Stuff to do: February 2012

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CLASSES

Beekeeping Classes
Feb. 11 – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Maritz · 314.894.8737 · easternmobeekeepers.com

Our friends, the bees, are taking the winter off, so now is the perfect time to plan for your honeydrippin’ adventure with the Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association. It’s not just a pleasure to report on the group’s annual classes for beginners and experienced beekeepers; it’s a mandate. The great die-off of the bees continues, and private beekeepers are considered important to bolstering the world bee population and a valuable source of info for scientists. The beginners’ course covers all aspects of basic beekeeping. Newbies (pun intended) will learn all they need to start a hive in April, when the EMBA can sell them a queen, and all about the equipment they’ll need. The experienced beekeepers’ course covers spring management, nucleus colonies, queen-rearing, mite control and successful over-wintering. If you’re interested, sign up soon – registration closes February 4.

HOLIDAYS

National Ice Cream for
Breakfast Day
Feb. 4 – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Serendipity Ice Cream
314.962.2700 · serendipity-icecream.com

How does an ice-cream waffle sundae made with maple-pecan ice cream, maple syrup and crispy bacon topping on a warm waffle sound? That’s just one of the ice-cream breakfasts available on National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, as celebrated at Webster Groves’ Serendipity Ice Cream for the fourth year running. Shop owner Beckie Jacobs is also excited about other one-day specials, like Krispy Kreme ice-cream sandwiches, house-made oatmeal sundaes and an orange juice sorbet. Don’t forget the “pajamas special” – arrive at Serendipity in your PJs for a free, collectible Serendipity mug filled with coffee, tea or hot chocolate. There are prizes for the best slippers, sexiest jammies and cutest pajama-clad family. The shop opens early, at 8 a.m., but the breakfast ice-cream specials are available only as long as supplies hold out.

Valentine’s Day Chocolate Fest Open House and MasterChef Cooking Class
Feb. 4 – 10 a.m., Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
866.951.7222 · chefs.edu

Ah, February, the month of l’amour. If one wants to keep the love train rolling, one must consider chocolate – and lots of it. Le Cordon Bleu’s open house includes a free demonstration at which the chef-instructors of our local Le Cordon Bleu cooking school will prep various chocolate delicacies with “lots of samples,” according to the school’s executive chef, Vicki Davenport. A big part of the fun is just being inside a serious cooking academy and ogling all the fancy equipment. That same day, Le Cordon Bleu will also be offering a hands-on master chef’s class on Valentine’s chocolates. Call for reservations for the open house; register online for the master class.

EDUCATIONAL

Missouri Organic
Association Conference
Feb. 2 to 4 – Union Station Marriott
573.619.9139 · missouriorganic.org

Seed to Plate: The Organic Connection is the theme of this year’s Missouri Organic Association Conference, and the slate of events for the convention looks compelling. Attendees will enjoy an organic food and drink trade show, a gala organic dinner and Sunday brunch, film screenings, an organic-cooking competition with four local chefs, a Chef to Farmer Forum with chef Josh Galliano of Monarch, and an organic cheese-making workshop with Janet Hurst, author of Homemade Cheese. There are lectures and workshops on everything from Producing Organic Strawberries in a Hoop House to Marketing Through CSAs, Restaurants and Supermarkets to Training Guard Dogs for Goats, Chickens and Hogs. Other noted authors delivering presentations include Jordan Rubin (author of The Raw Truth and The Maker’s Diet); Jeffrey Smith (author of Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating); and Jeff Moyer (author of Organic No-Till Farming).

Missouri Wine and Science: From Phylloxera to Resveratrol, presented by Science Café
Feb. 16 – 7 p.m., Herbie’s · 314.289.4424 · slsc.org

You may know that Missouri’s famous norton varietal is bursting with the healthy resveratrol compound, but Dr. Wendy Applequist, the associate curator at the William L. Brown Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden, can tell you some other fascinating things about our local grapes that you probably didn’t realize. For instance, the norton varietal has a connection to the “19th-century phylloxera outbreak that almost destroyed the European wine industry,” according to press materials that quote the scientist. “While American grapevines were responsible for the introduction of the insect to European vineyards, they also provided their salvation – and pioneering Missouri scientists helped to save French wine for the world to come.” “Soon,” she added, “vineyards worldwide will face a new challenge, as climate change alters how and where grapes can be grown, and Missouri will again have a role to play.” Applequist will touch upon these topics at this free lecture at Herbie’s in the Central West End.
ONGOING

Around the World Wine Dinners
Feb. 17, third Friday of each month – 6:30 p.m., Missouri Botanical Garden · 314.577.0200 · mobot.org

The successful Around the World Wine Dinners return, pairing four-course dinners with educational flights of wine from various regions. Part of the fun is the location of the dinner; it travels around the garden, depending on the season. The theme for food and drink this month is Sonoma County. Advance reservations are required.

Check out the events we are sponsoring...

Lynne Rossetto Kasper: A Splendid Evening

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EVENT SOLD OUT Join St. Louis Public Radio and Sauce Magazine Friday, February 24, 2012, for “A Splendid Friday Evening with Lynne Rossetto Kasper� at the Soulard Preservation Hall. Lynne will be in St. Louis on the heels of her new book The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Weekends. The evening will begin with a catered reception, followed by a discussion and Q&A session and concludes with the book signing. The cost is $35 per person and includes valet parking. Books will be available for purchase at the event or in advance through Left Bank Books for a cost of $35. Books must be purchased through Left Bank Books or at the 2/24/12 event for author signing.

Wine and Beer Tasting: Opera Theatre of St. Louis

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Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ annual Wine & Beer Tasting is back next month. The best and brightest of St. Louis’ young professionals will gather in the Opera Center’s unique rehearsal halls to enjoy exquisite wines, extraordinary brews, an impressive array of hors d’oeuvres and an enticing silent auction. Proceeds from the Wine & Beer Tasting benefit Opera Theatre’s professional training programs for emerging artists. Tickets start at $75 per person, and those who donate at the $1,000 level and above will receive four tickets as well as access to a special “Reserve Room” featuring select Caymus wines, Stella Artois beer and food courtesy of Mad Tomato and Onesto. All guests will have the chance to take home a prize from the grab bag, which offers a slew of exciting wines ranging in price from $20 to a whopping $100. Fri., Feb. 10 – 6 to 8 p.m., $75/person, Sally S. Levy Opera Center, Webster Groves

Wall Ball

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Now in its ninth year, Wall Ball is coming – and with it are new and exciting changes. The event returns to one of the city’s most creative spaces, Third Degree Glass Factory. Tickets will be $50 and will include appetizers and – for the first time – an open beer and wine bar. Guests will enjoy watching top artists at work while nibbling delectable treats, sipping cocktails, listening to live music, exploring body painting and tattoos, and much more. Fashion designers Michael Drummond, fresh from his stint on Bravo’s Project Runway, and Penny Rae Vintage will create custom garments live. Also new this year, artwork engaged in bidding wars will be secured by the collectors in highly anticipated live auctions at the end of the evening. All proceeds benefit St. Louis City Open Studio and Gallery (SCOSAG).