Ferncliff Food & Fuel
The highway between Nederland and Estes Park is a scenic joy, but not without its culinary attractions. On a recent mountain excursion, we stopped at Ferncliff Food & Fuel, a combination gas station, grocery store, deli, bakery and mountain town gathering spot. The self-described “biggest little small town in the world” is a little less than an hour’s drive from Boulder. A sign touted the Ferncliff’s “famous” scratch-made jumbo cinnamon rolls. We sampled one of the giant pastries, unrolling spongy cinnamon-laced bites glazed with sweet cream cheese frosting. It was well worth stopping for.
Ferncliff also offers the next-door Cliffside Tacos. Nearby in Allenspark, the Meadow Mountain Cafe is open. Across from the town’s natural spring tap, the former Fawnbrook Inn is being reborn as a pizzeria.
Another Roadfood Attraction: Bubu at Grange Hall
The recently opened Grange Hall in Greenwood Village is an island of original flavor in a sea of same-old chain eateries along I-25. The food hall features the fourth location of Denver chef Troy Guard’s Bubu, a bowl-based eatery named after bubu arare, the tasty Japanese rice cracker snacks. It’s fast casual but I liked the fresh-is-best, scratch-made-everything approach when I stopped by for an aloha poke bowl. Spicy marinated tuna, haricots vert, hearts of palm, edamame, wakame seaweed and potent kimchi were layered over steamed rice and topped with soy onion dressing. You can build a bowl with salmon, grilled tiger shrimp, steak and chicken, then crown it with well-made toppings like charred broccolini and crispy shallots. Other composed bowls range from the OG Colorado (with roasted carrots, quinoa, green chilies) to the Thai bowl (with green papaya salad).
Grange Hall also features a number of other eateries: J. Dawgs, Eiskaffee, Tilford’s Pizza, Xatrucho, Uptown & Humboldt, and The Crack Shack. The food and beverage hall is near Pindustry, a new multi-story gaming and entertainment complex.
Boulder Recipe: A summer salad
Food Lab recently shared this raw Brussels sprouts salad that is perfect for summer gatherings paired with grilled foods. Upcoming classes at the cooking school include Fresh Pasta (May 5) and Plant-based Sichuan (May 24).
Food Lab Brussels Sprouts Salad
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced thin
1 cup peppadew peppers, sliced thin
5 pieces of thick cut bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pour oil and vinegar with salt and pepper into a large bowl. Add rest of ingredients, preserving some basil and bacon to top with. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Culinary Calendar: Summer Food
On April 22, 100% of the proceeds from the vegan Earth Day lunch at Jill’s Restaurant benefits Lyons-based Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. … Sip craft brew April 22 and 23 at Lafayette’s Odd13 Brewing and take in the Deep Space Drive-In art projections on the nearby Mary Miller Theater. … Summer dinners at Lafayette’s Three Leaf Farm are scheduled for June 12, July 17, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11. threeleaffarm.com … Summer dinners to benefit nonprofit organizations at The Farmette in Lyons include: Aug. 10: Forage Sisters/Slow Food; Aug. 17: Jax Fish House and Alberto Sabbadini/Mad Agriculture; Sept. 7: Blackbelly/Sophie’s Neighborhood. lyonsfarmette.com … This is the time of year when bees swarm. Don’t panic—be a pollination protector! Contact a beekeeper who will come collect the swarm at: coloradobeekeepers.org
Send information about summer 2022 food events, classes, farm stands, tastings and festivals to: nibbles@boulderweekly.com
