At Mesa's Edge: Cooking and Ranching in Colorado's North Fork Valley

by Eugenia Bone

Eugenia Bone was perfectly happy with her life as a New York City food writer, but she knew that her husband, a transplanted westerner, was filled with a discontent he couldn't explain. So when he returned from a fishing trip in the Rockies one day and announced that he wanted to buy a forty-five-acre ranch in Crawford, Colorado (population 255), she reluctantly said yes. Then she loaded imported pasta, artichokes in oil, and cured Italian salami into her duffle bag and headed west with her two young children.
At Mesa's Edge is the witty, often moving story of ranch restoration and of struggles with defiant skunks, barbed wire, marauding cows, and loneliness. Eugenia learns to garden in the drought, to fly-fish, and to forage. In the process, she discovers the bounty of the region. She fries zucchini flowers in batter and dips them in cilantro-flavored mayonnaise, grills flavorful T-bones from the local ranchers' grass-fed beef, pan-fries trout, fills crepes with wild mushrooms, and makes cherry pies with thick, sugary crusts. Gradually, she begins to adjust to the rhythms of the land.
Partly a memoir, partly a cookbook with 150 appealing recipes, At Mesa's Edge is a transporting tale of rejuvenation, a celebration of everything local, and a reminder that the best food is to be found in our own back yards.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2004

About the author

Eugenia Bone, a veteran food writer who has published in many national magazines and newspapers, is also a cookbook author. She has contributed to many cookbooks and a few literary journals, been nominated for a variety of food writing awards and participated in radio, interactive and online interviews, in addition to appearing multiple times on television. Eugenia teaches and lectures about food preservation. She lives in New York City and Crawford, Colo.

Reviews

[Dionne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. City slicker tries her hand at ranching, tries to make nice with the locals, gets stung by bees, is too afraid of the snake in her basement to retrieve the good wine she brought from NY and tries to make her life livable alone with her two young kids on a ranch in what sounds like a gorgeous patch of Southern Colorado. I'll admit to being a sucker for the set-up -- learning what's beautiful in the world by slowing down and listening to nature's cues -- but she also isn't trying to get too philosophical or deep in any way and it could have withstood a little more soul searching I thought. Still, I've tried a few of the recipes with great success and admiration, and it was endearing to read of her trials and tribulations of even getting a good garden going. I would imagine a book like this, from a food writer, to make it sound more effortless. Recommend as a cookbook with something more.

[Melinda Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I moved to Colorado a couple of years ago and found this book at a local bookstore. Well, being about Colorado, and cooking, it was a no brainer. What I didn't expect was to enjoy it as much as I did. The author approaches life on the Plateau with humor and grace, making fun of herself as she acknowledges the difficult of life in the North Fork Valley - while at the same time recognizing the blessings that is has to offer. Just lovely! Similar in tone to "Bean Blossom Dreams" which I also just loved.

[Marsella Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this on the shelf and got hooked while thumbing through it. A New York husband craves land in Colorado so his wife and two children give it a go. Unlike most of us, they can spend summers in Colorado and live in New York, but I did enjoy her culture shock and adjusting to life in the west. Her recipes in the back are mouth watering. Big on spicy peppers and beautiful vistas while hoarding water but it makes you want to plant a large garden, can, or shop at a farmers market at the very least. Honest and enjoyable.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have rated this book a lot higher if the ratio of recipes to writing was reversed. It was disappointing to discover that only about a third of the book was a memoir and the rest was composed of recipes that I have no interest in trying. Chukar with figs? Jalapeno mint jelly? No thank you.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book...a beautiful transformation of one woman's experience going from NYC to a ranch in rural Colorado with her family. How she relates to the land, the people, a new life...and FOOD! The recipes she devises with the produce and meat native to the area makes you hungry just reading about it. Half the book is recipes. Can't wait to try some of them out.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half of the book is the story of a NYC family's periodic long trips to their ranch in central Colorado, an area many people haven't visited. The second part is a collection of recipes, many are western and rely on unique western ingredients like trout or elk while others are more cosmopolitan. All are fairly simple.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I hail from the North Fork Valley of Colorado, I was eager to look at this book. I was not disappointed! Names I recognize, a good and humorous tale of New Yorker food critic, Bone, displaced to 45 acres of skunks, bees, cows and great food supplies. The recipes here make my mouth water and there are several the dear hubby will be having - whether he wants to or not!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book on Colorado Public Radio and wanted to read it because Eugenia Bone moves to a small ranching community near where I grew up. It was funny, beautifully written & I hunger for the food she makes!

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The memoir of Eugenia Bone and her days after she and her husband bought a ranch in Western Colorado near the tiny town of Crawford. She is a food writer from New York City so the tale is full of descriptions of the exotic foods she eats and makes. The recipes take up the last half of the book.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting perspective of someone from the east moving to the Western Slope. Enjoyed hearing how she viewed westerners and her opinion of the area as time went on. Loved her creativity with the food from the region and inspired to do more in the kitchen myself!

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a gift; it's close to home and interesting. I haven't tried any of the recipes....

[Christine Feller]

Eugenia's a NYC girl who's discovered western Colorado in adulthood. She's great at canning, cooking, preserving almost anything. Love her pioneer woman spirit!

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading books with both a story and recipes. I enjoyed reading about Eugenia Bone's experiences and will continue to enjoy cooking up the recipes.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yummy sounding recipes and a very interesting discussion of the West from an Easterner's point of view.