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Raw juice blends, a fringe feature of the American food landscape since the 1970s, have moved towards the center. It’s a rare supermarket nowadays where you can’t find a juice made with beets or kale or nuts.
But if you’re serious about raw juice you will either make it yourself or purchase it at a reputable juice bar. One of Denver’s best offerings is the Juicing Tree. Owner Paul Krzystyniak has no culinary training (his last job was running a company that manufactured medical equipment) but he has something better: a natural talent for putting flavors together.
More: A look at Denver’s juicing trend
Consider his version of cold-pressed green juice: The emerald colored Gaia’s Garden is a bouquet of vivid aromas and flavors; cucumber in the nose, the earthiness of kale and spinach, the salinity of celery, the sweet of green apple, the tart of lemon, and the bright burn of fresh ginger on the finish. It may, as Krzystyniak claims, clear the skin, give energy, and stabilize the mood. But there is no doubt, that on the palate alone, it is as satisfying and dynamic as a good wine.
2025 W. 32nd Ave. and 1504 Ivanhoe St., 720-509-9055, juicingtree.com
—Imagine via Shutterstock