The Origin of Fire and the Legend of Ug-Gug
We
know the mountains framing our valley to the west as the
Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This name is a relatively
new characterization, coming into use only during the
beginning of the 19th century. The name,
Spanish for ‘blood of Christ, is said to come from the
red alpenglow experienced during some sunrises and
sunsets. These mountains have been called La Sierra
Nevada, La Sierra Madre, and even ‘The Snowies’ by the
first English speakers to see them from the east. But
long, long ago, they were known to the local cave men as
simply, The Mountains.
What is the secret behind Cel Dor Asado’s unique
flavor? The secret is FIRE! Fire is like magic, and
the cooking of meat, vegetables and cheese over a wood
burning fire imparts magical flavors to all such that is
cooked over a fire driven by flavorful woods like oak,
hickory and pecan. The ability to control fire is one
of mankind’s great achievements. Your asador at Cel Dor
Asado knows how to control his fire for the best
possible flavoring of food. For almost two million
years, fire has been under various forms of control by
man. Your experience at Cel Dor Asado is driven by our
fire, our hearth, our ‘parrilla’, and the warmth and joy
created for fellow patrons enjoying this unique
environment, much as people have done for thousands of
years cooking directly over burning wood.
There is a legend which has come down from The
Mountains, and is the real story behind the fire at Cel
Dor Asado. Pre-historic people once roamed The
Mountains, and among them was a boy named Ug-Gug. He
probably lived in a cave with Papa-Gug, and Mama-Gug,
maybe in what is now know as Marble Cave high up in the
Sangres! One day, long ago, Ug-gug was walking through
the high mountain forest. It was a dry, hot summer,
probably just like the 2002 summer we knew around the
West. As boys have been known to do, young Ug-Gug was
occasionally picking up stones, and throwing them about
at other such rocks spread among the trees and the
forest floor.
Then something happened for which he was not prepared.
While throwing a stone at a large rock outcropping, the
stone shattered, and threw off a spark. The spark fell
into the dry kindling at the base of the outcropping,
and started to smoke. The next thing Ug-Gug knew, he
was surrounded by fire and high flames! Running as fast
as he could away from the flames back to his cave to
tell Papa-Gug and Mama-Gug, some good luck prevailed.
Just then, a high mountain rain storm developed, rained
down, and put out the deadly mountain forest fire.
Papa-Gug was most alarmed by this happening, and asked
Ug-Gug to take him to the place where he was throwing
stones. The next day Papa-Gug and Ug-Gug walked to the
place where the fire had started. “Show me the stones
you threw and shattered that created the spark”,
Papa-Gug implored young Ug-Gug. “Here, Papa, these
stones are like the ones I threw”. Papa-Gug had never
seen stones like these before; they were fragile,
layered, and seemed very ‘flinty’. Yes, there were
‘flint’! Ug-Gug had stumbled upon flint! Papa-Gug knew
that if he could repeat the spark, and create fire in
their cave, that they would be warmer as the seasons
changed. He did. Not only were the Gugs warm all
winter, but Mama-Gug decided to try and warm some of
their foodstuffs over this fire and flame! With help
from Ug and Papa, Mama-Gug brought fire into her
‘cooking’ for her family in their cave. Soon,
neighboring peoples learned of this fire and flame, and
came to smell the meats and other things cooked with it.
The
secret was out, long ago, way up in The Mountains! Fire
was the secret to great cooking! Today, Cel Dor Asado
has that very same fire indoors for your unique dining
pleasure! The style of cooking which takes the most
advantage of a wood burning fire is that of the
Uruguayan asado. Asado is a Uruguayan national
tradition.
Now, you can feast on delectable meats, vegetables and
cheeses like a Uruguayan Conquistador, if there ever was
such a person! Cel Dor Asado combines the spirit of
Uruguayan asado with cattle heritage of European
explorers always looking for new adventure. Cel Dor
Asado is a vault of fire and warmth with scents and
flavors seldom experienced in regular American dining.
Your asador knows how to prepare foods to your liking,
and through his own creativity, may introduce you to
tastes you’ll find forever irresistible.
