Olive & Finch

Before boarding a light rail train to the airport recently, I swung into the east wing of Union Station and sat down at Olive & Finch with time to enjoy breakfast. Chef and owner Mary Nguyen, a Denver native, started the diner chain in 2013, opening the train depot’s location in March and another two months later inside the Denver Performing Arts Complex. My eyes gravitated toward the Williamsburg hash ($15), a hearty breakfast served in a cast-iron pan. There was enough pastrami, potatoes, bacon-roasted cabbage, eggs and “dijonnaise” inside it that I didn’t need to eat a single meal until I got to my destination.

Locations across Denver; oliveandfinch.com

Convivio Cafe

An addition to my list of empanada spots is Convivio Cafe, which opened in 2023 as “the first women-owned, Guatemalan-inspired, bilingual café in Denver.” The West Highland neighborhood coffee shop had eluded me until last week, when it hosted a documentary about the cuisine that recent immigrants have brought to Colorado. Coffee and communion are at the heart of Convivio, and its fried corn empanadas, with chicken, potatoes and peppers, were an ideal snack for this Chilean reporter. As of this month, Convivio has expanded its hours, introduced local beers and South American wines to its drink options, and added more dishes to its food menu.

4935 W. 38th Ave., Denver; conviviocafe.com

Kumoya

Nasu, or eggplant, is commonly found as a starter course or side dish in Japanese restaurants. Never had I seen it prepared the way they did at Kumoya, which took over the former LoHi location of Tony P’s in 2023. The restaurant — one of several owned by Juan Padro’s Culinary Creative Group — has three distinct dining rooms to enjoy its upscale variations on sashimi and expansive sake collection. The nasu misoyake looks quaint compared to the other delicacies. Don’t let that fool you. The combination of broiled eggplant, miso glaze and bubu abare (crispy rice crackers) rivals everything else on the menu. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the gooey eggplant inside.

2400 W. 32nd Ave., Denver; kumoyadenver.com

Blanco Cocina + Cantina

The oddly branded “9+CO” development, off East 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Denver, includes two of the more beloved restaurants from Arizona-bred Fox Restaurant Concepts. Having grown up in the Grand Canyon State and experienced both, I’m convinced Blanco Cocina + Cantina is my favorite over Culinary Dropout. It’s a modern Mexican restaurant with a food and drink menu that’s delicious across the board. During my latest visit, I opted for the chicken tinga enchiladas with a side of black beans and rice ($17). The entree consisted of corn tortillas packed with shredded chicken and drizzled in red chile and queso. It was a filling dish made simply, with attention to the core ingredients of Mexican cuisine.

4177 E. 9th Ave., Denver; blancococinacantina.com

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I identify as a tomato person. I love summer tomatoes in a way that’s deep, irrational, even a little loony. I buy a genuinely crazy number of them at the farmers market, and then I have to spend the whole week thinking of ways to use them up. (I eat a lot of salads.)

But tomatoes are not the only fruit (yes, botanically they’re fruit) that deserve a prominent place in your midsummer meals. Audaciously sweet and juicy with distinct flavors, peaches and mangoes are gifts from the gods. They’re the key ingredients in two savory dishes you’ll find below, along with three other dinners for the last languid beats of July.

1. Roasted Chicken Thighs With Peaches, Basil and Ginger

A ripe, succulent peach is one of nature’s greatest gifts. But a hard peach? It, too, is a gift, especially in this simple recipe from Melissa Clark. A roast in a 400-degree oven cooks the peaches alongside boneless, skinless chicken thighs, drawing out their flavor and softening them as they meld with those flavorful drippings. Speaking of those pan juices, don’t cast them aside: Sop them up instead with crusty bread. You won’t regret it.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 3 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound hard peaches (about 1 large or 2 to 3 small ones, see Tip)
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry (fino) sherry, or use white wine or dry vermouth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger root, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Crusty bread or rice, for serving

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Halve peaches, remove pits and slice fruit 1/2 inch thick.

2. In a 9-by-13-inch pan, toss all ingredients except 1 tablespoon basil. Roast until meat is cooked through and peaches are softened, about 20 minutes. Garnish with remaining basil. Sauce will be thin, so serve with crusty bread for sopping or over rice.

Tip: Peaches can be any stage of ripeness, but firmer ones are easier to work with.

2. Bánh Mì Salad

Beloved by many for good reason, the flavors and textures of a bánh mì are the inspiration for this recipe. Crisp quick-marinated vegetables, tender herbs and lettuces, spicy jalapeño, creamy avocado and sweet ham are dressed in a version of tangy nước chấm and then topped with buttery crackers instead of the bread that gives the Vietnamese sandwich its name. While the ingredient list might seem long, there’s no cooking involved and this salad comes together in about 20 minutes. Any type of ham will work, but if you buy a roast, you’ll be able to carve the ham as thin as you’d like. For a different take, cooked bacon, rotisserie chicken or tofu make excellent options, too.

By Christian Reynoso

Yield: 2 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 large carrot (about 6 ounces), rinsed and thinly sliced
• 1 small daikon (about 6 ounces), rinsed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 avocado, halved
• 6 to 8 ounces ham, sliced or torn in small pieces or rotisserie chicken meat, picked off the bone
• 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 big handfuls mixed baby lettuce
• 1 handful cilantro leaves with some stem
• Crushed buttery crackers (such as Cabaret or Ritz), for topping
• Sriracha (optional), for serving

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, sugar and fish sauce. Add the carrot, daikon, jalapeño and shallot. Season with salt and toss very well to combine.

2. Scoop the avocado from its skin in small pieces and divide between two serving plates.

3. To the bowl with the carrot mixture, add the ham, cucumber, lettuce and cilantro; season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

4. Transfer the salad to the plates on top of the avocado. Garnish with the crackers and a squeeze of Sriracha on the side, if you’d like.

3. Pesto Pasta With Corn and Green Beans

Fresh summer green beans are the best, and, if you can get them in your own vegetable garden, all the better. They’re most tender when picked on the small side, so aim for that in the garden and at the farm stand. Here, they combine with sweet corn kernels and a basil pesto for a luscious summer pasta that also happens to be nut-free, just parsley, basil, garlic, Parmesan, pecorino and olive oil.

By David Tanis

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Pasta:

• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups corn kernels (from about 3 ears corn)
• 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
• 1 pound green beans, cut in 2-inch pieces

For the Pesto:

• 2 cups basil leaves
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino, plus more for serving
• Salt and black pepper

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

2. Make the pesto: Put basil, parsley, garlic and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in the grated cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl.

3. Start the pasta: Melt butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Set skillet aside.

4. Add pasta to the boiling pot of water and simmer briskly. When pasta is nearly done, add green beans and simmer for 2 minutes. (If preferred, cook beans in a separate pot.)

5. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and beans in a colander, then add to the skillet with the corn.

6. Add half of the pesto and toss well. Add a splash of pasta water and more pesto to taste, and toss to coat well. Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls and serve immediately. For serving, mix more of the two types of grated cheese together and pass at the table.

4. Chile-Garlic Salmon With Mango and Cucumber Salad

Colorful and complex, this spicy glazed salmon with mango-cucumber salad packs a ton of flavors and textures into a quick weeknight meal. While the salmon roasts in the oven, you chop up a refreshing salad of crunchy cucumber, sweet ripe mango and creamy avocado. Side by side, both components make a bright, breezy meal, but you can also serve with white rice if you’re craving a more filling dinner. The spicy-sweet salmon sauce is built from pantry ingredients (soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic and chile-garlic sauce) and readily adapts to your preferred sweetness and spice levels. While the salmon can be eaten the next day, the mango-cucumber salad is best eaten right away, when it’s at its best and brightest.

By Ifrah F. Ahmed

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Salmon:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce (preferably Huy Fong)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 7 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 (5- to 6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
• Cooked white rice (optional), for serving

For the Mango Salad:

• 1 large ripe mango, cubed
• 1 medium cucumber, quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium avocado, cubed

Preparation:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven heats, make the salmon marinade by combining the soy sauce, maple syrup, chile-garlic sauce, sesame oil, garlic and black pepper in a large bowl.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip the salmon fillets in the marinade, making sure to coat all sides. Once the oven is hot, place salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until the fish is tender and flakes easily with a fork. Set aside leftover marinade.

3. While the salmon roasts, combine all ingredients for the mango salad except the avocado.

4. In a small saucepan, add the leftover marinade and reduce it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes, until it thickens to a syrup.

5. Once the salmon is ready, spoon the thickened sauce over the salmon. Add the avocado to the mango salad and gently mix together.

6. Serve the salmon and mango salad with white rice, if desired.

5. Diner Burgers

These are the kind of big, beefy, no-nonsense, cooked-on-a-flattop burger you find at places like J.G. Melon in New York City or Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These burgers emphasize crustiness and juiciness, and skipping the grill in lieu of a pan or flattop means there’s no smoky overshadowing of the pure beefiness.

By J. Kenji López-Alt

Yield: 4 burgers

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 20 to 24 ounces freshly ground beef, at least 20% fat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A few teaspoons of neutral oil or clarified butter
• 4 to 8 slices cheese of your choice
• 4 soft hamburger buns, toasted
• Toppings and condiments, as desired

Preparation:

1. Place the beef on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and divide it into four even piles. Without lifting the meat, gently shape it into four patties, each about 1/2 inch wider than the burger buns, pressing the meat together just enough to make the patties hold. Do not overwork them. Make a shallow indentation in the center of each patty to prevent bulging as they cook.

2. Season the top side generously with salt and pepper. Use a thin metal spatula to flip the patties and season the second side, then refrigerate until ready to cook.

3. Heat the oil or clarified butter on a griddle or in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Use the spatula to carefully add the patties and cook, flipping occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), about 5 minutes. Add cheese and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the burgers reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52 degrees Celsius) for medium-rare or 135 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celsius) for medium — about 1 minute more.

4. While the burgers cook, dress the toasted buns however you like them. (For more stability, you can put mayo or a mayo-based sauce on the bottom and top bun, then place the toppings on the bottom bun.) Transfer the cooked burger patties to the buns. Close the burgers and serve.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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It goes on to describe the shop’s commitment to sustainable farming, the coffee’s sourcing from Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, and finally declares the cafe’s mission, social justice.

Owner and operator Millete Birhanemaskel was born in Tigray, the northernmost state in Ethiopia, and moved to Colorado during her childhood.

“Where I come from is where coffee was first discovered,” she said.

But from 2000 to 2002, Tigray, near the border with Eritrea, was the site of military operations between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, a conflict that included the shelling of hospitals, schools and businesses, according to the nonprofit Human Rights Watch, leaving 2 million people seeking housing and assistance.

Birhanemaskel went back to Tigray in 2020 and 2021 to write about the conflict for Tigray Media House, a news organization. Locally, she’s now the president of the Tigray Community Center, which her father started decades ago after fleeing to Colorado. There, she and her team provide therapy for Tigrayan youth and host a camp that celebrates their culture. Each summer, their Ashenda Festival concludes with a gala that has attracted upward of 700 people.

The Whittier Cafe, 1710 E. 25th Ave. in Denver, is an extension of that same work, Birhanemaskel said. After opening in 2014, it didn’t take long for the place to become a hub for activism of all kinds. “A lot of progressive movements are launched here,” said Birhanemaskel.

“Coming from a family of activists, I actually wanted to get away from it,” she laughed. “Though the place ended up being a community center that also sells coffee. It’s a mission-driven thing. People are coming for coffee. But they’re coming for more than coffee.”

Inside the cafe, bright, elegant expressions of women pouring coffee are affixed to nearly every corner of the neat interior. Jebenas, the clay pots that have long been used in coffee ceremonies from across East Africa, are present on shelves, tables and windowsills. They come in all shapes and sizes. The bathroom wallpaper is a marvelous pastiche of reprinted protest signs that were left behind by different people and groups that have gathered there.

Each Sunday, Birhanemaskel personally hosts an East African Coffee Ceremony. Around 2 p.m., she lights incense and starts roasting fresh green beans from Ethiopia, actively shaking the coffee over an open flame for roughly ten minutes.

“The nice thing about a hand roast is it is not going to be even. It pulls out different flavors,” she said. Throughout the process, she’ll walk the fresh coffee around the cafe for people to smell. The bold aroma sticks to the back of the palate for hours after the event, a delightful reminder of the shared experience.

Once the Jebena has bubbled over three times, Birhanemaskel will pour the first of three rounds of absolute rocket fuel, which she offers up in small cups to everyone in the cafe and on the adjoining patio. A small snack of fresh popcorn is also presented, helping to temper the strength of the brew.

“There are a lot of things that feel religious, but they’re not,” she said of the presence of the number three in multiple aspects of the ceremony. “In Tigray, and that part of the world, religion and culture are so intertwined that they can be hard to differentiate.”

Birhanemaskel performs the ceremony — which is free and open to the public — with casual grace. She’s been a participant since childhood, and credits the daily ritual with being a binding force in family relations. “Our families tend to be more tight-knit because of it,” she said. Kids and the less caffeine-inclined are expected to be present, even if they are not partaking. “You would never be in your room during a coffee ceremony,” she continued.

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The eggs simply taste better compared to ones that are factory-farmed, according to Paul Fleischer, who runs the business with his wife, Chelsie. The eggs are more flavorful, the yolks are a deeper yellow, and many who have made the switch to pasture-raised notice the fluffier texture of the eggs when they’re cooked.

“There’s also some sort of inherently positive feeling that you get from supporting a local farmer or even raising them on your own,” Fleischer said.

Egg lovers may have extra motivation to shop local these days. Over the past few years, a deadly strain of bird flu has disrupted the commercial U.S. egg supply, sending prices soaring — at one point by as much as 49% in a year. In addition, the cage-free egg law and general inflation contributed to the hike. While grocery stores imposed limits on the number of eggs customers could buy, shelves went bare, and some restaurants tacked on surcharges for egg-based dishes.

Prices have recently eased. A dozen Grade A large eggs averaged $5.12 in April, down from $6.23 in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Still, that’s significantly higher than the $1.63 average in May 2022.

In the meantime, interest in local eggs — and local food, in general — has grown. Sometimes, Fleischer said, that means shopping at a nearby farmers market. Other times, it means setting up a coop just steps from your kitchen.

“I feel like there’s a big movement and interest in people wanting to go back to the land and provide for themselves,” he said.

To help meet that demand, Fleischer, a former teacher, has been leading “Backyard Chicken Keeping 101” classes, which frequently sell out as interest continues to trend upward. The class covers chicken basics, and everything from coop preparation to food, supplements and treats, choosing the right bird, and compliance with your local municipalities.

It’s tricky to pin down exact numbers on backyard chicken keeping, but here’s a surprising stat: About 11 million U.S. households have backyard chickens, and 8 million consider them pets, according to the latest figures from the American Pet Products Association. That’s a big jump from 2018, when just 5.8 million households had chickens in their yards.

While many people are raising hens to collect their eggs — and maybe generously sharing with friends and neighbors — farm-fresh options are also available at local farmers markets and roadside stands. In Colorado, small-scale flock owners can sell up to 250 dozen eggs per month, as long as they meet the state’s handling and labeling requirements, per the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. No license is needed if you’re selling eggs directly to the end consumer. But if you’re hoping to stock a restaurant or grocery store, you’ll need an egg producer and dealer license.

After the pandemic, Lakewood resident Elaine Harper and her family decided to get more self-sufficient, starting by expanding their garden. She took one of Fleischer’s chicken classes in May 2023, and by the following February, their backyard had four chickens. Another two joined that summer.

Her family collects between four to six eggs a day, which is enough for their breakfast sandwiches on sourdough, pancakes, baked goods (she swears the eggs make the best brownies) and more. Beyond her family of four, Harper is able to share the bounty with her neighbors and parents, too.

“You could blindfold test me and I’d know which is which,” Harper says of her home-laid eggs versus store-bought.

Since the egg shortage, Harper said several people in her circles have been curious about keeping backyard chickens, and she’s happy to pass along what she’s learned and show her urban setup.

In addition to the steady egg supply, the chickens, she said, have brought extra joy to her household. Though some may look alike, her family knows them by their personalities.

“They have an egg song they sing before they lay eggs, and some sing louder than others. We’ll be like, ‘Oh, that’s Pickle.’”

The Fleischer Family Farm stand runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays until November at 2005 S. Zephyr Court, Lakewood; fleischerfamilyfarm.com

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“At that location we got capped out, so we’re not renewing our lease and walking away from the space,” said Yoon Terry, who opened the restaurant at 215 E. Seventh Ave. in 2022 with Barbed Wire Reef founder Rico Aragon.

Its last day will be Aug. 10, even though its lease goes through April.

“With the opportunity to open Edgewater, the brand is still staying strong,” continued Terry, who is also the chief operating officer for all the concepts under Aragon’s restaurant group.

Wild Taco’s offerings include cheeseburger and chicken-and-waffles versions of the Mexican classic. But in the Governor’s Park section of Cap Hill, its sales fell around 30% after Seventh Avenue opened back up to cars in 2023, Terry said. The one-block stretch in front of Wild Taco was pedestrian-only for several years after the pandemic.

“We took that over purposefully because of the small-size capacity. I didn’t know how the brand was going to do, and we still wanted to have it manageable,” Terry said of the 1,200-square-foot unit, which had been home to Tacos Tequila Whiskey beforehand.

Terry said sales exceeded expectations by around $500,000 for the first two years, largely because of a tented patio on the street. But the street reopening cut Wild Taco’s outdoor seating in half.

Wild Taco will open in Edgewater Public Market in early September, Terry said. It will replace Carnivore Exotic Taqueria, another concept by Aragon that Terry referred to as the “masculine” version of Wild Taco. Barbed Wire Reef and treat-focused coffee shop Saints or Sinners, which Aragon also owns, will remain in the building too.

The plan is to add more higher ticket dishes such as enchiladas to the menu, to supplement lost revenue from the location not having a bar, she said. In Cap Hill, 60% of revenue came from food and 40% from alcohol.

Wild Taco also has a 3,000-square-foot spot at 4499 W. 38th Ave. off Tennyson Street, the former Barbed Wire Reef space, which will stay open. The group also operates five food trucks.

“The Berkeley location is doing really well,” Terry said. “It just has more size and capacity.”

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Wilding Brands, the local craft beverage conglomerate that bought 31-year-old Great Divide earlier this year, announced Tuesday that it will open a new spot for the brand at 3040 Blake St., #101 in Denver’s River North Arts District. It will take over the space currently home of Stem Ciders’ satellite location.

As the parent company of Stem Ciders, Wilding Brands already operates that space. It will close on Aug. 3 to begin renovations as it transitions into a beer bar and restaurant, according to the announcement.

The business will be run by Vibe Concepts, which currently operates the other three Great Divide locations in Castle Rock, Lone Tree and Lakewood.

Those restaurants serve primarily burgers, sandwiches and other pub grub to pair with beloved beers, like Yeti Imperial Stout and Denver Pale Ale. The Denver location will also serve wine and cocktails, as well as other beverages from Wilding’s portfolio, including Stem Ciders and Howdy Beer lager. Wilding also owns Station 26 Brewing, Denver Beer Co. and Funkwerks.

Unlike Great Divide’s previous spots, this one will not have brewing or packaging equipment of any kind. Great Divide’s beers are now brewed at Denver Beer Co.’s former production facility in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood. That facility is now run by Wilding.

“We’re proud to bring Great Divide back to central Denver with a new taproom and restaurant. Great Divide is a legacy in Colorado craft beer, with such a loyal following here in Denver and across the country,” said Eric Foster, CEO of Wilding Brands in a statement. “The RiNo location is designed to provide a fantastic experience, with a comfortable, inviting interior, great patio, full kitchen, and a huge variety of Great Divide and other Wilding craft beverages to enjoy.”

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One great thing about having friends who travel is that they send you pictures — of food, sure, but also of drinks. A friend visiting Milan recently sent me a photo of her passion fruit spritz.

Aperol and Campari spritzes have been all the rage for quite some time now, which I’m sure warms the heart — and bank accounts — of Campari Group, which owns both brands. But just as suddenly as something hits it big in the cocktail world, just as suddenly, the variations start to appear.

Fruit is the variation en vogue right now. There are a couple of ways to add fruit flavors to your next cocktail. The first is to use fruit-flavored liqueurs or vodkas. These certainly add the flavor necessary for cocktails. Liqueurs tend to be quite sweet, whereas flavored vodkas, especially good-quality ones, are usually not, or at least not as much. Both are incredibly consistent, which makes them a cinch in cocktails.

The second way is to use high-quality fruit syrups. You can make your own, or you can buy premium-quality versions. Just make sure that they use a sweetener that you are comfortable with. Most inexpensive brands are nothing more than high-fructose corn syrup and water.

You can also use purees or concentrates. Purees and concentrates have certain advantages over fresh fruit. If you use fresh fruit to make your own puree, you will need to add sugar, as fresh fruit is not nearly sweet enough on its own for cocktails. (It’s quite a bit more acidic than you think.) Purees can separate, which is both distasteful in appearance and problematic when mixing. I find that concentrates help mitigate that problem, and usually they have just enough added sugar for balance.

Lastly, you can use fresh fruit. This can be more difficult than you think, since fresh fruit varies during its season. For instance, at their peak, blackberries are fantastically sweet and delicious, but turn bitingly acidic and bitter just a week later. The answer to bitter has always been sweet. And the best cocktails are the right balance between the two. If you use fresh berries, you can muddle a few just for flavor. If you add more, you will have to add sugar in one form or another — honey, agave, sugar, etc. — to achieve that balance.

Here are four different fruit spritz variations, each made with a different method. (A special thanks to Joan for the passion fruit spritz recipe, all the way from Milan!)

Hugo Spritz

INGREDIENTS

3/4 ounce Alamere Spirits vodka

3/4 ounce Williams Sonoma elderflower syrup

1/2 ounce Meyer lemon juice

4 sprigs fresh mint (preferably peppermint, which has smaller leaves than spearmint)

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

DIRECTIONS

Combine mint, vodka, elderflower syrup and lemon juice in a mixing glass with ice. Shake until well incorporated. Pour entire contents into a large wineglass, top with ice, and then add sparkling wine and soda. Stir gently to combine.

Passion Fruit Spritz

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro

1 ounce Perfect Puree of Napa Valley’s Passion Fruit Concentrate

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

DIRECTIONS

Combine amaro and passion fruit concentrate in a large wineglass filled with ice. Add sparkling wine and soda. Stir gently to combine.

Strawberry Spritz

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce Young & Yonder California Amaro

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

3 stemmed, washed and sliced fresh strawberries (about 1 inch in diameter)

1 fresh strawberry with stem, washed

DIRECTIONS

Muddle strawberries in the bottom of a mixing glass until broken up. Add ice and amaro. Shake to combine and then pour the entire contents into a large wineglass. Add more ice, top with soda and sparkling wine. Stir gently to combine. Place the strawberry with the stem on top for garnish.

Limoncello Spritz

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 ounces Hanson Meyer Lemon Vodka

1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed Meyer lemon juice

1/4 ounce simple syrup

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

Washed Meyer lemon for zesting

DIRECTIONS

Combine vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup in a mixing glass with ice. Shake to combine and then pour the entire contents into a large wineglass. Add ice to fill and then top with soda and sparkling wine. Stir to combine. Zest lemon on top for garnish.

Jeff Burkhart is the author of “Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender, Vol. I and II,” the host of the Barfly Podcast on iTunes (as seen in the NY Times) and an award-winning bartender at a local restaurant. Follow him at jeffburkhart.net and contact him at jeffbarflyIJ@outlook.com.

You might have bought a squeeze bottle of Mike’s Hot Honey — perhaps the biggest and most well-known vendor on the speet (swicy?) scene — to have on hand at home when the craving hits.

But Colorado beekeepers and honey bosses don’t live under a hive, and many have recognized the trendy deliciousness of hot honey, so this is a product perfectly primed for buying locally (especially since local beekeepers tend to be heavily invested in supporting healthy bee populations and using sustainable practices that benefit both the earth and your tastebuds).

“I think the recent hot honey boom comes down to that perfect sweet and spicy combination that’s just universally appealing. It’s a classic flavor pairing that works on everything,” said Denver-based designer-turned-local honey entrepreneur Mike Lindholm.

Lindholm and his partners launched Honey House in late 2023, bottling up small-batch, artisanal honey from apiaries across the country (including Colorado Springs). One of their top sellers, of course, is Hot Honey, which was a success for the brand pretty much as soon as it was released.

Want to join the hot honey hive mind? Try one of these Colorado-based hot honeys to satiate your hankering for something speet. (Or swicy.)

Honey House Hot Honey

A habanero-based proprietary blend made with other top-secret supporting peppers, this hot honey is definitely spicy, without totally blowing out your tastebuds. “We spent over 150 iterations perfecting our Hot Honey recipe,” Lindholm said.

Where to buy: Leevers Locavore (2630 W. 38th Ave., Denver) and online

Björn’s Sweet and Spicy Colorado Honey

Whipped wildflower honey plus Pueblo-based Jojo’s OGX Red Jalapeño Sriracha equals a fiery flavor punch perfect for fried chicken, drizzling over stir fries, or licking straight out of the jar.

Where to buy: South Pearl and City Park Farmers’ Markets and Bjorn’s retail stores in Golden (1100 Washington Ave., Unit 101), Boulder (1101 Pearl St.) and Littleton (7301 S. Santa Fe Dr. #514)

Primo Whiskey Honey + Thai and Caramel Honey + Cayenne

Denver-based Primo makes awesomely unique condiments for the ultimate charcuterie board, including a spicy, caramelly jar of whiskey barrel-aged honey with Thai peppers, and a brand-new sea salt and cayenne version.

Where to buy: Whole Foods stores across Colorado and online

Honeyville Hot Honey

Each batch of Honeyville’s Hot Honey may vary with heat because of the unpredictability of the serrano peppers, but the sweetness of the Durango-sourced wildflower honey is forever.

Where to buy: At the Honeyville factory store (33633 Hwy 550, Durango) or online

Haefeli’s Infused Honey with Green Chili and Habanero

Sixth-generation Del Norte beekeepers infuse their honeys with two options for spice. The Hatch blend registers at about a four out of 10 on the heat scale, while the zestier habanero infusion clocks in at a seven.

Where to buy: Online

Local Hive Hot Honey

Not one, not two, but three different blends of hot honey all start with premium raw unfiltered honey. Next, pick your spice level: from the kicky jalapeño-based original, to the smoky chipotle, up to the downright fire Sriracha.

Where to buy: Front Range King Soopers and online

Colorado Hot Honey

Maybe as local as it gets, this Boulder County honey uses homegrown Pueblo Mirasol green chilis. So yeah, this is as Colorado as driving your Subaru down I-70 with your dog hanging out the back window.

Where to buy: Online and via their Etsy shop

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Ruby’s Good Shoes at 5405 E. 33rd Ave held its grand opening in Denver’s North Park Hill neighborhood on July 20.

But both the chef and general manager initially hired at the restaurant told The Denver Post on Friday that the owner, Hasena Williams, has treated employees poorly and failed to pay them fully.

Former general manager Isaiah Morales said he quit two days before the grand opening due to her demeaning behavior and long hours. He also said Williams hasn’t paid him, and the two remain in a dispute over the terms of his contract.

Most of the remaining staff of 33 quit Friday after meeting with Williams to get their paychecks, Morales said Monday. The former chef, who asked not to be named, claimed that Williams cut his check only after he agreed to relinquish the waffle batter recipe he’d crafted.

Williams tells a different story. In an email to The Denver Post on Friday, she said she’d hired Morales to accomplish certain tasks, “none of which were fulfilled at a satisfactory level.”

“Not only did he provide subpar deliverables, he hired a large group of unskilled employees that have cost me quite a bit in waste, labor expense, poor customer experience, and created a hostile work environment,” she wrote.  “Unfortunately, I’m left picking up the pieces of his mess.”

She did not respond to additional requests for comment.

Morales said he has filed a dispute with the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment and that Williams owes him $4,000 for his work. He claimed Williams asked him to work seven days a week and that she wanted to know whether she could pay employees less than minimum wage.

Denver property records showed a company registered by Williams, Choose Red LLC, bought the Ruby’s Good Shoes building from the Union Baptist Church for $900,000 last year.

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PITTSBURGH — Summer is a time when many of us eat at least some of our meals outdoors, which means looking for bright and delicious dishes that hold up to the rigors of car travel.

Those trips can come in the form of rolling out to a cookout or neighborhood get-together, but warm and sunny weather and kids being home from school also inspires impromptu picnics and trips to the pool, too — or maybe the beach or mountains, if you’re lucky.

No one can blame you for if you’d rather silence a growling stomach with something quick from Sheetz’s MTO menu while — say — passing through Breezewood on your way to Washington, D.C. It’s easy-in, and easy-out and still relatively affordable.

But here’s a pitch from someone who spends hours (and hours) on the road each month making weekend trips to Northern Virginia: homemade eats are almost always cheaper and healthier than ones you get from a fast food or fast-casual restaurant.

Packing a picnic basket or cooler with scratch salads, sandwiches and desserts that you can reach for whenever you get the munchies on route is also quicker for those of us who like to get where they’re going in the shortest amount of time possible.

I used to shake my head at my mother whenever she would limit my dad to just an ice cream cone for lunch or dinner when they traveled. But now that I’m a weekend road warrior myself, I think she might have been on to something.

Then again, I love to eat (a lot) as much as I like to save time and money. So planning a simple menu that can go with me wherever I decide to journey this summer might be a better idea.

The five recipes that follow make good on that plan in that all are easy to make in a short amount of time, with even limited culinary skills. And, importantly, they travel well.

Each is easy to pack and portion, relatively mess-free to eat with your hands or a plastic fork and can withstand a few hours tucked into a cooler, refrigerated bag or wicker picnic basket.

For sandwich lovers, we’ve got a meat- and veggie-packed Italian pressed sandwich that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. After assembling them, you wrap the sandwiches in plastic, place something heavy on top to flatten the bread (I used foil-wrapped bricks, but a cast-iron skillet also works) and then place them in the fridge so the flavors can melt into one another.

The result is a sandwich that’s not only more compact and portable, but one you can make well ahead and then just grab on the go.

Because people are eating more plant-based foods, we also have three vegetarian recipes that can easily be scooped while on a beach towel or in back seat of the family car. There’s a crunchy broccoli salad that’s tossed in a tangy vinaigrette instead of a more traditional mayo-based dressing; a cheesy and vegetable-forward pasta salad; and a creamy, five-ingredient hummus that brings it home with citrus.

And because no one ever said no to a homemade cookie, we also are including a recipe for cinnamon-and-sugar dusted snickerdoodles.

The chewy cookies might not scream “summer” in the same way as the chocolate soft serve on a cake cone my dad had to make do with on car trips, especially when it’s so hot outside. But they’re just as sweet, a lot less messy, and if you pace yourself to just one at a time, will last a little longer.

Some tips for flawless food transportation:

—If you’re transporting food that needs to stay cold, consider pre-chilling your cooler by filling it with an ice bath (and then draining it) before packing.

—Because coolers work best when they’re full, choose one that’s just large enough to hold your food, plus a little ice on top.

—Avoid leaks! Use sturdy containers with tight-fitting lids.

—Square and rectangle containers take up less space in a cooler or picnic basket.

—To minimize opening the cooler (and keeping food cold), pack your food in the order you will be eating it — sandwiches on the bottom, snacks on top.

—Divide food into individual portions before packing to make snacking and eating easier on the go.

—Don’t forget napkins, plastic tableware, serving spoons, a bag for trash and hand sanitizer.

Pressed Italian Sandwiches

PG tested

Who doesn’t love a big ol’ sandwich?

These filling sammies are layered with a hearty mix of Italian meats, roasted red peppers, pesto, arugula and fresh mozzarella and then pressed under a weight (I used foil-wrapped bricks) until they are flat. A homemade olive tapenade adds a fresh, briny flavor.

Easily doubled to feed a crowd, these sandwiches are best made with a loaf or mini ciabatta, but any long and wide, crusty white bread will work, too. I used salami, prosciutto and soppressata, but you can easily individualize them with mortadella, ham, coppa or any other favorite meat.

1 loaf ciabatta or other long/wide crusty white bread, cut in half lengthwise with a serrated knife

4 tablespoons pesto, homemade or jarred

4 tablespoons olive tapenade, homemade or jarred

4 ounces salami, thinly sliced

4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

4 ounces spicy soppressata

8 ounces mozzarella, sliced

1/2 cup roasted red peppers from a jar, drained well and chopped

1/2 cup pepperoncini rings, drained well

2 large handfuls arugula

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Spread one side with the split ciabatta with pesto and the other with the olive tapenade.

Layer the three meats down the length of one half of ciabatta. Top the meats evenly with the roasted red peppers and pepperoncini.

Add mozzarella cheese in an even layer and season lightly with salt. Place arugula in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic, and season with a pinch more salt.

Place dressed arugula on top of cheese, and place the other half of ciabatta on top and press down firmly.

Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic and place on a sheet pan. Put another sheet pan upside down on top and weight it with something heavy, like a cast-iron skillet. (I used bricks wrapped in aluminum foil.)

Let the sandwich sit to press and chill overnight in the fridge. Slice crosswise into 6 even pieces and serve. To take on a picnic, wrap each sandwich in parchment, and tie with a pie of twine.

Serves 6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Easy Pasta Salad

PG tested

Nothing is easier to throw together quickly (and cheaply) than a big bowl of pasta salad. Since it’s summer, this iteration is dressed up with fresh veggies that are easy to find at any market in July — cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, greens and Italian garden herbs. The fact that even picky kids will eat pasta salad — especially when it includes mozzarella — makes it even more of a winner.

If you want to pack the dish with a little extra protein, stir in a can of chickpeas (rinsed).

For pasta

3 cups uncooked tubed or curly pasta

Extra virgin olive oil

2 large handfuls of cherry tomatoes

2 Persian cucumbers

2 cups arugula or baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, optional

For dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic, minced

Pinch of dried oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. When al dente, drain and toss with a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick together. Set aside to cool while you prepare vegetables.

Slice cherry tomatoes in half and cucumbers into half moons. Add to bowl with arugula or spinach, basil, parsley and mint.

Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to the bowl with the veggies, add mozzarella balls and Parmigiano-Reggiano, drizzle on the dressing and toss well to combine.

Serves 6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Lemon Hummus with Homemade Pita

PG tested

I never ate hummus growing up — tahini was still considered kind of exotic in the 1970s and early ’80s — but boy, do my grandkids love the thick, chickpea-based Mediterranean dip. Even 18-month-old Theo gobbles it with gusto, sometimes just with a spoon.

Hummus can be flavored with a lot of spices and add-ins, including garlic, olives and red pepper, but the spread really sings when it is brightened with citrus.

For a car trip or picnic, serve with crackers, pretzels, pita chips or apple slices. If you’re really ambitious, pair the dip with wedges of homemade pita bread.

For hummus

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup smooth tahini

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

5 tablespoons water, or as needed to blend

Paprika, red pepper flakes, and/or fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

For pita

3/4 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

3 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

Prepare hummus: In a high-speed blender, place chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt.

Use the blender baton to blend until very smooth, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Refrigerate until ready to serve,

Make pita: In a medium bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit until it’s foamy on top, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, salt and remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Add the yeast mixture, oil and yogurt, and mix to combine. Knead the dough, either in the stand mixer on medium speed or by hand on a clean work surface, adding more flour if needed, until it’s soft and slightly sticky, 7-10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise until it’s doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 12 equal balls. Cover and let rise an additional 20 minutes.

Roll the balls out into circles that are 1/4 – to 1/2 -inch thick. Place onto the baking sheets an inch apart, then bake, one sheet at a time, until they’re puffy and lightly browned on top.

Bake about 8 minutes, rotating the pan after the 5-minute mark if one side of the sheet is puffing up more than the other. Transfer pitas to a wire rack to cool.

— loveandlemons.com

Broccoli, Cheese and Apple Salad

PG tested

Broccoli salad is crisp, refreshing and full of flavor. This no-cook, crunchy version is gluten- and nut-free, and if you’re avoiding dairy, the cheese is optional.

Tossed in a tangy vinaigrette instead of a calorie-laden mayonnaise-based dressing, this is a salad you won’t feel guilty eating. Chopped apple and dried cherries add a touch of sweetness.

For salad

1 pound broccoli florets (from 1 1/2 pounds broccoli stalks), thinly sliced and then roughly chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, optional

1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries, chopped

1 tart apple, peeled, seeded and chopped

For dressing

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

To a large bowl, add chopped broccoli, onion, cheese, cranberries and apples. Set aside.

In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and salt). Whisk until the mixture is well blended.

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until all of the broccoli is lightly coated. I highly recommend letting the salad marinate for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight in the refrigerator.

Divide the salad into individual bowls and serve. Leftovers will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge, covered.

Serves 8.

— adapted from cookiesandkate.com

Brown Sugar Snickerdoodles

PG tested

A cookie that travels well is one that won’t melt, stacks up neatly in a container and won’t make a mess when you’re eating it. For me, that’s a snickerdoodle with its signature crystalline coat of cinnamon-sugar.

This easy recipe is made with a mix of brown and white sugar, and is heavy on the cinnamon in the topping.

The cookies will spread as they bake, so be sure to place the dough balls 3 inches apart on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. I refrigerated the dough for about an hour before baking (it’s soft) and used a cookie scoop for even portioning. I also doubled the recipe because, why not?

If you like a crisper cookie (snickerdoodles are typically chewy in the middle, with crisp edges) let them linger a few minutes longer in the oven.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup white granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the cinnamon-sugar mixture

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until it’s soft, smooth and light.

Scrape down the bowl, add the sugars to the beaten butter, and mix until they are fully incorporated and lighter in color.

Beat in salt followed by the egg. Mix until the batter looks uniform.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch and baking soda. In three additions, beat this slowly into the butter-egg mixture until you see a few dry streaks remaining. Switch to a stiff spatula and gently mix the cookie dough until no more dry flour remains.

Thoroughly whisk together the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Form balls of dough with a medium-sized cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure and plop them in cinnamon-sugar, swirling to coat.

On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, place the dough balls 3 inches apart. Flatten the dough slightly (to about 1/2 – to 3/4 -inch thick) using the bottom of a glass, and sprinkle a little more cinnamon sugar over the flattened surface.

Put into the preheated oven. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 5-7 minutes (12-14 minutes total), until the edges of the cookies look golden and the tops are crackled but still pale.

Cool on the baking sheet and eat as soon as possible. Snickerdoodles will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature for 3 days.

Makes 12 cookies.

— simplyrecipes.com

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