Gluten-Free: Lower48 Kitchen and Kim & Jake’s Collaboration Dinner

Navigating the world of gluten-free can feel like walking through a minefield: Is what you’re about to eat really gluten-free, or has some leeway been taken? Are there hidden allergens lurking in that plate of food? For those affected, these questions come up again and again—especially when dining out. Although many restaurant menus now either cater to the intolerance or offer substitutions, it can still feel like a gamble. But not next week.

On Wednesday, September 3, Lower48 Kitchen and Kim & Jake’s Cakes band together to throw the ultimate gluten-free dinner party. The food, the drink, and the baked goods will all be gluten-free. Lower48’s chef Alex Figura has crafted an à la carte menu that includes dishes such as shaved porchetta salad with Olathe sweet corn, peanut potatoes, sage pesto, and pickled green tomato; and oat grout risotto with wild mushrooms and sage broth. One of my favorite starters at Lower48—the crispy chicken skin with leg confit, ranch, and hot sauce—is also on the docket.

The dinner came together because of Lower48 owner Mario Nocifera‘s friendship with Jake Rosenbarger, who is one half of Kim & Jake’s. In 2012, Rosenbarger was diagnosed with celiac disease. Dressed in a hazmat suit to limit his exposure to gluten, he set to work reformatting recipes for the Boulder bakery’s signature cakes. In April, Rosenbarger and wife Kim announced the bakery had gone 100 percent gluten-free. On the evening of the dinner, Kim & Jakes will set up a mini market to sell a selection of the bakery’s exquisite baked goods (the treats are so noteworthy that even Food & Wine is a fan). The Denver Celiac Chapter Support Group will also be on hand to answer questions.

Bonus: If you were lucky enough to nab a ticket to the sold-out Dram Apothecary and Cappello’s collaboration dinner in Silver Plume on Saturday, September 6, I have to say I’m jealous. This five-course, gluten-free menu dreamt up by chef Daniel Asher of Linger and Root Down, utilizes ingredients from within a 250-mile radius. The offerings include Cappello’s gluten-free, grain-free pastas and Dram cocktails mixed with owner Shae Whitney‘s foraged bitters and tinctures. Look for more seasonally-inspired events in the near future.

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