{"id":140289,"date":"2020-02-07T15:34:09","date_gmt":"2020-02-07T23:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=140289"},"modified":"2020-07-06T14:10:24","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T21:10:24","slug":"snow-groomer-turned-taco-truck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/snow-groomer-turned-taco-truck","title":{"rendered":"How a Ski Resort Turned a Snow Groomer Into a Taco Truck"},"content":{"rendered":"

A version of this story appeared in the winter 2020 issue of\u00a0Uncommon Path<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

You\u2019re carving smooth turns down Buddy\u2019s Run at Colorado\u2019s Steamboat Resort<\/a>, capping off a delirious morning on blower powder, when it hits you: You\u2019re starving. If only there were a taqueria built into a snow groomer halfway up the mountain, midrun. Well, this is your lucky day.<\/p>\n

Enter Taco Beast<\/a>, a roaming taco house on the body of a snowcat that can travel across mountainous terrain, delivering perfectly seasoned beef barbacoa to the schussing masses.<\/p>\n

The snowcat aspect of the operation isn\u2019t a gimmick, either. Each morning before sunrise, the chefs drive up the mountain to the spot of the day and cook on-site. \u201cOur chefs say they have the most scenic view on the mountain because they are literally parked on a ski hill looking out over the Yampa Valley,\u201d says Maren Franciosi, Steamboat\u2019s digital communications manager.<\/p>\n

Taco Beast is the brain child of Dave Hunter, vice president of mountain operations at Steamboat, who first saw snowcats as mobile food vehicles on European slopes. Once the idea came stateside, tacos were the natural choice. \u201cThey\u2019re classic food-truck fare,\u201d Hunter says, adding the most important part: \u201cThey\u2019re also easy to eat on the slopes in ski gear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taco Beast\u2019s food features local ingredients. There are four varieties, including the Colorado- inspired Elk Chorizo taco and the vegetarian Tres Hermanas, with summer squash, pinto beans and corn. You\u2019ll also find esquites (Mexican street corn), a salsa bar, Mexican sodas and beer.<\/p>\n

The Beast serves out of five midmountain locations, often near the base or top of popular lifts. Hungry riders can keep tabs on Taco Beast\u2019s whereabouts via Twitter (@TacoBeastSBT<\/a>). It opens in December and sticks around as long as the snow does, sometimes dishing tacos well into July.<\/p>\n

\n

Taco Beast\u2019s Esquites<\/h2>\n

This snack of Mexican street corn serves four and was furnished by Adam White, executive sous chef at Steamboat.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/h3>\n

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
\nNeutral oil, such as canola, for saut\u00e9ing
\n1 cup sliced green onions (about 1 bunch)
\n1 cup chopped cilantro leaves (about 1 bunch)
\n1 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream thinned with an extra 2 tablespoons lime juice)
\n\u00bc cup mayonnaise
\n2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
\n2 teaspoons kosher salt
\n1 teaspoon lime\u2013chile pepper seasoning, such as Taj\u00edn, plus more to taste
\n1 jalape\u00f1o, seeded and minced
\n1 quart corn kernels (cut from about 5 ears fresh corn, or about 1\u00bd pounds frozen)
\nQueso fresco, crumbled, to taste<\/p>\n

Directions<\/h3>\n

1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, saut\u00e9 garlic in oil until soft. Transfer to a mixing bowl.<\/p>\n

2. To make the esquites sauce, add everything but corn and queso fresco to the bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside.<\/p>\n

3. Return frying pan to high heat and saut\u00e9 corn until it begins to brown. Reduce heat to low and add sauce (use all of it for super saucy deliciousness, use less if desired). Heat until hot, but not boiling.<\/p>\n

4. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with queso fresco and additional lime\u2013chile seasoning if desired.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A version of this story appeared in the winter 2020 issue of\u00a0Uncommon Path. You\u2019re carving smooth turns down Buddy\u2019s Run at Colorado\u2019s Steamboat Resort, capping off a delirious morning on blower powder, when it hits you: You\u2019re starving. If only there were a taqueria built into a snow groomer halfway up the mountain, midrun. Well, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":152029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,388],"tags":[87,998,1984,473,1934,2024],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-140289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-snowsports","category-travel","tag-colorado","tag-food","tag-issue-2","tag-skiing","tag-uncommon-path","tag-uncommon-path-issues"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/snow-groomer-turned-taco-truck","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How a Ski Resort Turned a Snow Groomer Into a Taco Truck","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/snow-groomer-turned-taco-truck","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/snow-groomer-turned-taco-truck"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/02\/taco-beast-hero-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/02\/taco-beast-hero-1.jpg?fit=2000%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Snowsports","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["colorado","food","issue 2","skiing","uncommon path","uncommon path issues"],"dateCreated":"2020-02-07T23:34:09Z","datePublished":"2020-02-07T23:34:09Z","dateModified":"2020-07-06T21:10:24Z"},"rendered":"