Last night was a lovely evening under a clear and starlit sky in the desert of North Scottsdale. It was hard to believe we were only minutes from high-end resorts and restaurants! We were surrounded on all sides by beautiful mountains — the McDowell Mountains, Weaver’s Needle, and Four Peaks.
Brett’s Desert Adventures showed us the ultimate cowboy experience. We were greeted at the ranch by Brett Barker, who had green chili quesadillas and beverages waiting for us. He then set to work grilling a rib eye directly on lump charcoal. It was served up on baguettes with butter and bleu cheese. Wow…double wow.
The wagon ride that followed was one of the highlights of the evening. We were pulled by a team of horses, and stopped to hear Brett tell some tall tales and recite cowboy poetry. The sunset painted the sky with vibrant shades of orange, yellow and pink. Just stunning. Upon our return to the ranch, we were serenaded by Barney Carl as he sang cowboy songs and played the guitar. Barney has been in the music business for almost 50 years and once sang with Dean Martin!
Brett has won awards for his Dutch oven cooking and has even written a cookbook. Around the campfire, he was simmering chicken, vegetables, green chili pork stew, beans, and biscuits. The dinner bell rang and we lined up as Brett and his helpers filled our plates. It was a chilly evening, but we were cozy with blankets as we sat by the campfire. Brett showed us how to make peach cobbler in a Dutch oven and served it with ice cream for dessert…delicious! Tall tales, cowboy poetry, and music continued through the evening. Check out their website to see all the fun events that happen at the ranch!
– Judy {Concierge}
Thank you to Brett’s Desert Adventures for the complimentary dinner.