You can smell the pungent aroma of fresh spices from the sidewalk outside the Savory Spice Shop at 1537 Platte St., and crossing the threshold is like entering a magical universe perfumed with gifts from the spice trade, from Mexican cocoa to Zanzibar curry.
People were enchanted from the start.
Ten years later, owners Mike and Janet Johnston are thrilled that their idea engendered such success. There are now more than 30 shops across the country, and they’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of the original Savory Spice Shop with the launch of its first cookbook.
“Spice to Plate” features 10 signature blends — from spicy rubs to curry — with three recipes for each, along with an assortment of gift packs of spices used as ingredients.
A single whiff of Barrier Reef Caribbean Seasoning brings to mind tropical islands with turquoise beaches. This blend — orange and lemon peel, chiles, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and lime leaves — spices up recipes like Chocolate-dipped Coconut Macaroons and Tropical Shrimp Cocktail with pineapple and cilantro.
Park Hill Maple and Spice Pepper Seasoning is sweet and tangy, a blend of such flavors as maple sugar, pepper, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, anise and cumin to spark up Salmon Salad Cakes and Maple Waffles.
The cookbook and gift packs, $24.95 to $64.95, can be bought at local Savory Spice Shops or online at savoryspiceshop.com.
New in Berkeley
Two new restaurants will open this month in the thriving arts-and-retail corridor in the Berkeley neighborhood. A restored early 20th-century building at 4000 Tennyson St. will be home to the Royal and Block & Larder.
The Royal is owned by the husband-wife team behind Denver’s two breakfast restaurants, Josh Epps and Christina Smith. Both are residents of the Berkeley neighborhood, and they spotted the opportunity for a family-family restaurant with tasty food and a casual vibe. Their restaurant will feature burgers, salads, shakes and a wide variety of meals for kids. It’s scheduled to open around Thanksgiving.
Block & Larder is owned by the Forgy brothers — Jason, Aaron and Lucas — who opened the popular Freshcraft in downtown Denver in 2010. Their new restaurant, set to open late this month, will be a chophouse with emphasis on sourcing unique proteins and an in-house butchery. The menu includes meats, salads, snacks and soups.
Earls updates
To keep up with keen competition driven by so many restaurants opening in Denver, Earls Kitchen and Bar on the 16th Street Mall is renovating its space to modernize its image, and just opened the first floor. The second floor, for private events, will open Nov. 21.
“It was like a good ol’ boys club, but now it’s just for everyone who wants a great meal, with salads and burgers,” said Dana Pluss Parks, who represents the restaurant. “They wanted it to be more like the Cherry Creek Grill or Hillstone, as opposed to a sports bar.”
The new space is light and airy, with soaring ceilings.
But sleek new architecture isn’t the only renovation. Craft cocktails are also part of the mix. Earls, a Canadian chain with 65 locations, brought in its top mixologist from Vancouver, and is now offering creative drinks like the Cabin Fever with a Colorado-mountain theme, served in a blue-tin camping mug with a pine cone on top.
Good Food Awards
Six Colorado companies are finalists in the 2015 Good Food Awards, which honor socially conscious food entrepreneurs across the country. Categories and finalists include:
Cheese: Avalanche Cheese Company, for its Goat Cheddar and Midnight Blue, a blue cheese with dark blue-gray veins.
Charcuterie: Avalanche Cheese Co., for its goat chorizo and goat finocchiona, a style of salami, and Continental Sausage, for its smoked-pheasant sausage.
Pickles: Ozuke, for its cheriboshi, salted Paonia cherries, and umeboshi, salted Paonia plums.
Coffee: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Konga from Commonwealth Coffee.
Beer: Pagosa Brewing Co., for its Peachy Peach.
Spirits: Peak Spirits Farm Distillery, for its CapRock Organic Pear Brandy.
The winners will be announced Jan. 8, 2015 at a gala event in San Francisco at the Palace of Fine Arts.
Colleen O’Connor: 303-954-1083, coconnor@denverpost.com or twitter.com/coconnordp
