This year’s Earth Day marks many a new beginning for The Kitchen and our community of friends and food growers: a new schedule with an afternoon Community Hour, fresh menus with lots of shared plates, and a celebration of what promises to be a productive growing season.
The official beginning of spring went largely unnoticed last month, obscured by weeks of a stubborn drought that left farm fields dusty and dry. With water ditches still empty, seeds that had already been sewn threatened to shrivel and die. But the recent sleet that had Boulderites slogging through slush also saturated the ground so thoroughly that a bountiful harvest of spring crops is nearly guaranteed.
The perfect timing of this spring soaking was extra cause for celebration when The Kitchen’s farmers and staff sat down together last night at our annual Earth Day Dinner. We always look forward to this special day, when we close our doors and invite those who provide us with local produce all year long to come in, relax, and enjoy dinner and a glass of wine in the company of friends. Throughout the evening, there were toasts to the pioneers of local foods here in Boulder, and grateful applause for The Kitchen’s chefs, who brought generous servings of the communal harvest to the tables.
And today, Hugo completed his morning hike long before service started: for the first time in five years, The Kitchen’s doors stayed closed till 11 o’clock. To keep our tables set throughout the day, we’ve made some changes: a Community Hour, between lunch and dinner service, features many shared plates. And a new dinner menu includes Community Dinner every night—the whole table will be in the hands of the chefs, and served family-style.
On this Earth Day, we also send special thanks to our regular guests, who have helped shape The Kitchen into a true Community Bistro—we think our new menus will make you feel right at home.
Photos by Kimberly Fuller.
