Local chef debuts downtown food truck
A hometown boy done good is returning from his travels to open a food truck serving strictly fresh and from-scratch food on Main Avenue.
Chef Marcos Wisner, newly back from working as a restaurant gardener in California, will helm The Box in the parking lot on Main Avenue and 11th Street, in front of the Smoke Shop. It will open April 1 and serve what Wisner is calling gourmet street food.
He’s hoping to tempt you with a quadruple offering of international pork sandwiches – the classic Vietnamese Bahn Mi, the beloved steamed bun, the famed Cubano and a tasty Tacos al Pastor.
He’ll also have rice bowls, beet fries, daily soups and fresh salads. Or so he says now – the menu will likely change according to the season and his mood. After all, he’s a chef.
“It’s just everything I like to eat a lot,” Wisner said. “I’m putting my own little touch on it, incorporating the fine dining techniques I’ve learned.”
The Box will be open every day but Sunday, with lunch starting at 11 a.m.
Keep your veggies healthy
Looking for the absolute healthiest way to cook those fabulous organic vegetables you brought home from the market?
Pay attention, because it’s different for different types. First, avoid frying and boiling – both methods lose nutrients. Studies show that a griddle does the best work for beets, celery, onions, Swiss chard and green beans, allowing them to retain their antioxidants. Baking works well for artichokes, asparagus, broccoli and peppers, but not for carrots, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or zucchini. Baking actually increased the antioxidant levels in eggplant, corn and green beans.
Meanwhile, Italian researchers found that steaming is the best method for preserving antioxidants found in broccoli and zucchini, but not for many other vegetables. Their vitamins and nutrients are fat soluble, meaning your body absorbs them better with fat. Therefore, sauteeing maybe just be the healthiest method – cooking in oil over high heat for a few minutes retains nutrients, and the good fat helps your body make the most of the vitamins and minerals in the food.
And microwaving? Researchers contend it helps most vegetables retain their antioxidants, but if you’re trying to avoid that method, sauteeing is likely to work just as well.
Vote for your favorite sixer
If you like Colorado beer and want to show it, you can pick your favorite in the “Best Sixer Ever” poll sponsored by Elevation Outdoors magazine.
Linking good craft beer to a fun outdoor lifestyle, the magazine’s online contest lets you choose your favorite six beers from 32 craft breweries in the state. Durango was represented in the poll’s first round by Ska Brewing’s Modus Hoperandi, Steamworks’ Steam Engine Lager and Durango Brewing’s Derail Ale.
Only Modus Hoperandi made it into the final round of 16, however. You can let your beer-drinking voice be heard at www.elevationoutdoors.com/best-sixer-ever/ until March 23 at noon. The winner will be announced March 28.
Pamela Hasterok
