January 2011 FEAST Magazine

get over it

homina homina

it’s not just for dessert anymore

HANGOVER CURES

HOMINY

FLOATING ISLAND

Inspired Food Culture / Saint Louis

HEARTY WINTER DISHES %PG

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GET OVE

R IT!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

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a little too loudly?

Is the New Year ringing in Try our expert list of tried-and-true hangover cures.

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Homina, Homina,

HOMINY!

from the staff

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Check out this month’s online content.

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from the PUBLISHER

Brighten your January with our winter warmers.

re whe FOR

JANUARY 2011

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NCTION FU

meets M

| 12 | FEAST FAVES

This month’s inspired ideas for tasteful living in St. Louis.

COLUMNS

| 24 |

my stuff

From the kitchen of Cravings’ Tim Brennan .

| 27 | gadget a-go-go

We put five handheld can openers to the test.

| 28 | ON THE SHELF

New and notable in beer, wine and spirits.

| 30 |

mystery shopper

Buy it and try it: smoked paprika.

| 32 |

the cheat

Simple, seasonal and super-cute beef pot pies.

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deconstructed dishes

Warm up your kitchen and your belly with braised lamb and lentils.

| 66 | pull up a chair

The Nanook chair brings a whole new meaning to “cool design.”

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY of PRIME RIB (PAGE 42) BY

Jennifer Silverberg

Chillin’ 42 & Grillin’ 57 ALL FIRED UP! Inspired Food Culture

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Magazine / Saint Louis

Volume 2 / Issue 1 / January 2011 Publisher and Editor Catherine Neville Managing Editor Brandi Wills Online Editor Kristin Brashares Art Director Lisa Triefenbach Advertising Sales Director Donna Bischoff Copy Editor Andrea Mongler Proofreader Erin Callier Contributing Writers Erin Callier, Russ Carr, Pat Eby, Chad Michael George, Erik Jacobs Jennifer Johnson, Liz O’Connor, Angela Ortmann, Michael Sweeney, Scott Thomas, S.C. Truckey, Cassandra Vires Contributing Photographers Geoff Cardin, Ashley Gieseking, Rob Grimm, Tuan Lee Matt McFarland, Laura Miller, Jonathan Pollack, Greg Rannells Jennifer Silverberg, Carmen Trosser Contact Us Feast Media, 14522 S. Outer Forty Road Town and Country, MO 63017 feastSTL.com Advertising Inquiries Donna Bischoff, 314.340.8529 ads@feastSTL.com Courtney Barczewski, 314.340.8525 Rich Shelton, 314.340.8514 Editorial Comments editor@feastSTL.com Distribution To distribute Feast Magazine at your place of business, please contact Tom Livingston at tlivingston@stldist.com.

Feast Magazine does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Submissions will not be returned.

All contents are copyright © 2010-2011 by Feast Magazine™.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents, without the prior written permission of the publisher, is strictly prohibited.

A publication of Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis, LLC A Lee Enterprises Company

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ONLINE CONTENT

STL .CO M ONLINE EXCLUSives

> THIS MONTH’S FEAST > WATCH & LISTEN > BLOG > feast events > RECIPES

shop girl DESIGN BITES Quite the Pair Dinner & A Show Travelogue

FEAST’S WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER: Get

fresh content every week, including exclusive recipes by a local pro using pantry staples. Sign up at feastSTL.com.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO: Tour local

ceramicist Yael Shomroni’s studio, and discover the technique behind her artisan kitchenware. Scan the Microsoft Tag on page 54 to watch the video from your smart phone, or view it in the Watch & Listen section at feastSTL.com.

Interact with FEAST Connect with us at facebook.com/ feastSTL for daily recipes, cooking demo videos, culinary news and behind-the-scenes photos.

Follow us at twitter.com/feastmag for up-to-the-minute restaurant news, special deals, FEAST events and more.

Photography by J. Pollack Photography

All-New Dinner & A Show!

Make the most of the St. Louis-area’s best cultural events by dining at a perfectly paired restaurant. Visit feastSTL.com every Thursday for our picks. Up in January: It’s all about reinvention – both in a play at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and at Chez Leon. Pictured are Chez Leon’s escargots bourguignonne

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On the Go

Access FEAST anywhere you go with our mobile site, m.feaststl. com. Our recipes link makes it convenient to shop for ingredients from your smart phone.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

I

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FEAST EVENTS

“Forks Over Knives” Film Screening

don’t know about you, but this time of year, I like to spend weekends wrapped up in a big sweater, reading a good book while something simmers on the stove and then pop open a rich, earthy Bordeaux when dinnertime rolls around.

Blustery and bleak, January’s frigid temps and long nights call for dishes that warm you from the inside out. Long-cooked, hearty entrées, like the braised lamb with lentils on page 34, fit perfectly into this month’s dinner plans. This issue’s recipes for easy pot pie, spicy duck posole and a hominy-and-jalapeño casserole are all on my list of things to make this month.

Yael Shomroni’s azure casserole dishes, featured on page 50, will be my ovento-table bakeware of choice. I’m excited to be able to introduce you to her beautifully glazed, fully functional pottery. Once you see her gorgeous dishes, you’ll never use that boring glass bakeware again.

But it should be noted that just because it’s winter doesn’t mean all the cooking happens indoors. It may be freezing out there, but don’t neglect that grill on your deck. No, seriously, turn to page 42.

The fine folks at GrillinFools.com have offered up all the tips necessary – plus some seriously tasty recipes – to get you grilling, even in January.

All this culinary heat even extends to the restaurant scene, where more and more chefs are cooking in wood-burning ovens. This traditional cooking method makes an amazing pizza, no surprise there. But local restaurants are pulling some interesting stuff from those ovens, like roasted olives, lamb chops and yes, even chicken wings. With all the great flavors to explore this month, January doesn’t seem that bleak after all.

Until next time,

Tue., Jan. 18, 7pm, Landmark Theater at Plaza Frontenac $5 donation, Nichole.Carpenter@wholefoods.com

Join FEAST publisher Catherine Neville as she emcees the prescreening of this documentary examining the standard American diet and its health implications. Presented by Whole Foods Market. Reservations are required to attend the event.

Cooking Class Wed., Jan. 19, 6pm, Schnucks Cooks Cooking School $40/person, schnuckscooks.com or 314.909.1704

Cook up some comfort food with the Schnucks Cooks team at this class featuring classic cassoulet and the braised lamb featured on page 34.

Wine Tasting Thu., Jan. 20, 6pm, Trattoria Marcella Complimentary, rsvp@stlwinegirl.com

Join columnist Angela Ortmann for a wine tasting at Trattoria Marcella.

Cooking Demo Wed., Jan. 26, 6:30pm, L’Ecole Culinaire $40/person, 314.587.2433

Scott Thomas of GrillinFools.com joins chefinstructor Matt Borchardt in L’Ecole’s kitchen to teach you the secrets behind successful winter grilling.

The Ninth Annual St. Louis Food & Wine Experience Jan. 28 to 30, The Chase Park Plaza repstl.org or 314.968.4925

More than 700 premier wines, 90 exhibitors and culinary demonstrations from acclaimed local and national celebrity chefs, including Lidia Bastianich of “Lidia’s Italy,” make The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ 9th annual St. Louis Food & Wine Experience a not-to-bemissed, weekend-long epicurean adventure.

Julia Child’s Paris May 28 to 31, altairtravelinc.com

Join FEAST publisher Catherine Neville in Paris and explore the landmarks of Julia Child’s culinary adventures. Then continue the journey (through June 7) with Catherine and McGraw Milhaven as they travel up the Siene to Normandy.

Cat’s Picks Catherine Neville

Tune in as FEAST publisher Catherine Neville chats with host McGraw Milhaven and gives her weekly picks for the best places to eat and drink in the St. Louis area. feedback?

catherine@feaststl.com 10

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PHOTOGRAPHy by Tuan Lee

Wednesdays, 8:35am, The BIG 550 KTRS

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FEAST FAVES / where we’re dining

The Tavern Kitchen & Bar 636.825.0600 Valley Park

Comfort food with an upscale twist. This is what diners can look forward to at this new Valley Park restaurant. Our favorite place to sit is squarely overlooking the kitchen, diner-style.

While perched on your front-row seat, watch the swift kitchen crew craft classic dishes such as a steaming bowl of orange-laced fisherman’s stew and house-made pappardelle pasta tossed with tangy stewed tomatoes and Italian sausage. Heartier appetites will be sated by the apple-rosemary pork tenderloin paired with a smile-inducing Tater Tot casserole. And if you’re just dropping by for a beer (The Tavern has a small, but good, selection of craft beers), pair those suds with the Kennebec chips served with guacamole and a buttermilk-blue cheese sauce.

2961 Dougherty Ferry Road, Suite 101 Valley Park tavernstl.com

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PHOTOGRAPHy by Geoff Cardin

The Tavern Kitchen & Bar

FEAST FAVES / secret ingredient FEAST FAVES / secret ingredient

Avocado

Taqueria el Bronco 314.762.0691 Cherokee Business District

PHOTOGRAPHy by Geoff Cardin

Salsa verde – real salsa verde – is an addictive amalgam of deceptively simple ingredients that, when mixed in proper proportions, produce a sauce that’s spicy, salty, creamy and herbaceous. And what’s the secret behind the creamy, slightly thick texture of Taqueria el Bronco’s stellar salsa? Avocado. Once you’ve tasted freshly made salsa created in the Mexican tradition, you’ll never buy jarred picante again.

Whether served simply with chips or drizzled on any of el Bronco’s fantastic Mexican fare, this salsa is a star.

Salsa verde served with beef tongue, pork and steak tacos

2812 Cherokee St., Cherokee Business District 314.762.0691

FEAST FAVES / At home

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Mortar & Pestle | 1 | Emile Henry mortar and pestle, $35; Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, Clayton, kitchenconservatory.com | 2 | Green marble mortar and pestle, $14.95; Cornucopia, 107 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, kitchencopia.com | 3 | Mint modern mortar and pestle, $48; Winslow’s Home, 7213 Delmar Blvd., University City, winslowshome.com Inspired Food Culture

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FEAST FAVES / where we’re dining

Carl’s Drive In 314.961.9652

PHOTOGRAPHy by Geoff Cardin

Brentwood

Carl’s Drive In The crispy edges will get you hooked. Each burger patty at Carl’s is griddled so it’s thin yet juicy in the center, with lacy, crisp edges emerging beyond the lettuce, tomato and melting cheese (although you can have your burger plain if you must). Other Americana favorites on the menu include onion rings and Curly Q Hot Dogs, but if you don’t order a 14

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burger, consider the Chili 3-Ways to warm you from the inside out on a cold January afternoon. Pair it with a root beer float for an unmistakable taste of midcentury fare.

9033 Manchester Road, Brentwood 314.961.9652

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FEAST FAVES / whAT we’re drinking

The Stetson When it comes to the upper class, there’s old money, there’s nouveau riche, and then there are the robber barons. They’re rough and tumble to start, but before you know it their slick appeal has won you over. The story is the same with The Stetson – a charming cocktail of rye whiskey, Cocchi Americano, house-made pineapple gomme, lemon juice and mole bitters. This devil in disguise has a brash booziness up front that quickly subsides into a smooth, sweet, sophisticated finish.

Brasserie

by Niche 314.454.0600 Central West End

With so many bold flavors (you get hints of chocolate, various citrus fruits, sweet white wine and rye in every sip), it’s hard to define the dominant element in the drink. Rather, the ingredients work together to create a handsomely seductive sipper that has you instinctively seeking out a cigar and a high-backed leather armchair.

4850 Laclede Ave., Central West End brasseriebyniche.com

The Stetson

By Ted Charak, Brasserie by Niche

According to Charak, the pineapple gomme softens the intensity of the alcohols and gives the drink a bigger mouth feel. Pineapple gomme is made by soaking macerated, peeled pineapple in simple syrup and gum arabic overnight at room temperature, then straining the mixture through cheesecloth. If you don’t have gum arabic, Charak says you can simulate the flavor by putting ¼ medium pineapple and 1 cup simple syrup through the same process; however, you’ll sacrifice the silky-smooth texture.

Serves | 1 |

PHOTOGRAPHy by Jonathan Pollack

1½ oz

¾ oz

½ oz

¼ oz 2 dashes

Sazerac rye whiskey pineapple gomme Cocchi Aperitivo Americano lemon juice mole bitters

| Preparation | Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker and shake until mixed. Pour through a conical strainer into a martini glass and serve.

STRAINERS

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| 1 | OXO Good Grips 3-inch Mini Strainer, $7.99; Bed, Bath & Beyond, multiple locations, bedbathandbeyond.com | 2 | RÖsle Tea Strainer, $19; Sur La Table, 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd., Frontenac, surlatable.com | 3 | Mesh strainer, $4.95; Cornucopia, 107 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, kitchencopia.com

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FEAST FAVES / DESIGN TRENDS WE LOVE

FLOATING ISLANDS

©iStockphoto.com/IvanWuPI

No, we’re not talking about the classic French meringue-andcustard desserts – though we’d love to have a few of those in our kitchens as well. This particular floating island is part of a bigger trend of floating cabinetry that was heavily displayed at this year’s Eurocucina design show in Milan, Italy.

“European kitchens are generally much smaller than ours, so a design feature such as this, which creates a feeling of openness and makes the room seem larger, makes total sense,” says Adrea Jones, kitchen and bath designer at RSI

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Kitchen & Bath in Rock Hill. “But it also fits perfectly in a contemporary American kitchen. The floating island is multifunctional, since it’s great for both prepping and serving and doubles as an additional seating area when you need it.”

While the island pictured here protrudes from a perpendicular wall, the floating effect can also be produced using support cables above, glass below, or by creating large voids in a longer series of cabinetry. Regardless of how it’s created, it’s a trend you’ll be seeing more of in the coming years.

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FEAST FAVES / secret ingredient FEAST FAVES / THE DISH

Sautéed Dumplings

Warm and nuanced, the sautéed dumplings at Franco satisfy on blustery winter nights. Packed with flavor, the tender, golden dumplings are tossed with rabbit confit, and the meat’s rich flavor is counterbalanced by tart wild huckleberries and dried cherries. This is a step beyond typical gnocchi preparations, and we love Franco’s modern approach of mixing an unexpected protein with dried fruit and rarely seenon-a-menu berries.

PHOTOGRAPHy by Jonathan Pollack

1535 S. Eighth St., Soulard eatatfranco.com

Franco 314.436.2500 Soulard

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FEAST FAVES / shop-o-matic

Di Olivas 314.909.1171 Des Peres

PHOTOGRAPHy by Ashley Gieseking

Di Olivas Choosing olive oil can be as complex and personal a process as finding your favorite wines. Their flavors range from bitter (tasting of dark chocolate or black tea) to fruity (with green, grassy notes) to pungent (quite peppery). And that’s before you get into the flavored oils, such as tarragon, smoky chipotle and Persian lime.

Beyond oil and vinegar, however, this tasty shop also offers a number of gourmet pantry staples, such as coffee, flavored pastas, sauces and tapenades, and seasonings and sea salts.

Our favorite salt is the black truffle sea salt, but also of note is the Fumee De Sel, which is cold-smoked with Chardonnay oak chips for a one-of-a-kind flavor.

A shopping mall isn’t the place you’d expect to go for a specialty olive oil tasting, but at Di Olivas inside West County Center, you’ll find an impressive collection of extra-virgin olive oils from around the world. Take the personal tour of the store’s selection, and by the time you leave, you’ll understand everything from olive varietals to how to expertly match them with vinegar, herbs, spices and more.

Stop in soon and ask them to pair up a number of items, and you’ll head home with everything you need for an unforgettably flavorful dinner.

West County Center, Des Peres diolivas.com

FEAST FAVES / what we’re dRinking

Aged Tawny Ports written by Jennifer Johnson

Port is a fine, cold-weather, warming drink. It is an excellent companion to aged cheeses and desserts and is simply splendid by itself. With a rich history spanning nearly 400 years, port is a wine fortified by grape spirits from the Douro Valley of Portugal. Blending and maturation are the essence of port production, and wood-barrel-aged tawny port – aged 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years – is a key reflection of a port house’s craft.

Tawnys exhibit a tawny color from controlled oxidative aging and assume a rich, velvety texture from high alcohol and sugar levels, with flavors reminiscent of dried fruit, nuts, caramel and spice.

arre’s Otima 10 Year Old

Taylor Fladgate 20 Year

Tawny Porto

Old Tawny Porto

Portugal

Portugal

Freshly dried dates, almond macaroons and toffee greet the nose in the company of a lush yet refreshingly less-than-full-bodied mouth feel and balanced acidity.

Pair with walnut bread, praline ice cream, chocolate espresso brownies and pecorino cheese.

This wine demonstrates the notion that 20-year tawnys are the pinnacle of this port style in its opulent, layered aromas of figs, roasted pecans and caramel and subtle dried apricot and mocha notes. Pair with Stilton cheese, apple cobbler and chocolate fondue.

$26.99 (500ml); Crushed Grapes, 1500 Troy Road, Edwardsville, crushedgrapesltd.com

$46.99 (750ml); The Wine & Cheese Place, 7435 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, wineandcheeseplace.com Inspired Food Culture

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FEAST FAVES / what we’re buying

©iStockphoto.com/MichaelDeLeon

Eco-friendly nonstick cookware

Want the ease of nonstick pans without the negative health and environmental effects? Check out these PFOA-free wares.

| 1 | Cuisinart Green Gourmet 11-inch grill pan, $59.99; Macy’s, multiple locations, macys.com | 2 | Cuisinart Green Gourmet 10-inch stainless steel

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fry pan with lid, $59.95; WilliamsSonoma, multiple locations, williamssonoma.com | 3 | Scanpan Professional nonstick wok, $179.95; Sur La Table, Plaza Frontenac, Frontenac, surlatable. com | 4 | Green Pan Rocks fry pans,

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$49.95-$79.95 per piece; Crate & Barrel, 1 The Boulevard, Richmond Heights, crateandbarrel.com

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MY STUFF

Cravings is a warm, welcoming spot in Webster Groves well-known for its classic pastries and international savory fare. This culinary destination has been in operation for 27 years, so how does owner Tim Brennan stay inspired? “I travel and read a lot; I own plenty of cookbooks and spend most of my time discussing food, eating and experimenting,” he says. “Some ideas are whimsy, some are dictated by what’s available and some are based on childhood loves translated into adult tastes.”

You’ve traveled the world. What flavors have you brought back to the menu at Cravings? The veal scallopine is based on a wonderful experience at a tiny restaurant in Paris. Our rugelach comes from the time I spent in Israel. Povetica is my Croatian grandmother’s recipe. Plus a dozen items from trips to Italy, France, Germany and Ireland. Your next destination? Vienna,

another trip to Rome and southern Italy, California, New York and Montreal. What characterizes a European approach to pastry in contrast to an American approach? Typically we go for looks over tastes; Europeans are much more demanding and conscious of taste first and foremost. Do you ever bake for yourself? I typically bake my own birthday cake … [but] I can’t think of a greater compliment than for a friend to offer to me something he/she has baked. When you throw a dinner party, what’s on the menu? It could be as simple as grilled meats and fish or as complex as boeuf bourguignon.

Yet I have no problem with grilled burgers. The primary reason to entertain is to spend time with family and friends. I’ve learned to master menus that limit the time I spend cooking so that I can devote attention to my guests.

Favorite tableware? Waechtersbach from Germany, Noritake and utilitarian white

written by Catherine Neville

porcelain. Flatware? Rustic: stainless with black handles. Serving dishes? A mix of gifts: Droll platters and handmade pieces from an artist in the Pacific Northwest. What’s a typical dinner at home? Chicken with Thai green-curry sauce. Must-have kitchen gadget? I believe in good All-Clad pots. Musthave spice? A variety of sea salts. Favorite chocolate for baking? Santander from Colombia. Weirdest cake request? Family recipe that doesn’t work or uses ready-made mixes. Any cake disasters? I once baked a kosher cake in someone’s house and used matzo for the first time. I didn’t know it comes flavored, but I could tell something was wrong as it baked and I smelled chicken. Favorite trend in restaurant desserts? Putting a real focus on good quality. Least favorite?

Claiming something is authentic. What do you see as the next big thing in sweets?

Dates in desserts.

Cravings Gourmet Desserts 8149 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves 314.961.3534 cravingsgourmetdesserts.info 24

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PHOTOGRAPHy By Greg Rannells

Tim Brennan of Cravings

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CANS OF FOOD BY ©iStockphoto.com/EasyBuy4u

gadget a-go-go

Put to the test

CAN OPENER PHOTOS by Laura Miller

handheld CAN OPENERS written by Pat Eby

Rösle Can Opener

Giada De Laurentiis Can Opener

PROS

Essential Home Compact Can Opener PROS

This newly available compact version of an old-fashioned opener is colorful and comfortably familiar. It still grips cans tightly and then cuts smoothly and cleanly until you let the handles open. It works just as well as the full-sized version and takes less room in the drawer. Priced right for a first kitchen or for thrifty shoppers who want good quality at a low price. With hardened steel cutters and gears, this baby carries a five-year guarantee too.

CONS

Slim handles and a smaller knob make gripping the opener crunchier for finger bones. The knob twists smoothly, but you have to muscle the opener to make it work. $3.99; Kmart, multiple locations, kmart.com

With its unconventional, superchic design; stainless steel shaft and mechanisms; and clean black knob and trim, folks will be wondering what it could be. Once you know how it works, it’s simple to operate; the knob spins fluidly and the cutter leaves blunt, ouch-free lids and cans.

Top-quality construction shows in the gears, the cutter and the snappy loop for hanging. A beautiful product.

Dishwasher-safe.

CONS

Castaways marooned with a case of canned goods and this opener wouldn’t intuitively know how to operate it. Directions on a small hang tag in Spanish, English and French could easily end up in the trash. The shaft must be held in the left hand.

Steep price. $36.95; Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, Clayton, kitchenconservatory.com

Zyliss Safe Edge Can Opener PROS

The clever design of this squat, round opener incorporates great features with style. The rubberized knob and grip feel great in-hand. A flick of the thumb swings the top open to attach the can. Flick it back and the cutter locks on. The knob action is fluent and the lid never falls in the can. Love the safe, dull edges on both can and lid.

Available with gray or red trim.

CONS

The lid lifter doesn’t grab the edge as easily as the pictogram directions suggest. Opening short 6-oz cans without spills takes practice. Must be hand-washed. $15.89; Schnucks, multiple locations, schnucks.com

PROS

Hands-down good looks for an old favorite. The zoomy handles and turning knob not only look great but also feel terrific in-hand. Giada worked in a tab puller and bottle opener too, for opening craft beers and diet sodas. Cutting blades and gears are stainless steel. Great results every time on all cans.

CONS

Find this in the Giada De Laurentiis designer section at Target, not with the hoi polloi can openers. Check the surfaces of knobs and handles for finish flaws that could detract from the opener’s good looks. To free this opener from its classy packaging you’ll need a sharp utility knife and a good back-and-forth saw. $13.99; Target, multiple locations, target.com

Comfortable handles: Bigger handles make for comfortable grips on nearly every model. Rubber coatings to prevent slipping are a nice touch, but not standard.

Well-machined gears and clean castings: Check the

PROS

OXO built an old-fashioned-style can opener so intuitively easy to use that there’s only one line of instruction on the packaging: “Push button to release.” The locking button makes can slips a thing of the past, even if you lose your grip. With a supercomfortable hold, the cutting wheel and gear attach to the can effortlessly each time. The Mr. Big knob whirls around the can with grace and ease. Pop in the dishwasher to clean.

CONS

Sometimes the lids come off with a tiny tug, leaving a rough place on the metal. Plus, you might need more drawer space to store this big guy. $13.39; Dierbergs, multiple locations, dierbergs.com

Chec

W h at to look for : Knobs or levers: Even though most can openers are tied tightly to their packaging, you should check the knobs for grip and cutting motion. The gears and the cutting wheel should turn smoothly and evenly.

OXO SoftWorks Snap Lock Can Opener

k out

gears for nicks, gouges or rough places. Cast parts should be smooth to the touch.

Clear instructions: Newer-style can openers, especially the safe-edge models, aren’t intuitively easy to operate. Make sure the packaging has clear instructions. Diagrams help too.

Safe edge: Safe-edge openers leave a clean, blunt edge on the can and lid; they’re great for homes with small children or clumsy adults. No more cut fingers.

Put these openers to 38! use when making the scrumptious dishes from this month’s feature story on hominy.

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ON the shelf

BEER written by Michael Sweeney

When not using his spare time to make fun of people who write blogs, Michael Sweeney writes the beer blog STLHops. com. The irony is lost on him.

Bell’s Brewery Inc.’s Hopslam STYLE: American Double IPA (10% abv) AVAILABLE AT: Lukas Liquor, 15921 Manchester Road, Ellisville, lukasliquorstl. com, $17.49 (six-pack, 12-oz bottles) Pairings: Spicy BBQ ribs • Pepper jack cheese

Bell’s Hopslam becomes one of the most sought after beers in January. Why the excitement? This double IPA is bursting with juicy floral hops and backed up with a touch of honey to balance the bitterness. Blink and you'll miss it; when it hits the market, it’s sure to sell out fast.

Crispin Cider Co.’s Crispin Original STYLE: Hard Apple Cider (5% abv) AVAILABLE AT: Randall’s Wines and Spirits, multiple locations, shoprandalls.com, $6.99 (four-pack, 12-oz bottles) Pairing: Tandoori chicken • Roasted vegetables

OK, OK – cider isn’t technically a beer. But like beer, it’s one of the oldest beverages in the world. The wonderful thing about Crispin Cider is that unlike many ciders, it has a subtle sweetness that reminds you of really fresh apple juice. If you’re feeling continental, drink it over ice like the Europeans do.

The Saint Louis Brewery’s Schlafly Scotch Ale STYLE: Scotch Ale (6.6% abv) AVAILABLE AT: Schnucks, multiple locations, schnucks.com, $7.99 (six-pack, 12-oz bottles)

SPIRITS

GET CHAD’S RECIPES ON THE WEB feastSTL.com

written by Chad Michael George

Award-winning sommelier and mixologist Chad Michael George is founder of Proof Academy, which covers everything from wine and cocktail list consulting to spirits and mixology education.

Fernet-Branca Provenance: Milan, Italy (40% abv) Available at: Randall’s Wines and Spirits, multiple locations, shoprandalls.com, $26.99

Although relatively new to our market, FernetBranca has been in production since 1845. A longtime favorite of San Francisco bartenders, it is finally gaining appeal in the Midwest. This form of bitters is highlighted by chamomile, saffron and myrrh. Aloe and eucalyptus dominate at first; then the bitter components take over. Don’t be afraid to simply try it chilled.

New Holland Knickerbocker Gin Provenance: Holland, Mich. (42.5% abv) Available at: The Wine & Cheese Place, multiple locations, wineandcheeseplace.com, $21.99

Beer fans in town have long enjoyed New Holland’s brews, and now the company is distilling as well. The gin may be the best of its collection. It features more citrus notes than most, with lemon being dominant enough that the juniper is not overwhelming. This balance makes this a great gin for cocktails, and the price is surprisingly affordable.

New Holland Hatter Royale Hopquila Provenace: Holland, Mich. (40% abv) Available at: Lukas Liquor, 15921 Manchester Road, Ellisville, lukasliquorstl.com, $24.99

Pairings: Glazed pork loin • Brie

Seasonal beers can be a blessing and a curse.

It’s always exciting when they’re around, but the wait for them to return seems unbearable. Big and malty, the Schlafly Scotch Ale is always a welcome addition to a cold January. It’s the perfect thing to warm you up when the winter chill blows up your kilt.

As the name suggests, some may indeed find tequila similarities in this tasty nectar. A base of neutral grain barley spirit is infused with Centennial hops to create a hop-flavored spirit with an interesting sweetness and gorgeous citrus notes. Any margarita lover should try this as a tequila replacement. In the days of artificially flavored spirits, one featuring allnatural ingredients is a pleasant newcomer.

OUR TOP PICKS FOR JANUARY Pouring wine photography by ©iStockphoto.com/Lauri Patterson

WINE written by Angela Ortmann

STLwinegirl Angela Ortmann shares her passion for all things epicurean through her event and consultation business, which is dedicated to enhancing your food and wine experience.

2009 Hermann J. Weimer Gewürztraminer Provenance: Finger Lakes, N.Y. Available at: St. Louis Wine Market & Tasting Room, 164 Chesterfield Commons E., Chesterfield, stlouiswinemarket.com, $20 Pairings: Taleggio • Sweet and sour pork • Tikka masala

From the highly regarded Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard comes this delightful, food-friendly Gewürztraminer. Riesling drinkers will enjoy the classic floral and bright peach aromas as well as the flavors of honeyed melon and warm spices.

2008 Lange Twins Petite Sirah Petit Verdot Provenance: Lodi, Calif.

Available at: Provisions Gourmet Market, 11615 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, provisionsmarket.com, $17.99 Pairings: Charcuterie • Chicken enchiladas • Hearty stew

Known “blending grapes” Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot make up this unique concoction from the eco-conscious and sustainability-driven Lange Twins Winery and Vineyards. Ripe blueberry notes permeate your mouth, and layers of herbal tones and velvety tannins unfold with every taste.

2005 Gérard Bertrand Banyuls Provenance: Banyuls, France Available at: Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine, 1722 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, veritasgateway.com, $19 Pairings: Blue cheese • Dark chocolate • Espresso torte

Banyuls is a fortified wine from the south of France produced in the same manner as port. Lower in alcohol and not as sticky-sweet, this dessert wine is made from the versatile Grenache grape. Striking scents of wild berries, plum and cedar waft gently from the glass. Hints of vanilla and raisin linger in the finish. Exceptional as an aperitif or as an after-dinner indulgence.

Join Angela Ortmann and FEAST publisher Catherine Neville for a happy hour wine tasting at 6pm on Thu., Jan. 20, at Trattoria Marcella. RSVP by emailing rsvp@stlwinegirl.com.

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mystery shopper

Insalata di Ceci

By Mark Sanfilippo and Ben Poremba, Salume Beddu

Smoked paprika adds nutritional value as well as flavor to your food. It’s rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants.

Serves | 4 | ½ cup olive oil, divided

¼ lb Salume Beddu pancetta, diced

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, diced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 cups cooked chickpeas salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ lemon, juiced

extra-virgin olive oil for seasoning fresh mint leaves

over medium heat. Add the pancetta, celery and onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove pancetta, celery and onion to a plate. In the same pan, heat remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Add tomato paste and smoked paprika and sauté until it loses its ketchup smell. Add pancetta, celery, onion and chickpeas to the hot pan. Turn off heat.

Toss to combine. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Serve garnished with torn mint leaves.

MEET: SMOKED PAPRIKA How has smoked paprika been reduced to little more than a garnish for potato salad and deviled eggs? This smoky, sweet spice lends far more to a dish than its vibrant hue, adding depth and distinction of flavor.

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written by Liz O’Connor

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DO I USE IT?

Smoked paprika is a blend of dried and ground smoked, red-skinned chiles. While paprika is largely used as a garnish here in the states, in other parts of the world, such as Hungary and Spain, it’s a mainstay ingredient used for its flavor more than its color. It may look spicy-hot, like cayenne or chili powder, but many varieties are actually quite mild. That’s not to say it can’t pack a wallop – paprika comes in many colors and ranges from mild and sweet to hot and pungent. Spicy chorizo sausage is made with smoked paprika, as are many traditional Spanish tapas.

With any luck, more cooks on this side of the pond will realize smoked paprika’s sweet subtleties in dishes, not just sprinkled on top.

Add smoked paprika to your next batch of chili, roasted pork or seafood stew. Put a spoonful into homemade barbecue sauce or marinades. Add a dash anywhere you add ground cumin, curry powder or coriander. Smoked paprika loves garlic, meat and seafood. Think potatoes, chickpeas and kale. It’s also great for making a dry rub or vinaigrette, something you can keep in the fridge for weeks. Infuse olive oil with a couple of teaspoons for a flavorful and colorful addition to your pantry. Smoked paprika’s subtle spice makes it a versatile staple that goes with so many savory dishes. And, though it’s really so much more, smoked paprika still makes a perfectly lovely garnish for your potato salad.

to pick up more delicious recipes featuring smoked paprika. Visit straubs.com for information on its four locations.

JANUARY 2011

PHOTOGRAPHy by Carmen Troesser

| Preparation | Warm ¼ cup olive oil in a sauté pan

check it out!

Feast extra

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the cheat

Beef Pot Pie STORY AND RECIPE BY Cassandra Vires

One of my fondest memories from growing up is pot pie night.

Each of us kids had our own little pie, and we would all carve our initials into the top crust and watch the pies puff up and brown in the oven. The anticipation was unbearable as my mom pulled them out of the oven but wouldn’t let us take a bite until they had cooled. When we finally cut into the crust, an amazingly aromatic steam would erupt from the flaky pie.

Since our mother was a single working mom, our pot pies came from the freezer section. As I got older and took over the cooking, I decided to make our pot pies from scratch. What a complete disaster! Every surface covered in flour, and my poor little pies just fell apart. I had made an amazing stew but had no “pie” to serve it in. So I got creative: I pulled a box of puff pastry from the freezer and topped each pie with that. It was my very first cheat, if you will.

As with most classic American dishes, the pot pie’s true roots are European. Appearing in our culinary tradition toward the end of the 18th century, that first pot pie was, oddly enough, similar to mine. It was praised for its portability, as people would cook the stew in a large Dutch oven hanging over an open fire, then top it with pastry and carry it to the table.

In America, the most common pot pie is the chicken variety, which I make with spring peas, carrots and mushrooms. There are no limitations with this. Make your favorite stew, soup or braised meat; top it with puff pastry; and bake. A simple homemade family dinner.

Chef Cassandra Vires received her culinary training in Houston, Texas, and has a knack for reimagining classic dishes.

COOKING DEMO!

Follow along with chef Cassy Vires as she demonstrates a simpler approach to homemade pot pie. Scan the Microsoft Tag from your smart phone (get the free app at http://gettag.mobi), or watch the video in the Watch & Listen section at feastSTL.com.

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Beef Pot Pie Serves | 8 to 10 | 1/3 cup

2 lbs

1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 1 cup 1 Tbsp 1 bottle 4 cups

2 1 sprig

15

4

4 1 box

1 1 Tbsp

all-purpose flour salt and freshly ground black pepper cubed beef sirloin, fat removed butter olive oil finedly chopped onion minced garlic good quality red wine water bay leaves fresh thyme pearl onions, peeled and whole carrots, diced russet potatoes, diced store-bought puff pastry, thawed according to package directions egg water

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 425ºF. In bowl, combine flour and liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Add beef and toss to coat.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat butter and oil on high until butter is melted. Add beef and sear on all sides, not stirring too much.

Once beef is browned, remove from pot and set aside. Decrease heat to medium and add onion and garlic. Stir constantly, breaking up browned bits from the bottom of pan, until fragrant. | 1 | Return beef to the pan and add red wine. Let cook until wine is reduced by ½ cup. | 2 | Add water through potatoes. Cook on medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.

Divide stew into individual oven-safe ramekins. Cut puff pastry into squares large enough to cover the ramekins, allowing for ample overlapping. Using a small paring knife, cut slits into the pastry. (This will allow steam to escape.) | 3 | Place the pastry squares over the ramekins and press down, adhering to the rims and sides of the ramekins.

Whisk egg and water in small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of each pie with egg mixture, making sure not to tear the pastry. Place pies on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is brown and crisped. Allow to rest before serving.

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PHOTOGRAPHY by Jennifer Silverberg

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deconstructed dishes

Cardamom

Lamb & Lentils written by Erik Jacobs

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Recipe by Nate Bonner

Lamb shanks have an intense, earthy flavor but can be tough as leather if cooked via a dry heat method, such as baking. Searing and then simmering them for a few hours will transform them into meltingly tender morsels, with the connective tissue dissolving into collagen, which gives body to the sauce. Lentils are a traditional French accompaniment to lamb, and in this dish the two work together fabulously. Like its cousin, cassoulet, this braised lamb dish is an ideal restorative food for a long winter.

A staple spice in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking, cardamom has an exotic perfume and pronounced flavor. Cardamom can be found in different colors and in different forms – seed pods, extracted seeds or ground – but as with all spices, its whole form offers the best flavor. Toasting cardamom lightly before use really enhances and awakens the essential oils that are key to its intensity.

Gabrielle DeMichele, Nate Bonner and Lucy Schnuck work together to formulate original recipes, brainstorming the best ingredients, methods and techniques to employ when teaching classes at the Schnucks Cooks Cooking School in Des Peres.

Fennel Seeds

Braised Lamb Shanks with French Lentils Serves | 6 to 8 | Lamb 6 to 8

2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp

3

1 2 stalks

6 4 cloves

1 1 sprig 2 sprigs 2 cups 1 Tbsp 2 cups

8

baby lamb shanks salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste cardamom seeds fennel seeds olive oil carrots, diced onion, diced celery, diced shallots, diced garlic, diced bay leaf rosemary thyme Pinot Noir tomato paste beef stock lamb sausage links

Lentils

2 cups 1 Tbsp 5 slices 2 stalks

3

1

du Puy lentils, washed well butter smoked bacon, diced celery, diced carrots, diced onion, diced

JOIN US! rsvp: schnuckscooks.com OR 314.909.1704

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2

6 cloves 3 sprigs

1 3 cups

leeks, white parts only, washed and diced garlic, diced fresh thyme bay leaf turkey stock, heated

| Preparation – Lamb | Rub shanks with salt and pepper. Toast cardamom and fennel seeds and use to season shanks.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Add oil to stockpot or Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat. Sear lamb shanks well on all sides and set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots through garlic, cooking for 1 minute between each addition. When vegetables are just tender, add herbs and cook 1 minute more. Add wine, tomato paste and veal stock and bring just to a boil.

Place lamb shanks in pot. Cover and

bake for 40 minutes. Reduce heat to 280ºF and continue to bake for 90 minutes. Meanwhile, grill sausages and keep warm until ready to serve.

| Preparation – Lentils | Soak lentils for 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 300ºF. In a large sauté pan or saucepan, over medium-high heat, add duck fat. When melted, add bacon and sauté until cooked through but not browned. Reduce heat to medium and add vegetables one at a time, cooking a few minutes between additions. After adding garlic, immediately add thyme and bay leaf, stir, cover and sweat ingredients over low heat until tender. Drain lentils and add to pan. Pour in hot stock, stir, cover and bake for 35 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

| To Serve | Place lamb shank atop bed of lentils. Top with lamb sausage and garnish with toasted baguette slice.

Curious about cassoulet? Get hands-on with chefs Nate and Lucy on Wed., Jan. 19 as they teach you to make this braised lamb dish along with traditional cassoulet and other rustic fare such as wiltedlettuce salad and upside-down caramel-apple pie.

JANUARY 2011

Used extensively in Mediterranean and Indian cooking, fennel has a profile similar to anise, which has a mild licorice flavor.

Fennel seed goes well in a variety of spice rubs and marinades.

Stock Many cooks attest there’s no real difference between stock and broth, especially when making it yourself.

However, when purchasing packaged versions, here are some rules of thumb: Broth tends to be thinner than stock and seasoned, best in soup or to perk up bland dishes. Stock is lighter in salt or salt-free, but has deeper flavor and more body. Use it for making gravies and as a braising liquid.

Baby Lamb Shanks Baby lamb shanks are very mild in flavor, being generally harvested when lambs are between 6 and 8 weeks old. The shank portions of the lamb are located above the hoof on the front and rear legs, and because these muscles are worked so often, they are tougher and contain more connective tissue than other cuts. Braising and stewing are the methods best suited to cooking this oftoverlooked cut.

Du Puy Lentils These little gray-green lentils are considered the finest French lentils you can buy. Harvested in the town of Le Puy in the Auvergne region of France, these are AOC-protected by the French government. There are many types of French green lentils, but none so revered as du Puy. Less starchy than others, these will keep their shape and not turn mushy when cooked properly.

PHOTOGRAPHY by Rob Grimm

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Homina, Homina,

Winter is all about comfort food.

When the flurries are flying and the need to nurture strikes, try turning to hominy for soul-warming, stick-to-your-ribs meals. This ridiculously nutritious, ancient Mesoamerican supergrain is nothing more than a whole corn kernel that has undergone a process called nixtamalization to render it more amenable to human digestion.

While this relatively timely process involves soaking the corn in various alkaline solutions in order to remove the outer hull and alter protein structures, through the wonders of modern convenience, all you have to do to enjoy the benefits of hominy is open a can. The following recipes are simple twists on classic hominy combinations.

Red Chile Duck Posole The rich, meaty texture of the duck-infused broth blends wonderfully with the piquancy of the chile paste and the chewiness of the hominy. This is south-of-the-border comfort food at its best.

Serves | 6 to 8 | Chile Paste

5 6 cloves

¾ 1½ Tbsp

¼ cup

dried guajillo or ancho chiles* garlic, peeled medium white onion, roughly chopped Mexican oregano freshly squeezed lime juice

Broth

1 lb

2 Tbsp

2 2½ quarts

8

duck necks** (optional) vegetable oil, duck fat or lard 29-oz cans hominy, drained and rinsed chicken broth (packaged low-sodium or homemade) duck legs (skin and fat removed) salt, to taste

Garnishes

HOMINY! STORY AND RECIPES by Erik Jacobs

|

Photography by Rob Grimm

Finely shredded Napa cabbage Diced radish Cubed avocado Lime wedges Tortilla strips/chips Sliced serrano chiles Chopped cilantro Finely minced white onion, rinsed and drained Duck cracklings

| Preparation – Chile Paste | Remove stems and seeds from chiles. Steep chiles in boiling water to cover until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving about a cup of the soaking liquid. In a blender, blend chiles with remaining ingredients until smooth, adding soaking liquid as necessary to reach a smooth paste consistency.

| Preparation – Broth | If using duck necks, preheat oven to 500°F. On baking sheet, salt and pepper the duck necks and roast for about 20 minutes, until deep amber in color.

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Over medium heat, in a large (6- to 8-quart) stockpot, pour enough fat to cover the bottom of the pot. When fat begins to ripple and smoke, pour chile paste into the stockpot. The mixture will spatter, so be careful. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened.

powder and hominy and stir to combine.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to buttered 8x8-inch baking pan.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter and combine with bread crumbs. Top hominy mixture evenly with bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes or until casserole is brown and crispy.

Add hominy, chicken broth, duck legs and duck necks. Bring to boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. Remove duck legs from pot and, when cool enough to handle, pull meat from bones and shred. Discard bones and place shredded meat back in stockpot.

Remove duck necks from broth and discard. Add salt if needed, and serve piping-hot with an array of garnishes.

Sausage-n-’Shroom Hominy Hash with Dippin’ Eggs Hearty breakfasts are a wonderful opportunity to use hominy. This easyto-prepare skillet dish offers salty, porky goodness together with earthy mushrooms and crispy, rich hominy.

Put a heaping spoonful on a hot plate, and top it with a fried egg for a complete meal. Don’t forget the toast, and pass the hot sauce, please.

*Look for dried chiles in Latin American grocers or the ethnic section of supermarkets. ** The Asian grocers on Olive Boulevard often carry duck necks, legs, feet and even tongues. Adding roasted necks to the chicken broth amps up the duck flavor of this rich stew.

Hominy and Jalapeño Casserole with Roasted Poblanos This dish should easily secure a place on your list of go-to winter indulgence dishes. Creamy, rich cheese and butter are combined with a bit of spicy/smoky/vinegary chiles layered atop contrasting textures of chewy hominy and crunchy bread crumbs. Comforting, calming goodness for a bracing winter’s night.

Serves | 6 |

Can you say nixtamalization?

pan (preferably cast-iron), sauté sausage over medium-high heat until completely cooked. Remove from pan, reserving pan drippings. Add onions and mushrooms to drippings and sauté until soft and beginning to brown.

poblano peppers butter, divided whole milk 8-oz pkg cream cheese pickled jalapeños, chopped garlic powder 29-oz can hominy, drained and rinsed salt and freshly ground black pepper bread crumbs

Add hominy, thyme, 2 Tbsp butter, salt and pepper, and reduce heat to medium. Allow hominy and onion mixture to become browned and crispy on the bottom, about 5 minutes without stirring. Top with cheese and brown under broiler until melted.

Over medium-low heat, melt remaining butter and fry eggs in 2 batches, making sure yolks remain runny.

| Preparation | Roast peppers by blistering and blackening skins on a gas burner set at medium-high heat or under a broiler. Place in paper sack and allow skins to steam. When cool, peel charred skins away, discard seeds and julienne into long strips.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1 stick butter, milk and cream cheese in a saucepan over medium heat, being careful not to bring to boil. Add jalapeños, poblano strips, garlic 40

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breakfast sausage large white or yellow onion, sliced into slivers white button mushrooms (or any variety that you enjoy), sliced 29-oz can hominy, rinsed and drained dried thyme butter, divided salt freshly ground black pepper sharp Cheddar cheese, grated eggs toast

| Preparation | In a large sauté

Serves | 8 to 10 as a side dish |

2 1 stick + 2 Tbsp

1 cup

1

¼ cup

½ tsp

1

2 cups

1 lb

1

1 lb

1

1 Tbsp 3 Tbsp ½ tsp ¼ tsp

8 oz

6

| To Serve | Spoon hash evenly onto 6 plates and top each serving with an egg. Serve with plenty of toast for dippin’ into the yolks.

FEAST EXTRA

Check out the Let’s Eat section of the PostDispatch every Wednesday starting Jan. 12 for more hominy recipes from FEAST!

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Written by Scott Thomas

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Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

JANUARY 2011

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RECIPES BY Scott Thomas, Greg Thomas and Tom Jones of GrillinFools.com

Winter grilling simply demands that you compensate for the weather, namely cold temperatures and wind, by maintaining the temperature of the grill and extending cooking times. While gas grills and ceramic cookers such as the Big Green Egg and the Primo hold up better to cold temperatures, we have a few tips for winter grilling with your basic metal charcoal grill.

Chillin’ & Grillin’

Hanging out around an open fire when it’s 95 degrees outside doesn’t make sense. Yet summer is prime grilling season for most. While a few modifications are needed to grill in the off-season, you’ll find that cooking up some cold-weather comfort foods on your outdoor grill adds impressive flavor and flair to winter dishes.

Be exact. Even if you’re an old pro, eyeballing a fire or judging the temperature by feel is not very accurate, particularly on a cold day. A probe thermometer doesn’t have to be used strictly for the internal temperature of the meat. It can also be used to judge the temperature of the cooking chamber. Using a probe thermometer, if your grill isn’t already equipped with a temperature guage, is a fairly inexpensive way to determine the internal temperature of the grill without opening the lid and losing the heat.

Tighten up your game. Reaching and, more important, maintaining the proper temperatures in your grill are the main challenges. If cold air finds its way into the chamber, you’ll instantly lose significant degrees. So the first step is to check your grill’s vents. Make sure they aren’t wide-open, which is the winter-grilling equivalent to leaving the lid off.

Add fuel to the fire. Another surefire way to keep up the heat is to periodically add more briquettes or use lump charcoal. Lump charcoal burns faster than standard briquettes, but it also burns much hotter.

Reaching and maintaining the proper temperatures are key.

Prime Rib

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Acorn Squash

Keep your lid on. It will be necessary to

Meatloaf Shepherd’s Pie Pear Tart

open the lid at various points to mop, sauce or spray the meat as well as to add fuel and smoke wood. Each time the lid is opened, heat is stolen away, and it can take anywhere from five to 20 minutes for the heat to build back up. It’s very important to limit the number of times the lid is opened by doing many of the maintenance tasks at once. If it’s time to slather the ribs with sauce, check the charcoal and smoke wood at the same time to make sure there’s enough to last until the next scheduled saucing. If there isn’t, this is the time to add them.

Protect your equipment. At times, tightening up the vents, adding extra fuel and barely opening the lid aren’t enough to keep the temperatures up because it’s just too windy. On blustery days, consider using a windbreak. Erect a wooden barrier next to the grill, or move the grill to the lee side of the house or shed. The draftier the grill, the more important it is to protect it from the wind.

Get winter grilling tips straight from GrillinFools’ Scott Thomas at this month’s L’Ecole class. He’ll join chef Matt Borchardt in the kitchen and teach you how to make grilled flatbread, double-smoked beef brisket and the pear tart from this article for dessert. Call 314.587.2433 to reserve your space!

The draftier the grill, the more important it is to protect it from the wind.

Pot Roast

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Grilled Pot Roast Serves | 8 |

2 16 oz 1 cup 1 tsp 2 tsp

4 2 cups 5 lbs 2 lbs

8

1 lb

3

2½-lb beef chuck roasts Italian dressing dry red wine sea salt freshly ground black pepper 16-oz cans beef broth water, divided red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces baby carrots celery stalks, chopped parsnips, peeled and chopped leeks, sliced and rinsed

roasts from rack and sear them directly over the fire, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove rack from pan, place roasts directly into vegetable/broth mixture and simmer until done. Total cooking time should be 2½ to 3 hours depending on the heat of the fire.

Prime Rib Serves | 6 to 8 |

6-lb 3 cloves 1 tsp 16 oz

standing rib roast, bone-in or boneless garlic, sliced into long slivers freshly ground black pepper Andria’s steak sauce

Grilled Acorn Squash Serves | 6 | stick 1 2 Tbsp ¼ cup 2 Tbsp ½ tsp ½ tsp

2

butter raw sugar balsamic vinegar honey ground cayenne pepper cinnamon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste acorn squash, seeded and quartered

| Preparation | Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, vinegar, honey, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, salt and pepper and simmer over medium-low heat 1 to 2 minutes. Toss squash in butter mixture, place skin side down on a medium-high grill (approximately 375ºF) and close the lid. Brush remaining butter mixture onto squash every 20 to 30 minutes, cooking until very tender and caramelized, about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the heat of the grill.

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| Preparation | Place roasts into a resealable container

| Preparation | Bring beef to room temperature prior

with Italian dressing, red wine, salt and pepper for 48 hours, turning every 12 hours for even marinating.

to grilling. Using a slender, sharp knife, create a grid of ¾-inch-deep slits, 1 inch apart, on surface of roast and insert garlic slivers. Rub pepper all over the roast.

Prepare grill for flank method with coals on each side and nothing in the middle. If your grill isn’t wide enough, use the two-zone method with coals on one side and nothing on the other. Add soaked apple or cherry wood chips to the coals and build temperature to 300ºF to 325ºF. In roasting pan, add 2 cans beef broth, 1 cup water and all the prepared vegetables. Place roasts on a rack, and place rack in center of roasting pan to allow the wood smoke to penetrate the beef on all sides and the drippings to be captured in the pan. Place roasting pan where there aren’t any coals below to cook meat and vegetables indirectly.

Rotate pan and stir vegetables every 45 minutes, adding remaining beef broth and water as needed. Add smoke wood and charcoal at the same intervals to minimize heat loss from opening the grill. After 90 minutes, remove

Prepare grill for flank method with coals on each side and nothing in the middle. If your grill isn’t wide enough, use the two-zone method with coals on one side and nothing on the other. Build temperature to 300ºF to 325ºF. Add soaked hickory chips (pecan or apple can be substituted) to coals and close the lid.

Place roast, fat side up, on roast rack where there aren’t any coals below. Baste every 30 minutes with steak sauce. Add smoke wood and fuel at the same intervals to minimize heat loss from opening the grill. Grill for 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Cooking time should be 2 hours for rare, 2½ hours for medium-rare and 3 hours for medium depending upon the heat of the fire. If an internal probe thermometer is used, the temperature should be 125ºF to 130ºF for rare, 135ºF to 145ºF for medium-rare, and 150ºF

to 160ºF for medium. Allow roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Roast will continue to cook while resting.

Pear Tart Serves | 6 |

¾ cup 5 tsp 5 3 4 oz 1 1 1 Tbsp ½ cup 2 Tbsp

Marsala wine raw sugar, divided dates, sliced and pits removed pears, cored and sliced mascarpone cheese pie crust egg cream balsamic vinegar honey

| Preparation | In small saucepan, combine wine and 2 tsp sugar over low heat. Add dates and increase to medium heat.

Cook approximately 5 minutes, until dates start to become tender. Remove pan from heat and remove dates from wine mixture. Add pears to the mixture, tossing to coat. In separate bowl, combine mascarpone cheese and 2 tsp sugar.

Roll out pie crust onto a cooking stone. Arrange pears on the crust, leaving a ¾-inch crust as the border. Scatter prepared dates over pears. Drop the mascarpone cheese mixture by the tablespoon over pears and dates. Fold the border of pie crust up over the pears. The crust will not cover the entire top of the tart. Beat egg with cream, brush mixture onto crust and sprinkle remaining sugar over crust and fruit.

Place baking stone with pear tart directly onto a medium grill (approx 350ºF). Cook 30 to 45 minutes, depending on heat of the grill, until crust is golden-brown.

While tart is cooking, place balsamic vinegar into a saucepan over medium heat and add honey. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly until reduced by half.

Remove cooking stone from grill and transfer tart to a platter or board (tart will continue to cook if left on the stone).

Drizzle with balsamic reduction sauce and serve warm.

Meatloaf Shepherd’s Pie Serves | 4 | Meatloaf

1 lb ½ lb 1 cup

1

1 3 cloves

4 oz 2 tsp

1 1 tsp ½ tsp ½ cup 1½ tsp ½ tsp

ground sirloin ground pork panko bread crumbs egg medium onion, diced garlic, minced barbecue sauce brown sugar medium carrot, finely chopped thyme chili powder Asiago cheese, grated salt freshly ground black pepper

Mashed Potatoes

3 ¼ cup 1 Tbsp ½ cup

red potatoes, chopped to equal-size pieces heavy cream butter Asiago cheese, loosely packed salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

| Preparation | Place all meatloaf ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine. Do not knead meat too much, as the meatloaf will become very dense. Form into a loaf and place in a disposable aluminum bread pan.

Prepare grill for two-zone cooking – coals on one side, nothing on the other. Bring temperature to 275ºF to 325ºF and place soaked pecan or cherry wood chips on the fire. Place the meatloaf on the other side of the grill with probe thermometer in the thickest part of the loaf.

Add smoke wood as needed throughout.

While meatloaf is cooking, boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender. Drain and place in a mixing bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients until smooth.

When internal temperature of meatloaf reaches 110ºF, approximately 60 to 70 minutes, spread a layer of mashed potatoes on top. When the internal temperature reaches 150ºF, remove meatloaf from grill and let rest for a few minutes. Total cooking time should be approximately 90 minutes depending on the heat of the fire. Slice meatloaf and serve with a scoop of remaining mashed potatoes. ©iStockphoto.com/NALE - TREE vector art illustration

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where FORM

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meets FUNCTION Written by Russ Carr

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Photography by Greg Rannells

Just outside the door to her basement pottery studio, tucked into a well-forested nook in Webster Groves, Yael Shomroni stops me and offers a word of caution. “I must warn you: This is the cleanest studio you have ever seen.”

With a huge smile, she escorts me in, flipping lights as she goes. A stark hall and an empty table appear first, but around the corner, a cascade of blues and greens splashes against immaculate white walls. The colors are dazzling, like brilliant blue waves washing against the white sand of Netanya, near Shomroni’s native Tel Aviv, Israel. A closer look at the cups, jars and bowls reveals yet another dimension – the rich blue glazing sparkles in the light, like the sun against the waves.

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Shomroni custom-mixes her glazes to create a distinct range of blues and greens that sparkle in the light.

“The glaze is my own recipe,” says Shomroni, beaming – her smile far brighter than any of the room’s tiny lights.

Based on the consistently rich tones lining the shelves around us, it’s clearly a recipe she’s tested to perfection.

But she’s quick to add that “you never know what’s going to come out when you fire it. I can work all day on a piece but then pull it out of the kiln and” – she throws up her hands – “time to start over.”

Though Shomroni’s work may draw visually from the colors of the Mediterranean, the muse for each project comes from a more down-home source: her own practical needs. “I love to cook, so it starts with the things I need, like an olive oil jug or a holder for garlic,” she says. “I like making different things, and I want people to use them.”

And so, everything Shomroni makes is kitchen-friendly, with a purpose that fills a need, from mugs and pitchers to serving bowls and bakeware. The lone exceptions are decorative bottles and her series of whimsical, cone-roofed birdhouses – a testament to her devotion to living peacefully in her surroundings.

The simple elegance of Shomroni’s handiwork belies the work that goes into making each piece table-worthy, and that’s the other source of her inspiration.

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“I love to challenge myself. Making practical pottery is part of the challenge. There are so many things I have to consider: the weight of the piece, its balance; the handle has to feel good; the spout should pour well. If it’s a mug, the rim should be smooth. But more than that, the piece has to work aesthetically, not just feel good.”

The most difficult piece would have to be a teapot. They have so many parts, and so many things can go wrong. Particularly the spout, on teapots or the olive oil jugs. They’re so delicate and it’s so easy for them to close up when you’re working with them.”

Shomroni’s vibrant energy while describing the challenges of her art reveals a determination to be as resilient as her creations, and every bit as joyously colorful.

To discover Yael Shomroni’s practical pottery for yourself, visit either Craft Alliance location, in The Loop or at Grand Center in St. Louis, or visit Yael Shomroni Pottery on Facebook.

STEP INSIDE! Visit Shomroni’s studio and watch one of her olive oil jugs take shape. Scan the Microsoft Tag from your smart phone (get the free app at http:// gettag.mobi), or watch the video in the Watch & Listen section at feastSTL.com.

The real beauty of her work is in the details, such as the delicate handles she loves making and includes on most pieces.

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Wood oven at Peel Wood Fired Pizza

Written by Erin Callier

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Photography by Matt McFarland

ALL FIRED UP! While most of us preheat our ovens with a quick turn of a knob or a nimble touch of a button, chefs and owners Patrick Thirion and Brandon Case of Peel Wood Fired Pizza in Edwardsville prefer a more hands-on approach. As the name implies, the pizzas at Peel are baked in a hearth that harnesses the heat from a live fire. The pièce de résistance of a partially open kitchen, Peel’s wood oven produces much more than pizza. From chicken wings to pasta to homemade bread, Thirion and Case utilize the wood oven just as any Italian chef would – for as many dishes as possible. “Our oven reaches over 900°F, and our pizzas cook in under 90 seconds,” says Thirion.

A kitchen fixture centuries before the microwave, wood-fired ovens cook food by simultaneously using reflective heat from the flames bouncing off the oven dome, conductive heat from the oven floor and convection from the constant circulation of hot, moist air. The result of this triple threat of heat? A quick, moist and evenly cooked dish that would be hard to achieve with your average modern-day oven.

Bill Cardwell of Cardwell’s at the Plaza in Frontenac and BC’s Kitchen in Lake Saint Louis imported his first wood oven from Italy in 1994.

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Cardwell would agree that wood-fired ovens are neither culinary relics nor attention-getting novelty appliances.

They offer a timeless and relevant cooking method that goes way beyond the pizza pie. “There is no limit to what you can use a wood oven for,” Cardwell says. “If I was going to build a new home, I would design one in.

They’re fantastic. It’s the way people used to cook. It’s like heirloom-style cooking.”

“We do all our prepping in our wood-fired oven,” says Mike Randolph, proprietor of The Good Pie in Midtown, which produces arguably the most authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in St. Louis. “Everything tastes better roasted with wood – not just pizza,” ventures Randolph. “We eat very well as a staff using the wood oven to roast meats and whole fish.”

Since 1994, many more St. Louis-area restaurants have opted for the wood-fired oven approach, but for all its culinary benefits, the wood-fired oven has yet to fully break into the St. Louis residential market. An increasingly common kitchen or patio feature on the West Coast, wood ovens are still a rare residential find in the Midwest. Nathan Folkemer, a sales associate at Forshaw in Frontenac, estimates that the store sells no more than 10 wood-burning ovens a year – mainly for outdoor use.

“Most of our customers who are interested in woodburning ovens cook often and intend to use them for pizza or slow cooking,” says Folkemer.

According to Folkemer, the pricing for wood ovens starts at about $2,000. Most U.S.-based wood oven manufacturers or importers are based in California but sell do-it-yourself kits online. There’s also the more traditional option of hiring a local mason to custom-build your hearth. As Cardwell points out, “the concept is basically a fireplace.”

Most chefs would agree it’s simply not possible to achieve the smoky flavor profile of a wood oven with other cooking methods. However, there are some tricks and nifty products that may help you come close. For pizza there is, of course, the pizza stone. If you preheat the stone and amp your oven up to its highest heat setting, the stone will transmit heat directly to the bottom of the pizza, just as the floor of a wood oven does. Another option is a ceramic oven liner. A contraption invented for the sole purpose of emulating the cooking cycle of a wood oven, a ceramic oven liner will harness the three types of heat produced by a wood oven.

Randolph says that before opening The Good Pie, he tried everything to achieve good pizza without a woodfired oven. The trick that got him closest to wood-fired goodness was certainly clever but should probably come with a disclaimer of the don’t-try-this-at-home variety.

“I put my oven on the cleaning cycle and used a baking stone,” he says.

“Everything tastes better roasted with wood – not just pizza.”

Oven Roasted Olives

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WOOD-FIRED RECIPES AT HOME Local wood oven aficionados share some of their favorite recipes with tips on how to achieve the fiery flavor in your home kitchen.

Oven Roasted Olives

By Mike Randolph, The Good Pie

Wood-fired ovens aren’t just for pizzas or large dishes. The smoky heat can add big flavor to small bites in a flash. Minus a wood oven? Hike up the heat on your conventional oven and enjoy this Italian classic.

Serves | 4 | 1 cup

½ 2 cloves 2 sprigs 1/3 cup

mixed olives lemon, zested with peeler garlic fresh rosemary extra-virgin olive oil

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse olives; toss with lemon zest, garlic and rosemary. Coat with olive oil and roast until sizzling.

Dutch Oven Beef Short Ribs

By Bill Cardwell, Cardwell’s at the Plaza and BC’s Kitchen

Beef Short Ribs

Add to the timeless comfort of this dish by serving with blue cheese-baconchive smashed potatoes.

Serves | 6 |

1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 6 1/3 cup 2 1 2 Tbsp 1 cup 1 cup

dark chili powder kosher salt freshly ground black pepper smoked paprika onion powder granulated garlic thyme 12-oz boneless beef short ribs salad oil, divided large onions, diced large carrot, diced minced garlic ketchup barbecue sauce

¼ cup 1 quart

1 ½ cup

red wine vinegar beef broth 12-oz bottle porter-style beer top-shelf bourbon salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

| Preparation | Combine chili powder through thyme. Lightly coat short ribs with half of oil and liberally rub with seasoning blend. Sear over a medium charcoal grill or indoor grill on all four sides to lightly char. Remove to tray while preparing braising liquid.

Preheat oven to 300°F. In heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat remaining oil. Add onions, carrot and garlic. Sauté until golden. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add seared meat. Cover and place in oven. Slow braise until tender, 1½ to 2 hours.

Carefully remove cooked meat from sauce to a serving platter; cover to keep warm.

Strain cooking liquid. Discard solids and return liquid to Dutch oven. Skim surface fat while reducing to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over meat and serve.

Funghi Pizza

Funghi Pizza

By Mike Randolph, The Good Pie

Simplicity is the cornerstone of Neapolitan cooking, and this classic pizza is simplicity at its best. Enjoy with an Italian wine and wait for visions of Naples to dance through your head.

Serves | 1 to 2 | ½ lb

3 4 Tbsp 2 tsp 5 Tbsp 2 Tbsp

pizza dough portabella mushrooms dried porcini mushrooms balsamic vinegar, or to taste fresh mozzarella cheese shredded taleggio cheese oregano, to taste olive oil

| Preparation | Preheat conventional oven and pizza stone to 550°F. Roll out pizza dough on lightly floured surface.

Clean portabellas and roast for 5 to 10 minutes. Reconstitute porcinis. Combine both mushrooms and season with balsamic vinegar. Dress pizza dough with mushrooms, cheeses and oregano. Finish with drizzle of olive oil. Bake in oven until crust is crisp and bubbly, 6 to 10 minutes.

Wood oven at The Good Pie

Wood Fired Lamb Chops

By Patrick Thirion, Peel Wood Fired Pizza

This recipe works best in a wood-fired oven at 650 to 700°F. In lieu of a wood oven, a regular convection or conventional home oven on the highest heat setting can produce good results. With a smaller rack of lamb, this dish would also make a great appetizer or finger food for a cocktail party.

Serves | 4 |

2

2 Tbsp 2 tsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 cup ½ cup 1 cup 1 sprig

1½- to 2-lb lamb racks, cut into individual chops (if you prefer, your local butcher can do for you) extra-virgin olive oil lightly chopped, fresh rosemary gray sea salt (or to taste) freshly ground black pepper (or to taste) dry white wine Dijon mustard 40 percent heavy cream fresh rosemary

| Preparation | Preheat wood oven to 650°F, with fire producing a flame that rolls halfway up the dome, or preheat conventional oven to highest temperature. Preheat a cast-iron griddle in the oven. Rub the lamb chops with olive oil, rosemary, sea salt and pepper. Evenly space lamb chops on preheated griddle with at least an inch gap between each chop. Cook on each side for approximately 3 to 4 minutes or until medium-rare. Remove lamb from oven.

Pour drippings from griddle into a saucepan. Deglaze griddle with white wine to loosen all the leftover flavorful bits and add to drippings. Add mustard and cream to the pan and bring to boil.

| To Serve | Drizzle lamb chops with mustard cream sauce and garnish with rosemary sprig.

Peel is adding this dish to their menu for Feast readers! Visit peelpizza.com for the full menu.

check it out!

Feast extra

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Among the hundreds of superstitions and scientific remedies proved to be effective, many hangover fixes are brought to you by none other than the person who gave you that hangover in the first place: your bartender. We sidled up to the bar and chatted with five local seasoned bartenders who shared their restorative recipes, be they bananas, flaxseed oil or beer, and why, for them, they’re worth trying.

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A Good Bloody Mary A Banana and Some Bitters

By James Isenberg, Mangia Italiano

“What you need is potassium and electrolytes,” Isenberg says confidently. “Try some club soda and bitters; bitters contains electrolytes, and it satiates that desire for more booze but doesn’t get you drunk. And the potassium from a banana is also good. You’re lacking hydration in the a.m., but if you just drink water, you’ll pee it out.”

1 banana 1 club soda with bitters

By Ron Kittrell, Riley’s Pub

Before Kittrell began bartending at Riley’s, he tended bar in Colorado, where people lined up for his Bloody Marys. “A good Bloody Mary should have a lot floating around in it – and you should use that mix that has all the vegetables in it,” he says. “Have one of those and you’ll be back on the road.”

A regular pipes in, “The nice thing about Bloody Marys is that they don’t taste like alcohol.”

Kittrell snickers, “They do when I make ’em.”

1 Bloody Mary in a 16-oz glass boiled shrimp and a celery stalk for garnish

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A Burger ’n’ a Shot

By Roxanna Ratossa, CBGB

“Tequila or whiskey and a cheeseburger,” says Ratossa, a veteran bartender of 14 years, currently serving up trouble at CBGB. “I’d try the cheeseburger first. And if that doesn’t work, go for the booze. Being hungover is simply a blood sugar issue, so what you crave after not drinking is simply more liquor. It doesn’t go down really well, but it always makes you feel better.”

1 cheeseburger 1 shot

A Trip to the Medicine Cabinet

By Barrett Brown, Duff’s Restaurant

The Suffering Bastard

By Marla Griffin, The Royale fine food and spirits

“For me personally, it absolutely works. Ginger beer is always a good hangover cure on its own, but throw some booze in with it and the pain just vanishes,” says Griffin. She attributes the drink’s restorative abilities to the soothing aromas of the orange and mint, the warmth of the brandy, and the “medicinal dimension” of the bitters. “Combine all that with the fact that it’s served on the rocks in a pint glass, creating the illusion that I am actually re-hydrating, and it’s got everything I need to move on from last night. I usually

“Hey, Andy, what would you do for a hangover?”

Brown asks a fellow employee. drink gin, so if I’m hungover, it’s from gin, and I do believe in the ‘hair of the dog’ theory.”

1 oz

1 oz 2-3 dashes

½ oz

4 oz

gin brandy Angostura bitters fresh lime juice ginger beer fresh mint orange slice

| Preparation | Mix gin through lime juice and top off with ginger beer. Garnish with mint and an orange slice.

Serve tall, in a pint glass, on the rocks.

“Eat a greasy plate of food and then go back to bed,” he says. She glares at him. “Yeah.” Andy shakes his head. “There’s nothing you can do.”

“Have another drink!” someone else chimes in.

A Turkish customer plays along, contributing in a heavy accent, “Tripe soup!”

Brown scoffs at them all, insisting on her restorative concoction that is to be taken before bed, thus responsibly preventing a hangover altogether.

1 tablet 1 tablet 1 spoonful

2

1

vitamin C vitamin D flaxseed oil aspirin big glass of water

pull up a chair

THE NANOOK CHAIR written by Erin Callier

Its shape inspired by the geometric structure of a snowflake and its pattern digitally created to reflect a tribal motif, the Nanook chair by Moroso is a modern, multidimensional nod to the history of the Inuit people. Designed to evoke the animal hides worn by these Arctic inhabitants, the Nanook chair brilliantly juxtaposes the natural world with the technological. $707; Unica Home, unicahome.com

Local designers choose complementary tables to pair with this unique chair:

Saarinen Dining Table

“The chair is the real story here. I think the Saarinen dining table works well with the Nanook chair because the soft curves and understated design of the table balance the sharp angles and bluntness of the chair. This table supplies plenty of style while allowing the chair to take center stage.”

Heather Helms, Interior Elements Design, LLC $2,775 and up; Hive hivemodern.com

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Arch Dining Table/Glass Desk

“Why hide the striking features of the Nanook chair when you can appreciate its features at all angles? The Arch table is a classic one-piece design that would highlight the character of the chair with ease. Flexible as a desk, small meeting table or a dining table, the simplicity of the Arch table would be an effortless complement to the Nanook chair.”

Carla Hunigan, St. Louis Loft Style $579, St. Louis Loft Style stlloftstyle.com

JANUARY 2011

Container Table

“I like the Container table by Moooi for its simplicity and solidity of form – a perfect contrast to the complex pattern and delicate frame of the Nanook chair. Order it in a solid black laminate or a steel base lacquered in white to complement the colors of the chair.”

New Yorker Table

“I love the contrast of the cast aluminum base and yew wood top of the New Yorker table by Hickory Chair. The solid wood tabletop complements the bold pattern of the Nanook chair – allowing a place to rest as you view the decor.”

Renée Céleste Flanders

C.J. Knapp

$4,199 for 63” table; Centro Modern Furnishings, 4727 McPherson Ave. Central West End centro-inc.com

$3,780; C.J. Knapp Interiors cjknappinteriors.com