AgriMissouri

Shatto Milk Bottle = Free Chipotle Burrito!

I received this update in Shatto Milk Company's November Moosletter and I think this is a great promotion! I wish I was going to be in Kansas City this Saturday because I am a Shatto Milk & Chipotle fan.

Yes, you read the title correctly. On November 19th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., our good friends at Chipotle will set you up with a FREE BURRITO, BOWL, ORDER OF TACOS or SALAD when you provide them with an empty Shatto Milk Company Bottle. This promotion is only good at their 14th and Walnut location, near the Sprint Center.

My family and I will be on hand to meet and greet those of you that decide to take advantage of this wonderful offer. You may be asking why would we be doing this promotion, well, for two reasons, 1) Chipotle and Shatto Milk have something in common that we wanted to share with everyone. That is, we are both opposed to the use of artificial growth hormones in cows. Chipotle uses only dairy products from cows not treated with growth hormones, and of course, we here at Shatto Milk Company do not treat our cows with such injections. We thought this similarity was worth a little “party”; and 2) we wanted to find a way to offer a cool little bonus for our wonderful loyal customers.

So, come get a free burrito, and feel free to pass this along to your friends, colleagues, neighbors and family.

Bobo Noodle House in St. Louis

I've mentioned before that I truly enjoy the blog, St. Louis Eats with Joe & Ann Pollack. I love food and they have very detailed reviews of restaurants that I put on my list to visit when I'm in St. Louis. Today I was catching up on my reading of their blog and saw their review of Bobo Noodle House. You may be wondering, "Sarah, why is this such a big deal?" Well it's because Bobo Noodle House is a new AgriMissouri member.

They just joined a couple months ago. Zoe is getting some of the sauces they serve in their restaurant bottled so that patrons can enjoy them at home as well. I have not had the chance to visit the restaurant yet and didn't know much about it until I read the blog. Now I'm intrigued and can't wait until my next visit to St. Louis.

Les Bourgeois Winery Upcoming Events

Join Les Bourgeois Winery on September 20 for the annual Crush Festival and Rocheport Wine Stroll. It's two events in one day so you can come for the day.

The Crush Festival features live music, meet the winemakers, a homemade wine competition and lots more.

Later in the evening, stroll through scenic Rocheport, Missouri while sipping a variety of Missouri wines. I've been told 15 Missouri wineries will be sampling wines in different locations throughout Rocheport. You can stroll from place to place and find your favorite. I would suggest purchasing your tickets in advance so you don't miss out.

Enjoy!

-Sarah

Escape the Ordinary... Visit Crown Country!

When I made my appointment to visit Crown Valley Winery in Ste. Genevieve, I was expecting that I would see the winery and go home...you can't imagine how wrong I was.  Not only was this one of the most creatively planned out wineries that I've ever been through, all of the other places that Crown Country has to offer have taken this from winery trip to vacation destination!

You're sure to find beauty in the rolling hills and lush green countryside of Crown Country, located in Missouri's historic Ste. Genevieve County. And from a tasting at Crown Valley Winery to a V.I.P. tour of Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary, Crown Country truly has something for everyone. Meet our winemaker, relax at one of our lavish rooms, enjoy a round of golf at our 4 star course, or stop by luxurious Tiger Ridge Restaurant for a meal made with Crown Farms' homegrown ingredients. With many easy options you can make it a weekend trip or an all-inclusive package. Escape the ordinary and visit Crown Country - www.crowncountry.com

I thought one of the most outstanding things about the whole trip was that much of the material and craftsmanship on all of the different destinations in Crown Country is MISSOURI-MADE.  Crown Country is very dedicated to utilizing what Missouri has to offer whenever possible.  From the wood detail in the winery to the iron-work above the tasting bar, Crown Country showcases the talent that can be found in Missouri!

There was so much to see and so many things to do in Crown Country.  I really hope that I can remember everything!  The most amazing thing about much of Crown Country is that 5 years ago, not much of it was there.  In addition to growing at an increasingly, rapid pace, Crown Country is almost completely a self-sustaining company.  Meaning that they landscape with flowers that they grow in their greenhouses, cook with the vegetables that they produce, prepare the beef that they raise, and so much more! 

I met Bryan Siddle, the go-to guy for Crown Country, at the Champagne House right off of Highway 67 in Farmington.  I was immediatley impressed with how nicely landscaped that front of the Champagne House was.  Inside the Champagne House I toured their state-of-the-art facility; a real treat considering that this is the only Champagne House in the Midwest.  This is where all of the sparkling wines are produced.  When you visit, don't leave out taking the tour.  You won't see this equipment anywhere else in the Midwest!  Don't forget to visit the tasting room after you take the tour.  In the tasting room you can sample sparkling wines, champagnes, and limited-edition wines.  Take advantage of tasting the limited-edition wines here because the Champagne House is the only place where you can taste them.  You can purchase them at Crown Valley Winery, but you can't taste them there!

From the Champagne House, we went to Crown Ridge to check out the Tiger Ridge Restaurant, three bed and breakfast facilities and the TIGERS!  The restaurant was absolutely beautiful and I'm told that it has great food!  I'll check that out next time I'm down there (which will be VERY soon!).  The three different bed and breakfast facilities are Tiger Pointe, Tiger View Lodge and Tiger Den.  Surrounding these three facilities is a swimming pool, tennis courts, a nature trail, and a breath-taking view over miles of land.  Oh, and they are just a few feet away from the tiger sanctuary! 

[Crown Ridge] has been designed to surpass the most stringent standards for health and well-being of our big cats... Our female tigers Tor and Gracie, their parents Mohan and Raja, the African lioness Alexis and Izzy, the newest tiger, live in an environment custom-designed to fit their needs.

[Crown Ridge] has established this as a permanent home for these exotic cats as part of our commitment to conservation and wildlife preservation.  Through presentations, tours, youth programs and our website, www.crown-ridge.com, we seek to educate people on the dangers these cats face in the wild as well as in captivity. - Crown Ridge Brochure

  Needless to say this is one part of the destination that you don't want to miss!  The tigers were beautiful and the rooms at the bed and breakfast facilities blew me away!  Bryan's attention to detail and dedication to perfection shine through in these flawless rooms!  The three bed and breakfast facilities on Crown Ridge aren't the only one's in Crown Country.  There are also the Coffman house, Miss L's House, and the Vineyard House.  One of my favorite amenities that is included in your stay at one of these bed and breakfast facilities is the shuttle provided to take you to any of the Crown Country destinations. 

We stopped at the brewery to check out the progress that Bryan and his team are making.  Even without all of the finishing touches, it was immaculate!  It is very apparent in all of the different sites of Crown Country, that Bryan thinks every floor tile, ceiling tile and minute detail through before executing the plan.  Thus creating ambience, comfort and appeal to all who visit! 

There is also many antique malls and a 4 1/2 star golf course in Crown Country.  There is enough to see here that will make everyone happy and keep them entertained! 

Our final stop was the Crown Valley Winery. 

Located in scenic and historic Ste. Genevieve County, Crown Valley Winery is an architectural masterpiece, overlooking lush vineyards and panoramic views of the countryside.  Our impressive array of fine, hand-crafted wines will be sure to enchant your palate. While sipping on your favorite Crown Valley wine, enjoy your choice of indoor or outdoor seating.  For chilly harvest evenings, warm up by our stone fire pit.  The bistro offers boxed lunches, sausages, cheese and an assortment of gourmet snacks and premium cigars. - Crown Valley Winery Brochure

I got to ride through their vineyards featuring 13 different types of grapes.  I saw the farmers' market that they have on-site, raspberries, blackberries, greenhouses, vegetable gardens and so much more.  I also saw the covered wagon that offers 30 minute tours of the vineyards (weekends only, call to schedule in advance).  The covered wagon tour also includes a glass of your favorite wine to sip as you enjoy your tour.  And this was all before I even stepped foot inside of the winery. 

When you enter Crown Valley Winery you walk through the retail store and into the coolest winery setup that I have ever seen.  Joe H. Scott Sr. designed the winery so that the walkway was above where the wine was made, enabling whomever crosses the footbridge to be able to look down and get a birds-eye-view of the wine making.  It is really a unique experience!

With over 50 wines in their selection, Crown Valley Winery offers many options for tasting.  The $5 Crown Valley Wine Tasting Sampler includes a complimentary glass, and seven wine samples of your choice.  The $8 Winery Tour and Wine Tasting Sampler includes a 30 minute tour of the Crown Valley Winery winemaking process and also includes the Crown Valley Wine Tasting Sampler.

Don't stop after the tasting!  You have to go outside on the HUGE deck and check out the view of the vineyards.  You can either sit outside and sip your favorite wine, (if it gets chilly just move next to the fire pit!) or you can go under the pavilion and enjoy the live entertainment that they provide every weekend!  Click here for the calendar of events planned! 

And don't forget... if you have a meeting, wedding or event dinner coming up, Crown Valley Winery has several great places to host your next get-together!  They even have a banquet room that makes you feel like you're down in the cellar with all of the barrels!  It would be a very impressive place to host a meeting!

Whew!  I don't feel like I've even given you a glimpse of what Crown Country is like.  I strongly encourage everyone to go down and check out this vacation destination.  There is so much to see and so much to experience that it may take several trips to take it all in!  I hope everyone takes a weekend to check this place out.  I know I've already got a girls weekend planned for this fall that will be down at Crown Country!!

-Katie

Do you have plans this weekend?

If you're looking for something to do this weekend and you're tired of the same old stuff... I've got an event for you!  Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport, MO is hosting an Artisan Festival this Saturday!  Here's what their website, www.missouriwine.com had to say about the festival:

June 14th, 2008  Missouri Artisan Festival (At A-Frame)
Come see what Missouri has to offer! Our sixth annual Missouri Artisan Festival will be Saturday, June 14th throughout the Les Bourgeois property. Vendors from all over Missouri will show off and sell their Missouri-made products. Art, food, crafts, wine, children's activities and much more. Bring the whole family

Even if you're not in the mood to purchase anything, head up to Les Bourgeois Winery anyway.  The Artisan Festival will be set on the backdrop of a beautiful view and a beautiful winery.  Take half the day, take the whole day, just take the time to visit this GREAT event!  I'll be there!  And for those of you who don't go (shame on you!), I'll be posting pictures and highlights from this event!  Also, if your calendar isn't too full this summer, I've posted the calendar of events for Les Bourgeois Winery below so you can check out all of their events!

I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!! 

-Katie

Mount Pleasant Grills for Father's Day

I know we just celebrated Mother's Day but if you're like me, once Memorial Day comes, the summer calendar begins to fly. For anyone who hadn't looked yet, Father's Day is June 15 and Mount Pleasant Winery wants to help you show Dad how much you appreciate him.

On Sunday, June 15, Mount Pleasant Winery will offer a barbecue buffet with all the favorites: pork steaks, corn on the cob, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad and apple crisp. As well as live music from Ticket to the Beatles and an assortment of wonderful Missouri wines.

Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets today. The cost is $15 per person which includes winery admission. Below is a little history about Mount Pleasant Winery.

Mount Pleasant Winery, founded in 1859, is located a short drive from St. Louis in Augusta, Missouri. It is the first government-appointed wine-growing district in the United States. They grow 12 grape varieties on 85 acres and its original limestone cellars are still used to age estate-bottled wines and international award winning Augusta Ports.

Flickr photo courtesy of mjmyap.

Interesting St. Louis Food Blog

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. I got to spend some time with my mom so it was really enjoyable.

Speaking of enjoyable, yesterday I ran across a really cool, local food blog. It's called St. Louis Eats and Drinks with Joe and Ann Pollack. They are very experienced food writers in the St. Louis area and their blog is filled with everything from a review of Stone Hill Winery's Norton Tasting, opinions of restaurants, food history, locations of St. Louis farmers' markets to recipes. It is very interesting. Their blog is a great food resource for the St. Louis area.

Mothers Day Gifts from Missouri

How many of you are like me and have not gotten your mom her well-deserved Mother's Day gift yet? Well now my mom knows that her eldest is a last minute shopper but I am thinking about it.

One of the things I love about Mother's Day is the time of year it falls...spring! It provides so many different options for gift giving. Think about it, you can give flowers, hanging baskets, Missouri food products (although don't ask mom to cook for you on Sunday, very tacky) or take mom out to one of our many great wineries or local restaurants.

I love giving flowers. Below is a list of AgriMissouri members who operate nurseries or sell flowers and plants. Most can give you assistance on what to pick for mom.

All Seasons Lawn & Garden - Mexico
Crown Greenhouse - Farmington (part of Crown Valley Winery)
Fahr Greenhouses, Inc - Wildwood
Mackey Produce & Maxwell Greenhouse - Mexico
Nolte Hills Nursery - Morrison
Simpson Family Farm - Mtn. Grove
Thies Farm & Greenhouse - St. Louis
Van Till Farm - Rayville
Walk About Acres - Columbia
Farmers' Markets

If you prefer to give AgriMissouri products, search the Buyer's Guide, I'm certain you can find something that mom will love. For those interested in finding restaurants the serve local products, visit the Restaurant page on the AgriMissouri web site. Wineries are popping up all over the state and offer great picnic spots, find one near you on the Missouri Wines site.

Three Generations of Meat Processing

I've been acquainted with Alewel's Country Meats for as long as I can remember because they always have the display in front of the door in the Ag Building at the Missouri State Fair. Since I was a kid I've purchased meat sticks and country ham biscuits from them at the fair.

On April 2, three generations of the Alewel family were featured in an article in the Warrensburg newspaper. Below are excerpts from the article so everyone can learn more about Alewel's Country Meats in Warrensburg.

Alewel's meat business goes back three generations, to when Hugo Alewel started a butcher shop in Concordia, Mo. Ownership of the business passed to Hugo's son, Roger Alewel, then to Roger's son, Randy Alewel. In the early 1970s, the Alewel family opened another butcher shop in Warrensburg, and operated two plants for about a decade, until they sold the Concordia shop in 1982. Randy still owns and manages Alewel's Country Meats in Warrensburg, though he was recently deployed for military duty in Kosovo for a year or more.

While Randy is away, his father Roger is coming out of retirement to run the meat plant, and his son Austin Alewel is also stepping up to manage the shop over the summer. Austin, 19, is a freshman at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He is pursuing a business degree, and said he is open to the possibility of taking his turn as owner of the family business someday.

At the market, customers can buy steaks and other cuts of meat for parties. The shop also offers 25-30 different kinds of cheeses and a variety of relishes, marinades, and unique condiments to accent the meat.

"We sell the down-home stuff you can't get at a grocery store," Austin said. Alewel's also sells its own brand of barbecue sauce.

Alewel's standards are what set the market apart from grocery stores when it comes to buying meat. Austin explained that meat is classified into "select," "choice," and "prime" grades, ranked according to its marblization and fat content. Grocery stores only sell select grades of meat, while butchers sell choice grade. Alewel's can get prime cuts of meat for customers upon request, Austin said, but it is more expensive and there is generally not much demand for it in the Midwest, so the shop does not keep it on hand.

Chef Proclaims Troutdale Trout the Best

Troutdale Farm is located in Gravois Mills, Missouri. They operate a fee-fishing farm and also sell fresh trout to restaurants throughout Missouri. The quote below is from the November issue of Sauce Magazine from one of chef's Troutdale supplies.

Missouri diners can also choose a fresh fish produced closer to home – trout from Troutdale Farm in Gravois Mills. Rook and Slay both serve it in their restaurants. “That is the best trout I’ve ever had in my life,” Slay said. “It is so good; they do a fantastic job.”

Chef Lisa Slay, of Blue Water Grill, was one of the chefs featured in Sauce Magazine's article titled Good Catch: How restaurants get fresh fish by Barbara Maynard.

Kudos to Troutdale Farm for such an outstanding endorsement.