January 2012

a top-grade brew made crystal clear

where to hole up this winter · the new quinoa · rangoon revamped s t. l2012 o u is’ i n d e pe n d e nt cu l i n a ry au th o r it y January

sau c e m aga zi n e .co m

F R EI ESAUCE , janua r y 2 I012 saucemagazine.com MAGAZINE 1

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January 2012

January 2012

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J anua r y 2 012 • VO LUM E 12, Issue 1 PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR STAFF WRITER SPECIAL SECTIONs EDITOR Contributing Editor Fact checkers PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER ONLINE EDITOR EDIBLE WEEKEND WRITER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

OFFICE MANAGER ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES ACCOUNT MANAGER

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

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All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©20012012 by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. The Sauce name and logo are both registered to the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. Reproduction or other use, in whole or in part, of the contents without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While the information has been compiled carefully to ensure maximum accuracy at the time of publication, it is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change. The publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information or

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

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

January 2012

contents January 2012

9 À La Carte

Reviews 15 new and notable: Coastal Bistro and Bar

33

28

Fresh-From-the-Sea Flavor Exists Far From the Coasts

by Michael Renner

18 Time tested: Dressel’s Public House Dressel’s Takes a Turn in a Tasty New Direction

by Liz O’Connor

21 Dine on a dime: Baileys’ Range A Not-So-Better Burger

by Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz

23 Nightlife: The Fox & Hounds Tavern The Perfect Hideaway Returns Just in Time for Winter

by Matt Berkley

Home cooking

18

25 What in the world: Freekeh

by Ligaya Figueras

26 Vegetize it: Vegetarian Shrimp Bisque

by Kellie Hynes

28 One ingredient, 9 ways: Clementines Orange Crush

by Kylah Brown, Ligaya Figueras and Stacy Schultz

31 Cook’s books: The Mozza Cookbook

by Shannon Parker

Stuff to do 50 Stuff to do: Food

26

features

cover details

33 Short List Bread pudding

By Byro n K er m an

34 Where to Hole up this winter As the chill sets in, these cool corners and homey haunts will lure you out of hibernation

By Kyl a h Brown, Li gaya Fi g u er as an d Stacy Schu lt z

by Byron Kerman

52 Stuff to do: Art

by Byron Kerman

36 From Poland, With Love A daughter’s edible postcard arrives filled, folded and sealed

By Li gaya Fi g u er as

54 The New Classics Sage Urban American Grill’s

44 The Alchemy of Sake

Surf-n-Turf Quesadilla

How to transform Japan’s humble grain into this beautiful brew

By Kylah Brown

m e th o d by g reg r ann ells

= recipe on this page

January 2012

a top-grade brew made crystal clear: p. 44

Photo by Greg Rannells where to hole up this winter: p. 34 the new quinoa: p. 25 rangoon revamped: p. 9

te x t by stacy schu lt z

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T

he never-ending bubbly and hors d’oeurves, the confetti, the countdown, the everlasting midnight kiss and the inevitable hangover – the new year has been ushered in. Now what?

Well, it’s one more big glorious trip around the sun for planet Earth. And for the rest of us, it’s a chance to relish recent successes and approach new opportunities with renewed energy and limitless potential.

It’s in that spirit that the staff at Sauce Magazine is busy getting right back at it. We couldn’t be more enthusiastic about 2012, which marks our 11th year in print. As advocates of all that is delicious in your foodfascinated lives, we look forward to another remarkable year together.

We’d like to sincerely thank all of the readers and advertisers who have continued to support Sauce and have contributed to its evolution over the last decade. It has been a tough (yet hopeful) year for some of our friends in the industry, and it has been encouraging to us to witness the ways in which our community pulls together when it matters most. We know you make a conscious choice when you support a local, independent venture like ours and the hundreds of independent restaurants and businesses throughout the area. We are truly grateful for those who continue to reach for Sauce Magazine.

It has been an amazing decade for us, but there’s still so much more to share, so many stories to tell. We appreciate the opportunity to bring you the best of the St. Louis culinary community. As it continues to unfold, innovate and evolve this year, you can count on us to be there – fork in one hand, pencil in the other.

Cheers to the beginning of another tasty year,

Allyson Mace, Publisher & Founder, Sauce Magazine

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NEW TO THE SAUCE BLOG | Wondering if this is the year you’ll finally keep that New Year’s resolution? Join the club. We’re making it easy to stick to your guns this year with a fresh lineup of online columns. Don’t worry – your old favorites like Just Five, Cheap Date, Tweet Beat and Drink This Weekend Edition aren’t going anywhere.

They’re just getting a few new friends …

Want to eat more veggies? Every Monday, go to SauceMagazine.com to check out Meatless Mondays – our contribution to the national movement that’s inspiring diners to start each week by celebrating the health benefits that vegetables provide. From veggie-focused recipes to prepare at home to dishes around town that won’t make you miss the meat – find out just how far a little bit of the green stuff can take you. And it tastes good, too. Like, really good.

Hoping to read more? Check out By the Book every Tuesday in which we test out a recipe from some of the many amazing cookbooks that come across our desks and then offer up a free copy of the book to a lucky Sauce reader. That counts as reading, right?

Looking to kick up your skills in the kitchen?

Our new Cook Wise column, appearing every other Wednesday, has you covered.

Want to master the perfect pie crust? No problem. Wondering how to make mashed potatoes in a ricer? You got it. In a fun, light and accessible fashion, we’ll give you the know-how you need to head into the kitchen with confidence, creativity and a little bit of swagger.

Photo by CARMEN TROESSER

And in case you’re in search of just a little bit more inspiration in your life in 2012, every other Thursday, our new 3 Things column will provide you with a glimpse of what we’re loving at the moment. Drinks, dishes and the products that make us open our mouths wide and say, “OMG!” – we’re revealing all the things we can’t live without.

Warning: You won’t be able to, either.

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 KWMU’s Cityscape on Friday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m.

January 2012

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EAT THIS

Typically, we steer clear of the Americanized crab Rangoon, rank with imitation crab and flavorless cheese. But when MOLLY’S IN SOULARD put ALLIGATOR RANGOON on its new menu, we had to give in to our ever-curious taste buds. In this very new twist on a very tired “classic,” alligator subs for the fake fish – and the typically tough gator meat is perfectly tender and oh-so tasty. Combined with spicy Andouille sausage and a smoke-kissed cream cheese, this is the kind of Photo by carmen troesser

revamped Rangoon we can wrap our heads around. Americanized Chinese? Nah, this is all Creole, baby.

816 Geyer Ave. • St. Louis • 314.241.6200

January 2012

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Tasty Under 10: Crispy Confit Pork Shoulder Sandwich at The Mud House: $8

Eliott Harris, Chef at chop shop

Whether he’s rolling sushi in the back of a kitchen or bringing street-friendly Japanese fare to St. Louisans from his new food truck Chop Shop, chef Eliott Harris takes Sunday off to spend with his family – both current and former. “On Sundays, I like to take the family to Duff’s in the Central West End. I worked there years and years ago and it’s the exact same staff still; it’s like one big family. I like to sip on a bloody mary and get some eggs Benedict.” For more from Harris and his new mobile project, check out our Five Questions interview with him on page 50.

[beer] With all of the awesome American craft breweries now, it’s easy to overlook the great imported classics that were firsts of their kind. Here, a few that shouldn’t be missed.

— Cory King, certified Cicerone and brewer at Perennial Artisan Ales

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Westmalle Tripel The beer that created the style Belgian tripel, this brew pours a beautiful straw color with a sticky head. It has a fruity, slightly spicy backbone that complements the freshly risen bread flavors and a long, dry, high-alcohol finish. The 9.5-percent ABV is perfect for a cold winter day.

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier From the oldest existing brewery in the world, this German Weissbier – with its wheatheavy malt bill and German yeast – provides aromas of not only banana and clove but also hints of pear and orange peel. It touts a very soft, slightly sweet, malty middle and long, silky smooth, almost viscous finish.

Traquair House Ale One of my all-time favorite beers, this Scotch ale is a great balance of roast, smoke and maltiness.

A deep ruby to mahogany color with a tight head of bubbles, it carries aromas of mixed nuts and dark chocolate. A hint of tobacco gives way to figs and sweet vanilla. It finishes with a rich, smoothly carbonated medium body.

January 2012

eliott harris photo by laura miller; sandwich photo by carmen troesser

chef’s day off

Few things are as decadent – and yet as humble – as confit. The crispy seared goodness of this local pork greets you before giving way to the silky indulgence of the confit, much like a hot bath that nips just before luring you in.

Simply dressed with a gently tart applecucumber relish and served on a billowy Poolish bun, the pork is accompanied by a simple salad of mixed greens lightly dressed in a vinaigrette. At well under a tenner, this sandwich is a steal – especially considering how many food groups you can knock out in one sitting.

The Mud House, 2101 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.776.6599

Elixir From the Honey Pot

photo by laura miller

Honey wine, otherwise known as mead, has been around since antiquity.

Although a scene of men clad in tunics and tights singing verses to the accompaniment of the lute is now only fashionable on hanging tapestry, the feasting hall beverage of choice is enjoying a renaissance. “There is now a meadery in every state of the Union,” said Scott Pirtle, whose family-owned winery in Weston, Mo., has produced mead since opening in 1978.

The Spicy Bear at BC’s Kitchen The Spicy Bear at BC’s Kitchen

January 2012

In its purest form, mead is just wine made from honey, water and yeast.

And while funkier meads are on the market these days, mead-makers who stick with the three basic ingredients can still wind up with starkly different results.

One important factor is the makeup of that sweet honey pot. “Honey takes on the flavor of wherever the hive is and what the bees eat,” said Dwight Crevelt, co-owner and winemaker from 7C’s Winery in Walnut Grove, Mo. Crevelt keeps five varieties of local honey (basswood, orange blossom, gladiola, clover and wildflower) in stock, of which he went through 1,200 pounds last year.

Because some varieties are hard to find, Crevelt joined the Ozark Beekeepers Association and the Missouri Beekeepers Association to network with area apiarists.

They supply him with enough honey to produce the winery’s line of nine meads.

The brewing team at Schlafly recently took the mead leap, making this soul-

juice for public consumption for the first time. By early December, the brewery’s sparkling blackberry mead was on tap at The Tap Room. Schlafly assistant brewer Auggie Altenbaumer noted, however, that letting the mead sit a couple more months could improve the flavor. “The thing with meads, they tend to get better as they age. …

Because they are so big and high in alcohol, it takes a while for [meads] to mellow out and get their stride.”

Aging mead for a cocktail is what bartender Justin Cardwell of BC’s Kitchen had in mind when he tasted a bottle of 14-year-old Irish mead. “It was finally oxidized and I loved the flavor,” he said. Inspired by the trendy technique of barrelaging cocktails, Cardwell barrel-aged five bottles of locally distilled JJ Neukomm Whiskey with an equal amount of Burraty Irish Mead.

After six weeks, he removed the blend and bottled it for use in his original cocktail, The Spicy Bear. To make this warm-your-insides cocktail, Cardwell shakes together the barrel-aged concoction with a tart house-made shrub (essentially a fruit syrup with a vinegar base) made with apple cider vinegar, Jonathan apples, Missouri wildflower honey, and aromatics like sage, thyme, peppercorn and cinnamon. “I wanted what a bear would come after,” explained Cardwell of his desired flavor profile. Better come after this honey pot elixir before other bipedal beasts gorge on it – or one cloak-wearing, wand-carrying wizard, of course.

– Ligaya Figueras

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With Jack Frost in season and lettuce out, a crunchy slaw spiked with Asian flavor is this month’s salad-in-a-snap. Start with shredded green cabbage, then add color and texture with shredded radishes and turnips, matchstick-sized carrots and paper-thin slices of yellow onions. Turn this root veggie mélange into a meal with a handful of bean sprouts and top with freshly toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy the sizzle as the seeds meet the slaw, then carry on with some scissor-snipped dried nori sheets. For a sweet dressing, whisk together a couple tablespoons of sweet chile sauce and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

For creamy heat, swap the chile sauce for a dollop of wasabi horseradish cream.

– Ligaya Figueras

Mae Ploy Sweet Chile Sauce, available at Jay International Food Co.

Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, available at Whole Foods Market.

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Jay International Food Co., 3172 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.772.2552 Schnucks, 8867 Ladue Road, Ladue, 314.725.7574 Whole Foods Market, 1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, 314.968.7744

January 2012

photo by carmen troesser

Make your own wasabi horseradish cream by combining wasabi paste and mayo, or grab a bottle of Manischewitz Creamy Horseradish Sauce Wasabi, available at Schnucks.

Jim Fiala By the Numbers

4

5

People at Fiala dinner table: Jim, his wife and three kids

Vacations taken this year

jim fiala photo by greg rannells

Jim Fiala has been in the kitchen since 1988, counting his year and a half cooking in the galley of a Clipper Cruise ship. He works six days a week and has no less than six titles – restaurant owner, chef, husband, dad, wine buyer and church elder. This singular gourmetloving Gateway native presently owns three eateries: Acero, Liluma and The Crossing – four if you count Liluma’s Side Door tucked inside the restaurant’s back room. Number of times he thinks of doing something other than the restaurant biz? Zero.

“I love it all day, all the time.”

– Diana Losciale

3

Times food has brought him to tears. The most recent was a semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese he tasted in the Pyrenees. “It blew me away. It stopped me dead in my tracks. It was glorious. It had more flavor and texture than any cheese before.”

January 2012

2

Meals eaten out each week

24+ Calls received in a given day

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

Miro Cuvée Sasha 2010, High Valley – Monte Lago Vineyard, Calif. Seventy-five percent Grenache, 19 percent Mourvèdre and just a touch of Syrah adds up to 100 percent tastiness in this small-batch vintage. This is one of those wines that you might easily walk past on a store shelf. Do, and you’ll miss its exotic fruit salad of jammy strawberries and plums and tropical flavors. At about $20, and with only 560 cases made, it may require some effort to find. But trust me, it’s worth it.

3 Texts received during this interview

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Restaurants worked in, including the Bay Area’s Stars, Daniel in NYC and Chicago’s Spiaggia

100s Favorite foods including: chocolate, gelato, sorbet, crème brûlée, cheeses … “Everyone wants fancier and fancier with multiple layers and crunchy stuff, but I learned you don’t need fancy – just be good.”

4 Voicemails received during this interview

3-4 Stops in one day “I’m constantly bouncing around. Like yesterday, I had at least four stops because of a party. I went from Acero to The Crossing, had to pick up the liquor license for Liluma, had to drop off something … and get my kid at school.”

Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva 2008, Mendoza, Argentina Malbec from Argentina may be the most consistent type of red in the wine world.

Even so, I still run into amazingly complete and memorable bottles that rise above the crowd.

From half-century-old vines, this carnivorous temptation is an amazing value in its $16 price range with aromas of ripe fruit and black pepper.

Bright Light White 2009, California From the mind of Gundlach-Bundschu’s Jeff Bundschu comes this relatively unusual blend of chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Albariño.

The flavors are a mystical blend (with a glowin-the-dark label) of Asian, Middle Eastern, Tex-Mex and art deco Miami. Whatever you’re serving, this $15 aperitif is a light and delicious way to get the evening started. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 13

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reviews

new and notable: coastal bistro and bar, p. 15 time tested: dressel’s public house, p. 18 dine on a dime: baileys’ range, p. 21 nightlife: the fox & hounds tavern, p. 23

Fresh-From-the-Sea Flavor Exists Far From the Coasts

by Michael Renner • Photos by Jonathan gayman

I

’ve said it before: For being stuck smack in the middle of the landlocked Midwest, we do pretty well when it comes to acquiring fresh fish and seafood. Not great like, say, Baltimore, Boston or Seattle, but when restaurants can arrange for seafood to arrive a day after being pulled from the sea, there’s little to complain about.

A prime example of just how fresh fish can be once it arrives on that Midwestern plate Coastal is Coastal Bistro and Bar – the newly reBistro and branded, refurbished, re-concepted restaurant Bar previously known as Mosaic Bistro Market.

14 N. Central Both are owned by Frank and Ellen Schmitz Ave., Clayton, – two of the three Schmitz siblings who are 314.932.7377 operating a local mini restaurant empire.

Frank owns Barcelona and Bocci Bar, both on the same block as Coastal, while Claus Schmitz has the family of Mosaic restaurants around town.

Evidently, having so many restaurants in the family beginning with “Mosaic” was becoming confusing.

And the “market” part was more name than real gourmet bazaar. The new space seems sleeker and more modern, with organic touches like orange-red walls and dark wood dining chairs now mixed in with the chairs outfitted in white upholstery and gold rings held over from the market. The large, rustic farm table is still there, too – perfect for groups of boisterous diners slurping oysters and clinking wine glasses. The banquette along the north wall now sports dividers between the tables where smaller groups and couples cluster. And where the market section once housed a few jars of fancy jams, cookbooks and other gourmet items, diners sit cozily in the corner over small plates and bottles of wine.

Sometime before you order, your server will deliver a white paper sack with two fresh, hot, cheesy biscuits inside. This is a good time to issue a caveat: Eat them and be happy, but don’t order more. You won’t be able to stop, and you have oysters on the way.

January 2012

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review new and notable: Coastal Bistro and Bar

The salmon had a good, hard sear with a juicy, tender interior; this was indeed a very fresh cut of fish. selection from the West, East and Gulf Coasts here. Instead of the creamier, smaller West Coasters or the earthy, muddy taste of the Gulf Coast oysters, I settled on the big, meaty East Coast variety of the night, preferring their mild taste and bracing brininess. A choice of sauces ranged from horseradish to passion-fruit mignonette to harissa aioli, but a simple squeeze of lemon was really all I needed. That, and a nice glass of crisp, oyster-friendly white wine, which Coastal has plenty of.

Michel de Montaigne compared them to violets. James Beard called them “one of the supreme delights that nature has bestowed on man.” So for those landlocked souls whose knowledge of the bivalves is minimal (raises hand), Coastal’s raw bar

Where Coastal Bistro and Bar, 14 N. Central Ave., Clayton, 314.932.7377

is a good place to sample several of the brackish varieties. Like developing and improving a palate for wine, you need to taste a lot of oysters in order to distinguish the differences. While the exact variety depends on supply, count on a suitable daily

When Mon. to Sat. – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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After savoring a few (dozen) half shells, our attention turned to the broader menu, which touts a bevy of fresh fish dishes as well as options for non-fish eaters like chicken and dumplings, beef short ribs, beef filet, and an exquisite pork loin (more on this later). Some would deem the panroasted trout, cooked simply and presented atop a bed of lemon-scented white beans and potatoes, boring. I call it sublime, with a whisper of citrus complementing the fish and the just-right al dente beans pairing perfectly with the trout’s meatiness.

The kitchen, though, was shy about the potatoes: Only two halved fingerlings were found among the mix. I suspect the chunk of perfectly seared halibut I had was as fresh, clean-tasting and succulent as one would find on either coast. But the douse of sage-brown butter sauce atop it was too salty, and the fricassee of yams, mushrooms and unctuous pork belly – while quite savory – seemed more sautéed than the stewed preparation required of true fricassee.

While the regular menu is broad enough to keep things interesting, the prix fixe “coastal experience menu” option – three courses for $28, plus $5 for a glass of house

Don’t Miss Dishes Oysters, of course; pork loin; any fresh fish that catches your fancy.

Vibe Casual, relaxed, comfortable.

wine – isn’t a bad way to get acquainted with the new digs either. A first course of house-smoked trout was fleshier and more raw than anticipated but satisfying nonetheless with a mild, slightly smoky flavor. The salmon, about 4-ounces served on a bed of buttermilk-whipped potatoes and braised greens, had a good, hard sear with a juicy, tender interior; this was indeed a very fresh cut of fish. While the salmon serving was suitable, we wanted more of those tender greens (because, well, we like a lot of greens) and creamy-smooth, buttery-rich potatoes. Only one dessert was offered with the deal: chocolate lava cake with caramel and a row of raspberries.

It was good, but it’s hard to mess up lava cake, or impress with it.

On another visit, we opted for the sageroasted pork loin prix fixe, a fitting comfort-food prelude to colder weather.

The five thick slices of pork, cooked medium-rare and oozing with juices, were light on the sage but had a nice char and a tasty herbaceous rub that married well with the chunky apple-pepper chutney underneath. Smashed yams only punctuated the fall flavors of the dish. This time around, though, there were more wine and dessert options available on the prix fixe, such as a lighter-than-normal brioche bread pudding. Served in a mini casserole pot with candied pistachios, the standout Amaretto-spiked sauce caused an excited flurry of spoons.

Service is informed and attentive while little touches like sealed jars of salt and pepper on the table are charming. The vibe is casual and relaxed, with wine served in stemless glasses and a lively soundtrack of eclectic Latin and other world-beat music filtering throughout. While Coastal may not be breaking any new ground, its emphasis on fresh fish and seafood, low-key setting and friendly service makes for stressfree dining ideal for escaping the howling winds and lowly boredom of winter. As I overheard at one large table: “This is the most relaxing meal I’ve had.”

Entrée Prices $16 to $29. Half-dozen oysters: $8 to $16

January 2012

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review time tested: Dressel’s public house slow-roasted pork, Provel, a little rapini and pepperoncini, all on a toasted baguette. The Provel is the misstep here. The pork was so wonderfully savory, the rapini contrastingly bitter and the peppers, a spicy smack, but the Provel coated everything in a plasticine way.

An exquisite goat cheese and leek tart

For dessert, a glass pedestal mug is the vessel for a coffee-flecked mousse, topped with a boozy whipped cream. Quickly devoured, it offered sumptuous textures, subtle sweetness and a jolt of caffeine.

Dressel’s Takes a Turn in a Tasty New Direction

by Liz O’Connor • photos by Jonathan Gayman

S

t. Louis has no shortage of pubs – some old, some new, most dominated by sub-par food, mediocre beer lists and jostling 20-somethings more interested in the price of a Bud Light than the menu. But in a town where there’s a tavern dotting every neighborhood and strip mall, Dressel’s stands out. The Central West End stalwart has retained its quaint and quiet charm for more than three decades. And these days, the food’s better than ever.

This is in large part due to executive chef Michael Miller, who has been driving the restaurant in a more inventive and artisanal direction since he took over the kitchen last spring. Miller injected the menu with cerebral doses of high-concept cuisine and local ingredients, but he didn’t forget the simple and nourishing favorites that one expects when sliding into a pub on a chilly winter night.

Like the house-made pretzel and rarebit, or the burger – which are both still divine.

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The fish and chips, however, were served just But many of these traditional pub staples are outshined by the dishes that Miller has shaken as expected: a deeply fried mountain, golden and crisp. If you’ve ever been to Dressel’s, you up with refined touches and imaginative know the house-made chips are superb. But new twists. A goat cheese and leek tart, for the fish, while encased in an enticing bubbly, example, was exquisite. Served with a crispy, browned batter, seemed water-logged and sweet salad of endive and greens and dotted off-putting. After examining it and nibbling with smooth, smoked, cured salmon, it was at the otherwise yummy crust, my dining an alarm clock to the palate. The tart, creamy companion and I simply devoured the chips. cheese was the perfect foil to the sweet salad – velvety with a tender and buttery The farm egg sandwich with crust. Wake up! A glistening heap house-cured back bacon, blue and of salmon added a lovely hue and Dressel’s cheddar cheeses, and tomato jam salty note to the plate.

Public House is a decadent, runny plate. The 419 N. Euclid golden yolk dressed the sandwich When the pork rinds dusted in Ave., St. Louis, (and my blouse) nicely. Though a blue cheese had sadly been sold 314.361.1060 bit over-the-top for my liking, it out, we made a quick decision to was good – very good. A hint of order deviled eggs. In Dressel’s Entrée lemon brightened things up. off-the-beaten-path rendition prices: $10 to of this finger food, the yolk was $21 The nightly stockpot soup – a stew mixed with smoked ham hock, of root veggies, barley and beef making for an unusual but good – was a watered-down affair, thin and undersnack that was meaty and slightly smoky. seasoned. Far superior was the tomato bisque, These delicious little orbs were topped with a pleasantly viscous bowl of lusciousness daintily crunchy, bright green beads of that accompanied the truffled grilled cheese. wasabi caviar. Weird in the best way.

Unfortunately, the earthy flavor of truffles on the grilled cheese was barely discernible.

In a deconstructed version of shepherd’s pie, a thin, silky swatch of turnip purée was A slightly heavier hand with the truffle oil the bed for slices of lamb tenderloin that would have been just right. It’s a shame, since had been cooked to a perfect medium-rare the thick bread was crisp and toasty, giving and golden, roasted root vegetables. Nicely way to a steamy, molten center. seasoned and beautifully cooked, it was sophisticated and pleasing – and a far cry Another sandwich, the porchetta Philly, was from the typical. a melting pot of Italian-American rendering:

For a restaurant that wants to shine a light on its recent shift into the world of all things local and seasonal, it only seems natural that the staff would be able to prattle off any minute detail without blinking an eye.

But while well-meaning and friendly, the servers seem uninformed about the menus, availability and sourcing of ingredients. While there’s no doubt in my mind Dressel’s will be open for decades to come, fine-tuning the service and keeping an eye on the kitchen will be key to making sure its best years are ahead.

Shepherd’s Pie Perfectly mediumrare slivers of lamb tenderloin and golden roasted root veggies perch atop a silky sheet of turnip purée in this sophisticated spin on the typical meat-and-potatoes dish.

January 2012

January 2012

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review dine on a dime: baileys’ range

A Not-So-Better Burger

by Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz • photos by david kovaluk

T

he hamburger is arguably the epitome of American cuisine – not because Baileys’ it’s some complicated culinary Range: wonder, but because it’s 920 Olive simple, quick, satisfying.

St., St. Louis, 314.241.8121

Baileys’ Range looks to capitalize on this. Housed in Entrée the renovated City Gourmet prices: $6 to building, Range is the newest $12 restaurant under the wing of Dave Bailey whose belt notches already include Rooster, Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, and Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar. As with all of Bailey’s restaurants, the details in the design are impossible to ignore: balcony seating, an expansive communal table lit by a string of repurposed milk jugs, an open kitchen delineated from the dining area by a lot of antique stained glass windows, and Mason jars of all sizes harboring everything from salt to soda. Throw in house-made sauces, locally sourced ingredients and an impressive varie ty of humanely raised meats, and it’s clear that Bailey is tapping into two of the biggest trends running: 1) artisanal everything and 2) the “better burger.”

Bailey’s creativity and passion for food are evident on his menu. The beef is Missouri-raised and grass-fed, and Bailey has procured equally well-sourced non-beef options including bison, pork, chicken, duck and lamb. All burgers are served on white buns. These can be substituted with pretzel, vegan or gluten-free varieties, which are also made in-house. Each of the 16 unique burgers on the menu tout at least three to five toppings that showcase seasonality and complex flavor combinations. A weekly burger battle pits two specials against one another; the bestseller competes the following week.

Fries can be added for $2 and come with your choice of one of the Range’s delicious handcrafted sauces, which include a housemade ketchup (a purée of fresh tomatoes and four-spice) and a house-made rooster sauce (a humble but spicy handmade mayo with just the right amount of kick). Be sure to try the smoked onion rings. Served in January 2012

gentleman who sat next to Dan at the bar and also ordered the Paris enjoyed a 6- to 7-ounce patty. And from the look of it, his burger was prepared to temperature perfectly.

over-cooked. Equally frustrating: The Camembert – the item that truly sold us on the burger – was missing altogether.

a (very) generous portion, these hand-cut smoked rings were dipped in an elegant tempura batter and fried. A bite revealed a subtle sweetness that played perfectly with the smoke. They were even tasty cold – which is how they arrived.

The ABC burger was supposed to be topped with roasted apples, bacon and Camembert. Conceptually, this burger sounded superb. And while the crisp apple slices provided a bright contrast to the smoky bacon, the burger was substantially

The Paris was topped with a trio of mushrooms – crimini, shiitake and oyster – as well as caramelized shallots, arugula and Taleggio. Although we have no idea what an Italian cheese has to do with Paris, the subtle earthiness of the cheese complemented the mushrooms beautifully. But the meat was slightly overcooked; we ordered ours medium-rare, and it arrived medium. At least it wasn’t well-done this time.

Unfortunately, inconsistent preparation was one of the only consistencies throughout each of our visits. Of the 10 burgers we ordered, only one was prepared to the correct temperature. The size of the burgers were just as confusing. Though the ABC burger was a hefty seven ounces, the Paris was a paltry 3, maybe 4. On one visit, a

On our first visit, which coincided with Range’s opening night after a month-long soft opening, our group was warmly greeted and promptly offered a space at that long, communal table running down the middle of the restaurant. While this seating design could appeal to a smaller party, the group consensus was that we would rather wait for a quieter table upstairs to open. We had tried to make a reservation several times, but the restaurant insisted we didn’t need one. After a lengthy wait, we were seated at a table upstairs and our drink orders were taken. The waiter brought over one drink and then the rest quite a while later. When we finally received our meal, we were just glad to be served at all.

Burgers are simple. But in order for simplicity to stand out, a certain level of skill and consistency is required. The menu at Baileys’ Range is mouthwatering, the space is beautiful, the house-made sauces and sides are superb, and the burgers have been given a great deal of thought. That said, if you can’t cook a good burger, a better burger isn’t even in the realm of possibility. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 21

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review The Perfect Hideaway Returns Just In Time For Winter

nightlife: The Fox & hounds tavern

by Matt berkley • photos by Laura Miller

The Fox & Hounds Tavern The Cheshire, 6300 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, 314.

647.7300 Why go? A local legend reopens with same ol’ masculine charm

A

s much as I can’t stand the dreary calling cards of a St. Louis winter – sub-zero temps, ice storms, pale skin, utter boredom – I still look forward to the way a long sip from a tumbler of neat Scotch eases in a warm buzz on a bone-chilling night.

Stepping in from the howling wind to grab a drink and fall into a deep chair by the fire at The Fox & Hounds Tavern, I can certainly think of worse places to be.

dimly lit aside from the snapping flames of the colossal stone fireplace throwing light on the planked wood and worn leather.

Aged and smartly chosen, the décor serves as a backdrop to the social scene of a new generation of Cheshire enthusiasts.

Minus a recent hiatus, the cracking fire in the hearth of Fox & Hounds has been warming up patrons on cold winter nights for 80-plus years. A renowned hot spot for visiting celebs and St. Louis bigwigs, the tavern has seen its share of wild nights.

Following a change in ownership and menu redesign, the ribbon was sliced on the new Cheshire this summer. Luckily for Anglophiles like me, the old English pub décor came out of mothballs seemingly untouched. The tavern looks as it always did – oozing Old-World, masculine charm.

Like any proper English pub, conversation and alcohol take center stage. An occasional live jazz duet picks up here and there, throwing even more of a laid-back, casual vibe onto the night. And not unlike most British saloons, Fox & Hounds mingles patrons of all ages and tax brackets. The lobby might be holding a group of baby boomers dressed in black-tie sipping Johnny Walker, while a few hip, penniless undergrads are running their parents’ credits cards for beer inside. Fox & Hounds also remains a prime pickup bar for St. Louis’ upwardly mobile. It’s normal to spot a few of the see-and-be-seen types milling about and eyeing each other from behind their cocktail straws or bumming cigarettes by the outside fire pit in the courtyard.

By 9 o’clock on a Friday night, the eight or so barstools at Fox & Hounds are nearly always occupied. Watching patrons trickle in and queue up for a pint, it’s hard not to feel like you’re in a hunting lodge – cramped seating, stuffed animal heads, frames of old British weaponry and all. The tight space is

The bartenders utilize a wide range of Scotches and American- or Irish-made whiskeys, along with a well-worn list of wines by the glass. As with the décor, the booze is traditional. Lots of Manhattans, whiskey sours and Old Fashioneds are mixed up. Nothing froufrou, though the

January 2012

occasional brave soul will call for one of the infamous yard glasses to be plucked from the wall and filled to the brim with smooth, frothy ale.

Those aiming for a pint can choose from a nominal draft menu of half a dozen imports and microbrews including Urban Chestnut Winged Nut Ale and Schlafly Pale Ale. Ample refrigeration space provides a much broader selection of bottles – foreign and domestic standards – but it’s hard to say no to the gorgeously oversized, 16-ounce glass chalices used for the Stella pours.

The disappointment, though, is in the total lack of a proper drink menu. Aside from an extensive wine list, patrons are deprived of signature drinks or seasonal comforts like whiskey toddies, hot buttered rums and mulled ciders. These would be the perfect drinking companions to the cabin-like atmosphere and were an extremely popular order during the bar’s prior reign. Another large draw that’s no more: that 3 a.m. close time. While The Cheshire was the saving grace for barhoppers hoping to suck down a few more cocktails after the Clayton bars shuffle everyone out around 1 a.m., the city of Richmond Heights mandated that last call at the new Fox & Hounds comes around 1 a.m. on weekends, 1:30 if you’re lucky. One last hitch: Getting consistent service can be tricky. Best advice once the crowd thickens: Take slower sips. Or start double-fisting because, even with an open tab and a good seat, it becomes something of a frustration to get the attention of the quickly overwhelmed (and surprisingly self-important) bar staff.

Service issues aside, Fox & Hounds remains a standard – a classic, intimate, casual lounge with astute attention to detail. Rumor has it that summer 2012 will see the reopening of Cheshire’s larger bar (hopefully with a drink menu) in the adjacent building, along with a restaurant.

This is great news in itself, but it’s nice to know I’ll have a more than decent pub to grab a tall one and wait out the cold.

ORDER THIS: The Fox & Hounds Tavern

Feeling brave? Ask the ‘tender to pluck one of those infamous yards from the wall and fill it high with a golden, frothy ale.

Scotch-lovers will be elated by the selection of single-malts available for sipping at this cozy watering hole.

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what in the world: freekeh, p. 25 vegetize it: vegetarian shrimp bisque, p. 26 one ingredient 9 ways: clementines, p. 28 cook’s books: The Mozza Cookbook, p. 31

freekeh?

Whether you spell it freekeh, freekah, farika, farik or frikeh, the roasted, unripe cracked wheat from the Middle East is the latest super food among ancient grains. The grassy, nutty, toasted flavor, smoky aroma and greenish hue of this bulgur look-alike are the result of harvesting the wheat stalks while still immature, setting them afire in the fields, then thrashing and sun-drying the grains.

Use it: Substitute for rice in earthy pilafs and risottos. (It pairs well with roasted meats, sultanas and pine nuts.)

Swap for bulgur in tabbouleh or for barley in soups and stews. Use as a filler for veggie and carnivorous burgers.

Find it: Global Foods Market, 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.835.1112 – Ligaya Figueras

Freek-a-roni 4 SERVINGS 1 cup freekeh 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided ²∕³ cup chopped red onion 1½ cup chopped mushrooms ¼ cup chopped parsley, plus additional for garnish Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cups chicken broth ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

photo by greg rannells

• Sort through the freekeh to remove any pebbles. Rinse freekeh in water, drain and set aside.

• Heat 1½ tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the freekeh and cook over medium heat, stirring often.

When the grains have begun to color, about 3 or 4 minutes, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.

• In the same skillet, sauté the onion in the remaining oil over medium-low heat until soft. Add the mushrooms and parsley and cook, stirring periodically, until the mushrooms are soft.

• Return the freekeh to the skillet, add a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper and gently stir with a wooden spoon.

• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to low and cook, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Do not lift the lid while the liquid is simmering.

• Fluff the grains and fold in the toasted pine nuts. Adjust seasoning if necessary and garnish with additional chopped parsley, if desired.

January 2012

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home cooking Vegetize it: Shrimp Bisque

First, I called Tony’s. To my complete and total surprise, chef Vincent P. Bommarito called me back. He shared his bewitching ingredient list: shrimp, shrimp shells, brandy, heavy cream and mirror balls.

I wanted to clarify that last one, but he had caught me in a waiting room, and the lady next to me was a bit annoyed that I was taking notes in her Sudoku book. Instead, I asked my dear cousin Brad, who happens to be a classically trained chef. Mirror balls are actually just a plain ol’ mirepoix: onions, celery and carrots in a 2-to-1-to-1 ratio (by weight), the base for cooking stocks and many French dishes. Brad also filled me in on a technicality that wasn’t easily solved with a food scale. Apparently, a bisque isn’t actually a bisque unless it’s made with the boiled shells of the shrimp (or lobster or crab).

I had thought the hard part would be finding a substitute for the shrimp. But really, the stumper was figuring out why these shells – fishy smelling, throw-away scraps, in my mind – are so special that they are the defining ingredient. The answer is the brine. Boiled shells add a salty sharp taste that transports you to the sea, even here in Missouri. Lots of experimentation was ahead of me.

Vegetarian Shrimp Bisque

BY Kellie Hynes • Photo by carmen troesser

A

few months ago, I attended a Very Important Business Dinner. So important, in fact, that 1) we dined at Tony’s and 2) I didn’t drink, lest I entertain the table with obscure Dr. Who references.

Which is my wimpy way of explaining why, when my Very Important Companion suggested I try the shrimp bisque, I thought declining for vegetarian reasons would be far too awkward. Yes, yes, I’m a traitor to the cause. But when the choice is charming the big man or saving the crustacean, the

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not-cuddly sea thing is going down every time.

Tony’s shrimp bisque was the illicit lover my repressed palate had only fantasized about. It was so rich, so decadent, so delicious that it enveloped me in its tuxedoed arms and whispered naughty things in my ear. Clearly, it should be classified as a gateway food, because the next morning I wanted to mainline a pound of bacon. Instead, I decided to make amends by making the bisque with only veggies.

First, I made the mirepoix, and, instead of shrimp, added a sweet potato. (It’s buttery, the right color, and thickens as it cooks.) Then I tossed in some capers.

They sure were briny but didn’t play well with the other flavors. Pickle juice had the same eyebrow-raising result. I had better luck with a splash of sherry vinegar. It gave the soup a tang, without making me, well, gag.

And in a flash of inspiration (Brad’s, not mine), I added sea salt to the mix.

Normally, sea salt is used to finish a dish.

But adding it ahead of time was like adding a pinch of the sea.

The resulting soup is really good. It’s rich, flavorful and kind to not-so-cuddly sea things. But to be completely honest – Tony’s bisque is better. Even the most virtuous vegetarian could fall under its spell. And if that happens to you, I’ll totally understand.

VEGETARIAN Shrimp Bisque 4 SERVINGS 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 medium yellow onion, chopped ½ cup celery stalks, chopped (approximately 2 to 4 stalks) ½ cup carrots, peeled and chopped (approximately 2 carrots) 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 Tbsp. tomato paste ¼ cup brandy 1 quart unsalted vegetable stock 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper Sea salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste ½ cup 40-percent heavy whipping cream • Melt the butter in a large soup pot.

• Add the sweet potato, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf and thyme. Cover the pot and cook the vegetables on low heat until the onion, celery and carrots are tender, approximately 15 minutes.

(Potato will still be firm.)

• Add the tomato paste, and stir for 1 minute.

• Increase heat to medium-high, and add the brandy, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

• Add the vegetable stock, sherry vinegar, cayenne, and pinches of sea salt and black pepper to taste.

• Bring the soup back to a low boil, and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

• Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth. (If using a traditional blender, allow the soup to cool first and work in batches.)

• Stir in the cream. Gently rewarm the soup without allowing it to come to a boil to avoid scorching.

• Season to taste with additional sea salt, black pepper or cayenne. Garnish with herbs of your choice.

January 2012

January 2012

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home cooking one ingredient, 9 ways: Clementines

Orange Crush

BY Kylah Brown, ligaya figueras and Stacy Schultz • Photo by Carmen troesser

F

rom the rind to the fruit to the subtly tart juice, what’s not to love about clementines? Here’s your no-waste guide to turning that box of mini orange beauties into citrus-spiked sippers, light desserts and easy apps in no time flat.

1. Powdered zest Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Use a sharp paring knife to scrape the pith off fresh clementine rinds.

Place the rinds on a baking sheet and bake until dry, about 25 minutes. When cooled, grind to a powder and use as a substitute for orange zest. Combine equal parts powder and kosher salt and use to encrust your favorite fleshy white fish.

2. Tea Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Use a sharp paring knife to scrape the pith off fresh clementine rinds. Place the rinds on a baking sheet and bake until dry, about 25 minutes. Toss a peel or two into a cup of black tea for extra flavoring.

Store peels in a sealed jar or plastic bag.

3. Raita Zest the rind of 2 small clementines and stir into 1 cup plain

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yogurt along with 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed and a pinch of kosher salt. Enjoy with a spicy curry.

4. Mojito Clementines get the call in this variation on a Satsuma mojito created by local mixologist Nate Selsor. In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine 1½ ounces quality blanco tequila, 1½ ounces clementine juice, ½ ounce Cherry Heering liqueur, ½ ounce Licor 43 and 1 dash Angostura bitters. Shake hard for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a clementine twist.

5. Salad In a large salad bowl, combine 1 small bulb of fennel sliced paper thin, ½ pound of arugula, 1 diced avocado, and 2 to 3 clementines that have been pealed and cut into ½-inch segments. Toss the salad with a quality white wine vinaigrette to coat.

Serve topped with fresh Parmesan

slices, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

6. Mulled wine In a large pot on low heat, combine 1 bottle of red wine and 1∕8 cup brown sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.

Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 10 cloves, a 1-inch nob of peeled fresh ginger (thinly sliced) and the juice and rinds of 3 clementines. Cover and allow the flavors to meld together for an hour. Do not let it boil. Serve hot in mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or clementine segment.

7. Candied peel Remove the rinds from 3 to 4 clementines using a vegetable peeler, being careful to leave the bitter white pith behind. Scrape any pith off the rind with a sharp paring knife. Cut the rind into strips. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar and bring to a boil. Toss in the rinds. Turn heat to low to simmer for 3 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Re-simmer if rinds aren’t soft

yet. Drain, reserving syrup and tossing rinds with enough sugar to coat. Let the rinds dry on a baking sheet.

8. Ice cream syrup In a small pot or medium-sized saucepan, combine 1 cup clementine juice, 1 star anise, 1 long cinnamon stick, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns. Reduce over medium-low heat. Strain and pour over vanilla ice cream.

9. Truffles Finely chop 8 ounces of good quality chocolate (at least 60 percent cocoa) and place in a medium bowl. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, simmer ½ cup of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of clementine zest. Pour the cream over the cocoa and gently whisk until smooth. Add a pinch of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of dark rum and stir. Refrigerate mixture for 1½ hours.

Using hands, roll chocolate into 1-inch balls, place on parchment-lined sheets and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll balls in unsweetened cocoa powder.

January 2012

January 2012

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home cooking

The Mozza Cookbook

Cook’s books: The Mozza Cookbook

by Shannon Parker

For more than 20 years, chef Nancy Silverton has been at the forefront of the American food revolution. As a founder of La Brea bakery and a co-owner of Campanile restaurant in Los Angeles, Silverton’s hallmark has been to apply time-honored techniques to exquisitely simple ingredients.

Now as a part owner of Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles, Silverton has turned her artistic eye to Italian cuisine.

Her new book, The Mozza Cookbook, guides acolytes through intricate preparations of seemingly simple Italian delights.

Chef-authored cookbooks are notorious for having ingredient lists as long as the recipe directions are short. Silverton delivers on the first. The recipe for Rabbit Con Saliccia, Roasted Garlic, Lemon and Rosemary, for instance, calls for more than 30 items and runs more than four pages in length. But Silverton makes up for the lengthy grocery list by including terrific instructions. If you

can amass the ingredients and muster up the nerve for these rustic Italian recipes, you should be able to pull them off.

Though Silverton acknowledges that Italians don’t necessarily follow the rules of a traditional Italian meal, her book – like so many others before it – is organized as such. It begins with appetite-teasing aperitivi and stuzzichini and runs through primi, secondi and contorni. The latter, side dishes, include some of the book’s most accessible recipes. The best of these focus on a palette of ingredients to accompany cheeses, which were the original inspirations behind Mozza. Dishes like the Burrata with Bacon, Marinated Escarole and Caramelized Shallots, and Bufala Mozzarella with Basil Pesto, Salsa Romesco and Black Olive Tapenade are surefire staples – if you can master them. The section also includes a virtual primer on Italian cheeses. This, along with the chapter “Nancy’s Scuola di Pizza,” in which Silverton divulges some of her

secrets to the success behind Mozzo’s artisan pizzas, easily justifies the purchase price.

Since Silverton cut her teeth in the pastry industry, it’s no surprise that the book contains a disproportionate amount of dessert recipes as well, ranging from her signature Butterscotch Budino with Caramel Sauce and Sea Salt to a handful of gelati and sorbetti varieties. Similar in tone to the savory recipes, the desserts seem complex and time-consuming, but delicious – very delicious.

Silverton describes the recipes in Mozza as “roadmaps of the Italian countryside, detailed, long and sometimes winding.”

If you’re willing to invest the time, she delivers on a delicious destination.

Th e Mozza Coo kboo k: Recipes from Los An g eles’s Favo rite Italian Restau rant and Pizzeria By N ancy Silverton with M att M olina and Ca rolynn Ca rreñ o

Wondering how Silverton’s recipes translate to the home cook? Check out By the Book this month on SauceMagazine.com to find out how homemade butterscotch budino measured up to the restaurant’s renowned version and enter for a chance to win a copy of The Mozza Cookbook.

Four books for mastering la cucina Italiana Fabrizio Schenardi knows a thing or two about traditional Italian cuisine. The Italy native and executive chef at Cielo proffered his choices for those looking to take their Italian culinary know-how past pizzas and pastas.

The Babbo Cookbook

by Mario Batali “Babbo is a great book. It is good for people that want to see something a little bit different and get some nice ideas on how to play with Italian food and ingredients.”

photos by greg rannells

La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by the Italian Academy of Cuisine “This book focuses on regional Italian cooking with over 2,000 recipes. They are very reliable. It also explains the reason why some plates are done in certain ways.”

January 2012

Rogers Gray Italian Country Cook Book by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray “This very simple book goes straight to the point. It is fun to consult it with a friend and cook together over a bottle of good Barbera wine.”

The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press “This is a classic masterpiece of traditional Italian. It has a lot of information, and it also includes some classic international recipes.”

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Photos by carmen troesser

You’ve come a long way, bread pudding. Of the many excellent bread puddings in town, the top three all share one very fortunate fact: They’ve moved well beyond the formula of raisin-studded, leftover bread baked in a flurry of rum, cream and spices, and drizzled with caramel sauce. Not that there’s anything wrong with going old-school. But the chefs responsible for the stupendous versions below have called upon the wonders of brioche, a little caramelization and the surprisingly fitting flavors of cherries and oranges to turn the humble into truly ambrosial.

– Byron Kerman

Robust Wine Bar

Harvest Seasonal Market Cuisine

Cyrano’s

227 W. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, 314.963.0033

1059 S. Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights, 314.645.3522

603 E. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, 314.963.3232

You don’t have to be crazy about orange-flavored dishes to experience a transformative moment when Robust’s dreamsicle bread pudding leaves the fork for your tongue. And boy does it live up to its name. What makes it so divine? Quite simply, it’s the meet-up of warm brioche baked with cream, egg yolks, triple sec, white chocolate, and orange zest and juice. A scoop or two of creamy house-made dreamsicle ice cream melts into the fissures of the steaming, rich, orange-laden dessert, and you’re left to wonder why all versions don’t add a little citrus to the fun. What happens when two people share this tidy field of orange dreams? Their spoons meet in the middle, and the final bite becomes a minor fight.

January 2012

They say the bread pudding at Harvest is among the best in town, and now that we’ve done our due diligence, we can proudly proclaim: They ain’t lying. If serotonin were a dessert, this is what it would taste like. The brioche is de-crusted and cubed, baked with custard, and covered in sticky caramel-currant-bourbon sauce. Finished with vanilla whipped cream, the sum of its warmth, sweetness and luscious texture is so grand, it can even make one of Harvest’s excellent entrées seem like an opening act for this magical send-off.

When your server drops off the caramel brioche bread pudding at Cyrano’s, like so many of the other jawdropping specialties at this den of dessert iniquities, it dazzles by way of sheer verticality. Great cumulus clouds of billowing whipped cream surround the bread pudding like angels lifting a soul to heaven. The pudding, a similarly heaven-ward mound of carbs that’s been caramelized and kissed with a sweet caramel glaze, combines with the whipped cream and cherry-bourbon sauce to form a ménage à trois fit for sugar-loving souls.

Not cleaning your plate is strictly the provenance of fools.

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

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what d o y o u WA N N A d o ?

Where to Hole Up This Winter

GATHER ‘ROUND THE FIRE

As the chill sets in, these cool corners and homey haunts will lure you out of hibernation

inside

OR

games and guzzling

outside

brain

By Kylah Brown, Ligaya Figueras and Stacy Schultz

OR

brawn

just the boys?

YES see & be seen

vibe meter no low-key

NO

fried bologna

YES

Tipple of choice?

young’uns

scotch & birdies What’s your garb? kilt

aarp cardholders

Who’s got shotgun?

KIDS IN TOW? blackRimmed glasses

single malt

what’s your brain food?

Milo’s tin can

lola

way west

shiraz

Which neck of east the woods? west

the Fox & hounds tavern

the scottish arms

sasha’s on shaw

kayak’s

Area 14 Lounge 14 S.

Bemiston Ave., Clayton, 314.727.8264 | Sipping sake to the beats of house music, a taste of Tokyo perfect for starting a wild night you won’t recall come morning.

Bixby’s Missouri History Museum, second floor, 5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.361.7313 | Whether you’re a history buff or just in the market for a terrific view, cozy up next to a window overlooking Forest Park at this spacious spot.

Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar 1004 Locust St., St. Louis,

314.241.8141 | Toss together awe-inspiring décor, funkyflavored popcorn and one of the best beer lists in the city and you’ve got a watering hole dressed to impress.

DeMun Oyster Bar 740

DeMun Ave., Clayton, 314.725.0322 | French tile floor, a wall of mirrors and an expanse of steel-framed windows. Add a dozen halfshells and a glass of bubbly.

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the royale

Now, that’s, belle epoque perfect.

The Fox & Hounds Tavern

tilt

Pink Galleon

crowd starts out civilized but gets increasingly rowdy as the witching hour approaches.

The Cheshire, 6300 Clayton Road, Richmond Heights, 314.647.7300 | Long live Tudor architecture – and caramel-colored liquor. A Scotch by the fire doesn’t hurt, either.

Kayak’s 270 N. Skinker Blvd.,

Herbie’s 405 N. Euclid Ave.,

Lola 500 N. 14th St., St.

St. Louis, 314.769.9595 | Few places in STL are as sophisticated, sexy and wellappointed. The slightly older

wildwood pub

St. Louis, 314.862.4447 | Let the kiddos make s’mores by the fire while you join the ranks of the studious and cozy up with a novel – on your iPad, of course.

Louis, 314.621.7277 | A fire bar where hot drinks stay warm thanks to a radiant-heat bar top?

This we gotta see.

The Map Room 1901 Withnell Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.3515 | A where-have-you-been-allmy-life bundle of adorableness that resembles Grandma’s living room, this eclectic evening-only operation nuzzles guests with warm lighting, comfy couches, French press coffee, loose teas and cheap wine.

The Maryland House 4659 Maryland Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.9444 | The speakeasystyle side entrance at Brennan’s hints at the little-known treasure

The Pour House

that lies within: a smoke-friendly bar! Dark, divine and home to a members-only cigar room. Man caves: Eat your heart out.

Milo’s Bocce Garden

5201 Wilson Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.0468 | The Hill’s Italian seniors know where to indulge their inner kid. Milo’s bocce court is good, clean fun, unless you’re getting messy eating the Milo Special sandwich.

Off Broadway 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314.773.3363 January 2012

a

impress my guests

feed my mind

a little “me” time

OR

bored. to. death. please talk to me

what fits your fancy?

art

what happened last night?

what do you want to think in the a.m.?

oh, what a night

music

coffee and tylenol, please

off broadway Set the scene tavern of fine arts

have a good book?

YES

Maturity level?

NO NO

Smokers in your crew?

cougars

dark or dazzling?

dark

kittens

YES Is the sun shining?

With what kind of brew?

1 a.m.

no

dazzling the maryland house

3 a.m.

bubbly something a bit stronger, please

OR

6 a.m.

herbie’s

YES

cup of joe

how late will your wolf pack howl?

OR

beer sanctuaria

lola

taste

the map room

bixby’s

demun oyster bar

| Cozy, bluesy and located, um, just off Broadway, this unassuming edifice has indie bands jamming nearly every night.

Grandma’s Jenga. A game with the mammoth 3-foot tower will be a nail-biter.

| How do these guys keep converting cosmo drinkers to the craft side?

The Pink Galleon 1243

The Royale 3132 S.

Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.772.3600 | A righteous, respectable place to pursue the pleasure of the cocktail. And if you don’t learn something about the history of your drink while you’re there, it’s your own damn fault.

Sasha’s On Shaw 4069 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 314.771.7274 | Nestled on a sleepy street corner, a dark and handsome spot with a great wine list, good eats, a welcoming bar, a roaring fireplace and ample seating.

Castillons Arcade Plaza, Creve Coeur, 314.514.0100 | Darts, pool and Beer Pong Wednesdays, this is the dive you’ve been searching for since college.

The Pour House 1933

Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.5999 | This ain’t your

January 2012

Sanctuaria 4198 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314.535.9700

The Scottish Arms 8 S. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314.535.0551 | Trivia happens on alternate

bridge

Tuesday eves. Beware you might lose a smoking teammate to the puffers’ haven: the crackling fire pit out back. Then again, who cares what your score is when you’ve got a bloody good single-malt in hand.

Taste 4584 Laclede Ave., St.

Louis, 314.361.1200 | It’s craft cocktail bars like this one that top the imbiber’s list on Twitter of why #STLDoesntSuck.

Tavern of Fine Arts 313 Belt Ave., St. Louis, 314.367.7549

area 14

| A front-row seat to intimate live classical music, local art on the wall, a help-yourself bookshelf lined with literary canons – and darned good cocktails.

Louis, 314.865.3003 | Pinball and pool, plus Wednesday trivia nights. A can of Stag. An order of Tater Tot Slop. We are so there, man.

Tilt 7401-7405 Hazel Ave., 2743 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood | For those who haven’t had a great round of Skee-ball since Showbiz in ’86, this gamer’s haven gives you a second go-around at reclaiming your arcade glory.

Wildwood Pub & Grill

Tin Can Tavern & Grille

3157 Morgan Ford Road, St.

17253 New College Ave., Grover, 636.273.4300 | When the weather is drab, you can still take a real swing at a real ball with a real club.

The PGA Tour simulators let you choose from 54 swanky golf courses, from Pebble Beach to St. Andrews.

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 35

From Poland, With Love a daughter’s edible postcard arrives filled, folded and sealed by ligaya figueras | photos by greg rannells

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January 2012

January 2012

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 37

38 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

January 2012

W

hen people inquire about my unusual name, it usually suffices to explain that Ligaya means “joy” in Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines, and that my dad is half Filipino. What I don’t typically reveal is that the other half of my dad’s blood line is Polish. Yep, my full-blooded Filipino grandfather married a Polish woman.

Eleanor Figueras, nee Chrobak, died long before I was born. But that didn’t stop my dad from telling me all about the Polish sausages and cabbage, kasha, and pierogi that she cooked for him when he was a youngster growing up on Chicago’s North Side in the 1940s and 1950s. During my own childhood, my dad cooked infrequently at best. And when he did, it was predictable: a stir-fry with chicken adobo, fried bologna sandwiches (only on Saturdays for lunch) or pierogi.

Pierogi are Polish-style dumplings and, like Italian ravioli, are made from a flour-based dough and then stuffed. Fillings can be savory – sauerkraut, ground beef, potato and cheese are traditional offerings – or sweet delights of fresh or dried fruit. The dumplings are then boiled, oftentimes followed by a quick butterbrowning on the stove.

When I was a kid, I was only served pierogi of the packaged variety. But I’d bet my beloved rolling pin that the pierogi my first-generation Polish-American grandmother made weren’t store-bought. I’ve always wished that I could have tasted even just one of her homemade pierogi, especially given how much my dad perks up when talking about them. The topic might actually divert his attention from PBS NewsHour, at least for a few minutes.

Making pierogi from scratch had been on my to-do list for quite a while. I’ll admit, I wanted the feather in my culinary cap and to do right by my Polish family tree, but most of all, I wanted to prepare a treat for my dad. A recent phone call from my mother was the impetus my pierogi project needed: My dad was in the emergency room, having suffered yet another heart attack. He was released from the hospital after a few days, but who knew whether his next story about Grandma’s pierogi would be his last? I shifted priorities. I might be as belated as a postcard from a traveler already back from vacation, but I would finally make homemade pierogi, just like Dad remembered.

January 2012

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 39

Pierogi 3 dozen 3-inch dumplings 2 eggs ²∕³ cup whole milk ¼ tsp. salt 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough 2 cups prepared filling (recipes follow) Butter for browning • Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt.

• Stir in half of the flour, then slowly add the other half, stirring constantly, to form a sticky dough.

• Place the dough on a floured surface. Use additional flour to knead the dough until it becomes smooth and soft.

• Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.

• Divide the dough into four sections. Take one section and, on a floured surface, roll out as thin as possible (about 1/8-inch thick) into an 11-by-16-inch sheet.

• Starting from one end of the sheet, place three small spoonfuls of filling an equal distance from one another, 2½ inches from the edges of the dough. Fold the dough over just enough to cover the filling and cut out into the shape of semi-circles using a pastry cutter or a glass. Press the edges of the dough together and seal with a crimper or the inverted tines of a fork.

• Set the pierogi on an ungreased baking sheet.

• Use a knife to cut a straight line in the dough sheet for the next round of filling and repeat method until all of the dough and filling have been used.* • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

• In batches, cook the pierogi for about 4 or 5 minutes. Once the pierogi have floated to the top and the texture is that of moderately cooked pasta, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

• Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon or two of butter. Working in batches, brown both sides of the cooked pierogi and set aside in a serving bowl.

• Serve immediately. If desired, serve with sour cream or, for fruit-filled pierogi, with sour cream sweetened with confectioner’s sugar. * Pierogi can be frozen. Place in a freezer on a covered tray. Once frozen, store in freezer in a sealed plastic bag for up to 6 months.

40 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

January 2012

I started where any Polish food writer pathetically uninformed about her own culture’s cuisine would: I grabbed a bunch of cookbooks – and I called my Polish aunt. Unfortunately, Aunt Nancy didn’t possess anything even faintly resembling a family recipe. (Oh what I’d have given for a piece of paper, worn and faded yellow, written in my grandmother’s own hand!)

Nor was my aunt in the habit of making the Polish-style dumplings in her own kitchen. “I tried it once a long time ago,” she said. “It was OK, but not the best.” Did she, like my dad, consider her mother’s pierogi to be “the best” – that marker against which all other pierogi should be judged? Curiously, Aunt Nancy had tried her hand at making pierogi again just a month prior to my call, using a recipe published in the Chicago Tribune. Perhaps we were both on a quest to reclaim the past. Aunt Nancy proffered a few helpful clues to prepare this flash-from-the-past Polish fare. Her mom shaped them into half-moons and crimped the edges with a fork. The fillings? She remembered prunes, also sauerkraut and potato. “Not a lot of pepper in the sauerkraut,” she noted.

Next, I approached my dad, trying hard not to let on that he would be the recipient of my test kitchen results. Dad remembered liking his mom’s apricot dumplings and the prune variety.

Just put the dried fruit in a pot with a bit of water to soften it and then mash it, he explained.

After pressing him for details about size, texture and taste, my dad finally succumbed, “I don’t know. I haven’t eaten them in 40 years!”

It was time to get my hands dirty. I began by making the apricot filling since that was on my dad’s list of favorites. As the chopped apricots simmered on the stove, I began preparing the dough. The recipe my aunt had clipped from the newspaper and mailed to me called for sour cream, but she had scrawled a note on the margin explaining that the sour cream made the dough wet, thus requiring more flour. Heavy, sticky dough would be hard to roll to a near translucent consistency – essential for achieving pierogi in which the flavors of the filling remain prominent, not suppressed by the thick taste of dough. After consulting the ingredient lists for numerous other dough recipes, I settled on a simple combination: eggs, milk, flour and salt, figuring that my grandmother would have preferred to whip up a couple dozen dumplings with as few ingredients as possible.

While I let the dough rest before rolling it out, I paged through Polish Cookery, a cookbook by Marja Ochorowicz-Monatowa, and noticed an interesting instruction for filling and cutting out the pierogi once the dough was rolled into a thin sheet. “Arrange stuffing by the spoonful along one edge of a piece of dough, 2 to 3 January 2012

Dad remembered liking his mom’s apricot dumplings and the prune variety. Just put the dried fruit in a pot with a bit of water to soften it and then mash it, he explained. After pressing him for details about size, texture and taste, Dad finally succumbed, “I don’t know.

I haven’t eaten them in 40 years!” saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 41

inches from edge. Fold over and cut out shape of semi-circles with a pastry cutter or a glass. Press edges of dough together.

Repeat until all the dough and filling have been used up. … This is a fast way of making the pockets.” A fast way. And, as it turns out, much less messy than the typical cut-then-fill method. I would wager a pile of zlotys that my grandmother knew this shortcut and that she’d smile over my industriousness, pleased I had unearthed something of a Polish bag of tricks.

Into the boiling pot went the pierogi. Out they came, the filling still safely nestled inside, and into a pan of warmed butter they slid for a quick browning. I ran them over to my parents’ house, eager to see if I’d done it properly. My dad actually turned off the TV when I opened the container of fresh-from-the-skillet apricot dumplings. Yes, the dough was right.

Yes, the filling was right. Yes, he wanted another, he said between bites.

The pierogi test batch was the precursor to a family Polish celebration I held in honor of my dad a week later. Three generations gathered around the table that night, and gracing the center sat my dad’s contribution to the feast: a postcard-perfect 2-foot-long link of hot, spicy Polish sausage. Dad had happily left his favorite armchair and driven to Piekutowski’s European Style Sausage in North City to purchase the best Polish sausage in town. Ours was a celebration that, like a postcard, was met with pure delight – no matter how delayed.

Fruit Filling 2 cups

2 cups dried apricots or prunes, coarsely chopped 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. sugar Pinch ground cinnamon • Place the chopped fruit in a pot with ¾ cup of water and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes. If necessary, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, so that the fruit does not scorch.

• Add the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Stir to combine, then mash well.

• Let cool before using to allow the mixture to thicken.

42 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

Sauerkraut and Ground Beef Filling 2¼ cups 2 Tbsp. butter ½ cup chopped onion ¾ lb. ground beef 1¼ cup prepared sauerkraut, drained well Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste • In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.

• Add the onion and cook until translucent.

• Add the ground beef and cook until it begins to brown.

• Add the sauerkraut, stirring to combine, and cook until the flavors are well combined and the sauerkraut is warmed through, about 5 minutes.

• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Potato, Cheese and Spinach Filling 2¼ cups Kosher salt to taste 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks 1½ Tbsp. butter ½ large onion, chopped 1 cup finely chopped spinach 2 oz. goat cheese ¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper • Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil.

• Add the potatoes and cook until fork tender. Drain, then mash (Do not add any liquid when mashing.) and set aside.

• In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.

• Add the onion and cook until translucent.

• Stir in the mashed potatoes and spinach, and cook briefly, about 2 minutes.

• Add the goat cheese, stirring well to combine.

• Season with white pepper; add salt if necessary.

January 2012

January 2012

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The Alchemy of Sake How to transform Japan’s humble grain into this beautiful brew Photos by Greg Rannells | Text by Stacy Schultz Recipe adapted by Greg Rannells from method by Bob Taylor

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January 2012

To many, sake is the warm flurry that splashes into their Sapporos after a brisk bang of their fists tips it from the balance beam of chopsticks beneath. But for the refined drinker, peering into the world of sake provides a glimpse of the rich and complex history behind one of today’s most mystical beverages. In the ‘70s, a few sake breweries raised the bar when they decided to brew top-grade sake – which had been largely reserved for the national sake competition in Japan – on a regular basis. This gave birth to a new wave of sake – one filled with premium (ginjo) and artisanal brews.

In today’s DIY-focused society, anything deemed “artisanal” is considered a dare for a foodie worth his Wagyu to prove he can make a homemade version that rivals anything found on the shelf. Sake is no exception. But what is sake exactly and what does brewing up a homemade batch entail?

To begin, brewing sake isn’t all that different from brewing up a batch of beer. In fact, though sake is largely referred to as rice wine – in part because it is made up of little more than water and fermented rice – the process used to make sake is more similar to that of brewing beer. Let us explain.

The key to brewing any alcoholic beverage is fermentation (the process of turning sugars into alcohol). In

January 2012

wine, these sugars naturally exist in the grapes. With beer and sake, however, the sugar must first be converted from starches (a process called saccharification). In beer making, this is done in two steps: first malting the barley, then cracking the barley open and soaking it in water to activate enzymes. These enzymes later cut the starch molecules into sugar molecules.

Well, that’s the very abbreviated version, at least.

Like beer, sake is also made from a grain, though it subs in rice for barley. But because the rice used to brew sake has been stripped of the enzymes needed for saccharification (more on this later), a mold called koji-kin is cultivated onto the rice to provide these essential enzymes, just as malting does in beer production. The difference?

Unlike in beer making, where saccharification and fermentation occur in two separate steps, sake brewing calls for these processes to take place at the same time in the same tank – a method known as multiple parallel fermentation.

So now that you have a little bit of background, you’re ready to dive deep into the world of homemade sake. As with all brewing processes, victory lies in the ability to follow instructions (down to the very last detail), keeping the temperature steady and, of course, the patience of the Dalai Lama. Achieve success and you’ll have a sake that rivals any commercial-grade bottle available here in The States. Not to mention the bragging rights …

Making sake: The big picture, in three parts

part 1

Making the Koji Rice and Moto The heart of the sake brewing process, koji production creates the enzymes necessary for saccharification. Next, the koji rice is combined with water and steamed rice to create a yeast starter called moto.

part 2

sandan Shikomi In this three-step brewing process, the rice is combined with the koji rice, water and steamed rice are gradually added to the moto to create a mixture that’s ready to be fermented.

part 3

Fermentation, Pasteurization and Bottling In the final stages, the mixture is left to ferment for several weeks.

After adjusting the alcohol level to reach the desired ABV, the sake is then pasteurized, bottled and ready to be enjoyed.

Rules of the Brew Before you begin, here are a few tricks of the trade to keep in mind along the way

Adjusting the temperature Keeping your temperature stable is a key component in brewing.

To cool a mixture down, place it in the fridge or in a cool place like a basement floor. To warm a mixture, wrap the electric brewing strap around your fermenter bucket.

This will keep the temperature of your mixture between 75 and 85 degrees. Remember to keep your thermometer close by.

Steaming At points throughout the brewing process, you will need to steam rice. To do this, place the rice in a mesh bag. Then, steam it using a bamboo or rice steamer until the rice is translucent.

Sanitizing The key to keeping germs and bacteria out of your sake? Sanitize everything. Pour some of the Bottle Star-San sanitizing solution into a bucket and keep all of your tools in there when you’re not using them.

You can also pour the Star-San solution (aka a brewer’s best friend) into your spray bottle and spray down tools, containers and bottles.

Looking for even more info on making sake at home? Head to Bob Taylor (the guy whose method we adapted ours from) for anything and everything you could ever need to know: taylor-madeak.org.

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 45

what you’l need

St. Louis Wine & Beermaking 231 Lamp and Lantern Village, Chesterfield, 636.230.8277, wineandbeermaking.com

Head to these stores to stock up on equipment.

Global Foods Market 421 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.835.1112, globalfoodsmarket.com

Your Local hardware store

Auto siphon 5 ∕16-inch $13

3 bungs with No. 6 hole drilled $0.75

4 airlocks $1.30

2 6½-lb. fermenter buckets with lids $18

Bottle Star-San sanitizing solution $12

Large plastic spoon $5

Sake Homebrew Kit koji spores $11

Glass hydrometer rest jar $6

12-inch plastic funnel with screen $11

Plastic spray bottle $4 (for filling with sanitizer and spraying tools, buckets, etc.)

1 electric brewing strap $22

2 18-by-32-inch mesh bags, for steaming rice $7

Wyeast No. 9 Slap-Pack yeast packet $7.50

4 1-gallon glass jugs $6

4 gallons high 1 25-lb. bage No. 15 quality spring Nozomi Short Grain Rice water $2 $22 46 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

8 feet of 5 ∕16-inch tubing $0.45 and 10 feet of ½-inch tubing $0.55

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

Big Daddy Dial thermometer $14

Proof and tralle hydrometer $8 January 2012

part 1}

making the koji rice and moto

Day 1

Day 7

Make the koji rice.

Reduce the temperature of the moto to between 50 and 60 degrees and add the Wyeast No. 9. Do not stir.

Let rest for 12 hours.

Day 2-3 Stir the koji rice twice a day (every 12 hours), keeping it at room temperature.

Day 4 Let the koji rice rest, untouched, at room temperature.

Day 5 Make the moto.

Store in a fermenter bucket at approximately 74 degrees.

Day 6 Stir the moto twice a day (every 12 hours) for the next 2 days, keeping it at approximately 74 degrees.

Meanwhile, slap the packet of Wyeast No. 9 to combine the activator and yeast within the packet. Leave the packet out at room temperature overnight.

January 2012

Day 8 Raise the temperature of the moto to between 68 and 72 degrees and stir every 12 hours.

Day 9-12 Stir the moto twice a day (every 12 hours), keeping the temperature at 72 degrees.

Day 13 Stir the moto once, keeping the temperature between 68 and 72 degrees.

Day 14-17 Lower the temperature of the moto to 50 degrees.

Let the moto rest, keeping the temperature at 50 degrees.

Making the Koji Rice

Koji production is the heart of brewing sake, since it creates the enzymes necessary for saccharification – and later fermenation. In this process, koji-kin spores (mold, essentially) are cultivated onto steamed rice, releasing enzymes as they work their way into the grain that later perform the process of turning starches into sugar. This process creates koji rice.

820 g. No. 15 Nozomi Short Grain Rice 1½ tsp. koji-kin spores 1 tsp. all-purpose flour • Wash and soak the rice.

• Place the clean rice in a bowl in the refrigerator covered with water for 12 hours.

• Place the rice in a mesh bag and let it drain for 30 minutes.

• Steam the rice in the mesh bag for 45 minutes.

• Dump the rice out of the bag and let it cool on a sanitized sheet pan, bowl or Japanese hangiri (wooden bowl).

• Meanwhile, mix the koji spores with the flour and place in a sanitized fine mesh strainer.

• Dust the rice with half of the koji-flour mixture.

• Using clean hands, mix the rice, then add the remaining koji-flour mixture. Place the mixture in a large sanitized plastic container with a lid.

Bring the temperature of the mixture to approximately 85 degrees.

Making the Moto

During this process, steamed rice and spring water are combined with the prepared koji rice to create a yeast starter called moto.

2½ cups cold spring water Pinch Epsom salt ½ cup koji rice 1½ cups rice • Combine the cold water and salt. Stir until the salt dissolves.

• Add ½ cup of koji rice and stir with a sanitized brewing spoon. Place in the refrigerator.

• Meanwhile, wash and soak 1½ cups of rice. Place in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

• Remove the rice from the refrigerator and steam the rice in the mesh bag for 45 minutes.

• When the rice has finished steaming, dump the rice out of the bag and let it cool on a sanitized sheet pan, bowl or hangiri.

• Combine the steamed rice and cold koji-water mixture in a sanitized fermenter bucket with a lid and airlock. This temperature should be at about 74 degrees.

All rice is brown when harvested. A process called polishing mulls the brown rice until a smaller white grain remains that’s suitable for brewing sake. During polishing, the outer part of the rice is mulled down to remove the fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals that can create off flavors in sake. The further the rice is polished, the finer the sake will taste. The best rice for making sake has been mulled down to 60 percent of its original size. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 47

part 2}

sandan Shikomi: 3-stage Brewing

Over the next four days, rice, koji rice and water are added to the moto in a gradual buildup process known as sandan shikomi.

Stage 1 Day 18 Wash and soak 2½ cups of dry rice. Place in the refrigerator to soak overnight. While the rice is soaking, add 1 cup of koji rice to the moto and stir with a sanitized brewing spoon or mixer.

Day 19 In the morning, remove the rice from the soaking liquid and steam in a mesh bag for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1¼ teaspoon of Morton Salt Substitute into ¼ cup of warm spring water. When the salt has dissolved, add the salt water mixture to 2½ cups of cold spring water. Place in the refrigerator.

When the rice has finished steaming, remove the salt-water mixture from the refrigerator. Set aside.

In a sanitized bowl, combine the salt mixture with the steamed rice.

Allow the temperature of the mixture to reach 85 degrees.

When the rice mixture is 85 degrees, add the rice mixture to the moto and stir vigorously for 30 minutes to aerate.

(You can use a power

48 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

drill with a sanitized paint-stirring device on the end to make this step a bit easier.)

Place the lid on the bucket and check the airlock. Keep the container at 70 degrees.

Stir every 2 hours for 12 hours using a sanitized brewing spoon.

Day 20 Stir twice, every 12 hours.

Stage 2 Day 19 In the evening, wash and soak 6 cups of dry rice. Place in the refrigerator to soak overnight. While the rice is soaking, add 1½ cups of koji rice to the moto and stir with a sanitized brewing spoon.

Day 20 In the morning, remove the rice from the soaking liquid and steam in a mesh bag for 45 minutes.

When the rice has finished steaming, combine the rice with 8¾ cups of cold spring water and break up any clumps.

Allow the temperature of the mixture to reach 85 degrees.

When the rice mixture is 85 degrees, add the mixture back into the brewing bucket.

Stir well and replace the lid. Keep the temperature at 70 degrees.

Stage 3 Day 20 In the evening, wash and soak 5 pounds of dry rice. Place in the refrigerator to soak overnight. While the rice is soaking, add the final 3 cups of koji to the moto and stir with a sanitized brewing spoon.

Day 21 In the morning, remove the rice from the soaking liquid and steam in a mesh bag for 45 minutes.

When the rice has finished steaming, add 1 gallon plus 1 cup of cold spring water to a sanitized bowl. Allow the temperature of the mixture to reach 85 degrees.

When the rice mixture is 85 degrees, break up any clumps and add this to the rice mixture in the brewing bucket. Stir well with a sanitized brewing spoon.

Let rest overnight at approximately 70 degrees.

January 2012

part 3}

fermentation pasteurization and bottling

From this point on, the moto mixture is now known as moromi. You should have about 3½ gallons. Fermentation is beginning, and you will likely see bubbles forming in the mixture.

Pasteurization

Day 22 Right: As you let the mixture rest between days 24 and 44, you’ll need to make sure the airlock, seen here atop the glass jug, is clear.

Below: In the final step before pasteurization and dilution, a siphon hose is used to siphon off the clear sake from the sediment left behind.

Change the temperature of the mixture to 50 degrees. Stir every 12 hours.

Day 23 Stir every 12 hours, making sure to keep the temperature at 50 degrees.

Day 24-44 Let the mixture rest, checking each day to make sure the airlock is clear.

now-pressed rice.

You will now have about 2 gallons of a cloud liquid. Divide this liquid between two sanitized 1-gallon jugs. Let both containers sit for 2 weeks at approximately 45 degrees.

Day 47-59 Let the sake rest in the glass jugs. Once the jugs have been sitting for 2 weeks, use an auto siphon hose to siphon off the clear sake from the white residual sediment into two more sanitized 1-gallon glass jugs. (This is called racking.)

Day 45 Fermentation should be complete.

Day 46 Place an inverted colander in a large stockpot.

Pour the liquid and rice mixture into a large mesh bag and place the bag inside the colander. Top with a plastic gallon jug of water. After 4 hours, remove the jug. Discard the January 2012

Day 60 Adjusting the Alcohol Level Undiluted sake has the highest alcohol by volume (ABV) of any fermented beverage, clocking in at around 20 percent in its natural state. That’s far more than the average 3 to 5 percent in beer and 9 to 12 percent in wine.

For directions on adjusting the alcohol level, see right.

Adjusting the alcohol level While sake can tip the scale at 20 percent ABV when undiluted, most commercial sakes have an ABV between 14.5 and 16 percent.

To adjust the level of alcohol in your sake, you will need to use a hydrometer. Once you place some of your completed sake into the hydrometer test tube, the hydrometer will indicate what the current alcohol level is. You can now use this information to adjust the ABV by adding a specific amount of spring water.

TIP How do you know how much water to add? Science types will tell you to use the Pearson’s Square Formula, but we’ll let you in on a little secret: To make this step a whole lot easier, download the Port-ULater app from iTunes.

Just enter the current alcohol level that your hydrometer is reading and the desired ABV. For the spirits amount, input 0 (since water has no alcohol content). Hit calculate and voilà! The precise amount of water you’ll need for your desired alcohol level.

Most commercially available sake is pasteurized.

This process halts the fermentation process by killing any remaining yeast and gives the sake a shelf life. Hoping to skip this step altogether? No problem. Just be sure to keep your sake in the refrigerator at all times. It will stay good this way for 6 months to 1 year.

To pasteurize, place a sanitized thermometer inside the gallon jug and place the jug in a large stockpot filled with water on the stove. Gently raise the water temperature.

When the temperature inside the jar reaches 145 degrees, keep it there for 5 minutes.

The sake will then be ready to be bottled using the bottles of your choice. Be sure to sanitize them first. You will have approximately 2 gallons of sake.

TIP Pasteurization can create a slight off flavor in the sake if consumed immediately.

Letting it sit for a week will eliminate this flavor. Sake benefits from a bit of aging anyway.

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by Byron Kerman

food

CLASSES Winter Classes at ABC Chefs Cooking Academy Classes start Jan. 11 – call for times, ABC Chefs Cooking Academy · 636.543.8650 · abcchefsacademy.com Perhaps the coolest thing about the children’s cooking classes at Chesterfield’s ABC Chefs Cooking Academy is that after the instructors coach the kids through kitchen-safety and knife-skills tutorials, they leave them to their own devices. The kids then break into small groups, make their way to the fridge and retrieve what they need to prepare and enjoy a three-course meal. Independence – it’s a good thing. This month, a new slate of six-week classes begins at the cooking school, highlighted by Tastes Around the World, Vol. 2, at which juniors will whip up ratatouille, fresh fettuccine with chicken, focaccia bread and chocolate mousse. Special, one-day-only, weekend classes for older kids include the Winter Cupcake Challenge and Sprinkle Donut – which, as it sounds, involves making, decorating and eating fresh doughnuts.

The Academy offers classes for kids ages 2 through 17.

Cicero’s Beer School Wednesdays beginning Jan. 11 – 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. sessions, Cicero’s · 314.862.0009 · ciceros-stl.com Cicero’s Beer School has become so popular that the U. City restaurant has had to split the group of 185 or so students who’ll attend into two classes, both of which meet on Wednesday nights. This month, the new “semester” starts, and the student-drinkers are excited. Each night of the 14-week Beer School, a different expert speaker – usually a brewmaster or brewery owner – lectures on a group of beers, three to five of which the students get to sample. They might discuss the brewing process, the hoppiness or maltiness of the night’s beers, suggested food pairings, and so on. The class finishes with review questions for prizes. There are supplementary events for “extra credit,” and “field trips” to breweries. If you

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attend the requisite number of classes, your “diploma,” conferred in April, is a wallet card good for $1 off any Cicero’s draft or bottle beer at any time. Classes are free – just show up.

Warm Your Heart With Maker’s Mark Jan. 14 – 6 to 9 p.m., Schnucks Cooking School 314.909.1704 · schnuckscooks.com As soon as you see that melted red wax topping the Maker’s Mark bottle, you get that languid, sumptuous, I’m-on-my-wayto-whiskey-town vibe. A rep from the The Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kent., stops in at the Schnucks Cooking School in Des Peres this month to discuss how the liquor is made and to help prepare dishes from the Maker’s Mark cookbook. The foods to be shared at the hands-on class include classic onion soup, wilted spinach salad, apple-glazed pork tenderloin and oatmeal bourbon cookies. Samples of Maker’s Mark will be sipped by all the happy students.

Port Class With Bissinger’s Jan. 29 – 1 p.m., Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta 636.482.9463 · mountpleasant.com BYOC (Bring Your Own Cigar, that is) for an afternoon of sampling port dessert wines and rich chocolates from Bissinger’s at Mount Pleasant Winery. Guests will sip five vintages of Mount Pleasant Vintage Port plus two vintages of Mount Pleasant Tawny Port. Each will be paired with a different morsel of sinful Bissinger’s chocolate to keep your tongue stimulated.

According to the Mount Pleasant website, the Vintage Port is “ambitious and concentrated, with an inky color and a juicy, mouthwatering palate framed by mature blackberry and raspberry fruit.

A pronounced char note on the nose follows through to a medium, slightly tart finish.” The tawny port is of a “lustrous, deep, amber-orange color, with aromas of orange flan, mashed raisins, salty almonds, and peach pastry … [before] a silky entry to fruity, sweet, medium body with bourbon-barrel vanilla notes and butterscotch and whole-nut accents on the finish.”

five questions for EliotT harris Chef Eliott Harris has sliced tuna at sushi restaurants from San Francisco to Key West, Fla., and most recently at Clayton stalwart Miso on Meramec. Now he’s breaking out on his own to start up St. Louis’ first Japanese food truck: Chop Shop.

What sort of sushi will you have on the truck? We’ll have stir-fry that’s hearty and warm, and rolls that are variations of things I’ve done. They’ll be rolled with a ton of ingredients and the size of a burrito. We’ll also serve deconstructed rolls – a rice bowl with fish, fresh vegetables and sexed-up, signature sauces. Entrées will be served with fresh-popped wasabi popcorn, mixed with toasted nori seafood furikake, which is shreds of toasted seaweed, sesame seeds and salt.

And now you’ll be in business for yourself. In the last 10 years I’ve opened three restaurants for other people, and I was ready to do my own thing. Earlier in the year, the Miso owner and I were working on a project for a brick-andmortar place in Webster Groves, and we just couldn’t come to an agreement with the building owner. When I looked at a food truck, things started making sense. There’s lower overhead and a lot more creative freedom.

So that’s how the idea for the truck came to you? I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years now, and the last 12 have

been strictly with sushi, and I saw an opening in this market. I was surprised by how quickly the food trucks have taken off. No one is doing Japanese, and that’s my comfort zone and passion.

I’ve got an idea: a trailer that pulls a sushi bar with one of those circling streams of water, with plated sushi floating by the diners. That I don’t think will be happening, but it would be nice to pull a trailer with a dishwasher and give free lunches to people who will wash dishes.

Let’s talk about the tempura-fried Twinkie on your dessert menu. It more or less tastes like a funnel cake. I freeze the Twinkie and fry it in a light tempura batter, then we cut it in half and plate it with Serendipity vanilla ice cream and a house-made yuzu Japanese citrus curd, like a Japanese key-lime, tart sauce.

– Byron Kerman

Chop Shop Twitter: @ChopShopSTL chopshopstl.com

January 2012

Photo by laura miller

stuff to do:

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

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Best seat in the house

SPECIAL EVENT Loop Ice Carnival Jan. 14 – 10 a.m. to midnight, U. City · visittheloop.com Many of the attractions at Joe Edwards’ annual Loop Ice Carnival are food- and drink-related. The s’mores roast at Craft Alliance is always fun. The Cosmonauts on Ice vodka-sampling event – featuring vodka cocktails, shot glasses made of ice, hors d’oeuvres and hot chocolate on the cool rooftop terrace bar at the Moonrise Hotel – is a crowd-pleaser, too. Then there are all the food and drink specials in The Loop bars and restaurants to coincide with the fun.

On Friday night, the Snow Ball at the Moonrise includes a buffet dinner, allwhite attire and the crowning of Ice King and Queen. The eclectic attractions on Saturday include ice slides, a putt-putt pub crawl, ice cubes with money and chocolate prizes inside, a temporary tattoo scavenger hunt, ice carving demos, street performers, those dancing hula-hoop gals, human dogsled races and a video-game lounge. Visit the website for locations and times for each event.

sponsored events Meshuggah Café

6269 Delmar Blvd., U. City, 314.726.5662

Grab a cuppa and warm up on this perch. Mosey on up to the second level of Meshuggah Café and you’ll find a couch that’s the perfect spot to hipster watch, catch up on your reading and escape the winter weather. There are certainly worse places to lose yourself in a cup o’ joe.

ONGOING Bury the Bottle

Photo by Jonathan gayman

Tuesdays – 5 to 7 p.m., St. Louis Wine Market & Tasting Room · 636.536.6363 · stlwinemarket.com Each Tuesday at Chesterfield Valley’s St. Louis Wine Market & Tasting Room, a rowdy and popular ritual occurs when the pourersthat-be need to finish off the bottles in the tasting room to make way for the week’s new arrivals. The barkeep puts the names of 15 or so wines on a video monitor and sells January 2012

them for half the usual price. As each bottle is “buried,” a line is slashed through its name on the screen, the bartender rings a bell, and everyone yells and applauds. As the wines disappear, the staff offers the new week’s wines-by-the-glass (and puts their names on the monitor) for guests to try for the first time. The exciting two-hour span is the last chance to sip about a dozen wines and the first opportunity to try 25 new additions. Like what you tried? You can saunter over to the market half of the shop and buy a few of the bottles to take home.

Sauce Celebrity Chef Series: An afternoon with Gabrielle Hamilton Jan. 30 – noon, Monarch · brownpapertickets.com Join Sauce Magazine and Left Bank Books for a fun and insightful afternoon as Gabrielle Hamilton, chef-owner of NYC’s Prune restaurant, travels to St. Louis to discuss her honest and thoughtprovoking memoir, Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef in the next installment of the Sauce Celebrity Chef Series.

The luncheon will be held at Monarch and will feature a menu inspired by the memoir and prepared by chef Josh Galliano. Tickets cost $35 and include lunch and a paperback copy of Blood, Bones & Butter, which Hamilton will be signing. Purchase your ticket today at Brown Paper Tickets and Left Bank Books locations. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 51

stuff to do:

art

by Byron Kerman

Veteran local painter Belinda Lee juxtaposes the everyday with the fantastic in a group of paintings that offer her signature visions of friends and family with faces slightly blurred. Experience the show this month at COCA’s Millstone Gallery. See details on page 53.

Double Features at the Wildey Theatre Wildey Theatre · 618.307.2053 · wildeytheatre.com Movie buffs are still celebrating last year’s restoration and reopening of the historic Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville. Opened in 1909 as an opera house, the Wildey had remained shuttered since 1984, but now this gem has been spruced up and is hosting film screenings, concerts and other fun events. Nostalgia-lovers can get their fill at a series of classic double-features this month. Consider the familiar pleasures of Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird and Orson Welles in Touch of Evil on Jan. 8 and 12, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and The Trouble With Harry on Jan. 21 and 22,

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and Woody Allen’s career-best romantic comedies Annie Hall and Manhattan on Jan. 26 and 28.

THEATER On Golden Pond, presented by the Black Rep Jan. 4 to Feb. 5 – Grandel Theatre · 314.534.3810 theblackrep.org Don’t make the mistake of dismissing On Golden Pond as a sentimental look at doddering seniors slogging through Polident days and Matlock-watching nights. The dialogue in Ernest Thompson’s tale of a bitter, wiseass old dude and his family is as sharp as a tack. When octogenarian Norman and his wife, Ethel, suddenly find themselves caring for a 13-year-old stepgrandson, the

senior’s crotchety attitude inspires the adolescent, and the new arrangement paves the way for a showdown with his estranged daughter. Many will remember the film version starring real-life father and daughter Henry and Jane Fonda, and Katherine Hepburn. The Black Rep, enjoying its 35th anniversary season, will mount a version starring company founder Ron Himes and the estimable Linda Kennedy, based on the script used for the James Earl Jones/Leslie Uggams Broadway revival in 2005.

The Seafarer, presented

by West End Players Guild Jan. 6 to 15 – Union Avenue Christian Church 314.367.0025 · westendplayers.org The Seafarer starts out as a comedy of down-and-out Dublin drunks waking January 2012

image courtesy of COCA

FILM

up on the living room floor, stumbling after lost eyeglasses and starting the day afresh with whiskey right from the bottle. Two brothers – one blind and demanding, the other angry and defeated – have more than one cross to bear during their booze-fueled holiday revels. Sharky, trying his damnedest to get back on the wagon, is stunned by a stranger at a Christmas Eve poker game who seems to know more about him than anyone really should. That’s when the humor turns serious, and this Conor McPherson play becomes a thriller.

The West End Players Guild, after the unqualified triumph of its season’s first offering, is back in action at its churchbasement headquarters. Steve Callahan directs a five-person cast.

(in an alcove on the upper floor). The medium is hotter than ever, and locally, it’s represented by a number of excellent hometown video artists, including R. D. “Roy” Zurick. Three hypnotic new video installations by Zurick are the foci at Julie Malone’s SOHA Gallery this month. PANSiAM is a trippy look at Zurick’s beloved Thailand – watching the kaleidoscopic video is akin to walking through some impossible city where everything is almost familiar, but not quite.

During the exhibition’s first week, the gallery will be open for darker, “videofriendly” additional hours from 5 to 8 p.m., with Zurick in attendance. The artist will screen even more new projects at a special event at SOHA on Jan. 12.

EXHIBITS

Jan. 13 to Feb. 26 – opening reception: Jan. 13 – 6 p.m., Center of Creative Arts · 314.725.6555 · cocastl.org

Star Trek: The Exhibition

Through May 28, St. Louis Science Center 314.289.4444 slsc.org Whether you’ve pledged your troth to Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, Captain Sisko, Captain Janeway or Captain Archer, if you’re a “Trekkie,” Star Trek: The Exhibition has you covered. The temporary exhibit, which fills the St. Louis Science Center’s new Boeing Hall, is a feast of costumes, props and scenery from all the various films and TV shows. You can check out Khan’s singed uniform from his death scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Seven of Nine’s infamous unitard, ride a wild shuttlecraft-simulation experience, watch videos about makeup and special effects, see large models of a Borg sphere and various other starships, dematerialize in the Transporter Room, and a lot more. For many, the highlight will surely be the life-size, walk-through re-creation of the bridge from the Next Generation-era Enterprise NCC 1701D. For the dedicated fan, it’s a high-octane rush. The Science Center is also hosting a series of related Star Trek first Fridays, featuring special guests as well as telescope viewings and movie and TV show screenings in the Omnimax Theater.

Photo by jonathan s. pollack

image courtesy of COCA

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Zurick Looped, presented

by SOHA Studio and Gallery Jan. 6 to 19 – opening reception: Jan. 6 – 6 to 9 p.m.

SOHA Gallery · 314.497.5202 · sohastudioandgallery.com Habitués of the St. Louis Art Museum may have noticed that there’s more and more video art being screened there January 2012

before & after Untamed at Craft Alliance

Belinda Lee: Inside Out/Outside In

You may say Belinda Lee is a dreamer, but she’s not the only one. The veteran St. Louis painter and art teacher debuts a new series of work based on the fine line between dreams and reality in a new show at COCA’s Millstone Gallery.

She juxtaposes the everyday with the fantastic in a group of paintings that offer her signature, mysterious and sometimes disturbing visions of friends and family with faces slightly blurred – enacting tableaux that may or may not be without nuggets of sleepy-time terrors.

Untamed, presented

by Craft Alliance Jan. 14 to Feb. 26 – opening reception: Jan. 14 – 6 to 8 p.m., Craft Alliance · 314.725.1177 · craftalliance.org The new Untamed group exhibition at Craft Alliance’s U. City location explores the muddled landscape where animals live in our imagination. We think wolves and lions are spectacular predators, and we ogle them on PBS specials, but we don’t really care enough to save their shrinking habitats. We feed the birds and try not to feed the squirrels. We ooh and aah over anthropomorphic chimps, but octopi – which are just as smart – look so unlike us that we grill them and squeeze lemon over their tasty, boneless bodies. The hypocrisy and mystery of it all plays out in works like Rachel Wilson’s Crowning Glory, a giant, 7-foot-high, wooden moose with a plaintive look in its big, dark eyes. Works by a total of six artists explore animals as dinner, totems, transportation and companions.

Before:

Before spending an evening studying the plight of fuzzy animals in the wild kingdom, chances are you’ll want to opt for meatless selections. For a scrumptious meat-free wonder, head to Cheese-ology and keep it simple with The Classic, in which American and cheddar cheeses are oven-baked just right. Served up in a cast-iron pan, we guarantee you’ll scrape every last bite of gooey goodness off that skillet.

6602 Delmar Blvd., U. City, 314.863.6365

After:

Thankfully, beer is a vegetarian food group. And Three Kings Public House has plenty of it. If you’re spoiled for choice, you can’t go wrong with one of the many beer flights. The Missouri flight (pictured) features Show-Me offerings; The Great Ale includes Ranger IPA, Maharaja, Boulevard Pale and Anchor Steam; and the Mix ‘n’ Match lets you pick four selections to sample. For less than a 10-spot, you can sit down, drink up and find your new favorite brew.

6307 Delmar Blvd., U. City, 314.721.3355

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While cows and crustaceans never tango in nature, they perform a beautiful pas de deux on the plate. Surf-n-turf is possibly the best friend of the indecisive glutton. Why choose when you can have a little bit of both? At Sage in Soulard, this traditional duo is jazzed up with a little south-of-the-border flare. Three cheeses, two sauces and a crispy tortilla later – you have the ultimate wonder: a shrimp and steak quesadilla worth swooning over.

– Kylah Brown

For the chipotle aioli, combine ½ cup of mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon of freshly minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of chipotle powder.

Surf-n-Turf Quesadillas Courtesy of Sage Urban American Grill’s Jeff Schaffer Makes 4 10-inch quesadillas 4 Tbsp. toasted ground cumin 4 Tbsp. toasted ground coriander seeds 2 tsp. cayenne pepper Zest of 3 limes Zest of 2 lemons 4 Tbsp. ground dried chile 2 Tbsp. dried chipotle 3 Tbsp. kosher salt ½ lb. flank steak Juice of 1 lemon Juice of 2 limes ½ lb. fresh rock shrimp, peeled and deveined ¼ lb. unsalted butter, plus additional for sautéing ¼ cup white wine ½ cup diced red pepper ½ cup diced yellow onion 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ½ cup shredded Chihuahua cheese 4 10-inch flour tortillas Neutral-flavored oil for sautéing 1 DAY AHEAD: • First make the dry rub: Combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub half of the mixture on the steak. Cover the steak and bowl of seasoning and place both in the fridge.

Marinate the steak overnight.

• Prepare the marinade for the shrimp: Add the lemon and lime juices to the remaining seasoning mixture. Combine in a bowl with the shrimp. Cover and marinate up to 2 hours.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Poach the shrimp in ¼ pound of butter and the white wine over medium heat until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from the pan and immediately chill.

• Grill the flank steak until medium-rare. Remove from heat and cut into 1∕8 -inch slices.

• In a separate pan over high heat, flash-sauté the red pepper, onion and garlic in butter for no more than 45 seconds.

• In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses.

• To assemble the quesadillas: Evenly disburse ²∕³ of the cheese mixture among the tortillas.

For the lime sour cream, combine ½ cup of sour cream with the zest and juice of 1 lime and salt and pepper to taste.

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• •

• •

steak; 2 tablespoons of the pepper, onion and garlic mixture; and 6 pieces of rock shrimp.

Top with the remaining cheese mixture. Fold the tortillas in half.

Working in batches, place the quesadillas in a medium-hot skillet lightly coated with oil and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Bake the quesadillas in the oven for no more than 5 minutes.

Slice and serve with chipotle aioli (recipe left) and lime sour cream (recipe left).

January 2012

Photo by carmen troesser

• Top each tortilla half with: 4 slices of the flank

January 2012

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January 2012