title
After many months of waiting, we finally had the first seafood class of 2011 at Whole Foods (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/) and the theme was “Best of Seafood Class” so you knew it was going to be awesome! I was going to try and dig up my old blog posts for these courses to see what I had said in the past, but I actually have way too many posts to go through! So I decided just blog about them again and apologies if this sounds familiar at all.
We started with a Clam Chowder, which I do not remember having the first time, and I was surprised that the broth was so thin instead of thick and creamy. Yet, it still held a lot of flavor and it was easy to find the clam chunks. Unfortunately, it was also a little too easy to find the bacon chunks too and it invaded the clam flavor. Not exactly a “best of” for me.
Next up was the Chipotle Cod Cakes with Lime Mustard and I definitely remembered these because they are incredibly spicy! I knew in advance to DOUSE the cod cakes with the lime mustard sauce as if I were attempting to put out a fire. While they cod cakes were delicious, the heat was actually a bit too overpowering. Of course all the spice lovers in the class were just thrilled.
I had better luck with the Mahi Mahi tacos with fresh pico de gallo. There was a little bit of cayenne pepper but I didn’t have any problems with heat thanks to the pico de gallo. The melted Chihuahua cheese was also a nice addition. It probably helps that I’m in a “fish taco” mood these days too. Hehe
But probably one of my all time favorite dishes was the Chilean Seabass with a garlic and bread topping. I immediately shared this recipe with friends! Hehe The fish is so light and buttery flavored that it just melts in your mouth. The bread topping gives it just enough texture as well. Outstanding!
In other happy Whole Foods news, the next cheese class, a goat cheese theme, will take place on Tuesday, March 29th. You can check out the March Galleria callendar here: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/st-louis/store-calendar/
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar
Thanks to a friend’s birthday, I got to try out a new brew house downtown called Bridge on Locust. (http://www.thebridgestl.com) It was a little hard to find since the door was dark and right next door is a store with “Bride” in the name!
The restaurant looked like a loft with the bar on the ground floor and a large flight of stairs leading to a small dining area. The wall behind the bar had hundreds of beer bottles lined up…any beer lover’s dream! Hehe
I definitely recommend “studying” before you go to Bridge because their menu, especially the beer list, is lengthy. Try seven pages long. According to their web site, they have over 200+ beers and 55 are on tap. I didn’t pay attention but they also have a large wine selection as well.
At the table, you are given a clipboard with so many pages that tabs at the bottom are necessary. With so many beers, I got a little overwhelmed and finally just asked my waiter for the kind of beers I would like. The best part is that you can order however many beers you like in four-ounce pours so you can try as many as you like…and share!
My friends have a lot more beer knowledge than I do so they were able to pick out their favorites from the list and we all tasted and shared.
Since I am always more concerned about what pairs well with all these fancy beers, I quickly turned to the food tabs. There are actually separate sections for snacks, cheese, and charcuterie so I was very impressed. I was about to order a simple cheese board but then I flipped to another page and there was a full “a la carte” page. You can select your cheeses by price or mix and match all over the page to get your favorites, which is what I did.
My friends prefer heavier beers so that allowed me to select cheeses that were more full flavored. I chose a variety of textures as well. I started with a soft, Camembert that contained raw wild mushrooms and butter. I was tempted by a Spanish Mahon but instead went with the Ossau Iraty, a French goat cheese. This one was my favorite because they cut large chunks and you got a strong, nutty flavor in each bite. Then I picked out a French Comte, which was tasty, but cut in thin slices so it was hard to get a lot of flavor with each bite. I have a feeling it was sliced thin since it was in the highest priced column to select from.
The only section of the menu that was small was the actual meals and they only offer a few salads and sandwiches. Since I knew I was going to fill up on cheese, I chose the Chilled Beef Tenderloin salad and the beef was very pink and sliced thin. Just delicious. My friends ordered the Cuba, Missouri (pork sandwich) and the Smoky Strip Club that was quite tall! We also shared a pot of their house mac and cheese that we all loved, containing poblanos and tomato. I had to research “poblano” and it is a mild chile pepper from Mexico, but the dish was not spicy at all.
The other advantage to ordering smaller meals is that there is room for dessert!! We picked the “Tipsy Granny” mostly for the name, which was just a sliced apple served with a caramel dipping sauce. According to the menu, the apples were tossed in pomegranate vodka but I couldn’t tell. The best dessert, of course, was the chocolate truffle cake.
The restaurant looked like a loft with the bar on the ground floor and a large flight of stairs leading to a small dining area. The wall behind the bar had hundreds of beer bottles lined up…any beer lover’s dream! Hehe
I definitely recommend “studying” before you go to Bridge because their menu, especially the beer list, is lengthy. Try seven pages long. According to their web site, they have over 200+ beers and 55 are on tap. I didn’t pay attention but they also have a large wine selection as well.
At the table, you are given a clipboard with so many pages that tabs at the bottom are necessary. With so many beers, I got a little overwhelmed and finally just asked my waiter for the kind of beers I would like. The best part is that you can order however many beers you like in four-ounce pours so you can try as many as you like…and share!
My friends have a lot more beer knowledge than I do so they were able to pick out their favorites from the list and we all tasted and shared.
Since I am always more concerned about what pairs well with all these fancy beers, I quickly turned to the food tabs. There are actually separate sections for snacks, cheese, and charcuterie so I was very impressed. I was about to order a simple cheese board but then I flipped to another page and there was a full “a la carte” page. You can select your cheeses by price or mix and match all over the page to get your favorites, which is what I did.
My friends prefer heavier beers so that allowed me to select cheeses that were more full flavored. I chose a variety of textures as well. I started with a soft, Camembert that contained raw wild mushrooms and butter. I was tempted by a Spanish Mahon but instead went with the Ossau Iraty, a French goat cheese. This one was my favorite because they cut large chunks and you got a strong, nutty flavor in each bite. Then I picked out a French Comte, which was tasty, but cut in thin slices so it was hard to get a lot of flavor with each bite. I have a feeling it was sliced thin since it was in the highest priced column to select from.
The only section of the menu that was small was the actual meals and they only offer a few salads and sandwiches. Since I knew I was going to fill up on cheese, I chose the Chilled Beef Tenderloin salad and the beef was very pink and sliced thin. Just delicious. My friends ordered the Cuba, Missouri (pork sandwich) and the Smoky Strip Club that was quite tall! We also shared a pot of their house mac and cheese that we all loved, containing poblanos and tomato. I had to research “poblano” and it is a mild chile pepper from Mexico, but the dish was not spicy at all.
The other advantage to ordering smaller meals is that there is room for dessert!! We picked the “Tipsy Granny” mostly for the name, which was just a sliced apple served with a caramel dipping sauce. According to the menu, the apples were tossed in pomegranate vodka but I couldn’t tell. The best dessert, of course, was the chocolate truffle cake.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Silverware by Linda Newmark Marcus
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/home/article_1656e0c3-ae0f-59e3-8679-89bae6ed47c9.html
Made in St. Louis: Linda Newmark Marcus
BY KAREN DEER • kdeer@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8239 Posted: Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:00 am
• Explain your design process. I use stones, beads, check patterned glass, glue and wire. I glue some of the larger beads and wire wrap the smaller pieces to the stemware to create colorful designs.
• Where did your inspiration come from? I love to entertain and show off a decorative table setting, especially for a summer party. One day, I was setting a table with a certain serving bowl and realized I didn't have a decorative serving spoon. I've always had creative juices in my veins, and I immediately thought of a unique way to design the spoon. I added beads and wire and created a spoon to use with the bowl. It's all about presentation.
• Where do you shop for your serving pieces? I attend giftware shows. I'm heading to New York where I hope to find new pieces.
• What type of flatware do you work with? I only work with stainless pieces, but I am experimenting with silver-plated stemware to see how well it holds up.
• What's been your biggest project? My salad sets. They're very popular. They sell from $25 to $45 a set.
• What can you offer that other designers can't? I offer a large selection to complement any kitchen décor, and I can personalize pieces for gift giving.
• Is this your full-time job? No. I'm a travel consultant for TravelPlex American Express in Creve Coeur. I spend about 20 hours a week working on my stemware designs.
• How does someone preserve your flatware designs? Hand wash only and towel dry.
• Do your customers purchase your pieces for daily use or for show? Most of my customers purchase them to use on tabletop settings. But I've had customers tell me they're framing them for wall hangings.
Shows
March 23 • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Norwood Hills Country Club, 5601 Lucas and Hunt Road
April 2 • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Spoede Elementary, 425 North Spoede Road
April 14 • 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Meadowbrook Country Club, 200 Meadowbrook County Club Estates in Ballwin
Also be sure to read: Special cookies are a family tradition
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/article_4cbbfee6-adfd-5a70-b326-999268fb658a.html
Made in St. Louis: Linda Newmark Marcus
BY KAREN DEER • kdeer@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8239 Posted: Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:00 am
• Explain your design process. I use stones, beads, check patterned glass, glue and wire. I glue some of the larger beads and wire wrap the smaller pieces to the stemware to create colorful designs.
• Where did your inspiration come from? I love to entertain and show off a decorative table setting, especially for a summer party. One day, I was setting a table with a certain serving bowl and realized I didn't have a decorative serving spoon. I've always had creative juices in my veins, and I immediately thought of a unique way to design the spoon. I added beads and wire and created a spoon to use with the bowl. It's all about presentation.
• Where do you shop for your serving pieces? I attend giftware shows. I'm heading to New York where I hope to find new pieces.
• What type of flatware do you work with? I only work with stainless pieces, but I am experimenting with silver-plated stemware to see how well it holds up.
• What's been your biggest project? My salad sets. They're very popular. They sell from $25 to $45 a set.
• What can you offer that other designers can't? I offer a large selection to complement any kitchen décor, and I can personalize pieces for gift giving.
• Is this your full-time job? No. I'm a travel consultant for TravelPlex American Express in Creve Coeur. I spend about 20 hours a week working on my stemware designs.
• How does someone preserve your flatware designs? Hand wash only and towel dry.
• Do your customers purchase your pieces for daily use or for show? Most of my customers purchase them to use on tabletop settings. But I've had customers tell me they're framing them for wall hangings.
Shows
March 23 • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Norwood Hills Country Club, 5601 Lucas and Hunt Road
April 2 • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Spoede Elementary, 425 North Spoede Road
April 14 • 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Meadowbrook Country Club, 200 Meadowbrook County Club Estates in Ballwin
Also be sure to read: Special cookies are a family tradition
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/article_4cbbfee6-adfd-5a70-b326-999268fb658a.html
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Flaco's Cocina - Part Two
Unfortunately, Flaco's Cocina has closed.
Well, it turns out the universe heard me and I got the opportunity to go back a second time and try a whole bunch of new foods at Flaco's Cocina! (http://www.flacoscocina.com/) Since I enjoyed everything I ate, I thought I would go ahead and blog a second time.
I got to start off the night with three appetizers: seared tuna, crab cakes brigantine, and baked goat cheese. The seared tuna was my favorite, probably because I'm such a fan of sushi. The crab cakes were tasty, but breaded on the outside without that thick, creamy sauce that I have become accustomed to. The baked goat cheese came in a romesco sauce that was a little overwhelming with a spicy finish, again catching me off guard. I did love how the goat cheese melted over the toasted bread but I'm not sure the spicy finish was for me.
Since I had some friends to help me with the appetizers, I still went ahead and ordered some fish tacos because my visit would not seem complete otherwise. I was too late on one of the specials, so I ordered a scallop fish taco and a mahi mahi. Both were good, although not as good as the baha or seared tuna I had the week before.
The best meal of the night definitely was the lobster empanadas that my tablemate so kindly shared. There was a full lobster flavor in each bite! It's probably the only thing that could distract me from the fish tacos on a future visit.
I also got to try the sangria, which was very mild. My friends let me try the Ultimate Margarita (too strong for me!) and the Peach Jalapeño Margarita (what a spicy kick!). I think I will be sticking with my fruity drinks, thanks.
P. S. There are still more appetizers I wanna try, o universe!
Well, it turns out the universe heard me and I got the opportunity to go back a second time and try a whole bunch of new foods at Flaco's Cocina! (http://www.flacoscocina.com/) Since I enjoyed everything I ate, I thought I would go ahead and blog a second time.
I got to start off the night with three appetizers: seared tuna, crab cakes brigantine, and baked goat cheese. The seared tuna was my favorite, probably because I'm such a fan of sushi. The crab cakes were tasty, but breaded on the outside without that thick, creamy sauce that I have become accustomed to. The baked goat cheese came in a romesco sauce that was a little overwhelming with a spicy finish, again catching me off guard. I did love how the goat cheese melted over the toasted bread but I'm not sure the spicy finish was for me.
Since I had some friends to help me with the appetizers, I still went ahead and ordered some fish tacos because my visit would not seem complete otherwise. I was too late on one of the specials, so I ordered a scallop fish taco and a mahi mahi. Both were good, although not as good as the baha or seared tuna I had the week before.
The best meal of the night definitely was the lobster empanadas that my tablemate so kindly shared. There was a full lobster flavor in each bite! It's probably the only thing that could distract me from the fish tacos on a future visit.
I also got to try the sangria, which was very mild. My friends let me try the Ultimate Margarita (too strong for me!) and the Peach Jalapeño Margarita (what a spicy kick!). I think I will be sticking with my fruity drinks, thanks.
P. S. There are still more appetizers I wanna try, o universe!
For Lovers of Food and Wine
After several months off, the food and wine pairings at Provisions restarted this month with a theme of “For Lovers of Food & Wine”. Angie, aka STLwinegirl (http://www.stlwinegirl.com) , tried to pick the type of foods one might select for special occasions when dining out. All of the pairings, especially the food, was top notch as always.
You certainly can’t go wrong with having cheese on the menu and a Goat Cheese Tart was the appetizer course. It had a strong onion flavor with a rich, creamy texture so you know it needed a sweet, white wine to cut through that! The “Sofia” Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine with a sharp, pear flavor was a good match for sure.
I was super excited about the Oyster Rockefeller next and it was even deshelled for us, but the wine that was paired with it, a Muscadet, was rather bland. I know this was done on purpose so that the wine did not outshine the food, but I would not waste my time drinking something that has little flavor.
The chicken marsala definitely required a red wine with such great flavors in the sauce, and was paired with a GSM, which I learned is a blend of Granche, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The blend was very mild with low tannins so a real mellow balance.
The high tannins could definitely be tasted in the Syrah that was paired with the Beef Wellington. Delicious! Both definitely complimented each other well and the wine calmed down a lot.
I really thought the goat cheese or the Beef Wellington was the best pairing until we got to dessert. Normally I do not enjoy dessert wines because they are so ungodly sweet. I tried a Framboise for the first time and it too, was overpowering to taste. Think Raspberry cough syrup. But then Angie cut it with sparkling wine and it really did become a true dessert in itself. While it could have been served as an ice cream topping, it helped to cut the SUPER rich flavor of the best chocolate molten cake that I have ever had. Oh. My. Goodness. Yes, that good. I am pretty sure I spent 30 minutes on this course alone, enjoying each bite…
Here is the pairing list while I savor the dessert memory….
Tomato & Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese Tart
“Sofia” Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine
California
Oyster Rockefeller
2008 Domaine de L’ecu Muscadet
Loire, France
Chicken Marsala
2008 Paul Mas G.S.M.
France
Beef Wellington
2006 Casa Lapostolle “Las Kuras” Syrah
Chile
Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries
Pacific Rim Framboise
Washington State
The next Provisions class will take place on Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30pm with an Irish / Spring theme!
You certainly can’t go wrong with having cheese on the menu and a Goat Cheese Tart was the appetizer course. It had a strong onion flavor with a rich, creamy texture so you know it needed a sweet, white wine to cut through that! The “Sofia” Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine with a sharp, pear flavor was a good match for sure.
I was super excited about the Oyster Rockefeller next and it was even deshelled for us, but the wine that was paired with it, a Muscadet, was rather bland. I know this was done on purpose so that the wine did not outshine the food, but I would not waste my time drinking something that has little flavor.
The chicken marsala definitely required a red wine with such great flavors in the sauce, and was paired with a GSM, which I learned is a blend of Granche, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The blend was very mild with low tannins so a real mellow balance.
The high tannins could definitely be tasted in the Syrah that was paired with the Beef Wellington. Delicious! Both definitely complimented each other well and the wine calmed down a lot.
I really thought the goat cheese or the Beef Wellington was the best pairing until we got to dessert. Normally I do not enjoy dessert wines because they are so ungodly sweet. I tried a Framboise for the first time and it too, was overpowering to taste. Think Raspberry cough syrup. But then Angie cut it with sparkling wine and it really did become a true dessert in itself. While it could have been served as an ice cream topping, it helped to cut the SUPER rich flavor of the best chocolate molten cake that I have ever had. Oh. My. Goodness. Yes, that good. I am pretty sure I spent 30 minutes on this course alone, enjoying each bite…
Here is the pairing list while I savor the dessert memory….
Tomato & Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese Tart
“Sofia” Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine
California
Oyster Rockefeller
2008 Domaine de L’ecu Muscadet
Loire, France
Chicken Marsala
2008 Paul Mas G.S.M.
France
Beef Wellington
2006 Casa Lapostolle “Las Kuras” Syrah
Chile
Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries
Pacific Rim Framboise
Washington State
The next Provisions class will take place on Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30pm with an Irish / Spring theme!
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