Our interview with Chef Nathaniel Reid was one of the most inspiring conversations we’ve had since starting this blog. We met him at his shop located on Manchester Road in Kirkwood. All of the seats were filled with happy customers, so we sat to the side in the windowsill and he was kind enough to let us chat and take some pictures of products. He’s a hometown hero, folks. We hope you enjoy this conversation with a chef we truly respect.
Some of my most favorite recipes we’ve shared on this site have been passed down from our parents. This recipe (as well as these pumpkin muffins) put my mom’s baking on the MAP. I have such fond memories of helping mom make these muffins, later learning how to make them on my own. Mom makes these muffins for family, friends, coworkers, for guests staying with them, to celebrate lazy weekend mornings, and just because the bananas are browning that need to be pitched or used ASAP. Last weekend, I got a text from her saying they had extra muffins and that she’d be swinging by with some and that’s when I realized I hadn’t shared this simple recipe with you. I actually took some of them to band rehearsal and they quickly disappeared. These muffins are loaded with chocolate and are incredibly soft and delicious.
Sometimes life is just… well… busy. As much as we love cooking, during the week it really becomes a challenge to find time to cook. We make it a priority to cook at home at least one night during the weekend, but with work and rehearsals and blog events and whatever else is going on throughout the week, sometimes we just need a meal we can pull together quickly. Let’s be honest, when it’s 8:30 on Wednesday and we’re hangry, if we don’t have something at the house, a Taco Bell run is pretty inevitable. Our post today will hopefully prevent that from happening in both our house and yours. This is a super easy recipe that takes about 10 minutes to prep. When making good carnitas, it’s all in the rub. You can adjust this rub really based on what spices you prefer, but we usually use some combination of chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin.
In our most recent interview, we went over to a restaurant that has remained #1 on our list since its opening: Olive + Oak. We interviewed newlyweds Morgaine Segura and Charlie Martin about some new cocktails they are featuring on the spring menu. Their creations are fresh, innovative, and arrived on their menu just in time to celebrate springtime in St. Louis. We hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we did!
How long have you been at Olive + Oak?
Morgaine: I’ve been here just over a year last February and Charlie started about seven months ago.
Charlie: This first cocktail we want you to try is one we just came up with, the #16. We took some kiwi puree, mixed it with coconut puree, added a little bit of rum, and to give it pops of herbaceousness we added a little bit of green chartreuse.
#16
One of the things we like most about being food bloggers is getting to meet the people behind the food. Chefs, bartenders, and culinary creatives throughout St. Louis have captivating stories about how their restaurant began, how they ended up in St. Louis, and what inspires them. We’ve met some really cool people through The Newlywed Chefs and we think you should have the opportunity to meet them as well. So, we’ve made it a point to include more interviews in our posts, featured under the “St. Louis // Who to Know & Where to Go” tab. Our hope is that knowing the people behind the dishes can make your restaurant experience more meaningful and personal.
Tani Sushi Bistro has been in Clayton for TEN years now and continues to deliver the highest quality products to its customers. Husband and wife team Eric and Jenny Heckman have poured their hearts into this place, and it shows. Eric was gracious enough to sit down with us and chat about Tani. He even was super patient when I realized that my camera battery was still charging on the wall and Neil had to run home and get it. They’re great people with a great story producing great food in a great part of town. Enjoy!
When Neil’s birthday came around last month, I just couldn’t decide which of his favorite desserts to make. Cheesecake? Brownies? I kept thinking: Cheesecake? Brownies? As I continued to ponder, those question marks slowly disappeared and a new creation was born: Cheesecake….Brownies!
This recipe is super easy. You basically make brownies any way you’d like, then finish it with the cheesecake topping. As I pulled my knife through the cheesecake topping to make swirls, I noticed that if I dragged it straight down the dollops, it created hearts. I thought it would be perfect for Valentine’s Day, and here we are.
