USA TODAY

First Look: 5 Star Burgers

It's been a long road for Steve Gontram. The former owner and chef of Harvest (1059 South Big Bend Boulevard, Richmond Heights; 314-645-3522) has been pining for years to open a St. Louis outpost of 5 Star Burgers (8125 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; 314-720-4350), a business that he and his father found ... More >>

USA Today Celebrates Imo's, Jilly's

Would ya look at that. St. Louis-style pizza is having itself what we in the media call "a moment": Last week, there was a long, approving article on our cracker-thin, Provel-topped pie on pizza-centric blog Slice. Now, USA Today has turned over its "Great American Bites" column to an appreciation ... More >>

Kate Upton Deep-Throats Burger for Hardee's

Congratulations, Kate Upton! Your journey from viral-video sensation to household name has reached its peak! No, not the cover of the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Truth is, no one cares about the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue except the three straight teenage boys who have yet to f ... More >>

Zombies Latest Explanation for Colony Collapse Disorder

​Everything from pesticides to cell-phone towers has been posited as the cause of colony collapse disorder, which since 2006 has dramatically reduced the population of honeybees, whose pollination is vital to the agricultural system.(Riverfront Times has been following this story from almost the b ... More >>

Billikens Shut Down Vermont; Majerus Compares Mitchell's Return To "That Movie Girl Interrupted."

Albert SamahaKwamain Mitchell puts up a long range jumper over Catamount defender Matt Glass in the second half of the Billikens' 62-43 win.​Forty-five minutes before tip-off, a man in a black beenie and black jacket with fur-lined hood was shuffling down South Compton Avenue shouting at the packs ... More >>

Salmonella Found in Ground Turkey [Updated 2x]

Image via Turkey meat is grounds for concern.​Update #2: (Thursday, August 4, 6:45 a.m.) Meat processor Cargill yesterday announced a voluntary recall of 36 million pounds of ground turkey produced at its Springdale, Arkansas, processing plant and sold under the "Honeysuckle White" brand. A ... More >>

The Coldest Cut: Eat Your Cold Cuts Hot (With Poll!)

Image viaListeria monocytogenes: Goes well with honey ham, yellow American.​Do you enjoy cold cuts, in sandwich form or, perhaps, eaten directly from the wrapped deli package while standing in front of the fridge 'round midnight? Are you over the age of 50?THEN PUT THOSE COLD CUTS DOWN, MY FRIEND. ... More >>

The Get Motivated! tour that barnstormed into St. Louis last week is as American as a get-rich-quick scheme

Wall of Shame

CNN, USA Today and other media organizations got fooled

Food Safety Bill in Trouble Already?

Despite passing the Senate yesterday, the Food Safety Bill might stall because of a technical error. Roll Call explains that a provision added to the bill in the Senate violates the Constitutional rule that only the House can write tax laws. When the bill returns to the House today, representatives ... More >>

7-11 Doesn't Want to be Opportunisitc, Preceeds to Beat Slurpee Summit Idea to Pulp

7-11 freaks out at the prospect of a Slurpee Summit. USA Today reports that the company got really excited when President Obama suggested the possibility of a "Slurpee summit" with the new Republican leadership. They've contacted the White House and offered to cater the summit. A new ad campaign wil ... More >>

Well, Duh: Cats Improve Your Life, Study Says

World's most adorable health tonic: Zsa Zsa Meinzer​A story that appeared in today's USA Today -- and promptly made the rounds, getting linked on Jezebel and forwarded around with lightning speed -- quotes research from the University of Missouri that anyone with a brain in her head already knows. ... More >>

European Union Proposes Ban of Cloned Foods and Livestock Cloning

The European Union hopes to ban the sale of cloned foods and the cloning of livestock in 27 countries. Bloomberg reports that the plan would last five years and give the industry an opportunity to improve the health and care of cloned animals and their surrogate mothers. Who wants a Venti Zinfande ... More >>

Farm Aid Marks 25 Years of Supporting Farmers

For the 25th year, Farm Aid combined music, agriculture and food, this time in Milwaukee. USA Today covered the festival, emphasizing its support of family farms. Performer Jason Mraz said, "This is the one concert (and) cause that affects everybody. This is about our food. Farm Aid reminds us that ... More >>

USA Today Names Great Burger Joint in Missouri (All Those Other States, Too)

USA Today, as part of its "Great American Bites," recently asked experts from each state and Washington, D.C., to choose a great burger. For Missouri, Show-Me Missouri magazine editor Gary Figgins selected Schindler's Tavern, which is located outside Benton, southwest of Cape Girardeau:Others may cl ... More >>

Israeli Doctor Publishes the Country's First Pork Cookbook

An Israeli pork cookbook? The New York Times says it's a real thing. Despite over 50 years of laws banning the sale and farming of pork in Israel, enough legal loopholes exist to get pork to the non-kosher residents of the country. Dr. Eli Landau has published "The White Cookbook", which is thought ... More >>

The Ramsey Curse? A Second Reality TV Chef Commits Suicide

A second chef featured on Gordon Ramsey's shows has committed suicide. The New York Post reports that Joseph Cerniglia, owner/chef of Campania in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge. His restaurant appeared on the first season of the U.S. version of "Kitchen ... More >>

Nestle Invests in Disease-Fighting Food Research

As the Federal Trade Commission cracks down on POM Wonderful for making questionable health claims, the Wall Street Journal reports that food giant Nestle is looking to expand their stake in "functional foods" - foods that might prevent diseases. The company's investing over $500 million into resear ... More >>

Kentucky Man to Use the Caffeine Defense in Murder Trial

Too much caffeine makes him tense. CNN reports that a Kentucky man claims that he murdered his wife because his high caffeine consumption made him crazy. He claimed he had consumed a great deal of soda, diet pills with caffeine, and No Fear energy drink before strangling his wife with an extension c ... More >>

Gut Check's Week in Tweets

​Don't you know? Gut Check has a Twitter account. You can follow us @gutcheckstl.Here's some of what you missed on the Twitter feed this week: Lady Gaga Wears Meat Dress at Video Music Awards http://bit.ly/9nBuyr #ladygaga #meat #blatantpanderingforpageviews RT @stlhops: Schlafly Portfolio Changes ... More >>

The Morning Brew: 6.14

In World Cup-frenzied South Africa, nutrition researchers are concerned about the amount of junk food advertising during FIFA games. The Tabelo Times quotes the World Cancer Research Fund: "It is disappointing that these companies have been chosen as sponsors and partners." Can't get enough Food N ... More >>

The Morning Brew: 5.5

It's Cinco de Mayo - how many pickled jalapenos can you cram down your gullet? Eat Me Daily reports that a new world record in pickled jalapeno eating was set last weekend by some poor fool willing do down 275 of the vinegar heat bombs during double overtime. But he's a professional eater. The amat ... More >>

St. Louis: Sixth Drunkest City

Books have been written about our love affair with booze, and all we get is a lousy No. 6 ranking?​Next month Men's Health will come out with its listing of the "100 Drunkest Cities in America." As of right now, the magazine's website has yet to publish the findings, but USA Today has the scoop. F ... More >>

Somewhere Joe Buck is Smiling

Image ViaSee the joy on Artie Lange's face as he ruins Joe Buck's talk show career​And that smile probably arrived shortly after reading this headline in yesterday's USA Today: "Howard Stern Sidekick Artie Lange Hospitalized."Details of Lange's condition are pretty scarce at this point -- the only ... More >>

The Only Way The Rams Could Get Worse? Swine Flu.

Image Via​Just when it seems like they've hit bottom......USA Today reports that the Rams had to cancel practice today because of a swine flu outbreak. The St. Louis Rams canceled practice on Thursday after the team confirmed cases of swine flu/H1N1 within the team. There's no word yet on how many ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Friday, 10.16

​ Ethiopian agronomist wins World Food Prize. (USA Today)Thinning a suburban deer herd means meat for the needy. (Kansas City Star)Do you need 76 tons of frozen British fruit pies? Check Ebay. (UPI)Hipster demand drives Pabst Blue Ribbon prices. (NBC Los Angeles)Some highlights from the New ... More >>

Apropos of Nothing: LEGO David Bowie, New Order Autograph Forgeries and New-Wave Kids

*The video game LEGO Rock Band is due out later this year. And two of the artists included in the game are Iggy Pop and David Bowie. Why yes, you can totally play "Let's Dance," as a plastic model of Bowie croons along. The game's attention to detail is incredible: Iggy's abs are killer, and the blo ... More >>

St. Louisan Looking for Cheap Health Care Ends Up In Mexico

toddalbert.comChina may be cheaper, but Mexico is closer...​Ahh, it's a beautiful sunny day and all is well and good in the anti-health-care heartland that is St. Louis. It seems like just yesterday that a few ass clowns were inciting a near-riot at a town hall meeting on health care and today com ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Tuesday, 8.18

​NASA's busy in the kitchen, improving food for the International Space Station and developing meals for Mars. (Los Angeles Times, USA Today)Soda and juice linked to fatty liver. Beer linked to better bone density. And we're still not sure about how coffee and headaches work. (The Telegraph, B ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Tuesday, 7.21

A new report finds the greatest drop in restaurant visits in nearly 30 years. (Reuters)Will mobile slaughterhouses be the next big thing in locally-sourced food? (AP)Starbucks is experimenting with coffeehouses (not called Starbucks) that also serve beer and wine. (USA Today)

Second Spin: June Pointer, Baby Sister

Artist: June Pointer Album: Baby Sister From: Vintage Vinyl Year: 1983 Label: Planet Records What it sounds like: The youngest Pointer sister takes a turn as a nymphomaniacal disco diva.

Local College Hoops: A Rundown on The Rundown

So what if March is still two months away? It certainly hasn't stopped ESPN's Joe Lunardi from updating his highly addictive Bracketology feature and projecting the entire 65 team NCAA tournament field despite the fact that most teams have only played one or two conference games and perhaps a pushov ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Tuesday, 7.15

The Morning Brew: Monday, 6.30

The Morning Brew: Friday, 4.25

The Morning Brew: Monday, 2.25

The Morning Brew: Monday, 2.11

Today's Food News

The Morning Brew: Wednesday, 12/19

The Morning Brew: Monday, 11/19

Restaurant Tidbit: The Original Pancake House

The Morning Brew: Wednesday, 10/10

The Jeff Weaver Wire Watch -- Special Sidney Ponson Edition!

The Jeff Weaver Wire Watch -- Special Sidney Ponson Edition!

"The breast was juicy, cooked rare as it should be. The confit was flavorful, with just a subtle Asian quality."

Week of September 21, 2006

McDonald's "Richer, Bolder Coffee"

McDonald's, 1420 Hampton Avenue,
314-781-8032

Best Cemetery

Calvary Cemetery

Muted Joy

The food at the Marquee's fine, though devoid of any star quality

The NRA Goes "Reasonable"