ELEVATE YOUR GATHERING

Words by Zoe Cramer

DEBBY HUDSON

There’s nothing that elevates a meal like a well-arranged table. Sitting with loved ones in the glow of candles and the warmth of a freshly cooked, homemade dinner are some of the most special moments. Having a beautifully dressed table in the center of it all makes these moments all the more memorable.

Setting a table is a craft; it involves consideration and creativity. Elizabeth Slossberg, owner and founder of EKS Events in Aspen, offers a professional perspective on bringing your gatherings to the next level with a wellarranged table. Slossberg thinks outside of the box to make a table arrangement beautiful and personal to the event. “It just creates the ambiance. It creates the vibe. It creates meaning,” says Slossberg.

Before even approaching a table to set it, Slossberg gets organized and works backward from there. She first considers the menu –– what food will be served and how much room the food and drinks will take up on the table. Only once she has a good idea of the space she has to work with for decor does she move forward. “So, I first evaluate what room we have for decor and for the layering,” Slossberg explains. “And then, I go about the process. Do we have a theme? Do we have a feel? Does the house have a theme or a feel? And that’s how I kind of back it in.”

Slossberg recommends making the table setting about the event and scene. For the fall, she often uses food elements for centerpieces such as fruits, vegetables, charcuterie boards and local Colorado honeycombs and jams. The table might be scattered with photos including the guests for personal events, such as wedding anniversaries or birthdays. If you want to take a more simplified decor route, Slossberg recommends using your dinner as the centerpiece. For a recent family event she planned, the table was lined with Lazy Susans so guests could admire the dishes and dig in family-style. If you want to get really into it, Slossberg suggests hanging floral elements and lighting overhead and having candles on the table to add dimension.

With each element incorporated, from lighting to centerpieces, Slossberg carefully considers the scene and setup. For example, she always reminds herself to avoid blocking conversation –– don’t let flowers get in the way of seeing each other’s faces.

If you’re having a larger event and don’t have everything you need, you might look to a rental company. EKS Events uses companies such as Premier Party Rental in Carbondale for glassware, tables and bars and Eclectic Hive in Denver for furniture and specialty items.

If you’re daunted by the idea of using a rental company but still want to have a chic table for your guests, you might look to my mother Heather Cramer for inspiration. Growing up, I had the pleasure of witnessing my mom work her magic on a table just days away from any larger dinner party. She can’t paint or draw to save her life, but my mother sets one exquisite table.

She suggests investing in one thing each dinner party that you know you can use again. If the items are neutral, they can be used for any occasion. For example, if you buy neutral candle holders, you can use them with different colored candles to suit any desired ambiance (like burnt orange in the fall). If you have neutral napkins, you can change their message with the way you fold them or the string you tie them with. Cramer uses her resources to make her same few items look entirely different with each table setting.

“I really use the same things I have over and over again,” Cramer says. “You can use things that you have, like a martini glass. You can use a martini glass and put a candle in it, and then you can take ribbon and tie it around the stem of the martini glass and you have a martini glass, but it operates as a candle holder. So be creative with the items that you have and think about using them in a different way than what they’re intended in your place setting.”

Cramer is also a big advocate of placeholders for parties of 10 or more guests. They take away the awkward moment when people are trying to figure out where to sit, and you can mix up unlikely pairs to stimulate conversation. Placeholders also allow for another little touch to enhance your table. Cramer suggests using pinecones or little turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner. You might also include photographs which can double as take-aways.

Every gathering deserves a well-arranged table. Put your love and creativity to work, and show your guests you care with a beautifully set table. :

buckelfamilywine.com

Words by Olivia Lyda | Photos courtesy of the cideries

Western Colorado fall creates the most beautiful atmosphere: the changing color of Aspen tree leaves, the crisp and cool mountain air, the full bloom of apple season. Curling up in front of the fire with a refreshing hard apple cider is the perfect way to celebrate the changing of seasons. Colorado is known all over the state for its incredible hard ciders and unique flavor profiles that come with them. Moving beyond the taste of mass produced, ultra sweet ciders as you may know them, apples grown in the highaltitude environment of Colorado yield ciders with globally recognized, unmatched flavors. This fall, support local businesses and indulge in these three novel high-altitude ciders.

A family business with over 109 years and five generations of apple growing and cider experience, Snow Capped Cider’s apple orchards reside at 6,130 feet elevation. With multiple prestigious awards from the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition, the highest-level contest for ciders, Snow Capped knows the importance and success that comes from selecting the perfect apple, paired with high altitude growing conditions.

“We grow heirloom apples or heritage apples, which are older varietals that aren’t sold to grocery stores any longer,” explains Kari Williams, brand manager and owner of Snow Capped Cider.

“Heritage apples have more tannins, more complexity and some have higher sugar content or acidity. Then, throw that into growing at an elevation of 6,130 feet where the exposure to UV rays causes the trees to be in distress and the trees pump acid throughout themselves, and our fruit comes in with an extremely high sugar content and low pH. That’s how we get the flavors of Snow Capped Cider.”

“This fall in our specialty line, we are releasing a Bourbon Barrel Aged Spiced Peach Cider in a 375 milliliter bottle,” Williams shares. “It is made with the English cider apples, our own Colorado peaches and aged in bourbon barrels for nine months whole-spice.”

“Our Ashmead’s Kernel bottled cider is another one of my favorites right now. Made from an English bitter sharp cider apple, it’s very rich and layered with flavors,” adds Williams. snowcappedcider.com

Based in Palisade, Red Fox Ciders and Cellars provides a tasting room experience for any cider drinker. Red Fox creates a comfortable environment with a rustic back patio, serving in-house cider and wine cocktails and chilled carbonated ciders on-tap. “Our philosophy is that we think a little higher alcohol percentage and higher carbonation makes for a better cider. We always age our ciders a minimum of six months, and we like to age them with a little bit of oak as well,” explains co-owner Scott Hamilton.

“Our hard ciders are different from most in the state. A lot of people don’t realize there are two types of hard cider, being French, which are really sweet, or English, which are dryer or semi-sweet. We chose to go the English-style route, which seems to be the most popular style for the craft cider industry,” he adds.

Red Fox Ciders and Cellars in Palisade

BASALT 227 Midland Ave. / 11A Basalt, CO 81621 970-927-7650 FRUITA 119 E. Aspen Ave. Fruita, CO 81521 970-858-3597

“Our Pear-lo has been super popular. We do a lot of experimentation — one of our best-selling wines is a bourbon-barrel-aged merlot. Pear-lo is a perry or pear cider that is aged in one of those merlot bourbon barrels,” says Hamilton. redfoxcellars.com

With cider flavors ranging from Elderberry to Sweet Rose, Fenceline Cider & Wine’s Tasteroom in Mancos has a food truck and live music overlooking the Mancos River for the perfect cidery experience. Using wild apples from Southwest Colorado, Fenceline offers high-altitude flavors with a unique story to its production. “Fenceline was originally created to find a use for the hundreds of thousands of pounds of Montezuma and La Plata County apples that used to go unused each fall. Southwestern Colorado used to produce more apples than the whole of Washington State, and many of those historic orchards are still alive today,” shares cofounder Sam Perry.

“The Old Fort Lewis Orchard in Hesperus Colorado sits at an elevation of 7,612 feet, and we have harvested apples with sugar concentrations of 22 Brix or higher. This is a very high sugar content for any apple,” he adds.

“I like the Windfall. It’s our French-style Bittersweet cider with a wonderful blend of fruit from Atomic Orchards,” says Perry. “It is super high in tannin and has a robust mouthfeel that rivals red wine. It is aged in French oak for over a year and is a big cider that can stand up to any meal. Look for our whole skin Hermosa Cherry cider coming out as an exclusive release for our fall cider club allocation.” fenceline.co

Colorado’s high-altitude cidery roots are deeply embedded in the Western Slope, with sweet and light or deep and robust flavors that are only achievable through the high-altitude apple orchards. This fall season, take time to appreciate and indulge in the finer things that Western Colorado has immediate access to.

“There’s a lot of different ciders out there now, but the consumer is becoming more aware of what apples make the best cider,” suggests Williams. “There are more people than ever discovering how cider really should be made.” :

Kebler Corner Come stay at Kebler Corner where you can unwind in convenient accommodations. The property offers an array of nine cabins of varying sizes, 22 full RV hook-ups and primitive tent sites. Enjoy the breathtaking views with a variety of on-site amenities including river access, fishing, hiking, general store, liquor store and wi-fi access. keblercorner.com Kulina Lani Organic Sourdough Kulina Lani Organic Sourdough is beautiful bread for your special occasion that is made with natural fermentation that feeds your body and your soul. Born in Colorado, raised in Hawaii, and a lifetime of sourdough experience. kulinalani.com 970.539.5444 Rim Mountain Bike Tours Come ride with Rim Mountain Bike Tours, Moab’s original tour company since 1985. From one to six days in the backcountry, these are the best guides, routes and staff to help make the most of your valuable time. rimtours.com 435.259.5223

LIMELIGHT HOTELS IN ASPEN, SNOWMASS AND KETCHUM

All Limelight properties are set in the heart of mountain communities, catering to those with a hunger for adventure (and our signature wood-fired pizzas).

The Limelight Aspen, recently renovated and reopening for 2021, is steps from the steeps of Aspen mountain for big hikes and bigger views of the Elk Mountains.

The nearby Limelight Snowmass offers unrivaled fall colors, no matter which direction you look, and skiing out the back door.

Limelight Ketchum provides an escape farther west for all Coloradoans up to idyllic Sawtooth range. Things move slowly in Ketchum, when you’re not screaming down 2,400 feet of vertical drop on skis or one of the acclaimed, out-there mountain bike trails. limelighthotels.com

Words + Photos by Kaitlin Emig

Aweekend tour of tasting and drinking can be found with well-loved favorites and a new addition in Montrose. On my tour I stopped at a brewery, coffee and beer pub, and taco restaurant to get a feel for the town.

Montrose is a great stop when visiting the Black Canyon of the Gunnison or on your way to southwestern Colorado. The town offers 29 developed parks, 118 acres of open space, over 30 miles of concrete trails, 15 miles of singletrack hiking and biking, and a world class water sports park. With plenty of things to see and do, fueling up for your adventures starts with a town favorite at Horsefly Brewery. Motorcycles are parked outside and children’s chalk drawings are inside the courtyard creating a local vibe at Horsefly Brewery. The outdoor patio hosts concerts over the summer and open mic nights year-round. Specials and happy hours run throughout the week with Thursday being the best deal. The bar runs “Drinking with Lincoln” all day — by purchasing a burger you can get a pint or soda for a penny.

The deals and atmosphere bring in a variety of people. The man who sat next to me noticed the sign above the outdoor taps saying “Free Beer” and in small letters underneath, “Tomorrow.”

“Hey, I was in here yesterday, so beer is free today, right?” he asked. The bartender laughed and smiled in return. I tried a flight of beer brewed in house. The Blonde is an easy refreshing beer to start off the flight of craft beers, followed by the Jazzy Red

that has a similar taste but with a hint of raspberries at the end. The Grapefruit Hefeweizen was sweet and hoppy. The Coconut Porter was dark and nutty.

The most popular item on the menu is the wings, so I got six traditional with mango habanero sauce and a side of sweet potato fries. Horsefly Brewery uses local and fresh ingredients in their original recipes. Next time I will try their signature burger, the 50/50, that uses beef and bacon. For coffee the next day, I checked out the newly opened San Juan Brews, a coffee shop and brewery located on Main Street. I tried the Iced Carmel Macchiato with espresso infused whipped cream, which is as refreshing and sweet as it sounds.

There is a variety of seating options from couches to tables to bar seats and an outdoor patio in this refurbished 1908 building. Originally a slaughterhouse, the exposed brick interior gives the space an industrial feel set amowngst beer brewing equipment and espresso machines.

John and Davina Pope are two of the four owners and run the coffee house side of the restaurant; their friends Kevin and Chelsea McHugh run the craft brewery. Within a year of developing their idea based off brew and coffee pubs seen in Las Vegas, they found a property to lease. By January 1, 2021, after an unexpectedly short wait for their federal permits to serve alcohol, they opened with home brew-style beer.

“The plan was to open Friday through Sunday, but the demand to stay open increased,” says John Pope. They built out more fermentation, a five-barrel system and began offering their space Tuesday through Sunday for a variety of people. Their mission is to create a community gathering space where people can come together to share a beverage. There are telecommuting workers, bible studies, mom and me groups, yoga on Tuesdays, and paint and pints offered with community partnerships.

“We encourage locals supporting locals,” Davina Pope adds. “There was a need for a friendly meeting space in town, and we offer different ways to sit and enjoy our space.”

Food trucks regularly park outside, and guests are encouraged to bring food inside to create a brew pub atmosphere. On my visit, The Buttered Biscuit GJ truck was parked outside and smelled rather tasty. Paonia Paella and

Double Barrel Taco Company also provide food for the brew pub guests. For lunch, I walked across the street to Double Barrel Taco Company. The restaurant was filled with afternoon light coming in from their storefront windows making the space feel bright and welcoming. They offer an exclusive taco menu, or arsenal as they call it, with creative names for some of the classic tacos. I tried a Jail Bird and Notorious P.I.G. along with an extremely sweet lemonade. Other favorites are the Double Barrel, a brisket-filled taco, and Down South Sawed Off which features shrimp, spinach and corn. There is also a vegan option called the Lett-uce Shoot. My weekend tour also coincided with the farmer’s market, offering local and fresh food from the Western Slope. The market runs yearround every Saturday morning. This tour was just a glimpse at the great food and beverage scene in Montrose. With food trucks, bars, distilleries, pizza, burgers and fine dining, there is something for everyone, so make a stop or try something new in Montrose. :

Words by Zoe Cramer | Illustration by Julia Bridgforth/courtesy of The Aspen Cookbook

Behind the scenes of any meal in the kitchen is a loving and messy process of creativity, and The Aspen Cookbook will hold your hand through it all.

The Aspen Cookbook came into this world when meals with loved ones at local restaurants were not an option. To combat the lack of togetherness and the economic strife restaurants encountered in the face of the pandemic, the cookbook was born. YPN Aspen, a committee of young professionals under the Aspen Board of Realtors, came up with the idea for the cookbook when seeking ways to stimulate camaraderie. The committee established a restaurant-relief grant fund, which all of the proceeds from The Aspen Cookbook go towards. By purchasing The Aspen Cookbook, you’re not just supporting your stomach, you’re supporting the delectable restaurants that sustain Aspen. With over 100 recipes and their backstories, The Aspen Cookbook is well-balanced in cuisine and doesn’t fail to highlight beloved Aspen favorites. All of these recipes were gathered, tested and tweaked appropriately for home cooks by the editor, Amanda Rae Busch. Busch has been the food columnist for Aspen Times Weekly since 2013 and earned first place for The Aspen Cookbook in the Nonfiction Book for Adult Readers, General

Nonfiction category in the National Federation of Press Women National Contest, among other accolades for the book.

Many of the foods are pictured through Julia Bridgworth’s charming illustrations. “I just love the way [Bridgworth] put the whole thing together,” Busch says. “I think that she has such a great eye for something that was classy and timeless, but also a little funky and unique, which is I think just what Aspen is.” Have your home kitchen smelling like fall with Moroccan Vegetable Tagine from Mawa’s Kitchen or Farro Rissotto from Pyramid Bistro. If you’re having a gathering, don’t miss Party Pico de Gallo & Guacamole from Silverpeak Grill (formerly 520 Grill). For quick weeknight meals, Busch recommends the Carrot Coconut Ginger Soup from Castle Creek Café. The Aspen Cookbook truly has a recipe for every occasion and craving.

Be careful sipping your Orange Butterfly as you flip through the recipes of The Aspen Cookbook –– Amanda Rae Busch’s drink pairing of choice for the book. The Orange Butterfly was concocted by Elizabeth Neckes, Woody Creek Distillers’ bartender, to accompany the Moroccan

Vegetable Tagine. Busch selected this aperitif because of its locality; the Orange Butterfly is made special with Woody Creek Distillers’ vodka. Woody Creek Distillers was founded in 2013. Since then, they have earned numerous awards for their spirits. Their ingredients are either personally grown and harvested or sourced from other trusted Colorado farms. Their 100% potato vodka is produced from self-grown Rio Grande potatoes and local spring water, which makes the

Orange Butterfly distinctly Colorado.

The citrusy beverage will be optimal in the fall. Oranges are commonly misconstrued to best be enjoyed in the summer, but most orange seasons actually start in the fall and end before June, according to Hale Groves. Dig into the

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine in between sips.

With a cool glass of the Orange Butterfly, you won’t be the only thing sweating in the kitchen. :

For more information visit aspencommunitycookbook.com and woodycreekdistillers.com.

WESTERN COLORADO THROUGH THE LENS OF MIKE DAVENPORT

Words + Photos by Mike Davenport

PAUL Grand Junction native artist Paul Jensen. A 1979 graduate of Fruita Monument High School, Paul is a national recording artist, singer, songwriter, poet and traveler. He is currently in Vermont working on his fifth album. His music is quiet and introspective. A quiet place and a whisper of inspiration.

ROAD BIKER Keith Hawkins of Grand Junction, a local road bike enthusiast, poses with his bike in the studio. Bikers experience the world with speed, wind and sweat, contrast and color.

OPPOSITE TOP LIVE AT THE WAREHOUSE Jason Abbott performs to a sold-out crowd at Warehouse 2565. The past year has been difficult for all of us, but it has been particularly hard on small, local bands and musicians as venues shut down. With the easing of restrictions, local entertainers like Jason Abbott have found a public desperate for live music.

OPPOSITE LEFT STAGE LIGHT Bass player Levi Brown of Montrose. Like many local musicians, Levi plays with several bands, including Jason Abbott and Clark Jensen. Music is about sound and emotion, photography is about light and emotion. When they come together, we create something special, together.

OPPOSITE RIGHT MOUNTAIN MAN Grand Junction artist Steve McDowell poses for a portrait. Steve uses photographs as inspiration and reference for his paintings. The world is full of amazing and wondrous characters.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON Chris Rowland with his son Joey Rowland perform with Clark Jensen at Warehouse 2565. Both Grand Junction natives, the pair play together with several bands and can be seen at various venues around the Grand Valley. There is just something special about father and son sharing the stage.

“Autumn Cottonwood Study” North of Jackson, WY. Oil. 12x16.

“IT’S ALL LIGHT AND SHAPE AND COLOR AND TEXTURE.” STROKES OF THE SEASON

Words by MacKennea Broyles

Tucked away at the foot of the Grand Mesa, the same Cedaredge apple orchard that grows the main ingredient in Snow Capped Cider is also home to painter Mark Marino and his wife, JoAnne. From the itsy-bitsy buds of spring to the bold blossoms of summer to the abundant apples of fall and the barren branches of winter, the apple trees are always an indicator of change.

“It’s beautiful,” Marino says, of the orchard. “It’s the perfect place.” More than an idyllic living space, the property is also home to Marino’s studio, where his iconic plein air paintings that have found homes in everything from galleries to calendars come to fruition.

For Marino, who grew up in Boulder and began drawing at the age of five, the outdoors have been a long-time subject of his art. From his education at the University of Northern Colorado to mentorships and apprenticeships with artists in Idaho and Wyoming, the magnificence of the western landscape is threaded through Marino’s body of work. Although Marino’s painting has taken him to many a breathtaking location, he admits that the colors, shapes and values found in the Colorado National Monument remain some of his favorite to paint.

From wildlife to scenery to portraiture, much of Marino’s paintings aim to capture life

outdoors in the glory that it exudes by simply existing. “I just paint what I see; I paint my life and my life experience,” explains Marino. Plein air painting takes place chiefly in situ, or at the locale that is being painted. This painting style lends itself to the portrayal of panoramic landscapes and is often at the whim of light patterns and the mercurial weather for which Colorado is notorious. Representing these shifts in oil paint takes a keen eye and a quick hand. Thankfully, Marino has both.

“It’s all light and shape and color and texture,” Marino explains, describing his method. “It’s about how to capture those finer shapes and values. There’s this process that goes on in the background — thousands and thousands of little decisions.” These thousands of decisions make for intricate details that ultimately form the richly detailed paintings that appear on Marino’s canvases.

On a broader scale of change, the seasons often shape not just a landscape, but Marino’s palette. “In the fall, you have a hazy yellow tinge; summer has these bright lights and deep, cool shadows, while spring has bright shades of green and light blues, and winter has yellows and blues and of course white,” Marino explains.

Marino begins to lean towards fall as his painting season of choice, gravitating towards the warmth of both its weather and its colors, but ultimately recants. “All of the seasons. I love them all,” he laughs.

Despite painting for many years and witnessing the same cycles and patterns, there are always elements of surprise that find their way into Marino’s paintings. “There are always ways in which elements can be portrayed,” Marino shares, “it can be an unexpected color combination or the way the paint tools allow for texture to be applied. Whatever it is that will give it a more convincing look.”

Although the painters he has studied under and the works he is influenced by play a significant role in shaping his style of painting, Marino is ultimately beholden to the purity and integrity of capturing a subject, not the eye of the consumer. “I paint the way I paint,” he emphasizes.

The landscape is shifting in the art world, too. Many galleries closed during COVID-19, and there were no in-person art shows or competitions. “It hurt everybody, artists included,” shares Marino. Art sales have also gradually shifted online, but, as Marino points out, digital pictures and screens, despite their high-resolution features, are still unable to do something as intricate as an oil painting justice. Thankfully, galleries are reopening, and the Western Slope continues to act as a welcoming home for artists, with many local galleries and one of just a few art foundries (studios for bronze sculpture casting) in Colorado. Like the onward march of time through the seasons, Marino is always looking forward and plans to keep painting “probably forever.” Marino is continually growing his body of work and even plans to expand into new media forms, beginning with a commission for a bronze sculpture. Although no plans are set in stone (or bronze), Marino is meeting the future with an open mind. “We’ll see where it goes,” he says. :

CALMING THE SHEN: RESET YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM IMMERSION

SEPTEMBER 9-13

WISE WOMAN WEEK

SEPTEMBER 2-6

NATURE CURE SELF-CARE RETREAT

OCTOBER 7-11

SARAH “WOODY” WOOD OF GRAND JUN BEVERAGE CO. DRINK THIS BOOCH FOR A MUCH BETTER GUT

Words by Courtney Holden | Photos courtesy of Grand Jun Media

“D on’t gut it out.” That’s Sarah “Woody” Wood’s message when it comes to dealing with digestive issues like indigestion and bloating. “I’m continuing to try to help people understand the importance of their gut health, what it means and how they can improve it.”

Wood’s desire to help people overcome the daily discomfort of gut issues became tangible last May when she opened Grand Jun Beverage Co., a craft kombuchery based in Grand Junction. The name’s word play goes beyond the clever reference to her business’s home base. Wood also

focuses on brewing the “jun” style of kombucha, which is made with green tea and honey instead of black tea and sugar. She’s the only brewer in the Grand Valley to do so.

Wood’s passion for helping other people with intestinal issues and poor gut health stems from her own frustrating history. She grew up in Indiana eating a diet centered around standard Midwestern fare like meat, corn and potatoes — not exactly the recipe for healthy intestinal flora. She also had a series of childhood illnesses that required antibiotic treatments, a necessary process, but one that killed the good bacteria in her intestines as well as the bad. “All of that combined in my system to the point where I just struggled with my gut,” Wood explains. Not that she let that get in the way of her professional dreams. By age 27, Wood had been a marketing manager in the music industry and owned a creative service business. Since then, she’s held leadership positions in the outdoor industry and been the executive director of an annual film festival. In 2020, she founded The Good Talk, a consultancy “I don’t want to make that helps businesses something just to discover, plan, execute make money. I want to and evaluate their mission. And yet, while make something that her high-intensity career really affects people was flourishing, her and changes them intestinal flora was not. for the better. If that

“It was a lot of discomfort, fatigue and means I spend a little not understanding why bit more for the fresh, I was having these local, organic apricot symptoms,” she adds. When a series of to do that, then that’s concussions in the an easy choice.” winter of 2017-18 forced her to pause her many work endeavors, she realized it was time to reevaluate the pace and purpose of her life. She also decided it was finally time to address the abdominal discomfort she’d been living with for so long. She began looking into what gut issues are and found they’re typically either an imbalance

of digestive enzymes and acids or a reaction to certain foods. She researched what causes them and learned poor diet, antibiotic treatments and specific food sensitivities/allergies are among the leading culprits. And of course, she pursued strategies to fix them — diversifying gut bacteria, often by consuming probiotics, is one great option.

Kombucha, she learned, is a great source of probiotics — and it tastes delicious, too. So, Wood began brewing the non-alcoholic, fermented tea at home. Laughing that her “engineering mind” appreciated the chemistry behind the interplay between bacteria and yeast, Wood began adding blueberries, apricots and cucumbers, as well as medicinal herbs and mushrooms, to her concoctions.

Wood’s experience with business development and her desire to help others with their intestinal health drove her to pursue brewing on a larger scale, upping production from 1-gallon containers to 30-gallon containers to six 30-gallon containers. She also began sourcing ingredients from farmers and beekeepers on the Western Slope, an approach that benefits other small businesses while also making for a better-tasting, nutrient-rich and overall superior kombucha. She knew her margins would be smaller, but it was worth it. “I don’t want to make something just to make money. I want to make something that really affects people and changes them for the better. If that means I spend a little bit more for the fresh, local, organic apricot to do that, then that’s an easy choice,” she shares. Another key element to the great taste of Grand Jun kombucha: oak barrels. Most brewers ferment their kombucha in stainless steel, glass or plastic containers, but Wood uses American oak barrels manufactured by hand at a small cooperage in Higbee, Missouri. She’s found that the oak enhances the smoothness and adds a hint of vanilla.

Grand Jun’s only been around for a handful of months, but it’s already been met with a warm reception. They regularly sell out at farmers’ markets and have earned a place on tap at multiple Western Slope coffee shops and markets. Wood continues to iterate her kombucha flavors, incorporating seasonal fruits and herbs to bring variety to her line-up. Soon, she plans to branch beyond kombucha into vinegars and kefir, both of which will offer similar probiotic benefits. She’s also excited to offer a custom-batch kombucha program, where she’ll work with clients to craft a recipe that addresses their specific gut issues.

If things continue to go well, Wood is open to expanding Grand Jun beyond the Grand Valley, but she’ll never sacrifice her kombucha’s quality or her commitment to sourcing from local producers. And right now, she’s happy to focus on bringing better gut health to the Western Slope.

“This is a really high-quality, niche product tied into the environment we live in, rooted here with the producers, and that’s what I’m focused on: perfecting that,” she says. :

grandjun.com

Compiled by Emme Fredericks

@rockymountainsportswomen Are you a woman from the Colorado Rockies passionate about the outdoors and conservation? Rocky Mountain Sportswomen is a nonprofit organization aiming to connect women through hunting and fishing. Join this organization, or follow along on their Instagram to empower others through their adventures.

Feel Good Social It’s no secret social media has its ups and downs. Kimsey from Feel Good Social focuses on helping down-to-earth entrepreneurs navigate the social media world. Listen to receive tips on how to market your business, hear from successful entrepreneurs and chat about all things social.

There’s nothing like a good social media post to get you outside or involved in an active lifestyle. Check out some of the Backbone Media brands with their favorite products and motivational stories from adventure seekers and small businesses.

Meet Kaylan Robinson, a photographer based in Western Colorado sharing the beauty of travel, interiors and lifestyle. Check out Kaylan’s page to inspire your new home decor or to discover some of the glorious wonders life has to offer.

Jensen Cummings celebrates the unsung hospitality heroes by highlighting the worth and work of those who feed their communities. Tune in to help acknowledge these individuals that make the world go ‘round.

This podcast is dedicated to telling the stories and happenings of Colorado’s great outdoors. Whether it’s conservation or outdoor recreation and wildlife, this podcast will surely inform you about everything the state has to offer.

Words by Kaitlin Emig

SHELLEY PAULS

My first efforts with preserving food started with fermentation and a pile of Napa cabbage. I experimented with making kimchi by utilizing locally grown cabbage, radishes, carrots, onions and spicy peppers. With a bit of mentoring from a friend and patient roommates who allowed my salty concoction to ferment in the kitchen sink, I made my first batch of a traditional Korean side dish. Then, it was on to hot pepper jelly to use up a successful crop of spicy red and green peppers that I canned in small jars for Christmas gifts, followed by a sunny summer when I picked raspberries and strawberries for jam. With each gardening season, I learned a new recipe for saving the harvest.

My successes and — sometimes moldy — fails come from lessons learned in a book called Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. Fermented foods have healthy probiotics and bacteria to aid digestion and are made through a process converting carbohydrates into alcohol or acid.

Household staples like cheese, milk, sauerkraut and sourdough bread are all fermented foods. Cultures around the world have a rich history of fermented foods, such as miso and pickles coming from Japan, or wine and cheese from France.

Katz’s book is a great place to start if you are interested in learning more about fermentation and trying recipes from around the world.

Another way of preserving foods is through pickling, which uses salt, vinegar, sugars, oils and aromatic spices to capture the freshness of vegetables or meats. This method allows communities from around the world to travel with their native food, survive a frosty winter and persevere through a dry season. Pickling can be done in a quick refrigerator style for those wanting an easier method or by canning brined vegetables or meats. Micheal Joersz, chef and owner of Pickled Kitchen + Pantry in Eagle, makes his own pickles for his gourmet deli sandwiches. He uses the quick pickling process for his spicy dill pickle and pickled onions. He describes the process of making a brine (salt, vinegar, pickling spice), adding garnish, flavor enhancers (bread and butter or dill) and color (jalapeno) to make a spicy dill pickle. “The pickled onions are easy and quick to make using red wine vinegar and aromatic herbs like cassia bark, cloves or star anise,” he says. Then he adds sugar and salt and simmers the brine. Lastly, he adds the shaved onions. “They are sweet and tart tasting,” he comments. “Whatever is seasonal you can pickle,” Joersz believes. For him, pickling is more about what’s fresh in season, to keep it as crisp and flavorful as possible, from taste to texture.

He describes his sandwiches as more of a high-end take on what a deli can be on this side of the valley. “We source high quality products from all over the world and the best in show that’s local,” he shares.

To get pickled, he suggests ordering sandwiches and beverages from the liquor store next door and heading out to your next adventure.

SUGGESTS PAIRING: BLACKENED SHRIMP AND A FRESH SALAD

4 ears sweet summer corn (preferably Olathe corn) 1 small shallot julienne-cut 1 medium fresno chili julienne-cut 1-2 Tbsp sherry vinegar 1-2 Tbsp champagne vinegar 1-2 Tbsp Colorado honey Cracked black pepper Squeeze of lime Pinch of kosher salt Optional: cilantro cut chiffonade

FRESH Cut the kernels from the corn cob by sliding a knife down the corn about 2/3 the depth of the kernel. Mix all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and let stand for 20 minutes. Strain off any extra liquid. Serve fresh or refrigerate. If quick processing, use within a week. CANNED Put prepared food in cleaned and sanitized mason jars to the bottom of the rim, packed tightly. Then, put the lids on the jars and seal them with rings, but not snugly, just tight. Rest jars on spare jar rings or a metal jar rest in a large pot. Fill pot with enough water to cover the jars completely. Bring water to a boil and begin timing once water is boiling.

Boiling of the jars depends on each recipe and altitude. For pickled sweet corn, boiling time can be between 15-25 minutes. Remove carefully with a jar grabber and place on a towel on the kitchen counter out of the way. Release some pressure from the rings or remove them completely to avoid moisture being trapped in ring. Listen for a “pop” sound to indicate lid is sealed. Wait 24 hours until jar has cooled.

To test if the lid is sealed, press finger on center of lid. If it goes up and down, then it isn’t sealed and can be placed in refrigerator to be used within a week. All sealed jars are tightened with lid ring then labeled with the date. :

Recipe by Michael Joersz Chef + Owner of Pickled Kitchen + Pantry Eagle, Colorado

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