Introducing Steamboat’s latest dining experience…
It wasn’t long after moving to the Yampa Valley that Laura knew this was where she wanted to start her business. Through Laura the Butcher, Laura is bringing fresh, quality, sustainable products from around the world and the Yampa Valley to create beautiful boards and grazing tables.
We are so fortunate that Laura has brought her passion and experience to Steamboat so that we can all delight in the joy of sharing exquisitely crafted fare with family and friends. We caught up with Laura to hear more about how her passions became Laura the Butcher.
Tell us about yourself:
How I ended up here has been the result of a series of fortunate events. A botched teenager’s cooking experiment led to a culinary arts degree. Then one restaurant in San Francisco prompted my interest in organic farming. I wanted to know everything I could about the food that I was preparing and spent years working with farmers including travelling abroad gaining a love for food that was so raw and pure.
I discovered my passion for butchery ten years ago in Borgo Val Di Taro, a tiny town in Northern Italy where a short visit turned out to be a two-month stint learning from a town butcher who turned beautiful salamis, prosciutto and other cured meats that I had never seen let alone tasted. I have spent the remaining time furthering this passion and honing my skills.
Finding Steamboat was another fortunate event. My wife Ashlyn, a photographer, found a job at The Jace Romick Gallery as Director and she convinced me that I would love it here. She was right.
What do you love about living in the Yampa Valley?
The Yampa Valley continues to take my breath away. There is a year-round uplifting source of energy and a vibrant art community. It constantly amazes me with the number of things to get involved in. I have been enjoying hikes, cross country skiing, yoga and volleyball to name a few. I have met so many people who have been enthusiastic and supportive. The local people are a big part of my decision to launch my business here.
Tell us about Laura the Butcher, what inspired you to start your business?
Starting Laura The Butcher has been a dream for me, a business that involves the two things that I love the most about the culinary world: artisanal culinary practices and meat education.
When I moved to Steamboat, I knew from the vibe of the community that I would want to start a business here. There is a predominant culinary scene and some really phenomenal chefs. I realized that the people here share my appreciation for quality food. I felt that my business would complement the local businesses and at the same time enable me to be creative. I can take it and run with it, bringing in flavors that I don’t see in the area yet. It’s exciting for my customers and exciting for myself.
Tell us about the different products you offer:
Laura The Butcher specializes in charcuterie platters and grazing tables.
The platters come in four different sizes to suit any party and the grazing tables are a stunning addition to larger events. I work closely with a distributor that imports cured meats and cheeses from all over the world as well as work with some fantastic domestic producers.
Every item on my platter is something that I, as a butcher and a chef, would be excited to see. In addition to the platters, I also offer yummy add-ons such as boxed French macarons and petit fours, as well as specialty drinks.
What are some of your favorite local products to feature on your boards/grazing tables?
One of my favorite items I feature on my boards is a local honeycomb. Graham Stecklein of GR Bee’s is a young man from Craig who has taken over his grandfather’s bee keeping business and manages hives throughout Routt, Moffatt and Eagle Counties. He sells me honeycomb still on the flat and I love scooping up a big spoonful to top every one of my platters.
Exciting recent additions to my grazing tables are floral arrangements created by Linden Co. Florist here in Steamboat. Caroline, the owner, is curating flower arrangements specific to compliment beautiful spreads of cured meats and cheeses. I’m so excited for this partnership as they will bring these already beautiful tables to the next level.
For more information or to order one of these beautiful platters visit Laura’s website.