Everybody knows that Colorado is home to purple mountain majesties and fruited plains, 300 days of sun a year and fabulous ski areas, insufferably fit people and even the current National League champions. But when it comes to indigenous culinary highlights, the best most folks can usually muster is "Rocky Mountain oysters." With Denver and Colorado in the national spotlight next week, we're here to clue everyone in to the state's impressive gastronomic resume, notched with everything from the invention of the ice cream soda to the launching of the made-to-order quick-casual burrito. Here's a primer on the 10 greatest Mile High taste attractions.

Zingerade

Serves 8

4 Red Zinger tea bags

1 quart warm water

1 quart cold water

12 ounces frozen lemonade

1/2 cup sugar

* Place the tea bags in a half- gallon pitcher and add the warm water.

* Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and steep for 1 hour.

* Remove the tea bags, add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

* Recipe may be made with other Zinger teas including Tangerine Orange Zinger and Acai Mango Zinger. - Celestial Seasonings

Nutritional information per serving: 126 cal., 0 g fat (0g sat), 0 mg chol., 32 g carb., 0 g pro., 0 g fiber, 8 mg sodium.

Scrambled Tofu Wrap

Serves 3

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 green bell pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

4 to 5 button or crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 pound White Wave Soft Tofu, drained and crumbled

3 large flour tortillas, warmed

1/4 cup salsa (or pico de gallo)

* In a skillet, briefly saute the garlic in the olive oil.

* Add the vegetables and saute for a few more minutes.

* Add the tofu and stir until the tofu reaches the desired firmness.

* Spread 1/3 of the mixture down the center of each warmed tortilla, spoon on some salsa, fold, wrap and serve. - White Wave

Nutritional information per serving: 351 cal., 18 g fat (0 g sat), 0 mg chol., 28 g carb., 22 g pro., 5 g fiber, 424 mg sodium.

Denver Omelet

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 cup chopped cooked ham

8 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup (4 ounces) grated Cheddar cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

* Grease a round 10-inch baking dish (or make the entire recipe in a cast-iron skillet).

* Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

* Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

* Add the ham and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

* Beat the eggs and milk in a large bowl.

* Stir in the cheese and add the sauteed vegetables and ham.

* Season to taste with salt and pepper.

* Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish.

* (If baking in a cast-iron skillet, pour egg mixture with cheese over the vegetables and ham.)

* Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is puffy and brown.

* Cut into wedges. Serve warm.

- Cooking USA (Georgia Orcutt and John Margolies)

Nutritional information per serving: 328 cal., 29 g fat (13 g sat), 401 mg chol., 6 g carb., 24 g pro., 1 g fiber, 1036 mg sodium.

Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Soda

Serves 1

3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

2 large scoops vanilla ice cream

Chilled carbonated water

* In a large glass, spoon syrup on bottom. Fill glass with carbonated water. Top with ice cream.

* Serve with a long-handled spoon for stirring.

Nutritional information per serving: 612 cal., 35 g fat (44 g sat), 393 mg chol., 132 g carb., 16 g pro., 1 g fiber, 301 mg sodium

Stuffed Buffalo Sirloin

Serves 2

8- to 10-ounce thick-cut buffalo sirloin

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Garlic salt, to taste

* Cut a pocket in the side of the sirloin.

* Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup (unheated) chicken broth.

* Put cornstarch mixture in saucepan with green chiles, ground cumin, oregano and garlic salt, to taste.

* Simmer for two minutes, until slightly thickened.

* Meanwhile, broil sirloin to taste.

* Open pocket and pour in green chile mixture. If desired, top dish with a whole scored green chile, broiled briefly.

Nutritional information per serving: 136 cal., 2 g fat (1 g sat), 0 mg chol., 4 g carb., 26 g pro., 1 g fiber, 472 mg sodium.

The one dish named after Denver definitely wasn't invented here. The late James Beard speculated, "It seems to have been called the Western (sandwich or omelet) until the railroads made it to Utah, and then folks in Utah apparently renamed it the Denver."

Taste it: Try a Denver omelet (with ham, cheese, bell pepper and onions) at the iconic, cowboy-crowned Davies Chuckwagon Diner, 9495 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood.

Once the butt of granola jokes, Boulder gets the last laugh as the Silicon Valley of the burgeoning natural/ organic/green foods industry. This is the healthful birthplace of Celestial Seasonings, White Wave tofu and Silk soy milk, Rudi's Organic Bakery, Wild Oats Markets and Izze soda.

Taste it: at any natural-foods market

When late restaurateur Sam Arnold opened The Fort in 1962, buffalo (actually bison) started stampeding from extinction back to the dinner table. Now lean bison graces menus across Colorado, and The Fort sells more bison steaks than any other independent eatery in the nation.

Taste it: The Fort, 19192 Highway 8, Morrison, thefort.com

When Americans have wanted a true taste of sweet nostalgia, they turn to Hammond's Candies, opened in Denver in 1920. The factory is the source for handmade candy canes, ribbon candy, caramels and candy "coal."

Taste it: Red, white and blue candies are available at Hammond's Candies, 5735 Washington St., hammondscandies.com

Denver's yummiest perfume of autumn is the aroma of green and red chiles from southern Colorado and New Mexico flame-roasted at roadside stands along Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard. Bushels of the charred pods go into the addictive sauces, stews, tamales and rellenos we love so much.

Taste it: Buy roasted chiles outside and taste green-chile stew inside at Jack-N-Grill, 2524 Federal Blvd.

The ice cream soda was reportedly invented in 1871 at Otto Baur's confectionery shop at 1512 Curtis St. as a soother for a patron with a bad hangover. The site now houses Baur's Ristorante, owned by Quizno's founder Jimmy Lambatos.

Taste it: Coffee ice cream soda at the Bonnie Brae Ice Cream Shop, 799 S. University Blvd., Denver

Establishments from California and Kentucky to Hamburg, Germany, dispute the claim, but a small granite monument in a bank parking lot at 2776 Speer Blvd. proudly notes: "Louis E. Ballast created the cheeseburger (on this site). His restaurant, the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In, was Colorado's first drive-in. The cheeseburger trademark was registered by Mr. Ballast on March 5, 1935."

Taste it: The green-chile cheeseburger at Steuben's, 523 E. 17th Ave., steubens.com

Colorado's Rocky Mountain-high attitude is personified by the Sleepytime bear, symbol of Celestial Seasonings, which packages more than 1 billion cups' worth of tea annually in Boulder. The city also is home to the ornately decorated Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse and rose-garden patio. Spot-on afternoon tea doesn't get any classier than the one served in the plush vaulted lobby of Denver's Brown Palace Hotel.

Taste it: Celestial Seasonings, 4600 Sleepytime Drive, Boulder, celestialseasonings.com; Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, 1770 13th St., Boulder, boulderteahouse.com; Brown Palace Hotel, 321 17th St., brownpalace.com

The mile-high gastronomic incubator launched the nation's quick-casual dining boom. Restaurant companies calling the metro area home include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Rock Bottom Brewery, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Old Chicago, Boston Market, Noodles & Co. and Quizno's.

Taste it: Customize a burrito at the very first Chipotle Mexican Grill, 1644 E. Evans Ave.

Producing more ale, stout and lager than any other state, Colorado is the undisputed capital of American beer. The 92 breweries here range from giants like Coors to Fat Tire-maker New Belgium and canned-craft- ale innovator Oskar Blues. The nation's largest brew-tasting event, the Great American Beer Festival, is held annually in a city where the mayor was a brew-pub pioneer.

Taste it: Sample great brews at the Falling Rock Tap House, 1919 Blake St., fallingrock taphouse.com, and the Great American Beer Festival, Oct. 9 to 11, beertown.org, and tour Golden's Coors Brewery, millercoors.com.

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