"A Bite of Boulder" Cookbook Serves Local Restaurants + Inspires Foodies Everywhere

Jessica Benjamin believes food is love. As a Boulder-based foodie, event producer and mother of two, Benjamin saw how hard restaurants have been hit by the global pandemic, inspiring a generous project born straight from her heart. She is the producer of First Bite, an annual event highlighting Boulder County’s dining scene, and decided to create a cookbook in lieu of First Bite’s Boulder Country Restaurant Week this year. The robust effort of creativity and collaboration has already created a buzz, inviting diners from all over the state and beyond to rally around local restaurants. 

A Bite of Boulder cookbook was released this past November. Jaunt Media Collective, the media company behind Spoke+Blossom Magazine and YOGA + Life Magazine, worked with Benjamin as the publisher on this exciting project. Kitty Nicholason, Spoke+Blossom art director, designed the book. 

“The real goal of ‘First Bite’ — the reason we host a restaurant week — is to create and strengthen community, to deepen the connection between restaurants and their customers,” Benjamin says. “This year, since we couldn’t offer a traditional restaurant week, yet restaurants need our support now more than ever, we came up with the idea of a cookbook to connect people with restaurants they love or haven’t tried yet — all while giving back to the eateries. A Bite of Boulder honors local chefs and restaurants, and celebrates some of their most popular and beloved dishes to date, allowing home cooks to make these dishes for their loved ones.” 

Over 40 recipes of appetizers, entrees, sides desserts and cocktails are photographed by Christina Kiffney. Recipes include OAK at Fourteenth’s famous kale salad, Santo’s unforgettable red chili pozole, Colorado-inspired cactus and corn fritters from Zolo Grill and Chimera Ramen’s smashed cucumber dish. 

In collaboration with Society Insurance and Downtown Boulder Partnership, each of the 30 participating restaurants received 25 complimentary copies of the book. At least 50 percent of the proceeds from book sales have been split evenly between all participating restaurants. 

“Food truly is love, so dig in at home, share favorites with friends and celebrate Boulder in a delicious new way,” Benjamin says. 

A Bite of Boulder is $29.99 and available online at firstbiteboulder.com.

Photos by Christina Kiffney, courtesy of First Bite.

Originally published in the Winter 2020-21 issue of Spoke+Blossom.