Caprese-Style Stuffed Tomatoes

9 fresh vine-ripened tomatoes
8 to 10 ounces of fresh mozzarella
4 stems of fresh basil
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and drop the tomatoes one at a time. Scald each for 4 to 5 seconds and remove.

2. Slip the skin off each tomato. Cut a small slice from the bottom so that the tomato will sit on a flat plate and a larger slice from the top. Set a few thin slices aside for emergency repairs..

3. Using a grapefruit knife, serrated spoon (i.e., grapefruit spoon) and/or fingers, remove the seeds and the interior pulp “walls.” If you happen to punch through the flesh, you can patch it with one of the reserved slices. Set upside down to drain.

4. Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into squares about the size of dice.Place in a bowl. Cut the basil into very thin strips. Toss with the mozzarella Add oil and/or vinegar, and salt and/or pepper to taste and toss into the mozzarella/basil combo.

The seventh Annual Steamboat Wine Festival, August 5-8 kicks off on Thursday evening with an elegant Grand Tasting at the Thunderbird Lodge high on the mountain with incredible views and winds down with a second Grand Tasting at One Steamboat Plaza at the base of the mountain. Between them, they provide opportunities to sample nearly 800 wines, spirits, beers and foods from the region’s finest restaurants. The James Foundation’s Celebrity Chef Tour is represented at Steamboat by Bradford Thompson and host chef Jon Demel at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort. Also on the schedule are informative wine seminars led by some of the top sommeliers around. Participating chefs include stars Jamey Fader (Big RedF Restaurant Group, Boulder and Denver), Troy Guard (TAG, Denver), Brian Laird (Barolo Grill, Denver), Kate Rench (Cafe Diva, Steamboat), Matt Selby (Best Dipping Grill and Steuben’s, Denver), Goose Sorensen (Solera, Denver) and Tyler Wiard (Elways, Denver). In addition to top winemakers, master sommeliers Ira Harmon and Brett Zimmerman impart their wine knowledge at festival seminars. I attended this terrific festival in 2009. Click here for tickets to this year’s event.

Mushroom and Wine Festival

I’m afraid I don’t know much about the Mushroom and Wine Festival scheduled for August 13-14 at Durango Mountain Resort other than two events among the mushroom-and-wine-themed activities, meals, tastings and demonstrations. A six-course, mushroom-themed dinner with paired wines for each course takes place at the Durango Mountain Club on Friday the 135th at 6:30 p.m. The following day, resort puts on a mushroom-hunting hike with guidance on how to identify edible mushrooms. The hike package includes transportation to and from the hunting area, a guided tour and a box lunch. Reservations: 970-385-2121.

Snowmass Culinary Arts Festival

Overlapping with Durango’s event is the first annual Snowmass Culinary and Arts Festival, August 14-15. In addition to such local (“local” meaning Colorado) chefs as Ryan Hardy of Aspen’s Montanna at the Little Nell Hotel and Frank Bonanno who owns Mizuna, Luca d’Iatlia and Bones in Denver, the festival is importint two well-known New York chefs. Chef Alfred Portale, a true rarity in 21st century dining, remains wedded to the Gotham Bar and Grill, the Greenwich Village restaurant where he launched his career 25 years ago. Laurent Tourondel, began his culinary career as chef to an admiral (or perhaps the admiral) of the French Navy and is now executive chef BLT Restaurant Group and Bon Appétit’s 2007 Restaurateur of the Year. Wine and spirits purveyors and talented artists are also part of the mix.Click here for a schedule of events.

Palisade Peach Festival

The 42nd annual Palisade Peach Festival, August 19-22, includes tours through the orchards, wineries and distilleries. “Feast in the Fields,” a festival favorite, offers guests the opportunity to dine in the orchards on local cuisine paired with local wines (reservations required). Some of Grand Valley’s finest musicians will provide entertainment throughout the event. Other events include an ice cream social and street dance, Thursday, 6:00-9:00 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, Peach Festival at Riverbend Park with music, food vendors, peach cuisine with Colorado chefs, tug of war, alpaca showcase and more; Friday, 7:00- 9:30 p.m., “Feast in the Fields” at Z’s Orchard (reservations required); Saturday, 7:00-10:00 a.m., Lions Club pancake breakfast; 9:00 a.m., Peach Festival Parade; 11:00 a.m.,recipe contest and sample sales; and 7:00-9:30 p.m.,  “Feast in the Fields” at High Country Orchards (reservations required); Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – Palisade Sunday Farmers Market. Click here for a full schedule, including non-food/non-wine activities. Accommodations in Palisade are limited, but nearby Grand Junction not only offers ample lodging but excellent values as well. Click here or phone 800-962-2547 for more information.

When the Plains Hotel opened in 1911, it boasted a premier location across from Cheyenne’s busy Union Pacific Depot. Among the well-known guests were politicians on the campaign trail from the whistlestop era and later, including Tom Dewey, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Ted Kennedy, and celebrities in Wyoming to make or promote movies including Carroll Baker, Karl Malden, Pat Wayne, Gilbert Roland, Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalban Jimmy Stewart, Barbara Eden and Debbie Reynolds. Surely, they also dined in the hotel restaurant.

The hotel fell into disrepair, although blocks of rooms continued to be blocked off for Union Pacific crews, long after passenger service was discontinued. The beautiful depot has been restored, and the hotel received a massive makeover in 2002 that included The Capitol Grille, a restaurant whose decor evokes the Craftsman style and whose cuisine, piloted by chef Gary Trehy, is a favorite by government officials, business travelers, legislators during the legislative session and visitors who appreciate the ambiance and the ample portions. Nine of us – eight out-of-towners and three locals — certainly did, forking into portions that would fuel a working cowboy.

The Wyoming Quesadilla (below) is not billed as an appetizer to share, but it certainly should be. Large flour tortillas (note plural) are stuffed with onion, jalapenos, black olives, cheddar and pepper jack cheeses and topped with additional cheese and sided with the Tex-Mex condiment trinity of sour cream, guacamole and salsa. And oh yes, add chicken or steak to the filling.

 

The building itself is LEED certified and is, in my opinion, art by itself. I like the HUGE door at the entrance:)  The museum is at 1485 Delgany St, we’ve briefly written about the museum before here. If you are here, also be sure to check out the bean bag room inside on the same floor as the rooftop.

MCA CAFE Hours
Tuesday–Thursday 11 am–4 pm
Friday 11 am–10 pm
Saturday–Sunday 11 am–5 pm

bean bags!

The view from the farthest seat in baseball, ironically, ranks among the prettiest. Two of Colorado’s many 14,000-foot mountains, Longs Peak and Mount Evans, dominate the western skyline when the sunset turns it orange and purple. Downtown Denver’s unique cluster of skyscrapers tower above home plate. The entire ballpark looks back at you.