Food & Drink: IndyBlog, Colorado Springs Independent

Get your high-fructose corn syrup here

Matthew Schniper — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:46:00 -0600

The folks at Baskin Robbins want you to know that they released some new sherbet flavored freezer bars. I know this because they sent us a box of them, plus this information from a three-page press release:

Sherbet_bars1.pdf

Sherbet_bars2.pdf

Here's the box:

But more importantly, here's the ingredient list:

Take the Yellow 5 alone and I'd advise against feeding this to your kid.…

Local chef expands into crazy pop-up dinners

Bryce Crawford — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:46:00 -0600

Now that chef Brother Luck is back in town, having run the kitchen at the Craftwood Inn for the last seven months, or so, he's breaking out into one-off dinners through a new company called crEATe719 Kitchen.

"We will be hosting a series of *underground pop up dinners*," Luck writes in an e-mail to the Indy.…

Downtown's Curbside Cuisine now rolling

Matthew Schniper — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:56:00 -0600

As properly prognosticated in my Side Dish column in late April, Curbside Cuisine arrived on the scene today. My colleague posted this pic of curry chicken lunch from the High Grade Catering and Food Truck.…

Hick signs 'Breakfast After the Bell'

J. Adrian Stanley — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:36:00 -0600

Gov. John Hickenlooper has signed the bill known as "Breakfast After the Bell" into law.

The law means that schools with higher levels of impoverished children will be required — with some exceptions — to serve a free breakfast to all students after the start of the school day.…

UPDATE: School Districts 2 and 11 want to feed the kids this summer

J. Adrian Stanley — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:21:53 -0600

Colorado Springs School District 11's extensive summer feeding program will continue this year.

Anyone ages 1 to 18 is invited to eat free at one of many locations — both in neighborhoods and schools.…

Leaders of Springs Public Market project look to 2015

Matthew Schniper — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:22:00 -0600

The task force for the Colorado Springs Public Market project, which we last updated you on here, hosted a community meeting last night in the Tim Gill Center for Public Media.

To begin a brief recap with the highlight, check out the group's slick new promotional video:

And here's both sides of an informational flier provided: 3174_001.pdf 3173_001.pdf

The main thrust of the evening, aside from the steering committee providing more info on next steps and the overall vision, was to call for community support in the form of networking (first by signing up for the market's newsletter), helping develop the right vendors —"we're sure you won't be able to buy a Taco Bell product," joked Ranch Foods Direct head Mike Callicrate — and of course, donating.…

OSHA cites Sinton Dairy to the tune of $74K

Matthew Schniper — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:28:00 -0600

A news release sent to the Indy yesterday afternoon by the The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration notes that the organization has cited Colorado Springs-based Sinton Dairy Foods Co. for "14 violations of workplace standards," with proposed penalties totaling $74,610.

For your scrutiny, here's the main body of the release:

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Sinton Dairy Foods Co. Inc. in Colorado Springs with 10 serious, two repeat and two other-than-serious violations.…
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UPDATE: Denver sports seven James Beard semifinalists

Matthew Schniper — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:54:35 -0600

And we have two winners.

The James Beard Foundation handed out its awards last night in New York City's Lincoln Center.…

Beloved downtown bar Tony's is moving, expanding

Bryce Crawford — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:07:00 -0600

Our semi-co-workers at the Colorado Springs Business Journal have the good word on a great spot: Tony's Bar is moving across the street and expanding its space. And worry not, dear friends: The brick, wood and Midwestern charm will be moving too.…

Side Dish extras: philanthropy, paella, mom and more

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:35:00 -0600

And now for some Side Dish extras relative to the weeks upcoming:

• Pikes Peak Urban Gardens' Salad Pick 'n Pay — featuring everything from red leaf, romaine and buttercrunch lettuces to cabbage, kale and kohlrabi for between $1 and $3 — is now open on Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m. Shoppers at the city greenhouse are advised to bring their own bags in order to avoid plastic bag reliance.…

Barbecue 'professor' coming to the Broadmoor

Bryce Crawford — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:48:00 -0600

Steven Raichlen's got a ton going on these days — the release of a new book, not to mention the developing of a third show (in addition to the public-television staples Barbecue University and Primal Grill) — but he's going to set that all down for his annual trip to the Broadmoor, where his aforementioned scholastic enterprise becomes a series of live cooking classes for the paying few.

And I put it that way because the event — running June 5 to 8, and again June 9 to 12 — is not cheap.…

Aquaponics abound: Help fund another farmer

Matthew Schniper — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:30:00 -0600

Are we seeing proof of the hive mind? Or just two entrepreneur types who have the same idea about how best to approach growing produce during drought times?

Last week I told you about the Ivywild Farm's Kickstarter campaign to raise $9,650 for a 40-tower aquaponic system.…

Urban farming: Catfish and koi need you

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:20:00 -0600

A note of clarification up front here: Ivywild Farm is not part of the soon-to-open Ivywild School project. Though the urban farm is located just blocks away, and there's a good chance some items produced by Ivywild Farm — possibly eggs, honey or more likely herbs and produce — will be sold at a farm stand inside the school, it is still its own entity.…

Gordon Ramsay wants to scream at our chefs

Matthew Schniper — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:11:05 -0600

Personally, I always favored travel-documentary style shows like No Reservations over the reality TV food-based programs.

Which is to say I've never really watched any of them, Top Chef included.…

Curbside Cuisine imminently arriving

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:16:00 -0600

Everything you thought you knew about Curbside Cuisine is wrong.

But it's nobody's fault, really — plans change, news shifts ... you get the idea.…

Food as art, carrot and cucumber beer, and more haps to know

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:21:00 -0600

And for your periodic look ahead at the abundance of food and drink events (that I can't always fit into our weekly Side Dish column):

• The Craftwood Inn will host a five-course E. Guigal wine dinner, Saturday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. View the tantalizing menu here: April_Wine_Dinner_2013.pdf

• The following evening, Stargazers Theatre and Event Center will host Veda Salon's 5th annual Fashion and Greenie Awards in benefit of Waldo Canyon restoration via the Rocky Mountain Field Institute.…

Saison Festival 2013 at Trinity is 'bad ass'

Matthew Schniper — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:48:00 -0600

You'll understand why I titled this posting "bad ass" if you make it to the final photo in this slideshow.

I promise you won't be disappointed.…

PLAY at the Broadmoor now rolling

Matthew Schniper — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:25:00 -0600

As we noted in this week's Side Dish, PLAY at the Broadmoor has opened.

Last night, we dropped by for a brief preview courtesy food and beverage marketing and public relations manager Krista Schulz.…

Downtown public market still on the way

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:20:00 -0600

The last time we checked in on the proposed downtown marketplace, now being referred to as the Colorado Springs Public Market Downtown Project, the whole affair remained very much in the pre-planning and discussion phase.

Now, some three and half months later, there's not too much to update, and according to a newsletter sent out earlier this week, "we're late, we're late ... because a series of key activities has taken precedence since the last Task Force gathering."

In case you haven't signed up to receive newsletters on the project, this was the key update:

In December 2012, the Task Force met to brainstorm approaches to:
(1) Determining governance and business model
(2) Fund-raising and partnership alternatives
(3) Location variables
(4) Identifying vendors and for soliciting interest

In January 2013, a steering committee of 14 committed volunteers was formed that meet weekly to move the Public Market Project forward.…
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UPDATE: Locate local produce via new online hub

Matthew Schniper — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:00:48 -0600

After posting this blog about a new option for finding local foods, I received an email from Nathan Albertson, coordinator of the endeavor, which he says is being called the "Colorado Springs Urban Farmer's Market."

He's included a letter which thoroughly outlines how the whole thing works.

Here's the core of it:

Before we get any farther into this growing season, I want to tell you about a new concept in local food that Colorado Springs Urban Homesteading is introducing this spring.…
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'Eat Your Art Out' in Monument

Matthew Schniper — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:41:00 -0600

Heads up on a food-focused arts fundraiser from 1 to 5 p.m. next Saturday, April 13, at Monument Academy.

I'm telling you early because the organizers are aiming to cut ticket sales off on Monday, April 8 in order to give participating vendors a proper head count — so you've got this weekend to hit up MoZaic or The Parked Pierogi for a $10 ticket (and a meal while you're there).…

Iron Throne Blonde Ale debuts with Game of Thrones Season 3 premiere

Matthew Schniper — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:59:00 -0600

Those who care already know that Game of Thrones' Season 3 premiere airs this upcoming Sunday on HBO.

And of course, if you decide to start caring, blazing through the past two seasons on DVD can happen effortlessly.…

Don't miss $2 Larkburgers next week

Bryce Crawford — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:54:00 -0600

Periodically, Larkburger, the small Colorado chain started by chef Thomas Salamunovich, offers its eponymous burger for a mere pittance. Folks like myself then drive down to Southgate and, after dodging the gym-goers, stuff a day's worth of salary into our gaping maws.…

CM Zoo and the Broadmoor earn awards in Denver

Matthew Schniper — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:40:05 -0600

This past Monday, the Denver Art Museum hosted the Colorado Meetings + Events 2013 Best Of Awards, which are a peer-voted recognition of the local industry.

Two Colorado Springs entities walked away with awards: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and The Broadmoor.…

Sonterra victorious at 2013 CRA Expo

Matthew Schniper — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:47:00 -0600

Beef short ribs.

Chicken breast and thigh.…