Tinderbox Kitchen and Annex

The Hard Part

tbox — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:22:36 +0000

Well, its time for the “hard” part of our jobs…yes, Scott and I have to make another trip to our companion Vineyard outside Cortez, Colorado to meet with Wine Maker Joe Buckel and Vineyard Owner, John Sutcliffe to design and blend our next “House Wine.” To us House Wine shoudn’t mean whatever is cheap but should reflect our restaurant and Scott’s culinary efforts. Our first was based on the tradition in the Rhone region of blending a bit of Viognier into the beautiful Colorado Syrah. After a full barrel of our 8911 blend was gone (a sad day indeed) we rolled out our second venture, a true Old Vine Field Blend from vines in the Sonoma Valley. Although rooted in 60% Zinfandel, this blend of nine varietals was harvested together, pressed together and fermented together to produce a perfect red blend for our colder Flagstaff winter nights. Joe is a master and, under his tutelage, Scott and I are becoming rather versed in the art of blending as well. What will this bring…Joe has ideas but we’ll all have to wait to see. This I promise, it will be spectacular!

Strengths and Weaknesses

tbox — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:40:33 +0000

Blogging…apparently NOT my strength! Although when I read great blogs it makes me want to be a better…well…blogger. It’s a great way to reach an audience, announce and boast about things, connect with those around you and impart any semblance of wisdom you may have. IDEAS, now there’s a strength – but it seems to be followed immediately by a weakness…follow-through. Well, it’s time to make a change to that and follow through on great ideas to successful conclusions. What spurs this passion now? I found inspiration in my latest trip to Cortez, Colorado where I met again with mentor and now great friend John Sutcliffe. We spoke for hours about food, wine, restaurants, people, passion, politics (although that came after several Sierra Nevadas), commitment, STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES and, yes, Follow-Through! John’s passion for what he does is unmatched and he writes about it at http://www.sutcliffewines.com/rants/blog_john_discuss.php. My trips to Cortez have turned from novelty to passion and with Joe Buckle (Sutcliffe’s wine maker), Pancho Castillo (John’s farmer) and a commitment from John, Tinderbox Kitchen has now gained its own Vineyard and Garden from which product is now pulled…and we’re not talking about slapping TBox labels on Sutcliffe’s products! Our first wine was truly inspired from Chef Scott’s food. IT took a bit of arm twisting, some tasting and more tasting which resulted in a beautiful blended red wine, unique to Tinderbox, that complements our menu (this version is 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier). My last trip saw me haul back pounds of fresh produce including Cilantro, Basil, Chard, Arugula, Squash, Radicchio — all planted with direction from Scott and me and tended dutifully by Pancho and the boys.

The last visit came with bonus inspiration. I arrived to meet Mark DeNittis and his soon-to-be-wife, Jenna Johansen. Both accomplished Chefs and incredible people. I was introduced to Mark behind a cutting board of some of the most amazing cured meats I have ever seen; this made sense when I was informed that Mark owned Il Mondo Vecchio Salumi and instructor at the Rocky Mountain Institute of Meat in Denver. Let’s just say that this guy knew his animal! Jenna had more energy and laughs and that was while she was preparing a fantastic dinner that we ate in the Sutcliffe Vineyard. I got a crash course in Twitter and Facebook and a great pictorial tour of their meandering trip from Denver to McElmo Canyon…Jenna blogs about it all and in a fantastically entertaining fashion. Read about their journeys at http://thelastthingweate.com . So new inspiration in tow, look for changes, ideas, follow-through and exciting new ventures here on the Southside!

Start a new Shift

tbox — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:49:48 +0000

Last night the Annex hosted a launch party for the new New Belgium Shift beer. Very well received I would say! A tall 16 oz. blue and silver can looks good in anyone’s hand, especially after a long work shift. In honor of our industry brethren we are offering those shiny cans to anyone after 9 p.m. for just $3, so…finish your shift, head down to the Annex and start your next Shift!

Sutcliffe Wine Dinner

tbox — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:55:31 +0000

We are excited to announce that on Thursday, April 26th, Tinderbox Kitchen will host a Sutcliffe Vineyards Wine Dinner. That night we will close the restaurant to all bu 50 lucky individuals who will be treated to some incredible wines made in McElmo Canyon, Colorado. Those familiar with the restaurant know that we have carried a great selection of John’s wines, now you can try them with Chef Scott’s fantastic food pairings. The event will consist of a reception followed by a four-course menu with wine descriptions from John Sutcliffe and food-talk from Chef Scott. We are taking reservations now at the restaurant so stop in or call us and we will put you on the list!

Following our April event, Tinderbox Kitchen has been selected this year to cook Sutcliffe Vineyard’s annual Harvest Dinner. That will take place at the vineyard in McElmo Canyon (Cortez) Colorado on Monday, September 10th. This is an amazing event with hand-selected wines paired with local foods cooked outside and served to it’s 125 guests at a single, white-linen clad table set in the Vineyard’s orchard. There are a few seats left for any of our guests who would like to attend; next time your in the TBox talk to Kevin and he can give you all the details.

Until then here’s to good eating and drinking!

What’s in a Barrel…Wine of Course

tbox — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:20:36 +0000

I just got back from the first of many trips to McElmo Canyon, Colorado. There in the middle of what seems like barren desert runs a 25 mile long canyon full of agricultural production. At about mile 12 is what we have just dubbed, the Tinderbox Vineyard. This trip involved meeting with the land owner, the farmer and wine maker Joe Buckle and blending what will be our very first Tinderbox wine. The grapes are grown there, just 4 hours from the Tinderbox back door and the wine-making style of Joe is perfect for our first home-grown wine. After barrel tasting from the 2010 crop, we settled on a red, northern Rhone-style blend. We are very excited to produce and provide a true “House” wine, which in this case doesn’t mean cheap, it means a creation painstakingly grown, aged and blended to match Chef Scott’s cooking profile. This red will pair incredibly well with a good majority of the dishes. It is being made with attention to the fruit; taking from it exactly what it was grown to give. It will be what I deem “Old-World” style; not overbearing, not overly tannic or fruity, just a wonderfully balanced wine made to complement food. Stay tuned as I work through the process of further barrel aging, the ultimate exercise of blending and the bottling and labeling of this terrific addition to the Tinderbox experience.

2012, the end of…

tbox — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:21:43 +0000

So in which camp are you? Those that believe that December 21 marks the “end of the world” or those who believe the date marks the day the Earth and its inhabitants undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation? Whichever you inhabit, use the next 11 or so months to “end” certain things in your life. End the habit of drinking “house wine” because you think it’s cheap; end the habit of ordering the same thing every time you go out because it’s “safe”; End the overuse of the word “No” in your daily life…We believe 2012 is start, the start of the next best thing!

New Look

tbox — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:01:06 +0000

Today we launch our new website with the help of Jeff Saville and Garrick Brooks. As we thought about our first years in business (and trolled the web for other great restaurants around the country) we thought that a more visual “tour” of the restaurant, food and our town was more important. If you think about it, when you’re looking for a place to eat don’t you want to “see” where you’re going to enjoy the meal? So much of eating out is the experience; after all we can eat at home or call for a pizza delivery but when you venture out it’s the whole entertainment value we seek. We will still endeavor to show you our menu changes every day so check back often! See you soon on the Southside.