The Gage is a destination, not only for tourists in the area darting off to Marfa and McDonald Observatory but also for gourmands looking for finer things to sate their appetites at 12 Gage Restaurant, which offers a series special dinners featuring out-of-town guest chefs and distillers.
Big Bend country in Far West Texas is one of my favorite parts of the world. There are large swaths of deceptively desolate, beautiful land; there is the Rio Grande; there is Big Bend National Park, where one Christmas my family and I marveled nightly at the tapestry of stars; there’s Big Bend Brewing Co, a treasure whose sudsy products are available statewide; and there are vibrant small towns like Marathon, site of the historic Gage Hotel.
Designed and built with an eye toward an adobe Mission theme by El Paso, Texas-based architect Henry Trost—the same architect behind the nearby Paisano Hotel in Marfa, the Holland Hotel in Alpine, and the El Capitan in Van Horn—the Gage Hotel officially opened for business in April of 1927. It was host to numerous notable individuals, including western writer Zane Grey, and after years of decline was purchased by J.P. Bryan in 1978. Restoration has rejuvenated the Gage Hotel. It’s a destination, not only for tourists in the area darting off to Marfa and McDonald Observatory but also for gourmands looking for finer things to sate their appetites. The Gage Hotel’s restaurant 12 Gage offers those in a series special dinners featuring out-of-town guest chefs and distillers.
The next one is TX Whiskey Pairing Dinner on Saturday, September 8. Featuring locally sourced gourmet fare paired with Fort Worth, Texas-based TX Whiskey and highlighted by Texas whiskey writer and aficionado, Rob Arnold, who will offer guests first-hand whiskey expertise and tastings.
“Texans are a thirsty bunch and at the Gage Hotel, it is always cocktail time,” says the Gage Hotel’s general manager, Carol Peterson, who shares a cocktail recipe below. “We are honored to partner with TX Whiskey to host this one-night tasting event filled with whiskey cocktails and great food all enjoyed with the unsurpassed beauty of West Texas as a backdrop.”
TX Whiskey Old Fashioned
1½ ounces TX Whiskey
2 cherries
1 orange slice
4 dashes bitters
Splash Topo Chico
Add cherries and the orange slice to a whiskey glass with bitters. Muddle and pour TX Whiskey over the fruit. Fill glass with ice and top with a splash of Topo Chico.
Seating and space for this exclusive event are limited and reservations are required.
For more information and reservations, contact the Gage Hotel at 423.386.4205, and visit the hotel’s website. Images courtesy Gage Hotel. Subscribe to the forthcoming monthly Taste of the West e-newsletter below.
