Copper River Salmon season is here!

Warm weather has arrived and this means backyard grilling, dinner on the patio and my favorite part - light, fresh, colorful meals. I love this time of year!

And this summer, I'm excited to share (!), I will be representing Denver as a member of the Copper River Salmon’s Fresh Catch Crew. Being a Crew member means that I get to cook with this *prized* salmon throughout the summer.

Crepes and Soufflés Galore!

I took a hands-on Crepes and Soufflés class at Stir Cooking School last weekend. It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning.

The school is so cute and colorful! I had a great time. And seriously indulged!

As you know, I cook healthy versions of recipes in my home kitchen. Wow, was this a change. I left the class feeling energized with ideas yet lethargic with a very fully belly. I had to take an afternoon nap to sleep it off! Ha!

In the coming weeks, I hope to re-create the crepe into a healthier version of itself. While it will still be a special treat, at least it will be a bit healthier.

5280's Best New Restaurants and Q&A with Food Editor

"Our food scene has never been more vibrant..." reads the first line of 5280's article on Best New Restaurants. I couldn't agree more with this sentiment.

We had nearly 300 restaurants open in 2011 and while several have vanished as quickly as they appeared on the Denver dining scene, the good ones have only gotten better.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with 5280 magazine's food editor, Amanda Faison, who shared with me all that goes into narrowing down restaurants to the small list of 8 best.

Foodie Event: The Big Eat

Tickets are on sale now for The Big Eat, a Denver foodie event featuring signaure fare from 50 local restaurants.

While this is the 6th year of The Big Eat, it will be my first time!

Join me! Tickets are $25.

Get your tickets here: The Big Eat tickets.

Dine & Dish: ChoLon Bistro

When entering ChoLon Bistro, a downtown dining hot spot, a friendly staff greets you with the ease and class of an long-time established restaurant. In their second year, ChoLon has carved out a particularly blissful section of the Denver dining scene - modern Asian cuisine.

ChoLon Bistro's Restaurant Week menu was served family style allowing dinners to try many dishes. We, along with my family, tasted nearly all the menu offerings.

A statement piece - a sesame crisp - served dramatically upright started off the meal. For dipping was a sauce with the strong, familiar flavors of chili powder.

5280: Top of the Town voting

Have you cast your vote yet for 5280 Magazine's Top of the Town?

This highly coveted honor is awarded to the best-of-the-best in Denver. It's based upon the people's choice - as it should be!

Cast votes now on all things related to Denver - but most importantly, best restaurant, burger, seafood, vegetarian dish, dining patio, happy hour and blog (wink, wink).

Denverites - let your opinion be known! Click here to Vote Now!

Restaurant Week update

2 dinners scheduled ... hoping for 2 more!

So far, I will be dining with my foodie family - The Hubs, Momma, Sister, Bro-in-law and of course, Baby Josie.

Reservations at ChoLon Bistro & Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen

Restaurant week countdown ... 17 days!!

Denver friends - where will you be eating during Restaurant Week?

Restaurant Week!

My favorite time of the year is nearly here! In the life of a foodie, Denver Restaurant Week is big!

It's bigger than the excitement the Superbowl creates amongst a group of football fanatics. Why? Because it lasts for 2 weeks! The opportunities to try new restaurants are plentiful.

I am selecting my Restaurant Week eatlist now. It's hard to choose!

I can't wait!!

Denver friends - Where are you making reservations?

Long-distance friends - Many cities offer something similar to Restaurant Week. What exciting foodie events does your city offer?

Need a bigger helping?:
Restaurant Week Menus

Playoff Pizza Party

Every year - 22 and counting - my mom throws a Superbowl pizza party featuring 8-10 gourmet pizzas emerging from the oven every 20 minutes or so as we watch the game. Pizzas are sliced in small pieces so we can try all the varieties.

This year, our team - the Broncos, of course - are in the playoffs after unlikely odds. Naturally, this called for a shifting of the party to a Broncos playoff party!

Dine & Dish: Hey There, Cupcake

I ordered cupcakes for a holiday party I was hosting. I opted for the mini cupcakes for an easy, eat while mingling, treat. On the dessert menu were the Naughty or Nice and Candy Cane Lane cupcakes. The mini size invited me to taste both flavors.

The cleverly named Candy Cane Lane cupcake was a chocolate and peppermint cake with buttercream frosting. It was garnished lightly with a dusting of candy cane pieces - a simple, yet attentive decoration. The cupcake was strong with peppermint flavor and embodied the holiday spirit.

The Naughty or Nice cupcake was a gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting. Not being a fan of frosting in general, I prefer cream cheese frostings for the less sweet taste as compared to a buttercream. This frosting satiated my need for sweet and was velvety smooth. The gingerbread was my favorite because of the cake's moistness and gingerbread cookie decoration. I enjoyed the cookie on its own, almost as a starter to the cupcake. It was wonderfully gingery and sweet. I’d like to order a whole box of the gingerbread cookies!

Final word on Hey, There Cupcake … Moist, elegant cupcakes delivered to your door. Party hosting can't get much sweeter than that.

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Hey There, Cupcake

{Eat} Small Business Saturday

Happy "Small Business Saturday"! People across the nation are supporting small businesses today. I plan to support the cause by eating at a local, independent restaurant. Restaurants are small businesses too. And my purchase will be in the form of yummy food!

Eat local, shop local.

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Small Business Saturday

Dine & Dish: Row 14 Bistro & Wine Bar

Wanting to go somewhere new, we dined at Row 14 Bistro in celebration of my birthday.

After trying to decide between two starters, we ordered both. The Ahi and Salmon Rangoons were filled with a delicately smooth cream cheese center and served with a sweet chili soy sauce. Being that Dan loves this kind of appetizer, we often order rangoons. And Row 14's topped the favorites list. I especially liked that they were crispy and yet light compared to other rangoon versions.

The menu offers a small but nice cheese board selection. This was ordered as our second starter. The cheeses were very enjoyable, but my question was where's the board? Served on a ordinary bread plate, the cheese 'board' presentation was lackluster compared to the quality cheeses it carried. On another note, the pear marmalade served alongside the cheese was a delicious compliment to the dish.

For entrees, I enjoyed the Australian Barramundi served atop a potato risotto and red kuri squash puree and garnished with arugula and pistachios. While I wouldn't call it a risotto, the potatoes were creamy and flavorful. And the Barramundi was cooked nicely with a crisply seared crust. While colorful in its presentation, the squash puree would have benefited from additional seasoning.

Dan ordered the NY Strip Steak with Frites. The steak was cooked to his liking and was served with gorgonzola, tomatoes and a Worcestershire reduction. I sampled a few bites and enjoyed the reduction sauce as the highlight of the flavor profile.

In regards to ambiance, the restaurant offers a contemporary chic feel that's pleasant. I was, however, not a fan of the location. Directly across from the convention center, the location offers a less than appealing view. That being said, the location is also nearby the theater and perfect for dining before a show.

Final words on Row 14 Bistro ... flavorful dining good for a night at the theater.

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Row 14 Bistro & Wine Bar

Dine & Dish: Charcoal

Having opened their doors only a month ago, I was eager to try Charcoal, the newest restaurant on the Denver dining scene.

We went for Charcoal's brunch and perused their Swedish inspired menu. I ordered the Chefs Tasting menu – yes, they offer one for brunch. While tasting menus have become increasingly popular at dinnertime, this isn't so common for brunch time fare. I was delighted at their cleverness and jumped at the chance to try several dishes - five in fact.

Vanilla yogurt with granola, nuts and fresh berries parfait – The parfait had an inviting presentation and was a light and healthy start to the tasting menu.

Pancakes and French Toast – This course was served as 2 separate dishes. My favorite dish of the morning was the pancakes which were light, thin and fluffy. They were served with a blueberry compote and cream topper that made the overall dish sweet without being overwhelmingly sugary. The French toast, on the other hand, was not as exciting as the pancakes. It was served with a strawberry sauce that offered a flavorful component but the toast itself was nothing special. It was also served with a hazelnut crème that was disconnected from the flavor profile of rest of the dish.

Potato pancake with ligonberries and bacon – Second only to the pancakes, this dish was another favorite. The potato pancakes were dense, crisp and struck the feel of comfort food. Also, the combination of the savoriness from the potato and bacon with the sweetness of the berries hit a nice balance between savory and sweet.

Shrimp Benedict with horseradish hollandaise – Not being a big fan of anything benedict, this course surprised me with its lightness. When broken, the perfectly poached egg melted beautifully onto the shrimp and English muffin. The horseradish in the hollandaise was the highlight of the flavors as it worked to lighten the sauce while not overwhelming the bite.

Luker chili truffle with hazelnut mousse – The truffle was dense and chocolaty with a hint of chili flavor without the actual heat. The dish offered the second appearance of hazelnut mousse during brunch and this time, it accompanied the chocolate flavors nicely.

Having sampled much of Charcoal’s brunch menu, I look forward to trying their evening fare as well.

Final words on Charcoal… tasty, inviting brunch in a warm and contemporary atmosphere.

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Charcoal

{Extra Special} Chefs Brunch

Last weekend, I was in foodie heaven with 4 Chefs cooking a special brunch for my friends and me.

For those who missed it, let me recap how this came to be ... In June, Dan and I attended Taste of the Nation – a foodie fundraiser benefiting Share Our Strength. That night, we bid on and won a brunch with local Chefs – cooked in our home!

For brunch, we feasted on the tasty dishes from:

Matt Selby, Vesta Dipping Grill & Steuben's - Pork Breakfast Sausage with Peppers. The sausage was superior to any tasted before. Being a sausage connoisseur, Dan noted just how very tender this homemade sausage was. We waited for the appropriate amount of time after Matt's departure before battling for the leftovers.

Paul C. Reilly, Encore on Colfax - Potato, Leek and Manchego Gratin. The potatoes were creamy, rich and had a nice crunch on top to finish off the bite. To think of this as merely potatoes au gratin summons up pictures of a homemade variety that falls boorishly short of the depth of flavor from this savory and delicious dish. And being one who enjoys crunchy food - you know I devoured my serving!

Beau Simmons, Jonesy's EatBar - Omelets Bar made to the likings of the eater. I ordered the special - a Lamb Shoulder, Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Omelet. Even though I am not normally a big lamb fan, this was a perfect time to give it a go. And it was great. The sharpness of the blue cheese combined with the sweetness of the onions and richness from the lamb came together to create one perfectly flavorful and indulgent bite.

Keegan Gerhard, Dbar Desserts - Malted Vanilla Waffle with Bananas Foster, Nutella and Cinnamon Ice Cream. This dessert was all the things you dream of from a dessert - creamy, sweet, a bit of crunch and one that made you want to lick the plate. Having learned a few table manners myself, I opted to wait until the Chefs left before doing so. And that cinnamon ice cream - oh, how I loved thee.

We enjoyed all this while sipping on Blueberry Pomegranate Mimosas and Apple Mimosas. Pure genius! Especially the Apple Mimosa. Such a simple and fresh twist to the traditional mimosa. I am not sure I will ever serve an orange juice mimosa again.

Special thanks to Mom for opening her home for our special brunch. And an even bigger thank you to the Chefs and Leigh from Jonseys who generously donated their time for a good cause. It was pure joy to chat it up with you as you shared your culinary creations with us.

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Vesta Dipping Grill & Steuben's
Encore on Colfax
Jonesy's EatBar
Dbar Desserts

Amuse-bouche (aka teaser update)

In June, I posted about one of the greatest nights in my foodie life - a fundraiser event for Share Our strength. In that post, I also included a little teaser promising to later reveal something else about that evening. See Best night ever, the report… and Best night ever!

Since then, I’ve heard much speculation about the happenings of said teaser. Some food related and some entirely unrelated to food. So, I thought I’d offer an update … an amuse-bouche, if you will.

It is most definitely food-related and is officially scheduled for October 15th.

Moscow Mule

Have you had a Moscow Mule? I am currently in love with them. Typically served in a copper mug – on my wish list now – it stays ice cold. Plus, it is just fun to drink from a copper mug glistening with condensation.

I recently learned that the Mule is a big drink in Denver. Well, I can see why because it’s a perfectly fresh and crisp drink for clinging to the final days of summer.

Recipe:
2 ounces vodka, chilled
4 ounces ginger beer
½ lime or juice from 3 lime wedges
Crushed ice
Serve with mint sprig (Optional)

Enjoy!

I’ve returned…

Hello! It’s good to be safely home. I have lots to share with you from my trip to Africa! I’ll need a bit more time to sort through my thoughts and photos from the trip.

But, I wanted to let you know about an upcoming event…

A Saucy Affair is a foodie fundraiser and if you missed it last year, here's your chance to support a good cause AND sample small plates with inspired sauces.

Who: You and all your friends!
Where: Infinity Park Event Center, Glendale, CO
What: Good eats while helping to support an organization with the mission to "promote health awareness and encourage individuals to assume responsibility for their own health".
When: Thursday, September 22nd; 6-9 pm

Click on the links below for more information and to purchase tickets. Let me know when you get tickets - I'll look forward to seeing you there!

Need a bigger helping?:
A Saucy Affair

Get your tickets here.

Best night ever, the report …

Taste of the Nation – fundraiser for Share Our Strength – has been rated the best food event in Denver. That’s a pretty strong statement, right? I thought so. And now that I’ve attended the event myself, I can say that I whole-heartedly agree with the boasting. In the life of a foodie, it was an amazing night.

Let me highlight a few things that made this event great …
• Inspired food from 30+ local restaurants
• A libation competition offering adult beverage creations
• An entire section devoted to tasting the products of local, small food businesses
• All this whilst supporting a good cause

It’s easy to imagine that such an event – with its overindulgence of decadent food juxtaposed against the raising of funds to support children with hungry bellies - would inspire a giving spirit.

On a personal note, the evening was “one of the best” for a couple of reasons: 1) I was recognized for the first time! Somebody recognized me from this, here, little food blog. And in my book, that's pretty exciting. 2) Something else came from the evening. But it’s too early to share. It will come, in time. Follow along this summer to find out what’s to come – all thanks to this great night.

All I have left to say is that a night like this is only made better when sharing the experience with somebody you love. I’ll raise my glass to that.

Need a bigger helping?:
Share Our Strength

Find a Share Our Strength foodie fundraiser in your town:
Share Our Strength Events

Dine & Dish: Aria

The dining options of Cherry Creek have expanded once more with the arrival of Aria, the recently opened sister restaurant to Opus.

We made an evening of it and ordered the Chef’s tasting menu with wine pairing. The tasting menu featured 5 courses and began with a seared sea scallop and carrot risotto. The scallop was perfectly cooked and the light risotto was encircled by vibrantly colored sauces. This dish was a promising start to our meal.

The second course came in the form of a ricotta salad with basil and spring strawberries. The smoothness of the ricotta with the basil and berries made for a light and summery dish. The salad course was one of my favorites of the evening.

The next course was a medium rare tuna served with a shallot cake and pineapple kim chi. I quite enjoyed the texture of the shallot cake but it had a bit too much heat for my liking so I passed on a second bite.

My other favorite dish emerged as the fourth course - the Dr. Pepper bison short rib with vanilla parsnip. My first bite was of the vanilla bean parsnip alone and the flavor profile was initially lost on me. That is, until I took another bite – probably as the chef intended – with the vanilla parsnip and short rib combined on the fork. This bite resulted in a mouthful of blissful flavor.

With already filled bellies, our meal concluded with a chocolate spring roll served with ice cream and accompanied by a glass of port. I especially enjoyed the crunch of the roll with the warm chocolate inside.

Having enjoyed the tasting menu with the wine pairing, Aria’s sommelier deserves notable mention as he made our dining experience. What I so appreciated about his wine conversation was that he maintained a balance of educational and approachable all at the same time.

Overall, the highlight of Aria is the food – as it should be – but being one who also thoroughly loves the atmosphere of a restaurant – I’ll also say that the size and layout of the main dining room doesn’t lend itself to the quaint, neighborhood feel I so enjoy. Even so, my final word on Aria is ... the menu hits several high notes on the flavor scale.

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Aria