On Sunday, Aug. 12, the Missoula Symphony Orchestra will treat Missoulians in Caras Park to a rousing feast of music inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach in the annual “Symphony in the Park” concert that is becoming a local tradition.Last year, 4,000 people came out to hear a chorus of belting brass and stylized string instruments. This year, it may be even better - not only because of the premiere of new symphony music director, Darko Butorac of Prague, but because of the food it has inspired.
Bach had a passion for coffee that has been well-logged in the annals of history. In deference to Bach, this year's event has inspired a host of confections with a coffee flair, created by local merchants.
70 percent Colombian dark chocolate. The confection is topped with a crunchy roasted coffee bean.
Pastry chef Bari Lynn Cardiff of Blue Canyon Kitchen and Tavern has fashioned a special dessert - a chocolate cup filled with a mocha mousse, topped with chocolate sauce and berries - that will be served in-house throughout the month of August.
Big Dipper Ice Cream has created yet another superb flavor within the Bachalatte theme - a coffee latte ice cream with cocoa chips.
Coffee giant Liquid Planet even came up with a new latte drink flavor to wash all of that dessert down - called the Bachalatte Latte.
So back to Bach and coffee.
Like many of the townspeople in Leipzig, in the early 1700s, Bach was practically overcome by an addiction to coffee. So passionate about a good cup of Joe was Bach, that he had even narrowed down how many coffee beans it would take to make the perfect cup.
Bach eventually poured his love of coffee into the notes that became “The Coffee Cantata” in 1732 - a lighthearted comic opera that pokes fun at both coffee drinkers and coffee critics who saw it as evil.
This past Tuesday I met up with Symphony executive director John Driscoll, and new symphony conductor Darko Butorac, at Big Dipper Ice Cream for what was to be the starting line of a “Bachalatte” walking tour - a quest to taste all of the coffee confections celebrating the upcoming “Symphony in the Park” concert.
Missoula Symphony publicist Susan Doherty organized the walking tour - or should I say “gorging tour” - that commenced with ice cream at 10 a.m.
As a kid, I might have jumped for joy at the thought of ice cream at 10 in the morning. At 40-something? Not so much.
Fortunately, Charlie Beaton's Bachalatte creation tasted a lot like a frozen cup of breakfast Joe. With just the right amount of coffee, cream and sugar, the shards of chocolate were the only thing that made it less about breakfast and more about indulgence.
Big Dipper's summer line-up of flavors have been super- innovative. His idea to work in partnership with top chefs like Paul Meyers from 515 Restaurant to create flavors like bacon brittle ice cream has been a treat for culinary-starved Missoulians.
Since I love Big Dipper's green tea ice cream, I talked to Beaton about creating a flavor together. Because I used to drink teapots of hot vanilla Rooibos tea with handfuls of Guittard milk chocolate chips at Liquid Planet a few summers ago, I suggested the combination. Look for vanilla rooibos tea ice cream with chocolate fudge ribbons.
Stay tuned.
Next up, Liquid Planet's Bachalatte Latte.
I typically only drink unsweetened drip coffee with cream in the morning - never confection drinks made of coffee. But the Bachalatte latte is just sweet enough.
The barista told me that it was made with two shots of espresso, steamed whole milk and a squirt each of caramel and chocolate syrups. The drink is topped with whipped cream.
As if a scoop of ice cream wasn't enough to put me in a morning sugar stupor, we finished the tour at Posh Chocolat.
Geniuses Jason and Ana Willenbrock pair chocolate with what many might think are odd flavors. But to the Willenbrocks, pairing chocolate with things like garam masala and fennel creates chemical magic.
In discussing Bach as inspirational muse for Sunday's concert, somehow baklava came up in the conversation. Food and alliteration are great conversational partners.
Darko mentioned that he loved making baklava. Aptly, here is his recipe for “Bach-lava.”
Darko Butorac's Bach-lava
2 pounds walnuts (ground)
2 sticks of butter
16 ounces Phyllo dough
Syrup:
8 cups sugar
4 cups water
Juice of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Thaw 2 boxes phyllo dough. Grease a 12 x 16 or any large rectangular baking pan. Melt butter. Butter surface of each of six phyllo sheets and cover bottom of the pan. Layer sheets with ground walnuts. Place two more sheets of phyllo dough atop walnut cover, alternating walnuts and phyllo layers until walnuts are gone. Cover the final walnut layer with 6-8 sheets of phyllo dough, buttering each sheet as you place it. Butter top sheet both sides for shiny finish. Score the Bach-lava with a sharp knife into 1fi inch diamonds. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until golden brown.
Prepare syrup in a medium-sized saucepan bring the water and sugar mixture to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and add the lemon juice. Once Bach-lava is out of the oven, cool slightly, and pour the warm syrup evenly over the Bach-lava. Let cool completely before serving (for best results, let the syrup soak in overnight)
Entertainer food columnist Lori Grannis at 523-5251 or lori.grannis@missoulian.com
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