Dry Storage is more than just a bakery

Great taste is deeply ingrained

Story and Photos By Kristin Owens

Dry Storage isn’t just a bakery. It’s a mill. And a laboratory. Basically, it’s a complete concept that champions a new food ecosystem. A tall order, but one the health-conscious and environmentally friendly Boulder community has embraced. 

James Beard-nominated chef Kelly Whitaker is the force behind Dry Storage. After years of culinary experience around the world, he moved back to Colorado in 2010. Whitaker understood the farm-to-table movement, but wanted to embrace Colorado cuisine. He asked, what makes it unique? How does the soil, water and altitude affect baking? It turns out, it’s all about the grains. 

Dry Storage uses five varieties of heirloom grains that have more robust roots and regenerative factors than large industrial crops. They are more sustainable and reduce climate change impacts – a better farming solution for everyone. By using locally grown grains, carbon footprints are reduced during transportation. They’re also, “culturally relevant,” Whitaker says. And in Colorado, there’s no shortage of them. As a trained chef, he recognized the grains are a “beautiful medium for year-round menus.”

With that in mind, Whitaker built a mill: a 3,000-square-foot facility that grinds 200 acres of Colorado grains into flour using traditional granite stone. The bakery uses the flour in-house, sells bags to retail customers and offers it wholesale to chefs and restaurants. The result? “A regional grain opportunity at the highest level,” Whitaker says. In a year nearly wrecked by a pandemic, Dry Storage sold nearly 1 million pounds of its milled flours. 

Inside the bakery, it’s a state-of-the-art operation. Clean lines, black and white simplicity, and a bespoke selection of gourmet breads resting under a cube of plexiglass. They bake sourdough, French baguettes, English muffins and seeded loaves. Co-owner Erika Whitaker says customers call it “the Apple store for bread.” She says their goal is to, “change the white-bread sandwich mentality.” There are many delicious options that they provide to customers.

But as with any successful business, it’s a learning process. The research and development room offers opportunities to continually tweak recipes and evolve. Recently, staff was researching laminations, a program used in producing croissants. And when you think it couldn’t be more scientific, they even use the metric system. Kelly Whitaker says, “it’s a pivotal moment for Colorado … the grain business fuels so many people.” Distillers, maltsters, brewers, bakers and others are all tied to the farmland. 

A select menu offers delicious quiche, miso soup, and Smorrebrod with a daily rotating topping on rye. Is it breakfast or lunch? Who cares? With a natural wine, beer and Devocion coffee, Dry Storage also has all the drink options covered. Between buying local, supporting locally produced organic grains, and positively impacting the local food climate, customers deserve that extra croissant. Just make sure to show up Tuesday through Sunday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.  

Contributor Kristin Owens passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Introductory Examination and travels the world looking for a good $10 bottle of wine. She’s a full-time writer based in Fort Collins.

Ute Indian Museum in Montrose honors the past

Explore the traditions of Colorado’s early inhabitants

By Jay McKinney

For more than 60 years, Colorado’s first inhabitants have been honored through the renowned Ute Indian Museum located in Montrose. Originally built in 1956 near the ranch of Chief Ouray’s original 8.65-acre homestead site, it is a unique Native American museum because it is dedicated specifically to the Utes. The museum and its grounds are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and are linked to a citywide trail system that includes picnic areas and walking paths. Also located on the grounds is a native plants garden, Chief Ouray memorial park and the gravesite of Ouray’s wife, Chipeta. 

The museum connects the past with contemporary Ute life, and the exhibits emphasize their history of adaptation and persistence, with a central theme of geography as significant locations in Ute history are highlighted. One Ute tradition that is examined through the museum is the celebration of the Bear Dance. 

“It’s every spring that they celebrate the bear coming out of hibernation, and this is something that was given to them long ago,” says museum director CJ Brafford. “It brings the three Ute tribes together and so it’s about coming together, telling the stories of the past year, how everything went, how the winter went, it’s just a great time for storytelling.” 

Brafford compares the Bear Dance to Christmas or Easter in the non-Ute world: an annual event that has a storied history. While all three Ute tribes recognize the Bear Dance as a time of renewal, seeing relatives and celebrating new births and marriages, each tribe has its own particular Bear Dance. 

If you’re interested in seeing some prehistoric Ute art, make sure to check out the Shavano Valley Rock Art Site that is regarded as one of the most amazing prehistoric art sites in the world. Located on the cliff face and surrounding boulders of the southwest end of the Shavano Valley, hundreds of years of petroglyphs can be seen if you book a docent-led tour with the Ute Indian Museum. The rock art of the Shavano Valley is roughly 5 miles from Montrose and the museum suggests booking tours in advance, as availability is limited. 

The museum also offers a Hands-On History Summer Camp for children ages 6 and up. “Every week is a different theme, so just for the first few weeks we’ve got an archeology camp, the second week is a rocks and fossils camp, followed by an explore mother earth camp and then week four is going to be everything artsy,” says museum education director Carly Jones. 

With award-winning exhibits and multiple educational opportunities, the Ute Indian Museum is a gem in the Montrose community and is well worth the visit when in the area. Given their status as the first inhabitants of Colorado, residents and visitors could benefit by learning about the Ute Indians and their connection to this beautiful state. 

Jay McKinney is a Colorado native who recently graduated from Metro State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He loves spending time outdoors, playing golf and hiking.

Ute Indian history in Colorado

Dating back to at least the 1300s, The Ute Indians were the earliest people to reside in Colorado, with their ancestral land covering vast portions of Colorado and Utah. In fact, Utah is actually named after the Ute Indians. Given their nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle, some Ute bands would frequently venture into surrounding areas that now encompass Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arizona as they searched for reliable food sources. Their reputation as resilient Rocky Mountain travelers is evidenced by the fact that many of the modern highway systems follow ancient Ute trails.

The Ute Indians had a deep connection to the land they inhabited, and they idolized some of the state’s natural wonders that people still flock to today. For instance, Pikes Peak was a sacred ceremonial site, with the Tabeguache Ute’s calling it Tavakiev, which means sun mountain. While the Utes occupied a large area of land throughout Colorado and Utah, the Colorado Springs region was known as their domain. Artifacts have been found in nearby Garden of the Gods, and Manitou Springs was also regarded as a sacred place, where the Utes and other tribes would spend winters and share the mineral springs in peace.

Known for scenic views that are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, the mountain town of Ouray is actually named after the legendary Ute Chief Ouray, who was appointed as the spokesman for the tribe during the 1800s. While the Utes did not have one designated chief for the entire tribe, Ouray’s ability to speak multiple languages allowed him to negotiate with the European settlers who were infringing upon their territory in an effort to mine the land for gold and silver.

Today there are only three remaining Ute tribes: the Southern Utes reside in southern Colorado along with the Ute Mountain Utes, who also inhabit portions of New Mexico and Utah. The largest population of Utes reside in northeastern Utah on the Uintah-Ouray Reservation.

From gridiron to grapes, John Elway’s journey continues

7CELLARS PIVOTS AND CONTINUES TO GROW WINE BRAND

By Joe Ross
John Elway learned to think on the fly as an NFL quarterback. When things looked insurmountable, he’d call an audible to help move his team down the field. Jump forward to 2020 and Elway and his team at 7Cellars figured out a way to outsmart the defense – in this case COVID-19.

The Denver-based wine company shifted marketing efforts and began pushing its lineup of moderately priced products online, oftentimes with free shipping. Up to 50 percent of the brand was moving online, and more people were putting 7Cellars in their glasses.

“It’s all about our team and how they work together,” Elway says. “We want to build the (brand) for the long term, like every team I’ve been a part of.”

To launch 7Cellars, Elway’s executives included Robert Mondavi Jr., as well as 30-year business partner Jeff Sperbeck. Dan Foster serves as president.

A fourth-generation wine maker, Mondavi Jr.’s family has produced award-winning wines in the Napa Valley since the 1960s.

Working with Mondavi Jr. to create a wine brand seemed to be a perfect fit after the success Elway had with Elway’s restaurants, located in Cherry Creek, downtown Denver, Denver International Airport and Vail.

Last year, when restaurants were closed and unable to sell wine, Sperbeck said the online push began. That was accompanied by adding more liquor stores and outlets such as Costco to the distribution list. “COVID definitely slowed the process,” Sperbeck says. “But when one door closes, another one opens.”

Although up to 80 percent of the wine was sold in Colorado just two years ago, nationwide shipping also has increased out-of-state sales tremendously, Sperbeck adds.

7Cellars offers the Elway Reserve, which hit the market in 2015 with a cabernet sauvignon and a chardonnay. That was followed up with a lower price point: The Farm Collection, which includes a cab, a chardonnay and a pinot noir. The Farm Collection references Elway’s playing days at Stanford University, which has carried the nickname The Farm since the school’s inception. “We have the right price and a great product,” Elway says, which has resulted in a winning combination.

Elway says Broncos head coach Vic Fangio was one of the first from the Broncos to give the thumbs up to 7Cellars cabernet sauvignon. “Vic’s a wine drinker,” he says, “He likes to eat meatballs and he says they go great with the cab.”

Additionally, “every one of the varietals gives to a cause,” he points out. Elway and 7Cellars recently donated funds to Team Rubicon, which trains and deploys veterans to help out in areas where disasters such as hurricanes have taken place.

7Cellars also has teamed up with OneHope, which provides charitable funds to organizations around the world.

As for the future, 7Cellars plans to open a tasting room this summer in Rutherford, California, in the Napa Valley. In addition, Elway says 7Cellars is exploring the spirits scene and could produce a whiskey soon.

Eef the “Tall Dutch girl” showcases two bands at Blues N BBQ

By Steve Graham

A leading Colorado blues musician has had many titles, but just one name: Eef.

She currently leads Eef and the Blues Express, a funky blues sextet that will play at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 17, at the Blues & BBQ Festival for Better Housing. She also plays rhythm guitar and sings backup for Nick of Time, a Bonnie Raitt cover band that kicks off Blues & BBQ at 11 a.m.

Blues & BBQ Festival for Better Housing

Time: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Date: Saturday, July 17 Place: Citizens Park, 5560 W. 24th Ave., Edgewater Cost: $10 Info: www.bluesnbbq.com

For 11 years, she has been driving ((Eef and)) the Blues Express, an acclaimed funky blues mainstay on the local scene. The band officially debuted in 2010. After some lineup changes in the early years, the five members haven’t changed for five years.

"Eef's band has rocked our festival for years," says Ranger Miller, who founded Blues & BBQ for Better Housing. "Her band is tight and they get the crowd on their feet every time."

Eef and the Blues Express was selected to play at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and was a semi-finalist in 2017. The group has also opened for major blues acts such as Coco Montoya and Tommy Castro, and won local blues awards. Eef is well-known in the scene as “the tall Dutch girl with the red guitar.”

She calls the band’s funky style “Eef Blues,” and steers away from playing traditional blues.

“I wasn’t born in Mississippi. I think it’s disrespectful, honestly, to try to mimic the real traditional blues,” she said. “I’m a white girl from Europe, so I play my own stuff.”

She has a particularly full slate this week. In addition to the two sets at Blues & BBQ, she is playing at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, at Larimer Square with Stacey Turpenoff. Eef and the Blues Express also is closing out the Paint the Town Blue series on Thursday, July 15, at Thorndale Park in Colorado Springs. Click here for all her upcoming gigs. 

Check out the September issue of Thirst Colorado for a more complete profile of Eef and her band. 

---

More about the festival

The 24th annual Blues & BBQ Festival for Better Housing is once again raising money for Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver while bringing great music and fantastic barbecue to Edgewater. The event has raised $355,000 for affordable housing to date.   

"We powered through COVID and kept the fundraising going to help people find affordable housing," says Ranger Miller, the festival founder. "Our sponsors are phenomenal and they believe in our mission to put roofs over people's heads. After 24 years, the festival has so much support from volunteers and people who just like to show up and spend the day rocking and chilling." 

Festival tickets cost $10. VIP tickets cost $100, and include food, craft beer and wine in an exclusive area near the stage.

This year’s lineup is almost entirely female-fronted:

11 a.m. Nick of Time (Bonnie Raitt cover band)

12 p.m. Teledonna (R&B soul-rock)

1 p.m. MojoMama (blues rock)

2 p.m. Eef and the Blues Express (Eef blues) 

3 p.m. Cass Clayton Band (roots music)

4 p.m. Zepp11 (Led Zeppelin cover band)

5 p.m. Cast Iron Queens (neo-soul and blues)

6 p.m. Wild Love Tigress (funk, soul and blues)  

7 p.m. Duke Street Kings