I´m just old enough to remember that when my parents went shopping for groceries, their outings weren't just limited to supermarkets. We'd go to locally owned specialty bakeries, produce shops and butchers, many of which are long gone, although two of them, Saag's and Just Desserts, have become noteworthy retail brands.

The menu is relatively simple, with a spotlight on antipasti, sandwiches, salads, daily specials ranging from roast chicken to salt cod, and pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. After taking our seats, we noticed a staffer hauling a cart loaded with firewood for the pies.

While the menu here consists of straightforward Italian fare, this isn't just another spaghetti and meatballs joint. The most expensive entry is the Steak Florentine, a $25 number consisting of a half-pound filet mignon melded with mushrooms and Alaskan crab.

On a recent chilly Saturday morning, I found this setting even more hospitable as I happily took a seat next to the warming fireplace. While I studied the menu, I decided to give a $4 house chai a shot. While I'm partial to more spicy versions such as Bhakti's ginger-infused nectar, I appreciated the mellower qualities of Aion's take.

Our friendly server quickly produced copies of the lunch menu, although there was a noticeable lag before she took our orders. The addition of a server or two would prevent such delays, although we did find comfort in a plateful of rustic bread.

With snow starting to fall on the ground, and the end of the year drawing near, I realized it was time to exercise a holiday tradition, the annual consumption of a bowl of menudo. This Mexican tripe stew, a special-occasion dish and supposed folk remedy for hangovers, isn't for everyone.

Outside of Chinatowns and Asian communities, theres a reassuring predictability to whats on the menu at what one can categorize as Chinese-American restaurants. These arent places to get jellyfish appetizers, preserved duck egg congee or black bean oysters.

The resemblance to New England establishments also extends to the menu. The bill of fare here consists of the expected pizza, as well as subs, calzones and pasta plates, including the requisite baked ziti.

When you have a background that includes cooking at Michelinstarred restaurants in Southern California and extensive professional experience in Italy, you might make for an intimidating holiday dinner guest. Such is the experience of Chef Kelly Whitaker.

It's too cold for a fair-weather cyclist to ride, and there's not enough snow to go skiing. So what to do? In the run-up to the hectic holidays, a leisurely weekend breakfast sounded like just the ticket. So I decided to explore Longmont's Aunt Alice's Kitchen.