Bringing Pasquini’s Pizza back to the family
Colorado may be a hotbed for rapid expansion of restaurants on both the regional and national level — see Chipotle and Noodle & Co., for example — but Tony Pasquini wants no part of playing the role of franchiser. Anymore. In fact, he’s going in reverse. He started selling off his Pasquini’s Pizza and franchising new locations more than a decade ago. Guess what? He didn’t like how they were being run. So in the last few months, he’s gone ahead and bought out the ownership of two of...
Read MoreHappy sweets at Roberta’s Chocolates
Wine and chocolate go together like, well, wine and chocolate. Two indulgent flavors simply deserve one another, which is why there isn’t a better analogy in our mind. And when it comes time to pick chocolates, it only makes sense to check out the artisan chocolate around the corner. Roberta’s Chocolates (4840 West 29th Ave., Denver) has become a mainstay on the northwest side of town over the last dozen years. Roberta Poirier, the owner, produces a wide assortment of truffles, fudges, peanut butter...
Read MoreTurning Highland Tap & Burger into a wine bar (sorta)
This first thing you’ll notice about Highland Tap & Burger (2219 W. 32nd Ave., Denver) is that it is not, in fact, a wine bar. Perhaps it’s the name, the endless flatscreens showcasing the Broncos, Nuggets or Avs (and Red Sox) or the 20 beers on tap that gives this little factoid away. That hasn’t stopped co-owner Katie O’Shea from becoming quite the wine aficionado. In fact, she’s an executive sommelier and has put together a small but thoughtful wine list (that usually includes a...
Read MoreThree Fun Recipes Perfect for Sangiovese
If wine is the sauce to all food, then Vinny No Neck is the best friend to everything from duck ragu to beef brisket. Here are three great recipes to try next time you have a bottle of our Sangiovese/Merlot blend open. Garganelli with Duck Raguby Mario Batali via the Food Network Sangiovese is a perfect wine for the acidic properties of tomatoes, which is why it’s used along side so many traditional pasta dishes in its most famous region, Chianti. Here, Mario Batali creates a wonderful ragu with duck...
Read MoreSound Like an Expert With These 33 Wine Terms
Wine can be a confusing thing, especially for those of us who like to crack open a bottle and just enjoy with friends. Part of the intimidation comes from the vast vernacular required to hang with certified cork dorks. We could list hundreds of words that relate to wine, but there are more important tasks in life. So we offer 33 basic terms that will make you feel comfortable talking wine with novices and experts alike. Acidic A wine that has strong acids in it which can make your mouth water a bit. Acids...
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