Glancing at a labradoodle companion being fed expensive Italian food a couple of tables away at a Boulder eatery, a curious thought crossed my mind:
“If it’s OK for dogs to dine at restaurants, why not cats? Or ferrets? Or iguanas?”
When I posted the question online, the snap response was: Cats have a mind of their own. They wouldn’t observe proper dining etiquette.
If you dine out enough you see canines consuming cuisine and behaving in ways that disturb a lot of diners. If these dogs were kids, we’d mutter under our breath that the parents were doing a poor job of parenting. In defense of dogs, some of the canines behave a lot better than the children who run wild inappropriately at Boulder County eateries.
Are we just being cranky diners, or has something fundamentally changed?
Here are some comments:
“As a very allergic person, I vote NO to having non-service dogs inside restaurants. Outside is OK for well-behaved dogs. There are a lot of other places folks can commune with their animals, so please save restaurants for humans.”
“Dogs and cats should not be allowed in restaurants or cafes or bakeries. Supermarkets and brewpubs maybe. Service animals are different because they have been through a lot of training. Most people don’t bother to train their dogs much and assume the dog is ‘nice’ because it is nice at home or in familiar situations. Dogs are unpredictable, at best, especially with children. Many people think everyone should love their dog as much as they do. I assure you, everyone does not.”
“In England, France and Germany, all allow dogs in pubs and cafes without a problem. I think at casual places, it is fine within reason. Good behavior is a must.”
“Barking is a complete deal breaker. No one has the patience for dining with a barker.”
“I’m fine with it as long as the owners are well behaved.”
“No, unless it’s a genuine service dog that lies next to the owner’s feet. No dogs on chairs, slobbering on chairs and tables. Who wants to sit on a chair that had a dog’s behind on it?”
“Ginger and Baker in Ft. Collins has an outdoor dog patio with a menu for pooches. They also run special events for dogs such as Halloween dress-up events with free photos.”
Share your thoughts on dog and cat dining: Nibbles@BoulderWeekly.com
Colorado Peach Pleasure
It is turning out to be a good year for Colorado’s famous Western Slope peaches, with successive varieties of sweet juiciness arriving each week. Be sure to preserve some now for a pie in the chill of November.
First, de-peel your fresh peaches. If a peach is firm enough to use a potato peeler on, it’s not ripe nor sweet enough to eat. Drop whole peaches into a pot of simmering water and fish them out about 10 to 20 seconds later. The skin should slip off. Immediately chill in icy water. Drain, then spread slices on a small metal sheet and freeze. Place frozen slices in a bag for use later. Before you compost the peach peels and pits, put them in a saucepan with a little water, sugar or honey, plus vanilla or almond extract and a little nutmeg. Simmer 20 minutes and strain. Use peach syrup for pancakes and to top ice cream.
Palisade peaches are also popping up in some notable limited-time local foods. Colorado-made Noosa Palisade Peach Yogurt is available now and the fruit marries well with that smooth, creamy yogurt. You can also try fresh peach slices in Noosa’s Honey Yogurt.
Boulder’s Moksha Chocolate is producing a limited number of vegan Palisade Peach Pie Bars made with Palisade peaches, fresh-pressed cacao butter, coconut milk and toasted oats.
Breckenridge Brewery offers its Palisade Peach Wheat Ale this time of year, an easy-sipping, unfiltered American style wheat ale with a prominent peach flavor.
The Nibbles Index: Beer is Here
21.8: The average number of gallons of beer drunk by each over-21 Colorado resident annually. (Source: Top Data Beer Report 2021)
Local Food News: New Longmont Italian
Carciofi Pasta and Lounge has opened at 2020 Ionosphere St. in Longmont. … Red Wagon Farm is open in the barn at 1640 W. Baseline Road in Lafayette. Crops from the next door fields include tomatoes, shishito peppers and purple baby artichokes. … Reopening soon: Brasserie Ten Ten, 1010 Walnut St. … Opening soon: Dickens Prime 300 Steakhouse, 1125 Pearl St.; Boulder Social, 1600 38th St. … Did you know you can buy squeaky fresh cheese curds at MouCo Cheese Company in Fort Collins? Check their social media. … Natascha Sherman Hess, chef/owner of The Ginger Pig (opening soon in Boulder) battles chef Bobby Flay at 7 p.m. Aug. 11 on the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay.
Words to Chew On
“A hot dog with an interesting person is an amazing meal.” —Chris Rock
John Lehndorff is a former dining critic, line cook, caterer and cooking teacher. He hosts Radio Nibbles every Thursday on KGNU. Comments: Nibbles@BoulderWeekly.com
