Dornan's and an old friend from NC...

I recently saw on Facebook that my former neighbor from NC was making his way through the national parks with his girlfriend Kathy. He lived in the One Meeting Place cul de sac a few years back, is Italian, a great cook, and hosted the best parties ever. He always had a crowd and feast for Superbowl, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving ... you name it. He retired to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico 3 years ago and has never looked back.

Like me, he travels the world and posts his photos so his friends can live vicariously. Last year, he and Kathy traversed South America by car from top to bottom, and the year before that, he drove across the American west solo. What a treat to have them in town. They're "camping" nearby.... think queen size air mattress with bed skirt... on a cot... heaters, elaborate cooking gear and more. I look forward to visiting their deluxe campsite this week.

I suggested that we meet at Dornan's in the tiny town of Moose, midway between us. Of course we met for cocktails. Dornan's is legendary and like a little town unto itself. I had no idea what to expect as I drove north 9 miles north through GTNP and turned off a desolate highway at the Dornan's sign. I immediately saw cars and crowds.

Dornan's has a gas station, grocery store, cabins for rent, float trip and fly fishing activities, 2 restaurants, liquor store, ATM, mountaineering store, gift shop, roof top deck, bar and more. A ranch local told me it's an authentic old Wyoming establishment, the way it should be. They offer all you can eat outdoor chuck wagon dinners and on Monday nights, a "Hootenanny" live  music event. It was touristy but neat. Once again, the Teton range views were spectacular!

I'm not sure what the teepee is for, but based on this pic (below) from their website, it's been a fixture at Dornan's since day one (1948).

Check out their website and history:
http://dornans.com/about/

This is the view of the mountains and Snake River from the deck...wow! Lou is one of the most amazing people I know with an arsenal of stories, recipes and adventures to rival anyone's. Despite both of us leaving Wilmington, NC, I consider him a friend for life. He has encouraged me to visit him in Mexico since he moved there, and after meeting Kathy, an American ex-pat and realtor, and hearing more stories of how amazing their life is there, I'm determined to get down there this winter... stay tuned! Tomorrow, it's back to work at the ranch after 2 days off and a huge Italian buffet for dinner this evening ;) Ahh.....

Sunday odds and ends...

Not much new to blog about, but we did just get a copy of our 2016 ranch crew photos! I'm standing, center of third row, plaid shirt and light colored cowboy hat.

And then there was this moose in front of a cabin the other day with the Tetons as a backdrop... looks like a cardboard cutout!

And here are a few delicious food shots from the past month... amazing culinary team! Last night for dinner, we had tender bison steaks, asparagus, rosemary potatoes and flourless chocolate cake (no photo).

This is the appetizer spread at the Sunday evening welcome cocktail party... dates wrapped in prosciutto, fruit, gourmet cheeses, crab or spinach artichoke dip, hot wings, homemade hummus, and shrimp cocktail. Did I mention the "open bar"  from 6-7? Beer, wine AND liquor ;)







The Sunday cocktail party is followed by a surf and turf dinner every week, this week scallops and rare sliced filet, grilled squash and zucchini, baked potatoes and an ice cream sundae bar.

 

 Cherry peach cobbler... there's always a homemade dessert from our pastry chef. Real whipped cream too... none of that canned stuff.

                Italian night... penne pasta and tortellini, 3 sauces & homemade garlic bread.

                                         My all time favorite red meat ...Lamb chops!!!
                                                         #summerlambventures

                                           Spinach with feta and blackberries....

                        A salad bar at every meal in case you're counting calories...

               Thai peanut chicken, couscous, tiny popovers and Brussels sprouts....

We had a group of Swedes at the ranch last week (returning guests) so one morning, our chef made potato pancakes (latkes) and smoked salmon with dill sauce. Mmm. Cranberry scones, pecan waffles and biscuits and sausage gravy also make an appearance during the week.

This was a first for me... wild rice pancakes, healthy and delicious! Breakfast always comes with blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries, bacon or sausage and eggs or omelettes. We've even had crepes.

This was the much anticipated Friday night seafood buffet so the plate looks a little "messy" because I got a small taste of everything.... mushroom risotto, mac and cheese, jumbo grilled shrimp, sea bass, grilled salmon and yes, all you can eat Alaskan crab legs! I'm glad I brought my scale. Somehow, I eat three huge meals a day and haven't gained an ounce. Probably because I'm moving and active ALL day long.... no complaints :)

Lemon custard with fresh huckleberries

Smoked trout and dill sauce for breakfast... looks like salmon.

Jackson Hole Wine Auction

Every year in June, the Jackson Hole Wine Auction is held to raise money for the Grand Teton Music Festival, an event held in July/August. The three day wine event kicks off with Taste of Jackson Hole on a Thursday night, a celebration of wine, cuisine and music. A limited number of guests enjoy early VIP tastings at Piste Mountain Bistro for an hour, and then from 6-10 pm, 500 guests take the gondola up Rendezvous Mountain to Rendezvous Lodge to enjoy chefs' creations and beverages from 25 vintners and/or distilleries. A very cool Wyoming wine distributor invited me to pour at his table this year. I had planned to buy a $150 event ticket, but this was much more fun and a great way to meet people, eat and drink for free AND get paid! ;)

I picked up my winery badge and boarded an 8 person gondola car. It took about 10 minutes to climb 9,095 feet, almost to the mountain's summit at 10,450 feet. The aerial tram I rode last week goes all the way to the top.

Food and cases of wine were still being loaded when I got on the gondola at 4:30. Chefs and wineries were setting up their stations with the mountains and valley below as a spectacular backdrop.

I poured for Kenefick Ranch Vineyards in Calistoga, CA. They don't have a winery, only a tasting room in Calistoga and actually sell about 90% of their sought-after grapes to bigger wineries like Camus. The 10% they retain are made into limited quantities of 6 hand-crafted, estate grown wines, 4 reds and 2 whites. The family-owned vineyard is located across the street from the upscale Solage Resort and Spa in Calistoga. Check out the website for the vineyard and pick up a bottle... if you can get your hands on one: http://www.kenefickranch.com/

We poured Kenefick's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. I'm not much of a wine drinker unless I'm eating a nice meal, but I Iearned a lot and was really able to taste and describe the subtle flavors and differences in the wines. I also had to know the composition of each of the varietals we poured. Kenefick wines have a fairly high alcohol content and have a big following here in Jackson. People flocked to our table. Many said it was their favorite wine of the night and that other guests had recommended they stop by for a taste. It was nice to be associated with such a quality product. The Sauvignon Blanc was the most popular. Our table was outside so it got a little windy and chilly by 10PM but only got dark around 9:30 pm when the sun disappeared behind the Tetons. Not too bad, and I had plenty of time to walk around and enjoy all the food and wine!

Thirteen of Jackson's finest chefs and restaurants offered "bites" and the offerings were a delicious array of lamb, bison, seafood, desserts, coffee and more. I recall seeing "lamb heart" on one menu sign. As usual, I was pinching myself when I looked at my surroundings and the amazing views and venue. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

  

The party was in full swing pretty quickly, and guests included locals and out of towners alike. There were complimentary CDs from last year's Teton Music Festival, and I was even given two bottles of nice wine on my way out! I somehow managed to have a gondola car all to myself as I headed down the mountain at 10pm. It was almost silent except for the creaking of the gondola cable. The car swung lightly in the breeze and it was pitch black outside as I descended. The stars were really bright, and the Teton Village lights twinkled below. It was a little eerie but also sort of magical. A nice end to the evening....

The rest of the weekend includes signature dinners in private homes on Friday ($1,000/person) and the actual tented outdoor gala and wine auction on Saturday night ($750). A little rich for my ranch salary ;)

A lecture and slideshow about an iconic photographer...

I had the day off today and after another hearty breakfast, decided to go for a ride. Trotting wore me out last week, so I opted for a loping (canter) ride today. In addition to the wrangler, ones of my favorites, there were three guests and me. Who doesn't love a guy in chaps?

I rode a sweet horse named Serenity today. She had a smooth gait and wasn't as round as the last horse I rode. I'll canter any day over trotting too.... much more comfortable ride ;)

We crossed flat meadows, climbed through sage brush, over a ridge and thick pine forest, through 2-3 deep, rushing rocky creeks, across 2 narrow bridges and looped back around through the park and onto ranch property after 2 1/2 hours. The morning was perfect, around 65 degrees, sunny and breezy.

 

Back at the lodge, I captured this butterfly grabbing a drink at our lemonade cooler ;)

Tonight I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by Dr. Michael Adams, son of iconic photographer Ansel Adams. It took place inside Grand Teton National Park at the Visitor Center, 9 miles from the ranch. It was a ticketed event (albeit free) and "sold out" online almost immediately last month. I was fortunate to attend. I don't remember when or where I first heard of Ansel Adams, but one of his striking black and white photographs of Big Sur hung on the wall somewhere where I lived or worked in my 20s, and I have always been drawn to his images and dramatic style of photography.

   At age 83, Ansel's son Dr. Adams is a retired Internist and Major General in the Air Force as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Ansel Adams Galleries in Yosemite where he grew up. He and his wife travel extensively giving lectures and slide presentations about his father's life and work. He was very personable, and when I approached him to ask for a photo, he extended his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Michael." I told him I had attended photography school in Atlanta in the early 90s and written a paper about his father, and he said he had just given a lecture near Atlanta recently in a small gallery there.

There was a reception before the presentation, and they served smoked bison, venison, elk sausage and duck tartare! So Wyoming...

The presentation included many slides of his father's work, personal stories about growing up as the son of a famous photographer and mother Virginia Best and pack trip on donkeys into national parks, as well as family photos. Apparently, Ansel Adams had planned to be a pianist and played very well, and we were treated to some 1945 recordings of his music that were recorded in NY and only recently presented to his family. At some point, his talent as a photographer surpassed his musical skills, and the rest is history. His stunning images of Yosemite, Taos, the Sierra Nevada the Tetons contributed greatly to some of those areas being designated as national parks. He was close friends with artist Georgia O'Keefe and also got to know the Rockefellers in the course of his travels throughout the west. Ansel Adams passed away in 1984, leaving his son to carry on his legacy. What a treat this was for a girl who loves to take pictures! Leaving the Visitor Center, I noticed this little plaque. More on this topic later.

As I crept back home through the park at dusk along the Moose Wilson Road, I looked for wildlife and enjoyed another beautiful sunset. Sadly, an adult black bear and a grizzly cub were killed over the weekend, both hit by cars in GTNP! ;(