DAUGHTER CARRIES ON TRADITION
OF HOME-COOKED MEALS AT LEFT FORK GRILL
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
Aftergraduating from the New England Culinary Institute, Jeff Masten refined his skills as chef at The Roof restaurant in (the now closed) Hotel Utah and then went on to be executive chef at Market Street Grill and Red Rock Brewing Company. Then he wanted something of his own.
Jeff Masten opened Left Fork Grill in 2006 after transforming the historic Kramer’s Diner into a hub of gourmet dining.
His daughter, Melissa Masten, grew up in the restaurant business. From a young age, she knew that’s what she wanted to do when she grew up. When Jeff Masten opened Left Fork Grill, Melissa Masten was in high school and took every opportunity to work there that she could.
“Throughout the years, it just became something that I loved,” she said. “And slowly, but surely, I started learning more and more about the business itself.”
In 2023, a new chapter began when her dad decided to retire and Melissa Masten took over the helm.
“There was no question,” she said. “I grew up in the restaurant [and] a lot of my customers have known me since I was a 15-year-old girl.”
Melissa Masten now had to uphold the business her dad kept running for years. He founded the restaurant with one thought in mind, and that was his love for “home-cooked
Continued page 20
The Left Fork Grill at 68 W. 3900 South will soon have a new home. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Masten)
A Commitment to Faith-Based Care at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley
By: Rev. Dr. Godwin Nnamezie
At Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley, 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 – Jordan Valley 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.
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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; and
Meal prepping tips and tricks
By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com
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
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Larry K. meal preps meat to be served at a graduation celebration. (Photo courtesy Holly Curby)
The avenue to sweet success for local candymaker AvenueSweets is paved with golden caramel
By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com
She’donly been selling caramels and nougat, handcrafted one copper pot at a time, for a year, when Agnieszka Jones received a call from Martha Stewart. Yes, the Martha Stewart, indicating the magazine, “Martha Stewart Living” would like to feature the nougat from Jones’s little startup candy shop, AvenueSweets, in a dessert recipe.
“I thought it was a joke or something, and I kind of cringe every time I think of how I responded,” Jones recalled. “I told them I was going on vacation and asked if we could do it the next month.
“They said, ‘Well, I guess we don’t have to do it at all.’ That’s when I was like, ‘What am I thinking?’”
The call from Stewart was extra special for Jones for a number of reasons. A longtime reader of the magazine, and watcher of the show, Jones was somewhat of a Martha Stewart fangirl. And like Martha Stewart, Agnieszka Jones (Agnes) is from Poland.
“I always felt a kinship with her [Stewart]. I used to travel to Poland every summer, with the kids, and I would imagine meeting her on the plane,” Jones said. “It was silly, but she also loves her Polish heritage and featured a lot of Polish dishes. I especially like her because of that.”
Agnieszka Nalecz-Mrozowska (Jones) spent her early years in Warsaw, but fled the country as a political refugee with her family in 1980. This was during communist times, just before martial law was instated to combat the surging, and eventually successful, solidarity movement against the Soviet Union.
Jones was 11 years old.
She (and her parents) left under the guise of going on a short vacation to Austria and took only a couple of suitcases. Austria was a neutral country for political refugees and the family of three stayed for one year, eventually making their way to the United States and settling in Salt Lake City. “My dad loved the mountains in Poland, so he decided on Utah.”
When she left Poland, Jones didn’t speak any English, but “at that age you learn quickly” and she was able to start at Judge Memorial High School at age 14, as a freshman, eventually graduating from the University of Utah. It took her seven years, in total, to become a citizen.
Jones stayed at home with her children while they were young, and each holiday season she cooked up eagerly-anticipated caramels and nougat for friends and neighbors, but when her youngest went to kindergarten she decided to take her hobby, stir things up, and make it a job. One that would be flexible enough that she could be home when her kids finished each school day.
“Sweets are part of the Polish culture,” Jones said. “Candy shops, pastries, gummy candies, ice cream on every corner.”
One of her first creations was a soft almond nougat. Although nougat is a traditionally Italian
Co-owners of AvenueSweets Agnieszka and Bruce Jones, in their South Salt Lake commercial kitchen. Agnieszka Jones turned her hobby of candy making into a company that delivers handcrafted caramels. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
candy, Jones’s version reminds her of a chewy candy sold at fairs when she was young. And her caramels taste like krówki, which means “little cow” in Polish. They are firm at first, then chewy in the center.
With the encouragement of family and friends, she began. However, she was at a loss when it came to naming the company.
“A friend told me to name it Sweet Agnes,” Jones chuckled. “But that sounded like the name of an adult film star to me.” Even still, she needed a name to get a business license, so Jones settled on AvenueSweets, simply because she lives on an avenue in Sugar House, and the name stuck.
Next, she created a website and started cooking nougat and caramel one pot at a time.
She’d cool the candy on a couple of cookie sheets, cut pieces with a double-handled cheese knife, and wrap each piece of candy, by hand, in waxed paper.
The first candies offered on the website were almond nougat and two flavors of caramel: golden and chocolate.
Soon after, she added a pumpkin spice caramel to the product list. This was in 2005, just one year after Starbucks debuted their quickly-becoming-popular Pumpkin Spice latte.
“Sunset Magazine” grabbed the trend, featured the AvenueSweets’ pumpkin caramel in their autumn edition, and things started to get spicy.
Then, when Barack Obama was elected in 2008, because he’d indicated sea salt caramel was his favorite flavor, Jones added it to her menu. Again, she captured a trend. “We made it in honor of Barack, and now it’s by far our best-selling flavor.”
It wasn’t long before it seemed the little company had potential, so Jones’s husband Bruce took a risk, quit his job and started marketing candy.
“It’s fun to work together,” Jones said. “It’s true we spend every single day together, but we have different roles, and we complement each other. He handles marketing, customer service and sales. I pretty much just make the candy.”
It was Bruce Jones who realized that caramel and nougat candies would be good products for shipping and delivery, as they are a sweet, easily sharable treat that packages beautifully, and (most importantly) won’t melt on a doorstep.
As such, AvenueSweets doesn’t have a local retail storefront. Their bread-and-butter (so to speak) is earned via corporate gifting, gourmet food baskets and private labeling.
It’s likely you’ve had an AvenueSweets’ handcrafted caramel at one of several national restaurant chains, gourmet grocery stores, coffee shops, National Park giftshops or airport giftshops, and haven’t even known it was a product made in Utah.
That said, you can order their products directly from their website (free shipping on all US orders) at www.avenuesweets.com, or they sell a limited product selection via Amazon, or you can find it in the “local products” section at the Salt Lake City Airport.
One of the avenues to AvenueSweets sweet success is continual innovation. These days one of their most unique offerings is a vegan or dairy-free line of products which includes a variety of caramel flavors, various brittles, and a sea salt caramel sauce, sold by the gallon bucket to vegan bakeries.
They also have seasonal flavors including chocolate peppermint, the popular pumpkin spice, apple and butterscotch marshmallow. As a nod to other local companies, they use Baba
Black Lager from Uinta Brewery for their beer brittle.
The commercial kitchen is located in South Salt Lake and AvenueSweets employs a staff of about eight full- and part-time employees, with more seasonally, when they ramp up production for Mother’s Day, then again for the holiday gifting season. l
Ashley Reyes and Jaidyn Hepler, two employees at AvenueSweets, a candy manufacturer who makes caramels and gift boxes sold throughout the country, prepare a variety of candy boxes for delivery. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
Candy maker Lucy Lisle works over a copper pot, the traditional cookware for slow-cooking caramel. Local candy maker Agnieszka Jones, co-owner of AvenueSweets, started making handcrafted caramels for family and friends, then turned her holiday gift tradition into a business which sells confections all across the country. (Ella Joy Olsen/ City Journals)
The Pie Lady shares the love through slices of pie
By Sarah Brown | sarah.brown@mycityjournals.com
Jenny Jensen is a mom whose children attend the same school as mine, and until now, I’ve only known her as the Pie Lady. This story allowed me to get to know her more personally, and of course provided an excuse to order pies.
Her flavor selections are all delectable. I landed on the perennial blueberry favorite and raspberry cream cheese, regular double crust.
Jensen said that one of the reasons she loves to bake pies is the “togetherness and community” it brings. “I love that pie is meant to be shared, meant to bring people together…to share something delicious.”
She welcomed me into her kitchen, perfect for a television set—I could envision her hosting her own baking show—yet homey and warm.
We talked while she put together my blueberry pie. She pressed the crust just so, gently poured in the filling, formed the delicate lattice and sprinkled sugar on top before placing it in the oven.
Her pie making journey started with a New Year’s resolution. One season she told herself, “I’m going to learn how to be really good at one thing.”
She jokes with family and friends, that “my pie making is the only New Year’s resolution I’ve ever stuck to.”
Jensen was a teacher, and then when she became a mom, she wanted to be home and raise her children. In this life stage, she found herself in the familiar motherly space of what can be at times a quiet and lonely experience. She needed something for herself.
She chose pie making for sentimental reasons.
Jensen has fond memories of baking with her mother, who made it a point to bond with her daughter through the activity. She had lost her own mother at a young age, missing out on those memories.
It is also a meaningful way she connects with her husband’s family. His great-grandmother was a family legend for her pies. Jensen inherited all of her recipes.
“I just dove right in,” she said. She researched recipes, watched videos and tried different things. She had taste-testing gatherings (and still does). She’ll gather friends and families over to taste pies and help her to discern what to do better. She continuously amends and annotates her recipes to get the perfect tasting experience.
She started baking in 2011, primarily selling pies through word of mouth.
Soon people were asking for pies for holidays and birthdays.
Around Thanksgiving, her home is a full assembly line. “I’ll sell like 100 pies,” she said. She has a system in place. Crusts are premade and stored in the deep freezer; some fillings can also be premade; and every
table in her home (dining, kitchen and popup tables) along with her spacious counter, are used for assembly.
The isolating experience of the pandemic encouraged her to find a way to connect with others through pie making online. Her teaching background equipped her to lead group baking classes, which she initially did for several companies.
“Everyone would bake together from their kitchens on Zoom,” she said, which fostered the sense of togetherness.
Pie orders still commonly come through referral, but orders also come through her personal Instagram page, where she offers tutorials and instructional classes.
“It’s different every time and fun to get to know people and share this thing I love.”
Occasionally, families will have some semblance of an old family recipe they’ve tried to make but it’s never turned out quite right. They’ll ask Jensen to try and recreate it, and she does.
It means a great deal to her, to “have people that trust me to make these family recipes for them.”
It becomes a way of honoring ancestors, she says. “The smells and tastes evoke so many memories.”
Jensen will also create new pie recipes, for her own family and others, to remind them of loved ones, melding flavors of their favorite treats.
She talked about her own family’s favorites, called Dad’s Pie. Her father, whom she lost a few years ago, loved Hostess Raspberry Zingers, so she created a Raspberry Zinger-inspired pink coconut cream pie with Nilla wafer crust.
In her home, pies are always in progress, and the kitchen is a centerpiece to their daily rhythm. She hopes it’s something her kids will look back on and remember.
Jensen doesn’t view her pie making as a career. She remains open to the idea of going back to teaching. But her pies have given her freedom to be with her family.
It’s also been personally fulfilling. The practice of making the pies, and in particular, seeing the finished product, is rewarding for her.
“I like the sight of it, the feel of it— there’s this beautiful, wonderful thing at the end. You feel you’ve accomplished something.”
She uses quality, fresh ingredients every time. “I put a lot of time into making it just how I want it to be,” she said.
The blueberry pie she was making for me needed time to bake to perfection, so she hand-delivered it later in the day.
I took the pies next door, and my neighbor and I divvied out slices. l
The Pie Lady Jenny Jensen creates the lattice crust top for a fresh blueberry pie. (Sarah Brown/City Journals)
Fresh chilled raspberry pie ready to take home. (Sarah Brown/City Journals)
SLCC Culinary Arts inspires future food professionals
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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.”
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)
Bringing a taste of the world to the west side
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
SouthSalt Lake, nor the Salt Lake Valley, may not rival New York City or Los Angeles when it comes to its restaurant scene, but in its own way, it offers a wide variety of foods from different cultures around the world.
There are plenty of places that serve Mexican food, but you can also find places that make dishes from El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Venezuela, and other countries of Central and South America. Beyond that, you will discover Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Nepalese, Japanese, Korean, Greek, Tongan, and other countries’ cuisines in an array of restaurants around Utah’s second-largest city. There’s even a Chinese-Venezuelan fusion restaurant.
“We have such a huge, diverse group of restaurants out there,” said Michele Corigliano, executive director of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association. Minorities comprise 53% of West Valley City’s population, which makes for fertile ground for restaurants that feature global fare.
SLARA represents independently-owned restaurants and bars by providing education, training, and promotional resources, as well as keeping owners abreast of legal issues and market trends in running their establishments.
Generally, these restaurants are often located in strip malls and other unassuming locales, but don’t let their appearance outside dissuade you from stepping inside to something besides burgers and burritos. Corigliano says it’s the authenticity of the food that draws customers. The eateries know how to prepare the dishes the way they are in their countries of origin rather than “Americanizing” their fare. She notes returned church missionaries who enjoyed what they ate while serving foreign missions can get a taste of that experience here at home because of the variety of authentic restaurants.
What came first—the restaurants that open their doors in hopes of attracting customers or the potential customers who clamor for restaurants with an international fla-
vor. Corigliano believes it leans more toward the restaurants and specifically the people, often immigrants, who come here from distant countries and want to offer their native cultures’ cuisines to the locals and start up restaurants to do so.
“When it comes to opening up restaurants, it takes great courage to do so,” Corigliano said. She said that determination comes from the trials of fleeing or otherwise immigrating from their home countries and the attitude that if they can do something like that, they can certainly navigate the obstacles of starting a new dining establishment. This in spite of the fact that the restaurant failure rate is 80% within the first five years of operation, according to the National Restaurant Association.
Corigliano says the variety different nationalities benefits West Valley City. “It really does lend itself to being a more interesting city. It is the unsung hotspot for these kinds of restaurants. We just need to get the word out a little bit better than what we’re doing.”
One of the city’s interesting places to try is Chang’s Food, a Chinese-Venezuelan restaurant located at 3576 S. Redwood Road whose menu features Chinese fare with a Venezuelan twist. An influx of Chinese immigrants to the South American country in the early 20th century brought with it the Chinese way of cooking. That has since resulted in a number of fried rice-based dishes combined with beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetables that have attracted growing legions of Venezuelans, Colombians, and Peruvians, and other Latin Americans. “It’s kind of like Chinese food with a little bit of Venezuelan seasoning. There’s no Venezuelan food in it. It’s the seasoning and how you make it,” said Kiang-Yi Chang, who manages her family-owned restaurant.
“My grandpa was Chinese and my grandma was Venezuelan. They got married, they had my dad and my uncles and they started to cook Chinese food but with Venezuelan fusion,” she said. “They grew up with it.” l
Chang’s Food in West Valley City features a menu of Chinese food with a Venezuelan twist. (Darrel Kirby/ City Journals)
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)
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
ON THE MOVE
Back to School: The High Schools of South Salt Lake
MOVE’ HIGHLIGHTS
New Utility Assistance Program
Launching this Fall p. 2
Ensuring Safe Journeys: SSLPD’s Commitment to Traffic Safety p. 3
Seniors Step-up to Lead Art Classes ...................................... p. 4
Utah Royals Connects with Promise South Salt Lake ......... p. 5
SSL Recreation Fall Indoor Soccer: Register Today! p. 6
New Time Square Apartments Underway p. 7
Cherie Wood, Mayor
801-464-6757 mayor@sslc.gov
City Offices
Monday - Friday
8 am to 5 pm 801-483-6000
220 East Morris Ave SSL, UT 84115
Animal Service 801-483-6024
Building Permits 801-483-6063
Business Licensing 801-483-6063
Code Enforcement 801-464-6757
Fire Administration 801-483-6043
Justice Court 801-483-6072
Police Admin 801-412-3606
Promise 801-483-6057
Public Works 801-483-6045
Recreation 801-412-3217
Utility Billing 801-483-6074
Emergencies 911
Police/Fire Dispatch 801-840-4000 SSL ‘ON THE
Even if it’s been years since you last walked down the halls of a high school, there’s something magical about the start of a new academic year. Here in South Salt Lake, we value education deeply. Our Promise South Salt Lake program, established in 2009, demonstrates a big part of our strong commitment to our youth and family success.
Earlier this year, we launched “The Road to 100%” in collaboration with Millcreek City, Granite School District, and Promise Partnership Utah. This campaign is all about empowering our youth and families in South Salt Lake and Millcreek. Our goals are ambitious but necessary:
• To achieve a 100% high school graduation rate for all our youth
• To ensure that 100% of the basic needs of our youth and their families are met
After the closure of Granite High School in 2009, our city was left without a public high school. High schools are more than just places of learning; they are community hubs where sports, homecomings, proms, and special interest clubs bring people together. I believe that recognizing and supporting our schools is a part of this mission.
Cottonwood High School - Home of the Colts www.schools.graniteschools.org/cottonwoodhigh
Cottonwood High, which is in the city of Murray, serves many of our students, with a third of its student body residing in South Salt Lake. To support these students, since 2015, Promise SSL has utilized grants to fund 1-2 buses each year to operate after school, ensuring that they can participate in Promise programs and extracurricular activities like robotics and sports teams. Despite rising transportation costs, Promise SSL has managed to reallocate funds due to its crucial role in enabling students to engage fully in school life, regardless of their distance from home.
Utah International Charter School - Celebrating its 10th Year! www.utahinternational.org
Our Utah International Charter School is a true gem in our community. Offering a rigorous education tailored to newly arrived immigrants and refugees, this school emphasizes small class sizes and strong teacher-student relationships. Instruction is provided in both the students’ native languages and English, covering every subject. The school’s curriculum focuses on global literacy, leadership, and cultural appreciation.
Granite Technical Institute (GTI) - The Navigators www.schools.graniteschools.org/gti
If you’ve driven past and noticed greenhouses and construction projects on the corner of 2700 South and Main Street, you’re witnessing the Granite Technical Institute (GTI) in action. GTI’s mission is to support students in finding a pathway to their future by aligning their academic subjects with career and technical education courses. GTI offers programs in high-demand industries, such as Health Science, Culinary Arts, Aviation, Agriculture, Fire Science, Criminal Justice, and Home Building/Construction.
To support our teens, Promise SSL is on this journey every step of the way. Inside our city, we provide resources like the Promise Best Buy Teen Tech Center and the Promise SSL Co-Op. Here, teens and young adults can access educational workshops, job and career fairs, digital and financial literacy coaching, and quiet spaces to study. With free Wi-Fi and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s the perfect place to work, learn, and grow.
Showing school spirit and supporting our young people in achieving their dreams is always a worthwhile endeavor. By recognizing and celebrating these schools, we reinforce our commitment to our community’s educational success and ensure that every student feels valued and supported.
Mayor Cherie Wood
Switching from a native language to English in school can be very challenging. At the Utah International School, dedicated teachers fully support their students in mastering a new language while staying on track with their academic goals, empowering them to pursue their career dreams.
Public Meetings
For more info: www.sslc.gov Truth in Taxation
Wednesday, Aug 7 at 7 p.m.
Planning Commission
Thu, Aug 1, 7 p.m.
Thu, Aug 15, 7 p.m.
City Council
Wed, Aug 14, 7 p.m.
Wed, Aug 28, 7 p.m.
City Council Members
Find out more about who your City Council representative is by visiting sslc.gov.
LeAnne Huff, District 1 lhuff@sslc.gov
Corey Thomas, District 2 cthomas@sslc.gov
Sharla Bynum, District 3 sbynum@sslc.gov
Nick Mitchell, District 4 nmitchell@sslc.gov
Paul Sanchez, District 5 psanchez@sslc.gov
Natalie Pinkney, At-Large npinkney@sslc.gov
Clarissa Williams, At-Large cwilliams@sslc.gov
Looking for waterwise landscapes. Winners receive a $500 Home Depot gift card. Nominate yourself or a neighbor at SSLC.gov.
CITY COUNCIL CORNER
Kind, Friendly, Generous, Great People
Sharla Bynum, District 3
I’ve been pondering The Parable of Two Villages. A man who was traveling came upon a farmer working in his field and asked him what the people in the next village were like. The farmer asked, “What were the people like in the last village you visited?” The man responded, “They were rude, unfriendly, dishonest people.” “You’ll find the people in the next village are the same,” said the farmer. Another man who was traveling to the same village came up to the same farmer somewhat later and asked him what the people in the next village were like. Again, the farmer asked, “What were the people like in the last village you visited?” The second man responded, “They were kind, friendly, generous, great people.” “You’ll find the people in the next village are the same,” said the farmer. This story demonstrates how we bring our attitude, prejudice, and values to each situation. What you expect is often what you get. I love living in South Salt Lake and believe we have the best of the best living and working here. If you haven’t had an opportunity, I challenge you to start with an open mind and get involved. You will find a wealth of kind, friendly, generous, great people right here in South Salt Lake. Visit SSLC.gov for a list of upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, dates for public meetings, and other ways you can connect with your community.
Note: Opinions expressed here may not be representative of all Members of the City Council.
New City Code to Help Conserve Water for the Future
In dry climates like ours, up to 50 percent of outdoor watering can be wasted due to inefficient watering methods and systems. To help conserve our limited groundwater supply and keep water rates low, we need you to do your part to reduce usage and irrigate landscapes properly.
On July 10, 2024, the South Salt Lake City Council passed a new ordinance restricting the hours of outdoor watering. It is now against City code to water outdoors between the hours of 10 AM to 6 PM. The reason for this is simply to help protect our water supply and educate residents on proper irrigation practices. Here are three effective ways you can reduce your outdoor watering.
• Contact a professional or the USU Water Check program to learn how much you should be watering your lawn. www.extension.usu.edu/cwel/watercheck
• Convert your old sprinkler system to drip irrigation.
• Replace grass lawn with xeriscape or other drought resistant landscaping. Visit www.UtahWaterSavers.com to see how much you can save through their Landscape Incentive Program.
Learn other ways to conserve water at: SSLC.gov > Public Works > Water.
New Utility Assistance Program LAUNCHING THIS FALL
South Salt Lake is launching a new Utility Assistance Program to help residents who are falling behind on paying their water and sewer utility bills. The program will be operated in partnership with Utah Community Action and will be funded through public donations. Although the program does not officially launch until this fall, we are currently seeking donations to grow the program. You can help a neighbor in need by donating to the SSL Utility Assistance Program at SSLC.gov or by calling (801) 483-6074.
Salt Lake City Council Action Report Summary
Public Safety
Ensuring Safe Journeys: Our Commitment to Traffic Safety
Message from SSLPD Chief Danielle Croyle
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, the safety of our residents, especially our youth, is our top priority.
School Zone Vigilance
With schools reopening soon, it’s crucial for drivers to exercise heightened caution in school zones. Reduced speed limits are enforced during school hours for the safety of our young pedestrians. Please adhere to these limits, stay alert, and prioritize the safety of our children as they travel to and from school.
Respecting Crosswalks
Crosswalks are designated areas where pedestrians have the right of way. Always yield to pedestrians waiting to cross and stop as soon as someone steps into the crosswalk. For pedestrians, remember to use crosswalks and obey traffic signals for your own safety.
Tips for Safe Travel
• Drivers: Avoid distractions such as texting and the newest TikTok trend, and maintain awareness of your surroundings, especially near schools and crosswalks.
• Pedestrians: Use crosswalks whenever possible, wait for the signal to cross, and ensure you are visible to drivers.
Let’s keep our roads safe for everyone. Whether you’re driving, walking, or cycling, let’s look out for each other and respect everyone’s right of way. By staying vigilant and considerate, we can create a safer, more welcoming community for all.
Fire Safety: Cook Out but Don’t Get Burned
Message from SSLFD Chief Terry Addison
While we often associate fire prevention with the colder months—think space heaters, fireplaces, and decorative candles—it’s crucial to remain vigilant about fire hazards year-round. As summer heats up, let’s focus on grilling safety to keep our homes safe and our cookouts enjoyable.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports an average of 8,900 home fires caused by grilling each year. To make sure your grilling experience is fire-safe, follow these tips:
• Inspect Your Equipment: Check problematic points on your grill or smoker, including propane tanks, hoses, and connecting points. For smoker grills, clean out the pellet burner and ensure the proper placement of the drip tray or liner.
• Charcoal Safety: Only use charcoal starter fluid to soak your charcoal. Never let anyone near the grill with a container of lighter fluid—no matter how cool it might look!
• Keep It Clean: Ensure your grill is clean before each use. A dirty grill can easily become a fire hazard.
• Proper Placement: Set up your grill in an open, outdoor area, away from flammable materials. This simple step can prevent a fire from spreading.
Remember, fire safety is a year-round commitment. Taking these precautions can help ensure your next cookout is both delicious and safe.
Monday, Aug 5 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Sep 9 6:30 p.m.
The public is encouraged to attend in person at City Hall in the Council Chamber, or through a virtual link at www.sslc.gov.
SSL Community Centers
2530 S
2797 S
3280 S
South Salt Lake Teen is a Canon Photography Winner
Teens enrolled in Promise South Salt Lake’s Best Buy Teen Tech Center often get to participate in unique and challenging opportunities using the technology available to them in the program. This Spring, Canon hosted a digital photography contest exclusively for Best Buy Teen Tech Center youth from around the world. Teens were asked to consider and interpret the theme “Environment” from their own perspective. South Salt Lake’s own, Ruby, submitted this artful image of wild mushrooms and was selected as one of only 12 winners! Winning photographers were decided by a panel of Canon judges who looked at theme, composition, proper exposure, and focus. Ruby received a $500 prize, and their photo will be printed and featured at this year’s Best Buy Foundation Charity Classic, the largest annual fundraiser supporting Teen Tech Centers. Way to go Ruby!
Seniors Step-up to Lead Art Classes
Promise South Salt Lake’s Community Opportunity Center (CoOp) offers a variety of free classes to the public, including popular Senior Art Classes for individuals 55 and older. Recently, the class instructor, Laura Wilson, took a new position with the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, leaving the art classes without a teacher.
To ensure the classes continue, dedicated students have stepped up to lead, including Carrie de Acevedo. Carrie discovered the Promise SSL Co-Op during a visit to the South Salt Lake Senior Center with her mother. Excited by the Co-Op’s offerings, she volunteered to teach the fiber-arts class, which is currently focusing on creating colorful designs using wool and yarn.
Carrie’s quick action embodies the spirit of the Promise SSL CoOp. Senior Art Classes are held Wednesdays from 10:00-11:30, with space limited to 20 participants per class. For more information, visit sslarts.org or stop by for a visit.
Salt Lake County Senior Center EVENTS FOR AUGUST 2024
Live Entertainment:
BD Howes — Fri, August 2 at 10:30 am
Time Steppers — Wed, August 14 at 10:30 am
SSL Choir Performance — Fri, August 16 at 10:30 am
Children’s Violin — Fri, August 30 at 10:30 am
Health & Wellness:
Blood Pressure Checks by South Salt Lake Fire Department — Wed, August 14 at 9:15 am
Vital Aging: Distress Tolerance Skills, Part 2 — Weds, August 21 at 10:30 am
Farmers’ Market — Thurs, August 22 at 11:00 am
Mat Yoga — Wed at 2:30 pm
Chair Yoga — Fri at 1:15 pm
Workshops:
Dealing with Dementia — Weds, August 14 & Thurs, August 15 from 1:00-3:00 pm
*Pre-Registration Required! Limited to 15.
Walk with Ease — Monday, Wednesday, & Friday at 10:30 am, from Sep 16 to Oct 25
SSL Community Center • 2531 S 400 East 385-468-3340 • Hours: 8:30 am – 4 pm
Evansville, Indiana Visits Promise South Salt Lake
Under the visionary leadership of Mayor Cherie Wood, the City of South Salt Lake has become a model community, showcasing what can be achieved when we invest in youth and families. Inspired by successful communities and guided by data, Mayor Wood and the Promise Team established the 3 Promises, reflecting their highest hopes for the community.
Last month, we hosted a group of 12 leaders from Evansville, Indiana, including city officials, educators, and community organizations. They came to learn how we fulfill our Promises, aiming to implement a similar framework to enhance educational opportunities, job growth, economic development, safety, health care access, and affordable housing in their own community.
We were thrilled to share our journey, engage in meaningful discussions, visit various Promise programs, and learn from each other. This connection reinforced the importance of our work and the impact it has on our communities.
Grizzly Skate Promise
WCF Insurance teamed up with the Utah Jazz to present a community event benefiting youth from Promise South Salt Lake, as part of their Community Connections Program. The event showcased the power of partnership and community support.
Central to the event was Can’d Aid, a nonprofit promoting outdoor activities among youth. Alongside WCF Insurance, the Utah Jazz, Square State Skate, and United Way of Salt Lake, volunteers built and donated skateboards and helmets to deserving youth. The skateboard assembly took place in the morning, followed by a surprise for the youth, who received their new skateboards just in time for summer.
Janice Co, WCF’s chief operating officer, stated, “Our Community Connections Program with the Utah Jazz is all about community support and the impact we can have when we work together. We were thrilled to collaborate and provide 100 custom-built skateboards, encouraging kids to get outside and enjoy the summer.”
This day of service at the Delta Center exemplified community support and the power of collaboration. WCF is committed to giving back and is grateful for the opportunity to join forces with like-minded organizations through the Community Connections Program.
Utah Royals Connects with Promise South Salt Lake
Recently, the Utah Royals provided some great opportunities for our youth, families, and staff. Soccer is a global sport and although many of the families we serve come from various backgrounds, this is something they can all recognize and come together on.
We were excited to have players Imani Dorsey, Addisyn Merrick, Ifeoma (Ify) Onumonu, along with some of their colleagues, come to lead a soccer clinic with youth from our summer programs at the Central Park Community Center. This was a unique and exciting experience for our youth. After running some drills and scrimmages, the players answered questions and signed autographs.
To add to the excitement, player Kate Del Fava and the team at Utah Royals provided tickets for our youth, their families, and our staff to come out to a game. They even had the chance to go down onto the field during halftime and see themselves on the big screen while they gave Promise SSL a shoutout! We’d like to give a huge thank you to the players and staff of Utah Royals for their efforts in connecting with our community.
Community Happenings
To learn more and register for Community Art Classes, visit SSLArts.org or call 801-483-6018.
Create an account at sslc.gov and opt-in to receive our monthly SSL Arts Council E-Newsletter.
Community Art Classes for August
South Salt Lake Community Center
Promise SSL Co-Op, Art Room
Fundamentals of Art: Drawing Skills With Robin Luker
Thursdays August 1-22nd
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Scenes of Summer: Acrylic Paints on Canvas
With Kat McDaniel of Bad Dog Arts
Wednesdays, August 7 - 28th
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Beginning Classical GuitarPart III With Maestro Gabino Flores
Wednesdays, August 7 - 28th
1 pm to 2:30 pm
Kintsugi Loss Group - 1 Session
With Michelle Markay Nelson, LCSW
Wednesday, August 20th
5 pm to 8:30 pm
Zentangle Club
With Linda Rios
Monday, August 26th
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Creative Aging Art Class
With Carrie Poulsen Azevado
Weekly on Wednesdays
10 am to 11:30 am
Bad Poets Society
With Cadence Summers
Tuesday, Sep 3rd
Mondays, Sep 9 - 30th
6:30 pm to 8 pm
Historic Scott School - Brick Bldg.
Save the Date: Craftoberfest
is Coming Saturday, Oct 5th
South Salt Lake has crafted its own twist on Oktoberfest with Craftoberfest, a vibrant fall festival that brings together art and craft brew enthusiasts. Join us on Saturday, October 5th, in the eclectic Creative Industries Zone for the city’s sixth-annual Craftoberfest event.
Home to the most microbreweries per square mile in the Salt Lake Valley, South Salt Lake’s breweries and distilleries, including Level Crossing, Salt Fire Brewing Co, Grid City Beer Works, Chappell Brewing, Sugar House Distillery, Beehive Distilling, and Dented Brick Distillery, will be showcasing their products at this fun, family-friendly festival.
In addition to craft beer and spirit tastings, the event will feature interactive art projects, local food trucks, art vendors, and a silent auction featuring unique hand-painted barrels and kegs. All proceeds from the silent auction go to support community arts education and programming. Be sure to celebrate the fall season with Craftoberfest— one of the best ways to come together as a community and enjoy the creative spirit of South Salt Lake.
Community & Economic Development
New Time Square Apartments Underway
The new Times Square Apartments in Downtown SSL has been making progress. This will be a phased development, with Phase 1 consisting of 73 units on the corner of 300 West and Bugatti Avenue. Phase 2 will add another 145 units to the existing 73, and includes a proposed dog park along 300 West, improvements along Parley’s Trail, a pickleball court, an outdoor BBQ area, and an outdoor fitness area. Current plans are to have the first phase completed by January 2026.
To connect with the SSL Chamber, email: tereza@sslchamber.com
Grid City Music Fest August 23-25
Grid City Music Fest is back for a third year and it’s bigger than ever! Get ready to vibe with three days of music at seven different venues scattered among our 66 outdoor murals. Hop aboard the South Salt Lake Fun Bus as it shuttles you between venues so you can focus on having fun! Get all the details and music lineup at gridcitymusicfest.com. For the latest updates, follow @gridcitymusicfest and @southsaltlakearts.
SOUTH SALT LAKE CHAMBER CORNER
The South Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce proudly presents the South Salt Lake Women in Business (WIB), a program dedicated to empowering local businesswomen and entrepreneurs, both professionally and personally. WIB strives to make a positive impact on the growth and success of women in our local business communities through mentoring support, facilitating leadership opportunities, and hosting networking events that enable women to thrive in their careers. If you are interested in joining the South Salt Lake WIB or sponsoring WIB events, visit www.sslchamber.com.
Elevate Your Path and Financial Success by Melissa Ceballos
Join us for our first-ever Women in Business breakfast on August 8, kicking off a series of monthly breakfasts featuring networking opportunities, insightful presentations from accomplished local speakers, and thought-provoking discussions. A light breakfast is included! In this session, you will not only get tips to navigate a successful career search and negotiate the job offer, but also develop a plan for your financial well-being. Changing careers can impact your financial stability and retirement plans. Proactively managing these aspects is crucial to ensure a smooth transition and long-term financial well-being. Learn more and register online at www.sslchamber.com.
Italian restaurant owner Giuseppe Mirenda bases life on food, faith and family
As soon 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)
You can help change the tone of political discourse
The 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 different political leanings. One leans to the left
Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3
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 contribute 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.
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I truly believe that the future of our nation depends on us learning this skill. American 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.
meals.”
“He learned a lot from my grandma back east in New York and a lot of that style is still what we cook at the restaurant,” she said.
Many of the recipes used in the restaurant come from Jeff Masten’s mother. They use her pie recipes, her homemade coleslaw recipe and her homemade chili sauce.
“A lot of new chefs are always trying the new and up-and-coming style of food, but with my dad, his passion is home-cooked food,” Melissa Masten said.
As Melissa Masten steps up to take over, she has no plans of changing that about the restaurant. The tradition of home-cooked food will live on, although she will be adding new recipes along the way.
“That is what made my father so successful in the beginning,” she said. “It wouldn’t be smart if I decided to change up the whole menu and try something new.”
A big step Melissa Masten is taking is moving the restaurant. The new location isn’t out yet, but Left Fork Grill will be finding a new home.
Melissa Masten’s dedication to upholding the high standards her father set, combined with her own ideas and commitment to the family legacy, ensures customers that every visit to Left Fork Grill remains a memorable experience.
“As far as Left Fork goes, the food is always going to stay the same and the consistency will always be there,” she said, “and I am 100% positive that is why we have been so successful.” l
Jeff Masten opened Left Fork Grill in 2006 after refining his skills as a chef. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Masten)
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Groovy grub
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-
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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
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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.
