Colorado is undoubtedly a mecca for outdoor adventure. But as former pro snowboarder Josh Rosen has learned, the state is also a “utopia” for food, thanks to its agricultural heritage and continued stewardship of natural resources.
Rosen is the host of “DIRT,” an episodic web series about food, travel and adventure made by apparel company Huckberry and Outside TV. Each episode ventures to a new place, and for its 11th installment, Rosen and his crew visited the Centennial State, where they surfed rivers, snowboarded and, of course, ate plenty of local cuisine.
On May 7, the episode was named a finalist for a James Beard Media Award, and it’s not hard to see why.
Not only do Colorado’s stunning mountains and lush valleys make for great B-roll, but “DIRT” also introduces viewers to the often hidden side of the local culinary scene: “The caretakers of soil, keepers of seed, orchardists, butchers and croptenders; stewards of the land who contend with the mountain weather to grow, create and harvest,” as Rosen put it.
Rosen’s journey takes him on a loop through the Western Slope, down to the San Luis Valley and back to Denver. Along the way, he meets a colorful cast of characters and showcases some of the state’s bespoke producers as he collects local ingredients. Each “DIRT” episode ends with a one-of-a-kind, homegrown meal.
Viewers get to see Rosen forage with chef Barclay Dodge of Michelin-starred restaurant Bosq in Aspen, milk cows at a dairy farm in Carbondale, butcher a pig in Paonia, chase UFOs in the San Luis Valley, and drink Stranahan’s whiskey in Denver, among other adventures.
The show highlights farmers and ranchers using sustainable, regenerative and biodynamic practices that give back to the land, including Jones Farms Organics, which grows potatoes and rye in Hooper; Sustainable Settings dairy ranch in Carbondale; and Aquila Cellars winery in Paonia. Denver comedian Eeland Stribling also takes Rosen fishing for carp in the Mile High City. They catch one in a pond with just the right amount of “city funk” and a few abandoned shopping carts. (Spoiler: That carp is not procured as an edible ingredient.)
The final meal, cooked at Bosq in Aspen, is a true testament to the bounty of Colorado. Indulge in it yourself by watching the full episode of “DIRT: Colorado” below and on YouTube.
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