WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2013

FAMILY DESTINATIONS
FOOD DUDES
Tucked away at the far end of the valley, where the Elk River
flows from the Sawtooth Range, lies Home Ranch, a hidden
Relais & Chateaux gem, one of the West’s great dude ranches
-- and a root’n-too’n vacation paradise for foodies.
Story and Photos by Ron James
It was our first day at the dude ranch in the Rocky
Mountains, near Steamboat Springs, Colo. The sky
was clear and a cool breeze tamed the warmth of a
bright sun. We had been riding most
of the afternoon, winding up and
down green hillsides and through
meadows lush with wildflowers.
My horse, Shooter, never seemed to
mind carrying a man just a bit on the
large side of his 6-foot frame. For that, I let him munch on wildflowers
from time to time.
Back at the ranch, after a bit of rest and an opportunity to wash off
the trail dust, we headed to the dining room. Aided by memories
Wine Dine & Travel Fall 2013 | 36
of old cowboy movies, I pictured simple but hearty fare served by a
crotchety cook named Cookie.
My fantasy dissolved in the large dining room of the Home Ranch,
a dude ranch with a difference. Although
“More Daniel Boulud
than Gabby Hayes”
the room was log cabin rustic, the communal
table settings were as beautifully
sophisticated as those in trendy restaurants
on either coast. This dinner was
going to be more Daniel Boulud than
Gabby Hayes — not beans and biscuits, but a six-course tasting menu
matched with fine wines. This is a ranch for foodies as much as dudies,
you might say.
Home Ranch guests are a well-heeled professional bunch, many with