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Meitus: Flavor of Colorado captured

Published April 19, 2006 at midnight

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When the temperature hits 75 degrees in Denver, I start thinking about the Great Outdoors. Here's what I think: I don't camp, I don't hike and I don't do anything that involves danger, you know, like facing down scary deer.

What does that leave?

Surprisingly, a lot. Denver freelance writer and author Eliza Cross Castaneda reveals all in her Food Lovers' Guide to Colorado (Insiders Guide series, The Globe Pequot Press, $14.95). The book, which has 30 Colorado-related recipes, lists farmers' markets, food festivals and home- grown products in addition to landmark restaurants and cooking classes, for those who just want to be out and about.

Castaneda compiled her first guide in 2002. "One thing that was surprising to me was that the second one was more work than the first one, because things are changing so rapidly. The number of wineries has more than doubled; the ones that were here before are doing new wines and adding tasting rooms.

"Also, there's a kind of explosion of artisan food makers and organic food growers, many more farmers' markets and (although) this book is not a restaurant guide, that's an area where there's been a lot of change, with great new restaurants opening."

The guidebook reminds me of when Patti Thorn, the News' books editor, and I wrote Places to Go With Children in Colorado, in that it gives you a reason to skip the Saturday errands and head out. I look back fondly on the days when I could still force my children into the car and make them go places. You should have seen their little faces when I announced we were headed to the Numismatic Museum in Colorado Springs.

Castaneda's book, which divides the state into quadrants, will give foodies some cool ideas. "I think there are a couple ways to use (the book). One, if you're visiting a destination, e.g., the Western Slope, you'll find fun things to visit. The other is there's a calendar of festivals and food events, so if you're in the mood to do something different like the Palisade Peach festival in August, it will give you an idea of when to plan a trip."

The biggest challenge in writing a guide book like this, says Castaneda, "is that it could be three times as big (it's almost 300 pages), there are so many options. I feel like I scratched the surface; the hard part is reining in the information. I put in (an entry) on the best cinnamon rolls, but you could put in hundreds of them."

Castaneda is working on her next book, Family Homes of the New West, but in all likelihood there will be a third edition of the guide. "I have a file box (of ideas) for the next one," she says. "I'm passionate about this book."