Food & Dining

Sometimes we forget, living here on the front range in Colorado, just how gorgeous our mountain towns are. I don’t seem to get there nearly enough, but when I visited Vail recently, I made a beeline for the restaurant of the now somewhat famous chef, Kelly Liken. If you’re a foodie who watches Top Chef on Bravo, you’ve seen her competing and as of this posting, she’s still in it.

I’m partial to restaurants where the chef provides a little present to diners at the start, an amuse bouche, and Kelly started the meal off with an incredibly delicious beet and fennel soup served in a small Asian soup spoon. Accompanied by the savory olive bread, it set the tone for the evening.

My husband and I share the elk carpaccio – I had to, having seen the rave reviews she got for her beef carpaccio on last week’s show. The elk was really fabulous, but what sealed if for me was the spoonful of minty tabbouleh served on top.

The rack of CO lamb is great – feta, couscous, raita and eggplant caviar, all share the plate and work together instead of clashing.

And although we passed on dessert, the pleasant surprise of a root beer and peach homemade lollipop presented with our check capped off the evening perfectly.

I loved the food here, but be warned, prices are steep, in particular for the wines which are served in half glasses, full glasses, and carafes. A single glass of CA sparkling wine set me back $20, and I think my husband’s carafe of cabernet – about 2 glasses – rang up at well over $40. Still, it’s fun to dine in a celebrity spot, and I’m rooting for Kelly on Top Chef!

Most people I meet think being an editor is a super-glam job–and maybe it is if you’re Anna Wintour. Truth is, I love my job, but like any job, it has perks–like peeking inside of other people’s beautiful homes and getting to attend some of the most fabulous events in Colorado–and drawbacks–like meticulously checking every piece of punctuation in 45-50 pages of editorial content eight times a year.

But one of the little perks that is just plain fun is getting samples of new products. Samples of wallpaper and fabrics, pre-release books, gourmet treats, pillows (lots and lots of pillows)–they end up on my desk with some frequency. (I also get very strange product samples, like a tiny rubber replica of the Statue of Liberty that arrived about six months ago. Not sure what that was all about…)

Not too long ago, I got a real treat: a little sample of Coole Swan Premium Cream Liqueur. It. Is. Fabulous. Created from all-natural ingredients (no synthetic flavors or colors), it is made from fresh double cream from Irish dairy lands and single-malt Irish whiskey.

Here’s the kicker: Dark, bittersweet chocolate is melted into the cream and complemented by Madagascan bourbon vanilla. Brilliant.

You can find Coole Swan at your favorite local liquor store. It’s relatively new to the Colorado market, so if you like Irish cream, give yourself a treat and go buy a bottle.

And as for the question about whether my job is super-glam…well, on days when goodies like Coole Swan show up, I guess it is.

Chocolate: 5 basic types Unsweetened - Pure chocolate with about 50 to 58 percent cocoa butter. This is the most bitter version of chocolate with no sugar added. The original Aztec xocolatl (bitter water) was made with unsweetened chocolate, and it is said that the Aztec ruler Montezuma drank 50 goblets a day. Bittersweet - Made with at least 35 percent chocolate liquor. The most common form of baking chocolate and the most prized by chefs, chocolatiers and patissieres. The best bittersweet chocolates have a smooth, glossy finish, a satisfying “snap” when broken and complex flavor nuances. Semi-sweet to Sweet – Made with 15-35 percent chocolate liquor. Milk - Dry milk is added to sweetened chocolate. Quality milk chocolate should have at least 12 percent milk solids and 10 percent chocolate liquor. Mass-produced versions, like those used by Hershey’s and Mars, have added chemicals and stabilizers. White Chocolate – This is not technically chocolate because it doesn’t contain any chocolate liquor. It is a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids, lecithin and vanilla. Quality versions provide a lovely, subtle flavor and a creamy texture.

Once considered a powerful elixir of the Aztec gods, chocolate is now a flavor loved and savored by millions around the globe. From its origins in the tropics of Central and South America, this bitter bean inspires fiery discourse, arouses lovers’ passions and provides sublime solace for the sad and lonely. True chocolate is a remarkable substance, one with complex flavors and smooth textures.

To create a high-quality chocolate, carefully selected beans of the cocoa pod are fermented, dried, roasted and cracked. Next, the nibs (inside the shell) are ground to extract some of the cocoa butter, leaving a thick, dark brown chocolate liquor. Finally, the liquor is conched, whereby the substance is blended and heated, ridding it of moisture and acids, and then combined with sugar or sugar and milk (except for unsweetened), and poured into molds.

Though navigating the world of artisan chocolates may seem daunting, local expert Will Poole of Wen Chocolates, wenchocolates.com, believes that “it is really about returning to your inner child, you must get your fingers dirty.” Taste as many different kinds as you can. Each one will have its own nuances—some may hint of black cherries, others of coffee or spices.

Once you have found a chocolate you like, test it out in the recipes on the following page. Then branch out and experiment with unexpected ingredients. Try mixing in savory spices like curry or cardamom; the zest of exotic citrus fruits like kumquats; teas, such as Earl Grey or Jasmine; or heady liquors like cognac and Frangelico. “Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect,” says Poole, who just opened a Wen Chocolates retail shop in LoDo, “At the very least you will end up with a great chocolate sauce.”

Visit the Colorado Homes & Lifestyles recipe file for the following recipes:

Hand-Rolled Chocolate Truffles
Drinking Chocolate
Brandy Truffles
Chai Truffles
White Chocolate Chai