A new edition of a Boulder cookbook is bringing more than 60 recipes from local restaurants into home kitchens this fall, along with a series of events designed to connect diners with the people behind the city’s food scene.
“A Bite of Boulder: Volume 2,” produced by Savor Productions, features recipes from 30 Boulder-area restaurants, as well as stories about local chefs, bakers, bartenders, farmers and other people who have shaped the region’s culinary community.
Preorders are now open, with the cookbook expected to arrive this fall.
“A Bite of Boulder is a resource people will return to again and again for recipes, restaurant recommendations and inspiration, but it’s also an invitation to step beyond the pages,” says Rachael Caraluzzi, executive producer of Savor Productions. “Through chef dinners, cooking classes, tastings and community events, readers can experience in person the stories, restaurants and people that make Boulder such a remarkable place.”
The new edition follows the original “A Bite of Boulder” cookbook, which Savor Productions created during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to support local restaurants when dining rooms were closed.
That first book featured recipes and stories from dozens of Boulder County restaurants and grew out of First Bite: Boulder County Restaurant Week, which Jessica Benjamin took over in 2019.
“The first book allowed us to support the restaurant industry during a time when people couldn’t dine out by bringing their favorite meals into their homes,” says Benjamin, owner of Savor Productions. “Volume 2 is about celebrating what happened when we came back to the table.”
In 2024, Savor Productions announced it would end First Bite and its sister event, First Sip, after 18 years. Benjamin said the events required significant time and effort to organize but were no longer meeting the needs of restaurants or diners.
At the time, the company said it planned to move away from the traditional restaurant week model and find new ways to support local restaurants and engage diners. “A Bite of Boulder: Volume 2” is part of that next chapter.
The second edition includes recipes from both newer restaurants and longtime Boulder institutions, including The Mediterranean, Laudisio’s Ristorante, Magdalena’s Famous Holland, John’s Restaurant and Mataam Fez Moroccan Restaurant.
Among the recipes are California Farmhaus Sourdough from Moxie Bread Co., Traditional Paella Valenciana from The Mediterranean, Tarta de Santiago with Lemon Mousse and Macerated Strawberries from Gemini Pastry Chef Catherine Neckes, a Mai Tai from Jungle, Squid Ink Socarrat with Scallops and a Piparra Lemon Relish from Cafe Aion and Quiche Lorraine from Maisonette.
The book also includes features on local food producers, artisans and organizations, including the Boulder County Farmers Market, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Slow Food Boulder County, the Museum of Boulder and Visit Boulder.
“It’s a love letter to the people and places that make Boulder’s culinary community so special, and a way to preserve their stories, recipes, and memories as our food scene continues to evolve,” says Benjamin.
The first 1,000 people to preorder will become members of the book’s “Bite Club,” which will include perks such as signed books, digital recipes, limited-edition giveaways, early access opportunities and invitations to chef experiences.
The cookbook’s launch party is scheduled for October 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Rosetta Hall. The event will bring together participating chefs, restaurant owners, contributors and readers.
Taste your way through the new cookbook as six Boulder-area restaurants serve bites and sips inspired by their featured recipes, from Jungle’s Mai Tai and T/aco’s Cotija Taco to Rang Tang Craft Barbecue’s beef chuck burnt ends and Lucky’s Bakehouse’s Persian Love Cake. Guests can also enjoy a cash bar, raffle prizes, signed copies of the brand-new cookbook and the chance to mingle with the chefs, restaurateurs, Boulder leaders, contributors and food lovers who make the community so special.
Savor Productions also plans to announce additional events throughout the fall, including chef dinners, cooking classes, restaurant pop-ups, happy hours and tastings tied to the cookbook.
