Cafe continued from page 23 coffee shops, pizzerias and local markets (like Leevers Locavore) in metro Denver. Recently, Gnarly Mountain was picked up by a mountain distributor that has brought the snowboarder-branded cookies to ski towns like Aspen, Vail and Breckenridge, as well as New Mexico. Weiss and his team have an “all fl avors welcome” approach. The nine core offer- ings include Peanut Butter & Mountain Jelly and Horchata Cinnamon Breakfast cook- ies. Colorado isn’t just infused into Gnarly Mountain’s branding; it’s instilled into the cookies themselves, like the Colorado Sweet Corn, made with whole-grain cornmeal and freeze-dried corn kernels, and the 10 Barrel Brewing Company collab named Coffee Carbomb. The cookies aren’t cloying, either. Weiss’s favorite, the Salted Key Lime Pie, packs a punch of citrus and salt as well as a touch of sweetness. “We try to tickle as many tastebuds as possible when doing these, because they’re big cookies. They’re full desserts. You want a full experience when you’re having them,” he says. Weiss is a natural entrepreneur. Before Gnarly Mountain, he created a variety of other food businesses, including a pizzeria, a few salad restaurants and a virtual cheese- steak shop. His main focus now, though, is expanding the Gnarly Mountain brand. He expects the business to grow two to three times in the next few months, and has several new products in the pipeline. First up: Weiss promises that new fl avors, including root beer fl oat and cayenne caramel apple, are going to be added to the cookie lineup soon to bring the “Gnarly Nine” up to a full “Dude’s Dozen.” Gnarly Mountain is also launching cookie dough to restaurants and banquet halls so that the cookies can be baked fresh in-house (along with a vision for retail dough sales happening down the road). Beyond cookies, Gnarly Mountain also plans to debut cold brew coffee early next year — but don’t expect the same old tired coffee pairings: This collection will include fl avors like blueberry and campfi re, to en- courage the drinker to “wake up and shred.” Merch such as hats, shirts, beanies and stick- ers will also be available online soon. “The business is going in a thousand dif- ferent directions,” Weiss says. “We’re trying to turn into a really fun lifestyle brand and let people know that it’s an easy Colorado busi- ness to support.” In addition to purchasing the cookies in local restaurants and retail shops, you can order online for cookies by mail. Right now the Gnarly Mountain team can ship anywhere in Colorado, and national shipping should be available by Thanksgiv- ing. Keep an eye on its website for everything that’s new and gnarly in the next few months. With the holiday season nearly upon us, it’s a great time to check up on your local cookie experts. The treats make for easy but thoughtful gifts (after all, everyone loves a cookie). Or go on a cookie tour around the city and stop by other bakeries, such as Bakery Four, Maggie & Molly’s Bakery and Gateaux Bakery, then schedule a pickup from The Flour Shop. Just don’t forget the milk! 24 Email the author at [email protected]. We Deliver RedGingerDenver.com 720-627-5769 NOVEMBER 17-23, 2022 WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | westword.com
