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| Virginia's
Steakhouse: |
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Vallecito's Heartbeat
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Story by Maureen Keilty
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June,
1989
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Virginia Jackson, owner of Virginia's
Vallecito Lake Lodge says, "I love greeting people who
come here, and I love serving them our food in this beautiful
setting." |
If Claude Decker were alive today,
he'd be mighty proud of his Vallecito Ranch House. Cornbread
and beans were the only vittles a few cattlemen ever ate
in his dining room. That was back in the 20's and
30's when he and his two brothers owned 3,000 head of
livestock that roamed the valley now flooded by Lake
Vallecito. Nowadays, Virginia Jackson serves food so
tasty that diners come by car, camper, horseback, and by
foot to enjoy a home-cooked supper in his former home.
"Virginia's Steakhouse," nestled in the tall
pines edging Vallecito Lake's north end, adds Western
hospitality , Virginia's Style to all it's plentiful
dishes. "I don't know anyone who enjoys their work
as much as I do," says the |
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restaurant's proprietress, who looks so much like Elizabeth
Taylor that a few customers call her "Liz Baby."
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"I love greeting people who
come here, and I love serving them our food in this beautiful
setting."
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Wearing a satin wrangler's
shirt and jeans, Virginia appears to be at home in her
knotty, pine paneled dining room. Western paintings
(provided by local artists) and a cracklin' fire in the
wood stove add to the cozy atmosphere of this
refurbished 70-year-old home. She visits with customers
while filling their water glasses.
Much of Virginia's confidence
is based on her chef, and youngest son, Steve Dudley.
"When we opened the door in 1978, Steve knew that
we needed to cater to everyone's taste. The variety of
the food on our menu and his ability to cook shows
that."
Hungry carnivores to
scrutinizing gourmets have plenty to choose from off
Virginia's four-page menu. Appetizers like sautéed
mushrooms, taquitos rancheros, and chicken wings range
from $2.95 to $4.75. "Our Bullfries or Rocky
Mountain Oysters are favorites for hikers coming back
from a trip," says Virginia. |
Virginia Jackson, "I don't know anyone who enjoys
their work as much as I do"
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The "Broiler" section
boasts a variety of specially prepared steaks priced from
$9.25 for the "Buckaroo" to $15.95 for the
"Cattleman." Barbeque ribs, mesquite smoked brisket,
and seven varieties of sandwiches and burgers cater to all
levels of hunger.
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Omelets, like the "Seafood Frittata",
or any one of the five deluxe salads appeal to the more delicate
appetites. Seafood lover may choose from several lobster,
shrimp, crab, and scallop dishes. "Our fresh trout is
fished daily from our private trout pond," says Virginia.
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Despite "Virginia's" cornucopia
of delicious edibles, "Chicken of the Angels"
remains a favorite for the ladies. This boneless chicken
breast ($9.75) sautéed with mushrooms, artichoke, lemon, and
wine often partners a table with "The Rustler,"
medallions of beef in a pepper sauce.
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Ten years ago, gamblers would've bet
a wooden nickel that the Decker ranch house would develop into
a successful, year-round restaurant. After all, being located
in a seasonally populated community on the edge of the vast
Weminuche Wilderness is not at all in it's favor.
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"I never thought, 'What if I
fail?' All I could see was something I wanted," says
Virginia, reflecting on her reaction when first asked to
manage the kitchen the neglected Decker Lodge. A Farmington
resident for 22 years, Virginia and her four children had
spent previous summers camping on their one-acre Vallecito
plot.
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"My father was a business man
who could see the problems I would have in maintenance,
insurance, even getting people up here," says Virginia,
"but I had a burning desire to open a restaurant here, so
for the first time I didn't follow my father's advice."
Insread, Virginia turned to her children. Poncho, age 20 at
the time, took charge of the kitchen and dining room
remodeling, while Steve developed the menu's diversity.
Marilyn, like the rest of her family, served as anything from
an electrician's assistant to a vegetable buyer.
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Farmington residents and business
owners provided additional assistance and encouragement.
"To support my children I'd been nurse during the day and
a cocktail waitress at night, so I knew the best of people to
pull me through," claims Virginia.
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"A man with his wife and two
children came to me one night saying he'd love to eat here but
couldn't afford to. He promised to draw my restaurant's logo
in exchange for his family's dinners," explained
Virginia. Shortly after that incident, another customer gave
Virginia a hundred dollar bill saying, " Get your
restaurant a nice, big sign." Both contributions continue
to promote her restaurant.
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When Virginia first realized the
necessity to generate income during the winter months, she
invented "Vallecito Express". Like a portable
Virginia's Steakhouse, it's first jobs were in Arizona where
it served her popular barbeque ribs and burgers at county
fairs, rodeos, and trade shows.
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Now Virginia's barbeque wagon works
full time smoking hams and turkeys with mesquite wood for
their mail-order business. In summer, it roves the Four
Corners' fairs and festivals or acts as the restaurant's
back-up oven for busy 200-dinner nights.
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"I guess I have a little
carnival in me," says Virginia. "The Vallecito
Express gives me a chance to do something I love - be a part
of the people at flea markets and fares."
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Readily admitting that, "it's
tough to make a year-round living in Vallecito," Virginia
draws attention to her restaurant with special dinners. Each
fall she hires a German chef for an Octobrefest dinner.
Mid-winter's Chinese New Years is celebrated at Virginia's
with decorations and food prepared by a Chinese cook. For an
election day party, Virginia provided free pasole.
"Anything that calls for a celebration, I make it,"
she says. Style shows, wine and cheese parties, and group
banquets are among her restaurant "revitalizing
techniques."
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"As the Lake Drains"
is the name of a book Virginia is compiling this winter, She
claims this amusing account of life in a quiet resort town is
due mainly to "Buford," her basset hound who
"knows where to sniff out the local news."
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Steve
Dudley provides the recipe for his popular "Scampi
Sauté"
- 5 large shrimp - peeled, deveined, and butterflied
- 3oz. freshly sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 teaspoon minced shallots
- Chopped garlic - to taste
- Italian seasoning - a pinch
- Fresh chopped parsley - a pinch
- 3oz. sweet butter
- Fresh lemon - quartered
- 4-5 oz. white wine
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Heat butter in a
large sauté pan. Dust shrimp with flour and sauté over
high heat. Lightly brown and turn while adding mushroom
slices, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and
parsley. Shake and flip pan until shrimp appears to be
done. Squeeze lemon and swirl pan with wine. Reduce sauce
to desired consistency. Serves one.
Note: Sautéing is a quick
and easy method for preparing fish, veal, and chicken. The
butter-to-flour ratio is important to achieve when
you add wine or stock.
A little practice makes perfect.  |
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Family Affair
Vallecito's Heartbeat
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