It's found in a glass bottle sitting on bars all over america the rich red concoction is sitting waiting to be pulled, poured, mixed and served into dozens of drinks. Even many bartenders aren't quiet sure what makes up Grenadine. If it was an ideal world it'd be a red currant and pomegranate syrup, with water, sugar and the two fruits being the only ingredients. Sadly this isn't an ideal world and companies get away with subbing out the pomegranates and the currants for the much cheaper and cost effective chemical compounds that can recreate the fruits slightly bitter mostly sweet flavor. But if you want to put a boost in your drinks all it takes is a simple trip to your local middle eastern market. Pomegranate syrup a thick molass like syrup so dark its almost black with a few simple tricks you can make your own Grenadine that will add a flare to your favorite red tinted cocktail of choice.
Grenadine Syrup:
1/2 cup Pomegranate Syrup
1 cup Current Juice
2 TBSP Sugar
Water
Pour the three ingredients into a small sauce pot and bring to a slow simmer, thin with water until the syrup flows freely and easily from a spoon but leaves a thin coating behind (for reference we call this Nape in the culinary world). Substitute your homemade syrup in a drink recipe in even parts.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
It's all greek to me!
The humble Gyro... it's pronunciation is as varied as the fillings put into it, most of them... are wrong. In theory a simple street food that is one of the most popular thing to have come out of Greece since the invention of democracy. There are only a few restaurants in St. Louis that I will order gyros from, why you ask? The answer falls to the filling... frozen blocks of land critter should NOT be in the filling of my sandwich, it's insulting to me, humiliating when I drop the sandwich in disgust to the serve, and damaging to the buisness when I never come back again.
This isn't a burger (Still mighty sin but slightly lower on the list of unforgivable acts) it's a gyro, all it has, all it should ever have is six things: Pita, Tzatiki, Red Onion, Lettuce (NOT ICEBURG), Feta and most importantly the meat. First things first, I refuse to call it a Gyro if any kind of poultry has touched it, I don't care if you're on a health kick and wanting to watch what you eat throwing cut up bits of chicken onto a pita a gyro does not make. Gyro meat should always be made on site, layers of Beef and lamb with an herb mixed stacked onto that wonderful spinning rod that magically fuses said layers into a single block of deliciousness. Likewise, any owner who uses premade tzatkiki should by law be executed on grounds of treason, no excuses, NONE!
So where do I head for my fix of Gyro? Find a nice middle eastern market, if it's worth a single grain of salt there'll be a small menu in the back of the shop selling you some of the best street food. When it comes to a restaurants... it's a bit more difficult. The best I know of is Michael's on Manchester, there are probably better places that I haven't gone to yet but never, never order it from a Greek menu... it's a lie.
This isn't a burger (Still mighty sin but slightly lower on the list of unforgivable acts) it's a gyro, all it has, all it should ever have is six things: Pita, Tzatiki, Red Onion, Lettuce (NOT ICEBURG), Feta and most importantly the meat. First things first, I refuse to call it a Gyro if any kind of poultry has touched it, I don't care if you're on a health kick and wanting to watch what you eat throwing cut up bits of chicken onto a pita a gyro does not make. Gyro meat should always be made on site, layers of Beef and lamb with an herb mixed stacked onto that wonderful spinning rod that magically fuses said layers into a single block of deliciousness. Likewise, any owner who uses premade tzatkiki should by law be executed on grounds of treason, no excuses, NONE!
So where do I head for my fix of Gyro? Find a nice middle eastern market, if it's worth a single grain of salt there'll be a small menu in the back of the shop selling you some of the best street food. When it comes to a restaurants... it's a bit more difficult. The best I know of is Michael's on Manchester, there are probably better places that I haven't gone to yet but never, never order it from a Greek menu... it's a lie.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Farmer's Markets: From Big to small.
Fresh is best, I've said it a dozen times if not more... but you're probably curious of where is best, and with the return of summer comes the return of the Markets, Kirkwood, Webster, Clayton, most of the Small towns that make up St. Louis have them, sometimes they're more craft fairs then farmer's market though...
Let's start with the big one, the unrivaled king of the STL Markets, Soulard Farmer's Market. Four legs streaming from a central hub and the size of a city block, show up early in the morning, especially on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll see fleets of trucks coming and dropping off goods to purveyors, all with the mark of some local farm or the other. If it's artisan, you'll find it in one of the four legs of the market, bakeries, butchers, and boutique meats can all be found if your willing to put the leg worth in. When it comes to produce I trust Schrodinger's, family's been using them for years, fair prices and the freshest produce, and they'll tell you if it's fully ripe or needs to wait a few days in the brown bag to finish getting there.
From there unfortunately the markets shrink rather quickly on the town level, they're more art fairs then farmers markets with the occasional restaurant showing a stall in support with a shrunken menu. You'll find the ocasional stall that sells over priced "organic" produce... trust me when it comes to markets Under the Arch nothing beats Soulard.
What do you need? and Where to get it?
So I've been talking about places and cuisines this entire time, with the occasional bit of tipple advice thrown in to keep it all loose. For this post it'll be a little different, what do you need in order to make your home kitchen ready for everything. And this is a bare bones list, as it should be, a cluttered kitchen with ten different kinds of knife to cut a bagel is pointless, do you really need four 9x13's all made out of a different material, NO.
Really all you need besides your appliances are as follows:
1 Chef Knife, 7-9 inches long of a good make
1 Serrated knife, 11-13 inches long (don't worry as much on make, you'll be replacing it every few years anyway.)
1 Rubber Spat
1 Medium Heavy bottomed skillet (and not heavy because of a welded on plate, solid bottom)
1 Medium Heavy bottomed Sauce pot (see parenthesis above)
1 Cutting Board, heavy wood is better but harder to clean and more expensive, Plastics are cheap easier to clean but break and melt easily... don't ask
1 or 2 Baking dishes, 9x13 either Glass or Ceramic covered cast iron
2 or 3 half-sheet trays, there is no reason for a home owner to have full sized sheet trays most home ovens can't take them
That's it, none of those presses for every little thing from garlic to peanuts, none of those slap chops that break quick and never get a good cut, and for the love of all things Escoffier not a drawer full of infomercial knives that "never dull" or "last forever" that's just dangerous. Ignore the infomercials and go out and pick up what you need. If you want a profesional grade knife (you wont need it but hey if you want one I'm not gonna stop you) Bertarelli's knives on the hill is the place to go (They can be bribbed with Chocolate drops from Missouri Bakery), I recommend Wurstof if your going that route, they have a line for every need, personally I like the slightly heavier Grand Prixe II line. but otherwise go to Tuesday Morning. No I'm not joking, I was sending you there for everything else anyways, decent brands and everything you need in close reach, as well as a few nick-nacks if you absolutely want a single purpose item in your kitchen... don't know why you would but some people do. Walmart and Schnucks I'm almost ashamed to say also put out decent Home use grade products. Or check online at restaurant auction sights, you wont find knives most of the time but the cutting boards, pans, spats and other professional grade odds and ends, they wont be pretty but they will work to Armageddon and back. And really isn't that what you want, something that will never break or ship on you despite a few bumps and dents instead of something shiny that breaks the first time you toss it into the sink just a little to hard?
Really all you need besides your appliances are as follows:
1 Chef Knife, 7-9 inches long of a good make
1 Serrated knife, 11-13 inches long (don't worry as much on make, you'll be replacing it every few years anyway.)
1 Rubber Spat
1 Medium Heavy bottomed skillet (and not heavy because of a welded on plate, solid bottom)
1 Medium Heavy bottomed Sauce pot (see parenthesis above)
1 Cutting Board, heavy wood is better but harder to clean and more expensive, Plastics are cheap easier to clean but break and melt easily... don't ask
1 or 2 Baking dishes, 9x13 either Glass or Ceramic covered cast iron
2 or 3 half-sheet trays, there is no reason for a home owner to have full sized sheet trays most home ovens can't take them
That's it, none of those presses for every little thing from garlic to peanuts, none of those slap chops that break quick and never get a good cut, and for the love of all things Escoffier not a drawer full of infomercial knives that "never dull" or "last forever" that's just dangerous. Ignore the infomercials and go out and pick up what you need. If you want a profesional grade knife (you wont need it but hey if you want one I'm not gonna stop you) Bertarelli's knives on the hill is the place to go (They can be bribbed with Chocolate drops from Missouri Bakery), I recommend Wurstof if your going that route, they have a line for every need, personally I like the slightly heavier Grand Prixe II line. but otherwise go to Tuesday Morning. No I'm not joking, I was sending you there for everything else anyways, decent brands and everything you need in close reach, as well as a few nick-nacks if you absolutely want a single purpose item in your kitchen... don't know why you would but some people do. Walmart and Schnucks I'm almost ashamed to say also put out decent Home use grade products. Or check online at restaurant auction sights, you wont find knives most of the time but the cutting boards, pans, spats and other professional grade odds and ends, they wont be pretty but they will work to Armageddon and back. And really isn't that what you want, something that will never break or ship on you despite a few bumps and dents instead of something shiny that breaks the first time you toss it into the sink just a little to hard?
Monday, May 26, 2014
Middle East in the Mid-West
I seem to be slowly moving westward these past few weeks. First with China and the far east, then India, and now here I am with the middle east. There's been a slowly growing population of middle eastern population finding home Under the Arch. And where a people go they bring their food with them, so besides several good eateries like say... Ranoush, we now have two of them, woot woot, one in Kirkwood and one on the loop, and Aya Sofia's we also have several markets that are stocking the goods.
You'll find them tucked away in strip malls and in old buildings, they seem to be waiting, lurking almost in the shadows. Until you walk in, the first thing that should hit you is the smell, a mix of Spices that you as a pour uneducated American wouldn't normally know how to place just lick your lips and you'll feel a slight flavor buzz hitting you. First thing you do is find the back wall, this isn't always going to be an easy task as several are labyrinths of wonders that we Blue eyed devils had no idea existed, Hookahs and Tea sets, teas that you'd never understand or even begin to know how to brew properly, dates, figs, preserves, spices, turmeric and tamarind all swirling around you in bright packaging showing pictures of beautiful women, men on horse back, dogs, animals of all kind. You feel tempted to snag a treasure from the wall, bolt to the counter pay the snaggle toothed little old woman whose yelling across the store to her husband in a language most american's can't understand and get out of your car feeling like Aladdin after getting out of the Cave of wonders... RESIT, RESIT I say, stay true and find that back wall.
Once you find it, follow your nose to the source of that mix of meat, spices and pita that can only be gyro, every and I do mean every middle eastern market worth their salt will have one, sometimes tucked away so only a regular or family can find it there you'll find the little old man with milk chocolate skin and white hair rolling his eyes upward and moving his mouth, likely a prayer to Allah for patience with this devil woman he married. He'll smile and bow slightly when he see's you bow in return, be polite to this small man. A chalkboard sign will tell you what he offers, it'll be the same everywhere, beef, chicken or lamb, Gyro or Salad. Tell the man what you want. While he's making it he'll ask you about your day,and soon the two of you will be talking about sports and then somehow into politics, this little old man will slip your food into a container handing it over to you take it bow a little at the waist and say thank you as you take it from him and grab a can off coffee drink on your way out. You have now become an initiate to one of the best kept secrets in STL.
You'll find them tucked away in strip malls and in old buildings, they seem to be waiting, lurking almost in the shadows. Until you walk in, the first thing that should hit you is the smell, a mix of Spices that you as a pour uneducated American wouldn't normally know how to place just lick your lips and you'll feel a slight flavor buzz hitting you. First thing you do is find the back wall, this isn't always going to be an easy task as several are labyrinths of wonders that we Blue eyed devils had no idea existed, Hookahs and Tea sets, teas that you'd never understand or even begin to know how to brew properly, dates, figs, preserves, spices, turmeric and tamarind all swirling around you in bright packaging showing pictures of beautiful women, men on horse back, dogs, animals of all kind. You feel tempted to snag a treasure from the wall, bolt to the counter pay the snaggle toothed little old woman whose yelling across the store to her husband in a language most american's can't understand and get out of your car feeling like Aladdin after getting out of the Cave of wonders... RESIT, RESIT I say, stay true and find that back wall.
Once you find it, follow your nose to the source of that mix of meat, spices and pita that can only be gyro, every and I do mean every middle eastern market worth their salt will have one, sometimes tucked away so only a regular or family can find it there you'll find the little old man with milk chocolate skin and white hair rolling his eyes upward and moving his mouth, likely a prayer to Allah for patience with this devil woman he married. He'll smile and bow slightly when he see's you bow in return, be polite to this small man. A chalkboard sign will tell you what he offers, it'll be the same everywhere, beef, chicken or lamb, Gyro or Salad. Tell the man what you want. While he's making it he'll ask you about your day,and soon the two of you will be talking about sports and then somehow into politics, this little old man will slip your food into a container handing it over to you take it bow a little at the waist and say thank you as you take it from him and grab a can off coffee drink on your way out. You have now become an initiate to one of the best kept secrets in STL.
Red Rum
More then just Murder spelled backwards, this is also a great theme drink for an event, simple and quick to make and easy to drink it's an awesome way to start a party.
Red Rum
Hardware
Highball
Ice
Stir Rod
Software
A Flag (No not the symbol of a nation or organization a cherry and an orange wedge on a stir stick)
Ingredients
2 oz Clear Rum of Choice (Bacardi Superior is nice for this one)
1 oz Pomegranate Syrup
Top off With Orange Juice (Remember Fresh is best)
Blue prints
Personally I think that this is one of those drinks that it really is better to have stirred then shaken. Add Ice to the Highball and pour in the Rum, you'll get some taste from the Rum in this drink besides the burn so again pick a clear rum of your choice but make sure you like the taste. Add Pomegranate Syrup (Check your local Middle eastern Market... what do you mean what Market... Fine I'll be handling that next post.) or if you can't find the Pomegranate use Grenadine, I'll cover that in a future post also. Mix til the liquid is a nice deep solid red, this is why I don't recommend shaking this drink, instead of a nice red you get almost a pink color out of it... and that, is not good. Top with OJ (FRESH, FRESH you fools, none of this prepackaged stuff) and give a final few stirs before garnishing with the flag and sliding it down the bar to that pretty wench who just winked at you, Yo Ho Yo Ho a pirate's life for thee.
Red Rum
Hardware
Highball
Ice
Stir Rod
Software
A Flag (No not the symbol of a nation or organization a cherry and an orange wedge on a stir stick)
Ingredients
2 oz Clear Rum of Choice (Bacardi Superior is nice for this one)
1 oz Pomegranate Syrup
Top off With Orange Juice (Remember Fresh is best)
Blue prints
Personally I think that this is one of those drinks that it really is better to have stirred then shaken. Add Ice to the Highball and pour in the Rum, you'll get some taste from the Rum in this drink besides the burn so again pick a clear rum of your choice but make sure you like the taste. Add Pomegranate Syrup (Check your local Middle eastern Market... what do you mean what Market... Fine I'll be handling that next post.) or if you can't find the Pomegranate use Grenadine, I'll cover that in a future post also. Mix til the liquid is a nice deep solid red, this is why I don't recommend shaking this drink, instead of a nice red you get almost a pink color out of it... and that, is not good. Top with OJ (FRESH, FRESH you fools, none of this prepackaged stuff) and give a final few stirs before garnishing with the flag and sliding it down the bar to that pretty wench who just winked at you, Yo Ho Yo Ho a pirate's life for thee.
Sex on the Beach
This is the favoite drink of one of my close friends new fiancee, in fact when he proposed to her, the night of her twenty-first birthday I was asked to be there for a couple of reasons, one of them was to mix this drink for her. This is my version of Sex on the Beach.
Hardware:
Highball glass
Shaker
Jigger
Ice
Alternate Hardware
Highball
Ice
Stir rod
Ingredients
1+1/2 oz Vodka of choice (Please pick a decent Vodka)
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
2 oz Orange Juice
2 oz Cranberry Juice
Software (Garnishment)
Umbrella (optional)
Stir stick (NOT optional)
Blue print
If shaking drink:
Fill shaker two-thirds of the way with ice (crushed if possible) and add Vodka, Schnapps, and juices. Shake vigorously for thirty to forty seconds strain with jigger into an Ice filled Highball. Garnish and serve
If Stirring Drink:
Layer Vodka, then schnapps, pour in equal amounts of Orange and then Cranberry juice, stir steadily and garnish appropriately and Serve.
Hardware:
Highball glass
Shaker
Jigger
Ice
Alternate Hardware
Highball
Ice
Stir rod
Ingredients
1+1/2 oz Vodka of choice (Please pick a decent Vodka)
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
2 oz Orange Juice
2 oz Cranberry Juice
Software (Garnishment)
Umbrella (optional)
Stir stick (NOT optional)
Blue print
If shaking drink:
Fill shaker two-thirds of the way with ice (crushed if possible) and add Vodka, Schnapps, and juices. Shake vigorously for thirty to forty seconds strain with jigger into an Ice filled Highball. Garnish and serve
If Stirring Drink:
Layer Vodka, then schnapps, pour in equal amounts of Orange and then Cranberry juice, stir steadily and garnish appropriately and Serve.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Best Chinese Take out
A little shop on Watson just north of the intersection of Watson and Lacleade lies my personal Haunt for that deep-fried sauce covered meat of questionable origin that is American Chinese Take out.
Knock the thought that Chinese take out is authentic Chinese Cuisine right now, it's not, nor will it ever be, nor do I want it to ever be. I love actual Chinese food, bowls of noodles in broth covered with everything in the kitchen, buns of all variety that stuff is orgasmicly good if you can find a good source to hit your fix, and I have but that's for another time.
The beauty of the red headed step child that is Chinese take out is that it isn't actual cuisine. Over the pacific in the home of the middle kingdom they would have no idea what seventy perecnt, if not more of the items on your typical take out menu is, and I like that, it is American food, imagine if instead of Burger joints there were only steak houses, where of course you could get a steak friete and you know what even as a sandwich, but it wouldn't be the same. There's a reason that the Chinese take-out joint is on the fridge of 90% of families in the united states, at least in STL... and often the same place is passed down from the consumer side of the equation growing up with a certian kind of fried rice, does the wanton soup have mushrooms or just lovingly made pork filled wanton wrapper boiled in chicken broth (that's what I grew up with).
Bar none Dingho is my joint, its one of the few places in town where I can walk in and smile at the tiny little Asian woman behind the counter bow slightly to Gran-Gran whose shuffling round back and without saying a word six maybe ten minutes later one of my favorite comfort meals, Crishpy Cashew Chicken No Vegetable combination plate with fried rice, fried wanton, and crab rangoon; Eggroll; and order of six perfectly done post stickers will be handed over the counter to me as I hand over the 10.00 that the meal is (I leave the change behind, the meal is definitely worth the tenner plus every once in a while the little woman shakes her head, "you no pay this time"... I leave the money on a table anyways.)
Knock the thought that Chinese take out is authentic Chinese Cuisine right now, it's not, nor will it ever be, nor do I want it to ever be. I love actual Chinese food, bowls of noodles in broth covered with everything in the kitchen, buns of all variety that stuff is orgasmicly good if you can find a good source to hit your fix, and I have but that's for another time.
The beauty of the red headed step child that is Chinese take out is that it isn't actual cuisine. Over the pacific in the home of the middle kingdom they would have no idea what seventy perecnt, if not more of the items on your typical take out menu is, and I like that, it is American food, imagine if instead of Burger joints there were only steak houses, where of course you could get a steak friete and you know what even as a sandwich, but it wouldn't be the same. There's a reason that the Chinese take-out joint is on the fridge of 90% of families in the united states, at least in STL... and often the same place is passed down from the consumer side of the equation growing up with a certian kind of fried rice, does the wanton soup have mushrooms or just lovingly made pork filled wanton wrapper boiled in chicken broth (that's what I grew up with).
Bar none Dingho is my joint, its one of the few places in town where I can walk in and smile at the tiny little Asian woman behind the counter bow slightly to Gran-Gran whose shuffling round back and without saying a word six maybe ten minutes later one of my favorite comfort meals, Crishpy Cashew Chicken No Vegetable combination plate with fried rice, fried wanton, and crab rangoon; Eggroll; and order of six perfectly done post stickers will be handed over the counter to me as I hand over the 10.00 that the meal is (I leave the change behind, the meal is definitely worth the tenner plus every once in a while the little woman shakes her head, "you no pay this time"... I leave the money on a table anyways.)
A wok across Asia
As you might have gathered by this point I'm a bit of an Asiaphile, I love most things that come from the east from Kim-chi and Bulgogi to Schezwan Eggplant and Fried Rice to Sushi and Tempura. The spice mixes are interesting, flavorful and fresh when compared to the french sauces and preparations. This brings up the question of which fare from the east is my favorite, and that is where we hit a problem. I don't really have one, there are bits of each cuisine that I love and bits I could do without.
This is where "Chinese" buffets come into play, now there are some in St. Louis that really shouldn't be gone to, before it closed down China Star was a good example, another one that I would recommend shying away from would be Habachi Grill Supreme Buffet down on Watson... trust me just don't on this one food rests for hours on end, I've never seen the food checked on, service was... just bad... but there are some places in St. Louis that have reinvented themselves, Joy Luck buffet is a great example of this. For a long time it was the place to avoid in town, but a change of owners can be a wonderful thing. This is my go to Chinese buffet, but not my favorite, I go because of good qaulity, fair price and most impotently how close it is to my home.
Before I go into my favorite Chinese buffet lets go into what makes a good one. Decor while important isn't the end all be all, food has to be constantly coming out of the Kitchen, rotated often and seamlessly, the waiter or more likely waitress should be good at what they do moving quickly refiling drinks and clearing plates all the while smiling and laughing along. But most importantly is the Variety factor, the fact is that Chinese Buffet has for a long time been a misnomer, Far Eastern buffet would be more appropriate, a healthy mix of Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese built on a base of good Americanized Chinese that we are all but force fed growing up.
In St. Louis the end all be all of the Chinese Buffet falls to Emperor's Palace. The thing is you don't go into a buffet expecting authenticity, it just doesn't work that way and Emperor's Palace makes no claim of that, they do claim and rightfully so a wide range of Asian dishes, a high turnover rate in the food and an atmosphere conducive to kicking back sipping hot green tea while laughing at the kids running around the chocolate fountain as you take a bite of Beijing Duck right next to a pile of Kim-chi and a half of a tuna roll.
This is where "Chinese" buffets come into play, now there are some in St. Louis that really shouldn't be gone to, before it closed down China Star was a good example, another one that I would recommend shying away from would be Habachi Grill Supreme Buffet down on Watson... trust me just don't on this one food rests for hours on end, I've never seen the food checked on, service was... just bad... but there are some places in St. Louis that have reinvented themselves, Joy Luck buffet is a great example of this. For a long time it was the place to avoid in town, but a change of owners can be a wonderful thing. This is my go to Chinese buffet, but not my favorite, I go because of good qaulity, fair price and most impotently how close it is to my home.
Before I go into my favorite Chinese buffet lets go into what makes a good one. Decor while important isn't the end all be all, food has to be constantly coming out of the Kitchen, rotated often and seamlessly, the waiter or more likely waitress should be good at what they do moving quickly refiling drinks and clearing plates all the while smiling and laughing along. But most importantly is the Variety factor, the fact is that Chinese Buffet has for a long time been a misnomer, Far Eastern buffet would be more appropriate, a healthy mix of Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese built on a base of good Americanized Chinese that we are all but force fed growing up.
In St. Louis the end all be all of the Chinese Buffet falls to Emperor's Palace. The thing is you don't go into a buffet expecting authenticity, it just doesn't work that way and Emperor's Palace makes no claim of that, they do claim and rightfully so a wide range of Asian dishes, a high turnover rate in the food and an atmosphere conducive to kicking back sipping hot green tea while laughing at the kids running around the chocolate fountain as you take a bite of Beijing Duck right next to a pile of Kim-chi and a half of a tuna roll.
Monday, May 19, 2014
The first bite of Summer
As A St. Louisian, there is one thing that means the start of summer, that first bite of your concrete of choice from Ted Drew's Frozen Custard. This place is a St. Louis staple, one of the few of the places that this city is actually known for. Let me explain it to you, Take a parking lot, smack a building in the middle of it, similar to a used car lot, add a bunch of late teen early twenty year-olds in bright yellow shirts, throw on a senile old man with an affinity for frozen custard and you have the cold dessert Mecca under the Arch.
There are an infinite number of combinations that can come flowing out of the glowing windows that hide a paradise of blenders, mixers, churners and acne infested teenagers. You walk up to the window with your friends after one of the following:
A Cards Game
o A Rams Game (early in the season)
A High School football game (High school of your choosing)
A show at the Fox
A show at the Muny
A Wedding
A Funeral
A Barmitzvah
A Batmitzvah
A Bonfire
A House Fire
A Gang Fight
ect.
Basically after everything... and anything is an excuse to go and get your choice of deliciousness trapped between ivory folds of frozen vanilla... ... ... ...
I'm sorry about this, I seem to be channeling my inner Bourdain today...
But anyways, there is only one item in St. Louis I can willingly go back over and over and over again, on my knees and begging for, a Large Teramizzou concrete... Pistachios, Hot fudge, Caramel sauce, throw into a blender cup hit Frappe and wham-o blam-o ambrosia from on high handed to you by a late teens early twenties goddess on earth in a yellow shirt and a black visor.
There are an infinite number of combinations that can come flowing out of the glowing windows that hide a paradise of blenders, mixers, churners and acne infested teenagers. You walk up to the window with your friends after one of the following:
A Cards Game
o A Rams Game (early in the season)
A High School football game (High school of your choosing)
A show at the Fox
A show at the Muny
A Wedding
A Funeral
A Barmitzvah
A Batmitzvah
A Bonfire
A House Fire
A Gang Fight
ect.
Basically after everything... and anything is an excuse to go and get your choice of deliciousness trapped between ivory folds of frozen vanilla... ... ... ...
I'm sorry about this, I seem to be channeling my inner Bourdain today...
But anyways, there is only one item in St. Louis I can willingly go back over and over and over again, on my knees and begging for, a Large Teramizzou concrete... Pistachios, Hot fudge, Caramel sauce, throw into a blender cup hit Frappe and wham-o blam-o ambrosia from on high handed to you by a late teens early twenties goddess on earth in a yellow shirt and a black visor.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
A deeper look at St. Louis' China Town.
Cruise down 170 and get off at Olive you have now entered the small but growing China Town in U-city. A couple of good Asian markets and lots of tasty eateries line Olive for a few blocks here Lui-Lui's, Wei-Hong, Oishi the list goes on and on, I have yet to try every eatery along the strip but am slowly ticking them off one at a time and as of yet have not been disappointed -knocks on wood-.
There have been a lot of odd looks at me as I stroll through the isles of Seafood city and Olive Farmer's market, two of my favorites stores, but I smile slightly and bow a little at the waist receive the same and move on. A few of the clerks have learned my name, probably because it's embroidered on my coats and I hit there in between work and school... but anyways if it's from the east and you're looking for it odds are if those two markets it can't be found Under the Arch.
There have been a lot of odd looks at me as I stroll through the isles of Seafood city and Olive Farmer's market, two of my favorites stores, but I smile slightly and bow a little at the waist receive the same and move on. A few of the clerks have learned my name, probably because it's embroidered on my coats and I hit there in between work and school... but anyways if it's from the east and you're looking for it odds are if those two markets it can't be found Under the Arch.
Haveli: A home away from home
I am white, my grandparents, all white... but if I had an Indian Grandmother I imagine going to see her would be a lot like going to Haveli. Part of that probably comes from the fact that the owner/manager is a good friend of mine, Parth is a couple years older then I am and a friend who fills the role of big brother that I normally fill with my friends. That and the food that they serve is some of the best in St. Louis. Not kidding, it's one of the few places that if I could afford it would happily hit three or more times a week and still be happy.
You walk into the front door and are hit with Indian music, some Bollywood mixed with traditional and the smell, you'll likely see the tall scraggly man that is Parth fluttering around the tables checking on everyone before his eyes lock onto you and he greets you from across the room before pointing at an empty table telling you to sit and enjoy, I recommend sitting and when he walks by ask for chai his way, he'll smirk a bit nodding before telling you to go and eat. The Island o'food as I have come to call it is full of chaffing dishes that carry wonderful dishes that feel homemade while the taste is definitely professional. Every once in a while you'll see a middle aged Indian woman come out of the kitchen like a queen before calling her son over, that is Mama Parth a force of nature that could orginize and run even the most disorganized of armies.
I don't have a favorite dish... it's all so good... normally a carnivore I'll load up my plate with vegetarian dishes just as easily as meat filled ones... As I stated I am a sucker for good goat, and the best I've had in St. Louis is with out doubt at Haveli. It's a buffet on Sunday Night, Thursday night and every day between 11 and 3, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Nights it's a sit down place that really feels like home with large share able portions and good atmosphere, with the blinds closed you almost feel like your not in St. Louis anymore, instead you're at Grandmama's house sharring food and drink with your large family, while not a secret... exactly it's more of a club with who knows about Haveli, and this is my invitation to all of you to come and join the family.
You walk into the front door and are hit with Indian music, some Bollywood mixed with traditional and the smell, you'll likely see the tall scraggly man that is Parth fluttering around the tables checking on everyone before his eyes lock onto you and he greets you from across the room before pointing at an empty table telling you to sit and enjoy, I recommend sitting and when he walks by ask for chai his way, he'll smirk a bit nodding before telling you to go and eat. The Island o'food as I have come to call it is full of chaffing dishes that carry wonderful dishes that feel homemade while the taste is definitely professional. Every once in a while you'll see a middle aged Indian woman come out of the kitchen like a queen before calling her son over, that is Mama Parth a force of nature that could orginize and run even the most disorganized of armies.
I don't have a favorite dish... it's all so good... normally a carnivore I'll load up my plate with vegetarian dishes just as easily as meat filled ones... As I stated I am a sucker for good goat, and the best I've had in St. Louis is with out doubt at Haveli. It's a buffet on Sunday Night, Thursday night and every day between 11 and 3, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Nights it's a sit down place that really feels like home with large share able portions and good atmosphere, with the blinds closed you almost feel like your not in St. Louis anymore, instead you're at Grandmama's house sharring food and drink with your large family, while not a secret... exactly it's more of a club with who knows about Haveli, and this is my invitation to all of you to come and join the family.
India Palace: Take out fit for a King.
Right off a highway, a couple miles down from the Loop lies one food institution that one shouldn't neglect to mention if they're on an Indian Kick... guilty as charged... but I can't help the craving for good Naan and selections of curry. With that being said it really is a great Indian place good food at a decent price, as most of my posts are about. The meal for two is enough for three of my family and we are... generous eaters for the most part and quality is not sacrificed by the quantity produced. I'll say it now and I'll say it again, I'm a sucker for good goat, and India Palace has some damned good goat on it's menu.
I ate in the restuarnt for dinner one time shortly after it opened for the days service. My father and I were both after Indian food and our favorite place was closed since it was a Monday, we watched at how as soon the clock struck five the phone in the place started blowing up call after call coming in, dinner for three, dinner for two, Chicken Tikki massala with extra Naan, order after order taken by the hostess at her station and within twenty minutes they started coming in, well dressed women in mini-vans, suited fathers in SUV's with a daughter from one of the catholic girl's schools the middle and upper-middle class of st. Louis stopping by on their way home from work to pick up their food.
The most impressive part was the hostess, she remembered names of children, events in the family, my father and I watched in awe as we enjoyed tandoori chicken and a medium goat curry respectively, the calls stopped coming in around six o'clock and the last of the Parents on the go had their food and out the door by six thirty. Under the Arch take out is the savoir of several working families, and to spice it up why not throw some Indian flavor into the mix with India palace.
I ate in the restuarnt for dinner one time shortly after it opened for the days service. My father and I were both after Indian food and our favorite place was closed since it was a Monday, we watched at how as soon the clock struck five the phone in the place started blowing up call after call coming in, dinner for three, dinner for two, Chicken Tikki massala with extra Naan, order after order taken by the hostess at her station and within twenty minutes they started coming in, well dressed women in mini-vans, suited fathers in SUV's with a daughter from one of the catholic girl's schools the middle and upper-middle class of st. Louis stopping by on their way home from work to pick up their food.
The most impressive part was the hostess, she remembered names of children, events in the family, my father and I watched in awe as we enjoyed tandoori chicken and a medium goat curry respectively, the calls stopped coming in around six o'clock and the last of the Parents on the go had their food and out the door by six thirty. Under the Arch take out is the savoir of several working families, and to spice it up why not throw some Indian flavor into the mix with India palace.
Mr. Curry, also known as the Restaurant formally known as Curry in a hurry...
You're in downtown St. Louis... it's the middle of the work day and you're hungry... what do you do, you only have thirty minutes before the boss comes breathing down you're neck for the reports that were never your responsibility to begin with but did anyways. Luckily near the corner of Olive and Seventh lies the answer to your hunger, Mr. Curry's Buffet Express.
You walk up and pay the very fair price and walk up to the buffet, as you look around you see a group of college kids in the corner, maybe interns from one of the local universities, maybe a study group, an old couple chatting over a stack of paper plates, and three men having a power meeting over lunch their designer jackets hung on the back of their chairs and their free hand pressed against their ties as a plastic fork carries the delectable bits of slow cooked meat and veg from plate to fork or a torn piece of delicious Naan sopping up curry only to be quickly popped into their mouths before a single drop of the precious liquid can make contact on the tailored shirts. A diverse crowd to say the least. as you reach the buffet line, a ten compartment steam table, a rice cooker and a collection of platters and and thermoses you are fully hit be the smell of good curry, grabbing this and that you stack up on Naan and Bathora breads, find a spot and start eating. In and out in fifteen minutes and back in the office with plenty of time to check over those stupid reports one last time.
Limited hours (11am-1:30 pm) and a set rotating menu allows for the low cost at the door without compromising on the flavor of the food. Under the Arch if you're in a hurry try Mr. Curry.
You walk up and pay the very fair price and walk up to the buffet, as you look around you see a group of college kids in the corner, maybe interns from one of the local universities, maybe a study group, an old couple chatting over a stack of paper plates, and three men having a power meeting over lunch their designer jackets hung on the back of their chairs and their free hand pressed against their ties as a plastic fork carries the delectable bits of slow cooked meat and veg from plate to fork or a torn piece of delicious Naan sopping up curry only to be quickly popped into their mouths before a single drop of the precious liquid can make contact on the tailored shirts. A diverse crowd to say the least. as you reach the buffet line, a ten compartment steam table, a rice cooker and a collection of platters and and thermoses you are fully hit be the smell of good curry, grabbing this and that you stack up on Naan and Bathora breads, find a spot and start eating. In and out in fifteen minutes and back in the office with plenty of time to check over those stupid reports one last time.
Limited hours (11am-1:30 pm) and a set rotating menu allows for the low cost at the door without compromising on the flavor of the food. Under the Arch if you're in a hurry try Mr. Curry.
Indian in the Lou
There are a few places in St. Louis where one can feed the need for Naan and curries, they range from the in and out five item, plus desserts buffet of Mr. Curry in the downtown area to the come sit and enjoy an evening atmosphere of Haveli on Page with a couple of stops in between. Where you go depends on what you are after: if it's really good take out for a good price hit up India Palace; in a rush and on lunch break in the downtown area, hit up the small selection high quality lunch only operation that is Mr. Curry's Indian Buffet; and my favorite place to go for cuisine from the Indian Sub-continent Haveli. Indian, well good Indian at least, is a fairly new beastie in the STL. Due to the Food Network, the Cooking Channel, and other media about food people are more and more willing to try new food, and luckily Indian is on the list of growing cuisines.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
The Perfect pour
Not all pours are created equal, a steady hand is important be it with Beer, Wine, or the Alcohol of your choosing. Instead of a cocktail this week will be over what's needed to pour a good glass of alcohol.
Beer/Cider :
The easiest on the surface a good pour can make or break a beer. With most beers you want both the bottle and the glass cold, I always keep a few glasses in the freezer in case I desire a good cold Cider, I prefer them to beer but the pour is similar between the two. When you pour you want a nice steady stream of the liquid to go down the side of the glass, you'll see a head beginning to form as you straighten out the glass ending with the bottle and glass at a ninety degree angle with each other. Your goal is a thin head of foam that lines up with the rim of the glass.
Wine:
I don't have the time or knowledge to go into everything that goes into pouring and decanter wine though at some point I'd love to take Sommelier classes, put that doesn't mean that even the absolute basics cant be shared. The most important part with wine is the stream, a slow steady pour that allows the wine and air to mix in the glass. Don't try and go over board and do a super high pour unless you know what you're doing if you do go big with out knowing what your doing you'll most likely wind up with a red stained tablecloth and a splash of wine in the glass. When filling a glass pay attention to the curve of it, you'll notice when it starts to curve back in on itself, that is your equivalent of a maximum fill line anymore then that and the glass will be over filled affecting both the flavor and increase the likely hood of someone spilling.
Hard Alcohols:
Add rocks, pour to desired fullness and enjoy.
Beer/Cider :
The easiest on the surface a good pour can make or break a beer. With most beers you want both the bottle and the glass cold, I always keep a few glasses in the freezer in case I desire a good cold Cider, I prefer them to beer but the pour is similar between the two. When you pour you want a nice steady stream of the liquid to go down the side of the glass, you'll see a head beginning to form as you straighten out the glass ending with the bottle and glass at a ninety degree angle with each other. Your goal is a thin head of foam that lines up with the rim of the glass.
Wine:
I don't have the time or knowledge to go into everything that goes into pouring and decanter wine though at some point I'd love to take Sommelier classes, put that doesn't mean that even the absolute basics cant be shared. The most important part with wine is the stream, a slow steady pour that allows the wine and air to mix in the glass. Don't try and go over board and do a super high pour unless you know what you're doing if you do go big with out knowing what your doing you'll most likely wind up with a red stained tablecloth and a splash of wine in the glass. When filling a glass pay attention to the curve of it, you'll notice when it starts to curve back in on itself, that is your equivalent of a maximum fill line anymore then that and the glass will be over filled affecting both the flavor and increase the likely hood of someone spilling.
Hard Alcohols:
Add rocks, pour to desired fullness and enjoy.
Oh Fish... A whole Fish...
Starting at 170 and Olive lies Asian Row, great restaurants and shops line this area this entire area falls under my rule of authenticity:
Weighing in at about 7 lbs I had the nice men at the fish counter dress it for me removing all the nasty gooey bits for me while leaving on the fins
1 lime a half an orange and a half a lemon slice 'em and mix with vinegar of choice, Vom Fass has a great selection of high end vinegars and oils to choose from from your basics to the not so basics like a Cream Fig and Chili vinegar. Make sure to add Garlic and your herbs of choice, in this mix there was some Parsley and Cilantro.
Set up your smoker, we use Lump oak charcoal and different woods at my house, the oak is a nice base flavor with good smoke with the fish I used some Hickory and Apple mixed together.
FIRE!!
The Glaze is the Juice from the other half Lemon and Orange, a lime, some Soy Sauce, a splash of Sweet Chili Sauce and a decent splash of Toasted Sesame Oil (also courtesy of Vom Fass).
Have a nice trip Mr. Fishy.
45 minutes in and looking good. I think he's enjoying it don't you?
"When entering the restuarant does everyone stare at me because I'm the only White boy in the building."
Two of my favorite places to shop are in this area, one is Olive Farmers Market, the other is Seafood City.
Today we're going to look into Seafood City. Walking down the aisles you can see anything you could think off, from Wild Boar quarters in the meat counter to schools of Bass and Talipa in the fish section, swimming in tanks. Point at a fish and ask for a size and one of the gentleman behind the bar will reach down and grab a net and snag you a fish. IN my case this little guy.
This is the Keel, it needs to come off the fish, don't throw it away though theres some good meat on it!
1 lime a half an orange and a half a lemon slice 'em and mix with vinegar of choice, Vom Fass has a great selection of high end vinegars and oils to choose from from your basics to the not so basics like a Cream Fig and Chili vinegar. Make sure to add Garlic and your herbs of choice, in this mix there was some Parsley and Cilantro.
It caught on the first try... trust me it doesn't always...
Hour and a half later we have a Perfectly smoked fresh Tilapia, everything was from St. Louis, the Produce from Soulard Market, the Vinegar from Vom Fass, the Fish From Seafood City. Here Under the Arch we aren't known for our seafood, it's hard to be hen were so far from a good source of it. But with a little know how, some adventuring to parts unknown and an open mind dinner for four is simple and affordable.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
The Margarita Classica
So this is one of the best sellers for the Happy Hour up at L'Ecole. As usual we make everything we can short of the alcohol in house not only to help with teaching students like myself but also becasue it gives it a much better taste. The secret to this drink is the Lime juice.
Margarita Classica
Hardware:
Shaker
Jigger
Margarita Glass
Rimmer
Ingredients:
2 oz Tequila
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Lime Juice (Fresh)
1 splsh Simple Syrup
Lime Juice
Kosher Salt
Construction:
Fill the shaker a little over half full of Ice and add Tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice, and simple syrup, (A splash is a splash, if there is liquid running out of the bottle and you haven't pulled up you've added to much) Cap and shake for 2 minutes.
Prep the glass by soaking the rimmer in lime juice, with even pressure set the rim of the Margarita glass on the pad and roll the stem between the thumb and forefinger giving an even coating of lime juice, repeat with Kosher salt.
Strain Drink into the preped glass, it should be a nice light green color and smell of lime and Orange. Garnish with a lime twist and serve, refreshing and light highly recommended for the Summer Barbecue.
Margarita Classica
Hardware:
Shaker
Jigger
Margarita Glass
Rimmer
Ingredients:
2 oz Tequila
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Lime Juice (Fresh)
1 splsh Simple Syrup
Lime Juice
Kosher Salt
Construction:
Fill the shaker a little over half full of Ice and add Tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice, and simple syrup, (A splash is a splash, if there is liquid running out of the bottle and you haven't pulled up you've added to much) Cap and shake for 2 minutes.
Prep the glass by soaking the rimmer in lime juice, with even pressure set the rim of the Margarita glass on the pad and roll the stem between the thumb and forefinger giving an even coating of lime juice, repeat with Kosher salt.
Strain Drink into the preped glass, it should be a nice light green color and smell of lime and Orange. Garnish with a lime twist and serve, refreshing and light highly recommended for the Summer Barbecue.
Monday, April 28, 2014
The PBJ Grown up a bit.
There is something about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that just seems to remind you of sitting at the kitchen counter as a little kid, back in easier and much simpler times. A perfect ratio of sweet grape or tangy strawberry jelly to salty smooth peanut butter on two pieces of white bread each bite giving you a subtle pull back to those better times.
Now lets have it grow up a bit...
PBJ Christo
Makes 4
The Liquid
4 eggs
1 1/2 pints Heavy cream
2 ounces Bourbon (Jack Danial's Select)
1/2 ounce of Orange peel no pith (chopped)
The Sandwich
1 Loaf of Brioche
Smooth Peanut Butter
Raspberry Preserve
The Garnish
Powdered Sugar
Mint
The Hardware
9x11 Cassarole dish
Large flat bottomed skillet or
Griddle (Better)
Platter
Serrated Knife
Start by cutting the loaf of brioche into even 1/2 inch slices. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on 4 of the slices and the Raspberry preserve on the other 4. Form the Sandwiches.
Mix the Eggs and Cream together slowly adding the Bourbon and orange peel. Pour half the mixture into the Casserole dish place the sandwiches into the mix with no overlap. Cover with remaining liquid and let sit for 5 to 6 minutes.
While you wait put the large skillet or griddle onto medium high heat and grease as you see fit (Butta is betta)
Once the pan is hot place the sandwiches into griddle and let sit for three minutes or golden, flip and repeat.
Pull from heat and allow to cool for two minutes, cut into triangles and arrange on platter, dust with powdered sugar and garnish with a chifinade of Mint, (roll the mint leaves and carefully cut making ribbons).
Perfect for a brunch or as a late night snack if you skip the last step.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Cousin Hugo's somethings need to be kept in the family
A small building right next to Rocket Park and across from the newly redone Deercreak shopping complex Cousin Hugo's Bar and Grill has been an area favorite for over seventy years, one of my maternal Grandfather's haunts it's now one of mine. I had my first sip of beer that I can remember there, the first beer I ordered in the states was there and probably one of my last will be pulled from the tap there. The place is comfortable, that is if you're from st. Louis. Red for the Cardinals and Blue for the Blues are the predominant decoration colors among the dark wood of the walls and deep green carpet.
The beer is always cold and the burgers are always good. If you're in the mood for a classic good burger nothing beats the Hugo Burger cooked rare topped with Cheddar and grilled onions, a thin spread of their horseradish sauce and a bit of salt and pepper. It is in my opinion the best burger in Under the Arch with a close second being O'Connell's.
Most people Under the Arch have "their" bars and haunts. I only have one that I consider mine, there are places I frequent, places I love to go, but when it comes to feeling like I'm home in a restaurant there is Cousin Hugo's.
The beer is always cold and the burgers are always good. If you're in the mood for a classic good burger nothing beats the Hugo Burger cooked rare topped with Cheddar and grilled onions, a thin spread of their horseradish sauce and a bit of salt and pepper. It is in my opinion the best burger in Under the Arch with a close second being O'Connell's.
Most people Under the Arch have "their" bars and haunts. I only have one that I consider mine, there are places I frequent, places I love to go, but when it comes to feeling like I'm home in a restaurant there is Cousin Hugo's.
Trainwreck, doesn't live up to the name... Thankfully
You'd pass right by this place if it wasn't for the giant Bison on a trailer in front of the place. While not a secret by any means it's one of the places that most people in St. Louis really just don't know about it. Found in Rock Hill on Manchester across from the Lumber Yard Trainwreck Saloon is the home of good burgers and like most successful places follows the Simple formula as I stated in my review of Fuzzy's Tacos.
CB+GF=RS
In the top ten of the better burgers under the arch the half pound beef patty can be substituted with a bison burger for a small up charge, well worth it if you're a fan of medium or above cooked burgers, sadly I like mine rare as can be. The fries are good, seasoned in as one of my friends stated 'like they were coated in Lay's Barbecue flavored chips' a surprisingly apt comparison actually.
A solid meal at a fair price with good friends after hitting up a movie (Captain America: Winter Soldier) I can happily say that the Trainwreck Saloon is anything but.
CB+GF=RS
In the top ten of the better burgers under the arch the half pound beef patty can be substituted with a bison burger for a small up charge, well worth it if you're a fan of medium or above cooked burgers, sadly I like mine rare as can be. The fries are good, seasoned in as one of my friends stated 'like they were coated in Lay's Barbecue flavored chips' a surprisingly apt comparison actually.
A solid meal at a fair price with good friends after hitting up a movie (Captain America: Winter Soldier) I can happily say that the Trainwreck Saloon is anything but.
Sunday Picnics
As I sit on the stoop enjoying one of the beautiful spring days that we don't get often enough in our fair city I remember back to an old family tradition that we sadly don't do anymore, picnics on Art Hill. A sunny day, people running around and good food. Sometimes in today's food scene we get so caught up with what the hot cuisine is, with the coolest bars and biggest secrets are that we forget that really all you need to make a good meal is good food and good company. That's not to say that there is anything wrong with wanting to hit the bars, to check out the 'best kept secrets', just that we need to remember the simpler things when it comes to food and what it means to have a good meal.
We had the same tradition for about three years, then I started High School and for some reason we started having those picnics less and less, we used to run by Mom's Deli on Jamieson, grab some subs (Poor Boy for me) and a few bags of chips and head up to Art Hill, spread out a blanket and set up the lawn chairs. Eat, run around, crash on the blanket, those were good Sundays ones that I plan to repeat when I have kids of my own.
Every family Under the Arch has their own traditions, for some it's a sports game, for others it's Sunday dinner at Grandma's. It's those small things those seemingly little traditions that ground us and make us who we are.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
And this little piggy was Delicious How to Finish the Hog
So you have your pig prepped, trimmed and wide open, injected and hooves, ears and snout covered? What? You mean that you don't have those three important pieces covered? Well get some tin foil and cover them! Doing this helps ensure a more even cook time and leaves the skin and delicate bits a nice even color with the rest of the hog... instead of blackened pork rind scented charcoal.
Is you're cooker prepped? if you're using a smoker do you have a good pile of coals and decent wood? Great now then gently slip the pig into the cooker and make sure that you have a good amount of space between the smoker walls and the pig make sure that it's not over the coals or else the parts that are will get dry and disgusting. Remember that we're going for a nice Mahogany finish on the pigs skin with tender and juicy. Make sure that it's in position, close the smoker door... and wait...
and wait...
Seriously at this point the process takes a while so crack open a few cold ones and sit down to play a few rounds of Magic The Gathering... or is that just me and my friends? Anyways, the golden ratio for the pig is 1 hour for every 10 pounds of pre-preped hog with the cooker of choice going at about 200 F. So that 60 lb pig had 6 hours in the smoker, remember to flip it at the halfway mark of the cooking process ensuring that nice and crispy skin.
The time has passed, you and you're compadres have the hog out of the smoker and have let it rest for about an hour, now take off the skin with the boning knife get the bones out and start chopping the meat, sauce it if you want, remember that the jowls and the belly are going to be two of the best parts. Mix the meat together and lay it out on a plater about the shape of the hog, cover with the skin and serve.
Here Under the Arch we might not have the best seafood, our chicken might be about average, but there is one thing that we do know, and that's the hog. Tomorrow will have some pictures as well as a few recipes for the injections and rubs that are good. Stay Hungry my friends.
Is you're cooker prepped? if you're using a smoker do you have a good pile of coals and decent wood? Great now then gently slip the pig into the cooker and make sure that you have a good amount of space between the smoker walls and the pig make sure that it's not over the coals or else the parts that are will get dry and disgusting. Remember that we're going for a nice Mahogany finish on the pigs skin with tender and juicy. Make sure that it's in position, close the smoker door... and wait...
and wait...
Seriously at this point the process takes a while so crack open a few cold ones and sit down to play a few rounds of Magic The Gathering... or is that just me and my friends? Anyways, the golden ratio for the pig is 1 hour for every 10 pounds of pre-preped hog with the cooker of choice going at about 200 F. So that 60 lb pig had 6 hours in the smoker, remember to flip it at the halfway mark of the cooking process ensuring that nice and crispy skin.
The time has passed, you and you're compadres have the hog out of the smoker and have let it rest for about an hour, now take off the skin with the boning knife get the bones out and start chopping the meat, sauce it if you want, remember that the jowls and the belly are going to be two of the best parts. Mix the meat together and lay it out on a plater about the shape of the hog, cover with the skin and serve.
Here Under the Arch we might not have the best seafood, our chicken might be about average, but there is one thing that we do know, and that's the hog. Tomorrow will have some pictures as well as a few recipes for the injections and rubs that are good. Stay Hungry my friends.
Here Piggy, Piggy Piggy...
As a warning this post will be a little different then the rest...
I have a fascination with using knives to cut up dead animals... it's kind of Therapeutic...
But seriously, butchery is a dying art, that is a skill driven and can be impressive to those who don't know how to do it... and it's wonderful stress relief. OK I'm done with the slasher humor, for now. I spent about an hour yesterday on cleaning a little 60 lb pig, so cute, for a whole Hog roast for today. I've always enjoyed Anatomy even when I was younger. Things go together in a logical way and taking them apart is just the reverse of knowing how it's put together. There is an art behind cleaning a hog, it's more then just sticking a knife in a hog, that's how you ruin a perfectly good chunk of meat. Patience and a sharp knife are the two most important parts of working with a whole animal, dull knives cause accidents and impatience will ruin the animal causing a total waste of product.
The first thing you need to do is split the sternum, cut it out entirely saving it for stock, I recommend starting with a clean sharp boning knife to go through skin and meet to show you where the ribs meet up with the sternum then switching to a small hacksaw to slice right through the bone removing it with clean cuts. Save it as well as the rest of the trimmings to come the pork stock you can make is Delicious. After the sternum is gone you and whoever you're with grab a side a piece and pull down sharply separating a few of the ribs giving you more wiggle-room.
There we go hard part done. Take a pair of garden sheers, clean and preferably unused, and snip along the spine where the ribs connect, you'll know when you get them all because the entire pig will lay flat like a book with the spine of the pig acting like the spine of the book. From here on out it's really just being patient and confident with your knife skills, everything that's not a pretty pink color needs to go, using you're trusty steel hone you're knife until it's as sharp as you can before using the tip of the knife to slip under the silver skin, carefully so you don't pierce the flesh, and run you're knife down the piece of silver skin separating it from the meat. Go back and get all of the glands and organs out of the head they'll be a different color then the fat and meat and be squishy to the touch.
Now all you have to do is inject the pig with your flavoring agent, (Apple juice is a good choice) and throw it into you're cooking apparatus of choice (in my case the trailer smoker with Oak wood) and wait...
I have a fascination with using knives to cut up dead animals... it's kind of Therapeutic...
But seriously, butchery is a dying art, that is a skill driven and can be impressive to those who don't know how to do it... and it's wonderful stress relief. OK I'm done with the slasher humor, for now. I spent about an hour yesterday on cleaning a little 60 lb pig, so cute, for a whole Hog roast for today. I've always enjoyed Anatomy even when I was younger. Things go together in a logical way and taking them apart is just the reverse of knowing how it's put together. There is an art behind cleaning a hog, it's more then just sticking a knife in a hog, that's how you ruin a perfectly good chunk of meat. Patience and a sharp knife are the two most important parts of working with a whole animal, dull knives cause accidents and impatience will ruin the animal causing a total waste of product.
The first thing you need to do is split the sternum, cut it out entirely saving it for stock, I recommend starting with a clean sharp boning knife to go through skin and meet to show you where the ribs meet up with the sternum then switching to a small hacksaw to slice right through the bone removing it with clean cuts. Save it as well as the rest of the trimmings to come the pork stock you can make is Delicious. After the sternum is gone you and whoever you're with grab a side a piece and pull down sharply separating a few of the ribs giving you more wiggle-room.
There we go hard part done. Take a pair of garden sheers, clean and preferably unused, and snip along the spine where the ribs connect, you'll know when you get them all because the entire pig will lay flat like a book with the spine of the pig acting like the spine of the book. From here on out it's really just being patient and confident with your knife skills, everything that's not a pretty pink color needs to go, using you're trusty steel hone you're knife until it's as sharp as you can before using the tip of the knife to slip under the silver skin, carefully so you don't pierce the flesh, and run you're knife down the piece of silver skin separating it from the meat. Go back and get all of the glands and organs out of the head they'll be a different color then the fat and meat and be squishy to the touch.
Now all you have to do is inject the pig with your flavoring agent, (Apple juice is a good choice) and throw it into you're cooking apparatus of choice (in my case the trailer smoker with Oak wood) and wait...
Monday, April 21, 2014
Easter Dinner, Good Food and Good Friends
As I've stated before, on several occasions actually, my family does food. Mother is a chef instructor, Father runs a food ministry and I work in the industry, we have a black sheep, but shes a foodie despite going for an engineering degree so we tend to forgive her. This combination of minds can sometimes lead to holiday or other meals becoming unique... a prime example would have been last Sunday's Easter Late Lunch, early dinner... Linner...
Did I mention that my father recently decided that curing meats was the new family hobby, No? Well trust me I'm not against this at all. We (meaning he) cured the hams for the Easter Meal, we also had a duck that was stuffed with Kamut (a grain from the middle east), figs, and sausage; a Rabbit Porcetta that was herb rubbed and fired in a hot oven giving it a lovely crispy golden skin; Asparagus lightly sauteed with good olive oil and red pepper flakes; Scalloped potatoes with butter, cream and fresh grated Cheese; and a blackberry crisp that was perfect with a scoop of Vanilla bean Ice cream.
Hungry yet? Well here Under the Arch we might be proud of our restaurants and shops... but then again what can really beat a well done meal made with love for friends and family to enjoy together? Recipes are forthcoming from this meal... maybe for when I'm hungry again... like Thanksgiving...
Did I mention that my father recently decided that curing meats was the new family hobby, No? Well trust me I'm not against this at all. We (meaning he) cured the hams for the Easter Meal, we also had a duck that was stuffed with Kamut (a grain from the middle east), figs, and sausage; a Rabbit Porcetta that was herb rubbed and fired in a hot oven giving it a lovely crispy golden skin; Asparagus lightly sauteed with good olive oil and red pepper flakes; Scalloped potatoes with butter, cream and fresh grated Cheese; and a blackberry crisp that was perfect with a scoop of Vanilla bean Ice cream.
Hungry yet? Well here Under the Arch we might be proud of our restaurants and shops... but then again what can really beat a well done meal made with love for friends and family to enjoy together? Recipes are forthcoming from this meal... maybe for when I'm hungry again... like Thanksgiving...
Cuba Libre: History never Tasted so Sweet
I'm sorry for the delay on the Friday post, Easter like most Holidays at my house hold are... energetic, but anyways the drink for the week is a simple one, but simple is often deceptive. Cuba Libre, one of the iconic drinks of the twentieth century it was the symbol of a peace, of cooperation between the USA (Coke) and Cuba (Rum). Personally I enjoy a rift that replaces the Coke with Vess and using Bacardi Superior as the Rum.
Cuba Libre
2 oz Bacardi Superior (or other clear/light Rum of your choice)
1/2 Lime, Juiced
Vess Cola (or Coke if you're outside of St. Louis)
Fill a pre-chilled Highball or Collins Glass with ice
add Rum and Lime Juice
Top with Cola
Stir until fully mixed
garnish glass with Lime segment and a pair of stir straws
The trick to this drink is the pre-chilled glass, by starting with the glass cold it delays the Ice melting into the drink keeping the drink stronger for a longer amount of time, with the lime juice use an actual lime, don't use a mix or bottled juice it really does affect the flavor no matter what you might have been told before.
Cuba Libre
2 oz Bacardi Superior (or other clear/light Rum of your choice)
1/2 Lime, Juiced
Vess Cola (or Coke if you're outside of St. Louis)
Fill a pre-chilled Highball or Collins Glass with ice
add Rum and Lime Juice
Top with Cola
Stir until fully mixed
garnish glass with Lime segment and a pair of stir straws
The trick to this drink is the pre-chilled glass, by starting with the glass cold it delays the Ice melting into the drink keeping the drink stronger for a longer amount of time, with the lime juice use an actual lime, don't use a mix or bottled juice it really does affect the flavor no matter what you might have been told before.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Fuzzy's Tacos: A look at a basic Formula.
It's late night, you and you're friends are hungry, you need a cold beverage, and you have the distinct need for meat wrapped in tortilla. In my mind there is only one place to go, Fuzzy's Tacos on Watson near the corner of Laclede Station Rd and Watson. Home of heaping nachos, delectable tacos and monstrous burritos it is also one of the neighborhood hangouts, with the walls decorated with Webster University and Webster Groves High School (my old school by the way, Go Statesmen) sports gear and always filled with the sound of laughter and conversation it is the prime example of one of the simplest formulas to run a restaurant by...
CB+GF=RS.
Cold Beer + Good Food = Restaurant Success. Laugh if you will it is the truth, look at your favorite food hangout, is the food good? I'd hope so if it's a place you visit repeatedly. Is the Beer or drink of your choice good? Alcohol is expensive so I'd hope so if you keep putting money down on the table. The secret to Fuzzy's success lies in the food, simple, cheap to make and cheap to buy... until you start craving a cold beverage to wash that Shrimp Taco, or that mound of Pork Nachos down with, then bam with out realizing it you've downed a pitcher of the Goose Island or Dos Equis XX Amber and had another full plate of Nachos. Or perhaps you've decided to go with one of their many kinds of Beerita's that they have, a margarita with a beer turned into it, when you're drink gets low simply lift the bottle a bit and you're margarita fills up with the bottled beverage of choice.
Of course there are more Traditional Mexican eats Under the Arch, and I mentioned in yesterday's post my near fanaticism for true authentic cuisine. That being said I'm a St. Louisian, I bleed Blue for Hockey, Blue and Gold for Football, and every year is the Red Bird's year for the World Series. Another aspect of that heritage is my love for a good bar, and good bar food. So gather you're friends draw straws and pray you don't draw the short one and head over to Fuzzy's Tacos, have a drink for me.
CB+GF=RS.
Cold Beer + Good Food = Restaurant Success. Laugh if you will it is the truth, look at your favorite food hangout, is the food good? I'd hope so if it's a place you visit repeatedly. Is the Beer or drink of your choice good? Alcohol is expensive so I'd hope so if you keep putting money down on the table. The secret to Fuzzy's success lies in the food, simple, cheap to make and cheap to buy... until you start craving a cold beverage to wash that Shrimp Taco, or that mound of Pork Nachos down with, then bam with out realizing it you've downed a pitcher of the Goose Island or Dos Equis XX Amber and had another full plate of Nachos. Or perhaps you've decided to go with one of their many kinds of Beerita's that they have, a margarita with a beer turned into it, when you're drink gets low simply lift the bottle a bit and you're margarita fills up with the bottled beverage of choice.
Of course there are more Traditional Mexican eats Under the Arch, and I mentioned in yesterday's post my near fanaticism for true authentic cuisine. That being said I'm a St. Louisian, I bleed Blue for Hockey, Blue and Gold for Football, and every year is the Red Bird's year for the World Series. Another aspect of that heritage is my love for a good bar, and good bar food. So gather you're friends draw straws and pray you don't draw the short one and head over to Fuzzy's Tacos, have a drink for me.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Korean soul Food to Italian Pastries: Delmar Loop
So just for reference, I'm a fan of authentic food cuisine. In fact I'm almost a fanatic about it, finding food from a culture that is made properly and traditionally, nothing better. I'm lucky that not far from my house is Delmar Loop, one of the better culinary areas Under the Arch in my opinion. Let me take you on a little tour...
We Start with the U-City grill right on the corner (mentioned in last Wednesday's post) good Korean, small menu, cheap prices cash only. Wrapped around the U-City grill is Cicero's Known for their extensive beer selection as well as Beer University offered periodically through out the year it's also home to one of my favorite sandwiches Chicken Parmisan Sandwich on Garlic Cheese bread.... so good when paired with a Fat Tire from New Belgium or a Apple Cider from Fox Barrel. Corner 17 home of delicious Boba Milk Tea and Delectable treats of the Chinese variety I highly recommend the Spicy Eggplant with a Taro Milk tea and matching it with a Taro Fluffy Ice for dessert. Speaking of dessert if you continue down, past Fitz's and Blueberry Hill, past Three Kings and Ginger Bistro, down at the end of the loop lies some of the best pastries in St. Louis, Piccione. With seasonal cannoli's and pastries as well as steaming hot coffee and to die for Hot Chocolate (not coco, actual Hot Chocolate) there is only one place in St. Louis that does baked goods better but since Missouri Bakery isn't open until 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays the Pigeon takes the... well takes the cake.
If you're looking for good eats Under the Arch then there several places you can go. But for a wide variety of Delicious Restaurants and Great Bars in a small area head down to the Loop, there's something for everyone.... I mean come on they have a restaurant completely devoted to Mac and Cheese... by the way food's good there too....
We Start with the U-City grill right on the corner (mentioned in last Wednesday's post) good Korean, small menu, cheap prices cash only. Wrapped around the U-City grill is Cicero's Known for their extensive beer selection as well as Beer University offered periodically through out the year it's also home to one of my favorite sandwiches Chicken Parmisan Sandwich on Garlic Cheese bread.... so good when paired with a Fat Tire from New Belgium or a Apple Cider from Fox Barrel. Corner 17 home of delicious Boba Milk Tea and Delectable treats of the Chinese variety I highly recommend the Spicy Eggplant with a Taro Milk tea and matching it with a Taro Fluffy Ice for dessert. Speaking of dessert if you continue down, past Fitz's and Blueberry Hill, past Three Kings and Ginger Bistro, down at the end of the loop lies some of the best pastries in St. Louis, Piccione. With seasonal cannoli's and pastries as well as steaming hot coffee and to die for Hot Chocolate (not coco, actual Hot Chocolate) there is only one place in St. Louis that does baked goods better but since Missouri Bakery isn't open until 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays the Pigeon takes the... well takes the cake.
If you're looking for good eats Under the Arch then there several places you can go. But for a wide variety of Delicious Restaurants and Great Bars in a small area head down to the Loop, there's something for everyone.... I mean come on they have a restaurant completely devoted to Mac and Cheese... by the way food's good there too....
Friday, April 11, 2014
Cocktail for the Next week: Old Fashioned
So I volunteer at my culinary school most Fridays as the bartender for our weekly happy hour. If you're in St. Louis or a St. Louisan, feel free head up to L'Ecole Culinare's Presentation Room between 4-8 pm on Fridays for a weekly changing menu and drink specials, great food and drink for a low cost. Shameless plug over and done with moving on, this means that Friday Posts will not only be later at night, but also on the favorite cocktail I mixed that night. And luckily we get to start off with one of my personal favorite cocktails to mix, Old Fashioned, considered by most to be the Original Cocktail. I was making them for one of the out of town Chef's who is from the Memphis branch of L'ecole, everyone else at the table was having a Boulevardier, basically a Negrino made with whisky instead of gin, (both of which will likely be in later Friday posts, both are fairly popular drinks at the Presentation Room) unfortunately or in my case fortunately the Chef didn't like the bitterness of campari and another Chef declared that he should have an Old fashioned, when the Out-of-town Chef looked confused at the Cocktail name I sprung into action with my Jiggers and a muddler.
Old Fashioned (Le'cole Style)
2 Orange slices
3 Dashes Bitters
1 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
1 oz House made Sweet and Sour Mix
3 oz Jack Daniels
Squeeze Orange slices into a Rock Glass, add Sugar and Bitters, muddle until sugar is dissolved into a smooth liquid.
Add Ice.
Add House made Sweet and Sour mix and Jack Daniels, use stir rod to mix until a consistent color through out.
Garnish with a Bourbon soaked Cherry and stir straw, Enjoy responsibly.
Under the Arch we enjoy as my mother endearingly puts it, "The occasional adult bevey..." make sure that you enjoy your drinks responsibly and make sure to toast the bartender.
Old Fashioned (Le'cole Style)
2 Orange slices
3 Dashes Bitters
1 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
1 oz House made Sweet and Sour Mix
3 oz Jack Daniels
Squeeze Orange slices into a Rock Glass, add Sugar and Bitters, muddle until sugar is dissolved into a smooth liquid.
Add Ice.
Add House made Sweet and Sour mix and Jack Daniels, use stir rod to mix until a consistent color through out.
Garnish with a Bourbon soaked Cherry and stir straw, Enjoy responsibly.
Under the Arch we enjoy as my mother endearingly puts it, "The occasional adult bevey..." make sure that you enjoy your drinks responsibly and make sure to toast the bartender.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Soul in St. Louis: What Soul food is and Sweetie Pie's
Soul food, for most people who hear the word images start to drift into their minds: fields of fried chicken, mountains of collard greens, oceans of rich brown gravy with islands of mashed potatoes. But that doesn't meet everyone's requirement of soul food, one of my friends idea of soul food is a bowl of rice covered with vegetables and bulgogi, his mother happens to be Korean. Everyone has their own idea of soul food it reaches far into our past to sitting at MeMaw's, GramGram's, Bubeleh's, or in my case Grandma Honey's kitchen table and the home cooked meals that just make you feel loved. I'm by nature weary of soul food places, especially ones who are known for their mac and cheese because that IS my soul food, sitting around Grandma Honey's table meant one thing fro me, that the mac and cheese is coming, creamy and rich with a cracker crumb top makes my mouth water just thinking about it... ... ... sorry lost in a memory there.
Enter Sweetie Pie's: Upper Crust, the second of the Sweetie Pie's locations, cafeteria style service with the Grandma's behind the counters. It all looked good, smelled good, and most of it was pretty good, most of it. I'm usually a sucker for neck bones... usually... the texture was decent, the taste was salty... really salty. The mashed potatoes tasted like they were either pearled or flaked, the dried potato taste was still there and the gravy tasted, no joking, like there was chocolate in there somewhere, or as my father who I was dining with was apt to say after trying the potatoes and gravy, "Boxed potatoes and Yoohoo gravy." Then there was the mac and cheese, it was good don't get me wrong, it was good solid mac and cheese, but I'll be the first to admit I'm a mac and cheese snob and I'd give it a 7 out of ten. But there were good points to it, some really good points: The candied yams are candy sweet and perfectly cooked, the cornbread is made in house and perfectly crumbly dense, the green beans while canned were 'bammed' up a couple steps with bacon and onion, the sweet tea was delicious, and the fired chicken was golden, fresh and juicy. Then there was the Carmel coated white cake.... that slice of cake by itself will probably be why I hit Sweetie Pies again.
Since this is St. Louis Baseball is kind of what we do, just growing up here almost forces baseball analogies onto you, when it comes to restaurants I have a three strikes you're out policy. That piece of cake was the twist in the swing needed to change the would be strike to a base gain. The current verdict for Sweetie Pie's Upper crust, I recommend it but be careful what you order, the portion sizes are large so you'll either have a giant pile of succulently sweet candied yams or a mound of Yoohoo gravy covered instant tasting mashed potatoes. And definitely save some room for dessert. As another sunsets Under the Arch I find myself reminiscing about my Great-Grandmother, tomorrow I might make a batch of her Mac and Cheese, sorry guys no recipe for that one, that stays a family secret.
Enter Sweetie Pie's: Upper Crust, the second of the Sweetie Pie's locations, cafeteria style service with the Grandma's behind the counters. It all looked good, smelled good, and most of it was pretty good, most of it. I'm usually a sucker for neck bones... usually... the texture was decent, the taste was salty... really salty. The mashed potatoes tasted like they were either pearled or flaked, the dried potato taste was still there and the gravy tasted, no joking, like there was chocolate in there somewhere, or as my father who I was dining with was apt to say after trying the potatoes and gravy, "Boxed potatoes and Yoohoo gravy." Then there was the mac and cheese, it was good don't get me wrong, it was good solid mac and cheese, but I'll be the first to admit I'm a mac and cheese snob and I'd give it a 7 out of ten. But there were good points to it, some really good points: The candied yams are candy sweet and perfectly cooked, the cornbread is made in house and perfectly crumbly dense, the green beans while canned were 'bammed' up a couple steps with bacon and onion, the sweet tea was delicious, and the fired chicken was golden, fresh and juicy. Then there was the Carmel coated white cake.... that slice of cake by itself will probably be why I hit Sweetie Pies again.
Since this is St. Louis Baseball is kind of what we do, just growing up here almost forces baseball analogies onto you, when it comes to restaurants I have a three strikes you're out policy. That piece of cake was the twist in the swing needed to change the would be strike to a base gain. The current verdict for Sweetie Pie's Upper crust, I recommend it but be careful what you order, the portion sizes are large so you'll either have a giant pile of succulently sweet candied yams or a mound of Yoohoo gravy covered instant tasting mashed potatoes. And definitely save some room for dessert. As another sunsets Under the Arch I find myself reminiscing about my Great-Grandmother, tomorrow I might make a batch of her Mac and Cheese, sorry guys no recipe for that one, that stays a family secret.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
The Expansion of Eastern Cuisine Under the Arch
St. Louis has in the past ten years experienced a culinary boom of Eastern Cuisine, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean have all come to grace our city. For those who are around my age (21) we've grown up with this boom and most of us have embraced it, love it even that we have all of these new choices. Even so I here people talk about how even ten, fifteen years ago that when it came to food choices they weren't limited by places to go but in variety of types, how there was your Chinese restaurant but that looking back the proper term would be oriental. Now when you crave eastern cuisine there are options beyond the local take out (My personal haunt, Dingho on Watson Road, combination plate with an added Egg roll is about $7 recommend the Crispy Cashew Chicken No vegetable with fried Rice One of my favorite meals, period warning doesn't take plastic) there's Korean (U-City Diner, cash only but so worth an added trip to an ATM) Vietnamese (Pho Grand is king but Mai Lee is better if you want a simple bowl of noodles) Japanese (try Corner 17 right down the road from U City Grill if you have a Ramen itch that needs scratching or craving a Bobba Tea). We aren't New York, Seattle, or San Francisco on the spectrum of Eastern diversity in the culinary world but here Under the Arch we are beginning to hold our heads high when it comes to our choices, sure you might need to travel to parts of the city you might not be familiar with but trust me sometimes a little adventure is a good thing.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
An Intro: The Reason for Under the Arch
For those who aren't familiar with St. Louis it can be confusing, from the misunderstanding of the age old question of "Where'd you go to school?" (hint: The question is for high school not college) to the city made of small town layout. Few things are odder though then the food: Toasted Ravioli, a bar staple and Italian restaurant must have in St. Louis doesn't exist outside of our fair city; The Cracker crust of a St. Louis Pizza, (Fortel's should be your go to, DON'T choose Imos, just don't I'll go into why in a latter post); and of course the sweet treat that has no compare, Gooeybutter cake, that silky smooth creamy and rich square of diabetes inducing goodness. But even to the St, Louisian, thanks to the small town make up of St. Louis many don't know some truly delicious eats, sinfully sweet treats, and just good dives. I aim to change that, to guide the out of Towner and show the natives places they ussually wouldn't think of. My Name is Tom Shuman, and welcome to Under the Arch.
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