John Lehndorff joins us from his home kitchen in Louisville to bring us some bad food news and a little good food news.
- Frasca co-owner Bobby Stuckey’s has stated that a third of Boulder independent restaurants could shutter by September if significant help doesn’t arrive soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if half the food and drink establishments that were open in Boulder on March 1 were closed by Jan. 1, 2021.
- Heifer and the Hen ice cream shop in Boulder has closed.
- Okuno family has closed the 20th Street Cafe which opened in 1946 in Denver. Euclid Hall is also closed in Denver.
- The St. Vrain Historical Society’s 50th Annual Strawberry Festival Vintage & Antique Market (scheduled for May 16-17) is cancelled as is the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.
- More bad news: Most of the state’s cherry and apricot crop were destroyed by the recent snow. More than half the fresh peach crop is also gone.
- On the upside: Moxie Bread Co. has opened a second location at 4593 North Broadway in Boulder, and both the Dark Horse and Sushi Zanmai in Boulder are reopening for takeout and delivery. Lucky’s Bake Shop has reopened with limited hours and offerings but finally, you can have your cake.
- Boulder’s J&L Distilling Company is now producing SnoSan Hand Sanitizer – artisan, hand-made hand sanitizer available at McGuckins and some liquor stores and delivered through hungrybuffs.com
- Doing good: Feed the Frontlines Boulder lets the community donate meals from local restaurants to health workers on the frontlines. Health workers get a nourishing meal, and local restaurants get to keep staff employed. feedthefrontlinesboulder.org
- Caffè Sole’s food drive is delivering hundreds of meals a week to Sister Carmen to distribute and accepts donations at: caffesole.com.
- Stock the shelves of 40 local food pantries and meal programs during the Hunger Hurts the Whole Community Virtual Fund & Food Drive, May 1-3. communityfoodshare.org/hunger-hurts.
- If you have unspent lunch funds in your BVSD’s student account, donate them to the emergency food program that supports BVSD families in need. More than 500 families have donated so far.
- Boulder County Farmers Markets has a new virtual market: BCFM2Go. Sign up to place an order at bcfm.localfoodmarketplace.com. Modified socially distanced farmers markets may be able to open mid-to-late May.
- Finally, we note the passing at age 89 from COVID-19 of Josepha “Jossy” Eyre, a force of nature in Denver who launched the Women’s Bean Project, a successful non-profit helping women develop job and business skills.
Best Thing John Cooked This Week:
Asian eggplant cooked in sesame oil with fresh garlic and ginger, chile flakes, soy sauce and five spice powder.
(Photo Credit: John Lehndorff, Frasca and Locale restaurants in Boulder are closed for now, the windows are boarded up to prevent vandalism.)
