[country western music] [Walter] Welcome to Colorad Springs.

This city is surrounded by beautiful rocky mountains.

A city full of history and tradition.

Today, we discover its origins from the indigenous Ute people to the homesteaders who shaped its landscape and prepare some fantastic recipes along the way at historic Rock Ledge Ranch.

Oh, wow!

So join me as we savor the history and taste the flavor that withstood the test of time.

Childhood memories.

All this for A Taste of History.

[Narrator] A Taste of History is made possible by [Three Little Birds b Bob Marley & The Wailers plays] ♪ Rise up this morning ♪ ♪ smiled with the rising sun ♪ ♪ three little birds ♪ [Narrator] The Caribbean all inclusive Sandals Resorts.

More information can be found at sandals.com.

Additional funding provided by Crow Vineyard and Winery on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Sip.

Stay.

Savor.

[atmospheric music builds] [bird squawks] [waterfall roars] [Narrator] Withi the heart of the American West lies the city of Colorado Springs a place where history is etched into the very landscape.

For countless generations, this region has been the cherished homeland of the Ute nations.

As time chiseled its mark on these lands, the Ute recognized the centennia that presided over this realm, the formidable Pikes Peak, a mountain that stood as both guardian and witness to the ever changing chapters of history.

In the valleys below the unique and now iconic roc formations, what is today named the Garden of the Gods has been a sacred meeting place for the Ute nations for thousands of years.

The Ute interacted with th rugged landscapes around them, recognizing the Earth as a provider of sustenance, wisdom, and spiritual guidance.

[uplifting music] [Bowen] So the rock formations that are exposed in Garden of the Gods are truly ancient.

The rocks around me right no are over 300 million years old.

That's all that's left of the ancestral Rocky Mountains.

The first set of Rocky Mountains that were worn away over a long period of tim by mostly water based erosion.

Archeologically, we have evidence of human occupation and Garden of the Gods for the last 4500 years, the Ute nation here in the mountains of Colorado had no migration story.

Their story i that they have always been here throughout time.

The Garden of Gods was an ideal place to spend the winter.

You have a natural shelte provided by the rock fins here.

We have mild winters.

We have tons of resources, both medicinally utilitarian and food sources.

The Utes still are a living, vibrant part of our community here in Colorado and Colorado Springs.

[Narrator] By the mid-19th century, the discovery of gold and westward expansion reshaped the course of history in the region.

The Homestead Act was passed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862.

This act provided 160 acres of public land to aspiring settlers, on the condition that they improved it by building a dwelling and cultivating crops.

[Melissa] With the start of the Civil War, there's this question of, 'if we can populate certain areas out west,' 'then we can have them ente the Union as free states.'

And so it really didn't change anything for the war per se.

But after the war, all sorts of people were taking advantage of the Homestead Act.

It didn't discriminate against color of skin or females as well.

As long as you were the head of household, you could come and take a homestead.

[Narrator] In the 1860s, a enterprising Scottish immigrant named Walter Galloway arrived in Colorado Springs.

Galloway earned his U.S. citizenship, fighting for the Union during the Civil War, and sought a promising future for himself in the West.

Here, on the site of what is today the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, he constructed a modest cabin and worked as a da laborer in nearby Colorado City.

I always think about it i I was going to be a homesteader, I couldn't pick a better spot.

Nestled right up against Garden of the Gods.

And thankfully, with the partnership of the city of Colorado Springs, our Living History Association, which is our Friends Group to be able to preserve and have this place look so much like what it would have looked like in the past.

[country western music] [fire crackles] [Richard] Welcome Chef Staib to Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site at Garden of the Gods.

-It is my honor to be here.

-We're going to do a buckwheat sourdough bread.

It's a very simple bread.

-So this is interesting because buckwheat normally grows in open terrain because it it doesn' require much food from the soil.

-Buckwheat is not very wel known.

Most of the visitors to the par don't know anything about it.

Early expeditions to Colorado, they called it the Great American Desert.

It was so dry and unlike what it is right now, that's treed in green, it was one large open field and Galloway for some reason had the intuitio to bring buckwheat from New York and grew it here.

And so in the open fields where he could flood it from the springs it grew well on the poor soil.

It's slightly bitter, but it's a very unique and delightful flavor.

And it was very popular all over Eastern Europe and throughout Russia.

If you go pre-1900 everybody kept their own sour dough starter.

And that's partl what got me excited about this.

This particular starter actually came out in the Oregon Trail.

So this one is 160 years old.

-Woo!

-And I've baked bread with it every week for the last 30 years.

-Precious gold -Yeah Plain flour, roughly a half a cup.

And I suspect he did it so ofte he didn't use exact measurements -Correct.

It's like when I cook something, the measuring cup is here.

-Yes.

Yes.

And your eyes, because you've done it so many times.

Water.

Okay.

Now we mix and mix and mix.

It's starting to bubble.

-Beautiful.

-Can you smell the yeast?

-Oh!

Can I!

Unfortunately we don't have smell-a-vision.

[laughs] -Not yet.

-That goes back to 160 years.

This is quite a historical accomplishment I would say.

-Well, now let the sour dough that's been refreshed sit for an hour and become very active.

[fire crackles] [Walter] Let's see.

Oh, Wow!

-Oh, yes.

Now it's really going.

You can see all the bubbles.

The yeast is very happy.

So now let's start adding the flours and the other ingredients.

Let's start off with buckwheat.

We'll go for about a cup and a half.

You can see the dark almost black color.

I think it's the specks from the hull because when they grind it they usually leave the hull on.

-I think that's what gives it a good flavor though.

-Oh yes.

And we'll do a couple of cups of whole wheat.

So this is going to be a hearty bread.

-Gotcha.

-Okay.

If you want to start stirring.

So let's add a little more liquid.

And that'll give you something to stir.

So that's the milk the honey and the butter.

-That you steeped.

-Yes I always think of my yeast as a little bit like a baby.

You got to keep them warm and you got to feed them [Walter laughs] -You're right.

-And then once we got it a little bit far a long, pause and put in about a teaspoon and a half of that salt right there.

Salt inhibits the yeast in general.

And so I tend to add the salt near the end.

It seems to help getting things to bulk up.

It's already pretty stiff.

-Well that's your 160 year old yeast.

[Richard laughs] If you appreciate sour dough that's the ticket.

Yeast comes right through it.

Look at look at how nice we got it!

Oh fantastic.

-I think we're far enough along we can turn it out on the board and get sticky hands, kneading it a little bit.

-And all from scratch!

Can you believe that?

[Richard] So it looks like it's shaped up well.

-So now we're going to cover that and for how much time?

-Usually another hour.

[country western music] [Richard] Okay I think it's probably ready to go in the Dutch oven.

-Oh yeah.

-Yeah it's more active a little bit damp.

-You just want to make sure it doesn't stick.

-Right.

And lard seems to do really well with the cast iron.

I don't know quite why, but it does.

Now it needs to be warmed for about an hour so that it'll rise and start to fill the Dutch oven.

So one of the common ways I do it is to take it out and put it in the sun.

The sun on this black metal, it rises great.

-In no time.

-And then once we get it risen, we'll put it in the horno and we'll bake!

[country western music] [Richard] Okay, it's been about 45 minutes, so I'm sure the bread is done.

-Good, good, good.

-Okay, let me get the lid off of there and you get the first look.

-Beautiful!

-Oh, it came right out.

-You did a great job with the lard.

-Okay.

-What do you think about that?

-It looks good.

I think we have to try it.

Mind if I join you?

-Oh, wow!

To me what it tastes like, it's nutty.

And I think the buckwheat is what really brings it to the forefront.

-It's a little crumbly.

It's a little dry, but it feels very earthy, very solid.

And I like it with something like butter.

But I also like it with a really good cheese.

-Or maybe a piece of prosciutto?

-Oh, that sounds so good.

[Walter laughs] -Fantastic.

-So you can tell I love doing it.

-Not only can I tell, I can taste it.

Just spectacular.

[uplifting music] [Narrator] Industrialist Willia Jackson Palmer was a pioneering figure in the history of Colorado Springs, celebrated for his instrumental role in connecting the region with the rest of the nation through the construction of the Denve and Rio Grande Western Railroad.

It was in 1871 that Palmer founded the city, laying the cornerstone for a community that would come to embody th potential of the American West.

Homesteader and tourists from far and wide were drawn to the stunning natural beauty and promise of cultivating their own peace of the West, among them was the chamber family, who set their sights on the breathtaking Colorado landscape and soon etched their legacy on this land building a thriving homestead.

[Melissa] The Rock Ledge House was built by Robert and Elsie Chambers in 1875 after purchasing the property from the original homesteader, Mr. Galloway.

The Chambers were very entrepreneurial and from the very beginning it was meant to be a boarding house.

So, think Airbnb 150 years ago.

[Narrator] The Chambers family, like so many others, worked and labored, building a legacy from the ground up.

From humble beginnings, Rock Ledge Ranch grew into a symbol of determination and a hub of agricultural prowess.

[Melissa] Irrigation in arid Colorado is really important.

Mr.

Chambers had some of the first rights to the water, so he actually worked with the neighbors to create a ditch system and irrigation that the neighbors in the valley were able to use cooperatively.

The sense of community among homesteaders was a vital source of support and camaraderie.

Neighbors often came together for barn raisings, harvesting, and celebrations, fostering a spirit of cooperation and unity in the face of adversity.

General Willia Jackson Palmer was the founder of Colorado Springs, and he was a neighbor and eventually purchased the property from the Chambers in 1900.

We know that he wanted the water rights to the property.

Eventually, General Palmer actually owned almost all of the Camp Creek Valley.

[Narrator] Another significant figure of this region's history was American businessman and philanthropist Charles Elliott Perkins.

[Bowen] Perkins in 1879, buys 240 acres of land surrounding what we now call the Central Garden here in Garden of the Gods.

And Perkins comes out and he's got these plans to build a summer home here.

But he sees people enjoying the property.

They're picnicking aroun the rocks, climbing the rocks, they're herding their cattle around the rocks.

And instead of being irate about it and demanding people leave his land, he does not want that to change.

He wants people to enjoy this beautiful property.

[Narrator] Perkins passed away in 1907, but his family understood his dream and donated the land to the city with the stipulation that it should remain a public park and be free for the enjoyment of all.

This generous gift ensured that the Garden of the Gods, a place of natural beauty and geological significance, would be preserved for future generations.

[Bowen] The human history of the park really gives you an appreciation of how this park has been used, how this area of Colorado has been used from time immemorial.

When people came here, they immediately realized this is a place that provides us shelter and provides us food.

It is a place that's got these huge rocks standing u as if placed there on purpose.

It's an amazing location to see.

[light piano music] [Walter] Elizabeth, so nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

Welcome to the Rock Ledge House.

So, this is the hom of the Chambers family.

It was built in 187 after Robert and Elsie came west with two children from Pennsylvania, hoping to find a plac that would help Elsie's health.

So, she was suffering fro some sort of respiratory ailment and, hoping the Colorado air would cure her, they came to Colorado Springs and it worked.

So they decided to stick around and built this beautiful stone house.

-It surely is a beautiful house, I tell you what.

It's gorgeous.

-So today we're going to be making sausage.

So the first thing we're going to do is chop up the sage right over here.

-What's nice about sage it grows all year.

And it's always beautiful to garnish.

And it's great tasting.

-Mmhmm!

A tablespoon of salt and just a teaspoon of pepper in here.

-Makes sense.

-We're going to season this.

-Gotcha -Just kind of folding it in.

Kind of like kneading bread.

[grinder squishing noises] -You think I've done this a few times?

[laughs] -Maybe just a few.

-Childhood memories!

I'll let you do the next few.

-Sounds good.

-I struggle with the high altitude around here.

[Elizabeth laughs] -The first grind is going to break up those bits.

The seasoning wasn't going to mix in supe well with those bigger chunks.

And so then the second grind is making it finer.

We'll get that rest of it ground using this mallet here so I don't catch my fingers.

-So, Elizabeth, so the meat is ground up and seasoned.

Now, you decided to cook it like a stir fry?

-Yep.

We're just going to do a fry up with it so it can go in just ground like this.

-I like that.

It doesn't need any fat at all because it comes right off the meat.

-Exactly.

-All right.

So now that our pork is cooking, we are ready to chop up our vegetables.

-So what kind of vegetable we using today?

Is that from your garden?

-It is!

So, these are fresh from our garden here at Rock Ledge.

We have a golden zucchini.

That's what I'm chopping up here.

And also a couple green zucchini.

-Great, great color.

Look at that, huh?

-Oh they're so beautiful.

And this is the best way to eat them.

Cooked with onions and pork.

Green zucchini -Add a little butter into it and then later the vegetable.

-Exactly.

-Give it a good stir and you're in business.

[sizzling] [Walter] Beautiful.

Garden paradise.

-There we go.

That'll be good.

-Beautiful colors.

-Yeah, they're real summer colors.

-Nice aroma coming, huh?

-Yeah.

And here you go, chef.

Our pork zucchini fry up.

-It's gorgeous.

Beautiful.

It's so simple.

So easy.

Represents the summer so much.

Beautiful.

The flavoring on your pork is fantastic.

And obviously the sage takes it right over the top.

One recommendation, keep on cooking!

[Elizabeth laughs] -Thank you so much.

[country western music] [Walter] If you're in Colorado Springs and you wonder where springs are, well, here they are!

Now, this is truly a taste of history.

There are not one, not two, but eight incredible springs that are open to the public in nearby Manitou Springs.

And guess what?

Each spring has its own unique flavor, like nature's very own soda collection.

Some are easier than others.

[producer laughs] Centuries ago, native tribes held these springs in awe.

They believed that the waters held not just healing powers, but a deep spiritual connection.

It takes thousands of year for this naturally carbonated, mineral rich water to complete the epic voyage from its mountain sources.

That means untainted of any industrial or atmospheric contamination.

This water has literally been on an ancient adventure, and now it's here in these springs.

Wow, this one tastes like Mountain Dew.

Just kidding.

But it does have carbonation and unique flavors.

Very different than the others.

I'm ready to explore anothe favorite regional refreshment, so I'm stopping i at Lost Friend Brewing Company, which hosts a few of Colorado's favorite things: craft beer, great views, and dogs.

-We are ridiculously lucky, especially in Colorado Springs.

We have to be one of the biggest city's in the country, if not the world, to have first use water.

[waterfall roars] We have water that's coming right off of snowmelt into reservoirs, coming right into our pipes, and that makes it great for making spirits and drinks and other crafts, but especially for beer, it means that we have a base water that ha low minerality and salt content, which means we can really make any style of beer possible because that water chemistry is one of the most important things to making beer.

My personal favorite is our Vienna Lager, which is just an amber style lager.

It's just really easy drinking, good year round, all weather drinker.

We also have a couple darke beers like a Scottish Wee Heavy that's a little bit stronger at 8% but has some really awesome kind of whiskey and caramelized sugar flavors.

Great cold weather beer.

Our name Lost Friend, actually comes from my wife and I finding lost dogs all the time and getting them back to their owners.

So we just started calling them lost friends and it's stuck when we're coming up with the name of the brewery.

Colorado's just a ridiculously dog friendly state.

We see our pets as children, yeah.

And we kind of joke that when you enter the state your handed out a Subaru and a Labrador.

So, you know, it was important when my wife and I started the brewery to creat a welcoming space for everybody.

And a big part of that is being able to hang out and have a beer while their dogs with them.

Third Space is kind of the philosophy that you have your home and your work, and then that third spac where you need to feel community and connection and a place where people feel welcome no matter who they are.

They can come in and make friend or bring friends and create that community with their neighbors.

[country western music] [Donna] Welcome, Che Walter back to Rock Ledge House.

I'll show you our recipe of applesauce and applesauce cake, which we make all summer long here.

So we actually still have a tree on the property that was planted by the Chambers family when they had their fruit orchard here.

The variety is in Astrakhan, which is a Russian variety, very good for pies.

-And doesn't bear plenty of fruit?

-This year we were lucky enough to actually get apples from the tree.

So chef this is already cooked down and it's soft enoug that now I can start mashing it.

I'm only going to add about a teaspoon of sugar.

So I'm going to put i about a half a teaspoon vanilla.

-Oh!

So potent.

So beautiful.

-I'm going to add a teaspoon full of cinnamon.

And then we have a little bit of nutmeg.

-Beautiful.

-It's a wonderful fall spice.

The rest of the pounding continues.

Then we put it into a jar to use it for later.

All right, chef we're ready to get starte on the next step in the process.

So the first step is to put our sugars in.

I found through making this so many times that if I'm mixing half white, half brown, I get a better consistenc and it cooks easier in the oven that we have here.

-Great idea.

-Three quarters of a cup white and the same amount on the brown.

-Okay.

-The next step is to add our butter.

That is one stick of butter.

When that's completely mixed up then we're going to add two eggs and one cup of applesauce.

Now this is the applesauce that we've already made.

Add one cup.

-Wow!

-It'll make for a tasty cake.

-I'll tell you.

Surprised me.

It's really good.

Not too acidy.

Fully balanced.

It's beautiful.

-So we're going to add this in two eggs.

Now the timing on this cake here it could take 40 minutes, sometimes even an hour.

So at home you're going to be doing this at 350.

And it will take approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

All right.

So we're going to move on to the dry ingredients next.

So we have two cups of flour a half a teaspoon of salt.

Nutmeg.

Next we have cinnamon.

And that's two teaspoons.

Next is going to be the baking soda.

And it's always important to mi your dry ingredients thoroughly.

-We put this in there?

-Now we add it to our wet ingredients.

All right.

So now grease and flour our pan.

This step is crucial.

You'll have a really hard time getting it out if you don't do this part properly.

So I'm using a lot of butter.

And if I've missed any spots, you'll see it when I put the flour in.

Swish it all around get even the sides of the pan covered.

-Spectacular job there.

Dusted your pan with no residue left.

All good.

-And it's not necessary to get it all the way through to the sides.

It will spread out on its own.

Now, at home, you can just pop it in and then come back when your timer goes off.

Here I have to rotate every 5 to 7 minutes or it's not going to come out evenly.

Coat it with powdered sugar.

All right.

Now we are going to slice.

Good?

-Spectacular.

It's really beautiful.

Not at al what I expected.

It's perfect.

Not overpowering in any flavors.

It's really good.

I'll tell you, that with a cup of coffee in the morning, will make your day.

The applesauce makes this cake very unique.

Thank you very muc for showcasing this beautiful house this beautiful estate.

-Well, we've been thrilled that you decide to come and visit us.

-All fo A Taste of History.

[music ends] [Narrator] A Taste of History is made possible by [Three Little Birds b Bob Marley & The Wailers plays] ♪ Rise up this morning ♪ ♪ smiled with the rising sun ♪ ♪ three little birds ♪ [Narrator] The Caribbean all inclusive Sandals Resorts.

More information can be found at sandals.com.

Additional funding provided by Crow Vineyard and Winery on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Sip.

Stay.

Savor.

Viewers can find DVDs and cookbooks at atasteofhistory.org, including the all new A Taste of History Cookbook, complete with step by step instructions of recipes seen on the show.

Exclusive content can be found on A Taste of History's, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.