COTTONWOOD CAFÉ: THE CITY’S LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
Alittle red and black (stationary) locomotive engine has been the root of curiosity for generations. Temporarily parked along Bengal Boulevard, pedestrians, drivers, and skaters would tilt a friendly nod during their work and school communities. Now, the little locomotive has been permanently parked along 7146 S. Highland Drive in Cottonwood Heights. Looking closer at the yellow lettering painted along the engine’s cab, the home of the little locomotive can be read. Cottonwood Heights Café has been a staple of the community.
Cottonwood Café originally opened Jan. 13, 2006 along Bengal Boulevard. Over the years, the café grew in popularity as they offered big plates of quality breakfast food for reasonable pricing. It was a quick walk from school and home for many as it was originally located near a handful of neighborhoods, apartment complexes, Butler Middle School and Brighton High School. This led to the Café having a rather “homey” feeling for many repeat customers.
In 2014, the locomotive steamed up and moved on over to its current location along Highland Drive.
Over the past decade, residents have continued to frequent the café and kept business booming for the owners (even though Cottonwood Café did experience some hardships along with many other restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic). It is difficult to imagine a Cottonwood Heights future without Cottonwood Café as many residents feel a kinship with
One of the top Google Reviews for Cottonwood Café mentions their omelets being a “breakfast epiphany.” (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights Café)
A Commitment to Faith-Based Care at Holy Cross Hospital – Salt Lake
By: Rev. Dr. Godwin Nnamezie
At Holy Cross Hospital – Salt Lake, and in all our Holy Cross Hospitals along the Wasatch Front, we have a steadfast commitment to caring for the mind, body and spirit of our patients, families and employees. To fulfill this commitment, we pay particular attention to how we serve through our actions, decisions and behaviors.
As Market Mission Director with 20 years of Mission experience at CommonSpirit Hospitals, I have had the unique privilege of working alongside our leaders, employees and providers, ensuring we integrate our mission, vision and values in all we do. Through my work, I strive to make the hidden presence of Christ seen, heard and felt through every interaction we have with one another and those we serve.
Being part of our Holy Cross Hospitals means serving within a faith-based ministry, where our employees are invited to live out their life purpose in a unique and powerful way. Everyone has something inside them that propels them forward, that gives them drive, that leads them and that they want to share with others – this is what it means to be powered by faith!
The hospital can be a frightening environment for so many of our patients, as well as a high-stress work environment for our employees. Being a faith-based ministry means we continue to expand our spiritual care program. The program allows for our hospital chaplains to help alleviate fears and stresses by providing emotional and spiritual care support and ministry. As a Holy Cross Hospital – Salt Lake patient, receiving faith-based care simply means you can expect compassionate, healing care delivered by those who are guided by and committed to the ideals and beliefs of our founders, the Sisters of the Holy Cross, and our ministry.
A quick look at our faith-based roots that run deep here in Utah shows that the Sisters of the Holy Cross accomplished feats of great worth and permanence during their years of service. There are generations of our patients who encountered the Sisters and received care from them at our Holy Cross Hospitals. It is so humbling to listen to their stories and first-hand accounts that left such an impact on their lives.
The strength of the pioneering Sisters was their willingness to serve their God
and the sick and needy, no matter the race, creed, or economic status. The Holy Cross Sisters’ legacy of courage, passion, life purpose, dedication, selflessness and regard for their fellow human beings are many and beautiful – and one we strive to uphold. While the theme of faith and service rings true throughout our hospital walls, it also extends out into the community through collaboration with our partners. Our community health needs assessment and community benefit program help us better understand our communities so we can work to improve the health of the people we serve.
It is my hope that you when you walk through our hospital doors or interact with us in the community that you feel our commitment – powered by faith, fueled by humankindness – to you and our community.
Learn more about the services, care providers and mission-driven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
Orthopedic care with compassion at its core.
Our physicians provide the most advanced care and treatment options in orthopedics, including hip and knee replacement, total joint replacement, and sports medicine. We are committed to creating personalized treatment plans and providing extraordinary care to every patient.
As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
1050 East South Temple | Salt Lake City, UT 84102 mountain.commonspirit.org
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Rev. Dr. Godwin Nnamezie Market Mission Director Holy Cross Hospitals
From using crockpots and air fryers to ordering groceries and meals from third party delivery services, we all strive to lessen the time it takes to put a meal on the table. New York Post reports “Americans spend more than 400 hours a year in the kitchen.”
Linda Lederman, a kitchen competence coach and graduate of Rouxbe Cooking School and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, provides tips and tricks when it comes to meal prepping and time-saving hacks in efforts to continue the vital practice of having dinners around the table. Lederman said, “Research shows that when you have a sit-down family meal, your kids do better in school, they have better communication skills, they have better social skills, and believe it or not, they're less likely to abuse illegal substances.”
What’s her first tip to reclaiming the dinner table? Evaluating your schedule. This includes your spouse’s schedule and your children’s schedule too. Once you identify your timeframe allotted for your meals in a given week you can then start planning out your meals whether it be for an open evening allowing a more time-intensive meal, or a quick turnaround night of needing to repurpose leftovers from the night before. Lederman emphasized that “each family will have a different lifestyle, there is not a one size fits all.”
In efforts to meet the needs of your schedule, Lederman suggests using a variety of time savers including:
• Meal prepping. This is where you prepare ingredients so you can quickly use them throughout your week. Examples Lederman shared include prepping lettuce (paper towel in bowl, washed lettuce, then covered with another paper towel and lid to absorb moisture) so that it’s ready to eat throughout the week for salads, burgers and sandwiches;
Meal prepping tips and tricks
By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com
and cooking hamburger meat to use throughout the week in tacos, spaghetti sauce and in a casserole. This helps avoid having to prepare items before each meal.
• Sheet pan dinners, one pot meals or crockpot meals. All of these methods require minimal cooking steps and equipment needed, therefore saving time cleaning up at the end of the meal.
• Batch cooking. This is where you make at least double of a recipe so that you can quickly pull it out to use at another time. This method is used for breaking down into smaller portions for your family to be able to grab and go as needed, or even to freeze for future use.
When it comes to freezing items, Lederman suggests freezing foods such as broths (fish broth or chicken broth), soups, and even sauces like tomato sauce and pesto sauce which she recommends repurposing by putting on chicken breasts, adding to a turkey bacon sandwich, or even putting in a pasta. “Avoid freezing vegetables though,” Lederman cautions, “and make sure you put freezer foods in small portion sizes so when you pull them out you aren’t having to eat them for days.” Smaller portions of broth and sauces can be put into ice cube trays with a little olive oil to be able to pull out as needed when adding a little flavor to soups, stews, and when sautéing or roasting vegetables. Of course, all freezer items should include the date the food was made and a labeling of what the item is as once the foods are frozen they often resemble another food.
When it comes to saving both time and costs in shopping for your meals, Lederman suggests seeing what you have in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer first and then making a list so you don’t buy excess items.
“You’re not only getting rid of your food waste,” Lederman explained, “but
you're not wasting food and you're reducing your food costs because there's no waste.” Not only does she suggest adding to your list items that are staples for you and your family such as always having pasta on hand if you and your family use pasta in many recipes, but she also suggests writing your items down on your list by category of like-minded foods such as fresh produce, dairy, meats, frozen foods, and canned goods so that your shopping time is drastically reduced.
For more meal prepping tips and tricks, as well as for Lederman’s free “Easy One Dish Dinners” eBook, check out Holly’s Highlights podcast Season 3 Episode 14 wherever you listen to podcasts including Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, TuneIn+Alexa, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and www.hollycurby.com. l
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS TEAM
The Cottonwood Heights Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Cottonwood Heights.
For information about distribution please email hello@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.
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Larry K. meal preps meat to be served at a graduation celebration. (Photo courtesy Holly Curby)
Welcome to Utah, home to some fun food traditions
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
“Whatis dirty soda?” a friend living in Las Vegas texted me recently.
This message quickly brought memories of conversations with my non-Utah-dwelling family and friends to mind—conversations questioning Utahns love of fry sauce, our affinity for green Jell-O, and, of course, the definition of dirty soda. As a reporter, I decided I needed to explore some of these unique Utah foods to learn their history for this special edition of the City Journals (and to better answer questions from faraway friends and family).
A quick Google search does indeed bring up scones, green Jell-O, funeral potatoes, dirty soda and fry sauce as foods unique (or iconic, or classic) to the State of Utah.
“Almost all are unhealthy which is fascinating to me. I thought that Mormons ate healthy until I moved to Sandy and realized that processed food is the mainstay of the diet,” said resident Linde Delman.
Green Jell-O has been recognized worldwide as being unique to Salt Lake City, Utah…at least since 2001. The notoriety can be traced back to a group of BYU students who gathered 15,000 signatures petitioning the Utah State Legislature to make Jell-O the official state food.
Former Utah Commissioner of Agriculture Lenoard Blackham took notice of the petition and sponsored a Resolution Urging Jell-O Recognition. The resolution recognizing Jell-O brand gelatin as a favorite snack of Utah was passed during the 2001 General Session.
“Jell-O is representative of good family fun, which Utah is known for throughout the world,” Blackham said at the time.
(The legislative resolution even notes traditional favorite recipes at family, church and community dinners which include such additions as bananas, apples, marshmallows, pretzels, carrots and grapes. Residents also recommend mandarin oranges, cream cheese, cottage cheese, mini marshmallows, fruit cocktail and whipped cream.)
The 2002 Winter Olympics then solidified green Jell-O as a Utah unique dish—at least for the pin collectors. The collectable green Jell-O pin was discussed as a runaway favorite among pin collectors and quickly gained international favor.
The Salt Lake Tribune even sponsored a Jell-O haiku contest between 2010 and 2017.
“I think a lot of the Utah-specific recipes are about maximizing resources. Making large quantities for large families or church groups with inexpensive ingredients to feed the masses probably comes from a place of necessity. Pioneers had to stretch their food supplies for survival, and I think that same mentality carries through to the modern day culture in Utah,” said resident Collett Litchard.
The influence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pioneering traditions has been well-documented for having significant impacts on the local food traditions of Utahns. Many of these traditions and recipes have been passed down through oral stories and handwritten recipe cards. One of the strongest ties to the state’s religious history must be the funeral potato.
“(Funeral potatoes) are traditionally prepared and served by the Relief Society at a lunch at the ward following a funeral,” said resident Polly Light.
For those unfamiliar with funeral potatoes, we might think of them as a cheesy potato casserole (as a closely related dish— don’t come for me, readers). Funeral potato recipes typically call for cubed gold potatoes baked in a 9x13 dish with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and cream of (chicken or mushroom) soup (or clam chowder). Additional ingredients may include onions, green onions, thyme, sour cream and onion potato chips.
Resident Nancy Perkins made mention of probably one of
the most important ingredients for funeral potatoes—corn flakes.
“Throughout the 20th century, LDS wards put together cookbooks from people’s family recipes (which is probably why there are so many stories about funeral potatoes and other casserole-type dishes),” said resident Jennifer Mattson.
“We follow the recipes from the church cookbook 40-ish years ago,” echoed resident Holly Raddatz.
“I never heard of fry sauce before I moved to Utah (and I had lived a lot of places),” said Litchard. “I distinctly remember the first time we ate out and they asked us if we wanted fry sauce. My husband said, "you mean ketchup?" The waitress laughed and had to explain it to us.”
Many Utahns have had the experience of being questioned about fry sauce habits, but it’s one of the Utah foods whose history isn’t quite solidified. (It’s been rather saucy about discussing its past.)
Some residents call back to 1941 where Don Carlos Edwards blended ketchup and mayonnaise calling it the “pink sauce” for which he put on his burgers at Don Carlos Barbeque. Some residents turn back to Stan’s Drive-In in 1955 where two high school students Ron Taylor (Stan’s son) and Max Peay played around with ketchup-based sauce recipe. In 1957, a sales representative from Arctic Circle asked Taylor’s permission to take the fry sauce recipe to headquarters. (Much of this fry sauce history has been recorded by Michael P. Christensen in his article “Utah’s Fry Sauce.”)
Many residents and researchers attribute the history of the sauce to the chain restaurant of Arctic Circle, which some of the less-known history corroborates.
“Growing up in the ’80s, I don’t remember any other fast food chain offering fry sauce except (Arctic Circle),” said resident Pat Shields.
Utah residents generally agree that Arctic Circle does have the best fry sauce, but Crown/Astro Burger follows in as an extremely close second (their pastrami burgers also tops the list for popular Utah foods). The Training Table was also mentioned as a favorite for fry sauce.
“We use barbecue sauce in fry sauce to add extra flavor and kick to the ketchup/mayo combo,” said resident Aime Clark.
Dirty soda has been such a popular treat among Utah residents over the past 20 years that there was even a trademark battle over it. In 2015, Swig sued Sodalicious for copying the “dirty soda” concept for their drive-by drink shop business. Two
years later, the legal battle ended in a settlement. In the meantime, many different businesses popped up including Sip-N, SipIt, Slurp and Fizz.
Dirty sodas are drinks (you guess it, typically sodas) with added cream, flavors, syrups or fruit. They resemble mocktails as some recipes use the adage “spike” as in spiking the soda with flavored syrup.
“We don’t drink alcohol, so we need to have something!” said resident Candice Wright.
“(These) drinks grow increasingly popular in the predominantly Mormon state where sugar is a common indulgence,” reported Lindsay Whitehurst from the Associated Press in 2016. Many Utah residents echo the sentiment that many Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ members have extreme sweet tooths.
“Sugar is a legal vice for Mormons,” summarized resident Ric Heaton.
Resident Codie Gleason had a different take for the ever-rising popularity. “There’s something about how customized they are—I think it brings an appeal to big families because everyone has a different favorite.”
Overwhelmingly, the favorite dirty soda recommendation from our readers has been a Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper with coconut (some recommend the coconut be with lime, others recommend additional creamer, some recommend both).
Recommendations for our readers have also included peach mango lemonade with whipped cream, pear Mountain Dew, and Mountain Dew with cream and raspberry flavoring.
Residents also mentioned other foods that immediately come to mind as being traditional, or specific, to Utah. Here are some of their answers: frog-eye salad, Hawaiian haystacks, (tater tot) casseroles, ranch dressing, coffee substitutes, boysenberry pie and no-bake cocoa cookies.
“Bread seems to be a big part of the Utah culture. There is a lot of homemade breadmaking and a lot of homemade jam canning,” Mattson said.
Some restaurants even popped up in their answers as being loved by Utahns including: Sauced Up Salsa, Clover Club (chips), Café Rio, Crumbl and Aggie Ice Cream.
Interestingly, no one mentioned salt (even though we have millions of tons of it from the lake) or the first KFC (on 3900 South and State Street; the Do Drop In was bought and rebranded to be the first Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952).
For more information about Utah food, the University of Utah Press has published “This is the Plate: Utah Food Traditions” edited by Carol Edison, Eric Eliason and Lynne McNeill. l
Stan, Sarah and Ron outside of Stan's Drive-In in Provo around the time fry sauce took off. (Photo courtesy of Ron Taylor)
“I think they got the name because after a funeral service, lunch is usually provided by church members, and many volunteers will make the same type of food, which is usually ham, funeral potatoes, salad and rolls,” said resident Holly Raddatz. (Liudmyla Chuhunova/ Shutterstock)
5 excellent outdoor dining options in Salt Lake County
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
The Future of Indoor Golf
•
Warm weather ushers in the chance to dine al fresco, surrounded by beautiful scenery, friends and family, and good food. Salt Lake County is home to dozens of eateries that feature patio dining and these are some of the best.
Millcreek Pizza House, 1357 E. 3300 South, Millcreek
Spend a pleasant summer evening sitting on the patio of Millcreek Pizza House. Located at Millcreek Common, it’s a relaxing way to enjoy a meal, have a drink, watch roller skaters and wall climbers, and enjoy local entertainment. Choose from handcrafted pizzas with fresh-made dough and quality meats, vegetables and cheese. Options include a pesto-based mushroom pizza, a classic Margherita with fresh basil and balsamic reduction, and a BBQ chicken pizza with spicy sriracha ranch sauce. There are also gluten-friendly options, garlic bread, salads and refreshing drinks. Learn more at Millcreekpizzahouse.com.
Tuscany, 2832 E. 6200 South, Holladay
For something more upscale, the patio seating at Tuscany creates a romantic dining experience with beautiful flowers, stone walls, intimate lighting, delicious food and fine wines. Inspired by Italy’s stunning landscape and captivating cuisine, Tuscany’s patio is a hidden treasure where diners can enjoy a summer meal. The menu includes a fried green tomato appetizer, chicken pesto pizza, beef entrees, lamb chops, house made pasta and specialty cocktails. Top off the meal by sharing a slice of Tuscany’s decadent chocolate cake with chocolate ganache layers and vanilla bean gelato. For more information, visit Tuscanyslc.com.
Oasis Cafe, 151 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City
Visiting Oasis Cafe is about taking a step back from busy schedules and into a retreat for the senses. Its flower-filled pa -
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the little engine that could.
When sitting down to eat at the Cottonwood Café, guests may find many different items on the menu. Some of the more popular breakfast items include Blueberry Pancakes, Eggs Benedicts, and a variety of Omelets.
“The Avocado and Feta Omelet” has been praised by resident Anrea Savage. Cottonwood Café doesn’t just serve breakfast. They have a variety of lunch items as well including Burgers, Chicken Strips, Sweet Potato Fries, and a Teriyaki
tio, or the covered breezeway, are calming places to enjoy a friendly brunch, a scrumptious dinner or cold-pressed juices on a warm summer evening. Brunch options include coffee cake, breakfast burritos, omelets and applewood smoked bacon. Tasty appetizers, creative salads and hearty dishes can be found for dinner. The dessert menu features chocolate cheesecake and lavender panna cotta. Oasis Cafe also supports local breweries and merchants. Visit Oasiscafeslc.com to learn more.
Royal on Ridge, 14886 S. Traverse Ridge Road, Draper
Executive Head Chef Carlos Padilla invites diners to elevate their experience by enjoying an evening on the patio at Royal on Ridge. Located at Suncrest, high on the East Bench in Draper, the Ridge offers spectacular mountain views to accompany brunch, lunch or dinner. Favorite menu items include Royal Short Rib Pasta, chicken enchiladas and handmade pizza fired in a Stefano Ferrara woodfired brick oven. Live music every Thursday night and for Sunday brunch creates a fun atmosphere. An extensive drink menu features cocktails, wine and beer. To learn more, visit RoyalOnRidge.com.
Ruth’s Diner, 4160 E. Emigration Canyon Road, Salt Lake City
Just a few minutes up Emigration Canyon, Ruth’s Diner’s outdoor patio offers live music at 6:30 p.m., from Thursday through Sunday. This year marks the 94th anniversary of the diner, where locals go for Mile High biscuits and cinnamon roll French toast. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served with hearty items like chicken fried steak, grilled Idaho red trout, butter squash carbonara and Ruth’s famous dessert menu. The diner offers soda, wine, beer and specialty drinks like Ruth’s Killer Bloody Mary. Visit RuthsDiner.com for more information. l
Chicken Rice Plate.
“Gyro omelet!! Yum!” said resident Steve Bullis when asked what his favorite dish was. (Surprisingly for a breakfast place, there are many, many glowing reviews for the gyro.)
Cottonwood Café is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. But, as one of the more common breakfast spots for Cottonwood Heights residents, Cottonwood Café is open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays.
To visit their website, visit: www. cottonwodheightscafe.netwaiter.com. l
The Wine Academy of Utah uncorks wine education
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
In the world of fine dining, wine often takes center stage. However, understanding the realm of wine can be intimidating. Jim Santangelo founded the Wine Academy of Utah in 2008 to help demystify the complexities of wine, offering knowledge to help both enthusiasts and professionals.
“People want to be more empowered,” Santangelo said, “and they want more of an experience emphasis. You sit down and look at that wine list, or see all these great products in the wine store and you’re going to increase your own experience through knowledge.”
Whether someone is looking for a wine certification, a tasting tour or an in-home wine education experience, Santangelo hopes to increase wine knowledge, one sip at a time. He’s seen a heightened interest from consumers in the academy’s courses when, in the past, hospitality professionals made up the majority of attendees, but now, that mix is about 50/50.
The Wine Academy of Utah offers two certification courses, approved through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. The WSET Level 1 course is a one- or two-day program that introduces students to food and wine matching, and storing and serving wine.
The WSET Level 2 is a 10-week course for people in the retail, sales or hospitality industry and for serious wine consumers who want to expand their knowledge.
“The first step in becoming a wine expert is knowing your geography,” he said. “If you’re talking about Spain, know where Spain is in the world. Know there are different regions in Spain and know that it’s connected to France. That helps establish a good foundation to place all your wine knowledge.”
Originally from upstate New York, Santangelo came to Utah to attend college in 1994. He started working at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley and fell in love with the hospitality industry. Santangelo continued working
at high-end restaurants, gaining experience and building his wine knowledge.
Intrigued by how wine can enhance a dining experience, Santangelo decided to become a certified Sommelier and wine educator. By bringing his knowledge to Utah wine enthusiasts, he’s found a way to educate through fun experiences and adventures.
The Wine Academy of Utah also offers monthly whisky tastings at The Westerner (3360 S. Redwood Road) that include a professional lecture and free country swing classes. Regular Cigar & Spirits tastings introduce people to the etiquette of cigar smoking. The academy also participates in a variety of wine tastings for organizations like Tracy Aviary and The Leonardo in Salt Lake.
“We provide fun, educational and entertaining events in these consumer tastings,” he said. “I’m just really proud to be able to do that.”
For those beginning a foray into the world of wine, Santange-
lo offers in-home tasting events, catered to educate in the comfort of home. The tasting includes all beverages and glassware, tasting notes and a presentation from a certified Wine & Spirits specialist for up to 18 guests. For more information, visit WineAcademyofUtah.com.
“Having a Sommelier in the
comfort of your own home really spices up a cocktail party,” he said. “You’re having a complete and natural discussion about something that’s been around for thousands of years, and how it can change based on cultures. You’re there having a great conversation and enjoying a beautiful product.”l
The Wine Academy of Utah offers courses, tastings and certifications for consumers and professionals who want to learn about wine and spirits. (Stock photo)
New Canyon View principal committed to student support, continuation of programs
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
It’snot a prerequisite for being a principal, but Canyon View Elementary’s new principal, Shawn Walker, is able to do a backflip on a trampoline—likely something many of his students may be able to do themselves.
Walker has been a principal the past four years at Sandy Elementary and an assistant principal before that at Copperview and Midvale elementaries. He also was an administrative intern at Oak Hollow and Willow Springs elementaries.
“I have spent the past 11 years as an administrator in amazing schools that required a strong systems approach to providing academic and behavioral supports,” said the former Spanish, world history and English-asa-second language teacher. “I believe I come with experience in creating and maintaining a systems approach that can support all students in their learning. I have also learned a lot about restorative practices and the need to teach and model cooperation, kindness, and problem-solving skills for our students. I hope that I can provide valuable insights in these areas as well.”
In fact, Canyon View’s student support process for students who may struggle academically or behaviorally is one of the things Walker wants to better define and refine at Canyon View, with the support of the school’s building leadership team.
“I hope to help facilitate a process for providing needed supports for students through a systematic school-wide approach,” he said, adding he plans to become better acquainted with the school, students, teachers and the community. “Canyon View is a strong school with so many positive things happening. I want to continue to support all the good that is going on and avoid changing things just for change sake. The current goals and focus are the result of thoughtful consideration from the School Community Council, teacher leadership, and school administration. I want to honor the hard work that has already been done and, as I get to know everyone and they get to know me, I believe it will be clear how to continue the pathway of success for years to come.”
Walker does want to continue the school’s plans to support STEM education and activities as well as the arts in the school—as well as being a leader in the community for emergency preparedness.
“Emergency preparedness is crucial to peace of mind for our staff and community members,” he said. “Hopefully, we never have an emergency or serious incident at Canyon View, but knowing we’re prepared if we do, brings a lot of confidence and stability to our community.”
Canyon View’s former principal, Kierstin Draper, will now serve as Sandy’s Crescent Elementary principal.
Bella Vista Elementary Principal Angi Holden also is one of the administrators who was transferred. In her one year at the school, she supported the school community’s desire to incorporate more STEAM learning into the curriculum.
“I feel my strengths and celebrations from my time at Bella Vista were building relationships and systems to support students and educators and promoting STEAM initiatives,” she said.
She now will lead Union Middle School in Sandy and Barbra Winder will take her position at Bella Vista.
Other Canyons School District appointments include:
• Tracy Stacy — Butler Elementary principal
• Elenoa Puo — Sandy Elementary principal
• Jeff Nalwalker — Quail Hollow Elementary principal
• Shad DeMill — Lone Peak Elementary principal
• Aimee Wagner — Silver Mesa Elementary principal
• Dave Barrett — Jordan High assistant principal
• Sifa Tafisi — Eastmont Middle assistant principal
• Michelle Snarr — Jordan Valley School and Life Skills Academy assistant principal
• Ashley Lennox — Sprucewood Elementary assistant principal
• Leslie Robinett — Granite Elementary assistant principal
• Angela Oviatt — Silver Mesa Elementary assistant principal
• Rebecca Bass — Corner Canyon High assistant principal
• Brooke Rauzon — Draper Park Middle assistant principal
• Amber Tuckett — Draper Park Middle intern assistant principal
• Brenda McCann — Hillcrest High principal
• Courtney Long — Midvale Middle principal
• Areli Nevarez Gonzalez — Hillcrest assistant principal
• Ari Tavo — Midvale Middle assistant principal
• Amy Sandgren — Midvalley Elementary assistant principal
• Emily Wilson — Midvale Elementary assistant principal
• Janae Powell — East Midvale Elementary assistant principal
• Sierra Segura — Copperview Elementary assistant principal l
Shawn Walker will welcome students back to school this month as the new Canyon View Elementary principal. (Photo courtesy of Shawn Walker/Canyon View)
Heights schools online
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Cottonwood Heights Journal is offering readers more education stories. To read these stories, go online to www.cottonwoodheightsjournal.com.
Canyon View art night allows students to showcase talent, explore creativity — From art displays to choir performance to hands-on activities, Canyon View Art Night encouraged families to explore and enjoy the creativity.
Ridgecrest students read one million
minutes — Ridgecrest’s Million Minute Reading Challenge launches students to continue reading all summer.
Ridgecrest STEAM Night offers families an opportunity to explore — “We’re giving them problem-solving skills and skills in critical thinking, so when they graduate, they are college and career ready,” said a Canyons School District specialist. l
Many families came to Canyon View Elementary’s Art Night to check out the variety of student artwork. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Paris Baguette Café opens first location in Utah
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
ParisBaguette Café opened its doors in May, marking the first of the franchise in Utah.
Paris Baguette is a South Korean bakery and café chain offering a variety of pastries, sandwiches, salads and beverages. Paris Baguette has 4,000 units worldwide with 160 in the United States and more on the way. The new location is at 950 E. Fort Union Blvd.
Su Kim, the franchisee over the location, immigrated from South Korea to pursue her master’s degree. She’s been in the financial industry working for Goldman Sachs for over a decade. Recently, she wanted to branch out and do something to benefit the local community, leading to her decision to open the bakery café franchise.
“Growing up back in my hometown, that store, Paris Baguette, was everywhere in the neighborhood given that the brand itself originated from my home country,” Kim said. “So I was very familiar with the brand and the product that it offers and the environment of the café itself.”
Kim said since opening day, she has seen continuous support from the community. On their first day, the café sold over 3,000 products and over 600 people. That continued as the week went on and Kim said she was blown away by the reaction from the community. She spoke about a family that brought their own
game to the café and had fun while drinking coffee and enjoying the pastries.
“It's exactly what my family had done back home,” Kim said. “It reminded me a lot of those memories, great memories of our childhood, and seeing the smile on every guest. It was just amazing.”
Paris Baguette is working to expand through meaningful partnerships, hoping to have 1,000 locations in the U.S. by 2030.
Eric Lavinder, the CDO of Paris Baguette Café, said it was a natural progression to move from California, to Nevada and finally to Utah. He said it was a “long time coming,” but they didn’t want to move too fast and not have the café be the best it could be.
After the café in Midvale opened, he said it exceeded their expectations for how well it would do. Lavinder said they always hope for their café’s to do well, but the Midvale café went beyond their expectations.
It can take a year or longer to open one of their businesses, and they take their time with it. Lavinder said it’s “important to do it right the first time,” no matter how long it takes the franchise owner.
Both Lavinder and Kim want to see the café expand into different parts of Utah, both looking at areas in Salt Lake City for the next location. l
A Little Shop in Millcreek Making a Big Impact
Nonprofit thrift shops have seen a significant surge in popularity in recent years, offering secondhand treasures at affordable prices and a compelling way to reduce, reuse and recycle. One such shop in Millcreek has captured the hearts of loyal thrifters by offering the allure of finding one-of-a-kind items with the added appeal of supporting the community with each and every purchase. The Assistance League Thrift Shop, operated by the Assistance League of Salt Lake Cit y ©, is known for its carefully curated merchandise and boutique-like atmosphere, but what many of its customers may not know is that 85% of the revenue from the shop is returned to the community through the nonprofit’s philanthropic programs.
With the mission of improving the lives of children and adults through hands-on philanthropic programs, the Assistance League of Salt Lake City is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that is part of a national network of Assistance League chapters. The local chapter of 250 volunteer members served over 30,000 individuals last year by providing more than 5,000 bags of new winter clothing to children needing school clothes, urgent dental treatment, books to thousands of young readers, Assault Survivor Kits © and essential baby items to partnering hospitals, entertainment to seniors and more. Assistance League’s Assisteens auxiliary, made up of 7th-12th grade volunteers, served over 12,000 individuals through their community service projects. In 2023, the Salt Lake chapter provided 12 scholarships to local college students.
All of this is made possible by the proceeds from the thrift shop and generous donors! To find out more about Assistance League Thrift Shop or how to become a member of Assistance League, please visit our website at alslc.org
Assistance League Thrift Shop 2090 East 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84109 (801)484-3401
Email: info@alslc.org
Shop Hours: Tues–Sat | 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m.
Donation Hours: Tues–Sat: | 12:00 noon – 3:00 p.m.
Paris Baguette Café is a South Korean bakery and café chain with only one store open in Utah. (Bailey Chism/City Journals)
6 spots to treat your pup during National Dog Month
More and more restaurants seem to be offering treats, both sweet and savory, for customers’ furry family members. Around town in Salt Lake County, there are plenty of places that offer free or low-cost items to celebrate your pet for National Dog Month in August.
Whipped cream “Pup Cups”
Starbucks isn’t just a well-known place for toddlers to tag along with parents to get a cake pop, but for furry friends to snag a free treat. Most locations offer a cappuccino-size cup with whipped cream called a “puppuccino” by the franchise and deemed “pup cup” by customers. Just ask the barista for it when you get yourself a treat, free of charge.
Matt Young from the West Jordan location of the chain Culver’s, said the franchise also offers pup cups with whipped cream and an outdoor patio where dogs can enjoy them.
The burger restaurant Freddy’s has also been known to give away free pup cups.
Custard and ice cream
All Shake Shack locations offer a treat for their customers’ furry friends. For purchase, pet-parents can buy a bag of gourmet dog bones or a “Pooch-ini” made with the franchise’s dog-safe custard, topped with a Milk Bone, said Riverton’s Shake Shack manager Gregory Jensen.
The staff at this particular Utah location are especially dog-friendly, said Jensen. If you go through the drive-thru and let them know you have a dog in the car, workers will give a free Milk Bone treat and your dog might be added to the dog wall of photos inside the restaurant. Most locations lack a drive-thru like the Riverton store, but usually have a
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
patio of some sort.
Some Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream locations offer what they call “Frosty Paws” or “Dogsters” for four-legged friends which is ice cream specifically made for dogs and comes in a variety of flavors to choose from, including peanut butter. A single-serving Frosty Paws is available for $3 at the Sandy and Cottonwood Heights locations of the franchise and can even be ordered for delivery.
Ground hamburger “Puppy Patty”
The burger joint In-N-Out offers a more savory offmenu item for the furry family members of its customers. Marielena from customer service said most stores offer a “Puppy Patty'' which is an unsalted version of their normal hamburger patty. In Utah, she said these cost owners just more than a dollar. l
Shake Shack’s Pooch-ini is made with custard and topped with a Milk Bone. (Courtesy of Riverton Shake Shack)
Canyons Teacher of the Year shares insights on trying new teaching methods
Walking into a math room across from Alta High’s commons, something is amiss.
The desks are missing—intentionally.
This past year, Alta High math teacher Kevin Clyde traded desks for more white boards which grace three of the four classroom walls. Students stand, working together at the boards to solve problems. They look to one other, not Clyde, to figure out the steps on how to reach the answer.
“When they do ask me questions, some are returned with other questions,” he said. “What I’m trying to do is get students to think.”
Canyons School District’s 2024 Teacher of the Year said his approach isn’t traditional.
“I’ll set things up for them and give them some things to think about. I ask a couple questions; then they work together. I check in with the groups and I ask more questions. ‘How did you get this answer? Tell me how you came to that. Why do we know this happens the way it does?’” Clyde said.
There is a psychology to the approach, he said.
“When kids have their notebook paper and their pen, they’re afraid of making a mistake. Erasing or crossing it out seems to be a block for them. When they’re at a whiteboard, they can wipe it off and start over again. They’re learning that making mistakes is OK and they become less afraid to make a mistake. Often, they’re quicker to spot their own mistakes. It’s a subtle element to the learning process that sometimes gets missed,” Clyde said.
However, he is open when a student approaches while puzzling out a problem.
“They’re learning advocacy, asking for what they need,” he said. “The students have developed a relationship with somebody who she trusts. That’s a big thing in life. You don’t always know what to do, but if you have people around you, you can ask for help.”
Building relationships and having those connections were key to Clyde’s decision to teach.
“I asked myself some of my best memories of high school. Was it things I learned or was it the people around me? When I asked myself about my favorite teachers, I can think who have more of an impact and the relationships we have years after high school as compared to six months after they leave high school, they’ll forget most of what they remembered most of what they learned. I don’t take that for granted in 10 years, they likely won’t remember how to factor a quadratic, but they’ll remember me,” he said.
Two teachers—Angela Herrin at Thomas Jefferson Junior High and Robert Lake at Kearns High—impacted his life, and
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
his teaching. Herrin played John Williams’ music and “she sparked a really good conversation about how music makes you feel things” and Lake used wit and sarcasm in his teaching.
Clyde has incorporated those qualities in his teaching and often takes the lead from students if they want to build upon the teacher-student relationship. As a former high school athlete, he can talk sports from Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan sinking the shot against the Utah Jazz in the NBA finals to the Northwest Derby rivalry of Manchester United versus Liverpool. He supports the arts, even having watched “The Great British Bake Off Musical” that premiered in 2022. He is knowledgeable about history, understanding strategies he has learned at World War II museums.
“Kids will ask about English, and I’ll talk about English. Then we will talk about science. Teaching is not what I do; it is who I am,” he said, adding as they talk, often times, students will pick up one of the many logic puzzles on his desk to give it a try.
As a boy, Clyde would choose a letter and sit down to read the World Book Encyclopedia.
“I was a curious person. The subject doesn’t matter to me,” he said, but admitted he wasn’t the family champion of Trivia Pursuit. “It was my dad’s game. If we didn’t answer it verbatim, we wouldn’t get the pie wedge.”
After working in youth ministry, Clyde decided to continue his passion of working with teenagers in high school.
“Growing up, math made the most sense to me. I’d ask a ton of questions, and I had a good memory so it just came together in a way that clicked,” he said. “I can relate to a lot of the kids and talk to them about a number of subjects. I encourage them to think, to ask questions. Carl Sagan was talking to Johnny Carson about children asking a lot of questions and pointed out future generations will need people who ask questions. He said if they’re not asking questions, they can’t problem solve.”
Another thing Clyde learned from his teachers is to be a lifelong learner.
“I realized my best teachers are the ones who want to keep learning new things and were the ones who always were never afraid of being wrong,” he said. “I started challenging the paradigms and the norms.”
Learning about task-based learning by reading books by Stanford University’s Jo Boaler and a Canadian math education professor Peter Liljedahl, he discovered the best approach for students to learn is through exploration.
“Jo wrote that kids achieve higher levels when they’re doing the tasks and Peter said by doing that as they’re standing, there is improved student behavior. Their posture
is better, their mood is better, they persevere,” he said.
So, two years ago, Clyde transitioned to starting his class by students working together at a white board or paper on the wall.
“It was really hard to get the kids to commit to a task, so I reflected on what I was doing, the best way to approach it, what they needed to learn and understand and how we could get there,” he said. “This past year I simplified what I’m doing. Rather than give them a page of notes, a bunch of definitions, or eight different points to solve something, I’ve given them pieces of the problem and we build up from there. Before I would do something, but I wouldn’t say what I did or how I did it. Now I’m slicing it and building upon that. If I had done that earlier, I might have seen more success. My teaching has evolved through these eight years.”
At Westminster College, where Clyde earned his bachelor’s and master’s in math, he learned about educational psychology and social learning theory like “how kids learn in groups and how to group things and consequences like behavior management. In my early years, I was figuring out content and how do I best manage behaviors. Now I am able to look at the best ways for them to learn, and not just the math. I want them to become better learners for all subjects.”
While he continues to reflect and fine tune his teaching—“I’m not afraid to try new things” — Clyde often gets good suggestions from his wife, Anne, who is an educator at Union Middle.
“She’ll ask, ‘how do you really approach learners who might be struggling?’ She asks me a lot of questions to get me thinking on purpose,” he said.
At the Teacher of the Year ceremony, Clyde was first congratulated by his own kids, who scrambled onto his lap on stage to a standing ovation. Then, he was congratulated by 200-some Alta High students in his Secondary Math 2, Secondary Math 2 honors, Advanced Placement, Stats and concurrent enrollment classes.
He also will be Canyons’ representative in the 2025 Utah Teacher of the Year selection process, which is part of the National Teacher of the Year competition.
As the teacher of the year, Clyde received a $1,000 cash prize from the Canyons Education Foundation. Park Lane’s Jamie McDonald and Eastmont Middle’s Stephanie Davis were the top elementary and middle school finalists; they both received $500 from the Foundation.
About 5,000 nominations were submitted by students, parents and employees for deserving teachers. All Canyons school and program Teachers of the Year received gifts and prizes, including a $250 cash card, from the Foundation. In addition, Canyons first-ever Preschool Teacher of the Year is Sandy Elementary’s Kristen Stevenson. The inaugural Instructional Coach of the Year is Glacier Hills’ Jeny Wariner, and top paraprofessionals were honored at each of the Canyons’ schools.
“What has been most gratifying is through the years, I’ve gotten all these notes and thank-you cards that say, ‘you affected me,’ ‘you loved my kid,’ ‘you were a person and didn’t treat me like a number’ and I’ve kept everyone,” Clyde said. “It reminds me what I do matters. I love what I do.” l
Alta High’s Kevin Clyde helps a student puzzle out steps in a math problem. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
SLCC Culinary Arts inspires future food professionals
It takes more than the ability to create good food to earn a culinary arts degree. For more than 25 years, the culinary arts program at Salt Lake Community College has taught chefs and hospitality experts how to blend creativity, science, flavors, experience and traditions.
Drawing inspiration from global cuisines, incorporating techniques that reflect cultural heritage and introducing courses that teach hospitality, sustainability, and business management, SLCC’s culinary arts program covers it all, and interest in the program has grown over the last few years.
“We see people with a greater desire to follow their passion and they know they need to get started somewhere,” said Jeffrey Coker, executive chef and interim dean at the Gail Miller School of Business. “At the community college, we have a great program, great faculty and great staff. We're a very family-oriented program.”
Coker knows the industry. He spent 16 years at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Los Angeles, working his way up from chef instructor to executive chef and director of education at the school.
He helps each student craft a course of study to help them reach their goals. Whether they want to become a baker, a food writer, a restaurant manager or own a catering business, the SLCC program provides the necessary foundational skills for students to be successful.
“We have smaller class sizes,” Coker said. “We really get to know our students. Our faculty and our staff are focused on creating unique experiences for those students and getting to know them as they prepare them for careers in industry.”
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
At about $15,000 for an associate of applied science degree (including tuition, lab fees and uniform costs), the culinary arts program is an affordable option for students. Plus, scholarships, grants and other funding options to help reduce that cost, including concurrent enrollment for high school students.
Located at the Miller Campus in Sandy (9750 S. 300 West), the school provides a kitchen with modern equipment, 10,000 square feet of training space and a dining room to practice presentation and service. This year, they added a greenhouse to the campus, donated by a graduate of the program.
There are also 30,000 honeybees on site. Students harvest 40-50 pounds of honey during the season and work in the on-site garden for a complete farm-to-table experience.
“Every year, the garden looks a little bit different. The students are involved from the planning, the preparation, the plotting, the harvesting of seed, to the transplanting of seed and maintaining the watering schedule,” Coker said. “Not only are we promoting and building on the foundational skills that students need to be successful, but we’re giving them the relevant topics that are taking place in industry today.”
But a food career isn’t just about creating delicious dishes, it’s creating an experience where guests feel included. Learning professional techniques and practices of hospitality provides a deeper connection with guests and helps develop a valuable reputation in the food world.
“People are not customers. They are our guests,” Coker said. “This is the cornerstone of everything we believe. It is
something that I’ve maintained as one of my steadfast principles in my 30-plus years being in culinary arts and hospitality, and it’s something that I pass along to our faculty and our students. They need to learn to embrace the concepts of hospitality.”
For more information about the program, visit slcc.edu/ culinaryarts. l
Students in the Salt Lake Community College Culinary Arts program learn foundational skills to help them become successful in the food and hospitality industry. (Photo courtesy of SLCC)
Utah
8 Utah restaurants that serve up unique desserts
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
is full of sweet treats and there are whole stores dedicated to gourmet cookies, cheesecakes, milkshakes and more. But for many, a good dessert is better when it accompanies a good meal, and it’s even more interesting to the palate if it’s something that’s new.
Here are eight restaurants across Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties that not only bring good food to the table, but follow up with delicious and lesser-known desserts. The list is for all price-ranges, starting with the most expensive on the top. Prices range from $3 to $14.
ANTICA SICILIA - TORTA DELLA NONNA
Italian desserts at Millcreek’s Antica Sicilia are made fresh daily by restaurant co-owner, Giuseppe Mirenda’s mom, Margherita D’Alessandro. He said he doesn’t know of anyone else in Utah who makes the dessert.
“It’s the cake my grandma used to make all the time,” said Mirenda.
The recipe for the torta della nonna or “Grandma’s cake,” is an olive oil cake served at the restaurant made of fresh ingredients with a zabaglione sauce. The restaurant serves 40 portions of the cake every night, and is almost always sold out before close.
LIBERTANGO - PERA AL VINO
This Argentine steakhouse in Sandy promises you a taste of the fancy life. Libertango also has some desserts you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in Utah. Their pera al vino is a sliced pear soaked in a red wine sauce paired with vanilla ice cream. They also offer a guava marmalade and mozzarella stuffed empanada drizzled with citrus and honey yogurt.
MUMBAI HOUSE - KHEER, KULFI, GULAB JAMUN
Traditional homemade Indian desserts at Mumbai House in Salt Lake City feature cardamon, golden raisins and rose syrup. Kheer, cardamom rice pudding with cashews and golden raisins; kulfi, a homemade Indian ice cream with cream, pistachios, cashew nuts and cardamom seeds; and gulab jamun, a pastry soaked in rose syrup, are all available to satisfy your sweet tooth at a good price.
VIETOPIA BISTRO - CHÈ 3 MÀU
Vietopia Bistro in Farmington Station offers a wide variety of Vietnamese cuisine, including a dessert known as “chè 3 màu” or “three colors dessert.” Made in distinct layers, there are sweetened red and mung beans on the bottom, usually green pandan jelly, and a white sweet coconut sauce.
AUBERGINE KITCHEN - COCOA AND PEANUT POWER HAYSTACKS
As a healthy vegan, gluten free and no sugar added option, Aubergine Kitchen (var-
Margherita D’Alessandro makes all of Antica Sicilia’s desserts fresh daily, including her mother’s recipe of olive oil cake referred to by the restaurant as “torta della nonna,” or “Grandma’s cake” in English. Antica Sicilia first opened in 2016. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
ious locations) has you covered for dessert. The haystacks look almost like a power bite sweetened with dates rather than sugar, so you can get your sugar fix without the processed sugar.
CHICHO’S FLAVORS - DESSERT EMPANADAS
Caribbean food, such as found in the Dominican Republic, can be found on a food truck that drives around Utah. Although it’s technically not a restaurant, this one had to make the list. Chicho’s Flavors offers sweet options of the traditional empanada full of coconut, pineapple and apple.
99 THAI FUSION - MANGO STICKY RICE
When you think of rice, you may not think of something sweet. But a traditional Asian dessert with real mango, coconut milk and sticky rice from 99 Thai Fusion in Layton may change your mind. It’s also one of the healthier dessert options out there if that’s important to you.
THE SMOKED TACO - CHURRO FRIES
With three locations in Utah County, The Smoked Taco has a fun spin on a classic Mexican dessert. Churro fries bring all that you love about churros in a more bite-sized form. Plus, who doesn’t want some added whipped cream and a caramel drizzle on top? In the past, the restaurant has even had a strawberry and Nutella specialty flavor.
Ice cream for breakfast? New trend delights kids and adults alike
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
Thismay be the best news you get this summer: yes, you can have ice cream for breakfast. It’s no longer just a fantasy we had as kids. A rumored scientific study, some social media attention and a nifty kitchen gadget have taken everyone’s favorite summer dessert and turned it into a breakfast trend that’s delighting both kids and adults.
The trend first grabbed the spotlight a few years ago when it was reported a Japanese study found people who ate ice cream immediately upon awakening showed signs of reduced stress and heightened alertness.
Ice cream lovers everywhere were eager to scoop up this information, even though news agencies were unable to verify the study or its results. Still, lovers of the frozen treat determined the rumors worthy enough to change up their morning meal.
Then in 2021, the Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker hit the market and became an instant social media sensation. The blender-size appliance claims to be able to quickly turn just about anything into a creamy frozen ice cream treat.
Add your ingredients—milk, cream, sugar, fruit, dairy-free milk alternatives, natural sweeteners, no-or-low calorie sweeteners, protein powder, flavor extract, chocolate, nut butter—press a button and watch as the mixture turns into ice cream.
Social media’s sweet influence
Next, enter TikTok. The platform’s track record of turning simple food preparations into global phenomena is unmatched.
Try searching “ice cream for breakfast” on TikTok. What you’ll get is an endless
stream of videos about how to make Ninja CREAMi concoctions that range from rich and indulgent to low-carb, high-protein, no sugar and other health-conscious mixtures suitable for the most important meal of the day.
From unknown TikTokers to wellknown social media influencers like Dylan Lemay and Alexis Frost, it seems like everyone on the internet is enjoying a bowl of sweet, creamy ice cream for breakfast. Even Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has openly shared her love for starting her day with ice cream.
"I have it for breakfast," Pelosi told Ruthie Rogers on her podcast “Ruthie's Table 4.” "It's a great way to start the day. I don't have it every day, but I have it often."
If celebrities like these are starting their days with a scoop, you know it's a trend with legs.
Sweet breakfasts are nothing new. In the United States, French toast and waffles get drenched with maple syrup. In France, pastries like pain au chocolat are breakfast staples.
In Thailand, breakfast might be sweet sticky rice drizzled with sweetened condensed milk, and in Japan, you’ll find fluffy, sweet souffle pancakes. So, while ice cream for breakfast might seem revolutionary, it’s really just a twist on the longstanding and global tradition of sweet food in the a.m.
The breakfast-worthy frozen treat market is hot
Luckily for those ice cream lovers who want to enjoy a healthy-but-indulgent breakfast, the supermarket freezer case is loaded
with options. You’ll find products that keep fat, calories and sugar low. Some offer significant doses of protein and other nutrients, and many are dairy-free and vegan.
Halo Top makes low-calorie, high-protein, dairy-based ice cream. Arctic Zero offers a similar product that is dairy-free. Famous for rich yogurt and healthy overnight oats, Noosa now offers frozen yogurt boosted with probiotics.
Good for the mind
While the nutritional value of ice cream may be debatable, there’s no doubt that enjoying a favorite treat now and then can have a significant, if not short-term, positive impact on your mood. According to Rupa Health, small indulgences release feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that boost happiness and reduce stress levels. So, that morning scoop may be just the pick-me-up you need.
Rachel Engelhart, a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor, told The Healthy that she advises her clients to fill their plates with nutritious foods, but also allow themselves to enjoy favorite treats like ice cream or chocolate in moderation.
"So many of my clients are hard on themselves and rather judgmental around their food choices, and it negatively impacts their mood," she said. "Sprinkling our day with a delicious coffee, a yummy dessert or one of our favorite restaurant meals is also
an important way to positively impact our mental health."
The future of breakfast is now
The ice cream for breakfast trend is shaking up the industry. Across the United States, ice cream makers are creating new breakfast-themed flavors to meet consumer demand.
Baskin-Robbins recently launched a flavor called breakfast in bed—pancake and maple syrup ice creams swirled together with fluffy pancake pieces and ribbons of blueberry compote. And the supermarket brand Blue Bell's "I heart cereal" flavor features fruity cereal-infused ice cream with confetti sprinkles and bits of sugar-coated fruit cereal.
If you want to make your own breakfast ice cream, the internet is overflowing with recipes for classic custard-based ice cream, no-churn ice cream and healthy Ninja CREAMi recipes.
As the ice cream for breakfast trend gains traction, it's clear this isn't just a summer fling. With innovative appliances like the Ninja CREAMi, social media's viral influence and a growing market for health-conscious frozen treats, our morning routines are getting a delicious makeover. So, when breakfast time rolls around, why not enjoy a sweet, creamy, cold scoop of joy? After all, who says you can't have dessert first? l
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The Dough Lady sweetens Salt Lake with homemade cinnamon rolls
By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com
People in Utah seem to love sugar, especially a brown, buttery cinnamon roll loaded with fresh homemade blueberry jam, lemon curd, and a thick slather of cream cheese frosting melting into the warm, sweet dough.
“Sugar is our love language; we also want to be buried in butter!” The Dough Lady, Amy Lund said. “I love pulling something freshly baked out of the oven. It makes a home smell so deliciously comforting.”
Lund grew up baking with her mom and sisters. Classic comfort treats, from chocolate chip cookies to brownies and cinnamon rolls, could always be found in the kitchen. After high school, Lund left her home in Sandy and moved to Utah State University, where she received a Public Relations and Marketing degree, which proved valuable after she married and started a business selling take-and-bake frozen cinnamon roll dough.
"I got a new job in March of 2020 working in brand strategy and wasn’t loving it,” Lund said. “Covid hit, and everything became extremely stressful. My outlet for stress has always been baking, and I was baking a lot. My husband became increasingly concerned and finally said, ‘We've got to get all of these treats out of the house.’”
At this point, Lund and her husband Eric began to figure out a business plan to sell cin-
namon rolls. In November 2020, the Lunds launched their idea for a take-and-bake frozen cinnamon roll business with only a KitchenAid and Bosch mixer on their kitchen countertop to fill orders.
“I was so nervous, scared, and vulnerable the first year we began the business,” Lund said. “While working full time, I sold frozen cinnamon roll dough off Instagram and to family and friends.”
With a large following on Instagram, the business exploded and proved to be a huge success. In October 2021, Lund finally slipped off her corporate shoes to focus on building what is now known as The Dough Lady, housed in a shared bakery kitchen in Woods Cross.
Still using the basic family cinnamon roll recipe, Lund has improved it by incorporating the best baking ideas from several recipes. The rolls are sold in packs of four and come in a variety of flavors, including cranberry orange, fresh peach, gingerbread, and the staff favorite, brown butter chai.
“Frozen dough has kind of a tricky shelf life,” Lund said. “I did a lot of testing, and the rolls are best baked within a week after receiving them for optimal rise. Tuesday is a favorite day of the week for our staff. It’s flavor testing day, where we create and test new flavor ideas. Cinnamon is still our best seller, but it’s
followed close by blueberry lemon.”
Interested in warm, freshly baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast or lunch at your office or private event? The Dough Lady caters from Bountiful to Provo with a minimum order of four dozen rolls. Need cinnamon rolls on hand for a late-night snack or early-morning comfort breakfast? That's no problem. Frozen dough can be purchased from The Dough Lady’s website. Perhaps you’re on the go and want to stop in at a local coffee shop and grab a freshly baked roll. The Dough Lady has you covered. The aroma of fresh cinnamon rolls wafts through several locations across the Wasatch Front.
“We deliver our fresh rolls to a variety of coffee shops around the valley,” Lund said. “You can always find a fresh roll somewhere— from Roots Coffee and Co. located downtown and in Sugar House, to Frankie and Essl’s breakfast shop by Liberty Park, The Neighborhood Hive in Sugar House, The Fox Shop in Holladay where we deliver fresh and frozen rolls, the local farmers market downtown, Cheryl’s Bagels in Bountiful, and we even do pop-ups at Jolley’s Corner in Salt Lake.”
According to Lund she never expected to be in the cinnamon roll business since it’s a labor-intensive dessert to bulk produce, but as she says, “Nothing is quite like eating a warm,
In October 2021, Amy Lund finally slipped off her corporate shoes to focus on building The Dough Lady—a business known for its homemade cinnamon rolls loaded with fresh ingredients. (Photo courtesy Amy Lund)
cinnamon roll right from the oven.”
For more information about The Dough Lady’s cinnamon rolls visit doughladyslc.com. l
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When kitchens go wild: Inspectors share their craziest encounters
It's a sunny Tuesday morning, and while most of us are just settling into our plans on where to eat out for lunch, Salt Lake County’s food safety inspectors are already knee-deep in their daily adventure of culinary compliance. Yes, while the rest of us imagine inspectors merely walking through restaurant doors, ticking off checkboxes on clipboards, and nodding sternly at chefs, the reality is far richer—and sometimes downright absurd.
"Every day is like opening a new episode of a sitcom," one inspector said. "You never know what you'll walk into."
Formally, food safety inspectors have the title of Environmental Health Scientists. To protect the privacy of the food inspectors and the errant restaurants they audit, their names have been withheld.
Consider the inspector who once found a pigeon wandering the kitchen. "It had been let in through a garage door during a food delivery. The operator was chasing it around with a broom," he recalls. And that’s not the strangest encounter. How about the portable cement mixer, still caked with dried cement, being used to batter chicken? Or the restaurant that thought buying turtles from PetSmart to make turtle soup was a bright idea? Yes, that happened too.
Despite these bizarre incidents, most restaurant inspections are more routine. Inspectors don’t secretly hope for calamity. "We actually hope to find clean, well-maintained restaurants," one inspector said. "It’s a good day when we don’t have to shut anyone down or issue a fine."
But let’s not kid ourselves: not every inspection is a smooth ride. "We call it the ‘fire drill,’" explains another inspector. "The manager or owner’s eyes get huge, and they
By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com
A Salt Lake County food safety inspector checks the temperature of tomatoes. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County Health Department)
Checking the quality of corn, a food safety inspector notes the temperature. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County Health Department)
start ordering employees to do all sorts of tasks to cover up potential violations.” While they’re barking orders like they're trying to win an Oscar for Best Director, one can only imagine the frenzy in the kitchen as employees scramble to hide evidence of unsanitary conditions. “It’s rarely successful and sometimes leads to more violations,” he said.
And then there’s the matter of timing. Restaurant owners often grumble about inspectors showing up at the most inconvenient moments. "We’ve heard complaints like, 'You only come when the refrigerator is broken,' or 'Did Obama/Biden send you?' and 'Did Trump send you?'" shares another inspector.
Despite the chaos, inspectors occasionally find hidden gems. "I’ve had the opportunity to learn about a lot of unique dishes and cuisines," one inspector said. Temporary events and mass gatherings often showcase dozens of cuisines and cultures, offering a culinary education that goes beyond the typical American diner fare.
But don't be mistaken, despite what people think, inspectors never sample the food. "A lot of people ask us if we taste-test during inspections. We do not. Our job is to ensure food safety, not to rate the flavors," one inspector clarifies. They also refute the notion that they’ve become overly cautious eaters. "I still eat out regularly. I’m just more aware of the risks," an inspector said.
The job isn't all about playing food po-
lice. It’s also about helping restaurants meet standards creatively. "Some try the distraction method—sending multiple people to accompany the inspector in hopes of dividing their attention," an inspector said. "Others send all food handlers on break, essentially halting food service during the inspection. Neither method works particularly well."
Inspectors also encounter interesting repair solutions in new or remodeled restaurants. "We’ve seen some very innovative plumbing and equipment fixes," one inspector recalls, "but we always try to guide them to ensure safety and compliance."
When asked what advice they would give to restaurant owners to smooth out inspections, inspectors unanimously suggest being present during the inspection. "Know about the issues firsthand," one says. "Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Correct violations immediately when possible; it shows you take food safety seriously and improves your inspection report."
For the public, the key to dining safely is awareness. "Look for the health department permit," one inspector advises. "Each permit has a QR code that links to the most recent inspections of that restaurant. Google reviews are not always reliable for safety concerns. It’s worth checking the past inspection reports if you’re curious."
The public can also visit the Salt Lake County Health Department’s website to view inspection reports at slco.org/health/inspec-
tion.
The ultimate goal for both inspectors and restaurant owners is the same: to ensure that patrons enjoy safe and delicious food. And while the road to this goal is often paved with unusual, funny, and sometimes downright bizarre experiences, it’s all in a day’s work for Salt Lake County’s restaurant inspectors.
As one inspector wisely concludes, "We want customers to be safe, and we want businesses to be successful. And if we get a good story out of it every now and then, well, that’s just a bonus."l
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GREAT SALT LAKE FLYING TOUR
Many restaurant patios in Salt Lake County offer a chill spot for diners and their dogs
Theweather is warm and we all know what that means…patios are great places to dine.
If your dog enjoys relaxing in the warm breeze during the summer, they’ll love tagging along to restaurants, but not all restaurants allow dogs on their patio.
The Salt Lake County Health Department announced which Salt Lake County bars and restaurants have been approved to allow dogs on their patios this summer. Dog owners will be happy to learn that more than 40 bars and restaurants in the county have received the regulation variance for the 2024 season that legally allows them to welcome pups into their patios, according to a news release.
The variance only applies to dogs, not any other animal, and it doesn’t affect the rights of people with ADA service dogs to bring their animals into the public areas of a food establishment, the release stated. Emotional support animals, however, have to stay out of the dining room.
Businesses are required to post signs notifying customers that dogs may be allowed on the premises. Dogs won’t typically be allowed in the dining room, so dogs (and their humans) will need to use separate entrances. The approval is good for this summer season only, it may change again next year, so remember to keep an eye on your favorite restaurants for future dog endeavors.
Fisher Brewing Company
Fisher Brewing Company has grown since it opened in 2017 at 320 W. 800 South in Salt Lake City’s Granary District. With several outdoor spaces including two front patios, a back patio, a central patio, and now a new rooftop patio, guests have more places than ever to kick back and relax with their furry friend.
The rooftop is the conclusion of an expansion that began in 2021 and included adding a second main-floor bar, canning production area, and event spaces in a building next door, as well as a patio along the front of the building.
The rooftop patio features a shipping container that has been repurposed into a bar, retractable awnings for shade, tables, benches and views of the city.
Tea Zaanti
Tea Zaanti is a tea and wine bar at 1944 S. 1100 East in Sugar House. The surrounding mature trees, strings of lights, large shade umbrellas and numerous places to sit make for a great experience to grab a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or a bite to eat. Tea Zaanti recently started carrying bagels from The Bagel Project on weekends.
While the weather is warm, Tea Zaanti will be hosting live music on the patio every Friday at 5:30 p.m. Every other Thursday night they hold a wine tasting, and the $15 admission includes a menu item and a sampling of two different hard-to-find natural wines.
This makes for a great experience to en-
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
joy with your friends and not have to worry about leaving your dog at home.
Red Rock Brewery
Red Rock Brewery has several locations around Salt Lake County, including one near Fashion Place Mall in Murray at 6227 S. State St.
Red Rock Brewery first opened its doors in 1994 with high-quality craft beers and food. The brewery has been named “Brewpub of the Year” by Brewpub Magazine and “Large Brewpub of the Year” by the Great American Beer Festival.
You can stop by the brewery with your furry friend and enjoy one of their 30 core, seasonal and special release brands of beer.
TF Brewing
TF Brewing opened in 2018 at 936 S. 300 West in Salt Lake City’s Granary District. The patio started out much smaller than it is now, but the owners acquired the building west of the brewery in 2019 and were able to enlarge their outdoor space into the wide expanse it is today.
It’s filled with long wooden tables, Adirondack chairs, shady umbrellas, trees, potted plants and fire pits, and is decorated with strings of lights. During the weekends, the patio fills up quickly, but once you secure a seat for you and your furry friend, you can stay for as long as you like.
Evenings are filled with people chatting and playing games like cornhole, chess and Jenga; music playing; and dogs lounging. Most Sundays, when the weather is warm, you can enjoy the patio and listen to Slow Pour Sundays, a DJ set featuring only records.
Mountain West Cider
Mountain West Cider’s patio, The Garten, at 425 N. 400 West, is one of few outdoor gathering places in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade District. And recently, it got a bit of an update.
The Garten closed at the end of 2022, but officially reopened for the season with the Queer Food Festival earlier in May. The Garten has a new look that patio lovers will appreciate. There’s now enough seating for 200
people, and the addition of extra bathrooms, shade sails, umbrellas, and new landscaping with trees.
Bring your dog and enjoy live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and join in on Bingo on Tuesdays.
For a full list of restaurants allowing dogs this summer, go to the Salt Lake County Health Department’s website. l
Red Rock Brewing Company, at 6227 S. State St. in Murray. (Bailey Chism/City Journals)
Fisher Brewing Company, at 320 W. 800 S. in Salt Lake City’s Granary District. (Photo courtesy of Fisher Brewing Co. Facebook)
Italian restaurant owner Giuseppe Mirenda bases life on food, faith and family
Assoon as Giuseppe Mirenda steps through the door of his newest restaurant called “Basta Pasteria,” wearing two Italian flags on his collar and a “Jesus Saves” hat on his head, he is immediately greeted by an employee with, “Good morning chef.”
The title “chef” demands respect but also had an edge of camaraderie as both men grinned and Mirenda leaned in for a handshake and a hug with his employee.
“I couldn’t do this without them,” Mirenda said. “I'm kind of like the gasoline: I'm the one that sparks everything together, gets everybody moving…you can see me in the line, running food, serving tables, whatever is needed on that day to be able to better help my team.”
Basta Pasteria is the third of Mirenda’s multi-award-winning restaurants he’s opened over the past 10 years in Salt Lake County including Sicilia Mia which opened in 2014 and Antica Sicilia which opened in 2016.
Antica Sicilia is one of four restaurants in the state of Utah to receive an award from the Distinguished Restaurants of North America and has received a plethora of Best of State awards.
Family
Mirenda’s family and Italian background are the basis for all of his cooking and something he loves to share with each customer.
His connection and passion with food started as a young boy living near Sicily, Italy where his family was in the restaurant business. He grew up cooking and eventually went to culinary school before immigrating to the United States in 2012 where he met his wife. They have two daughters together.
Today, some of the dishes still served in the restaurants are from recipes that have been passed down from generations while other dishes show his modern-unique flair.
“My grandma is always my judge,” Mirenda said, “She's 83 but she still comes to the restaurant.”
Every day, his grandmother and mother Margherita D’Alessandro prepare the day’s desserts in the morning. The Torta della Nonna, or Grandmother’s cake in English, is a particularly special recipe that has been perfected by his family for generations.
“It's kind of very weird that certain things work in a family, but I am not allowed in the dessert kitchen area,” he said with a laugh. “So that recipe is being passed to my mom now.”
The olive oil cake served with gelato is the restaurants’ most popular dessert and is even available at the more casual-dining experience at Basta.
Mirenda emphasized the importance of making every customer feel like family from the moment they walk through the door.
“I want people to feel like they're coming home, you know?” he said.
Food Mirenda takes care of the savory dishes
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
while his nonna and mom take care of the dessert.
All the ingredients are either sourced locally for quality, or like the flour to make the pasta, come from Italy.
To spice up the menu, different dishes are featured in rotating specials every Thursday and Saturday and include food with his own flair on traditional Sicilian dishes—including octopus, both boiled and fried.
“So you have a tender octopus on the inside, which is melt in your mouth, but you have a very, very nice and crispy charcoal outside, but it's then served in Mediterranean sauce, which is made out of yogurt, capers, parsley, dill, Parmigiano and lemon,” he said.
Other specialties include the steak and Genovese, a short rib ragu.
But the most popular dinner item on the menu Mirenda said is the carbonara which entices about 40% of guests every night.
Carbonara as a dish that originates from Rome, but in unique Antica Sicilia fashion, the pasta is spun tableside in a wheel of Parmigiano cheese rather than the traditional Pecorino cheese. Antica Sicilia manager Bryton Quick said each 80- to 90-pound cheese wheel is split in half for the tableside service and lasts four to five weeks.
“[Carbonara] is traditionally not a Sicilian dish, but it is a Sicilian thing to use Parmigiano over Pecorino,” Mirenda said. “I've been criticized many times because people from Rome use only Pecorino but it works and for me and it tastes 100% better.”
To bring fresh pasta like the carbonara to a wider audience, Mirenda opened Basta in February to cater to a different price point and atmosphere than his other two restaurants.
“In my experience, I think it's needed to understand what the experience of a customer is, and I think that's why Antica Sicilia and Sicilia Mia are such a big staple for Salt Lake City—it's because I care as much as the food, as much as I care about my service,” Mirenda said.
Basta even has some of the same dishes as found in his other restaurants, including the gnocchi sorentina, margherita pizza and olive oil cake. But it’s the overall “casual vibe” and quick 10-minute cooking experience that differentiates the new restaurant from the other two and allows him to “lower the price considerably.”
“People haven't seen this concept here in Utah,” Mirenda said. “[Customers] are enjoying the fact that they can get a good meal…and it takes about 10 minutes for fresh, homemade pasta.”
Mirenda said Basta has the potential to change the game for “fast food” by offering an affordable version of fresh pasta made with fresh ingredients.
“In Basta there is the idea of growing this brand into maybe something that will grow in different states,” he said. “I see Basta becom-
ing a global brand.” Faith
Having more restaurants has been a dream of Mirenda’s for some time and he even opened another restaurant before 2020, but when COVID-19 hit, he had to close it and called the time “a very, very dark part” of his life.
His “Jesus Saves” hat is just a small implication of his beliefs, but he said without his faith and belief in Jesus Christ, it wouldn’t have turned out as good.
“I try not to force it out on anyone, but I think it has helped me tremendously to be close to him because he has helped me in many ways,” Mirenda said. “Throughout my professional life, there's been many turbulences, and I think there's no other way I would have either come up from it or being able to go through without him.”
Mirenda said no other physical restaurant locations are currently in the works as he and his team continue to improve the experiences people are already having at Antica Sicilia and Sicilia Mia, and watch the new open-kitchen concept blossom with Basta.
“I think they are two staple restaurants for Salt Lake City, and we're gonna keep it that way,” he said. “When you come in the door, it's all about the customer. It's all about how your experience is going to turn out…I think that's been the No. 1 goal all along.” l
Restaurant owner, chef and Italian immigrant Giuseppe Mirenda opened his third Italian restaurant in Utah called “Basta Pasteria” in February. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Antica Sicilia, opened in 2016, offers fresh, homemade croutons on top of the Caesar salad prepared tableside. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Claudio Trevisan heats the half of a 80- to 90-pound wheel of Parmesan cheese to prepare the carbonara, the most popular dish on the menu. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Torta della Nonna at Antica Sicilia on June 28. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Torta della Nonna or “Grandma’s cake” is a house favorite dessert. This olive oil cake is made fresh daily by owner Giuseppe Mirenda’s grandmother and mother with a recipe handed down for generations. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Back-to-school shoppers may get a recess from inflation
Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Economist
As families prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, forecasters are penciling in a drop in back-to-school spending. Total K-12 spending is expected to decline from $41.5 billion in 2023 to $38.8 billion this year, with back-to-college spending falling from $94 billion to $86.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
Families stocking up on school essentials plan to shell out an average of $875 for primary and secondary school students and $1,365 for college students, the NRF reports. That’s slightly down from $890 and $1367, respectively, in 2023.
The projected dip may be a sign of weakening consumer demand coupled with slowing inflation. Overall prices dropped from May to June for the first time since the start of the pandemic. And over the past 12 months, wage growth has outpaced inflation. Average unadjusted weekly earnings grew 4% over the past year, compared to 3% annual inflation. This means families are finally regaining some of the purchasing power lost to pandemic-era inflation.
When it comes to back-to-school expenditures, you might notice greater price relief in what you pay for goods — physical items like textbooks, computers and smartphones — compared to the cost of services — intangible offerings like tuition and haircuts. That’s because goods prices
Thehave largely stabilized, while service prices continue to climb.
Some examples of services that have become more expensive over the past year
include elementary and high school fees, daycare and preschool tuition, and haircut prices, according to Consumer Price Index data. Meanwhile, goods like smartphones,
computers, children’s shoes and college textbooks have gotten cheaper.
Will the cooling prices of early summer continue? If so, back-to-school shoppers may get a longer recess from inflation. The July Consumer Price Index, which will be released on Aug. 14, will provide more insight. If the index continues to slow, it would be a strong case for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in the next few months.
Here are a few ways to sharpen your budgeting skills and help keep back-toschool spending in check:
Make a plan. Before you hit the stores or shop online, have a clear idea of what you need and how much you want to spend.
Budget for the big picture. Don’t budget for each item individually. Instead, decide what your child will need and pick a dollar amount to cap your overall spending.
Involve children. Use back-to-school shopping as an opportunity to teach kids about budgeting. Letting children have a say in shopping decisions can help them learn invaluable money lessons.
Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A l
You can help change the tone of political discourse
recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump has been a wake-up call for many people in our country. And it’s about time.
For too long, we have given in to the money-making schemes of cable news stations, social media companies, politicians and others who profit off of strong emotions like fear, anger and hate. They are all attempting to capture your most scarce resource…your attention. And that captive attention is worth billions to them in advertising revenue.
A few years ago I mentioned to the campaign manager of a political candidate that I wished his candidate would tone down the rhetoric and talk about real policy rather than just throwing “red meat.” He told me that the red meat gets him on cable news and when that happens they get more political donations. What a disappointment.
Our country was founded on passionate disagreement, debate and compromise, but we are losing the ability to have hard policy conversations without calling names, using pejorative language and taking things personally. We need to learn how to disagree in a better, more productive way.
My four children each have very differ-
Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3
ent political leanings. One leans to the left and cheered on Bernie Sanders when he ran for president. Another is more libertarian. One loved Donald Trump. Another is more of a classic, Reagan-esque conservative. A few years ago I decided that if the Newton family could learn how to “disagree better,” anyone could.
It has taken practice. Not all of my kids are willing participants in my experiment all the time. But we’ve gotten to the point where we can have political discussions without someone stomping out of the kitchen or calling someone names. That’s progress.
Here are some of my tips on how to practice this with your family and friends:
1. Be a listener. Honestly, this is the most important way you can positively con-
tribute to political discussions. Don’t just listen to better form your own argument, but listen with the intent to understand. Show genuine curiosity. Try to truly see the other person’s perspective and understand their ideas. Repeat back to the person what you heard them say.
2. Don’t be sarcastic or make diminishing comments. It’s easy to want to do a “gotcha” or mock someone’s perspective, but that doesn’t help you build relationships and certainly doesn’t convince someone of your viewpoint.
3. Share the time. Some people want to dominate a conversation. Make sure you are spending more time hearing another viewpoint than sharing your own.
4. Don’t associate your identity with your political views. Our identities as parents, siblings, Jazz fans, and neighbors should all matter more than our political identities.
5. Finally, don’t consider it a failure if you fail to persuade someone of your view. Sometimes people change their minds and sometimes they don’t, but the relationship should stay healthy regardless.
I truly believe that the future of our nation depends on us learning this skill. Amer-
Agree or Disagree: Take our Poll and we want to hear from you. Follow this QR Code and share your beliefs, opinions or facts. We look forward to hearing from you.
ican democracy depends on us assuming some good faith behind people and positions we think are wrong. We need to tamp down the anger, the rhetoric, and the hostility toward our fellow men.
While we need politicians to do this, we also need you to help us do this. Our kids should grow up in a country that models kindness, empathy and healthy debate.
Strong feelings are great! It’s how you share them that matters.
Groovy grub
The Utah food scene in the ’70s was abysmal. The state’s greatest culinary achievement was Arctic Circle’s fry sauce, followed closely by green Jell-O salads filled with pineapple or shredded carrots or (retching noises) cottage cheese.
I was a kid during that decade and my mother was a whiz at preparing trendy 1970’s cuisine. She mastered the crushed-saltine meatloaf. She casseroled the heck out of tater tots, cream of mushroom soup and ground beef. Her chicken-fried steak (hamburger patties covered in smashed cornflakes and slathered with A-1 sauce) was a weekly staple.
In a rush, she’d chop up a jarful of dried beef, mix it into a cream sauce and dump it on toast. The sodium content of that meal is still wreaking havoc on my kidneys.
Going out to dinner was a luxury for our family, which included me and four siblings. So that left Mom with the difficult task of feeding six people every night with whatever we had in the cupboards. Mom would sit at the table, clenching her jaw, and I knew better than to complain about the tuna and potato chip casserole. But I still did.
Eating at a restaurant was an event. I have vague memories of eating at Restaurant Minoa, a Greek place in Salt Lake, wearing my Sunday best and feeling very adult when I ordered the halibut (which I didn’t eat be-
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
cause I found a fishbone and refused to eat, and my parents got mad and we never went back).
I also remember trying Chinese hot mustard for the first time. I smothered my char siu pork in the creamy sauce, put it in my mouth and regained consciousness three hours later.
Most of our dining out was at places like Shakey’s, with its deliciously crispy pizza crust, or A&W drive-in, with food trays clipped to the car window and frosty mugs of root beer. There was also Dee’s Hamburgers in Murray that featured a creepy clown sign and cheap burgers.
Church dinners played a big part in my childhood. The potluck free-for-all was a Russian roulette of food poisoning. We knew whose overcooked ham was sprinkled with cat hair, and how to avoid potato salad that had been left in the sun. But the dessert table was fair game with its chocolate sheet cake, spice cookies and lemon bars. I didn’t even
care if they were covered with Siamese fur.
We also subsisted on Mormon wedding fare; miniature paper cups filled with butter mints and peanuts, and grape Kool-Aid spiked with 7-Up.
But my favorite childhood dining memory was going to Chuck-A-Rama with my grandparents. We’d go on Sunday (which mom didn’t approve of but which wasn’t a sin if you were with your grandparents) and the all-you-can-eat buffet was laden with piles of fruits and salads and meats and desserts, gleaming under fluorescent lights like an offering to the gods.
We’d load our plates and eat until we
were dizzy. Then we became Grandma’s partners in crime. Although signs at ChuckA-Rama said taking food home was strictly forbidden, Grandma told each of the grandkids to get a fried drumstick or chicken breast, and a scone. She’d wrap the food carefully in napkins and walk out of the restaurant as nonchalantly as Al Capone.
Now, the bland food of my childhood is replaced with tasty cuisine from all over the globe. But I often miss my childhood dinners with everyone sitting around the table. Although it’s still a hard “No” to tuna casserole, with or without potato chips.
