PaPi'S BbQ

I know that I just wrote a blog about how its fall, and pumpkin spice rejoicing, etc etc. This past Thursday when it was still summer my lady friend and I decided on a whim to make a trip to what I think is the best barbecue I have ever had. The establishment serving said barbecue is called Papi's, which is located in the city right between Saint Louis University and Harris Stowe respectively. It is barbecue done right, done perfectly every time. Now the location is relevant not only for those who may want to go out and try it for themselves, but because I live nowhere near the city. In fact I am probably almost a solid hour depending on traffic from before mentioned hustle and bustle. So to make this long of a trek for food is ludicrous. Unless we are talking about Papi's, where the ribs are so stinking good that they do not need to be smothered in sauce, and of course that is exactly what I got when we finally arrived, with a side of sweet potato fries, potato salad (double starch? YOU BET) and of course a quarter pound addition of burnt ends (don't know what those are?! That's a blog for another day). The only problem with all the food being so good is how fast you accidentally inhale it. When you get down to that last bite and stare longingly at it wondering where the rest of the food got away to you know that no matter rain or shine, hell or high water you will have to be back for more.

If I had a daughter I would name her Basil.

I actually have no plans to ever have children, but I thought that was a good Segway into talking about my love for the herb. It was not until a chef instructor of mine made a basil pesto for a wrap that I realized how much I really enjoy the flavor of basil. It is sweet, but it works as a compliment with savory flavors instead of taking over like sugar would do. I have also found that when basil can be used to make some of the best drinks I have ever had. For example, in school we made a basil/watermelon lemonade that I literally had to force myself to stop drinking. At my job, they make a martini with cucumber and strawberry vodka muddled with basil that with every drink gets more and more refreshing. I digress though, just know that if you have never given basil a chance, she will surprise you in the best way.

A room for presentation.

Just because I can, I want to write a review for the lovely restaurant that my school runs as one of its many side projects. I went here for the first time for lunch today, and to say that I was impressed is a bit of a stretch. To be fair, when I was in the restaurant myself, it took our group a few weeks to reach our peak of service, and this group was very obviously no different. The two servers who were assigned to take care of us were less than qualified. It was almost laughable to watch as they scuffled to multitask all that comes with being a passable server. I watched as they struggled with a pot of coffee, and then watched as they were consistently defeated by a POS system. The food was a whole different story, even the bread service tasted better than most I have had, and even though it was lacking something, the free little bite of a southwest salmon/crab cake thing (one server told us salmon, the other server told the table behind us crab) was a really nice touch. My sandwich was grilled chicken on a very nicely toasted herbaceous buttery hoagie roll with all the fixings on top and a really good sweet red wine sauce that brought it all together. Even the French fries were surprisingly good, and I ate every last bite. Before I could leave I was again shown the inexperience of the wait staff as they botched my bill, but all in all I have to say I will be going back, ignoring the poor service and just focusing on the food.

The power of a vice.

It bewilders me to this day the absolute power and pull of alcohol. How is it that a person is willing to pay five to ten times the price for something just because of where they choose to drink it. For instance, I went to a concert the other weekend and paid eleven dollars for a twenty four ounce domestic beer. More disturbing than that is I bought two of them, and WORSE STILL is my girlfriend bought two as well. As a matter of a fact, a large number of the people I saw had fallen into the same trap as I had, the need for that hoppy flavor, that acquired taste that we force ourselves to acquire. I hated the taste of alcohol when I first tried to drink, but I knew it was what grown folks do, and I will be damned if I don't take full advantage of this older lifestyle I always dreamed of having. When I say it like that, the forty four dollar tallboys that I would have spent maybe seven dollars on if I had just waited to drink them in my home make sense. It seems that it is an endless fight that I will be fighting for a long time to come.

Blizzards in September.

Sunday September twenty-second is known as being the fall solstice, the official first day of cool weather, shortened days, the color orange, light jackets, bonfires, apple picking and my personal favorite, PUMPKIN SEASON. Now, pumpkin season is so much more than hayrides and picking that perfect orange globe that you just cant wait to massacre, it also means the return of pumpkin spice flavorings in just about anything you can possibly imagine. This is of course not limited to your coffee, and for my money, the place I go to find my favorite pumpkin spice treat? Dairy Queen...YES THAT DAIRY QUEEN! SOMETIMES YOU DONT HAVE TO LOOK HIGH AND LOW TO FIND SOMETHING WONDERFUL. Damn foodies always overthinking. (Hipocracy is my middle name btw). Anywho, this delicious concoction is like eating a pumpkin pie with cool whip in ice cream form. Its just perfect, and I eat them to the point of exhaustion all through the leafy season. If you have never, and you have missed this curious flavor all year. GO. Go now.

Jason.

Who is Jason? I have no idea, what does the name Jason have to do with a food blog? Everything. Jason (whoever he is) decided to make a deli chain, and let me tell you friends, he did it right. There is only one Jason's Deli in the metro area, and if you are within 100 miles of it, you owe it to yourself to go and give it a try. It is part fresh salad bar, part delicious sandwiches and wraps that will blow your mind, oh? What? You don't think that a franchise can have fresh ingredients? Believe my friends, and if its too hard for you to understand, then again, go for yourself. Their salad bar is not just salads either, it has an assortment of dips and crackers, some of the best hummus and pasta salads you could get from a deli. OH! and if you save room for dessert, and trust me, you would be a fool not to. They offer free..yes..FREE SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM for dining in. Mix all of this with a clean, well organized restaurant, believe me when I say this place has their act together. Ask me about my favorite dishes from there. I dare you. Or just go try for yourself. You'll be thanking Jason...whoever he is.

DDD

Equal parts food and bleach blonde hair, with a personality the size of the state of California and editing that could make you want to eat dirt. I am of course talking about the phenomenon that is Diners, Drive Ins & Dives. It was one of my first loves in the world of food television. Now, don't get me wrong, I love cooking competition shows just as much as the next guy, and even the next guy after him, but sometimes you just want to see some great food without all the extra drama and pizzaz..is that a word? Anyways, I am watching the show as I type and he is at a Pakistani restaurant, where else can you see that?! As much as I would love to hate this pudgy doofus in flip flops, I cant, and trust me I have tried. He is a wordsmith when it comes to describing food, and he never stops smiling. HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU HATE SOMEONE WHO IS ALWAYS HAPPY? Answer? You don't.

Spinach Salad

So..this blog is about the food right?! RIGHT! So I figured I would start of by sharing with the world one of my absolute favorite meals that I eat AT LEAST once a week, and before you ask, yes, this salad is big and hearty enough to be a meal, and in today's world of ranch dressing on all the greens its a nice change of pace for any salad fan. Lets talk setup then shall we? We start with a bed of baby spinach (obviously), and we follow that with a hearty handful of rich feta cheese, red onions (small diced), mandarin oranges, BACON, craisins, walnuts and two perfectly salty and crunchy flatbread croutons. Add in the option of topping this sweet and savory pallet attack with either braised chicken thigh meat, grilled shrimp or seared salmon, and you have a meal anyone who loves a little contrast can enjoy. OH! What's a salad without dressing? A mess of random toppings on some foliage is what. Thankfully this salad is served with a sweet tomato dressing that is so simple to make that it would completely shock you if you knew what went into it. All you need to know though is that it is the perfect sweet and tangy topping that ties everything together and will leave you wondering how you ever made it through a hot summer evening without this refreshing twist on your typical spinach salad.

WTF is "Monster Eats" ?

Why hello there, I am glad you asked! I have been appointed with the exciting task of opening up my thoughts on all things food, food service, food prep, food television, kitchen gadgets, restaurants, etc. and sharing them with the general public. I myself am a current culinary student, food television junkie, and kitchen gadget nerd. I have worked everything from fast food to full service, pizza to corporate chains, so I can guarantee that I will have plenty of dishes and experiences to share over the next ten weeks.