GAZELLE MAGAZINE February 2017 | Page 75

CUISINE for stimulating reading and an excellent foundation for building a Valentine ’ s Day menu . After all , nothing is more sensual than eating .
To create a sumptuous dining experience for your valentine , consider grazing at several of your favorite eateries . Of course , you can show your love and cook . I ’ ve asked a few St . Louis chefs for their menu picks of foods that they find most seductive and are passionate about bringing to the table .
The Fountain on Locust : Love Potion # 9 Joy Christensen , Fountain on Locust ’ s owner , supports the old adage , “ Candy is dandy , but liquor is quicker .” Her Love Potion # 9 , an ice cream martini , is accented with fresh raspberry sauce and heavy whipped cream . What ’ s not to love ?
Annie Gunn ’ s : Chef Lou ’ s Oysters It ' s the equivalent of a blind date - anticipation and titillation – waiting to discover Annie Gunn ’ s Chef Lou Rook ’ s off-the-menu oyster matchup . Chef Lou ’ s oyster recommendations for romancing Romeo or Juliet , are his North East Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette and Prussian Pearl Oysters with Frozen Pinckney Bend Vodka , Show Me Caviar , Crème Fraiche and Chives .
River City Casino & Hotel ’ s Cibare Italian Kitchen : Canestri Alla Funghi Aphrodite herself would blush in delight with Chef Josh Schlink ’ s decadent , sexy coupling of the to-die-for pasta , Canestri Alla Funghi , studded with four varieties of woodsy exotic mushrooms , enveloped in Marsala cream , and finished with spicy chile bread crumbs . A savory , seductive vegetarian entree option that Chef Josh proclaims as a plateful of love for passionate pasta lovers .
Sugarfire Smokehouse : Chicken Biscuit with Honey Butter According to Sugarfire Smokehouse pit master Mike Johnson , the fastest way to a southerner ’ s heart is with a biscuit . Sugarfire ’ s Chicken Biscuit is a marinated , slow smoked , breaded and fried chicken thigh tossed with hot sauce on a fluffy homemade biscuit slathered in honey butter . “ It ’ s sweet , hot , spicy and salty – just what a good relationship should be ,” he said .
Chocolate , Chocolate , Chocolate Company : Chocolate Covered Strawberries Plump , perfect strawberries drenched in premium chocolate have become the ultimate love offering . Chocolatier Dan Abel , Jr ., owner of Chocolate , Chocolate , Chocolate , expects to cover over a half-million berries within four days of V-Day to satisfy the desires of hungry lovers who gladly wait for hours for a berry box , proving no wait is too long to make one ’ s sweetie happy .
Suzanne Corbett is a food historian and author of the award-winning cookbooks , “ The Gilded Table ” and “ Pushcarts & Stalls : The Soulard Market History Cookbooks .” She can be contacted at suzannecorbett @ me . com .
River City Casino & Hotel ’ s Cibare Italian Kitchen : Canestri Alla Funghi
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