Exciting changes for POSH CHOCOLAT

There are some exciting changes in store for Missoula’s award winning chocolate company, Posh Chocolat. The company has been open for five and a half years and in 2010 has gained national recognition for their confectionary expertise and creativity. However, the “chocolate cafe” is only part of the vision, owners Ana and Jason Willenbrock had when they first opened their doors. They hoped one day to turn the little chocolate shop into a deli and chocolate bar, offering house made gourmet foods, along with cured meats and fine cheeses. The couple has decided to focus on what they do best, award winning artisan chocolates. So, in order to grow the Willenbrock's vision of a gourmet food store, Posh Chocolat will partner with Curtis Strohl and Nate Jerell. The partnership provides the opportunity for the progression of the business as well as preserving the vitality of downtown by contributing to the growing food community in Missoula.

“It is exciting to be part of the growing culinary scene in Missoula. With our recent national recognition, diversifying our focus will help keep the energy of downtown missoula vibrant,” says owner and chocolatier, Jason Willenbrock.

The transition of the shop with begin in September, and in October “The Mercantile Deli and Chocolate Bar,” is planned to open. Curtis and Nate will be developing the space as a eat in or take out deli shop and will continue to carry Posh Chocolat truffles, chocolate bars and caramel collections. The idea behind “The Mercantile” is to embrace the
history of downtown and the historic “Missoula Mercantile,” opened in 1866.

Chocolatiers Ana and Jason Willenbrock will be working behind the scenes to focus on their chocolate creations. Throughout the years Posh Chocolat has found its niche within the confectionary world. August 30th, 2010 the Las Vegas Chocolate Salon awards were announced, adding eight awards to POSH, including “Best in Salon” and “Most Gifted Chocolatier.” Throughout the year they have also found success at the San Francisco Chocolate Salon, Seattle Chocolate Salon and recognized as “2010 Best Chocolatiers and Confectioners in America.” The couple has taken this success and decided to run with it. The partnership will allow them to grow Posh Chocolat to its true potential. They will be able to focus on current and prospective wholesale accounts, online sales and in-store sales. The benefits will be passed on to the current customers who can continue to purchase Posh in the same downtown location as well as other retailers in Missoula and the Northwest. The couple could not be more excited to further develop their passion and the continual contribution and development of the culinary community of Missoula.

Ripe off the Harvest Vine

From Missoula to Spokane, Spokane to Seattle, Seattle to Spain, and back to Seattle, all in one weekend! We had to pull a few strings but we made it happen. Spain was just an addition to our Seattle Chocolate Salon agenda, well not really Spain but a Spanish Tapas Restaurant, The Harvest Vine. With the help from a native Seattle foodie we entered the address in google maps, hopped in a cab (thankfully), rode uphill for 23 blocks, and hopped off for a Spanish experience in the Pacific Northwest.

A traditional tapas experience consists of various appetizer items stuck with toothpicks, accompanied with Spanish wine and talks of food and life. At the end of the meal you bring the cashier your toothpicks, where they are counted and added to your drink bill. Our experience was minus the toothpicks, but ample wine and an evening spent in great company. (Thanks again Jeff and Aggie for the meal!)

Wine was our first decision and it was a Valdueza, a Spanish blend of Cabernet Savignon and Shiraz grapes, a wonderful compliment to all of the dishes. The wine was brought with our first course of Spanish tortillas and salted peppers. Everyone chose a few items and the plates were brought out, divided and returned with out a morsel left. Some of the meal favorites included; a chorizo plate from different Spanish regions, Pequillo peppers with boquerones (fresh anchovies) , duck confit, and a foie gras (we couldn't help taking a side trip to France). After 2 and a half hours, a couple bottles of wine, and 7 courses we decided it was time to pack up and call it a night. We hailed the next cab, chatted about the cabby's grandchildren, Jeff and Aggie's anniversary, (Happy anniversary!), and McDonalds, food always becomes a topic! We were dropped a few blocks away from the hotel which gave us some time to digest our Spanish experience and plan for our Top Pot coffee and donut trip scheduled for the next morning.

Truffling for Morels!

A rainy June makes for some good Morel hunting, and if you listen closely you can hear people talking about their adventures. However, the best hunters keep their patches a secret! These prized mushrooms are typically found in areas of the forest that have been scorched by a wildfire and in Montana that leaves a lot of land to explore. The first step is to pick a time and a place. Time: a sunny Saturday after a rain drenched week. Place: I will not give specifics but Montana back country. Now the challenge of finding the patch begins. The team loaded up the VW bus, armed with their buckets, bags, bikes and their senses set on the precious Morel! In the end the Posh gang was able to follow the rainbow leading to a pot of gold, or shall we say field fungi. Morels tend to nestle in mossy areas, therefore all eyes must be fixed on the ground. A glisten of hope is; find one morel you are likely to find a whole family.The journey required a 6 mile bike uphill, and involved four hours of picking. When the brave returned home they were covered from head to toe in black ash, but they also had a window screen filled with their treasure! Now comes the fun part, eating. These wonderful mushrooms can be added to a dish much like any mushroom. The recipe used by Ana and Jason was a Morel Stroganoff, using dehydrated Morels.

Morel Stroganoff

1 cup dehydrated Morels
2 cups Hot Water
1 1/2 Lbs. Cubed round steak, cut into strips.
1 Can Tomato Puree
Splash of Cognac
Splash of Cream


1) To rehydrate the Morels combine one cup with two cups of hot water, and once the mushrooms are hydrated remove from the water. The water can be saved for a stock to use in the sauce. Pass the water through a coffee filter to remove the little mushroom bits.

2) Sear the strips of steak on a frying pan.

3) Add the tomato puree, the mushrooms, cognac, and cream.

4) Allow the sauce to cook and serve over rice, pasta or even risotto.

Happy Hunting!

Cloudy with the gift of Meatballs!

There are certain trends that circulate the culinary office at Posh. "Guess what I made last night?" "Ask Ana what we had for dinner last night." Those quotes are guaranteed to make any Poshie jealous. However, there are the special days when the remarks are followed by, "and we brought leftovers!" This week the buzz has been about Meatballs, and on Wednesday instead of eating the usual Black Beans and rice, we were hanging out and noshing on the leftovers of the fantastico Italiano creation. Ana used an all around basic recipe, just fresh ingredients that brought out each of the delicate flavors. A week has past and the taste still lingers in my mind. I am proud to present you with the delectable recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 whole egg
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup bread crumbs, divided
2 hot peppers chopped

Directions

Mix all ingredients really well. Form meatballs and let them cook in the tomato sauce.

When you pop the meatballs into the sauce, then start the pasta. This will give enough time for the the meatballs to cook through. The recipe makes enough for about 12-15 small meatballs.
Buon Appetitio!

The Pies that Provide!

It was a nice Missoula evening in May and people were taking their seats in Biga Pizza. Their bellies were empty while they patiently awaited the first annual fundraiser for the Missoula Food Bank. The evening entailed five acclaimed local chefs armed with fresh ingredients, pizza dough and their creative power. The attendees were all handed a number, which they used to bid on numerous pizzas. The proceeds of the event were given to the Missoula Food Bank.

The event was filled with many unique flavor combinations and a final donation of around $2,000. It was sure a success. Some of the highlighted combinations were: Foie Gras with Ricotta cheese, Asparagus and Pea Shoots (The Pearl), pizza Pescatori with a Saffron Aioli (James Bar), Duck Breast with Squash and Thai Basil (Iza), and Brocolini with Asparagus, Pea Shoots and Kalamata Olives (Scotty's Table).

The highest bid pizza in the savory category was a creation of Jason Willenbrock, of Posh Chocolat! It was made with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and topped with truffle oil. The pizza was sold for $155. In the sweet category, there was only one contestant, Ana! Her Elvis pizza defiantly stole the show. The dough was brushed with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and drizzled with Posh’s Thai peanut caramel. Then topped with bacon, mozzarella cheese and bananas. As it sat in the pizza oven you could see the sizzling caramel, mozzarella and the sweet smell of cinnamon and sugar. As the highest bid pizza of the night it sold for $160. When the Elvis bidding had ended Jason was so excited, he ran to the shop and threw in a 10 piece Posh Truffle Collection.

As the night went on and the money kept flowing in for these impressive pizzas, Bob Marshall the owner of Biga, made a little speech. He expressed his gratitude to the chefs participation and to the attendants who great fully gave their time and money for this worthy cause. He explained the essence of the evening was creating food for food. He then did the unexpected, Bob busted out the champagne, giving pizzas to all, and he offered desserts to anyone with the appetite to spare. It became a open house of exquisite pizzas. The night was an overall success. A big thanks to Bob Marshall and Biga's staff for hosting a wonderful event. The attendants and chefs had a great time, everyone left satisfied and excited for next year.

Whew...Valentines day, Chocolate Salon, Easter, Mother's Day, and Graduation.... It seems like we have not met in a long time. SO to catch everyone up! Valentines day went well with the Champagne and Berries collection, we met a lot of smitten men and filled many chocolate boxes for some lucky women! Then March brought us the San Francisco chocolate salon! A very successful and exciting trip, and we brought home some awesome awards! If you missed it, we took pictures along the way of the Posh Bus. The photos are still posted on Facebook! We found an awesome parking spot near the bay bridge and ate some great Mexican food! April Showers bring...Easter! This year we had some cute chocolate Easter bunnies and what would Easter be with out the traditional large Easter Eggs?! Mother's Day launched a wonderful special collection and Graduation signals the ringing in of SUMMER, which means Iced "Hot" Chocolate!

We are excited about what the Summer will bring. Stay tuned for more awesome recipes! Today we are headed to Biga for an flavorful night of great chefs creating special pizzas for a good cause! We will let you know how it goes!

Squeamish for Squid!

Fideua; is the result of an adventurous Valencian chef who had no rice for his Paella, therefore he substituted vermicelli noodles. This is one of the dishes prepared during Ana's Basque cooking class at The Good Food Store. After attending the Culinary Institute of America, Ana went on to study in San Sebastian of Northern Spain. It was here she experienced the culture of a menu dependant on the season, resulting in a constantly changing menu. During the class she told stories of the culture of Spanish Tapas, including a little insight from her native Brazilian culture with the Bacalao al Pil Pil, a salt cod dish.

The Fideua was a wonderful authentic Spanish dish and the flavors complimented it all around. The homemade shrimp stock was used to cook the peppers and the pasta adding a rich fullness to the dish. The protein Ana used included Squid, Chorizo, Shrimp and Mussels. Seafood is a year round protein used in this coastal town. The dish is not very typical of Missoula Montana. There ain't no game meat in there! The class was a little hesitant when the dish was served with tentacles and all but everyone ate it and loved it. There was not a tentacle left, much less a vermicelli noodle.

She topped the class off with a wonderful Olive Oil Cake with Olive Oil Ice Cream, as a elegant touch the cake contained fresh rosemary, perfecto. Ana will never leave you with out a little chocolate. The final dish was Churros with a chocolate sauce! What a perfect way to seal the deal. We just booked our tickets to Spain, next stop Valencia. Buen provecho!

Ana's Fideua Recipe:

1 Pound shrimp, with shells
2 Tbs. of Olive Oil
1 Large Onion
1 Carrot, chopped
4 Quarts of Water
2 Links of Spicy Sausage; Chorizo or Hot Italian, sliced 1/2" thick
4 Tbs. Olive Oil
1/2 Pound of Squid, washed and chopped
2 Dry Red Pepper pods
1/2 Large Red Pepper, cut into strips
1/2 Large Green Pepper, cut into strips
4 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
One 14-Ounce can of diced Tomatoes
1/4 tsp. Saffron threads
1 Pound of Vermicelli or Angel Hair pasta, broken into thirds
10 Mussels, Scrubbed & de-bearded
1 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Shell and de-vein all but ten shrimp and reserve shells.
2. Pour olive oil into a soup pan on medium heat. Add shells, onions, carrots, and saute until shells turn pink in color, about 5 min.
3. Add four quarts of water and bring to a slow boil over high heat.
4. Reduce heat to low when mixture begins to boil. Simmer for 45 Min to an hour. Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top. Strain liquid and keep warm.
5. Use a large saute pan or large skillet, about 17" wide by 3"-4" deep, saute sausages and cook about three to five minutes. Remove and set aside.
6. Add olive oil to pan and saute shrimp, both with and without shells, about two to three minutes, untill shrimp turn pink in color. Set aside.
7. Saute squid for 30 seconds or untill opaque in color. Remove and set aside.
8. Saute peppers, garlic and tomatoes for 3 to 5 minutes. Add stock and saffron and bring to a boil.
9. Add pasta, cooked sausage, shrimp, squid and mussels and cook until pasta is al dente, about 3-5 minutes