Boulder Gets a Second Breakfast Spot

photo courtesy www.tangerineboulder.com

We’ve seen breakfast focused restaurants boom in Denver for a few years, with restaurants like Snooze, Jelly, Syrup, and Breakfast on The Edge, and now we’re excited to see Boulder join in on the morning fun. Back in June Chef Alec Schuler opened Tangerine, and showed Boulder-ites his creative interpretation of what breakfast could be with items like his BLR Pancakes, ricotta and lemon pancakes with blueberry sauce or the Asparagus and Mushrooms with two poached eggs over green lentils with pancetta, spinach, salsa verde, and grano padano cheese. Now Snooze has opened its doors on Pearl Street to offer up indulgent breakfast items as well as creative pancakes like the must-try Red-Eye Velvet Pancakes, red velvet buttermilk batter topped with espresso infused maple syrup, a touch of cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans or the Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes, buttermilk pancakes with caramelized pineapple chunks, house made vanilla crème anglaise and cinnamon butter. It’s no surprise that chefs have started giving breakfast a makeover, it ties closely with our Culinary Shift Luxury Re-Valued, were just glad we don’t have to drive to Denver anymore to enjoy a morning meal.

--Bryce Clark

Bryce Clark
Culinary Assistant

First Bite Boulder Starts Friday

If you're like us, you probably have a list of restaurants you want to try. Each week you add another name to it, and even though you go out, there are never enough dollars or nights to try what you want. Time to play catch up.

Friday night kicks off the sixth annual First Bite Boulder. (An event that SRG named!) During the eight-day affair, you can visit 42 of Boulder's restaurants for only $26 per person. Those dollars buy you three courses at places like Pizzeria Locale, Cafe Aion, the Kitchen, and more. Pick from dishes like Colorado lamb with Cure Farm Kale (at the Kitchen), squash tagine (at Cafe Aion), and passionfruit tart (at Centro).

Until Saturday, November 19, you can dine and tick spots off your list. At the end of next week, you might even feel caught up. And then, it's a full year before First Bite returns.

Kazia Jankowski
Associate Culinary Director

No Bitter Ending

For two and a half years Happy and The Bitter Bar have been a dueling duo; Asian comfort food in the day, classic American cocktails at night. Then Happy shut its doors to embrace its alter ego, The Bitter Bar. When the doors re-opened they revealed new furniture, a new menu, and even a stuffed bear with a top hat. The Bitter Bar now offers the same award winning classic and contemporary American craft cocktails by the same award winning bartenders and mixologists, but also incorporates delicious, straight-forward American small bites and decadent, intelligent, well-made desserts. Think Bratwurst with a pretzel bun, mead mustard, and napa kraut or Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts Leaves tossed with togarashi and sea salt. Or on the sweeter side, a Noosa Yogurt Cloud with hibiscus rose broth, pavlova, and honeyed tea pearls. All of which can be enjoyed while sitting on a couch straight from the scenes of Mad Men, cozy fire included. The Bitter Bar’s food and drink now seem to be a match that will leave you quite happy about a bitter transformation.

For more details about The Bitter Bar: http://www.thebitterbar.com/.

Bryce Clark
Culinary Assistant

Get Schooled

If this Wednesday's Food Revolution Class Saving the Flavors of Summer with Associate Culinary Director Kazia Jankowski peaks your enthusiasm for spending time in the kitchen then get ready to start salivating through November.  Boulder Valley School District released their fall catalog for Continuing Ed last week and offers eight different courses to help you sharpen your cooking and gardening skills.  Become well versed in the world of beer, learn how to pair food and wine, or go in-depth with canning with a 3 session course that teaches you the skills you need to can the perfect pickles, salsas, and preserves.  Find out more about the food and drink courses offered here: www.bvsd.org.  

photo courtesy simplebites.net  //  info tip courtesy Diana Hodges

Bryce Clark
Culinary Assistant

Shifting Plates to Local

Where does your food come from? In Boulder County, of the $947 million we spend on food each year, less than two percent is actually grown or produced within the county. To begin changing these staggering statistics Transition Colorado asks residents to celebrate locally grown and locally processed food during EAT LOCAL! Week. From August 27th through September 4th Colorado residents will have the chance to explore, discover, and celebrate the abundance of local food and farming in Boulder County. It all starts with a kickoff party at the Boulder and Longmont Farmer’s Market. Then jump on your bike for the Tour de Coops on Sunday, August 28th where you can take a self-guided tour of backyard chicken coops, urban farms, and community gardens while meeting the beekeepers, goatkeepers, and cultivators behind them. Next up, head to Chautauqua on August 29th to meet one of the most recognized beyond organic and strictly local, clean food farmer in the Academy Award nominated documentary Food Inc., Joel Salatin. The week-long series features an array of events like these including keynote presentations by sustainable food authors, a film festival, and a local food cook-off to inspire and inform everyone about the abundance of fresh, delicious, local food right here in our backyards.

For more information about EAT LOCAL! Week and the full schedule of events visit http://www.transitioncolorado.org./

Bryce Clark
Culinary Assistant