The loop always started with a stop in Chetopa, Kansas for gas since the stations there were constantly engaged in a gas war. We'd also hit Coooper's Drive-In for chocolate dipped ice cream cones, half of which ended up on my shirt. The next stop was Grand Lake dam where Grandpa would park the Buick at the overlook to admire the mass of concrete. I had no interest in that scenery, but I do remember thinking driving over the dam was a big deal. Woo hooooo!
The return trip home was never complete without a stop at Buffalo Ranch in Afton, Oklahoma.
We'd pile out of the Buick to stare at the buffalos beyond the tall fence, then Grandpa would always ask us if we were hungry enough to eat a buffalo burger. It was a novelty and we were always amazed that buffalo really didn't taste much different than beef. In fact, in later years, I wondered if it really was buffalo meat, or just ground beef from the local Piggly Wiggly. But I suppose they were honest and actually serving meat from the buffalo raised on the ranch.
Now I'll cut to the chase. Michael was home this past week and is a very picky eater. He's the same kid who refused to eat a hamburger until he was in first grade. He insisted on fish sandwiches from McDonald's. (His pediatrician called those Crisco suppositories.) Since he was leaving on Monday to go back on the road, I decided to barbecue Sunday night. I suggested steaks or hamburger, but he insisted that he would not eat beef. (Never mind the fact that I KNOW he ate mystery meat tacos from Taco Bell for lunch!) He was set on buffalo. Uh . . . WHAT? I told him to call up Ted Turner and see if he delivered.
Michael checked around and found out Fry's supermarkets actually carry ground buffalo meat, so he brought home the buffalo and I cooked it up for dinner. I added Worcestershire sauce, seasoning, and blue cheese to the mix because I remembered a statement from Top Chef that buffalo burgers tended to be very dry. That and I figured the Worcestershire and blue cheese might cover any gamey taste from the buffalo?
I resisted the entire buffalo burger idea, but I'll admit, they turned out good. Really good! And that first bite brought back all the memories of Buffalo Ranch and those Sunday afternoon drives. I read online that it was torn down in 2004 to build a gas station/mini-mart. I wonder if they sell buffalo meat?
Buffalo Blue Burgers and Grilled Veggies with Peaches
Michael confessed sheepishly after dinner that the ground buffalo was $8.99 a pound. I about blew my teeth out! Those people really think a lot of their buffalos! HA!
P.S. The spelling of all those damn dams is now corrected. LOL!
10 comments:
Buffalo meat is so much better for you than regular beef. Whole Foods carries it in all the same cuts as their USDA Prime Beef. It is VERY expensive. No gamey taste at all.
I too love Dams. My Grandfather worked on Hoover Dam (first called Boulder Dam), Shasta Dam and retired after completing Glen Canyon Dam. My parents worked on the Grand Coulee Dam, where I grew up. When ever we are close bye any Dam, we always stop.
Your new name shall be---
"Dances With BBQ"
Tatanka!
Chrissy, my son's all about healthy food, even if he doesn't always follow the plan. He travels most of the year and told me he eats a lot of his evening meals at Whole Foods. We don't have one in this area, but we called them Whole Paycheck up in Washington State. But they're beautiful stores! I had no idea you grew up around the Grand Coulee. We used to vacation in the Winthrop area a lot and drove through once on our way from there to Spokane. My dad was a civil engineer, so he was also into visiting damns. Growing up in a strict Baptist home, I used to love to say the word in that context since it wasn't allowed in the other context. (Maybe that's why I have such a truck driver mouth now -- rebellion.)
drgeo -- LOL! I accept my new title. Actually, it's Craig that fires up the grill. I've always been chicken about things with valves and propane tanks.
Our neighbor says he can't keep up with the demand for his bison meat! And it is expensive! I think dams are a western US phenomenon--don't think there are any around here!
That brought back memories for me, too, of going for Sunday afternoon rides in Kansas in my grandfather's Buick, but Grandpa liked to check out wheat fields, not dams. He loved to take "short cuts" on the chalk covered back roads that always took longer to get anywhere.
Kay
I have a little museum in Afton, OK just down the road from the old Buffalo Ranch. It's been torn down and is now a plain, ordinary truck stop. :-(
About the buffalo burgers they sold there: My dear friend Betty Wheatley owned and ran the drive-in at Buffalo Ranch for 41 years, and the burgers she sold there were definitely buffalo meat. I've heard many stories from her about how hard it was to acquire the buffalo meat sometimes, but she always did. She is known all over this part of OK for her buffalo burgers and limeades. I just found your blog for the first time today, so I don't know where you live, but maybe some time you can come to Afton and visit my place, meet Betty, and have some cool old memories there.
Laurel Kane
www.aftonstationblog-laurel.blogspot.com
Your referral to grandpa being obsessed with "damns" about made spew out my tea! (I thought, "Huh? Grandpa's big into cursing?"
Damn is the cuss word; dam is the physical structure.
Jajajajajajaj!!!
Linda
Isla Chica
Linda, I can't believe I spelled dam wrong! Big oops! Now I need to go back and correct all the damn dams! (I was an English major, so this is so embarrassing!
Kay, I also took a lot of Sunday afternoon rides on the dirt backroads of Kansas. And I've been to Ensign several times as an adult to visit Craig's mom's family cemetery on Sunday afternoons. His mom was buried out in Garfield, Kansas along with his dad. That's where Orvalee and family live now.
Laurel, I live in Phoenix, but get back to southeast Kansas once a year to visit my mother. I fly into Tulsa and usually do some antiquing with a friend who lives there, so Afton is certainly not out of the question. Her parents had a cabin at Grand Lake, so she'd probably like to check that out. Maybe this next year! It'd be a walk down memory lane! And I'm glad to hear the buffalo burgers were buffalo. When I tasted the meat on Sunday night, it instantly brought back the memories of Buffalo Ranch, and that's probably why! I will bookmark your blog!
Ann,we'll be eating more of that buffalo meat in November and December because my son will be in and out basing himself out of Phoenix during that time.
Sure would like to get in touch with the ladies who commented on Buffalo Ranch. That was owned and operated by my Aunt Aileene and Uncle Russell in Afton, Ok. I spent many summers there growing up. The tourist attraction is no longer there; now a truck stop/convenient store. So many wonderful memories visiting my aunt/uncle. Oh..those were real Buffalo meat burgers called bison burgers. My Mom and Aunt Aileene were sisters.
Cindy - My dad and I were searching for information on the Buffalo Ranch and found this blog. My dad is a retired Oklahoma State Trooper who knew your Aunt very well. We lived in Vinita. My dad was stationed there with the Highway Patrol. He spent many hours at the Buffalo Ranch visiting with your Aunt and considered her a great friend. He would love to visit with you about her. You can email him at frankeverett16@hotmail.com He also has a Facebook page - Frank Everett. We live in Muskogee, OK now. Your Aunt was very good to my dad and the other State Troopers in the areas. If you have time and wouldn't mind, please feel free to write him! Thanks for your post!
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