The term “throwback” gets thrown around a lot these days. Thing is, anything from as recent as the 1980s could be considered a throwback here in the year 2020. Thus Midway’s The Blue Boar Inn is a way back throwback—steadfastly sticking to its guns, well, actually, crossbows, as a traditional inn and restaurant in the style of a European hunting lodge circa 1300. Longtime Chef Eric May talks about the Inn’s authenticity and how he keeps the menu relevant and traditional at the same time.
■■■ TRADITIONS “The crossbows you see on the walls here are authentic, some as old as the 1300s and used in battle. We’re not changing our style to bend to trends. I don’t want to sound arrogant but we are what we are and we try to be the best at what we are. We’ve been holding firm long enough to see the traditional approach to lodging and food come back into style. People are traveling more and discovering (or rediscovering) classic European cuisine.” “Classic meals and preparation styles are back. I think people are moving away from molecular gastronomy. They are braising their meats, grilling and roasting. Those all faded away there for a while but it’s always been my preference. You get cleaner flavors. Sous vide tends to be mushy but a 48-hour braise lets me control that. The meat is still fall-off-the-bone but it still has texture.” “Any restaurant in Germany has a schnitzel we have guests who have lived in Germany who tell us how much they love our preparation.” ■■■ TRENDS “We can make anything for vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free guests. We just added vegan, gluten-free bolognese so we can bend, but it’s still staying true to our style.” “We’ve got a new smoker, last one got hit by an ice ball from the roof, so we’re smoking chicken legs, I smoke a little french chicken leg and pair it with roulade, old school dish, with a modern twist of smoked chicken.” “We like to use the freshest ingredients, only use lamb from Utah and Colorado, domestic, taken from different farms in Utah and Colorado.” “It’s our duty to give guests the best impression, and if something isn’t working we’ll change up the menu, we’re a small enough place that we have that freedom. ■■■ CHANGES “Summers used to be our busiest season and we’d slow down in the winter. But we’re getting more and more winter guests who want to stay a little further away. With the Mayflower lift access to Deer Valley makes it easier.”
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