Event Picks: for the Curious Eater
Growing up, I hated mushrooms. My family, a bunch of mushroom-lovers, would always tease me. Despite their persistence, I began to avoid mushrooms altogether, because every taste was a failed attempt, and frankly, an attack on my tastebuds. Years later, when I decided to become a vegetarian, I realized that mushrooms would probably be a good addition to my now meat-free diet. So mushrooms and I began to repair our relationship, and I started to try mushrooms cooked in all different ways, at all sorts of restaurants. Of course, there were still times that I wasn’t crazy about them, but I soon realized what a chef, a culture, or a style of cuisine can do for a food. Every mushroom I ate tasted different! And the unique growing, prepping, and cooking all has an effect on that. Not only do I eat mushrooms now, but I realized the versatility of the kitchen. You may not like a food cooked or grown one way, but love it prepared another!
What is a food festival if not an opportunity to try something new? Or fall in love with an old least favorite food? At Slow Food Nations, we have a whole slew of opportunities to try new food – new ingredients, new styles of cooking, new chefs – all while learning about what you’re eating, how it’s made, and who’s making it. So, curious eaters, this is your guide to Slow Food Nations. Get out there and try something new. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet your mushroom!
– Emilie
Friday, 7/19
Pickled Pintxos and Paella on the Patio
Join us for a fermented tasting feast at Ultreia restaurant beginning with a pintxo crawl out on the beautiful patio at Denver Union Station. The journey ends with a paella inspired by special guest and fermentation guru Sandor Katz, featuring calasparra rice, chorizo, sofritto, Jimmy Nardello peppers and wild gulf shrimp from the Ark of […]
View event detailsSaturday, 7/20
Meet Your Maker: Rocky Mountain Micro Ranch
Join Wendy Lu McGill, founder of Colorado’s only edible insect farm and food company, and David George Gordon, author of The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook. Join us as we taste through insects that are a more sustainable food option compared to traditional protein sources. Eating bugs is a smart and healthy choice that requires less land, water, […]
View event detailsFlavors of the African Diaspora
Join culinary historian Adrian Miller and chef Kevin Mitchell for a journey to Africa as they create a dish using ingredients of the African Diaspora. Listen to stories of how the ingredients traveled to the new world, and what these ingredients mean to African Americans and the southern food canon.The Kitchen Counter is a public […]
View event detailsFood Over Fire
Gather with friends, family, and foodies alike in downtown Denver to celebrate Slow Food. There will be food, drink, and live music all centered around the beautiful foods we cook over fire.
View event detailsFermentation is Everywhere!
Through hands-on demonstration and instruction, you'll explore the possibilities of vegetable fermentation and learn how to execute a basic ferment that can be modified in your home with different variations through the seasons.
View event detailsSunday, 7/21
Coastal Flavors of Mexico
The Baja Med movement originated in Mexico's Baja California and is now grabbing the attention in both Mexican and international culinary circles with its vibrant blend of Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian influences. On the other side of Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula is home to a melting pot of communities who settled in the dazzling area […]
View event detailsThe Sweet Source of Craft Chocolate
Explore the delicious possibilities of using craft chocolate in desserts and learn about the importance of sourcing high quality, ethical and locally crafted chocolate in restaurants and homes. Fortuna Chocolate and chef Luke Miller of Boulder's Arcana Restaurant will take you on a journey from cacao bean to creative dessert. The conversation will delve into […]
View event detailsMeet your Maker: Haykin Family Cider
At its core, cider is wine made from apples. And just like fine wine, the best ciders seek to elevate their fruit without added flavors, colors or anything else. Cider is all about the apple. The flavors and aromas are extremely varied — in that way, apples are very similar to wine grapes. One cider […]
View event detailsMERCHANTS
New Beat Foods is a gluten-free, hand-crafted, artisan food company. They produce a line of crisp, crunchy, flavorful and naturally gluten-free crackers, baked with a base of 100% organic quinoa and other nutritious gluten-free grains and seeds.
River Bear American Meats is a Denver-based company owned by Chef Justin Brunson that uses old world techniques to make new world fresh and cured meats. They only source from family farmers who raise their animals the right way – the humane way.