James Beard Nominee

Congrats to Frasca Food and Wine for a James Beard Award nomination in the Outstanding Wine Program category. Other nominees in that category are A16, The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Emeril’s New Orleans, and No. 9 Park.

Party at Niwot Market

On Thursday, March 15, Niwot Market celebrated its 10th anniversary with a party for its friends and neighbors.

At the Ollin Farms booth, kids have fun planting seeds.

Speaking of seeds, Curtis Jones, Niwot resident and owner of Botanical Interests (a seed company) was so busy talking about seeds and gardening that he didn't have time to snap any photos. If you know Curtis, you know what that means - it seems he's always got a camera at his side, so this is proof of how successful the event was.

 Bert and Alison Steele look like they had a good time, too. 

Happy anniversary to one of the pillars of the community!

Niwot Market Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Farmer's market tomatoes

On Thursday, March 15, Niwot Market celebrates its tenth anniversary in its current incarnation. Old-timers might simply consider Niwot Market the evolutionary decendent of Steele's Market, which preceded it. It's all in the family, after all..

Owned by Bert Steele and his family, the Niwot Market is a big part of the community, and the store opens its arms to other small businesses that need a little space to set up shop or to sell their wares on the store's shelves.

From florists to bakers to jewelery makers, the market has welcomed them all. Produce comes from local farms when possible, and many of the other foodstuffs are from local vendors.

It's not ALL about local though - unlike some of its bigger competitors, Niwot Market sells some specialty items that you won't find at the chains, including a certain brand of canned tomato products that will make your pasta or pizza weep for joy.

And did you know that there's no tax on food in Niwot? The prices you see are the prices you pay.

Bert himself is always willing to lend a hand. From farmer's markets to pancake breakfasts, he is always volunteering space, time, labor, and friendship.

To celebrate the milestone, Niwot Market will be hosting an anniversary party from 4-7 p.m. Thursday night, featuring live music from local bands. The market chefs will be preparing appetizers, and local vendors will have samples on hand, including Colorado's Best, Boulder Granola, and Ollin Farms.

Niwot Market is at 7980 Niwot Road. For more information, see their website.

There's a new distillery coming to town!

Oskar Blues is opening a new distillery in Longmont. Read about it in the Times Call.

Local Foods, Local Jobs

Today the Local Foods, Local Jobs act, sponsored by Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass), passed through the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy Committee. The Local Foods, Local Jobs act supports local, small-scale growers and producers by creating alternative methods for them to sell homemade, value added goods. Senate Bill 48 will allow small growers to sell their products directly to consumers, jump starting local economies and increasing the availability of healthy foods.

Senator Schwartz offered the following comment on Senate Bill 48:

“I am pleased to see that this jobs bill passed with bipartisan support as it will directly benefit many hard-working Coloradans. By empowering Colorado’s small farms and small-business entrepreneurs, this bill will create jobs, strengthen the economy, and promote tourism in our local communities.”

The Local Foods, Local Jobs Act will ease impediments to local markets by exempting home kitchens from certain health inspections that are generally applied to large retailers. Home kitchens will be trained on safe food handling and processing procedures, as well as labeling requirements to ensure healthy products. Small businesses that promote locally sourced foods can get a strong start due to these streamlined regulations.

Sixty-five year-old Monica Wiitanen is the owner of The Small Potatoes Farm in Paonia, Colorado, and will directly benefit from the passage of Senate Bill 48:

“This bill would make a big difference to our farm operation as we could use excess or injured produce to make garlic and chile powder, dried tomatoes, kale chips, potato bread, and lots more. I work with a young professional baker and this will create income for him as well. It really has a spiral effect, and I think it will bring some life and prosperity into our community.”

Nearly 30 other states have passed similar laws to promote local products. Senate Bill 48 is sponsored in the House of Representatives by Representative Don Coram (R-Montrose).

Distillery coming soon

Bradford Heap, owner of Salt in Boulder, Colterra in Niwot, and the recently-launched Bradford Heap Catering, has teamed up with Evan Faber to start a distillery.

Read the full story here.

Colorado Egg Producers donate locally

Eggs - why not buy them from local sources? Some of us have access to VERY local eggs, but if don't happen to know the name of the chicken that produced your eggs, and you're buying from the supermarket, doesn't it make sense to buy Colorado eggs instead of California eggs or Wisconsin eggs? 

Not that I have anything against those states, but why buy eggs that are shipped across the country? It's not like shipping in oranges or something else that doesn't grow here.

So when I got a press release from the Colorado Egg Producers, AND it was full of puns, I figure that at lease some of it was worth passing along.

It is the official kick off of the holiday baking season... Ummmm.... does it ever end? Not in my house.

With holiday guests in town throughout the season it is the perfect time to pull out all the stops and wow them with egg-cellent and hearty breakfasts as well as delightful baked goods. Be prepared and stock up on eggs – as an extremely versatile food eggs can be eaten alone, used to create magnificent meals and in holiday baking recipes.

“The holiday season now actually rivals Easter in terms of egg sales because people are baking more as well as cooking for holiday guests,” said Jerry Wilkins of the Colorado Egg Producers Association. “It is also the season of giving. As local farmers, we are dedicated to helping those in need, especially our neighbors who don’t know where their next meal will come from. Eggs – which are a powerhouse of nutrition – are often overlooked. Not only are eggs a great source of nutrition, but they also work well for families on any size budget.”

The Colorado Egg Producers Association is committed to doing what’s right. During the last year, Colorado egg farmers have donated more than 1 million eggs to local charities, including food banks and homeless shelters, to help feed those in need.

This holiday season, Colorado egg farmers have come together to donate more than 10,000 eggs to Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver. The CEP donation will help to provide more than 5,000 meals to those in need. In September, CEP wrapped up a three-month social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter in which they donated one egg for every “like” and “follow” to Food Bank of the Rockies. This campaign added nearly 2,000 eggs to CEP’s regular holiday donation.

This fall, CEP is also rewarding kids who egg-cell. Colorado elementary school students can enter to win an omelet breakfast for their school cooked and served by Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, John Salazar; representatives of Food Bank of the Rockies and Colorado egg farmers.

For every student who enters, CEP will donate one egg to Food Bank of the Rockies to help feed those in need in time for Easter celebrations. Find out more at www.coloradoeggproducers.com 

Some egg-cellent egg-centric recipes provided by the Colorado Egg Producers are over on Cookistry.