Celebrate Local This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving may look a little different this year, but you can still count on your local farmers and bakers to bring staples such as bread, apples, and potatoes to your dinner table.

 

Join us in celebrating sourcing food locally, seasonally, and organically to embrace our local food culture and to ensure that food is good, clean, and fair.

 

Slow Food recognizes that

Food is good when it is created with care from quality ingredients, is flavorsome and healthy. Sharing of good food also strengthens the bond of community while celebrating culture and regional diversity.

Food is clean when it is nutritious while being good for the planet and our bodies; grown and harvested with methods that positively impact local ecosystems and promote biodiversity.

Food is fair when it is accessible to all, regardless of income or location, and produced by people who are treated with dignity, are paid a livable wage, and are safe at work.

Fresh sourdough challah rolls from Raleigh St. Bakery

GOOD

Holiday after holiday, bread is on the table whether you’re reaching for dinner rolls, making stuffing, or looking for a topping for your baked macaroni and cheese. To avoid food waste, use extra bread for leftover turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches, French toast, or dry out slices for bread crumbs and croutons.

Here are some local bread makers:

Babettes Bakery in Longmont, CO — This bakery is owned by a husband and wife team with over 5 years of experience running a boulangerie and patisserie together. Made from scratch bread and pastries can be found at St. Killian’s Cheese Shop. You may place orders online or swing by St. Killian’s to stock up on festive charcuterie board essentials, farm fresh eggs, and more.

Moxie Bread Company in Louisville, CO — A small town bakery with old world ambitions baking bread with 100% organic heirloom grains. Moxie’s bread grains are locally and regionally sourced which are milled in-house to craft rustic breads, pastries, and other baked goods. For those living in Louisville or North Boulder, you may order fresh baked breads, ready made meals, and pantry goods online to pick up in store.

Raleigh St. Bakery in Denver, CO — owner David Kaminer is proud to do what bakers have been doing for thousands of years—creating life our of flour, water, and salt. Raleigh St. Bakery specializes in organic artisan sourdough made with in-house, freshly milled flour. To get your hands on these special loaves in time for Thanksgiving be sure to place your order online by November 23rd.

Rebel Bread in Denver, CO— This community bakery and bread school bakes small batches of handmade, long-fermented, and naturally leavened artisan bread. Breads and pastries are available for pick up or delivery for bread club members. For those interested in perfecting their homemade loaves, check out Rebel Bread’s online bread school! Rebel Bread is also accepting Thanksgiving pre-orders, but be sure to order before November 22nd.

Whichever bakery you choose, you are sure in for a treat! Be on the lookout for white bread, challah, or brioche—they make great stuffing because they are slightly sweet and have a tight crumb.

Organic heirloom apples grown at Ela Family Farms

CLEAN

Both pumpkin and apples are in season in Colorado, just in time to make delicious homemade pies. Ela Family Farms of Hotchkiss, Colorado is the first certified organic, fourth-generation orchard in the Rocky Mountain West. Granny Smiths are one of the best choices for a homemade apple pie due to their tartness, and the Ela family carefully picks all their apples at peak ripeness to ensure full, fresh flavor.

If apple pie isn’t on your Thanksgiving menu, perhaps try your hand at homemade apple cider! Ela Family Farms grows 30 different apple varieties, and they sell their products at farmers markets and groceries all over Colorado! Look in Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, or contact the Ela Family to find their fruit.

 

 

 

 

Colorado farm fresh goods are available for curbside pickup or delivery thanks to Boulder County Farmers Markets

FAIR

Nothing is quite as comforting and versatile as a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. Perhaps that is why they are the most popular Thanksgiving dish in America. Potatoes are also in season so now is the perfect time to get mashing!

You will find locally grown produce at Boulder County Farmers Markets. Look for other in-season produce to add to your holiday feast like onions, carrots, and winter squash. While their in-person market closes on November 21st, you can still order online to pick up farm fresh produce, meats, cheese and goods in Lafayette, Longmont, Boulder, or Denver. Denver residents can also request delivery on Mondays! SNAP and WIC benefits are happily accepted.

 

Holidays certainly are not the only times you can support Slow Food’s vision of good, clean, and fair food for all.

Supporting small local groceries is a fantastic way to bolster your local economy and find unique, high quality goods. Some of our favorite local grocers in Denver are Marczyk Fine Foods and Leevers Locavore .

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