Tiffany Tastes

Gelato on the Hill

I was on the lookout for an authentic gelateria in the popular Italian neighborhood of The Hill in St. Louis, Missouri. Gelato di Riso fit the bill perfectly.

Gelato di Riso is located off the main street, so it doesn't have the best frontage. But, what it does have is delcious, delicious gelato.

Gelato differs from normal ice cream because it typically has less butterfat (but don't go celebrating, because gelato tends to lean a little heavier on sugar than ice cream). Gelato is also typically churned during the freezing process (as opposed to before freezing, which is standard for ice cream). This means that air is continually being whipped into the gelto, giving it a somewhat creamier, smoother texture, despite the lack of butterfat.

Gelato di Riso makes their gelato fresh, in-house, using only quality ingredients. They also has a variety of baked goods, if one so chooses.

During our trip, we tried almond, amaretto, blood orange, lemon and hazelnut gelato. I fell in love with the almond, but the majority of the group went for the blood orange. No matter your preference, you can't go wrong at this gelateria.

Gelato di Riso
5204 Wilson (At Marconi)
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314)664-8488

Gelato Prices: $3-$6

Operating Hours
Sunday-Thursday 7:30am-9:00pm
Friday & Saturday 7:30 am-10:00pm

Delicious Desserts at Vitale's

After my delicious lunch at Eovaldi's, the guy behind the counter suggested that I go to Vitale's Bakery for dessert. As a girl with a sweet tooth, I just had to try it out. He told me that the cannolis were first class, but I really ought to try the ricotta puff (kind of like cannoli filling inside a doughnut)

Vitale's is just what I imagined as an Italian neighborhood bakery.

There were rows upon rows of cookies, breads, eclairs, tiramisu, and all kinds of tasty goodies.

I walked out with an entire sack of deliciousness including 6 cookies, 2 brownies, 2 cannolis and 2 ricotta puffs (which rocked my world).

Two special notes: There is an entire case of sugar-free goods for those who want (or have) to limit their sugar intake. And, Vitale's does not accept credit cards, so have your cash or check ready.

Whatever you do, go there. Seriously.

Vitale's Bakery
2130 Marconi Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 664-6665

Operating Hours
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm (Retail store closed Tuesday)
Saturday 8am-4pm

The Deli on the Hill

(Editor's Note: My next several posts will feature places I tried on a recent trip to St. Louis. I'm an equal-opportunity eater :P)

During a recent trip to visit family in St. Louis, my primary culinary goal was to get an authentic sandwich from a deli on The Hill (a famous Italian neighborhood, similar to New York's Little Italy). After copius amounts of research, several people told me that Eovaldi's Deli was the best St. Louis had to offer. They didn't steer me wrong.

My authentic sandwich of choice: Hot salami with provolone

There is nothing quite like a well-constructed sandwich. This one was savory, a little spicy and the bread was delicious.

(Chicago-Style Salsiccia - Housemade sausage, roast beef and hot pepper cheese, complete with my mom's lipstick and a big bite taken out of it.)

If you find yourself in St. Louis, and you're looking for an authentic Italian deli, Eovaldi's will not disappoint.

Eovaldi's Deli
2201 Edwards at Bischoff
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 771-5707

Average Soup Price: $2-$4
Average Sandwich Price: $4-$7
Average Pasta Price: $3-$6

Operating Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:30am-3:30pm
Friday & Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm

New Summer Spirits at Ruby Tuesday

I was recently invited to try some of the new summer cocktails at Ruby Tuesday, featuring VeeV Acai Spirit, a liquor made almost completely from the new boutique superfruit, açaí (which I've gotten on good authority is pronounced ah-SIGH-ee).

One of the interesting things about VeeV is that they donate $1 from every bottle sold to the Sustainable Acai Project, which offers assistance and support to acai farming communities. And, only 1% of the available fruit is harvested and utilized. As the only purported carbon neurtral spirits company, VeeV is also one of the greenest companies in the business.

Ruby Tuesday utilizes VeeV in several cocktails in their new summer line. Here are some of the ones we got to sample:

• Acai Mojito - VeeV Acai Spirit, Mint, Agave Nectar, Pomegranate
• Pomegranate Margarita - Cuervo Gold, POM Wonderful, VeeV Acai Spirit, Agave Nectar
• Skinny Pink Lemonade - POM Wonderful, VeeV Acai Spirit, Agave Nectar, Minute Maid Light Lemondae

(In the interest of full disclosure: During our tasting, all of our alcoholic beverages, as well as an appetizer sampler and dessert were complimentary.)

The mojito was refreshing, but I couldn't really taste the acai or the pomegrante. My husband really, really, liked the margarita (He IS a tequila man). It was fruity, tart and tangy. My personal favorite was the skinny pink lemonade. It's one of those drinks that can get you into trouble because you can't really taste the alcohol. And, each one weighs in at around 150 calories (Bonus!)

These are excellent drinks to chase away the summer heat. I'll probably be back for another Skinny Pink Lemonade (or 3)!