At Mesa's Edge

EugeniaBonewasperfectlyhappywithherlifeasaNewYorkCityfoodwriter,butsheknewthatherhusband,atransplantedwesterner,wasfilledwithadiscontenthecouldn'texplain.SowhenhereturnedfromafishingtripintheRockiesonedayandannouncedthathewantedtobuyaforty-five-acreranchinCrawford,Colorado(population255),shereluctantlysaidyes.Thensheloadedimportedpasta,artichokesinoil,andcuredItaliansalamiintoherdufflebagandheadedwestwithhertwoyoungchildren.AtMesa'sEdgeisthewitty,oftenmovingstoryofranchrestorationandofstruggleswithdefiantskunks,barbedwire,maraudingcows,andloneliness.Eugenialearnstogardeninthedrought,tofly-fish,andtoforage.Intheprocess,shediscoversthebountyoftheregion.Shefrieszucchiniflowersinbatteranddipsthemincilantro-flavoredmayonnaise,grillsflavorfulT-bonesfromthelocalranchers'grass-fedbeef,pan-friestrout,fillscrepeswithwildmushrooms,andmakescherrypieswiththick,sugarycrusts.Gradually,shebeginstoadjusttotherhythmsoftheland.Partlyamemoir,partlyacookbookwith150appealingrecipes,AtMesa'sEdgeisatransportingtaleofrejuvenation,acelebrationofeverythinglocal,andareminderthatthebestfoodistobefoundinourownbackyards.