{"id":2445994,"date":"2019-07-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-04T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=308894"},"modified":"2019-07-04T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-04T06:00:00","slug":"food-matters-mexican-perspective-shapes-authentic-midday-menu-at-aspens-bosq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/food-matters-mexican-perspective-shapes-authentic-midday-menu-at-aspens-bosq\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Matters: Mexican perspective shapes authentic midday menu at Aspen\u2019s Bosq"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.5919282511211\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-308894-961\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Amanda Rae | Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq's new Mexican lunch menu.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq&#8217;s new Mexican lunch menu.<\/strong><br \/>Amanda Rae<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq's new Mexican lunch menu.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Amanda Rae | Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq's new Mexican lunch menu.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq&#8217;s new Mexican lunch menu.<\/strong><br \/>Amanda Rae<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq's new Mexican lunch menu.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Bosq | Chicken pibil.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Chicken pibil.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Bosq<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"Chicken pibil.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Amanda Rae | Oaxacan cheese quesadilla with zucchini pico de gallo\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Oaxacan cheese quesadilla with zucchini pico de gallo<\/strong><br \/>Amanda Rae<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-3.jpg\" alt=\"Oaxacan cheese quesadilla with zucchini pico de gallo\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Bosq | Guacamole\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><strong>Guacamole<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Bosq<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-4.jpg\" alt=\"Guacamole\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Bosq | Deck scene at Bosq is great for a midday meal.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Deck scene at Bosq is great for a midday meal.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Bosq<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-5.jpg\" alt=\"Deck scene at Bosq is great for a midday meal.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-6.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Amanda Rae | Bosq's new Mexican lunch menu includes tacos.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Bosq&#8217;s new Mexican lunch menu includes tacos.<\/strong><br \/>Amanda Rae<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-6.jpg\" alt=\"Bosq's new Mexican lunch menu includes tacos.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-7.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Bosq | Aperol'Mexican popsicle.'\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Aperol&#8217;Mexican popsicle.&#8217;<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Bosq<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/food-atw-070419-1-7.jpg\" alt=\"Aperol'Mexican popsicle.'\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/food-matters-mexican-perspective-shapes-authentic-midday-menu-at-aspens-bosq\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/food-matters-mexican-perspective-shapes-authentic-midday-menu-at-aspens-bosq\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The blowtorch incident made chef Barclay Dodge nervous.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Juan Pablo Leon had apprenticed at Bosq two summers ago with owner Dodge, so there was a certain level of trust when the Mexico native returned to the kitchen this spring. Still, it was alarming to watch Leon set fire to $200 worth of dried chile peppers in a rondeau pan on the stovetop\u2014on purpose.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThe whole thing went up in flames,\u201d Dodge says, incredulous at the memory. \u201cThis is not a Western-style, classic culinary technique, how I was trained.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">It got weirder: Leon dumped 5 gallons of saltwater into the pan to extinguish the blaze. The charred chiles soaked for two days, while Leon disappeared to focus on his main cooking gig at a local resort. Meanwhile, he told Dodge not to worry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Upon return, Leon sparked concern when he set onions and garlic directly on a gas burner. Dodge almost couldn\u2019t believe it: the vegetables turned jet-black.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cAgain, that\u2019s not our technique. You would never burn garlic because it\u2019s so bitter,\u201d Dodge explains. \u201cHe just burnt it!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Leon showed Dodge how to rub the submerged chile skins and skim away the prohibitively spicy seeds that floated to the top. After straining the fragrant liquid (saved for other uses), they pur\u00e9ed the remaining \u201cmud-like\u201d chile sludge with those charred aromatics, oregano and other spices to create a thick, inky paste. Miraculously, it tasted robust and nuanced in a way that didn\u2019t quite make sense.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Now Dodge uses this recado negro\u2014an ancestral ingredient that is to Mexico\u2019s Yucat\u00e1n what curry paste is to India\u2014dehydrated as a fine dust to season house-fried tortilla chips. A pantry staple for Bosq\u2019s new, all-Mexican lunch, conceived alongside Leon and fellow visiting chef Lorena Valenzuela, recado negro appears in other dishes, too. However, diners won\u2019t see it listed on the menu.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThe only word we have that is a Mayan name is sikil p\u2019ak\u2014and I keep going back and forth on that one,\u201d Dodge shares about the earthy pumpkinseed dip, another Leon recipe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">While these processes may seem complex, Bosq\u2019s lunch menu reads simple. As a veteran Aspen restaurateur, Dodge understands that to steer successfully away from classic\u2014some might say mundane\u2014midday fare such as chicken sandwiches and kale salads, his Mexican tacos, tostadas and ceviche must be approachable in their authenticity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Still, these are not American-Mexican restaurant dishes. Bosq\u2019s chicken pibil\u2014swapping poultry for the traditional cochinita (suckling pig)\u2014is slow-cooked according to ancient Yucat\u00e1n practice. The chicken is rubbed with achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves and buried in a roasting pan layered with hay and biodynamic soil from Brook and Rose LeVan\u2019s farm, Sustainable Settings, in Carbondale.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cWe\u2019re, like, cooking it \u2018under ground,\u2019\u201d Dodge notes. \u201cThe organic matter comes through in the flavor. It\u2019s wild.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The spiced pibil is served as a taco filling. Two other daily taco options might include braised short rib on a whole fried egg, \u201cchilaquiles\u201d-style; lamb; or soft-shell crab. Shrimp aguachile is served in a chilled broth of carrot jus sweetened slightly by rhubarb and topped with a tangle of baby watercress and ring of edible flowers framing the inner edge of the bowl. A bubbly skillet starter of rajas (the other Spanish term on the menu, meaning \u201cstrips\u201d) is an addictive m\u00e9lange of farmers\u2019 market-roasted poblano peppers simmered in garlic cream with goat cheese. Shredded zucchini pico de gallo tops quesadillas oozing gooey Oaxacan cheese.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">The driving force behind Dodge\u2019s recent endeavor is Bosq\u2019s \u201cmasa program,\u201d which began in earnest June 1. Tortillas for tacos, tostadas and chips are made in-house from heirloom Oaxacan corn (blue, red, yellow), imported in 55-pound sacks, ground into flour using a volcanic-stone molino, acidified into masa and pressed by hand thanks to chile liquid leftover from the recado negro process. It\u2019s so much work\u2014and tortilla items so popular, exhausting 110 pounds of corn every 10 or so days\u2014that Dodge hired an El Salvadoran woman, Esperanza, as a prep cook whose main task is to flatten hundreds of tortillas per shift.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Leon and Valenzuela\u2014both from the Yucat\u00e1n capital of M\u00e9rida, where they plan to launch a popup called NoSu (Norte Sud) after wrapping a six-week engagement with Dodge this weekend\u2014also draw inspiration for what Dodge calls \u201ccultural recipes\u201d from time spent in Puebla, near Mexico City. A regular visitor to the culinary metropolis, Dodge also once lived in and cooked just north of Playa del Carmen, where he first encountered recado negro. Together the chefs marry nostalgic Mexican techniques with valley produce sourced from Sustainable Settings, the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, Wild Mountain Seeds, and Two Roots Farm, much of it via Farm Runners delivery service. This is why a Bosq taco might be topped with lamb\u2019s quarters, stinging nettle or spicy wild mustard flower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Such elements of surprise are invigorating. When I ask our server if we might sample just a spoonful of guacamole, she gently informs us that every avocado is smashed fresh to order. We pause\u2014do we really want to fill up on dip when so many other dishes stoke our appetite? Ultimately we go for it, and the decision pays dividends. We find a liquid center of tomatillo salsa hidden within the mass of chunky guac, and marvel at the totally unique flavor of whole mint leaves (plus cilantro and parsley) tossed in olive oil and salt as a crowning garnish.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Despite all of this, Dodge stresses that his Mexico foray\u2014\u201cBosq Without Borders\u201d\u2014is limited to lunch, available until 3 p.m. Dinner showcases the broader global flavors for which he\u2019s known.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI don\u2019t want to become a Mexican restaurant,\u201d Dodge says, without a hint of irony. \u201cWe\u2019re Bosq.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><em><a href=\"mailto:amandaraewashere@gmail.com\">amandaraewashere@gmail.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/food-matters-mexican-perspective-shapes-authentic-midday-menu-at-aspens-bosq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq&#8217;s new Mexican lunch menu.Amanda Rae Shrimp-carrot aguachile is on Bosq&#8217;s new Mexican lunch menu.Amanda Rae Chicken pibil.Courtesy Bosq Oaxacan cheese quesadilla with zucchini pico de galloAmanda Rae GuacamoleCourtesy Bosq Deck scene at Bosq is great for a midday meal.Courtesy Bosq Bosq&#8217;s new Mexican lunch menu includes tacos.Amanda Rae Aperol&#8217;Mexican popsicle.&#8217;Courtesy [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2445994","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-20 20:17:33","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2445994"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445994\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2445994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2445994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2445994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}