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Darcie Bakes //

January 1, 2017

{The Final RBE}: Homemade Toasted Raviolis.

I realize that I’ve been more neglectful than usual toward my poor blog. But if I’m being honest, the past ~6 months have really thrown me for a loop. I haven’t felt inspired to write here at all, and I have been crazy busy with all of life’s wonderful ups and downs. Sometimes, blog neglect just happens.

Anyway, luckily I am starting to feel a bit better mentally {although I am fighting off a nasty cold right now, so I don’t feel the best physically!}, and I’m feeling a bit more inspired to write about my foodie adventures these days.

All that to say, I feel that now is as good of a time as any to talk about homemade toasted raviolis, aka toasted ravs, aka t-ravs. {Sorry ’boutcha New Years diet. #yolo}

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Back in June 2016, my [now former] roommate and I were nosing around in a used bookstore on South Grand Avenue in St. Louis. Our two year roommate-relationship [roomieship? I don’t know, haha] was coming to a close, and we were both trying to decide what our final Roommate Baking Endeavor {RBE} project should be. We’ve always had a lot of fun devising a baking/cooking project and then working on creating something together. So we knew that our final RBE as roommates had to be epic.

As we were pacing around in the basement of this bookstore, we both were hit with inspiration: It should be St. Louis-themed! Except neither one of us love gooey butter cake [gasp!], so we were then trying to come up with something else.

Then it hit me: homemade toasted raviolis!

cooperandwallravs
{Cooper couldn’t have picked a better day to wear his STL-themed t-shirt! Thanks for being my faithful hand model, yo.}

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In case you weren’t aware, toasted raviolis are a total staple in St. Louis cuisine. And since we enjoyed two years in the city as roomies together, they couldn’t be more perfect for our final RBE. It was also the perfect opportunity for us to try out Dani’s KitchenAid mixer pasta rolling attachment. Homemade t-ravs are a bit of ahem… well, a labor of love. But if you have some spare time, and aren’t afraid of frying oil, then you should try these out. It was a fun afternoon project, although there was definitely a learning curve with making these bad boys.

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Homemade Toasted Raviolis.

Ingredients:
For the Ravioli Dough:
– 1 cup semolina flour
– 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling dough
– Pinch kosher salt
– 2 large eggs
– 1 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil

For the Filling:
– 1 pound shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese
– 1/2 pound ground beef, cooked and drained of excess oil
– 1 tablespoon minced garlic
– 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
– Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Ravioli Assembly:
– 4 eggs, 1 lightly beaten for egg wash
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
– 1/8 cup grated Parmesan
– Canola oil, for frying

+ Instructions {I didn’t feel like reinventing the wheel with the instructions here. So please keep in mind that this is copied from the Food Network’s website. Just giving credit where it’s due!}:
1. For the dough: Sift the flours and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Whisk together the eggs, oil, and 2 tablespoons water in a separate bowl. Pour the flour mixture onto a clean dry work surface and form a small well in the center. Pour half of the egg mixture into the well and, using a fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. Once absorbed, incorporate the remaining egg mixture and knead by hand until all of the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes, flouring your work surface as needed to ensure the dough doesn’t stick. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. For the filling: Mix together all of the ingredients until fully incorporated in a bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

3. To assemble: Divide the rested dough into 2 equal-size pieces and roll out on a floured work surface to a thickness of 1/8-inch. On 1 dough sheet, distribute tablespoon-sized portions of the filling, at least 2 inches apart. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Carefully lay the second sheet of dough on top and press the edges shut with your fingertips. Use a round 1 1/2-inch ravioli cutter to portion out ravioli pieces, pinching the edges shut to ensure no air is trapped inside.

4. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F.

5. Whisk the remaining 3 eggs and cream in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs and Parmesan into another shallow bowl and stir to combine. Dredge the ravioli in the egg mixture, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Working in batches, carefully drop the ravioli into the saucepan and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, making sure that the oil comes back up to temperature in between batches. Place directly onto a cooling rack lined with aluminum foil to drain any excess oil.

6. Serve with warm tomato sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.

// Our RBE Notes:
+ There is a bit of a learning curve with rolling out the pasta dough. It’s kind of a pain, but be patient and keep at it. Pasta is relatively simple, but since we were new to making it, we weren’t sure what the consistency was supposed to be like.
+ I personally found the filling to be a bit bland. Next time I’d add some kosher salt or perhaps garlic salt.
+ Feel free to experiment with your fillings; all cheese would be tasty, and I’m betting that Italian sausage would be delicious!

+ Toasted raviolis taste the best on the day they’re made. But if you want to reheat leftovers, I’d advise reheating them in your oven on a lower temperature to avoid sogginess.

// Recipe Sources:
+ Ravioli dough, filling, and coating recipe from The Food Network.
+ Homemade marinara sauce recipe from The NY Times.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: pasta, RBE, st. louis, STL

May 27, 2015

Local Noms: Lulu’s Local Eatery.

local noms

Note: For more details on what this Local Noms post series is all about, please see my little preview post.

This installment of “Local Noms” features a local St. Louis business called Lulu’s Local Eatery. Let’s begin!

// Today’s “Local Noms” Review: Lulu’s Local Eatery.

Pretty flowers adorn all the tables.
My meal of BBQ jackfruit with slaw and a side kale salad.
Pretty rustic chic wall decor.
Top view of my meal!
I love the light that floods through the front windows.
Buffalo cauliflower bites are the bomb.com!
Close-up of the window facing Grand Ave. with Lulu’s logo.
The building where Lulu’s resides, from across the street at Wyoming and Grand.
Top view of my meal plus my friend Chanel’s meal (and my Buddha bowl to-go box, haha).

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+ Background Details: I had been itching to visit Lulu’s Local Eatery for quite some time. I got there for the first time last year, and I’ve been back several times since then. Sometimes I like to order the food to go, or I will get a bite to eat from their food truck at the farmer’s market.

+ Restaurant/Shop Location(s): Lulu’s is located at 3201 S. Grand Ave. in St. Louis, Missouri, 63118. They also have a food truck, which is always at the Saturday Tower Grove Farmer’s Market, as well as other food truck events. The brick-and-mortar restaurant sits along the business district of Grand Avenue.

+ Initial Impressions: It’s a fun place to visit; when you first walk in, you’ll notice the rustic chic vibe of the place. There’s reclaimed wood all over the place, plus fresh flowers on every table. [Personally, I’m a huge fan of fresh flowers everywhere.] Plus, it’s located in an older building, so it definitely gives you that old world St. Louis vibe. The “old world” style that is stereotypical of St. Louis is, of course, something that I love.

+ Pros: Everything is super healthy and delicious. You might think that vegan food can’t be good, but this place proves you wrong. I’ve never had a bad dish here, and I have tried several meals from here. When I’m in the mood for some tasty vegan food, Lulu’s is where I go. For this particular visit, I tried their jackfruit BBQ sandwich. It’s shredded jackfruit (which ends up being surprisingly similar to actual pulled pork) with Pappy’s (yay for more local places!) BBQ sauce on a pretzel bun. Pretzel buns are my favorite already, and then it’s topped with a fresh and crunchy slaw. I ordered a kale salad on the side, and ate some of my friend’s buffalo cauliflower bites. Finally, I finished off my meal with a fresh tea. I also ordered the “Buddha bowl,” which is an udon noodle dish that’s bursting with veggies for lunch the next day. Overall, it was tasty. My friend also enjoyed her sweet potato and black bean burger!

+ Cons: It’s a little pricey, but that is, again, to be expected with healthy and locally sourced food. That means that unfortunately, I can’t afford to go there constantly. But it is a really nice, healthy treat for me on occasion. Parking along Grand Ave. can also be a real pain, as it’s a busy area. The Tower Grove neighborhood is right around there as well, which, although it’s a pretty and old area, cars are everywhere! So be prepared for a little walk when you go there.

+ My Overarching {Ha! STL pun totally intended!} Review: Every single experience that I have had at Lulu’s has been a good one. The food is very good and filling, and it feels great to know that it’s both extremely healthy and locally sourced. The staff here is always super friendly, and the restaurant’s space is a pleasant place to chill and enjoy a meal. Whether you’re a vegan or carnivore, you are sure to enjoy Lulu’s Local Eatery. It’s a local place that St. Louis is lucky to have, so I’m gonna keep on supporting it! 🙂

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Obligatory Disclaimer: I’m not a professional food expert in any sense of the word, nor am I compensated for any nice things that I may say about any of the restaurants I feature on my blog. All of my ramblings on here are just, like, my opinions, maaaannn. I just really like talking about and eating food, and I think it’s fun to feature local food establishments that I think are awesome, and if it helps them out in the process? Even better! Join me on my quest to EAT ALL THE LOCAL FOODS!

2 Comments Filed Under: local noms, sides, st. louis, STL

April 9, 2015

Random Sides // Come Visit Spring Fling in the City!

Spring-Fling-2015-Vendor-Promo-Image

Are you into crafts, vintage housewares/decor/clothing, handmade and local items, or anything remotely hipster-esque? If so, may I suggest that you check out Spring Fling in the City?

From the Spring Fling in the City Facebook page, here’s what it’s all about!

Spring Fling in the City is all about love of vintage, love of handmade and love of local. It’s an event inspired by times past, where old is new again and everything has potential.

All the fun will happen on North 14th Street between St. Louis Avenue and Warren Street in the beautifully restored Crown Square.

The Fling features local vendors selling vintage clothing, vintage accessories and vintage home decor, as well as vintage-inspired handmade items.

We’ll also have live music from local bands Ruth Acuff and Letter to Memphis (thanks to our sponsor TSV Sound & Vision!); food from local eateries La Mancha Coffeehouse, Crown Candy Kitchen, Completely Sauced and Vincent Van Doughnut; and 4 Hands Brewing Company will be setting up a beer tent to keep the good vibes flowing (wink)! 

The Old North Saint Louis Restoration Group will also be holding its annual home and community tour that day, and it’s a great chance to stretch outside 14th Street and see the beautiful history of its surrounding neighborhood! To get tickets ahead of time, visit the Facebook event page!

All in all it’ll be a great day to find some unique treasures (and that last-minute Mother’s Day present!), eat some good food; explore the local neighborhood; and celebrate the spirit of revitalization!

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If that sounds fun to you, then here are the to-the-point details:

When: Saturday, May 9th, 2015

Where: Crown Square in Old North St. Louis [It will start at North 14th St. and St. Louis Avenue {Across from Crown Candy Kitchen}, and go to east Warren St.]
Time: 10:00AM – 4:00PM, CST

For a list of vendors, check out the vendor list on the Spring Fling website. There will also be food, drinks, and live music. Plus, this is a family-friendly event. So bring your doggies and your kids! There will be fun for everyone who comes, even if you hate crafts. 😉

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Oh yeah. I might have forgotten one minor [!] detail: I AM GOING TO BE A VENDOR AT THIS EVENT!! Eeeeek. I will be selling tasty baked goods in my very own 10×10′ booth. My menu is still being finalized, but I do know for a fact that I’ll be selling vegan cupcakes and homemade [duh] animal crackers! I will share more details on this soon, but as you can tell, I am pretty pumped. 

All of that being said, if you’re going to be in the St. Louis area on May 9th, then please come check out the Spring Fling festival! It’s a great way to support our local community, plus many of the awesome local artists and small businesses. And of course, you’ll need to try my baked goods. That’s a given. 😉

Mark your calendars now, as it’s only a month away! If you have any questions on the event, please let me know.

<3

Leave a Comment Filed Under: spring, spring fling STL, st. louis, STL

March 19, 2015

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes.

As usual, I am a day late – or more like four days late – and a dollar short.

I know St. Patty’s [or is it Paddy’s? I don’t really know…] Day has already passed, but I wanted to share the Irish car bomb cupcakes that I made for the occasion anyway. I guess I’m a rebel like that.

cupcakescover kissme2

cupcakeinsides
{I just had to show you the insides of these cupcakes. Ohhhh yeahhhh!}

cupcakescloseup2

This recipe is pretty much the same as the previous chocolate stout cupcakes with whiskey ganache filling and Bailey’s buttercream frosting that I have shared here before. I just cut this recipe in half so that it only makes twelve cupcakes. And then I topped them with pretty green sprinkles and cute little St. Patrick’s Day cupcake toppers from Bake it Pretty. Aren’t the cupcakes just so adorably festive?! I am happy with how they turned out, and of course, as always, this is a solid cupcake recipe. I loooove using stout beer in chocolate cakes, as I’ve mentioned before. And these are just my favorite boozy cupcakes. ‘Nuff said.

kissme

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Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes.
Yield:
I reduced the recipe in half to make just twelve cupcakes!

Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
– 1/2 cup stout beer [I used 4 Hands’ Chocolate Milk Stout, as usual]
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 6 TBS. Dutch-process cocoa powder
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 3/4 tsp. baking soda
– 1/4 tsp. salt
– 1 large egg
– 1/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
– 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate [I used a Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate bar]
– 1/3 cup heavy cream
– 1 TBS. unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 1 tsp. Irish whiskey, such as Jameson

For the Bailey’s Frosting:
– 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
– 3 TBS. Bailey’s Irish Cream

Instructions:
1. For the cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve cupcake cups with liners and set aside. Bring the stout and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until it’s smooth; remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined. Using an electric mixer [or in the bowl of a stand mixer]. beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until they’re combined. Add the cooled stout/chocolate/butter mixture to the egg mixture, and beat until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture. Beat briefly, then fold the batter with a spatula until completely combined.

3. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, and bake the cupcakes for about 15-17 minutes, or until a thin knife/toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

4. For the whiskey ganache filling: Chop up the chocolate, and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it’s just starting to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center toward the outside until it’s smooth. Add the butter and whiskey, then stir until combined. Allow the ganache to cool until thick but still soft enough to pipe.

5. To fill the cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or a knife, cut the centers – about two thirds of the way down – out of the cooled cupcakes. Set the small pieces of cake aside. Spoon or pipe the whiskey ganache into the cupcakes, then top them with the little cake pieces that were removed.

6. For the Bailey’s Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer [or with an electric mixer], whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low, then gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s completely incorporated. Add in the Bailey’s, then beat at medium-high speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the filled cupcakes and top with sprinkles as desired.

– Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: baking, beer, cake, cake cake cake, chocolate, cocoa powder, cupcakes, STL, stout beer

March 18, 2015

Gooey Butter Cake Cookies.

Man. I am on a roll with cookies these days, huh? #cookiemonster

gooeybuttercover

So I’ve been a Saint Louis local for nearly two years now, and in that time, of course I’ve gotten my hands on a few slices of gooey butter cake. I even attempted to make my own gooey butter cake from scratch, but it didn’t wow me. And all the other recipes that I have found online use cake mixes. Now, I don’t really have anything against cake mixes, and I’m not over here judging you if you use store bought cake mixes. But they’re just not really my jam, you know? I’m a from-scratch baked goods purist, for the most part.

gbcookies2

Since making some okay gooey butter cake a year ago, I kind of stopped thinking about trying out a different homemade recipe. And then I just eat gooey butter cake whenever I find it in the bakeries, because why not? This is Saint Louis, y’all. I’m all about embracing the local noms.

Anyway, when I came across this recipe, I knew I had to give it a shot. Gooey butter cake – in cookie form? Color me intrigued.

Although gooey butter cake isn’t my favorite dessert [remember, I’m a chocoholic], I do really enjoy it on occasion with some coffee.

gooeybuttercookies2

These cookies are definitely cake-like, and they’re about the same as the top layer of the original gooey butter cakes. The cream cheese in them is what makes them have just a tad bit of a tang, and that quintessential yellow cake flavor. Plus, the powdered sugar top adds the perfect amount of sweetness. If you’re craving some sweet, rich gooey butter cake, but don’t want to overindulge, do yourself a favor and make these gooey butter cookies. They’re like little, soft bites of heaven. Aren’t they just beautiful cookies, too? I’m not so sure that my photos really did them justice, but I got rave reviews on these cookies, so they must be good!

gooeybuttercloseup

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Gooey Butter Cake Cookies.
Yield:
 About twelve cookies.

Ingredients:
– 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
– 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
– ¾ cup granulated sugar
– ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
– 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
– 1 cup + 2 TBS. all-purpose flour
– 1 tsp. baking powder
– ¼ + ⅛ tsp. fine salt
– ⅓ cup powdered sugar

Instructions:
1. Add the cream cheese and butter to a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer [or you can use a stand mixer]. Beat about thirty seconds, until it’s fluffy.
2. Slowly ad the sugar to the cream cheese mixture as it’s continuously mixing. Beat until it’s light and fluffy, about one minute.
3. Add in the vanilla, the whole egg, and the egg yolk, and beat until combined.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the cream cheese mixture in about three increments. Beat in between each addition.
6. Cover the dough and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.*
7. Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Ensure that the powdered sugar is ready in a shallow bowl.
8. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough, and roll it into your hands to form a ball. Roll the dough into the powdered sugar, then place them evenly spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake cookies for about 14 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as they should not brown. The tops of the cookies will be slightly wet, and they should puff up nicely. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet, as they will be a bit delicate. Add more powdered sugar to them if you like, then enjoy!
*Darcie’s Notes:
– You MUST chill the dough for at least thirty minutes. This is NOT negotiable. The dough needs time to chill and firm up a bit, otherwise it will be impossible to work with, and you’ll end up with flat, puddle-like cookies.
– The dough is still a bit difficult to work with, even after adequately chilling it. I found that coating my hands in powered sugar before grabbing it out to form it into a ball helped with the sticking. You could also use a cookie scoop – it might prevent the dough from sticking to everything a bit better.
 – I added a bit more powdered sugar to the cookies after they had baked. I wasn’t sure that they tasted quite as sweet as I had anticipated. You do you.

– Recipe from Dessert for Two [I’m so excited that she moved to STL not too long ago, as well!].

2 Comments Filed Under: cake, cake cake cake, cookies, gooey butter cake, saint louis, st. louis, STL

March 6, 2015

Local Noms // Clementine’s Creamery.

local noms

Note: For more details on what this Local Noms post series is all about, please see my little preview post.

Today’s installment of “Local Noms” features a local business called Clementine’s Creamery. As you can probably guess, Clementine’s makes ice cream! But not just any ice cream – Clementine’s is locally handmade in small batches. Plus, all of the ice creams’ ingredients are locally sourced. So, without further ado, let’s talk about ice cream!

// Today’s “Local Noms” review: Clementine’s Creamery, as aforementioned.

clementineslogo

+ Background Details: I was actually not aware that this ice cream existed until about a month ago. I think I posted something about my last Local Noms post on Twitter, and Clementine’s PR person contacted me about the ice cream. I decided to try it – I mean, why not?! It was a good decision, if I do say so myself.

+ Restaurant/Shop Location(s): They’re still working on their brick-and-mortar store, and it will be opening in Lafayette Square this spring. For now, the owner, Tamara, will make deliveries to your door! You can contact her via Clementine’s website.

+ Initial Impressions: Clementine’s has an abundance of flavors that all sound tasty. So I had to really be choosy when it came to picking the first four flavors to try out, as I have pretty limited freezer space! Clementine’s separates their flavors into two fun categories: “naughty” and “nice.” Naughty flavors are the booze-infused ice creams [boozy ice cream for the win!], and the nice flavors don’t contain alcohol.

The first four flavors that I picked were as follows: boozy banana rum ice cream with salted butterscotch swirls, southern sweet corn, front porch mint, and chocolate stout made with the local 4 Hands Brewery’s Milk Chocolate Stout [one of my absolute favorite beers!].

flavors

+ My Reviews of Each Ice Cream Flavor:
// Banana Rum:
Whoa, this one packs punch! I tried a few spoonfuls on my lunch break, and was briefly paranoid that I would become a little tipsy! Needless to say, you can definitely taste the rum! It’s good, but I preferred the other flavors over this one. I like the butterscotch swirls, though, and of course banana is always delicious. 
// Chocolate Stout:
This one was my favorite of the four flavors I tried. As I’ve said in the past, I’m a chocoholic. Plus it contains one of my favorite stouts. It was rich and chocolatey, and the stout flavor shined through nicely. Definitely a keeper!
// Front Porch Mint: 
I really enjoyed this one, too. It’s light and creamy, and it tastes like real mint [presumably because it contains real mint leaves!]. This flavor will be great to sandwich between some crispy chocolate cookies… *hint* *hint*
// Southern Sweet Corn:
Admittedly, I was a bit apprehensive about this flavor. Corn in ice cream? WAT. But it really was pretty tasty. It’s got a strong corn flavor, and I think it might do well smashed between two bacon cookies… Hmmm… 😉

+ Pros: This is the good stuff, you guys. I love supporting local, small businesses. I especially love supporting businesses that make things by hand, and this creamy, rich ice cream is no exception. Creamy, rich ice cream in a variety of delicious flavors? What’s not to like? Also, I love how Saint Louis food/drink businesses all seem to collaborate with each other! We have a wonderful foodie community.

+ Cons: Umm, none? I’m not really a big fan of ice cream as a whole [shocker, I know!]. I mean, I like ice cream; just in small quantities, as I have very sensitive teeth, and I get brain freeze easily. The only con I can see at the moment is the fact that the shop isn’t open yet. But from what I hear, the shop will be open in St. Louis’ historic Lafayette Square this spring! I can’t wait to see what it looks like; I’m sure it’ll be a lovely space!

topviewicecream

handcraftedstl
{Handcrafted in Saint Louis. That’s what I like to see!}

+ My Overarching {Ha! STL pun totally intended!} Review: As aforementioned, this is good-quality ice cream. It’s real, it’s creamy and rich, and it’s old-fashioned. Personally, I don’t like soft serve; I prefer this kind of decadent ice cream. Plus, each ice cream flavor tastes, well, like what it says on its description! They’re bursting with flavor, and that’s probably my favorite part about this ice cream.  I can’t wait until I have the chance [and time, and money… ha!] to order more flavors to try! Thanks to Clementine’s Twitter account and Tamara [the owner] for getting me in the loop and having the opportunity to purchase your products. 🙂

{Taste-testing ice cream while sitting on the floor and holding the plate in your lap is totally normal, right? Right...}
{Taste-testing ice cream while sitting on the floor and holding the plate in your lap is totally normal, right? Right…}

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Obligatory Disclaimer: I’m not a professional food expert in any sense of the word, nor am I compensated for any nice things that I may say about any of the restaurants I feature on my blog. All of my ramblings on here are just, like, my opinions, maaaannn. I just really like talking about and eating food, and I think it’s fun to feature local food establishments that I think are awesome, and if it helps them out in the process? Even better! Join me on my quest to EAT ALL THE LOCAL FOODS!

2 Comments Filed Under: ice cream, local noms, saint louis, st. louis, STL

February 10, 2015

Local Noms: Blueprint Coffee + La Patisserie Chouquette.

Since I’m a Saint Louis transplant of about two years, I am still learning my way around. These “Local Noms” posts are here to help me work my way through my never-ending STL foodie bucket list, as well as allow me to get to know this amazing city that I now call “home.” This is my first official Local Noms post; it’s basically an attempt to get my feet wet at featuring local foodie spots. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

local noms

Note: For more details on what this Local Noms post series is all about, please see my little preview post.

// First up in my “Local Noms” review: This is a twofer! Today I’m talking about Blueprint Coffee and La Patisserie Chouquette (known as “LCP” in this post, for short).

[Side Note: I would love to dedicate an individual post to both of these shops, but I really want to improve on my photography skills before I take on such an endeavor. I am just not entirely satisfied with my current skill (or lack thereof!) level for that. But I just want to reiterate that both of these spots are definitely deserving, otherwise I wouldn’t even be mentioning them at all!]

+ Background Details: I spent most of last Saturday eating a lot of treats in St. Louis. Let’s just say that I may or may not have slightly overindulged [that’s why I’ll be hitting up the gym a lot!]… But I must admit that it was a great Saturday, and I’ve been to both Blueprint and La Patisserie Chouquette several times. Each time has been a lovely experience, so I’m happy to talk about these spots.

+ Restaurant Location(s): Blueprint Coffee is nestled in the infamous Delmar Loop, and La Patisserie Chouquette is located in the Tower Grove neighborhood. It takes me about ten minutes to walk to Blueprint, and about ten minutes to drive over to LCP.

+ Restaurant Type(s): Blueprint Coffee is – as you can guess – a coffee shop. La Patisserie Chouquette is a French bakery.

+ Initial Impressions: Blueprint Coffee is a small shop, and it’s definitely got that “hip” vibe to it. I have to say – my favorite part about Blueprint is that its “open/closed sign” consists of giant Scrabble letters. When they’re closed, they simply spell out “OPEN” to say “NOPE.” 😀 LCP is a higher-end French bakery, so it’s kind of got that fancy, “tea party” vibe going on inside. I’d describe its interior style as kind of “shabby chic.” Also, I love the old building that it’s in; the bright yellow painted trim on the outside is attractive and welcoming. In summary, both places are unique, and nice places to hang out.

+ Pros: There are too many to list, honestly. Blueprint is a great place to hang out or do work. Personally, I think the coffee is spectacular. They also appear to have expanded their food menu beyond baked goods to lunch items [such as salads], so I’ll have to go back and try some of that stuff soon. LCP is a really cool place to get awesome, unique French pastries. It’s the only place around here (that I’m aware of) where you can get fancy, delicate, gorgeous French pastries! 

+ Cons: Both places are kind of pricey, but I don’t necessarily mind paying more for good quality and local drinks and baked goods. Plus, taking trips to these places is generally meant as a special treat for me. So as long as you’re not going constantly, you won’t break the bank! Also, for Blueprint, parking on the Loop can be a bit of a pain… Lucky for me, I can easily walk there! Otherwise, I have no real complaints about either place.

+ Photos from Both Spots:

blueprintcoffee1
Brian enjoyed coffee in a Pyrex beaker at Blueprint. I’m sure there’s a scientific reason behind its use; I just like how it looks!
bread
When I go to Blueprint, I like to order the nine [I think it’s nine; might be seven!] grain bread with the blackberry/blueberry preserves. Yum.
cappuccino
Lovely vanilla cappuccino from Blueprint.
thedarkness
“The Darkness” is a chocolate croissant with chocolate filling. This thing is insanely awesome. If you go to La Patisserie Chouquette, you MUST try it!
Darcie Cohee photo shoot
This “Let Them Eat Cake” chair is one of my favorite parts about LCP’s space. [Photo taken by R.J. Hartbeck.]
tablescenes
Scenes from our table at La Patisserie Chouquette.

 + My Overarching {Ha! STL pun totally intended!} Review: I have been to Blueprint about five times so far, and to La Patisserie twice. In fact, I’ve had the privilege of talking to the owners of both places. And each of the owners of the shops are great people; fun to talk to, and very helpful, knowledgable, and down to earth. I have never had anything but a pleasant experience at both the coffee shop and the bakery, and I’m so proud that I have the privilege of visiting these lovely spaces in my current city. STL, you’re pretty cool, and your people are even cooler.

PS: Special thanks to Brian for putting up with me taking a million photos. 😉

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Obligatory Disclaimer: I’m not a professional food expert in any sense of the word, nor am I compensated for any nice things that I may say about any of the restaurants I feature on my blog. All of my ramblings on here are just, like, my opinions, maaaannn. I just really like talking about and eating food, and I think it’s fun to feature local food establishments that I think are awesome, and if it helps them out in the process? Even better! Join me on my quest to EAT ALL THE LOCAL FOODS!

Leave a Comment Filed Under: local noms, saint louis, sides, STL

November 19, 2014

Random Sides // Scenes from a Photo Shoot!

Holy crap, errybody! I’m so excited to talk about this that I can barely contain myself. This morning was just refreshing, inspiring, and beautiful. And as cheesy as it sounds, this morning reminded me of how truly amazing life can really be.

Now, I am not a morning person at all, as most of you know. So you’re probably wondering why I’m all hyped up about this morning. Well, I spent this beautiful Wednesday morning drinking delicious lattes, eating fancy French pastries, exploring St. Louis, and meeting some new, badass people. If only every morning could be this awesome! 😉 How’d I get away with this, you ask? Read on to find out!

I have been thinking to myself for awhile now that it’d sure be nice to have some “non-selfie” [haha] photos on my blog. But I wasn’t sure how to go about finding a good local photographer – especially for the price. I’m not exactly made of money, but I want good quality work done if I’m gonna get all dolled up for some professional pictures, ya know?

Awhile back, I stumbled across one of my now favorite STL Instagram feeds: @paintchipps. @paintchipps’ real name is R.J., and he’s a St. Louis University (SLU) business alum. His real passion lies in entrepreneurialism [don’t ask me to say this word out loud, cuz I’m 99% sure I can’t pronounce it properly] – particularly with photography. This dude is legit.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to see that he was offering portraits for a reasonable price to help build his photography portfolio. I realized that this was my chance to have some awesome photos taken to help improve my blog, while also helping out a fellow local entrepreneur. Now, I don’t know that I’d necessarily classify myself as an entrepreneur, but I definitely like to pursue my passion of baking and food blogging wherever possible – similar to how R.J. has his passions. So I reached out to him to see if he’d be willing to take some pictures for me, and he agreed.

R.J. and I met at RISE Coffee House in the Grove neighborhood. It’s a very cool place, and they have delicious coffee, too [obviously]. Then we did some more exploring and stopped by La Patisserie Chouquette – a cute little French bakery in Tower Grove. {I’ll definitely have to dedicate a separate “Local Noms” post to both of these places later on.} We also met some really cool people, had some tasty food and coffee, and R.J. got some awesome pictures of me, if I do say so myself. 😛

I will admit that I was slightly apprehensive about getting my pictures taken. Of course, I was never doubting R.J.’s ability as a photographer; rather, I was more self-conscious about how photogenic I would be. I’m not always a fan of being in front of a camera. But again, it worked out quite splendidly.

Alright, I’ve shared enough hipster-esque pictures that I took with my iPhone. The real purpose of all this rambling is to take the opportunity to dedicate a post to our little photo shoot, and share some of the photos that R.J. captured.

I had a hard time choosing, but I have chosen two photos to use as my new pictures on my Who am I? page. Here’s one of them:

Darcie Cohee photo shoot{I mean, it’s me standing with a chair that says “Let them eat CAKE.” It’s just too perfect!}

In addition, here are some of my other favorites from the photo shoot session:

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{Looking awesome in black and white.}

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{Eating a chocolate croissant, and of course I had chocolate all over my hands and on my teeth. Typical Darcie. I do love my hair in this one, however.}

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{Sometimes my hair being blown to bits in the wind makes for cool pictures.}

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{It’s hard telling what I was thinking here.}

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{Being super cool.}

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{I love the soft light and mood in this one.}

Darcie Cohee photo shoot
{Grinning in the sunlight at Tower Grove Park.}

Thanks again to R.J. for working with me on this! {And thanks for making me look like such a badass, haha!} It’s so inspiring to see other people [especially in my generation] pursuing their passions unabashedly. This morning was inspiring, fun, and it was a real treat to be able to take the morning off work to meet some cool people, eat some tasty pastries, drink delicious coffee, and explore this city that I now call home. <3

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++ Important Links!

– Follow @paintchipps on Instagram.
– R.J.’s website.
– La Patisserie Chouquette – I still have no idea how to pronounce this, but this is a very cool little French bakery in Tower Grove.
– RISE Coffee House in the Grove.

4 Comments Filed Under: passion, photography, saint louis, sides, STL

September 2, 2014

New Post Series: Local Noms.

Hey oh!
Umm. So I’m still trying get into a good food blogging routine. My brain is just exploding with thoughts regarding all of the things I could write about. I’m like a hyper little kid, excited about a new toy or candy. It’s extremely inspiring, but it’s also very overwhelming. Therefore, in an effort to calm the madness that is my brain, I’m currently working out a system to organize all of my wacky thoughts [read: brain dump into an Excel spreadsheet… ha].

In the meantime, I decided to give you a preview of one of my ideas. It’s going to be a post series titled “Local Noms.”

I even made a fancy [okay, not really] little graphic for the post series. Behold:

local noms
As you can probably imagine, the theme of this new series will be related to the local food culture in St. Louis, Missouri, which is where I reside. In particular, I plan on working my way through my local restaurant bucket list, and then featuring the places in St. Louis that I’m impressed with on the bloggy blog. I’ll dedicate each post to an individual restaurant/coffee shop/bakery, plus provide a brief overview, some pictures of what I eat/drink at each place, and whatever else I feel like talking about. I’m going to do my best to keep all of this as positive as possible, so if I have a less-than-pleasant experience, I may not talk about it on here. If there’s room for improvement in an area, I might talk about it, but it will be done constructively, of course. The purpose of Local Noms is to keep a positive [but honest] light around our food scene. And it’s just a good way to work through my never-ending food bucket list. 😀

I’ve got a few “Local Noms” posts in the works, but it will likely be a few weeks before you’ll start seeing these posts. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you have any ideas or suggestions on where I should go or what I should do. I’m fascinated by food culture, and I really enjoy exploring our local food scene and of course I love eating! So stay tuned. 🙂

Obligatory Disclaimer: I’m not a professional food expert in any sense of the word, nor am I compensated for any nice things that I may say about any of the restaurants I feature on my blog. All of my ramblings on here are just, like, my opinions, maaaannn. I just really like talking about and eating food, and I think it’s fun to feature local food establishments that I think are awesome. If it helps them out in the process? Even better! Please join me on my quest to EAT ALL THE LOCAL FOODS!

3 Comments Filed Under: life, local noms, sides, STL

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I'm Darcie. In a nutshell: I'm a baker and mental health advocate in the tech industry.
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