vol. 3 no. 9 • September 2017 • LEARN
Vertical Pizza p. 20
Learning to Flourish p. 14 Jorge Fierro’s American Dream p. 18
It’s time to
Preservation 101
p. 27
Devour Utah • September 2017 1
2 Devour Utah • September 2017
A family of restaurants with
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
Chabaar Beyond Thai
Tea Rose Diner
87 w 7200 s Midvale, UT 801-566-5100
65 E 5th ave Murray, UT 801-685-6111
Siam Noodle Bar
Fav Bistro
5171 Cottonwood street Murray, UT
1984 E. Murray Holladay Rd, UT 801-676-9300
Bottom floor in bldg. 1 in IMC Hospital
801-262-1888
Huge Menus • Gluten Free & Vegan Options ANNYSTAKEONTHAI.COM Devour Utah • September 2017 3
C10ontents40 14 18 20 24 27 35
Fruits of their Labor Fruit-forward restaurant dishes BY HEATHER L. KING
Flourish A bakery to teach and transform BY VIRGINIA RAINEY
Profile Rico Brand & Frida Bistro’s Jorge Fierro BY AIMEE L. COOK
The Spread Vertical Pizza BY AMANDA ROCK
The Deconstruct Café Niche’s Citrus Halibut BY TED SCHEFFLER
Preservation 101 Learning to preserve the harvest BY JEN HILL
It’s Never Too Late U. of U.’s Lifelong Learning BY LEVI ROGERS
4 Devour Utah • September 2017
58
Learning at the Bar Bartenders’ favorite tales and cocktails BY DARBY DOYLE
Last Bite Secrets of September BY FRANCIS FECTEAU
Devour Utah • September 2017 5
DEVOUR
Contributors STAFF Publisher JOHN SALTAS Editorial Editor Copy Editor Proofreader Contributors
Photographers
TED SCHEFFLER SARAH ARNOFF LANCE GUDMUNDSEN AIMEE L. COOK, DARBY DOYLE, FRANCIS FECTEAU, JEN HILL, HEATHER L. KING, AMANDA ROCK, LEVI ROGERS NIKI CHAN, JOHN TAYLOR, JOSH SCHEUERMAN
A perpetual freelancer, Virginia Rainey loves writing about good foods and spirits and the people who produce them. She has written for a variety of publications, including Park City Magazine, Sunset, Via, Delta Sky, City Weekly and is the co-author of California the Beautiful Cookbook.
Production Art Director Assistant Art Director Graphic Artists
DEREK CARLISLE BRIAN PLUMMER JOSH SCHEUERMAN, VAUGHN ROBISON
Business/Office Accounting Manager Office Administrator Technical Director
PAULA SALTAS ANNA KASER BRYAN MANNOS
Amanda Rock is a freelance food writer with a passion for local vegetarian fare. She blogs at amanda-eats-slc.blogspot.com
Marketing Marketing Manager
JACKIE BRIGGS
Circulation Circulation Manager
LARRY CARTER
Sales Magazine Advertising Director Newsprint Advertising Director Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executives
JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF PETE SALTAS ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER LISA DORELLI, JEREMIAH SMITH
Levi Rogers is a writer and coffee roaster in Salt Lake City. He graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in English and is currently getting his MFA from Antioch University. He lives with his wife, Cat, and his dog, Amelie.
Cover Illustration: Derek Carlisle Distribution is complimentary throughout the Wasatch Front. Additional copies of Devour are available for $4.95 at the Devour offices located at 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 • 801-575-7003 • DevourUtah.com Email editor at Ted@DevourUtah.com Advertising contact: Sales@DevourUtah.com
Copperfield Publishing Copyright 2017. All rights reserved
@DevourUtah
6 Devour Utah • September 2017
@DevourUtah
@DevourUtah
An urban farm, slow-food enthusiast and mother of five, Jen Hill is an SLC transplant from Bloomington, Ind. In her second season growing for a local CSA business Stagl Organics, if she’s not instructing a Pilates class or teaching at Highland High, you’ll most likely find Jen in the garden without shoes— her hands in the dirt!
Devour Utah • September 2017 7
A Time to Learn “It’s never too late to learn something new” is more than just a cliché.
A
time for learning—that’s how I think of early Fall, when baseball season morphs into football, leaves begin to drop from the trees, there’s a slight chill in the air and students are back in school. Although we’re still enjoying the fruits of the late summer garden, in my kitchen we’re moving from heirloom tomato salads to heartier stews and tailgate fare. In this issue of Devour Utah dedicated to learning, local writer Virginia Rainey introduces readers to Flourish Bakery. It’s a communitybased enterprise where students—marginalized in society by addiction, incarceration or both—go through a 15-month paid apprenticeship gaining the skills of a professional pastry maker. In “Preservation 101,” Jen Hill walks rookies like me through the basics of learning preservation techniques like canning, fermenting and pickling—perfect timing as we look to preserve the last of summer’s bounty. Meanwhile, Levi Rogers reminds the student in all of us that it’s never too late to learn, via educational and enjoyable food, drink and cooking classes at the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning Continuing Education program. Regular Devour contributor and cocktail aficionado Darby Doyle teaches us that there’s always something new to master at the bar, and dishes up a quartet of fascinating tales behind provocative cocktails like The Last Corpse Reviver, New York Sour, Pegu Club and Grog. Bonus: She dutifully provides recipes so you can construct these decadent drinks at home. Aimee L. Cook’s profile of Rico founder/owner Jorge Fierro is at once a true story of achieving the American dream as well as a reminder that we can all learn from life’s challenges. And, closing out this issue, wine merchant Francis Fecteau ruminates on the importance and value of September—a time when he always takes away something new about wine and winemaking. It’s that time of the season—for learning. ❖ —Ted Scheffler Editor
8 Devour Utah • September 2017
Devour Utah • September 2017 9
A quartet of festive fruit-forward restaurant dishes. BY HEATHER L. KING PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN TAYLOR
10 Devour Utah • September 2017
O
rchards across Utah are bursting with late summer/ early fall produce. From stone fruits like peaches to apples just ready to harvest, Salt Lake restaurants are now serving fresh fruit straight from the tree to your plate in bountiful supply. Here are four fruit-focused options to sweeten up your fall feasts. Fruit pie $7 Tradition dishes up slices of glorious fruit pie in four varieties. Dig into spiced cherry with lemon zest and a dash of cayenne; the caramel apple with brown butter Granny Smiths; a perfect cinnamon-marinated peach with fresh ginger; or the ginger berry filled with blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Each flavor is nestled between buttery layers of crust and comes topped with fresh whipped cream or house vanilla ice cream for an additional $2. Whole pies in all flavors are also available. Tradition 501 E. 900 South, SLC 385-202-7167 traditionslc.com
House ricotta, peaches, shishitos and prosciutto special $11 One of Meditrina’s recent nightly specials in rotation, this starter plate highlights peaches, shishito peppers and nasturtium—all grown right in Meditrina’s own organic garden. Adding depth are a creamy housemade ricotta, savory prosciutto and a tangy pomegranate balsamic reduction. It’s garnished with a pop of Maldon sea salt— enhancing individual flavors and bringing a delicate richness to the plate. Meditrina 165 W. 900 South, SLC 801-485-2055 meditrinaslc.com Devour Utah • September 2017 11
Grilled peaches with burrata, speck, basil and olive oil appetizer $12 A subtle smokiness seems to float over this summertime appetizer at Provisions in Millcreek. Featuring smoky speck and grilled peaches from Allred Orchards in Provo or other local fruit stands, the salad also highlights fresh basil from Frog Bench Farms and Caputo’s burrata. Drizzled with a high-quality olive oil and balsamic reduction, this dish is as visually stunning as it is delicious. Provisions 3364 S. 2300 East, SLC 801-410-4046 slcprovisions.com
The Toasted Granny $7.95 From the eminently creative Sushi Groove comes this kicky dessert roll. The Toasted Granny is filled with locally sourced sautéed green apples and graham cracker crumbs wrapped in fresh and tart apple slices and tempura-fried. Accompanied by vanilla ice cream and topped with caramel sauce spiked with chipotle from Solstice Spices, The Toasted Granny rolls out both heat and sweet on Highland Drive. Sushi Groove 2910 S. Highland Drive, SLC 801-467-7420 sushigrooveutah.com
12 Devour Utah • September 2017
now serving breakfast
bagels, bagel beignets corned beef hash, blintzes fried egg & taylor ham sandwiches from 8:00 am - 10:30 am
801.355.2294 | 216 East 500 South, SLC
2005 E. 2700 SOUTH, SLC FELDMANSDELI.COM @ FELDMANSDELI OPEN TUES - SAT TO GO ORDERS: (801) 906-0369
Host your next private event with us!
282 S 300 W • Salt Lake City • (801) 328-3463 • toscanaslc.com Devour Utah • September 2017 13
FLOURISH New bakery rises up to teach and transform. By Virginia Rainey
14 Devour Utah • September 2017
NICK GILMOURE NICK GILMOURE
F
lour, water, yeast. At its most basic, bread begins with earth-based elements transformed into a humble, yet exquisitely soul-satisfying food—so ubiquitous it’s been called the staff of life. Of course, the art and craft of bread baking brims with metaphors—all of which swirled around my head when I first heard about Flourish Bakery, a social enterprise of the Utah-based nonprofit Unshackled. Unshackled’s stated mission is to “cultivate a sustainable community where individuals who find themselves marginalized in society, because of either addiction and/ or incarceration, may transform lives through mentor relationships grounded in life and job skills training.” And the group has done just that, through prison-based culinary, horticultural and counseling programs in Utah where statistics show that 90 percent of individuals incarcerated are
struggling with a substance abuse disorder—10 percent higher than the national average. Now, Flourish Bakery, the love child of several local culinary professionals, is taking the work of Unshackled to the next level. The bakery, which is in its pilot-program phase, is first and foremost a place of hands-on learning, employment and preparation for a new life for people leaving prison or recovering from addiction. It will debut its wares at Salt Lake’s Downtown Winter Market at Rio Grande and then eventually as a brick-and-mortar destination where consumers can indulge in artisan breads and pastries year-round. Students go through a 15-month paid apprenticeship (the paid part is key) that includes the full curriculum of pastry skills. They study the exact science of creaming methods, custards, chiffon cakes and croissants. They also master the more intuitive art of baking bread—treating the dough with patience, forgiveness, nurturing and, finally, transformation. All of this, woven with training for the basics they need to move forward—including managing the money they make and working together—has the power to change not only the students, but everyone involved in the enterprise. And that, according to Executive Director Amiee Altizer is the crux of the story. “Flourish Bakery is a community-based project that has been more than a decade in making,” she says. Indeed, its roots run deep in Salt Lake’s supportive Slow Food, restaurant and farming communities. Altizer and one of her many culinary soul mates, Patricia Fava—specialty food buyer for Muir Copper Canyon Farms and longtime professional baker—are two of the driving forces behind the endeavor. With a shared past that winds all the way back to the long-gone Avenues Bakery, they routinely finish each other’s sentences—each as excited as the other about the life-changing potential of working with
Devour Utah • September 2017 15
KEVIN HOLE
Patricia Fava & Aimee Altizer
dough to create change. Both will teach classes, along with Les Madeleines owner Romina Rasmussen, and a rotating faculty of other top pastry professionals. The icing on the proverbial cake is that Altizer, a classically trained French pastry chef, was also recently ordained as an Episcopal priest. While diners with a penchant for dessert might have indulged in her peanut-butter-and-jelly cookies at Canyons, or maybe her sweet potato doughnuts with High West Campfire at Firewood, friends and colleagues know her simply as a genuinely compassionate person who is fond of noting that whether you’re talking pastry or spiritual counseling, “We all just want a great big hug.” “While pastry is its own discipline,” Altizer says, “breadbaking is the perfect conduit for people to begin to take that intuitive ‘next step.’ You can’t control and manipulate bread the way you can pastry. Bread is an interactive experience;
16 Devour Utah • September 2017
you have to have a relationship with it—nurture it, build the environment. You have to sit with it—you can’t force bread or it will kick you in the butt!” The Unshackled team has researched similar programs around the country, such as Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, FareStart in Seattle and Haley House in Boston. Each one shares a mission of transformation, but no two are exactly alike—and Flourish stands ready to make its own mark. Surely it will be a game-changer for countless people in Utah—from students to staff and volunteers, and to those of us who appreciate a great loaf of bread—and a great big hug. ❖ Flourish Bakery 801-915-9059 flourishslc.org
60 DAY UNLIMITED PASS FOR $150 PROMO CODE: DEVOUR
PURCHASE & SCHEDULE ONLINE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
TRX • Pilates • Yoga • Infrared Sauna
WWW.THEPOINTPILATES.COM 801.940.0928 | 2560 S Main St. SLC
Devour Utah • September 2017 17
Jorge Fierro: an immigrant born with the American dream.
By Aimee L. Cook PHOTOS COURTESY OF PROJECT BURRITO
18 Devour Utah • September 2017
I
like to say that I was born in Mexico but made in Utah,” Rico Brand and Frida Bistro owner Jorge Fierro says. “I was always attracted to America, especially the philanthropic ways America is known for. I wanted to be a part of that.” Unable to let go of his yearning to go to America, Fierro left law school in Mexico, parted with his family and his comfortable life, and headed to the United States in his early 20s with a friend. He found himself in rural Wyoming and took a job as a sheep herder. Unable to speak any English, Fierro managed to work and live on the mountainside for several months before coming across someone who spoke Spanish and finding a ride to Utah. He knew going to a bigger city was his opportunity to learn English after being told they did not offer an ESL course at the local high school. Fierro arrived in Utah with a small carryall and a sleeping bag. He was dropped off at Pioneer Park on a Sunday afternoon, with directions on where to find the SOS Temporary offices. He worked any job they would give him, from construction to roofing. After many nights on the street, a bystander told him the police would take him to jail if they found him sleeping there. That fear lead him to the rescue mission and later to a men’s shelter, where he lived for several months before finally being able to enroll in school and rent a room on campus. Fierro says he was never discouraged; he accepted that coming to the United States and starting a new life was going to be challenging. “This journey has allowed me to find out who I am,” he says. “I believe once you find that out, you are able to love yourself and to love and protect others.” From his homeless experience, he witnessed many hungry
people, most of whom were veterans. That image has stayed with him and became the inspiration for launching Burrito Project SLC in 2012. “I do this for many reasons. I feel like I am an ambassador of my culture in Utah. I was fortunate to always find someone to feed me when I was homeless,” Fierro says. “I give because they need it more than I do, they are hungrier than me.” Burrito Project SLC is driven by volunteers. They arrive early in the morning, Monday through Thursday, to start making riceand-bean burritos that will be handed out to the homeless. The next shift of volunteers distributes the burritos via bicycles. Each week, 350-500 burritos are delivered to the homeless. What began in 1997 with Fierro selling his pinto beans at the local farmers market, has evolved to a successful business with a heart. His method of cooking and packaging the pinto beans is what sets him apart. No preservatives are used in Rico products (rico means “tasty” in Spanish). The ready-to-eat Rico items have expanded to tortillas, salsas, rice, enchiladas, guacamole and tamales. They are found in several local grocery stores and are expanding. All products are made on site at a warehouse adjoining Fierro’s upscale restaurant, Frida Bistro, named in tribute to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Fierro is the epitome of living the American dream. Pay it forward is not just a tag line—it’s his mission. He’s a humble man, who will never forget how he got to where he is and the people who helped him along the way. “It’s nice to belong—it is such a treasure to me,” Fierro says. “It is very important for me as an immigrant to be part of such a great community. I don’t take that for granted at all; that is one of the reasons we are so involved in the community. I want to be a great American.” ❖ Devour Utah • September 2017 19
The
pread S Buffalo Tiger Ranch Pizza
20 Devour Utah • September 2017
VERTICAL Pizza A
t Salt Lake’s first vegan pizza parlor, you’ll discover innovative flavor combinations made using tasty meat and cheese substitutes. From the crust made with local organic flour to the tomatoes from Wyomatoes Organic Farm, Vertical Pizza is all about wholesome quality. Choose a made-to-order custom pie with top-notch ingredients like tempeh bacon and mesquite jackfruit, or peruse the house selections. I suggest trying the Buffalo Tiger Ranch topped with Spicy Buffalo Tigers (think chicken fingers without the chicken), vegan mozzarella, a drizzle of dairy-free ranch dressing and sliced tomatoes. The pesto fennel sausage pizza is made with rich pesto sauce and vegan sausage (all housemade); caramelized red onion adds a slightly sweet note. There’s even a hearty breakfast pizza on the menu with tofu scramble, savory fennel “sausage” and breakfast potatoes. Brought to you by the owners of Sage’s Café and Vertical Diner, Vertical Pizza is the best of both worlds. You’ll find the legendary pizza from Sage’s Café along with gems from Vertical Diner, like Tender Tigers (fried, breaded seitan that’s as succulent as your favorite chicken fingers), satisfying meatless sub sandwiches, tempting salads and rich desserts. You can indulge in all-you-can-eat pizza on Tuesday nights for the low price of $12.75. If beer is your perfect pizza pairing, there are plenty of local brews to quench your thirst, as well as cocktails and wine. Stop by on Monday night to take advantage of the 10 percent Meatless Monday discount. Vertical Pizza has taken over Vertical Diner’s original location at 2280 S. West Temple, and Vertical Diner has moved to 234 W. 900 South, where Sage’s Café called home for a few years. You can now find Sage’s Café in their new downtown location at 368 E. 100 South. ❖
Ceasar Salad Spicy Buffalo Tigers
Vertical Pizza 2280 S. West Temple, SLC 801-485-1939 verticalpizzaslc.com —By Amanda Rock Photos by Josh Scheuerman Devour Utah • September 2017 21
22 Devour Utah • September 2017
Devour Utah • September 2017 23
The
24 Devour Utah • September 2017
T
here is a saying in culinary circles that we first “eat with our eyes.” Presentation—how food looks on a plate—is our first encounter with a dish and, as another saying goes, “You only have one chance to make a first impression.” Well, at Café Niche, Executive Chef Andy Morrison’s citrus halibut entrée is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate—a terrific first impression. This gorgeous dish begins with a beautiful piece of fresh halibut from Aquarius Fish Co., which Morrison lightly sears in a hot pan before finishing in the oven. She serves the halibut topped with a scattering of radishes, minced parsley and tangerine citrus relish, along with a side of Israeli herbed couscous topped with a spiral of arugula greens. For the finishing touch, a drizzle of pomegranate gastrique is applied and the eye-popping dish is ready to delight hungry diners. ❖ —Ted Scheffler Photos by Niki Chan
Café Niche
Citrus Halibut 779 E. 300 South, SLC 801-433-3380 caffeniche.com
Devour Utah • September 2017 25
26 Devour Utah • September 2017
Preservation Learning to preserve the harvest. BY JEN HILL
PHOTOS BY JOSH SCHEUERMAN
A
long with utilizing fresh and abundant produce from our gardens and farmers markets, the art of home preservation—via canning, fermentation and pickling—is building in popularity. While every trend can be cyclic, preserving the harvest is a return to tradition; remembering what has been lost for many of us. There’s nothing quite as wonderful as popping open a can of homemade tomato sauce that was carefully and lovingly preserved by you. It can transport you back to a summer garden on the coldest days in January. Here are some tips for the novice on preserving your garden’s bounty.
CONTINUES ON
P 32
Devour Utah • September 2017 27
Canning: The Basics
Whatever scary, intimidating thoughts about canning might creep up, simply let them go. There are many little things you must learn and consider before beginning the process, such as choosing a method, a recipe, how you’ll go about sterilizing, and obtaining a few indispensable gadgets such as a magnetic canning-lid wand, which will magically protect both your hands and your sanity later. Preparatory work is necessary, and your time spent learning about the canning process is a gift that will give back to you (and your taste buds) tenfold, to carry along in your self-reliance pocket. The water bath, pressure canner and canning steamer are different methods to get everything to the right temperature for the right amount of time and, ultimately, to seal the lid, allowing you to store canned goods at room temperature for months to come. When preparing acidic foods such as tomatoes, you’ll need to carefully follow directions to keep potentially “bad” bacteria from turning the entire batch get-very-sick bad. Be sure to include a big roll of paper towels for wiping messy rims just prior to placing hot lids onto jars, and keeping drips and spills under control. Before the frost hits in mid-October, tomatoes should still be abundant in most garden spaces. Blanching them in boiling water to loosen the skins—the messiest part of this experience—takes place before placing the tomatoes in a table-mounted food strainer, available at kitchen supply and IFA stores. The resulting purée becomes the perfect base for so many things. You can follow any number of recipes for tomato-based pasta sauces, but don’t limit yourself. The tomato base can make a super tasty tomato-basil soup in a flash, or a batch of salsa, ketchup or barbeque sauce. The tomato jam recipe to the right is just “grown-up” ketchup that can be added to your chili beans in a slowcooker, used as a marinade or, best of all, as a dipping sauce with crisp, panfried potatoes.
28 Devour Utah • September 2017
Robin’s Tomato Jam Courtesy of rurification.com
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 cinnamon stick 3 cups tomato purée 6 tablespoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt Cook the onion, garlic, vinegar and cinnamon stick in the olive oil over medium-low heat until the onion begins to caramelize, about 40 minutes or longer. Don’t rush it. Add the tomato sauce, sugar and salt. Cook until thick, then ladle into jars.
Devour Utah • September 2017 29
4670 S. 2300 E. HOLLADAY MONDAY-FRIDAY 6AM-8PM SATURDAY 6AM-9PM SUNDAY 7AM-6PM
www.3cups.coffee 385-237-3091
30 Devour Utah • September 2017
Ferment & Pickle
Once you understand the scope and variety of harvestable items you can ferment or pickle, the question “what can?” becomes what can’t be preserved this way? “Have you ever tried pickling garlic?” barista Johnny Cooney asks at Caffe Expresso in Sugar House. He goes on, “My Grandma and I used to make this together, it takes time to peel all the garlic cloves, but it’s so worth it.” Along with pickling garlic, beets, cukes, radishes, peppers and carrots can be as simple as preparing a brine and letting them marinate in the fridge. Fresh sauerkraut is essentially shredded and salted cabbage, which after being packed into a fermentation crock, is ready to eat in 5-14 days.
Roll Up Your Sleeves
Feeling a little overwhelmed with all the preservation possibilities? To get started, peruse the cooking section in a bookstore or library, search online for tutorial videos, find a neighbor or friend who cans, or call your grandma. Many of your options might depend on what is seasonally available, and you’ll never learn until you do it. Create a new food-saving tradition this season, and you might never purchase another jar of store-bought tomato sauce again.
Suggested Food Preservation Resources: Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables by Mike Bubel and Nancy Bubel The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables by Carol W. Costenbader A Simple Jar of Jam: 180+ recipes and variations for jam using low sugar pectin by Robin J. Edmundson. Salt Lake County Extension Office: Food Safety and Preservation: 385-468-4837
Devour Utah • September 2017 31
Taking fermentation to the next level, chef David Barboza, co-owner of Table X restaurant, explains his method of making kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish using salted and fermented vegetables. How long have you been creating kimchi, and what is the most challenging part about making it? I’ve been making kimchi for almost three years and developed a recipe that is vegan but can be easily manipulated to include fish sauce or beef jus. The most challenging part of developing my recipe has been finding the right amount of time to ferment the kimchi. Too short, and the sour flavor doesn’t punch through like it should. Too long, and the vegetables become too soft and too sour. The lactic acid flavor takes over and the balance of the batch is compromised. What are the key ingredients? What brings the heat to your kimchi? Napa cabbage, Korean daikon (lobok) and coarse Korean sea salt. I make a flavored broth using konbu and dried mushrooms to bring complexity to the kimchi. For the heat, I use gochuharu, which is dried Korean chili flakes. What complements kimchi and how is it served at Table X? Kimchi is spicy and acidic, so fatty and rich preparations complement it very well. Even smoky flavors work well with the sharpness of the kimchi. It’s finely chopped and presented as a salsa. We make rice chips with squid ink, which end up being jet black. The chips are garnished with sesame egg yolk gel, chipotle konbu dust and salted, dried beef tips that are grated over the chips. ❖
32 Devour Utah • September 2017
David Barboza
Contemporary Japanese Dining
L U N C H • D I N N E R • C O C K TA I L S
18 WEST MARKET STREET • 801.519.9595
NEW FASHION PLACE MALL LOCATION COMING THIS FALL
FANCY TACOS & FINE TEQUILAS
1615 S. FOOTHILL DRIVE | 385-259-0712 4670 HOLLADAY VILLAGE PLAZA (2300 EAST) | 801-676-9706 149 EAST 200 SOUTH | 385-259-0940
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK I T A Q U E R I A 2 7 . C O M Devour Utah • September 2017 33
All New MICHELANGELOS! Come experience a taste of Italia!
(801) 466-0961 3005 S. Highland Drive
34 Devour Utah • September 2017
Authentic Italian dining by chef and owner N OW Paolo Celeste OPEN
5468 S. 900 E. | Murray, Utah 801-290.2913 | celesteristorante.com
Lifelong Learning makes food and drink education informative and fun.
I
BY LEVI ROGERS
f you’ve been in the Salt Lake City area long enough, you’ve probably heard of Lifelong Learning even if you’ve never been to a class. The program is part of the Continuing Education Program through the University of Utah, which offers classes on everything from photography, business and writing to gardening and cooking. The classes are affordable and are taught at the professional and collegiate level. Lifelong Learning specifically caters to those already maxed out with the usual work, family and social activities. This type of learning is both DIY and professional—academic and pragmatic. And perhaps best of all, fun and community centered. I’ve taught an All About Coffee class for the past two years with Lifelong Learning and am teaching an Introduction to Food Writing course in late September. The Lifelong Learning classes usually take up a couple hours on a weeknight or weekend, and provide an invaluable and intimate setting for learning more about that one thing you’ve always wanted to educate yourself on or try. Sourdough starters? Making your own croissants? Brewing your own beer? Craft cocktails? Wine? Coffee? Learn from the best professionals around Salt Lake and among fellow Utahns. After all, YouTube videos and cookbooks can only take you so far. Sometimes, you need the pros and a workshop setting with peers to get to the next level. Take Jason Stock, brewmaster at Squatters, where he’s worked for 17 years. He’s taught a Lifelong Learning Food and Beer Pairing class for the past two years. “When I teach the class, I really try to help the students understand how the beer world is wonderfully Devour Utah • September 2017 35
complex,” he says. “People tend to view beer as a yellow fizzy drink and while I think the craft-beer movement has helped educate the public, I find that there is still a lot of work to be done. Showing the class how varied the beer world can be is one of my main goals.” Ethan Miller, former head distiller at one of Salt Lake’s newest spirit maker, Dented Brick Distillery, teaches a class titled The Cocktail: Back to Basics, and is also starting a whiskey-tasting class this fall. He’s been distilling for more than eight years with stints at High West and New Deal Distillery in Portland, Ore. Dented Brick currently distills rum, vodka and gin (made with Rooibos tea leaves). They also have some rum aging in cabernet barrels (blood-red in color) and an apple-wood smoked malt whiskey slated to come out soon.
36 Devour Utah • September 2017
Ethan Miller
AUSTEN DIAMOND
PHOTO COURTESY OF DESCRETE CLOTHING
Jason Stock
“I want students to come away from the class with enough confidence to have some friends over to their house for cocktails and be able to make a decent cocktail,” Miller says. “Or, at the very least, to make a decent cocktail for themselves.” He says his classes are taught in a very open format. “Really, the focus of that class for me is to get the students to experience some different flavors and realize how those flavors have an impact on their cocktail.” There are many other classes offered this fall as well. Les Madeleines owner Romina Rasmussen is teaching a class on making croissants, and Julie Daily and Ken Kiss are instructing a class on how to make artisan sourdough bread. Other course subjects include wine, cheese, chocolate, mushroom-gathering and making holiday desserts.
NOW OPEN O M NDAYS
Honey Sweetened Fine Chocolate. EST. 2009
TONA SUSHI BAR AND GRILL tonarestaurant.com
For a list of our retailers, and for more information about our chocolate, please visit
www.eatchocolateconspiracy.com 774 S. 300 W. Salt Lake City, UT 84101 Thurs-Sat 11 am - 7 pm
2013 - 2016
BOSS 2016
Best Odgen Restaurant
2015 & 2016
2012 - 2016
210 25th Street, Ogden • (801) 622-8662 • facebook.com/tonasushi
Devour Utah • September 2017 37
Most of these classes, while incredibly informative, are still informal and approachable. “My teaching style is very casual,” Stock says. “I think of it as a guided conversation, and I try to focus on topics that the class seems to have a genuine interest in.” Rasmussen, who has been teaching Lifelong Learning classes for the past five years, says, “I want students to feel like they can go home and do it on their own. I give them lots of tips throughout the class to try to make it less intimidating.” Lifelong Learning classes are an enjoyable way to engage and learn more about the food and beverage community in Utah. They also make for a great relational outing and are a unique gift to give someone for their birthday or during the holidays. “I like sharing my knowledge with others,” Rasmussen says. “I like being able to take something that is challenging and help break it down into smaller steps that inspire confidence in the kitchen.” Who knew school could be this tasty? ❖ Check out the full schedule at: continue.utah.edu/lifelong/classes 38 Devour Utah • September 2017
Who is the most delicious of them all... POISON APPLES
(ONLY AVAILABLE IN OCTOBER)
SU
ACCEPTING HALLOWEEN ORDERS SH
I B A R & G RI
LL
4927 S. State St. Murray I 801.278.8682
r e b f e o s t t k O
801.485.1031 | 2057 E. 3300 S. | FINECANDIES.COM
October 1 ˜3 0
Devour Utah • September 2017 39
LEARN SOMETHING
NEW AT THE BAR BELLYING UP TO BARTENDERS’ FAVORITE TALES. PHOTOS AND WORDS BY DARBY DOYLE
W
hether they love it or could leave it, bartenders have inherited the dubious legacy of being a sympathetic ear to customers sitting at the bar. But truth be told, I prefer my imbibing alliance to be the other way around. My favorite drink-slingers are, quite frankly, the best sort of booze geeks: They love nothing more than to delve into the rich and storied histories of the liquor brands they’re pouring and cocktails they’re shaking. On a lucky day, I’ll spend some time catching up with them, and we both enjoy a good tale to go along with the presentation of an elegant creation grounded in cocktail history. Here’s a sample of my recent favorite cocktail conversations.
P42
P44
P46
P48
RECOMMENDED COCKTAIL HISTORY READING: Imbibe!: From the Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash by David Wondrich
40 Devour Utah • September 2017
The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks by Amy Stewart
And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis
Esquire Drinks: An Opinionated & Irreverent Guide to Drinking by David Wondrich
Sophisticated Casual
Just minutes from the base of Cottonwood Canyons LIVE MUSIC FRIDAY & SATURDAY 6PM - 9PM
DJ’S FRIDAY & SATURDAY 9PM - CLOSE
FULL DINING MENU AVAILABLE FROM CAFE TRIO
RESERVATIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS / PRIVATE PARTIES
6405 S 3000 E | 801.943.1696 ELIXIRLOUNGESLC.COM Devour Utah • September 2017 41
THE DRINK:
THE LAST CORPSE REVIVER THE MAKER:
CHRISTOPHER PANARELLI O.P. ROCKWELL 268 MAIN, PARK CITY 435-565-4486 OPROCKWELL.COM
1 1/4 ounces London dry gin 1/2 ounce Cointreau 1 ounce lime juice 1/2 ounce green chartreuse 1/4 ounce Lillet Blanc Shake all ingredients well with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
“I
’ve always been into zombies, so I love the name of this drink,” O.P. Rockwell Bar Manager Chris Panarelli says. It’s his bridge between two classic cocktails: The Corpse Reviver No. 2 and the Last Word. “As a style of cocktail, The Corpse Reviver— and all of its many iterations—is meant to be bright and boozy. A true pick-me-up” in keeping with its legendary hair-of-thedog reputation. It’s also one of Panarelli’s most memorable love-at-first-sip cocktails, which he notes has stood the test of time in both classic cocktail popularity and his own preferences. As legendary barman Harry Craddock (of London’s swanky Savoy hotel bar) wrote of Corpse Revivers in the 1930 edition of his bar manual, they are, “to be taken before 11 a.m., or whenever steam and energy are needed,” but that “Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again.” Panarelli likes to include a bit of green chartreuse in the style of the gin-forward Prohibition-era Last Word replacing the classic Reviver’s touch of absinthe. Also, he says, “The Last Corpse Reviver sounds like the name of a badass superhero.” I’m going to ponder their potential super power while I mix up yet another cocktail, right around 11 a.m. I’m approximating Panarelli’s recipe here, but maybe you’ll have better luck getting the full script when you belly up to his bar in Park City.
42 Devour Utah • September 2017
Christopher Panarelli
FO
R
D
IN
nk You
01 2
T ha
IN
G L OC AL
C SIN
E
2
Utah’s Best Brunch PASTRY • BREAKFAST LUNCH • SPIRITS
725 E. 12300 S. DRAPER 801-571-1500 Devour Utah • September 2017 43
THE DRINK:
GROG/TI PUNCH
Clif Reagle
THE MAKER:
CLIF REAGLE
HSL RESTAURANT 418 E. 200 SOUTH, SLC 801-539-9999 HSLRESTAURANT.COM
A
1 1/2 ounces Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc splash of Petite Canne (sugar cane syrup) 2 drops saline (approximating the strength of sea water) 1 disc lime zest, about the size of a quarter Combine ingredients in a rocks glass over a large cube of perfectly clear ice. 44 Devour Utah • September 2017
lthough pirates, especially Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard), were most legendarily associated with rum, seafaring and coastal life from the 17th century onward generally revolved around the potent sugar-based potion. And it was usually served straight up or with minimal dilutions. “Grog, as a category, was invented in the 1740s by English Navy Admiral Edward Vernon,” after the heyday of piracy, HSL bar manager Clif Reagle says. Because of rum’s high alcohol content, the British Navy started correcting rum to lower the proof, but, Reagle says, “Sailors demanded that it be done on deck so that they could witness the addition of water and limes to make sure no one was getting slighted on their ration.” Writer and booze historian Wayne Curtis calls the ship captain’s rum distribution the “balancing of morale and discipline,” and notes that even diluted, the typical daily grog ration per sailor equaled about five modern-day cocktails. Yoho-ho, indeed. Reagle notes that this was all pulled from a barrel called a “scuttlebutt,” which also became a term for water barrels and historically evolved over time as the lingo for water cooler gossip. Reagle recommends that whenever a recipe calls for only a few ingredients, those selected should be the best, as in the case of his minimalist Ti Punch. It’s a historical approximation of grog with 100-proof sugarcane Rhum Agricole from Martinique served with lime over a sparkling clear hand-hewn chunk of ice.
Myrin Fa mily
Natural
Alta mont, Utah
GRASS FED BEEF Individual Cuts, Packages, Quarters, Halves, Wholes! Contact Us To Place An Order And Check Our Website To Find Us At The Farmer ’s Markets.
www.cmrbeef.com I grassfed@cmrbeef.com I 435-823-3253
Devour Utah • September 2017 45
THE DRINK:
PEGU CLUB THE MAKER:
PAT HARRINGTON WATER WITCH 163 W. 900 SOUTH, SLC 801-462-0967 WATERWITCHBAR.COM
Pat Harrington
F
urther proving the British Empire had its hands all over formative cocktail history, Water Witch bartender Pat Harrington recommends trying a Pegu Club cocktail to taste a bit of English-meets-Southeast Asia influence circa the 1920s. British military officers and wealthy expats from all over the world established exclusive clubs to hobnob, with each club having a signature cocktail based on familiar British booze usually mixed with local ingredients. “In this case, their spirit of choice was gin at the Pegu Club in Rangoon, formerly Burma,” Harrington says. “Imagine how refreshing that citrus juice and gin would be when served on the sweltering edge of the jungle.” He says it’s the first cocktail Water Witch owner Scott Gardner taught him to make. They tweaked the classic a bit by using American-made London-style gin, and served it over ice, finished with a fine grating of nutmeg. Gardner says that since Water Witch makes this cocktail without additional sugar or simple syrup, “the warming aromatic garnish gives it a nice sweet note.”
1 1/2 ounces Big Gin (or other London or dry gin) 3/4 ounce orange curacao 1/2 ounce lime juice 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash orange bitters Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with lime wheel and a light dusting of fresh-grated nutmeg.
46 Devour Utah • September 2017
NEIGHBORHOOD
T WO
LOCA L
LOCATIONS
353 West 200 South,
161 West 900 South,
SLC, UT
SLC, UT
801.521.2106
801.924-0939
7am-midnight Mon-Sat; 10am-10pm Sunday
Make Summer a with a LUNCH BOX! PERFECT FOR PICNICS•THE POOL•REUNIONS •OUTDOOR CONCERTS & MORE...
Dutch, German & Scandinavian Delicatessen
2696 HIGHLAND DR. · 801-467-5052 · OLDDUTCHSTORE.COM M-F 10AM-6PM · SAT 9AM-5PM · CLOSED SUNDAY
Devour Utah • September 2017 47
THE DRINK:
Andrew Abeyta
NEW YORK SOUR THE MAKER:
ANDREW ABEYTA
THE VAULT AT BAMBARA 202 S. MAIN, SLC 801-363-5454 BAMBARA-SLC.COM
1 1/2 ounce Rittenhouse rye 3/4 ounce lemon juice 1/2 ounce simple syrup (equal parts sugar dissolved into water) 1/2 ounce dry red wine
To a shaker with ice, add all ingredients except for the wine. Shake well, strain into a highball glass over fresh ice. Slowly pour red wine over the top of the drink to “float.” Garnish with a lemon wheel.
48 Devour Utah • September 2017
“T
his is a super simple cocktail. It’s as tasty as it is straightforward.” Bambara’s Beverage Manager Andrew Abeyta describes this as a classic New York Sour at the cozy and elegant Vault bar. Abeyta is particularly fond of the cocktail’s historical pre-Prohibition roots as a classic sour, with the Prohibition-era twist of using whatever was on hand to cover up the taste of often less-thanstellar base alcohols (though the Vault’s version is decidedly top notch). Drinks historian David Wondrich notes that while whiskey sours of all varieties were a nationwide 19th century favorite, the New York Sour—with its distinctive redwine floater—probably originated not in the Empire State, but in Chicago. In the 1880s, bartenders in the Windy City started adding a “snap” of claret to the top of rye-lemon sours. By Prohibition, though, the drink became synonymous with New York speakeasies and the name stuck. For best results, skip using overly sweet pre-batched sour mixes, which tend to be cloying and synthetictasting. Instead, rely on fresh-squeezed juice and a classic rye whiskey for that vintage flavor profile. Abeyta recommends choosing a very dry red wine with plenty of tannin to hold up to the drink’s bold sour-sweet punch. ❖
Chef-inspired, Locally Sourced
Gourmet
Burgers
Summer Patio OPEN
100+ Beers
Award
Winning Wine Open 7 days a week.
206 S. West Temple ˜ 801.890.5155 ˜ fatjacksut.com
Devour Utah • September 2017 49
Scheff’s Table: Ingredients:
Oaxacan-style Tlayudas Recipe and photos by Ted Scheffler
D
uring my college days, I spent a couple summers in Ciudad Oaxaca, Mexico. One of my favorite taste memories of the time—in addition to their rich moles—was a street food called tlayudas (pronounced “lie-YOU-das”). Folks line up for tlayudas in the wee hours of the morning as they venture home from bars and other late night activities. The tlayudas carts are usually “manned” by women, who cook them over hot coals. Tlayudas are toasted or grilled flour tortillas smeared with a spicy black been purée and other toppings such as carne asada, chorizo or chicken and served open-faced like a tostada, or folded in half like a calzone or quesadilla. One of the keys to an authentic tlayuda is the use of the pasilla de Oaxaca chile. The smoked, dried chiles can be hard to find (you can order them online), but have a wonderful, smoky flavor that’s hard to duplicate with other chiles. I use them in my chili con carne recipe, as well. I prefer to cook tlayudas on a grill, but you could also bake them in the oven.
50 Devour Utah • September 2017
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small white onion, diced 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed 2 pasilla de Oaxaca chiles, stemmed and reconstituted in boiling water for 5 minutes or so. ½ teaspoon brown sugar Pre-cooked shredded chicken or beef (carne asada). 4 8-inch flour tortillas 1 cup crumbled Mexican cheese such as queso fresco Assorted optional toppings such as shredded lettuce or cabbage, chopped tomato, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, etc.
Method: In a skillet, sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for another minute or so to combine flavors. Set aside. Place the chiles into a pan with boiling water. Turn off the heat and allow the chiles to reconstitute for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Remove the chiles, but save the cooking liquid. In a food processor or blender, add the onion mixture, black beans, drained Oaxaca chiles, brown sugar and a quarter cup of water or leftover chile liquid. Blend until you have a smooth purée. Add additional water if the purée is too thick. It should be about the consistency of thick pizza sauce. Smear a layer of the puree on each of the tortillas. Add a layer of cheese and (optional) chicken or beef. Preheat your grill to mediumhigh heat or an oven to 450 degrees. Lay the tortillas on aluminum foil for the grill or a baking sheet for the oven. Bake or grill the tlayudas until they are browned on the edges, about 5-7 minutes or so. Add optional toppings and serve open-faced, cut into pizzastyle triangles or folded over like a quesadilla. ¡Buen provecho! ❖
Devour Utah • September 2017 51
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
WE ARE THE INDUSTRY OF OPPORTUNITY
U
tah is the third fastest growing restaurant industry in the country and the third largest contributor to Utah’s economy. With such a successful presence both on the national and local stage, it is essential to have a well trained, qualified and passionate workforce ready to fill the many job opportunities available in the industry. The Utah Restaurant Association has spent the last 20 years cultivating a dynamic educational program implemented in over 65 Utah high schools. The Utah ProStart program is one of the most wellrespected and premiere programs in the country and is offered as a schoolto-career pathway for passionate future culinary professionals. The curriculum, developed by the National Restaurant Association in collaboration with the elite restaurant professionals in the country provides students and teachers a program filled with insights only industry professionals can provide, and also creates a direct connection to the Utah restaurant Industry. It also instills students with two major areas of emphasis, culinary and hospitality management. The Utah ProStart program provides mentorship opportunities, nationally recognized skills based trainings and certificates that allow for higher paying wages and higher entry jobs for ProStart
52 Devour Utah • September 2017
students, as well as ProStart teachers. Educating students is critical but even more valuable is the training and insight provided to our educators. ProStart is unlike any other program available to teenagers as the URA spends time, resources and enrolls the restaurant industry professionals in training our Utah ProStart teachers thoroughly, equipping them with opportunities to learn and engage with the industry during their summer breaks. Former ProStart students are thriving locally, nationally and internationally representing our state on Culinary Olympic teams, leading kitchens in Utah and shining a light
on Utah talent nationally. Investing in education is a direct investment in the industry and the Utah restaurant industry is seeing the rewards of this program. Along with training our future professionals, the Utah Restaurant Association is committed to making certain the level of trainings offered to our working professionals are always above standard with weekly ServSafe food manger trainings offered every Wednesday, alcohol trainings and education, Workplace safety, OSHA and on site food handler classes. Contact the Utah Restaurant Association for more information about any of these programs! ❖
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
W
hat sets Utah ProStart apart from other foods or cooking programs currently in Utah high schools? A nationally recognized and accredited curriculum is huge but ultimately it’s about the teachers and students. Our students are the heart of the Utah ProStart program and our extraordinary teachers are the soul. The Utah Restaurant Association is the administrating agent for ProStart which means that in classroom education provided in this program is industry standard. ProStart is educating the next generation of culinary professionals and giving them direct access to industry mentors, training and skills. The program is held to a higher standard because the industry’s success is dependent on hiring these passionate individuals. ProStart students are future professionals enrolled in a career that they are passionate about through this training while still able to have a full high school experience. The Utah Restaurant Association offers opportunity to certify all youth in Utah from jr. high through high school with food handler
permits as well. The URA works closely with teachers and educators. Many of the Utah ProStart teachers and faculty have been involved with ProStart for twenty years and some are new this year. Regardless for the last twenty years Utah ProStart offers an industry specific training for our teachers where staff is educated by industry members all over Utah. The URA is committed to our educators and offers them diverse education taking place in Southern Utah, Northern Utah and Central Utah. Our 2017 teacher training took place in Salt Lake City and our teachers trained with industry professionals. Some of our teachers are former ProStart students after finding themselves with successful restaurant careers, decided they wanted to give back to a program that changed the course of their lives. Their stories of how ProStart influenced their career path and guided their passion for the restaurant industry and contribution are exactly why the program is so extraordinary for juniors and seniors and those invaluable to the ever expanding restaurant industry. ❖
Devour Utah • September 2017 53
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
GRADS PUTTING UTAH ON THE MAP
MEET MADELINE BLACK — ACF STUDENT OF THE YEAR:
T
he industry is peppered with Utah ProStart student graduates making a name for themselves nationally and locally. With former students like Lyn Wells, who was mentored by Thomas Keller and currently representing Utah on the US Culinary Olympic Team, to the 2015 NACUFS champion (and first female winner) Cassie Kelsch, Victor Perez and Logen Crew, we have tremendous pride in Utah ProStart. Madeline Black, a 2016 ProStart grad and culinary superstar shining a light on Utah sat down with us to share insight on her culinary journey. Madeline competed on Season One of TeenChef Pro, was the captain of her ProStart culinary team that won state and just competed and won the title of the ACF National Student Chef of The Year.
Q:What do you love about culinary
Q: How did Utah ProStart help you on your culinary path?
competitions?
How did TeenChef Pro help?
MB: I love culinary competitions
MB: ProStart is where my culinary journey really started. It is when I decided that the culinary industry was for me. I learned how to compete and work on a team as well as what it means to be leader. It gave me a head start over others in my culinary school classes and invaluable experience putting together catering events. Through ProStart I was able to be a part of TeenChef Pro, (formerly known as Utah ProStart Teen Chef Masters). Both the TV show and ProStart gave me opportunities to work with local chefs who mentored me and guided my progress. The day before I competed in the ACF National competition I was told I would be using butane burners because the fire marshal didn’t approve the electric stoves we had been promised we would use. I was definitely grateful I had my experience using butane burners from competing with ProStart. (Never thought I would be grateful for having to use those little burners.)
because I get to learn from chefs who mentor me and teach me things I wouldn’t have known how to do on my own. I love competing, cooking and winning and culinary competitions give me a way to do all three. I also love to travel and get a taste into the industry as I learn from chefs from all over the country who gather to take part in American Culinary Federation competitions. I love being able to push through until the end and the feeling after you put up a dish you created and can be proud to have others look at it and taste it.
54 Devour Utah • September 2017
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
3CHEFS 12 TEENCHEFS 2 BURNERS 1 DREAM
OF UTAH’S HOTTEST
OF UTAH’S TALENTED
THIS FALL EMMY AWARD WINNING
TEENCHEF PRO IS MOVING TO
BEGINNING SAT. SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 AT 10AM
CAN YOU TAKE THE HEAT? Devour Utah • September 2017 55
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
56 Devour Utah • September 2017
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
Devour Utah • September 2017 57
Last Bite:
Secrets of September A time to live; a time to learn By Francis Fecteau
T
he Golden Ratio is divine. As a wine merchant intimately immersed in winery and vineyard seasons, I am reminded of this each year as the magic symmetry of harvest time dawns. September is my saving grace. Humans aren’t special. Temperatures swing high and low, light becomes that much more precious as it wanes and, like any other animal, we react. A sales job is a sales job is a sales job. Eight days out of 10 selling wine, it feels as if I’ve been thrown into a surreal mash up of Glengarry Glen Ross and Death of a Salesman. People love you when the numbers are up and not so much when the numbers are down. First prize, Cadillac car; second prize, steak knives; and third prize, you’re fired. Coffee is for closers, after all. It makes no difference if you are selling prize paintings, famous wines or refrigerator gaskets. If a brain is subjected to stultifying routine, it rebels—self-sabotages even; there’s a loss of focus, an almost deliberate attempt to distract, delay, defer, avoid. There’s a reason the brain misbehaves. It’s as if your brain is screaming “RUN FORREST RUN!” because it needs to eat, to learn. It’s self-preservation at its best. And so, I do. I run. I make my way west to wine country. I am lucky enough to have generous friends who share their knowledge and time, and each year I learn something new. Each year, my internal hard drive grows and I remember why I love what I do. Learning is a necessary urge. Find the time. I look to September to save my soul and fill my brain with new information. September is my gin and ice, my long walk, my three hours of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman calling the Yankee game as the season winds down until I must wait for baseball again. September is what fuels the other 11 months—it’s when I remember why I like my job. Even the air is different in September: still warm during the day and cool at night. I change clothes and drop layers throughout the day, the ever-shortening days have me nodding with fatigue ever earlier. I learn how to drive a power washer, and for some reason I am less afraid of bees than usual (jamming moldy Riesling into a press is a carnival for bees). Even the September air smells sweet: an odd mix of ripe grapes and marijuana. The seasonal opulence is breathtaking and the odd autumnal char smoke that signals fall has yet to arrive. September is a small moment, an odd fluttering snapshot, a sweet last breath of summer. I learn new things each year. Just when I am at my most seen-it-done-it, tasted-it, been-there-donethat jaded, it’s always something new. Twenty years running and each year I get to throw a new log on the fire. One year, I learned that it’s citric acid converted to diacetyl that endows certain chardonnay with the smell of butter; another year, I learned that shoveling woodchips into fruit-fly-ridden syrah gives wine a campfire smell of burned pencil shavings (and make you look like a Dickensian chimney sweep). I’ve learned how to eat grapes and chew seeds to determine when fruit is ripe. I’ve learned what phenolic maturity means. I know that winemakers appreciate good coffee and that cellarmasters dream of making great wine. Fast Eddie Barajas at Saracina is a pinot noir geek. Who knew? It’s moments like those that fuel my year and keep my heart thumping on till spring. ❖
58 Devour Utah • September 2017
Summer is here...
Bröst!
20 W. 200 S. SLC
(801) 355-3891 • siegfriedsdelicatessen.biz
Sign Up For Exclusive Membership List to get invited to upcoming PRIVATE EVENTS! Coming Up:
Thursday, Oct. 5
Heber Valley Cheese & The Chocolate Conspiracy pairing event.
Join at devourutah.com Devour Utah • September 2017 59
60 Devour Utah • September 2017