Edible Weekend by Sauce Magazine
MAKE: You cannot put a dollop of sour cream in the center of your Vegan Black Bean Soup - that would defeat the whole purpose. But then again, if you're not vegan, why not? The secret to this delicious balm for the winter is the combo of hearty beans mashed in a food processor swimming with whole plump versions of the protein-packed beauties. It's a bowl of goodness that just warms the cockles (wherever and whatever those are). Get the recipe here.

EAT: Pig in a Poke was the name of the kooky game show that the Griswald family won to earn the vacation in National Lampoon's European Vacation. But that's not important right now. What is important (not to mention pig appropriate), is the Divine Swine Wine Dinner at Five Bistro on The Hill. The six-course sustainable feast features daring porcine creations (sourced from Ron Benne's Farm in St. Charles) like pig-ear terrine, spicy sausage and liver mousse, fried pork-loin flamenquines with prosciutto, and on and on, paired with Napa Valley wines. Thu., Dec. 8 - 7 p.m., $85, Five Bistro, 5100 Daggett Ave., St. Louis, reservations required: 314.773.5553, fivebistro.com.

BUY: We love the St. Louis Originals even more than we love this video of a Welsh puppy lolling about. And that's a lot of love, baby. The St. Louis Originals, a group of dozens of area homegrown restaurants including Baileys' Chocolate Bar, Café Provencal, Harvest and Vin de Set among so many others, is offering special gift cards redeemable at the many eateries perfect for stuffing in your locavore's stocking. It's like the McDonald's gift certificate you gave your third-grade teacher, only about a million times better. Various prices, purchase: saintlouisoriginals.com.

EAT: Are you familiar with "log?" Ren and Stimpy fans may remember it fondly like this. But come Christmas time, the log that keeps 'em coming back is a creamy yule log from La Dolce Via Bakery. It's a flourless chocolate cake laced with creamy vanilla-bean filling, frosted with chocolate mousse and finished with meringue mushrooms and holly cookies. It's too cute to eat, but that doesn't stop us. $50 to $60, call to order, La Dolce Via Bakery & Cafe, 4474 Arco Ave., Saint Louis, 314.534.1699, ladolceviabakery.com.

DRINK: Some prefer Chocolate Rain, but for others, chocolate wine is the double-shot of awesome that rocks the house. Naughty But Nice Chocolate Wine from local vintner Westphalia Vineyards has been earning rave reviews, and while it may not be for all palates, this dark red Norton with chocolate extract is sure to be a conversation starter at any holiday party. Love chocolate? Love wine? It's certainly worth a shot - we mean glass. Available at Friar Tuck's, friartuckonline.com; Lukas Liquor Superstore, lukasliquorstl.com; Local Harvest Grocery, localharvestgrocery.com; and The Wine Merchant, winemerchantltd.com.