Originally published: Freeskier Magazine.
Most skiers I know have a laundry list of priorities that rank higher than a home cooked meal. I don’t blame them. Living in a mountain town provides endless opportunities for all things fun, and diet is easy to neglect. Beyond Skid: A Cookbook For Ski Bums is a dirtbag-friendly compilation of recipes built around a ski-first-cook-later mentality.
If you don’t live in Jackson, you may wonder: What on earth is a skid? I’m glad you asked.
Have you ever stolen french fries that ski school kids left by the trash can? Do you commit to plans beyond the seven-day snow forecast? Would you rather have ski pass benefits than a 401K? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re probably a skid.
Skids are your friendly neighborhood ski bums, harmless creatures—albeit a little flakey—known for sacrificing rest, nutrition and all sorts of creature comforts to quench their insatiable desire for powder skiing.
Plagued by the same all-consuming addiction to sliding down snow on planks of wood, my partner Max and I spent three years cooking up a storm in our tiny kitchen in Jackson Hole, determined to create recipes that were creative and interesting, yet easy enough that the drunkest gaper day skier could still prepare them.
Here are a few ski bum-friendly recipes built to enjoy on and off the slopes.
First chair breakfast
Dawn Patrol Burritos
Burritos are a holy entity to skiers. Dawn Patrol Breakfast Burritos were designed to be made in batches, so you can snag one out of the freezer at will for a tasty and filling breakfast on the go.
Après snack
Parking Lot Guac
A lot of things take place in a ski resort parking lot I wouldn’t want my grandmother to see. But Parking Lot Guac isn’t one of them. Making guac isn’t rocket science, so this particular iteration steps it up a notch to impress your ski buddies while you après hard on closing day. Strawberries add a unique twist that pairs really well with avocado, but if you feel like that’s too pretentious, by all means ditch ‘em.
Dirtbag date night
Ski Boot Schnitzel
Born out of necessity on a ski trip to Austria, Ski Boot Schnitzel is a creative take on a classic. I’ve never met a dirtbag who owned a meat tenderizer (just a fancy and expensive hammer after all), and a heavy ski boot honestly works better. Just make sure you put the meat in a plastic bag before obliterating it with your boot. It’s hard to go wrong with fried, breaded meat and leftovers are super tasty when stuffed in a sandwich for chairlift lunches the next day.
Skintrack fuel
Espresso Date Energy Balls
Anything is possible with a pocket full of Espresso Date Energy Balls. These compact snacks are ideal for stuffing in a ski jacket pocket, or the hip belt of a touring pack, and provide a quick pick me up when I’m feeling low. They’re incredibly easy to prepare with a few pantry staples—just throw everything in a food processor and blend until it all sticks together in a smooth, sticky dough, roll them into balls and pop them in the freezer!
