Gourmet Dinners, Wine Pairings, Relaxation and Pampering Await Guests Wine, dine and pamper yourself on your next celebration vacation
Shawnee, CO (February 24, 2010) – Commemorate your next milestone, anniversary or birthday with a Celebration Vacation at one of Colorado’s dude and guest ranches. At many ranches you’ll find an all-inclusive vacation experience that includes wine cellars and pairings, sumptuous meals, and relaxing massage treatments in addition to the cowboy experience.
“Ranch cuisine is often an unexpected experience for many first-time guests,” said Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association Marketing Director Selina Heinz. “Numerous ranches combine ranch fare with gourmet cuisine. As a result, many guests are asking for the recipes by week’s end, which is why so many of our ranches have created their own recipe books.”
Go Gourmet: You’ll never go hungry at Colorado’s dude and guest ranches. Ranch cuisine has evolved into classically trained chefs, serving multi-course gourmet dishes and healthy alternatives, alongside all the old ranch classics, like barbeques. “Never-empty” homemade cookie jars, bowls of fresh fruit, and other homemade treats are always on hand. In addition, many ranches utilize organic and/or local produce and some employ farm-to-table practices.
Sample menu items include:
Hors d’oeuvres
- Sesame Crusted Shrimp with Plum Sauce
- Phyllo Triangles with Spinach and Feta
- Crab cake (with no fillers) with Avocado, Mango, and Yuzu (Southeast Asian citrus fruit) Vinaigrette (Rich with some acidity)
Salad
- Mixed Greens with a Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing, Caramelized Walnuts and Feta Cheese
- Oven Roasted Beet Salad with Blood Orange, Fennel, Goat Cheese Crouton and Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Main Course
- Roast Rack of Colorado Lamb and Navarian of Lamb with Braised Winter Vegetable Ragout
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, Rice Pilaf and Herb Roasted Snap Peas and Carrots
- Seared Alaskan Halibut with Spring Mushrooms (oyster & morel) and Leek Risotto (oats & barley), and a
- Shellfish Fume’ Broth
Dessert
- Poached Seckel Pear, Caramel Pecan Ice Cream and Scented Madeleine
- Chocolate Pots de Crème, Grand Marnier Chantilly Cream and Gaufrette Cookie
- Petite Almond Funnel Cake with Popcorn Ice Cream (steeped popcorn in cream), and Homemade Caramel Sauce
Wine: Many ranches have their own wine cellars featuring, international, domestic and Colorado wines, offer wine pairings, and in some cases, offer wine tours to local Colorado Wineries.
Culinary Weekends: Want a more intense culinary experience? Participate in a culinary weekend, just one of the many themed-weekend and weeks offered at Colorado dude and guest ranches. You’ll harvest vegetables from the onsite garden, learn how to prepare various delicacies and create meals during cooking classes.
Pamper Yourself: All of the member ranches offer a place to soak. Most have hot tubs and many offer services such as massages, wraps and facials. Several ranches have saunas, and one even has its own hot springs.
Of course, horseback riding and the numerous outdoor activities offer by the ranches are available as well.
The Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association (CDGRA) is comprised of 29 certified ranches located throughout the mountains and mesas of Colorado. For more information and/or request your free Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch vacation guide and DVD, visit www.coloradoranch.com.
Contact:
Courtney Frazier/303-859-7932, cfrazier@coloradoranch.com
