There are many stories about my time in Aspen/Snowmass.  The area was always packed with the Hollywood types i.e. Jack Nicholson to Lucille Ball and as you can imagine I had some funny interactions with them, but those stories will come-forth with time.  So read on.

The first story doesn’t include any Hollywood types just me and my mentor, Gert Rausch. Gert is a classically trained chef from Germany.  At the age of 13, his father thought he would do better learning a trade opposed to going on to higher education.  I definitely understand that train of thought after knowing Gert for the past 40 some odd years.  So, at the very young age of 13, Gert was sent off to a kitchen in Germany to peel potatoes.  In this strange, new and cold environment Gert cried for several weeks.  He was exposed to many high class European chefs that taught him how to make everything from hollandaise to demi glace.  From there, Gert went to work at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.  This was fairly short lived as he crossed from Canada to the US illegally to work at a resort in Newport, RI, for Klaus Ottman.  Klaus Ottman was hired as the general manager at Lakeway Resort in Austin, Texas and he brought Gert along to be the executive chef in the kitchen.  And that is where I met my mentor!  If you were lucky enough to be in the kitchen with Gert, you learned a lot about food.  This was in the 70’s when fine dining in the US was limited to Steak & Ale.  So to have stumbled into a classically trained chef was a windfall and one that I am grateful for to this very day.  He was always willing and proud to share.  From Austin, Gert and I went to Aspen and opened the Wineskin Restaurant.  Another big point of gratitude goes to my father for signing all of the loans we needed to go into business.  With Gert as my partner most of my time was spent out front, but I did get introduced to gourmet food. The chefs in restaurants were beginning to get the spotlight and I took notice. As I look back, I was 24 and Gert was 26…way too young to own a restaurant. What we didn’t know, and that was a lot, we just faked.  Gert is a loud and entertaining person to be around.  His strong German accent always commanded attention.  His W’s became V’s and vice versa. Gert would say things like “I’m going to drink lots of wodka on waycation” all said with a thick German accent. You had to spend a great deal of time with him before you could understand him.

The back door to our restaurant kitchen had a great view of Mount Daily and the Rockies with the tiered Snowmass parking lot in view.  It was a great place to sit and peel potatoes or onions.  I walked in one afternoon to witness Gert arguing with the health department inspector.  Lesson number one in the restaurant business is you should never argue with the health department.  Instinctively, even I knew that.  Our restaurant was at 8600 feet elevation.  Far above the altitude that roaches, flies and pests thrive, or so we thought.  The inspector was telling Gert to install a screen door to keep the pests out. Gert was explaining that it was not needed because of the altitude just as a chipmunk shot into the kitchen, running across the tops of all of our shoes.  Alvin’s goal was a slice of discarded bread laying under a wire metal rack that was filled with pots and pans.  With the bread in mouth, the chipmunk shot out the back door.  In a defeated German accent Gert said “gosh damns it, ve put in a screen door”.  The Pitkin County health inspector was satisfied.

Gert now lives in Managua, Nicaragua where he just opened a restaurant and cooking school….so much for retirement.  He is 70.

This recipe is one I created for the Share Our Strength fundraising event.  This event is held yearly to restock the Central Texas Food Bank.  It is smoked duck diablos with red chili gaze. The red chili glaze can be used on grilled fish or grilled poultry.  Be sure and save some for other grilled foods.
The diablos makes a tasty appetizer passed at parties.
Julia Child quote…..
“The only real stumbling block is the fear of failure, in cooking you’ve got to have a what the hell attitude” I love Julia Child quotes. At the Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C., I got a peck on my cheek from Julia, but that’s another story. My favorite Julia quote is “if you take butter out of your diet you’ll be buried alive in dandruff”.
This recipe was inspired by an old Texas favorite …… a dove breast, a fresh jalapeño wrapped by bacon….. a wild game popper.
At the restaurant we used half of a Granny Smith apple to hold the speared diablos. It made for an exciting presentation. You could use a half of a pineapple or watermelon for larger groups. Bet you can’t eat just one…..that’s how it got it’s nickname “Culinary Crack”

Red chili glaze
Ingredients
1 cup of light vinegar (rice wine)
1 & 1/2 tablespoon red chili flakes (if you prefer mild leave the red chili flakes out)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 cups light brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 stick of butter, cut into 4 chunks.

Method
Simmer vinegar, chili flakes, garlic & onion over medium high heat and reduce by half.
Add brown sugar, tomato paste & soy. Return to a simmer & cook for 4 minutes.
Remove from the heat & whisk in the butter…… this reminds me of another Julia quote. “If your afraid of butter, use cream”

Serve in ramekins as a dipping sauce for diablos.

Duck Diablos
Ingredients
2 duck skinless breasts
4 dried figs (mission figs are our favorite)
1 small jicama, sliced into pencil size
8 slices of bacon (we prefer thick, applewood smoked bacon)
2 fresh jalapeños, seeded & sliced into 4 juliennes per half
4 ounces balsamic vinegar for soaking the figs
Red chili gaze
Salt if needed

Method
Quarter the figs and soak in balsamic
Salt and pepper the duck breast and smoke in a stovetop smoker on high for 5 minutes. Cool & slice 1/4” thin. The duck will be rare and will finish cooking during the final heating.
Slice the bacon strips in half and cook them in the oven to rare
On the cooled bacon place a fig, sliced duck, jalapeño slice, jicama slice and then roll the bacon around the goodies and secure with a 6” skewer. Repeat
Bake the diablo skewer in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Poke the diablo skewer into a holder of your choice and serve with a ramekin of red chili glaze.
Serve & enjoy!