Locals and visitors would agree that chilled Fat Tire amber ale at the end of a hard-earned ski day hits the spot. The king of Colorado brewers, New Belgium Brewing, has opened a new slopeside restaurant dedicated to après ski, in addition to serving lunch and dinner. Located adjacent to the Fanny Hill ski run on the Snowmass Mall (previously home to Goodfellows Pizza), the New Belgium Ranger Station will serve beers from its portfolio and other craft brews, paired with cuisine by The Westin Snowmass Resort and the Snowmass Kitchen chef de cuisine, Jami Flatt. Additionally, the recently renovated Wildwood Snowmass hotel will feature a branded New Belgium bar, where vintage-meets-contemporary in a ski-chic remodel of the entire property. The new 153-room boutique hotel is just one anticipated component of Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Wasserman Real Estate Capital’s anticipated Snowmass development, which also includes The Westin Snowmass Resort, a $55 million renovation of the former Silvertree Hotel & Conference Center, debuting this season, too. Don’t miss the Westin’s new restaurant, The Snowmass Kitchen, featuring fare by Flatt and Executive Chef Ronnie Sanchez.

St. Regis Aspen’s Chefs Club will feature three “Best New Chefs” this winter

The change of season ushers in the next crop of “Best New Chefs” at the St. Regis Aspen Resort, home to Food & Wine magazine’s inaugural restaurant, The Chefs Club. Opened in June 2012 with celebrity chefs George Mendes, Alex Seidel, James Lewis, and Susan Zemanick, the restaurant rotates its kitchen prowess biannually; this winter diners will experience cuisine by three new rising stars, including chefs Jonathan Sawyer (a 2010 winner from Ohio), Kevin Willman (a winner in 2011 from Illinois), and Jenn Louis (award winner in 2012 from Oregon). The Best New Chefs will curate a locally inspired winter menu and will make appearances throughout the season. Look for out-of-this-world pairings by Food & Wine Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle, and a daring cocktail menu by master mixologist Jim Meehan. 315 E. Dean St., 970-920-3300

Veuve Clicquot will be available slopeside beginning in February

When Sabato Sagaria, food and beverage director at The Little Nell, was told a food truck in Aspen was a “no can do,” he opted for something more audacious: The Oasis, a mobile Veuve Clicquot–branded pop-up Champagne bar to grace the slopes of Ajax. “The Oasis was inspired by a trip to LA, where I checked out the food-truck scene and pop-up restaurants,” explains Sagaria. “We wanted to do something similarly spontaneous and unique, but playing to Aspen’s eternal quest for fun.” Beginning in February and operating through the end of ski season (snow conditions permitting), the bar (operating Friday to Sunday) travels by snowcat to changing on-mountain locales; clues to its daily whereabouts are announced on The Nell’s social media outlets. Outfitted in Veuve’s signature yellow hue, the bar features brut, rosé, and La Grande Dame, and a food menu includes California Caviar Company hackleback sturgeon. “It’s a true expression of Aspen’s joie de vivre,” Sagaria adds. “There is no better place on the planet for people to toast the world than at 11,500 feet.” 970-920-4600

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL BAYER

Balakian Farms blended organic heirloom tomatoes

For those Aspenites too busy to spend an afternoon meandering around the local greenmarket, America’s Farmstand, the first-ever virtual farmers’ market, is the answer to your farm-to-table prayers.

The company grew out of founder Todd Greenfield's hope to bring artisanal, organic produce and products from family-run farms to a wider audience across America. “I found myself asking farmers, ‘What if?’ What if there were a way to get your vegetables, fruits, cheeses, organic meats, and other fresh foods directly to the people who want them, rather than having them lose freshness traveling to—and sitting in—warehouses for days before being transported to supermarkets?” said Greenfield.

Surf the site today and you'll find fresh-from-Georgia Pearson Farm peaches, Balakian Farms blended organic heirloom tomatoes, New England Provisions Maine lobsters, Wood Homestead maple syrup from the Adirondacks, aged goat cheese from the Hudson Valley’s Coach Farm, and more. Many of the items offered are fair-trade or gluten-free, two things Greenfield is passionate about.  

Montagna's American Wagyu Roasted Filet

1. Montagna: The locally raised American Wagyu Roasted Filet is complemented by a red pepper jus, roasted root veggies and finished with mustard spaetzle glaze. 675 E. Durant St. Aspen, 970-920-4600

2. Piñons: Grilled Filet, served with Hudson Valley foie gras and decadent black truffle sauce. 105 South Mill St., 970-920-02021

3. Plato’s: Chef Todd Slossberg. The Harris Ranch Manhattan Cut Strip Steak is sizzled to perfection, paired with gold potato hash, creamed spinach and cauliflower sauce. 845 Meadows Road Aspen, 970-925-4240

4. Steak House No. 316: Choose from diverse cuts of meat, sauces and sides to customize the ultimate meal. Try the Kobe Flat Iron Steak, blue cheese bone marrow butter sauce and truffled potatoes au gratin.  
316 East Hopkins Ave., 970-920-1893

What is your favorite cut of steak?
Onglet (hanger steak).

Rub, or no rub, for an amateur chef?
For a rich, robust cut like the ribeye or onglet, you can’t go wrong with a mild rub. If you’re roasting a tenderloin or grilling New York strips, sea salt and coarse ground black pepper are perfect.

What is the best steak-wine pairing you’ve ever had?
Camping at 10,000 feet near Snowmass Lake. The 28-day, dry-aged ribeye, grilled on the fire, paired up with a 2003 Gaja Barbaresco was the best I’ve ever had.

Some of the residents at Haystack Farms in Longmont

Raising goats and producing cheeses from their milk is more popular than ever. Much smaller than a cow, a goat is more manageable and easier to care for and feed. And the result is quite satisfying to the palate. Diners will find a type of goat cheese on nearly every charcuterie platter in Aspen –in salads galore, mixed with beets, added as croquettes atop greens, and included in entrees and even desserts.

“The milk ends up making very wonderful fresh and aged cheeses,” says Michelle Kiley, Aspen’s resident cheese expert and co-owner of Specialty Foods of Aspen and The Cheese Shop. According to Kiley, Wendy Mitchell, owner of Avalanche Cheese in Basalt, has “truly mastered her craft” in goat cheesemaking. Kiley calls Mitchell’s selection of cheeses, which includes fresh chevre and Midnight Blue, “absolutely incomparable.”

Chefs throughout the valley use Avalanche Cheese’s products and those of another Colorado standout, Haystack Farms in Longmont. But while many diners savor goat cheese, goat meat is still underappreciated, says Jack Reed, who acts as a liaison between farmers who sell goats and restaurant owners who want them. Reed helps to supply goat meat to Mark Fischer’s Restaurant Six89 in Carbondale and The Pullman in Glenwood Springs. Closer to Heaven Farm in Hotchkiss also sells goat meat to Restaurant Six89.

According to Reed, diners are reluctant to order goat because they think the meat will smell bad, but the taste is actually closer to that of a wild meat dish such as elk. “Goats are pretty active,” Reed adds. “They forage and get around, so they’re lean. And they have a wild spirit about them; that’s what I’m looking for in a meat.”

Reed has been known to drive around the countryside of the Western Slope looking for Boer goats (the most desirable breed for meat). A relative few Boers survive into the autumn months because of the popularity of Mexican summertime barbecues. Not many farmers on the Western Slope raise Boer goats, but Ken Miller of Cedaredge’s Lone Pine Farm sells goat meat, raw goat’s milk, yogurt, chevre, and feta. “The best way to prepare goat is by grilling or smoking,” he says before turning whimsical. “We also grind a bit of it and make goat burgers. We try and not tell anybody until after they are done eating that [they just ate] Annabelle.”

The latest seasonal release by the Aspen Brewing Co. is as buzz worthy as the establishment's new downtown locale (304 East Hopkins Avenue, in the former Social space). The new Scottish Ale packs a punch with a formidable alcohol content, but most notable is the strong malt character and caramel notes. Snag a growler of the new brew—it's the latest local craze.

When ringing in the New Year this season, make sure it’s Veuve Clicquot you’re toasting with. Choose from any of the iconic brand’s varietals for a taste unlike any other. While you’re at the store stocking up for the celebration, don’t forget to pick up the Veuve Clicquot Le Fridge ($40) to keep your bubbly chilled all night long.

Also from the Champagne house and just in time for the schussing season, Veuve Clicquot has introduced the limited-edition Smith Transit Goggle ($105) that’s perfect for the slopes. The goggles feature a cylindrical, Carbonic-X lens, airflow lens ventilation system and single-layer face foam for a comfortable fit. And with the classic orange Veuve logo on the strap, everyone will know what your favorite champers is when you go whizzing by. 

Denver's culinary scene is hot, and here's what's on our radar. Be sure to check them out.

Elway’s Downtown

• This signature Colorado steakhouse also boasts an incredible raw bar. The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, 1881 Curtis St.

Fogo de Chão Denver

• An elegant Brazilian steakhouse sizzling with flavor and surprising wine finds. 1513 Wynkoop St. 

Bistro Vendôme

• A classic French bistro that never disappoints. 1420 Larimer Square

Ostería Marco

• Italian artisan fare by standout chef/owner Frank Bonanno. Don’t miss the formaggio and salumi bar. 1453 Larimer St.