Farm Market Treasure Hunt and Cooking Class - $250.00

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Off The Beaten Path Adventures

The Telluride Farmers market runs from June to October once a week on Friday and it offers an ever changing abundance of edible delights. Everything looks fabulous, but as a visitor to Telluride you may want to learn more about this richness from the land as well as sample some of it.  Not to worry!  Chef Mike will meet with you for a late morning stroll through the market, along the way he will introduce you to various farmers to give you a glimpse of the talent behind the produce and where it comes from. You will also gain more insight into how to choose both familiar and unfamiliar fruit, vegetables, different kinds and cuts of meat, cheeses and how to use them.  Surely you have wondered what to do with that weird looking vegetable with the funny name?  Who knew some of these things were even edible?  And yet, in skilled hands, their tastes and textures can be a revelation.

             Chef Mike will select from the freshest ingredients and then return with you to your kitchen and prepare a gourmet lunch.  This will be your opportunity for not only a great meal; in addition he will also use the meal preparation as a cooking class for all interested and hungry onlookers.

 You will come away from this experience with a clearer sense of how to get the most out of your local farmers market, instruction in how to prepare a great meal built around the freshest ingredients from the market, and then, of course, you will get to dive into the mouth watering results.

Pricing - $250 for the first 4 adults, $50 per person after that, no charge for children under 18. Cost of ingredients is extra. 

                Give us a call at 970 708 - 3883 to schedule a date and work out the details of this activity.

 Cooking Class Topics

• Principles of blanching, poaching, grilling, sautéing, and braising
• Salt - Which one(s) to use, how to use them and season correctly
• Stocking the pantry with 10 essential ingredients
• Proper sanitation in the home kitchen
• Cooking with fresh herbs, which ones to use and why
• Setting up the kitchen for success, getting the basics right
• Nutrition - What is the real cost of cheaper foods? 
• Basic wine pairings, understanding the world of wine
• Risotto - A topic all its own 

Farm Market Lunch Menu Possibilities

To Be Determined Based on Market Ingredient Availability

Chilled Borden Farms Cucumber Soup with Thai Chilies

 Market Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes and Citrus Vinaigrette

Colorado "Grilled Cheese" and Late Summer Mancos Tomato Gazpacho

Kinikin Organic Chicken Breast with Fresh House Made Salsa and Crispy Local Tortilla

Grilled James Ranch Ribeye Steak with Fresh Chimicurri and Roasted Finger Potatoes

Mustard Crusted Foxfire Ranch Lamb chops, Wild Arugula  and Haystack Goat Cheese Polenta 

The Everything Local Burger with Hand Cut Fries Local Condiments

 Executive Chef Mike Weist

Born and raised in Colorado, Chef Mike has been immersed in Rocky Mountain cuisine and lifestyle his entire career. Under Weist's direction, Telluride's Allred's Restaurant was honored in 2001as one of the country's "Best new restaurants" by John Mariani and Esquire Magazine.  In 2002 He led the Allred's team to a sold out benefit dinner at the James Beard House in New York City, one of the pinnacle events in a professional chef's career.  After leaving Allred's in 2003, Mike spent five years as Chef Consultant and Guest Chef De Cuisine for Domaine Montagny in Burgundy, France.  In France Weist added to his repertoire the experience of using truly market fresh ingredients paired with world-renowned wines of the great Burgundy region.