It all started with crêpes
It all started with crêpes
The French Kitchen explores its roots as it celebrates its 7th year; Brother Luck signs on at recreated Eleven18; WestFax Brewing announces opening date; tomahawk steak time + more food & drink news
It’s June 1, and I’m at The French Kitchen’s 7th Anniversary Party, eating Blandine’s crêpes: a classic ham and Gruyère, and an indulgent salted butter caramel that’s dolled up with a Side Dish logo made out of white and dark chocolate, with my face replaced by TFK’s own logo, a smiling girl wearing pigtails and a beret. It’s an amusing homage, delicious too, which came to be after I jokingly wrote “make mine the most awesome of the day” in the special instructions section when I pre-ordered online. I should have known that Blandine, the woman who plays elaborate April Fool’s jokes annually — Remember the drone delivery bit? Classic! — would take the opportunity to surprise me.
The teasing turnabout tribute aside, this honestly is a special gustatory moment, because Blandine doesn’t make crêpes very often. But it’s how I first met her 14 years ago when she opened a little kiosk in the Chapel Hills Mall named Wholly Crêpe.
She reminds me that the only complaint in my review at the time for the Colorado Springs Independent was of the pungent smell of nail polish chemicals from a neighboring business drifting across the seating area adjacent to both shops. (Man, was I Mr. Picky Pants … I had no recollection of this detail.) Which is to say I otherwise loved my experience trying her true-French crêpes.
If you don’t already know Blandine — last name Mazéran, but I’m referring to her in the familiar style as both a professional friend and Side Dish Dozen member — then you might not know she’s super French. Like, born and raised, but more importantly bred into a culinary culture with rigid standards for only the best ingredients, etc. Which is why she insists on importing several items, including ham and chocolate from France for her cafe, retail shop and cooking school.
I do recall her telling me that she’d trained in Brittany to make crêpes before starting that first business, which she describes as launching because of a “fun idea with a friend.” She’ll now be the first to tell you that she should have prepped a business plan, because Wholly Crêpe only lasted four months. She says that stung hard, and she hates failure, so much so it sent her into a momentary depression. But today, with hindsight, she says “it was a good failure, because if I hadn’t failed there, I would have never created The French Kitchen.”
TFK opened in two storefronts along Flintridge Drive and Academy Boulevard in mid 2017, and it’s been so successful that it has already overtaken two more. Initially TFK offered classes, bakery pastries and desserts and limited grab-and-go frozen and fresh items. Then along came catering and wholesale; online ordering for retail; an expansive retail freezer market; and the return of indoor seating post-Covid. As I reported at the time, TFK was one of the few businesses to actually grow during the pandemic as Blandine and her team deftly pivoted thanks in-part to a talented consulting chef but also her own grit and determination. Today there’s 30 employees between chefs, instructors, cafe staff, delivery drivers and administrators.
But I want to return to my thru-line of crêpes, because it relates to an exciting final expansion in the storefront cluster underway now — to add … wait for it … a crêpe station. What does that mean for TFK moving forward? Keep reading, I’m gonna make you wait for it (again).
Backing up in history, I kept in touch with Blandine over the years as she began teaching cooking classes out of her home a couple years after closing Wholly Crêpe. I even attended a La Chandeleur party there — an annual French holiday on February 2 originally celebrating harvest season but now a great excuse to pig out on crêpes, the spotlight dish of the day. For five years Blandine hosted out of her kitchen and living room on the west side of town and earned a loyal client base from around the city.
“I was a born teacher,” she tells me. “As a kid I would do school for my dolls. I have the patience and know how to explain things. But when I taught English in France, preschool to high school, it was a nightmare. I was still meant for teaching, just not a language, or kids,” she says with a laugh. “I found my passion when I started cooking classes. It’s what I was meant to do.”
In one of her classes she launched at home in 2014, she taught a five-hour crêpe workshop. “I just love crêpes,” she tells me today. “My parents always made them at home in the skillet. We had them regularly. I loved both savory and sweet. We used the same batter for both then. When I was 30, I got my first real griddle, an electric one with a stone top, for home usage. I started having crêpe parties.”
She’s now 46, and is still a bit sad about being unable to bring that griddle with her to the U.S. when her family moved over in 2008. She (reluctantly) gifted it to her sister. Here in the States, she eventually bought a couple of new (propane-fueled) ones “because I was missing making crêpes,” she says. Armed with those, she launched a personal chef service that led up to Wholly Crêpe’s creation, whereby she was popping up at spots like schools, offices and private parties.
Flash forward again, and in the last 7 years since TFK’s inception Blandine has only offered crêpe classes between a half dozen to dozen times a year, and only served them at anniversary parties and the like. Which brings us back to that impending crêpe station. But not yet. (Boy howdy I like to make you wait, just as I have all these years.)
Once TFK got off the ground, Blandine leaned back into her love of teaching, creating a busy class calendar and recruiting other chefs. She hired a French friend in town, Seb Mullebrouck, who’d been baking prior at Marigold and Wimberger’s. He’s been with her since the beginning, and if you love TFK’s authentic baguettes he’s the man you should find and hug.
Blandine describes TFK’s first few years as extremely difficult, as she was forced to tax her entrepreneurial spirit to the max and learn so many aspects of running a business at that scale, in a commercial kitchen. “I didn’t have Hogan then.” (She’s referring to my longtime friend and former coworker from the early aughts Hogan Ahrens, who’s Head of Production at TFK.)
What she did have was her daughters, Pearline, Emie and Cléa. Dating back to the earliest classes at her house, they were always involved with mom’s cooking businesses. As small girls, they would earn their allowance by helping stage and clean up classes, prepping recipe printouts and packaging retail items. Cléa now works part time handling wholesale accounts among her admin tasks. Emie is a class assistant, also in charge of TFK’s coveted cookie dough. Blandine estimates that in the four years since Emie came on in that capacity, she’s made the raw dough (later baked daily by the bakery team) that’s become around 200,000 cookies. Pearline does full-time admin work and “wants to learn everything,” says Blandine. She also went back to Brittany in 2023 with her mom to re-train in the art of crêpe making. “The French Kitchen is still the story of a mom and three daughters,” Blandine says.
It’s also the story of constant innovation. “I don’t like to do the same thing all the time,” she says. “We like to be creative. We’re constantly developing new products. In August, 2020, Hogan started our ‘Taste Of’ program where we do a new monthly quiche, soup and Queenet.” If you aren’t in the know on those, you’d better play catch-up. Blandine calls them “our Covid baby” and they’re based on the traditional French Kouign-amann. They’re also damn sensational little sweets, filled with rotating special flavors like blueberry cobbler, the Taste of June.
While Hogan keeps the display cases rotating, TFK’s culinary instructors teach a wide variety of classes, spanning all culinary styles, not just French. “We have five chefs from different backgrounds,” says Blandine. “It’s the best team I’ve had yet, with varied talents.”
Okay, great, but can we do the big crêpe reveal now? Sure. Let’s do it!
Crêpe classes have been discontinued as of late because Blandine’s equipment has aged out. Which, silver lining, means she will be ordering an array of new griddles from France. (Duh, where else?) For the aforementioned crêpe station, coming soon, crêpe cookery will return to Blandine’s repertoire weekly for the first time in 14 years. One day a week (she’s thinking Thursdays) she’ll staff a newly designed mini kitchen, with a window for customers to view the prep. It will solely make crêpes to be sold in retail packages of six or a dozen. Think: fresh corn tortillas in a Mexican market. The idea is to provide TFK recipes via their website and encourage patrons to make delicious crêpes at home via their fillings of preference. (The savory crêpes are gluten-free and dairy-free; they’re also working on a vegan option.)
In addition to the grab-and-go crêpe wrappers, Blandine will introduce something totally fresh and trending in France that she and Pearline learned during their trip: crêpe sushi. Picture your typical round crêpe getting filled and rolled up into a long tube shape, just as you would stuff raw fish inside sushi rice and a seaweed wrapper. Cut that roll into little wheels, and voilà.
Oh wait, you’re upset because you can’t go in any day of the week and order a crêpe on demand? Well, there’s an option for you: private events. Rent out TFK’s back dining area near the freezer market and they’ll staff a crêpe chef and feed you happy.
Given her expressed love of crêpes, I ask Blandine the overall significance of adding them to TFK now, in year seven, and she blurts out “holy crêpe” to the tune of “holy crap” but clearly punning on Wholly Crêpe. (I see what you did there, nice!)
“I used to struggle to be proud and recognize my work,” she says, noting the constant change, growth and brain-drain inherent to the job. “It’s felt like a rollercoaster. But the good feeling I have now is because we are like a big family. My kids, my staff, the students, our community.”
Snack with Schnip at The French Kitchen
From 1-3 p.m., Saturday, June 15, enjoy free, interactive cooking demos and free samples during this summer open house. On the menu: Chef Anne Doan: Hand shaped Gyoza. Chef Nate: Cherries Jubilee Flambée, Vanilla Ice Cream. Chef Blandine: Sweet Crêpes variety with Flambée. Cadence Harrington: Savory Choux Puffs with Lemon Herbed Ricotta. Gia Vreeman: Raspberry Lemon Napoleon.
TFK will feature a one-day-only Side Dish menu special consisting of their famed French hotdog; a Bebolo signature sparkling water drink (choice of Routin French 1883 syrup flavor); and one dessert item from the pastry case. The bundled price will be $17.49 — 25% off regular retail rate. Each purchase of the Side Dish special comes with a limited-time coupon code for 10% off anything in the retail market.
Oh and what’s a French hotdog, you ask? A TFK baguette, melted Brie, caramelized onions and Dijon-garlic aioli atop a smoked Polish sausage. (Vegetarian option: Brie and Gruyère with caramelized onions and herbs de Provence. Vegan option: the existing Colorado Chili Sandwich.)
Eleven18 enters new phase via Brother Luck partnership
I’ve kept a fairly close tab on Beto Reyes since he arrived in the Springs in 2022 for the head chef gig at Milagros Cocina Mexicana. He’s an exciting chef to watch, and I like what he’s undertaken so far on his first solo endeavor at Eleven18. I reviewed it favorably back in February. Last week, I noted my promising visit to Eleven18’s recently launched Not Your Basic Brunch, a collaboration between chefs Reyes and Brother Luck (one of my Side Dish Dozen sponsors, by way of transparency).
Now — just announced by Luck earlier this week — the two are growing that collaboration into something more definitive. Luck tells me (in a phone call a couple days ago) that he’s coming on as Culinary Partner at Eleven18. “I’m going to help him expand his concept into more of a Latin tapas bar,” says Luck, noting “up until now I’ve supported his work [partly as the invested lease-holder of the building, which includes The Studio upstairs], but now I’m putting my name with his. His concept had legs to grow, versus us building something up from scratch.” Reyes will remain Executive Chef in the enterprise.
Eleven18 will scratch lunch service and do dinner only from 4-10 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. Weekend brunch (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and until 2:30 p.m. Sundays) will stick around. You can make resos for all here. And view the new dinner menu here. New dinner service begins June 7. Details will be announced soon for happy hours from 4-5:30 p.m.
The menu (as you now know, ’cuz you clicked that link above, ahem) features seafood items from a raw bar (overtaking Eleven18’s former alcohol bar), charcuterie, paella plates for two, and dishes ranging from barbacoa with polenta to octopus a la plancha and a single taco offering: pork belly chicharron tacos (a departure from Eleven18’s prior taco-heavy menu). “We wanted to go with a ‘Latin’ versus ‘Spanish’ tapas bar,” says Luck, “because it fits more into Beto’s story and style. People can expect the same flavor profiles. Beto’s capable of doing much more than just tacos. We have yet to see him flex as much as he can since leaving Milagros.”
Luck adds “that’s part of being a business owner — it’s not easy.” He eludes to a slow start for Eleven18 as it worked to establish itself in a location that proved unkind to Folklore, which Luck and partner Sean Fitzgerald opted to close after just six months in business. “We could have let him close, but instead we decided to step up and step in. That’s what changes what we do in this community.”
For those wondering what all this means for the attached Tipperary Cocktail Parlor that lived on after Folklore’s closure, Luck says they’re absorbing it into Eleven18 and retiring the Tipperary name and concept. All the staff will stay on, including our prior Bar Battle finalist Jacob Pfund and Rooftop Invitational competition winner Vyper Jade Medina. And the refocused cocktail menu will hit a blend of the classics and modern drinks like a Oaxacan Old Fashioned, which will obviously pair well with Eleven18’s new menu. Of note: Guests will now be directed to enter through the door on the south-facing Colorado Avenue side and not the Wahsatch Avenue door that Eleven18 has been using. That will place patrons immediately at the bar as a greeting area, where they may wish to linger for a pre- or post-dinner drink.
Tomahawk time at Ranch Foods Direct
A tomahawk steak is a beautiful thing to behold. It’s an oversized ribeye steak, with a prominent, French-cut bone and thick segment of meat that easily feeds three to four people. (Hence its nickname “cowboy steak.”) Ranch Foods Direct sells tomahawk steaks at both retail locations’ fresh butcher counters. You can’t miss them in the case; their mass commands the eye. This month, Chef Jason Miller, a Culinary Instructor at The French Kitchen and co-founder of Season Two Taste, contributed this recipe for a reverse seared tomahawk. Don’t be intimidated if you aren’t familiar with that culinary term; it just means slow-cooking the steak first, often in an oven, then quick-searing it in a pan with high heat to brown and finish it. (This is Side Dish’s second time to collaborate with Miller and his partner Christine; the first was for this RFD tri tip recipe.) Learn more about a tomahawk steak and get the recipe here, and while you’re on Season Two Taste’s website, I recommend scrolling down to sign up for their newsletter to receive more free recipes and a wealth of culinary knowledge right to your inbox. They’ll keep you inspired in the kitchen, while Ranch Foods Direct has you covered for all your sustainably raised beef and pork products plus other locally grown and produced items sold in their retail markets. Drop by and thank them for supporting Side Dish.
WestFax Brewing announces opening date for long-awaited Springs taproom
Springs beer enthusiasts have been waiting a long time for the arrival of WestFax Brewing Co.’s satellite C. Springs location. The eight-year-old Lakewood brewery announced (finally!) this week that it will open on Friday, June 28 at 3043 Pikes Peak Avenue on the outskirts of Old Colorado City. The brewery is well regarded for its barrel-aged, fruited and sour beers and also plays a mean IPA game, with just over a half-dozen on tap at a given time. They appear to have a pretty good sense of humor too, promoting their “yeast themes” with amusing, punny names: “Yeastmaster, Yeastiality, Yeaster Bunny, and the big boys – Clint Yeastwood, Yeast Likely To Succeed, and Yeast Mode.” You may have tried their brews already, as they’re available at local liquor stores in cans.
The new location, once home to Vietnamese Garden if you’ve lived here long enough to remember that (it was good!), was at one point slated to be an extension of Greeley’s WeldWerks. The pandemic threw a wrench into the plan for that brewery, and WestFax swooped in to pick up the pieces, benefitting because a lot of renovation and construction-related work had already been done. The 3,000-square foot, dog-friendly space now features a covered rooftop patio, fire pits and extensive indoor seating. They’ve also purchased their own, adjacent parking lot behind The Leechpit. Expect 16 house beers on tap and gluten-free and NA beer options plus kombucha, soda and kids’ juice pouches, according to a press release. Aside from some easy grab-and-go snacks, food service will consist of rotating food trucks. Look for an official grand opening party on July 20 with live music and more.
Bites and Bits
• Dad’s Donuts grand opens at 7 a.m., June 7 at 29 E. Moreno Ave. The date happens to be National Donut Day. (Because we Americans need such holidays.) The venture hails from Altitude Hospitality Group, the folks behind everything from The Pinery to Till, Garden of the Gods Market & Cafe, Vine & Wheel and Trainwreck. Partner James Anderson, in his recent appearance on Loving Living Local, explains the spotlight product as a croissant and donut mixed together. (What we’ve commonly called a “Cronut” in the past, but these are unique.) Head Pastry Chef Amy Fairbanks details each donut’s 109 layers of dough and butter and a three- to four-day process of resting and layering it to yield such a final product. She says she and fellow Chef Larissa Vendola did a lot of research to develop the product and learn what works here at our altitude. They don’t use any food coloring or artificial flavorings. View photos of their sizable donuts on Dad’s instagram page. And view the 15-donut menu here. (While on the topic, Springs Mag just published a roundup of “the best doughnut shops in and around the Pikes Peak region.” And editorial director Jeremy Jones offers a full writeup on Dad’s, calling the donuts “divine.”)
• Longtime local chef Beau Green (perhaps best known for his days at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo) has taken the executive chef position at OCC staple Thunder & Buttons. The outfit announced a new menu that includes starters like Rocky Mountain Oysters (a seldom-seen menu item these days), boudin balls and elk chili as well as entrées like a whiskey bacon jam burger, buffalo chicken sandwich, wild game meatloaf and broiled trout.
• Atlanta-launched (and Canadian cannabis company-purchased) Sweetwater Brewing Company, with locations also in Fort Collins and at Denver International Airport, recently launched a new beer lineup based off its flagship 420 Extra Pale Ale. In local liquor stores, you can now find a mixed twelve pack (or single label six packs) featuring the OG Extra Pale Ale, a 420 Citrus Ale, 420 Extra Chill and 420 Mango Crush. The company was kind enough to send me a sample pack, which I’ve enjoyed in random moments over the last couple weeks. I found all the varietals easily crushable and on-point, with flavor descriptors pretty much matching what’s advertised. The Citrus Haze delivers on the high-hop tropical notes while the Mango Crush picks up faintly tart/sweet notes from the fruit flavoring without cloying. (It’s a different product than Bristol Brewing’s Mango Pirate Golden Sour and Red Leg’s seasonal El Mango Wrangler Mango Milkshake Sour, if you’ve tried those and like mango brews. Sweetwater’s doesn’t contain lactose and isn’t a sour. ) The Extra Chill is a derivative of the Cold IPA trend, labeled as a cold pale ale, aiming for extra crispness, typically described as “clean” finishing thanks to lager yeasts. Check them out if you’re new to the brand.
• Dine at Snooze A.M. Eatery during Pride Month to get their special Pride buttermilk pancakes made with white chocolate chips and all-natural rainbow sprinkles and topped with sweet cream drizzle, whipped mascarpone “and, of course, more sprinkles” according to the press release. The eatery says 25 cents from each Pride cake sold will benefit The Trevor Project, to support the life-affirming and life-saving mission to end suicide among LGBTQ young people. Snooze has committed to a minimum donation of $25,000.
• Last week, I was a guest on the local TrueNORTH podcast, hosted by Dirk Hobbs and presented by his Colorado Media Group. Give the episode a listen on Spotify and you’ll hear me banter with Hobbs about our food scene and my approach to food reviewing. He asked good questions, which I think elicited some fresh answers from me. If you dig what you hear, you can always check out my not-that-long-ago interview with the COS Business Podcast, which was also a fun one. And if you’re ever missing the sound of my voice, we’re up to nine published tap&table episodes since we launched the podcast four months ago.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
• The French Kitchen: Paris-Brest Éclair, 20% off through June 12. This dessert was created in honor of the annual bike race from Paris, France to Brest, Brittany, and back. It’s typically baked in a circle shape to represent bicycle wheels. We make our Paris-Brest in an éclair shape with choux pastry and a praline-flavored cream. Also, book now for our Doughnuts From Around the World class, June 16-17.
• Kangaroo Coffee: Baristas continue to have fun creating summer Drinks of the Week including a Peanut Butter Cup Avalanche with white chocolate and peanut butter syrup, topped with whipped cream and extra chocolate drizzle. (You just need to keep Schniper away from the six shots!) Also find the tasty Island Bliss: a salted caramel, coconut, banana latte. June 15th is our Summer Celebration in Trinidad!
• Bristol Brewing Company: Help us celebrate three decades of Bristol Brewing at our 30th Anniversary Bash, Saturday, June 15, noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy three limited edition anniversary beer releases, live music from the SofaKillers, guest beertenders (including Schnip and Carrie Simison!), smoked turkey legs from Spark, tie dye, anniversary merch and games for prizes.
• Goat Patch Brewing: Second Saturday Firkin: Cinnamon raisin rye, $5 pints, 2-6 p.m., June 8. Bleating Heart Night, 5-9 p.m., June 11; $1 from each pint sold benefits Peaceful Warriors Yoga for Kids. Therapeutic Coloring Night, 6-8 p.m., June 13.
• Ascent Beverage: Hit up Shame and Regret for the Corpse Reviver No 2, featuring Jackson Hole Still Works’ Great Grey Gin.
• Four by Brother Luck: Tickets remain for the June 13 Top Chef Dinner at 6 p.m. with Season 18 personality Jamie Tran, owner of Las Vegas’ The Black Sheep. Tran has also won Eater Las Vegas’ Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year. Catch five wine-paired courses; $150.
• Blue Star Group: Summer is here and so are Stellina Pizza Cafe Spritzes! Build your own flight of three for $12. Choose from a Strawberry Basil Spritz, Lemon Lavender Spritz, Stellina Spritz, Aperol Spritz, or Limoncello Spritz. Or get any of these as a full spritz for $10. Or another way to cool down and make everyone happy while it’s hot out: Gelato Happy Hours, Tuesdays-Fridays, 3-5 p.m., with BOGO piccolo gelato.
• Edelweiss: Make early Father's Day reservations. Enjoy our award-winning patio dining plus a prime rib special, limited dinner menu all day, and strolling musicians over the weekend.
• T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Mark your calendar for our June 19 Suerte Tequila tasting series event at 6 p.m. $25 gets you a 1-ounce pour from three tequila varietals plus snack bites from Chef Dustin Archuleta.
• Red Gravy: Join us for our stellar lunch deal: the $14.99 Red Gravy Mix. Take your pick of a soup or salad and any half portion of pasta. Go for Cacio e Pepe or consider the Shrimp Campanelle.
• Allusion Speakeasy: The Friends theme will come down on June 8 at our Powers location and June 9 downtown. Last call on this round of creative cocktails.
• The Carter Payne: On draft right now: Grapefruit pale ale, a double black IPA and oak-smoked wheatwine. Reserve now for Father’s Day Brunch, featuring “extra special dad-approved” offerings.
• Rasta Pasta: We now offer online ordering for pick up and delivery. Visit realrastapasta.com to view our full menu and place your order.
• Odyssey Gastropub: Come in for our Father's Day special: A Pioneer Burger and a draft beer for $20.
Upcoming events
• June 8: Pikes Peak Brewing Anniversary Party. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Live music, food trucks and the special release of a 13th Anniversary IPA. It’s a West Coast IPA made with Solana and Eureka hops, that has been continuously dry hopped, meaning a small amount of hops has been added daily during fermentation. Also, every PPBC employee has been involved in doing something to the beer, says owner Chris Wright.
• June 8-9: Pikes Peak Pride Festival & Parade in Alamo Square Park downtown. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Food trucks and a beer garden will be part of the colorful festivities.
• June 15: Snack with Schnip at The French Kitchen. 1-3 p.m.
• June 15: Cars & Coffee at the Meanwhile Block. 7-10 a.m. Coffee service from The Courthouse Handcrafted Food & Drink.
• June 16: Mexican Wine Dinner at Ephemera. 5 p.m. Five Mexican wine-paired courses. $120.
• June 17: Meet the Maker series dinner with Valserena Parmigiano Reggiano at Ristorante del Lago at The Broadmoor. Multiple paired courses; $200.
• June 29: [Early notice] Field of Drinks Beer Festival at Metcalfe Baseball Field in Fountain. Noon to 4 p.m.; $35. Featuring 20 Southern Colorado breweries, live music, food trucks and more.
Parting shot(s)
I had a great time co-judging the 719 Battle of theFood Trucks this past weekend at The Meanwhile Block. I would have snapped more photos, but I was busy eating a sample from each of the 40 participants. That took us several hours to do, taking regular breaks. Truly, it’s not easy on the stomach, but we are, after all, food professionals. So, we got it done ceremoniously.
More than 2,000 people attended the event according to organizers. Proceeds benefitted the Angels of America’s Fallen, with the Battlin’ Betties in attendance to help out — a special thanks to those wonderful women for running samples to us all day. Anyway, congrats to this years winners: 1st: Bowl in the City. 2nd: Co Springs Native. 3rd: The Meltdown. People’s Choice: Creole Roots.
