Fine Dining in St. Louis

We are hanging out in an older section of St. Louis City this evening.  It has an old-world charm.  A very quaint setting with top notch cuisine.  It is situated in an old turn of the century part of St. Louis known as Lafayette Park.  Shops and old world homes in a small town square. 
This is known as Lafayette Park.  It has row homes that are three stories high and have been restored to their original splendor.

We are at Mississippi Eleven Eleven which is the actual street name and address of this fabulous restaurant.  These row houses were built between 1880 and 1900 and nestle a charming tiny town square filled with shoppes and restaurants.  A few years ago I was able to take a house tour.  Nestled amongst them is where I am dining tonite.  They have steaks, pastas, lamb and tonight are featuring a smoked pork loin.  My favorite is the rabbit which has been marinated in wine and served with gnocchi in sage cream sauce.

After dinner we went to Bailey's Chocolate Bar which is a martini lounge.  Soooo cool.  The walls are deep crimson red.  It features custom, exotic martinins and desserts.  We opted for the chocolate lava cake with coffee ice cream.  Pumpkin spice martini with Jameson,  martinis blended with various liquors and flavored vodkas.  I highly recommend.  They also serve starters such as flatbreads and cheese plates.  The unusual décor was as cool as the fare.  Well worth checking out when you come to visit.

20th Centrury

Layfayette Park Home

Brittany, waitress at Chocolate Bar \
with her awesome Havana twist Hair  and a very bright red hallway at the Chocolate Bar









Autumn Pumpkin Pie

My favorite time of year is finally here!  I love sitting by the fire and eating decadent desserts.  An All-American fall favorite is Pumpkin pie.  Mine has a little family twist...which credit goes to my grandfather. 

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
15 oz can pumpkin
12 oz can Evaporated milk
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
(special ingredient).. 1.5 oz Irish Whiskey
2 eggs
 I prefer Jameson but you can use whatever you have handy.  It doesn't give the pie an alcohol flavor but a special kick.  To save time I use a Pillsbury crust. You can make your own if you wish.

Mix spices, salt and sugar in a bowl and set aside.  Beat eggs and add to mixer with pumpkin.  Then add spices and incorporate.  Once blended drizzle in milk and bourbon slowly till well mixed.  Pour into pie crust and bake.

Baking instructions:
Preheat oven to 425.  Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then decrease heat to 350 degrees and bake another 40 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack.  Pumpkin pie typically tastes better on the second day so I make mine a day in advance. Let completely cool then store in fridge.   Once completely cool I serve with cinnamon whipped cream.

Cinnamon whipped cream
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar(icing sugar)
1 t cinnamon
Whip on high speed with mixer until soft peaks form, add cinnamon and sugar blend a few more seconds and your ready to eat.

Summer Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh blueberries
3 T. cornstarch
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 T ground cinnamon
1/4 t. fresh grated nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/3 c. water

 Egg wash = 1 beaten egg

2 Pie crusts ( I cheated today and used store-bought Pillsbury) thawed in fridge but kept cold

Simple syrup:
Put sugar and water in saucepan.  Melt and reduce over low heat on stove until sugar melts, remove from heat.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg.  Let cool completely.

Roll out crusts.  Add cornstarch and zest of lemon to blueberries. Blend with Simple syrup.
Pour into bottom crusts.  Add dollops of butter (about 2 T. cut in cubes) over blueberries. Top with top crust. Use tines of fork to crimp and seal top crust.  Brush top crust with a beaten egg.  Place 5 one inch slits in top crust with knife to allow for steam release.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place pie on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes,  then reduce to 350 degrees and bake another 40 minutes.

Let cool 30 minutes before serving.  I serve mine with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

My Favorite Chefs and Their Cookbooks

 

 

Giada De Laurentiis, Rachel Khoo (titles herself a food creative), Ina Garten and Tyler Florence are some of my favorite chefs.  Some of my friends don't like to cook or feel intimidated by such endeavors.  They want to know how I became proficient at it.  Growing up I assisted my mother in the kitchen and she taught me a lot of things.  My family has always been big foodies for generations.  My mother used to make homemade breads, cakes, pies and pastries weekly.  She made her own gravies and sauces.  Back then they didn't have jarred sauces.

As an adult I watch the chefs featured on the Food Network or the Cooking channel. I print the recipe from the Internet and give it a go!  I have family dinners after I've already done a trial run on the recipe.  It is like a free cooking lesson without attending a formal school.  After successful outcomes with recipes I end up purchasing the cookbook.  I have accumulated 30 thusfar.  I have several books by Giada (one autographed), Rachel's and two of Ina's.  I laid out a few for you to check out. 

Their programs are Barefoot Contessa, (Ina Garten), Little Paris Kitchen (Rachel Khoo), Tyler's Ultimate (Tyler Florence), Everyday Italian, Giada at Home (Giada De Laurentiis)

 

 

 

 

Good Luck in Your Kitchen!

 

Summer Blueberry Pie Recipe coming up next!  Out of the oven shortly.

An Irish evening in the Midwest

I don't know why but I've been listening to Celtic (Irish Folk) music lately.  So...I got some friends together and we went to John D. McGurk's Irish Pub in Soulard which is an older part of downtown St. Louis.  It feels like you're in Ireland. 

They bring musicians from Ireland for six week periods to play.  It was fantastic!  The crowd was clapping and people were dancing.  Guinness (a very popular Irish dry stout) and various ales were flowing.  They even served battered cod with malt vinegar.  The decor was old-world rustic with a fun vibe.  If you are passing through St. Louis...music starts at 9 pm

 

 

 

1200 Russell Boulevard

Saint Louis, Missouri 63104

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Hour at Home

Today is Happy Hour at my place..So. I thought I would share a few simple, fast recipes to make gourmet happy hour in a snap!


Goat Cheese Fritters:
The filling:
6 oz goat cheese
zest of 1/2 lemon
6.5 oz jar of marinated artichokes (diced)

The coating:
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs (Japanese Bread Crumbs)
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 beaten egg

It doesn't get any simpler...Blend ingredients for filling together.  Use small cookie scoop or melon ball scoop to for form balls... They should be golfball size.  Roll in the following order. 1. flour 2. beaten egg 3. Panko....Set formed balls on plate in fridge for 15 minutes.  Fry in vegetable oil at 350 degrees ( about 4 balls at a time, don't crowd or oil temp will drop) for about 2 minutes till light brown.




Crab Rangoon:
1--  4 oz can white crabmeat (well drained)                  
1 egg beaten w/ 1 t. water= eggwash
4 oz. Reduced fat cream cheese
2 T diced chives
3 dashes worchestershire
pinch white pepper and/or cayenne
12 wonton skins
Vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees

Lay out all wonton skins in rows.  Place one teaspoon of filling in the center of each skin.  Using a pastry brush apply small amount of eggwash around border of wonton skin and fold over.  Pinch together.  Make sure to get air out.  Best to do in an assembly line fashion.  ie.  Line up wontons, apply filling.  go down each row with eggwash and seal carefully  Take your time sealing or filling will spill out into the oil.  The more you make these...the easier it becomes.!  I use a dutch oven which is deep to fry stuff.  Put two inches of oil in, heat to 350 degrees and go.  Fry goat fritters first and then rangoons.  Only put four into pot at a time.  You will get lots of compliments.  Better than any I've had at any restaurant.  They come out light and crisp. Serve with soy sauce or plum sauce as a condiment if you wish.

Puff Pastry Pork Pockets:       I almost feel guilty calling this a recipe.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Ingredients:
1 thawed, chilled puff pastry sheet (Pepperidge Farm sells at grocery)
1 cup seasoned pulled pork (from deli)
1 t. cherry preserves to each pocket

Thaw pastry overnight in fridge.  Roll out on floured surface.  Cut into eight squares.  Place dollop of pulled meat in center,add teaspoon cherry preserves on top, brush edges with eggwash, fold over and crimp closed with tines of fork.
Place on cookie sheet, brush pocket with eggwash, cut a one inch slit in top to release steam.  Bake for 25 min. until golden brown. 

Serve with your favorite wine or cocktail.  We are having a smoky Zinfandel and a Chardonnay.

Entertaining in Style

Entertaining in Style requires only a few key elements.

• Beautiful silverware (I have a collection of heirloom silverware)  It's eclectic and special as well as a conversation piece since it is unique to dining at my place.  My friends know I use it only for special occasions.  Use whatever item you have that is unique to your household. 
• 

  Pretty dishes make food look better.  White with simple trim like I have makes your food standout.  Remember...you eat with your eyes first! I ordered these online via Sur La Table culinary store in my area.  They are porcelain but microwave and dishwasher safe.  A touch of Europe whenever I eat.

•  
• 

  Candles and cloth napkins make everything special too.
  

  

  Rachel Khoo's Croque Madame Muffin that I made and presented with fruit and smoky bacon.  Her cookbook "Little Paris Kitchen"

As far as the dinner goes...I enjoy a three course dinner.  A starter, entree with one side, and a dessert.  Most importantly, if  you are not an experienced cook do not attempt to cook something you are unfamiliar with.  It can be disastrous. 

Hope your next party is a hit!  Will come up with some simple dinner menus for your next gathering.