mizchef

posted by admin on Oct 16

When I was 16, my parents took me on a European tour. It was one of those bus tours, where you travel with a bunch of people for two weeks from place to place. We hit London, Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I wish my palate had been more sophisticated then, because that’s a foodie’s dream. But, since I was only 16, don’t expect some European food manifesto.

I do remember some things about the food, though: the fish and chips in London and learning that Brits like mayonnaise with their chips (French fries to us Yanks), which almost made me barf. (Italians, in general, are not fond of mayo.) Eating weisswurst (white sausage) in Switzerland, which, never being a big meat eater, again, almost made me barf. Having my first grasshopper—a creamy, minty drink—at the Lido in Paris. Once again, my cookies were threatening to toss. (I’m starting to see a pattern here. Not all my food experiences in Europe were bad, though. It just seems like I’m remembering the bad ones.)

My parents, however, decided to make a little foodie adventure for themselves. They decided that they wanted to try the pizza in every place we visited. It was a noble idea, since pizza is interpreted different ways everywhere you go. I don’t recall having pizza in London (which may have been a good thing). I remember sitting in a trattoria-type place in Paris and my mother declaring, “I want to try pizza in every city.” So, I guess it was my mother’s idea. And it would’ve been great if it hadn’t been for the fact that my father had gotten sick in London and was acting like a brat. But I digress.

Anyway, I remembered this little experiment of my mother’s this week while I was in Denver and had lunch at a place called Beau Jo’s, where they proudly serve up Colorado Mountain Pies. Now, my very first thought was probably the same one you had upon seeing the name. Yes, it’s an unfortunate name, to be sure. But it is not at all what it sounds like. It is, in fact, Beau Jo’s specialty pizza.

If you’re from New York, one thing you have to remember when trying pizza in any other location: DO NOT EXPECT NEW YORK-STYLE PIZZA. You will not get it. I don’t care if the joint advertises “New York-Style Pizza.” They’re lying. It’s not possible—unless they import New York City water. That’s right. It’s the water in New York City that makes pizza, bread, bagels, etc., taste as good as they do. I’m not making this up. It’s a well-known fact. I have two friends who were originally from Brooklyn and who now live in E. Stroudsburg, PA. They told me recently that there are two pizza joints in their town that make great pizza. Why? They import NYC water. I say this because I’ve have pizza in different places around the world and around the country and it’s never like New York pizza. But that’s not to say that pizza outside of New York isn’t good—it’s just different.

The history of Beau Jo’s goes back to the 1880s, when a French fur trapper named Pete ZaPigh followed the Colorado Gold Rush to Idaho Springs. Apparently not very adept at anything else, he developed a recipe for pizza, which was lost for 75 years and resurrected in 1973. An amusing account of it can be read HERE. I don’t know how much of it is true, but it’s now a Colorado legend.

So, I’m at Beau Jo’s and I decide to try a mountain pie. I was really tempted to try a prairie pie, the difference being that a mountain pie has a thick crust, whereas the prairie pie has a thin crust. I love thin-crust pizza, but they’re famous for their mountain pies, so that’s what I got. They have quite a variety on offer, but I went with the vegetarian combo: Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, red onions, black olives, sauce, and mozzarella. The crust is thick and bread-like and quite hearty, which, I suspect, is why they call it a mountain pie. It kind of has a rugged, stick-to-your-ribs quality. They offer numerous styles, such as Yukon (smoked Canadian bacon, artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, sauce, mozzarella, and smoked provolone), Highland Mary (ranch dressing, black olives, Roma tomatoes, chicken breast slices, mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil), and Green Chile Cheeseburger (ranch dressing, ground beef, Roma tomatoes, red onions, fire-roasted green chiles, Monterey Jack cheese, and mild cheddar). You can also build your own pie, choosing from a list of sauces and toppings. For those who prefer a gluten-free diet, they offer gluten-free prairie pies in several varieties.

Here’s the funny part. The pies (both kinds) come in various sizes, from individual-size pies to X-Large pies cut into 12 slices. On the menu, it has a weight chart with prices, and you can choose a one-pounder, two-pounder, three-pounder, or five-pounder. Now, being the half-wit that I am, and not reading it properly, I initially thought that it was a kind of diet thing, where you decide on the size of the pizza based on your weight. My dining companion, Andi, said to me, “No, it’s the size of the pizza, not the size of the person.” I looked at her expression, a mix of bemusement and amazement, and busted out laughing. Thank goodness she did, too.

They have several locations in Colorado and their menu (as well as a nutrition and allergen chart for their products) can be viewed at Beaujos.com. As Andi said, their menu is complicated, and you might indeed have a difficult time making a decision, but it’s been around since 1973, so, evidently, it must get easier for regulars as time goes on.

One note thought: If you order the Honey Cheese Bread, be prepared for an unsusual experience. It’s exactly what it sounds like—honey and cheese on a focaccia-like bread. Personally, it was a bit too odd for me, but, hey, it might just be up your alley. It was definitely an interesting experience, which I always appreciate, even if the outcome isn’t to my liking.

Today, October 16, is my birthday, and I’m enjoying a beautiful Colorado day, with clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s. Back home in New York, my family and friends are not as lucky and I hope things improve soon. Have a great week, everyone, wherever you are. I’m discovering lately that life really is what you make of it, so make the most of it.

Ciao.

Photo of pizza: Courtesy of www.nyflyingpizza.com