Acknowledgments
This novel about St. Louis food reminded me how much I miss the good food, good friends, and good conversations Ive had in my hometown.
Thanks to Liz Aton, Valerie Cannata, Mary Garrett, Jinny Gender, Kay Gordy, Alan Portman, Molly Portman, Jack Klobnak, Bob Levine, Sue Schlueter, Janet Smith, Jennifer Snethen, Anne Watts, and Emma, my expert on eleven-year-olds. Thanks to Facebook friends Judy Merrill Moticka, Rich Zellich, and Jessica Hribar.
Rachelle LEcuyer, Community Development Director for the City of Maplewood, helped with information about Rocketship Park and other Maplewood landmarks and businesses.
Big Dave, the pizza delivery man, is Dave Kellogg, a pizza driver and reservist who is now a contractor in Afghanistan.
Carole Wantz introduced me to Winslows Home.
Special thanks to Detective R. C. White, Fort Lauderdale Police Department (retired), and to the law enforcement men and women who answered my questions on police procedure. Some police and medical sources have to remain nameless, but Im grateful for their help. Any mistakes are mine.
My husband, Don Crinklaw, is the definition of supportive. My agent, David Hendin, earns every nickel.
Thanks to my editor, Sandra Harding. Your critique made this a better novel. I appreciate the efforts of assistant Elizabeth Bistrow, hard-working publicist Kaitlyn Kennedy, and the Signet copy editor and production staff.
Many booksellers help keep this series alive. I wish I could thank them all.
Thank you to the librarians at the Broward County Library, the St. Louis Public Library, and St. Louis County Library. Librarians are the original search engines.
Amelias cat is based on my cat, Harry. Dina Willner has a cat named Kinsey who as a kitten morphed into a raging furball. Becky Hutchison has a chocoholic poodle named Mikey.
Stuart Little is a real shih tzu. His owner, Bill Litch-tenberger of Palm City, Florida, made a generous contribution to the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast auction to see Stuarts name in my novels. Harry and Stuarts photos are on my Web site, www.elaineviets.com.
Also by Elaine Viets
Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper Series
Dying in Style
High Heels Are Murder
Accessory to Murder
Murder with All the Trimmings
The Fashion Hound Murders
An Uplifting Murder
Dead-End Job Mystery Series
Shop till You Drop
Murder Between the Covers
Dying to Call You
Just Murdered
Murder Unleashed
Murder with Reservations
Clubbed to Death
Killer Cuts
Half-Price Homicide
Pumped for Murder
Shopping Tips
This is my chance to brag about my hometown, St. Louis. I challenge you to find a city east of California that is more interested in dining. It doesnt matter if you love grease or granola, locally grown and organic, or offbeat and ethnic. Youll find it in St. Louis.
Somewhere Between Mayberry and Metropolis Is Maplewood
Thats how Josies town describes itself. If youre visiting the St. Louis area, Maplewood is worth a trip. If you already live in St. Louis, rediscover this inner-ring suburb with the old-fashioned downtown.
Josie buys beer from Schlafly Bottleworks. During the winter, Amelia and her grandmother shop for locally grown food and baked treats at the indoor Maplewood Farmers Market at Schlafly Bottleworks. About April, it becomes the outdoor farmers market, but it is still at Schlafly Bottleworks, located at 7260 Southwest Avenue or online at www.schlafly.com.
Vom Fass, where Alyce buys exotic oil, is another foodie attraction. The German-based franchise also ships its fruit, vinegars, and oils. They have unusual oils, like porcini, orange, or truffle. Visit the Maplewood store at 7314 Manchester Road or online at www.vomfassusa.com.
Goshen Coffees organic, locally roasted coffee is served at many St. Louis restaurants. You can also order it online at www.goshencoffee.com. Goshen Coffee is also sprinkled on some Kakao chocolate, but thats another subject.
St. Louiss Sweet Life Started in Bed
Putting chocolates on hotel pillows began when screen legend Cary Grant stayed at the Mayfair Hotel in St. Louis. The debonair Grant used chocolate to send a sweet message to a woman friend.
Is that story true? I sure hope so.
Lauren Bacall, another star, asked a Vanity Fair interviewer to open a box of Bissingers chocolate bark for her. Bacall confessed that shes gotten free chocolate from the St. Louis chocolatier ever since she said, Bissingers is the best chocolate onstage when she toured the city in the Broadway musical Applause in 1971. I like Bissingers chocolate-covered raspberries, but Ive never gotten freebies from them or any other business mentioned in these shopping tips. Visit them at www.bissingers.com.
Merbs Candies is another venerable city chocolate shop. St. Louisans crave Merbs chocolate-covered strawberries in the spring and monster Bionic Caramel Apples in the fall. You can buy those treats at the three Merbs locations, some St. Louis supermarkets, and online at www.merbscandies.com.
Lake Forest Confections has been tempting St. Louisans with molasses puffs, chocolate-covered lollipops, and pastries for generations. They are online at www.lakeforestconfections.com.
Lindsays Chocolate Caf and Coffee House has the best chocolate chip cookie in the Midwest according to Midwest Living magazine. Lindsays Chocolate Caf is at 1120 Technology Drive in suburban OFallon and online at www.lindsayschocolatecafeandcoffeehouse.com.
Theres German chocolate, Dutch chocolate, and Belgian chocolate. Is there St. Louis chocolate? St. Louisan Brian Pelletier at Kakao Chocolate says no. Were all so different. Bissingers, Merbs, and Lake Forest have their own traditional approaches and familiar flavors.
Brian sees these trends in St. Louis chocolate lovers: Customers want all-natural ingredients. We dont use any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, he says. Our truffles and caramels use real cream and we give them a shelf life of three weeks at room temperature.
St. Louisans also like local ingredients. We use local honey, lavender, fruit, coffee, and locally blended tea in our confections. We buy a lot of inclusions from Vom Fass down the street in Maplewood (liqueurs, flavored oils, and vinegars) and use Schlafly beer, too. Our customers enjoy a lot of unique flavors in our creationshoney, balsamic vinegar, Earl Grey tea, smoked tea, absinthe, stout.
Kakao has two St. Louis area shops, one in Josies Maplewood and the other in South St. Louis. You can also visit their Web site, www.kakaochocolate.com.
Are you drooling for St. Louis chocolate? Ive barely taken a bite out of the subject. If you choose to order some online, be aware that many candy makers do not ship chocolate during the hot weather months.
Farm and Home
Winslows Home, a restaurant and general store at 7213 Delmar Blvd. caters to locavores. Much of the food is grown at Winslows Farm, in Augusta, Missouri, about forty miles from St. Louis. Winslows has offbeat items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At breakfast, it might be a quiche with duck confit, mushrooms, and brie. Dinner could be trout baked in parchment paper. The espresso bar is open all day and the pastries are baked at the restaurant. Visit their Web site: www.winslowshome.com.
Get Toasted in St. Louis
Toasted ravioli is actually breaded fried ravioli, dipped in marina sauce and sprinkled with grated cheese. In the Midwest, toasted ravioli is often stuffed with beef or veal, although inventive cooks use fillings ranging from artichokes to cheese. Several restaurants on the Hill in St. Louis claim to have invented toasted ravioli. T-ravs may have come from Sicily.
