Denver’s 5280 magazine reported these top trends from the June Classic in Aspen, CO:

• Farm to Fork—Vegetables straight from the farm, house-made butter, local greens and grains and house-made pasta. “This year no one can get close enough to their farmer.”
• Regional Italian—Hand-cut pasta inspired by the Friuli region, or wild boar ragu of Tuscan fame.
• American Regional—Specifically Southern and Midwestern cuisine. “The Midwest is the most interesting place in the country right now. Grits are huge and chefs are frying whatever they can.” Plus: Memphis ribs, fried chicken livers, house-made hot sauce.
• Occasional Restaurants—“Pop-up restaurants where . . . people say, ‘Oh, I want to try that,’ but then it’s gone.” E.g.: the Denver Cupcake Truck—find out its latest location on
Facebook; the Biscuit Bus and other local food trucks that put the lunch truck in a whole new light.
• Pastry—Dessert destination restaurants; restaurants that run the gamut of cuisines but which have established a clientele that come to also enjoy specialties like chicory soufflé, baby beignets and praline ice cream, pineapple-macaroon tarts, even whoopee pie.