Brown Dog Farm - Golden, CO - Raw beet salad

I have had a couple of busy weeks and there are many topics for the blog so keep tune.
Yesterday, I went back to the market, which I hadn't had a chance to do in a few weeks, and had some great finds.

My favorite was a small vegetable booth from a farm in Golden, Brown Dog Farm. It is sometimes obvious when perusing the market that some of the produce isn't Colorado grown or aren't all that fresh. Reason why I was so impressed with this small booth. The produce looked fresh, vibrant and nicely displayed in clean baskets; plus the couple of young vendors were friendly and helpful.

I fell in love with the mesclun greens, arugula, the squashes, radishes and beets...yes, beets! You should know that I too used to dislike beets very much, but I have been to beet rehab and have learned to love them, I wish I could say the same about green beans!

BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL

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I am very excited about this festival. I have the feeling this is my chance since I moved to the States to reconnect with my roots. Because I am, what it is called now, Afro Colombian. My dearest friends in Colombia called me Negrita, which means “Little Black”, that was my nickname and it made me happy. Like me, there are Afro descendants everywhere and their culture is palpable even when it doesn't seem obvious. Music, sense of style and food, when influenced by Afro predominance is very particular, full of colors, flavors, fun. It is a poesy dedicated to life. It is the perfect combination between melancholy and happiness. It is tragic and passion story that a grandma tells you before going to bed. All those are the reasons I can’t wait to enjoy the Colorado Black Arts Festival. This is the 27th Annual festival and those 3 days will feature the best of Black music, dance, painting, performers, visual arts, photography, theater and film.

Larimer Square - TAG of the day

Larimer Square is home to many great restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops and other establishments; if you are from out of town it can get difficult to chose where to stop for a bite to eat. In another post we visited Rioja, a great Spanish inspired restaurant and today we will take a quick tour into Tag restaurant.

Tag and Tag Raw Bar are the two concepts created by chef Troy Guard. Tag features Asian inspired cuisine and that sounded pretty good on a warm Denver afternoon.
The restaurant is hip and trendy, with a modern layout and design, "hipster" bartenders or Mixologist that can concoct fancy drinks, beware in a busy night it can take a while to get one of those to your hands, therefore we forgo the cocktail and go for our beloved Rose wine.




 Drink on hand let's get to the food. The amuse-bouche changes and it is often pretty good, in this case it was a morsel of Smoked Salmon with some delicious cream and dill. Then the decision making begins, since the menu is full of interesting choices one has to do the best to keep oneself from ordering them all.

The appetizers are all great, but I do have a soft spot for dumplings and that was our first course. If you are not a big appetizer lover you can jump to the salads which offer good variety and straightforward flavors.

 Always ask your waiter/waitress for the special of the evening as you can encounter some pretty exciting dishes like the Prosciutto wrapped Monk Fish served along side homemade veggie ravioli and my ultimate favorite spring peas, rich and delicate with a sense of adventure. I am sometimes less adventurous and still love a good chicken dish in this case with a fragrant rice pilaf, veggies and a delicate sauce to tight the entire dish together.

The service is fast and friendly, it is Denver after all and most everyone id friendly so if you are an angry New Yorker you must learn to embrace it. The little patio is a great way to see life pass you by.

Larimer Square has a lot to offer whether you live in Denver or are visiting. Keep checking the blog for more reviews in restaurants, boutiques, and night life info.
 How to get to Larimer Square:
Larimer street in located in the heart of downtown and you can take the E or F light rail lines to either Union Station (E line) or the Convention Center (F line), from Union Station hop on the mall ride bus and get off at the Larimer stop, from the convention center is a quick 3 block walk north and there are other attractions along the way like the Denver Performing Arts and other restaurants and hotels.

By Paula Thomas

From Farm to Table a concept that comes to Fruition

Denver's food scene is in a rapid growth with many new restaurants hitting the market every week. In the midst of a crazy race to try to keep up with it I suggest to stop and look at places that have been in the area for a few years and this week we did just that.

Fruition restaurant, located on 1313 E. 6th avenue, has been a local favorite and with good reason. Chef/Owner Alex Seidel takes pride in the ingredients and techniques used in his kitchen. A few years back he decided to venture into farming and purchased a 10-acre farm south of Denver and Fruition Farm and Creamy was born. The restaurant and farm relationship makes eating at Fruition the window into the world of the chef turned farmer and his vision.

Rioja, A taste of Spain without leaving Denver

 A beautiful, sunny Denver afternoon with a breezy whisper of the summer ahead, a glass of Rose, lovely company and a Spanish inspired dinner.
Sitting outside on Rioja's petit patio in Larimer square can surely make you forget the stress of the day. Framed with flower baskets and the ambiance of this "happening" street, the six table patio embraces a laissez-faire attitude. The food is always outstanding and the service is quite remarkable.

The lunch menu is a smart combination of full entrees and sandwich/salad combos that won't leave you wishing you had order something else. My favorites are Gabe's chronic chicken sandwich ($12.5) and the Colorado Lamb burger ($10.5) both served with a big, perfectly seasoned salad. A great way to enjoy the food and ambiance and don't break the bank.


Dinner is also great, last week we went for a date night before a jazz show at Dazzle.

The appetizer got devoured before I had a chance to snap a picture because who can resist tender, fatty Pork belly on a bed of Madras curry Garbanzo puree. The "Fresh bacon", as you will find it in the menu, will blow your socks off! Our waiter told us of a customer who gets it every time as an appetizer and then a second one after dessert!

PRIDE PARADE 2013

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I am not sure about you but in my opinion no one knows how to throw a party better than my gay, transgender and bisexual friends. They just know exactly what people expect in a party, from the beginning to the end. The best music to dance, the food is usually impeccable, the champagne does not ever run out and the host or hostess are not afraid to use their best finery to impress their audience. 

If you have never been in a celebration of love, equality, and heritage where the community gets together to simply have FUN, the Denver PrideFest 2013 is your opportunity to catch up with the fun you have missed out on. 

Le Sandwich

Growing up in a very Colombian family it was unheard to eat a sandwich as a real meal, in fact sandwiches were reserved for a lazy evening when we didn't want to cook and were not really hungry. We, Colombians, love to eat big meals, especially breakfast and lunch and having an unfortunate looking meat "sandwiched" between some white bread just doesn't cut it, and don't get me started with the famous peanut butter and jelly...

Reason why, even with all the years I have lived in the States, I still can't manage to see my main meal be a sad looking sandwich. If I am making one, I over-think everything from what bread, the cheese, veggies well seasoned, herbs and the meat, only to be scavenging the fridge a couple of hours later.

I was extremely happy to find Vert Kitchen a small, super cute eatery located on west Washington park area.

WATER FOR THE WORLD

I know the average human body is around 50% to 65% water. I know life as it is wouldn’t exist without water. Moreover, I know billions, yes, billions of people have no access to water or get contaminated water, some have to walk miles under the sun to get the vital liquid or have to pay ridiculous amounts of money to be able to drink potable water, and when I take showers until my fingers are wrinkle like  grandma hands or when I open the faucet and let the water run while washing the dishes I feel guilty taking for grated such a precious treasure, however I still do it. How is that possible?

For all these reasons and because I want to change my approach to this problem I can't wait to enjoy the FESTIVAL FOR THE WATER.

This amazing WATER celebration and awareness festival presented by Water for the People and the AWWA (American Water Works Association) will not just bring tons of fantastic music but will help all of us to find a way to be conscious about the water crisis and how to take action to help the planet to surpass this difficult situation.

On June 9th the Civic Center Park will become a Nationwide focal point on this issue. Local bands The Motet and Broken Tongues, as well as New Orleans Brass Funk Rock band Bonerama will be performing while some of the most recognizable Food Trucks in town will delight everyone with their delicacies donating 10% of all sales to the cause.

Pink Party

Ahh Rosé! Memories spark every time I have a glass of a perfectly chilled, dry rosé. A wine that has been highly misunderstood due to the popularity of sweet "blush wines" like the unfortunate white zinfandel, which have no resemblance whatsoever with the decidedly dry European rosés.
Walking through the streets of Paris and stopping at one of the multiple cafes for a glass of rosé is a part of every season. I was a bit hesitant to have a cold beverage when I was pretty chilled myself, but to my surprise the very chilly wine became part of the charm of being cold like I have never been before.
Ever since, regardless of the season, I scavenge the wine list of every restaurant for a glass, whether still wine or bubbly.

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Rosé wine is made, mostly,  from red grapes such as Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and other, each of these grapes can be either used alone or in a blend based on their region. Champagne rosé can be made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The color is developed by allowing the juice to sit on the skins for a few hours, or sometimes longer, to draw out the amount of color and flavor desire for the specific style of the region or the wine maker. There is also a blending method, red into white, commonly used in champagne.

If you are looking for a versatile food paring wine, you can't go wrong here. This very food friendly wine will set well on a table with guests enjoying fish, steak and a vegetarian meal. Perfect for a hot summer evening, a picnic or barbeque, or even a cold night with a warm bowl of soup.

HIGHLANDS the "it" Mix

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When I moved to Denver and I was looking for the perfect neighborhood to live, my real state agent drove me through Highlands. I was very confused about why she was showing me that area which I honestly found, disconcerting. 

But now, I understand reason. .. It was because Highlands is reverberant. The perfect mix between old and new, middle aged cool parents and young hipsters, people from all levels of income and tons of fun every day activities.

It helps as well that as a Latina, I really wanted to be surrounded somehow by “my people” and even though Highlands seems like the new “it” neighborhood, a lot of the population has been there for decades and come from diverse backgrounds, being a great majority Hispanic.

SOUTH PEARL. DENVER'S LITTLE SECRET.

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These 3 blocks apparently lost in the south of Denver metro area are a gem. South Pearl is an old mom and pop business area that for over a century has revitalized itself every decade. Having, in my opinion, its best era yet to come.

The area is vibrant and full of hipsters who walk their dogs everyday. Don’t think this neighborhood is fun only on weekends; weekdays are always packed with students in the cafes, moms jogging with the strollers, and doggies tied up to light poles waiting for their beloved owner to have a quick bite in one of the multiple restaurants.