HOT SPOTS
Vegan Charcuterie?
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When SLM broke the news that Vegan Deli & Butcher was opening on Main Street in St. Charles, the apparent non sequitur gave readers pause. Opening a vegan deli was a longtime dream of former Utah Station executive chef Chris Bertke. When he became a vegan 25 years ago, he began experimenting with meat substitutes using wheat-based plant proteins, which he’s altered and perfected over the years. Business is booming at the deli, where customers discover an amazing array of soups, salads, sandwiches, sweets, and “meats.” The deli is open from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. three days a week (Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday), and it stays open on Friday and Saturday evenings, when Bertke shows off his charcuterie boards (from 5–8 p.m.), accompanied by wine, beer, spirits, and live patio music on Saturday nights. Whereas most of Bertke’s vegan meats (tofu burnt ends, seasonal sausages, roast beef, corned beef, etc.) are made using traditional butcher techniques (smoking, braising, extruding), the charcuterie program leans toward aging and dry curing. His most recent so-called “beast of a charcuterie board” (pictured above) includes vegan riffs on dry cured chicken, chicken salami, pepperoni, lonzino, and liver (lentil) pate; cheeses (including a giardiniera jack) made exclusively for the deli by Cheeze and Thank You; plus a litany of crackers, nuts, dry cured olives, and figs. Bertke happily reports that “even the carnivores are taking notice.” 524 S. Main, 636-757-3349.
INSIDER TIP
Danny Meyer (Zoom) Calling
Anyone who’s ever heard the common-sense eloquence of restaurateur Danny Meyer always longs to hear more. On Wednesday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m., The Ralph Clayton Society of the Clayton Community Foundation will sponsor “At Home with Danny Meyer,” a Zoom interview with the St. Louis native and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group. Charlie Brennan of KMOX and KETC’s Donnybrook will host the segment, which will include Meyer sharing stories, memories of his hometown, and maybe even some cooking tips. The virtual event is free, but preregistration is required. The Zoom link will be emailed to guests during the week of the event. Register at [email protected].
MICRORANT
Where’s the Greek dressing?
A Greek salad is an undeniably excellent combination of common ingredients: salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, thin rings of red onion, and a generous handful of feta cheese. The only way it’s better is with sliced, warm gyro meat on top. The only way it’s worse is if something other than Greek salad dressing is used, especially considering the dressing’s made with such basic ingredients as olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, Dijon, a little garlic, and maybe a touch of sugar or honey. We see no reason for a restaurant to serve a Greek salad with anything else, such as Italian dressing or simple oil and vinegar. We feel the same way about Caesar salads and what should be a formulaic dressing.
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