HEART STOPPING BLT AT CROWN CANDY KITCHEN of Texas toast smeared with Miracle Whip. It doesn’t get more opulent than this. $9. Crown Candy Kitchen, 1401 St. Louis Ave., St. Louis, 314.621.9650, crowncandykitchen.com
WOW BOARD, ANNIE GUNN’S
mid-morning
BLT PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER; WOW BOARD PHOTO BY MICHELLE VOLANSKY
HONEY AND WINE WRAP, CHAUMETTE VINEYARDS & WINERY There may come a point on this glorious day when you feel guilt for all this extravagance. When that moment comes, rid yourself of doubt by applying wine and honey to your whole body. The spa at Chaumette Vineyards & Winery originally developed its Honey and Wine Wrap to strengthen the body’s immune defenses. A warm paste of dry honey powder, chardonel wine and wine yeast will exfoliate and revitalize your skin and, more important, restore your conviction to buy whatever you want on Treat Yo Self Day. After a 90-minute session, bask in the glory of renewed confidence in the spa’s sanctuary room overlooking picturesque Saline Creek Valley and unwind with a complimentary glass of one of Chaumette’s award-winning wines. Darling, you look mahvelous! $175. Chaumette Vineyards & Winery, 24345 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, 573.747.1000, chaumette.com May 2015
MILKSHAKE, BAILEYS’ RANGE If I had my way, I’d have a milkshake a day just like I did when I was a kid. At Baileys’ Range, all 15 flavors of rich, silky ice cream are made from scratch. There’s white chocolate-raspberry, coconut crunch, triple chocolate, salted caramel, pistachio … and my favorite, cookies and cream. With so many options, it’s difficult to choose. However, if you order the large (of course you’re ordering the large), you can mix any two flavors and save yourself the trouble of making such a difficult life decision. $5.50. Baileys’ Range, 920 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.241.8121, baileysrange.com
lunch HEART STOPPING BLT, CROWN CANDY KITCHEN Step inside this little North St. Louis spot and be transported into a Norman Rockwell painting. Grab a seat at one of the booths and order Crown Candy’s famous Heart Stopping BLT. Some 14 to 15 slices of fatty, crispy, crunchy, salty bacon are unabashedly piled between slices
Chef Lou Rook III has earned my trust. Even though I never know exactly what I’m going to get when I order the Wow Board, when this gustatory spread arrives at the table, I always squeal “Wow!” and then devour everything. Now it’s your turn. This repast comes with various meats like Cajun andouille sausage, a pork terrine, fried chicken livers with horseradish or boudin balls. Accompanying those savory flavors, you’ll find a sweet foil such as a gooseberry or bacon chutney. Cheese is essential, and local favorite Baetje Farms’ Bloomsdale has made cameos in the past. One mainstay is the thinly sliced Irish soda bread, toasted to a golden hue and slathered in butter. With all those lardaceous elements, pickled vegetables like carrots, onions, jalapenos and radishes add the perfect briny bite. $24. Annie Gunn’s, 16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, 636.532.7684, smokehousemarket.com
mid-afternoon CHOCOLATE TASTING, VB CHOCOLATE BAR Alcohol and sugar are mankind’s two biggest food vices, and at VB Chocolate Bar, they pair them like evil geniuses. Reserve a tailor-made, four-course tasting party, and they will give you an experience that matches your every whim. If chardonnay is your thing, they might pair one that holds notes of tropical fruit and melon with a milk chocolate strawberry-sage-goat cheese truffle. If you prefer a dry red, your lips might meet a cabernet and affogato a la mode: a cream cheese brownie with a scoop of ice cream swimming in a shot of espresso. The first Thursday of the
month, VB brings cigars into the tasting mix; spend an evening puffing a few boutique cigars while swigging a couple craft beers and sipping fine whiskeys, then finish with specially made desserts. If cigars, sweets and adult beverages sound like a love triangle, this one’s for you, baby. Four-course chocolate tasting: $25 per person; Sip and Smoke: $30 per person. VB Chocolate Bar, 5326 State Highway N, Cottleville, 636.352.1139, vbchocolatebar.com
WOW BOARD AT ANNIE GUNN'S
happy hour VOLCANO BOWL, TASTE Four straws, please. The Volcano Bowl at Taste requires a bit of teamwork. This fruity punch is a mix of freshly squeezed grapefruit and lime juices, a little dark maple syrup and a lot of rum – Plantation 5-year, Angostura 5-year and Rhum Barbancourt 4-year. A classic recipe from cool cocktail dude Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, this punch is the perfect way to usher in warm weather and balmy nights. If you go it alone, know that this is a quick ticket to get faded. However, there is such a thing as a siesta. $45. Taste, 4584 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.1200, tastebarstl.com saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 47