Dining Under the Big Sky Fall 2016 by Bozeman Daily Chronicle

e d i u G r u o Y n a m e z o B o t D i n i ng!

CHEF PROFILES

Cafe Fres co Food Stud io Whip ped

A Special Publication of the BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE

APRÈS 3-6PM WITH LIVE MUSIC DAILY LUNCH, APRÈS, DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK

SKI IN FOR LUNCH

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESERVATION | CALL 406-995-7777 | MOONLIGHTBASIN.COM

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

CONTENTS BREAKFAST

Community Food Co-op LUNCH TIME

Un-Knotted DINNER

Copper Whiskey Bar & Grill DESSERT

John Bozeman’s Bistro CHEF PROFILES

Chef Daniel Wendell CHEF PROFILES

Chef Jasmine Lilly CHEF PROFILES

Chef Bryce Hulet MEAT

Chico Hot Springs

6 16 20

2016 FALL DINING GUIDE

ART DIRECTION & LAYOUT

PHOTOGRAPHY

Brooke C Benson

Rebecca Soulé lucaphotography.net

WRITTEN BY

Lisa Reuter

26 32 38 44 50

Our next edition of “Dining Under the Big Sky” will publish next Spring. To advertise, call Sylvia Drain at 582-2640.

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COVER PHOTO

Rebecca Soulé Whipped // whippedconfections.com

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BREAKFAST FOR ALL DINERS AND AGES?

THE FOOD CO-OP, NATURALLY “WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, POOH,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself ?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said. — A.A. Milne, “Winnie the Pooh”

hether you choose exciting or primary and wholesome, breakfast is always good at Bozeman’s Community Food Co-op, the full-service, independent, community-owned grocery that has specialized in offering organic ingredients and Montana-produced meat and vegetables for 37 years. The Co-op opened in 1979 as the mostly volunteer-run Crossroads Consumer Services Co-op on S. Wallace Avenue. The name was changed in 1984. In 1992, the expanding business moved to its W. Main Street location, then remodeled that in 2001, and opened the Downtown grocery/eatery in 2011. It’s a place where locals and folks from as far as the Madison Valley can grab a quick bite or sample a new dish and do the weekly

shopping in one stop – all the while knowing they will find plenty of organic ingredients and tremendous local farm and ranch products. The Co-op offers a hot bar and salad bar, including a menu that changes daily and features everything from lasagna to curry, gumbo, fresh deli salads and mac and cheese, all available in fast, self-serve form. “In our prepared food service alone, we used just under 500,000 pounds of local and organic foods last year,” said Food Service Director Pat Weaver. Much of the prepared offerings are made from scratch at the Co-op’s off-site kitchen and bakery a few doors down from the W. Main Street store. The Co-op has offered prepared foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner, sold by the pound, for more than 15 years. The service started out

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IN OUR PREPARED FOOD SERVICE ALONE, WE USED JUST UNDER 500,000 POUNDS OF LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOODS LAST YEAR

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Breakfast, continued partly as a way to use excess food, but it has become, like the Co-op itself, a guarantor for people who want food fast but still care about the ingredients. “Our customers are farmers, cowboys, environmental people, professional people and students – we don’t have a typical customer type – who all want organic eggs in their burrito and organic flour in their English muffins. And they want to know where their food comes from. We have a tremendous group of local growers around us to serve them.” Omnivore, carnivore, vegetarian or gluten-free, anyone can find something pleasing for breakfast at the Co-op, especially on Sundays when the brunch line is offered at both locations. Popular egg choices include frittatas; meat choices include the Co-op’s own brand of sausage, plus natural Montana bacon. The line also holds breakfast muffins and biscuits with or without meat; harissa spiced shakshuka, a savory North African dish of spicy tomato, onion and pepper sauce with eggs cooked into the top; an assortment of fruits, smoothies and juices; and pancakes and French toast. “We really are an undiscovered breakfast gem downtown,” Weaver said. “We don’t cook eggs to order, and we have espresso drinks only at the W. Main Street location, but we deliver great food for those on the go or those who want to linger, and especially for families.” At the Co-op, parents can create a custom breakfast of favorites, with as much or as little food as their children prefer. The one thing Weaver wants to make clear to newcomers: You don’t have to pay the one-time $35 fee to join the coop in order to shop or dine there. “We do have specials that are just for members, but everyone is welcome to shop and dine with us all the time. It says so right on the door.”

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COLD SMOKE COFFEEHOUSE

FOR THE LOVE OF COFFEE AS A KID, Bozeman native Caleb Walker hated coffee.

He remembers being burned

by it when he was 10. He was hunting with his dad and

spilled the thermos in his lap.

e began to appreciate its necessity when he attended Montana State University, and when he was a youth pastor for Journey Church, he met people in coffee shops all over Bozeman. In 2010, Walker and his bride, Laura, moved to Portland, Ore. He quickly dove into the city’s famous specialty coffee scene. A year later, the couple returned to Bozeman to start an artisan coffee shop for the city they love. To do it right, Walker attended Portland’s American Barista and Coffee School, one of the top coffee training schools, becoming a certified barista and master roaster. “For us, it’s all about creating community and offering the best quality product,” he said. “We want Cold Smoke to be people’s third home.” That’s why the shop is large, with multiple seating options, plenty of easily accessible computer plugs and a stage for live music on Friday nights.

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Coffee, continued For the Walkers, the coffee community is wideranging. They are friends with many coffee shop owners across Bozeman and have relationships with multiple overseas growers because they buy their beans directly from the farms. “That helps insure better living and harvest standards for the workers, and we know more about our coffee quality,” he said. Only Walker and his general manager, John Liebhaber, roast the beans at Cold Smoke, in micro batches. “We never blend coffee, because we want our customers to understand what coffee tastes like depending on where it’s from,” he said. Some of his customers are that discriminating, and many more want to know more about the drink they love. What goes best with freshly made coffee? Fresh pastries. That’s why the coffeehouse also has a bakery

and three talented bakers. They work from family recipes, either their own or those from Laura Walker’s Grandma Vonnie. This winter, Cold Smoke will open a second, larger

coffeehouse on Huffine Lane near Slumberland Furniture. It will have a drive-through window and outdoor

seating, and a visible display of the roasting facilities. It

will also contain a coffee lab to train new Cold Smoke

baristas, who study for two to three months and pass two

tests before they craft their first coffee for a customer.

“When you spend four to five dollars on a coffee drink,

we want you to drink it because you love it, not because

you bought it, and there’s a big difference in that. “At Cold Smoke, we are about coffee first, foremost and always.”

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Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, dinner on the weekends! Mon - Fri: 11am - 9:30pm Sat - Sun: 4pm - 9:30pm (406) 404-1270 | pizzacampania.net 1285 N Rouse Ave, Bozeman, Montana at the corner of Oak and Rouse, right behind Lone Mountain Gymnastics

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d e t t o Un-Kn

New downtown restaurant offering cafe breakfast and lunch. We have On The Fly packed lunches, delicious and convenient dinners to go, as well as breakfast and lunch catering menus.

www.un-knotted.com or stop in for a visit 708 N Rouse Bozeman 2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

1515282

For more information visit

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

UN-KNOTTED

BOZEMAN’S NEWEST PLACE TO UNWIND AND DINE FOR BREAKFAST OR LUNCH

“MY APPROACH TO FOOD IN GENERAL isn’t all that fancy,” said Chef Ashley Nelson, owner of Bozeman’s newest breakfast and

lunch spot, Un-Knotted on N. Rouse Avenue. “I just want to make good food. Honest food.”

he believes beautiful experiences happen around a table, and she crafts each dish with an aim to bringing people together to create lasting memories. Since Un-Knotted opened in July, word of its scrumptious sandwiches has spread around town. For Nelson, the defining element of each one is the meat, though the eatery makes yummy vegetarian dishes too. “We put a lot of time into our meats,” she said. “We make most of them in-house.” For the Cowboy Up Turkey Club, the No. 1 sandwich on the menu literally and with diners, that means brining the local or organic turkey in Guinness for 72 hours before roasting to make it mouthwateringly moist. Topped with a house-made avocado aioli and served on Grains of Montana Cranberry Walnut Whole Grain Bread, this sandwich is amazing. Un-Knotted’s pastrami is time-intensive too. It’s pickled and rubbed with spices, then left to sit some before being slow-cooked.

The beef for the Rouse Style Italian Beef sandwich comes from Chicago because that’s still the best beef in the world to this Chicago girl who got her Master’s in Fine Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Paris. One of her mom’s friends taught Nelson to cook. “My mom was a terrible cook, and my grandmothers were both pretty bad cooks too,” she said. By age 13, her mom’s friend, Lisa, had taught her well enough that she could organize elaborate Thanksgiving menus for as many as 40 people, with members of her large family pitching in to peel, chop and stir. While growing up, Nelson spent plenty of time in Montana fly fishing and skiing. When her little brother chose Montana State University, it was a sure thing she’d eventually move here too. She did so three years ago, but spent her first two summers seeing the world as an international guide for Backroads bike touring company.

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Lunch, continu

The idea for Un-Knotted and its handcrafted comfort food came to her in Montana, when she was out helping a friend film a fly fishing video. She made the sandwiches for the shoot, as she’d made them for all kinds of family adventures outdoors, and lunchtime talk turned to food and food ideas and a restaurant of her own. The restaurant’s name comes from fly fishing thoughts too, about becoming unknotted and relaxed. Her staff members wear T-shirts that say “unwind and dine.” “A couple of people have come in here thinking we might be a knitting shop,” she said with an enjoyable laugh. They came around to her meaning as soon as they sampled the menu. Un-Knotted is open Tuesdays through Sundays. The breakfast menu is heavy with scrambled egg choices, with options for spinach and baby bella mushrooms, or smoked ham, hickory bacon or chorizo embellishments. Or order your own special concoction and add any of five cheeses too. Quiche (with or without smoked ham), oats and yogurt, and waffles, buttermilk pancakes and French toast topped with bananas, vanilla cream and warm caramel sauce are equally delectable choices. Additional lunch selections include a burger of beef and pork patties or a homemade veggie burger, plus three filling salad and two flatbread options. If you’re headed to the great outdoors, order your sandwiches a day in advance for pickup before you depart.

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dinner time 20

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COPPER WHISKEY BAR & GRILL

WHISKEY, A SIGNATURE DINNER AND A PARTY WITH FRIENDS AT COPPER WHISKEY BAR & GRILL, the key word is whiskey.

The 3-year-old, downtown Bozeman dinner restaurant stocks nearly

200 kinds and serves a wild selection of specialty cocktails that feature it, including a Copper Manhatten with High West Double Rye and an Old Fashioned with Bulleit Rye.

he food leans toward a meat eaters’ concept, with a 12-ounce New York striploin, an 8-ounce tenderloin filet and steak frites among the offerings. But General Manager and Owner Jay Thane really wants to talk about burgers, the restaurant’s Copper Burger in particular. “We spent a long time planning how to prepare our burgers from start to finish, and we treat our burgers with the utmost respect,” he said. “We” includes his three partners, Jon Slye, Casey Durham and Ethan Stokes, and Chef Scottie Burton. A Copper Burger starts with raw chuck roast trimmed of fat, cubed, then ground with steak trimmings and bacon. The meat is never frozen. “We grind it every day. The Copper is our No. 1 seller every night,” Thane said.

“The patty is not overly thick, so it will cook fast and evenly. We put it on a soft bun that soaks up the juices, then add white cheddar cheese and mayonnaise we make ourselves.”

ALSO ON THE MENU

Burton, who has been with the restaurant since it opened, “is just passionate about food, and Bozeman, and the food scene in Bozeman,” Thane said. His extensive menu puts Copper Whiskey squarely in the middle of that scene, with a hefty appetizer list that includes deviled eggs with a variety of toppings, fried pickles, house smoked wings and truffled parmesan popped corn.

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Dinner, continued The salad selection includes avocado caprese; a Southwest arugula salad with jicama, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, corn, queso fresco and pineapple jalapeno vinaigrette; and a Caesar you can top with chicken, grilled shrimp, grilled hanger steak, salmon fillet or tuna steak. On Friday and Saturday nights, the special is smoked prime rib. “We wanted to do prime rib right away, but at first we didn’t have a proper oven to cook it in. So we used our smoker,” Thane said. “Now we go through four or five loins every weekend. It’s another of our little twists on a classic.”

WHAT’S DINNER ALL ABOUT?

When people go out for dinner, it’s often a celebration with friends. “We take it seriously that they’ve chosen to celebrate with us,” he said. The second component to hosting a great dinner is service. “We have a knowledgeable, friendly, great staff. That’s what makes us successful. And they make sure our guests are comfortable, that they can get what they want and that we impress them. That’s what makes dinner special.”

Craft burgers, beer and much more

Legendary Cooking in Downtown Bozeman

for over 33 years

Introducing our new menu! CRAFT BURGERS

Over 8 delicious craft burgers to choose from

8 oz. Black Angus or 6 oz. Montana Bison Complimented with your choice of beer battered or hand cut sweet potato fries!

SEAFOOD

Chef’s Special Wild Alaskan Salmon Bistro Surf N’ Turf – Filet mignon or ribeye with prawns scampi style Calamari or Cajun BBQ Prawns for starters

STEAK Prime Black Angus Ribeye Hand cut prime black angus 8 oz. tenderloin

125 W. Main Bozeman, MT 406-587-1400 JohnBozemanBistro.com 22

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

1470435

Pair any of our entrees with your favorite wine selection

YELLOWSTONE PIONEER LODGE

“The Best in Western Hospitality” Conference, Banquet and Meeting Facilities Indoor Heated Garage Available Hot Breakfast Buffet • Heated Indoor Pool

Bar.Grill

STEAKS // SPIRITS // GOOD TIMES // HAPPY HOUR 4-6PM DAILY 1515 WEST PARK STREET • LIVINGSTON, MT • (406) 222-6110 • WWW.YELLOWSTONEPIONEERLODGE.COM 2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

Montana Steakhouse and Gathering Place Open Sunday - Thursday 4:30-9:30pm Friday & Saturday 4:30-10pm Happy Hour 4:30-6pm every day

406.924.6017 | mintcafebar.com 27 East Main St, Belgrade, Mt 59714

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

TONGUE TICKLING & EYE POPPING

DESSERT’S THE ULTIMATE GRAND FINALE AT JOHN BOZEMAN’S BISTRO THE SPANISH “DISCOVERED” CHOCOLATE in the

early 1500s, when the Aztecs introduced them to a foamy drink

made by whipping crushed cacao beans with boiling water, spices and chili peppers. European reviews were mixed. But missionary

nuns to Central America thought they could “convert chocolate to

Christianity,” as Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat wrote in “A History

of Food,” by dumping the chilies in favor of vanilla, sugar and cream.

They were right.

oday, there’s nothing so diabolical in the desserts at John Bozeman’s Bistro, though they are devilishly tempting. Bozeman’s legendary steak, seafood and craft burger house has been equally famous for its meal endings for nearly 30 years. “People love the White Chocolate Cheesecake, Chocolate Silk Torte and Mud Pie,” said Perry Wenzel, who has been the bistro’s executive chef for 25 years and owner for three. “They crave them, and are addicted to them. Some people have been buying whole cheesecakes for their birthday every year for years and years.” The silk torte is dense and fudge-like, with

a constantly changing menu of added flavorings, including Irish crème, toffee and raspberry. “We try to make it the most decadent experience you can have,” he offered. The cheesecake is more fluffy than traditional – “that’s why people like that.” And the Mud Pie is layered with cream and coffee fudge ice cream, toasted almonds, vanilla wafers and Moose Tracks ice cream. “There’s lots of different things in there for texture. It’s the best in Bozeman.” Belgian chocolate white and dark, plus local eggs and dairy products, make the difference, and the recipes are secret, he said with a chuckle. The real secret may be that

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WE HAVE A TON OF CUSTOMERS WHO COME IN ONLY FOR DESSERT

Dessert, continued five chefs are responsible for the eight hand-crafted desserts, with each cook specializing in one or two. “The desserts are their little baby, and the chefs make them as needed throughout the week, so they are the freshest we can possibly serve,” Wenzel said. Fruity confections get their fair share of menu representation. Another favorite is the Russian Crème Parfait, layers of Russian crème and raspberry coulis topped with whipped cream and raspberry drizzle that come in a parfait glass and are wonderful for sharing. There’s also a luscious, light Crème Caramel, a tangy fresh Key Lime Pie with graham cracker crust that’s been known to make folks from Key West swoon, and a gluten-free European Style Pound Cake garnished with Russian crème, fresh fruit and pecans. Those garnishes are important, Wenzel said. “We try very hard to make each serving artistic, because the eye

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

is the first sense that’s stimulated when you set down the plate. Even before they taste it, we want people to be blown away by how their dessert looks.” One more chocolate wonder rounds out the choice list, the popular Molten Lava Cake, a dark chocolate created with a warm liquid chocolate center, served with vanilla ice cream, fresh raspberry coulis and whipped cream. It’s made to order and served only at dinner. All the other dessert selections are available for lunch and dinner, or the middle of the afternoon if you need a break, or for takeout if you want to indulge on your own at home. It’s pretty much all dessert all the time if you like, and a fair share of the Bistro’s clientele do like it that way. “We have a ton of customers who come in only for dessert,” the chef said. And they do it regularly.

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Enjoy njoy ffresh, inspired, pire authentic Italian dishes …prepared with the finest ingredients & pizzas from our wood-fired brick oven

s k c i P w e N s ’ r o l y a T Chef Granchio

Blue crab filled ha mezzalune pasta wit uce white wine cream sa and asparagus

Pettini

Smoked scallops with cauliflower ravioli, buttered leeks and capers

Fine Italian Wines Beer Also Available

Pollo alla Marsala Pan seared chicken breast with a farro salad in a marsala sauce

Frutti Di Mare

Grilled tiger prawns, mussels, clams, and calamari in a spicy Pomodoro with spaghetti nero

…prepared with the finest ingredients, and pizzas from our wood-fired brick oven

90 W. Madison Avenue • Belgrade 388-2724 2016 FALL DINING UNDER 30

THE BIG SKY

Serving Dinner • Tues–Sun 5-9 Reservations Recommended

great outdoor patio!

Fun Bar!

110 Beers - 40 on tap

Craveable Pizza & Craft beer Old Chicago is proud to showcase our menu - from shareable starters, fresh salads and signature calzones to taproom classics, new specialty pizzas and 40 craft beers on tap. Stop in and find your favorites!

Full menu late • happy hour watch all the games with us Bozeman • 1940 N 19th Ave (next to Hilton Garden Inn) • 406.587.9404 2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY 31 www.oldchicago.com

d o fo o i d u st Chef Daniel Wendell of

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DANIEL WENDELL

COMFORTABLE FOOD REALLY FANCY

“WHAT EXACTLY DO THEY DO AT THE FOOD STUDIO?”

aniel Wendell, who owns the 5-year-old private chef service, event venue and catering business on Kagy Boulevard, laughed when he heard the question. A well-schooled, highly skilled chef who most loves composing tasty food combos that haven’t been seen before, he doesn’t want to be easily labeled. “At the Food Studio we do comfortable food really fancy,” he said. “We may have a lot of eclectic ingredients in a dish, but you will always find something you’re comfortable with and feel good about.” Guaranteed, it will look and taste fantastic. Wendell crafts colorful food bites from local sources as varied as Montana Wagyu Cattle Co., Amaltheia Organic Dairy, local produce farms and a client’s own wild game. He calls his small bites “amuse bouche,” French for mouth amuser. “We play with whatever we have around us, and it’s a lot of fun.” He pulls out his phone to show delectable, colorful pictures of his food art: Wagyu tenderloin garnished with smoked paprika, pumpkin seed toffee, goat’s milk yogurt and

an oregano leaf; a morel mushroom dressed with spring asparagus, tarragon lemon crème and edible flowers; lightly cured big eye tuna with cucumber and grapefruit gelee and chive flower; squash wrapped in pancetta, crusted with sesame and pan-fried. Wendell landed his first restaurant job at age 12 at a classic charcuterie in Chico, Calif., and began by sweeping floors. By the time he left at age 17, to move on to a famous restaurant in Berkeley, he knew lots about food prep. And though his internship there involved little more than that, he soaked up every bit of information he could every time he got to watch Alice Waters and Paul Bertolli work. It was enough to land him a chef ’s job at the Top of the World Restaurant at the Anchorage Hilton when he was 18. Eventually he moved on to the city’s well-known Sacks Café, which earned a New York Times write-up while he was there. In Boulder, Colo., he opened PanAsia, a French-Asian restaurant that quickly vaulted to the top tier of the local restaurant scene and won reviews in USA Today and the Denver Post.

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Food Studio, continued By age 30, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d burned out and returned to Alaska to work as a fly fishing guide. There he met naturalist guide and waitress Eva Jackson, who followed him to Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky. They married, and Wendell moved into the construction business for a while. In 2009, the couple opened a catering business that has morphed into the Food Studio, a classy 50-seat space and commercial kitchen where they host catered seasonal dinners and prep signature cocktail parties for private clients and fundraiser affairs for big nonprofits. Backing the couple up are Catering Manager Becky Bailey and Chef Herbert Norton.

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Food Studio, continued Wendell’s plating style is as playful as the luscious food. He likes to use unusual slabs of wood or slate, rocks and tiny bamboo boxes as platters. The Food Studio style is as much about pleasing the eye as it is about tempting the nose and palate. “You always want to use the best of everything around you,” he said. “I just love what I’m doing.” If you can’t get an invite to a Wendellcatered fundraiser or party, watch the Food Studio website, www. the-foodstudio.com, for announcements of special event dinners open to the public.

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

Mont nta ana na’’s premi premi mie er de desti tina nati na tio ti on d diisti til llery

WHISKEY

WILLIE’S

MOONSHINE

BOURBON

LIQUEUR

DISTILLERY

SPIRITS OF THE AMERICAN WEST W I L L I E S D I S T I L L E RY. C O M

Ennis, Montana

C OM E SEE HOW IT ’ S MADE . TOURS, TASTINGS AND GIFT SHOP.

312 E. MAIN STREET • ENNIS, MT 2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

With Chef Jasmine Lilly

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

JASMINE LILLY

ACTIVELY SETTING THE STANDARD FOR CAKES & PASTRIES Bozeman hosts and hostesses who want to raise the bar for cakes and dessert spreads

call Jasmine Lilly for their parties and private events. An artist and self-proclaimed pastry

activist, Lilly began baking professionally for

her mother’s catering company when she was

14 years old. A few years later, she was making a name for herself at the Leaf and Bean and

the Community Food Co-op.

She studied art at Montana State University, combining ceramics and metals courses, then opened Whipped, her own designer cake and pastry business. It’s all about flavor, texture and stunning design. You’ll find her on the Internet at www.whippedconfections.com. “People have specific ideas of what’s available for a dessert spread based on what they’ve seen elsewhere,” she said. “I tell them to forget what they know. Let’s talk about flavors you love. Tell me about the cookies you dunked in frosting as a kid, about your favorite food memories, the flavors that make your heart happy. That’s the place to start.” Flavor is the most important consideration in desserts, said Lilly, who understands the formulas that make her creations turn out consistently and finely textured, and loves to combine food tones that make things smell fragrant and taste divine. The flavor spectrum begins with vanilla, winds through fruits, herbs and spices, and ends up on the strong side of chocolate. “To find the next wave when you’re talking to bakers,

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Whipped, continued ask them what they’re excited about,” Lilly said. “There are real artists in this industry who will go above and beyond for you when you give them the opportunity.”

A LIBRARY OF FLAVORS

Lilly has a flavor library on her website that walks clients through all kinds of possibilities for cake and its filling and frosting. How about olive oil rosemary semolina cake paired with goat cheese buttercream frosting, and garnished with fresh figs and rosemary sprigs? Or pumpkin cake with maple buttermilk buttercream and preserved pumpkin petals. Or coconut cake with key lime curd, passionfruit buttercream and preserved lime flourishes. For the chocolate lover? Chocolate cake with espresso buttercream and poured chocolate ganache. But don’t make a decision without considering huckleberries, matcha green tea, pistachio or ginger, a lemon and thyme and raspberries combo, or pineapple or champagne curd. Flourishes of layered pears, scalloped peaches and rhubarb stripes, and edible hand-painted designs on her cookies, are quintessential Lilly creations. No fondant or gum paste at Whipped. And in frosting, no powdered sugar. It’s too sweet. Many of Lilly’s finishing glazes begin with a Swiss, Italian or German buttercream base, or ermine frosting. The latter is a French, old school, roux base with regular sugar, flour and milk whisked over heat to thicken. “I discovered it a few years ago, and it really changed the game for me,” she explained. With winter coming, she’s thinking about spiced cake with lingonberries, and about tart cranberries and cardamom. But don’t imagine she can’t do tarts, pies and pastries too. She’s the crème de la crème of pastry chefs.

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

317 E. Mendenhall St. Bozeman, MT, 59715 frescocafeandcatering.com

406-586-6826

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

BRYCE HULET

STRIVING FOR STEADY EXCELLENCE AND SHARING THE CREDIT Twenty-eight-year-old Bryce Hulet has been in the restaurant business for 12 years, and

at Café Fresco for the past four and a half. A

year ago, he moved up from sous chef to head chef, giving up some of the chop-chop prep

work to focus on the big picture of seasonal

menu planning and pleasing the palates of his

lunch and dinner guests.

“Food is like life, amazing and creative,” he said. “I get excited watching how everything is going to come out, and it’s rewarding when someone really enjoys something I’ve made.” The rustic Italian restaurant is one of the most relaxing locales in Bozeman, sitting safely back from hectic West Mendenhall Street and next to soothing Bozeman Creek. Evenings, when the lights go dim and the candles cast their glow on the low ceiling, the white walls and heavy wooden tables and chairs become a warm place to explore the classic contrasts of texture and flavor that make up the menu. Pop the cork on the Barbera di Asti, a dark but light-tasting red, start in on the antipasto, but remember to save room for the yummy and light tiramisu, a sampling of the house-made Italian gelatos (vanilla almond, pistachio and salted caramel are most popular for good reason) or the rich and creamy mascarpone brownie. Mixed into the chocolatey batter, the pockets of mascarpone rise and carmelize on the top during the baking.

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Fresco, continued Expect tough decisions at the start. The mussels are always fresh, flown in twice a week, said General Manager Mike Neudorfer. The Butchers Lavash is another good choice. Its Armenian flatbread base is topped with spinach pesto, béchamel sauce, rosemary chicken, local bacon, roma tomatoes and mozzarella, all grilled until the bread is crisp and everything else has bubbled and blended together nicely. A fair share of the restaurant’s recipes belong to Bill Neubauer, who founded Café Fresco with his wife, Susan, 11 years ago. But Hulet is experimenting too. “We added an onsite garden this year, and it’s been fun creating dishes and specials from the herbs and vegetables that are ripening,” he said. “At dinner, we make a lot of our sauces on the fly, mostly from scratch from quality ingredients and well-combined flavors. We’re always striving for consistency and excellence.” When guests ask to speak to him to compliment him on the food, Hulet is quick to share the credit with the entire staff. “I want to point out to them that it’s really for what we’re doing together as a team.”

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

With the switch to the fall/winter menu imminent, Hulet is again looking forward to fixing roasted chicken splashed with toasted cashew cream sauce, and penne pasta ragout with root vegetables and Bolognese sauce. Expect another of his favorite dishes, the Broccolini & Italian Sausage, to stay on the menu. The sausage is made in-house from local pork. Likewise, the peppers and onions that top it are pickled in a house sauce. The penne pasta is made from local grain, and the whole dish is sautéed in a Parmesan stock base, flavored with garlic and chili flake, topped with fresh broccolini and finished with the restaurant’s pecorino romano cheese blend. Again, the flavor mix is carefully planned and executed, and patrons love it. “Guests walk in honed into our authentic, traditional dishes, from the raviolis to the tiramisu,” Neudorfer said. In fact, many of the occasional dinner guests are lunchtime regulars out to enjoy a special occasion at the café they already trust. “We plan everything to fit together with that Italian theme, right down to the well-orchestrated service. We all take pride in that.”

FOOD IS LIKE LIFE, AMAZING AND CREATIVE. I GET EXCITED WATCHING HOW EVERYTHING IS GOING TO COME OUT, AND IT’S REWARDING WHEN SOMEONE REALLY ENJOYS SOMETHING I’VE MADE.

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

AT CHICO HOT SPRINGS

CONSISTENCY & QUALITY IN MEAT CHOICE AND PREP MAKE DINING FINE

WHEN A RESORT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, it gets a reputation for a thing or two. Chico Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa, tucked into the Absaroka Range side of Paradise Valley, has been wellknown since 1900 for its splendid setting and soothing hot springs pool. It’s been one of Montana’s top reunion and getaway destinations for generations of families. And for a couple of decades, the praise for the resort’s classic beef and other Dining Room entrees has been persistently excellent, from filet mignon and Angus tenderloin Beef Wellington to 12-ounce cuts of prime rib.

ocated less than 10 miles from famous Story Ranch, where Nelson Story and his cowboys brought the first cattle herd north from Texas to Montana in 1866, Chico really has to get beef right. It does. Quality is built into the brand. The resort gets the majority of its meat from Montana suppliers and puts a strong emphasis on consistency of preparation. For that, Chico relies on Prep Chef Dan McCann and Executive Chef Jeremy Berg. The tenderloin and rib eye, never frozen, are delivered daily in 10- to 14-pound sections that McCann breaks down, trims and slices to uniform serving size. He hand-cuts all of the resort’s meat and fish. “Our guests depend on us to deliver high standards and consistency in all we do,” he said. “We’re a destination resort, and many of them come back year after year for certain dishes like the Beef Wellington.” “I’m a huge rib eye guy, and we get all of ours from Harrison, Montana, and a co-op of ranches,” Berg said. “It is great, beautifully marbled meat.” He serves the generous 12-ounce cut with classic Bearnaise sauce,

grilled asparagus and roasted garlic and herbed Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. Beyond beef, other great menu choices are the Trout Almondine, raised at Nelson Spring Creek in the Paradise Valley, and the Mustard’s Pork Chop. The Montana-grown pork (from Whitehall) is steeped in an Asian marinade for 12 to 24 hours, then grilled and served with a Chinese mustard sauce. These days, Berg is researching possible dishes for the winter and holiday menus. That means one of his favorite kitchen food shows will soon be reproduced by the Chico kitchen staff. “Everyone gets to bounce ideas around, and one afternoon we re-enact ‘Top Chef,’” he said. “We have a line of judges and everyone prepares and presents a dish they want to be considered. It brings out the best in all of us. I love doing it.” “I grew up on family dinners,” Berg said, “so when families come into the Dining Room, I want to make everyone happy. I want them to know their dinner is taken care of and they’ve got no worries other than to enjoy themselves.”

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

BEST BITES IN BIG SKY SKIERS AND WINTER RECREATION

LOVERS headed to Big Sky Resort for the

Biggest Skiing in America this winter will find a few tasty developments on the dining scene

when they come off the slopes.

Everett’s 8,800, atop Andesite Mountain, is changing

its dinner operation entirely, opening a new flexible reservation system and a la carte menu to replace the single-seating, pri-fixe menu of last season. Enjoy American West décor and dining, with big-window views of the sunset and ski terrain you’ve covered all day on Lone Peak. Non-skiers welcome with a pedestrian lift ticket. Evenings, all diners enjoy rides down the mountain on covered snow machines. This year, there’s a dinner menu for kids too. Opens 12/15, 7 days a week 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 5-9 p.m., by reservation only.

M.R. Hummer’s Bar & Grill, in the Mountain Mall,

will be operated by Big Sky this year. Expect the same great menu of steaks, ribs and sandwiches. Opens 11/24, 7 days a week 11 a.m.-Close.

Andiamo’s Italian Grille brings a touch of traditional

Tuscany to the Village Center, with apres-ski and dinner daily. Try a red wine with a hearty and classic Italian meal, and enjoy the Old World atmosphere with friends. Opens 12/15, 7 days a week 4 p.m.-Close.

The Carabiner Lounge, in the Summit Hotel in Meadow Village Plaza, offers spectacular views of Lone Peak, fire-lit patio seating and live music, plus delicious Pacific Rim-inspired cuisine. Opens 12/8, 7 days a week 2 p.m.-Close. After 12/22, opens at 11 a.m.

Montana Jack’s Bar & Grill, in the Mountain Mall, is

the place for craft burgers and craft beer, with more than 100 beers on tap in a tap house setting. Opens 11/24, 7 days a week, 11 a.m.-Close.

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

Chet’s Bar & Grill, in the Huntley

Lodge, serves sumptuous breakfasts in the mornings, and a good dinner accompanied by one of Montana’s great microbrews at night. Opens 12/8, 7 days a week 4 p.m.-Close. Regroup with your group for breakfast, lunch or at day’s end at Headwaters Grille, in the Madison Village Base Area. There’s something for everyone on the diverse menu. Opens 12/8, 7 days a week 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

www.NeptunesBrewery.com

119 North L St. Livingston

406.222.7837

AROUND BIG SKY

Other great dining options in the vicinity include:

Buck’s T-4 Restaurant, 46625

Gallatin Rd., one of Montana’s best restaurants. Chef Scott Mechura combines local ingredients with classic culinary technique, offering wild game, hand-cut steaks and daily specials. The wine list has won a Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence since 1995. Open daily, 5-9:30 p.m. 406-995-4111.

Olive B’s Big Sky Bistro, 151

Center Lane (Meadow Village), where Chef Warren Bibbins (trained at the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, N.Y.) serves roast duck, Asian calamari, French onion soup; fresh fish, seafood and steaks; and nightly specials. The atmosphere is casual, the wine list and hand-crafted cocktails are noteworthy. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday 4-9 p.m. 406-995-3355.

Rainbow Ranch Lodge Restaurant, 42950 Gallatin Rd., along

the Gallatin River, where the Montanainspired menu features appetizers such as Wagyu steak with foie gras and entrees include Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Bison Ribeye and Elk T-Bone. 5-10 p.m. daily.406-995-4132.

Featuring Up to 10 Craft Brews Delicious Beer-Centric Menu Full Fresh Sushi Menu Outdoor Patio Seating Live Music Mondays & Fridays

Open Daily 12pm - 8pm 2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY

A SHORT HISTORY OF SALT “SALT IS THE ONLY ROCK DIRECTLY CONSUMED BY MAN. It corrodes but preserves, desiccates but is wrested from the water. . . . The contradictions it embodies only intensify its power and its links with experience of the sacred.”

— From “Much Depends on Dinner,” by Margaret Visser

scarcity in the world until the last few centuries, when geology confirmed its abundance worldwide, salt is one of the basic human tastes and essential to life. Early nomadic people followed animal trails to salt licks and eventually built settlements nearby because salt could preserve food. In Africa, it was currency. The 1482-84 War of Ferrara, between Venice and the Duke of Ferrara, was waged in part over a large saltworks. Three hundred years later, one cause of the French Revolution was an oppressive salt tax. In India in

1930, Gandhi and 100,000 followers marched to the sea for 24 days to make salt rather than pay the British tax on it; the effort turned his independence movement into a national struggle. Today, only 6 percent of the world’s salt production goes into food, another 6 percent is used in agriculture, 8 percent for highway de-icing and 12 percent for water conditioning processes. The other 68 percent is used for manufacturing and industrial processes.

A Montana Tradition Since 1976 Take-ouT deli & GifT Shop feaTurinG our homemade meaTS, SaladS, deSSerTS & SoupS Buffalo, Beef & Elk Sausage • Snack Sticks • Jerky Buffalo Burger and Steaks • Bratwurst Bacon • Beer and Wine H u ck l e b e r r y Favo r i te s a n d M o n ta n a T h e m e d G i f t B oxe s !

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Open 7 days a week // Mon - Fri 6am – 7pm // Sat 8am - 7pm // Sunday 9am - 5pm 406.388.4687 or 1.800.752.1029 // 6410 Jackrabbit Lane Belgrade // www.chaletmarket.com

2016 FALL DINING UNDER THE BIG SKY