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Goodies to Try
a series by Mary K. Morgan
By now, you are probably thinking of your own St. Louis favorites. Some are so obvious that they don’t need any publicity, such as Anheuser-Busch products and Ted Drew’s Frozen Custard. Others are a little more obscure, but very important to the local economy. Buying locally-produced goods helps the St. Louis economy and saves the expense of shipping. Be loyal. Buy local.
Gus’ Pretzels
A St. Louis tradition. The German heritage of the city of St. Louis made the manufacture of pretzels a natural extension of early commerce. Since 1920, the doughy treats have been made in south St. Louis at 1820 Arsenal St. For some, it’s a family tradition to stop at Gus’ for a quick snack on the way to the ballpark. Others buy large quantities of the soft, chewy treats for resale — sometimes at local meetings, churches and school functions. Still others drop in daily for a hot pretzel snack. The prices are low and the quality is topnotch.
And in this day and age when many are eating healthy, Gus’ Pretzels have much to offer their customers. Their pretzels boast that they contain no fat, no cholesterol and use all natural ingredients. The original recipe has been passed down for three generations and the factory remains a family operation. Gus Koebbe, Jr., currently carries on the family tradition.
Due to a 1998 renovation, customers may watch the entire production process in a designated viewing area. The sight and smell of the baking pretzels is irresistible. And the choices have greatly expanded over the decades. Now customers can choose from a variety of pretzel “sandwiches” — salsiccia, bratwurst, hot dogs and a deli-style creation — in addition to a variety of shapes and flavors of pretzels.
Gus’ Trivia: Every day, Gus’ sends a batch of bald (unsalted) pretzels to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery for the tasters to eat to cleanse their palates before the 3:00 p.m. tasting of the brew.
If you live in St. Louis and have not visited Gus’ Pretzels, what’s keeping you away? And, if you are a visitor, stop in when you are in the downtown area and discover a genuine St. Louis landmark.
Luxco
Sound familiar? How about Pearl Vodka? El Mayor Tequila? Everclear? Admiral Nelson’s Rum? Dozens of brands of specialty alcoholic beverages have deep St. Louis roots. Although not all are produced here, the Luxco company has been bottling and distributing its quality brands for nearly 50 years. The website offers a complete rundown of the extensive line www.luxco.com/home, and the product names are very familiar — but not usually associated with St. Louis.
The company is situated in the heart of south St. Louis on Kemper Avenue where sits a plant and office complex of more than 200,000 square feet. At that location, four bottling lines are going full-speed ahead to keep up with the worldwide demand for Luxco products. Some of the ingredients, flavors and names are quite exotic, but their St. Louis origins are quite mid-western. Next time you glance at a back bar, you’ll notice the familiar, sometimes glamorous, names of these locally distributed products.
Ray Hill’s American Pilsner
Once a young man’s hobby, this has become a full-fledged venture in cooperation with the hometown giant, Anheuser-Busch. A true American success story, Ray Hill created a brew in his kitchen, fermented it in his basement and — after much tweaking — came up with a slightly sweet, very smooth beer that can easily hold its own in the marketplace.
I first tasted Ray’s beer at a wine event last summer, held in the Grand Basin at the foot of Art Hill in Forest Park. The day was beautiful, the setting, picture-perfect and the local beer was an interesting surprise to find hidden there among the many local wines. Now Ray’s beer can be found all over Missouri, with the rest of the states eager to “hop” aboard!
Edmond’s Chili
Made right here in town, when you see it in the cold case in the meat department of your favorite grocery store, know that it came straight from 3236 Oregon Avenue. Fresh — you bet! While other brands of chili have to travel from afar, Edmond’s is right here, leaving the rest in hot pursuit.
A quaint little shop in a one-time residence, it’s a party-giver’s paradise. If you are way too busy to cook for a large crowd, check out their catering menu while you are there. In addition to the famous chili, they produce barbecue beef, pasta and sauces, pates and plenty of specialty sauces, dips and spreads.
As they have been supplying local caterers for decades, chances are you’ve sampled their wares on several occasions and didn’t realize it. Stop in next time you need some serious help in the kitchen. Or if you just want some delicious chili.
Provel Cheese
Most “cheese historians” agree that this special St Louis blend of provolone, mozzarella, cheddar and Swiss is truly a local concoction. Area pizzerias boast of their liberal use of this St. Louis cheese favorite. Rumor has it that it was originally formulated as a pizza cheese that would be more flavorful and less stringy than pure mozzarella, — and it is!
Scientists and diners agree that the low melting point of provel makes it an excellent topping — not only for a pizza, but for hot sandwiches and as a white sauce substitute over pasta. Enjoy it while you are here, because no other area seems to have recognized what a tasty and versatile product it is. In fact, they actually argue that it isn’t even a legitimate cheese!
These local products do not mark the end of “Made in St. Louis.” There are still many other interesting brands that are produced locally. Keep watching for more mentions of hometown favorites. If you have favorites of your own, please write to me in care of Java Journal. I’ll research them for upcoming articles.
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