As all of you know, I love to cook and bake, and to me the preparation is just as fulfilling as the finished product. However, living at a high altitude presents some real challenges – I learned the hard way!
The day after we arrived, I decided to make pound cake. I thought it would be a wonderful dessert after dinner and it was a generous enough recipe for a loaf that would last several days so off I was for my first bake in my newly found Westcliffe kitchen.
I had heard about baking in high altitudes, and to make sure I understood, I read up on the adjustments one has to make. Poundcake is a really simple recipe but makes an incredibly luscious batter. Into the pan and into the oven went this beautiful mixture. I enjoyed my new kitchen, and actually enjoyed washing pots and pans, and yes dishes (we did not have a dishwasher) because I had a beautiful view of the valley from the double windows over my sink. I became a true believer in rubber gloves and went through several pair that summer.
I checked on the cake about halfway through the baking time and there stood a beautiful, rising loaf that was lightly browned. I had a smile on my face thinking I had accomplished the recipe adjustments and, too, was looking forward to dessert after dinner. I already had a few choices of toppings: strawberries and whipped cream, melted chocolate and whipped cream, anything and whipped cream…..
When the cooking time was completed I went to the oven, opened the door and there in front of me was a flat piece of cake about 2 inches high! Welcome to high altitude baking. Of course, I made many other desserts during our summer stay, but never again cake. Later I asked several women in the bridge club if there was yet another secret to baking a cake in Westcliffe – they all smiled and said “yes, go down to Canon City and buy one!”
During our first week in Westcliffe, we were invited to a Branding Party. Yes, a Branding Party. A Branding Party is actually an after party to the Branding, a chore that occurs each spring on cattle ranches.
Our neighbors, Jim and Frankie Hood owned about sixty head of cattle that grazed on the ranch. Cattle are constantly moved to graze so that they have fresh pasture, in other words one needs a lot of land to properly raise cattle. Calving usually takes place in the spring, and calves are branded at about four months old. Most of the heard were cows with 3 bulls and a steer that were kept separate from the cows until mating time. At branding, each calf is either tagged on the ear or branded with a hot iron “brand”. At the same time males are castrated, i.e., baby bulls become steer and are later sold for meat. Bulls are generally not bred in a herd, rather bought so that the best breeding can be controlled. All of the herd receive their vaccine during branding.
The Branding Party is a very casual yet hearty dinner served around 5:00 p.m. that is a reward for a hard day’s work. The menu consisted of several different kinds of homemade chilli, cornbread and lots of cold beer, courtesy of the ranch owner. We were assigned to bring cornbread.
I searched my cookbooks for a good recipe and I found one that sounded delicious. It used creamed corn, buttermilk and the other typical ingredients. I made four round cakes. Cornbread is dense and doesn’t raise much and the adjusted recipe worked beautifully. After cooling, I cut the rounds into wedges and Doug and I carried our contribution across the road to the Knuth Ranch.
There were about 20 people at the party (all that had worked on the branding that day) and their spouses or partners. The Hood’s palomino, Music, was roaming around free in the back, along with other horses: Truly (Music’s mother) and Dan. A long table held the various chilli dishes, our cornbread scattered in between each, and big tubs of ice and beer. People sat on in the front yard on wooden chairs, logs and the split rail. It was a great party, and I was very interested in the entire situation, the ranch hands who worked the day, their outfits, etc. A really interesting dinner, and a true picture of the American West.
There were a few other parties Doug and I hosted, but most notably was a party that was requested of us by one of Doug’s former girlfriends – Ardie (short for Ardith). Ardie was married to Gary, a very nice man and a very talented builder. She was a local artist and what I would consider a real western cowgirl. The request for the dinner invitation was made by an intermediary – Jim Broderick- who would also be in attendance. He said he had to come to keep things in order. I gulped as I agreed to the idea.
Initially I was a bit taken back, but then I thought – what the heck? I started to plan my menu taking into consideration that Ardie’s husband was ill. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer, so easy to eat was the focus of my menu.
I set a really pretty, casual table in our newly designated dining room. We picked some wildflowers mixed with hay from our fields for a pretty centerpiece, and the all white dinnerware set off by beige napkins gave the table a very soft comfortable feel. As you may remember from my earlier Westcliffe post, the dining room is in the old part of the ranch house and has the original four, long windows with handmade glass, bubbles and all.
The menu was wild mushroom lasagna with bechamel and a small salad, followed by a dessert of chocolate mousse. I took all day in the preparation so I could spend the cocktail hour with our guests.
When the group arrived (15 minutes early!) Doug guided them out to the east patio for cocktails. Everyone was seated on our grouping of folding stadium chairs with a little coffee table in the center. On the patio was a very large cottonwood tree that just about covered the patio and was home to a robin we named Dusty whom with her partner, made a nest in that tree which was the home to three little chicks for most of the summer.
I was a little nervous to meet Ardie as she a Doug had quite a long friendship intermingled with a personal affair long ago. I took a deep breath and headed outside. There was Ardie: cowboy hat with a pair of rosary beads wrapped around the crown in lieu of a hatband. Big dark sunglasses. Denim head to toe except for the suede jacket with fringe on the sleeves. Cowboy boots. And a cigarette. Long straight brown hair.
As I joined the group I couldn’t tell where she was looking – only that she was. A bit on the cold side but cordial. Jim lead the discussion and we all seemed to enjoy the chit chat. I can remember thinking to myself “how the hell did I get here?”
At dusk we moved inside for dinner. Doug sat at the head of the table and to even things up, two people sat on each side of the table. I sat next to Gary and Jim sat next to Ardie. I had lighted candles for the table and the sparkle off the hand made glass in the windows was lovely.
Doug poured the wine and we started right into the main course. I didn’t think we should serve three courses for two reasons: it would be difficult for Gary to complete; and, I didn’t want this dinner to be anywhere near formal.
Everyone enjoyed the lasagna with a small salad served on the same plate, but Gary didn’t eat a bite. He was incredibly gracious, but without words, I understood his difficulty. After everyone was finished, and had a little time in between, I brought out the mousse.
Chocolate mouse is really easy to make – it just has a lot of steps, and time must be on your side. The recipe starts with the melting of chocolate in a double boiler, freshly made whipped cream and stiff whipped egg whites that all come together by softly whisking into a beautiful, creamy, cocoa colored mixture. The amount of sugar used, either in the chocolate or by adding can produce this dish bittersweet and delicious.
I served the mousse in a large bowl, topped it with more soft mounds of whipped cream and shaved a little dark chocolate on the top. The nice thing about a large bowl is that you can control the serving size based on the guest. We asked Gary first if he would like dessert. He smiled and nodded his head yes. After everyone was served, I looked over to Gary and as he raised his spoon to take his first taste, I saw the nicest smile ever. And he had seconds.
You need to know that I was under the microscope with Ardie. And she never took her sunglasses or hat off the whole evening. To this day, I would not be able to recognize her unless she had the hat and sunglasses on! I have no real idea of her looks, or the color of her eyes.
So went the summer, and the last night we were in Westcliffe, Ed Thornton stopped over at cocktail time. (I wasn’t telling tales when I said everyone just stops in!) It was September and it was a very cool evening at sunset. We sat in a small circle, bundled up, with a bit of music playing in the background, wine in hand and happily chatting.
All of a sudden, Ed looked up and pointed to the fields to the north which have a dotting of green brush and a stream running through. There was the most fantastic sight: a large herd of elk were crossing on their way to the National Forest before hunting season started. Bulls (of which can grow to 700+ pounds), cows and calves were all walking slowly up into the forest which would provide them with plenty to eat. For those who have never seen an elk (wapiti) they are of the deer family, and the largest species. The males shed their antlers each winter and grow new in the spring with the largest being about four feet. Try to imagine seeing these magnificent creatures walking slowly – and together as a large family – across the fields at dusk. A beautiful sight for sure and the end of a wonderful summer in Westcliffe.
Till next time,
E
Paradise Found 