Two weekends ago I spent the morning at the Cherry Creek Farmer’s Market. It was my first visit despite living here for eight years. I’ve driven by countless times and enjoyed looking at the multicolored portable tents with crowds of meandering shoppers. My sister was visiting from Ohio, so I felt it was time to stop in. It would give us an opportunity to spend quality time together.
It was the perfect sunny morning and parking was a breeze. The Market is held in the Cherry Creek Mall parking lot at the southeast corner of University and 1st Avenue. We had a full day planned: Cherry Creek Farmers Market (“top farmers market in Denver”), then off to the Denver Polo Classic, (“the nation’s largest charitable polo tournament”). I was excited to show my big Sis some of Denver’s best stuff.
There were plenty of fresh vegetables and potted plants to purchase, of course. But we were surprised to find purveyors of honey, bread, fresh yoghurt, wine, clothes, dried pasta, and a very large travelling biscuit van! We entered at the perfect point – at the wine booth. What a great way to start a shopping adventure. Three tastings and we were off. Just about every vendor offers a free tasting. So skip breakfast on Saturday mornings and head to the farmers market instead.
My favorite vendors for the day were:
- Two Mile Creek and their Habanero Hot Pepper Jelly made with whiskey infused apricots
- Cottonwood Creek Farms and their free range chicken (plan to visit them soon to do a video)
- Colorado Mountainview Lavender (“Colorado’s first commercial lavender farm”) and their lavender oil
We weren’t able to finish the circuit because our hands were full and I had a newly-acquired frozen chicken to get home as well as a polo match to get to.
The culinary inspiration of the day came from the lavender oil.
It’s hot. It’s summer. And it’s time for home-made ice cream. All you need is a small bottle of culinary lavender oil, a few fresh lavender blooms, basic dairy ingredients, and an inexpensive electric ice cream machine (available at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table in the mall), and you can easily make your own. No salts or hand cranking needed.
THE PATRICIAN PALETTE |MARK WOOLCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY
RELATED LINKS
www.markwoolcottphotography.com
www.coloradofreshmarkets.com/markets.html
www.denverpolo.com/
www.twomilecreekspecialtyfoods.com/
www.cottonwoodcreekfarms.com/
www.coloradomountainviewlavender.com/
Hemp I Scream makes a lavender flavor–have loved it since I first tried it at Whole Foods ten yrs ago