In Palisade, Colorado’s premier fruit and wine country in the Grand Valley out west, high season is harvest season. The buzz begins in late June, starting with sweet cherries, followed by sour cherries in late July. Apricots are up next, and finally Palisade’s famous tree-ripened peaches appear on the scene in early August. Plums and pluots join … Read more
Alcohol and churches may not seem the most natural pair, but the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City continues the tradition of the Catholic Church’s long history with grape-growing and wine production. The drive from Denver isn’t exactly a short one, but the two hours my wife, Becca, and I spent in the … Read more
Denver, one of the nation’s capitals for microbrew beers, also has a burgeoning wine industry. Although most of the state’s vineyards are on the Western Slope, more than a dozen wineries operate tasting rooms in the Denver area where visitors can sample award-winning vintages. And note this: You can buy wine from wineries on Sundays, … Read more
The sparkly new Landmark Plaza development in Greenwood Village is not where you expect to find a gathering place so perceptibly steeped in Greek tradition. But there it is, like the tavernas of Greece, Yanni’s Greek Restaurant, which is filled with Mediterranean pottery, sweet smells of anise and lemon, and wafts of garlicky roasted meats. … Read more
Here are the latest front five on the Denver-area restaurant scene: Bargain Beat Pho 95 1002 S. Federal Blvd. Denver, Colorado 80219 303-936-3322 Credit Aaron Le for creating the best pho in town. At his invariably packed noodle shop on South Federal Boulevard, he glides from table to table, sometimes even sliding into one of … Read more
Vacationers seek out Colorado dude and guest ranches when they want to rough it Old West style – exploring mountain wilderness, navigating trails on horseback, fishing in Colorado’s roaring rivers and ending the day with campfire stories before retiring to a rustic, comfortable cabin. But most Colorado guest ranches also have a luxurious side, with … Read more
“I need to go to Lone Tree,” I tell my friend Larry, who also happens to be the ideal dining companion. He’ll eat anything once, which pleases me to no end. At the mention of Lone Tree, however, he unleashes that predictable scant of skepticism inherent to urbanites living in citified high-rise apartments. I am … Read more
Remember the good old days? The times before World War II, when food was natural and drive-throughs weren’t around to proffer foods pumped with trans-fats and processed sugars? I don’t. And at 41, neither does Dan Hanley, general manager of WaterCourse Foods, the Front Range’s go-to spot for vegetarian and vegan cuisine. “People my age … Read more
They lounge at the bar with their cowboy hats tipped just above their brow line, dark sunglasses concealing yesterday’s hangover, and tight muscle-shirts exposing tanned, bulging biceps. They eat rice, frijoles ranchero, and coctel de camarónes. Large, convivial groups of 10, sometimes 20 party like Prince around long rectangular tables, plowing through platters of chile … Read more
Snow? What snow? Foodies focusing on Enzo Fargione preparing a signature dish indoors at the Vail Marriott seemed oblivious to the huge white flakes piling up on the slopes at one of the best ski resorts in the world. Skiing would happen later; now we were all ears and eyes as the celebrated Italian chef … Read more