15 OCTOBER 24-30, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | The greenhouse on the property is set to 92 degrees so it can be used all year long — even in freezing temperatures. Although most of us plant our gardens in spring and late summer, DeRespinis says the cold is the best time of year for sweeter produce and plants with deep colors and crinkles. “We have beautiful chicories right now — one being puntarelle, which has these long hol- low fi ngers that you shock in cold water for bittersweet delicousness,” he notes. “The green daikon we harvest into November — it can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees and show no damage. They have this sweetness to them, but also a spicy background. We want you to taste the cold.” Some of the other produce Esoterra planted for fall and winter includes radishes, sunchokes, shungiku greens, savoy spinach, pea tendrils, green garlic and a variety of brassicas, including purple broccoli and sprouting caulifl ower. The Mokum carrot seems to be Esoterra’s most popular crop — it’s planted sixty times a year. “We have winter greens in hidden tunnels that reveal themselves in January,” DeRespinis says. The future “I’m looking forward to revisiting the whole procession again,” DeRespinis says. “What are the new varieties this year?” Esoterra distributes to about fi fty restau- rants during the summer, though that number shrinks to just over fi fteen during the winter. DeRespinis is always looking to bring in more unique produce, but he admits that’s some- times a gamble. Still, the more Denver strives to be a burgeoning food city with chefs who not only believe in local products but love to use them in fascinating ways, the more unusual crops DeRespinis is willing to grow on his farm. He and his team are also working on barn renovations so they will be able to study and test more techniques in an environment that’s accessible year-round. “New things come all the time. I have no patience but stay excited because I get distracted by all the new things,” DeRespinis says. “It’s great to get to work with someone who is not only an awesome human, but takes his craft and what he does as seriously as we do on the culinary side,” says Russell Stippich, chef de cuisine at the recently opened Osteria Alberico, which is part of the Frasca Hospitality Group. “[Mark] is always bringing in or growing new and interesting veggies that help inspire and motivate me to get new things and new takes on old classics.” Adds Hop Alley’s Cox, “Esoterra’s impact really can’t be overstated. Like so many res- taurants in Denver, we wear our partnership with Esoterra proudly on our sleeve. The entire Denver dining scene owes them infi nite praise.” “It takes chefs to believe in us so we are able to grow more,” DeRespinis concludes. “Now we have these restaurants bring their whole teams to the farm so they can learn about the produce they are serving. ... I am absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with the best chefs in the region to bring the most amazing pro- duce from this land to local diners. This is an exciting time for Colorado cuisine.” Email the author at [email protected]. Cafe continued from page 14
