Fruits and Vegetables

Little Anita's New Mexican Cafe is firmly entenched in red and green

I had one of my first real New Mexican meals in New Mexico, at the Little Anita's location in Albuquerque...and I hated it. I was astounded that people would dump alternating layers of boiling hot green pepper sauce and equally steaming, nose-running-hot red pepper sauce on everything, and suck this ... More >>

Five Star Burgers earns its five stars with Hatch green chile -- and deep-fried banana bread!

There is almost nothing better in the world than really good green chile spread on top of a juicy beef patty or slathered over a pile of hand-cut fries. Five Star Burgers is a transplant from Taos, and even with this city's staggering number of burger joints, Five Star manages to shine because of it ... More >>

New Smashburger has an updated design, an industry rock star and amazing fried chiles

Tom Ryan, Smashburger's founder and chief concept officer, yesterday hosted the official unveiling of the new, redesigned Smashburger location at 6305 East Hampden Avenue, walking guests through an eight-course menu of Smashburger items as well as a tour of the store. It was a blast, and I discover ... More >>

At Kachina, the chiles pack heat -- but they can also be sweet

With a knack for the nuances of wine, sommeliers can taste caramel and a hint of peach when all the rest of us can do is sniff out oak. Oenophiles aren't the only super tasters around, though. Work with chiles long enough, as Patrick Hartnett has, and you learn to detect flavors far beyond mild, med ... More >>

Red alert! Charlotte Saenz's recipe for great red chile

With Christmas ads filling the airtime vacated by campaign commercials, the holidays must be upon us. But it doesn't have to be Santa season for a server to ask if you want a Christmas tree. In New Mexico, where folks are even crazier about chile than we are, diners can choose to have their food smo ... More >>

Curtis Park Creamery serves up Mexican comfort food in endless combinations

Photos: A Closer Look at Curtis Park Creamery

Jack-n-Grill's green isn't vegetarian, but other dishes will grow on you

Jack Martinez came to Colorado from New Mexico to sell chiles, a business that grew into Jack-n-Grill. The fare in this family place is New Mexican, and it's renowned for its green chile -- although there's no vegetarian version of the green. Still, there are plenty of options for herbivores at Jack ... More >>

Vegan green chile for a seasonal favorite on Meatless Monday

It's the time of year when dozens of chile stands pop up along Federal Boulevard, complete with roasters. Although some people insist that green chile must have pork, the chiles are really key -- and it's easy to make a good meat-free version. This recipe was adapted from the Sam's No. 3 Kickin' Gre ... More >>

Reader: Green chile is central to Denver's culinary culture

It's green chile season. In her advice for new Cafe critic Gretchen Kurtz, former restaurant reviewer Laura Shunk said that it was important to have a favorite green chile...and then served up her own: Chubby's. And while one commenter dissed the mean green, far more readers are fans of Colorado's ... More >>

Top five qualities of the best green chile stew

Green chile season is now upon us, and this means the pervading aroma of burning chiles will soon fill the air as parking lots fill up with eager chile-philes waiting patiently, burlap bags in hand, for their turn to watch the roasters work their rolling, smoking magic. This season also translates t ... More >>

Coloradans are partial to Santiago's mean green

Also read: Santiago's founder Carmen Morales talks to Cafe Society

Red Robin's "Cry Baby" and "Fiery Ghost" burgers: Where's the fire?

Red Robin, home of the juicy, fried-egg and crispy bacon-garnished Royal Red Robin burger, is hot for two new burger styles: "Cry Baby" and "Fiery Ghost." Having already tried much of the Denver-based chain's lineup at Red Robin's Burger Works, I had to find out of these two hottie burgers would fan ... More >>

Five Star Burgers grills up a five-star veggie patty

Tomorrow is the first day of summer, also known as burger season -- and then, just around the corner, comes the green chile harvest. Celebrate both at Five Star Burgers, the New Mexico transplant that recently made its way to Broadway.

Chile Billy hits the pavement at 16th and Boulder this Wednesday

Bill Yalch may be a Pittsburgh native, but it took just a few trips to the southwest for him to become utterly obsessed with New Mexican food -- namely green chile. "If you live in Pittsburgh, you have no idea what good huevos rancheros are," he admits, adding that he first sampled worthy huevos on ... More >>

Reader: Only green chile spelled with an "e" for me!

Cafe Society took a quick break in all the opening and closing action at the end of 2011 to stir the pot of a long-simmering discussion: Who makes the best green chile in Denver? Lori Midson served up her list of the ten best green chiles in Denver, which inspired yet another debate over how you spe ... More >>

Green chile discussion -- over sources, over spelling -- heats up in the new year

As an end-of-the-year public service to those who were going to need hot, hot green chile to cure their hangovers on January 1, Lori Midson offered her list of "Denver's ten best green chiles." Any discussion of green chile always stirs the pot. Fans of those that didn't make the list complain -- ... More >>

Denver's ten best green chiles

If you were born and raised in Denver, you are, by default, a green chile geek. And for those of you who popped out elsewhere (New Mexico notwithstanding), and simply don't get why we're so besotted with suffocating our burritos, enchiladas, rellenos and French fries with verde, we can only assume y ... More >>

In the kitchen with Brett Smith: Habanero-mango salsa from Zolo Grill

Lori Midson​In this week's Chef and Tell interview with Brett Smith, the executive chef of Zolo Grill in Boulder, Smith admits that you won't find too many dishes on his menu absent of chiles -- a staple (along with pig) in his kitchen. While I was having dinner at Zolo, Smith brought out a b ... More >>

Applebee's is looking for the ultimate Colorado burger -- with Stinkin' Green

The Applebee's Cowboy Burger​When the homegrown Smashburger decided to create a burger for Colorado, as it already had for Idaho (topped with potato chips) and Minnesota (topped with cheddar bar cheese and garlic-grilled onions), it came up with an iconic combo for the Colorado Smashburger, ad ... More >>

Readers: Is the best green chile in Pueblo? Or is it just hot snot?

​In Denver, no food inspires more heated discussion than green chile -- that thick, porky concoction that's native to this state. After we served up our list of "Denver's five best green chile fixes, everyone weighed in with their favorites: Benny's, Santiago's, Brewery Bar II, La Loma. Everyo ... More >>

Fresh produce in the mountains? That's the goal of this Summit County project

Summit Prevention AllianceNancy's Community Garden in Frisco.​When Amber Brummer was last in California, where she grew up, she bought a bunch of basil for 25 cents. That same amount would cost her about five dollars in Summit County, where she now lives. Brummer is part of the Leadership Clas ... More >>

Little Anita's chile no longer vegetarian -- for now?

Lori MidsonIs this green chile vegetarian?​After a reader tipped us off that the much-loved vegetarian chile at Little Anita's is no longer vegetarian, we contacted Giselda Lopez, the store manager at the location at 6830 South Yosemite Street in Centennial, to get the scoop.

Gordon Biersch jerks things up for summer

​Starting next Tuesday, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant is going to spice up Broomfield by introducing a limited-time Caribbean menu and a new Kolsch-style beer at its 1 West Flatiron Circle location. The menu features an assortment of seafood, fruit and spice combinations, including shrim ... More >>

Think pink, part deux: Five fantastic rosés to sip this summer

Photo courtesy of Noble Swine Supper ClubInfinite Monkey Theorem rosé​Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, some people might say that summer has officially started. Others might insist that It's now officially, unrepentantly, rosé drinking season. A few weeks ago I threw down the 201 ... More >>

Fruits and veggies make you go -- but also give you an attractive glow

​Fruits and vegetables won't get you laid (in a tanning bed). Forget the fake-and-bake method of tanning; if you really want to look like you've had fun in the sun, you should be eating healthy. A new study done at Britain's Bristol University has concluded that eating fresh fruit and vegetab ... More >>

The Fort looks to the classics for its new spring menu

​Tired of rattlesnake? Just had elk last week? You're in luck. The Fort, 19192 Highway 8 in Morrison, has added a handful of new menu items to supplement its upscale, game-intensive Old West fare. Chef Geoffrey Groditski says he sought inspiration for the six new dishes from two sources: Fo ... More >>

Cooking with Pete: Split pea soup

Barb Macfarlane​Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them, and cook up a feast. "Eternity is ... More >>

What's Cooking? Pete Marczyk and David Bumgardner do choucroute

​Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them, and cook up a feast. "This is really peasa ... More >>

A Slow Foods dinner feeds the body, mind and soul

Ian Kleinman puts on a chilling performance at hushDenver

Tonight: Characteristic wine dinner at Opus

​Opus, at 2575 West Main Street in Littleton, has teamed up with the Infinite Monkey Theorem to produce a different sort of wine dinner tonight: The menu has been constructed to mirror common characteristics of many wines. Here's a taste of the courses:

What's Cooking: Pete Marczyk kisses up to sweet potato and peanut soup

Barb Macfarlane​Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them, and cook up a feast. "I know ... More >>

Pot luck! Creative cooking with cannabis

Everything's better with cannabis butter​On January 16, 8 Rivers executive chef Scott Durrah and sous Jamie Gulick held the first Creative Cooking With Cannabis class at the modern Caribbean restaurant at 1550 Blake Street. Courtesy Durrah, here are the recipes from that class:

Cooking with Pete: Winter solstice truffled pork loin with winter vegetables and red cabbage slaw

Barb Macfarlane​Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them, and cook up a feast. For this ... More >>

Yo' momo! Nepal Cuisine knows how to make dumplings

Troy Guard's TAG: Play that funky music, white boy!

What's Cooking: Slow Food Rocky Mountain region guv Matt Jones takes us tailgating with fish soup

Barb Macfarlane​Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them, and cook up a feast. Pete an ... More >>

The Second Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Fantasy Draft: What dishes would you pick?

A Flickr photo.​It's that time of year again: Time to gather around a table of people you don't know or don't like, shovel uninspiring food into your face and then retire to the couch and wait for the Tryptophan to get working. But what if it wasn't that way? What if you could build your perf ... More >>

Going, going gone: Twelve tickets left for the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour with Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and Thanawat Bates

Frasca Food & Wine executive chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson​The Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation lands in Denver tonight, stopping at the Brown Palace, 321 17th Street. That's where Frasca Food & Wine executive chef (and 2008 James Beard award winner for Best Southwe ... More >>

The List: Top ten way-south-of-the-border restaurants in Denver

Denver has lots of great Mexican restaurants, a few good Latin American restaurants, and not many South American restaurants. But Fogo de Chao, which opened this summer, would be a great restaurant on any continent. Here are Denver's ten top way-south-of-the-border restaurants. ​Aji Latin Ame ... More >>

Tonight: Let us eat cake at Happy on the Hill

​Every month, Colfax on the Hill hosts a "Happy on the Hill" social, a chance for the public to learn more about businesses on Colfax Avenue and those business owners to network a bit. This month's featured business: Mulberries Cake Shop, which recently moved from South Pearl Street to 2027 Ea ... More >>

A pre-Thanksgiving recipe that trots out turkey

​ Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, but should you feel like tackling a turkey early (you know, just for practice), Dedric McGhee, exec chef of Thyme on the Creek, the in-house restaurant at the Millennium Harvest House in Boulder (and the former chef of El Monte Sagrado in Taos), offers ... More >>

What's cooking: Pete Marczyk rolls with risotto

Lori Midson​Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them, and cook up a feast. This is the s ... More >>

Fuel fall with Rioja's new autumn menu

Lori Midson Spinach veloute soup and chestnut soup with foie gras terrine from Rioja ​ Jennifer Jasinski, chef-owner of Rioja, 1431 Larimer Street, is renowned for both her use of local ingredients and seasonal menu changes. And her most recent iteration, a lovely autumn board of fall vegetables, ... More >>

On the ranch with Elise Wiggins of Panzano

Lori Midson​Last weekend, Elise Wiggins, executive chef at Panzano (909 17th Street), held a cooking class at Bear Mountain Ranch, home on the range to the Black Angus steer that ranch owners Debbie and John Medved are raising for Wiggins, who is using the beef at Panzano. The cooking class, ... More >>

Guess where I'm eating?

Lori Midson​ You know that autumn's in the air when restaurants start cooking hearty casseroles, soups and stews tumbling with root vegetables -- carrots, turnips and parsnips -- which is exactly why the shepherds pie, pictured in the above snap, immediately caught my attention. I totally dig root ... More >>

A Tuscan-style lamb soup to fall for from Jing chef Jay Spickelmier

Lori Midson​At last week's Mile High Chef Competition between Argyll Gastropub cooker Sergio Romero and Jing exec chef Jay Spickelmier (who emerged victorious), the hit dish of the night was Spickelmier's Tuscan lamb and white bean soup, the recipe of which he was happy to share with us. It's ... More >>

Taste of Thailand has the cure for the flu -- and the cure for boring food

Golden's Empanada Express Grill graduates from a trailer to a restaurant

Lori MidsonPabellon Criollo empanada from Empanada Grill​You  no longer have to lug your own butt cushion to the Empanada Express Grill, which up until three weeks ago was a simple freestanding trailer peddling Venezuelan street snacks -- empanadas, arepas and cachapas -- from an asphalt land ... More >>

Urbavore's Dilemma: Fort owner Holly Arnold Kinney uses her garden to dig into her past

Joel WarnerHolly Arnold Kinney and neighbor Matt Slater in Kinney's greenhouse​Urbavore's Dilemma is an ongoing web series detailing city dwellers' commitment to urban homesteading. From May through September, Westword writer Joel Warner will get his hands dirty, covering everything from backy ... More >>