Spicy calamari: Japango. 1136 Pearl St., Boulder, 303.938.0330. Japango’s calamari appetizer includes sautéed, never deep-fried squid liberally splashed with Sriracha, the thick red pepper hot sauce. We like it with sashimi and a little sinus-clearing wasabi on the side.

Pete’s Heat hot sauce: Tortugas, 218 Coffman St., Longmont, 303-772-6954. Whether you order etouffee or grilled mahi at Tortuga’s, Longmont’s Caribbean-influenced restaurant, always get some of the house-made Pete’s Heat hot sauce. It’s amazing stuff made from ground mustard, papaya, habanero, pineapple, honey and herbs. It’s also sold bottled at the restaurant and online.
 
Lobito agua chiles: Colorado Steakhouse & Mexican Grill, 11961 Bradburn Blvd., Westminster, 720.937.5749. Big citrus-y shrimp are cooked in tomato sauce with cukes, onions and tons of blistering dried chiles for a bigger-than-life impact. Eat it in 20 minutes without drinking anything and it’s free; otherwise, it’s $12.

Green curry with chicken: U.S.Thai, 5228 25th Ave., Edgewater, 303.233.3345. Order this authentic eatery’s green curry with chicken, bamboo shoot, Thai basil, coconut milk, and vegetables and then say “Thai hot.” The servers will ask you if you’re sure. Say “yes” and be prepared to sweat your way to an out of body experience.
 
Chile verde: Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant III, 451 S. Pratt Parkway, Longmont, 720.494.0777. Efrain’s dishes true Northern Mexican-style hot green chile. The bowl of spice-flecked broth is packed with roasted peppers and chunks of fall-apart pork with a flaming bite that scares you and then beckons you back for more. Lay in an ample supply of flour tortillas, chips, water and beer.
 
Buffalo-style hot wings:  Willy’s Wings, 109 Bear Creek Lane, Morrison, 303.697.1232. For some places chicken wings are just an appetizer. At Willy’s, it’s more like a religion. Order 10, 20, 30 or 100 of the meaty wings straight from the fryer. We like to get both the four alarm XX-hot sauce and the more sweetly complex spicy barbecue sauce. On the side they have corn dogs, deep-fried Rocky Mountain oysters and deep-fried apple turnover or cheesecake.
 
Lamb vindaloo: Kathmandu Restaurant, 110 North Jefferson St., Nederland, 303.258.1169. The lamb vindaloo ordered “hot” at this mountain town eatery is what we call sneaky-spicy. You take a bite and notice the many flavorings, the tender meat and subtle tart undertones before this urgent blaze flickers and grows until you’re left slightly dazed but quite happy with a sweaty forehead.  

Cool tip: To cool the BTU’s (actually Scoville Units) in your mouth, some suggest milk but beer is more effective. The best of all is spirits—i.e., tequila, vodka, brandy, etc—because alcohol most easily dissolves the heat-inducing oil containing capsaicin, and frankly dulls the habanero agony. Another great reason to drink tequila with your green chile!
 
Got a fiery favorite on a local menu? Don’t keep it to yourself. Let us know at nibbles@yellowscene.com.

FOOD NEWS
Keep an eye out this summer for a silvery Airstream trailer at Chautauqua, the Louisville Street Faire and the Twenty Ninth Street Mall. Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg and partner Laura Rice are debuting StrEat Chefs, a gourmet food truck. Their goal is to launch a national street food company.…Oliv You & Me, 2043 Broadway next to the Savory Spice Shop, is the first Boulder County store to carry my favorite artisan salumi crafted by Denver’s new Il Mondo Vecchio. The shop also sells a world of fine olive oils plus a light lunch including soup, sandwiches and quiche.…Oliv You & Me is one of the stops for the recently launched Local Table Tours. The Saturday Market to Table Tour on June 19 starts with an insider’s visit to the Boulder County Farmer’s Market and finishes at nearby restaurants for a tasting of dishes using local ingredients. Details at: localtabletours.com.

EATERY UPDATE
The folks who operate the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, Leaf, Aji and Huckleberry have opened the doors of Zucca Italian Ristorante at 808 Main St., Louisville. …Zoe Ma Ma is open at 2010 10th St. (between Pasta J’s and Sushi Tora) offering Asian street food favorites.…The Cheeky Monk is pouring 38 Belgian ales and American craft brews at Orchard Town Center, 14694 Orchard Parkway, Westminster. The café and bar is also open in Winter Park and Denver.…India’s Clay Oven is serving favorite curries at 5290 Arapahoe Ave. in the former Royal Peacock spot.…The bike-themed Rueben’s Burger Bistro is dishing various burgers on pretzel buns at 1800 Broadway.…Coming soon: In a clear case of gastronomic irony, the meat-glorifying Ted’s Montana Grill will fill the former veggie-friendly Sunflower space at 1701 Pearl St., Boulder.

CULINARY CALENDAR
Free tastes of Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Torte and Raspberry Bliss dessert drinks are on the menu as A Grand Finale hosts Eat Dessert First 5–8pm June 11 at 489 N. Highway 287, Lafayette.…The puckered-up Rhubarb Festival June 13 in Pine Grove features a pancake breakfast with rhubarb sauce, rhubarb pie and a celebrated rhubarb cooking contest; details at historicpinegrove.com.…Well, $295 tickets for the grand tasting pavilion are still available for the major domo of American food festivals, the FOOD & WINE Classic June 18-20 in Aspen. If you want to hang out with Mario Batali, David Chang, Giada De Laurentiis, Thomas Keller, Jacques Pépin, Tom Colicchio and Rick Bayless be prepared to dish out the big bucks. I’d go just to sit in on Joshua Wesson’s Haute Dog session: pairing vino with wieners. For information check out foodandwine.com/classic-in-aspen. …The Greenbriar Inn hosts a Lefthand Brewing Company beer dinner July 22. greenbriarinn.com, 303.440.7979. …Can Man handle The West End Tavern’s wing king challenge? Find out on June 16 at 7pm, when Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food takes on Boulder. Watch it at the tavern to take advantage of food and drink specials.…For even deeper immersion in our local foodshed, join me for Radio Nibbles 8:25am Thursdays on KGNU (88.5 FM, 1390 AM, and KGNU.org), and read my food trend blog at johnlehndorff.wordpress.com.

FOOD WORDS
“You don’t get tired of muffins but you don’t find inspiration in them either.”
—Playwright George Bernard Shaw.

For locals, this is the season when the rest of our magnificent state calls to us. Here are a few recommended attractions along the Colorado Food Trail that are worth the drive.

Royal Gorge Dinner Train, Canon City
This is one Colorado meal you’ll never forget. It’s white-tablecloth dining while riding through some of the most extraordinary scenery the state has to offer. The menu includes a choice of entrée: prime rib, salmon, chicken, or vegetarian. royalgorgeroute.com
 
Coney Island Hot Dogs, Bailey
Originally in Conifer, the hot dog-shaped eatery was refurbished and relocated to a pretty mountain hillside with more seating. What hasn’t changed is the frankfurter-centered menu and delighted look on patrons’ faces. We’ll take one with everything…and a bib. coneyislandcolorado.com
Smith’s Corner Farm Market, Rocky Ford
Come July, the melonheads begin their migration to what terroir experts affirm as one of the best in the world to grow melons. They grow superb Rocky Ford cantaloupes but they don’t stop there: honeydews, watermelons, galia melons, canary melons, Charente melons, Denver melons, tomatoes, corn and peppers. rockyfordmelons.com

Gagliano’s Italian Market & Deli, Pueblo
Travel to this authentic Italian-American emporium for a truly hall-of-fame sandwich experience. The Stromboli-like Bada Bing is pizza dough wrapped around ham, salame, pepperoni, sausage, chiles and mozzarella that’s baked and served in slabs. This may be as happy as your mouth gets. 719.544.6058
 
Allred’s, Telluride
This is probably not the best bistro for anyone fearful of heights. You take a gondola up a mountain to 10,551 feet and a restaurant with stunning views of Telluride and the San Juan’s along with serious contemporary American fare and a deep wine catalogue. Allred’s is not cheap but you’ll never forget the meal. Service begins June 4. tellurideskiresort.com

ON THE MENU
Among the best things I’ve tasted in the past month or so at North Metro eateries are a near perfect saag paneer—chunks of firm cheese clothed in a savory, creamy spinach sauce at Tandoori Grill, 619 South Broadway, Boulder; three fresh corn tortillas filled with Thai red pork, tomato, fresh corn and cilantro salsa, cotija cheese and green papaya shreds at Suki Thai, 675 30th St., Boulder; a satisfying eggs Benedict upgraded with corned beef hash at the Garden Gate Café, 7960 Niwot Rd., Niwot; and a classic East Coast eggplant parmesan hero on a toasted roll with marinara and provolone at Steve Podel’s Brooklyn Deli, 1515 Main St., Longmont.

FOOD NEWS
GQ magazine’s recent “bucket list” of 50 brews of the world you should taste before you die includes some local favorites: Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale and Old Chub, and Great Divide Brewing Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. Sample one or more during American Craft Beer Week, May 17–23, sponsored by the Brewers Association.

EATERY UPDATE
The demise of the local dining scene has been grossly exaggerated, judging by a flurry of openings. A new Mediterranean restaurant, Arabesque, has opened at 1634 Walnut St., Boulder. …The old Burned Toast location On the Hill, 1235 Pennsylvania Ave., has been reborn as Café Aion, a serious tapas bar. …The Alley Cat Bar and Grill is open in the former Señor T’s space at 817 Main St. in downtown Louisville. Boulder Organic Pizzeria is serving at 1175 Walnut St. in Boulder in the former Yaki Maki location. …Helena and Chris Engles have moved their popular Jacks Corner Café from Firestone to 600 S. Airport Road in Longmont. …Coming soon: Rueben’s Burger Bistro, in the former Scotch Corner Pub/ L’Absinthe location at 1800 Broadway, Boulder. …And keep your fingers crossed: Lucky Pie pizza may soon fill the former Louisville post office.
 
Reader email:
Nibbles reader Laura Bloom wrote recently asking why Boulder County has such a dearth of eateries serving real, Southern fried chicken and asked for recommendations. Reader suggestions: Leenie’s Southern Café in Longmont and Lafayette; Huckleberry in Louisville, and Cora Faye’s Café in Denver. Send your suggestions to: nibbles@yellowscene.com.
 
Culinary calendar:
Boulder’s best-known chefs are rarely seen in the same place but they’re converging May 15 to benefit chef Ann Cooper’s effort to revamp the food program in Boulder Valley schools. Hugo Matheson (The Kitchen), Hosea Rosenberg (Jax), Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson (Frasca), Mark Monette (Flagstaff House), Bradford Heap (Salt, Colterra) and others will cook a five-course, farm-to-table dinner at Pastures of Plenty Farm. Cost: $150. Register: tinyurl.com/27q76ks. …Culinary Connectors is offering a foodie tour of three noted Boulder eateries on May 15. Details: culinaryconnectors.com. …The social dining opportunity of the week, the Wednesday evening Boulder County Farmers Market, is open for the season. …Join me for Radio Nibbles, my weekly food conversation and commentary, at 8:25am. every Thursday on KGNU (88.5 FM, 1390 AM, and KGNU.org)  …Our favorite local flavor emporium is getting national attention. Mike and Janet Johnston, co-owners of Savory Spice Shop, host the Spice & Easy cooking show 7:30am. Saturdays on the Food Network.

Food Words:
“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”—From A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway.

That said, I cringe when someone labels me as one. “Foodie” makes my lifelong culinary pre-occupation sound silly. The alternative monikers aren’t much better. “Gourmet” has become meaningless. “Gourmand” and “epicure” are precious, “locavore” and “foodarian” are political, and “eater” and “taster” are generic. “Gastronaut,” “gastronome” or “gastrophile” are gassy and unpleasant.

There’s no blood test to determine whether you are a person of the foodie persuasion, but research reveals some telltale signs. For instance, you may be a foodie if you hesitate when your significant other asks you to choose between an afternoon in bed or artisan butter-poached foie gras with Ela Farms pear preserves atop Breadworks brioche toasts with a snifter of Colorado ice wine.

You may be a foodie if…
You always know the shortest route to the nearest pho restaurant, pupusa truck, homestead cheesemaker and gin microdistillery. …You’ve already ticked durian, natto, calf brains, blood sausage, Sechuan buttons, miracle fruit, stinging nettles, lamb fries and black garlic off your food “bucket” list. …you won’t buy tires until the old ones are bald, but you don’t hesitate to buy fresh saffron, fennel pollen and Madagascar vanilla. …You have a map that shows where to glean wild asparagus in the spring, chantarelles in the summer and chokecherries in the fall. …You can argue the relative merits of Frasca, Colterra, Black Cat, The Kitchen, Jax, L’Atelier, Empire, Radda, Sugarbeet and Pizzeria Basta because you’ve eaten at each of them five or more times. …You not only know the difference between pancetta, guanciale, speck, and sopressata, you make salume at home. You get extra points if you know what lardo is. …you can name three previous restaurants located in the northeast corner on the east end of Pearl St. Mall where Illegal Pete’s now stands and four restaurants that were located at the Boulderado before Q’s and the Corner Bar.

ON THE MENU
Among the best things I’ve tasted at North Metro area eateries in the past month or so include mozzarella en carozza, irresistible flatbread-wrapped mozzarella grilled until gooey and served with roasted tomato dip at Basil Flats, 1067 S. Hover Road, Longmont; a near-perfect combination “bun,” a bowl of rice noodles topped with grilled pork, shrimp, chicken, and egg roll with mint, pickled daikon, carrot and cucumber at Black Pepper Pho, 2770 Pearl St., Boulder; a surprisingly spicy and meaty black bean patty, griddled with butter, topped with pepper jack cheese, guacamole, veggies, chipotle mayo and jalapenos on a chipotle bun at Smashburger, 1650 28th Street, in Boulder; and a classic Cuban sandwich: a griddled Kaiser roll filled with pulled pork, ham, mozzarella mustard and pickles at Dubbins Sandwiches, a take-out window at 1968 13th St.

FOOD NEWS
Denver-distilled Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey won Artisan Whisky of the Year in the Malt Advocate Whisky awards. …Boulder-made Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter was named Best New Vegetarian Product by VegNews Magazine at the Natural Products Expo West. …Boulder’s Spice of Life Catering earned the Best Caterer (Outside Denver) award in the Colorado Meetings + Events magazine Best of Colorado awards…Frasca Food & Wine was honored as one of the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. according to the Gayot travel guide. Meanwhile, Cosmopolitan’s list of “14 sizzling hot chefs” includes Frasca’s Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson. …At the Gabby Gourmet’s professional pie contest March 27 My Mom’s Pie of Niwot took first place in the specialty category with a raspberry marionberry pie and second place in the apple pie category. Shamane’s Bake Shop of Boulder took third place in the specialty category with a sour cherry rhubarb pie.

EATERY UPDATE
Leenie’s Southern Café is open at 2400 S. Boulder Rd., in Lafayette. …The tasting room of the new, organic Asher Brewing Company is open at 4699 Nautilus Court in Boulder. …Coming soon: Zoe Ma Ma, 2010 10th St., former site of Spud Bros; Quaker Steak & Lube, 10392 Reed St., Westminster; and Zucca Italian Ristorante, 808 Main St., Louisville.

READER MAIL
Nibbles reader Laura Bloom of Gunbarrel wrote asking why Boulder County is a “fried chicken desert:”
“My friends and I have looked hard but have yet to find real, home-made fried chicken: high-quality on-the-bone parts (thighs, legs, breasts and wings) that are hot from the fryer, crisp-skinned, peppery and juicy. I’ve talked to many chefs about serving it but so far no takers.”
Readers: If you discover any real fried chicken being served locally, let me know posthaste at: nibbles@yellowscene.com.

CULINARY CALENDAR
Join me for Radio Nibbles, my weekly food conversation and commentary, at 8:25am every Thursday on KGNU (88.5 FM, 1390 AM, and KGNU.org. …The Boulder County Farmers Market opens April 3; The Longmont Farmers Market begins May 1. …The inaugural Denver International Beer Competition will be held May 1 at Broomfield’s Omni Interlocken. denverbeercomp.com. …The debut Taste of Pearl walking tasting 2 to 6pm April 25 on the Downtown Mall teams Colorado wineries and Boulder chefs with local galleries. Participating restaurants include Brasserie Ten Ten, Centro, Flagstaff House, Frasca, Mateo and Q’s. tasteofpearl.com.

FOOD WORDS
“The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday but never jam today.”—From Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
 
ANSWERS:
• Café Circolo, the Heartland Café, and Golden Mountain Chinese.
• Winston’s, The Steak Porch, Fleur de Lis, Fred’s, and the Oyster Bar in the lobby.

While the Great Recession is acknowledged as a major culprit by NDP, the bulk of the blame seems directed at “mature adults.” My aging generation is dining out at night less than in the past in part because they’ve rediscovered the joy (and the cheapness) of cooking at home. What baby boomers giveth, baby boomers taketh away.

It wouldn’t be hard for us to eat out less than we had. We were the first generation that started dining out every day; in particular, Monday to Friday nights. Now the restaurant industry has its collective apron in a knot trying to figure out how to lure us.

As a boomer, allow me to explain how restaurateurs might regain some of our supper dollars.

1. Cut back the second-hand sound pollution. How important is it? Noise was the No. 2-ranked major irritation for diners recently surveyed by Zagat, edged out only by bad service and ahead of poor food. We listened to a lot of very loud music for too long. Many of us are getting a little deaf (See Pete Townshend’s hearing aids.) We won’t patronize otherwise fine eateries that are intentionally designed to be so “lively” we can’t have a conversation at the table without shouting.

2. We’re getting creaky, despite all the joint replacements, and, frankly, a bit wider. If your bistro has only narrow, un-cushioned chairs that don’t slide or roll, and tiny tables, we’ll be uncomfortable. Achy people do not stay for dessert or drinks…or come back. Some of us are going to be more comfortable at a table than a booth because the latter is harder to get out of.

3. Great food still matters to baby boomers, the most well-traveled and culinarily savvy generation in the history of the world, but good service matters just as much. Want to keep our business? Don’t call us “you guys.” Welcome us and use eye contact. If we’re regulars, remember our names. (This is especially useful if we’ve forgotten them.) Please do not make the place so frickin’ dark that we can’t read the menu—or provide reading glasses and LED penlights with every menu.

4. We were spendthrifts but now we have money worries, especially knowing that some of us will live to be 100. Many lost their retirement nest egg as the market tanked, and we’re going to keep working longer. Frugality rules. Offer us affordable options including prix fixe deals. (Do NOT call them “sunset dinners” or start serving them at 4:30pm. We’re not THAT old.)

5. We misplaced our metabolisms a decade ago and simply can’t feast as in days of yore. Some of us are drinking less alcohol. So offer us small plates, tapas, mini desserts—good food in smaller portions, and half glasses of wine. The fact that many of us have dietary restrictions—low-salt, no gluten—should be viewed as an opportunity to make the customer happy, not a burden.

6. However, that doesn’t mean we now suddenly want mushy, boring, old fart fare. We’re the push-the-envelope generation that made sushi, diverse ethnic cuisines, good coffee, craft beer, exotic salts and more commonplace in the United States.

7. We still love going out for dinner so treat us well or we’ll launch a protest. If you thought we were cranky as teenagers, just wait until you get a load of us as demanding, rebellious and very active elders. I can’t say for sure, but I doubt we’ll go gently into that good night without demanding our senior discount.

ON THE MENU
Among the best things I’ve tasted at North Metro area eateries in the past month or so include an exquisite mizuna, grape tomato, prosciutto and house-made smoked mozzarella-topped, wood-fired pizza at Pizzeria Basta, 3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; a fragrant and memorable thin-crusted pesto-sauced pizza topped with sun-dried tomato, lots of good mozzarella and great sausage at Pulcinella Pizzeria, 385 Crossing Drive, Lafayette; and an authentic, big-crumbed, lightly sweet, golden raisin scone with butter and honey from A Grande Finale Patisserie, 641 Main St., Louisville.
 
FOOD NEWS
Colorado chefs and restaurants are atypically well-represented in the semifinalist roster for the Oscars of American restaurants, the James Beard Awards. Nominees in various categories include James Rugile (Venue), Jennifer Jasinski (Rioja), Mark Fischer (Six89), Frank Bonanno (Mizuna, Luca d’Italia, Bones) Steve Ells (Chipotle), Yasmin Lozada-Hissom (Duo), Alex Seidel (Fruition), Bertrand Bouquin (Summit), Ryan Hardy (Montagna), Kelly Liken (Restaurant Kelly Liken), as well as Frasca and the Penrose Room. Janos Wilder of Janos in Tucson, Ariz., is nominated in the outstanding American chef category. He got his start cooking at the venerable Gold Hill Inn west of Boulder. …Forbes recently named Boulder’s Happy restaurant as one of America’s Best New Restaurants. …Users of the Metromix Denver website recently voted Lafayette’s Magnolia Restaurant & Sushi Bar as their favorite restaurant.
 
EATERY UPDATE
Little Anita’s, an award-winning eatery dishing authentic New Mexican fare, has opened at Broomfield Marketplace on U.S. 287. …Maiberry has opened at 1433 Pearl St. in Boulder dishing a new, creamier style of natural frozen yogurt using house-made, thick Greek-style yogurt, plus shaved ice and smoothies. …Himalayas Indian & Nepali Cuisine has closed in Longmont. The Boulder Himalayas restaurant remains open at 2010 14th St. …Circle, which debuted in November at 1035 Pearl St. in Boulder has closed. In it’s place, owner Steve Abo will soon open one of his popular Abo’s Pizza restaurants. The space will also become a nightclub on weekends. …Bacco Trattoria and Mozzarella Bar has opened at 1200 Yarmouth Ave. in North Boulder. …Yaki Maki has closed at 1175 Walnut St., Boulder. Filling the location will be Boulder Organic Pizza. …Radex Bistro is the new name for chef Radek Cerny’s Full Belly Bistro at 2779 Iris Ave., Boulder. …Coming soon in Boulder’s Hill district: Del Taco at 1100 13th St., former longtime home of Dairy Queen, and La’au’s Taco Shop at 1335 Broadway.
  
READER MAIL
A Nibbles reader recently emailed asking if I had a good recipe for rice pudding. I’m happy to oblige. While I’ve become a big fan of crème brulee, panna cotta, flan and zabaglione, I grew up on their Middle American comfort cousin: pudding. Mom made the cooked kind with the skin on top until instant pudding was invented, but my favorite was classic creamy rice pudding. Check out the recipe.
 
CULINARY CALENDAR
Mazer Cup International Winners Circle Mead Tasting Event is March 26 at the Boulder Outlook Hotel. Info at mazercup.com. …I’ll be hosting and judging a professional pie competition with Pat Miller, The Gabby Gourmet, March 27 at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs (a great hot dog joint) in Denver, 3525 East Colfax Ave. Details: gabbygourmet.com/pie.htm …The Boulder County Farmers Market opens April 3 in Boulder, May 1 in Longmont. …The FRIENDS of Broomfield Wine Tasting is April 20 at Westminster’s Butterfly Pavilion. Tickets at friendsofbroomfield.org. …Get tickets now if you want to attend the annual Taste of Elegance Chef’s Competition June 9 at Broomfield’s Omni Interlocken. Details: 1.866.946.3268. …If you’ve got an upcoming event, a complaint, recipe request or baked good you wish me to sample, let me know at: nibbles@yellowscene.com.

FOOD WORDS
“After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s relatives.”—Oscar Wilde

“The dinner table is the center for the teaching and practicing not just of table manners but of conversation, consideration, tolerance, family feeling, and just about all the other accomplishments of polite society except the minuet.”
—Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

But Dolan’s? For 15 years Michael Dolan’s Boulder eatery was a go-to destination for business lunches, steak and lobster dinners and seasonal parties. And Feb. 2 another venerable special occasion destination, the 24-year-old Royal Peacock Indian restaurant, bid adieu. If such solid institutions as these could fail, is it a harbinger of worse things to come?

The short answer is “no.” These are challenging times, but there are myriad reasons why eateries go dark. Our tastes change, there are more restaurants, and owners get tired of the hours. And January is often the month of shutterings as chefs hang on through the holidays.

More often than not those empty retail shells are rapidly being re-filled by fresh culinary entrepreneurs. 7 West Pizzeria & Pub is open in one-time Left Hand Tap House space in Longmont. Bradford Heap’s Salt has filled the landmark Tom’s Tavern address, and Hana Matsuri replaced the Village Bistro in Westminster. Kasbah, from the owners of Boulder’s venerable Mataam Fez, is now serving Morrocan fare in the Pulcinella location
The roster of eateries that opened last year in Boulder includes Arugula, Full Belly, Larkburger, Agave Mexico Bistro, Modmarket, Tangier, Café d’Amore, The Rib House, Suki Thai, Upslope Brewing Co. Tap Room, and Pizzeria Basta (pictured) and Gindi Café in the Peloton development. Other births: Mamma Mia (Westminster), Heaven Star (Broomfield), Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids and Solids (Longmont), On the Rocks Southern Bistro (Lyons), a second A Grand Finale dessert shop (Lafayette), and the resurrection of Neopolitan’s in Nederland.
Looking ahead, the National Restaurant Association is forecasting that Colorado restaurants will experience the strongest growth of any state in 2010. Here’s some supporting evidence.

Jorge Gomez, owner of Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant, will open a second Lafayette eatery in the space at 502 S. Public Road, formerly occupied by Casa Alvarez, focused on breakfast fare (Casa Alvarez still dishes green chile in Boulder). The renovated Kerry’s space will become Tutti, a family-friendly American eatery.

The owners of the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse, Aji and Leaf in Boulder, and The Huckleberry in Louisville, are opening a new Italian eatery, Zucca, in the vacant Tulien’s space at 808 Main St. in Louisville.

Noodles & Company notables Aaron Kennedy and Joe Serafin are opening Basil Flats at 1067 S. Hover Rd., Longmont. The protoype quick casual restaurant will serve Mediterranean cuisine.

Peppercorn Pho, a Vietnamese noodle spot, will fill 2770 Pearl St., formerly occupied by Noodles & Company until the latter moved into the 29th Street Mall.

With all this vibrant gastronomic activity, some might argue that it’s silly to weep over spilled Hollandaise. We are emotionally attached to dining establishments—certain dishes, servers, even tables. Powerful memories attach themselves to eateries where we celebrate birthdays, break up, and make marriage proposals.

It’s OK to mourn the loss of an eatery. Heck, I still miss Pelican Pete’s, which preceded Dolan’s in the same location.

CULINARY CALENDAR
Denver Restaurant Week, Feb. 20 to March 5, features multi-course meals for two for $52.80 (or $26.50 each). It’s a wonderful (and cheaper) way to discover eateries and so popular it will last two weeks. Some restaurants aren’t even in Denver: Bonefish Grill (Westminster), Meritage and Bloom (Broomfield), Via Toscana (Louisville) and Terroir (Longmont). Info at denver.org.  …There’s a Valentine’s Day tasting Feb. 13 and 14 at BookCliff Vineyards’ Winery and Tasting Room, 1501 Lee Hill Road, Boulder, 303.449.9463; a Zinfandel tasting Feb. 16, Carelli’s at 645 30th St., Boulder, 303-499-2337; and a Northern Italian wine dinner Feb. 25 at Nissi’s, 2675 North Park Drive, Lafayette, 303.665.2757. …If you’ve got an upcoming event, a complaint or a closed eatery you still miss, let me know. nibbles@yellowscene.com.
 
ON THE MENU
Among the best things I’ve tasted at North Metro area eateries in the past month or so include craveable pan-seared vegetable-filled momo (dumplings) with chile dip at Tibet’s Restaurant, 321 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville; and deep-fried baby Brussels sprouts leaves—surprisingly sweet and addictive with just a hint of salt—at Happy, 835 Walnut St., Boulder.

NEWS
Upslope Pale Ale from Upslope Brewery (Boulder) and Ten Fiddy imperial stout from Oskar Blues (Lyons) were listed by Maxim among the top 25 new brews… The metro area finally has a by-invitation supper club. Hush, co-founded by former Seven Eurobar partner Phil Armstrong, features unique private dinners cooked by area chefs and cooks. Leave your email address at hushdenver.com and you might get invited.
 
READER MAIL
Chris Heinritz, owner of The Sink in Boulder, wrote recently to object to my October column on burgers: “It was apparent you haven’t been to The Sink in awhile, otherwise you would maybe have given us some credit for serving the same grassfed beef as Salt does. I don’t think you will find a better value for grass-fed beef than our burger and fries for $10.39.”
 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only food: frequently there must be a beverage.”—Woody Allen

A Chocoholic Dream
Sweeten a disposition with truffles and dark chocolate-robed, candied lemon slices from Seth Ellis Chocolatier, a bottle of Ravenous Original Balsamic Vinaigrette with Dark Chocolate and a jar of Sundance Café Fudge Sauce. sethellischocolatier.com; ravenouschocolate.com; sundance-lodge.com

For the Inner Child
Please the kids and the grown-up kids with a combination of Ryder’s red varietal popcorn, a growler of Mountain Sun Brewery’s excellent Magic Root Beer (non-alcoholic) and a tube of Ice Box Bakery chocolate chip cookie dough. boulderpopcorn.com; mountainsunpub.com; iceboxbakery.com

Mile High Tea Time
Bring calm into a tea sipper’s life with a new tea kettle packaged with Cooper Tea Co.’s (Louisville) Zen in Black tea blend, a gift certificate to the authentic British-style Wildflowers Tea Room (Broomfield), a bottle of zesty Bhakti Chai tea concentrate, and a bottle of Madhava (Lyons) Wildflower Honey. coopertea.com; guest-house.com; bhaktichai.com; madhavahoney.com

Off the Menu
Foodies love gift cards but they’re a tad impersonal. Combine it with a copy of The Fawn Brook Inn Cookbook (Allenspark) or Jax Fish House Book of Fish, and a jar of the craveable Frasca Red Pepper Jelly. fawnbrookinn.com; jaxfishhousedenver.com; frascafoodandwine.com

{ eatery update }
 
CULINARY CALENDAR?
The Longmont Winter Farmers’ Market 9am–4pm at the Boulder County Fairgrounds features winter veggies, cheese and flowers. See boulderfarmers.org. …The Denver Urban Homesteading Market has debuted a year-round farmers and local foods market open 9am–2pm Saturdays at 200 Santa Fe Dr. Offerings include Colorado goat cheese, honey, apple cider, beef, granola, sauerkraut, organic chicken and numerous baked goods. See denverurbanhomesteading.com. …If you have got any upcoming foodie events, a culinary complaint or pie question, let me know at: nibbles@yellowscene.com.  

COMING SOON
Circle, a new restaurant/bar from Abos’ Pizza founder Steve Abo at 1035 Pearl St., Boulder, where Seven Eurobar was formerly located. …An Australian pub at 1724 Broadway next to Central Park. I worked in the first restaurant in that building, Yocum’s Studio Restaurant. That’s where I learned how to make Hollandaise sauce, prime rib and soups. Later that site was home to La Estrellita, a Chinese eatery, Alexander’s & Levorio’s Creekside Cafe and The Library Pub. …Boulder’s loss will be Broomfield’s gain as Herb’s Meats, a longtime and loyal purveyor of local foods and fresh meats, moves to 1000 Depot Hill Road, Unit A, from Basemar Center in January. …Keep an eye out for The Green Gringo, a new chef-operated food truck offering street favorites such as slow-cooked pork tacos, chile rubbed beef brisket sandwiches sweet potato fries and warm doughnuts. Find out where it will be at twitter.com/thegreengringo.

ON THE MENU
The best things I’ve tasted at North Metro area eateries in the past 30 days or so include the Nutella spread and fresh strawberry whole wheat dessert flatbread with a powdered sugar dusting at Modmarket, 1600 28th St., Boulder; the fruit-packed not-too-sweet cherry pie from Niwot’s My Mom’s Pie (available at the Niwot Market); the iconic rotisserie turkey Cobb salad with bacon and Gorgonzola at Salt, 1047 Pearl St., Boulder; the juicy, toasted prime rib sub at Big Dog Deli, 300 Nickel St., Broomfield; the classic Croque Monsieur sandwich at Brasserie Ten Ten, 1011 Walnut St., Boulder; and the comfortable mashed-potato filled pierogi with garlic cream sauce at Eggcredibles Café in the Days Inn, 5397 S. Boulder Rd. in Boulder.

NEWS
5280 magazine’s list of 10 Best New Restaurants 2009 includes Bradford Heap’s Salt (in the former Tom’s Tavern space) and Alex Schuyler’s Arugula (in the original Laudisio’s location). …Happy anniversary to Marie’s Café in Boulder for 30 years of breakfast, lunch and kolachi, and Louisville’s Blue Parrot has been plating thick-cut spaghetti for 90 years. …The Nov. 28 Wall Street Journal heaped praise on local restaurants Flagstaff House, Frasca, Salt, Black Cat and The Kitchen. The article declared Boulder “the best small city for great meals we know of in this country.”
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READER MAIL
“We are always looking for good, local brunch buffets. Besides Cinzetti’s in Northglenn and the Greenbriar Inn, do you have any suggestions?”

Certainly. Among the other regular (non-holiday) buffet brunches to consider are those at Chautauqua Dining Hall and Jill’s at the St. Julien in Boulder, Simm’s Steakhouse (Lakewood), Meritage at the Omni (Broomfield) and Ellyngton’s at the Brown Palace. Also, visit yellowscene.com to get a glimpse of the September Breakfast, Brunch and Bakeries issue.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Heaped on the floor were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, sucking pigs, long wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters…immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch.”
—A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens.

“How long does getting thin take?’ asked Pooh anxiously.” —From Winnie-the-Pooh

The hard part is finding a nearby bakery that offers the particular ethnic sweets we crave. That’s where our guide to holiday baked goods comes in handy. You may need to drive a little, but for just the right gingerbread, it will be worth it. Happily now most bakeries produce at least some gluten-free treats, and some, like Arvada’s Rheinlander Bakery, bake a whole line of gluten-free holiday faves.
Here’s a sampling of some of the seasonal treats offered at selected North Metro-area bakeries:

A Grand Finale Patisserie
641 Main St., Louisville, 303.926.4084; 489 North Hwy 287, Lafayette, 720.890.4906, agrandefinale.com. Lemon-glazed gingerbread; brandied fruitcake; yule logs; pumpkin cheesecake; gingered pear pie; yule logs; cookies
 
Breadworks
2644 Broadway, Boulder, 303.444.5667, breadworks.net. Cranberry squash bread; apple cake; challah; macaroons; iced cookies; gingerbread people; yule logs; fruit and nut loaves
 
Dolce Sicilia Italian Bakery
3210 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge, 303.233.3755, dolcesiciliabakery.com. Italian cookies including fig cuccidati and amaretti pignoli; pannetone; ricotta pie; sfogliatelle
 
Hanna’s
802 S. Public Rd., Lafayette, 303.664.0200, hannasfood.com. Pies; eggnog cheesecakes; sugar cookies
 
Indulge Bakery
1377 Forest Park Circle, Lafayette, 303.926.1676, indulgebakery.com. Yule logs; gingerbread and iced cookies; chocolate peppermint cake; stollen; pannetone
 
Rheinlander Bakery
5721 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, 303.467.1810, rheinlanderbakery.com. Pfeffernusses; poppy seed rolls, stollen, yule log, fruitcake, marzipan kringle, springele; butter cookies; and gluten-free springele, marzipan macaroons and gingerbread
 
Shamane’s Bake Shoppe
2825 Wilderness Place, Boulder; 303.417.9338; shamanesbakeshoppe.com. Pies; fruitcake; sticky toffee; candycane torte; yule log; croquembouche; linzer cookies; gingerbread
 
Spruce Confections
767 Pearl St., Boulder, 303.449.6773; 4684 Broadway, Boulder, 303.449.5819. Pies; iced sugar cookies, gingerbread and shortbread people; rugelach; macaroons.
 
Besides being available at some of the above bakeries, yummy Hanukkah treats are available at many Denver bakeries and delis, including: The Bagel Store, 942 S. Monaco Parkway; Bagel Deli, 6439 E. Hampden Ave.; Zaidy’s Deli, 121 Adams St.; and East Side Kosher Deli, 499 S. Elm St., all in Denver.

Other Specialty Baked Good Sources:
German Old Fashioned Bavarian Bakery, 613 Frontage Rd., Longmont
Jamaican Caribbean Bakery, 2934 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
Dutch Dubbel Dutch, 4974 Lowell Blvd., Denver
Danish Taste of Denmark Bakery, 1070 S. Union Blvd., Lakewood
Vietnamese Vinh Xuong Bakery, 375 S. Federal Blvd., Denver
Greek Omonoia Greek Bakery, 2813 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
Mexican Panaderia Sabor A Mexico Bakery, 2839 N. 28th St., Boulder
Eastern European Royal Bakery, 9606 Ralston Rd. Arvada
French Les Delices De Paris, 5303 Leetsdale Drive, Denver
American Great Harvest Bread Company, Boulder and Longmont; Boulder Baked, 1911 Broadway; and Tee & Cakes, 1932 14th St., Boulder
European Das Meyer Fine Pastry Chalet, 13251 W. 64th Ave., Arvada; and Erhard’s European Bakery, 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder).

Did we miss your favorite bakery? Or is there a stollen recipe you’d like to share with our readers? Email editorial@yellowscene.com and we’ll post it here.

Yet that’s exactly what happens every day. Hunger lives among us. We are surrounded by those who cannot afford enough, or healthful enough, food. It has been the case for years in our well-off region but the recession has morphed a problem into a crisis.
More than 40,000 residents in the area live at or below the poverty line, according to Community Food Share. Many more are on the brink, deciding whether to pay for heat or prescriptions or food. Most are families with small children. Many are seniors.

The invisible hungry and malnourished are your neighbors. You drive by them every day.  There is aid available but it’s not enough. Ultimately, the dilemma we must solve isn’t food insecurity, it’s poverty. But for now, let’s make sure everyone can eat good, nutritious food, not just calories.  
 
Here are ways you can help:

• Drop off bags of non-perishable food at grocery stores in Boulder, Louisville and Lafayette. Take your kids to the store, give them $10, and have them fill a bag.
• Have everyone in your class, at work, in church bring in all the pennies sitting in jars at home and donate them to a food bank.
• Volunteer for the annual food drive.
• Write a check in the largest amount you can afford. The vast majority of food distributed is bought, not donated.
• Instead of quickly forgotten gifts to friends and co-workers, donate money to a food program in their name.
• Visit communityfoodshare.org.
• Help in June and September when the spotlight isn’t on hunger but the need is still great. This isn’t about guilt, it’s about the meaning of “community.”  Do what you can and I guarantee that the meal you say grace before on Nov. 26 will be the most nourishing you’ve ever eaten.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.
 
{eatery update}
 
OPENINGS
Italian-born chef Mario Petit is dishing everything from stuffed manicotti to authentic thin-crust pizza at the new Mamma Mia Trattoria, 9008 W. 88th Ave. in Westminster. …Sprouts Farmers Market is open at 2950 Baseline Road near CU’s Williams Village towers. …Ed Behlmann’s 7 West Pizzeria & Pub opened in the former Left Hand Tap House space at 526 Main St. in Longmont. …The semi-legendary Neopolitan’s Italian Restaurant is reborn in Nederland at 1 E. First St.
 
NEWS
Radek Cerny’s L’Atelier is open for classy weekday lunch again serving roasted mussels, chicken BLT Panini and broiled salmon on creamy spinach. …Boulder Creek Winery took home a double gold medal for its 2006 Merlot from the American Wine Society and Denver’s Balistreri Vineyards won Best of Show at the Colorado Mountain Winefest for its 2008 Petite Sirah. …The new Top Restaurants diner survey from Zagat reveals that Denver diners (which includes the North Metro area) leave an average tip of 19.5 percent, among the highest in the nation. Boulder’s Frasca was among the five eateries rated tops for food. …Happy anniversary to Mike O’Shay’s Restaurant and Ale House in Longmont (28 years), Sushi Zanmai in Boulder (24 years), the Universal Product (bar) Code (35 years), and Jax Fish House (15 years). …In memoriam: Roni Sherb always reminded me of Christmas. For years she baked and sold marvelous holiday stolen, fruit-packed loaves coated in powdered sugar. She also operated Boulder Cheesecake. Roni passed away in September. The irrepressible Frank Finn also died in September. He and his late wife Barbara opened the landmark Gold Hill Inn in 1962, still operated by their sons Brian and Chris.
 
CLOSINGS
Sunflower Restaurant has closed at 1701 Pearl St., Boulder. The Scotch Corner Pub has closed at 1800 Broadway, Boulder.  Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza has closed at 1100 US 287 in Broomfield.
 
COMING SOON
Kevin Taylor Steak is scheduled to open in spring 2010 in the Aloft Hotel near the Broomfield Event Center.

CULINARY CALENDAR
The illustrious Boulder Farmers’ Market closed on Nov. 7 but it’s not really over until the Cornucopia of Local, an indoor/outdoor farmers’ market, 9am to 3pm Nov. 22 at the Boulder Outlook Hotel. For details and information, visit boulderfarmers.org. …Schedule your holiday tea time on the Mezzanine at the Hotel Boulderado. Reservations:  303.440.2880. …Make your reservations now for First Bite Boulder, which offers $26 fixed-price dinners Nov. 14–21 at dozens of restaurants including Arugula, Boulder Cork, Full Belly, Greenbriar Inn, Leaf, Q’s and Turley’s. Among the options is Mouco creamy Blu cheese gnocchi, Long Family Farm pork tenderloin with butternut squash, green beans, pear chutney, and toasted coconut semi freddo at Terroir Restaurant in Longmont. …If you’ve got an upcoming event, a quibble or question, let me know at: nibbles@yellowscene.com.
 
ON THE MENU
The best things I’ve tasted at North Metro area eateries in the past 30 days or so include: nearly perfect gnocchi with sweet butternut squash, toasted hazelnuts, baby arugula and salty shavings of grana padano cheese at Sugarbeet, 101 Pratt St., Longmont; invigorating Som Tum Salad with shredded green papaya, carrots, tomatoes, chiles, long beans, lime juice, peanuts, cilantro, shrimp and rice noodles at Suki Thai Noodle House, 675 30th St., Boulder; earthy buckwheat pancakes with real butter and maple syrup and a couple of eggs done right sunnyside up at the Original Pancake House, 2600 Canyon Blvd., Boulder.
 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“I think the way to anybody’s heart is through their stomach. The way to my heart is through my stomach—with a really great bowl of spaghetti.” —Bravo’s Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi
 
“Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” 
—Actress Sophia Loren

Across Arapahoe I spied a Red Robin, a sit-down burger group that calls Colorado home, as does Good Times, the chain that has an outlet nearby on Pearl Street.
The latest local, Smashburger, is one of the country’s hottest new chains. The nearest one is a short drive east on Arapahoe to Lafayette in the former site of Icon Burgers, the eatery that spawned Smashburger. Boulder gets one in 2010. Smashburger, and the equally good Five Guys Burger and Fries chain, on Main Street in Longmont, are both modeled on the West Coast cult favorite, In-N-Out.

It’s also not hard at all to find topnotch independent examples starting with Bradford Heap’s new Salt Bistro where the iconic Tom’s Tavern burger has been reborn and significantly upgraded. You can also find stellar patties at Radek Cerny’s Full Belly bistro and at the Empire in Louisville.

That’s why I had to tsk-tsk when I saw that The Sink was recommended in the September Sunset as the best place near CU to grab a burger. It may be a historic hangout but the burgers are nothing special.

I know I’m asking for trouble any time I recommend or criticize burgers. In the September Yellow Scene, I noted that I occasionally enjoy the Bambinos cheeseburger sliders at Good Times. I received an email (see Fan Mail below) from a reader from which I had to edit offensive language.

I respect his passion. Hell hath no furry like a disappointed burger devotee, but your point is ridiculous. Those of us who work—and who don’t want to burn the gas, are not driving to Denver for steak house sliders, no matter how yummy. Go try all the burgers mentioned above and then we can debate.

If you’ve got a beef with me, or a better burger to recommend, let me know at: nibbles@yellowscene.com. Just don’t address it to “Dude.” 

{eatery update}
 
OPENINGS
Fast, casual Modmarket opened recently at 1600 28th St. in the Twenty Ninth Street mall serving house-baked, whole grain flatbread pizzas plus salads and wine. Printed receipts offer nutrition info for the dishes you order. Nearby, Gindi Café opened during the summer at 3601 Arapahoe Ave. in the Boulder Peloton development. The organically-oriented menu includes smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, and pressed sandwiches including ones filled with Nutella and bananas.
 
FOOD NEWS
Chef Hosea Rosenberg of Jax Fish House is taking a five-month sabbatical after the whirlwind that resulted from winning Top Chef: New York. You can follow his culinary vacation at whereishosea.com. …Happy 40th anniversary to Celestial Seasonings and we lift a toast to 30 years of Boulder Beer, Colorado’s first microbrewery. …A recent issue of Bon Appetit proclaimed Boulder as one of the great small cities for foodies because it boasts “a good culinary school, artisanal breweries, an active Slow Food chapter, and an eco-conscious community with notable eateries.” …Tired of trying to infuse flavor into your autumn pot roasts, turkeys and pork loins with rubs and marinades? It may be time for you to blast flavor into meat with Season Shot. These shot gun shells are filled with flavoring pellets instead of metal shot and are designed to kill wild fowl and “accurately season at 45 yards,” according to the company’s website: seasonshot.com. Flavors of the environmentally safe ammunition include Cajun, teriyaki and honey mustard. …A Gourmet magazine feature on the new breed of artisanal delis notes Jimmy & Drew’s 28th Street Delicatessen house-smoked salmon and house-rendered schmaltz (chicken fat).

CLOSINGS
The Peaberry Coffee chain, launched  20 years ago in Denver, has shut its doors. Michele Harris, owner of the Boulder Peaberry shop at 2721 Arapahoe Ave., has reopened that location as Flatiron Coffee.

COMING SOON
We’re still waiting for Pizza Fusion to open at 1738 Pearl St., formerly location of the Gondolier, and before that, the Good Earth and Harvest restaurants.

CULINARY CALENDAR
The four-course menu for the Oct. 14 wine dinner at Westminster’s Asti d’Italia features pumpkin risotto with sage brown butter matched with a nice Valpolicella. Cost: $55. Reservations: 303.457.3900. …See stars at The Blending Cellar’s Oct. 15 Champagne and sparkling wine tasting. Cost: $30. Reservations: 303.447.0475.
 
ON THE MENU
The best things I’ve tasted at North Metro area eateries in the past 30 days or so include: a Lebanese-style gyros pita wrap with Greek salad and extra feta plus a honey-dripping diamond of nut-middled baklava at Mumtaz Mediterranean Food, 588 N. Highway 287, Lafayette; a thoroughly craveable spinach calzone with marinara sauce and an almost-East Coast cannoli at Dolce Sicilia, 3210 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge; excellent dense (not fluffy) blueberry pancakes with Louisville-made chicken apple sausage, and eggs over easy at The Huckleberry, 700 Main St., Louisville, and aromatic kimchi pancakes griddled and dished with sriracha and cilantro-soy mayo dips at Bimbamboo, 1710 Pearl St., Boulder.

FAN MAIL
“Dude, next time you’re in Denver, go downtown to Morton’s for their sliders. They are $6 for three during their happy hour. They are unbelievably tasty. While I like Good Times, their sliders are foul. …I can’t believe you’re hyping them.”
 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“The cold truth is that family dinners are more often than not an ordeal of nervous indigestion, preceded by hidden resentment and ennui and accompanied by psychosomatic jitters.”—Legendary food writer M.F.K. Fisher

But it was clear Dad didn’t care about the cuisine particularly. He thought of Joooo-leeeee-ahhh as a talented and hilarious stand-up cooking comedian.

All I knew at that point was that Julia made food and cooking a fun adventure. Perhaps she was the early spark that eventually led me to a culinary career.

Decades later when I finally encountered Julia Child in the flesh at a luncheon at Denver’s Wellshire Inn, I was awestruck, but she couldn’t have been more “aw shucks” about her celebrity status. As the Daily Camera’s food editor, I got to see a lot of Julia and interview her while covering the Aspen Food & Wine Classic where she was the biggest draw at that then-obscure little event.

In her later years, she would shuffle onto the cooking demonstration stage, shoulder’s deeply hunched and looking quite elderly. Could she still pull it off, we sadly wondered? Then she would turn on her mic and herself. She’d pick up a chicken and become magically transfigured into the familiar, dynamic, icon who always concluded with a hearty “bon appétit.”
 
The last time I saw Julia in Aspen, I did something that I almost never do as a journalist: I asked for her autograph. I told her I’d never cooked her recipes because I don’t usually use recipes, but I deeply appreciated what she’d done for the American palate. She asked me who the signature was for. “It’s for me,” I said. That notebook cover bearing the words “For John, Julia Child” is among my most precious keepsakes.

Dad was always supportive of my career and a little mystified about my choice. But he was never more impressed than when I showed him the autograph.

“What was she like?” he asked.

“She was Julia, just like on TV,” I said, “except much taller and really funny.”

He broke into a huge smile.

{ eatery update }
 
Openings
In last month’s column I noted that chef Bradford Heap’s second eatery in the longtime Tom’s Tavern space would be called Terra. Actually, the name is Salt and it should be open by the time you read this. More details next month.

News
Chef Jason Rogers is the new executive chef at Oskar Blues Grill & Brew brewpub in Lyons and the almost birthed Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids in Longmont. Rogers formerly chefed at Second Home in Cherry Creek and Jill’s Restaurant in Boulder. Oskar Blues also produces noteworthy canned craft brews including Dale’s Pale Ale.  …There’s no need for Longmont’s pastrami lovers to despair. The Brooklyn Deli isn’t shuttered, it’s just moving from 900 Coffman St. and will reopen soon at 1515 Main St. in the former Daily Bean space. More juicy details in October.  …Happy 20th anniversary to the absolutely wonderful Women’s Bean Project, which helps women break the vicious trans-generational cycle of poverty and unemployment. The non-profit packages and sells salsa mixes, spice rubs, soups and chili. Details: womensbeanproject.com

Closings
Spud Brothers, the single-minded potato-centered eatery, has closed at 2010 10th St., in part because it was barred from staying open late when those with, um, strong French fry cravings were likely to be out and about.   

Coming Soon
Sprouts Farmers Market will jump in the already crowded Boulder County supermarket scene when it opens a Boulder store in early October. The site at 2950 Baseline Rd. was formerly a fitness club and before that, Boulder’s Coast, a club featuring national acts including the young Lyle Lovett. A second Sprouts is planned for the former JCPenney space in Longmont’s Twin Peaks Mall. Meanwhile, Longmont’s Cheese Importers hopes to open a second cheese and gourmet food retail outlet in Lafayette near the new Cheese Importers wholesale facility.  Coming up: Agave Mexico Bistro and Tequila House, 2845 28th St., between Jimmy & Drew’s Deli and Sabor a Mexico Panaderia.
 
Culinary Calendar
Denver’s annual Harvest Week, Sept. 6–12, showcases Colorado produce and beverages in special menus at dozens of independent eateries including Barolo Grill, Elway’s, Mizuna, Duo, Steuben’s, Sushi Den and Rioja. eatdenver.com/harvestweek.html …The Fifth Annual Denver Food & Wine Classic includes a grand tasting noon–4pm Sept. 12 at Metro State featuring more than 400 wines and fare from Denver restaurants. Coloradorestaurant.com. …The 15th Annual Chile & Frijoles Festival is Sept. 25–27, in Pueblo. pueblochamber.org.
…First Bite Boulder, Nov. 15–22, features $26 multi-course meals at more than 40 Boulder County eateries. firstbiteboulder.com.
 
On the Menu
The best things I’ve tasted at Boulder County eating establishments in the past month include: crunchy clam strips with arugula, chopped peperoncini peppers and garlic aioli at Brasserie Ten Ten, 1011 Walnut St., Boulder; memorable corn patties (with shrimp and veggies mixed in) with a marinara-like tomato sauce and a little fiery hot sauce at the Taste of Africa Nigerian food booth at the Boulder County Farmer’s Market; Bambinos (sliders) with cheese and a Cappuccino Mocha Joe frozen custard dessert at Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard, 575 W South Boulder Rd., Lafayette; and a warm biscuit robed in silky, black pepper-y sausage gravy and a heavenly wedge of double crusted blueberry-gooseberry pie at the Lyons Café, 436 High St., Lyons.
 
Reader Mail
Send food and dining questions, comments and releases to nibbles@yellowscene.com

Food for Thought
“I guess I’ve always been a food obsessive, and it has gotten worse the older I’ve gotten. I don’t think any day is worth living without thinking about what you’re going to eat next at all times.”—Nora Ephron, writer/director of the film Julie and Julia in Gourmet.