See the Menu: A Harvest Feast at St. John's Abbey

Vespers cocktail creation during the Story Feast cocktail hour at our St. John’s Abbey gathering.

For our first-ever Story Feast, we gathered 180 guests in the historic dining hall at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, the same room that has sheltered Benedictine monks for generations.

The meal was created by Mateo and Erin Mackbee, the husband-and-wife team behind Krewe Restaurant and Flour & Flower Bakery in nearby St. Joseph, Minnesota. Mateo is a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest. Erin's Flour & Flower was named one of the best bakeries in America by The New York Times in 2024.

But their impact goes far beyond awards. Since opening in 2020, Mateo and Erin have become anchors of the St. Joseph community: confronting social justice issues, championing local producers and other culinary establishments in the region, and proving that a small-town restaurant can change the culture around it and inspire community members to create a support system rooted in empathy, kindness, and of course, incredible food! Their food honors both ancestry and a circular economy that sustains itself and thrives.

Their presence at our table made this gathering unforgettable and we were so honored that they created this extraordinary, carefully planned meal and joined us at the Story Feast table!

As Minnesota Monthly wrote: "The dinner served as a meditation on community, craft, and care."

Read the full Minnesota Monthly article about our event and to learn more about Chefs Erin and Mateo

Read Jody Eddy’s interview with Chefs Erin and Mateo

The St. John’s Abbey Story Feast Menu

A Multi-Course Family-Style Feast Inspired by Minnesota Traditions & Seasons

Shared Bites

• Walleye Rillettes on Rye Crisps

• Wild Rice Arancini with Cranberry Compote

• Pickled Garden Accents

Salads & Bread

• Seasonal Harvest Salad

• Roasted Beet Salad with Horseradish Cream

• Rustic Breads & Compound Butters

Main Platters

• Braised Short Ribs with Juniper Jus

• Maple-Glazed Roast Chicken

• Foraged Mushroom & Barley Casserole

Sides

• Charred Carrots with Maple & Hazelnuts

• Seasonal Grain Pilaf

• Corn Grits with Smoked Chili Oil

Desserts

• Honeycrisp Apple Galette with Cardamom Cream

• Church Basement Sweet Bar Sampler

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Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

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Interested in partnering with us for a future gathering? See partnership opportunities →

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Recipe: Vespers: A Story Feast Signature Cocktail from Brother Justus Whiskey Founder, Phil Steger

Vespers cocktail creation during the Story Feast cocktail hour at our St. John’s Abbey gathering.

Phil Steger founded Brother Justus Whiskey with a simple belief: spirits should bring people together. Based in Minneapolis, Brother Justus is Minnesota's first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition, and it's built on Benedictine values of community, craftsmanship, and hospitality.

Phil created this cocktail for the inaugural Story Feast gathering at St. John's Abbey in November 2025. The name "Vespers" refers to the evening prayer service observed in monasteries around the world, a moment of pause and reflection as day turns to night. It felt fitting for a meal shared by candlelight in a monastic dining hall.

From Phil: “This is an original cocktail called “Vespers.” It feels fitting for the occasion and the time of day, given that Vespers is the communal divine office prayed by monks in the evening. The build has monastic references too. In addition to Brother Justus, it is also made with Benedictine liqueur, as well as cream sherry and mole bitters. It’s a boozy cocktail, with a lot of richness, but is velvety and smooth, with black coffee color with ruby red refractions in the light. Perfect for end of day reflection and reverie.”

Brother Justus founder Phil Steger during the Story Feast cocktail hour. Phil not only created a signature cocktail for the event, he poured Brother Justus whiskey for our guests throughout the event.

When Megan and JD Jorgenson, founders of Maine Prairie Studio, found out about the whiskey pouring during dunner, they handcrafted a whiskey tumbler for every place setting (it’s the small one on the left). Megan and JD threw every single piece of pottery for our Story Feast event at St. John’s Abbey. It totaled over 1300 pieces of original place settings, serving vessels, water and whiskey tumblers and vases for the table. It was extraordinary.

Not only did Megan and JD craft a whiskey tumbler for every place setting, they also created enough of them to send a tumbler home with every guest in our Story Feast goody bag.

Vespers

Makes 1 cocktail

Preparation time: 5 minutes

The recipe combines American whiskey with Benedictine (a French herbal liqueur originally created by monks) and cream sherry, finished with mole bitters for warmth and depth. It's smooth, contemplative, and best enjoyed slowly, at sunset, with good company.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Brother Justus American Whiskey

• ½ oz Benedictine

• ½ oz Cream Sherry

• 2 dashes mole bitters

• Ice

Method

1. Add whiskey, Benedictine, cream sherry, and bitters to a mixing glass.

2. Fill with ice and stir until well chilled, about 30 seconds.

3. Strain into a coupe or rocks glass.

4. Serve without garnish, or with a single orange twist if you like.

   My newsletter

   Every Wednesday in my Substack newsletter, What’s Good Here, I share a new, well-tested recipe alongside guides, how-tos, interviews with inspiring people, and stories about what it means to live a good life. Every other Friday I also share five original recipes plus a step-by-step guide to host a Fantasy Feast inspired by your favorite movies, books and television shows.

   Subscribe to What's Good Here →

   Interested in partnering with us for a future gathering? See partnership opportunities →

   Interested in joining a future gathering? See upcoming events →