Outpost Jackson Hole

Vacation Rentals in Jackson Hole

Cocktails

OYG’s Secret Sauce

It must be the grappa in these chicken wings, because they’re making my tastebuds simmer and scream for more. Deemed the “#1 Breaded Wing Dings,” I agree. Then the dining room manager, Blythe Wisniewski, tells me the #1 stands for “1 full pound.” I suppose it does look a little like more of a sharing plate (though I’m not sharing).

We’re sitting at Old Yellowstone Garage — better known as OYG — at Teton Village after a sunny day on the slopes. After a hiatus where all of us locals lived in desperation for a decade, Chef Paulie O’Connor brought his Italian-with-a-twist comfort food back to Caldera House in Teton Village with Chef De Cuisine Jeremy Williamson for the perfect pairing.

After I finish the giant dollop of the remaining Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese Dressing from the wings, my taste buds keel over in a reunion with real poutine. The gravy stays put like butter on the tater tot rather than slipping into a soupy mess at the bottom of my bowl. And yes, I did say tater tot. The oversized chunks of local squeaky cheese curds from Reed’s Dairy transport me back to the best days of elementary school lunch. How can tater tots and gravy be this divine? Jeremy tells me it’s because they toss them still hot with the rest of the ingredients. “If you let the tots cool a little and then toss them, it wouldn’t be the same.”

Then comes the Father Guido Sarducci flatbread. It’s become increasingly clear we aren’t enjoying reheated frozen pub food here. This place cares about ingredients, and they reduce waste wherever possible down to the fruit in their cocktails. Which reminds me, bartender Jordan Schleicher has just delivered me their go-to cocktail, the Pîna & Tonic, a house-made infused pineapple mezcal with green chartreuse, fresh lime juice, and club soda. It’s precisely the version of a Pîna Colada you’d want on a ski hill — it comes head-freeze free without losing the light, floaty feeling of vacation in the tropics. As I head out on a quick trip to a tropical paradise, the flatbread arrives.

I get my first of taste of Esposito’s (yes, the NYC institution for sausage), spiced-prolone sausage, soft and assertive mixed wild mushrooms from Washington state, and house-made mascarpone topped with wild arugula. And the flour from Naples truly melts in my mouth, and I have a new love in my life.

So what’s their secret to this spread of comfort? “Simple and delicious,” Jeremy tells me with a laugh. “When you take three things that are delicious all on their own, there’s nothing to hide behind.”

And with that, I sit back and enjoy the last tidbits of tater tots to the sounds of Jordan shaking up cocktails amidst afternoon sun and shadows, dogs romping around in the snow outside, and layers getting stripped off as the tables fill up with today’s newfound friends.

To check out Old Yellowstone Garage’s winter menu follow these links: Lunch/Dinner

 

 Images ©: Lindley Rust

Great Grey Gin Old Fashioned

For those of us who find an old fashioned to be a touch on the sweet side — or perhaps you’re trying to lay off the whiskey and bourbon families for awhile (no shame, my friends, we’ve all been there), Jackson Hole Still Works’ Great Grey Gin Old Fashioned may be the perfect spin on tradition you’ve been desperately looking for. With six different dried herbs and spices, the Great Grey proves to be a strikingly flawless balance of bright and tart flavors topped with hints of cinnamon for a cozy winter drink.

While the classic old fashioned calls for bourbon or rye whiskey, the Great Grey version highlights the floral and spice elements found in the more approachable style of Still Works’ spirit, where they (respectfully) exploit infusion and botanicals throughout the distillation process. Since they combine both saturation and vapor infusion for their secret sauce, owners Chas Marsh and Travis Goodman are adamant this spirit is to be stirred, not shaken. If you can embrace the stir, you’ll experience the definition of what it means to prolong the essence of botanicals while supercharging your tastebuds.

Still Works doesn’t stop at a smooth final product — they stick to their mantra of high quality ingredients and the local food movement (not to mention local art featured on the interior of all their bottles). I urge you to arm yourself with this extra credit material at your next party, where you can tout their non-GMO, Wyoming farmed grains directly sourced from the Bighorn Basin. Want to know just how small batch we’re talking? Goodman and Marsh do it all themselves as a two-man team. Oh, and did I mention it’s naturally gluten free?

Sure, it may be daring to call a gin’s delicate, juniper berry base a realistic substitute for a burly, barrel aged whiskey, but I double-dog-dare you to pull this recipe out of your hat during the next snowfall. As Still Works “Cocktail Creationist” Zach Isler describes it, this simple style cocktail uses lemon oleo syrup made from the peel of a lemon combined with Lillet for a subtle layer of softness to highlight the deeper flavors of the gin. Go ahead, stir up a batch and depart on a heady trip to winter’s wonderland you won’t soon forget.

 

 

Ingredients (single serving)

1.75oz Great Grey Gin

.25oz Lillet Blanc

2 Barspoons of Lemon Oleo

1 Dash Aromatic Bitters

 

 

 

Instructions

Combine Great Grey Gin, Lillet Blanc, lemon oleo, and aromatic bitters over lager ice cubes into a large glass or cocktail shaker. Stir to mix & chill the cocktail. Strain & pour into a rocks glass. Zest a large piece of lemon skin, gently rub it around the rim of the glass then drop in to garnish.

 

 

 

Lemon Oleo Recipe

Remove zest from a 5 large lemons in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, leaving behind the white pith. Add 1/2 cup white sugar. Gently toss the sugar into the peels in a medium bowl. Then, using a muddler or wooden spoon, lightly press the lemon peels and sugar until peels begin to express their oils. Cover & let sit for at least 3 hours, but up to one day (flavor will intensify over time). Add 1/4 cup water. Stir & strain into an airtight container, pressing on solids to extract as much oil as possible; discard zest. Cover oil and chill. 

 

For more on all the awesome things these guys are doing check out www.jhstillworks.com.

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