Kitchen Conservatory with Nico Shumpert

Normally I don't take cooking classes, much less fancy cooking classes at Kitchen Conservatory, but over the holiday season, we decided to treat ourselves to signing up for one of Chef Marianne Moore's classes - with cocktails to boot.

Cocktails R Go stirred up the drinks and the class was appropriately called "Booze and Bites"!

While the cocktails were a smash, unfortunately, Chef Marianne was not available to teach the class.

--record scratch--

This isn't the first time I failed to get Chef Marianne to cook for us.

Instead, we got the opportunity to meet Nico Shumpert... an "up and comer" in the St. Louis scene.

Chef Nico Shumpert

We got a front row seat for his culinary show... delicious food and great stories! I hope you catch him around town, although he mostly does private cheffing these days.

Anyway, here are some of our boozy bites...

I told Nico to go easy on the spice for the Spicy Cannellini Bean and Prosciutto Flatbread with Gin and Tonic Quick Pickles. I could have eaten a whole tray of these babies.

Spicy Cannellini Bean and Prosciutto Flatbread with Gin and Tonic Quick Pickles

Of course it was paired with "The Best Gin and Tonic" made from local product Pinckney Bend gin and Pinckey Bend tonic syrup! (That's where the pink comes from.)

Goat cheese with a BOOZY tomato jam...what the what??

Sure enough, 1/4 cup dry gin was mixed into the jam!

Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Boozy Tomato Jam

Another favorite for me was the Blini with Gin Cured Salmon, Crispy Capers, and Dill Creme Fraiche.

Blini with Gin Cured Salmon, Crispy Capers, and Dill Creme Fraiche

Blini's remind me of brunch and with brunch, a French 75 is well paired with this!

More goat cheese was used to hold together the Apricot Truffles with Toasted Pistachios.

Goat Cheese and Apricot Truffles with Toasted Pistachios

Another full flavored Spicy Garlic Prawns with Warm Baguettes and Charred Lemon

Spicy Garlic Prawns with Warm Baguettes and Charred Lemon

The night was rounded out with a Vesper, also known as a James Bond Martini. (Shaken, not stirred.)

Cocktail Menu

And if kitchen gadgets is your bag, you're going to love all the items for sale at Kitchen Conservatory too!

Resources:

Kitchen Conservatory = https://www.kitchenconservatory.com/

Nico Shumpert = https://nicoshumpert.com/

Marianne Moore = https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariannemoore/