Issue 4 • may/june 2015 • travel
Travel It’s time to
Escape
River-raft down the Green—and discover the best road-trip eats
p. 44
Seek
Ride the rails for Ogden’s best dishes and drinks p. 14
Journey
How grapes travel
from vine to barrel, p. 52
Meet the makers behind your favorite artisan cheeses p. 28
The Local Food Hub for the Discerning Chef
For information call 801-908-6091 www.coppercanyonfarms.com
2 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 3
Contents 10
Gourmet for All
Exotic dining at international markets BY ted scheffler
14
Ogden
Eating & imbibing in Junction City BY austen diamond
28 38
26
Escape to
The
Spread
Riverhorse on Main BY ted scheffler
Cheese
Tour
Traveling Utah’s artisanal cheese highways By HEATHER MAY
The Deconstruct
Saffron Valley East India Cafe’s Dahi Poppers BY ted scheffler
40
44
Personal Chef
Philip Grubisa
Gets to the meat of the matter launching a new business
Green
Envy
Fishing for good eats in eastern Utah By darby doyle
BY ty bronicel
52 4 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Origins
101
Wine grapes travel from vine to barrel By Francis Fecteau
56 60
Zinergy in a
Bottle
The art of bottling wine By heather l. king
Spirit Guide
Hotel Bars
Cocktails that are worth the drive By Kelli Nakagama
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 5
Staff
Devour Contributors
Publisher JOHN SALTAS General Manager
ANDY SUTCLIFFE
Editorial Editor Contributing Editor Copy Editor Contributors
Photographers
Heather May Ted Scheffler TIFFANY FRANDSEN ty bronicel, Austen Diamond, DARBY DOYLE, FRANCIS FECTEAU, Heather L. king, Kelli Nakagama Niki Chan, John Taylor, Josh Scheurman, DEREK CARLISLE
Writer and recovering archaeologist Darby Doyle highlights hip SLC as a cityhomeCOLLECTIVE contributor. She also blogs about boozy experiments at aBourbonGal.com.
Production Art Director Assistant Production Manager Graphic Artists
Derek carlisle Mason Rodrickc Summer Montgomery, Josh Scheurman
Business/Office Accounting Manager Associate Business Manager Office Administrator Technical Director
CODY WINGET Paula saltas CELESTE NELSON BRYAN MANNOS
Marketing Marketing Manager Marketing Coordinator
Kelli Nakagama blogs about food, arts and travel at RandomActsOfKelliness.com. She travels the world in search of beautiful opera, delicious whiskey and a good bowl of ramen.
Jackie Briggs Nicole Enright
Circulation Circulation Manager
LARRY CARTER
Sales Magazine Advertising Director Newsprint Advertising Director Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executives Devour Store Assistant Manager
Jennifer van grevenhof Pete Saltas ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, kathy mueller Bill Lines Jeff Chipian, JEREMIAH SMITH ALISSA DIMICK
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
Copperfield Publishing Copyright 2015. All rights reserved
COVER SHOT: Josh Scheurman. Castle Creek Winery 6 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Niki Chan Wylie, freelance editorial photographer, finds inspiration from listening to old soul and jazz records, growing food in the garden and visiting new lands both near and far.
Ty Bronicel is a University of Utah graduate and freelance writer-editor who has worked for MSN, Yahoo, ESPN.com, Movies.com, NBA.com, NFL. com, The Seattle Times and currently the Deseret News. In addition to Salt Lake City, he’s lived in Seattle, Santa Monica, Calif., New Orleans and Portland, Ore.
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Devour Utah • May/June 2015 7
Culinary tourism
I
chad derum
f your idea of a perfect vacation is one that involves wine and cheese, local spirits at your hotel bar and some semi-strenuous recreation before the feast, then this issue of Devour Magazine is for you. And the best part: You don’t have to leave Utah to be a food tourist. We’ve found some of the best local places to travel for food experiences, whether it’s eating at the top of the Ben Lomond hotel in Ogden, digging into a plate of east-African food with your fingers at one of our fine international markets, going to the farm to see how your favorite local cheese is made or fishing in Vernal followed by a meal-worthy shake. And this is just the beginning. Utah farmers are exploring new ways of drawing customers to their farms, beyond corn mazes and pumpkin patches. Utah State University—the same place that taught virtually all of Utah’s artisan cheesemakers—recently held a conference on farm and food tourism. Farmers packed the conference room to learn how to cultivate food tourists, those same folks who rent limos to drive to the vineyards of Napa Valley and gather in Seattle for the seafood. Expect to see more farm dinners, sleepovers on the farm and places where you can pick your own produce. Tourists are looking for culture, the farmers were told. And food is a wonderful way to “taste and smell culture.” While I was on assignment, my family got to see, touch and smell the culture at Rockhill Creamery in Richmond. We watched cheesemaker Jennifer Hines feed her Swiss cows and learned about, ahem, waste management while she let my boys (pictured below) get up close and personal with a calf. There’s no better way to get to know your community than becoming a (food) tourist in your own backyard. ❖ —Heather May
8 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
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801 582-0457
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WWW.RUTHSDINER.COM Devour Utah • May/June 2015 9
International
F lavors Trekking the globe on the cheap at our world markets
Molcajete $ 21.99
By Ted Scheffler
Y
ou don’t have to spend a fortune on airfare to travel the world, thanks to an abundance of local international markets. Not only do they supply an endless array of exotic ingredients for our global culinary needs, but many also offer inexpensive cooked foods and meals to eat in or take out. Here are a few of my faves:
Qaderi Sweetz ‘N’ Spicez
3546 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City 801-956-2970 QaderiSweetzandSpicez.com Qaderi’s “curry cafe” offers a big selection of Indian and Pakistani dishes like biryani, masala, dal, korma, kebabs, tikka, vindaloo and more. Lamb lovers will enjoy Kashmiri josh, a complex lamb curry with fragrant ginger, garlic, onions and spices, plus tomatoes, spicy peppers and boneless lamb pieces in a tart and rich curry sauce. Bonus: All dishes at Qaderi come with basmati rice, naan, and a beverage. 10 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
niki chan
Josh Scheuerman
Kashmiri Josh $ 8.99
Rancho Market
2470 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City 801-972-8800 RanchoMarkets.com When I’m preparing south-of-the-border fare, I always make a trip to Rancho Market for ingredients like dried chiles and spices, incendiary peppers, hominy, Mexican cheeses, hard-to-find produce, fresh tortillas and baked goods made on the spot and a hundred other tasty things this Latino market offers. And I usually stop in for a molcajete at Nuestra Cocina, the small Mexican cafe in the store. A molten-hot stone molcajete (mortar) is filled with a layer of Oaxacan cheese, followed by strips of napolitos (cactus), cooked shrimp, boneless chicken and thin strips of beef, along with whole charred jalapeños and plump Mexican-style green onions. Finally, the whole shebang is topped with more cheese and served piping hot with refritos, Mexican rice and handmade tortillas—enough to feed three or four hungry people. Delicioso!
Brunch 10:30 - 2:00 On Weekends 3364 s 2300 e , S L C slcprovisions.com Devour Utah • May/June 2015 11
Greco panini
$
6.50
Mediterranean Market & Deli 3942 S. State, SLC 801-266-2011 MedDeliSLC.com
You’d be hard-pressed to find friendlier folks than at this family-run market and deli that’s been serving our community with imported foods and lunchtime meals since 1958. Fresh deli meats, cheeses, olives, sauces and other Greek and Italian foodstuffs are the market’s specialties. Whenever I’m shopping here, I always take time out for a sandwich, panini or pasta dish—often the spaghetti with house-made sausage. Also try the Greco panini: It’s a beautifully grilled ciabatta roll stuffed with feta cheese, cucumber, tomato, fresh spinach and Greek sauce—a light, but satisfying lunch.
African Market & Restaurant
12 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Wal-Maka $
9.75
derek carlisle
derek carlisle
African Market & Restaurant is a slight misnomer, since the cuisine here is actually east African—Ethiopian, to be specific. You’ll likely be greeted by Bulane, the owner and chef, who will graciously lead you through the tantalizing, inexpensive menu. Try a little of everything with the Wal-Maka, a combo plate featuring budenaa bread, entrees such as tender beef simmered in seasoned butter with red pepper sauce called kochee foanii, vegetarian selections like raafuu (collard greens), dabaqula (sauteed yellow squash), dimaa (red beets with potatoes), and ashaakiltii (cabbage, carrots and onions with herbs). It’s customary to eat without utensils, using the budenaa to scoop up all the delicious morsels. Eating with your fingers and sipping a glass of honey wine are all part of the fun. ❖
derek carlisle
1878 S. Redwood Road, SLC 801-978-9673 AfricanRestaurant.org
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Caputo’s U of U 215 S. Central Campus Drive 801.583.8801
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Devour Utah • May/June 2015 13
Travel
escape Salt Lake’s neighbor to the north enchants with historic charm Story & photos by Austen Diamond
I
f you haven’t visited Ogden lately, you might not realize that “Junction City”—as this railroad hub was called—boasts a delicious mix of the old and new, of proletarian and posh. Whether you’re hoping to dine in a covered wagon or pull up a stool at a sushi bar to feast on cutting-edge sushi, Ogden promises a memorable evening of eating and imbibing. And it’s just a short 40minute drive from Salt Lake City or a leisurely ride on UTA’s Frontrunner. Here are a few places to get you started:
14 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Slackwater Pub & Pizzeria
Beer on tap at Slackwater Pub & Pizzeria
Slackwater Pub & Pizzeria 1895 Washington Blvd, Ogden 801-399-0637 SlackwaterPizzeria.com Nestled up against the Ogden River, Slackwater boasts killer pub fare, but what locals rave about is the brunch. Try the badass breakfast burrito, the fancy French toast or the life-affirming pizza topped with over-easy eggs. After 11:30 a.m., pair your brunch with a beverage from a menu that boasts the largest selection of imported, local and domestic beers in Ogden.
Shooting Star Saloon 7350 E. 200 South, Huntsville 801-745-2002 ShootingStarSaloon.com The oldest continually running bar in Utah (since 1879), Shooting Star Saloon is a no-frills/no-fuss watering hole. People come to gawk at the stuffed head of the 298-pound St. Bernard known as Buck, which hangs over the “Buck Booth.” They stick around for the Star Burger (which includes two groundbeef patties, two cheese slices, and a grilled knackwurst Polish sausage in the middle). There are no special orders at this tucked-away bar: Burgers come as-is.
Shooting Star Saloon Devour Utah • May/June 2015 15
Lotus Lounge 107 E. 25th St, Ogden 801-392-2282 TheLotusWellnessSpot.com The Lotus Wellness Spot, a multi-use space co-owned by Stephanie DeTar and Michael Briestensky, is one-of-akind. After a yoga or dance session, shop for imported goods before hiding away in the loft cafe, the Lotus Lounge, for the afternoon. Savor a delicious sandwich, raw juice or tea. Stephanie DeTar & Michael Briestensky
arts e th to t e k c ti r u o y
Abravanel Hall Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
WWW.ARTTIX.ORG 801-355-ARTS
Lotus Lounge at The Lotus Wellness Spot
16 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 17
Restaurant
1107
Restaurant 1107 perches atop Ben Lomand Suites Historic Hotel
Tona Sushi Bar & Grill Drinking up mountain views at Restaurant 1107
Restaurant 1107 2510 Washington Blvd., Ogden 801-621-1107 Restaurant-1107.com On the top floor of the historic Ben Lomond hotel, Restaurant 1107 has unrivaled views of the alpenglow on Mount Ogden and the Wasatch Range. Once you peel your eyes off the mountains, you’ll realize there’s a delicious array of contemporary American cuisine—try the chicken breast covered in an apricot and fig glaze—to top off your evening.
Tona’s Sushi Bar & Grill’s Green Globe
Tona Sushi Bar & Grill
18 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
210 E. 25th St., Ogden 801-622-8662 TonaRestaurant.com Tona Sushi Bar & Grill’s contemporary dishes and decor (to say nothing of its fresh fish) have attracted a veritable cult following in Ogden. The restaurant employs a number of women as sushi chefs, which is nontraditional and all the more reason to seek out the restaurant. Try an off-the-menu item, such as the Green Globe (avocado wrapped around spicy tuna and crab salad, and topped with orange and wasabi tobiko and citrus ponzu).
Zucca Trattoria
SALT LAKE ROASTING CO.
All Our Coffees
AVAILABLE ‘BY THE CUP’
Zucca Trattoria 1479 E. 5600 South, South Ogden 801-475-7077 MyZucca.com Zucca Trattoria’s brick-oven pizza and regional Italian fare offers some of the best eats in Ogden. But do check out Zucca Trattoria’s Market & Deli. Here, you can shop for artisanal—local and imported— cheeses and meats in the cold case (stocked by Caputo’s Market & Deli) as well as pastas, sauces and other authentic Italian foodstuffs.
' i >7pŀĺ*>ŀ'C_S ĻŀM SYO* Sŀŀęŀŀ SMO SSCŀ Oŀ DAILY MENU FEATURING THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS
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The City Club
Patio Open!
OPEN TO SERVE YOU 9AM TO 9PM WEDNESDAY – SUNDAY BRUNCH & SUPPER Featuring: Back Alley Pastries
564 3RD AVENUE, SLC 801-831-5409 20 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
The City Club
264 E. 25th St., Ogden 801-392-4447 TheCityClubOnline.net Known for having an immaculate collection of authentic, priceless Beatles memorabilia, The City Club is a quiet bar with loads of ambience. Come drink with John, Paul, George and Ringo in peace—or in a Yellow Submarine.
The Prairie Schooner The Prairie Schooner STEAKHOUSE 445 Park Blvd, Ogden 801-392-2712 PrairieSchoonerRestaurant.com Here, you can dine just like the pioneers, in a covered wagon, by lamplight, among wildlife. Granted, the “wildlife” are really life-like sculptures, and the “wagons” are actually covered booths. But, using your Old West imagination, the Prairie Schooner becomes one of the most unique and vivid eateries in Utah. The steaks are to die for, too.
Fillet Mignon with Alaskan snow crab
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 21
Title 32 B Lounge
Libation Master
Title 32B Lounge at Hearth on 25th 195 E. 25th St., Suite 6, Ogden 801-399-0088 Hearth25.com Hearth on 25th’s edgy contemporary cuisine is the finest in Ogden. Adjoining it is the posh, speakeasy spot called Title 32B Lounge, where you can enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail such as a Smoked Whiskey or the Basillete Lillet (pictured) made with Blanc tonic wine, Jack Rabbit gin and basil syrup.
Basillete Lillet
22 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Lucky Slice Pizza 200 E. 25th St. 801-627-2229 TheLuckySlice.com The slices at Lucky Slice Pizza will make you think you hit the jackpot every time. This is especially true when you’re among the after-hours bar crowd who come to cap off the night’s festivities when all the other joints have long-since closed.
The Lucky Slice
Two-Bit Street Cafe 126 E. 25th St, Ogden 801-393-1225 TwoBitStreet.com 25th Street was once infamously known as Two-Bit Street, where “any man’s desire could be fulfilled for two bits.” Well, Two-Bit Street Cafe is a bit of hedonistic paradise, where owner/chef Penny Allred (below) dishes up delicious cafe delights and killer pie, to boot. To top off the experience, her husband, the Magical Mysterious Mr. (James) Dayley, is an illusionist, and he will bend spoons before your very eyes on request. Left-behind souvenir spoons are piled up at the cashier’s stand.
Two Bit Cafe
Farr Better Ice Cream 274 E. 21st St. 801-393-8629 FarrsIceCream.com A family business that began with pioneer-era ice harvesting, the Farr Company eventually established the first commercial ice-cream factory in Utah in 1929 (a single scoop cost a nickel). Today, happy families line the streets outside the Ogden shop waiting for delicious treats—no matter the season.
Lighthouse Lounge 130 E. 25th St. 801-392-3901 LighthouseLoungeOgden.com Once an infamous strip club, Lighthouse Lounge is now a cleaned-up hip spot for cocktails, gastropub fare and live music. The bar also boasts one of the coolest neon signs in Ogden. ❖
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 23
24 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
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The
pread S
Wild Game Trio on 25th 26 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Riverhorse on Main
O
ne of Park City’s most enduring dining spots, Riverhorse on Main has been making magic on Main Street since it opened its doors on New Year’s Eve in 1987. During that time, the venerable eatery has weathered culinary trends and fads better than most. Though Park City’s Main Street changes with the times, the panoramic views from Riverhorse’s upstairs dining room are a treat year in and year out. Consistency is aleays in full bloom with timeless menu selections such as its famous macadamia nut-crusted Alaskan halibut, a classic dish that would trigger a mutiny were it ever left off the menu. The wild-game trio of North American buffalo, venison and elk with port wine and huckleberry sauce is a carnivore’s delight, while a salad of grapefruit with red oak leaves, wine reduction, avocado, Meyer lemon and macadamias will satisfy the most discriminating vegan. When chef/owner Seth Adams took over Riverhorse in 2011, he brought contemporary culinary flair to the classic menu, adding dishes such as hand-cut buffalo tartare, oxtail ravioli and duck with foie gras emulsion, and the scrumptious poached pear and burrata with figs, stuffed dates, local honey and barrel-aged balsamic vinegar. There are also whimsical dishes to try, like the addictive crispy fried chicken with biscuits, fried egg, and hot butter sauce; or the tried-and-true Riverhorse potstickers. With spectacular decor and ambiance to match the killer cuisine, Riverhorse on Main is certain to remain a Main attraction in Park City for decades to come. ❖
Pot Stickers Chef Seth Adams
540 Main, Park City 435-649-3536 RiverhorseParkCity.com —Ted Scheffler Photos by John Taylor Devour Utah • May/June 2015 27
e s e e h C Hive
B e e h i v e’ s S e a h i v e
the
U
tah cheese is having its moment. Our local artisan cheesemakers are winning too many national awards to mention. Restaurants are snatching up their creations to feature on their menus. Or, they’re hiring their own artisans to handcraft savory delights. Why not hit the road and go to the source? We’ve found six spots where you can meet the makers, and, in most cases, pay homage to the cows, goats or sheep without whom there’d be no local cheddars, chevres, fetas or Gruyeres gracing your cheeseboard. “Utah’s little cheese industry—it’s happening,” declares Jennifer Hines, co-owner of Rockhill Creamery in Richmond. Go see for yourself.
28 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Traveling Utah’s artisanal cheese highways. By Heather may
Beehive Cheese 2440 E. 6600 South, Suite 8, Uintah 801-476-0900 BeehiveCheese.com Beehive Cheese might have been Beehive Jerky. The founders of the now 10-year-old company—brothers-in-law Pat Ford and Tim Welsh—knew they wanted to leave their respective jobs in sales and software to make food. But what kind of food? Research led them to cheese. “They saw where cheese was going and knew the American cheese movement was going to explode,” says spokeswoman Katie Schall. Indeed, 75 percent of American artisan cheese companies were started between 2005 and 2010. The team asked a dairy inspector
for the name of a dairy whose milk he would be willing to drink. And that’s why Beehive buys its milk from the fourth-generation Wadeland’s Dairy in Weber County. It’s delivered three times a week at 3 a.m., and the cheesemakers start to work within an hour of the milk’s arrival making wheels of cheddar (dubbed Promontory) using the same recipe with which the owners honed their craft at Utah State University. At least one other company uses the same cheddar recipe, but what makes Beehive unique is not only the milk used but the rind rubs Beehive developed for its Promontory base: Think local honey and local salt (SeaHive), black tea and citrus (TeaHive) and Cajun spice (Big John’s Smoked). But it’s the espresso-lavender rub that first won the company national
courtesy photo
State
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 29
courtesy photo
courtesy photo
B e e h i v e’ s B a r e l y B u z z e d
you’ll find flavors like Pub Curry and Fully Loaded (made with High West whiskey), made in small batches for restaurants or for research and development. And if you’re a fan of cheese curds, visit the store on days cheese is made (Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays). The curds are sold in large bags, fresh from the vat. While you’re visiting northern Utah, check out how local restaurants feature Beehive Cheese in their menus (nearly every burger on Roosters Brewing Co.’s menus in Ogden and Layton includes a slice). Or keep traveling north to the stretch of U.S. 89 known as Utah’s Fruit Way (from Brigham City to Willard) and gorge on gorgeous produce from local farmers. courtesy photo
courtesy photo
Te a h i v e
accolades and the most customers: Barely Buzzed remains the top seller— and it was created because the shop’s customers didn’t buy coffee stocked at the store. The “wild idea” of rubbing it on cheese was a hit. Today, they make 168,000 pounds of cheese a year, including varieties that are only available at the Beehive store. The small storefront is in an unassuming location in a business park next to dance and karate studios at the mouth of Weber Canyon, just off U.S. 89. Inside, the charming store is stocked with beehive-logoed knickknacks, cheese gift baskets and cheese boards for sale made by a Layton craftsman. Head for the refrigerated case in the middle of the room: That’s where
R o se mary Pro mo ntory 30 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Beehive Cheese founders Pat Ford & Tim Welsh
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 31
Chloe & Clover 32 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
courtesy photo
Rockhill Creamery 563 S. State, Richmond 435-258-1278 RockhillCheese.com The inspiration for Pete Schropp and Jennifer Hines to make cheese came, from all places, a winery. They were sipping in Healdsburg, Calif., inside an old barn at a vineyard. They lived on their own lovely farm in Cache Valley’s Richmond, with structures that needed purpose. And they were searching for a new career, one in which the customers would travel to them. “Obviously we couldn’t make wine,” says Hines, as she grabs some alfalfa hay with a pitchfork and slings it to the cows with names like Elsa and Abi, who are lined up and waiting to munch. At the time, she was making goat cheese for fun, and the couple already had experience raising heifers for Winder Dairy. “I said, ‘What about cheese making?’” Ten years later, their six Brown Swiss cows—a breed chosen for its milk’s high butterfat content—produce enough to make 10,000 pounds of cheese a year. “Demand’s a problem,” says Hines. By which she means, they sell out of everything they make. The farmstand, inside a towering 1940s-era granary with views to the top of the elevator, is open on Saturdays in the summer, when you can taste and buy the cheeses as well as shop at the city’s farmers market, held at the farm. You may find the cows in one of three nearby pastures. And a self-guided tour takes you to the underground aging room, where you can see about 500 wheels of raw-milk cheeses and watch a slide show about the cheesemaking process on the 4-acre farm that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm’s specialities are cheeses aged for more than a year, such as its Wasatch Mountain Gruyere. Three types of Gouda, a feta, a Swiss, an Edam and the new Escalante Hispanico are also sold. After Schropp milks the cows in the milk parlor, he carries the 5-gallon buckets to the cheese parlor, where Hines makes cheese two days a week, stirring the curd by hand. Hines explains the division of labor like this: “He loves the animals, and I’m a foodie.” While you’re in Cache Valley, check out stops on the local visitors bureau’s food tour (ExploreLogan.com/foodtour.html): You can tour a candy company, pick your own vine-ripened berries and learn how to gather honey.
courtesy photo
Aging Room
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courtesy photo
Farmstead Cheese
Heber Valley’s Grant Kohler
Heber Valley Artisan Cheese 920 N. River Road, Midway 435-654-0291 HeberValleyCheese.com
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You know you’ve arrived at the creamery when you get to the roundabout in Midway and can see a sign on the nearby big red barn that simply says: “CHEESE.” Cheese is what delivered this fourth-generation dairy farm from almostcertain death. It’s one of just three left in the Heber Valley, down from more than 100 when owner Grant Kohler was a boy. Four years ago, the third-generation farmer knew he had to either sell the family legacy or change course. The amiable Kohler, dressed in a white lab coat, explains all of this to visitors as he leads them on a tour of the creamery and cheese cave that is the “something different” he and his son chose to build. Kohler explains the process of making the company’s award-winning cheeses (aged cheddar, jack, queso fresco and juustoleipa) using milk from the 200-head herd of Holsteins that graze in neatby pastures. “We’ve been very blessed to make cheeses people like,” says Kohler to a tour group of 20. The family offers tasting classes the third Friday of every month to visitors who want to help them mold the future. For $7, you get to blind-taste and rate dozens of flavors after the tour. You’re helping them decide which cheeses need to age longer, and which rubs taste the best. The results are on display in the store cheese case: The Vanilla Bean cheddar is made with a Tahitian rub after tasters rejected the Mexican and Madagascar flavors. “If you go away hungry tonight,” Kohler says, “it’s your own fault.” The market next to the creamery is stocked not only with blocks of Heber Valley cheese and bags of its cheese curds, but everything you need to craft an impromptu, locals-only picnic: Yeehaw pickles, Creminelli salami, Slide Ridge honey, Canyon Meadows Ranch beef jerky, lavender-infused jams by The Lavender Apple in Cache Valley, and bread from the kitchen. For dessert: house-made fudge (dubbed “cow pie”) and Aggie ice cream, by the scoop or the carton. Heber Valley’s Queso Fresco Verde
BROUGHT TO YOU BY GREAT SALT LAKE RC&D 34 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Heber Valley’s curds
Josh Scheuerman
Raw Goat Milk Feta, Smoked Mozzarella & Raw Goat Milk
Family businesses usually pass from parents to children. But the opposite happened to Ron and Jeanette Drake: They inherited goats from their son and developed their own passion for making cheese. When their son, Dan, was 14 years old, he wanted an animal that wouldn’t outgrow him, and an uncle suggested goats. “Some families go to soccer tournaments. We would go to goat shows,” Jeanette Drake recalls with a laugh. In 1998, the couple decided to turn the hobby into a business and started breeding dairy goats, selling the milk and eventually making yogurt, soap, lotion and four types of cheeses: raw or pasteurized feta, raw or pasteurized mozzarella (including flavors like smoked cherry), ricotta and up to seven types of chevre (including the top-selling apricot and honey). Today, Ron, a retired welding engineer, makes 26,000 pounds of cheese per year. And Dan recently started a Drake Family Farms in California. Another son, Richard, is the Utah herd manager and makes store deliveries. The Drake farm, which has been in Ron’s family for more than 100 years, is tucked off Redwood Road (look for the Utah Century Farm sign) down the gravelled Drake Lane, next to an elementary school. A shed, with just enough room for a refrigerated case and three people, serves as the store, where shoppers are trusted to pay on their own. Most people stop by for the raw goat milk because it’s the only place to buy it. But it’s also worth a trip for the cheese. The 350-head goat herd—150 of which are milked twice a day—can be seen and heard next to the store. “It’s like a little oasis in the middle of suburbia,” says shopper Kimberly Trupiano. You can buy soaps, lotions and lip balm at the Drake family home, where the Drakes love to hear from their fans. “What I really like is when you have the finished product and you’re selling it to the people, and they love it,” says Ron. Devour Utah • May/June 2015 35
Josh Scheuerman
Drake Family Farms 1856 W. Drake Lane, West Jordan 801-255-6455 DrakeFamilyFarms.com
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Oolite Cheese Company Old Yeller
Oolite Cheese Company 103 E. 100 South, Manti 714-494-5762 OoliteCheeseCompany.com Of all things, Joel Wilcox wanted cheese for his birthday. He may as well have made a wish on the candles placed atop those wheels to open a cheese store. Today, he and his wife, Rachel, own Utah’s only creamery that makes cheese with sheep’s milk. They live and work in the central Utah town of Manti, known for the fairytalelooking LDS Temple made out of those distinctive blocks of pale oolite stone. The company is named for the stone, quarried from local canyons, because the Wilcoxes initially aged nearly all of their cheeses with the limestone. They no longer use the oolite in their cheeses—on purpose, anyway. You may pick up a slightly spicy taste, and that comes from the limestone spores floating around Sanpete. The couple had been inspired to use oolite after learning how Roquefort cheese gets its sharp tang and green veins from aging in caves in the tiny, same-named French town. Roquefort is also made with sheep’s milk—and that’s the only milk that made sense to use for the Wilcoxes, considering they live in sheep country. But that doesn’t mean sheep’s milk is easy to come by; virtually all of the sheep raised in Utah is for eating. At the time the Wilcoxes were looking for the right type of ewes to milk (East Friesian and Lacaune), there were only five sheep dairies west of the Mississippi River. One happened to be in Mount Pleasant, about 20 miles from Manti. Oolite’s tiny operation hopes to make 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of cheese this year. “It took five years from tasting Roquefort and loving it to owning our own cheese shop,” marvels Rachel. “If you want to do something, you can totally do it, even if it sounds crazy.” To tour the creamery and sample their cheeses during the cheese-making season of May to October, call ahead. Manti will be packed with nearly 100,000 people at the end of June for the Mormon Miracle Pageant. But the third weekend of July is Lamb Days in nearby Fountain Green, where you can sample a mutton and sourdough dinner.
36 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Deseret Ewe
Native Bloom
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What’s Her Name
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Organic, Raw, Gluten Free & Vegan
Mesa Farm Market Mile Marker 102, Highway 24, Caineville 435-456-9146 MesaFarmMarket.com
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If you’re visiting Capitol Reef National Park, plan to stop by the little purple store that beckons you—like an oasis in the middle of these desolate badlands—with promises of salads made with vegetables picked from the garden and a fresh loaf of bread smothered in house-made chevre. For 20 years, Randy Ramsley has been luring tourists traveling Highway 24 to his 50-acre farm with his sustainably farmed, chemical-free greens, herbs, tomatoes, peaches, apples and more. He’s been making chevre, feta and tomme for about six years after he inherited a herd of dairy goats, which he lets roam on his 4 acres of pasture. “I learned from a French woman how to make cheese—more how to taste cheese,” he says. “Having an American palate, I did not understand good cheese.” He likes to tell the story of the ultimate endorsement: How a French tourist eating his chevre said, with a tear in his eye, it reminded him of eating goat cheese at his grandmother’s home. While Ramsley ages some of his cheese on site, he is also shipping it to the folks at Caputo’s Market & Deli, where they’re creating unique flavors in their cheese cave. Visitors to Caineville are encouraged to ask about life in the desert. “If you catch us in the right mood, we’re going to talk to you about sustainability and farming and life in general,” Ramsley says. ❖ Mesa Farms Tomme Cheese
2148 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 Ph: 801-486-0332 www.omarsrawtopia.com
Hand Made Artisan Sausages
Local Heritage Breed Berkshire Pigs Sugar Free Bacon · Charcuterie · Hams Retail Hours: Friday 12-5, Saturday 10-2 155 West Malvern Ave. | 801.680.8529 SaltandSmokeMeats.Com Devour Utah • May/June 2015 37
Deconstruct The
38 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Saffron Valley East India Cafe
The Dahi Poppers 26 E St., SLC 801-203-3325 SaffronValley.com
P
ay a visit to Saffron Valley, and you’ll quickly learn that there’s so much more to Indian cuisine than just curry. Lavanya Mahate’s eateries in Salt Lake City and South Jordan offer a vast array of Indian flavors ranging from street foods, wraps, and kebabs to biryani, dosas, pizzas and, yes, curries. The dahi poppers at Saffron Valley are an example of how even a bitesize street food can deliver a spectrum of tantalizing flavors. It’s a complex appetizer: crisp, puffed puri shells made with semolina flour, filled with a combination of mashed and cubed potatoes, garbanzo beans, onion, tomato, cucumber, sweetened yogurt, minced cilantro, and spiced with chaat masala. The poppers are topped with sev—crunchy vermicelli-style noodles made from garbanzo flour—and served with mint and tamarind chutneys. These petite poppers pack a punch! —Ted Scheffler Photos by John Taylor
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 39
Chef
Personal Philip Grubisa
Butcher names his Beltex shop after a sheep, but he’s no follower By Ty Bronicel Photos by Josh Scheuerman
L
ong before Philip Grubisa became an accomplished Park City chef and butcher, he quickly discovered what he didn’t want to do for a living in the food biz. At 21, while working as a food-management director for an oceanside Florida resort hotel, he knew this wasn’t his future line of work. “I hated every minute of it. It was constantly dealing with grown adults acting like babies and [complaining] about their problems.” But he had fallen in love with food and cooking by watching, and helping, his Italian-American mother place a meal on his family’s table every evening, seven days a week. His work ethic came from working at his father’s high-end tile and flooring business. “That’s where I learned that I love working with my hands,” Grubisa says. His dad had a saying: “‘It all starts by sweeping the warehouse —’meaning, you start at the bottom and work your way up,” recalls Grubisa. As a Florida kid, Grubisa grew up fishing, and while he loves eating creatures from the ocean, he had no intention of becoming a fishmonger. “Fish are disgusting to clean,” he says, “and then, there’s the smell.” Fair enough. At 23, without ever having set foot west of the Smoky Mountains, Grubisa set off for Alaska—sight unseen. “My friends and family thought I was nuts,” Grubisa says. “But unconventional has always worked for me, so I’m sticking with it.” In Alaska, he met his future wife, now an aerospace engineer. Following stops and cooking stints in Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Charleston, S.C.; and Boulder, Colo. (where he also studied at the renowned Rocky Mountain Institute of Meat), the two settled in Park City.
40 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Grubisa worked as the sous chef for celebrated chef Briar Handley (now owner/chef at Handle) at the Talisker on Main and then as executive chef at The Farm at Canyons Resort. But while he was putting in 80-hour weeks, Grubisa began thinking of working exclusively with meat, with dreams of opening his own shop. Gubrisa will open Beltex (named for a breed of sheep) in Salt Lake City across from Liberty Park (511 E. 900 South) sometime this spring. He’s converting a 1908 house into a butcher shop that will serve the cuts of meat (as well as daily sandwiches), pâté and other delicacies that he sold previously, to a near-cult following, previously at farmers markets in Park City, downtown Salt Lake City and Sugar House. At his peak in 2014, Grubisa was going through two entire 250-pound pigs—and using every bit of the animals. “I’m into using the whole hog. Not only is it a moral decision, but it’s good business sense.” His pigs and cows come from Utah companies like Christiansen’s Family Farms and Pleasant Creek Ranch. “I like to support small local farms and know where those animals are coming from.” When a pig is delivered to the commercial kitchen in Park City he shares with a catering company, it has already been slaughtered, cleaned and quartered by Tooele Valley Meats. Then, Grubisa wields his prized knives, which he cherishes and cleans himself, and goes to work. He extracts beautiful pork cheeks and jowls from the head, works his way to carving glistening chops and ribs and describes how he’ll use the tongue for his hugely popular pâté, the skin for cracklins/rinds (“Filleting the skin is my favorite thing to cut because it’s a challenge,” he says), and even the kidney and ears to make gourmet dog treats. He and a buddy built a temperature-controlled fridge for hanging and aging his chorizos, salamis, legs of prosciutto and the like; he’ll have a larger, fancier one at his new shop. Before that, Grubisa will spend two weeks in California taking an intensive two-week course from James Beard-nominated chef and meat connoisseur Craig Deihl. “You can always learn something new,” says Grubisa, who also honed his skills by observing Old World butchers in Spain and Italy. Spending time with Grubisa, it’s clear, through his ambition and vision, he gets what he wants. When he and his wife, who were married last fall, were on their honeymoon in Japan, Grubisa spotted a glimmering knife in shop window. His thought? “I have to have that.” He also was sure that he wanted to be on his own, in his own space, even while he was traversing the United States and elsewhere. “I knew by 30, I wanted my own place,” Grubisa says, “and I’m 31 now, so ... pretty close.” ❖
Aging the meats Philip Grubisa
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 41
Cuban-Style Pork Shoulder Growing up in South Florida, I looked forward to having this dish every and any time I could. My mom made a pretty darn good one, too! This is traditionally served with red beans and rice, but it goes great on a sandwich with caramelized onions as well. 2 pounds bone-in pork shoulder 1 cup orange juice ¾ cup lemon juice 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped ¼ cup minced garlic ¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper ½ tablespoon ground cumin, toasted ½ tablespoon ground coriander, toasted 3 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1 quart chicken stock Place the pork shoulder in a shallow bowl. Combine the juices, cilantro, garlic, oregano, pepper, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and pour over the pork shoulder. Let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Remove the pork and reserve the marinade. Using a heavy-bottom pot or braising pan, sear the pork shoulder on all sides until deep brown, over medium heat. Develop a crust on the pork shoulder, but don’t burn it. Once all sides have been well-browned, add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Bring the stock to a simmer and add the reserved marinade. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and cover with a lid. Let it slowly cook for 4 to 5 hours (if you’re using a convection oven, turn the fan off). Remove and let it sit for 30 minutes, covered, before serving. Serves 4
42 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Butcher Philip Grubisa
Some people sing. Some people paint. I make eyeglasses. - John Cottam, Optician
602 East 500 South | 801.359.2020 | thespectacle.com | Upper Level Center Court Trolley Square Devour Utah • May/June 2015 43
Brad Lovejoy David Latt
Green Envy
The blogger A Bourbon Gal fly-fishes eastern Utah’s famed Green River By Darby Doyle
44 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
“T
Tacos El Gordo—Vernal. Patrons start lining up to order as soon as Tacos El Gordo restaurant/store (housed in a converted gas station) opens at 10 a.m., and there’s a steady stream of happy customers all day. Grab a glass bottle of Mexican Coke to go with your burrito, enchilada, or $2 tacos. Pick fillings like spicy pork, chicken, barbacoa, or specialties you can’t get anywhere else in this corner of the state, like tripe and beef tongue. Kvelads.com/tacos-elgordo/
his isn’t one of those ‘save-the-marriage’ trips, is it?” asked our fly-fishing guide, Brad Lovejoy. We were finishing up some delish cheeseburgers Lovejoy had hibachi’ed for us during a riverside lunch break, getting ready to head back out onto the Green River. It was Day 1 of a two-day drift boat trip with Western Rivers Flyfisher. This was three summers ago, and my husband, Mike, and I were quite frankly just glad to be on any fishing trip where we didn’t have to untangle our kids’ lines or replace flies for anyone but ourselves. Having somebody else row the boat, get us to the fish and grill up lunch, too? Freakin’ nirvana. Mike and I both laughed, and I said to Lovejoy, “Nope, we’re just here to fish. We’re good.” Later, over tequila and beers with some other guides at Dutch John marina’s floating bar, Lovejoy told us he’d had a recent slew of clients come through—I suspect therapists who prescribed finding an activity for couples to share—but with disastrous results. Usually the guy in the boat lectured his wife on how to cast a line, and we all know how well that goes. Lovejoy told us that one couple divorced shortly after their trip with him, but he considered it an overall win: The newly ex-wife fell so much in love with fly fishing that she bought a drift boat with part of the
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
David Latt
David Latt
Brad Lovejoy Brad lovejoy
The Snag Bar & Grill —Cedar Springs Marina, Dutch John. Sure, there are weekend specials like rib-eye steak or King crab legs, but the scene here is all river-bum casual. The joint’s self-declared “no worries zone” floating location, indoor-outdoor seating, and full bar license make it a big draw for anglers, especially during the annual Flaming Gorge Fishing Derby in May. Open seasonally. CedarSpringsMarina.com/ snag-bar-grill.htm
settlement, moved to Montana, and has become a successful fly-fishing guide up north. It’s pretty danged hard for me to imagine keeping a sustained mad on while fishing the Green River, no matter the spousal provocation. The waters of the Green below Flaming Gorge dam stay so clear, and the rainbow and brown trout are so big and plentiful, that anglers call this blue-ribbon fishery “The Aquarium.” Whether viewed from the highly maneuverable three-person drift boats dotting the river at every turn, or by hiking along the superbly maintained trail on the Green River’s north bank, it’s as much fun to watch the fish in their translucent habitat as it is to catch them. A few months ago, our family—Mike and I, along with our two boys ages 13 and 10—embarked on a chilly winter-fishing float on the Green. It was my first time back since that weekend with Lovejoy, and our boys’ inaugural venture onto Section A, the most popular segment of the Green River. We rented a raft from Flaming Gorge Resort and paid for their outfitter service to shuttle our truck and boat trailer seven miles downstream to the river pullout (check out FlamingGorgeCountry.com for a list of outfitter/fishing guide services in the Flaming Gorge area). Devour Utah • May/June 2015 45
Brad lovejoy
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Fishing licenses are required to fish in Utah and may be purchased daily or annually at local retailers or online at Wildlife.Utah.gov
Courtesy photo
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REd Canyon Lodge—near Dutch John. A great option for families: cozy cabins with mini-kitchens, private lake fishing, pet-friendly grounds and spectacular sunsets. The main lodge’s restaurant menu features wild game steaks, juicy chops, pastas, vegetarian selections, and a full bar license. Open year-round. RedCanyonLodge.com
There are nine Class II/III rapids, but on the slower spots, our older son took the oars for long stretches at a time, giving Mike and me a glimpse of a near-future day when we’ll both be able to fish at the same time again. Hallelujah. About an hour downstream in the heart of The Aquarium, our boys joked that we should put down the rods and just reach out with a net and try to grab for the fish; those fat trout frustratingly hover right-damned-there, hanging out in the current by the dozens. And it’s ridiculously gorgeous. Steep brilliant-red canyon walls—named Flaming Gorge by Major John Wesley Powell in 1869 during his exploration of the area—at first light and sunset really do appear improbably ablaze. After a few miles downstream from the dam, the steep red walls gradually ease out to become a wider and shallower—though no less beautiful— canyon, allowing for great wading, fishing and side-stream hikes. Expert fly fishers flock to the Green year-round, but it’s a terrific river for beginner anglers, too, with stretches of wide, brush-free banks and sandbars making even the worst back cast
vErnal Brewing Co.— Vernal. Shake off the trail dust and pour the river out of your boots. VBC is where to go for a cold pulled brew and even cooler vibe to wind up the day. Get a house beer or a cocktail to pair with their upscale pub grub. VernalBrewingCompany.com
Vernal Brewery
46 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
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Gourmet fare at Vernal Brewery
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Devour Utah • May/June 2015 47
A Bourbon Gal’s Grilled Rainbow Trout with Charred Lemon
Grilled Rainbow Trout
Soak 6-8 toothpicks in water. Clean and gut trout, rinsing cavity thoroughly with lots of cold running water. Pack trout cavity with paper towels, and pat dry the skin. Slice 2 lemons in half crosswise, and set aside. Slice remaining lemon into thin rounds. Halve these slices if the trout is small. With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 crosswise cuts just through the skin of each fish to expose the flesh (about 1½ inches apart), do this on both sides. Remove paper towels from fish cavity, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Evenly divide lemon slices and scallions between the two fish cavities. Drizzle inside with ½ tsp olive oil per fish. Use toothpicks to secure the cavity closed. Brush both sides of fish skin generously with olive oil. Heat well-oiled grill to medium-high. Place trout over direct heat, and cook on one side for 3-5 minutes, or until the skin of the fish is dark, crackling, and pulling away from the grill grates. Gently flip the fish over, and add halved lemons cut-side down on the grill over direct flame. Cook fish and lemon for 3-5 minutes, until charred and crispy. Serve trout with grilled lemons and radish sprouts. Serves 4
48 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Darby Doyle
2 medium trout (12-14 inches, about 1214 ounces each) 3 lemons, divided 3-4 scallions, slit lengthwise and cut into 2” pieces Olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper ½ cup fresh radish sprouts
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 49
CAmping—near Dutch John. Whether you stay at one of the dozens of developed campsites in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, a privately managed site, or DIY dry camp on the canyon rim (check the rules before you go), you’ll never forget the sight of a sky full of blazing stars across the horizon. FlamingGorgeCountry.com/ Camping
forgivable. For a hack angler like me who’s been stuck and holding around the intermediate level for a decade—even with the hilarious and patient help of talented guides over the years—the Green makes me feel like a streamer-throwing superstar. I’m hoping someday to be there during a bug hatch; we’ve heard legendary tales of fish coming to the surface to eat about anything (something I’ve only experienced one other time, farther up on the Green’s headwaters in Wyoming). Nights in Flaming Gorge are chock full of their own wonders. You’re so far from light pollution and road noise, the bright stars and silence have their own fierce vibrancy. We’ve camped
50 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
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Granny’s Drive In—Heber. For decades, locals have crammed into Granny’s elbowto-elbow with swarms of sunburned tourists and grubby anglers. The burgers and fries are great, but the real stars at Granny’s are the mile-high thickas-cement shakes available in dozens of flavors with fresh mixins. Open seasonally. GoHeberValley.com/Grannys
under the brilliant night sky on the north rim of the canyon and woken to a multitude of birds and ducks noisily swooping our tent. During our recent winter trip, we rented a cozy cabin at Red Canyon Lodge a few miles from Dutch John and saw some spectacular sunsets over a carpet of snow. During our walk to dinner at the main lodge, we were charmed to see dozens of mule deer dart through the woods. It’s hard to outdo the scenery, but I must say the whiskey selection at the lodge’s bar made the night even more delightful for a couple of riverexhausted parents. Getting to this remote part of the state takes some perseverance and
more than a little pre-planning. Be careful driving out there, y’all: I swear, deer outnumber people in Daggett County, especially on curvy roads at night. Fuel up when you can, enjoy the occasional posh bathroom (well, hello there, Little America), and embrace northeast Utah’s magical land of meat- and dairy-forward diners. Think cement-thick shakes and sloppy burgers at mom and pop joints filled with sunburned Boy Scout troops smelling of bug spray, fish guts and 50 miles of high-Uinta trail dirt. I desperately want to remind them to wash their hands. But the best thing about getting to the Green is that there’s great fishing—along with those nom-worthy
eats—on several route options linking Flaming Gorge and Salt Lake City. After stopping in Vernal to satisfy a craving for fresh veg and brews, pull out the rods and stretch your legs while fishing Strawberry Reservoir. Continuing west on U.S. Route 40, access dry fly fishing on the blue ribbon Provo River between Heber and Midway’s string of crowded shake shacks. If returning via the northern route through Wyoming to do a little recreational state-line shopping (winkwink), fish the chilly high-altitude Uinta lakes accessible via a short hike from the Mirror Lake Highway. In nearby Kamas, order oldfashioned frosted-mug sodas and
Hi-Mountain Drug— Kamas. After a long day of fishing along the Mirror Lake Highway or an extended backpacking trip into the high Uintas, nothing quite hits the spot like a thick, rich, eat-itwith-a-spoon milkshake in a frosty glass alongside a messy jalapeño cheeseburger and hand-cut fries. Hi-Mountain is part drug store, gift shop and diner, and it’s all charm.
overflowing shakes at Hi-Mountain. Or, on Sundays, opt for Dick’s Uinta Drive In, where we always run into somebody we know—all of us bugbitten, grimy and smiling after a weekend spent in the woods, now craving beer-batter fries dipped in an embarrassing amount of fry sauce. After all of that catching-andreleasing trout on Utah’s rivers—and even more so when we don’t catch anything—we get a hankering to chow down on some of that piscine plentitude. (Check state regulations for the type, size and number of fish you can keep and under what conditions.) Fortunately for us high-west desert dwellers, farm-raised rainbow trout
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Brad Lovejoy
Green River
is on Seafood Watch’s “best choice” recommendation list for sustainable eating. It’s available fresh from Idaho at many major markets. Mike prefers trout cornmealbattered and pan-fried in a cast-iron skillet while I like it simply grilled whole over the campfire using a few basic ingredients. Here’s a tip from our 20-plus years of matrimony: Don’t tell your spouse how to fish, drive or operate a grill. When I do the cooking, we do it my way (see recipe, p. 48). We still don’t need to take a “save the marriage” fishing trip. But we do recommend regular self-administered doses of river therapy to keep things going strong. ❖
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 51
Origins 101 The strange sorcery that creates wine Evan Lewandowski
52 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
By Francis Fecteau photos by NIKI CHAN
G
rapes become wine when yeast eats sugar and converts it to alcohol. It’s that simple. Then again, there is such a thing as gross oversimplification. People have devoted their lives to the study of fermentation science. Personally, each year as I work the harvest, I observe, in a state of wonder, the collection of unicorn farts, thunderbolts and lucky charms that accompany the sweat and toil of the year’s bounty as my winemaking friends guide a grape from dirt to bottle. A great vintage begins in winter. Following harvest, it’s customary to give a vineyard a big long drink (irrigation) at which point, the vineyard takes a nap. This is important because, throughout the year, most vineyards get irrigated precious little— grapes are lazy, and it’s all part of the grand scheme to get them to work harder and taste better. And the irrigation is a reward for the long, hard work of the season. Winter moisture is essential. Without proper soil hydration, farming and responsible soil management, proper nutrient uptake becomes difficult. Without proper nutrient uptake, bud break and ensuing bud development become difficult. And without proper bud formation, grape yields become questionable. Without proper yields, well … you get the picture. Welcome to winemaking, a collection of improbable moments in a series of events that sometimes pile up in perfect order to create a perfect vintage. Vineyard managers and winemakers are there to guide the vines’ juice through a series of natural obstacles to a profitable end. It’s a business, after all. And mistakes, or a capricious Mother Nature, may cost a winery terrific sums of money—or enable them to turn a decent profit. Let’s assume all has gone well: There’s been a wet winter, and the plants are doing what they are supposed to do: Grape buds have swollen and have given way to bud break; leaves and shoots have developed, flower clusters form and the caps pop into full bloom. Grapes are self-pollinating so there are no showy blossoms that need bees to finish the job, but the sacrifice here is that the blossoms are delicate. Any strong winds or temperature changes or rain can result in loss of potential. But if there’s proper nutrition and
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801-273-0837 | 5244 S. Highland Dr. Devour Utah • May/June 2015 53
Winemaking at Ruth Lewandowski Wines
moisture, plus perfect breezy spring weather and adequate pollination, then maybe, just maybe, the fruit is properly formed. Oh, and this is before a grape has ever been picked or smashed. And we are only halfway through the chaos that is an average wine-grape harvest. August looms large on the horizon each year: There are sugar checks a-plenty (you’d better like the company of wasps) and winery minions zigzag through the rows to taste fruit and crunch seeds. But it’s not just a matter of sugar. Sure, sugar creates alcohol, but grapes are so much more than vehicles for sugar. There are a half-dozen different identifiable acids that give sugar some shape beyond that of canned fruit-cocktail syrup. Physical changes in the plant signal that the fruit is complete, wherein the skins, seeds and stems make the tannic contribution that give wine its pucker. If all the puzzle pieces fit and the fruit is in good shape, we can initiate fermentation. Grapes get crushed and the juice soaks with the skins for red wines (that’s where reds get their color) while white wines ferment without the skins. Once the color is sufficient and the yeast has had its fill, it dies off and falls to the bottom of the fermentation vessel where it breaks down and continues to contribute aromatics and texture. Keep in mind that this chaos is still a biologically unstable mess of 54 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
bacterial mayhem desperately in need of capable, patient hands— think “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” when the sorcerer comes back to clean up Mickey Mouse’s mess. And, yes, generally, winemakers have that same angry furrowed brow—even Utah’s own Evan Lewandowski (Ruth Lewandowski Wines) and Michael Knight (Kiler Grove Winegrowers). At this point, each winery is full of fermentations in various stages of completion, yeast is finishing its job, color is nearing an appropriate level of saturation, and it’s time to bring the chaos in for a landing by removing the fermented juice, clarifying it and sending it to barrel. Again, here is where art meets craft as the final aromatics and texture are largely up to the individual winemaker’s palate. While there are several different, correct technical approaches, each winemaker manages a multitude of winemaking problems with a different set of tools in the toolbox—all of which are capable of making stable, expressive wines. But even once the wines are stabilized, we won’t see the final results until after the wines spend a few months in barrels to ensure proper integration and finesse. Good thing, too, because by then, the wine is ready to bottle, Mickey’s found the sorcerer’s book, and the entire chaotic process is ready to begin anew. ❖
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zinergy in a
Don’t just drink your wine: Help bottle it, too, at Kiler Grove By Heather L. King photos by John Taylor
56 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
A
s I nibbled local cheese and munched fresh grapes, I marveled at the scene set before me. In the center of the winery warehouse, smelling slightly of fermented grapes, a small production line stood out in front of pallets stacked with cases of wine. Today, the goal of everyone in attendance was clear: bottle 110 cases of red wine. Despite what you might be thinking, this is not a travelogue of a trip to wine country in Sonoma. Instead, this scene is replayed several times a year in the spring and fall right in South Salt Lake—at Kiler Grove Winegrowers, Utah’s first urban winery. And like myself, all of the participants in the bottling are volunteers. “Visitors to the tasting room are invited to sign up for our Cellar Rat volunteers list,” explains Rhea Cook, Kiler Grove’s tasting room manager and wine educator. Cook is also a certified French-wine scholar. When a new wine is ready for bottling, Cook runs through the customer list until she finds eight to 10 people who can spend up to six hours at the winery to help prepare its newest vintages for sale. This past fall, I was lucky enough to get the call for the bottling of the 2011 Zinergy. The hands-on experience gave me (and the others volunteers) in-depth knowledge of exactly
how the wine-bottling process works, and why it’s such a labor of love. Kiler Grove owner and winemaker Michael Knight oversees the Saturday bottling event. “Using volunteer ‘Cellar Rats’ for bottling … is not only a way to connect to our customers and keep them informed and involved,” he says. “But unlike [in] California, there is no pool of winery workers from which to draw the manpower to perform these critical phases of wine production.” Of course, the production of Zinergy began long before it arrived in Utah. Knight first crushes, blends and ages the wine in Paso Robles, Calif., near where the grapes are grown. The blend then travels to South Salt Lake in a large plastic traveling container with a special wine bladder inside—think of it as a 260-gallon box of wine—to protect the precious liquid. From here, we pump the wine through a filter and directly into the filler machine, which can load six wine bottles at a time. This station is the most actionpacked but also requires intense focus to keep up the pace: We have six minutes per bottle to get them from the box, filled and back in the box. Prior to filling, the empty bottles must be removed from their cases and washed. With the threat of smashing glass onto the winery floor, I learn the
Delicious Food, Great Atmosphere!
Michael Knight
Become a Cellar Rat To become a Kiler Grove volunteer, visit the winery and ask to be added to the Cellar Rat list. Bottling volunteers should be physically able to stand on their feet for the duration of the event and lift cases of wine. Tastings & Sales The store is open Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 6:30 p.m. Tastings are $10, but the fee is waived with the purchase of one bottle of wine. No one under age 21 is allowed in the tasting room, per Utah law. Kiler Grove Winegrowers 53 W. Truman Ave., South Salt Lake 801-746-0977 KilerGroveWines.com
715 East. 12300 South. Draper, UT 801-996-8155
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Kiler Grove Winegrowers
fine art of flipping a box of 12 empty bottles upside down, placing it on a table and lifting the box to reveal an array of standing bottles ready for washing. As the bottle washer, I rinse and dry two bottles at a time before handing them off to the filler where Kiler’s flagship wine, Zinergy ($21), flows into the bottles. Once the bottles are full, the wine moves to the corker, where its spiced berry character is sealed in until the consumer is ready to enjoy it. Next is the foil spinner that was customengineered by Knight’s nephew. At the final station, we clean, label
58 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
and re-box each bottle. Every case is marked with a federal stamp and dated. The process repeats until 1,320 bottles are filled over the course of the day. As a thank you for all of our hard work, we are treated to a delicious lunch prepared by Knight’s wife, Elva, along with beverages and snacks throughout the day. But the real reward for my efforts was opening a bottle of Zinergy to accompany dinner one evening and knowing that the wine couldn’t have made it into my glass without the efforts of the Zinergy 2011 Cellar Rat team. ❖
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no
Room Key needed
These hotel bars offer cocktails worth a trip, even for locals By Kelli Nakagama
H
otels are sanctuaries from the stress of traveling, offering (hopefully) cozy comforts in a temporary home away from home. Hotel bars, on the other hand, are often an easy answer to the question of where to find the quickest, closest place to grab a drink. But several Utah hotels have taken the bar to a whole different level, creating craft cocktails and stocking rare spirits in awesome lounges worthy enough to inspire even locals to stop in for a drink— or even a night’s stay.
The Drink
Hendricks Not So Classic
The Bar: The Aerie Lounge at Snowbird The Cliff Lodge, Level 10, Little Cottonwood Canyon 801-933-2160 Snowbird.com
N
estled between some of Utah’s steepest peaks and perched at the top of The Cliff Lodge, The Aerie Lounge serves a spirit list covering every concoction imaginable, including beer, wine, sake, ciders, Scotch and plenty of liqueurs. The specialty cocktails are on the sweeter side, but the Hendrick’s Not So Classic—with fresh cucumber, mint, lime and ginger ale with Hendrick’s Gin—is refreshing and rejuvenating, whether or not you’ve spent the day hiking or biking or are spending the night at the lodge. 60 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
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Devour Utah • May/June 2015 61
The Drink
Queen Bees Knees
The Bar: Gibson Lounge at The Grand America 555 S. Main, SLC 801-258-6000 GrandAmerica.com/dining/gibson_lounge
Derek Carlisle
T
he Gibson Lounge is buried deep within downtown Salt Lake City’s largest and most luxurious hotel, giving it a sort of speakeasy vibe that’s only enhanced with the décor of the wood-paneled, windowless room. Its menu of craft cocktails, created by Amy Eldridge, is uniquely satisfying, especially The Queen Bees Knees, made with lemon, honey and lavender bitters mixed with local Beehive gin. Ordering food is not required, but you should at least consider the Grand Burger with onion marmalade. 62 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
Devour Utah • May/June 2015 63
courtesy photo
The Drink Local flight
The Bar: Burgers & Bourbon at the Montage Deer Valley 9100 Marsac Ave., Park City 435-604-1300 MontageHotels.com/deervalley/ dining/burgers-bourbon
64 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
I
t’s not surprising that the cocktail list at Burgers & Bourbon is mostly bourbon-based. But ask for its selection of spirits and you’ll receive a three-ring binder appropriately named “The Book of Bourbon,” containing more than 100 whiskeys. It’s practically a textbook with information on tasting notes, ingredients and distillery history that turns drinking into a learning session. Order a whiskey sampling, like the Local Flight with three of High West’s whiskeys, or create your own from The Book.
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Eating on the Fly
B
eing a food, wine and travel writer, my work takes me to far-flung places, and I spend a good deal of time flying. Now, airports have never been particularly fun places. But at least airport food has improved tremendously. It used to be uniformly ghastly, not to mention overpriced. But today, there are airports that I actually look forward to traveling through because of the dining options. I’m always eager, for example, to pass through the JetBlue concourse at JFK Airport in New York City, knowing that there are three eateries just steps from one another where I can get moules et frites, world-class sushi and seafood or a prime beefsteak. I remember a time not too long ago when Salt Lake City International was a culinary wasteland. Granato’s Deli was pretty much the only game in town. Today however, there are a couple dozen locally owned restaurants, saloons, markets, grills, delis, bakeries and breweries that can make arriving in or departing from Salt Lake City a tasty experience. Squatters Pub Brewery was one of the first food & drink pioneers to set up camp at the airport, and it’s still one of the best venues for dining and drinking. A breakfast frittata is always a welcome morning wake-me-up, and later in the day, I really like traveling healthy with their tabouleh quinoa salad, even if I splurge a bit with a slice of peanut-butter chocolate pie. Of course, there’s rarely a Squatters Hop Rising Double IPA far from reach. If you’re in the mood for steak or seafood, I’d recommend visiting Market Street Grill. It’s there you’ll find a huge selection, including items like seafood Louie, Market Street’s famous clam chowder, fish tacos and certified Angus Beef steaks and burgers, as well as grilled, fried Ted Scheffler writes or broiled fish. You can even chow down on Maryland about food, wine lump crab cake and eggs Benedict for breakfast. and travel for Salt One of the most popular dining and drink spots at Lake City Weekly the airport is High West Distillery & Saloon. Here you’ll and other local and find High West’s award-winning whiskeys, along with national publications. award-worthy food like coffee-and-bourbon-glazed In his spare time, cod, whiskey-cider-braised beef short ribs and campfire he rides herd over s’mores. There’s even a whiskey and chocolate pairing, his ever-expanding and how could you resist that temptation? guitar collection. For Italian fare, you’ll find excellent paninis, pizzas, pasta dishes and salads at two venues: Il Viaggio and Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta. If you’re in a hurry, order the delicious Mediterranean veggie pizza with artichoke hearts, bell peppers, Kalamata olives, feta, ricotta, and homemade basil pesto from Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta to take with you on the plane. Two dishes I find hard to resist are the lobster mac and cheese at Cat Cora’s Kitchen & Lounge, and the gyro plate at Greek Souvlaki. I’ve lost count of the number of gyros I’ve consumed at 37,000 feet. Well, I hear my boarding section being called. Gotta fly! ❖ Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta
66 Devour Utah • May/June 2015
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68 Devour Utah • May/June 2015