Sleigh Ride to a Cookhouse
/Aspen, CO
Sometimes a Foodwalker will resort to any mode of transportation in order to reach a worthwhile food destination. And such it was recently outside of that winter wonderland of Aspen, where the only way to reach the meal of moment was by horse-drawn sleigh. It was a gentle, contemplative way to travel, gliding through profoundly beautiful, snow-muffled winter woodlands toward the promise of good things to eat. And, yes, the tune did jingle in my head as we headed over the river and through the woods, and the horses did, in fact, know the way....
Our destination was the Pine Creek Cookhouse in Ashcroft Village — an old abandoned silver mining town high in the Rocky Mountain Range. Founded in 1879 — and abandoned by 1900 — Ashcroft is now a historical preservation site and, more importantly, an outdoor playground for snowshoers and nordic skiers in the winter, and hikers and fly fishermen during the summer. Nestled in the valley of the Elk Mountains at over 9,500 feet, the Pine Creek Cookhouse is a large log cabin, with hand-hewn exposed beams, a welcoming fire in the center and windows drawing one’s unavoidable stare towards the impossible, wind-driven 13,000 foot peaks in the near distance.
The open kitchen on the far side of the dining room reveals cooks calmly preparing only the finest of local ingredients, delivered by snowcat machines — the only motorized way to reach the cookhouse this time of year. Everything is organic and fresh — no small task for a kitchen operating in the dead of winter high in the mountains in the center of the country. That’s because at the cookhouse they take their food seriously but without fanfare. It’s the perfect mountain vibe, where everyone from the cooks, to the waiters to the mountain-man cowboy driving the big, burly horses are just happy to be in such an astonishingly beautiful place. And everything they do reflects this contentment with life in the snowy world around them.
Especially the food they serve. The menu is eclectic but grounded in wholesomeness and the honesty of simple, high quality preparation. Sourced locally, the cuisine reflects mountain food with a twist. Like our starter of a cast iron mini-skillet of Pine Creek Smoked Trout blended with cheese and cream and crusted with breadcrumbs. Spread on toasted baguettes baked in the winter kitchen, the dip warmed our insides after the brisk sleigh ride up the valley in the crisp alpine air.
The overall style of food at Pine Creek Cookhouse is American Alpine Cuisine. But executive chef Chris Keating knows that great mountain food is not limited to the Rockies where the cookhouse sits. So, inspired by other cultures, he also creates dishes like Nepalese Buffalo Momos — delicate dumplings on a spicy tomato concasse with ponzu and cilantro — to show us the wonders of other Alpine food.
But it’s his love of the Rockies that drives the menu and requires that everything come from nearby. For us, that meant begining with a Rocky Mountain Elk Bratwurst in a golden challah roll still warm from the oven. It was generously dressed with caramelized onions, peppadew pepper salsa and Dijon sauce. Served on a bed of purple and yellow roasted baby potatoes, the hand-made sausage delivered a bold, meaty flavor — moist, lean and only hinting of wild game. It was the perfect protein to stay warm and satisfied in the stunning alpine woods.
Next, from the crystal clear waters originating in the mountains around us, came Ruby Red Rainbow Trout. Sautéed with a pecan brown butter meniere, it was delicate and silky beneath its fragile crust and each bite burst with flavor borne only from cold mountain streams.
A clean Cookhouse Salad of tender greens, apples, candied pistachios, cranberries, cambozola and a drizzle of maple balsamic vinaigrette rounded out the Winter lunch, which was then happily brought to a close by a warm Apple Crisp and homemade vanilla bean ice cream. It was the perfect meal to fortify us for our snowy sleigh ride back down the valley.
This is not to imply that the demands of traversing the dense forest from the Cookhouse back to the base cabin were onerous. The biggest workout was climbing up into the sleigh. Sitting beneath wool blankets in the rustic wooden sleigh drawn by the two enormous Percheron Draft Horses was, indeed, glorious as our trusted horseman guided the animals with just a word or two onto the trail leading through the forest of silvery Aspens. The bare branches clicked brittlely against each other high above us. Powdery snow, kicked up from the horses’ hooves, caught in the gentle breeze and whisped around our faces like tiny, chilled feathers. The sleigh glided with a slight whoosh and the reigns jingled quietly on the powerful animals’ bridles.
And all was well in this pristine Alpine world
11399 Castle Creek Rd, Aspen Colorado
