For Venezuelans, hallacas are a nostalgic taste of home – The Denver Post

By Christina Morales, The New York Times In 2015, the first year Héctor Arguinzones celebrated Christmas in the United States, he longed to share his mother’s hallacas with his wife, Niurka Meléndez, and their son, Samuel. Hallacas, similar to tamales, are a signature dish of the holiday in Venezuela, where he and his family had … Read more

Poulette Bakery responds to customer who called pastries “cardboard”

‘Tis the season for giving, and in the case of one local bakery, that means serving sass to an unhappy customer. Over the weekend, Poulette Bakeshop in Parker grabbed some attention by responding to a commenter on Instagram who didn’t approve of the eclairs. “I got an eclair here once, paid $10 or something for … Read more

Colorado Rep. Said Sharbini resigns — second Dem to quit this month

State Rep. Said Sharbini, a Brighton Democrat, is resigning just a year into his term, he said Monday — making him the second freshman lawmaker to quit this month. Sharbini cited the political “vitriol” at the Capitol and low pay for the long hours required of lawmakers. Legislators whose terms began in January, including Sharbini, … Read more

West Highland restaurant owner launching Wheat Ridge food truck park

Blaine Baggao started a food truck and opened a brick-and-mortar site. Now, he’s combining the two. The 38-year-old restaurateur behind Adobo in West Highland, which serves Filipino and Mexican food, is launching a food truck park in Wheat Ridge at the end of the month. “I respect the hell out of my industry and want to give … Read more

A cheesy casserole that lets the host savor holiday mornings

By Melissa Clark, The New York Times It’s not a big deal making eggs and toast to feed one or two. It’s when you try it for a crowd that things start to get tricky. The eggs or the toast always wind up cold, which is bad enough on a weekday, and even worse on … Read more

Trompeau Bakery opening second location in downtown Denver

Trompeau Bakery & Cafe is joining the rise of high-end bakeries expanding their reach to keep up with Denver’s demand for baked goods. The bakery: Trompeau Bakery & Cafe, 934 16th St., on the ground floor of Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown About: Trompeau Bakery debuted its first location in Englewood near the University of Denver campus … Read more

Senate border security talks grind on as Trump invokes Nazi-era ‘blood’ rhetoric against immigrants – The Denver Post

By LISA MASCARO and STEPHEN GROVES (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Time slipping, White House and Senate negotiators struggled Sunday to reach a U.S. border security deal that would unlock President Joe Biden’s request for billions of dollars worth of military aid for Ukraine and other national security needs before senators leave town for the … Read more

Colorado Republicans line up for shot to win Rep. Ken Buck’s open seat

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck’s decision last month not to seek reelection to Congress opened a tantalizingly rare window for Republicans in eastern Colorado: a red seat in one of the state’s few remaining conservative strongholds that, once won, would be tough to ever lose. “If somebody wants to be a congressman who lives in the … Read more

One year after migrant emergency declared, Denver tackles long-term response plans

Denver has received more migrants per capita over the past year than any other large U.S. city that doesn’t flank the southern border. In what Denver city staff is considering the fourth wave of record arrivals, Mayor Mike Johnston is pushing for not only more money from the federal government but steps to ease the … Read more

Colorado Black lawmakers propose study of racial equity, solutions

Several state lawmakers want to zero in on deep-rooted disparities that are holding back Black Coloradans economically, from low homeownership to disproportionately high incarceration rates, and expand the search for solutions. That’s the aim of legislation unveiled Wednesday that would charge History Colorado, the state’s historical society, with undertaking a comprehensive study into the reverberations … Read more