4 0 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t
DECONSTRUCTING DISHES
The other day, I came upon a dish described as a
"Deconstructed Guacamole Salad," which con-
sisted of a plate covered with field greens, taco
chips, a lime slice and a nicely sliced ripe avoca-
do. Which doesn't strike me as a "deconstruct-
ed" anything. It's just a bunch of ingredients on
a plate. Done well, "deconstruction" allows us
to experience a familiar dish in an unfamiliar
way, as in the case of Chicago Chef Graham El-
liot's wonderful "deconstructed" Caesar salad—
which has all the basic elements of a Caesar, but
comes across as a new and very flavorful varia-
tion on a theme. And the same can be said of the
"deconstructed" Snickers Bar served by Chef de
Cuisine and Pastry Chef Bob Zugmaier at the
Sidney Street Café in St. Louis—where he's also
created what may be the only vegetarian pou-
tine in the world. Dishes from an alternative re-
ality . . . that also taste very good.
CHEF BOB ZUGMAIER
AT SIDNEY STREET CAFÉ,
ST. LOUIS
by Merrill Shindler
An
Alternative
Reality
Pastry Chef
Bob Zugmaier's
Deconstructed
Snickers Bar.
