Ridgway Farmers Market Dinner with Two Bassets Marinara & Mountain Bird Co
Okay, technically I show up to the Ridgway Farmers Market to make money.
But let’s be honest... sometimes my petty cash burns a hole in my pocket before I’ve even made my first sale. (Can I write it off as market research? Asking for a friend.)
A couple Saturdays ago, I had one of those moments.
I was wandering the market before the day got busy, when I spotted a new vendor—Two Bassets Marinara. I knew they were the new vendor in town, and I was very ready to support someone new to Ridgway. One dip of their fresh Italian bread into their marinara sauce and I was like:
"Yep. Gonna need to grab some cash real quick."
The flavor was chef’s kiss—rich, bright, and clearly made with intention. (Turns out they use real-deal San Marzano tomatoes and cook it all in a commercial kitchen in true Italian-craft style. You can taste the love—and probably some basset hound approval.)
Check them out here.
As I walked back toward my booth, cradling my marinara and bread like a precious baby, I had a little lightbulb moment:
My booth neighbor is Mountain Bird. As in farm-fresh, pasture-raised chicken tenders.
Ohhh yes. This wasn’t just going to be lunch—this was about to be a Ridgway Farmers Market gourmet dinner.
🧄🍝 What I Made
Now, before you get all “that sounds complicated,” let me tell you—I made this entire dinner with minimal effort and maximum payoff. Here’s how it went down:
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I tossed those Mountain Bird chicken tenders into my Ninja pressure cooker with about a cup of that heavenly marinara sauce and let it cook until tender.
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Meanwhile, I boiled some penne pasta on the stove until just shy of al dente.
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Drained the pasta, then finished it in the rest of the marinara, letting the noodles soak up that flavor like it was a spa day for carbs.
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When the chicken was done, I shredded it, stirred everything together, and...
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Served it all with slices of that buttery, warmed Italian bread on the side.
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And because I do love myself, I topped the whole thing off with a generous flurry of Parmesan—salty, nutty, and exactly what the sauce was begging for.
🌄 Why This Meal Mattered
This dinner was more than just tasty—it was meaningful. Every bite had a story.
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Two Bassets Marinara started with a dream, some basset hound inspiration, and San Marzano tomatoes nestled in the Colorado Rockies. That’s not a brand story—that’s romance.
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Mountain Bird is a family-run farm that built their business from the ground up, literally. They’ve gone from day labor to top-tier poultry producers, with a deep commitment to feeding their community real, quality food. Read more about their farm here.
This dinner was a reminder of what makes farmers markets so damn special:
You don’t just buy ingredients—you connect with the people behind them. You shake hands with your future dinner. You support dreams while feeding your family.
💛 Next Time You’re at the Market…
Don’t just shop. Wander. Taste. Talk.
Try something new. See what ideas spark as you walk the rows of local vendors.
Maybe you’ll end up making your own version of “Ridgway Gourmet” before the sun even sets.
And hey—if you see me there, ask how dinner turned out. I might just hand you a piece of bread and point toward the marinara.
📸 PS: Here’s the one picture I remembered to take before I scarfed it all down like I hadn’t eaten since Tuesday:
