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!

BIENNIAL OF THE AMERICAS

Have you seen all of these colorful pendants around the city that read “The Americas are coming”?

Is it funny or embarrassing, I am not sure. Whatever you want to call it, the first time I read one of those I thought... Biennials are created for cities like Paris, Rome or London, what is a Biennial publicity doing here?. For some reason the word biennial sounds too sophisticated for an outdoorsy city like Denver.

However, we have a Biennial of the Americas in our very own Denver. 

This Biennial of the Americas is an amazing accomplishment that was developed for the first time in 2010 during the government of then Mayor of Denver, John Hickenlooper, as proposal to celebrate the Americas in Denver.

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!

A UNIQUE DATE NIGHT

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The idea of the perfect date varies from person to person, and from relationship to relationship. Sometimes we run out of ideas to make our loved one feel special. The movie-dinner combo gets old, the nightclub is too loud, and the cooking at home can become a total romance killer if you are not the chef the counterpart expects you to be.

However, the date I am about to describe is as good of a first date as it is for a 20th year anniversary.

Imagine a picnic bag/basket full of your favorites goodies, that you don’t need to cook because this city has plenty of options for takeout, like The Chicken-curry sandwich at Vert Kitchen Denver, a bottle of bubbly cold Champagne, wine, beer or Ice tea if that is what you like; the most beautiful gardens surrounding you,  the jazzy sounds of Swing Je T’aime throughout the evening and a free swing dance one hour lesson, this is just in case you want to learn, but it is optional.

True food Kitchen

Piles of raw vegetable dancing through the dinning room, green juices displayed on people's tables and yoga pants. No, you didn't just enter a spa in California, you are in True Food Kitchen.
Located in the heart of Cherry Creek (2800 E 2nd Ave #101  Denver, CO 80206), this restaurants has been taunting me for quite sometime. I have tried to go in before, but it was always too busy and at lunch time I am really not into waiting for 1 hour to get a table. If you have a group of 8 or more feel free to make reservations other wise be ready to wait.

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.

MICHELANGELO IS IN TOWN.

 

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If all you know about Michelangelo is that he was the most important Italian renaissance painter and sculptor of all times; with an impressive list of creations from the naked, vulnerable David to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which by the way took 4 years to be painted in very uncomfortable positions for any human body... then you are not doing to bad.

What you might not know is that his success in sculpting human figures with so much muscular precision and sublime beauty came from the studies he made on cadavers with a special permit he got from the Catholic Church. Or that he was a very accomplished poet, yes poet, with more than 300 poems and sonnets, most of them written to a pious widow he was apparently in love with. If you don’t know that he was one of the few artists of his time that had the chance of living to enjoy his fame and wealth and see the publication of two biographies about his life... if you did not know all of that then you need to go to this exhibition Michelangelo at Denver Pavilions. 

The Hump

We live in a society of "closed hearts" is all I could think about on my Saturday morning Yoga class at the Iyengar Yoga center, when we were all struggling to open up our chest by pinching the shoulder blades together as close as possible. As I looked across the room I saw multiple stubborn "humps" on people's back.
Thankfully for all of us this ancient practice is widely available and after trying different styles I finally settled for the Iyengar style, which helps the students better understand their bodies and the habits it has been forced into for years. It is somewhat liberating and "enlightening" to see how far our broken bodies will go if we only dedicate a couple of hours a week to nourishing and strengthening them. Obviously, you can do more than that, but I am just trying to ease you into it.
The Iyengar style is therapeutic yoga, where each movement has a purpose and it is well explained and demonstrated. The use of props, such as blankets, blocks, ropes, belts, chairs, etc, allows each and everyone to achieve the best variation of each pose to fit his/her needs and capabilities. I admire the power of perseverance shown on some of the regular students, who regardless of their physical obstacles, allow themselves to enjoy the practice.
I love the "easy" atmosphere, the welcoming teachers with years of education and experience in this practice and the feeling of peace after each class.

I highly recommend it, whether you live in the city or are just visiting, as it is centrally located on the I-25 and Broadway intersection.
Easy access from the Light Rail Broadway station, lines E, F, H, C, D


By Paula Thomas

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.

Summer fun in Denver

White blanket of sparkly snow see you next winter, now it is time to enjoy the blistering heat of the summer season and with it the fabulous events popping up all over town.
Patio parties, street fairs, Art walks, Films on the Rocks, you name it most likely Denver has it.

Here is a list of link to fun things to do this summer:

  Downtown Denver Arts Festival: Come see a big display of local artist in the heart of Downtown Denver - May 24-26

 Old South Gaylord Annual Festival: Music, food, a fun way to celebrate Memorial day weekend - May 26-27

 The Big Eat: an amazing event with 40 restaurants, 4 breweries,
wine and music. A great way to start the summer - May 26

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.

Warm vegetable and Quinoa Salad

An ancient grain forgotten in the Andes mountains for a long time gets a makeover and it is now in almost every restaurant's menu, Quinoa. I first encountered this tiny round goodness in culinary school when taking a Nutritional cooking class years ago, that sentence made me feel old.

Back to the quinoa, we were learning how to create delicious, nutritionally balanced meals and this mysterious grain was one of our go to ingredients. It is very pleasing to see it become part of the shopping list in many households. A great gluten free substitution with a heavy dose of protein for the vegetarian in your life.

Easy to cook and dress, this nutty little treat is great in salads, warm or cold, soups and even cereals.

This recipe is quick, easy and delicious and I hope it gives you an introduction to a long and loving relationship with Quinoa. Enjoy!

Kings of Arabica

A few years ago, when I was still living in Colombia, I took a week long training with the Colombian Coffee National Federation where we learned the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee varietals. During that week we also experienced the different grades of beans and the styles of roast. Arabica coffee is consider the best bean, it is delicate, highly aromatic and it is the bean grown in my beautiful Colombia. I like to compare the production of coffee with the production of wine, or chocolate for that matter. The best beans, or grapes, produce the more distinctive coffee to land product or "terroir" as the french will say, and the roast is the "wine makers touch" the end result is a premium product, be it coffee or wine.
I was quite glad to find a coffee shop here in Denver where the coffee, and its true flavor and nuances, is the main objective, no frills sugary syrups of flavored coffee, which I still can't understand.
The coffee is well balanced, nicely roasted, not too light and definitely not too strong, or almost burnt as many places I had visited.

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.

ROLLING CAN GET YOU FAR...

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I remember years ago when watching Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, for those too young to know what I am talking about, that is a classic Italian movie that every single person on the planet should watch. In this movie there is a scene where the 2 main characters take a bicycle ride, with a sublime melody as a background...Anyway, I am bringing this up because I fell in love with bicycles that day. I dreamed of biking around like that around my dusty little town. 

In New York going on a bicycle is not the safest, everyone is rushing when they drive and the bike lines are not popular, however I decided to buy a one that I never used.

Canvas and Cocktails

A couple of weeks ago I went with a few friends to Canvas and Cocktails in Cherry Creek. I had no expectations going in,which I believe it helped me see the experience with an open mind.
Yes, I liked it! The place is well set up and conducive to fun.
The front of the store has a small boutique with cloths, hats and other accessories. The bar is located to the right of the entrance and offers wines (glass or bottle) and beer, and on the weekends they also offer Mimosas and Sangria, which I might do with my girlfriends one of these days.

Everyday there are different classes being offered, we went for the Wine Bottle Painting class. I was wondering how that was going to work since I am really not a painter on flat let alone on a round object. The set up is simple and streamline, no confusions here, pick up an apron, collect your paint, go to your table where brushes and water are already set and wait for the class to start.