It’s been said that home is where the heart is. It’s also been said that the best way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. These are both true statements. Growing up in New Mexico, food was a way of life for me. Cooking defines New Mexican families. Some of my best memories are of shared meals with friends and relatives. Therefore, home is a place with strong food traditions. Home has my favorite restaurants. Home is where my heart and stomach are. So one can imagine my trepidation as I packed up my things and moved to start a new life in Denver. Only 560 miles apart, I was worried that they would be worlds away as far as food is concerned.

However, I now have the chance to get involved with the Ark of Taste Project. The good folks at Slow Food Denver have given me the opportunity to explore my new home, find incredible food in Colorado and connect with this beautiful state.

With an open mind, I forge ahead, looking for foodways and ingredients that call the Rocky Mountains home. I have grand visions of road trips to the western slopes and eastern plains. I will explore farmers markets and local corner stores. I will talk to butchers, ranchers, farmers, gardeners, herbalists, and natives. I will eat in small town diners, roadside cafes and urban hangouts. Hopefully, I will partake in picnics, backyard barbeques and Sunday dinners. Maybe, I will even be invited into someone’s home for a meal.

I hope you will come along with me. I don’t know what I’ll find or what I’ll learn along the way. But I do know one thing…my belly will be full of delicious Rocky Mountain food. I hope my bicycle didn’t get lost in the move. I will need it to stay in shape.