A funny thing happened recently when I announced I was working on beet recipes – not one of my friends offered to taste test. In fact, all conversation awkwardly ceased. Eye contact was avoided. One friend physically recoiled, though she swore it was just a muscle cramp throughout her entire body. Beets, it turns out, are not universally beloved. If you also shun beets, I beg you not to let the unworthy roots you’ve experienced thus far have the last word. Give the vegetables one more chance and simply roast them. Roasted beets are candy-sweet with a tenderness usually reserved for custard and kindergarten teachers. Just toss whole trimmed beets with a drizzle of oil and a flurry of salt. No chopping necessary, because beets appreciate your busy schedule and don’t want to hassle you. Place the beets in a pan with a splash of water, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and roast about 45 minutes. To peel your cooked beets, hold them in a handful of paper towels and gently wipe the skin away. It may be a temptation, but don’t wear your wedding dress while cooking, since the deep red juice may leave you ready for a horror movie close-up. Alternatively, you can select golden beets, which are slightly milder in flavor and don’t pink up the place. Roast them the same way, but separately if you’re preparing lovelies of both hues, since the red beets tint their golden cousins when they share a pan. Now, you can stop right there and enjoy your roasted beets warm or chilled. If you have an extra 30 seconds of prep time, pair them with a full-flavored goat or blue cheese and a splash of vinegar, or pull out all the stops and bake sweets with your beets. Thanks to Southern Living magazine, I learned that beets are a natural substitute for food coloring in a gem of a red velvet cake recipe. So strictly in the interest of scientific research, I whipped up a batch of beet-velvet cupcakes, cream cheese frosting and all. They were full of chocolaty goodness, with no artificial – or earthy – aftertaste. Even my beet-adverse friends cheerfully enjoyed them. Sometimes beets just need a little faith. And a little chocolate. Easy Roasted Beets 2 cups 1 lb. (about 4 medium) red or golden beets, trimmed 1 Tbsp. olive oil ½ tsp. kosher salt 2 Tbsp. water • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. • In a large bowl, toss the beets with the olive oil and salt. Place the beets in a roasting pan, add the water, cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast until soft when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. • Let the beets rest at room temperature until cool enough to handle, then use a paper towel to wipe off the skins. Cut the beets into quarters and serve hot or cold, plain or drizzled with vinaigrette. Endive salad Chop a head of endive lettuce. Add 1 cup chopped roasted red or yellow beets, ½ cup Gorgonzola cheese, ½ cup chopped Fuji apple and 1 ounce chopped walnuts. Toss with a vinaigrette made from 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar and 1∕8 teaspoon kosher salt. Zesty potato salad Place 2 pounds scrubbed small red potatoes and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature, then cut into quarters. Gently fold in 2 cups roasted red beets, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 1∕8 teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour then garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Beet red velvet cupcakes Adapted from Southern Living Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cupcake pans. Puree 1 cup roasted beets with 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a food processor. Add 4 large eggs, ¾ cup whole buttermilk and ¾ cup canola oil and pulse until well combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix 2½ cups flour, 1½ cups sugar, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Add the beet mixture to the dry mixture and mix well. Fill cupcake liners ²∕³ full with batter. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool, then top with frosting (whip 8 ounces cream cheese and ¼ cup softened unsalted butter in a stand mixer until fluffy, then add 1 pound powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and whip until smooth). Beet-Sauced Flatbread Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out and bake 1 pound prepared pizza dough until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Place 2 cups roasted red beets, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon minced garlic in a food processor and puree until smooth. Spread on top of warm baked pizza crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh baby spinach, 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese and ½ ounce pine nuts. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Return to the oven 8 to 10 minutes, until the goat cheese softens and the spinach wilts. Drizzle with honey if desired, and serve warm.

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Every summer, I sign up for a CSA (community supported agriculture) share. And every summer, my icebox becomes the cold place where zucchini and good intentions die. This year, I joined The Libertine Neighborhood Bag, which is carefully curated by co-proprietor Audra Luedde, hoping to do better. Along with a bounty of versatile veggies – this is the part that makes me jump and clap – the share includes The Libertine’s own gourmet treats like pickled cauliflower, ginger-infused simple syrup and green garlic harissa. What is green garlic harissa, you ask? Ah, readers, it’s a bright and fresh spread/marinade/flavor infuser. A reminder that leafy greens can taste transcendent if you prepare them like a pro – in this case, like master chef and sommelier Audra Luedde. Once I coaxed every last drop out of the container, I begged for the recipe so we can all enjoy this crave-worthy condiment. Traditional harissa is a staple of North African cuisine made from fiery red peppers and aromatic spices, all whipped together into a hummus-like paste. The lush foliage and influx of seasonal green garlic after a week of St. Louis storms inspired Luedde to make her verdant variation. If you can’t track down green garlic, a few cloves of white garlic work just fine. And I found the rest of the recipe to be equally flexible. Sworn off kale? Spinach is a lovely substitute. Big cumin fan? Use a little more. Luedde’s recipe is more zesty than spicy, but I double down on the jalapeno in my personal supply because I hunger for the heat. You can eat your harissa with crusty bread while standing alone over your sink enjoying a gourmet meal like I do. Or use it to make almost any old recipe new again. Try it drizzled over a scramble or tucked into some devilishly delicious eggs. It’s a tangy rub for chicken and steak, and brightens everything from roasted vegetables to fresh salads to fish. Add it to pasta like pesto’s more interesting cousin, or stir it into gazpacho to deepen the flavor. And just when you think you can’t make another ground beef recipe, harissa saves the day – and the meatloaf. Of all the myriad items I bedazzled with harissa, the only dish that didn’t pass muster was a batch of sweet potato fries. I coated frozen fries before baking, and the whole thing simultaneously liquefied and burned. A better approach would be to mix harissa with sour cream and use it as a topping on both baked sweet and white potatoes. A batch of fresh green garlic harissa keeps for about a week in the refrigerator, but I promise it won’t last that long. In fact, harissa is now the almost-most-used condiment in my refrigerator. It’s second only to homemade mayonnaise, which – you guessed it – tastes better mixed with a spoonful of the green goddess. And now that I’ve tossed my boring old condiments and dressings, I have even more room for zucchini. But this year there is no wasteful spoiling, because stuffed zucchini boats drizzled with green garlic harissa is a dish worth celebrating.   Green Garlic Harissa Courtesy of The Libertine’s Audra Luedde About 1½ cups 1 Tbsp. cumin seeds ½ Tbsp. coriander seeds ½ lb. black or green kale, chopped 1 jalapeno, seeded  1 small scallion, trimmed 2 oz. green garlic, bulbs and stems (or 5 peeled garlic cloves) ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup mint leaves  ¼ cup parsley leaves    2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. kosher salt   • In a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat, lightly toast the cumin and coriander seeds, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool. • To the bowl of a food processor, add the kale 1 handful at a time and pulse after each addition until finely chopped. Add the cumin, coriander, jalapeno, scallion, garlic, olive oil, mint, parsley, lemon juice and salt and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months. Harissa-marinated chicken breasts  Combine ½ cup harissa with ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt in a large zip-top bag. Add 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken from the marinade, shake off excess and bake 18 to 20 minutes or grill over medium-low, indirect heat 10 to 15 minutes per side. Serve drizzled with cilantro crema. (In a food processor, pulse ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, ½ teaspoon lemon juice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until smooth. Refrigerate.) Deviled harissa eggs  Peel 6 hard-boiled eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Mix the yolks with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 pinch table salt and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika until creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa paste and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the egg whites, garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.  Harissa burgers  Mix 1 pound ground sirloin with ¼ cup harissa paste, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Form into patties and grill over medium-high, direct heat until desired doneness. Serve on buns topped with goat cheese and harissa aioli (½ cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa paste.) Roasted harissa carrots  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1 pound carrots diagonally into 1½-inch slices. Toss with 2 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Roast until browed and soft, about 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.  The Libertine Neighborhood Bag libertinestl.com

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I’ve never known what to make of, let alone out of, rhubarb. It’s an edible oxymoron – a vegetable best known for its starring role in pie. Can you imagine a kale doughnut? Me neither. In the interest of continuing education and culinary adventure, I bought a few pounds of the spring stalk and am excited to report that rhubarb can brighten everything from a beverage to an entree to, yes, pie. Skip the rhubarb leaves, which are a wee-bit poisonous. Instead, take home the raw stems, which look like celery that’s been dipped in a fiery sunset. The rhubarb’s variety determines where it falls on the color spectrum, usually somewhere between pale pink to cherry red, but the color doesn’t affect the taste – all will be super tangy. It couldn’t be easier to cook rhubarb. Just chop up your stalks and throw them in a pot with a little sugar and a splash of water. The flavor mellows to sweet with a citrusy edge – think a strawberry that dates drummers. If you’re more Rizzo than Sandra Dee, rhubarb is for you. Let your palate be your guide when adding sugar. Some research recipes suggested a cup of sugar to four cups of rhubarb. Others skipped it entirely and used dates and raisins. I split the difference and used a half cup of sugar, which made it sweet without fully masking the sour. Not unlike a handful of Sour Patch Kids, or when I say, “bless your heart.” The rhubarb deconstructs as it cooks, melting from coarse stalks into a smooth sauce in about 30 minutes. Since rhubarb is fiber-rich, some of those pesky pink strands may stand out in the syrup. If you’re visually squeamish, a spin with the immersion blender will even out the texture and color. Use the rhubarb sauce to give old favorites a new twist. Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles or Greek yogurt for breakfast. Shake the sauce with a bit of vinegar and oil for a quick and easy salad dressing. Need a canapé for cocktail hour? Rhubarb deliciously cuts through creamy Camembert. Pour it over ice cream, or better yet, blend it into a homemade quart. There are savory applications as well. You can baste chicken and pork with rhubarb sauce, and if grilling is on the calendar, use it in place of brown sugar in an easy homemade barbecue sauce. Yes, working rhubarb into every meal for several days may have been slightly overenthusiastic, but I was thrilled to find a food full of vitamin C and plant-based calcium that my kids loved. My pickiest child, who has never fully forgiven me for “zucchini week,” declared the rhubarb ice cream to be the best dessert I’ve ever made. And then he asked for a second helping. I’m sure it’s because he knows the importance of eating more vegetables. Rhubarb Sauce 1¾ cups 1 lb. rhubarb stalks, chopped into 1-inch pieces ½ cup sugar 1 Tbsp. water • Combine all ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Stir constantly until the rhubarb releases moisture and the sugar melts. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until no chunks remain and the sauce returns slowly after dragging a wooden spoon through it, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. • Blend with an immersion blender 30 seconds to break down any remaining rhubarb fibers. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce Stir together 1 cup ketchup, ¼ cup rhubarb sauce, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. No-Churn Rhubarb Ice Cream In a large bowl, combine 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup rhubarb sauce and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In a second bowl, beat 2 cups cold heavy whipping until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream, 1 ladleful at a time, into the condensed milk mixture. Freeze in an airtight container 4 hours before serving. Rhubarb Seltzer In a cocktail shaker, gently mix 8 ounces chilled sparkling water with 2 tablespoons rhubarb sauce. Pour into an ice-filled glass and garnish with a lemon slice or mint sprig. Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Glaze Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush a 1½-pound pork tenderloin with 2 tablespoons rhubarb sauce and sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Roast the tenderloin, brushing with an additional 2 tablespoons sauce after 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes total. Let rest 10 minutes before serving with additional rhubarb sauce on the side. Rhubarb and Goat Cheese Hand Pies Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut prepared refrigerated pie crusts into 12 3-inch rounds. In a small bowl, combine 4 ounces goat cheese and ¼ cup rhubarb sauce with a mixer on low speed. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture onto the center of each dough circle. Fold the pie dough over the filling into a crescent, pinching the edges shut. Brush the hand pies with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon milk). Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool before serving.

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I drink coffee like a woman with three kids and a procrastination problem, which is why I spent 10 minutes coaxing my next cup’s water to precisely 205 degrees before writing this sentence. But there comes a time (2 a.m.) when motivation (insomnia) arises, and caffeine reduction becomes possible (necessary). So I’ve switched out my afternoon java for a mug of decaf green tea and miso paste. Miso tea is as warm and comforting as a latte, and surprisingly filling for a beverage of around 45 calories. Now that miso paste is a regular guest in my refrigerator, and one-use specialty ingredients are against my efficient sensibilities, I wondered what else I could make with it. The answer, it turns out, was quite a lot. A staple in Pacific cuisines and Japanese food in particular, miso is a thick paste made from soybeans fermented with a koji starter and a little brown rice or barley for color. It tastes salty and savory, and feels rich and full-bodied without the heavy, slippery sensation of full-fat dairy. White and yellow misos offer the mildest flavors; bold red and fierce brown rice misos make you stand up and pay attention. I suggest starting with a pale version and working your way into deeper colors. Miso is fermented, so you can think of it as a party of probiotics, ready to confetti your gut and immune system with good health. To reap all the benefits, add miso when your food isn’t being directly heated, since hot temperatures kill the happy little microbes. If it’s in a glaze or marinade, simply make a little extra and reapply after cooking to boost the flavor and friendly bacteria. Miso soup was the first food that came to mind as I brainstormed recipes. Traditional miso soup is made with dashi, which is Japanese fish stock and seaweed. My fridge happened to be all out of fish stock and seaweed, but vegetable broth and kale worked just fine. I added a little tofu, green onions and a generous amount of miso, and it tasted surprisingly close to authentic for a St. Louis home kitchen. Miso-glazed salmon is another go-to, but you can also miso-glaze vegetables. Deepen the flavor of asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots and other root vegetables by brushing them with equal parts oil, miso and honey before roasting. Make old recipes new again by adding miso to your condiments, gravies and spreads. (Miso mayo, anyone?) If you’re a fan of salty-sweet combinations, drop a spoonful of miso in warm caramel and drizzle it over ice cream – or straight into your gob. The only real rule is to limit the amount of additional salt in recipes, because miso is a sodium bomb all by itself. Otherwise, options are almost limitless. The contemplation of which, ironically, keeps me awake at night. Miso Tea Brew a cup of green tea according to the package directions. Pour 1∕4 cup of the hot, but not boiling tea into a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon miso paste until dissolved. Return the miso mixture to the remaining tea and stir in 1∕8 teaspoon ground ginger. Miso Tuna Salad In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and 2 teaspoons miso paste. Stir in 6 ounces albacore tuna, 2 tablespoons diced celery, 2 tablespoons diced white onion and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve in bibb lettuce leaves. Spring Salad with Miso Vinaigrette In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine ½ cup sesame, olive or canola oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon miso paste and 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Secure lid and shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust ingredients if desired. Toss with spring mix lettuce. Miso-Roasted Brussels Sprouts In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons miso paste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1∕4 teaspoon kosher salt. Add 1 pound halved Brussels sprouts and toss until evenly coated. Roast at 425 degrees until browned, about 20 minutes. Miso Veggie Dip In a food processor, whip 1∕4 cup creme fraiche, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon miso paste and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (preferably overnight) to blend flavors. Serve with crudités. Miso Corn on the Cob Blend 4 tablespoons (½ stick) room-temperature unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons miso to make David Chang’s miso butter. Rub the miso butter on ears of roasted corn. Miso-Marinated Flank Steak Combine ½ cup olive or sesame oil, 1∕4 cup balsamic or rice wine vinegar, 1∕4 cup miso paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir until the miso dissolves, then pour over flank steak in a large zip-top bag and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Grill the flank steak over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness. Let rest 5 minutes before serving with a second batch of marinade for a sauce. Buy it Westbrae Natural Mello White Miso: $6.50. Whole Foods Market, 1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, 314.968.7744, wholefoodsmarket.com

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Oh, how I love my one-use kitchen gadgets and their ability to solve cooking problems I didn’t know I had until I saw the infomercial. The Spiralizer, cherry pitter and pizza scissors all hold esteemed places in my kitchen. So when I purchased my immersion blender – a hand-held chopper-upper that’s plunged directly into the ingredients – I thought it could only puree soup on the stovetop. But this smart little appliance, also known as a wand or stick blender, is so lightweight, portable and infinitely versatile, it deserves a place in every efficient kitchen.

This blender works best when immersed fully in the ingredients (duh). If you’re whipping up a little bitty something, like one scrambled egg, place the ingredients in the tall, narrow beaker that comes with most brands instead of a shallow bowl. Can’t find the beaker? A quart-size measuring cup or the bottom of a cocktail shaker will do in a pinch.

Immersion blending is a great hack to make everyday foods just a little better. Spin some heavy cream with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla to start the day with a better cuppa coffee or turn fresh fruit into instant dessert. Vinegar-and-oil dressings that separate into mouthfuls of either one make people grumpy. Use your immersion blender to emulsify homemade dressings for perfectly balanced bites of salad. And cleanup couldn’t be easier. After use, fill the beaker with hot, soapy water and give the immersion blender a whirl one last time.

Is there anything the immersion blender can’t do? Well, yes. You shouldn’t chop ice with it unless you want to prematurely dull the blades. And you’ll still need a high-horsepower stand mixer for heavy work like kneading dough. But if you’re happy to drink fresh fruit smoothies and buy bakery bread, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. I should also mention that the immersion blender made my whipped potatoes too gluey. So if you want fluffy spuds, use another of my favorite one-use gadgets: the potato ricer.

Use your immersion blender to make: Homemade Mayonnaise If you don’t know the joy of homemade mayonnaise on a hearty sandwich, then you are missing out on one of life’s tastiest simple pleasures. Start with room-temperature ingredients and combine 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon minced garlic and ½ teaspoon white pepper in the immersion blender beaker. Pulse until well combined. Add 1 cup canola oil. Hold the immersion blender against the bottom of the beaker, then pulse until the oil starts to turn opaque. Move the blender up and down until the texture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 30 seconds.

Black Bean Dip In a deep bowl, combine 2 15.5-ounce cans rinsed black beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Pulse with the immersion blender until creamy. Serve as a spread on sandwiches and burritos or make into a dip by stirring in ¼ cup diced red onion or prepared salsa and garnish with cilantro.

Lentil soup In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute 1 chopped yellow onion and 1 chopped large carrot in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 2 cups cooked lentils, 1 14.5-ounce can chopped tomatoes and 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 sprig fresh thyme. Simmer 15 minutes, then remove the bay leaf and thyme. Rest the immersion blender at the bottom of the pot and pulse as you move the blender up, down and around, until the soup is creamy and about half the vegetables and lentils are still intact. 

Avocado Cream Cheese Toast, smoast. Spread the avocado love to your bagels using your immersion blender to whip together 1 small avocado, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and kosher salt and white pepper to taste.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Drain 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, reserving the liquid. In a mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas with 2 diced roasted red peppers, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons tahini, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and a pinch of kosher salt. Pulse with the immersion blender until the beans and peppers are nearly smooth, adding up to ¼ cup of the reserved bean liquid to thin to your preference. Garnish with paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.

Silver Fizz Cocktail Place 2 ounces gin, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1 tablespoon simple syrup and 1 fresh egg white in a cocktail shaker. Place the immersion blender in the shaker and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Fill the shaker ²∕³ full with ice and shake 1 minute. Strain into a chilled highball glass and top with 2 ounces club soda. Stir gently. Garnish with a lemon slice or bitters atop the foam.

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Beer doesn’t have to be complicated to be good – which is why, amid the current popularity of funky barrel-aged brews, American beer culture is also seeing resurgence in clean, approachable styles like lagers. With Anheuser-Busch in its backyard and the interest of some unexpected breweries, the St. Louis beer scene has a lot to be proud of when it comes to clean fermentation.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. has an experimental side, but its portfolio is vast with properly brewed clean beers including an array of lagers. “A lot of my brewing background is in Germany. I grew up there – it’s definitely in my blood,” said co-founder and brewmaster Florian Kuplent. “I do like all different kinds of beers, but when I drink lagers, I can actually enjoy a few of them without feeling bad the next morning. And I enjoy the subtleties. I enjoy classic European hops and the spicy notes they provide. Some modern hop varieties are a little too in-your-face.”

With Urban Chestnut equally devoted to its Reverence and Revolution Series, Kuplent took issue with the term “clean” – more creative styles of beer aren’t dirty, he noted. But clean here refers to those classic styles that rely exclusively on the four base ingredients of beer: malt, water, hops and yeast.

Rockwell Beer Co. and Senn Bierwerks, both slated to open in late 2017, likewise plan to tackle the spectrum by showcasing both classic and creative styles.

“Simple, clean beers remind us why beer has been popular for millennia,” said Side Project Brewing brewer-co-owner Cory King. Despite being internationally recognized for beers made with adjuncts like cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, fresh fruit and bacteria, aged in various wine and spirit barrels, King appreciates clean ferments so much he and the Side Project team have started another brewery called Shared Brewing to showcase some of the more timeless styles. “Think of all of the very traditional styles – Pilsners, hefeweizens, milds, saisons, Trappist ales,” King said. “Their approachability, their easy-drinking qualities and their nuances show that not every beer has to be over-the-top to be great.”

The Civil Life Brewing Co. has established a reputation for creating near-perfect clean ferments, which prove just that. “They match the type of culture we are trying to foster in our pub,” said head brewer Dylan Mosley. “It’s really about keeping our patronage in a setting where beer remains in the conversation but isn’t the only focus of the conversation.”

There is something to be said for the beautiful simplicity of flavors and aromas produced by just water, malt, yeast and hops. Though these beers tend not to be the center of attention, making something so simple well isn’t easy. Every decision – from base malts to smaller additions of wheat, rye or oats; the choice of hops and how they’re introduced; the yeast and method of fermentation – is crucial when there are only a handful of ingredients.

Malt (barley or other grains that have sprouted, then been dried or roasted) provides the backbone of a beer, and when handled properly will bring out the pure biscuit, caramel and cereal flavors and aromas of the grain.

Hops bitter the beer to balance the malt’s sweetness, and also play a strong supporting role in aromatics and flavor. Like grapes, terroir gives each variety of hop unique expression. For instance, the Saaz hop popular in Czech Pilsners gets its spicy character from the orange soil native to Western Bohemia.

Even the water used provides beer with distinctive characteristics. “Every municipality has different water,” Mosley said. “If you think about beer in terms of soup: Can you make a good soup with four ingredients? Of course you can! But you need the broth to be tasty or else the soup will suck. Not every broth will make every soup.”

Brewers like Mosley are now able to alter the chemistry of water to improve their product. By changing levels of certain chemicals – sulfur, carbonate, sodium and chloride – they can affect the taste, aroma and body of their beer.

Running the gamut from light to dark and from low to high ABV, lagers offer perhaps the best example of the perfection that can result from using as few ingredients as possible, since their longer, colder fermentation creates a palate dominated by malt and hops. “These beers are more about subtitles,” Kuplent said. “Having anything in the beer that would detract from those subtitles is going to be much more pronounced. To brew and ferment the beer and get it to a delicate flavor is difficult – if there’s a flaw, it’s going to be impossible to hide.”

Creating a good lager with a nice balance of malt and hop is a serious technical challenge – which is probably why brewers are so excited about them.

“Go to any beer festival nowadays, ask the brewers their favorite beer of the day, and you will find several pick out a nice little lager,” King said. “That excitement amongst the brewers will see a rise in their demand amongst consumers.”

Civil Life has dedicated a lot of tank space to lagering, and rising to that kind of challenge has made it the unofficial St. Louis brewers’ brewery. Drop by on a typical Sunday afternoon and you’ll see beer connoisseurs and professionals from St. Louis breweries enjoying a pint with a bowl of soup or some tacos.

“Most of our staff goes there on Sundays,” King said. “I love Civil Life beers. They don’t always draw the attention of barrel-aged beers or sours or IPAs, because they make those traditional styles. But brewers these days are wanting easy-drinking, traditional beers that are very well made – and that’s exactly what they make.”

“The beers are spot-on examples of their respective styles,” said former Schlafly brewer Chip Stone. Stone recently moved to Seattle to work at Elysian Brewing, but before that he attended Civil Life Sundays religiously. “There’s nothing like a low-key Sunday bowl of soup with a few half-pints with Jake [Hafner, the owner] and the gang,” he said.

Katie Herrera is manager of The Side Project Cellar.

CLEAN BEERS TO TRY
firestone walker brewing pivo hoppy
pils An Old World-style lager with a West Coast attitude, this perfectly balanced, dry-hopped Pilsner showcases soft floral notes paired with German hop spice and low grain presence.

the civil life black lager
Roasted malts give way to nuances of grain, coffee and chocolate notes, all while supporting a lightly toasted and herbaceous aroma from the Noble hops. Available later this spring at the brewery

logboat brewing cowboy me
This roasty, German-style Schwarzbier is layered with notes of chocolate and a hint of smoke from the toasted malt, balanced out by a lightly bitter finish.

the civil life vienna lager
This Vienna-style lager is rich with grain and biscuit aromatics, and properly develops over the palate with a light caramel sweetness up front and clean bitter finish. Available later this spring at the brewery

2nd shift brewing technical ecstasy
This classic Czech-style Pilsner has an herbaceous, grassy and spicy aroma balanced by a bready, crisp, clean palate. Available later this spring at the brewery

urban chestnut zwickel
This Bavarian-style lager is smooth, delicate and balanced while showcasing notes of grain, citrus, grass and finished out with a mild hop bitterness.

green bench brewing postcard pils
Brewing with flaked corn and Mt. Hood hops provides this American lager with exquisite grainy sweetness and a floral, spicy aroma. Available on draft at Retreat Gastropub, retreatgastropub.com

deschutes brewery pacific wonderland
German hops and 100-percent Pilsner malt lead to a crisp, refreshing palate dominated by floral and citrus notes and an underlying graininess.

Anheuser-Busch 1127 Pestalozzi St., St. Louis, 314.577.2626, anheuser-busch.com
The Civil Life Brewing Co. 3714 Holt Ave., St. Louis, thecivillife.com
Rockwell Beer Co. rockwellbeer.com
Senn Bierwerks senn.beer
Side Project Brewing 7458 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.224.5211, sideprojectbrewing.com
Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. 3229 Washington Ave., St. Louis; 4465 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

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Mise en place: a fabulous French phrase that describes washing/chopping/measuring all your ingredients before you begin a recipe. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Why should you prepare to cook when you can, you know, just start cooking? Solid prep work lets you settle into a well-timed rhythm, which is far more enjoyable than frantically hacking ingredients while the olive oil smokes in the skillet. In this Efficient Kitchen, we discuss how to prepare some of our most frequently used ingredients: fresh herbs and onions. Once you master these knife skills, you’ll be ahead of the game, instead of behind the unintended kitchen fire.

First, safety first. Never, ever (ahem, Husband Bob) hold your food in your hand while you slice it. Instead, use a clean, dry cutting board that won’t slip on your work surface. Select a sharp knife for precise cutting. And, repeat “flat-side down” like it’s a meditation chant. As in, cut your food in half and place it flat-side down on the cutting board for stability. No 6 p.m. trips to the emergency room for you.

Fresh herbs make your food taste brighter and more flavorful. But if plucking the leaves from the stems seems like too much work, I have fantastic news. Chopped stems can be included in recipes that call for delicate herbs like cilantro, parsley and dill – simply remove and discard the tough ends without any leaves.

For flat herbs like mint or basil, make a chiffonade, which is another Frenchie phrase that describes cutting the herbs into long, thin ribbons. Stack your leaves into a flat pile and either roll the stack from top to bottom, or lengthwise from side to side (like a football). Starting from one open end, slice the roll into petite strips. I prefer the top-to-bottom approach, which lets me isolate and discard the thicker middle vein in basil. Either way, your herbs will look as beautiful as they taste.

Stocking your refrigerator with pre-cut onion speeds up weeknight cooking. While you can buy diced onions in the produce section, it’s cheaper and fresher to do it yourself. To dice an onion, trim the top (leaving the root intact), remove the peel and cut in half from root to tip. Place the onion halves flat-side down and make parallel cuts from root to tip, never slicing through the root. Rotate the onion 90 degrees and repeat, removing the root with the last cut.

To make onion slices, for, say, French onion soup, cut a peeled, trimmed onion in half from root to tip, remove the core and place flat-side down. With your knife at a 5-degree angle (the blade should be almost parallel to the cutting board), slice low on the side of the onion to the center. Increase the angle of your knife with every slice until it reaches 90 degrees and you’re cutting down at the top of the onion. Then, so you don’t chop your fingers, place the recently cut side on the board and repeat with the remaining quarter. The technical term for all of this geometry is “radial cuts,” and it ensures that every slice is the same size.

If I’m being super efficient, I’ll spend a Sunday afternoon chopping up enough herbs, onions and other ingredients to carry me through Thursday night dinner. Not only does dinner get on the table faster, I feel like a fantastic French chef, even when I’m making Italian.

French Onion Soup Bring 6 cups beef or vegetable broth, 2 cups caramelized onions, ½ cup dry sherry and 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Thicken with a slurry (2 tablespoons cold water and 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch, stirred) if desired. Allow flavors to blend at least 1 hour or refrigerate overnight. Reheat and serve with Gruyere toast.

Pasta Bring 1 cup caramelized onions, ½ cup vegetable broth and ¼ cup dry white wine to a boil over medium heat. Stir in 1 pound hot, cooked pasta. Sprinkle with ½ cup grated Parmesan and serve.
Brie Appetizer Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Remove the top rind from a wheel of brie. Top with ¼ cup caramelized onions and bake until the cheese is gooey, about 30 minutes. Serve hot with apple and baguette slices.

Caramelized Onions 2 cups

3 lbs. yellow onions, trimmed and peeled
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. kosher salt

• Cut 1 onion in half from root to tip. Remove the core. Place the flat side down on the cutting board, and make ¼-inch radial cuts. Repeat with the remaining onions.
• In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil and butter.
• Add the onions, pepper and salt. Cook the onions, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are wilted and the liquid is reduced.
• Reduce the heat to low and stir frequently, scraping the bottom of the pan to ensure the onions don’t stick. Cook onions about 1½ hours, until brown, viscous and sweet.

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Winter cooking is all about comfort food. And by comfort, I mean snuggling in front of the fireplace instead of driving to the grocery store. The downside is that, around 5:30 p.m., I’m frantically curating a meal out of whatever lurks in the back of my pantry. For a while, dry cereal and crunchy Swiss Miss mini marshmallows did the job. But then I found a large can of whole peeled tomatoes, and an entire world of culinary possibilities was revealed.

My canned tomato journey began with Marcella Hazan’s four-ingredient tomato sauce. If you are a jarred sauce person (no judgment – I was, too), Hazan’s recipe will change your life: Simmer a pot of canned whole tomatoes with a halved onion, a little salt and an abundance of butter; extract the onion and serve over pasta. It’s elegant, fuss-free and allows you to consume nearly a stick of butter without feeling bad about yourself.

While enjoying Hazan’s sauce on every carb I could find, I tried it between layers of lasagna noodles. Oh, how the mighty fell! The sauce turned into an oily (but still delicious) mess when mixed with cheese and eggs. There had to be a way to employ Hazan’s treasure in other tomato-based recipes, so I put down my hot cocoa and got to work.

First, I reduced the butter to a mere tablespoon to minimize the fat but retain the velvety mouth feel. Unfortunately, when I cut down the butter, the tomatoes’ acidity became overwhelming. A pinch of sugar and splash of balsamic vinegar helped with the metallic taste, but adding ingredients was counterproductive to my goal of being lazy simplifying.

I wondered if I could fix it by using a different brand of tomatoes, and tried my reduced-butter sauce with three different brands: Cento San Marzano peeled tomatoes, Trader Joe’s unsalted whole peeled plum tomatoes and Red Gold whole peeled tomatoes.

The Trader Joe’s tasted identical to the Cento San Marzano tomatoes. But I couldn’t have been more surprised that the unpretentious, mainstream Red Golds tasted sweeter and less acidic than my favorite designer brand, San Marzano tomatoes. To confirm my suspicions, I talked to Marianne Moore, culinary creative director of Dierbergs Cooking School. “I actually prefer Red Gold to the Cento, as well,” she said. “I think it is a palate thing. Taste is perspective. You could bring in five different people to taste one pot and get five different responses.”

The only drawback to Red Gold tomatoes is they seemed more watery than the others. Adding extra tomatoes threw off my proportions, so I discarded one-half cup of tomato juices and pureed the finished sauce with an immersion blender until it was thick and smooth.

This sauce works beautifully in lasagna and – with a few modifications – as the base for tomato soup, pizza sauce and much more. Feel free to double the ingredients, increase the cook time at least 15 minutes and freeze the extra for another use. You’ll be rewarded with meals that taste like you made a real effort, even though you just opened a can.

Magic Tomato Sauce Inspired by Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce

2 cups

1 28-oz. can Red Gold whole peeled tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ tsp. kosher salt

• In a 3-quart pot, add tomatoes and all but ½ cup juices. Use your hands to crush the tomatoes. Add the onion, butter and salt.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer 30 minutes. Discard the onion. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth.

Pasta sauce Serve over 1 pound cooked pasta noodles.

Tomatoes and Toast Rub thick slices of buttered toast with roasted garlic. Top with Magic Tomato Sauce and Parmesan or feta cheese. Broil 1 to 3 minutes until the cheese softens slightly.

Pizza sauce Add a 6-ounce can tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and ½ teaspoon garlic powder to the Magic Tomato Sauce. Makes enough for 2 medium pizza crusts.

Baked Italian eggs Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat individual ramekins with a thin layer of cooking spray. Spoon warm Magic Tomato Sauce into ramekins and break 1 or 2 eggs on top. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until the whites are solid and the yolks are slightly runny. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Tomato Soup Mix together equal amounts of Magic Tomato Sauce and low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth. Finish with 1 tablespoon cream, if desired. Serve with toasted Gruyere sandwiches.

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Years ago, over dinner with a few friends, a vegetarian acquaintance mentioned that she never ate anything with a face. Her hushed tone was so sanctimonious that I thought she was praying. “What about a head of lettuce?” I chimed in. She didn’t even chuckle. I think she just blinked. Sure, my snarky remark was the proverbial poke in the eye – a silly attempt to inject a bit of juvenile humor into the conversation – but her comment epitomized the stereotypical smug, humorless non-meat eater. We moved on.

In retrospect, perhaps my dining companion was simply too hungry to be much fun. This was back in the day when the best meatless option you could “special order” at a restaurant was a plate of spaghetti or rice with steamed veggies. Today, chefs prepare vegetables with as much care and skill as they would a collop of cow – so much so that carnivores frequently forgo flesh. In short, it’s much easier to eat vegetarian and vegan these days; yet, there is always room for more restaurants solely dedicated to the cuisine.

The latest restaurant on the meat-free, green scene is Tree House, Bay Tran’s bright and inviting little bistro in the heart of the South Grand restaurant district. Unlike many vegetarian-vegan restaurants I’ve frequented in the past – with their incessant aroma of soy and patchouli, hodge-podge furniture and windows plastered with remnants of flyers from sundry out-of-date community events – Tree House has a flair that’s both contemporary and rustic: bright orange, stackable chairs; blown-glass light fixtures hanging from the yellow-gold, pressed-tin ceiling; bamboo floors; and a bar and shelves fashioned from reclaimed wood.

The menu is categorized into Snacks, Small Plates and Large Plates, with each dish labeled vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. Tran, a vegetarian, brings her Vietnamese heritage to the table (Her family owns the restaurant Mekong down the street.) with meatless versions of popular dishes like the banh mi sandwich. Here, wild mushroom pâté substituted for traditional liver spread and optional house-made seitan (for an extra $2) sat in for pork. The baguette was fresh and crusty, the thin layer of pâté forest-y, the carrot and pickled daikon slaw cold and crunchy, and the cilantro and sliced jalapeño bright and hot, but there wasn’t enough food in the dish to qualify it as a Large Plate. (Tree House has since moved the dish to its brunch menu.)

Other dishes reflect the ethnic backgrounds of the kitchen crew, like sous chef Tanya Brown’s Obaachan’s Udon Noodle Soup, based on her grandmother’s recipe. A vegan dashi served as the base into which red miso, scallions, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, noodles and cabbage simmered. The noodles were more like fettuccine, not the ropy thickness I prefer, and the warming winter dish would have been even more warming if served hotter. Otherwise, it was a satisfying noodle bowl, especially with the optional hardboiled egg.

Some flavors were unfailingly lively, with surprising combinations of savory and sweet, like the Brussels sprouts salad with Thai basil, crisp cabbage, cilantro and mint tossed with a gently hot and slightly sweet chile vinaigrette. Among others, the red beets (cut like french fries) were roasted to bring out their natural sweetness before being fried and coated with salt and togarashi (Japanese chile powder). The result was a surprisingly fun and flavorsome appetizer.

A johnnycake packed even more flavor bombs: a fried, pita-sized masa and black bean bread sliced in half came nestled in a pool of thick and smoky malagueta pepper sauce, tamed by an outer ring of garlic-parsley chimichurri. Pickled vegetables provided the proper acidic foil. But some fell short: Red beet hummus, rich with deep raspberry color and heavy on the garlic, was devoid of root vegetables’ earthy flavors.

Other offerings translated easily into the vegetarian vernacular. Jambalaya arrived steaming hot, made with smoked, spicy, wheat gluten-based sausage, brown rice, garlic, tomato and the holy trinity of all Cajun cookery: bell peppers, onion and celery. On top, a small square of cornbread; you will want more. Southern grits, made with coconut milk and topped with tomato-garlic ragout and braised kale, elicited wonderment.

Some translations didn’t work. Roasted duck (Do I really need to use quotation marks at this point?) was really just seitan sliced into medallions to simulate duck breast. The Asian glaze was overpowering and the texture, unappealing. You can’t make duck out of a sow’s ear, so why bother trying to imitate the meat-eating experience?

Among Tree House’s successes, there’s the drink menu. Creative cocktails run between $7 and $9, on par with St. Louis prices, and include the bright and citrusy Rhubarb Rickey (gin, lemon, grapefruit, ginger beer, rhubarb bitters, candied ginger) and a boozy Furlough Fashioned (bourbon, spice bitters, St. Germain, lemon zest). There’s a handful of local beers on tap and a short, but decent, wine list. Kudos to Tree House for serving red wine by the glass at the proper temperature.

Desserts are limited but should satisfy any after-dinner sweet tooth. Pumpkin bread pudding with bourbon cranberry sauce tasted like pumpkin pie; the Truffle Trio, consisting of coffee toffee, toasted coconut and toasted walnut chocolates, was decadent.

Tree House moved its closed day from Wednesday to Monday. This is too bad because many people are seeking vegetarian dining to support Meatless Monday, a movement that encourages skipping meat one day a week. But even with its hits and misses, Tree House would be a fine place to begin … any day. So, this vegan walks into a bar with a duck on his head … oh, never mind.

Don’t Miss Dishes
Jambalaya, fried beets, Brussels sprouts salad

Vibe
With its contemporary blend of sleek and rustic, this ain’t your hippie father’s vegetarian restaurant.

Entree Prices
$10 to $13 for Large Plates

Where
3177 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.696.2100, treehousestl.com

When
Tue. to Sun. – 5 to 10 p.m.; Brunch: Sat. and Sun. – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The post Review: Tree House in St. Louis appeared first on Sauce Magazine: Intelligent Content For The Food Fascinated.

Melt
2712 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.771.6358, Facebook: Melt

Transient boozehounds, casual date-night couples and coffee-shop kids alike have plenty to take in at Melt, which is a solid addition to the continually flourishing scene on Cherokee.

The post Review: Melt in St. Louis appeared first on Sauce Magazine: Intelligent Content For The Food Fascinated.