Page 14 - AAA Now! – AAA Central Penn – January/February 2021

TRAVEL
Colorado for the
Culinary Curious Join AAA Chairman for Foodie Fun for a Rocky Mountain High
By Craig Haberle, CTC
Who would dream the “Rocky Mountain High” state would have cause for the culinary curious to come to Colorado? Why are “foodies” flocking to a destination best known for
its mountains, snow skiing and national parks? Where would you go and what would you do to indulge a personal passion for palate-pleasing experiences sourced from local produce and resources and proudly brought to the plate or pint mug with professional expertise? On the following menu are some answers to whet your appetite.
Begin in Boulder, a vibrant university town that has been branded “The Foodiest Community in America.” Colorado’s Farm to Table movement had its roots here where farmers are friends and chefs are celebrities. Boulder’s Food Lab is a leader with a mission dedicated to experienced cooks and novices alike to enhance their culinary skills, increase food and beverage knowledge, and have fun along the way. Their 2,000+ square-foot kitchen offers private cooking classes,
one of which has been reserved for you to join AAA Central Penn’s new Board Chairman Rob Yelnosky along with a local professional chef as your teacher. Savor the food you prepare, sample local beverages, and proudly take home your new skills and recipes. As you probably guessed, AAA’s new Chairman Rob is an enthusiastic epicure who decided to stir the AAA stew of themed tours and asked our Discoveries Group Travel Team to arrange a custom-designed expedition for him to host and share Colorado’s unique culinary treats with fellow AAA members and their friends from September 19 to 24, 2021.
Celestial Seasonings Teas was starred on Rob’s request list for the engaging days of your three-night stay in Boulder. Your visit at their impressive world headquarters facilities includes a behind-the-scenes guided tour to hear about global sourcing strategies as you walk through their factory where 8 million teabags are produced daily. Breathe deeply in their aromatic Mint Room, then tea tastings complete the tour. While on Celestial Seasonings’ campus on Sleepytime Drive, you can also visit the art gallery where iconic illustrations and logo designs used on their packaging and advertising are displayed. Beyond the Celestial Café is their Tea Shop to tempt you with everything tea-themed from cups, pots, tins, gifts, and tea- based natural products to “tea-shirts” with logo graphics and plush Sleepytime Bears, plus great prices on all their renowned and special flavor teas.
An outdoor field trip to the Mountain Goat Dairy Farm brings you “up close and personal” with the main residents of this small-scale, privately owned facility in Boulder. This tour uncovers the complexity of producing natural products from livestock as part of the interdependent ecological relationships
14 I JAN/FEB 2021