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by Bonnie Riverdahl
Sweet tooth — an overpowering taste for all things sugary — a passion shared by legions of sweet lovers, from chocoholics to Cookie Monster. And what could be more fitting than a story on sweet treats in St. Louis, 1904 birthplace of the ice cream cone?
Like some other favorite St. Louis foods, such as toasted ravioli, one classic local dessert owes its beginning to a mistake. According to Richard Danzer, one Saturday in the early 1940s, Johnny Hoffman added the wrong proportions of ingredients to a cake batter he was preparing at St. Louis Pasteries Bakeries. The result was a cake shell with a pudding-like filling. He thought he might have a winner, and called Danzer’s dad, Herman, owner of Danzer’s Bakery, to see if he could duplicate it.
After a long day and many trials, he succeeded. The final version included glycerin for added stickiness. The concoction was named by Danzer’s wife, Melba, who, after tasting the dessert, exclaimed, “This sure is gooey!”
Both Danzer’s and St. Louis Pasteries Bakeries have long since disappeared from the baked goods landscape, but their creation, gooey butter cake — a buttery yellow cake bottom layer topped with a mixture of eggs and cream cheese or butter and sugar, then dusted with powdered sugar — remains a perennial favorite. Recognized as a St. Louis original, gooey butter cake is carried by many local bakeries.
It’s a logical step from an iconic dessert to iconic sweet tooth eateries, and St. Louis boasts a number of these, past and present. At 1401 St. Louis Avenue, Crown Candy Kitchen — opened in 1913 by two Greek immigrants — is operated by Andy Karandzieff, grandson of one of the founders. The third generation proprietor began working in the business at age 13, making Crown’s signature ice creams, then moving on to malts, sundaes, brittles and, finally, candy.
A St. Louis landmark, Crown Candy Kitchen holds the distinction of being both the metro area’s oldest operating soda fountain and one of the country’s oldest. While Crown offers assorted, typically American sandwiches such as chili dogs, egg salad and burgers, its claim to fame is spectacular sweets: huge, old-fashioned, three-scoop malts, shakes, sodas, sundaes and, of course, hand-made candy, including legendary chocolate Easter bunnies. And a visit to Crown delights several senses; the confectionery is a visual treat — a step back in time — from tall, wooden booths to a collection of Coca Cola memorabilia dating from the 1930s.
Another St. Louis dining institution was founded when Belleville High School graduate Florence Hullings began her food service career as a waitress. She went on to help build a restaurant dynasty. At one time, five Hulling’s cafeterias operated in St. Louis. These popular eateries offered more than good, economical meals; the Hulling’s name became synonymous with wonderful desserts — seven-layer lemon and chocolate iced cakes, freshly-baked pies and luscious cobblers.
After she married, Florence Hulling Apted’s son, Steve, expanded the family business, opening and running an impressive list of St. Louis restaurants, including Catfish and Crystal, LaSala’s, The Cheshire Inn, The Creamery, Cactus Dan’s and more.
One of the family’s best-loved creations was The Cupboard on Clayton Road. Boasting four dining rooms, this Swiss chalet-style restaurant served not only the standard steaks and fish but such down-home choices as chicken pot pie, sauerbraten and potato pancakes, and liver and onions, and, of course, exceptional desserts. The Cupboard also provided shuttle buses to and from The Muny and Powell Symphony Hall; changed menus at 10:00 p.m. to après theatre fare; and launched one of the area’s first fondue operations.
The term “star power” applies to one more sweet tooth crowd-pleaser. Named after its founder, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is not only tremendously successful locally, it’s gained national attention. Ted Drewes, Sr., opened his first frozen custard store in Florida in 1929. By 1941, there were three St. Louis stores; two are still thriving today at 6726 Chippewa, near Jamieson, and 4224 South Grand. This is another multi-generation enterprise, with Ted Drewes, Jr., at the helm and wife Dottie, son-in-law Travis Dillon and grandchildren actively involved.
A large-scale frozen custard stand, Ted Drewes draws hordes of fans, happy to wait in line to order. There is no indoor seating; customers enjoy their frozen treats sitting on several park benches, in their cars, standing or eating as they walk. So what’s the attraction? The product! Super-thick, creative concretes and sundaes — from Terramizzou to Southern and Dutchman’s Delights — along with delicious malts, shakes and cones. Drewes frozen custards are also carried in local grocery stores.
For many St. Louisans, chocolate begins with a B; Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier has outlived other top local candy companies. This candy maker par excellence — located at 4742 McPherson and 3963 Gratiot — is renowned for chocolate-covered seasonal fruits: strawberries in May, raspberries in July and blackberries in September. Bissinger’s also offers chocolate-dipped oranges and apricots, cherry cordials and a wealth of other fine chocolates, from truffles to cream- and nut-filled confections.
In the late 1960s, a special date often meant a visit to Cyrano’s. While in the military, John Marshall served in Europe. He brought continental dining concepts back to St. Louis, creating the city’s first European-style coffee house. Located in a romantic rathskeller at Clayton Road and DeMun, Cyrano’s introduced guests to cappuccinos, lattes and espressos, light tapas meals and lavish gourmet desserts.
The original restaurant was destroyed by a fire in 1979. After a four-month hiatus, it reopened at 1059 South Big Bend Blvd. with a new owner, Dr. Frank O’Donnell. In 1994, Charlie and Carolyn Downs bought into the business. Over the next two years, they gutted and rehabbed the building, transforming it into Harvest Restaurant, still going strong in the same location. They also bought the Cyrano’s name.
In 2003, the Downs reinvented the famed Cyrano’s bistro at 603 East Lockwood in Webster Groves. The romantic ambiance and restored Cyrano’s tables, mirrors and artwork will be familiar to former patrons. So will the bistro dining style — light, “little plate” foods that leave room to enjoy spectacular desserts. From flambés prepared tableside to the elaborate Cleopatra, World’s Fair Eclairs, ice cream sundaes, caramel brioche bread pudding and continental pastries, sweet somethings have earned Cyrano’s the “best dessert” rating around St. Louis.
Another Webster Groves award-winner joined eateries in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and other cities as one of “Ten Great Places to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth” in USA Today’s travel section (12/08/06). Aptly named Cravings — located at 8149 Big Bend — has won accolades for such delights as turtle cheesecake brownies, tortes, tarts and a white chocolate bombe.
If a wedding is on the horizon, Cravings, owned by Tim Brennan, offers made-to-order white, fudge, hazelnut, pound and chocolate cakes with a variety of fillings and frostings. In business for nearly a quarter century, Cravings also features an array of lunch and dinner items and an impressive wine list.
Among other famed metro area sweet spots are: Pastries of Denmark, wonderful Scandinavian baking; Lubeley’s, German specialties, family owned since 1937; Missouri Baking Company and Joe Fazio’s, both long-time Italian bakeries “on the Hill;” Pratzel’s, European-style pastries, breads and bagels, certified Kosher; and nearly a dozen Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate stores.
To cover all the outstanding local establishments specializing in sweet treats representing diverse cultures is virtually impossible. Shops and eateries offering everything from sweet potato and black bottom pies to baklava, zabaione, cannoli, pots de crème, sachertorte, struessels, honey cake, hamentachen, flan, deep-fried ice cream and more are thriving here. St. Louis is a global banquet for anyone with a sweet tooth!
Sources: Whatscooking America website (Linda Stradley, Richard Danzer), AOL City Guide.
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