Archive for the 'Life' Category
Ted Kilgore at Niche My Favorite Restaurant ever
About Ted Kilgore
In the 12+ years that Ted Kilgore has been obsessed with cocktails, he has become one of the most recognized mixologists in the Midwest. He has been featured in a host of local press as well as national publications including The San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, and Imbibe Magazine. His cocktail creations have also been featured in several books such as Food and Wine Cocktail book, Mr. Boston’s Guide 2008, and Gary Regan’s new Gin Compendium. His accolades also include having been selected as a Top Trendsetting Mixologist by Beverage Media Magazine and earning a Bar Ready Certification from the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource program. He is currently bartending at Niche Taste Bar in St. Louis, Missouri where he is also the President of the local United States Bartender’s Guild chapter. You can learn more about Ted by visiting his website at www.lastwordcocktails.com.
Raspberry Riot
2 oz Cabana Cachaça infused with raspberry mati (south American Tea of sorts)
1/2 oz ruby port
1/2 oz agave nectar
3/4 oz Grapefruit juice
1 mint sprig
Shake all with ice. Fine strain over crushed ice in Collins. Garnish with mint and grapfriut.
I just make this Cocktail !!and it is over the top
Thank you Stefany Cesari from
The Baddish Group for sending the info Natalia
el Postre debería hacerte sonreír, y cuando saboreas el merengue italiano suave, dulce , es muy posible que hagas una risita. Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh apila sus postres de nieve, suaves, almohadas dulces de la felicidad. El merengue Italiano es usado por la Chef encima de cuadrados de limón y al mezclarlo con harina de almendras para macarons, es también usado en Pavlovas. Pero el mas sorprendente postre de Chef Penchaszadeh es tres leches de coco. Empapado en leche de coco. Esta torta húmeda se eleva con picos de merengue y con un final el polvo de canela. Para los amantes de la pastelería de estilo europeo, se trata de un sabor azucarado de la felicidad.
Last Sunday at the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM, we had 464 people enjoying the activity! Wow! Anyway we were ready with 500 cookies, thanks goodness! Once again I had the honor to present a project, this time the theme was “Art the Glitters, Gleams, and Glows” We decided to go for cookies this time, but really I did not want to go to the classic cookie decoration, I wanted to present something different and easy.We topped regular sugar cookies, covered in royal glace with chocolates figures, and add colored crystal sugar. For a final touch made them glow with gold and silver powder. It was wonderful to see the glowing expressions on kids and parents faces as the shiny dust covered the dark chocolate.
And again a special “Thank You” for Amanda Muller , thank you for making every Sunday especial at the St Louis Art Museum ( Family Program). Thank you also to all the volunteers.For me it is a pleasure participate at the amazing SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM
Here are the recipes:
Sugar Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cups butter (soft)
1 cup sugar
peel from one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg yolks
Place the flour, sugar and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter and work with your fingers until it gets a sandy texture. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel and add the mix to the bowl. Press the dough as if you were making a snowball until all ingredients get together, do not kneed ( if you kneed to much gluten is going to be formed, something you don’t want for this cookies). Place the dough in a plastic bag, close it tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes in the refrigerator, (or longer, even up to a week) . Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to the desired thickness, cut out with cookie cuter (whatever shape your like) and bake for 8-10 min. the edges have to be golden, Let them cool down, decorate, have fun and enjoy.
Royal icing
1 egg white
A sprinkle of lemon juice ( very important if you want a white icing)
1 lb (¼ kilo) powdered sugar
In a blender add all ingredients and mix at high speed until you can see a nice and stable foam. Turn off the blender and dip a spoon, turn the spoon upside down , the mixture must remain attached to the spoon , otherwise, it’s not ready. This icing is very difficult to store, if you need, put it very tied in a sealed plastic container and keep for only a few hours. You will need to mix again every time you want to use it.
Decorate the cookies and let them set until the icing hardens.
See Activity ant the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM 2007
Coming soon !!
Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh did a chef demostration at Soulard Market in St Louis, representing the Lucas school house
Here are the recipes!
Citrus Spinach Salad ( 2 servings )
2 lb spinach
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
¼ cup goat cheese
1 Garlic clove
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped Nuts
1 tangerine
1 orange
In a bowl place the mayonnaise, sour cream, orange marmalade, salt and pepper
Peel the orange and tangerine and separate into slices.
Add half of the citrus dressing and mix.
To enhance the flavor of the goat cheese peel and chop a garlic clove, add the garlic to the goat cheese. Add salt (goat cheese often come with salt) and pepper. Mix by hand until the consistency is smooth and frothy
Add the spinach, half of the goat cheese and walnuts. Toss, put the salad into the dishes and decorate with the rest of citrus and goat cheese.
Beef Tenderloin and Chimichurri (6 servings )
2 lb tenderloin
1 red onion
2 table spoon of olive oil.
Remove the fat of the tenderloin (using a knife with flexible tip), separate the fillet Mignon and cut into medallions. In a flat surface sprinkle black pepper and roll the medallions, the pepper will stick to the sides; this will help to enhance the flavor without burning the pepper.
In a hot skillet, add oil, cook the medallions on both sides until golden brown. In the same skillet add the onions. Once cooked add salt and top with the onions and the chimichurri
Chimichurri
1 cup of Olive oil
½ cup of Oregano
2 tablespoons of chopped Garlic
2 Tablespoons of chopped Onions
¼ Cup of Vinegar (very important)
¼ white wine
Combine all ingredients in a jar ( glass one is better)
Set for a week in the refrigerator, and it will be ready.
Creamy Polenta
2 cups Polenta
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup extra milk
1 stick Butter
2 cubes bouillon
2 otz. Fresh arugula
In a saucepan add milk, bullion cubes and half butter stick. Boil.
Sprinkle the polenta and mix until the first bubble appears. Turn off the heat and add extra milk and butter. Stir, add the arugula and serve.
Note: The polenta; (instant polenta) cooks in 2 -3 minutes
(traditional) cooks in 20-25 minutes
Salmon and fresh vegetables. ( 4 servings )
1salmon
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 olive oil
1 zucchinis
1 eggplant
1 portobello mushroom
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 Red onions
Salt pepper
With a knife with flexible edge, remove the salmon skin. Remember to press the skin rather than meat. Cut into portions. Add salt and pepper.
In a flat surface add flour for breading the fish on both sides; this prevents the fish sticking to the skillet, and help to golden brown faster, remember that fish cook quickly.
In a hot skillet add oil and golden brown fish on both sides.
Cut all vegetables. Put them in a bowl, add salt, pepper and 1 / 4 rate oil. In a hot skillet add the vegetables and brown, keep in mind that eggplants will absorb the oil, so we should cook them separately. The veggies go so well in the grill.
Idea for portobellos: In a bowl add soy sauce and chopped garlic, cover and let rest for one hour, then cook them in the grill for about 4 minutes.
THE FOUNTAIN ON LOCUST
2007 Project
Sauce Magazine February 2008….
Brandy Alexander, anyone?
With the art deco murals complete and chef Natalia Penchaszadeh in place, Joy Grdnic Christensen is set to make a splash on the local restaurant scene by opening The Fountain on Locust on Feb. 19. Penchaszadeh will oversee a light menu of “simple, healthy, made-from-scratch food,” Christensen said - think soups, salads and sandwiches, though premium ice cream will also star in desserts and retro cocktails.
The Fountain on Locust is located at 3037 Locust Street’s Historic AUTOMOTIVE ROW! Way back when America’s fascination with cars began, the top car manufacturers of
the day brought their shiny new inventions here, to Automotive Row, to
show off and sell. In fact, when St. Louis families first began
buying cars, they had to come here, to Automotive Row, to browse and
buy. This very building was the sales and showroom for St. Louis
buyers who sought status, comfort and luxury in a car. Where you’re
sitting right now was once the showroom for the STUTZ BLACKHAWK and
the SUTZ BEARCAT, both considered top of the line, high performance
sports sedans of the time. You would be able to see and admire these
cars proudly on display, and if you wanted to buy, one was made for
you to order - each one, custom built. Across the street you could
buy a Nash, a Franklin, a Cord, or a Maxwell. Down the street you
could find a Stearns-Knight, a Cadillac, a Ford, an Auburn, a
Locomobile or a Velie.
This building was constructed in 1916 for the Supreme Car Company. By
1920, Locust Street and Washington Ave. and Olive Blvd. for several
blocks east and west, were lined with car dealers and other automotive
related businesses. But only here, on Locust, on Automotive Row, was
EVERY building devoted to the car industry, except one a block west,
that was a sole residence.
Joy Grdnic Christensen worked on the interior of The Fountain On
Locust for over two years, researching, designing, creating the
pendant lampshades and hand painting the wall murals to stay true to
the historic integrity of the building, the era and the feel of an art
deco ice cream soda fountain. We want every visit you make to be an
experience like no other, like The Fountain On Locust itself! Be sure
to sit in the west side booths on one of your visits to listen to the
only Restaurant Radio Comedy serial, “Soap Hospital” playing
continuously with a new episode every two minutes!
And just like the care that went into each custom built Stutz, we
create our own hand-crafted chocolates, ice cream sauces and delicious
made-from-scratch foods. Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh brings her special
touch to wholesome, healthy and unique recipes!
Our entire staff shares the desire to serve you the highest quality
BY Aisha Sultan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/09/2009
When a local fashion designer and executive chef showed up in matching Vera Wang coats to start renovating a building for a reality TV show, the film crew rolled their eyes.
The coats stayed on for 43 seconds.
Aracelli 51, admits she stalked the producers of “Renovation Realities,” a show that appears on DIY network and HGTV, for a chance to be featured on it. She also readily admits that she’s a far cry from a handy, crafty DIYer.
“I haven’t even changed a knob on a drawer,” she said.
Unsurprisingly, mayhem ensued.
Two years ago, Araceli was laid off as a fashion designer for May Co. She had worked all over the world in fashion and immediately began freelancing. In the meantime, she met chef Natalia Penchaszadeh, 34, who was searching for a restaurant location in the city. Both originally from Argentina, the pair hit it off instantly and are St. Louis’ version of Lucy and Ethel - quirky, full of energy and with ideas that are a little over-the-top.
They spotted a former mortgage company building across the street from Lafayette Park, but Natalia ruled it out because it lacked the zoning needed for a restaurant. Natalia left to visit Argentina, and when she returned Araceli informed her that she had purchased the property anyway.
With her husband’s extensive antique and art collection, Araceli figured they could transform the space into a cafe, with an antique and gift shop on the side. She convinced Natalia to come on board as the chef for the project, which they dubbed “Rue Lafayette.”
They had a vision of bringing a slice of Paris street life to St. Louis, complete with toy sailboat rentals that kids could play with in the lake. But the entire building would have to be gutted and rehabbed, and the original architect estimates came in around $180,000.
That’s when Araceli got the idea that they could save some money and get some publicity by appearing on the reality show, which was scouting locations throughout the country. She filled out an application and sent in a video.
“They definitely don’t look like the typical builder,” co-executive producer Lori Golden-Stryer said when she saw their tape. She asked them: “Are you guys serious about this?”
They had originally suggested that they would stain some windows but the producers vetoed that project as too lame. Time for Plan B: The women figured they could easily rip out old flooring and replace it with new tile. They also proposed tearing down a wall in the entrance. But, the show insisted they add a project in which they actually construct something. So they proposed a counter built out of the extra original doors.
Keep in mind, they had never held a power tool in their lives.
Natalia figured the entire thing was a joke. She had no desire to make a fool of herself on national TV.
When Araceli showed up at her door bearing gifts, she became suspicious.
“I have something to tell you…,” Araceli said and pulled out a contract.
They had been picked. Once Natalia was convinced that the show would not ruin her reputation as a chef, the two immediately began plotting what they would wear.
The premise of “Renovation Realities” is a bit different than the other picture-perfect home makeover shows on television.
“On home renovation shows, everything is rosy,” Lori, the producer said. “No one makes mistakes, no one mismeasures, but the reality is, people do.”
The idea is for viewers to learn from DIYers’ mistakes and be inspired by their successes.
With little to no outside help, the novice rehabbers were set to be filmed for a week as they attempted their planned projects. At one point, they spent 30 minutes trying to screw a nut with a drill but could not figure out why it wouldn’t work. Finally, one of the crew members suggested they check the direction of the drill.
It was in reverse.
There was a steep learning curve.
“It was my first time using a wet saw,” Araceli said. “Actually, it was my first time seeing it.”
At one point, she tried to cut through electrical wire with scissors. “How was I supposed to know?” The crew, which tries to stay as detached as possible, was forced to intervene when Araceli started to use a power saw to cut through the middle of an unsecured door.
“I can’t let you do this,” the cameraman said, as he set his camera down. The saw could have gone flying out of her hands.
“My son said we looked like monkeys with loaded guns,” Araceli said.
During this interview, she tried to describe a tool they used while redoing the tile floors.
“We called it microdermabrasion,” she said. “But that’s not what it was called. We used it to clean up underneath the old tiles.”
“Oh for God’s sake,” the producer said, when we called her trying to track down the proper name of the tool.
“It was a buffer.”
But, somehow, at the end of a very long week, the women accomplished their tasks.
Araceli said she felt a little funny when she looked at the new entry way or the counter they built.
“I don’t know what this feeling is that I have,” she said. “It’s either a sense of accomplishment or hatred or gas.”
The remainder of their vision - a darling cafe with copper tiles, mahogany wainscotting, a concrete stained floor - will be carried out by a skilled team of carpenters and contractors.
“Never again,” Araceli said. “It was just too much work.”
The sweat equity has given the project a “labor of love” attachment, though. Araceli looked up the property’s original owner and was delighted to discover that owner David Nicholson had stipulated back in the early 1900s that his property “should be occupied only by dwellings of elegant design and substantial character.”
“I like that guy,” she said. “He had style.”
The Rue St. Louis cafe and antique shop is set to open by the end of May at 2026 Lafayette Ave. The “Rue St. Louis” episode of “Renovations Realities” will appear on DIY and HGTV through the month of May. Check local listings for times.
Last Sunday at the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM, we had 464 people enjoying the activity! Wow! Anyway we were ready with 500 cookies, thanks goodness! Once again I had the honor to present a project, this time the theme was “Art the Glitters, Gleams, and Glows” We decided to go for cookies this time, but really I did not want to go to the classic cookie decoration, I wanted to present something different and easy.We topped regular sugar cookies, covered in royal glace with chocolates figures, and add colored crystal sugar. For a final touch made them glow with gold and silver powder. It was wonderful to see the glowing expressions on kids and parents faces as the shiny dust covered the dark chocolate.
And again a special “Thank You” for Amanda Muller , thank you for making every Sunday especial at the St Louis Art Museum ( Family Program). Thank you also to all the volunteers.For me it is a pleasure participate at the amazing SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM
Here are the recipes:
Sugar Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cups butter (soft)
1 cup sugar
peel from one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg yolks
Place the flour, sugar and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter and work with your fingers until it gets a sandy texture. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel and add the mix to the bowl. Press the dough as if you were making a snowball until all ingredients get together, do not kneed ( if you kneed to much gluten is going to be formed, something you don’t want for this cookies). Place the dough in a plastic bag, close it tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes in the refrigerator, (or longer, even up to a week) . Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to the desired thickness, cut out with cookie cuter (whatever shape your like) and bake for 8-10 min. the edges have to be golden, Let them cool down, decorate, have fun and enjoy.
Royal icing
1 egg white
A sprinkle of lemon juice ( very important if you want a white icing)
1 lb (¼ kilo) powdered sugar
In a blender add all ingredients and mix at high speed until you can see a nice and stable foam. Turn off the blender and dip a spoon, turn the spoon upside down , the mixture must remain attached to the spoon , otherwise, it’s not ready. This icing is very difficult to store, if you need, put it very tied in a sealed plastic container and keep for only a few hours. You will need to mix again every time you want to use it.
Decorate the cookies and let them set until the icing hardens.
See Activity ant the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM 2007
Cooking and Art at SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM by Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh
December 7 Shimmering Sugar Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh is visiting the Museum to assist us in creating edible artworks that dazzle! Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and some festive music while you nibble on your treats.
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008 Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm Location: SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM Street: One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park City/Town: Lake Saint Louis, MO.
free event!
See activity at the museum 2007 by Natalia Penchaszadeh
Day one of Greg’s Hunger Challenge..
Food Outreach Executive Director Greg Lukeman started his Hunger Challenge yesterday with the goal of highlighting the difficulties facing Food Outreach clients who may have to rely on Food Stamps to find nutritious meals and ingredients. His budget: only $25.36 for a full seven days of meals.
He, along with Hunger Challenge participants
Food Outreach Board Member Attilio D’Agostino of ALIVE Magazine, Rachel Storch-state rep from the 64th District, and Jeff Smith, state senator from the 4th District, made a trip to the grocery store yesterday morning to buy their goods. Greg hopped on the bus at 9:30am and headed to the nearest ALDI to see what items he could find on such a limited budget.
How did it go? Click here to read Greg’s first blog about Day 1 of his Hunger Challenge.
Cooking and Art at SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM by Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh
December 7 Shimmering Sugar Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh is visiting the Museum to assist us in creating edible artworks that dazzle! Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and some festive music while you nibble on your treats.
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008 Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm Location: SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM Street: One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park City/Town: Lake Saint Louis, MO It is a free event!
See activity at the museum 2007 by Natalia Penchaszadeh
St. Louis Eats and Drinks With Joe and Ann Pollack
Joe and Ann Pollack, St. Louis’ most experienced food writers, lead a tour of restaurants, wines, shops and other interesting places. Copyright 2008 Joe Pollack and Ann Lemons Pollack
The Fountain On Locust
Attention nostalgic ice cream lovers: We’ve found the best chocolate ice cream to hit St. Louis since the much-mourned Gold Coast Chocolate. At The Fountain on Locust, they bring their ice cream from Wisconsin, and while there are other flavors that are extremely enjoyable, the Zanzibar Chocolate is absolutely killer.
The Fountain on Locust is only a few months old. It’s two blocks east of Compton, in an old Stutz automobile showroom that’s been turned into an Art Deco festival, complete with murals and, naturally, fountain fixtures. It’s the creation of Joy Grdnic Christensen and Argentina-born Natalia Penchaszadeh. Besides the malts, shakes, ice cream sodas, sundaes and cones, there are sandwiches, salads and soups, if your conscience insists on something to prepare your stomach for dessert.The effect is of a sweet shop for adults, with wildly imaginative ice-cream dishes and cocktails existing side-by-side with items as old-fashioned as phosphates, so that grandparents can show the children what we drank when we were young. Ice cream sodas are delicious, too, and are an area to let an imagination run from plain vanilla to the wildest of flavor combinations.
Penchaszadeh’s kitchen shows the same breezy attitude and wide-ranging imagination. A fountain salad is strips of grilled, herbed chicken breast on lettuce, with apples, dried cherries, a little parmesan and a lemon dressing. The mixed salad sandwich brings out a baguette of garlic bread topped with melting mozzarella and a salad over that, more of a knife-and-fork dish than a pick-up-and-eat sandwich, with pieces of lettuce, tomato, green pepper and artichoke hearts in a basil-laced vinaigrette. And a prosperity panino layered hummus (thick enough that it didn’t ooze out in an unseemly manner) with tomato, onion confit, eggplant and zucchini on a crisply grilled bread. Off a menu of evening specials, a mushroom crostini (shown below) took a generous slice of crusty bread that had been grilled and topped it with lots of sauteed mushrooms, a few strips of roasted red pepper and a nice hit of very mild goat cheese.On the soup front, an old favorite from the days when Jimmy Carter was president, peanut soup, is a regular on the menu. The kitchen sprinkles a little pepper on top, to cut the richness, a good idea; without it, the soup is almost sweet. The other soup is totally new to town, we think. Polish dill pickle soup turns out to be a potato soup laced with shreds of the pickle, its tartness a surprise and a pleasure. Both soups are vegetarian, as are three sandwiches, three salads and both hot focaccias.
We’re deeply amused by the World’s Smallest Hot Fudge Sundae, a wee scoop of vanilla (or any flavor you’d like) topped with the house-made hot fudge and served in what can double as a shot glass. It’s a great idea, and darn tasty, too, perfect for one trying to keep sweets under control.Another dessert is a Pineapple Inside-Out Cake. The cake is baked in a large coffee mug, and the dish arrives towering with whipped cream. Then comes ice cream, usually vanilla, but once we wanted chocolate, and that’s how we found the Zanzibar, and another time, the coconut almond joy, which was wonderful. Yes, the ice cream melts to form a sauce for the sponge cake, which includes a pineapple ring as well as a brown sugar-rum sauce on the bottom. Talk about a treasure hunt, going through the layers of that.
We also couldn’t resist what the menu calls a standing banana split. In a tall glass, almost ice cream soda-size, are chocolate and red raspberry ice creams, topped with raspberry sauce and the house hot fudge, plus, of course, banana spears. While the raspberry is nice, it’s the combo of the chocolate and banana that blows us away, especially, the gooey hot fudge.
www.fountainonlocust.com We look forward to trying egg creams, phosphates, and some of the alcoholic ice cream drinks, like a brandy Alexander, which is one of their more traditional offerings. Some non-ice cream cocktails also are available.
We’ve seen all kinds of folks visiting here, from business types having lunch-the finally-burgeoning Grand Center area is enjoying the Fountain-to post-dinner couples to cops and blue-collar types. (We continue to believe that St. Louis policemen, trained at the Crown Candy Kitchen, don’t do doughnuts, they do ice cream.) The younger ones can even be seen tapping their toes to the music, also decidedly retro. Late in the week, it’s open until midnight, a nice idea after the Fox or Powell Hall, and of course, the soon-to-open Kranzberg Arts Center. Be sure and check out the ladies room, which looks to have been lifted bodily from a small-town movie theater, circa 1940. Service can be spotty sometimes, but it’s improving.
How much fun is an Art Deco ice cream parlor? Plenty, especially if you’re old enough to appreciate the decor and the fact that it also has a liquor license.
The Fountain On Locust
3037 Locust St.
314-535-7800
www.fountainonlocust.com
Lunch until 5 p.m Tues.-Wed., Lunch & Dinner until midnight Thurs.-Sat.
Credit cards: All major
Thank you !!! Joe and Ann Pollack for the review!