Altitude Cooking With Attitude in Vail Valley
The Minturn Saloon in Vail Valley, Colorado is all about pleasing its customers. Special duck quesadillas made just for Word of Mouth on a recent trip out west were surprisingly delightful. Photo: Bruce Winland
For a flatlander like me, the simple act of breathing at 10,000 feet can sometimes be, well… a great feat. Now add in making breakfast, cooking dinner, drinking beer and, oh yeah, several days of skiing with a fairly hardcore crew. I’m not complaining. Ten days in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains with some of my favorite people in the world? It doesn’t get much better than that!
But when it came time for a “make or buy” decision after our second full day of skiing, I was the first to raise my hand and vote to hit the town for some local fare. Minturn, Colorado, the site of our gorgeous ski cabin (courtesy of the generous M family), is a sweet, former railroad and mining town located in Vail Valley — perfectly nestled between Vail and Beaver Creek resorts. If you’re driving through and you sneeze, you’ll miss it. I have to admit, I wasn’t holding out big hopes that the food in this little town would blow my skirt up. And, when I walked through the doors of The Minturn Saloon, I was pretty sure my suspicions would be confirmed post haste. Thankfully, I was wrong.
Built in 1901 as part of a downtown revitalization after a devastating fire in 1899, The Minturn Saloon has always been, under various names and owners, a restaurant and/or bar coupled with, as rumor has it, one or two nefarious money-making operations. When we first entered, via the high-ceilinged bar, formerly a private back room for gambling, I got the vibe it was once a rough and tumble place that had seen its fair share of fights. The spacious dining room, with original tin ceilings and a show stopping back bar built in Missouri in the 1830’s is a direct step back in time to the Old West. I caught myself looking around for fur trappers, cowboys and dancing girls. The walls are adorned with fascinating memorabilia and celebrity photographs collected by the saloon’s colorful past owners, including Jeff Taylor, Jack Dempsey’s sparing partner and Bob Cherry, a former Yankee and Korean War fighter pilot who counted John Wayne among his good friends. The 20- foot stretched snakeskin, a gift from a former local tannery, hanging high above the back bar was a source of fascination for the group as they guys argued what kind of snake it could be. But any NYC city girl worth her salt knows what goes into her shoes and handbags and I had that baby pegged as a Python at first glance. I think I’d fit right in with those trappers and cowboys.
Pancho Villa pork ribs are prepared Carolina style with a vinegar base and finished with a tried and true BBQ sauce recipe the saloon’s been using since the ‘70’s.
Once I eyeballed the menu, I got a little tingly and thought I had just discovered a diamond in the rough. Or, as geography would have it, “gold in them thar hills.” But, historic roots aside, the media’s been all over this place as a first class food and beverage destination (apparently while I was sleeping). Esquire called it the “Best in America,” it’s a New York Times “Pick,” PlumTV likes the spot for group dining and Outside Magazine, my barometer for all things cool and off-the-beaten track, named it the best ski bar in Colorado. With the memorabilia and the accolades, we were truly in good company. Entrée names like Oscar Santender’s BBQ Chicken and Pancho Villa Ribs (B’s most excellent choice), give the menu a mainly Mexican leaning. The addition of game bird (mainly quail, quail and quail) and ribs top rated by the staff and locals give the place its edge.
I was set to go with the special of the night, fish tacos, but kept going back to the Pato Veracruz – two boneless duck breasts cooked “South of the Border” style and served with homemade pepper jelly. At the time, the dish seemed a little much for my appetite at the time so I asked them if they’d serve it up quesadilla-style with a bit of cheese. I recalled my duck nachos from last year and thought this preparation might be nice with a mix of cheese. Apparently, my request was the talk of the kitchen – they weren’t too sure about the cheese — but they happily obliged. It was incredible. The duck was like no other duck I’ve ever tasted. This duck had attitude. It wasn’t gamey, greasy or heavy. The unique combination of hot and sweet pepper jellies was a cataclysmic East meets Southwest taste explosion.
According to Andy Kaufman, one of four current owners, they parboil the duck, skin on, in a soy bath diluted with water and “special” spices. They parboil it until just rare and then they finish it on the grill. This process certainly beats my tedious, not to mention messy and smelly, method of rendering duck fat so I can cook the duck! I had to laugh, though, when Andy generously agreed to give me the “recipe,” saying “Everyone has a secret ingredient or process they won’t tell you about. We don’t. We’ll tell you.” And, while he did talk to me about the process for the duck (as well as the equally phenomenal pork ribs B chose for his main course), Andy never told me exactly what went in to the “special spice” mix. Nor did I get the recipe for the pepper jellies! I do intend to make this dish at home for my next get together. And I’m sure I’ll figure out a spice combo that will work just fine (I’m thinking a smoked paprika and thyme might be a good start). But I do think the process lends itself to a multitude of creative interpretations so I will leave you with that – and my recipe for hot pepper jelly!
Though the nightly fights may be a thing of the past at The Minturn Saloon, I’ll bet you dimes to dollars I’d fight you over the last serving of that duck … and maybe a piece of that Python skin for my next new pair of city girl shoes!
Recipe: Hot Pepper Jelly
Makes 7 pints
Ingredients
3 small red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
6 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups cider vinegar
3 oz. liquid fruit pectin
Prepare
Place one half of the combined peppers in a blender and puree. In a large pot over high heat, combine 1 cup of puree and the remaining coarsely chopped peppers with sugar and cider vinegar. Bring to a boil and add the pectin. Bring back to a boil and stir for about 2 minutes (be sure the mixture does not boil over). Transfer to a pitcher (or use a jar funnel) and pour into 14 half pint or 7 pint Ball jars or canning containers that are clean and warm. If you have a water bath canner, follow canning instructions. If not, place the jars in a large pot and cover with lukewarm warm water (by at least 2 inches) bring to a boil and boil the jars for ten minutes. Use a jar grabber or tongs to remove the jars from the bath and let cool in a draft free area overnight.
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