Photos by Florence McIntosh

Lyons, Colorado doesn’t beg for attention. It just is—a scrappy little town at the foothills’ edge where the mountains rise like they own the place. And, honestly, they kind of do.

It’s a place where development hasn’t marred the town’s character and time seems paused. Founded in 1880 on sandstone and pluck, Lyons used to ship its red rock everywhere. Now those cliffs just sit there, looking like the drama queens they are, while the town trades quarry grit for a mini-foodie paradise, tunes, and a few good quirks. 

Summer is when Lyons really shines: bluegrass and folk festivals pop up along the St. Vrain River, musicians pull fans from near and far, and somehow it all still feels like a backyard jam session, minus your annoying cousin hogging the tambourine. That music culture extends beyond the festivals, as many venues have live music in the afternoons, especially on the weekends. 

Here’s the smart way to spend a day without fighting crowds in Estes Park: start in Lyons. Morning is sacred—grab your caffeine and carbs at Moxie Bread Co., then pick up a stacked sandwich at St. Vrain Market, and swing by Colorado Cherry Company for a hand pie. That’s your triple-snack power-up for the hike ahead. 

Next: head to Rocky Mountain National Park for a stroll around one of its stunning lakes—Lily, Sprague, Bear or Dream Lake, take your pick. Then, swing by Estes Park itself. Peek at the iconic Stanley Hotel, people watch, wander the shops, or just breathe in the mountain air. The town is fun, but save the heavy eating for later.

Mojo Taqueria

Back to Lyons in the late afternoon for the ultimate reward—Mojo Taqueria, the crown jewel. The tacos were life-changing. Try the carnitas, fried avocado and gobernador for a palate pleasing trio. The mango mahi mahi ceviche special? Worth writing home about. Our server, Lexa Venekamp, promises that returning in the afternoon brings a lively, festive vibe, when locals are sipping beers, chatting on patios, and the town hums with energy. Locals love it, and visitors instantly feel wrapped into that warm “this is our spot” feeling. 

Afternoon Lyons is a personality parade. Live music might drift from a patio, or maybe not, but the vibe whispers “stay a while, friend.” If pizza, smoky barbecue, or a Colorado classic are calling, MainStage Brewing Company, Smokin Dave’s BBQ, and Oskar Blues Grill & Brew have you covered. Try the Rock Garden for live music and food trucks. 

If your inner kid is still buzzing, step into Lyons Classic Pinball. Launch that silver ball, chase a high score, and step back into a time when quarters and feathered hair ruled and chicks dug guys with high scores.

Lyons isn’t just a stop. It’s history, music, food, and quirks all wrapped into a day you’ll still be talking about weeks later. Skip the Estes frenzy—spend your time where the food, fun, and small-town charm actually shine.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter — and get our print edition delivered to your home each month.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. For 25 years, we’ve told the truth — your support helps us keep doing it for the next four and beyond. Administrations come and go. Our team stays ready to lead, no matter who’s in charge.

The post Front Range Foodie: How Mahi Mahi, Banjo Solos, and Pinball Machines Stole My Heart in Lyons appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

When Jesus Soto’s grandparents began selling tortillas in Durango, Mexico, they had no idea how far their family business would go. Jesus immigrated to Colorado nearly 50 years ago, working his way through the Front Range’s manufacturing scene at Longmont Foods and Coors before making the jump to starting something for his family and community. Today, Las Americas Tortilleria is 35 years strong.

This journey did not come without its challenges. Daniela Soto, Jesus’ daughter who is now at the helm of the business, recounted her parents’ experiences navigating a much less populated Longmont in the 1990s. During their tenure at Longmont Foods, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) visited frequently, and the couple observed several coworkers being taken away. Longmont lacked an established Hispanic community, and they had to adapt to a new place, language and way of life.

Tired of buying mass-produced tortillas, the Soto family decided Longmont needed something fresh- something that would bring back memories for neighbors who had immigrated from Mexico, Guatemala, and beyond. Daniela recalled her parents searching for an area where their dream could fill a gap in the market, eventually landing on the Lashley Street location.

Daniela reminisced about the early days, sharing fond memories of staying up late helping her parents perfect their corn and flour tortilla recipes. When the business first opened, patrons were mainly of Hispanic descent. Today, she delights in welcoming shoppers from all backgrounds. “We have a lot of diversity, you know, cultures coming in for the tortillas.”

There is a sense of reciprocity between the Sotos and the community. For three decades, children of customers and employees alike have grown up knowing this place. Las Americas donates tortillas to St. Vrain Valley Schools and partners with local businesses including La Panda Mexican Restaurant and Jefes Tacos & Tequila, both of which feature their tortillas.

Longmont’s population has nearly doubled since Las Americas Tortilleria was born, and Daniela hopes to see more small businesses prosper to serve this growing community. She hopes to carry on her family’s legacy, affirming, “If I put the same work and love that my dad has put into this business, I think we’re gonna keep on going.”

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter — and get our print edition delivered to your home each month.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. For 25 years, we’ve told the truth — your support helps us keep doing it for the next four and beyond. Administrations come and go. Our team stays ready to lead, no matter who’s in charge.

The post Front Range Foodie: Building Community, One Tortilla at a Time appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There is no shortage of coffee shops in Colorado, nor is it difficult to secure a sweet treat at a moment’s notice. However, it can be argued that many of the shops leave something to be desired. Seating is often scarce and pre-packaged, grab-and-go options outnumber freshly baked goods by a landslide. Seeking a well-made breakfast without adding your name to a waitlist? Good luck.

So, where does one go on a slow morning – or afternoon – to sip and eat? Maisonette, a cozy street-side cafe off Walnut is a place to start. Touting itself as an “authentic French café and bakery,” this charming space offers scratch-made artisan pastries, fresh bread, and a variety of French breakfast and lunch options. Seating is ample – seriously, it seems almost impossible to fill every chair.

For the full selection of pastries, it is advised to arrive early. I wandered in on a Saturday afternoon to find a fraction of the desserts left in the display case and opted for a classic almond croissant. After destroying said croissant with delight and enthusiasm, I asked myself the question, “Do I not eat enough almond croissants, or is this the best almond croissant I have ever tasted?” The verdict is still out. After all, the pastries are made by a Michelin-starred French chef, Florian Tétart.

I decided to try the scrambled eggs with truffle and chives, opting to enjoy a little breakfast for a lunch treat. The eggs came out more like a French omelette – and, yes, the taste of truffle was pronounced. It pleasantly lingered in my mouth for the rest of the afternoon.

My eggs came with a small side salad and a slice of toast. It may seem like a smaller portion for some, but I appreciated having room for my aforementioned croissant. The meal was washed down with an iced strawberry matcha. As someone who generally avoids sugary coffee and tea drinks, I was surprised myself by my choice but they hooked me with “house-made strawberry puree,” which had the flavor and consistency of a nice French jam.

I easily could have stuck around all afternoon. The ambiance is open and inviting. Despite being a counter-service establishment, one of the staff members came over to my table for a genuine and friendly chat.

Do I want to return? Absolutely. With so many items to try and endless places to sit, Maisonette is a lovely addition to Downtown Boulder.

It should be noted that the goal of my café quest was not to find particularly unique menu items. I sought out well-made staples in spaces designed for prolonged visits. On another occasion, I decided to venture to Suti & Co., off the East End of Pearl Street, at 2031 16th St. A cursory amount of research was done prior to my visit.

This distinctly European café is precious. Owned by Chef Andrea Uzarowski of Copenhagen, everything about the aesthetic makes you want to stay awhile. Part Scandinavian-style café, part artsy, aspirational lifestyle shop, Suti & Co. is both an influencer’s dream and a coffee drinker’s paradise.

There is a fair amount of seating on the patio, with tasteful outdoor furniture covered in comfy sheepskin. The café is located in a small house that was preserved from the 1890s. Upon entering, I was directed to a gleaming display case of handmade shortbread cookies, a house specialty made with Danish butter and locally milled flour from Moxie Bread Co. I found a cozy corner to post up and sample the signature shortbread, alongside a latte. Specifically, I enjoyed the ‘Melting Moments’ shortbread cookie with a subtle citrus filling and my humble latte featuring Boxcar Coffee and organic whole milk. As advertised, the shortbread cookie melted in my mouth.

Each of Suti & Co.’s display cases appeared well-stocked with a gorgeous array of treats. I am eager to return for more, especially the pastries and savory toasts. Amazingly, I managed to make it out the door without impulse-buying a pair of earrings or an artisan candle.

Whether you are seeking a wallet-friendly European-inspired jaunt or a spot to enjoy well-executed goods, Maisonette and Suti & Co. are both excellent options. Rather than picking up a coffee somewhere that is brimming with people who have places to be, Maisonette and Suti &. Co are the places to be. Here’s to enjoying slow mornings (or afternoons) and basking in simple pleasures.

Masionette is open Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Suti & Co is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter (and get our printed copy monthly at home.)

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post Cafe Culture: Take Time To Sit And Enjoy appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Crosscut Pizzeria & Taphouse

I can’t imagine a better spot for a post-ski beer and pizza than Crosscut. This is one of my favorite places to take friends from out of town. If you find yourself coming off Eldora after 3 pm, stop into this cozy corner of Nederland. Crosscut is an underrated option; it’s up there and smaller space-wise, but once you smell the wood-fired pizza and sit back to enjoy the view of fresh snow falling out the window, it’s perfect for Apres. My favorite post-ski/work/weekend order is the Mario Pizza: Colorado hot Italian sausage, pickled shallot, basil, cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, and herbed ricotta sauce. Pairs well with a beer on tap or Crosscut’s Colorado-drafted root beer.

Jungle

The liveliest of our apres options! Jungle is a tropical-themed tiki bar and burger (with tropical twists!) shack. Located in Boulder on 10th Street, it’s known for fun, island-inspired cocktails and a huge variety of rum from all over the world. Food-wise, they offer a creative menu that includes burgers, plantains, and vegan/vegetarian options. They’re open from 4-11 pm on weekdays, 11 am-12 am Fridays and Saturdays, and closed Sundays. They’re the ideal spot for ski buddies who love to have a great time on and off the mountain. I kept it simple with a Cheeseburger—that Hawaiian bun makes it!—and a frozen Piña Colada.

Bitter Bar

Looking for apres drinkies only? I know just the spot. Bitter Bar in Boulder is off of Pearl Street on Walnut, which is noticeably quieter just one street over. It’s great to decompress after ski traffic. Bitter Bar is laid back, and you won’t want to spoil your dinner as it serves drinks only. It’s a unique spot that’s a happy change from pub fare and beer if you need something new. I love the loungey, Japanese cocktail bar vibe they have going on, but they still keep up a neighborhood bar energy. My go-to lately has been their Fire & Ice cocktail, which is bourbon, ginger beer, Angostura bitters, and candied ginger–a little something to warm up after a cold day.

West End Tavern

If you’re down from the mountains but not quite ready to head home, take a turn onto Pearl Street and visit West End Tavern. They have an incredible view of the Flat Irons if you need to show off for your ski buddies, and their BBQ is the ultimate comfort food after a hard day of skiing. I keep coming back to their Fried Chicken Sandwich, Sticky Style, which is a delectable piece of fried chicken paired with spiced honey, smoked garlic mayo, green apple, and crunchy kale slaw, all on a buttered brioche bun. It hits different after you’ve taken your boots off, trust me.

Rosetta Hall

The snow hasn’t been so great this year, folks, I don’t need to tell you that! It was an early day off the mountain, and we needed a little something for everyone, so we checked out Rosetta Hall. It features eight restaurants and two bars, which offer seasonal, craft cocktail menus that are made with fresh-squeezed, organic citrus and small-batch spirits. I was appreciative to have so many options, from Thai food to Italian, so everyone could enjoy what they wanted rather than trying to decide as one big group. Hangry skiers were thankfully avoided, and we got to make the most of a not-so-great ski day. Rosetta Hall also has live music on Tuesdays and the weekends, which I hope to catch one of these days!

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter — and get our print edition delivered to your home each month.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. For 25 years, we’ve told the truth — your support helps us keep doing it for the next four and beyond. Administrations come and go. Our team stays, ready to lead no matter who’s in charge.

The post Front Range Foodie: Apres appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

My good friend Karen and I were elbow-deep in Eggs Bennifer at Lucile’s when it hit us: now that our kids are basically grown, our calendars have suspiciously empty patches where lacrosse practices and dance lessons once ruled. Free time. Actual free time. A dangerous thing.

Sure, we could keep throwing charcuterie-and-wine girls’ nights like confetti, but even brie and bubbles have their limit (don’t tell brie I said that). Karen leaned in with a conspiratorial grin: “What if we went to cooking school?”

Not the “watch a TikTok and pray your chicken isn’t raw” kind. The real deal: Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts—the culinary Hogwarts hiding in plain sight in Boulder.

We cracked open the calendar and instantly lost ourselves in an edible Choose Your Own Adventure. Thai street food? French pastries? Sushi? Date-night duck? Even a two-day bread boot camp (yeast stress test = not for me). After much deliberation, we landed on Spanish Tapas, mostly because the date worked best. Olé.

The school itself has the sort of energy that makes you want to roll up your sleeves immediately. Stainless counters gleamed, cutting boards with freshly-sharpened knives lined up like soldiers, and the faint perfume of roasted garlic seemed baked into the walls. Somewhere down the hall, pans clattered, and something hissed. It was like stepping backstage at a Broadway show, except the drama was edible.

Only one other student joined us: Pam, a woman with ocean-blue eyes who looked like she could sell artisanal olive oil out of her handbag. Our instructor, Chef Dallas Houle, greeted us like old friends. If you remember the Cooking School of the Rockies, this is the same space, now Escoffier. It trains chefs from around the world—but Chef Dallas runs the “civilians welcome” side, and he makes it feel like play.

And the man knows his stuff. Chef Dallas cut his teeth at Sweet Basil in Vail, cooked in several Boulder kitchens, including as Executive Chef at Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. As he said, he has given up cooking for other people, and now they cook for him. Chef Dallas has traveled widely, bringing back flavors and tricks from across the globe. He’s excellent with students, quick to laugh, patient with clumsy knife work, and—let’s just say it—kinda dreamy.

We started with knife skills. I came in with a certain swagger: six kids, and countless Thanksgivings under my belt = graduate-level kitchen combat. But Chef Dallas casually showed me how to slice an onion into whisper-thin slivers so perfect I almost teared up, and not from the onion. That trick alone was worth the price of admission.

And that $75? It buys three hours of professional instruction, all the ingredients, a feast at the end, and an embroidered apron to keep that you get to strut around in like you own the place. Cheaper than therapy, almost as satisfying as Target clearance.

The food? Straight-up fiesta. A Spanish tortilla (egg-potato-and-onion, not taco blanket), silky from slowly cooked potatoes and onions and then baked to golden perfection. Garlicky shrimp begging for bread. Meatballs rich enough to run for Congress. Papas bravas buzzing with paprika. And a romesco sauce so good I licked the plate when no one was spying. We roasted peppers over open flames, smashed tomatoes with our bare hands like gleeful toddlers, and obliterated an entire bulb of garlic. Reader, it was glorious.

When we finally sat at the communal table, it felt less like class and more like a tapas party we’d accidentally thrown. Plates clinked, yums were expressed, and there was that blissful hush when everyone’s too busy chewing to talk. Pam declared the tortilla “better than any restaurant,” and I had to agree. Cooking alongside strangers, Karen, who has seen me at my most feral baseball mom self, was surprisingly bonding.

By the end, we were already plotting our next stamp on the culinary passport. Morocco? Korea? Maybe eclairs? All I know is this: cooking school isn’t about learning to flip a tortilla or thin-slice an onion—it’s about remembering food is supposed to be fun. And if that means smashing tomatoes with my bare hands like a toddler every few months, then sign me up for the advanced degree.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter — and get our print edition delivered to your home each month.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. For 25 years, we’ve told the truth — your support helps us keep doing it for the next four and beyond. Administrations come and go. Our team stays, ready to lead no matter who’s in charge.

The post I Went to Cooking School (for Three Hours) appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

When the Front Range finally thaws and the skies stretch out blue and wide, there’s no better time to park yourself on a patio. From breezy brunches to fire-lit evenings, the local area offers an impressive spread of al fresco experiences—whether you’re sipping spritzes on a rooftop in Boulder or chasing kids through a cider garden in Lafayette.

Start with Acreage in Lafayette, arguably the most rambunctious patio on this side of the Flatirons. This adult-friendly backyard paradise features cider flights, yard games, big open skies, and a lawn perfect for sprawling with friends—or feral toddlers. It’s a family-friendly party vibe, complete with a whole hill to roll down. There’s always another cider within reach, and the sunsets here tend to show off.

Looking for variety? Try Community in Lafayette for excellent food and laid-back small-town energy, The Post Chicken & Beer in Longmont for family-style comfort food under string lights, or Waterloo in Louisville, where the rooftop patio feels like your coolest friend’s backyard cookout. In Erie, Birdhouse, the sister restaurant to Community, offers to-die-for tacos and vibrant ramen dishes (yes, really) and both a street-level and secret rooftop patio. Most are dog- and kid-friendly, with shades, umbrellas, misters, and heaters to stretch the season well into shoulder months.

But two Boulder standouts deserve a deeper look: River and Woods and Rosetta Hall, each offering a unique take on what makes a patio more than just an outdoor table.

Tucked into the historic shell of John’s—Boulder’s former italian fine-dining staple—River and Woods reimagines the restaurant patio as a backyard retreat with just a touch of storybook charm. “We wanted it to feel like you’re meeting at your grandma’s house,” said General Manager Maddie Curry. “Everyone loves their family, and every family is a little weird.”

The patio’s main, long community table is cut from a single massive tree, swirling purple grain echoing the whimsical vibe of the “forest room” in back. It’s rustic but intentional: alpine-inspired without leaning on kitsch. An adjustable roof keeps it breezy on hot days and cozy in winter, with heaters, lambskin shawls, and blankets at the ready. At the holidays, they turn it into a winter wonderland of twinkle lights and wreaths—sometimes warmer than the drafty historic house it’s attached to.

A block off Pearl Street, Rosetta Hall is a design-forward food hall with a rooftop patio built for everything from brunches with grandma to late-night DJ sets. “It’s something for everyone,” said Director of Operations Sarah Beckwith. “We’ve got big community tables, cabanas, fire pits, and spaces to gather—whether you’re on a team retreat or just out with friends.”

This isn’t just a patio—it’s a vibe. Misters and massive shades keep it cool in summer, while fire pits, heaters, and hot toddies with High West whiskey warm things up in the winter. They’ve even leaned into ski-lodge aesthetics in the off-season, complete with ski-lift photo ops and seasonal cocktails like the Garden Brrrrritz—a frozen take on their elderflower gin spritz.

Rosetta’s food stalls keep things casual and eclectic. Try the Salatim from Amira for a sampling of dips, veggies and falafel. The Al Pastor Tacos from Cruz offer a casual meal while lounging on the expansive cabanas. Another great patio option is the Burrata and Crostini from Amalfi. Bonus: nearly every cocktail has a non-alcoholic counterpart. 

In Erie, the summer Erie Eats Al Fresco initiative has allowed restaurants to extend dining into sidewalks and parking spaces, and the town supports local events that activate outdoor areas with live music and food trucks. Louisville has followed suit with seasonal street closures and permit flexibility, helping downtown spots maximize outdoor seating with minimal red tape.

As city leaders recognize how vital patios have become to small business recovery and community connection, residents get to enjoy the benefits: more sunshine, more music, and more memorable meals under Colorado skies.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter (and get our printed copy monthly at home.)
Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post Foodie: Porch, Patio, or Party Deck? Yes, Please. appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Tastes of Ireland with a Local Spin

The primeval fields and fells of Ireland are thousands of miles away, but in Niwot, Colorado, you can be transported to the lively streets of Dublin. Cruagh, a food truck owned and operated by the husband-and-wife duo of Darragh Byrne and Margaret Stewart-Byrne, features Irish cuisine with a sustainability spin.

Margaret, the American, met Darragh while attending college in Ireland. They met while both working at a farmer’s market, bonding over their shared passion for sustainability and food. In 2021, they relocated to Boulder to be closer to family after having their daughter. Darragh, a native of Dublin, was inspired after working at several high-end restaurants, including The Flagstaff House, to bring authentic Irish cuisine to Boulder County.

In 2023, they began a catering business. Building their following with unique dining experiences. In 2024, an opportunity to purchase a food truck came up, and they jumped on it, spending the majority of their time outside of The Wheel House in Niwot, but traveling up to two hours for events. Their menu is one you would expect to see at a cozy pub, rich foods to soak up alcohol; burgers and fries with an option for a salad. It is simple, yet exactly what you want for a rompus night with friends, or while indulging with your family.

The Dublin Burger has a fennel quality, topped with Ballymaloe Relish, Greek aioli, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. The Dubliner cheese has a richer taste, elevating the burger without adding too much weight. The summer menu also offers an American smashburger, a kid’s burger – without all of the extra spices, salad, and Irish-style fries -or chips, made with either cheese or red curry. “The curry is almost a Japanese-style,” says Margaret, “it is the classic ‘after-a-night-out Irish staple.” Craugh also changes their menu for special occasions, having a bacon bar-b-que burger for the Fourth of July and a brie and Palisade peach burger for the summer kick-off.

In the fall and winter, the menu will shift to something a little bit more hearty, comfort food from the Emerald Isle. Stews, shepherd’s pie, and curry will be featured on the menu. “Last year,” recalls Margaret, “we had some people coming to us three times a week for a shepherd’s pie.” She explains that they really try to listen to what people want, and will adjust the menu based on request or popular items.

The flavors are refreshing, yet familiar, which, for Margaret and Stewart, was the point. “We want to make food approachable,” says Margaret. “He [Darragh] really wants to make it friendly, we both worked in a lot of restaurants: upscale, French, slow foods, cafes, and we love that style.” But, they realized that it is not realistic for a large percentage of patrons. Says Margaret, “[We] felt that when we became parents three years ago, that like suddenly our access and our ability to get these things was really limited and we couldn’t afford to go to the farmers market every weekend and buy the nicest groceries anymore. So we want to make the food at a more affordable price for really good food that’s going to fill you up.”

The philosophy has also inspired their connection with local farms and creating a farm-to-table experience. Throughout the summer, Craugh has partnered with Ollin Farms to host a monthly Farm Dinner, combining farm-fresh food with Irish fare. “These meals are plated,” says Margaret, “so while there is still a casual feel, we can elevate the meals a little bit.” The meals are eaten at communal tables,  putting guests in groups of sixteen with the intention to build community while gathered around specially-made local food. Reservations are required for these meals, and if you choose to pair with wine, you must bring and pour your own.

The taste of Ireland may not be a total substitute for wanderlust, but it can transport you to feeling like you are at a pub across the pond. Take some time to enjoy an artfully crafted burger while savoring a crisp drink, whether alcoholic or not, and make the most of the remaining days of your summer.

The post Foodie: Cruagh Food Truck appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

As a mom of six, teacher and coach, I have planned countless celebrations. The moments we create for our children need to last forever, and I take my responsibility as steward of their core memories seriously. After 22 years of being a mom, I have found I’m running short of ideas. This summer, we have a graduating 5th grader and senior (hopefully), an 18th birthday, and celebrating our first granddaughter added to our typical family events. I set out to find something extra cool to set apart these parties from others. Experience dictates that schlepping presents, food and trappings to a location is not fun, so I focused on unique experiences for an at home party,

I ran across an at home hibachi party where vendors bring the whole Benihana-like teppanyaki show experience to your backyard. Since that requires precise timing of guests and we are hosting open houses, I had to clock that idea for a special family dinner. Sarah Shepherd, Senior Catering Manager at University of Colorado’s Folsom Field weighed in with the trend of interactive city food tours. Think build-your-own pizza for Little Italy, Dim Sum for Chinatown, crepe stations for the French quarter, and so on. Another fantastic idea, but a little too big for this event.

Feeling like Goldilocks in search of the perfectly-sized party option, I stumbled upon Honey & Brie 303 located inside Stacy’s Kitchen in Erie (see Off Menu) where a customer was picking up their 21st birthday board. I was struck by the intricately and colorfully displayed meats, cheeses, nuts, fruits, cookies, pickles and spreads and found something that was just right for me.

Mallorie Lang and Becca Tobin, both from Erie, are partners in ownership of Honey & Brie 303. We met at a local coffee shop while they were finalizing their spring break plans and St. Patrick’s Day orders to make sure they had everything coordinated. Friends and baseball moms first, Lang and Tobin bonded over a shared love for food and entertaining. “Mallorie makes enough dinner for two families every time she cooks and I love the art of food,” said Tobin. “My entire instagram feed is charcuterie,” she added, noting that she constantly saves fresh inspiration to create pretty food. “You wouldn’t believe how many ways there are to make a salami rose.”

Honey & Brie 303 offers a breadth of customizable options including individual boxes, varying sizes of charcuterie trays, intricate crudite, charcuterie cups and meandering, elaborate multilevel tablescapes large enough to host a platoon of bridesmaids and guests. “We work closely with our customers to understand their event so we can provide the detailed touches to make each event feel custom and special,” said Lang. Tobin added that they take the time to ask a lot of questions about the event and will look to find special cheeses, edible flowers, nuts, fruits, spreads and candies to add that final unique flair. “That’s what sets us apart from our competitors,” said Lang. “People can tell when it’s one of our boards because we are very intentional with what we put on it.”

At that moment, kismet intervened and a voice from a table over chimed in with “Are you from Honey & Brie 303? I just ordered from you!” Rachel Leachman, an Erie resident, overheard the interview and shared her excitement for the medium charcuterie platter and vegetable crudite she ordered for her (adorable) child’s upcoming first birthday. “I wanted to create a fun party and not worry about putting together pretty food. I want to be present,” Leachman added.

Special events drive the core of their business, and Lang and Tobin are always seeking seasonal inspiration for their boards. “We incorporate different colors, ingredients and textures for different seasons,” said Tobin. “We have cheeses with black rinds, green marble, and different colors for all the holidays. We use a lot of herbs on our winter boards and local Tabor Farm flowers on our spring boards.” They are excited for the Farmer’s Market to open so they can source more of their vegetables and fruits locally in season.

Honey & Brie 303 collaborates with a few local businesses including Charmed 33 and Lottie Lane to host charcuterie workshops to create seasonal boards. These workshops sell out as they provide each participant with step by step instructions and a board to take home. Lang and Tobin are generous with their tips and said that most people overlook adding different textures of cheeses, enough accouterments and a diversity of color.

Building a business together hasn’t come without some challenges. Tobin and Lang burst into laughter recalling a particular event involving an overloaded wagon, loose pea gravel, steep hills and dripping sweat. Aside from those small snafus, Lang and Tobin said their biggest challenges have come in juggling motherhood and the pressures that come with owning and growing a business. They have their sights set on a brick and mortar in Old Town Erie where folks can come and pair some wine and charcuterie.

In the end, I’ll hold on to a couple of these ideas for later and set my group of carnivores loose on some charcuterie that’s really too pretty for my grubby sons to eat. And I’ll take the advice from Rachel from the coffee shop and just be present.

The post Creating Core Memories | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Chicken soup has been used as a comfort food for illness and a natural remedy for somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 years. In fact chicken soup has roots in southeast Asia, where medicinal texts indicated its invention around the same time as the domestication of fowl. It’s a classic dish for a reason, but even classics can benefit from re-invention sometimes.

Over the past decade the Front Range has seen a huge increase in soup shops including everything from Vietnamese-style pho to deli-style soup buffets. While pho, like chicken soup, has been around for thousands of years, often existing as a humble street food, the recent rise in pho shops could be attributed to a rise in Vietnamese immigration across the United States since 1975.

Pho-Ever

Erie, Colorado is known for many things, among them its classic Vietnamese restaurant, Pho-Ever. A casual restaurant with a wide variety of pho choices, Pho-Ever’s strength lies in its ability to bring tradition to the table. Dishes like pho tai gan take rare beef and turn it into a juicy, delectable soup with spices like star anise, coriander and cardamom to top it all off.

Among Pho-Ever’s long list of chicken-soup alternatives, diners will also find contemporary dishes like meatball pho. But what really makes pho an exciting alternative to chicken soup is its customization options.

Boulder Pho and Boba Tea

Another iconic Front Range pho restaurant is Boulder Pho and Boba Tea, which is located in North Boulder slightly off the beaten path. Boulder Pho and Boba Tea takes great pride in its dishes, creating traditional pho options as well as contemporary ones. Like Pho-Ever, this restaurant’s careful blend of ingredients yields itself to a high-caliber soup that makes a great alternative to chicken soup.

At-Home Pho

Soup season comes in the dead of winter when everyone is moving at a slower pace, which can make dining out feel like a chore. This often results in more home-cooked meals and kitchen experimentations. Fortunately, pho is one of those cuisine types that can be replicated with the right ingredients, techniques and spirit.

The base of any good pho is its broth. Traditional pho involves a bone broth, which is created by all-day simmering on the stove (those with little time on their hands can also create bone broth with a pressure cooker). Every bone broth is slightly different, but a traditional vietnamese broth usually involves the addition of anise, coriander and cardamom.

At the same time, pho lovers can prepare their choice of meat, which is generally thinly sliced, and placed into a bowl before becoming slightly cooked by piping hot broth. The addition of rice noodles, and vegetables to taste completes the dish, leaving foodies with a delectable, comforting bowl of soup at the end of a hard day.

Culinary tips:

• Pick the best ingredients: Sub-par meat and fowl contribute to a sub-par pho. For best results, look for quality cuts of meat or birds with a higher fat concentration. This contributes to a full, delicious tasting pho.
• Nail the broth: The makings of a good pho start with the broth. Learning how to balance salt and acidity contributes to a well-rounded soup to get you through the winter.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter (and get our printed copy monthly at home.)

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post Bored of Chicken Soup? Try Pho appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

I recently walked past a sandwich shop that displayed a whole range of delicacies in the window. There were three-story creations that were expectedly packed with ham, lettuce, and mayonnaise. There were croissants that had been sliced and stuffed with cheese, and buns with diced beef on the inside. But then my eyes drifted to something unusual – a colorful jam-looking substance that was oozing out of two slices of bread and mixed with cheese. It looked delicious. I stepped in the door, and a quick exchange landed the sandwich in my hand. It did not disappoint, but I wasn’t quite sure that I’d classify it as a classic sandwich, either.

I knew that this sweet and savory French-style sandwich combination was not the first of its kind. In 1901, the first peanut butter and jelly recipe was published in the Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science.What’s more is that some culinary masters have been using touches of sweetness to enhance savory flavors in sandwiches for many years (think cranberry sauce and turkey, or a BLT with a touch of honey).

Denver and metro-Denver’s sandwich scene is always strong, and evolving. Snarf’s has been an iconic fixture across the state for nearly 30 years, for example. Some of the latest developments reflect this sweet and savory trend, which is easiest to find in local bakeries although businesses like Gates Deli have also added their own take on this French-style sandwich by combining brie with fig jam.

After my own run-in with my jam-filled sandwich, I wondered if it had the capacity to woo people on a bigger scale. So, I decided to create a sandwich board (which is basically a charcuterie- style board with an array of meats, cheese, condiments, and jams that can be assembled by the individual) and test it on my roommates. It was sure to be a small study, but helpful nonetheless.

A quiet weekend evening brought us together for game night and snacks. But when our appetites started to rage, we began assembling our masterpieces. My friends’ instincts told them to gravitate toward the classic sandwich — ham and cheese, or bacon lettuce and tomato. Admittedly, humans are creatures of habit. Evolutionarily, certain tasks become second nature in order to reduce energy expenditure: We like BLT, we eat BLT.

But after a bit of prodding we started to get creative. First there was ham, brie, and basil. Then there was a BLT with a fried egg on top. We even carmelized a few onions to tickle the palate. Some sandwich combinations were … less than delicious. However, to our surprise, others completely transformed our understanding of the humble sandwich. Maybe humble didn’t have to mean basic, but rather simple and exquisite.

At the end of the experience, we all agreed that some sandwiches will never go out of style. The hoagie and the Italian are classics for a reason. Yet we also found that creativity pays when it comes to the kitchen. Sometimes, taking steps like pushing the boundaries of the simple sandwich is one sure way to form a foodie. 

The post Pushing the Boundaries of the Humble Sandwich | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

When you think of something thick, meaty, and juicy to bite into, are you imagining a mushroom? Maybe not, but perhaps you should. Mushrooms as a meat alternative is a growing trend that is not showing any signs of slowing down. This begs the question: why? Why specifically are mushrooms gaining so much popularity? The answers range from health to environmental reasons and many in between.

As we all know, meat alternatives have been booming and gaining popularity over the last decade, with complex substitutes that almost taste like the real thing. However, one of the main questions is the nutritional value of these alternatives; are they good for us? Are they nourishing our bodies? Or are these simply ways to avoid eating meat and feel better about our impact on the environment?

Mushrooms are an interesting alternative choice that could just be the ticket to avoiding animal products and receiving excellent nutritional value at the same time.There are several possible health links to mushrooms, including immune boosting and cognitive function enhancement properties. One answer to why mushrooms are being used as a meat alternative is mycelium — the main root-like structure of fungus — which is rich in protein, fiber and B vitamins.

Born from science and a desire to help the environment, Eat Meati is a local company making a splash in the meat alternative industry. In 2015, Tyler Huggins and Justin Whiteley were Ph.D. students in Boulder researching mycelium. By 2023 they were launching their first mega ranch (a massive operation to grow mycelium) and today they are available at Sprouts, Target, Meijers and Whole Foods, among other establishments.

Eat Meati, which “provides delicious, nutritions, and Earth-friendly nutrition to everyone,”  is blowing up. With the launch of their Mega Ranch in January 2023, they are quickly becoming a leader in the industry. Boulder country is the perfect place for their homebase, but they are reaching far beyond local retailers and restaurants.

There are environmental as well as health related benefits to their products, including the minimal processing. Many alternative meat products are highly processed which not only means they are not as healthy, but they also use more natural resources simply to grow and produce. Eat Meati created the first-ever alternative protein steak, as well as chicken analogs.

Several restaurants in the Front Range are capitalizing on this trend. Snooze,the popular local breakfast chain, says they hopped on the trend because it is popular with Gen Z and Millenials, and most of their customers fall into these generational categories.

According to the American Mushroom Institute, pound per pound, mushrooms produce less than one sixth of the carbon dioxide produced by chicken, and an eleventh of the amount produced by pork. In addition, they contain a flavor protein called umami  that not only has flavor qualities similar to meat but also enhances meat. Umami is the reason mushrooms are so often served on burgers and steak.

Last but not least, unlike meat, mushrooms are a carbon neutral food source. They do emit methane, but at the same time they increase the carbon uptake of trees, so they are considered CO2 neutral.

Although mushrooms have long been a part of many cuisines, their use as a meat alternative is a newer trend. Their health and environment benefits are many and some even argue that they surpass meat sources, such as beef. Even if you’re a die-hard carnivore, I’d encourage you to give mushroom alternatives a chance. If you choose Eat Meati or something similar, you might even have a hard time telling that you’re not biting into a big, juicy beef burger.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter (and get our printed copy monthly at home.)
Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post Mushrooms Instead of Meat | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Fall is chile season in Colorado and many like to debate the merits of Hatch over Pueblo chilis. But this year, I had the pleasure of growing and learning about an option that’s rarer, more complex and more coveted than either of those: the Chimayo pepper.

I bought the pepper earlier in the season, as a plant from Harlequin Gardens. To be honest, I bought it for the name recognition for the New Mexican town 30 miles north of Santa Fe in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. An old friend attended the Good Friday processional and brought me back some of the famed holy dirt from the Catholic chapel there, the Santuario de Chimayo.

I grow in a plot in Kenosha Farms Community Gardner, and with that much abundant space, am not afraid to try new plants. I placed the pepper in the ground, and after a few months of care, I was rewarded with about 15 or 20 fruits the single plant I bought. The peppers were smaller than Hatch or Pueblo peppers, but I’d still consider them medium-sized. They were beautiful to look at, gnarly and curved.

Then I learned what I had grown was smokier and earthier, with a nuanced heat that makes them ultimately a more sought out counterpart to New Mexico’s Hatch chile. It’s locally planted and has a much smaller acreage then Hatch, with even fewer farmers expected to grow them in the years ahead due to the next generation of potential growers leaving farming as a profession and moving to cities. It’s a cult favorite and its rarity is reflected in its cost. Counterfeit versions are available.

Chimayo pepper fans also pay attention to the chile’s genetics. That’s not surprising given that these plants are grown from seeds passed down through the generations. They’re also known to be hearty, though they grow best in New Mexico because of the mountainous region’s hot days and colder nights, they can tolerate adversity. Including and especially a lack of water. That’s something that occurred this season in my garden.

At first, I harvested them when they were green, but learned that the proper way is to wait until they’re bright red, then pick them and let them dry. In Chimayo, the few existing producers who plant seeds frequently grow them in their backyards, create ristras and let them hang dry.

Ultimately, I’ll make a powder with it and then use it to season fajita meat where the smoky flavor will stand out. I may also see what a difference it makes in my chili, salsas and enchiladas.I may also try it in beverages. Chili hot chocolate? A cocktail? We’ll see how much I have after it’s dried and ground.

In the end, I’m thrilled to have grown these, although the only thing I think I’d have done differently is to use three or four more. I can try to save the seeds for next year, though, and plant plenty.

My biggest takeaway is to encourage anyone to do the same. Plants might be available through Harlequin Gardens again, or purchase them online, though choose your source with care so your plant is as authentic as possible. At the end of the season you might find that one of the most coveted peppers is easily within your reach. 

The post Discovering Chimayo Peppers | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

When thinking of farming in Colorado, you likely picture crops like wheat or peaches. But the Centennial state has a long history of apple cultivation that dates back well over a century. Here’s a brief look at how a fruit from Kazakhstan made its way all over Colorado and some of the state’s early apples.

A Very Short History of How Apples Got From Kazakhstan to Colorado

According to North Carolina Historic Sites, long before settlers landed on North America’s shores, 8,000ish years or so, the apple was cultivated in what is now modern day Kazakhstan. Over time, these apples eventually cross pollinated with European species and gave rise to the Malus domestica pumila, which are most of the wild and cultivated apples found today, according to “American Cider: A Modern Guide to a Historic Beverage” by Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo.

Fast forward many, many centuries to the year 1620, when the Mayflower embarked on a 66-day journey across the Atlantic carrying 102 Pilgrims to the New World. And what did many bring along to help start their life in America? Apple seeds that became bearers of a fruit Americans enjoyed for decades.

In the 1860s  a mass migration to the Western portion of the country, including Colorado, brought apples to our state, according to Pucci. Many of the settlers traveling to the state were looking to start their own farmstead, get involved in the fur trade, or strike it rich during the gold rush. And like the Pilgrims before them, they brought apple seeds.

It wasn’t long until Colorado became one of the largest apple producers in the young country, thanks in part to counties like Boulder, according to The Boulder Apple Tree Project, which aims to find and revive Colorado’s lost heritage apples. Later, during the industrial revolution, more laborers moved off farms to work in factories, and during the prohibition years, orchards declined partially as the result of the country’s 13-year zero-booze fest. Law enforcement often destroyed apple orchards as they were still more associated with cider than the healthy eating they’re known for today.

Michael Pollen, in “The Botany of Desire” explained that “ Up until Prohibition, an apple grown in America was far less likely to be eaten than to wind up in a barrel of cider.” Many of these historic orchards fell into disrepair and, as they did, the country lost quite a bit of apple species.

Yet as hard cider has taken more of a hold in the culture, and organizations like the aforementioned Boulder Apple Tree Project and the Montezuma Orchard Restoration aim topromote and educate the public about the growth of heritage apple trees in Colorado, there’s been a revived interest in apple production.

What Are Heritage Apples, Anyway? And Which Are Colorado’s? 

Defining heritage apples isn’t a straightforward proposition. Any consideration of heritage apples needs to take into account that  the crab apple is the only apple species native to North America. When we label an apple as heritage, we are only referring to varieties that are a hundred or so years old.

Complicating things further, historic apple species can be hard to pin down because apple trees need to cross pollinate in order to produce. Sharon Perdue, owner of YA YA Farm and Orchard in Longmont, explained that “These old trees aren’t going to be the same as they were 100 years ago. For example one of my old trees has three or four different types of apples growing on it.”

To make matters a bit more confusing, there isn’t a clear cut definition of heritage apples. But as Susan Lundy wrote in “Heritage Apples: A New Sensation,” we typically call apples heritage if they were bred and cultivated before the 1950s. The history and definition of heritage apples are fascinating, but what does that mean for someone looking for heritage apples in 2024? Here are a list of some of Colorado’s more prominent, currently available, heritage apples.

5 of Colorado’s Heritage Apples

Winesap Apple 
These apples were likely cultivated in the seventeenth century New Jersey, according to “American Cider.” And we know they were in Colorado by the 1800s. “Winesaps are just full of all kinds of flavors,” said Perdue. “It’s one of those apples that’s a whole meal—not a snack—on its own. And it makes the most amazing apple pie.”

Maiden’s Blush
A beautiful golden fruit with a touch of pink blush, this apple was also found in Colorado in the early 1800s stated Pucci in “American Cider.” According to Trees of Antiquity, a nursery that grows and ships organic fruit trees around the U.S., Maiden’s Blush trees grow well and bear fruit young.

Pewaukee
The Pewaukee is known for its golden yellow and red skin as well as slightly heavy flesh that’s sweet with “hints of vanilla” according to New England Apples, an organization that helps growers decide what to plant.

Jonathan 
According to Perdue this red-skinned apple does not get nearly enough credit. Along with having lovely sharp and sweet flavors, Perdue says it’s the best apple for making pies.

Colorado Orange Apple 
No, it’s not an orange hybrid. Its skin just has an orange blush according to The Colorado Sun. Initially, the same story reports, apple enthusiasts thought this once popular fruit was gone forever. But it was rediscovered in 2019. And after DNA testing (and hunting down old wax models) the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project determined with almost 100% certainty this is the apple they previously thought went extinct.

apple diagrams from the USDA Pomological Watercolors

The post A Brief Intro Into Colorado Apple Growing | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We have all had the experience of seeing something or hearing about it and then it shows up everywhere. For example, you get a new car — an alien green Kia Soul, for example — and then you see the exact thing everywhere when before you never noticed it. Or a friend tells you about a band they have recently discovered and suddenly you hear their music and see the band name everywhere: playing on the radio, printed on t-shirts, mentioned on social media — well, the last one is probably because your phone is always listening… There is a name for this studied psychological phenomenon, Baader-Meinhof. It is basically selective attention bias and it happens to pretty much everyone. And now that you have read this far, you might well see this subject mentioned a few more times this week, thus proving the existence of the very thing.

My most recent go-round with this fascinating brain trick has been with biryani. It is not surprising that my attention is selectively focused on food, my attention is practically always focused on food. But in this case, the item in question is this delicious rice dish. A couple of weeks ago I met a couple of friends for dinner at my favorite Indian/Nepalese restaurant in Lafayette – Tandoori Kitchen. I have my favorite dishes there — paneer makhni, aloo gobi, saag, lamb vinadloo, Himalayan chilli chicken, daal tadka…now that I get started I realize that I love everything. And I am hungry now! But my eye and attention were caught by the biryani. I have eaten and enjoyed biryani but it isn’t top of mind when I order. This time, however, something about it seemed just perfect. And when I suggested we order it one of my friends said she had made biryani the night before, which inspired me and I made it at home the next night. And just today a work colleague was having biryani for lunch. All of these seemingly unusual biryani incidents have led me here — a dive into this spiced, flavorful, filling, delightful rice dish.

It is commonly believed that biryani by that name was introduced to India by Persian traders sometime around the 15th Century AD. There is a history of rice dishes being eaten in the area long before then, but this specific codified dish — the word biryani is thought to derive from the Persian word birian — fried before cooking, is surely related to pilafs, pilavs, and pilaus, traditionally eaten in a wide swathe of the world including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa and following human migration to the rest of the world in the past couple hundred years.

Tandoori Kitchen’s Biryani

The most common biryani found in American Indian restaurants is probably the Hyderabadi version. Not surprisingly, there are dozens of regional varieties of biryani, but the Hyderabadi version seems to reign. It is often spicier, more savory, and highly aromatic. Basmati rice, ghee, onions, generous portions of toasted ground spices, and often a marinated chicken layer bring so much flavor to this dish that there are songs about it. I am not kidding, look it up! The dish is both satisfyingly filling and fancy enough for a special occasion. Cooking it is involved, this is not a 1-pot, 1-hour dish for a busy weeknight. This dish requires forethought, planning, time, a nimble hand, and patience. But oh mama, it is worth it.

There are many recipes for biryani to be found online and in myriad cookbooks. I won’t include a recipe here as, see above, the dish is complex and time consuming. Instead, I will put a recipe for raita, a cooked cucumber yogurt dish often served with biryani to complement the flavors and cool the burn of the spices. You can find versions of raita that include radishes, carrots, or onions. This one, though, is a very basic recipe using ingredients that you probably have or can easily get, that you can make in advance, and that you can eat with pretty much everything from biryani to falafel to simple raw vegetable salad.

Basic Raita

• 2 cups Greek yogurt (full fat is always the best choice)
• 2 English cucumbers or 4 smaller Persian cucumbers (you can use standard cucumbers in a pinch, just remove the tough skin and the inner seeds)
• ½ tsp granulated salt (Himalayan pink salt is great here) 
• ¼ tsp ground cumin (to be fancy, toast the seeds then grind them)
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or a combination of cilantro and mint
• (optional – 1 small garlic clove, finely minced – do not used jarred garlic, you will taste the difference here)

Peel and trim the cucumbers. If there are seeds in the cucumbers, remove them with a spoon. Grate the cucumbers into a bowl. Add all the other ingredients, holding out a tablespoon of the fresh herbs, then stir to mix. Taste and adjust with salt. Top with the remaining herbs. Enjoy.

Happy Baader-Meinhof everyone.

The post Culinaria – Biryani appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A lot has changed in the restaurant industry over the past decade, especially in the years following the Covid outbreak. At some restaurants, you may get a text when your table is ready. You may be able to swipe your card at the table or pay through a QR code. With all of these technological improvements, practices like paying and tipping in cash have fallen by the wayside.

While this may make the lives of customers considerably easier — or not depending on your opinion of apps and QR codes — how does the transition away from cash impact the restaurants themselves and their employees? One way that restaurants have adapted to this transition is to add servers’ tips onto their paychecks, rather than cashing them out at the end of each night.

“Because the amount of cash is not coming in — I’d say 95% of the tips that do come in are on credit cards — they are paid out weekly on a paycheck,” said Tell Jones, partner and operations manager at The Sink, a Boulder restaurant that has been in business since 1923.

The Sink has seen many changes in the restaurant industry over the past hundred years, including a transition to a tip pool. Jones said that this encourages servers and back-of-house staff to work together and creates more equity and less turnover. When they made the change to a tip pool, they also moved to a payout of tips in the staff’s weekly paycheck.

At The Sink, even cash tips are turned in at the end of the night and go towards the tip pool. Tips get split up based on the day and hours that a staff member works. Some restaurants that don’t have cash pools allow servers to pocket cash tips each night but must wait for their paycheck to receive the rest of their tips. This has come as an unwanted change for some working in the restaurant industry who are used to income each time they work.

“There was a little bit of push back, but it seems as if most restaurants are getting close to copying this type of tip pool as it’s just better for the business,” Jones recalled when The Sink first made the transition.

While some servers are still adjusting to this new way of receiving tips, there are protections in place to ensure servers are still being paid the true amount they are tipped. According to the Department of Labor, restaurants must pay servers all credit card tips no later than the next regular payday. They must do so even if the employer is still waiting for reimbursement from the credit card company.

And, while it is federally legal, Colorado restaurants may not deduct credit card processing fees from tips if they want to take advantage of the tip credit. The tip credit allows restaurants to pay employees $3.02 under minimum wage, as long as the combination of hourly pay and tips is at least equal to minimum wage. As this is often a larger financial incentive for restaurants, most choose to use a tip credit rather than deducting credit card processing fees.

Although this change may impact servers’ day-to-day flow of income, it should not impact their tax bill. Legally, any employee who makes over $20 a month in cash must report tips. They are responsible for keeping track of the amount earned in tips and paying taxes on that income regardless of whether it was received in cash or through their paycheck.

According to a Reddit thread posted several months ago, while it took many servers time to get used to the new process,  they began to see some benefits once they adjusted. “I hated it at first, but now I’d never want to go back to walking with cash every night,” one commenter wrote. “It makes saving and budgeting much easier and keeps me from blowing tons of cash.”

Many commented that they have been able to get approved for apartments or other large purchases because of larger pay stubs. “It sucks for the short term to have to get used to paying bills in that fashion,” another commenter wrote. “But long term, it’s better for you this way if you’re going to be looking at any type of big purchases that you’ll need a loan for.”

So, like most changes, it has taken time to adjust. Next time you are tipping in Colorado, you can do it with peace of mind regardless if you opt for the traditional cash, credit card, or the more modern digital wallet.

The post How Your Credit Card Tips Get Into Servers’ Pockets | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

If there is one thing that unites Americans, it is our love affair with pizza. The indefatigable desire for bread, tomato sauce, and gooey cheese is so ubiquitous in the United States that it has led to multiple regional varieties. Having been born and raised in Michigan, Detroit-style pizza holds a special place in my heart and seems to be gaining popularity throughout the rest of the country.

The history of Motor City has had a profound and surprising impact on the beloved dish. To be a true square pizza, it must be baked in steel pans that were originally intended to catch oil drippings or hold small parts in automobile factories. Another necessity is the use of Wisconsin brick cheese, similar to cheddar though with a slightly higher fat content and just a little sharper. Brick cheese is what gives the lacy, crispy edges along the crust, and the higher fat helps to crisp the focaccia-like crust that characterizes the dish.

While Jet’s Pizza is readily available as well as nostalgic for me, I set out to find local pizzerias that could accomplish a truly great Detroit-style pie. Fortunately, the options here in Colorado are fantastic and worthy of celebration.

On a sunny day in the warming weather, I meandered down South Public Road here in Lafayette to Ghost Box Pizza, a cute and modern pizzeria owned by the producers of Stem Ciders. The bright, inviting colors in the dining room make one feel immediately welcome. I met with the general manager Taylor Baeza and marketing manager Morgan McGahen as my liaisons for Ghost Box.

I settled at a table near the bar and while my pizza was baking, conversed with my contacts to find out a little more. I asked about the connection of Ghost Box to Detroit-style, and Morgan said, “Our founders and owners are both from Michigan.”

Taylor shared more about their pizza-making process. Most interesting is the bulk fermentation time, where the dough sits to develop flavor. Taylor said their fermentation time is about an hour and a half.

The love from the Mitten can truly be tasted in its pizza. It wasn’t long before the OG Pepperoni pie had come out of the kitchen. The crispy-edged crust had shown the brick cheese had done its work, and a tangy tomato sauce was poured in racing stripes on top of the pie to keep the crust crispy. Dollops of ricotta garnished each piece and gave a nice, creamy contrast to the airy, bready crust and lacy cheese around the edge. I washed down a couple of slices with a Stem Cider flight showcasing what Morgan appropriately called the “Michigan apple love.”

The following day with the sun still shining, I made a short drive to Broomfield to Rock City Pie and Ice to meet with Chef and owner Jason Dascoli and his wife Grace. We spoke while he made pizzas for us to enjoy. In a small, unassuming location comes big flavor. When I asked about what sets Rock City Pie apart from the big chains or New York spots, he said, “not only the ingredients that I use,” but also, “It’s all about the technique.” He said the 48-hour bulk ferment time makes a difference in his crusts.

Rock City Pie and Ice Owner and chef Jason Dascoli

The pies came out of the oven sizzling audibly, and Chef Dascoli let them wait and settle for a moment before he knocked them out of the blue steel pans. As he grabbed the wide-blade cutter and sliced up the pizza, the crunch of the crust could be heard throughout the restaurant.

We tasted Chef Dascoli’s classic cheese, the Calabrian topped with pepperoni, capicola, jalapenos, and his thirteen-cheese blend and the Arthur, an artichoke, leeks, chicken, and bacon delight. The crispy edges and springy, porous crust brought my tastebuds back to Michigan. Chef Dascoli’s pies are topped with his own delicious tomato sauce in the traditional racing stripe fashion as well.

With Chef Dascoli’s pizza I drank a can of Vernors, a Michigan-made ginger ale that is somewhat difficult to find in Colorado.

The nostalgia I felt while eating at both Ghost Box Pizza and Rock City Pie and Ice was immeasurable. It’s worth noting that both restaurants truly showcase their love and pride for making delicious pizza. Interestingly, they exhibit the two schools of thought when it comes to the crust. Whether a shorter fermentation time or longer, both produce fantastic results. I’ll be back to both restaurants soon to enjoy the taste of Michigan out here in the mountains.

The post You Baked That Pizza in What?! appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Manal Jarrar of Arabesque schools the teacher through food and conversation

Sharing food means sharing culture.

In addition to my work for Yellow Scene Magazine, I teach English full-time at a public junior/senior high school. My high school juniors and I recently read a short story by Kate Chopin. In it, the main character finds herself facing the loss of her husband. When she goes into a room by herself, we discover that it is spring outside. The sun is shining, a light rain is falling, and the birds are singing. This scene contrasts what we as readers are expecting to be a cloud of grief and mourning and creates a bit of cognitive dissonance for my 17-year-olds — especially when we start to unpack the symbolism of spring.

Renewal. New life. Light.

It jumbled their brainwaves for a bit until we found out why Chopin strategically placed that symbolism. In true Chopin style, “The Story of an Hour” concludes with a plot twist that leaves some of my teenagers reeling.

This lesson remained on my mind as I drove up to Boulder on a cloudy, snowy day to meet with Manal Jarrar, chef and owner of Arabesque. She had eagerly dove into a culinary challenge presented by my editor: food of Nowruz, the Persian New Year that is celebrated on or around March 21 to coincide with the spring equinox.

Nowruz combines the Persian words “now,” meaning “new,” and “ruz,” – meaning “day.” It was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. It is a national holiday in a few countries and is celebrated by some community groups in the Middle East and Asia, stretching from Albania in the west to China in the east.

Photo by Kenneth Wajda

Enter Arabesque. Manal and Saib Jarrar opened Arabesque in Boulder in 2009. It has offered them the chance to share their Palestinian heritage and cuisine with the local community. Manal’s culinary journey includes working as a personal chef, caterer, and finally head chef of the brick-and-mortar Arabesque.

The welcome I received from them as I entered the restaurant after hours made me feel as if I was a regular as opposed to a first-time visitor. Manal sparkled with an electric energy, grounded both in a foundational culture of hospitality and in the excitement of finding cultural connections between the food she is familiar with and the ideas she had uncovered in her research of Nowruz.

On the table sat a bright salad that burst with a freshness and vibrancy. Spring on a plate, the salad originated from Shiraz, a city in southwestern Iran. Tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley adorned the plate. Dried mint from Manal’s garden brought forth the cultural connection as it also can be found in salads served during Nowruz. It definitely provided a beautiful complement to the main course that followed.

Yellow, Manal explained to me, holds a significance to both her culture and Persian culture. For Manal, it holds the metaphorical meaning of new beginnings and rebirth. In Iran, it represents knowledge and intelligence, joy and wealth. To be fair, other metaphorical interpretations exist in Persian culture which carry a more negative connotation. But color symbolism often depends on context, therefore, I am going to go with the joy I felt when a dish with a gorgeous yellow rice base found its way to our table.

On top of the rice base sat mahi, a fish that exhibits a moderately firm texture, adorned with roasted almonds, the most luxurious of nuts in the Middle East, golden raisins, and glazed onion. “I added shrimp for fun,” Manal laughs. Like all good chefs, she can’t help but add her own twist on a dish. I’m definitely not mad at that. Tahina, a paste made from sesame seeds, rounded out the dish to perfection.

As we eat, I find myself renewed by Manal’s take on this culinary adventure she created and took me on. She explained that finding small connections between cultures can often grow like a seed, and we can all learn through those connections. She also advised that we must be open to the weirdest things, and when it comes to eating, be open, passionate, and excited, just as she felt when presented with the idea for this feature.

As our evening wound down, I left with a hug and two new friends. And even as I drove home through the dark and snow, through food and conversation I’ll admit I did feel a touch of spring inside.

Renewal. New life. Light.

The teacher had become the student.

The post Foodie: Nowruz; A Time of Renewal Through Food appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Two chefs bring fine dining and next-gen farming together under one roof

At the intersection of Larimer and 24th Streets in Denver, you’ll find something completely unexpected.

A fully functioning farm.

That’s also a restaurant.

And a local market.

That’s where I met Head Chef Austin Breedlove and Sous Chef Chase Meneely. Calling them two peas in a pod wouldn’t be entirely accurate. They each bring their own skill set to the creation of their farm-to-table menu that includes salads, soups, and handhelds, complementing each other perfectly. The deep, mutual respect these two have for each other emanates from them, which makes it seem as if they have been working together for years when, in reality, it’s only been a few short months.

Austin serves as the head chef and co-owner of this one-of-a-kind place. His brother, Davis, started hydroponics in his garage because he wanted his wife to have the freshest and most nutritious lettuce during the winter months, as it’s her favorite food. That idea morphed into Farm & Market’s fully functioning hydroponics farm that sits about two dozen steps from where Austin, Chase, and I talk in the restaurant section.

Growing up with busy parents, Austin taught himself to cook. He created meals for himself and his family. He, however, ended up working in payroll with a tax insurance company, which didn’t satisfy him the way cooking did. He ended up attending culinary school for four years, and he admits to sneaking in fresh herbs from his brother’s garage garden. His culinary instructors couldn’t believe how much flavor the herbs had, and the seeds of an idea began to grow.

Davis, Austin’s brother, wrote the code for the entire farm. Compared to a conventional farm, herbs and lettuce grown through hydroponics use 90% less water and yield two times more produce due to the fact that it grows to maturity faster. Temperature, CO2, and lights are all controlled. The plants never get stressed and go into survival mode, which can greatly impact both flavor and nutrition. Additionally, a controlled environment means no pesticides ever need to be used. You also never have the chance of an outbreak that commonly creates recalls of bagged lettuce at grocery stores. The farm-to-table turnaround time is fewer than 12 hours and sometimes fewer than five minutes if an ingredient starts to run out. With all this in place, Austin knew it was time to find himself a sous chef to co-create the salad-focused menu.

When Chase Meneely saw the position open up, he knew that Farm & Market was where he wanted to be. Unlike Austin’s formal education, Chase’s education stems from his 18 years of experience in the industry. His cooking began at an early age. A self-described “picky eater,” his mom told him to make his own food. Through TiVo and DVR, American chef Anthony Bourdain became Chase’s instructor in the culinary arts. Chase admits the core of his vast knowledge can be traced back to Food Network’s Good Eats. With an “I don’t know how; please teach me, so I can do that” mentality, Chase started out washing dishes and moved his way up the ranks, eventually landing in fine dining. He’s even been on two cooking competition shows. The rounds he participated in? Salads.

With his destiny perhaps foreshadowed, Chase interviewed for — and landed — the sous chef job at Farm & Market. The menu of eight salads, four soups, and four handhelds represents a partnership that values feedback, openness, and precision. With fine dining concepts in place, where every ingredient is measured to the gram, Chase and Austin have created a menu where salads are more than the crunchy water element ordered as an afterthought. Each ingredient offers its own unique flavor profile. Chase compares working with the farm ingredients to working with Lego. “You’re given elements to play with, and the possibilities are endless; you can build all sorts of things and don’t have to build what’s on the box,” he says with a grin.

What does the research and design look like? Taking anywhere from two days to two weeks, Chase and Austin keep a journal to track their recipe ideas and development. And because they both know that any menu must be replicable by anyone on their kitchen staff, any adjustment made is recorded. With that in place, Chase can then train the staff to make the salads, which he confesses is one of the favorite parts of his job. That way, the chefs are able to change the narrative of having to be at the restaurant all of the time to ensure quality and consistency. The staff knows what they are doing. In fact, during the time we spent together, a steady flow of customers came through. Not once did Chase or Austin glance over their shoulder to see how things were going. Such is the confidence they have in themselves, their training, and their staff.

Farm & Market sits on the cutting edge of what farm-to-table can, and maybe should, be. The high-quality ingredients can often only be found in (and are reserved for) fine dining. Here, you can look through plexiglass and see them growing. The future is here. It’s on a city corner in Denver.  

The post Foodie: Farm to Table 2.0 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Gray and gloomy winter is no excuse. There are still ways you can keep your kitchen full of fresh, locally grown food.

By the time you’re reading this, winter will have been with us for a while now. In the coldest part of the year, fresh produce from locally owned farms seem like an impossible dream that’s currently unattainable. But is that really the case?

I’m going to say no.

Even during this time of year, there are ways you can access locally grown produce with cravable fresh flavors and nutrition. By doing so, you’re opening your wallet to support small businesses during a slower period, and you’re eating seasonally. You’re also not relying on long-distance transportation and related ozone-depleting emissions to help you put food on the table.

Support farmers in person

There are quite a few winter markets on the Front Range that allow you to buy directly from area growers and smaller kitchens. Right now, that does require a drive north to Fort Collins where the Winter Farmers Market is open from late January through April, closing for the season right when traditional farmers markets start to pick up again.

The Winter Market is located in the city’s Foothills Mall and has more than 40 vendors. There have been winter markets locally as well, though many of them happened in December around the holidays. The Boulder County Farmers Market’s annual Winter Market took place at the Boulder County Fairgrounds and is fairly well known. We’re hoping that it comes back in 2024 along with a few other sessions early in the year.

If markets aren’t convenient, you can support farmers when you dine at restaurants that support them. Farow in Niwot, OAK at Fourteenth and River and Woods in Boulder, and 24 Carrot Bistro in Erie are just a handful of places that come to mind. They purchase seasonal produce from farmers and incorporate those fresh items as part of the menu. If you want to know if your favorite spot supports farmers year round, look for mentions of purveyors on their website, and look for menu items that are seasonal and store well beyond the growing season such as root vegetables. You can also just ask them the next time you dine there. They’d probably be happy to chat about it.

Another way to access fresh produce in person is to sign up for a winter farm shareThough lots of people take advantage of these in the summer, cool-weather versions exist too, with more storable, long-term produce like squash or greenhouse-grown items. While this time of year is too late to sign up for a winter current winter share, but if you mark your calendars, you can inquire with your local market to see if they’re planning to offer them and then sign up next time around.

Buy from farmers without leaving home

Plenty of people enjoy the benefits of prepared meal kits delivered to their doorstep, but a Front Range company, Spade and Spoon, fills its kits with locally sourced ingredients. Customers can order from a selection of meals and curated boxes made with ingredients from Marsroom Mushrooms, Project Umami, River Bear American Meats, and Moxie Bread Company.

We tried one of Spade and Spoon’s options at our house, choosing a three-meal curated kit that included teriyaki salmon, cauliflower garbanzo bean tacos, and mushroom bolognese.

Once we received our box, we unpacked an array of fresh fruits and vegetables — including four heads of baby bok choy and a large head of cauliflower — along with sustainably packaged meats, grains, and condiments. There were sprigs of thyme, garlic cloves, even a lime and a lemon. Recipes were easy to follow, my 13-year-old son cooked for us the first night, and felt as fresh and hearty as anything we would have bought and made on our own.

No, they didn’t pay me to write this, but our family genuinely appreciated using Spade and Spoon as an easier way to get local produce in winter. I applaud them for figuring out how to keep things fresh and provide a seamless experience for us as a family.

Their existing producer list is strong, but I’ll always advocate for greater farmer support, especially in winter. Meal preparation kits appear to be an efficient, delicious way to keep home kitchens and farms connected.

The post Finding Fresh Produce in the Dead of Winter appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It’s easy to count the ways that Coloradans are spoiled. Access to nature. World-class breweries and distilleries. Farmers markets in the summer that morph into Christmas markets in December. Music. Wildlife. Hot Springs. Unexpected events like zombie crawls, TubaChristmas concerts, turkey trots, and mountain festivals.

And, our salsas. Not all places have what we do. It’s not hard to find great, fresh examples of salsa on your restaurant table while you’re waiting for a meal or as part of the main dish. When I find one that stands out, I want to tell others about it.

My personally curated salsa trio is designed to relieve you from chip-dip boredom. There’s plenty of room to use these to expand the range of other dishes, main courses, and snacks alike. Read on and see.

Avocado jalapeño salsa

Area chef and restaurateur Fausto Felix first became known when he opened The Dugout in Erie followed by Rosa Mexican Kitchen in Thornton and Rosa Cantina in Longmont. With Rumbo 52 on Highway 52 and I-25 in Frederick, he’s converted a space that’s been both an interstate-way stop of a diner and a Pinocchio’s Italian franchise into an exciting, fresh destination for Latin food.

I like lots of things on the menu, but one of Rumbo 52’s salsas caught me off guard. When I ordered the Mama-lona, the avocado jalapeño salsa, I was delighted by a creamy texture with a balanced jalapeño spice, avocado, onion vinegar, and cilantro combined into the texture of a crema. In a world of diced tomato and onion, or fiery blender salsas, it was a refreshing change that can be enjoyed in a lot of ways. In the future, I plan to use it to replace traditional taco or burrito accompaniments but could also try it on a lighter grilled fish.

Rumbo 52

Salsa made with nuts and dates

One of my favorite things about Teocalli Cochina, in the Old Town sections of both Lafayette and Arvada, are the salsas. There’s one that I want to have by the spoonful: the Macha salsa. Made with peanuts, dates, and morita peppers, this salsa hits my sweet spot, my savory spot, and my smoky spot. All at once.

This salsa originally comes from Veracruz, Mexico and is known for being nutty and rich. It reminds me of a mole sauce, which is one of the reasons that I think I like it so much. It can be used in place of a salsa, but it also works with eggs, on sandwiches, and I think I want to try it on a tuna steak. It’s a condiment to get creative with.

TeoCalli

Mushroom and carrot salsa

It’s likely that most Coloradans on the Front Range have had a meal at Three Margaritas. Originally a six-restaurant, single location in Seattle, the Morales family grew it to 15 locations, sold their chain, and moved to Colorado where they now have 13 restaurants in the Centennial State as well as in Nebraska and Missouri. Some of these restaurants are family owned, others are partnerships with employees.

One item on the menu is a delicious and savory fungi-based salsa called Salsa de Hongos. Mushrooms, carrots, cilantro, and jalapeño are marinated in lime juice for a chewier, toothier salsa that’s great for eggs, tacos, a different take on bruschetta, a hearty fish, and could even find its way onto the table for a steak dinner. Although Three Margaritas has to standardize their ingredient list, there’s no reason that home cooks can’t make variations with wild mushrooms and see how that stretches the flavor profile even further.

The post How to Salsa Better | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder’s newest restaurant takes customers on a culinary and cultural adventure.

At the corner of Walnut and 9th Streets in Boulder sits Masas & Agaves. I noticed the covered patio area situated behind agave plants and, behind that, an expansive bar. Overhead, Spanish music pulses from the speakers. Upbeat and toe tapping but unlike the typical Mariachi music that I associate with Mexican restaurants, I realize I am in for an experience different from what I’ve come to know as Mexican cuisine.

Masas & Agaves exterior. Photo by Chris Curtis

That’s because Masas Boulder specifically serves Oaxacan cuisine. Found in the southern part of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca exists as a cultural and culinary haven. Being the last area to fall to Spanish rule undoubtedly contributes to the strong culture and traditions.

Once inside, I meet Manuel Gandara, the general manager and my guide for the evening. Hailing from Durango, Mexico, Manuel came to Colorado to study business. He worked at a local restaurant, first as a server, then moving his way up through the ranks. When offered the chance to open up a new concept in Boulder, he knew it couldn’t be just another Mexican restaurant. It had to be new and different, and he feels the surrounding communities stand ready to be immersed in a new cultural experience guided by traditions of Oaxaca.

“We work towards little waste,” Manuel tells me. Making the tortillas daily, from scratch, with corn sourced from local farms, offers the chance to use the parts that might typically be thrown away. Deeply rooted in the farm-to-table mindset, Manuel explains how he works to source seasonal ingredients as locally as possible, wasting as little as possible. When I find out he spent some of his formative years on a farm, it all makes sense.

I know I need to slow down to savor this journey. Having traveled to Mexico in my youth, I recall the longer meals at off-the-beaten-path places.

Masas & Agaves appetizer. Photo by Chris Curtis

First up: the guacamole. Made by hand, served in a dark gray stone molcajete, the mound of vibrant green avocado sits with Oaxacan cheese covering one side and pickled onions on the other. I devour the whole thing and discover that I may never eat guacamole again without the tang of pickled onions.

Another appetizer arrives reflecting the Spanish influence on the cuisine: Croquetas a la Pibil. This two-bite wonder comes served on a bed of black beans, so it doesn’t go rolling all over the round, wooden dish it comes on. Manuel also advises me to pick it up with my fingers to not lose the integrity of the bite. I don’t have to be told twice to eat with my hands. Crunchy, velvety, and with an avocado sauce on it, I quietly reflect that I could eat about a dozen of them.

Fortunately, I’m distracted from the fantasies of my new love for croquetas by an Aquachile. Oaxacan cuisine includes seafood from its 331 miles of coastline. Tossing tuna quickly in chili water and serving it immediately distinguishes this dish from ceviche, which requires  marinating in citrus for 20-30 minutes. Manuel explains that the traditional way to eat this dish is with a fork, not chips.

Fresh, bright, and textural, it does not disappoint. And I don’t miss the chips at all.

Masas & Agaves Chicken and Mole. Photo by Chris Curtis

Mole master Lola cooks up her family’s fifth-generation recipe of this Oaxacan staple. It serves as the base to a rotisserie chicken dish, cooked for four to five hours. “Slow and low,” I comment to Manuel, who nods knowingly. A reddish orange hue contrasts with the vibrant greens on top of and below the breast and leg. Underneath that, the deep reddish brown mole sauce awaits. Don’t leave those greens behind. They add a freshness as well as some texture and help with every last drop of mole.

Churros wrap up this flavor escapade. They are crunchy on the outside, doughy on the inside, and enhanced by dulce de leche, Mexican chocolate, and a creamy vanilla ice cream. Rich, I find I can only eat one. A server comes to my rescue with a box and gives me a reheating tip.

Masas & Agaves interior. Photo by Chris Curtis

That underscores another aspect of Masas and Agaves that I appreciated. The incredibly knowledgeable staff shares the history and culture with everyone they interact with, including how to treat your leftovers. From the bartenders to the servers, each displays a passion for bringing patrons along on this cultural and culinary adventure. I left with my mind as full as my stomach.

Be prepared to be transported to Oaxaca and leave any current notions of a Mexican restaurant behind. You can feel the fine dining vibe, but the food remains approachable and satisfying. You won’t find sour cream, burritos, or enchiladas here. You will find food carefully crafted with quality ingredients and a fusion of traditional and modern influences. You won’t find sombreros or the staff belting out “feliz cumpleaños.” You will find tacos. And you will find yourself falling for Oaxacan cuisine and culture.

The post A Trip to Oaxaca, Mexico — No Passport Required appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Moxie, a new farmers market vendor. Photo by Deborah Cameron

Here are the new vendors to look out for at area farmers markets.

Our community is blessed with multiple farmers markets, but each new season sees some vendor turnover. For many of these vendors, participation represents an expansion of their business, a better opportunity to interact directly with the public, or a new revenue opportunity that spurs growth. This year’s smaller stall could grow into a larger player in our dining landscape. When you meet with them at the market, you get to know these businesses up close, and perhaps years from now, you’ll be able to say, “I knew them when…”

We’ve got the info on new vendors as you work through the stalls. Look for them when you’re there, but be aware that not everyone is available every week. Check the market website to find out when specific vendors will be present.

Boulder Farmers Market
Location: Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings on 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue.

Dry Storage bakery and café will have its flour mill and specialty fermentations ready to serve Saturday market-goers after participating in the winter farmers market this past year. On Wednesdays, Off Beet Farm will be bringing plant starts, Golden Hollow Farm is offering Colorado-bred meat and poultry, while Grama Grass & Livestock is offering grass-fed beef on Saturdays. Rang Tang Craft Barbecue will be available on both market days.

Other food additions include Colorado Farmhouse Cheese Company, which will be present on both market days. Illegal Oats will serve customers on Saturdays, Arepas Caribbean food will have a stall on Wednesdays, and Boulder Valley Honey will be in a stall on Saturdays. Boulder Juicery and Haykin Family Cider will also be present, filling glasses both days.

Longmont Farmers Market
Location: Saturday mornings at the Boulder County Fairgrounds

Black Cat Farm can be seen at Longmont for the first time this year. There will also be several new vendors with multiple decadent and tempting products including Challah Ma’afia & Kitchen, Colorado Farmhouse Cheese, Corey’s Chocolate, Bread and Baklava, Pebbledash Bake Shoppe, and Rich Brownies.

Savory and non-prepared food providers who are new to Longmont this year include Off Beet Farm, Smoothie Bites, and The Happy Pickle Company.

Photo by Deborah Cameron

Erie Farmers Market
Location: Thursday nights on Briggs Street in Old Town

Expect to see quite a few new vendors at Erie’s Farmers Market this year. The first one we noticed were donuts from Sexy Donut Co, followed by another sweet treatery (our word, not theirs) called Mo Sweets, selling an assortment of homemade marshmallows. There was also Stacy’s Kitchen, NOCO chocolates, SugarBee Cookie Company, Moxie Bread Co., and Doughology.

New savory food and drink vendors are present in Erie this season. The 5280 Mermaid is going to be there with craft cocktail infusion kits made with dehydrated fruits, sugars, and spices. Options can be alcohol laden, or you take advantage of mocktail infusions, which double as a base for tea. There’s also Out Yonder Jerky, Denver Bone Broth, and Yummy Lotus vegan and gluten-free jams. Other options include Purple Fence Farm & Apothecary, Pastamoré Gourmet Food’s fresh pasta, and Eat 100 Foods’ home-delivered meals. Lastly, dog owners will also have a new vendor to choose from with Oat Paws, a canine-focused ice cream maker, that is going to be in Erie for the first time.

Louisville Farmers Market
Location: Saturday mornings on Front Street in Old Town

Managers at Louisville Farmers Market told us that nearly 25% of their vendors are new this year. Debut vendors include Doughology, the same bakery that’s trying out the Erie market. Other vendors include Roxy’s Remixes, Plante which has a brick-and-mortar houseplant-store on McCaslin Boulevard, and Spicy Garden, dedicated to helping people grow potted edible plants.

The post Debuting at Local Farmers Markets | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

My first paella was at a Spanish restaurant in Santa Fe during an anniversary weekend away. We paired it with sangria and ate it directly out of the pan. We hunted for the socarrat, the crust at the bottom that is the sign of a well-made and slow-cooked paella.

Since then, we’ve enjoyed plenty of versions locally. On the Hill near CU in Boulder, down the street from where we live in Erie, even for breakfast at the Boulder Farmers Market. We’ve never taken a paella class, but there are plenty around. There are even paella kits from restaurants that make it easier to try your hand at making it on your own. We’ve even cooked paella for friends in our own kitchen, after being gifted a paella cookbook, buying a pan, and sourcing our own bomba rice.

Now that we’ve dabbled in it, we wanted to dig a little deeper into the local options and learn how we could make a good variety at home. I started with Hugo Meyer, head chef and proprietor of Piripi on Briggs Street in Old Town Erie. The first Monday of the month Piripi serves paella all day to the delight of diners throughout the region. On the day we went there, there were three types: misto (mixed), vegetarian, and seafood. Meyer said it takes four days to prepare and that it takes all the fires in the restaurant, but for him it’s worth the work. “It’s always busy. People wait a lot, they have it for the whole day, but it’s a social night. We have a flamenco guitarist that comes to play. People come from all the neighboring towns,” Meyer explained.

Chef Hugo Meyer cooking paella. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Meyer talked about enjoying paella on an olive wood open fire. He said that high-quality ingredients are what make the dish. Good rice, saffron, and a well-made broth. Meyer informed us that “it’s an absorption cooking method, and when you cook the rice in the broth, all the flavor stays in the rice.”

He also talked about the socarrat. “It’s a Valencian word. It’s the caramelization of the pan and the rice. It intensifies the flavors,” he said. The trick, he explained, is to “use a good virgin olive oil, but once you have everything set, don’t shake the pan too much.”

Along with my visit to Piripi I found paella one Saturday morning courtesy of Nahid Pesaran of Boulder Paella who hosted a paella tent in the food court of the Boulder Farmers Market. Born in Iran, she fell in love with paella and often cooked it on her own after she learned about it from her sister-in-law who lived in Spain. She bought a paella pan and made it a few times a year until one of her neighbors encouraged her to make it more often. Then she got hooked.

Now that she’s cooking at the farmers market, she often makes paellas with ingredients she finds in the stalls there, always with homemade broth she makes herself. “Everybody can make paella in any way they want it. We buy mostly organic. Our mushrooms, our onions, our chicken, our carrots — it’s from the farmers market as much as possible. Sometimes we add asparagus, which we love, and our lamb paella is very delicious. People love it,” Pesaran said.

Paella in a farmers market. Photo: Boulder Paella

Like Meyer, Pesaran also highlighted the need for the highest-quality ingredients when making paella and says saffron is key. She also said that she’s careful to keep her rice firm. Paella — and Spanish cooking in general — is all about highlighting simple, fresh, and seasonal flavors. It’s not about making a complicated sauce or using intricate techniques, although culinary knowledge and skill are obviously required.

Where can you find either of these options? Meyer can be found hosting his paella days the first Monday of the month at his restaurant, Piripi. Around the holidays, he also makes paella kits so that people can enjoy them at home or give them as gifts.

Pesaran can be found at the Boulder Farmers Market when it opens for the season. She’ll also have an additional online presence with her website boulderpaella.com, which is expected to come online this spring.

The post Pursuing Paella | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Bringing satisfaction to Boulder County and beyond

Sometimes you just crave certain things piled high between two slices of bread. The right cut of ham. Delicately sliced pastrami. Or maybe an inventive mix of meat, cheese, mayo, or other spreads.

When we feel that way, there are four area delis that we’re not going to pass up. Most of them are in Boulder County, but one of them is a location in Denver that’s led us to detour multiple times off I-25 just to enjoy whatever they were serving on rye, sourdough, or a soft roll. These eateries remind us not just of how creative and satisfying sandwiches can be, but of the beloved busy delis and caterers on the East Coast, drawing crowds for a quick meal.

Kenny Lou’s Deli and Sushi at Button Rock Bakery in Lafayette

If there’s one spot that reminds me of East Coast Jewish delis, this would be it. Matzo ball soup? Check. Celery Soda? It’s there. Smoked meats? Absolutely. But what’s also apparent is the love that Kenny Lou’s Deli puts into his menu items. Chef John Bauer was inspired by his Jewish and Italian roots to create items that range from Italian sandwiches and chicken parm to fried bologna. Just because they’re wide-ranging doesn’t mean that they compromise on quality. We’ve toured their back kitchen and can vouch for the fact that this restaurant is organized. They’ve got their process down, and it shows in how they make so much food taste so good.

Snarf’s Sandwiches throughout the Front Range

Snarf’s, a locally founded deli chain, isn’t afraid to put anything between two slices of bread. They even responded to our request to create the perfect Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, which was arguably even better than the holiday meal itself. On their regular menu, they have specialty sandwiches such as their French Dip, Artichoke and Feta, and Prime Rib and Provolone on fresh-baked bread plus toppings including their own cured giardiniera peppers. The staff at the Gunbarrel location were attentive, engaging and fun, making our lunch experience joke-filled and tastebud satisfying.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Great Harvest Bread Company in Boulder

Samples fresh from the oven. Gooey, rich cinnamon rolls and other baked goods that bring smells that stick with me the rest of the day. That’s just part of what I appreciate about Great Harvest Bread Company. I also love the sandwiches, thick slices of bread that hold even thicker amounts of meats, almost too much to get your mouth around. Specialty chips and counter service that’s efficient (as a deli should be) but also smiling and personable. That’s what we find each time we go to Great Harvest Bread Company. We miss the outpost that used to be in Longmont (The location is now a P.F. Chang’s To Go.) but every chance we get, we stop into the Boulder location atArapahoe Ave. and Folsom St. and are grateful.

Leven Deli Company in Denver

We’re honestly never sure why, but this restaurant reminds us of the diner in Tick, Tick… Boom!, the Andrew Garfield musical about the creator of Stomp. Leven Deli is an easy stop off for anyone looking to spend an afternoon in the Denver Art Museum. Their bursting sandwiches are fresh and satisfying and a lot of people head there for brunch. Their soups are what I love, however. Most diners can’t pass up their mushroom soup, but I love the New England clam chowder because it’s light on the fatty creaminess but still really satisfying. They’ve also got a small, carefully curated wine menu and fresh cocktails. Whatever you order, if the weather is right, don’t miss the chance to eat outside and people watch the museum crowd. It’s a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

The post Local Deli-cacies | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It won’t be that long before the first signs of green start to appear. For gardeners who want to grow their own food but need more space, they might find one option particularly intriguing – a community garden.

If the idea of a community garden speaks to you , now is the time to sign up. No, it’s not too soon.

Some gardens are already on a waitlist with possible openings advertised in late winter or early spring. Participants generally are asked to pay a fee and are expected to keep their plots in good condition, meaning weed free and contained within garden parameters. Many gardens also organize donation programs in conjunction with local food banks or other charitable organizations so that excess produce doesn’t go to waste.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Community gardens offer a number of benefits. For food lovers, it’s a chance to get hands-on experience with producethey love. People can experience how to grow food, what boosts yields, differences with heirloom seeds, and a variety of flavors. Food is more nutritious and the act of gardening itself can be peaceful.

All gardens are not the same. It’s important to find one that’s right for you.One resource is Community Gardens, an area nonprofit focused on sustainable agriculture. They support more than seven community gardens, including the 200+ plots in North Boulder and 40 plots in Louisville. Community Gardens also hosts agriculturally supported classes, programs, donation platforms, and private events.

There are a number of community gardens in the Boulder County area. In Longmont, at least three are available, Longmont Community Gardens at the fairgrounds, Alta Park community gardens run in conjunction with the City of Longmont and The Longmont Community Foundation, and Second Start community garden. In Erie, there is the Kenosha Farms Community Garden with approximately 30 places, in Lafayette, and the Wilson Community Garden, a larger garden with nearly 80 spots.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Full disclosure: I’ve been part of the Kenosha Farms Community Garden for the past several years. I’ve grown things I never expected including sunflowers, heirloom tomatoes, pie pumpkins and beans, edamame , cauliflower, rainbow-hued corn that was stunning and delicious, and Carolina reaper peppers which were surprisingly prolific. Next year, I’m considering growing viking potatoes that I’ve tried at a farmstand. They’re more mineral tasting with an interesting profile.

Each year, I’ve found Kenosha Farms to be a place of production and of peace. I’ve also connected with other gardeners in a way I didn’t expect. We’ve had great conversations while working, or in some cases procrastinating, from weeding and organizing plants that run amok. I shared what I’ve learned and asked lots of questions. We shared produce, opinions and sometimes stories.

Being part of the garden, I also connected with my family in ways I didn’t expect. They helped me select and harvest what I grew, and this year when we got a bumper crop of peppers, we experimented with drying them to create spice blends.

In the end, being in a community garden was as much of a food experience as any restaurant excursion can be. That makes sense, given that it has all the elements of fine dining: flavors, nutrition, and seasonality . They are more than just a place to put some seeds in dirt and save on your grocery bill.

If you’re considering joining one, don’t hesitate. Sign up and get digging.

The post This is the Year to Join a Community Garden | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Creating the crunchy and savory sofrito at the base of a paella. Achieving luscious and flaky lamination on a croissant. Delicately combining the elements of a sauce without having it break. Properly tempering chocolate to get that glossy finish and satisfying snap. There are plenty of classes available on the Front Range that will help you develop these skills or others you’d like to hone. You don’t need the desire to become a professional chef, you just need to be willing to spend a few relaxing hours enjoying yourself.

Now that post-pandemic restrictions are no longer in place, it’s time to get out and learn new skills. You can take classes on your own, on a date, with a best friend, with a group of your best friends, your kids (grown or not), and even co-workers. We’ve got a few classes that would be perfect for any of these groups to savor in the new year.

Courtesy of Bella’s Superfoods

Bella’s Superfoods
Cooking for dietary needs

Chef Jessica Bella has been focusing on creating nourishing meals that cater to any dietary preferences or restrictions her clients or their families may have. Now she is taking this to the next level by offering cooking class experiences in client homes. Classes can be customized in terms of date, time, number of attendees, and the class focus.

Courtesy of Food Lab

Food Lab
Recreational cooking and baking classes

One of Boulder’s best-known everyday culinary classrooms, Food Lab wants to help people connect with what they can do in the kitchen. Themed, three-hour classes range from an evening in Napa, to date night in Paris, Spanish tapas, paella and Moroccan fare. There are also kids workshops during vacations or after school and kids birthday parties with add-on experiences for adults. Food Lab’s offerings can sell out quickly, so book ahead. Inspired by necessities created by the pandemic, learn at home offerings for both kids and adults are available.learn-at-home offerings for both kids and adults are available.

Courtesy of Journey Culinary Ltd.

Journey Culinary Ltd.
Organic and international cooking

Longmont’s Journey Culinary focuses on making learning learning cooking fundamentals easy, with classes on with classes on making items from a variety of countries and and cooking organically. While a variety of larger larger classes are available that focus on world world cuisines such as Mediterranean, Peruvian, and European, students can also request  private classes. General class sizes are small, and prices are offered per class or per series, with special pricing for at-home sessions.

Courtesy of Piece, Love & Chocolate

Piece, Love & Chocolate
Chocolate and sweets making

Pearl Street chocolatier Piece, Love & Chocolate regularly passes their chocolate and pastry knowledge onto customers on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They know technique matters and are willing to share are eager to share. Classes focus on chocolate truffles, lava cake, flourless pastries, macarons, and ganache to name a few.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Sur la Table
Culinary skill building

A lot of customers head to Sur La Table for the cooking tools they need, but the cooking retailer at 29th Street Mall can also help them learn how to use what they buy. At press time, featured classes included lots of date night options for making lobster ravioli, steak, French food, and Thai food. They also offer baking classes and kids’ camp classes during school weeks off. Online classes are also available, and in December and January, the retailer is also offering classes for $15 off their first class order.

The post Five places to learn a new food skill this year | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Making breakfast paella. Photo: Deborah Cameron

We love a good surprise!

In the first few fresh days of 2022, there were a lot of things I’d hope I’d get to try. My annual food bucket list included steak with a blueberry black pepper cabernet sauce (got that one) and lobster mac and cheese (still haven’t tried it yet … maybe in 2023). But then there were those things that I didn’t expect would pass my lips. When something new crossed my path, I took a chance and tried it, and I’m really glad I did.

Hot beer: Hot beer is a centuries-old tradition that used to be a staple in homes and taverns. Primitive Brewing in Longmont’s Prospect neighborhood is bringing it back. Beer lovers pour a darker beer into a thick glass that can stand up to some temperature differentials. Then it’s time to heat it with a specially-made, wood-handled poker that’s been in a fire for a while. They put the poker right into the glass and once it was removed, drinkers were free to imbibe. We re-pokered it when it got too cold, and the flavors only improved.

Honeycomb ice cream: For sugar fans, honeycombs are exceptionally delicious, but adding them to ice cream takes them to the next level. We first had it in Happy Cones New Zealand-style Hokey Pokey ice cream sold at Tip Top Savory Pies in Lafayette and Gunbarrel. For this traditional recipe, beloved by native New Zealanders who don’t often find it in the States, the honeycomb is combined with pieces of toffee. It’s rich, textured, and addicting.

Pickle beer: This beer flavor, in both regular and spicy, has been a Texas favorite for a while now. After a trip to that area, Bootstrap Brewing owners Steve and Leslie Kaczeus brought the concept to Colorado. People went crazy for it. The brewery couldn’t keep it on tap, and distributors wanted it in cans. Considering that, in the past, there’s also been an Oskar Blues mustard beer (we tried it, and it was delicious) and an Oregon-brewed spicy ketchup beer, maybe we all need more condiment-themed beers in our lives.

Bacon cheeseburger brats: These brats at Blackbelly Market in Boulder really blew our minds and were perfect for eating outside in the sunshine. Blackbelly Market offers house-butchered meats daily at their location on Arapahoe Ave. Their sausage includes bacon, cheddar, pickles, and red onion. And if a burger in a brat isn’t your thing, Blackbelly has had fun with Gyoza brats and pizza brats. What’s next, taco brats? We wouldn’t be surprised.

Breakfast paella: The rice, the seafood, the flavorful socarrat (bottom crust)—we enjoy paella whenever we can. But for breakfast? That wasn’t something we expected until we were offered it at Café Aion’s booth at the Boulder County Farmers Market. The version we tried had breakfast sausage, eggs, and vegetables, but one could also enjoy paella with chorizo, bacon, kidney beans, and olives.

Pumpkin sushi with balsamic vinegar: We love to sit out on the patio at Hapa Sushi on the Pearl Street Mall watching passersby as we find something fun to eat on the menu. Always open to trying something different, so when a harvest-themed sushi roll came up just before Thanksgiving, we added it to our list. What came to our table was tempura fried kabocha squash, framed by sushi rice and seaweed and lightly garnished with balsamic. We were intrigued and, in the end, liked it. We’re not sure we’d order it all the time but having tried it once was a treat.

The post The Most Unexpected Things to Eat in 2022 | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This past year, a food-based, fictional TV show hit fans hard. FX’s The Bear focuses on a young, internationally renowned fine dining chef’s efforts to keep his family’s Italian beef hole in the wall running. The show’s become a cultural phenomenon, instilling hope in line cooks in the greasiest spots in the country and turning “yes, chef” into one of the sexiest phrases of the year.

This one show has served to remind us just how good food TV can be. It’s inspired us to think about some of our other favorite food television series’, documentaries, and films.

Fair warning: you won’t see some of the standard food films and other media here. We’ve skipped some well known favorites like Babette’s Feast, Chocolat, Chef, and Big Night even though they’re classics. We’ve skipped things on the Food Network, A&E and YouTube. We didn’t even include classics like series from Julia Child, Jacque Pepin, the two of them together, and the iconic Iron Chef.

So, what did we pick? Without further ado, here are some of our favorite pieces of food media.

The Bear (2022) – If Anthony Bourdain and fellow FX critical darling Rescue Me procreated, the result would look something like The Bear. The show accurately portrays kitchen stress that goes on behind the swinging doors separating dining rooms from stoves, sinks and work areas. At the same time, it shows exactly how success can turn up the dials on this kind of stress. Each episode features both exhaustion and an unrelenting passion for food. In particular, a scene portraying a family cooking brachiola together reminds us of what a good meal is all about. Watch it on Hulu or FX.

Sriracha (2013) – Most people have sriracha somewhere in their house. We don’t think about it much, we just use it. But this summer, we had cause to take it a little less for granted as a shortage impacted production. People couldn’t find it,they missed it. While there were other hot sauces available, nothing quite compares when you’re craving sriracha..

Griffin Hammond’s amazing indie documentary talks about the success behind the brand. It addresses how they make the hot sauce, what it takes to build a food business, and  exactly how it happens that a food business can become an icon with bottles on restaurant tables and t-shirts in Target. Watch it on Peacock or Amazon Prime.

Delicious (2022) – As we’ve mentioned, we love well-done, narrative, food films including Big Night, Chocolat, and Chef. That being said, Eric Bresnard’s Delicious, the fictionalized story of the first French restaurant, is our favorite. Boasting deeply nuanced performances, its beautifully realized characters and scenes that reveal an abiding love of food and cooking are framed by scenery inspired by 17-century paintings. These components meld together like good soup to create a powerful representation of the emergence of French cuisine. Watch it on Amazon Prime.

High on the Hog (2021) – Host Steven Satterfield’s series appears to aim at being the food-equivalent of the 1619 project, highlighting African-American  influence on what we eat today. The series teaches  us about recipes and food history while showing us beautiful, sometimes historic kitchens. It also explores the slave experiences in American founding father’s households including that Thomas Jefferson’s slave James Hemmings brought mac and cheese here, Martha Washington took credit for recipes from her slave Herclules, and that George Washington moved strategically between Philadelphia and Virginia so that he didn’t need to free his slaves. Season 2 is coming this fall and we can’t wait. Watch it on Netflix.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2012) – This documentary is enthralling and meditative as it chronicles 96-year old sushi master chef Jiro Ono working in Sukiyabashi Jiro, his 10-seat restaurant located in a Tokyo subway station. Known as one of the greatest living sushi craftsmen, Jiro Ono’s incredibly small restaurant  has famously earned three Michelin stars and hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, David Beckham, and U.S. President Barack Obama. The film shows his methods and focuses on his two sons, also sushi chefs, one of whom is  poised to take over the space when his father retires. Roger Ebert called it a “portrait of tunnel vision,” remarking on Jiro’s hyper-awareness of every aspect of and happening in his restaurant and, ultimately, his life.. Late French Chef Joel Robuschon said that the restaurant was one of his favorites and that sushi could be art. This movie shows why. Watch it on Hulu.

The post Off the radar picks for food TV: Stream five of our favorites | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Winchell’s temporarily closed. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Even kids know that holes are supposed to be in the donut, not in the donut shop. But since a car accident late last year caused structural damage to Winchell’s Longmont location, there has been a massive, donut-shaped hole in the lives of Boulder County residents.

As the repairs continue, we’ve got a host of other delicious, unique options to fill your craving. Here are our recommendations for the best donuts in the area, featuring some new spots and some unexpected ones.

Courtesy of Blackbelly

Blackbelly
1606 Conestoga St., Boulder CO
blackbelly.com

In the early morning hours, breakfast seekers know Blackbelly for their burritos or, maybe smothered tater tots. But we’re inviting you not to skip the donuts when they have them. They’re prepared in house, individually crafted, light and yeasted, and, because of the restaurant’s rotating recipe, they’re filled with something more than just the usual grape jelly and feature a variety of toppings.

Landline Doughtnuts interior. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Landline Doughnuts
321 Main St., Longmont CO
landlinedoughnuts.com

Throughout last year, the only way to get one of Landline’s potato doughnuts was at a farmer’s market or pop up booth. Now they’re on Main Street in Old Town Longmont and customers love the cakes, which include mashed potatoes as a prime ingredient and are made from the owners’ 1930s family recipe. The potato makes them delicious and moist. They’re also smaller and prettier than donuts we’ve had from other spots.

Landline Doughnuts. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Nok’s Donuts
400 W. South Boulder Rd., Suite 2300, Lafayette CO
facebook.com/NoksDonuts

Nok’s creative ingredient combinations make it a unique choice for those seeking something sweet. Think rich chocolate, matcha with coconut, and creative holiday icings. But as good as these donuts taste, gentler ingredients and packaging make their texture something special as well. Ingredients are fresh and non-gmo. They also use packaging that breaks down naturally in a way that doesn’t contribute stress to the environment. 

Basta
3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder CO
bastaboulder.com

Kelly Whitaker opened Basta in 2010 and while we love the restaurant for a lot of reasons, the doughnuts keep us coming back. Served fresh from the fryer, they’re smooth and hot, silky and feature ricotta. At Basta, there’s no need to save dessert until the end. We like to order them first with a cocktail or a pre-meal drink that can hold up to a sugar hit. 

Habit Donut Dispensary
1553 Platte St., Denver CO
habitdoughnuts.com

As if donuts aren’t habit forming all by themselves, this shop makes them even more addicting. Glazed donuts have a malted milk glaze, and a rainbow sprinkled donut adds chocolate ganache for extra panache. One of the most interesting options on the menu has a gorgonzola cheesecake filling. 

It’s absolutely worth the trip to Denver. Or, if you’re already around the city, consider making a detour. Pair your cake with coffee and tea or craft beer and seltzers to inject a little boozy fun to your trip. 

OMG Donuts
7355 Ralston Rd., Arvada CO
omgdonutsarvada.com

Bright, colorful, friendly, and welcoming, these words don’t just apply to the donuts, but also the staff.  OMG has reliable, decadent donut flavors like red velvet or double chocolate. They’ll also cover their donuts in cereal or put a dozen in a box for you to elevate a special occasion, work party or any other function you want to make an impression on.

The post The Sweetest Bite: Creative and satisfying donuts | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

“It’s exactly what needs to happen,” said Salt Bistro chef and owner Bradford Heap when asked about Ollin Farms Project 95 immediately expressed his support.

His response was succinct, but not unexpected. Project 95 is a local program designed to demonstrate what more sustainable, eco-friendly farming practices can do for the planet. It’s about rebuilding the terrain into farmland that  puts nutrients back into the soil. It inherently pushes back against climate change and supports the environment. It grows food with more nutrients.

“One of the things Project 95 is doing is taking a holistic approach of using many techniques, over years and on a couple of different Boulder County Open Space land parcels,” said farmer and Ollin Farms co-founder Mark Guttridge. 

Guttridge was inspired to take on the project after seeing the devastation on Left Hand Creek after the 2013 floods. He wondered what he could do to help the land recover. At that time, volunteers helped him rehabilitate the land near him and he was amazed how quickly bird species and other signs of life came back. 

Now, Guttridge has spaces including the Peck Open Space Parcel and works with National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)  to develop a 3-year conservation plan on the property. There’s a second 135-acre, once weed-filled parcel that had degraded soil which NRCS has also supported.

Taking a look through Project 95-focused posts on the Ollin Farms social media page paints a picture of exactly what’s happening. A post from early June shows big, beautiful wine cap mushrooms initially provided by Boulder Mushroom. They’re established so that they can help break down the wood chips purposely left nearby and turn the terrain into rich, fertile soil. Ollin Farms harvests some and leaves others to propagate.

A post about a month later shows a fully blooming hairy vetch cover crop, out competing weeds and feeding pollinators. It also shows tractors, labor-focused volunteers and the financial supporters that make the project possible. 

Guttridge talks about how he’s trying to add as many perennial crops as possible, minimizing soil disturbance. He explained, “We’ve built windbreaks within fields using gooseberries, currants, plums and chokecherry. They provide food or medicine but also protect the soil, increase crop production and provide food.”

Another top-tier technique that helps develop the land includes planting cover crops which allow photosynthesis to happen as much during the year as possible and mirrors what happens in the wild. “Nature hates bare dirt,” Guttridge said, “that’s why weeds grow so easily.”

A third technique is the rotational grazing of animals, it’s an alternative to feedlots and, if they’re managed carefully, it’s an efficient way to enrich the soil. It takes work to rotate cattle regularly, but animals are treated more kindly and can taste richer on the table. 

The results of this effort can be seen on the land itself as soils grow richer and plants become more lush. It can also be seen on tables from area chefs. Paul C. Reilly, Executive Chef and Co-owner of Denver’s Coperta has known about and supports what Ollin is doing. They’re such fans that they cooked at Project 95’s fundraiser last year.

“Mark Guttridge was the first person I ever heard use the term ‘nutrient dense’ to describe soil. It’s a term that I think will become very important in the near future. Mark and Kena [Ollin’s co-owner and Guttridge’s wife] care for the soil as a shepherd does their flock. They have unabashed patience and attention.

Though restaurants and farmers are excited, there’s another element to the practice – the cost. “Farmer’s aren’t doing it because there’s not a great economic incentive to do it. Our subsidies, insurance programs and financial agriculture supports are for traditional, mono-crop productions,” said Guttridge.

With that in mind, Guttridge is hoping not only to show how the land can look different but how funding supports can be restructured. This includes grants and agreements, working with volunteers for labor and partnering with NRCS as needed.

Naturally, he’s also open to donations and volunteer support. Anyone interested can learn more on the project’s web page.

The post Kinder Agriculture | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Faith Elizabeth Hale

The community focus, social conscience, and business acumen that has created the foundation of Boulder County’s coffee scene for years amounts to more than what’s in your mug. After getting between the grinds with those behind roasters and coffee counters, we’ve gotten a better sense of things. Maybe it’s the caffeine talking, but after our tour, we’ve got a better sense that going forward coffee and community gatherings have a long, healthy future. 

First, we talked to Justin Hartman, founder of Boulder-behemout Ozo Coffee Company. He fell in love with the coffee scene in the 90s, in part because of the community around the shops. Now there are national recognitions, five Ozo cafes, a coffee bean distribution network, and a lab and coffee education center that’s certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. 

“Things have changed quite a bit in 15 years,” said Hartman, “when we first started, people were making coffee but they weren’t paying a ton of attention to it. We bring more of a quality and try to tell the story of the coffee, the roasting, and the relationship with our farmers. And we’ve wanted to create a cultural gathering space for people.”

Another one of our stops was a Friday afternoon visit with Mike Murfitt of Traction Roasters in Longmont. He and partner Shawn Neer are former world-class professional bike riders, but his coffee experience includes time at the helm of Oskar Blues’ HotBox roasters. In fact, early in my visit he showed me a photo of Dales Katechis’ pink Camaro that he jumped a bike over in the office parking lot. 

Murfitt also talked about bean sourcing from small locally-owned growers in South America and supporting evolving businesses here.  As a roaster, he said he looks to foster community and area coffee culture through partnerships with other companies and educating Traction’s customers, including restaurants.

We didn’t stay away from smaller, stand-alone cafes as part of our local caffeine and community tour and we loved what we saw as we ventured out. This included Precision Pours Coffee and Bakery in Louisville. 

While weighing the beans and then doing a pour-over coffee, owner Brice Young talked about why he finds himself behind the counter each day. “Some of the coffee shops were very welcoming to me when I started. I knew I was obsessed with it but I became passionate. Now, I want to build the a.m. version of what people find in bars.

Young made it a point to mention that his shop doesn’t have Wi-Fi. It’s a carryover from when he operated out of a four-seat trailer and he said that it fosters conversations, crediting friendships and human connections to the fact that there’s no Wi-Fi connection. That was something we saw firsthand. When doors officially opened at 8 a.m. to a near-instant line, everyone waiting seemed to know each other and Brice.

Photo: Faith Elizabeth Hale

MeCo Coffee Collective in Longmont was equally about community but in a very different way. Their shop is a hyper-local, in-person Etsy-like boutique and work-away-from-home space. There are plenty of options for snacks, including gluten-free options they were especially proud of. Co-owner Shane Stinn was friendly; we talked about everything from past coffee jobs to what it’s like to drive in New Jersey, to the family friend who made the artwork on the walls. He didn’t hesitate to share books for me to bring home for this article.

He and co-owner Isaac Olson talked about supporting the area through building a community. They agree that their vision of success is getting people together and getting local vendors in front of customers. Stinn elaborated, “We want to be that first shop for all the small people to help them grow. So we can help them grow out of their location and into bigger and better things.”

Co-owner Isaac Olson (right). Photo: Faith Elizabeth Hale

After all, visits were finished, thoughts returned to things Murfitt at Traction had said. He mentioned that there was a time in brewing when everyone was wanting to protect their own sale areas.  Eventually, that changed and now people talk about how friendly brewers are with each other.

The possibility of similar collaborative coffee roasts and blends, benefit brews, and even ingredient sharing seemed to inspire Murfitt. “I think one of the things that would help is more roaster-to-roaster collaboration. That’s something we’re trying to pioneer,” he said. 

It stuck with us, too. If that’s possible, perhaps coffee can increase its buzz and along with that, its support for the community.

Photo: Faith Elizabeth Hale

The post BoCo Coffee Culture: More Than What’s in Your Cup | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Wheel House

How big a deal is brunch? In 2020, on average each person in the U.S. ate 285.5 eggs and consumed 497 metric tons of orange juice. Twenty-five percent of Americans eat pancakes weekly, and the flat, often-fruited carb is the oldest breakfast food identified. Pancakes were found in the stomach of Otzi the iceman whose remains are estimated to be 5,300 years old.

Ok. We’ll stop with the trivia, but – full confession – we could have researched all day. We love that meal. Everything about it. 

Instead, we turned our research to something more useful: Identifying the best breakfast offerings locally. These aren’t all the places to go to, but they’re the places we like. Here’s where we pull up our chairs at the counter or bring a group after a night out.  Keep reading to find out where we go and why.

Tangerine
Biggest Draw: Romesco Benedict or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

If we’re looking for a sweet breakfast, Tangerine gets us. If we’re feeling spicy, they get us too. This is the place we bring friends to because there’s going to be something everyone likes. And then there’s the bar. Fresh-squeezed morning juice cocktails like mimosas or bellinis. If we don’t want alcohol, their lattes – especially the recipes on the custom menu – are what we try.

Eat! Food and Drink
Biggest Draw: (Tie) Family Comfort and Spicy Bacon

This is a place we go with our family. We like the high ceilings, open feeling, and the friendly service. Once we’re at the table, one of us orders the sweet and savory bacon flight that comes with both maple and jalapeño bacon. We think we like the jalapeño bacon better, but we’re honestly not sure. It’s close. 

Village Coffee Shop
Biggest Draw: People Watching

Honestly, we like Village Coffee Shop for the relaxed atmosphere and the people watching. The first time we went there, they were calling out and clapping for Village Coffee Shop virgins. We stayed quiet and tucked into our hashbrowns, eggs, and huge blueberry pancakes. Low maintenance, high carb entrees, and cups full of caffeine. That’s what we wanted, that’s what we got, and that’s why we keep going back. 

Niwot Wheel House
Biggest Draw: Spectacular Pancakes

If Village Coffee Shop is the oldest restaurant on our listing, Niwot Wheel House is the youngest. It opened just under two years ago in conjunction with Wheel Works, the popular bike shop on 2nd Ave., and it’s been a great community gathering spot ever since. Recently, they added food capability with LaMusette and their chef has recently added brunch to their menu. On the day we went, they had cardamom orange butter pancakes with caramel sauce. So good.  

Lucile’s Creole Cafe
Biggest Draw: Beignets

It’s impossible to talk about area brunch restaurants and not include Lucile’s. This Creole cafe has Louisiana staples you’d expect like chicory coffee and Eggs Pontchartrain. The Beignets are always a treat; puffy, sugary, and hot to the table. It’s the best way to start whatever it is you’re going to have for breakfast. 

Foolish Craig’s Cafe
Biggest Draw: Crêpes

Since we moved to the area 15 years ago, plenty of our Pearl Street Saturday

and Sunday mornings have started here. We like the crêpes, and in this case, the savory crêpes work for us. We often order their Duxelles crêpe with portabello mushrooms, onions, and shallots sauteed in butter with swiss cheese and veloute sauce.

24 Carrot Bistro
Biggest Draw: Coconut Chocolate French Toast

There are a lot of things on this menu that we wouldn’t expect to have for brunch but, now that chef Kevin Kidd has thought of it, we want to try. Top of the list is the coconut chocolate French toast made with brioche and a caramel anglaise. Just behind it is Shakshuka, a tomato sofrito with potatoes, poached egg garlic cream, feta cheese and cilantro. If we’re having brunch with something from the bar, then we’re ordering their Marmalade Skies – sparkling wine, orgeat, lemon, and angostura bitters.

The post Worth Getting Out of Bed For: Our Sit Down Brunch Roundup | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

One of the reasons we do what we do is the chance to get up close with area chefs. So when we were invited to CineChef, the food component to the Boulder International Film Festival that asks chefs to make food inspired by films, we didn’t hesitate.

Film Festival Director Kathy Beeck talked to us the day after the event and just as she’d gotten back from the airport to pick up the festival speaker and help him settle in. As she reflected on the event, she said that we were first-time attendees and the event was our sweet spot. We cruised between eight food stations as well as whiskey, wine, craft beer, and dessert tables. Here’s what we found at each:

Daniel Asher, Executive Chef and Partner, Ash’Kara, River and Woods, Driftwind, Tributary

Hummus

Asher has always been in the center of constant activity but when we talked to him earlier this year, a single thing became the focus of our conversation – hummus. That’s why we weren’t surprised he brought it to the event. Inspired by the film Hummus, a 2015 documentary by Oren Rosenfeld, Asher called it a superfood, based on nutrition, taste, and its place in culinary history. We agree.

Patrick Balcom, Chef/Owner Farow

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Indian Curry Pork Pate

It’s been quite a year for Balcom who opened Farow in Niwot with his wife Lisa last fall. No surprise, they were together behind the table at this event, serving their dish inspired by the Jennifer Aniston comedy, Along Came Polly. They were their usual smiling and welcoming hosts, talking to lines of attendees and continuing to get to know their community.

Michael Bertozzi, Senior Director of Culinary and Beverage, The Kitchen

Szechuan Pork and Leek Dumplings

We loved a lot of things at this event, but kept going back to this station, tempted by small bites inspired by the movie Big Trouble in Little China. Bertozzi’s dumplings had the sweet and spicy balance we look for, and honestly, don’t find executed well very often. It was a treat.

Rich Byers, Executive Chef, Jill’s Restaurant & Bistro

Foraged Mushroom & Black Truffle Hash with French Raclette / Gayla’s Georgia Shrimp and Grits

It’s hard to steal the show from melted cheese, mushrooms, and truffles. Byers’ shrimp and grits, clearly the underdog-tasting plate at this station, pulled it off with a tangy tomato that contrasted with creamy, buttery grain. Both dishes were inspired by a more general love of film and tied into the 1974 film classic That’s Entertainment.

Linda Hampsten-Fox, Executive Chef and Owner of The Bindery

Smoked Rabbit Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

We’re no stranger to grilled cheese and tomato soup, but when Hampsten-Fox makes it you know it’s going to be better than anything poured from a can or made with the contents of a bread box and a home deli drawer. Her version added burnt cinnamon to the soup and smoked rabbit to the sandwich. It was inspired by the 2014 film Chef, starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, and a bright yellow food truck.

Chris Royster, Executive Chef and Partner, Flagstaff House

Wagyu Pastrami on Rye

It was hard to believe there were pastrami sandwiches at this event, but when you talk to Chef Royster about his love for When Harry Met Sally and a certain scene at Katz’s deli, it all makes sense. Oh, and the sandwiches were delicious. We’ll have what she’s having (and what Royster made) anytime.

Bob Sargent, Executive Chef, Savory Cuisine

Yuzu Cured Salmon, Wasabi Vinaigrette and Curry Lemonade Caviar

Plating is important at an event with so many stations, but it can be tricky to pull off consistency at a fast pace with lines of hungry guests. Sargent’s was one of the most complicated, beautiful presentations of the night. Inspired by the Ang Lee drama Eat Drink Man Woman, the savory, salty flavors kept a consistent line near his station.

Mike Thom, Executive Chef, Spruce Farm and Fish

Lamb and Beetroot with Chanterelles

As the event got more crowded, Thom always had something to do but never looked busy. He was moving, talking, constantly smiling, and directing two other staffers to plate his food: lamb and beetroot with chanterelles, which was inspired by the film Burnt with Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. We had it once and went back for more.

The post Dinner and a Movie at BIFF CineChef | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: The Tea Spot

Boulder County food producers are taking the lead in a new line of attack against waste. Their approach will be new as they’re looking at pollution reduction through packaging that will be supported, in part, by a $100,000 Boulder County grant.

“As far as I know, this is the first EPS Pollution Prevention grant program that focuses on addressing issues in the supply chain for food and beverage industries,” said Tim Broderick, Senior Sustainability Strategist for Boulder County. “We’re looking beyond the end-of-life diversion to the landfill. We want to collaborate with companies and look at how products are designed.”

The hospitality business responded with enthusiasm. “We received more than 30 applicants from eligible companies. They had so many great ideas that we enlarged our participant spots from 3 to 5,” said Broderick. Even the county contributed an extra $5,000 to accommodate the larger capacity.

Future Fit Foods (FIF) of Longmont and Boulder is one of these eager participants. Co-founder Paloma Lopes, formerly the Sustainability Director for Kellogg, said her company is focused on creating a new generation of nutrient-dense, affordable, and plant-based convenience foods for consumers. Their products aim to be even better-made than the food has been in the past. 

Lopes shared that the company is using the grant money to evolve packaging for its Suppas line of products. These nutrition-packed, wholesome soups are made for people to pack and take with them on the road, or to cook in their own kitchens. While the product is top line, company management felt the packaging could be improved by making it easier to compost.

“We’re looking really hard at the best possible packaging. We want something that’s easier to compost so we’re looking at replacing the corrugated box with a reusable sleeve,” said Lopes. The new sleeve is reusable more than once, and Lopes claims it can be used as many as 20 times. With that usage, it’s been shown to reduce carbon emissions by 80% versus using cardboard. 

Suppas Re-Pack. Photo: Future Fit Foods

Confirming the packaging that works best and determining how to implement the change takes research, planning, and time. The same research is also used by The Tea Spot, an online tea retailer with a Louisville warehouse. The retailer has been in business since 2004. 

Anna Brumbaugh, sourcing and customs project manager, discussed the company’s status as a B Corp and the fact that it donates 10 percent of revenue to wellness initiatives. “It was a natural transition for us to focus on our impact,” said Brumbaugh. She explained that management was already looking to improve its packaging but had to consider how their tea is shipped and that some of it is meant to be aged, but still needed to retain its flavor profile.

“We needed something with good integrity,” Brumbaugh said. “Ultimately, we chose a compostable stand-up pouch that has our tea sachets in it. We’re now looking for material to overwrap the tea satchel.” She is particularly grateful to participate because of her roots. “I grew up in Boulder. I was born and raised here, I was an ‘Eco Elf’ in first grade. I know this community provides the perfect environment to have an initiative like this.”

Lopes agreed, “We could have founded our business anywhere, but we chose Boulder County because the collaborative nature of this food ecosystem in Boulder is hard to beat. This area has led a movement in natural foods and recycling. It’s great to see that we’re not just stopping there and that there is an appetite in our community to pursue superior, long-term, circular packaging solutions like reusability and compostability.”

Ideally, this program will do more than reduce waste as it deters trash from entering the landfill. Its carbon-positive behavioral footprint will be bigger, setting a pattern for other innovative endeavors going forward. “In the end, we’d even like to make a replicable program that goes beyond packaging,” said Broderick. “We’d love to see what this community can do.”

The post Packaging with Promise: Food businesses look at sustainable packaging with the help of a grant from Boulder County | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Even if you don’t jump onto social media and tell all your friends and family you’re declaring a firm resolution to drop pounds or increase muscle, the new year is a chance to make a fresh start in being healthy. Nutrition is at the core of this kind of effort. Anyone who hasn’t gotten nutrition on track knows how impossible it is to out-exercise a bad diet. 

Luckily, in our area, there are plenty of options for nutritionally dense, well-sourced food whether you are planning to eat out or stay in and cook for yourself. Here are ideas for five restaurant items and two grocers in our area that can support your efforts.

Flower Child. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Eating Out? Our picks for healthy favorites

Morning Glory Cafe’s Buddha Bowl: One of the healthiest items you can find in the area is the Buddha Bowl at Lafayette’s Morning Glory Cafe. This vegan dish boasts eight colorful ingredients including black beans, vegetables, black rice, cheese, tofu, and cashew gravy. While not low-calorie, it’s a hearty dish packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.  

Flower Child’s Butternut Squash and Organic Pear Salad: With a mission to promote safe, healthy eating and the tagline, “happy food for a happy world,” Flower Child is careful about what it serves. Located in Boulder at the Safeway plaza at Arapahoe Avenue and 29th St., we love the wintery, hearty butternut squash and pear salad with arugula, kale, ricotta, pecans, and puffed rice in a sherry dressing. 

Urban Thai’s Wonton Soup: Broth made right is one of the most nutritionally dense foods around and is at the core of all versions of wonton soup. Urban Thai’s version is more than just a tasty start to its meal. It’s a richer, more interesting version of what we’ve found at other places. It’s made us feel better when we’ve caught a winter cold, and we’re sure it can boost your nutrition anytime.

Zeal’s Inca Acai Bowl: Zeal is known for how deeply they care about what they serve and how they serve it, which makes them a natural fit on a list of restaurants that support healthy eating. While everything they offer supports nutrition, diners can’t go wrong by selecting their Inca Bowl, with maca, cacao, kale, and hemp hearts as well as anything you’d like from their menu of smoothie fruits, seeds, and other additions.

Huckleberry’s Garden Wrap: With its own farm located just off of Hwy 287 in Lafayette, Huckleberry’s commitment to quality is clear. Although lots of items at Louisville’s Huckleberry are decadently delicious, this Garden Wrap is a great choice for eating light. It includes hummus, carrot, spinach, tomato, cucumber, cheese, and a fresh-made buttermilk dill.

Flower Child interior. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Shopping for home? These two grocers curate everything on their shelves

Nude Foods: Freshly opened last year on Walnut Street, this grocer is focused on reducing food waste however it can. Fruits and vegetables that are discarded by other grocers because they don’t look ‘perfect’ are sold here, where shoppers reap the nutritional benefits. Staples, like coffee and peanut butter, milk, and bread are carefully chosen to meet high standards. While they pay close attention to what’s on their shelves, they care just as much about the packaging, looking for ways to reduce waste and other impacts on the environment.

Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers: Founded by the Isley family in 1955, this grocer is beyond conscientious about what reaches their shelves. They’ve got plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, options for carefully sourced meats and an array of non-meat items that help vegetarians keep meals interesting, as well as packaged items for nights you don’t have time to cook but still want to keep things healthy. And every store includes their vitamins, minerals, and supplements and retains the services of its own nutritionist, who shoppers can book an appointment with for a free consultation.

The post Healthy Eating Front Range Style: Nutritious options for eating out or at home | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Chocolate is a decadent gift at any time of year, but during the holidays you want the confection to look as good as it tastes. After all, it’s got to keep up with a seasonal focus on appearance and be every bit as good as packages wrapped and ribboned to sparkly perfection, outdoor lighting displays that are the pride of a neighborhood, and the outfit carefully chosen for a holiday party.

Three local chocolatiers have this covered. Though each has a different take on their approach to chocolate and none could be mistaken for any other. All are visually stunning and perfect for hostess and teacher gifts,adding sparkle to a dessert tray, or a treat after a long day of holiday shopping and errands.

Robin’s Chocolates

Robin Autorino found her love of chocolate as she studied patisserie in France and worked at Flagstaff House, Brown Palace Hotel, and the Dushanbe Tea House. Chocolate-making was not her first choice of a career. In fact, for many years she believed she was allergic to it. Eventually, she learned she could tolerate most varieties of higher-grade, cleaner versions. That discovery fueled one of the basic premises of how she works today  – using the best ingredients possible including French Valrohna chocolate.

Today, she operates Robin’s Chocolates out of a kitchen and retail space on Airport Road in Longmont. Her classical training works with her choice of ingredients to ensure a strong, rich flavor profile such as holiday selection of figgy pudding or hot buttered rum. “If you bite into the Raspberry heart, you know it’s raspberry. That’s always been my emphasis for all of my flavors. You know what they are,” she said.

Autorino also takes her time to be sure that the look of each chocolate is exactly how she envisions it. Often, this requires what she describes as painstaking airbrushing. It’s not easy, but she feels it’s worth it to achieve the right presentation to go along with her flavors.

Stam Chocolate. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Stam Chocolate

At this time of year, stepping into Stam Chocolate’s retail space on Lafayette’s S. Public Road is like entering a holiday special. An array of chocolates in a case span two-thirds of the length of the retailer’s showroom and towers of multi-sized foil-wrapped Santas, advent calendars, and chocolate reindeer complete the look and make for one of a kind holiday gifts.

These chocolates can be purchased in Colorado, but they come from Belgium, where they’re shipped to the location. The same family has been making milk and dark chocolate confections for more than two centuries in a traditional Belgian style.

As Matthew Brundridge, owner of Stam’s Colorado location said, “Today, the great, great, great, great, great grandson of Jacobus Stam makes our chocolate. Through depressions, recessions, world wars, and global pandemics, we have an uninterrupted line of confectioners doing what they can to make the world a sweeter place.”

Piece, Love and Chocolate. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Piece, Love and Chocolate

This Pearl Street destination offers a chocolate-themed refuge from the rigors of holiday shopping and events. It also offers a wide range of things chocolate – from a gift-worthy cake that’s sold whole or by the slice, to a range of drinks.

“Everything we make must speak chocolate first,” said owner Greg Amorese. “We produce somewhere around 50 different types of truffles and take extreme care with them. For example, with our Mayan spice truffle, we roast our own blend of three types of chilis, or for our port and fig truffle we make a ‘pate fruit’ that’s layered into the truffle.”

But the flavors of its chocolates are matched by their distinct representations of Boulder — there are chocolates that show off the Avery Brewing A and the CU Buffalo, for instance. That’s what earned it a spot on its list.

The post Chocolate Holiday Gifts 101: Three Chefs Make Chocolates that Look as Good as Everything Else Does this Season | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Found on shelves in the smallest bottles, hot sauce packs one of the biggest flavors you’ll find in any condiment on your table. If it’s used, it’s going to be noticed. Hot sauce has become a huge part of how we eat and a part of some people’s identity as food lovers. But there’s a lighter and local side to this condiment.

Stunt Food

Sure, people are combining hot sauce with just about anything, but does it really taste okay when it’s front and center in ice cream? Maybe. The NYC Hot Sauce Expo in 2018 featured what they called the world’s spiciest ice cream. Event organizers advertised that it was so hot people would need to sign a death waiver. That’s not the only example. If you want to make it in your kitchen, Frank’s Red Hot publishes a recipe for it.

If you really want to go high-end there’s also hot sauce caviar. It’s not actually roe, it’s caviar-like balls of hot sauce made through spherification: encapsulating a liquid in a thin membrane that mimics the exciting pop a diner gets from caviar.

With this much love for hot sauce, home cooks are trying to keep it center stage on one of the biggest eating days of the year: Thanksgiving. A Google search shows multiple ways to make a hot sauce basted turkey.

Spicy On the Small Screen

With a huge fan base of hot sauce nerds, there are plenty of options to watch media on their favorite condiment. TV Chefs Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking travel the U.S. in search of spice for their show Heat Seekers. A quick YouTube search can unearth videos of hot sauce competitions, which are fun to watch, including a celebrity-focused show called Hot Ones.

On Netflix, there’s also a fascinating documentary about Sriracha hot sauce and how it started as a small bottling company and food business but rose to become nothing short of a cult classic, with t-shirts sold at Target and legal troubles as the scent of production overwhelms those near its factories.

Keeping It Local

While your favorite hot sauce may be from a salt island in Louisiana (Tabasco) or California (Sriracha) you can find great locally made options here. Tortugas Fish House in Longmont packages a great version. Boulder Hot Sauce Company grows 32 varieties of peppers on their farm in northeast Boulder and bottles sauce like their Harry’s Habanero, and Smoky Serrano sauces.

Looking for other local options? Seed Ranch Flavor Company makes and sells hot sauce, and their Hot Thai green chili sauce was featured on Hot Ones. Ska Brewstillery also produces one using one of their best selling beers, their Ska Mexican Logger Jalapeño hot sauce.

Make It At Home

If you want to try to make a hot sauce in your kitchen, it’s worth the effort. I took on the small-scale project with my 12-year-old son using dried chilis I got from a member of my community garden and guidance from an online site called Chili Pepper Madness.

A couple of things stood out in the process. For starters, I dehydrated the chilis in a pan, and when it was done, I used my pinky to taste some of the water residues. It was incredibly spicy. Then, I blended it with garlic and onion in my food processor and it was even more powerful making it hard to breathe nearby. I can see how the Sriracha factory had a problem with its neighbors.

Lastly, while this is the first time we made hot sauce, it’s not the last. We liked doing it and I’ll keep experimenting, tracking our ingredients, and coming up with something – maybe a few variations – that we love.

A Burning Respect for Hot Sauce

Sure we’ve all enjoyed hot sauce in one form or another. But if you really want to get to know it, it’s worth it to take the time to taste how the flavors can be used in a variety of recipes, enjoy shows about it on the small screen, find local sauce sellers, and even try your hand at making it at home.

Doing so is not only fun, it will give you a new respect for a beloved condiment.

The post Getting hot as the weather cools: Learn more about everyone’s favorite spicy condiment | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It’s a sweetener but certain kinds can also be used as an antiseptic. It has been harvested and used in food for thousands of years and one of its earliest edible applications is rumored to be the first creation of alcohol. It’s been used to pay taxes as an offering to the gods, and as ancient Egyptian embalming fluid.

What are we talking about? Honey. And as summer and as honeybee production is at its peak, it’s time to learn more about this golden sweetener.

Colorado Honey Production

According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, there are more than 19 commercial beekeepers with 38,000 hives in our state. Those with less than 150 hives are considered hobby beekeepers. As recently as five or six years ago, more than a million pounds of honey were produced in the state, with an estimated value of more than $2 million. That number has almost certainly declined with threats from land use, pesticide use and other environmental impacts.

Colorado isn’t a top producer of honey nationwide, but many neighboring states are. The largest producers in 2020 were North and South Dakota with 38.6 million and 14.9 million pounds produced respectively. California, Texas, and Montana are also in the top five.

A Not So Sweet Fake Out

Do you think, like many do, that honey in a packet is the same thing that you’d get from a local farmer’s market? Think again.

As with anything else, there’s good honey and then there are fakes. Honey is being diluted with cheaper syrups and, in many cases, its pollen is being reduced too. It’s a trend that reflects a growing market demand for honey in a time when actual honey production is being pressured by declines in honey bee populations.

It’s possible to taste the difference. True honey is nuanced with a flavor range that varies  from brand to brand. It’s slightly spicy, or it’s floral, or it has a soft and even sweetness. The one-note flavor of filler-focused honey is boring by comparison.

To be sure that the honey you’re enjoying is authentic, build a relationship with a local purveyor. There are plenty of them in the region, and you can find them at farmer’s markets. Buy from hives as close as possible to where you live and you’ll get the added benefit of exposure to pollens in your area that reduce the likelihood you’ll get sidelined by allergies.

Honey in Food and Society

As it turns out, the cultivation of honey and its use in kitchens and culture is older than written history. 7,000 year old cave dwellings in Spain show pictures of beekeeping. By 2400 BC there was a record of organized beekeeping in Cairo where it was used in embalming and as religious offerings.

Honey was used by Greeks to brew Ambrosia and then, for centuries, by Northern Europeans, like the Celts and Vikings, to make mead. In the middle ages, German feudal lords were paid taxes in both honey and beeswax.

In Boulder County, honey was big business in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the largest honey producers in Colorado were located here. Local honey production declined about half a century ago.

Famous Beekeepers in History

A lot of people keep bees that you wouldn’t expect.

Maria von Trapp, of The Sound of Music, and novelist Leo Tolstoy were beekeepers, as was the fictional character Sherlock Holmes. Hollywood has its share of beekeepers, too, including Morgan Freeman, the legendary Henry Fonda, and Jennifer Garner.  And, of course, Martha Stewart keeps bees along with everything else she does.

Notable individuals from history participated in honey production, as well, including founding fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom likely kept them as part of their 18th century estates. The Greek physician Hippocrates kept bees and used honey to treat patients. Join in the historical importance today by, if not becoming a beekeeper, planting bee-friendly gardens and supporting local honey producers.

The post It’s Summer: Get Your Honey (Education) On | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

When you’re The Sink in Boulder and you’ve been in business since 1923, special moments happen a lot.

Maybe it’s a meal from your college days, a first date, or the virgin taste of an iconic Sink Burger. Other times it’s an unexpected celebrity drop in, like the visits by Barack Obama, Madeleine Albright, Anthony Bourdain, or Guy Fieri.

One of these connections went beyond any of these. The meeting of Peter and Suzie Gilbert created a 58-year old marriage, three children, and ten grandchildren. Now 81 and 82 years old, the pair met at The Sink in 1959, just four years after Robert Redford mopped floors and changed trash can liners there.

“I was with friends to meet some other girls, but saw her walking past the window,” Peter said. “She had cutoff jeans, a white t-shirt, and a pixie haircut. She was sashaying down the sidewalk.”

He continued, “The window is like ‘that wide’ but one of the girls knew Suzie and knocked on the window to get her attention. She came in and I was overwhelmed. It was quick. It was like all the din in the bar just silenced for me.”

Peter, a descendant of one of the original settlers in Gold Hill, a 20-minute drive west into the mountains beyond Boulder, still lived there but was down in Boulder for the night to hang with friends and to borrow their plumbing for a shower (Gold Hill didn’t have water at the time).

Suzie was here for a summer scholars program at the University. “I happened to be walking home from a study date and the girls inside who saw me, they were my roommates. That’s why they called me in,” Suzie said.

Although they no longer reside in Boulder, Suzie and Peter wanted to go back with their family  to where everything started.That’s how 35 people – including their children, spouses, grandchildren, and Peter’s two sisters – came to the Sink on a July Friday night.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

The meal was part of a larger tour of the family history sites in the area. It was the ultimate family meal.

There was laughter, conversation, and recreations. Peter kept pointing out the exact window the pair met. Eventually, he walked the group there and sat in the booth as Suzie stepped outside the window to recreate that first magic moment.

Amy Carter, the pair’s daughter, talked about how meaningful the meal was. “It’s really something — incredible that we have his siblings with us, too. It’s meant a lot to be able to be here.“

Gwynedd Bailey, The Sink’s Marketing Manager, helped organize the dinner. She said that when a restaurant has been in business for more than 90 years, management hears stories.

One customer, John Lund, described what it was like decades ago. “As engineering students, the only way we knew to find a date on Friday afternoon was to go to The Sink, buy a quart bottle of 3.2 beer and hang around hoping to find a date. Of course, it seldom worked – so we just drank more beer.”

Other customers talked about carving a heart into one of the table tops that they could go back to years later. A former employee had their wedding reception there.

Joyfully intense moments like these are more than just a part of what The Sink gives to Boulder; they demonstrate what food and restaurants can give to a community. They’re more than just a place to enjoy a meal, or a momentary excuse to put the world aside for a good time.

The Sink epitomizes how a restaurant’s value can be both simple and profound. As simple as being a low-ceilinged, community institution beloved for their beer and hamburgers, and as profound as being a place with a booth by a window where a couple can fall in love.

The post Love, True Love: They met at The Sink, then came back. Love wins. | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy, Lifted Entertainment

Boulder ranks third in a list of top ten vegan culinary cities, according to a 2019 ranking by Apartment Guide, and the city has long been known as a hotspot for those living a healthier lifestyle with a plant-based diet. But when a state of the art cooking school opens that is led by a nationally recognized vegan superstar, that takes Boulder’s vegan food cred to the next level.

Last March, Chef Mark Reinfeld opened Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy in the Safeway Shopping Center at 4800 Baseline Road. If you’re lucky enough to speak with him, you notice that he shares his knowledge in a low-key way, but it’s always there. He explains his points simply and then moves on. He’s passionate, but not intense.

We asked about the kinds of food his school will teach about, and Reinfeld offered a lot of options. He started with nut milks that were easier to make than many people think, and moved on to homemade gorgonzola and mozzarella cheeses. Reinfield then described cinnamon rolls with a gooeyness that rivals anything other bakers can do. He finished by listing techniques for working with vegan ingredients for things like tempeh cacciatore or tofu scallopini.

“You can create really satiating, satisfying meals with exclusively plant-based ingredients. It’s easier than many people think,” he said.

As interesting as vegan cuisine can be, vegan-focused restaurants haven’t been as impacted by COVID-19 as many would expect. “During the pandemic, more vegan restaurants have opened than closed,” Reinfeld pointed out, citing data from Happy Cow, an online vegan restaurant resource.

Chef Mark Reinfeld, Lifted Entertainment

Reinfeld has experienced the trend firsthand. He has more than a quarter century of experience in cooking vegan food, after becoming a vegetarian while traveling and working on a kibbutz in Israel. Since then, he’s led the menu for places as elevated as his own restaurant in Kauai, Hawaii called The Blossoming Lotus and The Peninsula Spa in New York. He’s also consulted for Google, Whole Foods, Danone, Bon Appetit Management, and the Humane Society. He’s published eight cookbooks. The first, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, won nine awards and featured a forward by Dr. Jane Goodall.

With everything he’s done, there was little surprise at his 2017 induction into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame.

Now he’s excited to have a school where he can teach what he knows to others. “We have a state of the art facility. We have all of the modern equipment that you would find in a professional kitchen,” he said.

Instructors include Chef April Stamm who has taught at the French Culinary Institute for more than eight years. Students learn techniques they’d find at any culinary school as well as techniques that evolved specifically for plant-based cuisine.

This summer, students can register for home cook classes, which are five day experiences, teach everything from intro overview classes to five day world fusion immersion classes.

In August, the academy will be beginning its higher level, four-month aspiring chef program. “Here’s where we train chefs for a career in the professional, plant-based culinary world. Whether people are looking to open a food truck or go in the restaurant business or become a private chef, we want to mentor students and help them go where they want to in their careers,” Reinfeld said.

Cinnamon Rolls. Photo by Mark Olson; Source: Unsplash.

The more in-depth program includes both classroom time, culinary skills, business insights, integration of food as medicine, and the vegan philosophy. It’s been accredited by the State of Colorado Department of Education’s Private Occupational School Board and students receive a diploma of Vegan Culinary Arts.

The welcome mat is now firmly in place. With accreditations in place, doors open and programs about to start, Reinfeld and his staff are more than ready to capture the enthusiasm of students.

The post Become a Vegan Virtuoso: Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy Opens on Baseline | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

PRESS RELEASE: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Images courtesy of Taste of Vail

The Taste of Vail Returns September 16-18 for 30th Anniversary Celebration: Tickets on Sale Now

Vail, Colo., June 21, 2021—The Taste of Vail, one of the nation’s top food and wine festivals, is announcing new event dates and lineup for its 30th anniversary originally scheduled April 1-4, 2020. The new event will take place September 16-18, 2021 with a modified schedule including several Taste of Vail signature events designed to entice all food and wine lovers.

Over the three-day festival attendees can experience food and wine events hosted in iconic locations throughout Vail including: The American Lamb Cook-Off; Celebration of Rosé; The Grand Tasting, as well as additional events including wine seminars, a guided hike, yoga and fly fishing that will be announced soon.

The Taste of Vail features more than 22 guest chefs, restaurateurs, and sommeliers as well as more than 45 top wineries from around the world. Usually held over five days in the spring, the 2021 event will be a blend of signature spring events and Taste of Vail Fall Wine & Food Classic events over three days. The spring 2022 Taste of Vail will once again be held March 30-April 2, 2022.

“We are thrilled to be bringing back the 30th year of The Taste of Vail,” said Angela Mueller, Taste of Vail executive director. “The Taste of Vail has always been about enjoying great food, wine and celebrating our community and we are looking forward to hosting this amazing event once again.”

Taste of Vail Fall 2021 Signature Events Include:

American Lamb Cook-Off and Tasting 2021, Thursday September 16, 3:00 pm -6:00 pm, Streets of Vail $85.00

Enjoy one of Vail’s favorite events, The American Lamb Cook-Off is the ultimate Après Tasting. Sample an array of lamb dishes, courtesy of the Vail Valley’s finest chefs and the American Lamb Board. In the theme of “Life Beyond Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot”, Taste of Vail’s participating wineries will be showcasing wines of a wide array of varietals that include Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and Zinfandel. This event will happen in rain, snow or shine, so be prepared for any Rocky Mountain weather. This ticket includes both food and wine tastings.

Celebration of Rosé, Friday September 17, 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm, Lodge at Vail  $150.00
Join the Taste of Vail for the crème de la crème of Rosé tastings. This event offers spectacular views accompanied by gourmet food, beer, & wine. So be sure to celebrate the 30th year at the Celebration of Rose. Guided hike will be available beforehand. Additional information coming soon.

Grand Tasting and Auction,Saturday September 18, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Gerald Ford Amphitheater $220.00

Experience Vail’s 30th year of Premier Wine and Food Tasting! The Taste of Vail’s annual decadent and unparalleled wine and culinary spectacle is something not to be missed. This event features all of the Taste of Vail’s wineries and restaurants and will include an Auction later in the evening. This will be a Reserve Tasting so join us at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater to taste the best of the best.

All Taste of Vail event tickets are non-refundable.

About the Taste of Vail Food and Wine Festival

Rated among the top food and wine festivals by Forbes, Travel Channel, and USA Today, Taste of Vail will celebrate Vail’s world class dining scene and participating wineries finest wines, at several different venues throughout North America’s most popular mountain resort from September 16- 18, 2021. The Taste of Vail is one of the nation’s only events that invites dozens of winemakers and owners from all over the world to pour wine and interact with participants. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.tasteofvail.com

The post The Taste of Vail Returns September 16-18 for 30th Anniversary Celebration, Tickets Available  | Press Release appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

PRESS RELEASE: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Screenshots from website, www.baconandbeerclassic.com

THE BACON AND BEER CLASSIC RETURNS IN A NEWLY IMAGINED, SOCIALLY DISTANCED, FORMAT AT THE KENNEDY GOLF COURSE ON MAY 22ND

This Annual Event That Previously Took Place at Mile High Stadium is Taking on a New Structure This Year and Hitting the Green

Denver, CO (April 12, 2021) – Cannonball Productions will bring its highly acclaimed Bacon and Beer Classic back to Denver on Saturday, May 22nd. The Classic, which was known for taking over professional sports stadiums in previous years, will hit the green for the first time, heading to Kennedy Golf Course with no actual golfing involved. The Bacon and Beer Classic offers attendees a unique, all-inclusive experience at a truly epic tasting event.

The newly formatted event will look a bit different than the traditional Classic. In order to maintain social distance, there will be small group time slots every 10 minutes. Everyone will walk from hole to hole in a one-way flow. Each hole will feature a few breweries, different Hormel® Black Label® Bacon strip flavors and a local restaurant serving up a hearty bacon dish. The one-way tasting trail will take approximately 2.5 hours and once guests reach the last hole, they will vote for their favorite brews & dishes as they exit the venue!

From savory to spicy to sweet, ticket holders will experience bacon like never before. Denver restaurants including– Breckenridge Brewery and Flying Pig Burger Co. – will serve up their most original bacon dishes. Past dishes have included New England Style Clam and Bacon Chowder, Korean Pork Belly in Bacon Cups, and Bacon Cinnamon Rolls with Stout Icing. Wash down that tasty grub with samples of over 40 craft beers from local and regional breweries including Odell Brewing Company, Rails End Beer Company, Hogshead Brewery, and Pug Ryan’s Brewery from a commemorative Bacon and Beer Classic ceramic cup.

This Bacon and Beer Classic will offer attendees new activities in addition to old favorites. In between bites and sips, guests will be able to let loose, try out the bacon seesaw and play lawn games. Guests are able to socially distance in small groups and spread out across each the fairways, while experiencing a one-of-a-kind, immersive experience.

Safety is a primary focus of this event. Here are some of the precautions attendees can expect:

• Vendors and staff will be wearing masks and protective gloves with regular hand-washing. The public is also encouraged to wash hands frequently, use hand sanitizer, and wear a face mask while not sampling.

• Attendees within different time slots must maintain at least six feet of space between each other, and vendors will also be spaced out accordingly to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

As always, tickets are all-inclusive, which means guests can sample bacon and beer throughout the tasting trail without ever taking out their wallets. Choose from two ticket types: General Admission or VIP. General Admission tickets begin at $49 and span to $69 for VIP.  All attendees will indulge in 8 gourmet bacon dishes, 2 sweet treats, a Hormel® Black Label® Bacon Egg Bite or Breakfast Combo kit, 8+ bacon strip flavors spread out throughout the course, and 40+ craft beers and ciders. VIP ticket holders will get to choose from premier time slots (11am – 12:30pm) and receive everything included in GA, plus a pork belly tasting, specialty cocktail, and a coupon for a package of Hormel® Black Label® Bacon. All tickets include a commemorative tasting glass that you’ll never want to toss. Tickets for this event will drop on Thursday, April 15th at 10am Mountain Time at www.baconandbeerclassic.com

Facebook: facebook.com/bandbclassic

Instagram and Twitter:?@bandbclassic?/Hashtag:?#bandbclassic

About Cannonball Productions:

Cannonball Productions is a New York City-based company led by Kate Levenstien, which is known for producing perennially popular stadium-sized culinary events like the Bacon and Beer Classic. The Classic has become one of the most popular food and drink fests in the country, consistently selling out in over 10 cities including New York, Chicago, Seattle, Santa Clara, Denver and Minneapolis. Cannonball Productions is also the force behind Taco Takeover, which pairs refreshing tequila cocktails with original Mexican dishes from each city’s best local chefs and now the first nationwide hard seltzer festival, Seltzerland. http://www.cannonballproductions.com/ 

The post Bacon and Beer Classic Returns at the Kennedy Golf Course on Sat. May 22 | Press Release appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Rio Grande Boulder, circa 2019, 100% Capacity. Image via Rio Grande.

Hear ye, Hear ye, came the proclamation from on high. The king – I mean governor – of our fair state has concluded his process of random regulations and unclear enforcement, canceling the holy grail – sorry, I meant dial, of COVID levels, leaving the plague plebeians to fend for themselves. Or, in Boulder County’s case, for localized enforcement. Things are opening up, alongside new outbreaks and surges, and it’s warm out so… who wants to get a burger and chill?

Per Boulder County Health:

“Boulder County businesses can now operate at Level Blue capacities, which allows indoor seated events and all outdoor events to operate with 6-feet of distancing between people of different households. Indoor unseated events are capped at 50% capacity up to 175 people. Restaurants and gyms may now operate with six feet of distancing between parties up to 100% capacity. Bars can open at 25% capacity and last call is at 2 a.m. The Public Health Order permits the 5-Star Program in Boulder County to continue while in any capacity-restricted level.” (emphasis added). Boulder County Health News Release, April 16, 2021

True story, even though it sounds like hearsay: a friend of mine posted on Facebook asking who was planning to eat at a restaurant at 100 percent capacity. “No,” came the reply, followed quickly by a series of “not yet,” “are they crazy,” and other bewildered replies. It’s hard to blame them.

Boulder County itself has seen two cases of the vaccine resistant variant form of COVID, and reports of fully vaccinated individuals testing positive for COVID are not exactly unheard of. To wit, on April 20th – while half of my friend’s list was stoned and ordering in and the other half were applauding the Chauvin conviction, the Governor’s office sent out a “Governor’s Update on Colorado’s COVID-19 Response” that included this juicy and terrifying tidbit:

“In Colorado we’re seeing a 93-95% reduction in reported positive cases of COVID-19 among vaccinated people compared to non-vaccinated… As we have said many times before, COVID-19 vaccines do not provide 100% protection, and the vast majority of other vaccines do not either, meaning there is still the potential for breakthrough cases, which are people who test positive for COVID-19 after receiving one dose or are fully immunized. Dr. Rachel Herlihy stated that here in Colorado, only 819 fully vaccinated people have been infected out of over 106,965 total cases from the end of January through April 19th. That’s only 0.77% of total new cases over the last three months.”

But it’s cool, friends. Don’t worry. Trust the people in the next booth to not be infected. And look, this isn’t to fear-monger at all, but facts are facts: COVID isn’t over. There is also a lot of progress, I should be clear, especially here in a science-literate county like BOCO. That same BOCO Health News Release I started with points out that,

“Over 56% of the population of eligible Boulder County residents (16+) have received at least one course of the COVID-9 vaccine. Most older adults are vaccinated, and 92% of the population over 70 years old has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 87% have received a full course. 80% of people 60-69 years old have received at least a partial course, and over 62% of 50-59 years old have received at least a partial course. Overall, cases are decreasing in the county.”

I really can’t wait to get back to burgers and beers with my friends, but honestly, I’m still favoring take out and survival. Remember that, even with the full efficacy of your double dose of vaccine, hovering around 95 percent, you can still catch and pass it to someone who didn’t  – or couldn’t – get the vaccine.

The post Full Capacity: the Yes, No, and Maybe’s About It. | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Kundali Kombucha is Killing It!

If millennials love one thing, they love kombucha, and one of the area’s most dedicated kombucha brewers is Kundali Kombucha. They are focused on brewing the utmost high quality kombucha with only the best ingredients.

A “Kundali” is a birth chart drawn up when a child is born to predict their life path and Kundali Kombucha was founded under the belief that each individual has innate potential within just waiting to be realized.

Ben N. LeVine is a well known herbalist who is quoted on Kundali’s website saying that Kundali Kombucha is “a balanced, not too sweet, not too acidic, kombucha. My favorite things: That you can actually taste the herbs.”

Kundali Kombucha’s authentic flavors provide a sense of enlightenment and well being from the inside out. Flagship flavors include varieties Harmonize, Awaken, and Transmute. The Harmonize contains a refreshing citrus flavor paired with an herbal body, and cereal grain. The Awaken plays with tastes of hibiscus, mint, and a slight bitter taste. Transmute is a digestion based recipe featuring a delicious rose and grapefruit flavors.

Kundali Kombucha also offers a couple options in their Artisinals and seasonal flavors, the blackberry ginger lemonade and the blood orange blueberry sage. The blackberry ginger lemonade gives off hints of fresh lemon, green tea blend, blackberries, and ginger. The blood orange blueberry sage features green tea blend, blood orange juice, blueberries, and sage.

No matter the flavor you choose, you won’t go wrong.

Boss Lady Pizza Has the Options

Boss Lady Pizza is a local female-owned pizza joint with a marvelously unique menu. The quirky restaurant has two locations: one in Superior and the other in Boulder.

Owner and menu curator Whitney Hart is clearly the boss behind Boss Lady. She created the concept after a series of realizations about the restaurant workforce and its lack of women’s presence.

After graduating from college, Whitney was working 40+ hours a week in a pizza shop and she absolutely fell in love with the fast-paced and messy nights in the kitchen. At age 26 Whitney opened the doors to her very own pizza shop dubbing it Boss Lady Pizza.

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill pizza place. Boss Lady Pizza has an incomparably unique menu.

Feast on one of Boss Lady Pizza’s red pies like the Spicy Chicken Taco Pie featuring spicy chicken, jalapeno, red onion, tomato, and sour cream. Give the Tropical Sausage Pizza Pie a try with sausage, pineapple, asiago, and bacon. Another great choice is the Ron Swanson, decked out with sausage, ham, pepperoni, seasoned ground beef, and bacon.

Not much of a red sauce fan? Not a problem! Boss Lady Pizza also has a large selection of white pies! For starters, you have a choice between the bad mother clucker with spicy breaded chicken, jalapeno, and ranch. You could also catch a taste of the Mattyterranean with garlic and olive oil, spinach, tomato, feta cheese, mozzarella.

If you’re still looking for options, give the Philly a try. It’s topped with shredded mozzarella, ground beef, green onions, and green peppers. Lastly, we recommend the Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese pizza with macaroni noodles, breaded chicken, cheddar, franks hot sauce, and parsley.

There are so many more pies that weren’t mentioned, make sure to go on down to the Boss Lady Pizza shop and give them a try.

The post Kundali Kombucha & Boss Lady Pizza | #YSFoodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The good folks at Bittersweet Cafe are back at it again folks. The little Louisville treasure has morphed into an 80’s-themed skier’s paradise. The APRESKE (Après Ski) Pop-Up Cocktail Bar is a 90 minute cocktail experience set in a 80’s Swiss ski lodge, if you will. Imagine chowing down on some good ol’ ski lodge food while washing it down with an epic custom cocktail in your best outrageous 80’s attire.

APRESKE is everything blinding neon, 80’s rock, and winter slopes. Enjoy 90 minutes of tasty craft cocktails and gnarly ski lodge grub. The venue is adorned in kitschy holiday decor providing a sense of nostalgia for the grown folk and a hot tub time machine trip for the younger folks.

The unusual drinking destination provides an array of unique cocktails to get you warmed up this Colorado winter. Some of the signature cocktails include the “Sex on the Snow” featuring a lavender and butterfly pea flower-infused gin, lemon, prosecco, VSOP cognac, and garnished with a candied lemon peel. Or get your taste buds on the “Double Black Diamond”, which features a charcoal-infused mezcal and solera rum. The drink processes a grey hued ice cube paired with a blackberry preserve that really plays on both the sweet and smoky tones of the pallet.

Dive right into the “Shred The Gnar” cocktail. It features a combination of Oak aged Nova Fogo Cachaca, Hell-Fire Bitters, Kaffir Leaf-infused Shoshu, and lime juice, topped with a tasty candied ginger garnish. We also recommend the “Fresh Pow” cocktail. This refreshing tropical drink is made up of Shipwreck coconut rum, silver tequila, key lime juice, agave syrup, triple sec, and a sugar coconut rim.

Not much of a drinker? Not a problem!

APRESKE has mocktails for your sipping pleasure. Some of the mocktails include concoctions like the “Ski School” which is a mixture of lemon juice, cinnamon, clove, honey, and ginger. There is also the “Like a Virgin”, which is a combination of berry puree, sour mix, and cranberry juice and “fishnet glove” fashion a la Madonna.

Once you’ve gotten your buzz on chow down on one of the many culinary creations listed on the APRESKE menu. The vegan veggie chili is a sure fire way to warm yourself up during the chilliest February evenings. Pair your pippin’ hot chili with some house-made carnitas for the perfect Dy-no-mite! duo. The giant charcuterie stuffed pretzel is an impressive foot across and is chop full of meat, cheese, spiced nuts, and fresh fruit. No matter what you choose, you definitely can’t lose.

No matter what you are munching or sipping on you are sure to leave with a warm body, a full stomach, and an enjoyable buzz. Want to experience the APRESKE Pop-Up bar for yourself? Make sure to visit the Switch Pop-Up website to book your reservation. The venue provides either greenhouse seating, outdoor seating, indoor seating, and VIP suites. Exploring downtown and want to stop by this Bittersweet Cafe special? The APRESKE bar allows walk-in guests too! Make sure to visit this step back in time before it’s too late, this is a switch pop-up bar after all.

Though Louisville is a trek from the mountain tops, the APRESKE Pop-Up bar is sure to bring you the ultimate Colorado mountain experience. With support from Ferrari Champagne and an official 80’s USA Ski Team car parked outside, you’ll be hitting the memories hard as you toss another quarter in the Ms. Pac-Man on loan from Tilt Arcade and tossing back another lovely libation.

The post APRESKE 80’s Pop-Up Bar Snowing in Louisville appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

PRESS RELEASE: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we are now publishing some press releases in whole. Disclaimer: This event is organized and hosted by Yellow Scene’s editor, De La Vaca. It is not a part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s events and/or operations. 

Graphics by De La Vaca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Los Matos Community Defense Council Contact
Founder: De La Vision
delavaca.co@gmail.com
714-274-3348

Everyone Deserves Tacos 4: Boulder
EDT event comes to BOCO, a rotating taco party for the Homeless Feb. 28th

Everyone Deserves Tacos 4 is coming to Boulder, Colorado, on February 28th from 1 pm – 4 pm. This rotating taco party for the homeless is the brainchild of De La Vaca, as part of his efforts to collectively give back to our local communities and support our unhoused neighbors. Anything you can do to help get the event word out or secure donations for this one of a kind event would be greatly appreciated.

A little about De La: DLV was born homeless. Throughout his life he’s been homeless several times, including a 9 month stretch living in the mountains above Los Angeles, completely unaware that he was homeless. His father drove down the mountain daily to work until the family saved enough money to secure housing. We transitioned into homeless trailers that were located directly *behind* the housing projects which, decades earlier, had birthed the Mexican Mafia: Hazard Projects, or Ramona Gardens Housing Projects. He recalls summers with the Fred Jordan Mission on Skid Row in downtown LA and the dozens of homeless people who stayed in his room over the years, as his family tried to help. That help continues.

Los Matos is a  group of concerned local citizens who want to keep our communities safe and do the real work in our communities. Direct action matters. Our signature project is EDT – Everyone Deserves Tacos, a rotation taco party for the homeless, complete with locally bought carne and tortillas, chips and salsa, toppings, water and hot cocoa, live music, and the distribution of whatever clothing and life supplies we gather. We work with Ayay Ziyadeh for sanitary kits, Eve Pizzamiglio of Civic Matters for blankets and socks, Lucas Garcia (formerly of Compassionate Colorado) for water and hot cocoa, Matthew Bullard II of CO Lift Hemp Company for supplies and cooking, and other committed community members.

The Boulder event will be hosted at the Boulder Bandshell from 1 pm – 4 pm. Donations we can accept, to help keep costs down, include:

Taco boats or paper plates, Heavy duty paper towels, and Plastic hot cups (for cocoa)
Water bottles and Oversized water coolers (cold water & hot water heaters)
Cleaning supplies (env. friendly cleaner, hand sanitizer, biodegradable wet wipes, trash bags)+
Hand washing station
Taco meat (sourced from a local community carniceria) & Salsa (homemade is best!)
Gently used weather appropriate clothing and, of course, monetary donations:

PayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8vUwVFlHYj,
Venmo: https://venmo.com/delavacalovesyou, or
CashApp: $delavaca.

To follow the event on Facebook, RSVP, or show love, follow this event link: https://fb.me/e/3L0EM4gMU.

Our chef, Matthew Bullard II (center) with his partner, Coleen Caraway, and founder De La Vaca.

Volunteers pass out plates of tacos

The original, founding event. EDT1, in Civic Center Park.

Our cooks, Matthew Bullard II (right) and Nick Anthony.

De La Vaca (in green) and volunteers. EDT1.

The post Everyone Deserves Tacos comes to BOCO, a rotating taco party for the Homeless Feb. 28th | Press Release appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We can all agree 2020 has taken quite a bit from everyone this year; our jobs, our concerts, and our peace of mind. Big Red F Restaurant Group is giving back by launching The Lasagna Project in order to help bridge the gap for the food-insecure in our community. Big Red F Restaurant Group joined forces with BRFeeds Our Community to make the project happen.

All guests that order, not only from The Lasagna Project but also from every single one of the Big Red R restaurants, have the option to make a donation. All of the donation proceeds are then allocated to prepare trays of food for people in need in our community. The project is well on it’s way to partnering with a variety of non-profit organizations along the Front Range in order to expand their helping hand to a multitude of people in need. Lasagna isn’t the only thing this innovative food project provides.

You can donate in $10, $20, and $35 amounts, with the proceeds going to feeding a family. You order yours and, if you “know someone who is at-risk, more restricted, or could just use a little something special… Grab an extra kit for them and make their day.” We know it’d make our day.

Screenshot, The Lasagna Project

The Lasagna Project allows you to order baskets of food that come with bread, a salad, a red checkered table cloth, a list of movie recommendations from a Hollywood screenwriter (and DQ’s son) Harrison Query, a Spotify playlist, and even the option to add on a bottle of wine from Denver’s very own Attimo Wine. The wine list and add-on options are extensive. Each guest can preorder by Wednesday for Friday pick up at Jax Fish House or opt for delivery through WeDeliver – a restaurant delivery service – each week!

As if that wasn’t enough, Big Red F has partnered up with Friends In Weed to provide meals that heal to people in need. Friends in Weed began a similar program to raise funds that will go directly to the restaurant industry. The funds raised during the partnership will go towards supporting BRFeeds Our Community and to providing meals for low income individuals impacted by the pandemic.

The Lasagna Project will continue to provide aid to people in need indefinitely with no end in sight. So if you or someone you know is in need, don’t fret; 2020 has brought nothing but hard times our way. There is no shame in the struggle especially in the middle of a global pandemic. Visit the Big Red F Restaurant Group website for more information. Don’t go hungry this holiday season: eat up, donate, and spread the word.

We should note that this is available at all Jax locations, both in Colorado and further out. That’s a lot of do-gooding and we salute the good folks at BigRedF for making it happen. Happy Holidays.

The post The Lasagna Project | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Winter is here and along with it Louisville’s Christmas cheer. November 20th marked the grand opening of the recently transformed, socially distant winter wonderland meant for all ages to safely enjoy. The Louisville treasure will be located in the alley behind The Bittersweet Café, who are hosting this newest holiday phenom. Miracle on Main Street provides the ultimate Christmas pop-up bar experience.

Enjoy the covered outdoor spaces featuring heating for your comfort in the Miracle on Main Street Winter Village. Experience each of the themed greenhouses for what they have to offer. Munch on some sweets and sip on some drinks in the Gingerbread house within the comfort of your own private seating space. Hang out with the Rowdy Reindeer, experience a Hogwarts winter at the Candy Caner Lounge, relax with the family in the Candy Cane House, or enjoy the luxury of the Sparkle Suite.

Looking to leave the kiddos at home? Don’t worry, Miracle On Main Street is the perfect drinking destination for all those looking to make Santa’s naughty list. The drink menu features holiday drink hits like Jingle Bells Nog, Christmas Carol Barrel, and the Chrismapolitan. Snack on either of the festive boards while sipping on your Christmas cocktails. Each guest has the choice between a Seat Treats board containing an array of dried fruit, candied pretzels, spiced nuts, jam, blueberry cheese or more. Or feast on the Savory Bites  Board featuring an assortment of meats, cheese, fresh fruit, and gardaniere, all just for a whopping 25 dollars.

Trying to plan a holiday outing with the family? Check out the Miracle On Main Street’s Calendar located on their website, miraclecocktails.com. Join in on the 5th annual gingerbread house decorating party on the Miracle On Mainstreet grounds. Each family has the opportunity to book a reservation to provide a safe clean space to decorate gingerbread houses with icing and candy all while enjoying the food and drinks directly from the Bittersweet Café.

Concerned for your family’s Covid safety? Don’t fret: the Miracle On Mainstreet staff worked out all the kinks to ensure both you and your loved one’s safety this holiday season.  The venue has limited hours, the private greenhouses must be booked by reservation only, and the venue screens each guest before their entry. The screening process includes a contactless thermometer temperature reading, required use of provided hand sanitizer, and staggered arrival and departure times to help prevent unnecessary contact. The venue also provides a voice activated photo booth, scannable menus, and contract trace capable apps provided while you are booking your reservations.

Each private greenhouse is sanitized after each guest’s departure as well as aired out before the next guests arrival. There is also a limit of 4 to 6 guests per private greenhouse for the attendee’s safety.

No matter the occasion or who you chose to enjoy it with, Miracle On Main Street has a little something for everyone this holiday season.

Enjoy the sites, snacks and sips that Miracle on Main Street has to offer. 

The post Foodie: Miracle on Main Street appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Avanti Food & Beverage opened the doors to their Boulder location on October 3rd! If you haven’t heard of them yet, Avanti Food & Beverages original location is in Denver. The hit eatery opened their doors on Pearl Street earlier this month. The unusual restaurant isn’t what you’d typically expect, the building is made up of multiple miniature kitchens that provide housing for a variety of restaurants. The Avanti building features a modern interior, minimalist furniture, and themed booths for each concept restaurant. The Avanti building also features a gorgeous rooftop bar (and one more excellent eatery) adorned with eclectic patterned upholstery and a breathtaking view of the city of Boulder and the Flatirons.

City Hopping Bites

The Boulder location’s food hall features six mini-eateries, one of which has made their way from Avanti’s Denver location for a second appearance. The first restaurant city hopping concept is Quiero Arepas, a gluten free Venezuelan restaurant. The arepa is made up of cornmeal, water, and salt, and is a staple of Venezuelan cuisine. The Quiero Arepas menu is contrived of recipes brought to the US from Venezuela; giving Colorado a taste of Chef Igor Panasewicz’s childhood in every bite.

Fresh Eats

Rye Society, a neighborhood Jewish deli that has pulled from traditional Jewish gourmet cuisine with a modern contemporary twist. Get a taste of New York with Rye Society’s Jewish comfort food menu featuring a line up of breads, sandwiches, pastries, and fresh cut meat!

Boychik is a modern Middle Eastern influenced restaurant that has found a home with Avanti. Chase Devitt teamed up with his childhood companion, Charles Troup, to create Boychik. Charles Troup explains, “Our menu is made up of the traditional things we love from our travels and childhoods, but with our modern twist, we are trying to bring them all to you.”

Pig and Tiger is a modern Taiwanese restaurant co-owned by Darren Chang and Travis Masar. The atypical name originated from each of their Chinese zodiac signs; Chang was born in the year of the pig and Masar was born in the year of the tiger. Pig and Tiger is a perfect representation of each of the chef’s culinary experiences, whether through training or memories of cooking as a child.

Rooted Craft Kitchen, an American eatery that takes pride in both their farm to table ingredients and their chef’s Colorado roots. Nicholas Kayser has created a restaurant based on “the concept of slow food being cooked fast.” This farm to table concept pulls from Colorado’s farmers markets to create a “Market Menu” that changes in stride with Colorado’s seasons. While the “Craft Menu” is orchestrated by classic American favorites.

New Yorkese  is a good ol’ fashioned pizzeria located on Avanti’s rooftop. We’re in love with the idea of a slice and a skyline. This New York inspired pizzeria was started up by Steven Redzikowski,serving blistered crusted pie with the “chew” of a Neapolitan pizza. Grab a slice and a drink and take in the beautiful roof top view.

No matter what you’re craving Avanti Food & Beverage has something for you. Check out the latest menu changes on their website and take advantage of the open air patios before Winter sets in.

Pig & Tiger

New Yorkese

Quieros Arepas

Rooted Craft Kitchen

Rye Society

Boychik

The post Avanti Food & Beverage Opens their Boulder Location appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we are now publishing some press releases in whole. 

MEDIA ALERT

Flatirons Food Film Festival Announces “What You Eat Matters” on November 14th, Its Last Event Before Jan.28 – Nov. 5 Festival

CONTACT:

ROOT Marketing & PR

Kuvy Ax kuvy@rootmarketingpr.com 720.329.7327

Emily Tracy emily@rootmarketingpr.com 919.449.4803

WHO: The Flatirons Food Film Festival.

WHAT: The Flatirons Food Film Festiva l (FFFF) has announced details for What You Eat Matters, an online health and nutrition series, offering dinner pairings from local restaurants, feature films, and speakers like Ann Cooper, Director of Food Services for Boulder Valley School District ; Kayla Birdsong, Executive Director of The GrowHaus; and Dr. Kristine Madsen of the UC-Berkeley School of Public Health and the Berkeley Food Institute.

What You Eat Matters online health and nutrition series will take place on Saturday, Nov. 14. Its two programs offer streaming films, Sugar Coated and the community version of In Defense of Food. Each will also include small group conversations and a panel discussion and Q&As through Zoom. As part of their virtual Festival experience, viewers can purchase healthy dinners from recommended restaurants to eat while watching In Defense of Food from the comfort of home.

2:30 p.m.: Viewers can watch Sugar Coated, a documentary about the health effects of sugar, the sugar industry’s cover-up of them for four decades, and what we can do to consume less sugar. Speakers include Martha Carlin of The BioCollective, Dr. Kristine Madsen of the School of Public Health at UC-Berkeley and the Berkeley Food Institute, and Tessa Hale and Christina Edstrom from Boulder County Public Health.

6:30 p.m.: Viewers can watch the community version of In Defense of Food with best-selling author Michael Pollan, who will deliver a taped introduction to the film. It chronicles Pollan’s journey to find out what we should eat to be healthy. He talks with medical professionals, conducts cross-cultural studies, and tours programs where youths learn how to cook with farm fresh ingredients. Speakers include Ann Cooper, Director of Food Services for Boulder Valley School District, and Kayla Birdsong, Executive Director of GrowHaus.

Fresh Thymes Eatery and Scratch Kitchen in Boulder, Colo. Morning Glory Cafe in Lafayette, Colo. and Somebody People in Denver will offer pre-ordered healthy food dinners paired with In Defense of Food.

Details:

• 2:30-5:15pm: Sugar Coated program

• 5:15-6:30pm: Break

• 6:30-9:15pm: In Defense of Food program

• Speakers for post-film small group conversations and panel discussion and Q&A via Zoom

• A $10 viewing fee per film, $16 when purchased together

• Tickets: https://watch.eventive.org/flatironsfoodfilm

After each ticket sale, the virtual festival ticketing and viewing system will send a confirmation message with a link to the movie and a Zoom link for the live presentation. It will also send a reminder before the events. Those who can’t join the live presentation can still access the film and recorded post-film panel discussion and Q&A until midnight on Sunday, Nov. 22.

Check the Festival Facebook page for the latest information on “What You Eat Matters” events.

This series was made possible by a grant from the Lafayette Arts Commission of the City of Lafayette, Colo.

Some details regarding the 8th Annual Flatirons Food Film Festival, kicking off Jan. 28, have been released. With its 10 feature films and three short film programs, the festival will virtually travel around the world and in time. It touches down in the Peruvian Amazon to spend time with cacao farmers; Chiapas, Mexico to learn about a Mayan coffee grower collective’s big plans,=; a house visit with Louis XIV and the master chef who prepares his food; and in San Francisco to follow Memphis Meats and its effort to create a viable business growing meat from cells.

# # #

Photos are available here.

About Flatirons Food Film Festival

The Flatirons Food Film Festival is a multi-day feast celebrating exceptional culinary cinema from various nations. It screens a diverse representation of films in format, both dramatic and documentary, and subject matter, from political issues to the pleasure of cooking, eating, and drinking. Expert speakers and related events accompany the films. The 8th Festival is scheduled for Jan. 28-Feb. 5, 2021. For more information, please visit www.flatironsfoodfilmfest.org , Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For interviews with Julia Joun, Director of the Flatirons Food Film Festival, contact Kuvy Ax at ROOT Marketing & PR: kuvy@rootmarketingpr.com or 720.329.7327.

The post Flatirons Food Film Festival Announces “What You Eat Matters” | Press Release appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.