With soft flakes floating down over the last Dinner Club of the season, everyone reveled in the best food in the county.
Ill weather struck again, and several of the patrons were unable to attend the dinner club, much to the dismay of the crowd. The road conditions were certainly less-that-favorable, and several of those arriving were able to help others get untangled from snowdrifts.
Nevertheless, everyone who could come did come, and those who did, sat down at 6:30 pm in the fire-warmed dining room for the amuse bouche: a basil polenta round topped with a delicate tomato jam and Colorado chevre. It was small, but it was tasty! 
Shortly thereafter, the dining room began filling with the mouth-watering scent of smoke and meat. It was the herald of the first course, Capellini carbonara pasta with bacon we smoked up here at Latigo, smoked mushrooms, and fresh basil. Hannah went around and garnished each warm bowl with to-die-for parmesan foam, and people dug in hungrily.
The second course held one of the more dramatic elements of the dinner; the plates were positioned on the table, the aspen caps were removed, and the smoke trapped in each glass dish twirled up into the air to reveal: a smoked bison chuck confit with parsnip puree, served alongside a house-made sourdough bread and a salad of micro-greens with a sesame and lemon vinaigrette. The bison was tender and packed with flavor, the puree was as light as you can ask a parsnip to be, and everyone loved it.
Thanks to the snowfall on the open fire, the third course took a little longer than anticipated, but hardly 
anyone noticed – the food, drink, and conversation was all too good. In due time, the next plates were served: choices of sous-vide cooked Pheasant breast with apple, manzanilla compote and Colorado-raised yak ribeye steak (finished on the aforementioned fire and topped with crispy sweet potato threads), served with the sides of fire-roasted smashed potatoes with a saffron, garlic aioli and fire-seared asparagus with olive oil and sea salt.
The yak was an impressive slab of meat. The pheasant was so flawlessly cooked, it practically melted in the mouth. The people were happy.
It was a hearty round, however, and most of the tables were in need of to-go boxes before the palate cleanser came around.
When it did, the perfect blending of flavors in the Elderflower pannacotta, rhubarb lace tuile, and candied lemon peel left everyone feeling delighted and refreshed.
And… ready for dessert.
Each dessert bowl was prepared with a passionfruit cheesecake, dark chocolate crumble, smoked dark chocolate ice cream made with Caco Barry “Tanzanie” chocolate, and passion fruit fluid gel. Above it all rested a complex, thin lattice of dark chocolate. 
When the plates were served, a warm, dark chocolate ganache was poured over the dish, melting through the lattice with a delightfully theatrical flair.
And that was the Latigo Ranch dinner club for March 2019. If you’re interested in attending a dinner club during our next winter season—we plan to continue hosting them starting in November of 2019-March 2020—please email Lisa at info@latigotrails.com to be put on our advanced-notice list for the official schedule. Once you are alerted of the dates, book fast! Seats are limited and highly coveted!
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