Featuring:
Overview
July 8th, the inaugural "Night on the Ranch".
We are going BIG for our first farm dinner with Chef Mario and Garden of the Gods Gourmet. Chef Mario was clear, he wanted to be the Chef for the first dinner, and do it big! He is stoked to showcase his talents for our guests and to get his hands on all the local, seasonal ingredients Colorado has to offer. Local ingredients is his passion and he is already full of ideas he wants to bring to the ranch. We are so thankful to have our first dinner in such talented hands.
Wild Woman Fish Company is teaming up with Chef Mario to feature their Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon as an addition to the dinner. If you've never met Wild Woman owner Lacie Richardson, you will at this dinner and won't forget it. Alaskan Salmon might not be a "local" product, but Wild Woman Fish Company is a local Colorado Springs business, run by a Colorado native/former Alaskan Fisherwoman who spends every day educating the public on sustainable fisheries and connecting consumers to their fishermen. That is something we can get behind.
This dinner will be paired with Sette Dolori's organic, SULPHITE FREE wine, That's right, they're able to make sulphite free wine because of the delicate care and timely use of their grapes and small batch processing. Not to mention they are crushing these grapes just 5 miles from the Corner Post Meats ranch!
As dinner winds down and the music takes over we don't miss a beat with Colorado Springs own "Out of Nowhere". We are so lucky to have this 5 piece, high energy, fun loving band kick off our summer season. If you haven't had the chance to see them around the Front Range then you're in for a wonderful surprise.
Also, Colorado native and local artist Jean Cuchiaro will be painting live on site and using inspiration from the ranch to create pieces. She will also create a small gallery at the ranch using her personal collection. Please join us in celebrating A Grazing Life's inaugural dinner and all these local treasures. See you on the ranch!
We are going BIG for our first farm dinner with Chef Mario and Garden of the Gods Gourmet. Chef Mario was clear, he wanted to be the Chef for the first dinner, and do it big! He is stoked to showcase his talents for our guests and to get his hands on all the local, seasonal ingredients Colorado has to offer. Local ingredients is his passion and he is already full of ideas he wants to bring to the ranch. We are so thankful to have our first dinner in such talented hands.
Wild Woman Fish Company is teaming up with Chef Mario to feature their Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon as an addition to the dinner. If you've never met Wild Woman owner Lacie Richardson, you will at this dinner and won't forget it. Alaskan Salmon might not be a "local" product, but Wild Woman Fish Company is a local Colorado Springs business, run by a Colorado native/former Alaskan Fisherwoman who spends every day educating the public on sustainable fisheries and connecting consumers to their fishermen. That is something we can get behind.
This dinner will be paired with Sette Dolori's organic, SULPHITE FREE wine, That's right, they're able to make sulphite free wine because of the delicate care and timely use of their grapes and small batch processing. Not to mention they are crushing these grapes just 5 miles from the Corner Post Meats ranch!
As dinner winds down and the music takes over we don't miss a beat with Colorado Springs own "Out of Nowhere". We are so lucky to have this 5 piece, high energy, fun loving band kick off our summer season. If you haven't had the chance to see them around the Front Range then you're in for a wonderful surprise.
Also, Colorado native and local artist Jean Cuchiaro will be painting live on site and using inspiration from the ranch to create pieces. She will also create a small gallery at the ranch using her personal collection. Please join us in celebrating A Grazing Life's inaugural dinner and all these local treasures. See you on the ranch!
Meet the featured guests!
Chef Mario Vasquez and Garden of the Gods Gourmet
Mario Vasquez began his culinary career by attending Le Cordon Bleu, in Sacramento, California. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, Mario accepted a position at the Farmstead Restaurant in Napa Valley, under the direction of Executive Chef Sheamus Feeley. After spending three years at Farmstead, he quickly ascended in his positions, eventually becoming Sous Chef. After the Farmstead, Mario spent time traveling and cooking in France and Spain where he was inspired by the simple approach, utilizing the seasons and what was available to highlight food. Upon returning to California, Mario accepted the Sous Chef position under Chef Casey Overton at the triple 5-star Diamond Montage Laguna Beach Hotel and Resort. Here he was able to learn and work with some of the best chefs in Southern California. Mario was invited to relocate to Colorado Springs and work alongside Executive Chef Sheamus Feeley and Gerry Castro to open Till Kitchen as the Chef De Cuisine. He gladly accepted, excited for the opportunity to go back to his roots of working with fresh and simple ingredients. Mario is now the Executive Chef at Garden of the Gods Market and Café and uses all he has learned in his culinary career to continue to raise the expectation of dinning in Colorado Springs.
godsmarketandcafe.com
Lacie Richardson, owner of Wild Woman Fish Company, is a Colorado Springs native turned commercial fisherwoman turned sustainable seafood distributor. Lacie has worked in just about every commercial fishing industry along the entire outer coast of Alaska. After years of experience and saving crew shares she invested in her own Troller operation based out of Sitka, Alaska. Looking for a way to educate and connect consumers to sustainable fisheries she began to bring her own product back to Colorado and sell it directly. The demand for her wild caught, sushi grade, sustainably fished seafood has taken her away from the boats and back to her hometown permanently. Wild Woman Fish Company distributes directly from their Colorado Springs store front, works numerous farmers markets, and offers nation wide shipping. While her product might not be local, this is a local business offering a sustainably sourced, high quality product with a heavy dose of education. That's something we can support! So come to the dinner and meet Lacie, hear her stories and taste test Wild Caught Alaskan King Salmon. It won't be the main dish, but a special treat for sure!
Visit her website to see all her products, and meet a fishermen!
wildwomanfishco.com
Sette Dolori Winery - Black Forest, CO
SetteDolori.com
Sette Dolori produces exceptional wine by sourcing only certified organic grapes, non gmo yeast and fermenting naturally without any additives. This creates the rare and sought after "Sulphite free" wine. Sette Dolori started as a passionate hobby for owner Tim Biolchini, who began by collecting grape orders for friends and family to turn into wine free of charge. The following and demand that grew for Tim's "old school" wine was enough encouragement for him to go commercial. Sette Dolori is able to produce the rare sulphite free wine because of the timely care for their grapes, small batch processing, and natural fermentation processes. Now his 5 acre ranch-turned winery produces award winning wines, and has become famous throughout the area. Pretty cool for wine coming out of Black Forest, CO, and just 5 minutes from the Corner Post Meats Ranch! A Grazing Life will be serving complimentary glasses of wine with dinner, and Sette Dolori will be on hand for you to purchase bottles.
Out of Nowhere - High Energy Bluegrass
“Out of Nowhere is a great big blissful bundle of bluegrass!”
Out of Nowhere, a 5 piece bluegrass band out of Colorado Springs, plays "high energy" bluegrass and original acoustic music. They take traditional (and not so traditional) tunes and make them their own. Toss in their duet harmony twists and all the fun they have together, and you've got a show you don't want to miss. Out of Nowhere has performed on many Colorado, New Mexico and Kansas stages including Bluegrass at the Fair, Mid-Winter Bluegrass, The Americana Music and Art Festival, The Santa Fe Old Time and Bluegrass and Gunny Grass Bluegrass Festival and Pickin' on the Divide. Out of Nowhere is also very active playing summer concert series events in Southern Colorado. They also love tearing it up in many of the fine music and drinking venues in the front range. All of the Out of Nowhere members have been involved in music to some degree throughout their lives though they didn't expect it would play such a big part.
outofnowherebluegrass.com
Artist Jean Cuchiaro
A Colorado native, Jean Cuchiaro collects her images with her camera or plein air paintbrush while hiking, climbing, cycling or gardening. Her primary mediums include oil paints, graphite and encaustic wax. "I'm enthusiastic about all the amazing colors, shapes and characters in nature and excited to be able to share these through my art." Jean graduated from the University of Colorado. After a successful engineering career in the microelectronics industry, she has effectively forged a new career creating art. She received atelier-training at the Modbo School of Art and attended additional art classes at the Art Students League of Denver. She has received multiple awards for her oil paintings. Jean Cuchiaro is a resident artist with the Squashblossom Gallery in Colorado Springs and is a working member of the Commonwheel Co-op Gallery in Manitou Springs. In addition to having her work in solo and group shows, her paintings are displayed and sold through several Colorado Springs restaurants.
jeancuchiaro.com