🍕 Longmont stakes a claim as Colorado’s pizza capital

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There may be more pizza joints in Denver than in Longmont, but Boulder’s booming next-door neighbor is making a strong case for becoming the pizza capital of Colorado. In this week’s Nibbles, we give you all the tasty details on the inaugural Colorado Pizza Festival on Saturday, Sept. 5. Plus: chile relleno satisfaction, a new Boulder cookbook, Bova’s Market’s return to the Hill and a pointed objection to pumpkin spice.

— John Lehndorff

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Independent pizza shops are always fiercely proud of their pies. Within a few blocks along Longmont’s Main Street, three pizzerias each claim to make the best pizza.

Earlier this year, competition didn’t stop Nick Swanson, co-owner of Urban Field Pizza & Market; James Ross of Rosalee’s Pizzeria; and Anthony DeSousa, owner of Antonio’s Real New York Pizza, from sitting down to talk about creating community through the Dolly Parton of American foods.

“It’s not that we’re not competitive, but we all have something different to offer within our pizza styles. Competition — it just makes us all get better,” Nick Swanson says. 

Urban Field specializes in Detroit-style pizza. Rosalee’s follows the New Haven pie tradition, while Antonio’s draws on New York and New Jersey styles. The fans of each pizzeria are also highly opinionated on the topic.

These pizzerias formed Pizza With Purpose to build community and support organizations fighting food insecurity across Colorado.

“Originally, we had envisioned a small pizza festival — maybe five or six pizzerias, just something fun. We decided that this project should benefit a good cause,” Swanson says. 

“We all have friends in the pizza business, so we started to call, and now we are expecting at least 25 pizzerias from across the state. When you’re trying to raise money to help fight food insecurity here in our backyard, it’s an easy thing to get behind,” he says. The need has gained urgency locally as SNAP benefits are being cut or reduced.

Organizers expect as many as 6,000 guests on Sept. 5 at the Colorado Pizza Festival in downtown Longmont, all eager to sample slices in diverse styles from more than 20 Colorado pizzerias.

The unprecedented gathering of talent includes local favorites such as Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage, Abo’s Pizza, Barchetta, Ghost Box Pizza and Rock City Pie and Ice. Other participating pizzerias include Slice House by Tony Gemignani, GFL Pizza, Main Stage Brewing, CHAR Stone Fired Pizza, Infinitus Pie, Simply Pizza Truck & Catering, Joy Hill Pizza, Lina’s Pizza, Backyard Pizza, Postcard Pizza, Sexy Pizza, Pizzeria Leopold, Rock N Puck Pizza and Pala Nero Pizza.

“Every pizzeria has to do a cheese pie and a specialty pie. We won’t know what they’re going to do until the day of the event,” Swanson says. 

“We’re getting gas deck ovens. That way everything’s going to be hot and fresh straight out of the ovens, not boxes,” Swanson says. The festival will offer 500 gluten-free doughs from Longmont’s Sweet Escape Pastries, distributed among participating pizzerias while supplies last.

The festivities will include live music and beverages from local wineries, distilleries and breweries. A competition for amateur pizza makers using Moxie Bread Co. flour and a wood-fired oven will be judged by pizza guru Tony Gemignani.

The festival’s $50 Golden Ticket, plus fees, includes unlimited pizza samples from 1 to 6 p.m. The $15 general admission ticket, plus fees, allows attendees to purchase slices individually. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. Tickets here. 

This year’s proceeds will benefit Slice Out Hunger, Longmont Food Rescue, Community Food Share and Colorado Friendship.

Swanson says he was surprised to learn that the event would be Colorado’s first pizza festival, but says it makes sense for it to take place in Longmont.

“I think the biggest thing that I keep going back to is the sense of community in Longmont. People are so proud that they live in Longmont,” Swanson says. 

The only downside to the event may be the sheer quantity of carbohydrates and calories one can consume while sampling pizza from more than 20 vendors in a single afternoon. Walking or biking to the festival may help, especially given the parking challenges. So may dancing to the live music between slices.

NoBo taqueria dishes up a satisfying poblano relleno

There is something about a chile relleno that makes me want to order it every time I see it on a Boulder menu. But not all rellenos are created equal. Some are little more than cheese-filled egg rolls.

When a serious jones for a good relleno struck recently, I made a beeline to NoBo to revisit Tierra y Fuego, the longtime taqueria operated by Mexico-born Pepe and Veronica Diaz. Here, the chile relleno starts with one big, fresh poblano chile. The kitchen roasts it, fills it with melty cheese and seals it in a soft egg wrapper. Mine was smothered Christmas-style with green chile and red enchilada sauces plus crema. That substantial relleno, along with rice, porky beans, guacamole, pico de gallo and warm corn tortillas, made for a satisfying, affordable feast that hit the spot. I do wish Tierra y Fuego still served its fine family chicken mole. (Hint, hint.)  

Bova’s Market will come home to the Hill

Boulder’s iconic Bova’s Market & Grill moved from the Hill when its longtime home was redeveloped into the Moxy Boulder Hotel. Now, its location at 1100 28th St. will close Sept. 12 for renovations. Bova’s plans to return to the Hill at 1134 13th St., the former University Market site.

The forthcoming “A Bite of Boulder: Volume 2” cookbook from Savor Productions features home-friendly recipes from current restaurants such as Café Aion, Ginger Pig and Hapa Sushi, as well as recipes from legendary local favorites including John’s Restaurant, The Med and Mataam Fez. Preorder the cookbook here.

Opening

Boulder’s Dagabi Cucina has opened Dagabi Wood Fired Pizza at 11410 Via Varra in Broomfield.

Closing

Tip Top Pies has closed in Lafayette.

Coming Attraction

Slice House, 725 Harvest Moon Drive, Longmont, will hold its grand opening Sept. 12.

Tour Longmont farm where solar energy meets agriculture

The agrivoltaic operation at Longmont’s Jack’s Solar Garden was recently profiled in The Guardian. Schedule a public tour of Jack’s Solar Garden here.

Colorado State University researchers are also testing whether saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, can thrive beneath photovoltaic panels in Colorado. 

Plan ahead: Boulder’s Taste of Orthodoxy Greek food festival runs Sept. 11-13 at Sts. Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church. The annual Black Family Reunion Cookout is Sept. 19 in Arvada and features a barbecue side-dish competition.

Don’t miss the September edition of Kitchen Table Talk, KGNU’s monthly food talk show co-hosted by John Lehndorff and chef Daniel Asher. Guests will include Philippa Clark, owner of Moxie Bread Co., and Deb Britton of Dolly Mama’s Farmstead Goat Cheese, appearing before a live studio audience. Tune in from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Sept. 3 on 88.5 FM or stream at kgnu.org. Listen to podcasts here.

(Get your upcoming food event, festival or class listed free on Boulder Reporting Lab using the self-submission form here.)

Market Meals: How to make cherry tomato ‘candy’

We are in the few precious weeks each year when local tomatoes are abundant. You could turn the crop into another batch of sauce, but this week the Boulder County Farmers Markets shares a fun recipe for transforming cherry, grape and plum tomatoes into “candy” you’ll be happy to serve through the holidays. 

Get the recipe here.

Look for cherry tomatoes and other freshly picked produce at one of Boulder County’s many roadside farm stands. Check out Boulder Reporting Lab’s guide.

“It’s like a demonic possession, pumpkin spice everything; pumpkin spice flavored shoes, pumpkin spice BLT’s. The kids are all going back to their pumpkin spiced schools and it’s two and a half weeks until Labor Day. This is just so wrong.” — Anne Lamott

Check out recent editions of Nibbles:

🧀 Artisan cheesemaking returns to Boulder County at Dolly Mama’s

🍝 Meet the family behind 25 years of Il Pastaio in Boulder

🥣 Inside Boulder’s bone broth boom + new bagels and tomato pie

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