It's February and that means Saint Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  A day marked to celebrate the deep love and affection between two close companions, or a day to celebrate your independence with good friends.  It's a day traditionally filled with greeting cards, flowers, dinner reservations and those heart-shaped boxes of chocolate enclosed in red cellophane.  Thankfully, times have changed.  Today, Valentine's celebrators can choose from delicious, local and ever-expanding products to impress that special someone.

    First up? The chocolate. Did you know there are not one, but two independent, small craft chocolate makers in Missouri? Patric Chocolate based in Columbia, Mo., and Askinosie Chocolate, based in Springfield, Mo.  Both companies offer a plethora of melt-in-your-mouth fine chocolates that range from a basic milk or dark chocolate bar to the more adventurous PBJ OMG or the Malted Moo Moo Dark Milk bar.

    Just as delicious, though, on a slightly larger production scale, is Bissingers Chocolate based in St. Louis, Mo.  The company has a huge selection of handcrafted chocolates that are guaranteed to please anyone's taste this Valentine's Day. 

    Not a big fan of sweets? That's OK. Chocolate, at its most basic level, has a complex flavor profile, far from the overly sweet treats we're used to.  Look for chocolate bars or products that have been made with few ingredients to get the most out of your tasting experience.

    For example, many of Patric's "signature" bars are made with only three ingredients: cacao, cane sugar and cocoa butter.  This style of chocolate making allows the consumer to really taste the complexity of the chocolate.  Cacao (pronounced ka-kow) has its own tasting notes, similar to wine.  Some bars have strong notes of plum, apricot and cherry, while others can have notes of roasted nuts, coffee or berries.

    Now, the wine! Patric's savory 67% Madagascar Sambirano Valley bar enjoyed with a glass of Norton is a match made in palatable heaven.  The bold, slightly fruit-forward flaviors of the cacao pair impeccably with the bold, dry red wine. 

    Try Askinosie's Davao White Chocolate bar with a glass of semi-dry white wine, Seyval.  The slightly sweet and pleasantly rich chocolate balances perfectly with the crisp, clean, medium-bodied wine.  The soft sweetness of Bissingers Valentine Chocolate Caramel Lollipops along with a glass of Missouri Port is a perfect after dinner dessert combination.  If a sweet dessert or chocolate is your preference, stick with a semi-sweet to sweet wine, like Vignoles or Concord.

    Each tasting experience can be different based on your palate.  The fun is getting to try different types of chocolate with different types of wine.  Whether you will be spending February 14 with your partner, friends or your furry four-legged companion, be sure to treat yourself with some of the most delectable splendors that Missouri has to offer.

    Don't forget to check out the Missouri Wine website for more great tips on wine and food pairing.

    In the past, Port has been deemed a "connoisseur's wine."  Promenading into the conceivably mysterious world of Ports can be a daunting task if you're not somewhat familiar with the after dinner drink.  But regardless of the taster's knowledge, two things are certain; Port is a delicious beverage and a fail-safe remedy to warding off Missouri's often bone-chilling cold climate. 
    Truth be told, Ports are not only for connoisseurs, nor should they be daunting.  Even better, there are dozens of locally made Missouri Ports that vary in flavor and price readily available for your tasting pleasure.
    So what makes this charming drink so delicious?  For starters, Ports have additional alcohol added to them.  The alcohol (usually Brandy) stops the fermentation process before the yeast has consumed all the sugar.  That is why Ports are often so sweet.
    There are also two different types of Port: tawny and ruby.  Ruby, sometimes called Vintage, Ports are powerfully fruity and age well in the bottle; however, don't feel obligated to wait to pop the top once you have purchased it.  Vintage Ports can also be a product of grapes from a single vineyard during an especially excellent year.  Tawny Ports are aged in oak (or other wood) barrels for years, sometimes up to 40, and are usually sold ready to drink.  Of course, like most products in the wine world, the winemaking process varies depending on the manufacturer. 
    Although Ports are typically a sweet red wine, they can also be a semi-dry, dry or even white wine. White Ports are made using white grapes and should be served slightly cool.  A traditional Port is rich in flavor, a little heavier and has a higher alcohol content than most wines, which is why it is a perfect dessert wine.  The constant blending of flavors and the result of an aging Port gives each bottle its own personality.
    Enough of the technical stuff, let's get down to the goods.  Several Missouri wineries have won awards for their Ports.  Stone Hill Winery, Mount Pleasant Winery, Montelle Winery and Pirtle Winery were all awarded medals in the 2010 Missouri Wine Competition.  Refer to this list of Missouri wineries to find out which Port you're ready to sample.  Enjoy!

The 26th Annual Midwest Grape & Wine Conference will take place February 4-7, 2011.  Tickets are available to the general public for The Grand Finale Wine & Dine which will take place Monday, February 7th at 6:30pm at the St. Charles Convention Center.  This ultimate regional culinary experience will feature a six course meal paired with 12 Missouri wines.  Tickets are $95 per person and are available for purchase at midwestgrapeandwineconference.com

 

 

Sunday's Best with Missouri Wine:

 

3 slices bacon

3 (8 -ounce) beef filets

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon steak seasoning

1 sprig basil

1/2 cup beef broth

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar sauce

1/3 cup Worcestershire

2 shallots, chopped

1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup St. James Velvet Red wine (sweet red wine)

Blue cheese crumbles

 

Wrap bacon slice around each filet; fasten with wooden pick.  Place in nonmetallic dish.  Combine oil, steak seasoning and basil; pour over beef.  Cover and let marinade in refrigerator for 1 hour.

 

Remove filets from marinade, discarding marinade.  Place filets in large skillet and slowly brown each side.  Remove meat and set aside.

 

Add beef broth, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, shallots and mushrooms to skillet; cook about 5 minutes.  Add cranberries; simmer 3 minutes.  Add wine and bring to a simmer.  Return meat to skillet; cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

 

Serve filets with sauce from skillet; top with blue cheese crumbles.  Serve with favorite side dishes.

 

Yield: 3 generous servings.