Rural Thursday - Where Homestead Foodies Go to Eat

"I don't like food that's too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture I'd buy a painting."
-- Andy Rooney 

Welcome to the Thursday edition of Eating Out. No, no. That's not right. I'm joining Rural Thursday today and that means I need to post something about our rural homestead. Only there's nothing much happening that I haven't already blogged about. But wait! I re-read the Rural Thursday rules and they say I can blog about "anything and everything that embraces living the simple life." So, I figure I can post about the simple pleasure of eating at the Meadow Mountain Cafe in Allenspark, Colorado. 

I've written here several times about Meadow Mountain, but I've never showed interior photos because. . .well. . .I never had any to show. But now I do. Recently Dennis and I drove the 16 miles from our home to have lunch there and the owner graciously allowed me to photograph the interior during an unusually slow time. I'm excited to take you on a tour of this wonderful rustic cafe that serves up some of the best fresh everything-made-from-scratch-including-the-bread cooking in the area. Delicious omelettes, fabulous pancackes (my favorite is the blueberry), incredible hamburgers, scrumptious soups and desserts to die for (just to name a few tempting items.).

Walk through the front door of this vintage cabin and the first thing you see is pine paneling and the work of local artists. That's my husband's painting of Jim Creek in the center. He gave the print to Roxie, the owner, several years ago. 

"Jim Creek" by Dennis Reinke

Indoor seating accommodates about 22 people: a table for six, 3 tables for four and  4 stools at the counter. In the summertime there's additional seating on the front porch, but there's usually a line waiting to get in. 
The food is just that good!

But here's the thing that makes Meadow Mountain Cafe unique -- at least in my book. Customers who have unoccupied seats at their table invite new arrivals to join them. Dennis and I do it all the time and others have welcomed us to their table, too. It's the friendliest, most hospitable restaurant atmosphere I've ever encountered, and we have met some very special people this way. 

A splendid pot-bellied stove warms the cafe and adds a homey touch. 

Carousel horses and other figurines offer whimsy. As does the salt & pepper collection.

And the restroom door.

The daily specials are hand-written on a chalkboard. (Love the artwork.)

I am in love with the spotless Meadow Mountain Cafe kitchen. 

That's Roxie's son Joe doing the cooking. 

The inside of the front door acts as a community bulletin board.

So there you have it: the marvelous Meadow Mountain Cafe. I have some fun exterior shots of the cafe, but they're for another day. If you get out this way, be sure to put Meadow Mountain on your must visit list. Just for the record, I received no compensation for this write up. We just love the food, the service, the patrons and the great family that works so hard to make eating here such a treat.


What's going on in your rural world?


Nancy
Rural Thursday links up some of the best rural and simple living blogs on the net. Check it out.

Cabin Fever

"A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle." -- Irish Saying

We just arrived home from what is quickly becoming our after-church-on-Sunday tradition: a drive to Allenspark and brunch at the charming Meadow Mountain Cafe. I've written here in the past about the cafe, and I've got some interior shots I'll post sometime, but today I want to show you the Allenspark cabins I photographed after we ate.  I guess you won't be surprised if I tell you I love cabins, since I live in one. 


(Disclaimer: No cabins were harmed in the shooting of this photo blog. I never, ever step on private property -- shoot from the street only unless I have permission. If you're home is photographed here and you want it removed, please let me know. I respect your privacy.)

Love the snowshoes flanking the cabin door and the snow-covered welcome sign.

Don't let all the snow fool you. It was a beautiful day today. Lots of sunshine, which made the temperature very nice. In many spots the snow was already melting.

Weathered logs, red trim. Delightful.

I literally had to stretch to get this shot. The cabin is almost hidden behind the snow and pines.

Allenspark's elevation is 8,520 feet (about 1,000 feet higher than our homestead). 

A cabin with outbuildings is a rare treat.

Oh those old rustic logs!

This has a Hansel & Gretel feel, don't you think?

Those little specks you see in the photo are snow falling from the trees.

What is under all that white stuff?

Beautiful setting for a cabin.

Look at that blue sky. This is one of the reasons I love Colorado. 300+ sunny days a year.

These are all older, small cabins like ours. Which is what I prefer. But for those of you who like new victorian style homes, this one's for you. It's for sale. $395,000 and it's yours.

Click here for the virtual tour.

Hope you had fun tasting my cabin eye candy today. Have a great week.

Nancy

Thank you for visiting.  Today I'm joining these Memes:

A Most Extraordinary Morning

"They found that they were looking at a most extraordinary face. [. . .] But at the moment the Hobbits noted little but the eyes. These deep eyes were now surveying them, slow and solemn, but very penetrating. They were brown, shot with a green light. Often afterward Pippin tried to describe his first impression of them." From J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings: The Two  Towers


Last Sunday Dennis grabbed his painting gear, and I my laptop, and we headed for Allenspark. While he painted, I settled in to write. Fingers poised, ready to tap out some rare and wonderful phrase, I glanced up to find an aspen surveying me. I was sure that at any moment the mime-like face would begin to speak as Treebeard the Ent had in Tolkien's story. But, sadly, he remained silent.


Even though I held no conversation with the tree, our trip to the charming hamlet of Allenspark did not disappoint me. I've written before about the Meadow Mountain Cafe, and the Fawnbrook Inn where we were married. The Fawnbrook is surrounded by delightful gardens (and an all-knowing, but mute aspen), lovingly tended to by Mieke. I am grateful to our friends Herman and Mieke for allowing me the pleasure of lingering, and photographing their very special place . . .

After Dennis finished his painting, we ate lunch at the Inn. Refreshed spiritually and physically, we returned to our homestead. 


(The Fawnbrook Inn,  a beautiful restaurant with first-class cuisine, is currently for sale.)

"God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. 

   You have bedded me down in lush meadows, 

      you find me quiet pools to drink from. 

   True to your word, 

      you let me catch my breath 

      and send me in the right direction." 

Psalm 23:1-3 (The Message)

Nancy