In the early 20th century, as automobiles began to traverse the winding roads of Colorado’s mountainous terrain, a series of quaint establishments emerged to cater to motorists seeking respite and refreshment. Among these was the Rustic Tea Room in Evergreen, Colorado, a picturesque town nestled in the foothills of the Rock Mountains about 30 miles west of Denver.
Grace V. Hamilton and her husband, Allan, opened the Rustic Tea Room on June 21, 1930. Hamilton brought considerable experience to the venture. In 1927 she was listed in a newspaper advertisement as the manager of the Cockle Shell Tearoom, and the following year a story in the Rocky Mountain News announced that the Navajo Lodge, a brand new mountain resort in Indian Hills, would be “under the personal management of Grace V. Hamilton and will feature trout and chicken dinners, sandwiches, light lunches, and refreshments, all prepared by an experienced chef.”
The Hamiltons introduced the same type of menu at the Rustic Tea Room. They placed small newspaper ads urging motorists to “dine in the mountains” and promised them “delicious trout, chicken, or steak dinners” priced at $1.25 and $1.50. By 1931 the ads were touting “the best chicken dinner in mountains.”
In 1932 the Hamiltons moved the Rustic Tea Room to bigger and better quarters on the northwest corner of Main Street (today Highway 74) and Douglas Park Road, and the same year—one of the most challenging of the Great Depression—saw Grace moonlighting as the manager of a tearoom/cafe in Denver’s Hotel La Bonte.
The Rustic Tea Room, a summers-only operation, somehow thrived through the mid-1930s, hosting dinners for as many as 80 guests at a time and introducing daily musical programs for patrons to enjoy with their meals. Its reputation soared when Duncan Hines, the nation’s leading where-to-eat expert, published one of its recipes in his Adventures in Good Cooking and the Art of Carving in the Home, published in 1935. Later, the Rustic Tea Room earned a regular spot in Adventures in Good Eating, Hines’s series of immensely popular guidebooks for travelers on the nation’s highways. The 1950 edition gave this rundown of its specialties: “mountain trout, fried chicken, roast beef, baked spiced ham, breast of chicken with fresh mushrooms, planked steaks, sea food grill, lemon chiffon pie, butterscotch tarts, ice box cake.”
In 1949 the Rustic Tea Room reopened on Memorial Day for its 21st season, with the local newspaper observing that from its beginnings as a modest one-room establishment it had “grown to be a show place as well as a place for fine foods.” But this season would turn out to be in last. In 1950 the Evergreen Crafters shop moved into the one-story building and remained there until 2008, when raccoons invaded the foundation and chewed through the electrical wiring, forcing the shop to find relocate across the street.
The Hamiltons later settled in Scottsdale, Arizona. Allan, who’d been affectionately known as the “mayor” of Evergreen, died in 1969 at age 86; Grace died in 1980 at age 93.
In 2016, after nearly a decade of neglect, the longtime home of the Rustic Tea Room was demolished.
Grapefruit Burgundy
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Loading...Duncan Hines, on one of his many road trips across America, stopped at the Rustic Tea Room in Evergreen, Colorado, and sampled its "Grapefruit Burgundy." He included the recipe for the dish in his "Adventures in Good Cooking and the Art of Carving in the Home," which was published in 1935.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fruit juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup wine (red or white, depending on preference)
- 6 grapefruit halves
- Cherries or fresh mint leaves (for optional garnish)
Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine the fruit juice and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely.
Once the syrup has cooled, stir in the wine.
Place the grapefruit halves on a serving dish. Generously spoon the syrup over each grapefruit half, ensuring even coverage.
Garnish with a cherry or a sprig of mint for a touch of color and freshness.
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