July 2020

from left, jerk soul owners zahra spencer and telie woods, p. 18

SOUL SURVIVORS July 2020

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JULY 2020 • VOLUME 20, ISSUE 7 What has gotten you through these trying times?

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contents J U LY 2 02 0

editors' picks

features 18

9 EAT THIS

SOUL SURVIVORS by heather hughes huff

Taiwanese popcorn chicken at Tai Ke’s

by michelle volansky

35

10 MEALS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

by adam rothbarth

PARTY FROM A DISTANCE

Stephanie Fischer

by meera nagarajan

COVER DETAILS Soul Survivors

13 ELIXIR

Find out how Jerk Soul’s Zahra Spencer and Telie Woods worked through two hurricanes, a sudden move from the Caribbean, a global pandemic and more to make their dream restaurant happen. p. 18

Vicia's cocktail program

by adam rothbarth

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

last bite 40 WHAT I DO Olivia Ridgel of C. Oliver Coffee & Flower Bar

by lauren healey 42 LANDMARK Mother's Fish

by adam rothbarth

PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK

see why mother's fish is a st. louis landmark, p. 42

July 2020

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

Ta i K e

8604 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.801.8894, taikestl.com

Eat This

PHOTO BY JULIA CALLEO

It would be a big mistake – huge – to overlook the yan su ji, or Taiwanese popcorn chicken, on Tai Ke’s sprawling menu of street food classics. Lightly battered dark meat nuggets are tossed in a gently spicy combination of white pepper and Chinese five spice. The generous plate of crunchy, tender chicken and fried basil will keep you reaching for your cold beer, like you’re sweating it out in a night market instead of a U City strip mall.

July 2020

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

MEALS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

STEPHANIE FISCHER

If you’ve ever had a croissant from Comet Coffee, you know something about Stephanie Fischer. The woman behind those excellent pastries is thoughtful, meticulous and she must love butter. When the coronavirus pandemic hit St. Louis, Fischer started selling frozen potpies so Barnes Jewish Hospital employees who always stop by Comet could have something easy and satisfying to pop in the oven at home. She also added more to-go lunch items like cassoulet and Japanese curry. “It’s been fun to experiment a little bit and branch out. I enjoy cooking in addition to baking,” she said. Like her confections, her savory dishes are the culmination of a lifelong curiosity to learn about food. Here are three meals that changed her life. – Meera Nagarajan

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“Recently, we traveled to Hawaii for our honeymoon.

We were in Lahaina and took a back road. There was a farm stand, so we pulled off to the side and they had the strangest fruits. We ate a fresh cacao pod – it was slimy and very buttery. The pod itself was kind of bitter, but it has this fruitiness to it. It was striking ’cause who thought of making chocolate from this fruit? The lady there was tapping the coconuts and was singing to them.

She explained that she had to figure out which one was ready. It was very good, she lopped the top off with a

machete. I’ll never forget that fruit stand in the middle of nowhere on the side of a road.”

“I had to be hospitalized for a few days in the psych ward.

Every day we had meals with everyone – people from all walks of life, and obviously some of them have some deep issues they’re working through.

From running a business, I’m amazed by how smoothly it ran and how warm everything still was. Everyone would calm down during meal time and it would get quiet and feel normal. I made friends with this man and he noticed me eyeing his coffee and I said, ‘I didn’t realize we could order coffee that isn’t decaf.’ He said, ‘Have mine.’ In such a scary environment and a horrible time when you just want to go home, it was a gesture that was so kind and so welcoming. It was really heartwarming to me that we were able to sit down and have this small community of very different people getting together and sharing a meal. I’ll always remember him offering me his coffee. …

I feel like it’s important to be open about these things. I know that a lot of people in the hospitality industry struggle with different mental illnesses – anxiety, substance abuse and depression. Openness helps everyone talk about it collectively, and try to make changes within the industry.”

Comet Coffee, 5708 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7770, cometcoffeestl.com

July 2020

ILLUSTRATION BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

“When I was about 14, my sister, who was a picky eater, went away to college.

We were trying to get used to not having her around the house. Since I was a more adventurous eater, my parents decided to take me out for Indian food, which I had never had before. I was very intimidated by the menu; I had no idea what to order and I wanted to be sure that I was going to be comfortable eating it. The staff recommended tandoori chicken, and it was just very thrilling to taste something unlike anything I had ever had before. I think my mom had saag paneer and I tried a bite of that and I just fell in love with Indian food. That’s the moment when I realized food is a way to explore the world and have new experiences.

My family didn’t travel much.

[Food] got me really into trying new things and looking for new flavors.”

July 2020

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

vicia bar manager, phil ingram

Plymouth gin, Pineau des Charentes aperitif, Aperol, echinacea, marigold and elderflower.

Most of what Ingram uses comes from Vicia’s garden, where they grow an arresting variety of herbs and flowers.

“Everything on the menu right now is stuff we grow on site, even the echinacea,” he said. “We have orange mint, strawberry mint, chocolate mint. We have a couple different types of basil. The fig tree is starting to get some nice leaves. I actually use those fig leaves because they have sort of a coconut flavor.”

Along with those fig leaves, Ingram said that some of his favorite things to grow and use are marigolds and hyssop, a shrub with mild anise flavor.

Because Vicia is so tied to the seasons, the ebb and flow of what’s able to grow and when, some of Ingram’s greatest cocktails are oneoffs. Describing the best drink he’s made at Vicia, Ingram laughed. “Unfortunately, it’s something that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to recreate.”

It’s one of the few downsides of being so dependent on something that’s ultimately out of your control. “Two falls ago, we got in a really good batch of squash, with a lot of nuance to their flavor,” he recalled. “I came up with a rum cocktail using squash juice. It took me consistently working at it for three weeks before getting it nailed down.”

GROWING TOGETHER PHOTO BY VIRGINIA HAROLD

By Adam Rothbarth In a garden, a certain symbiosis can be found between particular herbs and flowers, fruits and vegetables. In other words, “if it grows together, it goes together.” At Vicia, a similar attitude has yielded a food and drink environment unlike any other in St. Louis.

Bar manager Phil Ingram built a program on the smart application of fresh ingredients in cocktails that pair perfectly with chef Michael Gallina’s award-winning, vegetable-forward food. Both bar and kitchen share a hyperlocal, seasonal approach that champions eliminating waste.

July 2020

“I take most of my cues from what the kitchen does, ideally,” Ingram said.

“We try to be a no-waste bar, so a lot of what I do is taking byproducts from the kitchen.” Many of the herbs found in Vicia’s food – basil, parsley, rosemary and thyme – routinely find their way into Ingram’s drinks.

Plant stems and roots are used to make infusions and

syrups that form the base of unique drinks. If the kitchen makes a custard with egg yolks, Ingram will use the egg whites to add texture to cocktails. If they’re doing a yogurt dish, he’ll find a use for whey. Recent drinks have included a Minted Old-Fashioned with Four Roses bourbon, chocolate mint syrup and bitters, and an echinacea cocktail with

The squash cocktail is a good example of the places bartenders can go when they follow the paths laid out for them by nature. Ingram put it a bit differently, musing that his work is about “taking something that sounds kind of weird and making it work.”

Vicia, 4260 Forest Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.553.9239, viciarestaurant.com saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 13

These are challenging times for our friends in the food and beverage industry and Sauce is doing all we can to help.

From keeping St. Louis updated on all the industry news through our continued editorial coverage to lending a helping hand to restaurants, bars and more through our Sauce Supports initiative.

Look up your favorite restaurants to see their current offerings on our Covid-19 Restaurant Guide - open dining rooms, curbside service, delivery, and more. Visit saucemagazine.com/restaurant-guide.

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PARTNER CONTENT

Gabbit keeps St. Louis restaurant phones running through pandemic

BY LAUREN HEALEY

When the coronavirus reached the U.S., Gabbit, the top-rated local phone service provider for small and midsized business, knew it had to help.

“I didn’t like the idea of deferring the bills or reducing service,” said CEO Harry Orchard. “Free service seemed like the best solution and a way we could help our customers who are in a tough spot.”

Orlando’s Event Centers are one beneficiary of Gabbit’s generous offer.

“They have been a customer of ours since we were a much smaller company and, as you can imagine, there aren’t a lot of weddings or other private events taking place right now,” Orchard said. “They wanted to suspend service at one of their locations to trim the bill, but that only cut their cost by 30%. Instead, we cut the bill to zero. I know they’ll recover, and we’ll work together for a long time to come.”

With COVID-related restrictions in place, restaurants are communicating with their customers by phone more than they have in years.

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Wasabi has saved thousands of dollars in communications costs while receiving a much higher level of service than they were with their previous carrier, said co-owner and CFO Lynn Weller.

“The thing about [Gabbit] is that they make a commitment and they keep it,” he said. “If they say they’re going to do something or be somewhere, they do it, and that’s refreshing for a phone company. When we moved to curbside only, having a phone system that would capture calls and keep them in the queue and not have them get lost in an answering machine-type situation was extremely important to us. If the lines are busy, customers receive an explanation and it lets them know they can leave a message or get a callback time. It helps tremendously.”

Gabbit helped Rosalita’s Cantina transition when they had to adjust their service in March. “They were very helpful when COVID hit because they were able to set up different lines,” said general manager Heather Akins.

“We went from a full-functioning indoor restaurant to all curbside service, so I needed to restructure all my phone lines. [Gabbit] was able to do that in a matter of seconds.”

It is Gabbit’s personalized service, however, that truly sets them apart from other providers, according to Pizza Head owner Scott Sandler.

“Anybody from Gabbit gets back to me right away – you don’t get someone in a call center where you have to wade your way through,” he said. “It’s direct, local service.”

For new customers, Gabbit is waiving all setup and service costs for the first three months.

July 2020

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dishes at jerk soul

SOUL SURVIVORS by heather hughes huff // photos by izaiah johnson

July 2020

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from left, jerk soul owners zahra spencer and telie wood

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F O R M A N Y R E S TA U R A N T OW N E R S , T H E C O R O N AV I R U S PA N D E M I C I S A N U N R I VA L E D O B S TA C L E I N A N OTO R I O U S LY P R E C A R I O U S I N D U S T R Y. B U T F O R J E R K S O U L’ S Z A H R A S P E N C E R A N D T E L I E WO O D S , I T M AY B E R A N K S I N T H E TO P F I V E . O P E N I N G A S U C C E S S F U L I N D E P E N D E N T R E S TA U R A N T I S A S M A L L M I R AC L E U N D E R O R D I N A R Y C I R C U M S TA N C E S A N D S P E N C E R A N D WO O D S H AV E H E L D O N TO J E R K S O U L T H R O U G H T WO H U R R I C A N E S , A T R A N S C O N T I N E N TA L M OV E , T H E L E A R N I N G C U R V E O F F I R S T-T I M E R E S TA U R AT E U R S I N A N U N FA M I L I A R C I T Y, A N E X PA N S I O N TO O F F E R A D I N I N G R O O M D U R I N G A PA N D E M I C A N D CO U N T I N G. July 2020

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jerk soul

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he pair met when Woods, a Chicago native, was apartment shopping in the Virgin Islands. He wanted to move to St. Thomas, where Spencer was living at the time. “I’m a Carribean lady through and through,” Spencer said.

She was born in St. Croix; her mother is Jamaican and her father Antiguan.

Both Spencer and Woods worked in marketing but had always wanted to own a restaurant. “It was a perfect fit,” Woods said.

“Once we met, you know you talk about your dreams and desires and goals and everything, and that was a mutual goal. So we decided to pursue that in the Virgin Islands.”

They hoped to cater to tourists with a beachy menu and ice cream, and enjoy life on the islands. They searched for the perfect

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location and found it close to where cruise ships landed in St. Thomas. The two were about to sign the lease on the restaurant when Hurricane Irma hit late in the summer of 2017.

Irma was the strongest Atlantic-forming hurricane ever recorded and the first category 5 to land on the Virgin Islands. The damage was catastrophic, and it didn’t end there.

Hurricane Maria, the second category 5 to hit the islands in recorded history, came two weeks later.

The two weathered the first storm together in Spencer’s apartment. When they had barely come up for air after Irma passed, they found out Maria was on its way.

Woods decided to try to make it back to the mainland. He had left everything he

had ever known in Chicago to dive into life on an island that was now devastated.

He was still living out of suitcases and the restaurant wasn’t happening – at least not in St. Thomas. Not now. He wanted to get out before it was too late.

But Irma had decimated the airport. Cruise ships started transporting people off the islands, trying to get them out before the second storm. Woods found another way.

“I ended up getting on a small boat with about 25 other people that were trying to get to Puerto Rico,” he said. “I’m pretty sure you’ve seen what the storm did to Puerto Rico, right? I was there right when the storm started. They were about to close the airports down. My friend from St. Louis ended up getting me on one of the last flights – that’s how I ended up in St. Louis.”

July 2020

Spencer stayed. “It wasn’t even a question because my family is still in the Virgin Islands,” she said. The infrastructure was already so damaged she knew that she wouldn’t be able to contact her family if she left.“It would probably be months before I could speak to my sisters or my parents. I didn’t want to take that risk.”

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he considered going to St. Croix to be with her family after Woods left, but by the time her boat was leaving, the weather was too dangerous. She was stuck on her own. In the Carribean, hurricanes are a part of life, but this was unlike anything Spencer had experienced – the only thing she could compare it to was Hurricane Hugo, the category 4 storm that had decimated her hometown when she was around 6 years old.

“I lived on top of a hill and every house that you could see going to the ocean had no roof,” she said. “Every house was destroyed, including ours at the time.” She was upstairs when Hugo took off their roof. “My sister was a baby in my mom’s arms,” Spencer said.

They hid in the bathtub, and her mother held a mattress over the tub to protect them.

When the eye of the storm came and it was calm, her young family had to run downstairs, fighting through debris, before the outer band of the hurricane passed over them again. She spent the second part of the storm sitting on a counter because the lower level of their building started to flood.

“It makes you survivors,” she said. “The same thing happened with Maria and Irma – weeks after the storm, months after the storm, people didn’t have electricity or any luxuries you take for granted.” Spencer said she visited in January and there are still many signs of devastation – abandoned buildings, missing roofs that people can’t afford to replace – three years later.

As Maria tore through St. Thomas, Spencer stayed safe in her home. “I’m so happy I didn’t move,” she said. She had looked at a nice, bigger apartment before Woods came down and that place had disappeared like a magic trick in the storms. She heard stories: people who weathered part of the hurricane

July 2020

in cars because their homes were flooded; people missing; people who lost loved ones.

An acquaintance’s husband attempted to secure something on his roof when the winds were too high and died in a fall. A missing woman’s bruised body was found clutching her baby in the British Virgin Islands; they had been swept away by the water. That one really stuck with her. “Only by the grace of God, that’s not me or my family members,” she said.

But her family was lucky; her childhood home is still standing; her parents’ businesses are doing well. “Even though there’s sad stories, there’s so many stories of triumph – of survival,” Spencer said. “You see the humanity of people in times like this. Strangers help strangers.” She feels blessed to have made it through relatively unscathed. That also meant she could say yes when Woods asked her to join him in St. Louis.

What started as a chance landing away from Hurricane Maria quickly turned into something more permanent. Woods had found a new restaurant location and was ready to put down roots. Conventional wisdom would advise against making huge decisions in a time of so much upheaval – how do you shift from a move to the Carribean, a second career commitment with a new partner, a devastating loss and traumatic experience to going all-in on a restaurant in a strange city? But for Woods, it didn’t feel like a reckless impulse.

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e had already decided to uproot his life and start over in a new place.

Coming back to the goal of the restaurant, even in the somewhat arbitrary city of St. Louis, was a return to stability – a way to come home when he no longer had one. “Before the storm, we were in restaurant mode,” he said. Just because the storms ruined his plans to open something on the beach didn’t mean he was giving up. “I was like, well, I’m here so that must mean this is where the restaurant is,” he said. When he found the location, Woods still wasn’t able to talk to Spencer much because cell service continued to be interrupted by hurricane damage on the islands, but he got her eventually.

“The people we were prior to this experience died a long time ago. We developed new skin, new hearts, new bodies – everything. It was hurdle after hurdle after hurdle, and we just kept jumping and jumping and jumping. So, you know, it built great grit; it built strength; it built determination. I often think back, like, I didn't know I had so much stamina to go through all of this stuff. ... But through the midst of the storm, we're here.” - ZAHRA SPENCER, “He was like, ‘You have to come!’ And I was like, ‘Where? I’ve never been to St. Louis in my life!’” She had visited the mainland before, but primarily just the coasts. She had never spent time in the Midwest aside from a quick trip to Chicago. It was a hard decision.

“I prayed about it; I meditated about it; I fasted for a while and you know the answer was clear,” Spencer said. “I asked God for guidance if I should go or not. I even went against my parents’ will. My parents were like, ‘You’re crazy. What are you doing?’

And I said, ‘Well, this is what my spirit tells

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“This was something I had always wanted – to open a brick and mortar. I took that leap of faith. I sold everything. I dwindled my life down to two suitcases and I got on a one-way ticket to St. Louis.”

- ZAHRA SPENCER

jerk chicken from jerk soul

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me to do, so I’m going to do it.’ … This was something I had always wanted – to open a brick and mortar. I took that leap of faith. I sold everything. I dwindled my life down to two suitcases and I got on a one-way ticket to St. Louis.”

She arrived a few days after Christmas in 2017, boarding a plane in 90 degree weather and exiting in snow. The cold shocked her in a way she was unprepared for. Visiting the mainland during winter as a tourist had been different; knowing she was here for good made the cold feel a lot worse.

Four months later, in April 2018, Jerk Soul sold out within three hours of its first service. “We had no idea what we were doing,” Spencer said. But they figured it out. Located on Salisbury Street in the Hyde Park neighborhood of north St. Louis, the original location of Jerk Soul was embraced by its community and praised by local media. It quickly became known for its carryout menu of first-rate Caribbean classics like saltfish, jerk chicken and braised oxtails, along with comfort food like the intense Crispy Philly: a wrap filled with ribeye, cheese, spicy aioli, peppers and onions, and deep-fried.

“It’s a combination of both of our recipes and our backgrounds – stuff that Telie loved and grew up on in Chicago and stuff I grew up on and ate daily in the Virgin Islands,” Spencer said. The mac and cheese recipe comes from Woods' grandmother. The coconut rice and peas is Spencer’s mom’s recipe. “The years of being in our mothers’ kitchens, learning and refining their craft, is what makes Jerk Soul what it is,” Spencer said.

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earning to run the business was harder than developing the menu. “We had a lot of steep learning curves,” Spencer said. “There’s a lot of things that we learned by mistakes. It was something that worked because we got the support of the neighborhood and both Telie and I were determined to make it work. He’s a no-nonsense, it’s-going-to-happen kind of person, and I am too. You put two people like that together and it’s going to happen.”

July 2020

By year two, Spencer and Woods were ready to invest in a new space. Their original location was basically a carryout window with a foyer; the food was dialed in and they were ready to invest more in service – they wanted to make Jerk Soul a place that lent itself to longer conversations, somewhere people could sit and enjoy a meal. They found a spot on Cherokee Street that would allow them to add a dining area they planned to fill with bright colors, lively decor and artwork showcasing their cultural roots.

Virgin Islands is a US Territory and I’m a US citizen, living on the island and looking in, it’s different than actually driving down the street where the actual protests are happening,” she said. “Because these people look like us. It really hits home differently because this could be me. I could be pulled over by the police and be mistreated and end up dead. It’s heartbreaking to know that in 2020 we still experience the things that we’re experiencing and have to do certain things just to have our voices heard.”

Then the coronavirus hit St. Louis. It was a disappointment not to be able to fill the dining room right away, but they still moved to the new location and reopened for carryout in May. And again, they consider themselves luckier than most. Because Jerk Soul was already a carryout concept, its business didn’t suffer like the majority of independent restaurants. “If anything, we saw an uptick in business,” Woods said.

his painful process of growth and changed perspective is something Spencer and Woods have experienced before. When they left successful careers in marketing for the physical labor of running a restaurant, the juggling of endless tasks as small business owners, there was no way to know everything they had signed up for, or how it would change them.

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specially for restaurateurs, Spencer and Woods have a good attitude about the coronavirus. Their biggest headache has been shipping delays due to the pandemic. “Only half the decor I ordered is here,” Spencer said. “We have table stands but no tops yet, chair covers but no chairs. There’s so many moving parts we can’t control, but that doesn’t keep us from making good food.”

Instead of the singular challenge of operating a business through a global pandemic, it was the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests against police brutality that have most impacted Woods and Spencer this year.

“It hasn’t affected our business at all, but of course that’s something that affects us personally,” Woods said. “The unfortunate situation with George Floyd has really shaken the country and maybe it’s a good shaking.

Maybe the country needs to be shaken.”

Spencer has been particularly affected – more than she had been by protests against police brutality in the past. “For the Ferguson protests, I remember sitting in my living room and watching the riots and stuff on CNN, but then going outside and going to the beach. … Even though the

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“Telie and I have talked about this. The people we were prior to this experience died a long time ago. We developed new skin, new hearts, new bodies – everything. It was hurdle after hurdle after hurdle, and we just kept jumping and jumping and jumping.

It built great grit; it built strength; it built determination. I often think back, like, I didn’t know I had so much stamina to go through all of this stuff. ... But through the midst of the storm, we’re here.”

And they’re here for good. Spencer likes to say that St. Louis chose them. With all the disappointments and changed plans, this restaurant was somehow meant to be – and meant to be where it is. “St. Louis is home for Jerk Soul,” Woods said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to expand and have it in different parts of the city and outside of St. Louis as well. But this will always be home.”

Jerk Soul, 3108 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.601.3871, jerksoul.com

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PARTNER CONTENT

Wine country within reach

BY LAUREN HEALEY

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he summer of 2020 will likely be different from years past for almost everyone. With many international travel bans still in place and COVID cases on the rise in some states, you may be feeling at a loss if your plans have been postponed or canceled.

Luckily, the bi-state area has plenty of wineries and acres upon acres of gorgeous vineyards. So convene with your people (and a designated driver) and head out of the city for a road trip to some of these amazing spots.

July 2020 May 2019

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PARTNER CONTENT

missouri wine trails

augusta, missouri

MISSOURI WINE TRAIL

BALDUCCI VINEYARDS

Itching to get out of the house and enjoy the beautiful outdoors? Consider an afternoon at a Missouri winery. Many in the region offer spectacular views from their patios, along with delicious award-winning wine produced from local vineyards. Pack a picnic basket or enjoy a meal from their on-site bistros. Missouri wineries offer something for everyone as several also brew their own beer. Learn more at missouriwine.org and plan your Missouri Wine Country visit today. missouriwine.org

This family-owned vineyard on 76 acres of beautiful vistas has been in business for 20 years, and the Balducci family has been in the restaurant industry for 45 years. Balducci has been voted favorite winery for the past 14 years by a local readers poll, and the winery also boasts numerous award-winning wines featuring Missouri-grown grapes. There’s live entertainment on Saturdays and Sundays from April to November, and the bocce ball court is open whenever weather allows. Don’t miss the craft beer options aplenty, along with amazing food like sandwiches, pizzas, salads and finger food like soft pretzels and toasted ravioli. Visit the website for hours and directions.

6601 S. Hwy. 91, Augusta, 636.482.8466, balduccivineyards.com

AUGUSTA WINE TRAIL Experience a piece of Historic Wine Country when you visit one of the wineries that make up the Augusta Wine Trail. The four wineries – Montelle Winery, Augusta Winery, Noboleis Vineyards and Balducci Vineyards – are part of the Augusta American Viticulturural Area (AVA), which designated this grape-growing area as America's first wine district. Celebrating 40 years as a historic area in winemaking, here you will find handcrafted wines made from grapes grown in the fertile soil of Augusta Wine Country. Take a drive down beautiful MO Hwy. 94 to the quaint town of Augusta nestled in the rolling hills of vineyards and visit the inviting tasting rooms of these four wineries for an authentic experience like no other. augustawinetrail.com

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NOBOLEIS VINEYARDS Situated on 84 acres in the first designated AVA in the country, Noboleis Vineyards offers panoramic views of the historic, rolling hills of Augusta, Missouri. Grab a bottle of one of their award-winning wines grown in the region and produced right on property. Nosh on pizza and appetizers or pack your own picnic basket to enjoy on the lawn or under the tented pavilion.

Live music every Saturday and Sunday from

April through October adds to the beautiful atmosphere created at Noboleis, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays.

100 Hemsath Road, Augusta, 636.482.4500, noboleisvineyards.com

de soto, missouri

LACHANCE VINEYARDS Located just 30 minutes from South St. Louis County, this family-owned winery offers unique, European-style wines produced with new experimental varieties of grapes, like Crimson Cabernet and Dore, grown at LaChance. The vibrant, medium-bodied 2018 Cabernet Dore offers green, fruity aromas and flavors of papaya-melon relish, wintergreen and holly, while the 2017 Crimson Cabernet boasts savory, toasty aromas of marinated mulberries and beets, chocolate, cherries and smoked nuts. Head to the full on-site restaurant for lunch and dinner, with popular items like pork tenderloin, filet mignon, sea scallops and more.

There’s also live music every Friday evening, as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons. You can also check out the newly opened second location, LaChance Winery of Kimmswick, in historic Kimmswick.

12237 Peter Moore Lane, De Soto, 636.586.2777, lachancevineyards.com

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defiance, missouri

foot pavilion for weddings and corporate events.

Located next to Eckert’s Farm in Grafton, it’s the perfect, quaint wine country experience.

300 W. Main St., Grafton, 618.786.3001, thegraftonwinery.com

CHANDLER HILL VINEYARDS Idyllically situated on a hilltop at the entrance to Missouri Wine Country, Chandler Hill is a Midwest winery like no other. From the tasting room to the 5,000-square-foot deck overlooking vineyards, a spring-fed lake, rolling hills and the inspiring Osage Valley teeming with wildlife, Chandler Hill is an enchanting year-round destination. Enjoy meals on-site, wine tastings, special festivities and events, as well as weekly live music and dinner service every Wednesday evening. (There’s a full kitchen, so no outside food and beverages.) Chandler Hill is an ideal spot to host a private party, from weddings to birthdays, accommodating groups from 10 to 300. The family-friendly establishment, open six days a week and closed on Mondays, also allows dogs outside on the deck and in the vineyards.

596 Defiance Road, Defiance, 636.798.2675, chandlerhillvineyards.com

DEFIANCE RIDGE VINEYARDS Nestled in 42 sprawling acres of vineyards, lush gardens and a tranquil lake just 30 minutes west of St. Louis in the hills of Historic Missouri Wine Country, Defiance Ridge offers vineyard-to-table cuisine, live music and succulent estate wines, as well as exclusive varietals from the West Coast. The winery is open seven days a week year-round. Looking to host your next private event? Defiance Ridge is also the perfect spot for weddings, private parties and corporate outings.

The facility offers a spacious layout featuring a wide array of options for guests of all sizes.

2711 S. MO. 94, Defiance, 636.798.2288, defianceridgevineyards.com

grafton, illinois

GRAFTON WINERY & BREWHAUS Located at the Confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, the Grafton Winery & Brewhaus features two large patios with relaxing river views. Watch the boaters go by while sipping award-winning Grafton winery wines. There’s a full menu and live music every Saturday and Sunday, offering a relaxing and memorable experience. They are the only production winery in Grafton and also make their own microbrews downstairs for the avid beer drinker. The winery is within walking distance from many amazing bed and breakfasts in Grafton if you’re looking to enjoy a fun-filled weekend. And the vineyards are just 3 miles away, boasting a 5,000-square-

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hermann, missouri

MARTIN BROTHERS WINERY

plenty of wineries and acres upon acres of gorgeous vineyards

Located south of Hermann just off the Hermann Wine Trail, Martin Brothers Winery specializes in producing mead – a wine made entirely of honey – and is one of only a handful that specialize in mead worldwide. The Martin Brothers have been honored with numerous awards, including Best Traditional Mead at the World Mead Challenge.

Wine flight offerings are new this year, as well as tableside tasting experiences that you can reserve online. A tasting staff member walks you through the process to highlight the unique characters of each wine. Bring a picnic basket and enjoy some mead on the spacious hillside or in the sunflower fields (seasonal). If you’re looking to experience something new this summer, try Martin Brothers mead.

1623 Old Iron Road, Hermann, 573.486.0236, martinbrotherswinery.com

hillsboro, missouri

VILLA ANTONIO WINERY Take a quick trip away from busy city life and head to Villa Antonio Winery in Hillsboro, only 40 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Headed by owners hailing from Italy, Villa Antonio is Italian-inspired and offers guests a chance to explore gorgeous grounds featuring vineyards and a lake. There’s plenty of seating between a large tent, a pavilion, a patio and the lawn, but guests are welcome to bring chairs or a picnic blanket. All wines and beers are crafted on site, and guests can also indulge in classic Italian or American food with items like pastas, burgers, salads and pastries. The winery is open daily with seasonal extended hours, and there’s also live music every weekend.

3660 Linhorst Road, Hillsboro, 636.475.5008, villaantoniowinery.com

WILD SUN WINERY & BREWERY Head south from St. Louis to this beautiful 10acre estate in Hillsboro, with a historic main house built in 1870. With rolling hills and a parklike setting with trees dating back hundreds of years, enjoy a relaxing day with award-winning

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wines and beers. Co-owners Ed Wagner, a 17year Anheuser-Busch alum, and Mark Baehmann, a 35-year career winemaker, opened Wild Sun in September 2015. Choose from a variety of wines like cabernet sauvignon, a dry rosé and fan-favorite Radiance, a crisp dry white similar to a sauvignon blanc. Wild Sun launched a beer line in 2019 with current offerings including American Blonde Ale, Sunset Red Ale and Midnight Porter.

There’s also live music Friday through Sunday through October. (Check Facebook for lineup.)

Order a pizza on site or bring a picnic basket.

Open year-round.

4830 Pioneer Road, Hillsboro, 636.797.8686, wildsun.com

new haven, missouri

MCKELVEY VINEYARDS Enjoy your stay at McKelvey Vineyards, a historic estate in Franklin County, Missouri. McKelvey Vineyards features a variety of Missouri wines as well as exclusive varietals from the West Coast, farm-to-table fare and live music every weekend.

Tour the 1871 stone farmhouse, wander through the vineyards, walk the trails through 62 acres and experience breathtaking sunsets. There are also beautiful patios for all sizes of weddings and special events as well as lodging in Steeple View Manor. Some upcoming events include a vineyard lunch and tour July 18 and Aug. 22, Sunset at

July May2020 2019

McKelvey featuring the music of Savana on Aug. 15, and the Missouri Cheese Festival Sept. 12.

8901 State Hwy. YY, New Haven, 573.459.6123, mckelveyvineyards.com

potosi, missouri

EDG-CLIF VINEYARD, WINERY, BREWERY Pack a picnic basket and head south to this third-generation, family-owned farm, which boasts an array of award-winning vinos along with a farmhouse brewery and plenty of craft beers. New this year, four vintage farmhouses (all over 100 years old and furnished with family antiques) on the property are now available on Airbnb. The venue also features live music every Saturday through October, the Home Grown Farm Tour Field Dinner Aug. 29 and Grape Friends harvest events in September. Check out the website for details.

10035 Edg-Clif Drive, Potosi, 573.438.4741, edg-clif.com

ste. genevieve, missouri

CROWN VALLEY WINERY Crown Valley, which opened in 2003, is just an hour south of St. Louis and offers gorgeous views of rolling hills and miles of breathtaking vineyards. There’s a wide array of wines, with

27 varieties to choose from, including cabernet sauvignon and chambourcin, along with some unique options like Blackberry Bling and pink sangria. Visitors can enjoy live entertainment every Saturday from April through October.

There’s spacious outdoor and indoor seating, and picnic baskets are welcome. There are also several beautiful venues, including a pavilion and the barrel room, perfect for weddings, parties and retreats. In addition, there are lodging options for those wishing to stay overnight.

23589 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, 573.756.9463, crownvalleywinery.com

st. james, missouri

ST. JAMES WINERY Founded in 1970, St. James Winery is Missouri’s largest winery with 185 sprawling acres just a short drive southwest from St. Louis, located conveniently right off I-44. This family-owned operation is internationally awarded and boasts the best-selling Missouri wines. Stop in for complimentary wine tastings daily then relax in The Gardens, a beautifully landscaped outdoor area where live music is performed every Saturday. St. James has also partnered with its neighbor, Public House Brewing Co., offering a full food menu, along with plenty of craft beer options.

540 State Route B, St. James, 800.280.9463, stjameswinery.com

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party from a

ILLUSTRATION BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

distance B Y

July 2020

A D A M

R O T H B A R T H

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This is the summer of the picnic. With so many restrictions on events and large gatherings, our social lives have moved almost entirely outdoors. A picnic is an easy alternative to going out that invites a huge amount of creativity.

It can entail everything from dance parties and board games to massive takeout meals and platters of home-cooked delights – or it can just mean drinking a six-pack and eating a bag of chips with a friend. Navigate your next summer hangout with this picnic primer, which includes charcuterie and drink recommendations, fun recipes from local restaurants, solid picnic gear and even a playlist.

Build a Baller Charcuterie Board

Bread Bakery, 1629 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.6111, unionloafers.com

A good charcuterie board can elevate a meal to celestial levels, or be a meal in itself. But what makes a board great? For one, diversity – an awesome charcuterie board is a symphony of salty, sour, fatty, earthy and fresh flavors, where everything makes sense and no two bites are the same. Good planning and high-quality ingredients are also necessities. Here are some tips on how to turn your picnic into a transcendent feast.

A C C E N T S Wow your friends by adding thoughtful little flourishes like a dollop of strawberry-Champagne jam or Old Bakery beer mustard from Larder & Cupboard (now available for pickup at local farmers’ markets). Just contemplate your favorite flavors and then make it happen – roast garlic at home, pick up some local honey, live your picnic dreams. Larder & Cupboard, larderandcupboard.square.site

M E A T For carnivores, this is the centerpiece of the board. Keep it classic with quality prosciutto, a hard salami and some hot sopressata from local giant Volpi. Available at most local grocers. volpifoods.com C H E E S E It’s important. A nice board will have at least a few cheeses, usually a good collection of creamy, stinky and hard varieties. The Sauce team feels strongly about Beechers cheddar, Ossau-Iraty (a nutty, raw sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region) and the heavenly Brillat Savarin triple creme. The Smokehouse Market, 16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, 636.532.3314, smokehousemarket.com DIPS AND SPREADS Include something substantial for the vegetarians and vegans in your group.

If you don’t have time to make the recipes on p. 39, you can’t go wrong with summery sides from AO&Co. like creamy hummus, baba ghanoush or rich muhammara. AO&Co. Market, 1641 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.899.0991, bengelina.com F R U I T It is berry season, which means very good things for your board.

Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and grapes would all be amazing on a summer evening. Farmers’ markets may look a little different this summer, but they are open and offer the fresh, local produce your board needs. Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, tgfarmersmarket.com B R E A D You must have some kind of carb. Crackers will do in a pinch, but a nice, fresh loaf of any bread from Union Loafers will be better. Order online for curbside pickup. Union Loafers Cafe and

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Gear Up Maximize your picnic game with these essentials.

Se agrass Market Basket This hip, capable woven basket should provide plenty of room for all your goodies and a nice airflow so nothing gets musty. $54. Civil Alchemy, 8154 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314.801.7577, civilalchemy.com STL Herbs & A r o m at i c s S u m m e r M i s t S p r ay a n d candle It’s important to make sure the vibe stays fresh within the picnic zone. STL Herbs & Aromatics Summer Mist spray keeps mosquitos away with the scents of catnip, cedarwood, citronella, peppermint and rosemary. It smells so good we’d use it even if there weren’t mosquitos. The company also makes a citronella candle exclusively for Union Studio. Spray: $11. Candle: $15.

Union Studio, 1605 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.771.5398, stlunionstudio.com J aw b o n e M i n i J a m b o x Jawbone’s Jambox wireless bluetooth speaker series is unimpeachable. They’re durable, they last forever and the Mini is a perfect choice for smaller events, like picnics. $70. amazon.com Pendleton Roll-Up Blanket Keep it 100 (percent comfortable) with this homey, nylon-backed wool blanket.

If you don’t feel like investing in a waterproof blanket, a yoga mat will do the trick. $149. Pendleton, pendlelton.com July 2020

Single Serving

A nice picnic is the perfect engagement for maintaining social distance. Luckily, charcuterie kits are easy to make if you want to avoid a communal board. Just buy some foil pans or strong paper plates and divide up the goods.

Top with foil and keep cool until you arrive. Tear off pieces of bread for each person in advance and designate a dip distributor to spoon hummus onto everyone’s plates once settled in the park.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIZ RYAN

Don’t have time to make your own?

Lorraine Gourmet Grazing Boards will do it for you. The local company offers beautiful charcuterie boards in a range of sizes, including these mini grazing boxes. lorrainestl.com

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Cool Sips G . D . Va j r a R o s a b e l l a R o s at o This is the summer juice you need to be drinking. It has tang, depth and notes of strawberry and rose. $15. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., Richmond Heights, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com Rockwell Beer Co. S tat i c Da r k L ag e r This new classic from Rockwell isn’t the crushable summer lager you’re used to. It harnesses flavors usually found in a stout – deep, roasty currents of bitter cocoa and caramel – for a rich, balanced beer still great for a picnic. 4-pack: $10. Rockwell Beer Co., 1320 S. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, 314.256.1657, rockwellbeer.com

The Official Sauce Magazine Picnic Playlist (Quarantine Mix) You’re about to be sipping a tangy rosé, munching on fresh spring rolls and listening to this fun, breezy picnic soundtrack.

You win!

“Hey Nineteen” Steely Dan “I Wanna Be Your Lover” Prince

“Comeback” Carly Rae Jepsen “Prisoner of Your Love” Player

Side Project Brewing Fuzzy This Missouri wild ale’s mildly sour, subtle peach flavor makes it the perfect sipping beer for an afternoon spent outside. $20. Side Project Brewing, 7458 Manchester Ave., Maplewood, sideprojectbrewing.com

“Kaputt” Destroyer

“Paper Cup” Real Estate

Vicia Bottled C o c k ta i l s With a focus on fresh herbs and botanicals, Vicia’s to-go cocktail program is right for a summer picnic. Grab a bottle of whatever’s new – we tried the Minted Old-Fashioned, which came with fresh mint from Vicia’s garden. So refreshing! Pro tip: Bring a cooler with ice. $20. Vicia, 4260 Forest Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.553.9239, viciarestaurant.com

“You Give Good Love” Whitney Houston

“So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” Caroline Polachek

“I Know Alone” HAIM

“Train in Vain” The Clash

“I Keep Forgettin’” Michael McDonald

Confluence Ko m b u c h a From grapefruit-hyssop to pineappleturmeric-white pepper, Confluence’s rotating selection of kombucha is some of the best in town. The menu almost always includes the chaga mushroom kombucha, which has an intense, earthy flavor. 32-oz. growler: $20. Confluence Kombucha, 4507 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.3059, confluencekombucha.com

“I Wish” Stevie Wonder

“Everyday Is Like Sunday” Morrissey

“Hit the Back” King Princess

“Lady Luck” Richard Swift “More Than This” Roxy Music

“Young Americans” David Bowie

“Heaven or Las Vegas” Cocteau Twins “Still Beating” Mac DeMarco “Emotional Rescue” The Rolling Stones

PHOTOS BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

*Find this playlist on saucemagazine.com

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Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce Courtesy of The Banh Mi Shop’s Jimmy Trinh 8 SPRING ROLLS 2 ounces Three Ladies Brand Vietnamese rice vermicelli 8 Three Ladies Brand 8.5-inch rice papers Mixed greens Fresh mint leaves 16 large cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half Peanut dipping sauce, for serving (recipe follows) • Cook the vermicelli according to the package instructions. Set aside.

• Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip 1 rice paper wrapper into the water 1 second to soften, then lay the wrapper flat on a work surface.

• Place a handful of mixed greens and mint across the center of the wrapper, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on 2 opposite sides. Top the greens with a neat row of 4 shrimp halves. Fold the 2 uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper from a side covered with greens. Repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers.

• Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Recipes

In an age of carryout, it can feel good to roll up your sleeves and cook for others.

Here are a few fun, highly shareable picnic recipes from local restaurants.

Miso Potato Salad Courtesy of Bulrush’s Rob Connoley and Justin Bell

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

4 SERVINGS 1 lb. baby potatoes 2 tsp. neutral oil like peanut or vegetable 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 Tbsp. minced garlic ¹∕³ cup mayonnaise 4 tsp. miso* 1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar 1 ∕4 cup sliced scallions, plus more for garnish 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil • Place potatoes in large glass or ceramic dish and add water until

July 2020

filled about ¼ inch.

• Cover and microwave on high 7 minutes.

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high, then add the neutral oil and potatoes to the skillet. Using the bottom of a glass, press each potato flat to about ½-inch thick and cook until a crust forms, about 5 minutes.

• Flip the potatoes and cook until a crust forms on the other side, about 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and garlic, and remove the skillet from heat. Let cool to room temperature.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, miso and seasoned rice vinegar. Fold in the potatoes and ¼ cup scallions. Chill 1 hour. Drizzle with the sesame oil and top with additional scallions to serve. *Any miso will work well, but Bulrush uses a house-made roasted potato miso available for purchase on its curbside carryout menu. bulrushstl.com

Peanut Dipping Sauce ABOUT 1 CUP ¾ cup natural-style creamy peanut butter ¹∕³ cup water 3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce 1 Tbsp. sugar 2¼ tsp. Sambal (chili-garlic paste) 1 garlic clove, minced Crushed peanuts, for garnish (optional) • In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Top with crushed peanuts, if desired.

Spanish Tortilla with Sweety Drop Pepper Aioli Courtesy of Little Fox’s Craig Rivard 8 SERVINGS 3 cups olive oil 10 Yukon Gold potatoes

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 12 eggs 1 cup mayonnaise 6 sweety drop peppers, seeded and chopped 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, finely minced Trout roe or smoked trout roe, for garnish (optional) • In a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat. Meanwhile, peel and slice the potatoes about 1∕8 inch thick and place into a bowl.

• Increase the heat to medium and add the potato slices. Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and add to the potatoes.

Continue to cook until the potatoes are soft and the onion is translucent, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

• With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and onion to a large bowl.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cool. Strain the oil into a container and reserve.

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the eggs to the cooled potato mixture and stir gently to combine.

• To a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat, add the reserved olive oil until the skillet is filled to ¼-inch. When the oil is hot, add the potato-egg mixture.

Using a heat-proof rubber spatula, smooth out the mixture and scrape around the edges of the pan to help shape the tortilla.

• Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, occasionally shaking the pan and running the spatula around the edges to shape the tortilla and prevent sticking, until the edges are set, 15 to 20 minutes.

• Cover the skillet with a flat lid or a large plate and flip the tortilla out of the skillet.

Slide the tortilla back into the skillet and cook the other side, continuing to shape with the spatula, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

• Meanwhile, make the sweety drop pepper aioli by stirring together the mayonnaise, sweety drop peppers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and salt to taste in a small bowl.

• Flip the tortilla onto a platter and cut pie-shaped pieces. Bring the platter, or wrap individual slices in deli paper for serving at a picnic. Serve with a dollop of the aioli and trout roe, if desired.

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L A S T B I T E // W H AT I D O

“To me, coffee has such a s o c i a l , wa r m v i b e .

I got obsessed and I knew I wanted to serve coffee. …

I opened a mini cafe in my church and called it Oliver M’s, so I kept the ‘Oliver’ when I opened this place.”

“I love every cafe i n S t. L o u i s , I j u s t didn’t like the brown wood stuff yo u s e e m ost p l a c e s . I had this vision of

where I wanted to study, and I felt like there were people like me who would want the same thing. … There’s a mauve wall with gold accents and marble-topped tables – it’s just a beautiful, airy vibe.”

“I had a corona w e d d i n g . We had

O L I V I A C .

O L I V E R

C O F F E E

R I D G E L +

F L O W E R

B A R

Olivia Ridgel’s first job was at a Snobiz in North County. Until recently, that was the extent of her culinary experience. “I did other things, but I just kept coming around to wanting to have a cafe so bad,” she said. In 2018, Ridgel opened a coffee shop in her church to offer kids a place to study. After the little cafe proved successful, she made the leap and opened C. Oliver Coffee + Flower Bar in Maplewood in September 2019. Here, Ridgel chats about her passion for coffee, her COVID wedding and the support she’s received as a Black business owner. – Lauren Healey

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“ My pa r e n t s a r e b a s i c a l ly c o f f e e a d d i c t s . I used to

think they were so cool, but I wasn’t allowed to have it till I turned 13. They took me to a coffee place that starts with an ‘S’ that’s super popular, and I got a caramel Frappuccino and I didn’t like it. I’ve never been a sweets person. In high school, I

everything planned to have my dream wedding – it was supposed to be April 10, but we heard on March 21 that the mayor was gonna announce the stay-at-home order. …

My family pulled it together literally within 24 hours. They completely rearranged the cafe, and we got married the next day.”

“The [movement to] support b l ac k- ow n e d businesses c o u l d n ’ t h av e c o m e at a b e t t e r t i m e . [The stay-at-home

dwindling. Most small businesses are struggling right now, but some have been open so long that they already have that support built in.

I was so new that we didn’t really have that.”

“I often encounter racism – pretty much anytime I

walk into a place with white employees. Sometimes, my white friends will say something like, ‘Well, are you sure it was actually racism and not just someone being rude?’ ... When you’ve been dealing with it your whole life, you know the difference.”

“I made this girl a d r i n k , and in a shaky

voice, she said, ‘I just want you to know that I believe you guys matter, and I support you and love you and just want to do anything to help.’ I could tell she just really wanted to say that; it was really heartwarming.”

“Engrain it in yo u r c h i l d r e n t h at e v e r yo n e i s loved and equal.

That’s really how we can make the change is in our kids.”

C. Oliver Coffee + Flower Bar 7401 Hazel Ave., Maplewood, Facebook: C. Oliver Coffee + Flower Bar

orders] knocked down our savings a lot. It was really July 2020

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA HAROLD

started drinking brewed coffee and I fell in love with it.”

July 2020

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L A S T B I T E // L A N D M A R K

MOTHER’S FISH

BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

Mother’s Fish didn’t start as a restaurant. Owner Sean Morris said that the original spot at North Spring Avenue and Olive Street began as a bar with a weekly fish fry for those in the know. His aunt and uncle, Evelyn and Levert Gordon, were the original owners, and his mother and grandmother would help cook on Fridays. “Once it really took off and a lot of people came, my mom suggested that we get a commercial deep fryer,” Morris said. “At first, it was cooked Mississippi-style out of deep pots, black skillets.” In the ’70s and early ’80s, before the days of NoWait, standing in line for Mother’s Fish was a badge of honor. “It was a tradition to wait an hour and a half on your food when you went down there on a Friday,” Morris said.

The Gordons opened the restaurant proper in the early ’80s and ran it until Morris took over in 1995 and trademarked the name. Since then, it’s remained a family affair, with many locations all over St. Louis. Two are currently open: Morris runs Mother’s Fish on Grand Boulevard and his nephew, Toussaint Morris, took over the second remaining location a few years ago. “What’s important is carrying the name, continuing to help my family and friends,” Morris said. “It’s a community thing – something that’s able to serve the community.”

Mother’s Fish, 2738 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.833.4950, Facebook: Mother’s Fish; 6 S. Central Ave., Clayton, 314.499.7074, Facebook: Mother’s Fish - Clayton

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PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK

The Morris family continues to do it the best way they know how – by cooking great fish. The menu features jack, catfish, tilapia and shrimp, as well as American fare like burgers, pork chops, tripe and fried chicken. Morris said the cat fillets and jack fillets are bestsellers. “It’s Southern-style everything, fried,” Morris said. “My aunt, my mother’s oldest sister, they were all born in Mississippi. A lot of that Mississippi flair is on the menu.”

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