DINR’s Green Cuisine

Several Denver restaurants, including Snooze, the Avenue Grill, and Black Pearl, have pushed the city to the forefront of green dining. Last Friday, September 18, 14 restaurants belonging to the Denver Independent Network of Restaurants (DINR) kicked off the Greener DINR Partnership Program.

The yearlong pilot requires each restaurant to implement measures that will reduce the environmental impact of their operations. Each month the restaurants will focus on a different aspect of sustainability, such as recycling, energy, or water.

The Environmental Protection Agency, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the City of Denver, and other agencies will provide the restaurants with technical expertise and help monitor the program’s progress. A complete list of participating restaurants and sponsors will soon be available at eatdenver.com.

This post is also available on the 5280 blog.

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5280 Promotes Harvest Week

Peachy Desserts at Jonesy’s Eat Bar

The peach harvest in Palisade may have ended, but Denver restaurants are putting the fruit to good use in drink, appetizer, and main-course specials. Parallel 17, for example, offers peach carpaccio with Thai chile flakes, smoked red sea salt, and pea-shoot salad, and Elway’s Cherry Creek tops chile-braised Colorado goat tacos with charred peach salsa.

But when I think peach, I think dessert, and Jonesy’s EatBar currently has two such creations on the sweet side of its menu. In celebration of the upcoming Harvest Week, Jonesy’s has created a Haystack Mountain goat-cheese pound cake crowned with slices of fresh peach and a dollop of basil crème fraîche. The basil lends an unexpected herbal flavor—and fragrance—to the tart crème fraîche, and both are nicely offset by the cool sweetness of the peaches.

On Jonesy’s regular menu, fans of the stone fruit will give high praise to the sticky-sweet peach bread pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. The dense bread pudding is especially yummy paired with Oskar Blues‘ Dale’s Pale Ale aged in Stranahan’s Whiskey barrels. The heady top notes of whiskey nicely synchronize with the base notes of clove and spice in the bread pudding.

400 E. 20th Ave., 303-863-7473

Thanks, Shari for the post!

Posted 9/3/2009 at 10:39 am by Shari Caudron

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Sample Menu for Harvest Week

There are so many great menus available during Harvest Week. Where do you start? Check the back here for other menu samples or for a list of other menus, click here..

For now, here’s a teaser. This is the Harvest Week menu from Il Posto.

45 per person

PRIMA CORSA

Crudo di trota del Platte, schiuma di cocomeri e agrodolce di rapanelli

“Crudo” of South platte river trout, cucumber foam and ‘agrodolce” of radishes

or

Lattuga nana, robiola, fragole e pinoli

Baby “Verde Farm” lettuce, robiola cheese, agrodolce of strawberry, pine nuts and grana

SECONDA CORSA

Risotto alle pesche e Sottocenere

Risotto with Palisade peaches and sottocenere

or

Maltagliati al ragu di quaglie con fave e caciocavallo

Homemade espresso mafalde, local quail ragu, fava beans and caciocavallo cheese

QUARTA CORSA

Scottadito di agnello al sale e margiorana

servito con boccioli di girasole, fichi e lambrusco

Local lamb rack seasoned with salt and local marjoram and served with a compo of “Verde farm” sunflower sprouts tossed with lambrusco marinated and roasted brown turkey figs

Or

Filetto di branzino di aqua dolce agli amaretti

con dente di leone rosso al pomodoro e capperi di pantelleria

Filet of Colorado sweet water striped bass, olive oil poached,

served with a zucchini lemon chilled soup and beets sprouts salad

DOLCI

A SELECTION OF DAILY MADE DESSERT

For a list of other menus, click here.

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Celebrate Colorado’s local bounty during Harvest Week from the Westword Blog

The Westword blog: Cafe Society promotes Harvest Week!

Beginning tomorrow and continuing through Friday, September 18, members of the Denver Independent Network of Restaurants (DINR), are participating in Harvest Week, a seven-day tribute that’s all about supporting local independent restaurants while celebrating the ingredients that grow in our back yard. “Eating locally not only helps keep the cost of food down because it doesn’t have far to travel, but also encourages the production of superior ingredients,” says Elizabeth Sundari Kraft, owner of Heirloom Gardens, a local farm that grows organic vegetables and herbs.

All of the involved restaurants are offering seasonal, multi-course menus that highlight local foods, wines, spirits and microbrews, while several participating restaurants are also hosting individual dinners, events and programs in conjunction with Harvest Week. “DINR is excited to embark on a project that will raise awareness about eating locally and supporting local producers,” says David Zahradnik, the president of DINR and general manager of Steuben’s, one of the 34 restaurants participating in Harvest Week.

To see the complete list of restaurants and their menus, click here. And keep checking this space throughout Harvest Week for menu and event updates, as well as information about all the local products that you’ll no doubt be eating.

Thanks, Lori Midson for the post!

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Celebrate Colorado’s Bounty With Harvest Week from the 5280 blog

Locavores may already be dedicated to the cause, but for those who find eating locally a challenge, Harvest Week is an excellent introduction (and education) into Colorado’s exceptional products.

From September 12 to 18, some of the 50-plus members of Denver’s Independent Network of Restaurants (DINR) present menus featuring locally produced food and beverages. Think locally raised goat shoulder and goat leg from Beatrice & Woodsley, grilled peach salad from Locanda del Borgo, young dandelion salad from 1515 Restaurant, and summer-squash corn chowder with dill pesto from Tables.

Bonus: Harvest Week is also a celebration of Colorado-produced wines, beers, and spirits. Check menus for championed sips from Leopold’s Bros. liquors, Stranahan’s whiskey, and local craft breweries and wineries.

For more info, or to preview menus, click here.

Posted 9/11/2009 at 11:15 am on the 5280 blog by Amanda M. Faison

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Harvest Week September 12-18 2009

The Denver Independent Network of Restaurants (DINR) comprised of the area’s top independent restaurants, has created Harvest Week, a weeklong celebration of Colorado’s exceptional produce and products. Harvest Week is presented in partnership with the Colorado Wine Board and Colorado Proud.

“We wanted to hold an event that would celebrate the spirit of DINR while contributing to the local community,” said David Zahradnik, President of DINR and General Manager of Steuben’s. “DINR is excited to embark on a project that will raise awareness about eating locally and directly support local producers.”

Each participating restaurant will create a menu for Harvest Week that features food and/or beverages grown or produced in Colorado and highlights the style of that particular eatery. All menus will be posted on the Harvest Week section of DINR’s website. While specific menus won’t be finalized until mid-summer, several renowned Colorado ingredients are expected to make appearances, such as peaches, sweet corn, chevre, trout and lamb. Other lesser-known Colorado products will also be featured, such as heirloom tomatoes, berries, greens and potatoes.

Restaurants may choose to do a four-course meal with Colorado wine pairings; a selection of local beers to compliment its regular menu; or a wine tasting with local wines and cheeses.  In addition, several restaurants will host individual programs and events including talks with local farmers; presentations by Denver Urban Gardens; pick and cook events with kids; and much more.

“Eating locally not only helps keep the cost of food down because it doesn’t have far to travel, but also encourages the production of superior ingredients while benefiting the environment,” said Elizabeth Williams, Harvest Week Committee Chair and Events Manager at Highland’s Garden Café. “Harvest Week will surely be the start of more ongoing relationships between restaurants and local producers.”

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Welcome to DINR’s blog

The Mission and Goal of DINR (Denver Independent Network of Restaurants) is: To support, encourage, and promote independent restaurants and chefs, which are the soul, spirit, and identity of Denver, through education and the formation of a restaurant network.

This blog is designed to keep you up to date with DINR happenings and serve as a resource for all of those that love food.

You can expect to see specials and promotions from DINR restaurants, inside information from your favorite chef’s, culinary hints and tips, maybe even a recipe or two. Stay tuned for information about upcoming Harvest Week!

To learn more about DINR:

To visit our website, click here.

For a list of restaurants, click here.

To view our event calendar, click here.

To subscribe to our newsletter, click here.

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