When I moved to St Louis, my dear friend Mikki moved to Chicago, five hours away. Yeah for me! I’ve been able to spend many weekends away visiting her and enjoying the delights of that fabulous city. One of the delights??? Pizza!!! So with Mikki in town this weekend, I decided to take her to try out Pi, rated Best Pizza-Thick Crust by the Riverfront Times .It was DELICIOUS!!! They have an amazing cornmeal crust that is unlike anything I have tasted before. The only downfall is it is a little expensive for what you get ($18 for a pizza that just serves two).
Looking for cheaper pizza that is also delicious? David and I have recently been getting pizza from Whole Foods Market. It is so good, all natural, and only $8.99 on Wednesdays and Fridays for a ready to eat 16″ pizza! We are sold. Our other favorite pizza places in St Louis include Il Vicino (RFT’s Best Restaurant for a First Date) and Dewey’s Pizza (RFT’s Best Pizza-Thin Crust)
Filed under: Food
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the special day. We had a wonderful time. Delicious food, great friends, and fun movies. David’s cranberry sauce was a hit…I highly recommend it. Sticking with our St Louis tradition, we spent the day with the Morton’s and my friend Mikki who travels down from Chicago. Although I always miss my family, it is wonderful to spend the holiday with our closest friends.
Filed under: Food
Yesterday I had the opportunity to provide a meal for 25 people at the Winter Shelter at Grace and Peace Fellowship. The shelter provides meals and housing for homeless women in the St Louis area. I’ve not only decided that this is a wonderful way for me to serve the community, but that I’m going to use the opportunity to start a fun project. How can I feed 25 people a nutritious, delicious meal for as little money as possible?
My first attempt at doing this was, I believe, a success. I made a huge pot of chili and two trays of cornbread. The meal was full of protein (black, kidney and pinto beans and ground beef), vegetables (tomatoes, celery and vegetable juice), and carbohydrates (corn bread). The total cost came to about $1.35 per person. Not bad. I have many ideas for what I’m going to do next and I’ll fill you in on the outcomes. It’s always good to think about affordable ways to feed many people a delicious meal that doesn’t involve lasagna…or spaghetti. If you live in the St Louis area and would like to help out by providing a meal for the shelter, please contact Karen Morton at karengale.morton@gmail.com.
First, thanks to everyone for the Birthday well-wishes. I appreciated all the emails, voice messages, and Facebook comments. I had a very nice, relaxing day that involved the purchase of a new gadget–an Imperia Pasta Machine. I had been looking at them for a month or so, but was trying to decide if I would use it enough to justify the $75. I finally gave in. Brenna and I usually eat pasta at least once a week, and I figured that if I made a batch on Sunday afternoon while watching football we could eat it during the upcoming week. Yesterday, I made carrot fettuccine, which we ate tonight with a little olive oil, feta, and salt and pepper. Although it didn’t have a distinct carrot taste like I’d hoped, the noodles were significantly better than dried pasta. More texture, taste, and of course, the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself. The process isn’t too involved. The dough is a simple combination of flour and eggs. Knead for 5-7 minutes, let it rest for awhile, and then roll into sheets. Finally, cut it into whatever shape you desire. Tonight I made round two: whole wheat fettuccine. I’m looking forward to doing ravioli soon, as well as lasagna. Stay tuned for follow-up posts.
On most trips, once check out comes the vacation is over. You reluctantly return home and enter back into the blahs of everyday life. Not for us! After another delicious breakfast at The Captain Wohlt Inn (featuring a century old french toast recipe and award winning sausage from a near by town), we said goodbye to our little attic room that we had called home for the past two nights.
But our adventures were not over. We started our day hiking on the Katy Trail, a 225 mile railroad turned recreational trail. Our last hiking experience in Missouri, as some of you may remember, ended abruptly with a tick attack that needless to say ruined our hiking spirit. By some stroke of God or luck or coincidence, the first time that David needed antibiotics in over a decade, happened to be the weekend they were free! Take that ticks. Anyways, with great reluctance we attempted to rebuild our faith in hiking in Missouri. We were off to a great start. The trail was very wide and well kept and was lined by corn fields and beautiful farms. We even saw a local resident enjoying a walk on the trail. It seemed that hiking had been redeemed…for a brief moment.
After passing us while we were off taking pictures, the resident, a young women, turned around and started walking back towards us. She informed us that just ahead, blocking the path, was a snake. And yes, it was poisonous. And yes, there are many of them in the area. And yes, she had to warn us to be careful. My Fight or Flight was on full alert and let me tell you, it was ALL flight and NO fight. So we flighted ourselves right back to the safety of our car. I decided I would save my love for hiking for when I returned to the West Coast, but then my sister informed me that she, just last week, had to flight herself back to the car because a mountain lion made itself known on her hike. Maybe I don’t like hiking so much. I take that back…I love hiking. I don’t like animals. Yes, I said it and I don’t care if you think I’m cruel or unloving. I don’t like animals…or at least not the ones that want to hurt me.
The rest of the day panned out perfectly. We went to another winery, had a wonderful picnic of cheese, bread, salami and fruit, returned to the brewery for one last sample, and visited a pie shop I had been dying to try out.
I haven’t talked much about the food we have eaten (which is very out of character) for one important reason…it wasn’t that spectacular. But there were a few highlights:
Homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream at Time for Pie. Nuff said.
Amazing potato salad at Montague’s (which accompanied a so-so pulled pork sandwich). Think cold mustard-potato-salad-flavored mashed potatoes. Mmmmmm….. If you remember my BBQ post, this definitely ranks up there with the other best pulled pork sides.
Our picnic meal was fabulous. We got a loaf of multigrain bread, regular and dill Havarti cheese, homemade sausage, an apple and a knife and cutting board all in a neat little basket for a very reasonable price. For those unprepared for a picnic, it was perfect and the most delicious meal we ate there.
Ricky’s Chocolate Box- we found a shop that had amazing chocolates. I had such a hard time choosing but eventually I decided on a S’More (graham crackers with marshmallow all covered in thick, rich chocolate) and a German turtle (chocolate filled with carmel, coconut and pecans.) David chose a simple carmel turtle. The grand total…$9.00. For three chocolates!!! I was shocked. Now, they were amazing…and huge…but think of all the S’Mores I could have made with $9.00!!!
Day 3 was a wonderful end to a wonderful weekend. We returned home refreshed, inspired, and oh so in love!
Click here for all our pictures from Hermann.
Apparently I’ve been tapped to give a brief rundown of the wineries we visited while in Hermann this past weekend. Each winery had their benefits and drawbacks. For example, Oak Glen had the most scenic view, but their wine was awful. We had to do our best to choke down the samples, just to feel like we put in enough time to take pictures. So go to Oak Glen for the view, not the wine. More promising, however, was the Adam Puchta winery, as well as the wine from Bommarito Estate. Both had good Norton’s–the Missouri state grape–as well as several other varietals that were easy to drink. We learned that the key to Missouri wine is that almost everything is sweet and most of the reds are heavily oaked. Consequently, it took some time just to get used to a different wine making process. In the end, we found that some of the red blends resemble what we were most used to–Adam Putcha was helpful here. But there were a couple of surprises worth noting. Brenna (and even I) liked one of the Dry Roses’ that we tried. Kinda girly, I know, but what can I say, it was pretty tasty. My favorite surprise was not the Rose, however, but a Cream Sherry from Stone Hill. Typically, I do not like Sherrys, but this had a really unique Butterscotch finish. Brenna didn’t try it.
You can view all of our pictures here.
This weekend we had a fabulous trip to Hermann, MO, awarded Best Weekend Getaway by the Riverfront Times. Hermann is a beautiful town in the heart of Missouri wine country. German settlers decided on the area of Hermann because it reminded them of their home land. Due to its origin, the town is full of German culture…from the names of the buildings to the menus at the restaurants. When the town was first settled, 66 wineries sprung up around the area. With prohibition, the vines were burned to the ground and the wine was poured into the Missouri river, leaving the people and the economy of Hermann in despair. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the wineries were restored. Throughout the weekend, we had the pleasure of touring five wineries all within 5-15 minutes of the historic downtown where we stayed.
We picked the perfect weekend to visit…beautiful foliage, warm weather and bright blue skies. Our experience was wonderful. We arrived Friday afternoon and settled into our little Bed and Breakfast, The Captain Wohlt Inn. The owners, husband and wife Mat and Kent Wilkins, were true models of hospitality. Their advice, which was plentiful, was always spot on which made navigating the town a delight. They genuinely care for their guests which made us feel as welcome as family. This was the best B&B experience I have ever had, and I have been blessed with many B&B experiences in my short life. The breakfasts were wonderful and there was always a plate of cookies waiting to be devoured. We called the room our little hobbit hole. It was an attic room with vaulted ceilings which we gladly accepted as we were able to pay much less for it. Except for the slightly claustrophobic shower, the ceilings and size of the room didn’t become an issue at all.
Our first day in town we toured the Tin Mill Brewing Company. Even in wine country a Richmon vacation can not be complete without beer. Considering it was a block away from our B&B and served $1 samples, we were frequent visitors. Our first day in town we also visited the Kunstlerhaus, one of Mat’s wonderful recommendations. The name translates to “house of artists” which is very appropriate as it is a gallery/store featuring work from 30 local artists. We were awed and inspired by the local talent, the appreciation of art, and the sense of community that this place had to offer. We walked away with a beautiful serving bowl and some little Christmas presents which must not be named. Below are some pictures from our first day in Hermann.
View all of our Hermann pictures here
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with salsa. We grew some Anaheim chilies on our back porch this summer and I figured this was a way to put them to good use. My first batch came out rather runny, so Sunday when I set about to make more this was something I hoped to remedy. This time around, instead of using whole tomatoes, I cored them, removed the seeds, and roasted them, along with several of the chilies, in the oven for several hours. I also added some tomato paste to help thicken things up. Needless to say, this batch proved more successful than the first. Roasting the tomatoes and chilies not only added additional flavor, but also helped to expel some of the additional moisture in the ingredients.
Here’s my recipe as it now stands:
Ingredients: Several pounds of ripe Roma tomatoes, 4 Anaheim chilies, lots of garlic (6-7 cloves), 1 onion, 1 bunch of cilantro, 1 lime, a red bell pepper as well as a green, a dash of Jalapeno sauce, small can of tomato paste, (whatever else sounds good and at hand).
Steps: Preheat oven to 200 and prep a cooking sheet with tin foil. Brush foil with olive oil and generously sprinkle with course salt and pepper. Cut tomatoes in half, core them, remove seed, and place face down on tray. Do the same with the chilies. Cook at 200 for 2 hours or until they develop a nice color and begin to shrink in size. Cut the rest of the ingredients into manageable pieces. Throw everything in a food processor, using the chop button to quickly break everything down. Chop until it reaches your desired consistency. Eat.
Soulard is one of our favorite neighborhoods in St Louis. It also happens to be filled with many Best Of’s. The farmers market is Best Place to People Watch, the mini donut stand within the market is Best Donuts, and a little park nearby was honored Best Public Park. Today was the perfect fall day to enjoy grocery shopping with our new camera.
At the end of the day, we came home with 8 apples, 7 bananas, 2 cantelopes, 7 green bell peppers, 3 bunches of asparagus, 4 lbs of red potatoes, 2 bouquets of flowers and 2 whole farm fresh chickens for a grand total of $20. Yes, we will miss this place.
Over the last few months Brenna and I have been helping a “friend”–pardon the anonymity–launch a(n) (underground) restaurant. For those of you in urban centers, such as Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago, this probably is not a new concept. But to bring the rest of you up to speed, I’ll give you a brief explanation. Our friend writes:
An underground restaurant is really an old idea: the best meals are those prepared with care and attention and shared with a small intimate group of friends, both new and old. The appeal of the underground restaurant is that you become acquainted with the story of your food, the story of how it is prepared for you, and finally the stories of those people with whom you will eat. you may end up at a table full of people you know, or you may eat with complete strangers. That is part of the appeal. Food is, and always has been, a communal thing. It’s purpose is not merely to keep us from starving but to give us pleasure, and a focal point around which we could gather. The limitless possibilities of food are a constant reminder to me that this is not simply a sensual pleasure, but a reminder that food is a gift intended to bless.
To this end, our “friend”, the chef, sends out an anonymous email inviting friends and strangers to a meal at an undisclosed location. The menu is fixed and usually contains between 5-6 courses with accompanying wine pairings. The invitees then have the opportunity to visit a password protected website and make reservations. Seating is limited and often “sells-out” quickly. Guests are then supplied additional emails leading up to the event, further outlining the food and the event’s location.
So far, two meals have been successfully completed. While I’ve been in the kitchen most of the time, it’s been interesting seeing and hearing the eclectic group of guests we’re cooking for. Doctors, students, food critics, restaurant owners–most of whom have never met each other–crowd around closely arranged tables, diving into diverse conversations ranging from art and politics to work and family. As fragmented as our culture is, food and festal eating serve to bring us together; and it’s been really fun to be a part of this movement of hospitality.
We’re helping with the third dinner this Saturday evening. The menu is as follows:
first: warm salad with sliced pear and duck prosciutto
beer: schlafly pale ale
second: acorn squash soup with creme fraiche
beer: schlafly bierre de garde
third: blood orange confit
fourth: pancetta wrapped elk loin with wild mushroom risotto
beer: schlafly apa
fifth: butternut squash ice cream with sage shortbread
beer: schlafly pumpkin ale
If you’re in Saint Louis and would like to attend this weekend, or future events, shoot me an email and I’ll send you in the right direction.
“Cooking and serving food, then, has a wide number of possibilities, and as everyone eats every day, it is no exaggeration to say that it affects every one of us. One could speculate as what difference it would make if we took this form of art [eating] seriously, with at least some degree of sensitivity for producing and enjoying the beauty which will increase and enhance communication.” –Edith Schaeffer
“In the Bible the food that man eats, the world of which he must partake in order to live, is given to him by God, and it is given as communion with God. The world as man’s food is not something “material” and limited to material functions, thus different from, and opposed to, the specifically “spiritual” functions by which man is related to God. All that exists is God’s gift to man, and it all exists to make God known to man, to make man’s life communion with God. It is divine love made food, made life for man. God blesses everything He creates, and, in biblical language, this means that He makes all creation the sign and means of His presence and wisdom, love and revelation: “O taste and see that the Lord is good.”” — Alexander Schmemann
