Fuzzy Isn’t Just for Bears — Sophisticated St. Louis

By Evan Charles Pierce

Most people don’t know just how sweet and luxurious a Missouri peach can be. Handpicking your own juicy pome from a legendary harvester of fruit like Eckert’s Farms located in both Belleville and Grafton, Illinois, makes even more flavorful memories than getting them from the supermarket. To celebrate the glamorous stone fruit, and their commitment to quality, Eckert’s has partnered with a cornerstone of class, Casa Don Alfonso at the Ritz Carlton in St. Louis.

Casa Don Alfonso at the Ritz Carlton in St. Louis.

Upon arriving to The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, one immediately takes in the ambiance and elegance of the opulent hotel lobby. Just beyond its doors lies Don Alfonso, the innovative Southern Italian eatery, which opened in 2021.

Spearheaded by Chef Nino Ricupero the restaurant blends the old and new world and is a worthy addition to the Ritz brand – and this summer the aroma of fresh Eckert’s peaches wafts through the air the moment you cross the threshold.

Fresh summer peaches from Eckert’s Farms are found at their locations in both Belleville and Grafton, IL.

Recently, my boyfriend, Grayling Holmes, Sophisticated Living St. Louis Digital Content Producer, and I were invited be among the first to taste the Casa Don Alfonso / Eckert’s gastronomic peachy delights. Instantly, we were transported to the highly polished yet relaxed, business casual air of Italy’s southern Sorrento Coast.

Evan Pierce and Grayling Holmes enjoy the freshness of the season during the Cafe Don Alfonso / Eckert’s Farms Peach Pairing Dining Experience.

Color me impressed. Scattered throughout were guests in summer frocks, linen suits, and sundry, tony warm weather attire.

At once my eyes were drawn to the trendy open kitchen where chefs were expertly preparing all manner of delicacies.

The maître d’ showed us to a fabulous table – round and laden with dinnerware customary in fine European eateries. Comfortable puffy pillows on the chairs added to the juxtaposition of old world experience meets new world chic.

Elucidating the cerebral and tactile transportation, a kind and knowledgeable Mixologist Benjamin appeared, as if on cue, placed Eckert’s Summer Peach tasting menus in front of us.

With him as our guide, we took our our first step into the marriage of the peach and the etruscan culinary experience St. Louisans can enjoy throughout July.

First up was a Pesca Picante cocktail. It was an exciting starter that got our senses ready for the journey. Featuring fiery habanero that was quenched with the sweetness of peach purée and honey and topped with soda and your choice of alcoholic overlay, we were on our way.

Bourbon was one of the choices of top-shelf spirits to add to the peachy drink. If you are looking for a mild, comforting vibe, perhaps a luxury Blue Weber agave like Clase Azul Reposado or Don Julio 1942 might be to your liking. My choice was Mezcal. It makes this cocktail nothing shy of perfection. The sweet heat from the drink’s base and the smokey maturity of the Mezcal is something I could drink for the rest of my life.

Grayling chose Woodford Reserve Batch Proof to complement his drink.

Our mixologist was quick to point out that the drink choice was no accident. Don Alfonso and Eckert’s had curated the menu from start to finish with alcoholic parings accentuated the food and made peaches the star of every dish.

“Partnering with Eckert’s allows us to showcase one of the region’s most iconic summer ingredients at its absolute best,” said Chef Nino Ricupero, Chef de Cuisine of Casa Don Alfonso.

Chef Nino Ricupero, Chef de Cuisine of Casa Don Alfonso

“Our team has developed dishes that honor the natural sweetness and versatility of fresh peaches while staying true to the Italian culinary traditions that inspire our menu every day,” he said.

Our first course quickly followed our drinks. A Smoked Hamachi Crudo was a daring start. At first, I wasn’t sure if they really were going to serve us a ceviche with dairy. Benjamin came to our rescue to explain. The tiger milk that the delicate fish was layered upon was actually a smooth blending of fresh ginger, garlic, celery, chili such as habanero, and most importantly, lime juice. Like in most ceviches, an acid, usually lime juice, is needed for the curing of the raw fish. Along with the Tiger’s Milk the avocado mouse rounded out the unctuous smoked fish.

The main course was quite the treat. As soon as the server brought out the sizzling hot plates, out walked Chef Nino in a starched black apron. When he appeared, we truly felt like VIP’s. He explained the process from start to finish while we ate.

The course consisted of three generous slices of slow-cooked pork belly with cauliflower noisette purée and a peach balsamic gel. Chef Nino didn’t slow cook this in a simple, “set it and forget it” way. Before searing the skin of the pork belly, this thick cut was in the sous vide for 28 hours. Yes, 28 hours.

The final result was a semisolid of connective tissue. The accompaniments were essential for this pork to rest. The balsamic gel was very much needed, as well as the acid of the grilled peaches to cut the almost-melting pork belly.

Chef Nino explains the painstaking process of creating this delectable summer entree.

For the finale, Grayling stayed true to the prefix and had the Peach Gratin with a vanilla custard, Eckert’s peaches, and caramelized almonds. Honestly, I don’t know if I have ever seen him more satisfied with a dessert in his life. He sounded as if he skipped the dying part and was already in an endless heaven of scrumptious peaches.

“I have never eaten anything so good in my life,” he said, savoring every bite.

I went a little off menu as this was the first time that I was at Casa Don Alfonso. From the patisserie case off to the side of the restaurant’s entrance, I got the sense that there may been something just as special as the highlighting of the Missouri peach, perhaps even better.

I inquired with Benjamin about his dessert recommendations, and as if he was expecting that question, he plunged into a resurrection story of a tart where Il Limone originated. Chef Recupero has intelligently awoken this lost Southern Italian tradition. White chocolate mousse with a lemon compote, floating inside one of the most thinly delicate tart cases I have ever had the pleasure of eating. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the liquored Maraschino sauce that made this my favorite plate of the night. Il Lemone is a must-try at Casa Don Alfonso.

I was very pleased overall at the interesting incorporation of Eckert’s high-quality peaches into the menu. It was astute of Chef to foreshadow the generous portion of pork belly with the crispy belly strips as garnish on the first course.

Finally, there are not many better uses of a peach in the culinary world than this final course. The Eckert’s exclusive collaboration and celebration of the Missouri peach with Chef Recupero and at Casa Don Alfanso is not to be missed and is only offered until Friday, July 31st. Reservations are highly recommended.

These elevated Southern Italian treasures can only be found at the Cafe Don Alfonso at Ritz-Carlton in downtown Clayton. More information at casadonalfonsostlouis.com.