St. Louis Zoo: Adventures with my driver

A black SUV was waiting to transport me to the St. Louis Zoo. The others in my group had predictably chosen grown-up options, such as the brewery tour and a trip to the arches, I was niether ashamed nor envious about my somewhat childish choice. In fact, I was frickin excited.

My request for clear, blue skies had been denied by the St. Louis weather department however, nothing could dampen my spirits. Like an annoying eight year old, I peppered my driver with questions about the zoo; What animals do they have? Is it big? How big? Do they have elephants? What about tigers?

I had worn my sneakers as it was going to be a quick tour but I was determined to see as much as possible in my short amount of time. So much so that I almost flew out of the black-tinted windowed car as soon as we stopped.

Alex galantly escorted me through the entire zoo, complete with his three piece suit, dress shoes and umbrella over my head to shield me from the weather. Although I would have been happy to see it by myself it was much more fun with someone else in tow.

My favorite was his commentary. Upon seeing an enclosure and no animal, I would ask, "what's supposed to be in here?" searching for the animal hidden away trying to live with dignity. He would reply, "It's probably dead." in his great Russian accent. This became a running gag, that and his eagerness to wake every animal from their slumber for my amusement. At one point he offered to take a duckling for me as a gift, I had to stop him from chasing the poor little thing down the road and into the pond. Overall, awesome zoo. Great driver. Thanks Alex!

St. Louis: 1904 Beerhouse

You've heard of wine pairings but have you ever signed up for a beer pairing? Not to be outdone, the 1904 Beerhouse, within the walls of the new Riverside Casino in St. Louis, provides everything a beer novice — or connoisseur for that matter — may enjoy. With over 100 beers available (32 on tap) this restaurant has become a destination in itself.

I strongly suggest the mini beer tasting (below) where you can choose a selection of tempting delights in mini sizes. Executive Chef William Gideon (who has cooked for numerous presidents, culinary masters and even the lovely Julia Childs) creates exquisite meals of the highest quality to live up to your culinary ideals.



If you're unable to get to St. Louis right away here is a taste of what's on offer with Gideon's recipe for a restaurant favorite.

Wisconsin Native's Beer Cheese Soup

The recipe is the foundation to the 1904 Beerhouse’s Beer & Cheese Soup

•1 1/2 cups diced carrots
•1 1/2 cups diced onion
•1 1/2 cups diced celery
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
•1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon black pepper
•3 cups chicken broth
•2 cups beer
•1/ 3 cup butter
•1/3 cup flour
•4 cups milk or half and half
•6 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
•1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
•1 teaspoon dry mustard
•popped popcorn, for garnish (optional)
In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Stir in hot pepper sauce, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Pour in chicken broth and beer; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in flour with a wire whisk; cook, stirring until the flour is light brown, about 3 or 4 minutes. Gradually stir in milk, whisking to prevent scorching, until thickened. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in cheese. Keep warm.

Stir beer mixture into cheese mixture. Stir in Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Adjust for hot pepper sauce. Bring to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes.