized for its high gluten-producing protein, which gives bread its body, elasticity, heft and chew.

Red wheat has an earthier, more robust flavor than white, while spring wheat is planted in the spring, and winter wheat is planted in the fall.

If Knapp’s enterprising spirit doesn’t strike you as a big deal, consider this: Hard red winter (HRW) wheat is not grown in Missouri on any commercially viable scale. In fact, a USDA report shows that of the 39 million bushels of Missouri wheat harvested in 2012, only 2 percent was HRW wheat; it prefers the dryer climate of the Great Plains states stretching from Texas to North Dakota.

Making a living growing HRW wheat in Missouri is the agricultural equivalent of selling motorcycles in Alaska … in the winter … when it’s negative 60 degrees.

Throw in the fact that Knapp wants that wheat to be organic, and visions of windmills and Don Quixote emerge.

Knapp is not a farmer, at least not in the typical sense. Although he grew up on a fruit farm in upstate New York, he didn’t begin tilling the land until after retirement. But he is an avid home baker, so much so that he built a woodfired brick oven in his house, a skill he parlayed into a small oven building and consulting business. His love of baking whole grain, naturally leavened breads sparked his interest in growing hard wheat, but what turned interest into passion was the realization that there was an utter void in locally sourced organic bread flour.

For Missouri farmers, soft red winter (SRW) wheat is the real cash cow. Since 1970, Missouri has ranked in the top five states growing SRW wheat. It thrives in our high humidity, and farmers love its abundant yields; yet, even if Knapp wanted Missouri SRW wheat (which he doesn’t for his bread making), most of it is exported out of state – a reality Knapp finds disconcerting.

In an age when mechanization allows most everything associated with making bread to be untouched by human hands until we unwrap a

loaf, grab a slice and slather on the PB&J, Knapp sees local wheat production, milling and distribution as the key to food sovereignty. He wants to produce wheat not as a commodity to be traded on the Kansas City Board of Trade and exported worldwide, but as a sustainable crop for local consumption. Kind of like it used to be. “The food security aspect of producing local food, including wheat, associated with the rising cost of fuel and the whole network of people that it takes just to produce something as basic as bread … it’s quite a complicated picture,” Knapp said.

Margot McMillen agrees. McMillen, of Terra Bella Farm in nearby Auxvasse, is an advocate for local foods, identifying herself as a locavore long before the word even came into fashion. She and a few farmers started the Missouri Grain Project in 2007 as a way to keep some of Missouri’s wheat at home. The agreement was that the farmers

would grow the wheat, and McMillen would get it milled and then distribute the flour locally. “I just thought, ‘OK, all we need to do is start growing bread wheat [hard wheat],’” she said. But McMillen brokers mostly soft winter wheat from local farmers.

“I had a farmer try hard red winter wheat in 2009, and he had a terrible experience.”

Same for 2010. “It must be pretty much weather related,” she said. Protein is the key to making bread – the glue (gluten) that gives dough its strength and makes it hold up to high hydration. Hard red winter wheat that is between 11.5-percent and 12.5 percent protein is the most desired. This year McMillen worked with a mid-Missouri grower with some success. “It has been bountiful, but we don’t know the protein content yet,” she said.

Knapp decided he wanted to do something similar to McMillen’s grain project, except only focus on organic HRW wheat. Before he began though, he knew that if he was going to be commercially successful, even on the smallest scale, he couldn’t do it alone on his postage-stamp-size farm. He needed more land and like-minded, organic farmers willing to take a risk.

Making a living growing hard red winter wheat in Missouri is the agricultural equivalent of selling

motorcycles in Alaska …

in the winter …

when it’s negative 60 degrees.

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“We have to get together to heal the problems,” Knapp said.

“I am confident in the basic goodness and intelligence of ordinary people.”

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n that June day, a Toyota Corolla spewed blue exhaust as it limped up the gravel road leading to Knapp’s not-so-easy-digging farm.

Paul Lehmann extracted himself from the driver’s seat. Lehmann, 63, is a tall man with the quiet disposition of a minister, which he was for 34 years in the United Church of Christ. He jimmied open the hood and calmly examined the engine.

Knapp ambled over. We all stared at the hot engine, offering theories. After determining that oil had flooded the spark plug chambers, Lehmann removed the plugs and shoved cloth in to soak up the oil, seemingly unconcerned; Knapp and Lehmann are no strangers to small setbacks.

The two men have known each other about four years. Knapp was part of a small network of central Missouri farmers interested in food and farming. “A woman was organizing a work party to help Paul harvest beans by hand, and I thought, ‘Oh, that sounds interesting,’” Knapp said, describing how he and Lehmann met. Both follow organic farming practices. (Lehmann owns a much larger farm in Fayette, about 25 miles northwest of Columbia, and he’s an independent inspector for an organic certification company.) Both have a populist, limited government bent: Lehmann is a progressive libertarian; Knapp is a communitarian. (They would make good survivalists, only without the guns and underground shelter filled with supplies.) Both are given to wearing widebrimmed straw hats. Both are bachelor farmers, but as Lehmann pointed out, without a hint of irony, “Bachelor farmers aren’t looking. We continue to look.”

When Knapp first approached Lehmann, the initial deal was that Knapp would share the costs of production to use Lehmann’s land to plant rye, barley and a lot of HRW wheat. When Knapp asked about using 4 acres, Lehmann offered 30. “I suddenly found myself in the grain business at a much larger scale than the little experiment I had originally planned,” Knapp wrote on his blog, centralmissourigrainsforfood.com.

Knapp’s writing has the straightforward narrative and contemplative feel of Annie Dillard’s classic Walden-esque Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. He wrote, “Anticipating a yield much larger than I could use myself, I began to think of how I could sell it, and at some point it occurred to me that flour September 2013

would be much easier to sell than wheat berries, so I started looking into purchasing a mill and some land to build a mill and warehouse building.” He bought a seed cleaner and an old 24-inch Meadows beltdriven stone mill with the aim to create a market for local growers and a supply of flour for local bakers and farmers markets, where he envisioned making vegan pancakes.

Yet, there were problems that Knapp’s dreams just couldn’t solve. First was the

ordeal of getting 3 tons of organic seed from north-central Kansas back to Lehmann’s farm in a pickup and a trailer (blown tire, late nights). The tractors were on the fritz. Winter wheat needs to be planted early in the fall if the yield is to be high by harvest the following summer, and it was getting late. When Lehmann got the grain in the ground in early November, there wasn’t enough time for the roots to grow long enough to survive the cold of the winter. The harvest the following July was lousy, with only 3 bushels of rye and 60 of winter wheat, and the wheat measured weak in protein. Knapp’s business partnership with Lehmann has since dissolved, yet the two remain good friends, as evidenced by Lehmann’s visit to the farm to talk about their plans of the past, present and future. “There’s a glitch between the farmer and consumer, and Richard would fill that gap,” said Lehmann, affirming his faith in Knapp’s vision.

K

napp is wiry, his body appearing far younger than his 70 years. Even his white Fu Manchu mustache belies his age. He comes across as soft-spoken – meditative, almost – with a calming presence and cadence, like a patient father would be with a small child.

You would not be surprised to discover that he studied Eastern philosophy or that he was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. Knapp is a vegetarian and a self-described anarchist, a term that conjures up images of bearded Eastern European men lobbing round bombs at fat capitalists or scraggly punks smashing storefront windows. Knapp’s interest in anarchism is rooted not in violence, but in the writings of Noam Chomsky, the linguist and political

activist whose philosophy is more about organizing society away from authority than overthrowing governments. Knapp is new to Chomsky but not to the idea that people are truly free when they have control over their work and the enterprises in which they work. “[Chomsky] gave me the word that defined what I’ve felt and believed for many years,” he said.

The issues of control and authority figure heavily in the production of wheat. In his latest book, Cooked, food activist and journalist Michael Pollan writes: “The white flour industrial complex so completely dominates the food landscape … that to wish for anything substantially different seems, well, wishful and nostalgic.”

Supply and demand, crop versus commodity, local versus corporate production; these are all big, complex issues … all over bread. What is it about bread

that drives people like Richard Knapp to go against the grain – in this case soft wheat – and take such risks? After all, it’s just water, salt, flour and yeast.

Pollan writes in his book, “Few things are as ordinary as a loaf of bread, yet the process by which it is made is extraordinary – and still something of a mystery even to those who study it or practice it every day.”

That’s certainly true for Ted Wilson, a St. Louis baker trying to get his own bakery, Loafers, off the ground. “I’ve never really been able to explain it, but it grabs me every day,” Wilson said. “I know I love the alchemy. You take this white stuff and add a little water and salt and let it go. It has its own life force.” And if Wilson had a steady supply of Knapp’s HRW wheat flour? “It would be the primary ingredient of all my breads,” Wilson said. “To have something like that driven by such a passionate person would be exciting as hell. It would be incredible.”

Josh Allen, owner of Companion, agreed. He has spoken to Knapp about supplying winter wheat, but due to the sheer volume needed to supply St. Louis’ largest independent craft bread bakery, most of Companion’s hard wheat comes by the truckload from a co-op mill in western Kansas. But Allen likes to use local as much as possible. Even if Knapp could supply a small amount of Missouri

flour, Allen envisions lots of possibilities.

“We’d like to do a fun bread, like a limited-edition bread for our outlet or for a farmers market,” he said. He thinks chefs and restaurants could brand their own breads as a “simple and good way” to support and promote local.

Among the original group of like-minded farmers who Knapp contacted about growing HRW wheat, only one farmer’s harvest showed a high enough protein content. Knapp has about 208 bushels of it in cold storage. Knapp’s 1-acre experiment also showed good protein and yielded 15 bushels, but this is just a fraction of the 55 bushels of nonorganically grown SRW wheat Missouri farmers usually average per acre. Knapp still wants to buy wheat from organic farmers in the area to mill and distribute, but he’s unsure if the project can work with such low volume. As it stands now, those 223 bushels in cold storage would make only about 12,500 pounds of flour.

Companion goes through nearly 8,000 pounds of wheat flour in one week.

We are a wheat culture, and wheat is big business in this country. Like all big systems, we are disassociated with most of the products we eat or use every day.

Wilson said, “Without getting too much into the locavore thing, there is so much process involved with wheat, from the planting, thrashing, milling, that to be able to cut one step of that [distribution], it makes me feel better about locally sourced food.” McMillen related how in order to have a sustainable society, we must close that gap. “If we are to have food security in Missouri, we either have to grow our own wheat or make some monstrous changes,” she said. In different – and competitive – ways, she and Knapp are trying to figure out how to make it work. “It’s been a high learning curve,” she said. “I think Richard would agree.”

On Knapp’s farm, with Crow and Ollie working his garden in the distance, Knapp reaffirmed his conviction that growing organic HRW wheat in central Missouri can work. “It will come to fruition, one way or another,” he said. And if it fails?

“No problem,” he said with the acceptance of a Buddhist. “I spent my time well.”

And with that, Richard Knapp waved at a lone deer galloping across the field. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

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September 2013

stuff to do:

this month

by Byron Kerman

Brasil Day STLMO Fest Sept. 7 - 1 to 8 p.m., Yemanja Brasil, 2900 Missouri Ave. 314.771.7457 brasildaystl.com This street fair saluting Brazilian culture comes, naturally, from the minds at Yemanja Brasil restaurant. They’ve scheduled live samba and bossa nova music, dance and capoeria (martial arts) demos, percussion workshops, kids’ activities, and, of course, food and drink.

Sip on a caipirinha while enjoying treats from Yamanja’s new food truck Brazil Express.

St. Raymond’s Homecoming Festival Sept. 14 – 6 to 10 p.m., Sept. 15 – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., St. Raymond’s Maronite Cathedral 931 Lebanon Drive 314.621.0056  straymondsmaronitecathedral.com Explore Lebanese food at a fun fest at St. Raymond’s parish. Offerings include: the famous kibbee (“footballs” of meat, onions, and bulgur), chicken kababs, hummus, tabbouleh, kafta (meatballs), meat pies, spinach pies, grape-leaf rolls and Lebanese sweets. Check out live music, raffles, children’s games and cathedral tours, too.

Italian Fest Sept. 20 and 21 – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Uptown Collinsville 618.344.2884  italianfest.net Say ciao to the chow at Italian Fest, the annual pasta party in the Metro East. A shuttle picks up attendees September 2013

from Dorris Intermediate School and carts them to uptown Collinsville, where vendors offer treats like bagna cauda (anchovy dip), speidini (meat rolled around veggies and breadcrumbs), cannoli and much more. Get dirty at a grape stomp and enjoy live music, a parade, bocce ball, the Little Miss & Mister Italian Fest Pageant, a 5K run and the “Paisan Pedal” midnight bicycle ride.

Taste of St. Louis Sept. 27 – 4 to 11 p.m., Sept. 28 – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sept. 29 – 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.  Soldiers’ Memorial  314.534.2100 tastestl.com Taste of St. Louis gets bigger and better every year. Don’t miss Sauce Magazine’s Restaurant Row: 45 restaurants with tastesized dishes for purchase. The Stella Artois Chef Battle Royale Culinary Competition pits some of the region’s best chefs against one another in an exciting kitchen fight.

Learn from beer-brewing, cocktail mixology and cooking demos; meet food celebrities; sip wine while you stroll the Artwalk; and take the kiddos to Kid City for fun and giveaways. This year’s live acts include Robert Randolph and the Family Band, the Samples and the Dusty 45s.

St. Louis Home Fires Wildwood BBQ Bash Sept. 28 – 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sept. 29 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wildwood Town Center Plaza, 221 Plaza Drive 636.256.6564 thebbqbash.com Almost 100 competing barbecue squads at this popular annual party bring the heat and

get serious. The public can buy samples of everything from pork steaks to ribs to brisket to the occasional oddities like pulled-pork nachos and “hillbilly ravioli.” Look for beer and margarita sales, live blues music and fireworks. Admission is free, and proceeds benefit a group of worthy charities.

Restaurant at the Cheshire, 7036 Clayton Ave. 314.932.7818  restaurant-stl.com On Sept 16., chef Lou Rook of Annie Gunn’s joins chef Rex Hale to create a harvest-to-table menu. On Sept. 16, chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. of Jasper’s in Kansas City will create a modern Italian dinner with Hale. Tickets available online.

STL DesignWeek 2013 Sept. 23 to 29  stldesignweek.com

sponsored events Tripel Grand Opening Sept. 4 – 6 to 10 p.m., Brasserie Tripel, 1801 Park Ave., 314.678.7787  tripelstl.com Tripel celebrates its grand opening with a Belgian-themed party featuring beer tastings during dinner and live entertainment. Reservations recommended.

Sauce Magazine’s Food Truck Fridays Sept. 13 – 4:30 to 8 p.m., Tower Grove Park 314.772.8004  saucefoodtruckfriday.com There is something for everyone at this free monthly event, from tacos to gyros.

The fun continues at the after-party at Three Monkeys at 3153 Morgan Ford Road from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Local Social: Central West End Every second Friday through September – 5 to 9 p.m.

Participating shops and restaurants  cwescene.com Local Social showcases local owners, chefs, artists and more in one of the most walkable neighborhoods in St. Louis.

Guest Chef Dinners at The Restaurant at The Cheshire Sept. 16 – 6:30 p.m., Sept. 30 – 6:30 p.m., The

Celebrate creative professionals in landscaping, architecture, illustration, interior design and more with a week of conversation, competitions, films and happy hours.

Microbrewology: Tasting and Talking Craft Beer in St. Louis Sept. 25 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., UMSL at Grand Center, 3651 Olive St.  stlpublicradio.org/kitchensink Sample craft beer and enjoy a panel discussion with brewmasters from Schlafly, Six Row, Urban Chestnut, 4 Hands, Perennial Artisan Ales and Ferguson Brewing Co.

Saint Louis Fashion Week Sept. 26 to Oct. 5  saintlouisfashionweek.com Dress to impress at 10 days of fashion shows featuring local and national designers. All show ticket proceeds benefit local charities. Tickets available online.

Cheese, Rum & Drum Sept. 28 – 2 to 5 p.m., Marcoot Jersey Creamery 618.664.1110  marcootjerseycreamery.com Barrie Lynn of the The Cheese Impresario co-hosts this tasting event featuring artisan cheese, dark sipping rum, steel drum music, farm-made ice cream and more.

Denotes a sauce sponsored event saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 47

A chat with Anthony Ellerson Jr. , After a year in business, The Kitchen Sink’s Anthony Ellerson Jr. feels more like a mayor than a cook. Now he’s running for a second term as he prepares to relocate his tiny diner adjacent to the Forest Park MetroLink station to a 150-seat space at 255 Union Blvd., in the Central West End. Here, he discusses his career, his campaign staff and the struggles of keeping his constituents happy.

Why’d you decide to open a restaurant?

I was running a kitchen, but I lost my desire to work there. I sat at home, and I told my mom I wasn’t going to work for anybody else. We put our money together and started The Kitchen Sink.

Does she work at the restaurant?

She likes to come in and sit down and order food.

Does your dad help?

He does my bookkeeping. It’s mom and pop all the way.

What have you learned during your first year of owning a restaurant?

I was not prepared for the spotlight.

I enjoy talking to my customers, but I feel like a politician because everybody shakes your hand.

I’m just cooking food. I didn’t do anything special.

You started as a busser at Rigazzi’s.

What’d you learn there?

Work ethic. At the old Rigazzi’s, you had to bust your butt. It was one of the busiest restaurants I worked at besides Blueberry Hill.

and grits – the burgers, the wings … pretty much everything.

What’s your favorite dish there?

I like the nachos. The cheese sauce they make is pretty good.

How would you define the menu?

St. Louis-style Creole. None of us is from New Orleans. I went to New Orleans and stayed at my friend’s.

I didn’t eat the food ‘cuz we spent all the money drinkin’. I don’t know what Cajun food in New Orleans tastes like.

It’s an Italian place.

Yeah, they make good cheese sauce. I’m a simple guy. My favorite places to eat are Steak ‘n Shake, Chris’ Pancake, Blues City Deli and Olympia. When I go to those places, I get the same thing every time.

What’s in your fridge?

There’s nothing in there that’s good.

It’s filled with sodas or milk. My dog eats good. He’s lovin’ the restaurant.

What’s the most popular dish on Kitchen Sink’s menu?

Crab Cake Benie, The Kitchen Sink – a very different spin on shrimp

Pretty much everything is less than $10.

I have two items over $10. I’m not in it to be a millionaire.

Would you call The Kitchen Sink a diner?

We’re a five-star diner without the five-star ambiance.

Will that change when you move?

We won’t have canned sodas, and we’ll have alcohol. One of the problems I have with moving to another place: I want to change my menu, but there’s not one thing I can take off without pissing somebody off.

Why are you going into a bigger space?

I think we do a good job now, but I’d like to see what we can do when we’re on equal ground as other restaurants. On my arm, I have the seven deadly sins tattooed. I commit a lot of these [sins] thinking about other places. I’m envious of other restaurants all the time.

The Kitchen Sink, 280 DeBaliviere Ave., St. Louis, 314.261.4455, letseat.at/thekitchensink

48 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

What sets your restaurant apart?

Customer service. We have to go the extra mile to make people want to come back. People always ask me, “Are you the owner?” I tell them the honest truth: “No, I’m the manager.

You’re the owner. Because if you don’t come back, I don’t have a business.”

– Ligaya Figueras

September 2013

Photo by ashley gieseking

Why do you think you’ll succeed?

I have a good team of people around me. Murph [Patrick Norton], who’s moving to the front of the house to be my GM, grew up in the restaurant business. Aurthur [Brooks], the kitchen manager, has a newborn baby. Everybody has their reason, what they’re busting their ass for.

September 2013

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 49

St. Louis’ Guide to Drinking 2013 independent culinary authority

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Guide to Drinking 2013

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Guide to Drinking 2013

beer

beer nerds unite It makes perfect sense that the headquarters for hardcore beer-can collectors is right here in beer town.

The Brewery Collectibles Club of America (formerly called the Beer Can Collectors of America) is located in an average, unassuming office in an industrial park in Fenton, but from there, the club coordinates 3,500 members in 106 chapters spread throughout the land. Legions of collectors who’ve turned their homes into beer can shrines seek solace with the BCCA, which provides bimonthly periodicals, beer memorabilia price guides, and camaraderie at the annual “Canvention” where the whole gang gets together.

Since 1970, the BCCA has been a resource for those

who collect beer cans, bottles, coasters, neon signs, trays, bottle openers, tap knobs, glasses, mirrors, matchbooks and the like.

And, as in every hobby, there are “holy grail” items – cans like the Budweiser “Crowntainer,” a 1940s-era prototype never released to the public that sold for a whopping $20,000 in a private sale, said Kevin Kious, office manager at the BCCA. Locally, the BCCA Gateway chapter boasts 160 members, many who enjoy collecting regional breweriana from the likes of Anheuser-Busch, Falstaff, Griesedieck Brothers, Hyde Park, Lemp, Stag, and Alpen Brau, a beer introduced by the Columbia Brewing Co. at the 1904 World’s Fair, explained Kious.

Since hobbies have a way of creeping up and spreading

out, in collectors’ homes there can be conjugal battles over all the empty beer cans lining the walls. “Some spouses barely tolerate the cans, but some are active participants,” said Kious.

“It’s led to a few divorces, but it’s also led to a few marriages.”

At BCCA chapter meetings and conventions, membership tends to be on the older side, but thanks to the rise of craft breweries, young blood is flowing into the hobby. “The craft brewers have resurrected the whole industry,” Kious said. In the 70s, all you could buy in the liquor store was lager slop. No one would have predicted this 40 years ago.

The industry has come full circle, and now with craft breweries canning many of their beers, it’s an exciting time for us.”

– Byron Kerman

WINE IN GOOD COMPANY

By Ligaya Figueras with Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore and Cory King

The beverage scene is buzzing with action – from our ever-growing local brewing and distilling community to award-winning arrivals from Missouri wine country, as well as hot spots from around the globe. Read on for the beers, wines and liquors to put on your must-try list.

Guide to Drinking 2013

Elaia is in the company of celebrated restaurants like Eleven Madison Park, Jean-Georges and The NoMad Hotel in being one of just nine restaurants in the country to carry wines by Element Winery.

Element, one of the most exciting wineries in the Finger Lakes region of the Empire State, was co-founded in 2005 by recently minted Master Sommelier Christopher Bates.

SHOW-ME WHITES

TRIPLE CROWN WINNER

“Last year’s harvest was incredible,” said Mount Pleasant Estates president Charles Dressel regarding white grape varietals grown in Missouri. Keep an eye out for the just-released 2012 chardonnays, vidal blancs and chardonels by Missouri wineries, including Chardonel by Montelle Winery and an unoaked chardonel by Chaumette Vineyards & Winery.

At this year’s Missouri Wine Competition, Stone Hill Winery took not one, but three, top honors for its Estate Bottled Norton 2011: Best of Class in the dry red category, C.V. Riley Award for Best Norton, and the Governor’s Cup, aka, Missouri’s best wine of the year.

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the big game

Amsterdam Tavern

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Guide to Drinking 2013

Photo by jonathan gayman

where to watch

While rooting for your favorite team, the Gateway City has countless spots to wet (or drench) your cheering whistle – whether you favor cans of cheap Stag, local craft brews or specialty cocktails. To help pare down your options, we’ve compiled a guide that matches sporting events with our favorite game-day hangouts so your hoots and hollers will never fall on deaf ears. — Matt Berkley

Though cosmopolitan sounding to firsttimers, Amsterdam Tavern is the closest approximation to a blue-collar European corner pub that the Midwest can muster – minus the hooligans and obnoxious scarves. Here, you’re more likely to be bear-hugged by a stranger celebrating a goal than witness an actual bar fight. European football (soccer, to us Yanks) and random rugby matches abound on eight TV screens – including three outside on the expanded patio where cheerful groups of friends pack rows of wooden picnic tables teeming with pints.

Game time specials include $15 buckets of Anheuser-Busch products and cans of Pabst, but the majority of this crowd is more than content to pony up the $4 to $6 for a frosty pint of Guinness, Strongbow, Civil Life Brown or Urban Chestnut Zwickel to wash down a triple-stack burger from The Dam – the newly opened burger/hot dog/ sandwich joint next door.

amsterdam tavern

rowdy frat boys and die-hard Billiken fans.

Game days see crowds covered in blue overflowing the bar and pounding a few quick rounds before sojourning across the street to Chaifetz Arena, which is only stumbling distance away. Yet, those who stick around hardly miss out: Patrons enjoy 16 TVs (five of which are projection screens) and 20 beers on tap (nearly all of them from local breweries). Game day specials cater exclusively to AnheuserBusch devotees – the most popular being $7.50 pitchers of Bud Light and $5 pitchers of Natty.

Field House Pub & Grill, 510 Theresa Ave., St. Louis, 314.289.0311, fieldhousestl.com

Tucked away on a side street off of Olive, Field House Pub & Grill is the watering hole of choice for

Over/Under Bar & Grille, 911 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.621.8881, overunderstl.com

the post sports bar & grill

Amsterdam Tavern, 3175 Morgan Ford Road, St. Louis, 314.772.8224, amsterdamtavern.com

field house pub & grill

one before hoofing it the rest of the way to nearby Edward Jones Dome.

Entirely sports-centric, the laid-back bar maintains more of a highbrow fan base than your average corner pub – expect to see more vodka tonics sipped than cans of Natty Light. The appetizer menu lists scallops, fondue and crabcakes alongside more ubiquitous offerings of chicken wings, quesadillas and fries.

Nearly 40 HD flat-screens – including two personal HD TVs in each booth – entertain patrons who guzzle 16- and 20-ounce drafts of mainly high-end imports and local craft brews.

Drafts are poured tall in this stylish Washington Avenue sports lounge, where young professionals in loosened ties mingle with jerseyclad superfans stopping for a quick

over/under bar & grille

Designed by guys for guys, The Post Sports Bar & Grill is a prime retreat destination – especially during hockey season. Flat-screen TVs cover pretty much every inch of this man cave, where the air is thick with wafts of wing sauce. Twenty foreign and domestic beers are offered on tap at this Maplewood-based sports fan mecca (with a new location in Creve Coeur), but when the puck drops, Blues fans are more likely to hit up the draft special: 22-ounce pulls of Michelob Golden,

RTD cocktails

burger photo by michelle volansky

ETNA ERUPTS

spirits

“This is cutting edge stuff in the wine industry,” said A. Bommarito Wines’ Denny Campo in regard to the wines made from grapes grown in the foothills and slopes surrounding Mount Etna in Sicily. “Etna could be another Burgundy because of the diverse micro-climates that exist in the appellation.” Try Tascante, an Etna Rosso (or red), by Tasca d’Almerita, or Prephylloxera, an Etna Rosso from producer Tenuta delle Terre Nere.

Guide to Drinking 2013

The Land of the Rising Sun is heating up with all things alcoholic. Hard-to-find Yamazaki is a favorite to wet your whiskey whistle, but if you’re willing to break the bank, try Nikka Yoichi. The Wine Merchant’s Dave Davis called this 15-year single malt, aged in bourbon and sherry casks, his whiskey of the year.

And while you’re there, wow your sake off with light and fruity market newbie Ichishima Silk Deluxe Junmai. Beer?

Hitachino Nest White Ale. Order it at Mai Lee and Hiro Asian Kitchen. Kanpai!

Japan on the rise

Ready-to-drink cocktails are everywhere. For convenience and quality, try Fluid Dynamics bottled cocktails or The 36th Vote, a barrelaged Manhattan by High West Distillery. While St. Louis has yet to see a local bartender launch a line of bottled cocktails (like Charles Joly of Chicago’s The Aviary just did with his brand Crafthouse), local spots Little Country Gentleman and Cielo are bottling some crafty ‘tails in-house.

Coors, Miller Light, Pabst, Bud and Bud Light for $3.50.

The Post Sports Bar & Grill, 7372 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.645.1109, thepostsportsbar.com

Cardinals fans can pick from innumerable sports bars, but the view into Busch Stadium from the nest atop Three Sixty’s rooftop keeps Redbird fanatics flocking back every season to queue up to the impressive patio bar. From private school princesses to beer-bellied Joe six packs, every style of drinker can be spotted here during home games. Knowing they won’t have a problem filling seats at this rooftop ultra-lounge, Three Sixty’s management opts out of the whole game time “drink special” concept during baseball season.

Yet, drafts like Stella Artois, Shock Top, Blue Moon, Urban Chestnut Winged Nut Ale and seasonal Schlafly aren’t priced as astronomically as the beer vendors over at the stadium. Plus, patrons looking for something more special can throw back a house-infused cocktail.

three sixty

Three Sixty, Hilton at the Ballpark, One S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314.241.8439, 360-stl.com

You’ve become acquainted with Campari and Aperol. It’s time to meet Suze. Now that this French aperitif liqueur has arrived stateside, we’re itching for Suze to reach our neck of the woods where we predict bartenders are going to use it in some mean cocktails.

At home, we plan to sip spicy, fruity and delicately bitter Suze on ice and to combine it with tonic, crème de cassis and, yes, even Coke.

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Guide to Drinking 2013

wine

spin the

Are you a boring wine drinker or just a drinker of boring wine?

“In a rut” connotes a difficulty in mixing things up. When it comes to drinking wine, some common ruts are chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, white zinfandel and pinot grigio. On their own, they can be interesting wines – even great (except for the white zin) – but can grow tiresome if you find your rut running deep. – Glenn Bardgett

bottle Chardonnay/White Burgundy

Cabernet Sauvignon

Why you like it It’s reliable in quality.

Try Friulano: This Italian wine creates good acidity and more weight than most whites.

Buy Bastianich Friulano 2011, $20. It’s made by Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali with the idea of making food taste better.

Why you like it You think you’re supposed to like it.

Try Rioja: Spain’s Tempranillo grape excels in this outstanding region and can even mimic its northern neighbor in Bordeaux, France.

Buy Ontañón Rioja Reserva 2004, $24. It features greater complexity and softer tannins than cabernet.

New Haven-based distiller Pinckney Bend is already distributed in seven states. Its next market may well be overseas. The small-batch distillery recently participated in a trade delegation to China to explore market opportunities for Missouri agricultural products in the northern provinces of Xinjiang and Shandong.

And while Mastermind Vodka is on shelves and behind bars in Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska – with Kansas coming soon – the company’s new LPR Moonshine is in negotiations with Latin America.

Local spirits take flight Guide to Drinking 2013

Merlot

White Zinfandel

Pinot Grigio

Why you like it You don’t have to think about it.

Try Côtes du Rhone: the area of southern France where Grenache dominates Buy J. L. Chave Mon Coeur 2011, $22. It loves food and has tons of flavor, easy tannins and exotically charming aromas.

Why you like it It’s fruity, sweet and lighter in alcohol.

Try Lambrusco: Unlike your father’s Riunite, this is a “real” Italian wine with a noticeable sweetness and a fun fizziness.

Buy Cavicchioli 1928 Lambrusco (N.V.), $10. At 7.5 percent alcohol, you can drink this very cold, and it’s still greatly refreshing, especially with barbecue.

Why you like it You don’t like the oakiness and higher alcohol of chardonnay; also, pinot grigio is easier to pronounce.

Try Grüner Veltliner from Austria Buy Nigl Grüner Veltliner 2011, $22. It’s the love child of dry riesling and pinot grigio.

Boilermakers go highbrow

beer

A beer and a shot of whiskey is a time-honored combo, but we’re seeing the boilermaker (Yes, the onetwo punch does have a classy name.) get classed up on both coasts as bartenders put some creative brewand-spirits couplings on drink menus. What whiskey pairs best with 4 Hands Brewing Co.’s Divided Sky Rye IPA or Schlafly’s Black Lager Schwarzbier? We’re waiting for Show-Me guys and gals behind the stick to show us.

With the recent openings of Alpha Brewing, Excel Brewing, Kaskaskia Brewing and Scratch Brewing, there are now 23 breweries within 75 miles of downtown St. Louis. But the revolution is hardly over. Look for Heavy Riff, Side Project Brewing and Modern Brewery to open in the near future, while Urban Chestnut’s second brewing facility is expected to open in The Grove early next year.

You say you want a revolution

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Age of a truly grand bottle of Grand Marnier

Number of International Bittering Units in Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, on a 100-point scale. Hops fans will be pleased to know this bitter brew also earned a 100 from Rate Beer

Cocktails available at BC’s Kitchen by the end of this month

Get it at The Wine Merchant.

Get it at The Wine and Cheese Place.

Perfect score Rate Beer gave to Stone Beer Ruination IPA

Age of the Argentinean vines used to produce Llama Malbec 2011

Get it at Randall’s.

Get it at Balaban’s Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar.

Years since the death of Adolphus Busch, co-founder of Anheuser-Busch

Whether it’s the age, the price or the perfect rating, when it comes to our favorite libations, the number 100 almost always means good things.

— Catherine Klene

The dollar price of Bruichladdich The Laddie 16 Islay single malt Scotch whisky

Wines by the glass on Fleming’s menu

Get it at Lukas Liquor.

You-brew rescue beer-style barn raising Historically, farmhouse ales – earthy, bright and session-able – were brewed on the farm to serve to the hands. Now, they’re the hottest category in beer.

The light, dry body of these saisons, bière de gardes and other Belgian ales is offset by big, bold flavors, making them extremely enjoyable, approachable and popular with all beer drinkers.

The Brewers Association recently added some old, almost forgotten styles to the judging categories at this year’s Great American Beer Festival, including Grätzer and Adambier. In addition, the common sour (acidic beer of the past), is enjoying a renaissance both locally – Schlafly’s Oud Bruin, Perennial Artisan Ales’ Kriek and Urban Chestnut’s Ku’Damm – and nationally – Odell’s Friek, Gueuzerie Tilquin’s Gueuze Tilquin and Goose Island’s Juliet.

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Old-World styles, New-World interest

Number of pennies needed to buy a 50-milliliter “buck shot,” at Randall’s in college favorites like Southern Comfort Lime, Seagrams 7 Cherry and UV Sweet Green Tea Vodka

Help is on the way for aspiring homebrewers.

J2 Brewing, opening soon in Chesterfield, lets you brew onpremise and lends a hand with the entire process, including storing your beer in a temperaturecontrolled room and even labeling your concoction, until you return to bottle those suds and take them home to swig ‘em.

Hopping from number to name Experimental hops are labeled by generic numbers when they first start out, but once they’re proven performers, these hops are given a name to make them easier to remember. Citra, El Dorado and Mosaic are popular hop varieties that were baptized with a nom de brew and put into production within the last several years. Taste them in Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Firestone Walker Sixteen and Deschutes Hop Henge.

Guide to Drinking 2013

Guide to Drinking 2013

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wine

Anne Amie Müller Thurgau

south county’s secret cellar

This hybrid varietal from Oregon is “dry, but similar to a riesling,” Ahearn said. Its floral notes, stone-fruit flavors and subtle acidity make it a great summertime wine. $17

Laya Garnacha-Monastrell It’s easy to find a bad cheap wine; it’s a lot harder to find a good one, said Ahearn of the shop’s stock of affordable, highquality wines. He’s done it with this Spanish blend, which offers notes of pepper and espresso and is “very complex for the price.” $9

by Katie O’Connor

It wasn’t all that long ago that wine enthusiasts in South County had to leave the neighborhood to stock their cellars. That’s not the case anymore, thanks to Patrick Ahearn, one such “frustrated consumer” whose passion for wine led him to open Bottle Cellars in Oakville in late 2010.

The uncluttered, approachable space has proven a popular and much-appreciated addition to the neighborhood, but the shop’s 300-strong collection of wines from around the world (most under $25), growing beer selection and eclectic assortment of whiskeys should place Bottle Cellars on any serious sipper’s resource list.

Global brews You’ll find local breweries among the store’s 50 beer labels, but don’t overlook the interesting international selections, such as Xingu, a Brazilian black beer ($2.50 per 12-ounce bottle), and Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, a smoked brew from Germany ($6 per 500-milliliter bottle).

Local eats Ahearn rounds out the shop’s selection with boozefriendly fare from local producers, including Baetje Farms goat cheese, charcuterie from Salume Beddu and chocolate from Kakao.

Bottle Cellars, 6039 Telegraph Road, Oakville, 314.846.5100, bottlecellars.com

slap that herb Heather Dodderer Selsor, herb slapperextraordinaire and former bartender at Taste, explained why she gives herbs a good smack just before garnishing a cocktail.

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“The reason you slap it is to sort of wake [it] up, but also it releases the oils from the leaf. Mostly the aromatics are what you’re looking for. Be careful not to bruise or tear the [herb] because it will make the drink bitter. I put it in the palm of my hand. You want that nice slapping sound, but again, not so hard that you damage the stem or the leaves.” — Catherine Klene Guide to Drinking 2013

Guide to Drinking 2013

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bar bites

There’s a reason you visit the same bar time and again. Sure, the capable bar staff and crafty beer list are alluring, but you stay for the snacks.

Great bar snacks are packed with flavor, small enough to eat with your hands and, before you know it, totally gone. At your next get-together, get the party started well before the appetizers arrive with these craveable finger foods. Just don’t blame us if everyone asks to come over again next weekend. – Stacy Schultz

sa lt - and -

Photo by CARMEN TROESSER

pepper

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Guide to Drinking 2013

Salt and Pepper

Pad Thai Popcorn

Spice-Roasted Chickpeas

Pink peppercorns are actually berries, which means they become juicy and sweet when slowly roasted, the perfect floral pairing for ice-cold vodka or gin. Just be careful not to grab these by the handful. They still pack quite a punch; pop in moderation.

Since it’s meant to be eaten by the handful, popcorn is the perfect bar snack. This saltyand-sweet variety carries quite a kick; temper the heat with a nice, salty margarita.

If you eat wasabi peas like they’re candy, then you’ll love this milder take on the addictive crunchers. Scented with warm baking spices and hearty cumin, these roasted chickpeas stand up well to a nice, bourbon-laced Manhattan.

1 cup 1 cup pink peppercorns* 1 tsp. olive oil ¼ tsp. pink Himalayan salt, plus more to taste** • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

• Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

• Place the peppercorns in a small bowl. Add the olive oil and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the pink Himalayan salt.

• Spread the pink peppercorns on the prepared sheet pan, making sure they are in a single, even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.

• Let cool completely. Taste, and add more salt if desired. Serve. * Available at Penzeys Spices, 7338 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.781.7177, penzeys.com ** Available at area grocery stores

8 Cups

2 CUPS ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup corn syrup 1½ Tbsp. fish sauce Juice of half a lime 8 cups popped, unsalted and unbuttered popcorn (homemade or microwaved) ¾ cup peanuts, roasted and salted 1 Tbsp. Sriracha ¼ tsp. baking soda Zest of 4 limes, divided ½ cup freshly chopped cilantro • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

• In a large pot, combine the brown sugar, vegetable oil, corn syrup, fish sauce and lime juice. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 4 minutes.

• Meanwhile, combine the popcorn and peanuts in a large nonreactive bowl. Set aside.

• Remove the syrupy mixture from heat and immediately stir in the Sriracha, baking soda and the zest of 2 limes.

• Pour the mixture over the popcorn and peanuts, and stir quickly to coat evenly.

• Spread the popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until brown and sticky, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

• Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the zest of 2 more limes on the popcorn. Let cool completely. Once cool, toss with the cilantro and serve.

1 16-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 pinches ground cumin 2 pinches ground nutmeg 1 pinch cinnamon 2 pinches kosher salt • Line a sheet pan with 3 layers of paper towels. Spread the drained chickpeas on the paper towels and let sit for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Transfer the dried chickpeas to a mediumsize bowl. Add just enough olive oil to coat and toss. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Taste, and add more spices if desired.

• Discard the paper towels and line the sheet pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, then spread the chickpeas on the pan in a single, even layer.

• Bake until the chickpeas are golden and super crispy, about 30 to 40 minutes, tossing halfway through.

• Let cool completely before serving.

s p ic e roa st e d

chickpeas

Pad thai popcorn

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the last untamed spirit by ligaya figueras

This is Mexican street drinking at its finest.

“Mezcal and sage are a match made in heaven.”

It takes a village

(literally).

All tequila is mezcal.

Not all mezcal is tequila.

Don’t pass up a dead chicken.

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You like scotch?

You’re a mezcal drinker and just don’t know it yet.

Fill your glass with mezcal, not bugs.

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People love mezcal so much they write novels about it.

This needs to be in your liquor cabinet.

Pronto. Page 20 Guide to Drinking 2013

photo by elizabeth jochum

Way Down South at Blood & Sand

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Photo by greg rannells

Jorge Vazquez Jr. of Mission Taco Joint holds a terra-cotta copita, a traditional Mexican vessel for drinking mezcal.

Show enough interest in this spirit, and Vazquez will make you a mezcal highball using his house-made tepache (made with fermented pineapple) – an elixir he remembers from growing up in Santiago de QuerÊtaro, Mexico.

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Guide to Drinking 2013

n a time when vodkas and whiskeys are being overproofed, underproofed and flavored every which way, a spirit that hasn’t changed for centuries is finally, quietly, entering the consciousness of the American drinker: mezcal.

Mezcal is produced from the agave plant, or maguey as it’s known in Spanish.

To make craft mezcal, a mezcalero roasts the piña, or heart, of the agave in a wood-fired pit for days. After the roasted piña is milled with mallets or by horse-powered stone mills, its solids and juices are then fermented in wooden vats with yeast for nearly two weeks before being twice distilled in copper or clay pot stills.

“It’s the last undiscovered spirit,” said Christopher Stevens, regional distribution manager for Craft Distillers, known for its handcrafted liqueurs and spirits, including artisanal mezcals like Alipús, Los Nahuales and Mezcalero. “It’s a misunderstood spirit,” he continued. “People think it’s a poorly made product, bottom shelf. It’s not. It’s made by villages – many which depend on it for economic survival. And it’s been made the same way for centuries.

Mezcal came before tequila.”

Agave aficionado Bill Norris, beverage director for the agave bar 400 Rabbits, in Austin, Texas, was eager to dispel more myths about mezcal. One such myth? “That it’s rocked out with a

Who has the best stash of mezcal in town?

Guide to Drinking 2013

worm in the bottle and that the worm will make you hallucinate,” he said.

Yet, misconceptions surrounding mezcal are slowly changing. “Our clients are definitely asking because they hear about it,” said T.J. Vytlacil, co-owner of Blood & Sand. “They want to know what it is – what’s the difference between mezcal and tequila.”

On the surface, mezcal shares several properties with tequila. Both are agave-based and native to Mexico.

Also, similar to how sparkling wine is only deemed Champagne if made in the Champagne region of France, both tequila and mezcal have a protected appellation where they can only be produced in certain Mexican states.

Yet, there are key differences. Tequila, when it’s labeled 100 percent agave, must be made entirely from Weber Blue agave; whereas, mezcal that’s labeled 100 percent agave can be made from a number of agaves. That’s why all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. The production processes are distinct as well. To make tequila, agave is cooked in an oven, while the agave in artisanal mezcal is roasted in an underground pit with local wood that varies between villages, giving each mezcal its own distinction.

The fact that some bartenders can explain these nuances between the two spirits may be one reason mezcal is gaining ground among American drinkers. Also, its protected appellation, granted in 1995, has helped to change its negative, cheapsouvenir perception and has led to increased international sales. But Stevens proposed that the answer also is related to money and distribution.

“It has been cost-prohibitive. Now that the price has come down, more people

Buy it here Randall’s Wines & Spirits, 14201 Manchester Road, Manchester, 636.527.1002, shoprandalls.com

are being exposed to it. Also, there is more accessibility,” he said. “Not too many years ago, few bars had even a selection of mezcal.”

While St. Louis can’t claim an agave bar like 400 Rabbits (which boasts 24 bottles of mezcal), a growing number of places around town have at least one mezcal on the shelf – and not just Monte Alban with the gimmicky gusano (which isn’t a worm at all, but the larva of the agave moth).

Want to taste character? Try Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas that’s sweet and chock-full of citrus and tropical fruit, or go loco with pechuga mezcal, made by hanging a raw chicken breast in the still during distillation.

Mezclar con Vermu, the only mezcalbased cocktail on Mission Taco Joint’s menu, is not the most popular drink on the menu, but “people who know about cocktails think it’s very special,” said bartender Jorge Vazquez Jr. And how does Vazquez sell mezcal to Mission drinkers who don’t “know” about cocktails? Vazquez role-played his approach: “You like scotch? You might like it.”

Because of mezcal’s smoky character, scotch drinkers might just be mezcal drinkers who don’t know it yet. Vytlacil noted that at Blood & Sand, “a lot of business people who typically drink scotch are asking for it” – whether neat or in the Espadin & Sand, a variation of the scotch-based classic Blood & Sand.

Making a mezcal riff off a well-known cocktail is one of the most common ways that bartenders are easing people into the mysterious spirit. In the mood for a margarita? Go for the

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

Smoke & Mirrors at Diablitos Cantina.

A martini? Try the aforementioned Mezclar con Vermu at Mission Taco Joint, where mezcal and Peruvian Pisco replace gin or vodka, and orange essence softens mezcal’s smoky side.

Once you’re sold, bartenders are ready to help you dive deeper with creative creations like Vytlacil’s Way Down South, which holds sloe gin and the heat of jalapeño. “I’m using [mezcals] a lot more in cocktails than tequila,” said Vytlacil. “They have a lot more character than straight tequila.”

Ready to give mezcal a shot? You’re not the only one. Even big companies have caught the mezcal fever. William Grant & Sons, maker of Hendrick’s Gin, came out with a mezcal last year. “If a company like that is doing a mezcal, it means that their accountants have taken notice,” Norris said. “They aren’t going to do a mezcal because 140 dorky bartenders love the stuff, which is where it was a few years ago.”

But just like a pristine vacation spot that gets discovered – Tulum, Cinque Terre, Yosemite – popularity can lead to mobs of tourists, or, in mezcal’s case, a debased product. Agave takes seven to 12 years to mature, but as Norris pointed out, it’s being harvested at an unsustainable rate. “There is a real issue with how you approach the agriculture. A lot of major liquor companies have bought or invested in tequila industries. They are working within the laws but changing centuries of tradition. There’s a real danger of that happening in mezcal. It’s the last frontier of [the] un-corporatized, untamed spirit – when it’s made right.”

How long will mezcal continue to be made “right”? That’s a story still in the making.

Try it here Diablitos Cantina, 3761 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.644.4430, diablitoscantina.com

Mission Taco Joint, 6235 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.932.5430, missiontacostl.com

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Mule

Many a mezcal is meant to be sipped solo. But when you want to mix it, most bartenders agree that Del Maguey Vida is the way to go. Here, we give three timeless cocktails a mezcal makeover.

Cocktails and recipes by Matt Obermark of soon-to-open Planter’s House

1½ oz. Del Maguey Vida mezcal Juice of ½ a lime 2 to 3 oz. quality ginger beer, such as Fever Tree Fill a copper mule mug or OldFashioned glass with ice. Add the mezcal and lime juice. Top with ginger beer. Give it a quick stir to incorporate the ingredients.

Use the squeezed lime shell as a garnish.

Paloma 2 oz. Del Maguey Vida mezcal Juice of ½ a lime Pinch of salt 3 to 4 oz. grapefruit soda, such as Mexican Squirt Fill a Collins glass with ice.

Add the mezcal, lime juice and salt. Top with the soda. Give it a quick stir to incorporate ingredients. Use the squeezed lime shell as a garnish.

Margarita

Buy the bottle Randall’s Wines & Spirits, 14201 Manchester Road, Manchester, 636.527.1002, shoprandalls.com Lukas Liquor, 15921 Manchester Road, Ellisville, 636.227.4543, lukasliquorstl.com

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Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice.

Hard shake and strain into an Old-Fashioned glass rimmed with salt and filled with ice.

Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.

Guide to Drinking 2013

photos by laura miller

2 oz. Del Maguey Vida mezcal ¾ oz. fresh lime juice ¾ oz. Cointreau ¼ oz. agave nectar

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meant to be mixed

Clockwise from top left: No. 36, Teporocho, Espadin & Sand, Head South

No. 36

Teporocho

Espadin & Sand

Head South

“Someone wanted a herbaceous smoky drink. I thought of mezcal.

What kind of herbs go with mezcal?

Sage and mezcal are a match made in heaven.” — Jeffrey Moll Jr.

“Tepache is sold on the streets in Mexico. When I was a kid, I remember seeing people add tequila or mezcal to add flavor and to make it boozy.” — Jorge Vasquez Jr. (cocktail available off the menu)

“The mezcal adds a little more smoke than the single malt Scotch that we use [for a Blood & Sand] and a little more bite than you get from tequila. It’s really easy drinking.” — T.J. Vytlacil

“The earthiness of the mezcal and celery and herbal Yellow Chartreuse blend together.

There’s a smoky earthiness to it and a sweet brightness from the Chartreuse and the lime juice.”

— Seth Wahlman

Mission Taco Joint, 6235 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.932.5430, missiontacostl.com

Blood & Sand, 1500 St. Charles St., St. Louis, 314.241.7263, bloodandsandstl.com

Little Country Gentleman, 8135 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.725.0719, littlecountrygentleman.com

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Eclipse, 6177 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.726.2222, eclipsestlouis.com Guide to Drinking 2013

photos by elizabeth jochum; mission taco joint photo by greg rannells

to try

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The best of

Buying cheap liquor doesn’t have to induce traumatic flashbacks to college. Here, our picks for sip-worthy spirits that won’t destroy your paycheck or your palate. – Jamie and Ted Kilgore

bottom-shelf drinking 1

GIN Broker’s London Dry $17 This gin embodies everything a London Dry should be: juniper-forward; surrounded by lemon, lime, grapefruit, coriander, cinnamon and pepper; well-rounded and balanced in flavor.

2

RUM Flor de Caña 4-year Extra Dry $15 With more flavor than its price point implies, this light rum showcases tastes of vanilla, roasted pineapple, caramel, tropical fruit and hints of citrus. It’s perfect for daiquiris, Mojitos or simply a Cuba Libre.

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3

4

TEQUILA Milagro Silver $23

VODKA Sobieski $12

Triple distilled, this 100 percent agave tequila tastily reflects the region of Mexico from which it hails. With plenty of citrus, mouthwatering saltiness and mineral tones, it almost has a sauvignon blanclike finish.

This great-value vodka is clean and medium-bodied with light notes of citrus and hints of vanilla.

5

WHISKEY Old Fitzgerald Bonded Bourbon $14 This classic, wheat-finished gem of a bourbon is loaded with caramel, honey, dried fruit and toasty cedar. At 100 proof, it has the body to be fantastic as a mixer or a sipper.

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Guide to Drinking 2013

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