An all-Colorado sandwich

I was reading a recipe the other day for a “farmer’s sandwich,” the kind of noonday meal farmers might pack for themselves to eat for lunch out in the field, or that anyone might assemble from fresh farm produce this time of year. The thought occurred: “Let’s make it using ingredients just from Colorado.”

Nearly half our state’s land area is committed to agriculture — ranching and farming, by and large — and a recent survey by the Colorado Department of Agriculture found that 85 percent of Coloradans buy, or try to buy, Colorado products when shopping or dining out.

It’s easier this time of year, than in the

Wcolder months, to locate foods grown in Colorado, not only because of the proliferation of outdoor local farmers markets, but also due to the “Colorado Proud” stickers and labels on much of what’s coming from our Colorado farms and that’s available at larger groceries.

Here’s a stab at an all-Colorado farmer’s sandwich, with shout-outs to some proud farmers, cheesemakers, winemakers and bakers that call Colorado home.

An All-Colorado Farmer’s Sandwich Ingredients

1 large loaf well-crusted bread, in

the form of ciabatta or baguette* Whole grain mustard

Sweet onion jam (recipe follows) Slices of firm or semi-firm Colorado cheese (Haystack’s Buttercup or Fruition Farm’s Cacio Pecora) Thin slices of tart apple (A Braeburn from FirstFruits Organic Farms or Bolton’s Orchards) Soft-leafed, sweet lettuce (Petrocco

green or red leaf) Directions

Assemble the sandwich in layers: Slices of bread, mustard, sweet onion jam, slices of cheese and apple, and lettuce. If saving for later, wrap the sandwiches in waxed paper or plastic wrap and keep in a cool, dry place.

* Some better Denver-area retail and wholesale bakers include Grateful Bread, Bluepoint, Hinman’s Bakery, Denver Bread Co., Great Harvest Bread Co. of Denver, Detour Bakery and Babette’s Artisan Breads Sweet Onion Jam foodandwine.com Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 medium Colorado Walla Walla sweet onions cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 2 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup dry red wine (such as 2015

Colterris Malbec, Grand Valley CO) 1/3 cup grenadine

Salt Directions

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until soft and just translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the sugar, wine, vinegar, grenadine and a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the liquid thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 35 minutes. Transfer the onion jam to a bowl and let cool.