Road Trip – Fort Collins Day 4-6 + Cocktail Recipe

After winding our way through the Rocky Mountains and cruising by downtown Denver, we headed east towards Fort Collins. After 8 hours of driving, we arrived at the barn where Lucky would find his new home in Gill Colorado. Rustic and beautifully dotted with rows of fresh corn and milking cows — I think he has found the perfect place to reside.

After meeting my boyfriend’s daughter and her new beau, she unloaded Lucky and put him with his new roommate who proceeded to give him a welcome kick in his corral. We headed to dinner shortly thereafter at the Windsor Mill Tavern for a juicy steak and crisp salad — a nice treat with a Pinot Noir (no pics of our food) after a long day of driving. In the morning, we headed to The Grainhouse for lunch — a silo sports style restaurant serving up burgers, salads, and bar style fare like Fried Dill Spears and Sour Beer. A big bowl of Hillbillie Chili topped with fritos made life pretty tasty.

In the afternoon, we headed out for more Craft Beer at Mash Lab in Windsor. A beer flight with pours of peach, cherry-wheat, Mexican lager and orange mimosa were refreshingly fun and now I’m beginning to understand this craft-beer culture. Fried Green Beans with Chipotle Sauce and Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Achiote Butter were magnificent with a slightly acid drink.

We decided to do a bar crawl that evening and get a taste of Old Fort Collins and its downtown scene. Move-in weekend was happening at Colorado State, so the bustling walkways were filled with students, cheerleaders, and visitors like us. Our first cocktail was at a favorite haunt of my boyfriend’s daughter – Lucky Joe’s Sidewalk Saloon. Not too busy because we got an early start – we sipped on refreshing Palomas and beer.

Next stop and one of my favorites of the trip was Social – a swanky bar and restaurant below street level and in a dark softly lit space with excellent service. A Rhubarb Margarita served-up was my cocktail of choice, and we nibbled on a Charcuterie Board with Bison and Italian Salami with a load of pickled vegetables and a ball of creamy Burrata to spread over toasty crisps. A Mexican Street Corn Dip with seasoned Tortilla Chips sustained my palate as I enjoyed my cocktail.

Down the street was Town Pump – the oldest bar in Fort Collins – established in 1909. The walls were covered in bumper stickers and there was a short line outside to get into the bar, but worth the small wait. I had my first Moonshine Maraschino Cherry – interesting.

Our next stop was the Armstrong Hotel – Ace Gillett’s for a final cocktail. The service that evening was lacking, but the drinks were delicious. The dinner menu looked appealing, but we opted for just cocktails. My Skyline Sunset was smooth with a touch of Reposado, Montenegro (Amaro) and spiced pear. The Vino Vesuvius was smoky and exotic with Mezcal and red wine — a unique combination.

We headed to the barn so my boyfriend’s daughter could ride Lucky and break him into his new life. She’s an experienced rider having ridden since she was a child for numerous rodeos all the way through college — and truly talented. A lunch of Barbecue filled my soul, especially after watching Lucky be ridden with such grace. Smokin Brothers in Eaton for a Two Meat Platter of smoky brisket and pulled pork, and sides of crispy fried okra and creamy coleslaw. The meat was tender and I enjoyed sampling all four bbq sauces – the spicy and mustard based recipes were my favorites.

Our last night in Fort Collins led us to Elliot’s Martini Bar for a final cocktail before dinner. The menu was more than humorous and being raised in Anaheim, CA I found myself sipping on Winnie the Pooh is a Drunk — simillar to a Gold Rush or Bee’s Knees, but made with bourbon. Here’s my recipe.

Ingredients

2 ounces hot water
2 teaspoons honey
3 ounces bourbon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
gummy bears for garnish

To Prepare:

In a cocktail shaker, add hot water and honey, stir until melted.
Add 1 1/2 cup of ice, bourbon and lemon juice. Shake, shake, shake.
Strain into a martini glass and serve gummy bears on a skewer on the rim.

For dinner we headed to Sonny Leubick Steakhouse, named after a famous football coach at Colorado State Univeristy in downtown Fort Collins — just a quick walk from Elliot’s. The dark ambiance set the mood for an elegant meal. We started with a Marinated Watermelon appetizer, followed by a Wedge Salad and Skirt Steak with Mexican Creamed Corn. We enjoyed several sides with our steak including roasted Brussels Sprouts, Creamed Spinach and Macaroni and Cheese. The portions were generous — a good place to split an entree. The meal was the perfect ending to our visit and the final finale was a simple Cookie Skillet with ice cream for dessert.