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.

Robin Chocolates Grand Opening

Robin Chocolates, at 600 S Airport Road in Longmont will celebrate its grand opening on November 18 and 19 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This is the location of both the new kitchen and new retail store.

During the event, you can sample chocolates, confections, and pastries including the moist and chewy Grandma Moses molasses cookie, cream puffs, eclairs, chocolate buttermilk cake with fudge icing, and more.

Need goodies for the holidays? You can order chocolate platters, pumpkin pies, pumpkin cheesecake, Jack Daniels chocolate pecan pie, specialty cakes, cinnamon rolls, and just about any dessert you desire for the holidays

For gift giving, you can get a basket filled with chocolates and other confections. If you prefer to bring your own basket, you can have it filled with frills and confections, then have it wrapped and tied with a bow. If you need it shipped, they'll do that for you, too.

For more info, call 720-204-8003

Olive Oil Test Market

From the PR slush pile:

STAR® Fine Foods, the 113-year-old West Coast importer of olive oils and specialty food products, has selected the Mile High City to test a stable of new products, including the first locally grown extra virgin olive oil in its history scheduled for major distribution. Star’s new California Extra Virgin Olive Oil, recognizable by its lighter flavor, will be available in Denver this fall at Walmart and Albertson’s.

Okay, if it's in Denver, it will probably make its way to Boulder County as well, right?

Star representatives will be visiting Denver this week for a series of media appearances, as well as an olive oil tasting and pairing party Thursday at OTOTO Food & Wine — where the brand will be introducing its new olive oil to a handful of food and family bloggers and media members. Star is also out to create awareness about the Mediterranean Diet, which is being forsaken in Europe by the innovators of the lifestyle, according to recent reports.

 Local bloggers that I know are attending are Cookistry from Longmont and Creative Culinary from Denver. After the event, I'm sure we'll know about all the rest of them.

If you can make it in the kitchens and restaurants of Denver and the West, home to some of the most discriminating Mediterranean cuisine-loving foodies and families in the world, you can make it anywhere.

That’s the thinking of Star Fine Foods, the 113-year-old West Coast importer of olive oils and specialty food products that has selected the Mile High City to test a stable of new products, including the first locally grown extra virgin olive oil in its history, which is scheduled for major distribution and promotion.

Based in Fresno, Calif., Star is among the Golden State’s oldest and most distinguished makers of Mediterranean specialty products, known for its locally distinctive olive oils produced from some of the richest olive-growing regions of the world.

The new Star® California Extra Virgin Olive Oil features a unique blend of fresh, first cold-pressed Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki olives grown in California’s Central Valley. It arrives in Denver and Western U.S. supermarkets and specialty food retailers Fall 2011 in 16- and 24-ounce glass bottles for the suggested retail price of $9.45 and $12.98, respectively. It’s also available online now.

“Denver knows its Mediterranean cuisine like few other places in the country — so we knew we wanted to preview our new California EVOO here,” said Jeffrey Freeman, CEO and president of Borges USA.

According to Freeman, Denver olive oil fans can expect memorable aromas, fruity notes and a peppery finish that is uniquely complementary to Star’s olive oils grown in the Mediterranean region. Star will be working with Denver-based chefs, restaurateurs, food bloggers and other influencers to get the word out.

“Even the most passionate connoisseurs of Mediterranean cuisine are surprised to learn of the remarkable taste variances and pairing possibilities of regionally grown olive oils,” he said. “Our new California EVOO offers a bolder taste, perfect for a lighter menu. It pairs especially well with salads, pastas and marinades, and is great for bread dipping.”

Like all olive oils, Star California Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of the healthiest fats, with no cholesterol, carbohydrates or trans fats.  It is gluten-free and high in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.

Lunch, Whole Foods Style

The remodeled Whole Foods on Pearl Street has some pretty tasty options, whether you're cooking or you're grabbing a quick lunch. Last week, my husband and I grabbed lunch there, and I've got to say it was pretty darned good. And despite the "Whole Paycheck" reputation, it was actually a pretty good bargain.

We both decided on tacos. Before I ordered, I asked how big they were. The tortillas themselves were small, so I opted for three at $1.99 each. But they really piled on the fillings, so three tiny tacos ended up being quite a lot of food.

I opted for one chicken, one pork, and one fried avocado. The toppings on each taco was different, and I just let 'em pile on what was normal for that type of taco. I considered getting a side of guacamole or maybe beans and rice, but I was glad I didn't. Three tacos was more than enough.

My husband orchestrated his tacos as they were being filled and opted not to get all the toppings. Silly husband. But they still look pretty good, eh?

And let me tell ya, these weren't short on spice. These all had a pretty good kick to 'em.


If you're shopping for something to cook, and you're on a budget, check out this $20 Whole Foods meal.

Good-Bye Cayenne ...

At the end of May, Boulder County loses one of its foodie shopping spots - well, if you're a foodie who likes to cook. Cayenne Kitchen was (is, but not for much longer) Longmont's "kitchen store" with all sort of gadgets, cookware, and an interesting selection of sauces, spices, and other .... stuff.

Judging by the way the vultures were pecking over the corpse of this store on the first Saturday when the closing was announced, people LIKED the products Cayenne sold. That Saturday, prices were 25 percent off, which is a decent sale. But if you were on Cayenne's mailing list, you got a 25-percent-off coupon every month. That Saturday's 25-percent-off was a good sale, but shoppers could have gotten that discount every month, if it was the discount they were after.

But even with that monthly discount and other sales, there wasn't enough traffic to keep the business viable. People didn't think about shopping there until the store announced its closing. And then they flocked in..

It's a shame, too, because not only was it a great place to browse for cool cooking toys, but it was a store owned by two incredibly nice and generous people. It seemed like any time a charity asked for a donation, Cayenne ponied up with a gift card or a basket filled with product.

If only all the people who asked for donations had come back and shopped at Cayenne, the store might have had a chance at surviving. And if all the people who flocked there for the sale had stopped in once in a while over the past year, maybe that would have helped.

Too late now.

Another local business bites the dust, and now Longmont locals will have to shop elsewhere. It's not like there are no other choices. In Longmont, there's the Ace Hardware store that has just expanded its housewares selection. And in Boulder, of course there's Peppercorn.

But still it's sad to see a nice local store close.

I'll miss them.