Thoughts from the kitchen.
 It was a full day of adventure when we decided to stop by @vitospizzeriastl for dinner. It has been our go-to place all the way back to when Vito was slinging his pizzas out of a basement storefront. The obvious passion Vito has for his business, his family, and patrons is evident in every facet of his ristorante. As we arrived, we heard about Vito’s trip to Sicily while getting settled in for a fantastic meal. It is not every day that I get to have my dry martini made by Vito himself! We opted to start our meal with arancini, which is a must have each time we visit. We have tried this dish in other places, but this is our favorite. We followed up with tortellini for me and spaghetti and meatballs for the Big Guy. The fresh baked bread and dipping sauce made the meal complete along with a lovely setting and great service. I love that Vito’s is doing well and, even better, it is next to my alma mater, @slu_official. It is a great way to “go home” and see what’s new on campus!
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@therepstl kicked off their 60th anniversary with the first of the Diamond Concert Series this weekend. The cabaret style show featured Tony award winning singer-actress Jessie Mueller who created the lead role in “Waitress” on Broadway and was Carole King in “Beautiful.” She was joined by her friend and multi-talented musician/raconteur Seth Rudetsky on piano. One word: AMAZING. This was an incredible evening of song and story. We can’t wait for the rest of the season to begin. This year’s Rep lineup is second to none. Next up is “Little Women.”
 Our former neighbors, @nataliejhiggins, introduced us to the wonders of flavor when it comes to grilled chicken. We gave it the name of cowboy chicken since it was a hardy meal with a kick! Big Guy started by roasting the chicken breast in the oven. He used @motastespices to give it the first layer of flavor. Obviously, it would have been easier to pick it up fresh from the butcher, but I certainly did not wish to forget about this beautiful cut of meat! Once he brought the chicken up to temperature, he sliced it in half to put in hot pepper cheese and bacon. He finished off the chicken with a layer of peach habanero jelly from @smokehousejellies. The blend of the heat and sweet flavors was perfect for this terrific meal served with a side of potatoes and green beans. We ended our meal with a lovely glass of Blantons in a nod to the master griller who taught us this delicious meal! THE LIGHT OF A CLEAR BLUE MORNING
The Big Guy grew up listening to Porter Waggoner and Dolly Parton. There has never been a time in our lives where Dolly wasn’t singing and making our world a little bit brighter, and a whole lot more fun. She was our favorite Godmother. The one who brought the magic, the joy, the sparkle to the world. There’s less sparkle right now. Less joy. She was the uniter. That one special being that everyone seemed to agree upon. She was special. Let’s try to be a little more like Dolly. Bring the joy and love, not the anger and hatred. Be a little outrageous. Dare to dream a little bit bigger. Be a little more like Dolly and everything’s gonna be alright. It’s gonna be okay.  Big Guy comes from a Southern family, so on occasion, he will pull out an old recipe and place the @carondeletkitchen twist on it. In this case, he returned home from a visit to @legrandsmarket with three beautiful coulotte steaks. As this cut of meat comes from the sirloin cap, it was the perfect choice for this meal. Big Guy created a pepper sauce using our snackable peppers from @carondeletgarden. He cooked down the peppers along with onions before adding beef broth and allegro marinade. He cooked the steaks in the sauce “low and slow” to make sure they were flavorful and tender. To finish off the steaks, he pulled them out of the sauce to give them a light sear to give it a finishing touch. He also finished off the sauce by thickening it with a roex of butter and flour. It was great we got to share this family recipe with our niece, @abrandt1026. We only had to add a side of parmesan potatoes, green beans, and bread to round out the perfect meal.   My lovely niece, @abrandt1026, loves donuts. She loves them so much they were a feature at her bridal shower and often is on the table during milestone events. It seemed logical that I should make her donuts for National Niece Day. Let us be honest, I do not need a special day to make donuts! I grabbed two mixes from @kingarthurbaking so I could double my recipes of chocolate and buttermilk donuts. I opted to make them plain, then added a “bar” of topping options from a glaze to sprinkles. Does it get any better?  Weekend Wine Review:
2023 Cambria Estate Winery | Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir Alcohol: 14.1% Julia’s Vineyard was named for Julia Jackson, the daughter of famed wine-maker Jess Jackson in 1988. Along with her sister Katherine and winemaker Jill Russell this dynamic trio are committed to the sustainable farming practices used throughout Cambria Estate Winery. This collaboration is responsible for creating a Pinot Noir that is overflowing with rich ripe berry flavors followed by the essence of cranberries, cherries, and pomegranate. Tight, firm tannins are evident in the incredible finish. The crafting of this Pinot Noir from a single vineyard gives this wine a balance that makes it perfect for a weekday evening happy hour or an accompaniment to a great meal. A truly, enjoyable Pinot Noir. |
AuthorJust a super cool old couple who love to cook and eat and drink in their Carondelet Kitchen in South Saint Louis, Missouri! Archives
September 2026
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