SLM Nov/Dec 2023

Holiday Feasts & Family Traditions

MAGAZINE OF THE MOUNTAINWEST

3 Utah Families

Share Their Holiday Food Traditions from Around the Globe pg. 74

SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM December 2023 $5.95 Display until Dec. 31, 2023

UTAH’S OUTLAW QUEEN The Mystery of Ms. Etta Place

OUT-OF-THE-BOX HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS Unforgettable experiences

ALL ABOARD!

AHolidayGetaway to Colorado

by Train

Z A R A / S E P H O R A / C R AT E & B A R R E L / N O R DST R O M

Z A R A / S E P H O R A / C R AT E & B A R R E L / N O R DST R O M

stop searching

S TA R T GIFTING It’s the most magical time of the year, so let’s bring on the holiday cheer! Find something for everyone on your list, all in one merry place.

Z A R A / S E P H O R A / C R AT E & B A R R E L / N O R DST R O M

Z A R A / S E P H O R A / C R AT E & B A R R E L / N O R DST R O M

contents

NOV EMBER / DECEMBER 2023

Butch Cassidy and Etta Place photographed by De Young Photography Studio, 1901.

FEATURES

52 THE WEST’S

WILDEST WOMAN

BY AVREY EVANS

Etta Place is best known as a member of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, but the true identity and backstory of the notorious outlaw is a mystery. Follow our search through Utah history for the real Etta Place.

60 ‘EXPERIENCE’

THE HOLIDAYS

BY CHRISTIE PORTER & JEREMY PUGH

PHOTO CREDIT THE UINTAH COUNTY LIBRARY

What do you get for the person who has everything? Certainly not more stuff. This holiday season, consider our curated list of gift ideas centered on unique experiences to create lasting memories.

68 TRADITIONAL

FAMILY FEASTS

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

ON THE COVER PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

The Caputo family shares their holiday food traditions with Salt Lake magazine.

Check out the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Food is at the heart of almost every family’s holiday traditions. We introduce you to three Utah families and their inspiring food traditions, both delicious and with a deep anscestral and cultural history.

NO V EMB ER /DECEMB ER 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

7

contents 19 the hive

BY SALT L AKE STAFF

Utah performs a magic trick every winter, transforming for the season. Where you can find these winter wonderlands as well as the story behind a known holiday fixture, Temple Square’s tabernacle.

33 adventures

BY SALT L AKE STAFF

There are adventures to be had this winter! We explore the world of skiing beyond the slopes, Alta’s past through the eyes of multiple generations of new skiers and the Rocky Mountains by train.

85 park city

BY TONY GILL

The journey to upgrade chair lifts is a tale as old as Park City’s ski industry, and Park City’s Main Street dining scene could have a new mainstay.

33

93

on the table

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

This gin-brined turkey will blow your mind. And Moveable Feast comes to Utah.

123 bar fly

BY AVREY EVANS

Where to get your spirits up this holiday season.

136 last page

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

38

86

What's the deal with Utah and MLMs?

volume 34 number 6 Salt Lake magazine (ISSN# 1524-7538) is published bimonthly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October and November/December) by Utah Partners Publishing, Ltd. Editorial, advertising and administrative offices: 515 S. 700 East, Suite 3i, SLC, UT 84102. Telephone 801-485-5100; fax 801-485-5133. Subscriptions: One year ($35.95); for shipping outside the U.S. add $45. Toll-free subscription number: 877-553-5363. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2023, JES Publishing Corp. No whole or part of the contents may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of Salt Lake magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Manuscripts accompanied by SASE are accepted, but no responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited contributions. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Salt Lake magazine, PO Box 820, Boca Raton, FL 33429.

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Delight your loved ones with a year-long journey of sweetness through Cache Toffee’s Toffee of the Month Club! Each month, they’ll unwrap a different artisan toffee flavor, savoring the joy and indulgence you’ve gifted them.

Individual boxes are available at Harmons, Whole Foods, The Store, The Market at Park City, The Neighborhood Hive, and online.

10 SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEM BER/DECEM BER 2 0 2 3

Salt Lake magazine is published six times a year by Utah Partners Publishing, Ltd. The entire contents of Salt Lake magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Salt Lake magazine accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. Salt Lake magazine reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for products. Please refer to corporate masthead.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

‘I Want Time With You’ remember at least one Christmas when what was under the tree was exactly what we wanted. We were, of course, kids who still believed in Santa Claus and the holiday still held its magic.

After the morning, we would link up with friends and ask, “What’d you get?”

Compare gifts in some sort of materialistic playground one-upmanship. Mine: I got the Millennium Falcon, the Lego Beta-1 Command Base set, an Atari (of course) and a boxed set of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I still have the last item but the rest has gone to nieces and nephews, garage sales or the DI (Deseret Industries, Utah’s Goodwill, for you Beehive newbies).

As we get older, stuff matters less and the “what we got” is as important as what we give. The delight now is creating magic for the young ones and being caring and thoughtful to those we love. Kids are pretty easy, right? They still want stuff. It’s the grown-ups, who don’t need more stuff, who are the hardest to find gifts for.

It’s pretty customary for magazines to trot out a gift guide for the holiday issue. We’re not immune to that trope.

After all, one of our jobs here at Salt Lake magazine is to offer you discerning advice on where to eat, what to do and, sometimes, what to buy—especially at a time of year when buying stuff is on everyone’s mind. But this year we resisted the temptation to foist more stuff

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on you. Don’t we all have enough stuff?

How, we wondered, can we guide you to gifts that won’t get sent to the Goodwill one day? So we created a holiday gifting guide (“Experience. Not Stuff,” page 60). It’s all based on a response my mother gave me when I asked her what she wanted for Christmas, which was: “I want time with you.”

Give your time. Give something that won’t get put on a shelf or lost in a closet. Give experiences. Imagine your still-spry father opening a giant box and, there, inside, is a gift card good for “One Trip Down the Colorado River Through the Grand Canyon.” Or your vinophile best friend finds a note in their stocking “Good for One Personalized Wine-Tasting Course.” Or the sports nut gets a pack of tickets to the Salt Lake Bees games with a note that says, “Summer will come again.” And more. That’s what we’re talking about.

Give out memories that will last and the only thing put on the shelf will be a framed picture of you and your father bucking down the rapids in the Mighty Grand Canyon.

Happy Holidays!

Jeremy Pugh

PHOTO NATALIE SIMPSON/BEEHIVE PHOTOGRAPHY

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ADVENTURING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND UNIQUE HOLIDAY ADVENTURES TO ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY The weather outside may seem frightful to some, but with the right adventure, spending time outside over the holidays with your family can be truly delightful. There’s just something special about holiday magic in the fresh air with your loved ones.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite cold-weather adventures that you might not have considered for your holiday traditions. Think beyond the ski slopes and enjoy this winter like never before.

FUEL YOUR ADVENTURE

As the holiday season gets closer, everyone’s schedules seem to get busier. So, don’t think of this as a to-do list; rather, enjoy some ideas about keeping the holidays fun and magical in new ways. And as always, Maverik wants to make your holidays easier by providing a quick and clean stop to get you ready for your seasonal adventure. Try its fresh-made BonFire food, like a delicious breakfast bowl, steak burrito, or pizza to get you fueled up for some good, old-fashioned family fun. And while you’re at it, skip the long shopping trip and grab some Maverik gift cards, good for fuel, food, drinks and snacks, for those on your holiday list. You’ll give them the gift of road trip travel and give yourself more time to spend on one of these adventures.

FIND THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE

How could we talk about outdoor holiday adventures without mentioning this one?

Think beyond a parking lot selection of trees and take your family into the mountains for a memory-making tradition that will bring you together. Stop for a quick pick-me-up with one of Maverik’s fresh, bean-to-cup coffee blends or tasty hot chocolate, then blast the holiday tunes

while you enjoy a beautiful wintery drive and have fun finding the perfect tree to spruce (get it?) up your holiday décor.

WARM UP IN SOME HOT SPRINGS

Sure, dreaming by the fire is a fun way to beat the winter chill, but we’ve got adventure on the brain. So, bundle up the family – but put a swimsuit on as your base layer and lace up your hiking boots to head to one of Utah’s cozy hot springs. Swing by Maverik and pick up some winter goodies so you can soak and snack. Depending on weather, and your family’s hiking ability, you can choose a hot spring that’s accessible by car or by foot. Either way, you’re getting outside for some quality time together in the busiest time of the year.

STRAP ON YOUR SNOWSHOES

Do a family workout with a snowshoe excursion in Utah’s beautiful winter scenery. Try exploring your favorite summer trails and appreciating the view in a different season. Or head to a frozen waterfall for a stunning payoff. Snowshoeing is a great way to get your family outside – and with all that activity, you can make a guilt-free stop at Maverik for a seasonal cinnamon roll on the way home.

CHASE THE WINTER CONSTELLATIONS

With the nights about as long as they’ll get all year, celebrate the early sunset with a family stargazing trip. Pack up your warmest blankets and make a stop for a nice cup of freshly brewed Maverik hot chocolate and a limited time mint stuffed cookie to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Then head out of range of light pollution and enjoy a starry night together.

HAPPY ADVENTURING

We all love a cozy winter day, but sometimes you need to get outside and make some epic family memories. On those days, head to Maverik and get the essentials you need for a unique winter adventure. It may take a little more effort than a holiday movie marathon, but an incredible experience together is always worth it.

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The Hive t r e n d s / p e o p l e / t a lk

Utah’s Winter Wonderlands page 19

‘What’s Ya Vibe?’ page 22

Serving Up Holiday Apple Cake Recipe page 24

Matter-of-Fact Fashion page 26

Winter Magic

History of the Holiday Hub page 28

Hot Labor Summer Ends? page 30

Come winter, these Utah sites transform into coldweather wonderlands

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

A

FR E Q U E N T P O I N T O F P R I D E you might hear from a

PHOTO AJ MELLOR/COURTESY MIDWAY ICE CASTLES

longtime Utah resident is, “At least we have seasons!” This is technically true. Spring and fall are brief and summer is too hot but, boy, can we do winter. While some locales wear a fresh coat of snow well, others commit to a full transformation once the temperatures drop. Take, for instance, the Midway Ice Castles, which emerge every winter like the Northern Lights, seemingly out of thin air. While enough to stand on their own, the Ice Castles are just one of Utah’s winter wonderlands that you’ll find outside of traditional ski resorts. Some you can see in a day, but others provide a full weekend of winter activities.

Midway Ice Castle

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19

HOLIDAY

HEBER VALLEY

Clockwise from top left: Fireworks above the Ogden Christmas Village; The Holiday Window Stroll at The Grand America; Cross-country skiing at Wasatch State Park; Tubing at Soldier Hollow.

While Park City might be the obvious choice for the winteriest of Utah’s winter wonderlands, Heber Valley might be the most wonderful. In the winter, you’ll find sleigh rides, ice skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing, snow tubing and Utah’s only ice castles.

As the story of the Midway Ice Castles (icecastles.com) goes, a father from Alpine built an ice cavern in his yard for his kids during their first winter in Utah.

It was such a success, the enterprise grew.

The current iteration is a sprawling architectural marvel and the work of dozens of artists, featuring ice caverns, slides, tunnels and sculptures, weighing more than 25 million pounds. Nearby, Soldier Hollow Nordic Center (utaholympiclegacy.org) is home to a 1,200-foot-long snow-tubing hill, with multiple lanes, for some high-velocity winter thrills. It’s a must for kids and families that like an adventure they can do together. Likewise, in winter months, Wasatch Mountain State Park (stateparks.utah.gov) is open for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling through alpine terrain.

In the heart of Midway, the Midway Outdoor Ice Rink (​​midwayicerink.com) at Midway Town Square is a spacious, open-air rink. In Midway and Heber, you’ll also find local outfitters who offer horse-drawn sleigh rides (rockymtnoutfitters.com) at the Ice Castles and guided ice fishing tours on Strawberry Reservoir (utahicefishing.com), which is especially scenic convered in ice and a blanket of snow.

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SALT LAKE CITY When holiday shopping drives the crowds to Downtown Salt Lake City, anywhere you look winter magic can be found, and no visit to the Gateway Mall or City Creek Center is quite complete without a little holiday treat. People strap on skates and sip hot cocoa while taking the sights and sounds of the season at Gallivan Center Ice Rink (thegallivancenter.com). The outdoor public ice skating rink is open all winter long.

A staple on the list of seasonal sights is The Grand America (grandamerica.com) in the heart of Downtown. Seemingly overnight, the hotel is decked with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights (70,000 strands of lights, to be exact) and the pièce de résistance is the window displays. As visitors progress from window to window on The Holiday Window Stroll, artists tell a beautifully intricate visual story with Christmas themes.

NORTHERN UTAH

A little north of Salt Lake City, discover a mix of winter adventure and small-town holiday charm. Tour Bountiful, all lit up for holidays while taking a spin on the Ice Ribbon (southdavisrecreation.com)—a 520-foot ice loop. Further north in Ogden, the Ogden Christmas Village (christmasvillage.ogdencity. com) illuminates downtown with North Pole-inspired cottages, lights, entertainers and fireworks at the Ogden Amphitheatre. The centerpiece of the season is the Ogden Electric Light Parade on Washington Boulevard.

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) VISIT OGDEN; THE GRAND AMERICA; THE GRAND AMERICA; SOLDIER HOLLOW

THE HIVE

THE HIVE

“

COMM U NIT Y

WHAT’S YA VIBE?”

Artist and activist Shalandrea Houchen has a question for Utah audiences

BY AVREY EVANS

Houchen leading a Create N’ Vibe workshop. (Left) Art displayed at a What’s Ya Vibe gallery show.

(Above) Shalandrea levitates at an exhibit.

to Salt Lake to dream. After founding the community-based organization What’s Ya Vibe in 2019, she decided it was time to relocate. “Put simply, I came here because I needed to be in a place where I could afford to dream as a black woman living in America,” she says. Her ambition didn’t miss a beat. In just nine months What’s Ya Vibe has already collaborated with UMOCA, Oasis Cafe, Lost Acorn Gallery, Tea Zaanti, Scion Cider and more to curate everything from free workshops to activations to gallery shows.

What is What’s Ya Vibe all about? Shalandrea describes the ethos of the organization best. “What’s Ya Vibe is literally a check-in, a moment to ask yourself, ‘how are you doing?”

She says, “It’s about bringing people together and unifying through art and wellness.” All of Shalandrea’s efforts can be broken down

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into What’s Ya Vibe’s three integral pillars: workshops, murals and interactive design.

Shalandrea collabs with Workshop SLC and other various galleries to offer public workshops like their weekly Create N’ Vibe meetup, in which various local artists lead a free art class. What’s Ya Vibe also provides private workshops, perfect for team-building activities or birthday parties.

What’s Ya Vibe is also an excellent resource for businesses or individuals seeking out artists to create murals. “I have a Rolodex of black, brown and indigenous artists that do murals,” Shalandrea says.

Uplifting local POC artists is at the core of What’s Ya Vibe’s third pillar, interactive design. Ephemeral multi-media shows allow the public to interact with local creatives selling their work, and awaken the audience through sensory experiences.

Shalandrea will continue to curate unique

exhibits and collaborate with businesses like Tea Zaanti and Workshop SLC, but long term, she wants What’s Ya Vibe to have its own brick-and-mortar space. In the next year, she hopes to have a retail space and, eventually, a larger flagship with a plant-based cafe, community garden and shared spaces. In the grand scheme of things, Shalandrea wants to reach a global audience. “By the time I’m 113 years old, I would like What’s Ya Vibe to have a presence on every single continent, and still be a space for everyone.”

Get involved with What’s Ya Vibe by volunteering, donating or applying for an artist feature at one of their upcoming shows.

WHATSYAV IBE .ORG IN S TAG R A M @W H AT S .YA .V IBE V ENMO @WHATSYAV IBE

PHOTOS WHAT’S YA VIBE

S

H A L A N D R E A H O U C H E N moved

N O W O P E N 7 D AY S A W E E K

THE HIVE

FOOD

Apple Of Your Eye This holiday, serve up Tara Teaspoon’s famous apple cake

BY AVREY EVANS

H

SERVES: 12 TO 14

extra butter. Sprinkle pan with extra sugar, then

HANDS-ON TIME: 40 MINUTES

tap out excess. Set pan aside.

TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS, 55 MINUTES

APPLE PUDDING CAKE 2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans ½ teaspoon nutmeg 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon fine salt 4 cups grated apple, any variety, from 3 to 4 cored apples ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more for pan

2. Stir together flour, pecans, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In a food processor or with a box grater, shred apples with the skin on. You should have 4 cups grated apple.

4. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar with the paddle attachment. Add eggs and beat until mixture is fluffy. Stir in apples (and any juice they produce) and flour mixture until completely combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

5. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and cake pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Tent cake with foil for the last

BUTTER SAUCE

half hour of baking to prevent over-browning.

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks)

6. Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes,

unsalted butter 3 cups granulated sugar 1 ½ cups (12-ounce can) evaporated milk 4 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 2 large eggs

then invert onto a cooling rack to remove from pan. Let cool completely.

7. For the butter sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer all butter sauce ingredients, stirring, for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve the sauce warm over slices of cake, or serve sauce on the side and let guests add a

Tara “Teaspoon” Bench

1. For the cake: Heat oven to 350 F. Brush

generous amount of warm sauce to each slice of

a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan generously with

cake. Garnish with apple crisps, if desired.

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PHOTOS TY MECHAM

A N D S D O W N , this is my alltime favorite dessert,” says Tara “Teaspoon” Bench, author of Delicious Gatherings: Recipes to Celebrate Together. The rich apple cake reminds her of the dense steamed puddings her grandma used to make and she serves it year-round, especially during peak apple season in the fall. “It’s subtly spiced and full of the tart and sweet taste of apples, plus crunchy pecans,” Bench says. Bench is a food-focused author, content creator and blogger. The Utah-native Bench has penned and prepared countless mouth watering dishes. When Bench visits Utah from her current home in New York City, she naturally stirs things up.

“My mom and I love to cook,” says Bench, who also relishes entertaining. Follow her on Instagram @tarateaspoon.

Cheers

TO OU R FA R M TO G L AS S SP O NSO RS!

September 1st - October 31st, 2023

THE HIVE

ST Y LE

1

2

4

3 5

MATTER OF FACT. QUALITY.

For a person of taste who stays on the move, gift ideas that are pragmatic, classicly styled and built to last

7

6

8

1. RadRover 6 Plus Electric Fat Tire Bike, $1,399, Rad Power Bikes, SLC 2. Men’s Skycrest Insulated Snap Shirt, $185, Stio, Park City 3. IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire Steel 41MM, $7,400, O.C. Tanner Jewelers, SLC and Park City 4. The James Brand Redstone Knife, $89, The Stockist, SLC 5. GRID Antimicrobial Copper Wallet, $55, Man Up, SLC 6. The Wasatch Box (Glass and Coaster Set), $234, North Drinkware, northdrinkware.com 7. ESKAPE™ 20 Kanvas Backpack, $259, kuhl.com 8. Saxon 18K Rose Gold Double Link Napa Leather Bracelet by Walters Faith, $990, O.C. Tanner Jewelers, SLC and Park City.

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Photo courtesy: HOK Architects

WHAT’S NEXT AT YOUR NEW MORE ADDITIONS ARRIVING 2023-2024 Since the first flights departed The New Salt Lake International Airport, millions of travelers have experienced its stunning architecture, tech-friendly amenities, and thoughtfully curated dining and shopping options.

But we’re just getting started.

As Phase 2 is finished in 2023, you can expect 22 additional gates and 19 new shops and restaurants, including more local favorites. And in 2024, Phase 3 will bring even more places to eat, drink, shop, and relax—plus a new central tunnel that significantly shortens the walk to Concourse B gates.

22 ADDITIONAL GATES

19 NEW SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS

CENTRAL TUNNEL TO CONCOURSE B

MORE FLIGHTS TO MORE DESTINATIONS

See what’s next for your new SLC at slcairport.com

NOW OPEN: NEW GATES ON CONCOURSE A-EAST

THE HIVE

HISTORY

And Lo! A Super-nacle Was Born

The Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert features guest artists like Kristin Chenoweth (who appeared in 2021) and other notable figures from the musical stage and screen.

The LDS Conference Center is the largest theater-style auditorium ever built

BY JEREMY PUGH

was built in 2000, primarily to host the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ semiannual congregations of the faithful (called simply General Conferences). But it also sets the stage for many other musical and performance events—namely the Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas Concert (see sidebar). An engineering marvel with insanely fastidious acoustics, the 1.4-million-square-foot center seats 21,000 people and is large enough that it could fit a Boeing 747 in the main auditorium. Moreover, it was designed so that the view from every one of the 21,000 seats in the house is unobstructed by support pillars. And engineering milagro!

Bell ringers acompany the Choir during the annual Christmas Concert.

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The LDS Conference Center is also home to the famous Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which was mind-bogglingly renamed in 2018. (Why would The Church give up such a household name? It’s Elvis Presley changing his name to “The Singer at the Las Vegas Hilton.” But whatever.) The Choir’s former internationally recognized name came from the Church’s original Temple Square gathering space, the Tabernacle, which the much larger Conference Center was built to replace. (Locals cheekily call the Conference Center “the SUPER-nacle.”)

The original Tabernacle still is a functioning concert hall and an interesting piece of frontier architecture. Its builders designed an amazingly acoustically sound hall. If you take the tour, the tour guides will demonstrate the acoustics by dropping a pin from the dais that you can hear at the back of the hall. Another interesting note: the pillars that support the upper mezzanine in the Tabernacle are made of wood, but the designers, seeking old-world grandeur—which, in the new world that Utah was in, was anything “from back east”—meticulously painted the wooden columns to look like striated marble. Sections of the Choir and other smaller choruses still practice and perform in the Old Tabernacle.

HOW SUPER? THE NUMBERS. 1,200 lights illuminate the stage.

38 horsepower of wind drives the Conference Center’s organ.

50,000 miles of electrical wire power the building, enough to circle the Earth twice.

8.4 on the Richter scale would not be enough of an Earthquake to topple the building.

620 tons of fabricated steel hold up the roof without the aid of support columns.

Info on tickets at thetabernaclechoir.org

PHOTOS COURTESY THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

T

HE LDS CONFERENCE CENTER

898 South 900 East 801.359.4150 Mon-Sat 10-6 Follow us on Instagram! @thechildrenshour

THE HIVE

STATEWATCH

ORGANIZED LABOR MEANS BUSINESS Will ‘hot labor summer’ cool now that summer is over?

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

O

RGANIZED LABOR IS HAVING A MOMENT. After the highly publicized (and politicized) events of what some are calling “hot labor summer,” that much is clear. “We do see the events of new unions forming, even at the Starbucks stores here in Utah. That didn’t happen before,” explains Dr. Eunice Han, an assistant professor in the University of Utah Economics Department. Salt Lake City Public Library workers are seeking to form the first library union in Utah and the employees of Starbucks stores in Utah have voted to unionize. This is at a time when UPS averts a strike by meeting the Teamsters Union’s demands and United Auto Workers strike. Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) picket the lots of major film studios. “So you can decide whether this is just one case of exceptional stuff, but if you see this everywhere, say, all across the Starbucks in the United States, then it’s some kind of a movement, right?” says Han.

WHY NOW? This movement began building during the pandemic, and many in the fight point specifically to Amazon employee efforts to unionize led by Christian Smalls, who first organized a walkout at a Staten Island, N.Y. Amazon warehouse over unsafe working conditions as COVID-19 spread unmitigated.

Amazon fired Smalls for his trouble. Other workers faced constant uncertainty and job instability. The pandemic exposed how many so-called “essential workers” felt unrecognized, unprotected and under-compensated, despite their work being deemed necessary for society to function.

As the fear over the pandemic subsided, the hollow accolades for heroic essential workers evaporated, but their struggles did not. Meanwhile, workers’ real wages have been stagnant, while the corporations that employ them report record profits and pay out sky-high dividends and stock buybacks for shareholders. That only further highlights the overall growing economic inequality of the last 50 years, which is attributed in part to the respective weakening of the labor movement. These factors have been in motion for decades, but workers are emboldened now in ways they have not been during much of that time.

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Voice actors along with SAG-AFTRA negotiators discuss the actors’ strike and the threat of AI at San Diego Comic Con 2023. From left: Linsay Rousseau, Tim Friedlander, Ashly Burch, Zeke Alton, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Cissy Jones.

Han says the messaging and visibility of strikes by high-profile unions like SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are likely inspiring workers across all industries. “They hear the news of writers striking in Hollywood and think, ‘Maybe it’s time for us to speak up.’”

Historically, organizing collectively is one of the few ways U.S. workers have consistently been able to progress their interests.

A strong labor movement put in place the worker protections we now take for granted—8-hour workdays, overtime pay, the ban on child labor, weekends, a minimum wage, etc. But, collective bargaining does not have the power it once had, in part because our work can be substituted much easier now through outsourcing or by machines. “If employers can go to other places easier instead of giving higher wages to workers, then the bargaining power of the union is lower,” explains Han. Rather than undermining the recent labor movement, the threat of being replaced has emboldened the movement and increased its urgency.

WHAT DO WE WANT ?

At an event where actors would normally be promoting their latest project to a mass of ecstatic fans, some voice actors instead held a somber panel discussion about the existential threat they face from the unchecked use of machine learning models, collectively

referred to as artificial intelligence (AI). As a sign of the times, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con was bereft of the usual movie hype and big IP fanfare because of the ongoing Hollywood strikes, and some of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiators and striking actors instead made their case to reporters and fans. They highlighted the specific use of the technology that positions voice actors at the forefront of the AI issue—an issue that they believe could eventually impact the livelihoods of workers in every industry.

Voice actors have had their voices recorded for one project and then replicated by AI without their permission in other projects. “What we’re interested in is consent and compensation of the people who are being used. So if you’re going to replicate me or any other performer, we should consent to that, and then we should be compensated for the use,” says ​​Zeke Alton, actor and a SAG-AFTRA negotiating member.

“We’ll be fighting to make sure that AI doesn’t overtake the human element of creativity,” says Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, alluding to the potential harm to society at large as profit-seeking drives companies’ attempts to remove humanity from the creative process.

“There is the concept that these large algorithmic machines generate things. Well, they don’t generate anything new,” says Alton. In some cases, the technology scours the online landscape, takes content, runs it through an algorithm and generates an amalgamation. Alton says there needs to be more transparency of what those machines are taking “because it affects the entire labor force. If we can’t see into the machine, then we have no idea of whose life’s work and training are being taken for free, without consent and compensation, and turned into something that makes money for a billionaire sitting somewhere at a retreat. So that’s why this is important to us.”

The union members know the technology is here to stay, but they believe that the unmitigated and uncompensated use of machines to supplant human labor is not an inevitability. “When you look at things like the assembly line that changed the world, the internet that changed the world, that can go one way or the other,” says Alton. “It can be a tool to allow the population to rise, or it can be a tool in the hands of the masters to bring the wealth to a single point in the one percent.”

Ashly Burch, actor in Horizon Zero Dawn and WGA member, says this fight is necessary to ensure a future for the most vulnerable. “It is about protecting people who are new to the industries that they’re trying to enter, who don’t have the support or clout to be able to defend themselves from predatory contracts. That’s a big thing across all unions right now and all the negotiations.” As it stands, the majority of SAG-AFTRA members work day jobs and many don’t meet the union’s income eligibility threshold of $26,470 per year to qualify for healthcare. “I think having unions and being part of a union is a massive, massive movement right now and essential to protect against this kind of technology,” says Burch. “I believe that with collective bargaining you can make protections that ensure that your livelihood is not replaced.”

WHEN DO WE WANT IT? So, you have a union…how do you get employers to listen to your demands?

Notably, some of the targets of recent unionization and strike efforts—Amazon, Starbucks and the major motion picture studios—have not come to

I believe that with collective bargaining you can make protections that ensure that your livelihood is not replaced.”

—ASHLY BURCH, SAG-AFTRA & WGA MEMBER

the table to negotiate in good faith, even with the collective action of its employees. “Employers will always come to the meeting thinking that ‘I’m really not willing to sign anything today,’” says Han. “And the atmosphere is pretty heated. It’s not peaceful, as you can imagine. So unions need to be more strategic.”

One of the most powerful strategies a union has is to get the public on their side. Public support for unions and organized labor is higher than it has been in decades. According to a Gallup poll from August of last year, 71% of Americans now approve of labor unions. That’s the highest rate of union support since 1965. Even with their more positive attitudes toward labor unions, Han says drastic action could be needed to increase visibility and attract public support. “Employees are going on a strike because they learned that the public actually understands their struggles better if they go on a strike.”

“As a consumer, you should know that these big companies do care about what you think. Maybe not individually, but collectively, they do.” As SAG-AFTRA’s Chief Negotiator, Crabtree-Ireland says, he hears about company concerns over public perception every single day through back channels. “They definitely care about consumers turning away from the things that generate revenue for them. And so you have immense power if you just inform yourself and don’t let their spin confuse you.”

As to making the decision to strike, “That kind of drastic action will bring more attention to the public. And, usually, the public view is a kind of weapon, a powerful tool, that workers can wield,” says Han. “But the strategy is kind of a last resort.”

While striking may be a last resort, when faced with something they see as an existential threat, many workers are not backing down, and that is keeping this broader labor movement alive.

“There’s a philosophical difference for how the workers feel and how the employers feel…they [the employers] don’t want to get caught at a competitive disadvantage,” explains Alton. “But they’re bargaining for a competitive and financial advantage. We’re bargaining for our very existence.” As a retired U.S. Navy test pilot and commander, Alton opts for the military metaphor. “We talk in negotiations, ‘Is this the hill you’re willing to die on?’ And we are at an inflection point in history right now. We can choose to fight and die on that hill, or we will be summarily executed there. That’s the only choice we have.”

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Adventures t r ave l / o u t d o o r s / w e llb e in g

Glenwood Springs by Train page 33

Historic Alta page 38

Training for Cross-Country and Skate-Ski Adventure

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISITGLENWOODSPRINGS.COM

page 42

Winter A Warmth

Take the train to a holiday getaway in Glenwood Springs, Colo.

BY JEREMY PUGH

M T R A K ’ S C A L I F O R N I A Z E P H Y R R U N S from Chicago to San Francisco with a stop in Salt Lake City, the eastbound train boards at “Oh-Dark-Thirty” (3:30 a.m.) which makes for a bleary, early morning at Salt Lake’s Central Station. Once on board, though, you can grab a nap as the train moves through Provo, Green River and Grand Junction, waking up in time to view the scenic stretch through Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River before arriving at your destination: Glenwood Springs, Colo. Glenwood Springs is famous for its hot springs. Once a railroad and mining town, it became a destination for travelers to “take the waters.” Fittingly, the town’s center is the world’s largest hot springs pool, making Glenwood an ideal destination for a wintertime getaway. Enjoy this historic, walkable western town all decked out for the holiday season, with your choice of basecamp.

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1. The Hotel Denver During the early 1900s, the train was the heartbeat of Glenwood Springs. The train brought supplies, workers and tourists into town, who needed a place to stay. The Hotel Denver has been hosting visitors since 1915 and the classic threestory retains its classic charm but has evolved into a chic, modern boutique hotel. Its location, steps away from the train station, makes it an ideal base for exploring the town.

THE TEDDY BEAR

Exterior of the Hotel Colorado’s Holiday decor

TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S FAILED BEAR HUNT Long before Barbie, there was the beloved childhood toy, the Teddy Bear, named after President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. The Hotel Colorado claims to be the “real” origin of the iconic stuffed bear.

Although other accounts attribute its creation to a penny candy store owner in New York, there’s a large display in the hotel lobby dedicated to an apocryphal story. The president, despondent after an unsuccessful bear hunt, was cheered when the hotel staff presented him with a stuffed bear.

True or not, it’s one of the many historical artifacts and displays located throughout the hotel, including limited bookings for the Roosevelt Suite, where the president would conduct business during his stays.

The Amtrak train station across the street from the Hotel Denver

2. The Hotel Colorado The Hotel was built in 1893 by Walter Devereux, a silver baron and one of the early settlers who saw the potential of the town’s main attraction, the hot springs. Devereux sought to attract the wealthy and elite to this grande dame of a hotel, which is a real name-dropper of a hotel.

Its registries have logged many famous guests, notably President Theodore Roosevelt who visited the area on his many hunting excursions and would decamp to the Hotel, which would become a temporary White House during his stays. During the holidays, the Colorado is all decked out, with twinkling lights and a lobby stuffed with a menagerie of Christmas displays.

Also, there are ghosts.

One Cool Thing

DOC HOLLIDAY’S LAST STAND John Henry Holliday (1851-1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American gambler, gunfighter and, oddly, a dentist. A close friend and associate of lawman Wyatt Earp, Holliday is best known for his role in the events leading up to and following the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Ariz. Holliday was afflicted with tuberculosis and spent the few remaining years of his life in Glenwood Springs, where he hoped the healing waters would cure his ailment. He died of tuberculosis in his bed at the Hotel Glenwood, now the Hotel Denver, at age 36. One of the Hotel Denver’s eventual owners, Art Kendrick, got his start as a bellhop, where he recalls Doc Holliday as a “pretty good” tipper. His name is all over the town, including the Doc Holliday Saloon, filled with memorabilia dedicated to the famous gunslinger (and serving Rocky Mountain Oysters for the brave). You can also explore the Doc Holliday Collection, a small museum in the lower level of Bullock’s Western Store.

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(FAR LEFT) PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK. ALL OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITGLENWOOD.COM

TRAVEL

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITGLENWOOD.COM

Spa of the Rockies at Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Father and daughter tour Glenwood Caverns

3. Glenwood Hot Springs Pool Glenwood’s therapeutic spring waters— called Yampah, or literally “Big Medicine,” by Ute Native Americans—have been bubbling up from the earth’s core for millions of years.

The Utes were the first known visitors to the mineral-rich hot springs that flowed along the banks of the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon. Devereux bought the land around the natural springs and harnessed the 3.5 million gallons of naturally hot mineral water that rises from the source of the spring each day. The pool dominates the town’s center and is filled with soakers, basking in the warm water. You should be one.

GETTING THERE

4. Iron Mountain Hot Springs The newest iteration of a hot springs destination that dates back to 1896, Iron Mountain is located on the banks of the Colorado River.

Designed in the Scandinavian way, Iron Mountain has 16 pools dotting the site which range in temperatures from 98 to 108 degrees. Guests brave the winter chill between pools and hop around to find the perfect temperature. Iron Mountain also has an adults-only area and serves beer, wine and (in the winter) mulled wine.

NEVADA

Glenwood Springs is about eight hours from Salt Lake City’s Central Station by train. And while it would certainly be faster to drive, what’s your hurry? The train ride is half the fun of a trip to Glenwood Springs, you can play games in the club car, relax in the observation deck and just enjoy the ride. amtrak.com

5. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Although coasters and more adventurous attractions at the park are closed in winter, the park’s main attraction, the Glenwood Caverns, remains open for tours. Descend into a subterranean world guided by a young enthusiastic collection of tour guides who point out geology, unique formations and share the cave’s history.

SA LT LA KE

CI TY

UTAH

G LE N W O O

D SP RI N G

COLORA

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841 S 3600 E

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find the home and agent of your dreams at winutah.com Buyer to verify all info.

Settle into a season of luxury at Deer Valley – where our signature service and commitment to detail enhance every experience. From pristine grooming and unforgettable ski runs to indulgent dining and après-ski celebrations, winters here continue a legacy of difference you can feel in every moment.

OUTDOORS

Steep History

Experience Alta history through multiple generations of new skiers

L

IT TLE C OT TON WO OD CAN YON CUT S

a steep, serpentine fissure through the Wasatch Range. In the winter, snow cleaves to sheer granite cliffs, stubbled with pine trees of such deep green they appear almost black. For more than 80 years, skiers have been driving the canyon road to reach the slopes of Alta Ski Area. When I started ski lessons at Alta during the 2022-2023 season, I had only a general knowledge of the long history of the area. I had no

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knowledge at all of how that history intertwined with mine and the histories of many Utahns who donned their first skis at Alta. For generations, Utah families of powder hounds have raised future ski pilgrims to learn the ways of the mountain faith, using Alta as their base and temple. When I learned I had unknowingly continued my own family’s Alta tradition, I prevailed upon them to share what it was like when they first skied those same slopes.

PHOTO COURTESY ALTA SKI AREA

BY CHRISTIE PORTER

1940S POWDER HOUNDS “We’d go almost every weekend, not just once in a while, but we as much as we could,” My grandfather, Lloyd Bishop, started skiing with his friends as a high school student in Kaysville, Utah in the 1940s. There were not as many options then, and Alta had the best powder. He used second-hand equipment and, eventually, gear he bought “for almost nothing” from an Army surplus store after the war. (Alta served as a training ground for Army paratroopers to prepare for combat in the Alps.) To hear my grandpa tell it, nothing was more uncomfortable than heavy, 7-foot, Army-issue skis and boots. “They were just horrible,” he groans, but it was the only gear he could afford.

To earn money for a ski pass, he played saxophone in a “dance band,” performing at churches and weddings. “I started playing when I was 14 years old because—this was the start of World War II—and all of the older guys that would normally be playing were gone,” he says. “I made about $3.50 for playing the night, which is about what it cost for a day pass to Alta!” He laughs, “We would beg, borrow and steal,” anyway they could get it, he says, to ski.

My grandfather and his friends’ quest for powder and thrills saw them skiing all day in the warmest clothes they had—thermal underwear and denim jeans and jackets—until they were soaked through.

Back then, Alta had just the Alta Lodge and one main lift. The old Collins lift opened in 1939, becoming the second chairlift in the West. While my grandpa skied Alta throughout high school and college, it grew with the conversion of the Rustler and Peruvian J-bars to single-chair lifts, the opening of the Rustler and Peruvian lodges and the expansion of the Ski School.

PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY LLOYD BISHOP; (BOTTOM) COURTESY ALTA

Alta Ski School Students in the ’80s.

The author’s grandfather, Lloyd Bishop, stops to pose for a photograph while skiing at Alta Ski Area in 1947.

The quest for powder drove them to hike in skins for half a day up the backside of Brighton (before there was a resort in Park City) to ski down the other side.

They would spend the second half of the day skiing at Brighton for the cheaper, half-day rate. Similar ventures were made to Alta from where would eventually become Snowbird. “You were on absolutely virgin, fresh snow that nobody had ever skied. And the snow is powder, deep powder,” he explains.

In 1950, my grandfather went to Germany for an LDS Mission, where he skied the Bavarian Alps on those “horrible” Army skis at Zugspitze and gained a little perspective. It remains a popular German skiing destination and, at the time, it made ski areas in Utah look downright “primitive.” “It’s because most people didn’t realize it back then, that Alta is one of the best ski areas in the United States,” he says. “But it was also very primitive, which is both good and bad.” For example, “The road up Little Cottonwood was a challenge by itself,” he says. The road to Alta was even

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OUTDOORS

more treacherous and frustrating than it is now—prone to closures and fraught with avalanches that we were still developing the techniques to mitigate. On the other side of that same coin, powder hounds of the era look back at the staggering number of runs they could do on nearly unbroken powder in a day at Alta, but nothing good stays secret for long. It’s a balancing act that defines and guides Alta still today— modernizing and growing to meet demand without sacrificing the quality and nostalgia of the Alta skiing experience.

To that point, James Laughlin, the once owner of Alta Lodge is quoted saying, “You’ve got to keep some places like god made them. If you overdo it, you’ll destroy Alta...I take great pride in Alta because it is the one place that’s left that’s a little bit like the old skiing.”

1970S POWDER PILGRIMS “I can’t remember the name of the mountain because it wasn’t a mountain. It was a hill. It was more like a pimple.” My grandpa moved the family to New Jersey when my mom was just a kid, and skiing there, once again, gave some perspective. “They get so much traffic coming down the ski run that, when you have a curve, all the snow had been worn off.” He shakes his head. “So, they would cover the mud with straw.”

“After that, I said to the kids, ‘what would you rather do? Go to Utah and maybe only ski twice or three times a year, or continue to ski for a year here?’” It wasn’t even a question. That’s how my mom, Kellie, and her siblings ended up visiting Utah every Spring Break to ski. By then, the Goldminer’s Daughter had opened. New and expanded lifts at Alta accessed higher areas as

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Vintage photograph of skiers at Alta Ski Area.

well as some that were more beginner-friendly, as if to accommodate the cultivation of a new generation of Alta skiers.

“For me, Alta was like growing up.” Even though my mom had skied elsewhere before, she considers Alta where she really learned to ski and keep up with bigger kids on the mountain (including an older boy who was her first-ever crush). They would ski all morning, then go to the parking lot to scarf down some bagged lunch in the car, then back to skiing. “I couldn’t last all day back then,” my mom says. “I mean, granted, I would have been like eight or nine. I thought it was really cool that I could walk in my ski boots in the lodge and get hot chocolate and sit in there by a fire while I waited for everyone else to be done.” It’s one of her favorite parts of the experience.

While she remembers having to overcome her fear of heights to first ride the lifts, the transfer tow ended up being the real problem. “I would always keep my hair in a ponytail tucked into my cap,” she says, so it wouldn’t get in her face as she skied. With equal parts laughter and terror, she recounts grabbing onto the tow behind her older sister, Lynn, who wore her hair in a long, free braid. To this day no one is sure quite how it happened. The end of Lynn’s braid caught in the rope, pulling her hair as the tension increased with the addition of more riders.

My grandpa was waiting nearby and looked over to see that “it was dragging her up the mountain by her hair. I rushed down to her and skied up as fast as I could before the rope tow came to an end and she could get herself tangled.”

Not even a vindictive rope tow stopped the fun that day or the yearly pilgrimages to Alta, however, and the tale has become a piece of family lore.

PHOTOS: (LEFT) UTAH HISTORICAL SOCIETY; (RIGHT) COURTESY ALTA

Skiers at Alta, 1947

AND NOW I’m not a powder hound or a pilgrim. My ski lessons at Alta last season marked the first time I had skied ever. But before I graduated to the beginner runs, Patsey Marley and Crooked Mile—some of the same runs my mother braved her fear of heights to ski—I shared my brief time on the bunny hills with parents teaching their young children, who in turn had been taught to ski by their parents on those same slopes.

While the experience has changed some since my grandfather’s formative Alta years (improved facilities, new lifts and much better gear) and since their annual family spring ski trips (yet bigger, better lifts and the addition of the Albion Day Lodge) much remains the same. It’s the balance that Alta and its collection of family-owned lodges are trying to maintain. The things that remain the same, the experiences we all share, are the things that connect us to the generations that came before: The morning ritual of loading up ski gear with family and friends. The awe-inspiring but oft-frustrating drive through Little Cottonwood Canyon. The search for thrills and untouched snow. The celebration of fresh powder.

Resorting to creative methods to fund an expensive habit.

Bagged car lunches. Pushing ourselves to go a little higher and faster. Laughing at our siblings’ misfortunes. The simple pleasure of sipping a warm drink in a mountain lodge.

Alan and Alf Engen, the namesake of Alta’s Ski School

TOP LESSONS LEARNED AS A ‘NEVER-SKIER’ I learned a lot in ending my rare status as a longtime Utah resident “never-skier” at Alta’s Ski School.

01/ I will fall. At the start of

area, when we’re already tired, can

my first lesson, at Alta my ski

lead to injury.

instructor Natalie informs me that the people she teaches never fall

07/ Porcupines are good luck. At

down during the first lesson. This

least, I take them to be a good omen

is meant to be comforting, but in

when we spy the most adorable

my heart, I know I’ll be the one to

ginger porcupine in a tree by the

end this streak. And I am right.

Sunnyside lift.

02/ I can get back up. But, to

08/ I’m the problem. While the

be clear, it is not pretty, even with

occasionally steep sections can

Natalie’s instruction (through no

be a bit daunting, it’s the other

fault of hers).

skiers, soaring by effortlessly, who

03/ The transfer tow does not

like to think they’re probably just

otherwise, I had a lovely time on

as scared of me as I am of them. At

the rope tow. Despite what some

least, they probably should be, as

videos on the internet might sug-

I call to Natalie, “I’ll make it down

gest, the tow rope is not meant to

this mountain one way or another!”

be straddled like a hobby horse.

Bless her for putting up with me for

09/ Pro tip: Tip. You’re encour-

my ski poles. I have lost my pole

aged to tip your ski instructor at the

privileges and it is freeing. I find

end of the lesson. I’m told 10-15% is

just about everything I’ve learned

an appropriate tip.

ing—is a bit less stressful without

PHOTO COURTESY ALTA

three weeks in a row.

second lesson, Natalie takes away

so far—from traversing to turn-

In 1935, the ski school namesake, world-champion skier Alf Engen explored Alta’s slopes on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service to scout potential winter sports sites, ultimately recommending Alta as a place to develop a ski area. Engen (who also lends his name to the legendary run Alf’s High Rustler) helped found the Alta ski school and served as Ski School Director for 40 years, starting in 1949. The ski school has since become a model for others across the country. The program offers group or private lessons for adults and children of all skill levels, as well as camps and multi-week lessons with some of the best ski instructors around. alta.com/ski-school

the greenest skier on the slope, I

bite. While family lore might imply

04/ Poles are optional. For my

ALF ENGEN SKI SCHOOL

intimidate me the most. But, as

10/ Skiing is more fun than

them. Natalie reiterates that she

church. In the latter half of my sec-

has taken my poles away so that

ond lesson, while “serpentine-ing”

I learn to use my legs for balance

down increasingly steeper inclines,

and control (and not because I

I realized that skiing is fun. As well

have transcended the usefulness

as thrilling and a little bit peaceful.

of poles).

There is a quality of weightlessness

05/ Poles have some uses. Get-

about it like I’ve escaped the influence gravity. Taking in the scenery,

ting back up after falling is even

I understand why, for some, skiing

harder without poles.

is tantamount to a religion and the

06/ Warm-up and cool down.

mountains are their temple. I’m not ready to convert just yet (I’ve al-

Natalie recommends, whenever

ready abandoned one high-demand

I ski, closing out on the same run

religion). Maybe, if I’m not up to

I use to warm up. The inclination

going every sabbath, I could show

to get in a “final run” in a tougher

up just on major holidays?

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FITNESS

GETTING FIT “In cross-country skiing, and almost every other sport, the core is super important,” says Laurie Humbert, a member of the 1994 U.S. Biathlon team, Nordic ski coach and colead of The Utah Nordic Alliance’s (TUNA) adult dryland training sessions. “The action of all the distal muscles (muscles in your limbs) originate from your core.” And by core, Humbert is talking about more than your abs. “The core runs from the bottom of your neck to your hips, front and back.”

SPECIFIC EXERCISES HUMBERT RECOMMENDS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR MIDSECTION INCLUDE… Planks—sustaining the top of a pushup position. Try adding leg circles and doing side planks as well.

GETTING GLIDE READY

Downhill skiing isn’t the only game in town. Here are the tips, tricks and the gear you need to hit the crosscountry skiing track in full ‘glide’ this season.

BY MELISSA FIELDS

V

E T E R A N C R O S S - C O U N T R Y S K I E R S know, making skate or classic laps along an expertly groomed track can be one of winter’s greatest pleasures. It’s a fantastic workout, a great way to get out into nature during the winter and—no offense to Utah’s mountain resorts—much easier on your wallet than alpine skiing. Think you might be interested in giving this all-ages sport a go?

Following are a few ways both newbies and experienced Nordic skiers can prep for the coming skinny-skiing season.

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Pilates 100s—lifting your shoulders and legs off the ground while moving your arms up and down with your breath.

gearing up

NORTHERN UTAH NORDIC CENTERS

Big Mountain Pass Road (S.R. 65), Parley’s Canyon, 5 km groomed two to here times per week by TUNA, free admission, no dogs, utahnordic.org/sr-65.

Super-mans—lifting and holding your arms and legs off the ground from a prone position.

Bridge poses—using your feet to lift your lower body off the ground while lying on your back.

THOUGH CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING IS A PRACTICE IN SIMULTANEOUS ARM-ANDLEG ACTION, MOST OF THE ACTIVITY’S POWER COMES FROM THE LEGS. GET YOUR LOWER HALF IN SKI-SHAPE

BY DOING… Lunges and walking lunges— to both strengthen the quads and open the hip flexors.

Jeremy Ranch Nordic Center, Park City, rentals and private lessons, day pass required, no dogs, thejeremy.com/nordic.

Mountain Dell, Parley’s Canyon, 10 km groomed daily by TUNA, pay for a day pass at the fee post or via Venmo or Paypal, no dogs, utahnordic.org.

North Fork Park, Weber County, 20 to 30 km of grooming for classic and skate skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking by Ogden Nordic, lessons, day pas required, leashed dogs allowed, ogdennordic.com.

Functional, cool-looking gear and duds for hitting the track.

Leki PRC 650 ski poles. These sturdy-butlight carbon poles feature The Nordic Shark, a grip/strap system with quick-release pole straps allowing quick detachment from your poles to answer a phone call, pick up after your dog, or high-fi ve your buddy after climbing a slope.

Smith Bobcat sunglasses. Googlelike coverage with the airflow and light weight of sunglasses is what you’ll get with these stylish shades. Each pair comes with a dark lens for bluebird days and a clear one for when it’s not so sunny.

Round Valley, Park City, 25 km of multiuse track, open to skiers, snowbikes, hikers, and off-leash dogs, free admission, mountaintrails.org.

Solitude Mountain Resort Nordic Center, 20 km groomed track, lessons, rentals, full-day or half-day pass required, no dogs, solitudemountain.com.

Lateral exercises—like side lunges and side shuffles.

Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway, 30 km groomed track, lessons, rentals, biathlon programs, no dogs, utaholympiclegacy.org.

Ski bounding—energetic, continuous leaping up a grassy hill, with or without ski poles.

Spruces Campground, in Big Cottonwood Canyon, 5 km track groomed several times per week by the U.S. Forest Service, free admission, no dogs.

In addition to leading fall dryland sessions, Humbert stays fit throughout the winter by leading weekly on-snow workouts at Mountain Dell. Visit utahnordic.org for details and to register.

Sundance Resort Nordic Center, Provo Canyon, 15 km of grooming, rentals and lessons, full-day or halfday pass required, no dogs, sundanceresort.com.

White Pine Touring Nordic Center, Park City, more than 15 km of groomed loops, rentals, lessons, kidtrailer rentals, full day or after-3 p.m. pass required, no dogs, whitepinetouring.com

Swix Dynamic pants.

Since cross-country skiing is such a cardiovascular-heavy sport, breathability is key in clothing. These pants have breathable, wind-proof and water-resistant front panels; comfortable, multi-directional stretch; and zippered leg openings, making them easy to get in and out of.

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Utah s'

The Search for Etta Place, the Wildest Woman in the Wild West

BY AV R EY EVA NS

I

’ M 2 6 , I ’ M S I N G L E , I’m a schoolteacher, and that’s the bottom of the pit.” The line, spoken by actor Katharine Ross as Etta Place in the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, stood out. After all, I too am a 26-yearold unmarried woman and I cringed at the line. Sure. That might have been true for many women on the frontier in the 1890s. But it wasn’t just dismissiveness,

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it was the overt neglect by screenwriter William Goldman to develop Etta’s character at all. (Goldman won an Oscar for the script, BTW.) Goldman and the producers had spent eight years researching the origins of Butch and Sundance, tracking down childhood homes and first-hand accounts so they could tell the story. So what of Etta Place? If she was indeed a trusted member of The Wild

Bunch and an accomplice to Sundance and Butch during their escape to South America, as the film depicts, surely she was more than a doe-eyed love interest. I wanted to learn more about this woman.

I wanted to know: How did this school teacher become one of only five women in The Wild Bunch? What led her to a life on the run? Unlike Goldman, I wanted to find the real Etta Place.

PHOTO CREDIT THE UINTAH COUNTY LIBRARY

Butch Cassidy and Etta Place photographed by De Young Photography Studio, 1901.

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Laura Bullion aka ‘Rose of the Wild Bunch’

Despite Etta’s noteworthy role in the bandit group, her life before is obscure. Only one known photo of her remains, taken by the famous portraitist De Young in 1901 after her wedding to Harry Longabaugh in New York.

Ms. Place: She was born around 1878 in either Castle Gate or Price here in Utah, but other accounts place her birth in Texas or Pennsylvania. She was well-spoken, arrestingly beautiful and may have been educated on the East Coast. Skilled on horseback and an even better shot with a rifle, historians believe she first joined The Wild Bunch at their Hole-in-the-Wall hideout around 1896. And from the De Young portrait we know she was married to Sundance around 1900. After that photo was taken Sundance, Etta and Butch boarded the SS Herminius in New York bound for Argentina under the names Mr. and Mrs. Harry Place and James Ryan, according to the ship’s 1901 registry.

How Etta came to meet two of the Wild West’s most infamous outlaws remains a mystery, as does her fate after fleeing to South America. Throughout my hunt for the truth, three central theories about her origin emerged.

WANTED FOR Bank Robbery, Train Robbery and Forgery Born to a Texan train robber, Laura Bullion became acquainted with outlaws William Carver and Ben Kilpatrick at the age of 13.

After working on and off at Fannie Porter’s brothel, a popular hideaway for the Wild Bunch and other Western outlaws, Bullion made her way to Utah with Carver where she met Cassidy and the others. Known to sell stolen goods, disguise herself as a man during robberies, and provide the outlaws with a steady supply of horses, Bullion quickly caught the attention of detectives and national media. In 1901 Bullion was found in possession of $8,500 in unsigned stolen banknotes and was arrested for forgery and robbery. After her sentence, Bullion would go on to live a civilian life in Memphis under the alias Freda Bullion Lincoln

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Etta might’ve first encountered Sundance Kid and the Wild Bunch gang during their many (many) visits to Texan bordellos.

High-class ladies of the night worked at Fannie Porter’s brothel in San Antonio, where it's possible Etta Place took up residence as a young woman. Porter offered her girls’ hospitality to high-paying customers, including outlaws flush with ill-gotten cash. Fannie Porter’s was a rendezvous for The Holein-the-Wall gang after fleeing the scene of various train robberies and stick-ups.

Etta married Sundance in 1900 and joined The Wild Bunch in their escapades, assisting them with getaway horses and posing as a distraction. Although no marriage license exists, a Pinkerton Agency memorandum from July 29, 1902 states Mrs. Place

PHOTOS: LEGENDSOFAMERICA.COM; (OPPOSITE PAGE) EVERETT COLLECTION

Theory No. 1: The Calculating Courtesan

Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, and Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. BELOW: Katharine Ross as Etta Place in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Bottom)

PHOTO CREDIT OF LEGENDSOFAMERICA.COM (RIGHT), XXX (LEFT)

tktktkMaiosam faccustibus quate con rehentia comnihilicid et idi ne nes con re, nimaior epelit, nam

“is said to be [Sundance’s] wife and to be from Texas.” The Pinkerton Agency, a private security force paid by the railroads to protect trains from robbers and hunt outlaws, was always one step behind the outlaws. After getting ahold of Sundance and Etta’s 1901 De Young portrait in New York, agent William A. Pinkerton complained in a letter to his brother “It shows how daring these men are, and while you are looking for them in the wilderness and mountains they are in the middle of society.”

Although it’s unclear if Etta was truly a high-priced prostitute, she almost certainly was not a schoolteacher. This piece of revisionism as depicted by the film, can be attributed to screenwriter Goldman who didn’t want to portray his ingenue as a prostitute. “To me, she had to be a schoolteacher,” Goldman recalls in his book Adventures in the Screen Trade. And so our Etta went from soiled dove to eye-batting school teacher on the silver screen.

Theory No. 2: The Noblewoman Accounts depict her as a woman of class and education. So it’s not far-fetched to believe that Etta might’ve come from a well-off family. Biographer Ed Kirby notes in his book Rise and Fall of the Sundance Kid that Etta was the daughter of George Capel, the son of the sixth Earl of Sussex. (The surname “Capel” just so happens to be an anagram of “Place,” coincidence?) Kirby believed Etta’s mother was actress Jane Place, who happened to be a sister to Anne G. Place Longabaugh—none other than the Sundance Kid’s mother. Was Etta actually related to Sundance? An article from a Sept. 29, 1991 issue of St. George newspaper The Daily Spectrum corroborates the theory, writing “Etta Place was in fact, Sundance’s cousin, not his lover as popularized in the movie.”

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Front row left to right: Harry Longabaugh, alias the Sundance Kid, Ben Kilpatrick, alias the Tall Texan, Robert Leroy Parker, alias Butch Cassidy. Standing: Will Carver, alias News Carver, and Harvey Logan, alias Kid Curry; Fort Worth, Texas, 1900.

The legend of Etta Place has inspired historians and Western enthusiasts everywhere, including a couple in Torrey who named their cidery after the outlaw queen herself. As the first and only modern booze manufacturer in Wayne County, Etta Cidery is keeping the spirit of Torrey’s bandit background alive and well.

Ann and Robert Torrence came to Southern Utah in 1993, and after discovering their new land came with irrigation rights, they wasted no time laying roots. “I never do anything in small numbers,” says Ann. “I started planting every apple varietal I could get my hands on, and everything worked.”

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Etta Place Cider’s orchards boast over 500 trees and 90 different apple varieties, almost all of which go towards their in-house hard cider production. With assistance from head cider maker Travis Nelson, the cidery now offers eight flavorful products, like Gingerbread Hard Cider and Rhubarb Peach Wine.

The Cidery sells most of its products directly to consumers via special ordering to 40 states, as well as local venues like Scion Cider and Lucky 13 Bar and Grill. And if you happen to find yourself in Capitol Reef, Ann and Robert offer tours and tastings year-round. The pair have also put in for a full-bar license, and are looking to expand a

700 W. Utah Highway 24, Torrey, ettaplace. cider.com, Instagram: @ettaplacecider

tap room once approved.

Apples aside, Ann remains fascinated with the lore of Etta Place, a woman who embodied both the rustic values of the Old West and a refined nature. “That tension between rustic and refined has informed a lot of decisions we’ve made with the cidery,” says Ann. “We consider her the OG outlaw in our area and we’re the OG cidery in Torrey.” As for the mystery of the outlaw queen, Anne likes to believe Etta made her way back to San Francisco in 1906 and lived out the rest of her days happy and healthy. “She made a clean getaway, she was the smart one after all.”

PHOTO CREDIT WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Et ta Place Cidery

Visit Etta Place Cidery

PHOTO CREDIT LEGENDSOFAMERICA.COM

Theory No. 3: The Rancher Turned Rustler The most popular theory, supported by timeline comparisons, lifestyle similarities and photo analysis posits that Etta Place may have actually been Ann Bassett, another bold frontier woman who lived during the late 19th century. Members of the Outlaw Trail History Association have been chasing this theory for some time, particularly researcher Doris Karren Burton.

In her book, Queen Ann Bassett (Alias Etta Place), Burton notes similarities between the two women. Bassett, also born in 1878, was raised by cattle ranchers in Brown's Park (on the Northwest border of Utah and Colorado). Citing the 1962 book Where the Old West Stayed Young by John Rolfe Burroughs, Burton describes Ann as an actress, “She could play the role of a cultured young gentlewomen; or she could be a perfect little hell-cat. She was spirited and high-strung, and a tempestuous daredevil.”

Life on the ranch was hard, and hostile competition among Cattle Barons necessitated the Bassett sisters take up shooting and horsemanship. During this lawless time, the family often turned to illicit methods in order to protect their land. The sisters became cattle rustlers (cattle thieves) who formed alliances with outlaws laying low in the area, including Butch Cassidy himself. Burton believed the sisters formed close, perhaps even romantic, relationships with the Wild Bunch members. “Ann was in love with Butch Cassidy,” she writes. Although she quickly turned her attention to Sundance, “Ann Bassett soon tired of one man,” says Burton.

“And Sundance liked the women.” Eventually, Ann is chased out of Brown’s Park for rustling and travels to Texas in February of 1901. In 1902, she returned to her family home, citing her time away as traveling in South America. Hmm. In addition to their penchant for mischief, educational background and notable event timelines, the two women also share striking physical resemblance. Burton asked Dr. Thomas G. Kyle of Los Alamos National Laboratory to compare Etta’s De Young portrait and a verified image of Ann using NASA’s facial recognition technology.

Fannie Porter

WANTED FOR Harboring Criminals and Vagrancy Madam Fannie Porter ran a high-end ‘boarding house’ in San Antonio in the late 1800s. The luxurious bordello became a popular hideout for Butch Cassidy and the rest of the Wild Bunch and is theorized to be the place that Sundance Kid met Etta Place, who may have been working as a prostitute for Porter.

Although she was well connected and respected, Porter was arrested briefly in 1880 for vagrancy (read: prostitution). Her boarding house remained a pitstop for outlaws on the run, and its rumored she threw Sundance and Butch one last going away party before the outlaws fled the country.

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THE BASSETT SISTERS

Ann & Josie

The finding reported the two images were likely the same person, with the odds being 5,000 to one. Burton concludes “The 1-5000 chance is based only on the photo analysis, and greatly increases adding the fact Etta and Ann were in the same areas at the same time and knew the same people.”

So, mystery solved? Nothing involving women and history is ever so simple. What seems like conclusive evidence is challenged by reports of Ann’s later life. In which she stood trial for cattle rustling during the same period Etta would’ve been in South America. Ann settled in the Southwestern Utah town of Leeds until her death in 1956, not once confirming her alleged double life as Etta Place.

WANTED FOR Cattle Rustling, Assisting Outlaws and Suspected Mariticide Ann and Josie Bassett became respected troublemakers for defending their homestead ranch in Brown's Park against cattle barons (think Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone). Capable frontier women, the sisters also received formal education on the East Coast and were known for their silver tongues and striking good looks. The sisters formed close relationships with famed gunslingers, including Butch Cassidy who Ann dated at 15. Josie would go on to date Wild Bunch member Elzy Lay, and the sisters were two of only five women to know the location of the gang’s hideout, Robber's Roost. Ann and Josie both lived into their 70s, Josie married five times with one husband suspected of having died of poisoning. Josie also claimed Cassidy visited her in 1930 and lived in Utah until his death in the late 70s. None of her claims have ever been corroborated.

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What happened to Etta once she left for South America with Butch and Sundance is as much a mystery as her origin. Between March 1901 and June 1904, Etta might’ve made several visits back to the United States to visit family and receive medical treatment. The Pinkertons even traced Etta and Sundance to the World’s Fair in 1904.

Researcher Doris Burton claims Etta visited Denver in 1904 for appendicitis treatment, other historians believe she faked her own death and returned to Fort Worth under the name Eunice Gray. Another theory purports that Etta left Butch and Sundance in South America and traveled to Paraguay where she married famous boxing promoter Tex Ricar. Other historians assume Etta was accompanied by Sundance from Chile to San Francisco in 1905 and remained there while he returned to South America.

Etta Place remains the true mystery in the otherwise well-researched history of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, an ethereal and elusive figure. The Wild Bunch might’ve intentionally obscured her identity, but I suspect this is just another case of history giving little attention to women. One thing is sure. She was a damn good criminal. As Robert Redford’s Sundance says, “No one expects a woman.”

PHOTOS: (LEFT) WIKIPEDIA COMMONS; (RIGHT) UINTAH COUNTY REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER

What of Etta’s Fate?

Stop #1

ROBBER’S ROOST 3

A hard-to-find desert hideaway, Robber’s Roost lives up to its elusive legend. To find the hole-in-the-wall, make your way to Hanksville near Capitol Reef. Head north on S.R. 24 for 16 miles and keep an eye out for a brown sign for Hans Flat Ranger Station, then take a right. All that remains of the rugged refuge is a crumbling stone fireplace and an underlying tone of mischief.

If You Go… Bring plenty of water and some emergency supplies, there aren’t any Wild Bunch women to offer supplies and fresh horses should your life of crime lead you astray.

1 2

Stop #3 PHOTOS: WIKIPEDIA COMMONS (TOP, BOTTOM)

BROWN’S PARK An isolated valley along the Utah and Colorado border, Brown’s Park has been home to fur trappers, cattle rustlers, cowboys and outlaws since the 1800s. Its remote location and protection from harsh weather made it a frequent pitstop to Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid, and the Basset Sisters. Referred to as a place where “The Old West Stayed Young,” Brown’s Park has become a ritzy outdoor destination.

If You Go… There’s lots to do inside Brown’s Park, but if you just have a day or are passing through, take the Brown’s Park Scenic Backway. Traveling through Diamond Mountain, into Brown’s Park and crossing the Green River, the 2-hour drive will give you a peek into what life on the trail looked like for Cassidy and his Wild Bunch.

Stop #2

THE CASSIDY TRAIL Beneath courtly red rock cliffs and otherworldly hoodoos lies a trail frequented by both wellmeaning hikers and wanted criminals. The Cassidy Trail winds through Red Canyon inside the Dixie National Forest and was a popular route for Butch to evade the law and pursuing Pinkertons. The trail was also a major location for the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. If You Go... Cassidy Trail starts at Red Canyon trailhead in Red Canyon, look for a discreet parking lot at the first left after passing the visitor center.

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SALT LAKE MAGAZINE’S

2023 'EXPERIENTIAL' GIFT GUIDE

EXPERIENCE. NOT STUFF. WE ALL HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF. THIS HOLIDAY, GIVE THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THE GIFT OF UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME.

BY CHRISTIE PORTER & JEREMY PUGH

W

ILLUSTRATION CHELSEA RUSHTON

E H AV E A L L B E E N T H E R E . Standing at a picked-over rack of neckties in a crowded mall department store, debating over navy with a red pattern or red with a navy pattern, we start to wonder, “Wait. Did I get Dad a tie for Christmas last year? Or was it socks?” Regardless, he has more socks and ties than anyone who works from home could ever need. In fact, maybe we all have too much stuff. But what do you give for the holidays without adding to the clutter? Something that shows you actually love—and maybe even like—these people?

As kids, whenever we asked our moms what they wanted for Christmas she would always say, “Time together with my beautiful children.” We would always roll our eyes. How do you gift-wrap “time together” and put it under a Christmas tree, anyhow? Nowadays, we’re starting to think she was on to something. You might have to get creative with how you wrap up these presents to open up on Christmas morning, but they give the opportunity for something truly priceless: quality time together and memories to last a lifetime.

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GIFT PRICE GUIDE While the time together and the shared memories are priceless, most things in this world do, in fact, have a price tag. How to gauge what these gift experiences are going to cost.

pass pays for itself after visiting just three parks. If you really like this person, you can also throw in a Utah State Parks Annual Pass, which provides access to Utah’s 44 state parks. usparkpass.com, parkspass.utah.gov

• Less than $100: • $100 to $500: • $500 to $1000: • $1,000 to $2000: • $2,000 to $5,000:

Into the Woods: Outdoor Adventures from Mild to Wild Whether your people are backpackin-the-mountains-for-a-week kind of people or just enjoy-the-scenery kind of people, there's an outdoor adventure (and a gift) that is just right for them.

A LICENSE TO GIVE

PHOTO COURTESY CRATE GRAND CANYON RIVER TOURS

For the intrepid outdoorsman, this is a simple but thoughtful gift. Did you know that Utah State hunting and fishing licenses and permits can be purchased as gifts? Now you do. And it’s not just for the warmer seasons. There are several hunts in Utah during the winter, and don’t forget about ice fishing! wildlife.utah.gov A ZIPPY TOUR What better way to see Utah than while strapped in a harness, suspended from cable dozens of feet from the ground? We all have a thrill seeker in our lives. This is for them.

Sundance Resort’s ZipTour offers stunning views of Mount Timpanogos and includes the biggest vertical drop of any zipline in the country. In Heber, Zipline Utah’s “Screaming Falcon Full Tour” is apparently the longest course in the world. Bridgerland Adventure Park near Bear Lake has zip lines and ropes tours and something called a “Zorb Ball” (a floating hamster ball for people) on Bear Lake. And for tours soaring over Moab’s redrock scenery, there’s Ravens Rim or Moab Adventure Center. sundanceresort.com, ziplineutah.com, blap.rocks, ravensrim.com, moabadventurecenter.com

ZION NARROWS (IN WINTER) Exploring the famed Narrows of Zion National Park in winter is a truly unique experience. The park, woefully crowded in the summer, is practically empty in winter and crawling upriver below the towering cliff walls, coated in ice is pure splendor. Book a guided or self-guided tour at Zion Outfitter or Zion Adventures in Springdale. Tours come with dry suit rentals that will keep you warm and toasty. zionoutfitter.com, zionadventures.com EVERY PARK, ONE PASS This is for the person who packs up their 10-year-old Subaru to go hiking or camping every other weekend. Utah is home to five national parks, seven national monuments and even more national recreation areas, and you can give your friend free, unfettered access to all of them for an entire year with the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (as well as access to every NPS area in the U.S.). The

BACKCOUNTRY SKI TOUR This is for the expert skier (sorry snowboarders, it’s a ski-only thing). The Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour connects up to six Utah ski resorts through backcountry terrain. This adventure includes walking, hiking, traversing, and, yes, skiing. The tour guides are experts, trained in snow safety and backcountry etiquette. Your gift recipient will be in good hands. Open and private tours are available as well as preset and custom routes. skiutah.com THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME A rafting trip down the Grand Canyon is truly one of the world’s most incredible outdoor adventures. People wait for years to get a permit and only a few guide companies are allowed to run the river. One of the oldest and best outfits, Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE), offers 8- and 14-day trips (motorized and non-motorized) down the Colorado River through one of the wonders of the natural world. CRATE offers customized gift certificates. If your loved one likes white water thrills, the ideal time to go May through June. You’ll want to put this in a big box. Call 800-253-7328 or visit crateinc.com

CRATE Grand Canyon River Tour

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Snowboarding in Park City

Staycations: Explore Your Own Backyard

CLIMBING TO GREAT HEIGHTS IN THE GRANARY This is for your friend or partner who, let’s face it, hasn’t seemed to realize they’re a little too cool for you. The Granary District is swiftly joining Central 9th as one of Salt Lake City’s trendiest up-and-coming neighborhoods. The outdoor music venue Granary Live just opened this summer and, while two tickets to a live concert at the cool new venue make for a great gift on their own, why not include a place to crash after? EVO Hotel has an on-site coffee shop serving local coffee, a rooftop bar, an art campus—oh, and an on-site skate park and climbing gym. Your cool friend about town can cool down with a public art stroll through the Granary, where 12 new murals are on display. granarylive.com, evohotel. com, thegranarydistrict.com ADVENTURE TO PARK CITY A staycation at Canyons Village in Park City serves as a great base for the gift of family adventure in any season—with access to hiking, biking, lifts, skiing and snowboarding. You also don’t have to go far (just outside your hotel room door) for shops, restaurants and entertainment (like year-round fireworks shows and the perfect venue for kids’ pizza parties), not to mention a mountainside golf course. If you’re looking to gift a close-to-home ski trip for a busy family, the Epic Day Pass’s flexibility makes for the complete gift package. And we haven’t forgotten about the kiddos! The Epic SchoolKids Utah Pack is a program for local kids in Kindergarten through 5th Grade that includes five days of free skiing and riding at Park City. parkcitymountain.com, epicpass.com

A WEEKEND ON BROADWAY (IN SALT LAKE) The plays: MJ or Pretty Woman at the Eccles on night one, and Plan B’s Balthazar on night two. Stay at the newly renovated Hotel Monaco. Make dinner reservations at the Monaco’s Bambara, led by new chef Patrick LeBeau or head over to the funky, speakeasy-esque The Rest. Spend the day in-between shows soaking up downtown’s magical wintertime vibe by ice skating on Gallivan Center Ice Rink, going to the top of the Hyatt Regency for Cocktails & Curling, sipping an expertly made cappuccino at Three Pines Coffee or having afternoon tea at The Rose Establishment. For a post-show aperitif, we recommend a craft cocktail at Post Office Place or a round of Space Invaders and a draft beer at Quarters Arcade. —Melissa Fields

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PHOTO COURTESY PARK CITY CHAMBER/BUREAU

While gifting an international getaway might not be feasible, staycations tend to be more friendly both in planning and affordability. In our own backyard, we have chic mountain suites and modern hotels that cater to adventurers both urban and rural, for potential surprise weekend trips.

Dining at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Yurt

Guided snowshoe tour through Soldier Hollow

Singular Dining Experiences

PHOTOS COURTESY WAO

A romantic dinner for two after a snowy, moonlit forest hike or a warm gathering with friends to share good food and warm conversation, either way it’s hard to go wrong with gifting one of these unique dining experiences to someone you love this holiday season.

A ROMANTIC DINNER ‘YURT’ SURE TO REMEMBER The stretch of canvas above and a roaring fire keep the elements at bay as groups of friends or, perhaps, a private party of two get lost in the aromas of a hot meal. It’s intimate and romantic and there are multiple ways to experience the gift of dining in a yurt in Utah. The mountainside Yurt at

Solitude Mountain Resort is home to the highly sought-after evening experience that begins with a guided snowshoe tour through a snow-capped forest and ends with a multi-course dinner in the warm and cozy comfort of The Yurt. The Wilderness Access Outfitters’ Nordic Yurt Dinner experience likewise takes diners on a half-mile, guided evening snowshoeing tour through Soldier Hollow in Midway. Then, they receive a private fine dining experience with a fourcourse meal. Before the night is over, guests are invited to make s’mores by the fire. The Viking Yurt at Park City Mountain Resort melds rustic sensibilities and fine dining.

The four-hour dining experience is exclusive and meticulously paced. The preamble is a moonlit sleigh ride to the on-mountain yurt.

Gift cards are available for the Nordic Yurt Dinner. solitudemountain.com, waoutah.com, thevikingyurt.com

SNOWGLOBE-TROTTING For the people who love the idea of dining in a yurt, but would rather skip the snowshoeing and possible strangers, there’s the picturesque Alpenglobe. This European trend became all the rage in Utah during the social distancing of the pandemic, but they have shown some staying power. After all, who doesn’t want to dine outdoors, enjoying the beauty of winter, while staying toasty warm? These in-demand dining experiences can be found at Franck’s Restaurant in Holladay, Westgate Resort in Park City, Butcher’s Chop House & Bar in Park City and Stein Eriksen Lodge In Deer Valley. francksfood.com, steinlodge.com, A SPIRIT GUIDE Imagine gifting your group of discerning booze-hound friends with a customized van tour of their favorite Utah distilleries. You can do just that with Utah Spirit Trail, which provides a knowledgeable guide to lead guests on their spirit journey. If wine is more their speed, the Utah Wine Trail awaits. Road trip through Southern Utah with a Trail Pass to tastings at five local wineries. (There’s a prize at the end after you visit all five locations.) For those lovers of beers and brews, Visit Salt Lake offers a Brewery Pass that grants a $5 credit that can be used toward any drink, food or merch at each of the 15 breweries on the pass. offutahspirittrail.com, utahwinetrail.com, visitsaltlake.com

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Taking a class or workshop to gain a new skill or improve an existing one is a worthwhile endeavor—especially for the people in our lives who never want to stop learning. Not to mention, taking a class together can be an intimate and fun bonding activity for friends, couples parents and their adult children.

FOODIE FUN + CHOCOLATE While Caputo’s offers classes ranging from cocktail making to cooking an entire Italian Christmas dinner, what this stalwart Italian market and deli is best known for, in terms of its education offerings, is its craft chocolate tasting classes where participants learn what separates good chocolate from mind-blowing chocolate. caputos.com —Mellissa Fields LESSONS TO IMPRESS If your friends are the types who hungrily devour knowledge about their favorite topics to later captivate and impress groups at parties or work functions (and one of those favorite topics also happens to be wine or

cocktails) this is for them. Sommelier and educator James Santangelo of the Wine Academy of Utah is an animated repository of knowledge about wine, spirits and many adjacent subjects. Gift your friends a class on wine pairings or rum and chocolate or whiskey and cigars. In-home tasting events are also available. wineacademyofutah.com, continue.utah.edu DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY The HERC at 1520 Arts in South Salt Lake has excellent programming for people who are still kids at heart…and like to groove. Their Adult Hiphop Dance Class is perfect for complete beginners and for people who are looking to boogie. They also offer art and DJ courses. slcherc.com.

A GREEN THUMB Cactus and Tropicals is already one of our favorite places to buy plants and plant supplies for the “plant parents” in our lives. They are also a home for customers to learn what they should do with all of those plants and supplies. Check out their website for upcoming classes. cactusandtropicals.com

HERC adult hiphop dance class

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GOING FULL HOG Full disclosure, this class is for people who like to learn hands-on (and aren’t too squeamish). In Beltex’s Whole Hog butchery class, students learn how to cut, saw, snap and chop a whole hog into cuts for a variety of cooking methods. Yes. Learn how to butcher a whole hog. beltexmeats.com FLYING HIGH The closest some of us are going to get to being Brad Pitt or Robert Redford is reenacting scenes from A River Runs Through It. In the novella and film, fly fishing bridges the relationship between the two brothers. Of course, Montana isn’t the only place to fly fish. There are excellent places to develop the skill all over Utah. Western Rivers Fly Fishing offers a range of classes for all levels, as well as Private Fly Casting Lessons. Gift Cards are available at westernriversflyfishing.com

PHOTOS: (LEFT) COURTESY OF HERC; OPPOSITE (TOP) COURTESY OF VISITSALTLAKE.COM; (BOTTOM) COURTESY PARK CITY CHAMBER/BUREAU

Knowledge to Last a Lifetime

The Salt Lake Bees at Smith's Ballpark

Tickets to Live Events For the music buff and the sports fan— nothing quite beats the excitement of a live concert, performance or game.

Become their favorite person with five simple words, “I’ve already got us tickets.”

A MUSIC LOVER’S RETREAT Park City has no shortage of summer music venues, but the centerpiece has to be the Deer Valley Music Festival, where good vibes and fresh air (and tunes) can always be had. Locals flock to the hills for the eclectic season at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, but why not make a little getaway out of it?

Deer Valley Resort has lodgings available just steps away from the amphitheater, and the Utah Symphony, which puts on the festival, offers gift cards for the music lover in your life. deervalleymusicfestival.org, deervalley.com, usuo.org

Deer Valley summer concert

SUMMERTIME AT THE BALLPARK Although we were all sad to hear the news that the Salt Lake Bees, the major league affiliate to the Los Angeles Angels, is going to be uprooted and moved to Daybreak. There are two more seasons of Bees baseball to be had in Salt Lake City. The Bees offer holiday specials on packs of vouchers for less than $100 that can be redeemed at any game for the best available seats (which are plentiful). bees.spinzo.com

MEMBERS-ONLY GARDEN PARTY Anyone who has ever raced strangers to be the first to claim a patch of grass at a Red Butte show knows that a membership to the gardens makes all the difference. When trying to secure a ticket to one of the high-demand shows, it’s basically a must. And gifting a membership is easy. In addition to advance tickets to shows, most levels of Red Butte Garden memberships include benefits like admission to the beautiful Red Butte Gardens for 12 months, access to member-only events and discounts on classes and summer camps. It really is a gift that keeps on giving. redbuttegarden.orga

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Health, Wellness, and Escape Whether you’re looking for a gift for an overworked professional and/or parent, nothing says you care like “Why don’t you take the day off?”

The following gift experiences are all about self-care—unplug, de-stress, relax and recover from life.

SPA DAYS The Grand Spa at The Grand America The Grand has always made it a point to cater to locals and the Grand Spa is no exception, offering deals and staycation packages. Give a gift card for a spa treatment (starting at $100 and afterward relax in the indoor and outdoor pools and lounge in the heart of Salt Lake City, while wearing a robe, of course. grandamerica.com.

A family enjoying fondue at The Lodge at Blue Sky

Edge Sanctuary at The Lodge at Blue Sky With all the fuss about the popular show Yellowstone, a “cowboy moment” happening.

The Blue Sky Lodge is smack dab in “Dutton” country. (A stretch of river where the Lodge takes guests for fly fishing lessons was used as a location in the show.) Fittingly, its Edge Sanctuary has some Western twang to it.

Offering treatments accented with wildharvested ingredients and a relaxation pool overlooking Alexander Creek. In addition, you can book fly-fishing lessons, “natural horsemanship” classes or blast shotguns on Blue Sky’s sporting clay range. That’s right.

Serenity and firearms. aubergeresorts.com/bluesky

The Stillwell Spa at Snowpine Lodge Six treatment rooms compose the tranquil Stillwell spa along with a posh relaxation room and a serenely lit grotto replete with a plunge pool encased in granite walls. A yoga and fitness center add to the rejuvenating experience. Swen’s Restaurant indulges with breathtaking mountain views and delicious, locally sourced fare. Similarly sited nearby, The Gulch Pub cheers with creative cocktails and a relaxed, après-ski menu. Lounges on every floor invite convivial gatherings and The Nest—a fully equipped game room— invites fun off-the-slopes competition. A large, heated outdoor pool treats guests to dips surrounded by breathtaking scenery. snowpine.com

Pool time at The Grand America

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PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY OF THE LODGE AT BLUE SKY; (BOTTOM) COURTESY GRAND AMERICA

SNOWSHOEING MEETS YOGA Park City Yoga Adventures leads guests on guided snowshoeing excursions through Wasatch Mountain State Park’s snow-flocked Gambel Oak stands to a cozy yurt for an hour-long yoga sesh.

Go for a post-asana dinner at The Galleria in Midway, where you can reserve one of their chic snowglobes for a party of up to six people. —Melissa Fields

Make your move with us.

– Decades of experience – Dedicated to our community – Determined to find your perfect home.

A local and independent real estate brokerage – www.thegroupslc.com

to the and your

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

|

PHOTOS BY ADAM FINKLE

ASK THE SAME QUESTION to almost everyone I meet: “Tell me about the best meal you’ve ever had.”

And the answer is almost always the same. It isn’t a sublime dinner at an expensive restaurant. It is a meal where they are gathered around a chipped kitchen table at home, sharing a big meal with people they love. The dishes are traditional—not gourmet—and filling. The recipes aren’t even recipes because they are only passed down through generational know-how. Each person brings a dish that is “their” dish, one only they can make. And the Nona, Abuela or Mummu reigns at the head of the table.

So it seemed appropriate to ring in the holiday season by talking about the biggest and best family meals of the year with three families whose traditions range from all over the world but who make Utah home.

We’ll talk about the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, make Mexican-style tamales and gather ’round a Scandinavian Smörgåsbord. But most of all, we’ll celebrate what comes with the food—a feast of cultures, heritage and the joy of breaking bread together.

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Matt Caputo, Gia Caputo, Yelena Caputo and Frankie Caputo from Caputo’s Market & Deli

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Italian-American

Feast of the Seven Fishes

G AT H E R R O U N D T H E TA B L E W I T H T H E C A P U T O F A M I LY

Squid Ink Risotto with Curried Mackerel This inky-black recipe for risotto is made on the spot but topped with a warm tin of curried trout for a black-orange showstopper of a dish. It comes together in about 20 minutes and the stirring can be assigned to one of your guests if everyone tends to gather in the kitchen and

F

east of the Seven Fishes isn’t truly Italian in origin, but rather an Italian-American celebration.

While it may have roots in the coastal regions of southern Italy, it grew up and came into itself here in the United States.

It is an emblem of family, food and gathering around the table, as well as a growingly inclusive way to include dishes from other cultures.

There is a back-and-forth debate on why there should be seven types of fish on the table. It may represent the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Or it could correspond with the number of days it took the Biblical God to create the universe. Those intimidated by cooking fish may think it takes seven days to plan and prepare for such a meal. After all, Feast of the Seven Fishes sounds like a grand spread that takes up an entire table.

Even the word “feast” may sound daunting. Who has the time the energy or the culinary chops to conjure up seven crowd-pleasing dishes with fish?

In all actuality, the origins of this particular feast are humble. On Christmas Eve in Calabria and Sicily, meat is avoided on high holidays. Fish was the natural alternative, with the Mediterranean just out the doorstep. While the exact number of dishes can vary from family to family, the spirit of a family-style oceanic feast is more accessible to put on the table than a traditional holiday roast. Matt and Yelena Caputo, owners of Caputo’s Market & Deli, shared their menu with us and tips to assemble a stunning global feast in less than two hours.

CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE CAPUTO HOUSEHOLD “We have a very diverse array of family

nibble as you cook.

Ingredients: 4 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes 1 tbsp sliced garlic ½ bag Spanish Bomba Rice Splash of white wine 4 cups fish broth (we prefer Aneto Fish Broth but can use chicken or vegetable broth, or even water) 1 tablespoon Squid Ink 1 tin of Jose Gourmet Mackerel in Curry Sauce Salt & Pepper Directions: 1. Warm olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute until almost soft.

2. Add tomatoes and garlic and combine with onion.

3. Add Spanish rice and coat rice with the sauteed mixture to allow flavors to marry.

4. Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan as rice begins to stick.

5. Allow wine to evaporate and begin adding broth ½ cup at a time giving time for rice to absorb the broth. Continue the process with remaining broth. Taste rice as you go to determine if desired texture has been reached.

If you prefer a softer bite, add water in addition to the broth until desired texture is reached.

6. Add squid ink and incorporate in the dish.

The color will start to change almost immediately. If needed, add more broth or water to help incorporate squid ink throughout the dish.

7. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

8. Plate the rice and top with a tin of Jose Gourmet Mackerel in Curry sauce. Be sure to use ALL the sauce from the tin. It may be your favorite part!

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Top: Frankie Caputo is making squid ink risotto; Above, Gia Caputo chops herbs for the fresh herb salad

THE CAPUTO FAMILY FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES MENU Appetizers 1st Fish: Anchovies (Room Temp) | Smashed Cured Anchovies on Salted Butter Toast 2nd Fish: Trout (Cold) | Smoked Trout Dip with Tinned Smoked Trout, Creme Fraiche, Capers, Shallots and Lemon; Served with Potato Chips Sips: Vermouth Spritz and Chilled Bubbles Second Course 3rd Fish: Bacalahau aka Salted Cod (Warm) | Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, Brazilian Salted Cod Layered Casserole with Potatoes, Olives and Hard Boiled Eggs 4th & 5th Fish: Squid and Trout (Hot) | Squid Ink Risotto with Curried Trout Conservas (Tinned Fish) Sips: Orange Wine Third course 6th Fish: Salmon (Room Temp) | Fatty Baked Salmon with Crème Fraiche, Lemon Zest and Dill. Served with a lemony herb salad.

7th Fish: Cockles (Hot) | Fresh Cockle Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic Sips: Beaujolais or Pinot Noir (Yes, you CAN pair reds with fish) Dessert Melomakarona — Greek-style honey cookies | Trubochki — Russian horn-shaped pastry filled with cream | Apple Pie — American as they come, and a nod to Tony Caputo, who loved pie Sips: Amaro Bar

that come to our house on Christmas Eve,” says Matt, to start the conversation about their traditions. “We have Greek and Italian on my family’s side and Brazilian. And Yelena’s family have a Russian and Armenian background.” Within this cultural and culinary melting pot, they found the commonality for dinner was a tradition of having fish on Christmas Eve. The Brazilian family brings a layered Brazilian/Portuguese casserole made with salted cod, while the Russian side makes cured salmon.

“We had this great meal with everyone bringing all these wonderful fish dishes,” says Matt. “It was just an epiphany that we had,” adds Yelena. “We realized that we all had the roots in this tradition, but it also dovetails so nicely to hosting a big gathering. Everybody knows they will come to our home for Christmas Eve. The Feast of Seven is like this conduit, which is a very easy way to assign a dish to everybody and say, ‘We want your cultural contribution to this melting pot.’ And that’s how we build the Feast. It is an easy and succinct way for everybody to get on board.”

Don’t Flounder on the Menu: Tips for Hosting a Feast of the Seven Christmas Eve is not a cook-all-day-kind-of-day in the Caputo household. Matt and Yelena work alongside their team at Caputo’s until they close at 2 p.m., followed by the team holiday party. After getting home at around 4 p.m., there’s only a couple of hours before the family starts arriving. But this is the real beauty of Feast of the Seven. It can be pulled together quickly—with a couple of items made in advance, several items served at room temperature and a couple of dishes cooked on the spot.

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Samantha, Salma, Frida and Cristina Olvera

E Making Christmas Tamales U n w r a p p i n g Tr a d i c i ó n

W I T H C R I S T I N A O LV E R A F R O M C A S A D E L TA M A L

ating tamales is like unwrapping a present.

A tightly-wrapped-in-a-corn-husk kind of present with a soft steamed maize dough bundled around a rich, spicy filling. With the time and effort that goes into making each one, tamales feel like a gift of love and tradition during the holidays. Tamales have their origin in symbology and ritual. They were a cornerstone of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations; for the Maya, the Aztecs and the Toltecs, they were always more than just food. Maize was believed to be a gift from the gods, and tamales were part of religious ceremonies and festivals. They were even offered to the gods during ceremonies, symbolizing gratitude and reverence. This may be why tamales stayed firmly on the table as indigenous beliefs intertwined with Christianity.

There is a ritual around making tamales. It is labor intensive, which makes it a special-occasion dish. Prepping tamales for Christmas is a communal affair known as “tamaladas.”

Leading up to Christmas, families and friends gather around a table to prepare large batches of tamales. It’s a time for bonding, storytelling and tradition where families to come together for the communal effort of tamale-making.

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My dad’s side of the family is from Mexico.

This was our family tradition but my grandmother (abuela) passed away when I was young. So I missed out on the family tamaladas with messy corn masa, long-simmered fi llings, burned fingers and the assembly-line precision of making holiday tamales. This year, I decided, would be my year to learn to make tamales. I asked the family behind Casa del Tamal to teach me and share their story.

LA FAMILIA SOBRE MESA Celeste Olvera immigrated to Utah in 1999 from Hidalgo, Mexico. A single mother to five children, she always had multiple jobs. And on the side, she would make tamales out of her kitchen at home, explains daughter Salma.

“My mom was a hard worker making tamales on the weekends to support us. As we got a little older, we helped her with whatever we could. She would have us cut cheese or clean corn husks.”

Eventually, the family bought a house and moved to Tooele. Celeste would still make tamales overnight and then, at 7 a.m., deliver them from Tooele to Park City and all around the Salt Lake Valley. As her reputation grew, clients

THE OLVERA FAMILY NOCHEBUENA MENU Leading up to Christmas is exhausting for the Casa del Tamal family— they’ve been working until late into the afternoon on Christmas Eve since it is their busiest time for tamales. But back at the house, the Christmas Eve or Nochebuena meal is where the family comes together to relax and eat.

Their menu includes tamales, of course, but also other holiday favorites: Posole — a hearty pork stew made with white hominy and chile and garnished with radish, cabbage, lime and spicy chilies.

Tamales — including Verdes de Pollo (Green Chile Chicken), Rojos de Puerco (Red Chile Pork), Rajas con Queso (Tomatoes, Jalapenos and Cheese) and Mole Poblano (Chicken Mole) Rice, Beans & Tortillas — because no authentic Mexican table is ever without the staples.

A Colorful Fruit Salad Champurrado — Thick, warm Mexican chocolate drink made with masa harina, spiced with cinnamon, and sweetened with unrefined cane sugar.

started asking to cater and she began catering quinceaneras and weddings.

Salma explains, “Eventually, she was able to quit her job to focus on tamales for events.

With the money she had saved up from the business, she could start selling tamales at the swap meet at the Utah State Fair Park.”

After moving into a tiny commercial kitchen space, Salma’s older sister started promoting the business on social media platforms right at the start of COVID. And business took off. “We would have a huge crowd at the swap meet. It was insane. The line would go back to the entrance. That’s when we decided to move into a bigger location.”

Casa de Tamal was born.

NO SUCH THING AS ‘TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN’ One thing I learned in assembling tamales is that it can be a multi-day process. And you really should take your time with the steps.

The corn husks must be washed and soaked, or they will crack. The dough or masa has to sit long enough to be soft and will only get softer

with steaming. The filling needs to simmer for a long time on the back of the stove for all the spices and flavors to meld and for the meat to become fall-apart tender.

Assembling tamales is so time-consuming and precise that you might as well make batches of 50 or more at a time. While you’re at it, abuelas will be teaching the little kids how to put things together. It’s part of the process and part of the tradition.

Finally, setting up big pots and loading them so they are just full enough but not too packed is an art. And steaming the tamales takes at least 90 minutes, if not longer, at our altitude. But guess what? Sometimes, the masa is too dry, the filling is too wet, or the tamale gods are frowning down, and a batch doesn’t quite work out. A sacrificial tamale always gets opened and tested on behalf of the rest of the batch.

There are many recipes for making tamales, but the best way to learn is to find an abuela to teach you hands-on. The more hands in the kitchen, the better. There’s truly no such thing as too many cooks during tamaladas.

At Olvera Family’s Table: On the left side are daughters Samantha, Emily and mother Cristina with their father Carlos Villa at the head.

On the right are son inlaw Andres Sanchez and daughters Frida and Salma.

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Glogg, Gravlax and Gratitude

Swedish Christmas Eve Julbord

K IMI FROM K IMI’S CHOP & OYSTER H O US E O N A S C A ND IN AV I A N SMÖRGÅSBORD CHRISTMAS

Matt Anderson and Kimi Eklund

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ike our Mexican- and Italian-American friends, the big holiday dinner happens on Christmas Eve in Sweden. When you hear the words Smörgåsbord, you may conjure visions of a long table groaning with food. And you'd be right. But “Julbord” is the proper term for the feast at Christmas, literally meaning "Christmas table." But the idea of a spread of dozens of dishes, some cold, some hot, with a warm mug of Glögg feels like a feast.

Kimi Eklund from Kimi's Chop and Oyster House explains the flow of a true Smörgåsbord starting with the cold dishes, "You start off with the fish, a variety of herrings, and cured gravlax, smoked salmon, poached salmon, caviar on eggs and shrimp salads." We're already at eight or nine dishes, just with the beautiful fish. "Then you move into the pâtés, maybe a liver pâté, some seafood pâté," Kimi mentions that there would be at least three. So now our dish count is up to 12-ish.

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Still on the cold dishes, but moving down the table, you'll find the cold meats. "You will find prosciutto and other cured meats," she says. The mandatory centerpiece, Julskinka, or a salt-cured fresh ham that is sliced and often (though not always) served cold. If we're still counting, we're in the high teens, say 19.

Ushering in the hot dishes are the much-loved Swedish meatballs. "Along with small little hotdog-style sausages," says Kimi, "and little short ribs that have clove, cinnamon, spice," You'll also find red and brown cabbage dishes, along with potatoes.

Then the desserts, which may need their own table. "So there's like 40 to 50 different dishes that you have." Whew.

A ‘SIMPLE’ JULBORD MENU Still waiting to go all-in on a full Julbord?

Here's a simple menu to get you started.

Swedish Glögg Mustard Herring with crème fraiche, minced red onion & boiled baby potatoes Swedish caviar Eggs Gravlax with Dill Mustard Crème Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries Jansson's Frestelse (Swedish Anchovy Potato)

DON'T EAT HOT FOOD WITH CAVIAR EGGS "The difference between how Americans eat at a buffet and how you eat at a Smörgåsbord is that you don't pile everything on your plate all at once. "You don't take the whole buffet and go sit down," Kimi explains. "You start with herring. And with the herring, you will have a beer or schnapps. Then you go get some gravlax and everything that goes with it. And so on. So you probably have

like six or seven plates of food. It's a two to four-hour meal, where you are grazing and drinking." Lesson: Don't mix different things. Eat things one at a time or similar things together. And go back a bunch. In the words of Kimi, "You wouldn't take the hot food with the caviar eggs."

You'll find everything from a traditional Donald Duck cartoon in the afternoon to lots of singing, dancing, sipping, and eating if you're lucky enough to get invited to Julbord. kimishouse.com

The Perfect Glögg for Christmas Eve One of the unique things about Swedish Glögg, a mull-spiced wine, is the addition of golden raisins, currants and whole peeled almonds.

Ingredients 1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon (750 ml) 1 cup orange vodka 1 cup sugar (depending on desired sweetness add ½ c more) 3 oranges, juiced + orange peel (minus the pith) ¼ cup mulling spice (or make your own by adding 4 whole cinnamon sticks, 6 star anise, 10 whole allspice, 10 cardamom pods and 10 cloves) For serving: golden raisins, dried currents, peeled whole almonds Directions 1. Put all the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a simmer.

2. Remove from the heat and allow spices to steep into the wine for 30 minutes. Strain the mulling spices and orange peel from the wine using a fine-mesh colander or cheesecloth.

3. Serve warm along with golden raisins and peeled whole almonds.

Tip: To peel the almonds, place a small saucepan with 4 cups water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the whole almonds to the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain off the water and push the almonds out of their skin.

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ASK THE

E X P E R T

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WITH SO MANY NEW ARRIVALS IN UTAH, IT GOT US THINKING. WE FIELD SO MANY QUESTIONS FROM READERS WONDERING WHERE THE BEST, WELL EVERYTHING IS. FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR MORE THAN FOOD AND FUN (OUR SPECIALTY). THEY NEED PLACES TO LIVE CARS TO DRIVE, SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR BUSINESS. SO WE ASKED SOME OF OUR FAVORITE PARTNERS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE AND ADVICE FOR NEW COMERS AND LONGTIME LOCALS. ENJOY!

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hen it comes to putting together some of the best catering in Utah, it’s a family business for the Crafts. Owners and operators of Culinary Crafts, the sibling trio of Ryan, Meagan, and Kaleb Crafts all joke that they’ve been “elbow-deep” in their family-run hosting service since they were old enough to scrub a tub of pots and pans.

But even after 39 years of helping their parents and then running the family business themselves, the passion remains.

“Hosting never gets old,” Ryan says. “At every event, something will surprise you, guaranteed! But it’s great because every event is also a chance to make your guests feel something special, the pleasure of being taken care of.”

That service-based mentality hasn’t gone ignored among Utah’s emerging world-class hospitality scene.

Over the years, Culinary Crafts has racked up a staggering 27 Utah Best of State awards, as well as nine “Caties,” which are basically the Oscars of the catering industry.

But what gives Culinary Crafts its wide acclaim is the individual-first approach it takes to each and every hosting opportunity. And sufficeth to say, over nearly four decades of catering events all over Utah and abroad, the Crafts know the dos and don’ts of a great time.

But what makes the difference at a hosted event?

The Crafts explain:

RYAN & KALEB CRAFTS CATERING SAVANTS OF CULINARY CRAFTS 357 W. 200 SOUTH, SALT LAKE CITY 573 W STATE ROAD, PLEASANT GROVE 675 MAIN STREET, PARK CITY CULINARYCRAFTS.COM | 801-225-6575

BE FULLY PRESENT If you ask Kaleb, he’ll tell you, the best way to be a great host is to be in the moment, with the guests.

Let the help you’ve hired, like say, the award-winning caterers from Culinary Crafts, do the running around.

You, as the host, should be fully present.

“Don’t try to be a martyr and do everything yourself,” Kaleb says. “Let someone else take the photos and handle the music. Delegate. Call a caterer. Ask for help.”

That way, when the time comes, you can grab a drink, surround yourself with the people you care about and have a great time.

MAKE A GREAT MENU Ryan calls food a “social catalyst.” He’s right. Nothing can make or break an event like the food on hand. When he’s hosting for others, Ryan is conscious of providing bites to eat inviting a welcoming, relaxing environment with plenty of chit-chat.

That might mean trying something new every once in a while.

“I try to provide a mix and the familiar and the new,” Ryan says. “Some of the dishes should be standbys that guests are sure to love, but I also include one or two elements that might be unfamiliar. Throwing in something exciting and a little exotic is a great way to get guests excited and stimulate conversation.”

Right: Kaleb Crafts Left: Ryan Crafts

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MICAH CHRISTENSEN CO-OWNER OF ANTHONY’S FINE ART & ANTIQUES 401 E. 200 SOUTH, SALT LAKE CITY ANTHONYSFINEART.COM | 801-328-2231

Right: Micah Christensen Center: Brett Levitre Left: Anthony Christensen

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ou might call Micah Christensen, one of the owners of Anthony’s Fine Arts and Antiques, a Renaissance man. He could probably tell you all about the art from that era as well.

Along with his father, Anthony, and his brother-in-law Brett Levitre, the three men own and operate what they feel is Salt Lake City’s finest collection of valuable art and antique furniture. With that, Christensen says, comes the need to be an expert in art buying and curating.

After founding a nonprofit in Washington D.C., Christensen moved back to Utah to help run the family business. Upon his return, he was encouraged to continue his education in the industry, leading him to eventually receive his Doctorate in Art History from the University of London.

Now, Christensen, in addition to his duties at the family shop, is one of the area’s foremost experts in art and art history.

He says Utah is one of the richest, but most underappreciated places in the nation for artists.

“If you go to the Census Bureau’s latest take on Utah and the arts, we have more professional artists per capita than anywhere else in the United States, but we have the fewest museums and the fewest galleries,” Christensen says.

But what Anthony’s lacks in competition, it more than makes up for in selection and quality. Christensen says that over the years, the store has carried works from the likes of John Singer Sargent, Norman Rockwell, and even Pablo Picasso.

Anthony’s, Christensen explains, really sees itself as more than just a building where folks can buy and sell art.

It really is more of a gallery and facilitator for the arts, and the owners consider themselves stewards of the craft.

“It’s our job to collect things that are important locally, nationally, and historically,” Christensen says. “We restore, we have a huge warehouse, and we consult with museums all over the world.”

Christensen half-jokingly refers to an old industry saying he learned from a prestigious colleague, that art collecting is in the business of the three Ds: Debt, Divorce, and Death. It’s usually in the circumstances of one or more of those three Ds that a person sells their collection to a gallery. From there, folks like Christensen can work to sell or move a piece to its next owner.

For him, the biggest thrill the owners get at Anthony’s is when they see something come through the door multiple times.

“Sometimes we see the same piece in here three or four times. Somebody bought it from us and they’ll sell it back and we’ll sell it again to somebody else,” Christensen. “If we’re good at what we do, you’ll get these long genealogies of collectors that we hope to develop over time.”

It’s great repeat business.

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hat’s better than one expert? Well, as Nicki Luck, the owner of Soulstice Day Spa & Salon in West Jordan, would say, she benefits tremendously from having a staff full of experts at her business.

“I just appreciate their professionalism and commitment to continuing to expand their knowledge,” Luck says. “It really makes my job easier.”

Talking to the department heads for each of the service lines provided at the spa: esthetics, massage therapy, and hair, it’s clear how much they care about being on the cutting edge. They have a common thread in that they each believe continuing to expand their knowledge and techniques allows them to customize each service to best fit the client’s needs.

Marie Moran, who heads up the esthetics department at Soulstice, makes a point to get treatments both within Soulstice and at outside spas for research purposes. She wants to make sure her team at work is doing the best job around.

“Everybody does things differently and unless you experience how somebody else does it, you only know what you do,” Moran explains. “You can always learn something new. Experiencing treatments firsthand, and continually researching trends, products and equipment, we ensure that we’re keeping things up to date.”

Kasey Bradley, Lead stylist and general manager at Soulstice can relate. Over a 13-year-long career as a hairdresser, she’s seen styles come and go.

While keeping up on the latest trends might seem like a daunting challenge for a hair stylist, Bradley is confident she has the tools to handle whatever happens to come into vogue.

“There’s always new techniques and new tips and tricks to be learned, but having a base foundation of understanding cutting and coloring, you can weave that into what our clients are looking for,” Bradley says. “It kind of all works as one function.”

But in some disciplines in the spa and salon world, new techniques require new training and specialization. Cupping, an ancient technique, for example, is a somewhat new service in massage therapy. If you’ve ever seen an athlete with dark, circular marks where little cups have suctioned onto their skin, you’ll be familiar with the concept.

Whereas not every spa will have a therapist trained in cupping on staff, Soulstice’s massage director Heather Pedersen is proud to lead a team full of therapists who can provide this deeply therapeutic massage method at a high level.

“We do training for all different modalities of massage,” Pedersen says, listing CBD targeted treatment, hot stone massages, and cranial sacral among other service options.

“I have a great team. Everyone does their thing very well.”

So no matter what sort of spa treatment you’re looking for, chances are you can find someone who can do it—and do it very well—at Soulstice.

NICKI LUCK OWNER OF SOULSTICE DAY SPA 1100 W. 7800 SOUTH, WEST JORDAN SOULSTICEDAYSPA.COM | 801-255-3655

Far Right: Marie Moran Center Right: Heather Pedersen Center Left: Nicki Luck Far Left: Kasey Bradley

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CHRIS O’FERRELL SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CULTIVATION AT DEEP ROOTS HARVEST 395 INDUSTRIAL WAY, WEST WENDOVER, NEVADA DEEPROOTSHARVEST.COM | 775-418-5560

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f you’re going to make the 90-minute drive to Deep Roots Harvest from Salt Lake City, you’ll want to make sure it’s a rewarding venture. Of course, when you arrive at the cannabis dispensary and experience the highquality products and top-notch customer service, you’ll know it was worth the journey.

Quality, as Deep Roots’ Senior Director of Cultivation Chris O’Ferrell says, is what Deep Roots Harvest is known for. Not only are they cultivating great products, they are also fostering a business with an infectious personality.

“What sets us apart is our high standards for quality,” O’Ferrell says. “Not to mention, the consistent attention to detail, the QA/QC steps we take, and the thought we put into our processes to ensure the highest quality products are making it to our consumers.”

According to O’Ferrell, the team at Deep Roots Harvest, which includes a crew of customer-facing specialists called “budtenders,” are extremely passionate about the industry. Whether they use cannabis for medicinal purposes, or recreationally—in Nevada, where such is legal—they know cannabis and know it quite well.

O’Ferrell says that the Deep Roots Harvest’ brand loyalty is somewhat rare among those who work for cannabis companies. He would know. Since his honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2013, he’s spent the decade growing and teaching best cultivation practices all over the country.

When he brought his expertise to Nevada-based Deep Roots Harvest in Nov. 2021, the impact was immediately measurable, in a big way. By bringing in desirable strains & tweaking grow processes, O’Ferrell was able to double their annual yield. The product got much better—and healthier—as well.

“We offer over 20 unique inhouse strains, all with different ratios of high terpene concentrations for consumers that enjoy the various sedative and calming, or euphoric and energizing highs.” O’Ferrell says.

Some of his more popular strains include Gush Mintz, Black Velvet, Blueberry Muffin, Vanilla Custard, White Truffle, Point Break, La Kush Cake, Apples & Bananas, Guava Gelato, and Old School Lemons.

But don’t just take O’Ferrell’s word for it. The Deep Roots Harvest budtenders, which are frequently the subject of rave reviews on Google, can also tell you exactly what to expect when it comes to every item on the menu.

So rest assured, the drive to the other side of the UtahNevada state line is worth it.

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hen it comes to aesthetics and plastic surgery expertise, P. Daniel Ward, MD is among the best of the best. Not only is Dr. Ward the founder of Utah’s leading plastic surgery clinic, the Ward Institute, but he’s also one of the most trusted voices in the entire industry. He regularly lectures around the world, to places from Bozeman, Montana to Moscow, Russia. Still, he’s made Utah his home and the Ward Institute the local leader in aesthetics and plastic surgery.

But to hear Dr. Ward explain the philosophy behind the plastic surgery center, you might be surprised.

“We are plastic surgeons and aesthetic professionals, but we really could not care less about how someone looks,” he says.

“The reason for the counterintuitive approach is simple,” he continues. “When a person is looking to have a plastic surgery procedure done, they’re not hoping to look better. More importantly, Dr. Ward says, they’re looking to feel better.”

“We care about how our patients feel on the inside,” Dr. Ward says. “But it’s interesting how much we feel on the inside is influenced by how we see ourselves on the outside.”

For example, a person with a bump on their nose or a bit of sagging in their face might be a bit insecure about themselves. With the gentle touch and top-notch skill found in the surgical staff at the Ward Institute, which includes Dr. Ward, a solution can be found that is both aesthetically pleasing as well as safe and comfortable post-op.

That, Dr. Ward says, is why patients regularly choose the Ward Institute, even with many other less expensive plastic surgery options in the area.

“For us, the most important things are safety and quality. We pride ourselves in providing the best possible experience for our patients,” says Dr. Ward.

While Dr. Ward excels in rhinoplasty and has pioneered a minimally-invasive facelift and chin tuck procedure, which allows him to see patients from around the globe, the other doctors are also excellent within their specialties, which runs the entire gamut of plastic surgery services.

The roster of surgeons includes facial plastic surgeons, Dr. Bethany Powers, who excels in rhinoplasty, facelift, eyelid rejuvenation, and transgender care and Dr. Caitlin Iorio, who specializes in lips, noses, and eyelids. Dr. Rouzbeh Kordestani is a plastic surgeon who performs breast augmentation, reduction, and lifts; tummy tucks; mommy makeovers; liposuction; and has a special interest in treating loose skin after weight loss. Finally, the team benefits from the highly trained and experienced dermatologist Dr. David Smart, who performs laser treatments, liposuction, injectable treatments, and skin cancer removal.

But the most important people at the Ward Institute, as Dr. Ward would say, are the clients. Not only do Dr. Ward and his staff lend their expertise to whatever need comes into the clinic, but they also provide their patient with a life coach as part of their journey. At the end of the day, the Ward Institute isn’t just altering a person’s physical appearance, it’s about much more.

“Our mission is to provide genuine care and service,” Dr. Ward says. “Not just to change how someone looks, but to use this opportunity to give clients the self-confidence and assurance they need to accomplish all the goals in their lives.”

DR. P. DANIEL WARD MD, FOUNDER OF THE WARD INSTITUTE 6233 S. 3000 EAST, SALT LAKE CITY WARDINSTITUTE.COM | 801-871-8236

Direct Importers of the World’s Finest Rugs

Celebrate the Season with a New Rug...Happy Holidays

- The Adib’s Rug Gallery Family

At the Historic Villa Theater

We are a full-service rug company, featuring the world’s finest rugs. We specialize in new, antique, and semi-antique hand-woven masterpieces from all over the world with one of the largest selections in the country.

Adibs.com 3092 S Highland Dr, Salt Lake City 801-484-6364

Park City li f e o n t h e o t h e r s i d e

Pine Cone Ridge page 86

Happy Brain page 88

One Mountain’s Trash Is Another’s Treasure page 90

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PINE CONE RIDGE CELEBRATES ONE YEAR

BY TONY GILL

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I N E C O N E R I D G E is about to celebrate its first birthday this December. Pine Cone Ridge is the latest restaurant from Bill White Enterprises (the group behind Chimayo, Grappa, among others). The Main Street establishment takes over the location from Wahso, a longtime local favorite, but other than the address everything else is different. “We have a unique perspective on American Cuisine,” says Chef Gudrun ThorneThomsen. “The menu draws from our diverse viewpoints and has resulted in some very interesting and thoughtful options.” Come in and taste Park City’s newest interpretation of mountain cuisine.

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PARK CITY

Pine Cone Ridge recently opened in the space where Wahso used to be.

New Main Street Mainstay?

An experienced team brings new flavors to Park City’s dining scene

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H E R E S TA U R A N T B U S I N E S S

is notoriously volatile, as anyone who’s worked in food service or caught the first two seasons of “The Bear” can attest. That’s especially true in a mountain community like Park City where businesses are subject to feast and famine economics and the oscillating whims of tourist spending habits. In such an environment, the success of restaurants under the Bill White Enterprises umbrella is nothing short of remarkable. The first restaurant in the portfolio, Grappa, opened more than three decades ago in 1992. The team behind the latest addition, Pine Cone Ridge, aims to add to the successful lineage that’s come to

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define Park City’s fine dining identity.

Chef Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen has curated a contemporary American concept fusing local cuisine concepts with influences from her past and the culture of her colleagues. Thorne-Thomsen is a veteran of Park City restaurants, having worked with Bill White restaurants for 15 years. During that time she served as the executive chef at Ghidotti’s in Kimball Junction for five years and frequently developed menus and cooked for the restaurant group’s extracurricular and special events. Now she’s channeling that creativity into Pine Cone Ridge.

“When they asked if I was interested in starting a new restaurant on Main Street

with the support of the biggest, most successful restaurant group in town, I jumped at the chance,” says Thorne-Thomsen. “This is the first restaurant opening I’ve been part of.

Working with so many skilled people who

PHOTOS ADAM FINKLE

BY TONY GILL

have different strengths has allowed us to focus intently on the menu concept knowing all the details are getting proper attention.”

The cuisine at Pine Cone Ridge is a reflection of Park City’s restaurant community.

“We worked from a starting point of classic American cuisine and included local ingredients, regional comfort food components and a lot of Mexican-American influences.

We’re really proud of that because of how influential the Mexican community has been to Park City’s identity,” Thorne-Thomsen says. “I’ve been able to bring some of my perspective coming from New England

as well with unique proteins and a lot of seafood. The Miso Chilean Sea Bass is a dish I just love. We overnight live lobster from Gloucester, Mass., which isn’t something you see a lot in mountain towns.”

The menu rotates seasonally to highlight as many local ingredients as possible, as one of Thorne-Thomsen’s aims is to feature the freshest, most local produce from the Wasatch Back. Come to Pine Cone Ridge to taste the flavors of Utah as reimagined by Chef Gudrun and some of the finest, most experienced cooks in Park City. 577 Main St., 435-615-0300, pineconeridgepc.com

LOCAL NAME, LOCAL GAME The restaurant’s name is inspired by the eponymous two-mile ridge at Park City Mountain running from Scott’s Bowl off the Jupiter Chairlift to the mid-station of the Quicksilver Gondola. Just as Pinecone Ridge serves up some of the area’s best long, steep powder runs, Pine Cone Ridge dishes out some of the area’s finest ingredients like the local lamb T-bone chops and the seasonally rotating selection of produce.

Pine Cone Ridge Chef Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen

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PARK CITY

Local PT rethinks how we treat brain injuries

BY TONY GILL

S

OMETIMES EXPERIENCE is the best teacher, even if the experi-

ence is an unpleasant one. That’s how it was for Annie Howard in 2018 when a dream trip skiing volcanoes went awry. “I was on a ski mountaineering trip in Chile. On the last day, skiing our biggest objective, I took a significant fall and ended up with a torn knee ligament and a concussion,” Howard says.

Recovery after knee surgery took months, but that was only the beginning for Howard. “I had brain fog. I struggled to feel in control of my emotions, I was dizzy and my ears felt stuffed like I had a sinus infection. I would get awful headaches when I started ramping up exercise, and I just didn’t feel clear. In a weird way, though, my recovery really reignited my passion for physical therapy.”

Brain injuries can be a black box, even for experts. And for everyone who skis, snowboards or participates in any mountain sport they’re a constant threat. The delicate dance with gravity can go awry for just a moment, and everything can change.

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SAVE A BRAIN Howard has also recently partnered with the Utah-based nonprofit Save A Brain, which helps spread awareness about traumatic brain injuries (TBI) while raising funds to help with treatment. Save A Brain was started by Kelsey Boyer, a professional snowboarder who sustained a TBI requiring surgery to alleviate a subdural hematoma. Boyer struggled through a long, complex recovery over the course of several years. She started Save A Brain to support those struggling through their own TBI recoveries and help ease the significant financial burden brain injuries often entail. Visit the Save A Brain website to learn more and support their mission of helping keep as many brains as possible happy and healthy. saveabraininc.com

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

Happy Brain

At the time of her injury, Howard had been a physical therapist for eight years and had significant neurological discipline experience, but it didn’t prepare her for her own recovery. “I tried traditional physical therapy routines, but it wasn’t working sufficiently. Then I found a physical therapist who had a different approach—one that took the disparate parts of the clinical practice guidelines and integrated them. Once I started working with her, everything improved,” says Howard.

Drawing from her experience, Howard developed a unique treatment program to help others who struggle with post-concussion symptoms and started her own practice: Happy Brain Concussion Physical Therapy.

“We’re not just trying to address symptoms,” she says.

“We’re working to rehabilitate the systems at the root of the symptoms by integrating the visual, vestibular, autonomic and cognitive systems at the same time. The treatment isn’t compensatory, so we don’t treat light sensitivity by telling a patient to wear sunglasses. We want to address the root of where the light sensitivity comes from.”

Though this type of therapy is considered alternative, Howard insists there’s no part of her program that’s outside of professional clinical guidelines. The difference is in taking the disparate facets of treatment out of siloed focus to treat the systems as part of the whole.

In the process, Howard’s grown closer to the community she lives in. “Brain injuries can affect anyone in our community, and I’ve been fortunate to build a lot of close relationships with patients.” 3100 W. Pinebrook Rd., 203-822-2098, happybrainpt.com

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PARK CITY

One Mountain’s Trash is Another’s Treasure Sometimes upgrading lifts is an uphill climb

BY TONY GILL

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N L I K E L A S T Y E A R , Park City

Mountain’s parking lot was empty over the summer. In advance of the 2022-2023 ski season, the behemoth structure of a new chairlift sat in pieces in the Mountain Village parking lot, awaiting construction as part of the resort’s chairlift upgrades meant to ease on-mountain congestion and increase uphill capacity. Now that chairlift is doing what most of us always wish we could: permanently relocating to Whistler.

That’s right, two new chairlifts intended to shorten base-area lift lines—a six-pack chairlift slated to replace the little-used Eagle and Eaglet lifts and an eight-pack chair intended to upgrade the frequently slammed six-pack Silverlode Express—are headed to the vaunted British Columbia resort to replace Blackcomb’s Jersey Cream Express and Whistler’s Fitzsimmons Express.

The story of Whistler Blackcomb’s new chairs started with a successful appeal in 2022 by four Park City residents. The appeal led City Planning Commissioners to determine the resort’s lift proposals were not included in the mountain upgrade plan as part of the resort’s 1998 development agreement. Originally the lift upgrades had been granted administrative approval by former

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Park City Planning Director Gretchen Milliken, but the planning commission determined upon hearing the appeal the plan didn’t meet the requisite criteria for such approval, rendering the upgrades subject to a planning commission vote.

“We continue to disagree with the decision the Park City Planning Commission made in overturning our permits for Eagle and Silverlode, and our appeal is currently pending before the district court,” says Park City Senior Manager of Communications Sara Huey. As of publishing, the appeal of the appeal was still awaiting resolution.

Sitting in limbo, Vail Resorts—owner of Park City Mountain—decided not to let a couple of perfectly good chairlifts go to waste and shipped them north of the border as they iron out the details locally in Park City. One of the primary issues at hand concerned parking at the resort.

The Planning Commission deemed Park City’s outlined paid parking system wouldn’t adequately mitigate the increased demand the new lifts would cause, a point Huey disagreed with based on last season’s implementation of paid parking at the Park City Mountain Village base area.

“During the 22/23 winter season, an average of 63% of cars parking in the Mountain Village

surface lots had four or more occupants, and that jumped to nearly 70% on weekends. Park City Municipal confirmed that they saw a reduction in overflow and cutting through neighborhoods surrounding our base area. In addition, High Valley Transit reported a 20% region-wide increase in transit ridership over the winter ski and snowboard season,” says Huey.

The SNAFU hasn’t totally derailed Park City’s lift upgrade plans. Red Pine Gondola in Canyons Village has all-new cabins for this season, a welcome addition as the moribund state of nonfunctional gondola cabins last season left guests peeved despite cheeky signs promising replacements were on the way. Vail Resorts also reached a joint funding agreement with the Canyons Village Management Association for a gondola with 10-person cabins from the base area to the midmountain Red Pine Lodge, replacing the Sunrise double, which had essentially only served to take hotel guests to the base area.

Canyons Village sits in unincorporated Snyderville, so the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission, rather than Park City, will have jurisdiction over this lift upgrade plan. Recent experience with the relatively new Quicksilver Gondola and Over and Out Chairlift suggest the resort won’t run into the same types of delays along the 36-month timeline to get the Sunrise Gondola operational.

Skepticism surrounding resort plans is often warranted, as changes on the mountain are frequently felt downstream in the community.

That said, increasing base area uphill capacity is possibly the most skier-centric move Park City Mountain could make outside of ditching the multi-resort mega pass, which frankly isn’t going to happen. Locals have been clamoring for exactly the type of upgrade the Sunrise Gondola represents, and a similar move at the Park City Base Area would do wonders to help spread skiers out across the resort’s significant terrain.

More skiers are coming, whether there’s new infrastructure to accommodate them or not. Incentivizing skiers to use public transit while helping them get up on the hill faster on powder days is something the community should seemingly get behind.

THE SUN RISES ON A NEW GONDOLA The Sunrise Gondola will whisk skiers 1,100 vertical feet in 10-passenger cabins from the south end of Canyons Village up to Red Pine Lodge at just over 8,000 feet.

The new gondola will help alleviate base area pileups that plague powder days while providing additional access to higher-elevation terrain, which is increasingly important for early and late-season operations as climate change encroaches on both ends of winter with higher temperatures.

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On The Table f o o d / t r e n d s / d in in g

Moveable Feast page 93

Dining Listings page 97

Welcome to the ‘Gin Family’ page 102

Food Crush: General Tso-Style Cauliflower page 108

UTAH’S SEAT AT THE TABLE The PBS Food and Travel Show, Moveable Feast stops in Salt Lake and Park City

BY JEREMY PUGH

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PHOTO CALI WARNER

HE STAFF AT LOG HAVEN are experts at big productions. After all, the classic Utah restaurant in Millcreek Canyon is one of the most soughtafter wedding venues in the state. Usually, they shine the spotlight on the bride and groom, not themselves. But on a warm summer evening last July, Log Haven was the reason for the big production.

Chef Viet Pham of Pretty Bird contributed a dish to the Feast, fried chicken with sauce.

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ABOVE: Dishes prepared by Lavanya Mahate, founder of Rise Culinary Institute for the Feast at Log Haven.

TOP RIGHT: Mahate demonstrates creating a cold tofu salad.

ABOVE RIGHT: Lavanya Mahate (left) Log Haven Chef Dave Jones, Moveable Feast host Alex Thomopoulos and Pretty Bird’s Chef Viet Pham.

The PBS travel food show, Moveable Feast came to Utah to film two of its 10th-season episodes and to set up its iconic “Feasts” at two (also iconic) dining spaces—Log Haven and Park City Mountain Resort’s Lookout Cabin. Moveable Feast combines travel with an emphasis on cooking and an aggressive focus on finding local and honest food purveyors and chefs in each city they visit. The crew, fronted by wisecracking host Alex Thomopoulos, visits purveyors and restaurants and invites chefs to shoot a collection of cooking demonstrations. Its signature is a breathtaking aerial shot of “The Feast,” a grand table filled with the local chefs, purveyors they’ve met and local food lovers. Yes, it’s a BIG production.

In Utah, Alex and the crew tapped Chefs Viet Pham (Pretty Bird), Dave Jones (Log Haven) and Lavanya Mahate (Saffron Valley) to showcase their culinary techniques for the show’s cooking demonstrations. They also featured ingredients from local purveyors like James Fowler (Sugar House Distillery), Wonderland Mushrooms Company, the market Bombay Foods and the International Rescue Committee’s refugee farming program New Roots SLC at Wheeler Farm, among others. At

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each location, several days are spent shooting setting the grand table on the final night. For the local chefs and purveyors, it’s a chance to share what’s cool about Utah on a national stage.

“When the producers first called, we were skeptical,” says Log Haven’s event coordinator Faith Scheffler. “We’ve had film crews here before and they just take the place over to use as a set. But when we learned more about the show, we jumped at the chance. This was about Log Haven and celebrating Utah’s food culture.”

During the shoot at Log Haven, we spoke with Thomopoulos about the show, which she described as “gentle” in contrast to many aggressive, competitive food shows. (Less Kitchen Nightmares and more “friendly Bourdain.”)

“We meet the people feeding their communities,” she says.

“The people who are doing it right. I like to say, they’re doing it with both intention and attention. Everywhere I visit, I learn something and walk away with something new.”

In Utah, for example, Chef Viet Pham led the crew to New Roots SLC, a program by the IRC (one of two agencies that resettle international refugees here in Utah). It teaches refugees

PHOTOS CALI WARNER

ON THE TABLE

LEFT: An aerial shot of the “Feast” table at Log Haven. The show’s producers use drones to film the final shot of every episode. BELOW: Chef Viet Pham’s chicken dish. BOTTOM: Park City Mountain Executive Chef Alex Malmborg gives a cooking demonstration with the show’s host Alex Thomopoulos at Lookout Cabin.

LOCALS IN THE SPOTLIGHT •L og Haven and Chef David Jones •C hef Viet Pham of Pretty Bird •C hef Lavanya Mahate, Founder of Rise Culinary Institute •P ark City Mountain Resort’s Lookout Cabin and Chefs Alex Malmborg and Zeke Wray •L oulia Greek Olive Oil Company and the Park City Farmers Market •G race and Milan Bronchella owners of Wonderlands Mushrooms • J ames Fowler, owner and distiller at Sugar House Distillery • Cheesemaker Fernando Chavez-Sandoval of Gold Creek Farms, Woodland, Utah •S ierra Govett from New Roots Community Farm •P ratap Singh from Bombay Foods

PHOTO KATHY KINGSLEY/MOVEABLE FEAST

The two Moveable Feast episodes filmed in Utah featured many local purveyors, chefs and products.

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ON THE TABLE

RIGHT: Host Alex Thomopoulos, leads the final toast with guests at Log Haven. BELOW: Alex’s Whiskey-Cured Salmon Appetizer

HOW TO WATCH The 10th Anniversary season of Moveable Feast is underway. The Salt Lake City episode with Log Haven is scheduled to broadcast on Nov. 18 and the Park City episode featuring Lookout Cabin at Park City Mountain Resort will air on Dec. 16, as the season finale. Check listings at PBS Utah. The show is also available streaming on Apple TV and for PBS Passport members. pbsutah.org, pbs.org

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READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP? NOT. The day after the first night “Feast” at Log Haven, which I attended as a guest, I received a frantic call from show producers Tiffany Thompson and Kat Kingsley. “Alex is sick,” Thompson says. “Would you be willing to be a backup host?”

Wait. What? I mean. Why not? So the morning of the shoot at Park City Mountain Resort, I took the Orange Bubble Express up to Lookout Cabin to be a television host.

As it turns out, host Alex Thomopoulos, recovered from a bout of altitude sickness and I was off the hook. Honestly, I had no idea how I would have done that. Basically, it was a huge relief.

But the crew did have a job for me after all. I helped Thomopoulos (and by helped, I

mean did what she told me to do) during a cooking demonstration featuring salmon glazed with Sugar House Distillery’s Bourbon and a melon salad made with Loulia Greek Olive Oil and cheese from Gold Creek Farms that was served at the Feast. Meanwhile, I prattled on about Park City and Salt Lake City history and whatnot.

How much of this ended up on the cutting room floor will be determined when the show airs in December.

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) KATHY KINGSLEY/MOVEABLE FEAST; CALI WARNER; KATHY KINGSLEY/MOVEABLE FEAST

who farmed in the country they were forced to flee Utah farming techniques and helps them find markets and co-ops to sell their produce.

“I was surprised at how many refugees are welcomed in Utah,” Thomopoulos says. “People here receive them with open arms. These are people who are in search of a better life and getting to meet the New Roots Farmers was an example of what I love about this show. We get to share these stories.”

Thomopoulos, however, is no stranger to Utah. When she was in college she was roommates with Bill Coker and Lucy Cardenas, owners of the Red Iguana, who were guests at the moveable feast filmin at Log Haven.

“The first thing I did when I landed was go to Red Iguana,” she says. “Lucy and Bill are like family to me.”

WHERE TO EAT Listings

A select list of the best restaurants in Utah, curated and edited by Salt Lake magazine

Five Alls —1458 Foothill Dr., SLC, 385528-1922. fivealls.com. Five Alls offers a unique dining experience in a romantic, Old Englishinspired location that overlooks the valley. The name is in part a reference to the menu’s five courses.

942-1751. lacaille.com. Utah’s original glamour girl has regained her luster. The grounds are as beautiful as ever; additions are functional, like a greenhouse, grapevines and vegetable gardens, all supplying the kitchen and cellar. The interior has been refreshed and the menu by Chef Billy Sotelo has today’s tastes in mind. Treat yourself.

ININ Log Haven –6451 E. Mill Creek2A 023 Canyon Road, SLC, 801-272-8255.

W A RD log-haven.com. Certainly Salt Lake’s most picturesque restaurant, the old log cabin is pretty in every season. Chef David Jones has a sure hand with American vernacular and is not afraid of frying, although he also has a way with healthy, low-calorie, high-energy food. And he’s an expert with local and foraged foods.

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The Charleston –1229 E. Pioneer Rd., Draper, 801-550-9348. thecharlestondraper. com. Offering gracious dining in Draper, Chef Marco Silva draws from many culinary traditions to compose his classic and exciting menu—artichoke souffle, braised halibut, ratatouille. The setting, in a historic home surrounded by gardens, is lovely and we love his high standards: No kids under 12 during evening hours and an indoor dress code.

La Caille –9565 Wasatch Blvd., Sandy, 801-

Pago –878 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-532-0777.

341 S. Main St., SLC, 801-441-2955. pagoslc. com. Tiny, dynamic and food-driven, Pago’s ingredients are locally sourced and reimagined

ININ

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This selective guide has no relationship to any advertising in the magazine.

Review visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by Salt Lake magazine.

2A 023 W A RD

Provisions –3364 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801410-4046. slcprovisions.com. With Chef Tyler Stokes’ bright, fresh approach to American craft cuisine (and a bright, fresh atmosphere to eat it in), Provision strives for handmade and local ideals executed with style and a little humor.

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ININ SLC Eatery–1017 S. Main St., 2A 023 SLC, 801-355-7952. slceatery.com.

W A RD The SLC Eatery offers culinary adventure. Expect equally mysterious and delightful entrees and exciting takes on traditional dishes.

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ININ Table X –1457 E. 3350 South, SLC, 2A 023 385-528-3712. tablexrestaurant.com. A W A RD trio of chefs collaborate on a forwardthinking thoroughly artisanal menu—vegetables are treated as creatively as proteins (smoked sunchoke, chile-cured pumpkin, barbecued cannelini beans) bread and butter are made in-house and ingredients are the best (Solstice chocolate cake). Expect surprises.

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5454. bambara-slc.com. The menu reflects food based on sustainability and the belief that good food should be available to everybody. Prizing seasonally driven dishes sourced from local farmers, they turn out dishes with a communityminded sensibility.

regularly. That’s why it’s often so crowded and that’s what makes it one of the best restaurants in the state. The list of wines by the glass is great, but the artisanal cocktails are also a treat.

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Bambara –202 S. Main St., SLC, 801-363-

ININ HSL –418 E. 200 South, SLC, 8012A 023 539-9999. hslrestaurant.com. The W A RD initials stand for “Handle Salt Lake”— Chef Briar Handly made his name with his Park city restaurant, Handle, and now he’s opened a second restaurant down the hill. The place splits the difference between “fine” and “casual” dining; the innovative food is excellent and the atmosphere is casually convivial. The menu is unique—just trust this chef. It’s all excellent.

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arlorestaurant.com. Chef Milo Carrier has created a destination in a small, charming house at the top of the Marmalade neighborhood. A fresh approach and locally sourced ingredients are the root of a menu that bridges fine and casual dining, at once sophisticated and homey.

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Arlo –271 N. Center St., SLC, 385-266-8845.

801-258-6000. grandamerica.com, laurelslc. com. Grand America Hotel’s Laurel Brasserie & Bar is one of the dinner/nightlife stars of the city, and the kitchen makes sure other meals here are up to the same standard. The setting here is traditionally elegant but don’t be intimidated.

The food shows sophisticated invention, but you can also get a great sandwich or burger.

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American Fine Dining

Grand America –555 S. Main St., SLC,

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SALT LAKE CITY & THE WASATCH FRONT

American Casual Brick & Mortar –228 S. Edison Street, SLC, 801-419-0871. brickmortarslc.com. Brick & Mortar is a bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown (where Campos Coffee used to be).

It’s a gastro pub with a mean brunch game, but the lunch and dinner (and after-dinner drinks) won’t disappoint.

Cafe Niche –779 E. 300 South, SLC, 801433-3380. caffeniche.com. The food comes from farms all over northern Utah, and the patio is a local favorite when the weather is fine.

2023 Salt Lake magazine Dining Award Winner

Utah Classic

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ON THE TABLE

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ININ Central 9th Market —161 2A 023 W. 900 South, SLC, 385-332-3240.

W A RD central9th.com. More bodega than restaurant, Central 9th’s breakfast sandwich is probably the best you’ll have outside of New York City. You can also grab a sandwich from the more-than-just-breakfast deli menu and head next door to Scion or Water Witch to eat up.

Copper Onion –111 E. Broadway, Ste. 170, SLC, 801-355-3282. thecopperonion.com.

An instant hit when it opened, constant crowds attest to the continuing popularity of Ryan Lowder’s Copper Onion. Though the hearty, flavorful menu changes regularly, some favorites never leave: the mussels, the burger, the ricotta dumplings. Bank on the specials.

Cucina –1026 E. 2nd Ave., SLC, 801-3223055. cucinawinebar.com. Cucina has added fine restaurant to its list of descriptors—good for lunch or a leisurely dinner. The menu has recently expanded to include small plates and substantial beer and wine-by-the-glass lists.

The Dodo –1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801486-2473. thedodorestaurant.com. It’s hard even to update the review of this venerable bistro. So much stays the same. But, like I always say, it’s nice to know where to get quiche.

And our raspberry crepes were great. Yes, I said crepes.

Epicure –707 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale, 801-748-1300. epicureslc.com. American food here borrows from other cuisines. Save room for pineapple sorbet with stewed fresh pineapple.

Left Fork Grill –68 W. 3900 South, SLC, 801-266-4322. leftforkgrill.ipower.com.

Every booth comes with its own dedicated pie

Little America Coffee Shop – 500 S. Main St., SLC, 801-596-5700. saltlake. littleamerica.com. Little America has been the favorite gathering place for generations of native Salt Lakers. Weekdays, you’ll find the city power players breakfasting in the coffee shop.

London Belle Supper Club –321 S. Main St., SLC, 801-363-8888. londonbelleslc. com. It’s a combo deal—restaurant and bar.

That means you have to be over 21 to enter but it also means that you can stay in one place all evening. Their kitchen serves up everything from duck confit nachos to their signature 12-ounce Niman Ranch ribeye.

Moochie’s Meatballs –232 E. 800 South, SLC, 801-596-1350; 2121 S. State St., South Salt Lake, 801-487-2121; 7725 S. State St., Midvale, 801-562-1500. moochiesmeatballs.com. This itty-bitty eatery/take-out joint is the place to go for authentic cheese­s teaks made with thinly sliced steak and griddled onions glued together with good ol’ American cheese and wrapped in a big, soft so-called French roll.

Nomad East –1675 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-883-9791. nomad-east.com. Nomad East is cousin to the original, now-closed Nomad Eatery. It’s in the charmed location on 1300 South where Eggs in the City used to be. Everything here is cooked in a pizza oven, even the roasted chicken (a must-have). Chef Justin is a salad wizard. Fun and excellence combined.

Oasis Cafe –151 S. 500 East, SLC, 801322-0404. oasiscafeslc.com. Oasis has a New Age vibe, but the food’s only agenda is taste.

Lots of veg options, but meat, too. The German pancakes are wonderful, but its evening menu suits the space­— being both imaginative and refreshing.

ININ Oquirrh –368 E. 100 South, SLC 2A 023 801-359-0426. oquirrhslc.com. Little D WAR and original chef-owned bistro offers a menu of inventive and delicious dishes— whole curried lamb leg, chicken confit pot pie, milk-braised potatoes—it’s all excellent.

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Hub & Spoke Diner –1291 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-487-0698. hubandspokediner. com. This contemporary diner serves the traditional three a day with an untraditional inventiveness applied to traditional recipes.

Like, artisanal grilled cheese with spiked milkshakes. And mac and cheese made with spaetzle. Breakfast is king here—expect a line.

shelf. Because no matter what you’re eating— liver and onions, raspberry pancakes, meatloaf or a reuben—you’ll want to save room for pie.

Tip: Order your favorite pie first, in case they run out. Now serving beer and wine.

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Citris Grill –3977 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-277-6113. citrisgrill.com. Most dishes come in either “hearty” or “petite” portion sizes. This means you can enjoy a smoked salmon pizzetta or fried rock shrimp appetizer and then a petite order of fire-roasted pork chops with adobo rub and black bean-corn salsa. Expect crowds.

The Park Cafe –604 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-487-1670. theparkcafeslc.com. The Park Cafe has been serving up breakfast to the Liberty Wells neighborhood since 1982. Right

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next to Liberty Park, the cafe’s location is hard to beat.

Pig & A Jelly Jar –401 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7366; 227 25th St., Ogden, 801605-8400. pigandajellyjar.com. Great chicken and waffles, local eggs and other breakfasts are served all day, with homestyle additions at lunch Sunday-Thursday and supper on Friday and Saturday.

Porch –11274 S. Kestrel Rise Rd., Bldg. G, South Jordan, 801-679-1066. porchutah.com.

A chef-owned restaurant in the new urban community of Daybreak, this sleek little cafe was conceived by Meditrina owner Jen Gilroy and focuses on locally-sourced cuisine with southern touches.

Porcupine Pub and Grille –3698 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801942-5555. porcupinepub.com. With 24 beers on tap available for only $2 every Tuesday, Porcupine has practically created its own holiday. Chicken noodle soup has homemade noodles and lots of chicken. Burgers and chile verde burritos are good, too.

Roots Café –3474 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-277-6499. rootscafeslc.com. A charming little daytime cafe in Millcreek with a wholesome, granola vibe.

Ruth’s Diner –4160 Emigration Canyon Rd., SLC, 801-582-5807. ruthsdiner.com. The original funky trolley car is almost buried by the beer garden in fine weather, but Ruth’s still serves up diner food in a low-key setting, and the patio is one of the best. Collegiate fare like burgers, BLTs and enchiladas rule here. The giant biscuits come with every meal, and the chocolate pudding should.

The Salt Republic –170 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-433-6650. exploretock. com/the-salt-republic-salt-lake-city. A modern eatery with a focus on healthful and hearty dishes from local ingredients, prepared in the kitchen’s rotisserie and wood-fired oven, for breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Salt Lake City Hyatt Regency hotel.

Silver Fork Lodge –11332 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd., Brighton, 801-5339977. silverforklodge.com. Silver Fork’s kitchen handles three daily meals beautifully. Try pancakes made with a 50-year-old sourdough starter. Don’t miss the smoked trout and brie appetizer.

Stella Grill –4291 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-288-0051. stellagrill.com. A cool little arts-and-crafts-style café, Stella is balanced between trendy and tried-and-true. The careful cooking comes with moderate prices. Great for lunch.

Tiburon –8256 S. 700 East, Sandy, 801255-1200. tiburonfinedining.com. Servings at Tiburon are large and rich: elk tenderloin was enriched with mushrooms and demi-glace; a big, creamy wedge of St. Andre came with pork belly. In summer, tomatoes come from the garden.

Tradition –501 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7167. traditionslc.com. Plan your meal knowing there will be pie at the end of it.

Then snack on pigs-in-blankets (sausage from artisan butcher Beltex) and funeral potatoes.

Fried chicken, braised pork, chicken and dumplings are equally homey. Then, pie.

Vessel Kitchen –905 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-810-1950; 1146 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale, 801-337-5055; 11052 S. State St., Sandy, 801-349-2544; 1784 Uinta Way, #E1, Park City, 435-200-8864. vesselkitchen.com.

Each of Vessel’s four locations is in an area of Utah they feel they can engage with the local populace through straight-forward, fast, casual cuisine that’s also healthy. Online ordering and curbside takeout are available at every Vessel restaurant.

Bakeries The Baking Hive –3362 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-419-0187. bakinghive.com. Tucked behind Provisions restaurant, this homespun bakery uses real butter and cream. Classes allow kids to ice and decorate their own cakes and they offer gluten-free options, too.

The Bagel Project –779 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-906-0698, bagelproject.com. “Real” bagels are the whole story here, made by a homesick East Coaster. Of course, there’s no New York water to make them with, but other than that, these are as authentic as SLC can get.

Carlucci’s Bakery–314 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-366-4484. carluccisbakery.com. Plus a few hot dishes make this a fave morning stop.

For lunch, try the herbed goat cheese on a chewy baguette.

City Cakes & Cafe –1860 S. 300 West, D, SLC, 801-359-2239. 192 E. 12300 South, Ste. A, Draper, 801-572-5500. citycakescafe. com. Gluten-free that is so good you’ll never miss it. Or the dairy—City Cakes has vegan goodies, too. And epic vegan mac ‘n’ chezah.

Chip Cookies — 155 E 900 S #101, SLC, 801-889-2412. chipcookies.co. Probably the only gourmet cookie delivery company that began out of pregnancy cravings. Try the weekly specialty cookies or one of the original flavors.

Delivery, pick-up and catering available.

Eva’s Bakery–155 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-3942. evasbakeryslc.com. A smart French-style cafe and bakery in the heart of downtown. Different bakers are behind the patisserie and the boulangerie, meaning sweet and daily breads get the attention they deserve. Go for classics like onion soup and croque monsieur, but don’t ignore other specials and always leave with at least one loaf of bread.

Fillings & Emulsions –1475 S. Main St., SLC, 385-229-4228. fillingsandemulsions. com. This little West-side bakery is worth finding; its unusual pastries find their way into many of Salt Lake’s fine restaurants. Pastry Chef Adalberto Diaz combines his classical French training with the tropical flavors of his homeland. The results are startlingly good and different.

Granary Bakehouse –1050 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-212-4298. granarybakehouse. com. The classic bakery sells beautifully lamenated baked goods, does not skimp on the quality of the baked artisan breads and sources local ingredients.

Gourmandise –250 S. 300 East, SLC,

Biscotts Bakery & Cafe –1098 W. Jordan Pkwy. #110, South Jordan, 801890-0659; 6172 W. Lake Ave., South Jordan, 801-295-7930. biscotts.com. An Anglo-Indian teahouse, Lavanya Mahate’s (Saffron Valley) latest eatery draws from intertwined cultures, serving tea and chai, English treats and French pastries with a hint of subcontinental spice.

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Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen — 877 E. 12300 South,

385-434-2433 Draper, saucebosssouthernkitchen.com. The menu at Sauce Boss embodies nostalgia, Southern comfort and Black soul food at its best. The focus is on authentic flavors, consistent quality and the details: Red Drink (a house-made version of Bissap), real sweet tea, crunchy-crust cornbread, fried catfish, blackened chicken wings and collard greens.

The SugarHouse Barbecue Company–880 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801463-4800. sugarhousebbq.com. This place is a winner for pulled pork, Texas brisket or Memphis ribs. Plus killer sides, like Greek potatoes.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs (Also check bar listings, page 111)

Avenues Proper Publick House –376 8th Ave., SLC, 385-227-8628. avenuesproper.com. It’s a restaurant and brewpub, with the emphasis on small plates and late hours. The food is inventive, the beer is good and—big plus—they serve cocktails as well as brew at this neighborhood hot spot.

Bohemian Brewery–94 E. 7200 South., Midvale, 801-566-5474. bohemianbrewery.com. Bohemian keeps a firm connection to its cultural history—so to go with the wonderful Czech beer, you can nosh on potato pancakes, pork chops and goulash. There’s also plenty of American beer fare.

Desert Edge Brewery–273 Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery. com. Good pub fare and freshly brewed beer make this a hot spot for shoppers, the business crowd and ski bums.

Red Rock Brewing–254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446; 6227 State St., Murray, 801-262-2337; 1640 Redstone Center Dr., Park City, 435-575-0295. redrockbrewing.com. Red Rock proves the pleasure of beer on its own and as a complement to pizzas, rotisserie chicken and chile polenta. Not to mention brunch. Also in the Fashion Place Mall.

Squatters Pub Brewery–147 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-2739; 1763 S. saltlakebrewingco.com. One of the “greenest” restaurants in town, Squatters brews award-winning beers and pairs them with everything from wings to ahi tacos.

Wasatch BrewPub –2110 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-783-1127. saltlakebrewingco.com.

Part of the same mega “boutique” group that produces Squatters and Wasatch beers and runs the pubs in Salt Lake City and Park City with those names, this extension is everything you expect a brewpub to be—hearty food, convivial atmosphere, lots of beer and a great late-ish option.

Breakfast/Lunch Only The Daily–222 S. Main St., Ste. 140, SLC, 801-297-1660. thedailyslc.com. Chef Ryan Lowder’s only non-Copper restaurant (Onion, Commons, Kitchen) is open all day for breakfast, lunch and noshing. Call in and pick up lunch, stop in and linger over Stumptown coffee, take some pastries to go and don’t miss the biscuits.

Eggs in the City–2795 S. 2300 East, SLC, 801-581-0809. eggsinthecityslc.com. A familiar face in a whole new space—the favored breakfast joint has moved to Millcreek. Hip and homey, all at once.

Finn’s Cafe –1624 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801467-4000. finnscafe.net. The Scandinavian vibe comes from the heritage of owner Finn Gurholt.

At lunch, try the Nordic sandwiches, but Finn’s is most famous for breakfast (best pancakes in town), served until the doors close at 2:30 p.m.

Millcreek Café & EggWorks –3084 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-485-1134. millcreekcafeandeggworks.com. This spiffy neighborhood place is open for lunch, but breakfast is the game. Items like a chile verde-smothered breakfast wrap and the pancakes offer serious sustenance.

Burgers, Sandwiches & Delis Diversion –535 N. 300 West, SLC, 801657-7326. diversioneatery.com. Much-needed neighborhood eatery serving burgers, dogs, chili and fries. Try the “burger bowl”—just what it sounds like and twice as messy.

Feldman’s Deli –2005 E. 2700 South, SLC, 801-906-0369. feldmansdeli. com. Finally, SLC has a Jewish deli worthy of the name. Stop by for your hot pastrami fix or to satisfy your latke craving or your yen for knishes.

Pretty Bird Chicken –146 S. Regent St., SLC; 675 E. 2100 South, SLC. prettybirdchicken.com. Chances are you’ll still have to wait in line for Chef Viet Pham’s Nashville hot

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chicken. There is really only one thing on the menu—spicy fried chicken on a bun or on a plate. Go early—Pretty Bird closes when the kitchen runs out of chicken.

Proper Burger and Proper Brewing–865 S. Main St., SLC, 801-9068604. properburgerslc.com. Sibling to Avenues Proper, the new place has expanded brewing and burger capacity, two big shared patios. And ski-ball.

Shake Shack–11020 State St., Ste. B, Sandy, 385-276-3910; 6123 S. State St., Murray, 801-448-9707; shakeshack.com. The national favorite has landed in Utah and surely there will be more to come. Danny Meyer’s all-American favorite serves burgers, mediocre fries and milkshakes, along with other fast food faves.

Play board games and try one of their super cool shake flavors.

Siegfried’s Delicatessen –20 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-3891. siegfriedsdelicatessen.com. The only German deli in town is packed with customers ordering bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, sauerkraut and spaetzle.

Tonyburgers –613 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-419-0531; Other Utah locations. tonyburgers.com. This home-grown burger house serves fresh-ground beef, toasted buns, twice-fried potatoes and milkshakes made with real scoops of ice cream.

Coffee 3 Cups Coffee –4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza #104, Holladay, 385-237-3091. 3cups. coffee. With a slick, modern interior, 3 Cups transitions seamlessly from a neighborhood coffee shop by day to a wine and cheese bar by night.

This family establishment boasts of roasting their own beans and baking their own goods.

Caffe d’Bolla –299 S. Main St., SLC, 801-355-1398. caffedbolla.com. John Piquet is a coffee wizard—a cup of his specially roasted siphon brews is like no other cup of coffee in the state. His wife, Yiching, is an excellent baker.

Cupla Coffee –175 W. 200 South, SLC, 385-207-8362; 1476 Newpark Blvd., Park City, 801-462-9475. cuplacoffee.com. The menu at Cupla reflects the owners’ lifestyle of a low-carb and low-sugar diet, without sacrificing taste for health. They roast their own coffee beans, rotated seasonally.

La Barba –155 E. 900 South, SLC; 9 S. Rio Grande, SLC, 385-429-2401; 13811 Sprague Ln., Draper, 801-901-8252. labarbacoffee.com.

Owned by locally owned coffee roasters—a favorite with many local restaurants—this little cafe off of George serves coffee, tea, chocolate and pastries.

Logos Coffee –1709 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-657-1383. logos.coffee. Logos is a small batch specialty coffee roaster that operates a mobile espresso cart (check social media for location) and a coffee bar that’s open 7 a.m.–2 p.m. everyday.

King’s Peak Coffee –412 S. 700 West, Suite 140, SLC, 385-267-1890. kingspeakcoffee.com. All of King’s Peak’s coffee is sourced directly from farmers or reputable importers. In the end, the result is a better quality coffee.

Old Cuss Cafe –2285 S. Main St., South Salt Lake. oldcuss.com. More than a coffee shop, this warm, mountain-man-style cafe serves plant-based food, craft coffee and a rotating menu of seasonal fare.

Publik–502 E. 3rd Ave., SLC, 385-2294836; 975 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-355-3161; 210 S. University St., SLC, 385-549-1928. publikcoffee.com. Serving the latest in great coffee; the old-school java joint made for long conversations; a neo-cafe where you can park with your laptop and get some solo work done.

Urban Sailor Coffee –1327 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-227-8978. urbansailorcoffee. com. Urban Sailor Coffee opened its first sitdown coffee shop in Sugar House after originally serving Anchorhead specialty coffee from a mobile coffee cart and Steve Smith tea from a URAL sidecar motor.

Salt Lake Roasting Company–820 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-363-7572. roasting.com. SLC’s original coffee shop owner John Bolton buys and roasts the better-than-fairtrade beans.

Central & South American Arempa’s –350 S. State St., SLC, 385-3018905. arempas.com. Happy, casual Venezuelan food—arepas, tequenos, cachapas—basically everything is cornmeal filled with pulled beef, chicken or pork and fried. But—also the same fillings between slices of plantains. And a chocolate filled tequena.

Braza Grill –5927 S. State St., Murray,

Franck’s –6263 S. Holladay Blvd., SLC,

801-506-7788. brazagrillutah.com. Meat, meat and more meat is the order of the day at this Brazilian-style churrascaria buffet.

801-274-6264. francksfood.com. Founding chef Franck Peissel’s influence can still be tasted— personal interpretations of continental classics.

Some, like the meatloaf, are perennials, but mostly the menu changes according to season and the current chef’s whim.

Rodizio Grill –600 S. 700 East, SLC, 801220-0500. rodiziogrill.com. The salad bar offers plenty to eat, but the best bang for the buck is the Full Rodizio, a selection of meats—turkey, chicken, beef, pork, seafood and more—plus vegetables and pineapple, brought to your table until you cry “uncle.”

Chinese & Pan-Asian

Mar | Muntanya –170 S. West Temple, SLC, 385-433-6700. mar-muntanya.com. The rooftop restaurant, atop the downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, has a menu of Spanish-inspired cuisine with an emphasis on shareable tapas, Spanish gin and tonic cocktails and regional specialties with a little Utah twist.

Asian Star–7588 S. Union Park Ave., Mid-

Monsieur Crêpes –1617 S. 900 East,

vale, 801-566-8838. asianstarrestaurant.com. The menu is not frighteningly authentic or disturbingly Americanized. Dishes are chef-driven, and Chef James seems most comfortable in the melting pot.

Boba World –512 W. 750 South, Woods Cross, 801-298-3626. bobaworld.blogspot.com.

This mom-and-pop place is short on chic, but the food on the plate provides all the ambiance you need. Try the scallion pancakes, try the Shanghai fat noodles, heck, try the kung pao chicken. It’s all good.

Hong Kong Tea House & Restaurant –565 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-531-7010. hongkongteahouse.yolasite.com.

Authentic, pristine and slightly weird is what we look for in Chinese food. Tea House does honorable renditions of favorites, but it is a rewarding place to go explore.

J. Wong’s Bistro –163 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-350-0888. jwongs.com. Drawing from their Thai and Chinese heritage, J. Wong’s menu allows you to choose either. Lunch—Chinese or Thai—isn’t a good deal. It’s a great deal. Don’t miss the ginger whole fish or the Gunpowder cocktail. Call ahead for authentic Peking duck.

French & European Bruges Waffle and Frites –336 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-363-4444; 2314 S. Highland Dr., 801-486-9999. brugeswaffles.com. The original tiny shop turns out waffles made with pearl sugar. Plus frites, Belgian beef stew and a gargantuan sandwich called a mitraillette with merguez. Other locations have bigger menus.

Café Madrid –5244 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-273-0837. cafemadrid.net. Authentic dishes like garlic soup share the menu with portsauced lamb shank. Service is courteous and friendly at this family-owned spot.

SLC, 787-358-9930. monsieurcrepesut.us. This French-style creperie offering both savory— Brie, prosciutto, tomato—and sweet—whipped cream, fruit, chocolate—fillings. The charming cafe comes with a very pretty patio.

Indian Bombay House –2731 E. Parley’s Way, SLC, 801-581-0222; 463 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., #120, West Jordan, 801-282-0777. bombayhouse.com.

This biryani mainstay is sublimely satisfying, from the wise-cracking Sikh host to the friendly server, from the vegetarian entrees to the tandoor-grilled delights. No wonder it’s been Salt Lake’s favorite subcontinental restaurant for 20 years.

Curry in a Hurry–2020 S. State St., SLC, 801-467-4137. ilovecurryinahurry.com. The Nisar family’s restaurant is tiny, but fast service and fair prices make this a great take-out spot. But if you opt to dine in, there’s always a Bollywood film on.

Himalayan Kitchen –360 S. State St., SLC, 801-328-2077; 11521 S. 4000 West, South Jordan, 801-254-0800. himalayankitchen. com. Indian-Nepalese restaurant with an everexpanding menu. Start the meal with momos, fat little dumplings like pot stickers. All the tandoor dishes are good, but Himalayan food is rare, so go for the quanty masala, a stew made of nine different beans.

Kathmandu–3142 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-466-3504; 250 W. 2100 South, SLC, 801-9354258; 863 E. 9400 South, Sandy, 801-981-8943. thekathmandu.net. Try the Nepalese specialties, including spicy pickles to set off the tandoorroasted meats. Both goat and sami, a kibbeh-like mixture of ground lamb and lentils, are available in several styles.

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ON THE TABLE

Gin-brined Turkey Ingredients: 12–14 lb turkey, thawed (you CAN scale this recipe up or down based on how many people you have coming to dinner and if you want leftovers) For the Brine: 1 750 ml bottle of quality gin. (Go for more than cheap pine-scented gin. I use Beehive Distilling’s Jack Rabbit Gin.) 12 cups Water 1 cup Diamond Kosher Salt ¼ cup honey Fresh thyme, 5 sprigs Fresh rosemary, 2 branches Fresh sage, 3 sprigs 1 tablespoon juniper berries 1 tablespoon whole pepper 1 lemon,sliced 1 lime, sliced 1 apple, quartered 5 garlic cloves, crushed Compound Butter: ⅓ cup unsalted butter, soft but not melted ½ teaspoon each of fresh rosemary, thyme and sage, finely chopped

A gin-brined turkey to make your holidays merry

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

I

once met someone at a party who said, “I come from a gin family.” It sounded so novel—or at least something that would be the opening line of a novel—and I had to know more.

Intrigued, I asked him everything. His family has been distilling gin for generations, and he grew up using it for everything from toothaches to cleaning cuts.

While I did not grow up in a “gin family,” I figured I could find a way to incorporate more gin into my life. And so was born the gin-brined turkey recipe I go to every Thanksgiving. If you are bringing your bird anyway, why not add gin? It is aromatic, with a hint of juniper and fresh citrus. And it’s the recipe I am asked for the most often when the holiday’s approach.

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Method: 1. In a large working bowl, combine gin, water and salt. Stir with a wooden paddle to dissolve the salt. Add the honey and stir to dissolve as well.

2. Add all the aromatics to the brine: thyme, rosemary, sage, juniper berries, whole pepper, lemon, lime, apple and garlic. Make sure the fruit and the garlic are slightly crushed so that they will release their flavor.

PHOTO LYDIA MARTINEZ

Welcome to the ‘Gin Family’

For the Pan, AKA Future Gravy: 1 cup turkey or chicken stock Optional aromatics: celery, garlic, carrots, bacon, onions, herb stems—whatever you want to flavor the broth as it cooks Maybe a shot or two of gin

Royal India –10263 S. 1300 East, Sandy, 801-572-6123; 55 N. Main St., Bountiful, 801292-1835. royalindiautah.com. Northern Indian tikka masalas and Southern Indian dosas allow diners to enjoy the full range of Indian cuisine.

Saffron Valley East India Cafe – 26 E. E St., SLC, 801-203-3325. saffronvalley. com. Lavanya Mahate has imported her style of Indian cooking from South Jordan to SLC. Besides terrific lunch and dinner menus, East Indian Cafe offers regular celebrations of specialties like Indian street food or kebabs. Stay tuned.

Saffron Valley–1098 W. South Jordan Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-438-4823. saffronvalley.com. Highlighting South Indian street food, one of the glories of subcontinental cuisine, Lavanya Mahate’s restaurant is a cultural as well as culinary center, offering cooking classes, specialty groceries and celebration as well as great food.

Saffron Valley–479 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-203-3754. saffronvalley.com. Yet another iteration of Lavanya Mahate’s vision of her homeland, this Saffron Valley location combines the

best of her other three restaurants: Indian street foods, classic Indian and the Indian-Anglo bakery.

Tandoor Indian Grill –3300 S. 729 East, SLC, 801-486-4542; 4828 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-999-4243. tandoorindiangrill.com.

Delicious salmon tandoori, sizzling on a plate with onions and peppers like fajitas, is mysteriously not overcooked. Friendly service.

Italian & Pizza Arella Pizzeria –535 W. 400 North, Bountiful, 801-294-8800. arellapizzeria.com.

Chic pizza in Bountiful. Arella’s pies appeal to pizza purists, traditionalists and adventurers, with wood-fired crusts and toppings that range from pear to jalapeño.

Bricks Corner –1465 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-953-0636. brickscornerslc.com. Bricks is the sole purveyor of Detroit-style pizza in Salt Lake City, baked in a steel pan and smothered in cheese, some might think it resembles a lasagna more than a pizza. You’ll want to come hungry.

Café Trio –680 S. 900 East, SLC, 801-5338746. triodiningslc.com. Pizzas from the woodfired brick oven are wonderful. One of the city’s premier and perennial lunch spots. Be sure to check out their weekly specials.

Caffé Molise & BTG Wine Bar – 404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-364-8833. caffemolise.com. The old Eagle building is a gorgeous setting for this city fave, with outdoor dining space and much more. Sibling wine bar BTG is under the same roof. Call for hours.

Caputo’s Market & Deli –314 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-531-8669; 1516 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-486-6615; 4670 Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 801-272-0821. caputos.com. A great selection of olive oils, imported pastas, salamis and house-aged cheeses, and the largest selections of fine chocolate in the country. The deli menu doesn’t reflect the market, but is a reliable source for meatball sandwiches and such.

o p en t u esda y – sa t u rda y 7 :3 0am – 3:30pm 1 0 5 9 ea st 9 0 0 so u t h · sa lt la ke ci ty , utah granarybakehouse.com · @granarybakehouse_slc

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ON THE TABLE 3. Put thawed turkey in a brine bag and then in a food-safe large bucket, ice chest, cambro, or big working bowl. Pour the brine over the bird.

If you use a brine bag, seal it and put it in the fridge. If you have the bird in an ice chest, pack it with ice. You want it to be cold but not frozen.

4. Let the bird hang out in the brine in the fridge for at least 24–48 hours. The longer it hangs out, the more “gin-y” it will be. Four hours before you are going to roast the bird, remove it from the brine. Rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and place in the roasting pan.

The roasting pan with the bird inside will go straight back into the fridge, uncovered, to dry out the skin.

5. Bring the turkey out of the fridge at least an hour before you roast it—your turkey will turn out the better for it if it does not go into the oven cold.

6. While the turkey is hanging out in the fridge drying out, make an herbaceous compound butter to slather under the skin. Whip together room-temperature butter with fresh herbs (and even a splash of gin if you’d like) and let it sit to the side. You want it very soft before using it.

7. Preheat your oven to 450. Once the turkey leaves the fridge, the skin will look dry and almost leathery. This is just the look you are going for. Gently work the skin up and separate

from the breast of the turkey, starting at the back cavity. Go slowly so that the skin doesn’t tear. Once the skin is loose from the breast, you can work in a thin layer of compound butter under the skin. This will help with moisture and flavor. You can also rub the exterior of the skin with olive oil, salt, and pepper to flavor the skin. It never hurts to stuff some aromatics inside the bird—I put an apple, a lemon, and an onion inside my bird—all halved or quartered.

8. A final step before adding the turkey to the oven is to prep for future gravy. Add aromatics to the bottom of the roasting pan—celery ribs, onions and carrots—which serve to flavor the drippings. Add turkey or chicken stock to the base for flavor and basting. Add a couple of shots of gin as well to flavor the broth and future gravy.

Roasting Instructions: 1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).

2. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack set inside a roasting pan. Here you may truss the bird if you want.

3. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).

5. Continue roasting the turkey for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone) registers 165°F. (74°C).

6. Once the turkey has reached the correct internal temperature, remove it from the oven.

7. Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it easier to carve and more moist and flavorful. Make the gravy, finish up the sides and get ready to eat in the meantime.

Note: Cooking times may vary depending on your oven’s performance and other factors.

Always use a meat thermometer to ensure that your turkey is cooked to the proper temperature.

Gin Gravy Recipe: 1. When the turkey comes out of the oven, remove all the drippings/broth from the roasting pan, leaving any aromatics behind.

Remove the fat from the top—either skim it off or use a fat separator. Set 4 tablespoons of the fat aside.

2. Add enough turkey or chicken stock (unsalted) to bring the total amount of liquid to 3 cups. In the meantime, toast 4 tablespoons of flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until it smells toasty. Nothing ruins gravy faster than a raw flour taste. Remove from the heat when the scent changes, as it will burn quickly.

4. Pour the broth in slowly, whisking all the while so that you don’t get lumps. Simmer and stir until that magic moment when gravy appears out of simple ingredients. Taste for salt and pepper. (Usually, with a brined bird, you won’t need to add salt.) Serve hot with your ginny bird.

Happy Ginsgiving, all!

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PHOTO LYDIA MARTINEZ

3. Put 4 tablespoons of the fat into a skillet.

Add the 4 tablespoons of flour and cook over medium heat, constantly whisking, until the two are combined, smooth, and starting to turn golden. Add a shot of gin. Or two. The alcohol will cook out, and the juniper flavor will stick around.

Carmine’s Italian Restaurant –2477 Fort Union Blvd., SLC, 801-9484468. carmines.restaurant. Carmine’s has a robust menu of Italian classics, including housemade pasta, Neapolitan pizza and a wine list expansive enough for picture-perfect pairings.

Cucina Toscana –282 S. 300 West., SLC, 801-328-3463. toscanaslc.com. This longtime favorite turns out Italian classics like veal scaloppine, carbonara and a risotto of the day in a chic setting. A tiny cup of complimentary hot chocolate ends the meal.

Este Pizza –2148 S. 900 East, SLC, 801485-3699; 156 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-3632366. estepizzaco.com. Try the “pink” pizza, topped with ricotta and marinara. Vegan cheese is available, and there’s microbrew on tap.

Nuch’s Pizzeria –2819 S. 2300 East, Millcreek, 801-484-0448. nuchspizza.com. A New York-sized eatery (meaning tiny) offers big flavor via specialty pastas and wonderful bubbly crusted pizzas. Ricotta is made in house.

Osteria Amore –224 S. 1300 East, SLC, 385-270-5606. osteriaamore.com. An offshoot of the ever-growing Sicilia Mia group, the food here is not highly original —expect carpaccio, fried octopus, all kinds of pasta and pizza in the nicely redesigned space.

Per Noi Trattoria –3005 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-486-3333. pernoitrattoria.com. A little chef-owned, red sauce Italian spot catering to its neighborhood.

Expect casual, your-hands-on service, hope they have enough glasses to accommodate the wine you bring, and order the spinach ravioli.

The Pie Pizzeria –1320 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-582-5700; 3321 S. 200 East, South Salt Lake, 801-466-5100; 7186 Union Park Ave, Midvale, 801-233-1999; 10627 Redwood Rd., South Jordan, 801-495-4095. thepie. com. Students can live, think and even thrive on a diet of pizza, beer and soft drinks, and The Pie is the quintessential college pizzeria.

While the original is a University neighborhood institution, more locations have popped up around the valley to serve more than just the collegiate crowd.

Pizzeria Limone –613 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-953-0200; 1380 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-733-9305; 11464 S. Parkway Plaza Dr., Ste. 100, South Jordan, 801-495-4467; 42 W. 11400 South, Sandy, 801666-8707. pizzerialimone.com. The signature NO V EMB ER /DECEMB ER 2023 | SALTLAKEMAGAZINE.COM

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ON THE TABLE pie at this local chain features thinly sliced lemons. Service is cafeteria-style, meaning fast, and the pizza, salads and gelato are remarkably good.

Pizza Nono –925 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-702-3580. pizzanono-slc.com. Small, kickstarted pizzeria in 9th and 9th neighborhood has a limited but carefully sourced menu, a small but good list of wine and beer and an overflowing feeling of hospitality.

Salt Lake Pizza & Pasta –1063 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-484-1804. saltlakepizzaandpasta.com. And sandwiches and burgers and steak and fish. The menu here has expanded far beyond its name.

Slackwater Pizza –684 S. 500 West, SLC, 801-386-9777. slackwaterpizzeria.com.

The pies here are as good as any food in SLC. Selection ranges from traditional to Thai (try it), and there’s an excellent selection of wine and beer.

Settebello Pizzeria –260 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-322-3556. settebello.net. Every Neapolitan-style pie here is hand-shaped by a pizza artisan and baked in a wood-fired oven. And they make great gelato right next door.

Sicilia Mia –4536 S. Highland Dr., Holladay, 801-274-0223; 895 W. East Promontory, Farmington, 385-988-3727. siciliamiautah.com.

A family-run restaurant with a huge number of fans who love the food’s hearty and approachable style, friendly service and touches of show biz—famous for its pasta carbonara, prepared in a wheel of Parmesan. The third in a trio of familyowned restaurants. They all recall Italian food of yesteryear.

Siragusa’s Taste of Italy–4115 Redwood Rd., Taylorsville, 801-268-1520. siragusas.com. Another strip mall mom-and-pop find, the two dishes to look out for are sweet potato gnocchi and osso buco made with pork.

Stanza –454 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-7464441. stanzaslc.com. Chef Jonathon LeBlanc, brings a happy flair to this Italianesque restaurant. And Amber Billingsley is making the desserts. Va tutto bene!

Stoneground Italian Kitchen –249 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-364-1368. stonegrounditalian.com. The longtime pizza joint has blossomed into a full-scale Italian restaurant with chef Justin Shifflet in the kitchen making authentic sauces and fresh pasta. An appealing upstairs deck and a full craft bar complete the successful transformation. Oh yeah, they still serve pizza.

Tuscany–2832 E. 6200 South, SLC, 801277-9919. tuscanyslc.com. This restaurant’s faux-Tuscan kitsch is mellowing into retro charm, though the glass chandelier is a bit nerve-wracking. The double-cut pork chop is classic, and so is the chocolate cake.

Valter’s Osteria –173 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-521-4563. valtersosteria.com. Although the restaurant’s namesake, Valter Nassi, passed away in 2022, the restaurant remains a living monument to his effervescent personality.

His legacy of service and quality continues to inspire and delight.

Veneto Ristorante–370 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-359-0708. venetoslc.com.

This small place, owned by Marco and Amy Stevanoni, strives to focus on one of the many regional cuisines we lump under the word “Italian.”

Hence the name; and forget what you think you know about Italian food except the word “delizioso.”

Japanese Aqua Terra Steak + Sushi –50 S. Main St. #168, Salt Lake City, 385-261-2244. aquaterrasteak.com. Aqua Terra’s menu features premium steak and wild game cuts, a wide range of sushi, omakase and crispy rice, an array of classic and sake cocktails and wine offerings in a chic, art-deco setting.

Kaze –65. E. Broadway, SLC, 801-800-6768. kazesushiut.com. Small and stylish, Kaze has plenty to offer besides absolutely fresh fish and inventive combinations. Food is beautifully presented and especially for a small place the variety is impressive. A sake menu is taking shape and Kaze is open until midnight.

Kobe Japanese Restaurant –3947 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-2772928. kobeslc.com. This is Mike’s place—Mike Fukumitsu, once at Kyoto, is the personality behind the sushi bar and the driving spirit in the restaurant. Perfectly fresh fish keeps a horde of regulars returning.

Kyoto –1080 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-4873525. kyotoslc.com. The service is friendly, the sushi is fresh, the tempura is amazingly light, and the prices are reasonable. Servings are occidentally large, and service is impeccable.

Mint Sushi –8391 S. 700 East, Sandy, 385-434-8022; 3158 E. 6200 South, Cottonwood Heights, 801-417-9690; 4640 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 385-296-1872. mintsushiutah. com. Owner Chef Soy wanted to bring in a new

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thing to Utah’s sushi landscape, so he started serving tapas. Mint has expanded to three locations in Salt Lake County. At his restaurant in Cottonwood Heights, Chef Soy prepares a weekly 10-course tasting menu of tapas for $70 a person.

Sake Ramen & Sushi Bar –8657 Highland Drive, Sandy, 801-938-9195. sakeut. com. Sake has a focus on modern interpretations of classic Japanese Dishes. They promise their Agadashi tofu “will make all of your problems disappear.”

Takashi –18 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595. takashisushi.com. Takashi Gibo earned his acclaim by buying the freshest fish and serving it in politely eye-popping style. Check the chalkboard for specials like Thai mackerel, fatty tuna or spot prawns, and expect some of the best sushi in the city.

Tosh’s Ramen –1465 S. State St., SLC, 801-466-7000. 1963 E., Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay. Chef Tosh Sekikawa is our own ramen ranger. His long-simmered noodle-laden broths have a deservedly devoted following—meaning, go early. Now with a second location.

Tsunami –1059 E. 900 South, SLC, 385900-0288; 7628 S. Union Park Ave., Midvale, 801-676-6466; 10722 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-748-1178; 1616 W. Traverse Pkwy., Lehi, 801-770-0088. tsunamiutah.com. Besides sushi, the menu offers crispy-light tempura and numerous house cocktails and sake.

Yoko Ramen –473 E. 400 South, SLC, 801876-5267. yokoslc.com. More ramen! Utahns can’t seem to slurp enough of the big Japanese soup—Yoko serves it up for carnivores and vegans, plus offers some kinkier stuff like a Japanese Cubano sandwich and various pig parts.

Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Café Med –420 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801493-0100. medslc.com. Get the mezzes platter for some of the best falafel in town. Entrees range from pita sandwiches to gargantuan dinner platters of braised shortribs, roast chicken and pasta.

Layla –4751 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay, 801272-9111. laylagrill.com. Layla relies on family recipes. The resulting standards, like hummus and kebabs, are great, but explore some of the more unusual dishes, too.

Laziz Kitchen –912 S. Jefferson St., SLC, 801-441-1228. lazizkitchen.com. There are so many reasons to love Laziz Kitchen.

Some are obvious—their top-notch Lebanese-style hummus, muhammara and toum.

Mazza –1515 S. 1500 East, SLC, 801-484-9259. mazzacafe.com. Excellent. With the bright flavor that is the hallmark of Middle Eastern food and a great range of dishes, Mazza has been a goto for fine Lebanese food in SLC before there was much fine food at all.

Manoli’s –402 E. 900 South, Ste. 2, SLC, 801-532-3760. manolison9th.com. Manoli and Katrina Katsanevas have created a fresh modern approach to Greek food. Stylish small plates full of Greek flavors include Butternutsquash-filled tyropita, smoked feta in piquillo peppers and a stellar roast chicken.

Padeli’s –30 E. Broadway, SLC, 801322-1111. padelisstreetgreek.com. One of Salt Lake’s original Greek restaurants, Greek Souvlaki, has opened a contemporary version of itself. Padeli’s also serves the classic street fare, but these excellent souvlaki come in a streamlined space modeled after Chipotle, Zao and other fast-but-not-fastfood stops. The perfect downtown lunch.

Spitz Doner Kebab –35 E. Broadway, SLC, 801-364-0286. spitz-restaurant. com. This California transplant specializes in what Utahns mostly know by their Greek name “gyros.” But that’s not the only attraction. Besides the food, Spitz has an energetic hipster vibe and a liquor license that make it an after-dark destination.

Mexican Barrio –282 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-6132251. barrioslc.com. A slick new taco bar with a slightly punk Mexican theme, Barrio offers the usual selection of tacos—everyone’s favorite food, outdoor seating on nice days, margaritas, beer and a selection of serve yourself salsas.

Blue Iguana –165 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-533-8900. blueiguanarestaurant. net. This colorful downtown restaurant has a charming downstairs location and patio, and has been a Salt Lake staple for decades. Enchiladas, tacos, and “jengo” nachos—piled high on a platter—are all good, as are the margaritas. A nifty addition: phone chargers on every table.

Simple, fresh ingredients translate into sophisticated flavors at this innovative Italian restaurant. Where retro-inspired elegance meets family flare.

Mosaic floors and stylish black and white prints evoke the streets of Italy reminding diners of a time when vintage vespas transported glamorous to dinner.

The St. Regis Deer Valley, Park City, UT 84060 t. + 435 940 5700 or srdvdining.com

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ON THE TABLE

LYDIA’S

FOOD CRUSH

General Tso-Style Cauliflower at HSL

Food Crush: [foōd KRUSH] noun. An intense infatuation with a specific dish or meal, to the point where an individual thinks about it all the time and may drool a little when it crosses their mind. For example, her food crush on tacos was well known, to the point that everyone knew if you gave her tacos, she would be happy.

BY LYDIA MARTINE Z

Y

es, I regularly develop food crushes.

Sometimes they come and go with the seasons and the seasons of life.

Sometimes I think about a dish all the time, and I never get to have it again. But the crush abides.

And sometimes, more than a brief infatuation, it will become an abiding love for a specific dish with a regular pilgrimage to get reacquainted with it. That is the case for this food crush—I’ve loved it for over eight years. That’s a long time in the food relationship world. And I want you to fall in love too.

I’ve been an HSL (Handle Salt Lake) fan since they opened. In fact, I was at their opening party in April 2015, judging by my Instagram feed and the charcuterie board I posted that day. The highlight of that evening was a dish I’ve been raving about ever since. And I know I’m not alone. Listed simply as “Cauliflower” under the hot section of the menu, it has been a staple and a star in Chef Briar Handly’s repertoire. The minimalist description on the menu suggests that this dish might be more than just your standard cauliflower: “General Tso’s style |

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sriracha vinaigrette | pickled Fresno.” But even that hint isn’t enough to convey just how good this shared plate is.

When the Cauliflower shows up on the table, you might mistake it for a salad—topped with fresh frisée, cilantro, thinly shaved carrots and bright red pickled chiles, it looks like a vibrantly wild, edible Bird-of-paradise flower in a bowl. Splashed over the top like paint is the sriracha vinaigrette.

Underneath the crisp-cool, raw vegetables are piping hot, battered, deep-fried cauliflower

dressed in a General Tso’s-style sauce. When I say dressed, I mean lightly dressed so the breading doesn’t get soggy. For ultimate sauce dispersal control, there is a nice puddle of the sauce in the base of the bowl for dipping and scraping up. The cauliflower is tender-crisp and avoids the internal mushiness of many deep-fried vegetables. The contrast of the cold salad greens, the spicy sriracha, the tart-spicy pickled Fresno chilies (a signature of Chef Briar), and the warm, crunchy cauliflower is a well-executed balancing act.

General Tso (Zuo Zongtang) was an actual general from the Hunan province of China in the 1800s, but he would never have sampled his namesake dish. Like any famed dish, the origin is as sticky as the sauce. It might have been derived from a simple chicken dish from the province with the word “zongtang” showing up in a same-spelling-different-meaning kind of way. The meaning of “ancestral meeting hall” may be a bit of a stretch. Still, food historians make a strong argument for the possibility. The other two possible originators were immigrant restaurateurs in New York City in the 1970s: Chef Peng Chang-kuei and Chef T. T. Wang. The origins of the current General Tso’s chicken recipe, known for its crispy fried meat, can be traced back to Chef Wang, who initially may have called it “General Ching’s chicken.” The more familiar name, “General Tso’s chicken,” is attributed to Chef Peng, who prepared the dish using a different cooking technique. Either way, it was always made with chicken and “sweet” with spicy to appeal to the wimpier (at the time) American palate.

Chef Handley flips the notion that the dish must contain chicken to be toothsome. As a matter of fact, he has toned down the sticky sweet as well. A dish where you won’t miss the meat, still enjoy the heat and aren’t overpowered by the sweetness feels refreshing. I wouldn’t call it “elevated” because I hate that term and its racially-charged connotations that something traditional wasn’t great to begin with. But it is a playfully vegetal homage where you might ask, “What chicken?” And you might just fall in love to boot. It is well worth the trip to HSL for this dish alone.

IF YOU GO HSL (Handle Salt Lake, 418 E.200 South, SLC, 801-539-9999 Reservations are recommended

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ON THE TABLE Chile Tepin –307 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-883-9255. chile-tepin.com. Popular for its generous servings of Mexican food, this place usually has a line on Friday nights. Heavy on the protein—the molcajete holds beef, pork and chicken—but cheese enchiladas and margaritas and other staples are good, too.

Chunga’s –180 S. 900 West, SLC, 801953-1840; 1895 S. Redwood Rd., SLC, 801973-6904. chungasmexican.com. These tacos al pastor are the real deal. Carved from a big pineapple-marinated hunk, the meat is folded in delicate masa tortillas with chopped pineapple, onion and cilantro.

Lone Star Taqueria –2265 E. Fort Union Blvd., SLC, 801-944-2300. lstaq.com. Lone Star serves a burrito that’s a meal in itself, whether you choose basic bean and cheese or a special.

Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2 –736 W. North Temple, SLC, 801322-1489; 866 W. South Temple, SLC, 801-214-6050. rediguana.com. All locations are a blessing in this City of Salt, which still has mysteriously few good Mexican restaurants. Mole is what you want.

Rio Grande Café –258 S. 1300 East, SLC, 801-364-3302. riograndecafeslc.com. As bustling now as it was when it was still a train station, this is a pre-Jazz favorite and great for kids, too. Dishes overflow the plate and fill the belly.

Taqueria 27–149 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-259-0940; 4670 S. Holladay Village Plaza, Holladay, 801-676-9706; 6154 S. Fashion Blvd.

Ste. 2, Murray, 801-266-2487; 1688 W. Traverse Pkwy., Lehi, 801-331-8033. taqueria27.com. Salt Lake needs more Mexican food, and Taqueria 27 is here to provide it. Artisan tacos (try the duck confit), inventive guacamole and lots of tequila.

Seafood Current Fish & Oyster House –279 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-3263474. currentfishandoyster.com. An all-star team made this cool downtown restaurant an instant hit. Excellent and inventive seafood dishes plenty of non-fishy options.

Harbor Seafood & Steak Co.–2302 E. Parleys Way, SLC, 801-466-9827. harborslc.com. A much-needed breath of sea air refreshes this restaurant, which updates their menu frequently according to the availability of wild fish. A snappy interior, a creative cocktail menu and a vine-covered patio make for a hospitable atmosphere.

Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House –2155 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-9462079. kimishouse.com.Kimi Eklund and Chef Matt Anderson are bringing a touch of glam to Sugar House with their high-style, multi-purpose restaurant: It’s an oyster bar, it’s a steakhouse, it’s a lounge. However you use it, Kimi’s makes for a fun change from the surrounding pizza and beerscapes, with dramatic lighting, purple velvet and live music.

Market Street Grill –48 W. Market St., SLC, 801-322-4668; 2985 E. Cottonwood Pkwy., SLC, 801-942-8860; 10702 River Front Pkwy., South Jordan, 801-302-2262. marketstreetgrill. com. SLC’s fave fish restaurants: Fish is flown in daily and the breakfast is an institution.

The Oyster Bar –48 W. Market St., SLC, 801-531-6044; 2985 E. Cottonwood Parkway (6590 South), SLC, 801-942-8870. marketstreetgrill.com. This is one of the best selection of fresh oysters in town: Belon, Olympia, Malpeque and Snow Creek, plus Bluepoints. Crab and shrimp are conscientiously procured.

Southeast Asian Chabaar Beyond Thai –87 W. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5100. chabaarbeyondthai.com. One of Annie Sooksri’s parade of restaurants, this one features what the name implies: a solid menu of Thai favorites plus some inventions based on Thai flavors.

Chanon Thai Café –278 E. 900 South,

My Thai –1425 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-5054999. mythaiasiancuisine.com. My Thai is an unpretentious mom-and-pop operation—she’s mainly in the kitchen, and he mainly waits tables, but in a lull, she darts out from her stove to ask diners if they like the food. Yes, we do.

Oh Mai –850 S. State St.,SLC, 801-575-8888; 3425 State St., SLC, 801-467-6882, Other Utah locations. ohmaisandwichkitchen.com. Fast, friendly and hugely flavorful—that sums up this little banh mi shop that’s taken SLC by storm.

Pho is also good and so are full plates, but the banh mi are heaven.

Pho Tay Ho –1766 S. Main St., SLC, 385240-0309. photayho.com. One of the best Pho joints around is an unassuming house on the southside of Salt Lake City. The family-ownedand-operated noodle house keeps their menu small but full of flavor.

Pho Thin –7307 Canyon Centre Parkway, Cottonwood Heights, 801-485-2323. phothinslc. com. Pho Thin serves up pho made in the Hanoi style, and it’s a family recipe. Their menu also offers other Vietnamese comfort and street foods.

Pleiku–264 S. Main St., SLC, 801-359-4544. pleikuslc.com. This stylish downtown spot serves a selection of Vietnamese dishes made from family recipes and served tapas-style. Note the pho, which is brewed for 36 hours and served in a full-bowl meal or a preprandial cup.

Sapa Sushi Bar & Asian Grill –722 S. State St., SLC, 801-363-7272.

SLC, 801-532-1177. chanonthaislc.com. A meal here is like a casual dinner at your best Thai friend’s place. Try curried fish cakes and redcurry prawns with coconut milk and pineapple.

sapabarandgrill.com.Charming Vietnamese stilt houses surround the courtyard. Sapa’s menu ranges from Thai curries to fusion and hot pots, but the sushi is the best bet.

FAV Bistro –1984 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, 801-676-9300. bestthaifoodinutah. com. Cross-cultural food with a menu of fusion dishes based on Thai flavors.

Sawadee Thai –754 E. South Temple,

Indochine –230 S. 1300 East, 801-5820896. indochinesaltlake.com. Vietnamese cuisine is under-­r epresented in Salt Lake’s Thai-ed up dining scene, so a restaurant that offers more than noodles is welcome. Try broken rice dishes, clay pots and pho.

Mi La-Cai Noodle House –961 S. State St., SLC, 801-322-3590. lacainoodlehouse. com. Mi La-cai’s noodles rise above the rest, and their pho is fantastic—each bowl a work of art.

The beautiful setting is a pleasure. It’s even a pleasure to get the bill.

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SLC, 801-328-8424. sawadeethaiutah.com.

The menu goes far outside the usual pad thai and curry. Thai food’s appeal lies in the subtleties of difference achieved with a limited list of ingredients.

Skewered Thai –575 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-364-1144. skeweredthai.com. A serene setting for some of the best Thai in town—perfectly balanced curries, pristine spring rolls, intoxicating drunk noodles and a well-curated wine list.

Tea Rose Diner –65 E. 5th Ave., Murray, 801-685-6111. bestthaifoodinutah.com. Annie Sooksri has a mini-empire of Thai and Asian restaurants across the valley—Tea Rose has been a favorite since 2007 and offers a menu of Thai staples and American breakfast dishes.

FROM THE DOCK TO YOUR TABLE, WE BRING THE HARBOR TO YOU!

SOMI Vietnamese Bistro –1215 E. Wilmington Ave., SLC, 385-322-1158. somislc. com. But there’s also Chinese food and a cocktail menu at this stylish Sugarhouse restaurant.

Crispy branzino, pork belly sliders on bai and braised oxtail are some of the highlights to the menu, which also includes the standard spring rolls and pho.

Thai Garden –868 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-355-8899. thaigardenbistroslc.com.

Paprika-infused pad thai, deep-fried duck and fragrant gang gra ree are all excellent choices—but there are 50-plus items on the menu. Be tempted by batter-fried bananas with coconut ice cram.

Krua Thai –212 E. 500 South, SLC, 801328-4401. kruathaiut.com. Curries and noodle dishes hit a precise procession on the palate—sweet, then sour, savory and hot—plus there are dishes you’ve never tried before and should: bacon and collard greens, red curry with duck, salmon with chili and coconut sauce.

Zao Asian Cafe –400 S. 639 East, SLC, 801-595-1234; 2227 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-467-4113; Other Utah locations. zaoasiancafe.com. It’s hard to categorize this pan-Asian semi-fast food concept. It draws from Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese traditions, all combined with the American need for speed. Just file it under fast, fresh, flavorful food.

GET YOUR SURF & TURF FIX! ADD LOBSTER TAIL, CANADIAN RED CRAB OR MAINE SCALLOPS TO ANY ENTREE. WE SPECIALIZE IN FRESH SEAFOOD AND FEATURE WAGYU, AMERICAN KOBE BEEF FROM SNAKE RIVER FARMS.

2302 E. PARLEY’S WAY 801-466-9827 harborslc.com Monday–Thursday 5p–9:30p | Friday–Saturday 5p–10p | Sunday 5p–8:30p

Located on the corner of 2100 South & 2300 East in Sugar House

Steak Christopher’s Prime –110 W. Broadway, SLC, 801-890-6616. christophersut.com. The menu is straightforward, chilled shellfish and rare steaks, with a few seafood and poultry entrees thrown in for the nonbeefeaters.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse –20 S. 400 West Ste. 2020, The Gateway, SLC, 801-355-3704. flemingssteakhouse. com. This local branch of a national chain has a famously impressive wine list. With more than 100 available by the glass, it has selections that pair well with anything you order.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse –275 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-363-2000. ruthschris.com. This former bank building has inner beauty. Stick with classics like crab cocktail, order the wedge, and ask for your butter-sizzled steak no more than medium, please. Service is excellent. Eat dessert, then linger in the cool bar.

SCANDINAVIAN & AMERICAN CUISINE SINCE 1952 Serving breakfast and lunch Open 7 days a week 7:30 to 2:30

Patio Dining • Fresh Breads • Pastries Located between Resorts and Airport • 1624 S 1100 East, SLC

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ON THE TABLE Spencer’s –255 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-238-4748. spencersslc.com. The quality of the meat and the accuracy of the cooking are what make it great. Beef is aged on the bone, and many cuts are served on the bone—a luxurious change from the usual cuts.

Vegetarian & Vegan Rawtopia –3961 S. Wasatch Blvd., SLC, 801-486-0332. rawtopia.com. Owner Omar Abou-Ismail’s Rawtopia is a destination for those seeking clean, healthy food in Salt Lake—whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore. Desserts are amazingly indulgent—like chocolate caramel pie and berry cheesecake.

Vertical Diner –234 W. 900 South,

A Holiday Wreath You Can Eat An edible wreath will be a beautiful hit at your next holiday gathering

Caprese Salad ‘Wreath’ Ingredients: 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼ inch slices 4 medium tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch slices 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Balsamic Reduction 1 cup balsamic vinegar

BY JENNIFER BURNS

I

t is that time of year when we get together and clink glasses with family and friends and cheers to the holidays.

Our schedules get a little busier with the plethora of gatherings during these months where food and drinks are always the center of attention. Whether preparing dishes for hosting folks or needing to bring something for everyone to share at a party, this festive appetizer is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! The saying, “We eat with our eyes first,” definitely holds merit. We go all out for decorating our homes with holiday cheer, so why not our dishes? Turn an easy caprese salad into a gorgeous holiday “wreath” to brighten up any table. Fresh green herbs, such as basil, completely “pop” on top of red tomatoes that lie on a bed of fresh and creamy mozzarella slices. Buon appetito e salute!

Directions: 1. To assemble, arrange the mozzarella on the bottom of a serving platter in a circular form (like a wreath). Top the mozzarella with tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. To make the balsamic reduction, add the vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until thick and reduced by half. About 15 minutes depending on your desired thickness.

The balsamic will also thicken as it cools.

(Note: It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.)

2. Drizzle the mozzarella and tomatoes with your desired amount of balsamic reduction and olive oil. Decorate the Caprese “wreath” with the basil leaves on the bottom and/or over the top. @jbcookinghost / hostjenniferburns.com

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SLC, 801- 484-8378. verticaldiner.com. Vertical Diner boasts an animal-free menu of burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts. Plus organic wines and coffees.

Zest Kitchen & Bar –275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com. Zest has sophisticated vegan cooking plus a cheerful attitude and ambience fueled by creative cocktails.

Pulling flavors from many culinary traditions, the menu offers Cuban tacos, Thai curry with forbidden rice, stuffed poblano peppers as well as bar noshes and an amazing chocolate-beet torte—all vegan. The menu changes frequently.

This is a 21+ establishment.

PARK CITY & THE WASATCH BACK American Fine Dining Apex–9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, 435604-1402. montagehotels.com/deervalley.

Apex at Montage exudes luxury in an understated and comfortable way. No need to tux up for pampered service; the classy lack of pretension extends to the menu—no unpronounceables, nothing scary or even too daring—just top-of-the-line everything. Quality speaks for itself.

350 Main –350 Main St., Park City, 435649-3140. 350main.com. Now run by Cortney Johanson who has worked at the restaurant for 20 years, this mainstay cafe on Main Street is seeing another high point. With Chef Mat-

thew Safranek in the kitchen, the menu is a balanced mix of old favorites and soon-to-be favorites like Five Spice Venison Loin in Pho. Amazing.

LET'S LUNCH Monday - Saturday 11:30 am - 4:00 pm

Firewood –306 Main St., Park City, 435252-9900. firewoodonmain.com. Chef John Murcko’s place on Main Street is all about cooking with fire—his massive Inferno kitchen grill by Grillworks runs on oak, cherry and applewood, depending on what’s cooking. But each dish is layered and nuanced, with global influences. Definitely a star on Main Street.

Glitretind–7700 Stein Way, Deer Valley, Park City, 435-645-6455. steinlodge.com. The service is polished, and the menu is as fun or as refined or as inventive as Chef Zane Holmquist’s mood. The appeal resonates with the jet set and local diners. The wine list is exceptional. But so is the burger.

Goldener Hirsch –7520 Royal St., Park City, 435-655-2563. aubergeresorts. com/goldenerhirsch. A jazzed up Alpine theme—elk carpaccio with pickled shallots, foie gras with cherry-prune compote and wiener schnitzel with caraway-spiked carrot strings.

www.spencersslc.com @SpencersSaltLake @SpencersSaltLake

Scan, visit, or call to order!

g rin sic atu u Fe ve M Li

Mariposa at Deer Valley–7600 Royal St., Park City, 435-645-6632. deervalley.com. (Open seasonally) Try the tasting menu for an overview of the kitchen’s talent.

It’s white tablecloth, but nothing is formal.

255 s W Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801.238.4748

Mustang–890 Main St., Park City, 435658-3975. mustangparkcity.com. A duck chile relleno arrives in a maelstrom of queso and ranchero sauce. Braised lamb shank and lobster with cheese enchiladas share the menu with seasonal entrees.

Rime Seafood & Steak–2300 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, St. Regis, Deer Valley, 435-940-5760. srdvdining.com.

Acclaimed Chef Matthew Harris heads the kitchen at this simply brilliant restaurant at the St. Regis—meticulously sourced meat and seafood from his trusted vendors, perfectly cooked.

Royal Street Café 7600 Royal St., Silver Lake Village, Deer Valley Resort, Park City, 435-615-6240. deervalley.com. (Open seasonally) Don’t miss the lobster chowder, but note the novelties, too. In a new take on the classic lettuce wedge salad, Royal Street’s version adds baby beets, glazed walnuts and pear tomatoes.

Holidays are Magical at Log Haven!

Serving special menus Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Perfect for private holiday parties l A magical setting in any season.

Celebrating over 25 Years of Nature, Nurture, Nourishment

For reservations, call 801-272-8255 or visit log-haven.com Open every night for dinner starting at 5:30 p.m.

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ON THE TABLE Viking Yurt –1345 Lowell Ave., Park City, Park City Mountain Resort, 435-615-9878. thevikingyurt.com. Arrive by sleigh and settle in for a luxurious five-course meal, featuring a healthy introduction to the nordic beverage aquavit. Reservations and punctuality are a must.

American Casual Blind Dog Grill –1251 Kearns Blvd., Park City, 435-655-0800. blinddogpc.com. The kitchen offers imaginative selections even though the dark wood and cozy ambience look like an old gentlemen’s club. Don’t miss the Dreamloaf, served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes.

The Blue Boar Inn –1235 Warm Springs Rd., Midway, 435-654-1400. theblueboarinn. com. The restaurant is reminiscent of the Alps, but serves fine American cuisine. Don’t miss the award-winning brunch.

The Brass Tag–2900 Deer Valley Dr. East, Park City, 435-615-2410. deervalley.com.

In the Lodges at Deer Valley, the focal point here is a wood oven which turns out everything from pizza to fish and chops, all of the superior quality one expects from Deer Valley. Open seasonally.

Eating Establishment –317 Main St., Park City, 435-649-8284. theeatingestablishment.net. Claiming to be the oldest, this restaurant is one of Park City’s most versatile. On weekend mornings, locals line up for breakfasts.

Fletcher’s on Main Street –562 Main St., Park City, 435-649-1111. fletcherspc. com. Fletcher’s has a casual approach designed to suit any appetite, almost any time. Talented Chef Scott Boborek’s carefully sourced dishes range from burgers to Beef Wellington—with lobster mac and Utah trout.

Handle –136 Heber Ave., Park City, 435602-1155. handleparkcity.com. Chef-owner Briar Handly offers a menu, mostly of small plates, with the emphasis on excellent sourcing—trout sausage and Beltex Meats prosciutto, for example. There are also full-meal plates, including the chef’s famous fried chicken.

Hearth and Hill –1153 Center Dr., (Newpark), Park City, 435-200-8840. hearth-hill.com.

This all-purposse cafe serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, focusing on bright, approachable American dishes with a kick.

High West Distillery–703 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8300. highwest.com. Order a flight of whiskey and taste the difference ag-

ing makes, but be sure to order plenty of food to see how magically the whiskey matches the fare. The chef takes the amber current theme throughout the food.

Lush’s BBQ –7182 Silver Creek Rd., Park City, 435-333-2831. lushsbbq.com. Tenneseeinspired BBQ you won’t soon forget. Think sharp vinegar with a hint of citrus and just a touch of sweetness. When the meat’s just coming off the smoker, you’d be hard pressed to find better ribs, brisket or pulled pork anywhere else.

Sammy’s Bistro –1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City, 435-214-7570. sammysbistro.com.

Down-to-earth food in a comfortable setting.

Sounds simple, but if so, why aren’t there more Sammy’s in our world? Try the bacon-grilled shrimp or a chicken bowl with your brew.

Windy Ridge Bakery & Café –1750 Iron Horse Dr., Park City, 435-647-2906. windyridgebakery.com. One of Park City’s most popular noshing spots—especially on Taco Tuesdays. The bakery behind turns out desserts and pastries for Bill White’s restaurants as well as take-home entrees.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs Burgers & Bourbon –9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, 435-604-1402. montagehotels. com/deervalley. Housed in the luxurious Montage, this casual restaurant presents the most deluxe versions of America’s favorite foods. The burgers are stupendous, there’s a great list of bourbons to back them, and the milkshakes are majorly good.

Silver Star Cafe –1825 Three Kings Dr., Park City, 435-655-3456. thesilverstarcafe.com.

Comfort food with an upscale sensibility and original touches, like shrimp and grits with chipotle or Niman Ranch pork cutlets with spaetzle.

The location is spectacular.

Red Rock Junction –1640 W. Redstone

Simon’s at Homestead resort –700 N. Homestead Dr., Midway, 800-

Squatters Roadhouse –1900 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-9868. squatters.com.

Everyone loves the bourbon burger, and Utah Brewers Co-op brews are available by the bottle and on the state-of-the-art tap system. Open for breakfast daily.

327-7220. homesteadresort.com. Simon’s boasts a robust menu of smoked meats, wood-fired pizza and local craft beer, while the Milk House offers both classic and unexpected flavors of ice cream, coffee and treats.

Spin Café –220 N. Main St., Heber City, 435-654-0251. spincafe.net. Housemade gelato is the big star at this family-owned café, but the food is worth your time. Try the pulled pork, the salmon BLT or the sirloin.

Zermatt Resort –784 W. Resort Dr., Midway, 435-657-0180. zermattresort.com. The charming, Swiss-inspired resort hosts both the high-end, but straight-forward, Z’s Steak & Chop Haus and the less formal Wildfire Smokehaus, home to smoked meats and draft beer.

Bakeries & Cafés Park City Coffee Roasters –1764 Uinta Way, Park City, 435-647-9097. pcroaster. com. The town’s fave house-roasted coffee and housemade pastries make this one of the best energy stops in town.

Wasatch Bagel Café –1300 Snow Creek Dr., Park City, 435-645-7778. wasatchbagelandgrill. com. Not just bagels, but bagels as buns, enfolding a sustaining layering of sandwich fillings like egg and bacon.

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Center Dr., Ste. 105, Park City, 435-575-0295. redrockbrewing.com. The house-brewed beers— honey wheat, amber ale or oatmeal stout, to name a few—complement a menu of burgers, brick-oven pizzas and rotisserie chicken.

Wasatch Brewery–250 Main St., Park City, 435-649-0900. saltlakebrewingco.com.

This was the first brewpub in Utah, and it serves handcrafted beer and family-friendly fare without a hefty price tag. Everyone loves Polygamy Porter, and the weekend brunch is great, too.

Breakfast Deer Valley Grocery & Cafe –1375 Deer Valley Dr., Park City, 435-615-2400. deervalley.com. The small lakeside spot serves sandwiches and lunch specials, plus it’s a great place to stock up on deer Valley classics to take home—think classic Deer Valley turkey chili.

Woodland Biscuit Company–2734 E. State Hwy. 35, Woodland, 435-7834202. woodlandbiscuitcompany.com. Breakfast is the real deal here so pile on the bacon and eggs but if you sleep late, not to worry—burgers, sandwiches and tacos are good too.

Continental & European Café Terigo –424 Main St., Park City, 435-645-9555. cafeterigo.com. This charming café is the spot for a leisurely meal. Chicken and bacon tossed with mixed greens and grilled veggies on focaccia are café-goers’ favorites.

Courchevel Bistro –201 Heber Ave., Park City, 435-572-4398. courchevelbistro. com. Named after Park City’s sister city in the Savoie region of France, which happens to be the home turf of Chef Clement Gelas and is he having some fun with his mother cuisine.

Be guided by him or your server and try some French food like you haven’t had before.

Italian & Pizza Fuego –2001 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, 435- 645-8646. fuegopizzeria.com. Off the beaten Main Street track, this pizzeria is a family-friendly solution to a ski-hungry evening. Pastas, paninis and wood-fired pizzas are edgy, but they’re good.

SAKEUT.COM | (801) 938-9195 | 8657 HIGHLAND DR, SANDY, UT 84093 @SAKERAMENSUSHI

@SAKE.RESTAURANT

Ghidotti’s –6030 N. Market St., Park City, 435-658-0669. ghidottis.com. Ghidotti’s evokes Little Italy more than Italy, and the food follows suit—think spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and rigatoni Bolognese. Try the chicken soup.

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Grappa –151 Main St., Park City, 435645-0636. grapparestaurant.com. Dishes like osso buco and grape salad with gorgonzola, roasted walnuts and Champagne vinaigrette are sensational, and the wine list features hard-to-find Italian wines as well as flights, including sparkling.

Japanese/Pan-Asian Sushi Blue –1571 W. Redstone Center Dr. Ste. 140, Park City, 435-575-4272. sushiblueparkcity.com. Find the yin and yang of Asian-American flavors in Bill White’s sushi, excellent Korean tacos, crab sliders and other Amer-Asian food fusions, including the best hot dog in the state, topped with bacon and house-made kimchi.

Yuki Yama Sushi –586 Main St., Park City, 435-649-6293. yukiyamasushi.com.

Located in the heart of Old Town Park City, Yuki Yama offers both traditional japanese dishes and more modern plates. It’s all guided by the steady hands of Executive Chef Kirk Terashima.

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Reef’s –7720 Royal St. East, Park City, 435658-0323. reefsrestaurant.com. Lamb chops are tender, falafel is crunchy, and the prices fall between fast food and fine dining. It’s a den of home cooking, if your home is east of the Mediterranean. Open seasonally.

Mexican & Southwestern Baja Cantina –1355 Lowell Ave., Park City, 435-649-2252. bajaparkcity.com. The T.J. Taxi is a flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, cheddar-jack cheese and guacamole.

Billy Blanco’s –8208 Gorgoza Pines Rd., Park City, 435-575-0846. billyblancos.com.

Motor City Mexican. The subtitle is “burger and taco garage,” but garage is the notable word.

This is a theme restaurant with lots of cars and motorcycles on display, oil cans to hold the flatware, and a 50-seat bar made out of toolboxes. If you’ve ever dreamed of eating in a garage, you’ll be thrilled.

Chimayo –368 Main St., Park City, 435649-6222. chimayorestaurant.com. Bill White’s prettiest place, this restaurant is reminiscent of Santa Fe, but the food is pure Park City. Margaritas are good, and the avocado-shrimp appetizer combines guacamole and ceviche flavors in a genius dish.

El Chubasco –1890 Bonanza Dr., Park City, 435-645-9114. elchubascoparkcity.com. Regulars storm this restaurant for south-of-the-border eats. Burritos fly through the kitchen like chiles too hot to handle—proving consistency matters.

Tarahumara –1300 Snow Creek Dr., Ste. P, Park City, 435-645-6005. tarahumararestaurant.com. Some of the best Mexican food in the state can be found in this Park City cafe. Don’t be fooled by the bland exterior; inside you’ll find a full-fledged cantina and an adjoining family restaurant with a soulful salsa bar.

D

ININ Rime Seafood & Raw Bar – 2A 023 9850 Summit View Dr., Park City. rimerD WAR awbar.com. Such a hit on the slopes that Chef Matt Harris took the concept inside and Rime is an anchor restaurant inside the St. Regis, Open Thurs-Sun. G

Mediterranean

Southeast Asian Shabu–442 Main St., Park City, 435-6457253. shabuparkcity.com. Cool new digs, friendly service and fun food make Shabu one of PC’s most popular spots. Make reservations. A stylish bar with prize-winning mixologists adds to the freestyle feel.

Kuchu Shabu House –3270 N. Sundial Ct., Park City, 435-649-0088. kuchushabu. com. The second shabu-style eatery in PC is less grand than the first but offers max flavor from quality ingredients.

Steak Butcher’s Chop House & Bar –751 Lower Main St., Park City, 435-647-0040. butcherschophouse.com. The draws are prime rib, New York strip and pork chops—and the ladies’ night specials in the popular bar downstairs.

Grub Steak–2093 Sidewinder Dr., Prospector Square, Park City, 435-649-8060. grubsteakparkcity.com. Live country music, fresh salmon, lamb and chicken, and a mammoth salad bar. Order bread pudding whether you think you want it or not. You will.

Edge Steakhouse –3000 Canyon Resort Dr., Park City, 435-655-2260. westgateresorts.com.

This beautifully fills the beef bill at the huge resort, and the tasting menus take you through salad, steak and dessert for $45 to $60, depending on options.

tor Ave., Park City, 435-631-9861. freshieslobsterco.com. After years as everyone’s favorite summer food stop at Park Silly Market, Freshie’s has settled into a permanent location selling their shore-to-door lobster rolls all year round.

Hearth on 25 –195 Historic 25th St. Ste. 6 (2nd Floor), Ogden, 801-399-0088. hearth25. com. The charming upstairs dining room is a great setting for some of the best and most imaginative food in Ogden. Handmade hearth bread, espresso-rubbed yak, killer stroganoff— too many options to mention here—this is really a destination restaurant.

Pig & A Jelly Jar –227 25th St., Ogden, 801-605-8400. pigandajellyjar.com. The same great made-from-scratch Southern comfort food as the original, now in Ogden. A popular brunch spot open seven days a week.

Prairie Schooner –445 Park Blvd., Ogden, 801-392-2712. prairieschoonerrestaurant.com. Tables are covered wagons around a diorama featuring coyotes, cougars and cowboys—corny, but fun. The menu is standard, but kids love it.

Table 25 –195 25th St., Ste. 4, Ogden, 385244-1825. table25ogden.com. A bright, contemporary space in Downtown Ogden has a patio right on Historic 25th Street. The elevated yet approachable menu includes Spanish mussels and frites, ahi tuna and a classic cheeseburger.

Union Grill –315 24th St., Ogden, 801-6212830. uniongrillogden.com. The cross-over cooking offers sandwiches, seafood and pastas with American, Greek, Italian or Mexican spices.

WB’s Eatery–455 25th Street, Ogden, 385-244-1471. wbseatery.com. Part restaurant, part bar, part coffeehouse, WB’s Eatery is located inside The Monarch, a hip maker and market space for artists. A hybrid space as well, the eatery sells CBD oil, as well as serving up cocktails, bites and boards of meat and cheese.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs

NORTH SALT LAKE & BEYOND

Seafood Freshie’s Lobster Co.–1915 Prospec-

American Casual

American Fine Dining The Huntington Room at Earl’s Lodge –3925 E. Snowbasin Rd., Huntsville, 888-437-5488. snowbasin.com. Ski-day sustenance and fireside dinner for the après-ski set. In summer, dine at the top of the mountain.

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The Beehive Pub & Grill –255 S. Main St., Logan, 435-753-2600. thebeehivegrill. com. An indirect offshoot of Moab Brewery, the Grill focuses as much on house-brewed root beer as alcoholic suds, but the generally hefty food suits either.

Burgers, Sandwiches & Delis Caffe Ibis –52 Federal Ave., Logan, 435753-4777. caffeibis.com. Exchange news, enjoy sandwiches and salads and linger over a cuppa conscientiously grown coffee.

Maddox Ranch House –1900 S. Highway 89, Perry, 435-723-8545 maddoxfinefood.com. Angus beef steaks, bison chicken-fried steak and burgers have made this an institution for more than 50 years. Eat in, drive up or take home.

Whether it's brunch, lunch, or dinner, we invite you to join us at Tifiny's!

Chinese Mandarin –348 E. 900 North, Bountiful, 801-298-2406. mandarinutah.com. The rooms are filled with red and gold dragons. Chefs recruited from San Francisco crank out a huge menu. Desserts are noteworthy. Call ahead.

Italian & Pizza Slackwater Pizza –209 24th St.,

567 South Valley View Dr | Saint George, UT 84770 | Phone: (435) 879-3363

Ogden, 801-399-0637. slackwaterpizzeria. com. The pies here are as good as any food in Ogden. Selection ranges from traditional to Thai (try it), and there’s a good selection of wine and beer.

Rovali’s Ristorante –174 E. 25th St., Ogden, 801-394-1070. rovalis.com. This friendly family-owned place on Ogden’s main drag serves hearty Italian fare and housemade pastry, plus a creative bar menu and live music.

STEAKHOUSE Excite your senses with an elevated dining experience. | A large private conference room to host private dining events.

Japanese Ramen Haus –2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden, 801-393-0000. ramenhausogden. com. Sergei Oveson’s experience with ramen master Tosh and Shani Oveson’s at Naked Fish shows all over their restaurant in Ogden.

Simple but stylish sums the space and terrific is the only word for the ramen. Do not leave without ordering the honey toast even if you think you don’t want dessert.

D

G

ININ Tona Sushi–210 25th St., Og2A 023 den, 801-622-8662. tonarestaurant.

W A RD com. The charming old space on Ogden’s main drag houses a meticulously top-notch sushi restaurant. Owner Tony Chen grows herbs and sprouts in the basement and the plates he presents show an artist’s touch. Ask about the secret menu.

1234 WEST SUNSET BLVD. SAINT GEORGE, UT 84770 ■ ANASAZISTEAKHOUSE.COM ■ 435-674-0095

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ON THE TABLE Mexican

forage, raise chickens and bees, and offer breakfasts, dinners and even picnic lunches.

Sonora Grill –2310 Kiesel Ave., Ogden, 801-393-1999. thesonoragrill.com. A big, beautiful Mexican restaurant, the kind you see in Texas or New Mexico, Sonora serves great chips and salsa, a famous margarita, several kinds of ceviche and all the dishes you love as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Station 22 –22 W. Center St., Provo, 801607-1803. station22cafe.com. Ever-hipper Provo is home to some cutting-edge food now that the cutting edge has a folksy, musical saw kind of style. Station 22 is a perfect example of the Utah roots trend—a charming, funky interior, a great soundtrack and a menu with a slight Southern twang. Try the fried chicken sandwich with red cabbage on ciabatta.

Sunglow Family Restaurant –91 E. Main St., Bicknell, 435-425-3821. This pit stop is famous for its pinto bean and pickle pies.

Yes, we said pickle.

Southeast Asian

Indian

Moab Brewery–686 Main St., Moab,

Thai Curry Kitchen –582 25th St.,

Bombay House –463 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-6677; 7726 Campus View Dr., West Jordan, 801-282-0777; 2731 E. Parley’s Way, SLC, 801-581-0222. bombayhouse.com.

Salt Lake’s biryani mainstay has several sister restaurants worthy to call family.

Mediterranean

Ogden, 385-333-7100. thaicurrykitchen.com.

Chic and sleek counter service offering bright from-scratch curries and salads plus locally made kombucha.

PROVO & CENTRAL UTAH American Fine Dining Communal –102 N. University Ave., Provo, 801-373-8000. communalrestaurant.com. Food is focused on the familiar with chef’s flair—like braised pork shoulder crusted in panko. Attention to detail makes this one of Utah’s best.

The Tree Room –8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance Resort, Sundance, 866-627-8313. sundanceresort.com. Sundance Resort’s flagship is known for its seasonal, straightforward menu and memorable decor, including Robert Redford’s kachina collection.

Try the wild game—spice-rubbed quail and buffalo tenderloin.

American Casual Chom Burger –45 W. 300 North, Provo, 385-241-7499. chomburger.com. Colton Soelberg’s (Communal, etc.) low-key high-end burger place has an eye towards infusing high-quality ingredients into America’s favorite sandwich. Inexpensive, innovative and delicious burgers and shakes, as we have come to expect from Soelberg who has a knack for elevating comfort food.

The Foundry Grill –8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance Resort, Sundance, 866932-2295. sundanceresort.com. The café in Sundance Resort serves comfort food with western style—sandwiches, spit-roasted chickens and ­s teaks. Sunday brunch is a mammoth buffet.

Bar Grub & Brewpubs 435-259-6333. themoabbrewery.com. A beloved watering hole for river-runners, slick-rock bikers, red-rock hikers and everyone who needs a bite and a beer, which is nearly everyone in Moab. All beer is brewed on site.

Italian & Pizza

Il Posto Rosso at the Radcliffe Moab –477 S. Main St., Moab, 435-355-1085.

Màstra Italian Bakery and Bistro –476 N. 900 West, Ste. D, American

radcliffemoab.com/dining. Il Posto Rosso has a modern, Mediterranean-inspired menu with protein and other ingredients sourced from a variety of local farms, gardens and ranches.

Fork, 385-221-9786. mastraorders.com. Màstra is owned by a born-and-raised Italian who serves up authentic, but not snobbish, Italian food. The carbonara is the crowd favorite.

Pizzeria 712 –320 S. State St., Ste. 185, Orem, 801-623-6712. pizzeria712.com. The pizza menu reaches heights of quality that fancier restaurants only fantasize about. Not only are the blister-crusted pizzas the epitome of their genre, but braised short ribs, local mushrooms and arugula on ciabatta are equally stellar.

Vegetarian Ginger’s Garden Cafe –188. S. Main St., Springville, 801-489-1863. gingersgardencafe.com. Tucked inside Dr. Christopher’s Herb Shop, Ginger’s serves truly garden-fresh, brightflavored, mostly vegetarian dishes.

MOAB & SOUTHEAST UTAH American Dining Hell’s Backbone Grill –20 N. Highway 12, Boulder, 435-335-7464. hellsbackbonegrill. com. Owners Blake Spalding and Jen Castle set the bar for local, organic food in Utah. Now the cafe has gained national fame. They garden,

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ST. GEORGE & SOUTHWEST UTAH American Fine Dining Anasazi Steakhouse –1234 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George, 435-674-0094. anasazisteakhouse.com. Diners cook their own steaks and seafood on volcanic rocks at this stylish and artsy spot that also serves up fondue and cocktails.

Canyon Breeze Restaurant — 1275 E. Red Mountain Cir., Ivins, 435-652-5728. redmountainresort.com. Red Mountain’s Canyon Breeze Restaurant has spectacular views and outdoor patio seating. The menu focuses on whole foods, local meats, homemade baked goods and desserts made from scratch.

King’s Landing–1515 Zion Park Blvd., Ste. 50-A, Springdale, 435-772-7422. klbzion. com. In the Driftwood Inn, some of the finest food and the finest view in Utah. The kitchen is ambitious—seasonal, vegan, gluten-free are all covered. Mushroom tart involves mushrooms, caramelized onions, butternut squash and grapes with burrata and basil, but the flavors meld into harmony.

Rib & Chop House –1676 S. Convention Center Dr., St. George, 435-674-1900. ribandchophouse.com/st-george-utah. Rib & Chop House is home to premium steaks, fresh seafood and baby back ribs (the local favorite). The perfect nonchalant atmosphere for quality food.

Painted Pony–2 W. St. George Blvd., Ste. 22, St. George, 435-634-1700. paintedpony.com. The kitchen blends culinary trends with standards like sage-smoked quail on mushroom risotto. Even “surf and turf” has a twist—tenderloin tataki with chile-dusted scallops.

Spotted Dog Café –428 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-0700. flanigans. com/dining. Relax, have some vino and enjoy your achiote-braised lamb shank with mint mashed potatoes on top of rosemary spaghetti squash.

Vermillion 45 –210 S. 100 East, Kanab, 435-644-3300. vermillion45.com. Who would expect a fine restaurant with a French chef in Kanab? But here it is, and it’s excellent.

Wood•Ash•Rye –25 W. St. George Blvd., St George, 435-522-5020. theadvenirehotel.com/wood-ash-rye-restaurant. Located in historic downtown St. George, Wood•Ash•Rye seeks out regionally sourced ingredients to curate one-of-a-kind recipes that rotate with every season.

American Casual Bear Paw Café –75 N. Main St., St. George, 435-900-8790. bearpawcafe.com.

St. George’s favorite breakfast and lunch cafe for more than 25 years! Bear Paw Cafe is the perfect place to get breakfast at anytime of the day. Don’t forget to try the guest favorites, including belgian waffles, hand-crafted pancakes, world-class french toast and fresh crepes.

George’s Corner Restaurant & Pub –2 W. St. George Blvd., St. George,

CONTEMPORARY SEASONAL CUISINE CASUAL FINE DINING We look forward to serving you soon!

435-216-7311. georgescornerrestaurant.com.

This comfy neighborhood hangout spot serves burgers and pub grub, along with regional beers.

Mom’s Café –10 E. Main St., Salina, 435-529-3921. famousmomscafe.business. site. Mom’s has fed travelers on blue plate standards since 1928. This is the place to try a Utah “scone” with “honey butter.”

Open 7 days a week, Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30-3:30, Dinner: 4pm Daily 2 WEST ST. GEORGE BLVD., ST. GEORGE | 435.634.1700

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ON THE TABLE Morty’s Café –702 E. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-359-4439. mortyscafe.com/ stgeorge. From burgers to coffee, Morty’s Cafe has just about every type of quick and fresh classic food. Straightforward and relaxed, don’t forget to try their homemade special Morty sauce.

Mexican

Southeast Asian

Angelica’s Mexican Grill –101 E. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-628-4399. angelicasmexicangrill.com. A bright Mexican eatery serving up traditional street food in a cozy space.

Banana Blossom Thai Cuisine –430 E. St. George Blvd., St. George,

Oscar’s Café –948 Zion Park Blvd., Spring-

Café Sabor –290 E. St. George Blvd, St.

dale, 435-772-3232. oscarscafe.com. Blueberry pancakes, fresh eggs, crisp potatoes and thick bacon. We love breakfast, though Oscar’s serves equally satisfying meals at other times of day.

Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen –233 W. Center St., Kanab, 435689-1959. peekabookitchen.com. Complementing Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, this casual eatery serves vegetarian cuisine—artisanal pizza, local beer, craft cocktails and a rocking patio.

Red Rock Grill at Zion Lodge – Zion National Park, 435-772-7700. zionlodge. com. Try eating here on the terrace. Enjoy melting-pot American dishes like smoked trout salad with prickly pear vinaigrette. And you can’t beat the red rock ambience.

Whiptail Grill –445 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-0283. whiptailgrillzion.com.

Tucked into an erstwhile gas station, the kitchen is little, but the flavors are big—a goat cheesestuffed chile relleno crusted in Panko and the chocolate-chile creme brulee.

Xetava Gardens Café –815 Coyote Gulch Court, Ivins, 435-656-0165. xetava.com.

Blue corn pancakes for breakfast and lunch are good bets. But to truly experience Xetava, dine under the stars in eco-conscious Kayenta.

Barbecue Pica Rica Americana BBQ —25 N. Main St., St. George, 435-200-4420. picaricabbq. com. In the heart of St. George, Pica Rica’s menu marries the themes of Texas barbecue with the flavor of Mexico City. You’ll find all of the classics, from spare ribs to smoked brisket, along side moles, fresh salsas and street corn.

Bakeries & Cafés Tifiny’s Creperie –567 S. Valley View Dr., St. George, 435-879-3363. tifinyscreperie. com. Enjoy the cozy dining room and the comforting, casual French cuisine, featuring classic sweet and savory crêpes.

435-879-3298. bananablossomstgeorge.com.

A homey Thai restaurant that has a menu full of the classics and also offers tasty takeaway.

George, 435-218-7775. cafesabor.com. Sabor boasts a warm and welcoming atmosphere with an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs work their magic. The menu includes a fusion of traditional Mexican dishes with a Southwestern twist.

The Bit and Spur –1212 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, 435-772-3498. bitandspur.com. The menu stars Southwestern cuisine—ribs, beef and chicken—as well as chili verde. A longtime Zion favorite, there’s almost always a wait here, but it’s almost always a pleasant one with a view and a brew in hand.

Italian & Pizza Cappeletti’s Restaurant –36 E. Tabernacle St., St. George, 435-986-4119. cappelettisrestaurantstgeorge.com. A family owned Italian restaurant. With fresh homemade salami, handmade mozzarella, beef empanadas, seafood linguini and more, Cappeletti’s has been serving St. George for more than a decade.

Chef Alredo’s Saint George –1110 S. Bluff St., St. George, 435-656-5000. chefalfredos.com. Authentic Italian cuisine in the heart of Southern Utah. With incredible food and outstanding service, Chef Alfredo’s is a must for a date night or special occasion.

The Pizza Factory–2 W. St. George Blvd., St. George, 435-628-1234. stgeorgepizzafactory.com. The original St. George Pizza Factory, founded in 1979, is one of the city’s main attractions. It was born of a desire to create the perfect pizza parlor, where friends and family could come together over a slice or a whole pie.

Japanese Sakura Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi –81 N. 1100 East, St. George, 435275-2888. sakuraut.com. The Hibachi side of the restaurant gives both dinner and a show in one, but if you’re shy about open flames, Sakura also offers tasty sushi rolls.

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All the technology you need to start, run, and grow your restaurant — all connected by a powerful POS. Let us take care of your tech, so you can focus on what matters most.

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Bar Fly lib a t i o n s / b a r s

Hotel bars (locals will love) page 123

Bar game nights around town page 126

Christmas cheer (in a cocktail) page 127

21 & OVER BARS Forget about navigating the state’s labyrinth of liquor laws—the more than 20 bars and pubs listed here prioritize putting a drink in your hand, although most of them serve good food, too.

Restricted to 21 and over. (Be prepared to show your I.D., whatever your age. This is Utah, after all.)

All bars listed in the Salt Lake’s Bar Fly have been vetted and chosen based on quality of beverage, food, atmosphere and service.

This selective guide has no relationship to any advertising in the magazine.

Review visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by Salt Lake magazine.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VAN RYDER

Van Ryder— Le Meridien

HOTEL BARS EVEN LOCALS WILL LOVE

BY AVREY EVANS

H

O T E L B A R S have often been dismissed as mingling spaces for out-of-towners and peacocking opportunities for the new hire to impress their ancient CEO. But as Salt Lake becomes inundated with sleek new lodgments left and right, hotel bars join the ranks of our increasingly acclaimed nightlife scene. Between rooftop lounges and hidden alpine watering holes, these five hotel bars are topping locals’ lists of places we’d like to spend a Saturday night.

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1. VAN RYDER—LE MERIDIEN

Located in a new mixed-use development called The West Quarter, Van Ryder is a rooftop bar inside Le Meridien hotel. Inside, moody decor and polished wood accents convey an air of maturity juxtaposed by furry loungers and modern LED rope lights. The covered patio is the real star, where you can take in mountain views gathered around afire pit. The modest menu offers casual fare with a sophisticated twist, with standouts including Pork Belly Bao and Short Rib Poutine. Van Ryder’s cocktail offerings are equally delicious, with favorites like The Butch Cassidy and Ride or Die. 131 S. 300 West, SLC, vanrdyersaltlake.com

3

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2. THE GRAND AMERICA

European-inspired brasserie Laurel Brasserie & Bar offers a grand experience without the lavish price tag. The dual-sided bar overlooks the city and its bartenders whip up refreshing takes on classics using local spirits. Offered daily from 3-5 p.m., Laurel’s happy hour is a worthy mention with half-priced items like heirloom tomato tartlet, burrata, cheese platters and pigs in a blanket.

555 S. Main St., SCL, laurelslc.com

3. THE OWL BAR—SUNDANCE RESORT

Drink like an outlaw at the same watering hole Butch Cassidy frequented in Wyoming. No need to head up North, the 1890s bar was moved from Thermopolis and restored in another notorious Utah man’s hideaway—Sundance Resort. The cabin-like bar is a perfect place to heal your bruised body and ego after an epic yard sale, and its spacious patio offers sweeping alpine views. Visit Owl Bar on a weekend for live music from national and local talent. Another tip: Get the Dirty Fries. 8841 N. Alpine Loop Rd., Sundance, sundanceresort.com

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AC–225 W. 200 South, SLC, 385-722-9600. ac-hotels. marriott.com. The Euro-styled hotel has a chic lobby bar and a secret menu of drinks inspired by movies filmed in Utah, like Dumb and Dumber and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Acme Bar Co.–837 E. 2100 South, 801-467-3325. acmebarcompany.com. The Sugar House neighborhood now has a high-concept, pop-up, seasonal cocktail bar.

While the theme and menus are ever-evolving, it is always a good time with tiki-centric drinks.

The Aerie–9320 Cliff Lodge Dr. Ste. 88, Snowbird

Resort, 801-933-2160. snowbird.com. Floor-to-ceiling windows mean drinkers can marvel at nature’s handiwork while feasting from the sushi bar. The menu is global with live music some nights.

Alibi Bar & Place–369 S. Main St., SLC, 385-

259-0616. alibislc.com. Located along SLC’s bar line on Main Street, Alibi has a sleek, hip vibe and is generally filled with happy hipsters, especially when they have theme nights.

Back Door On Edison–152 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-267-1161. backdoorslc.com. This watering hole from the owners of Laziz Kitchen serves Lebanese-inspired bar bites and has a promising cocktail menu. Try the Oaxacan Old Fashioned along with the dip sampler.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VAN RYDER, LAUREL BRASSERIE & BAR, ST. REGIS AND THE OWL BAR

4

Bar Nohm–165 W. 900 South, SLC, 385-465-4488. barnohm.com. The new Bar Nohm is more of a gastropub than a sit-down restaurant, complete with a cocktail menu and Asian fusion sharing plates. Think of it as Salt Lake’s first Izakaya restaurant, the Japanese word for an informal bar that literally translates to “stay-drink-place.”

Bar X–155 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-355-2287. barxslc. com. This was the vanguard of Salt Lake’s new cocktail movement, serving classic drinks and creative inventions behind the best electric sign in the city.

Beer Bar–161 E. 200 South, SLC, 385-259-0905. beerbarslc.com. Ty Burrell, star of ABC’s small-screen hit Modern Family, co-owns Beer Bar, which is right next to Bar X. It’s noisy, there’s no table service, but there are 140+ brews to choose from, plus 13 kinds of wurst.

The Bayou–645 S. State St., SLC, 801-961-8400.

utahbayou.com. This is Beervana, with 260 bottled beers and 32 on draft. The kitchen turns out artichoke pizza and deep-fried Cornish game hens.

4. THE ST. REGIS BAR—ST. REGIS

Two words: Mountain. Views. St. Regis’ flagship bar embraces Park City opulence in every sense. Leather seats pull up to a mahogany bar where a handpainted mural depicts the mining town’s rich history. Stop in for an après-ski whiskey and a selection of raw bar items. Of course, any mention of St. Regis would be incomplete without a tip of the hat to the 7452 Bloody Mary. Combining the usual ingredients with green apple, celery juice and wasabi powder, it’s no wonder the resort churns out over 150,000 bloodies every year.

2300 Deer Valley Drive East, Park City, srdvdining.com

Beerhive Pub–128 S. Main St., SLC, 801-3644268. @beerhive_pub. More than 200 beers­­—domestic, imported and local—with a long ice rail to keep the brew cold, the way Americans like ’em, are the outstanding features of this cozy downtown pub.

The Black Sheep Bar & Grill–1400 S. Foothill Drive #166, SLC, 801-877-9350; 1520 W. 9000 South Ste. C, West Jordan, 801-566-2561. theblacksheepbarandgrills.com. A friendly neighborhood sports bar with a homemade American menu, 14 TVs and events almost nightly. It’s a fun place to hang with friends or cheer on your favorite team.

BTG Wine Bar–404 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-

359-2814. btgwinebar.com. BTG stands for “By the Glass” and though BTG serves craft cocktails, specialty beer

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BAR FLY and good food, the pièces de résistance are the more than 50 wines by the glass. Order a tasting portion or a full glass.

Casot Wine + Work–1508 S. 1500 East, SLC. 801-441-2873. casotwinework.com. In a town with a dearth of neighborhood bars and bars that want to be neighborhood bars but for a lack of location in an actual neighborhood, Casot is the real deal. Located in the established 15th and 15th hood, this small wine bar is a welcome addition featuring a Spanish forward list from Pago’s Scott Evans.

Contribution Cocktail Lounge –170

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S. West Temple, SLC, 801-596-1234. For an escape from the hustle of downtown, pop into the Salt Lake City Hyatt Regency hotel’s cocktail lounge, to enjoy a small bite or a drink from the thoughtful cocktail menu.

Copper Common–111 E. Broad-

2A 023 way #190, SLC, 801-355-0543. coppercomW

D

AR mon.com. Copper Common is a real bar— that means you don’t actually have to order food if you don’t want to. But on the other hand, why wouldn’t you want to? This bar has a real chef.

The Cotton Bottom–2820 E. 6200 South, Holladay, 801-849-8847. thecottonbottom.com.

Remember when this was a ski bum’s town? The garlic burger and a beer is what you order.

Craft By Proper–1053 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-242-7186. craftbyproper.com. Another offering from Proper Brewing, Craft is a beer snob’s dream, serving up local-only beers. You can check their rotating “On Tap” list to see if they’re pouring your favorite, and the glass coolers behind the bar are stocked full of canned and bottled options.

Dick n’ Dixie’s–479 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-

There’s no denying the fun in a good-old-fashioned drinking game. With a beer in your hand, even a four-hour game of Catan becomes bearable.

So if you’re in the mood for some competition with cocktails, consider these bar games found at breweries, dive bars and pubs.

Trivia at Bewilder Brewing Test your brainpower at Bewilder Brewing’s Trivia night hosted every Wednesday.

Breaking Bingo at Bar Named Sue Try your luck at winning a bingo jackpot at Bar Named Sue. Their breaking bingo event occurs every Thursday and offers a cash prize of up to $3,000.

Board Game night at Level Crossing Brewery Every Tuesday night, Ales and Allies brings in 120 board games free to use with your crew.

Mario Kart Tournament at Piper Down Show off your Mario moves at a tournament hosted every Monday at 7 p.m.

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East Liberty Tap House–850 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-441-2845. eastlibertytaphouse. com. Half a dozen beers on draft and 20 or more by the bottle, and the rotation changes constantly. The menu does clever takes on bar food classics.

Eight Settlers Distillery–7321 Canyon Centre Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights, 385-900-4315. eightsettlersdistillery.com. The distillery is entrenched in and inspired by the history of the Cottonwood Heights area and so are the spirits. Take home a bottle from the store or stay and enjoy a taste of the past at the themed, on-site restaurant.

Flanker–6 N. Rio Grande, The Gateway, SLC,

801-683-7070. flankerslc.com. A little bit sports bar, a little bit nightclub and a little bit entertainment venue, with a parlor and bowling alley, private karaoke rooms and a golf simulator.

Franklin Avenue–231 S. Edison Street, SLC, 385-831-7560. franklinaveslc.com. A swanky restaurant and bar by the minds of Bourbon Group.

The food is multicultural fusion with roots in modern American. House-made pasta, seasonal veggies and Asian-inspired dishes are served alongside a

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES—AND BOOZE

994-6919. @dickndixies. The classic corner beer bar where cronies of all kinds gather regularly to watch sports, talk politics and generally gossip about the city and nothing in particular.

diverse cocktail menu—and a wall-to-wall selection of whiskies.

Garage–1199 N. Beck St., SLC, 801-521-3904. garageonbeck.com. Everyone compares it to an Austin bar. Live music, good food and the rockingest patio in town. Try the Chihuahua, a chile-heated riff on a margarita.

The Gibson Lounge–555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6000. grandamerica.com. Grand America’s inimitable style is translated into a cushy but unstuffy bar, the antithesis of the current hipster style. You can actually wear a cocktail dress to this cocktail bar.

Good Grammar–69 E. Gallivan Ave., SLC, 385-415-5002. goodgrammar.bar. The crowds playing Jenga on the patio, the decor, full of pop celebs and heroes, and a soundtrack of eclectic old- and alt-rock, makes a space that bridges old and young imbibers.

Gracie’s–326 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-819-

7565. graciesslc.com. Play pool, throw darts, listen to live music, kill beer and time on the patio and upstairs deck. Plus, Gracie’s is a gastropub.

Green Pig–31 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-532-

7441. thegreenpigpub.com. Green Pig is a pub of a different color. The owners use eco-friendly materials and sustainable kitchen practices. The menu star is the chili verde nachos with big pork chunks and cheese.

High West Saloon–703 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8300. highwest.com. The bartenders at Utah’s award-winning distillery concoct different cocktail menus for every season focusing on High West’s spirits, although the bar stocks other alcohol.

Hive 435 Taphouse–61 W. St. George Blvd, St. George, 435-619-8435. hive435taphouse.com.

Providing a service to the St. George nightlife scene, Hive 435 also serves up live entertainment, gourmet pizza, sandwiches and favorite cocktails.

HK Brewing Collective–370 W. Aspen

Ave., SLC, 801-907-0869. hkbrewing.com. Before the HK Brewing taproom, there was Hans Kombucha, a women-founded and queer-owned brewery. Now they’re slinging ‘booch-cocktails, local spirits, beer, cider and small bites from their taproom and lounge.

Ice Haus–7 E. 4800 South, Murray, 801-2662127. icehausbar.com. Ice Haus has everything you need from a neighborhood bar and a purveyor of German cuisine: a wide selection of pub fare and plenty of seating in the beer-hall inspired location. The menu has a strong number of vegan options.

Orange You Glad We Didn’t Say ‘Christmas?’

A zesty Black Manhattan that’s equally nostalgic and crushable

Lake Effect–155 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-532-

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

2068. lakeeffectslc.com. An eclectic bar and lounge with a fine wine list and full menu. Live music many nights; open until 1 a.m.

Laurel Brasserie & Bar–555 S. Main St., SLC, 801-258-6708. laurelslc.com. Laurel Brasserie & Bar’s food focuses on classic European cuisine with an American approach. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the real star is the Happy Hour menu with

BEEHIVE DISTILLING Bar Manager Caspiel Sjöström shows us a sustainable and delicious use for your holiday orange scraps. Combine peels with some sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon, and voilà, you have a warming spiced syrup that’s a perfect addition to any stiff drink. Inspired by his love for local products and nostalgia for holidays at home, Sjöström combines his orange syrup with Beehive’s Desolation Rye Whiskey and Waterpocket’s Notom Amaro. Once added to a cinnamon-smoked glass, the resulting concoction is an indulgent spin on a classic winter favorite.

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What’s Inside: 1.5 oz Waterpocket Notom Amaro .75 oz Beehive Desolation Rye Whiskey .25 Spiced orange syrup 2 Dashes orange bitters

heads and a stuffed St. Bernard. Good luck finishing your Star Burger.

Oyster Bar–48 W. Market St., SLC, 801-322-

Varley–63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-203-4124.

4668. marketstreetgrill.com. The nightlife side of Market Street seafood restaurant, the Oyster Bar has an is a place to begin or end an evening, with an award-winning martini and a dozen oysters—half price on Mondays.

ININ

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2 Dashes ango bitters

items like Pumpkin Arancini and The Smokey Paloma cocktail.

The Pearl–917 S. 200 West, SLC,

2A 023 @thepearlslc. The Pearl is a hip space servW A RD

Garnish with an orange peel and toasted cinnamon stick

ing craft cocktails and Vietnamese street food, conceived by the same minds behind Alibi Bar. The menu has items like banh mi sandwiches, caramel pork belly and chicken pho.

DIY Spiced Orange Syrup

The Pines–837 S. Main St., SLC, 801-906-

ININ

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Stir all ingedients until well combined. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with an orange slice and toasting cinnamon stick.

8418. @thepines.slc. From the owners of Dick N’ Dixie’s, The Pines is an elevated neighborhood bar with a cool interior and even cooler bartenders. Stop by to taste their solid range of brews, or visit the bar on a weekend for a new wave discotheque.

D

Combine equal parts sugar and water in a pot, add orange peels, vanilla extract and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer, strain, chill and serve.

Post Office Place–16 W. Market

2A 023 St., SLC, 801-519-9595. popslc.com. Post W

D

AR Office offers craft cocktails, multicultural small plates and the largest selection of Japanese whisky in the state. Ask for a “special delivery” if you’re up for a boozy adventure.

Quarters Arcade Bar–5 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-477-7047; 1045 E. 2100 South, SLC. quartersslc.com. Nostalgic for all those Gen Xers and gamer geeks, Quarters features retro gaming pinball and a game called Killer Queen. Drink a sling—or order a La Croix with a shot poured into the can.

Rabbit Hole–155 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-5322068. lakeeffectslc.com. Downstairs in Lake Effect, the gaslit Rabbit Hole takes you to a different time, especially on Wednesday nights which are devoted to jazz. The Rabbit is a real listening room—you don’t talk over or under the music. This rare respect and a top notch bar makes this a very unusual hare.

Scion Cider Bar–916 Jefferson St., SLC. scionciderbar.com. Cider has often taken a back seat to its more prevalent siblings, wine and beer, but not at Scion. It’s another soon-to-be favorite bar in the Central Ninth with a wide variety of 20 hard ciders on tap.

Seabird Bar & Vinyl Room–7 S. Rio

GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT BEEHIVE Beehive Distilling offers tours for just $5 a head on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Learn about their distilling process, taste products, and maybe even get a peek of their live-in mouser, Gimlet.

Visit beehivedistilling.com for more info.

Grande, The Gateway, SLC, 801-456-1223. seabirdutah.com. Great little locally owned bar in the Gateway with great views, a fun little patio, friendly bartenders and more style than the place can hold.

The Rest and Bodega –331 S. Main St.,

SLC, 801-532-4452. bodegaslc.com. The neon sign says “Bodega;” drink a beer in the phone booth– sized front or head downstairs to the The Rest. Order a cocktail, settle into the apparently bomb-proof book-lined library, or take a booth and sit at the bar.

The Shooting Star–7350 E. 200 South, Huntsville, 801-745-2002. shooting-star-saloon. business.site. More than a century old, this is genyou-wine Old West. The walls are adorned with moose

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varleyslc.com. A craft cocktail bar and lounge situated right next to its companion restaurant The Ivy. The modern aesthetic pairs well with a classic cocktail and conversation.

The Vault–202 S. Main St., SLC, 801-3635454. bambara-slc.com/the-vault. A quintessential hotel bar, with big windows overlooking pedestrian traffic. Special cocktails may be themed to what’s on stage across the street at Capitol Theatre.

Wakara Bar–480 Wakara Way, SLC, 801-581-

1000. One of the few bars on the west bench, Wakara serves craft cocktails and hosts live music, trivia nights, liquor education and even, occasionally, drag queens.

Water Witch–163 W. 900 South, SLC, 801462-0967. waterwitchbar.com. Three of Utah’s leading bartenders join forces in this charming tiny bar.

Whether you want a classic drink, a draft or glass of wine, or a cocktail custom-designed to your taste, this is the place to belly up.

Whiskey Street–323 S. Main St., SLC, 801433-1371. whiskeystreet.com. This stretch of Main was once dubbed “Whiskey Street” because it was lined with so many pubs and bars. A 42-foot-long cherry wood bar encourages you to bend the elbow.

Why KiKi–69 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-6416115. whykikibar.com. A tropical beach-themed club to get away at with a fruity drink in a tiki glass (or bowl!) or shake it on the dance floor. Don’t miss Taco Tuesday or the regular drag shows.

Zest Kitchen & Bar–275 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-433-0589. zestslc.com. Zest offers hand-crafted fresh juice cocktails with the same emphasis on local and organic ingredients as the food—try an original concoction like the Strawbubbly Lavender Martini.

Beers & Brews Bohemian Brewery–94 E. 7200 South, Midvale, 801-566-5474. bohemianbrewery.com. Enjoy the lagers beloved by Bohemian’s owners’ Czech forebears, following the ancient Reinheitsgbot or German Purity Law. Bewilder Brewing–445 S. 400 West,

SLC, 385-528-3840. bewilderbrewing.com. In a building decked out with an awesome Trent Call mural, Bewilder Brewing set up shop next to the bygone nightclub Area 51. Try the house-made sausages and a beer list that skews toward traditional German styles.

Desert Edge Brewery–273 S. Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917. desertedgebrewery. com. The constantly changing variety and Beer School set Desert Edge apart from all the others.

This classic Salt Lake bar (and restaurant) continues to innovate its brews.

PHOTO ADAM FINKLE

BY CASPIEL SJÖSTRÖM

D

The Hanukkah Orange

Epic Brewing Company–825 S. State St., SLC, 801-906-0123. epicbrewing.com. Epic became Utah’s first brewery since prohibition to exclusively produce high-alcohol brews when it opened in 2018. Enjoy them at the brewery 20 ounces at a time or take some to-go seven days a week.

Fisher Brewing Company–320 W.

800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337. fisherbeer.com.

Fisher takes its name from a brewery originally founded in 1884, but the brews and low-key atmosphere are strictly right now. One of the few in town that has cask ale occasionally.

Grid City Beer Works–333 W. 2100

South, South Salt Lake,801-906-8390. gridcitybeerworks.com. Grid City does triple-duty as a pub, brewery and restaurant. They also triple the ways they serve their one-of-a-kind beers—cask, nitro or CO2. The hard seltzers are pretty tasty, too.

Hopkins Brewing Company–1048

E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-528-3275. hopkinsbrewingcompany.com. If you like craft beer served with a focus on sustainability, “The Hop” could be your new favorite watering hole. The overall vibe is a natural fit for the Sugar House scene with live music multiple nights a week.

Kiitos Brewing–608 W. 700 South, 801-

215-9165. kiitosbrewing.com. A rising star, Kiitos brews are on several menus around town. But if you stop by the brewery to taste, you can play pinball, too.

Level Crossing Brewing Company–2496 S. West Temple, South Salt

Lake, 385-270-5752. levelcrossingbrewing.com.

A welcoming bar and community-minded gathering place for trivia and board game night and, of course, hand-crafted beer and wood-fired pizza.

Mountain West Cider–425 N. 400

West, SLC, 801-935-4147. mountainwestcider.com.

With handcrafted ciders ranging from dry to sweet, all named for Utah’s iconic natural features, the people at Mountain West Cider know their craft and their community.

Park City Brewing–764 Uinta Way

#C1, Park City, 435-200-8352. parkcitybrewing. com. Their core beers are brewed in Park City and are named for the community. The brewpub is kid-friendly, making Park City Brewing the perfect family après spot.

Prodigy Brewing–25 W. Center Street, Logan, 435-375-3313. prodigy-brewing.com. A family-friendly brewpub, Prodigy serves an upscale twist on classic brewpub fare and beers with labels tailored to the area, like “Cached Out” Hefeweizen and “Rusty Hoe” Farmhouse Ale. Proper Brewing Co.–857 S. Main St., 801-953-1707. properbrewingco.com. From the same proper folks who brought you the Publick House, Proper Brewery and Burgers hugely expands the brewing capacity of the original.

Red Rock Brewery–254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446. redrockbrewing.com. A

longtime favorite for tippling and tasting—the pub draws on 45 recipes for its rotating selection.

RoHa Brewing Project–30 E. Kens-

ington Ave., SLC, 385-227-8982. rohabrewing. com. A friendly local taproom in the heart of Salt Lake’s Ballpark neighborhood. This taproom offers 12 draft beers, a variety of high-points beers, local ciders, wine, canned cocktails and spirits. Enjoy the live music, a firkin and other events.

Roosters Brewing Co.–253 25th Street,

Ogden, 801-627-6171. roostersbrewingco.com. A local favorite in the heart of everything Historic 25th Street in Ogden, Roosters Brewing Co. offers both a comfortable dining experience in their restaurant and a 21+ tap room. The owners are deeply involved in the community, and that love shows in their drinkable beers and reliable American pubfare.

Saltfire Brewing–2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-955-0504. saltfirebrewing. com. Located in a distilling and brewery hub of South Salt Lake, SaltFire has grown alongside its contemporaries, bringing a punk/metal edge and the tongue-in-cheek labels of its tasty craft brews, including “crushable” collaborations with the Heavy Metal Shop.

Salt Flats Brewing Co.–2020 Industrial Circle, SLC, 801-828-3469. saltflatsbeer.com. Born in a garage—the Garage Grill to be exact—Salt Flats’ drinkable beers each takes its name from racing and motorsports culture. This is beer brewed to celebrate the racecar driver in all of us.

Shades Brewing–154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, 435-200-3009. shadesbrewing.beer. A mom-and-pop brewery supplying many local restaurants—check the website—stop by their tap room.

Squatters/Wasatch–147 W. Broadway,

Distilleries & Tasting Rooms Beehive Distilling–2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-259-0252. beehivedistilling. com. Perhaps best known for their Jack Rabbit Gin, Beehive Distilling also serves up craft cocktails from not just a tasting room, but a full bar.

Clear Water Distilling Co.–564 W.

700 South, Ste. 401, Pleasant Grove, 801-997-8667. clearwaterdistilling.com. Utah County’s lone distillery is doing the Lord’s work in bringing that part of Utah equally singular spirits. Tastings/tours are available.

Dented Brick Distillery–3100 S.

Washington St., South Salt Lake, 801-883-9837. dentedbrick.com. Steeped in history, Dented Brick spirit start with water from a local artesian well. The driller of the well is also the distillery’s namesake. Try their handcrafted, signature vodka, rye, gin and rum in a scheduled tasting.

Hammer Spring Distillers–3697 W. 1987 South, SLC, 801-599-4704. hammerspring. com. The distillery makes a variety of spirits, including vodka, gin, coffee liqueur and whiskey. Tours and tastings are available.

Holystone Distilling–207 W. 4860 South, Murray, 385-800-2580. holystonedistilling. com. Holystone is a small batch distillery, maker of an 114-proof gin, a grape-based vodka, Utah’s first legal absinthe and first Shochu. Tastings and tours are available by appointment.

Ogden’s Own Distillery–615 W.

Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-458-1995. ogdensown. com. Ogden’s Own brings fun and passion with its labels, the most well-known of which is their awardwinning Five Wives Vodka. Craft cocktails tailored to their spirits are served at their on-site cocktail bar, Side Bar.

SLC, 801-363-2739; 2110 Highland Dr., SLC, 801783-1127; 1763 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-466-8855. saltlakebrewingco.com. Salt Lake’s original breweries merged to form Utah Brewers Cooperative and are now in the hands of Salt Lake Brewing Company.

Squatters and Wasatch are the most popular watering holes in Salt Lake.

Outlaw Distillery–552 W. 8360 South, Midvale, 801-706-1428. outlawdistillery.com. Outlaw makes rum, spiced rum, white whiskey, whiskey and Outlaw moonshine. Distillery tours available.

Talisman Brewing Company–1258

Simplicity Cocktails, LLC–335 W.

Gibson Ave., Ogden, 385-389-2945. talismanbrewingco.com. Talisman’s friendly tap room has 18 beers on tap, and you can pick up your own cans and growlers to take home. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food or order from a nearby restaurant.

Dog friendly.

1830 South, SLC, 801-210-0868. drinksimplicity. com. Are you “ready-to-drink” craft cocktails and spirits? At Simplicity Cocktails, they follow one motto: keep it simple. When your product tastes that good, there’s no need to overcomplicate. Tastings are available at Simplicity’s Micro Lab.

TF Brewing–936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385270-5972. tfbrewing.com. TF stands for Templin Family. Brewmaster Kevin Templin has a long history in Salt Lake’s beer scene. Expect meticulously made German-style beer and don’t miss game night.

Sugar House Distillery–2212 S. West Temple, #14, SLC, 801-726-0403. sugarhousedistillery.net. Sugar House’s distillers have a keen eye for detail, and ingredients for their spirits are sourced locally whenever possible. Everything goes down smooth. Open for tours and tastings.

Uinta Brewing Company–1722 S.

Waterpocket Distillery–2084 W. 2200 South, West Valley City, 801-382-9921. waterpocket. co. Waterpocket’s spirits are often fresh takes on old favorites or venturing into entirely new territory. Tours and tastings are available by appointment.

Fremont Dr., SLC, 801-467-0909. uintabrewing.com.

Founder Will Hamill says, “We make beer. Period.”

Uinta produces certified organic beers and beer in corked bottles.

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WHERE STYLE LIVES IN UTAH A look inside the fall issue of our sister publication Utah Style & Design magazine. Available on newsstands and online at utahstyleanddesign.com

THE HOT LIST

Surround yourself with compelling design.

Utah Style & Design’s editorial team compiles a selection of the latest furnishings, fixtures, fabrics and finds for your entire home.

COZY HAVENS

Take a tour of four must-see homes from across the state. Our first stop is tastemaker Angie Harrington’s chic family residence in Provo. There, fearless decorating and fashion-inspired design deliver posh, personalized style. Next, we step into a modernmeets-mining era abode in Old Town Park City, where sleek lines and mountain rusticity merge. Our third destination is a St. George retreat, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame desert views, and natural materials like stone and plaster team beautifully with plush furnishings in soothing, neutral tones. Finally, we visit a charming Mapleton home where tongue-and-groove paneling, handcrafted cabinetry and Cotswold-inspired architecture transport you to a bygone era, while mountain views and brilliant fall foliage provide a striking backdrop.

Room Service More guests? No problem. Designer John Eyring cleverly conjured a gracious living room with a hidden talent: It magically transforms into a large dining room with abundant seating for big parties year-round.

From The Editor We filled the pages with spirited spaces, expert advice and jaw-dropping design. From rich color palettes to innovative ways of delivering comfort and warmth to your decor, our fall content is a tapestry of ideas and images to help wrap you—and your home—in spectacular tyle.

Brad Mee Editor-in-Chief

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welcome to

Summer HOMES AND GARDENS THAT SAY AHHH...

Scan the QR code to subscribe!

Be Social f a c e s a n d f u n f r o m a r o u n d t h e b e e h i v e s t a te

Salt Lake magazine’s Farmto-Glass Cocktail Contest Kickoff page 131

Cowboys with Heart page 133

Craft Lake City DIY Festival page 134

SUWA’s Mixtape Party

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A LT L A K E M A G A Z I N E held its 2023 Farm-to-Glass Cocktail Contest Kickoff Party at Market Street Grill’s Cottonwood Heights on Sept. 18, 2023. At the event, guests enjoyed samples from 19 bars and restaurants that entered the contest and served specialty cocktails made with local produce and ingredients during the contest. Guests also enjoyed a spirit tasting from Beehive Distillery and Sugar

House Distillery and wine and non-alcoholic tastings from Vine Lore. The event, also sponsored by Toast (a restaurant point of sale and management system) and Libations (a local wine and spirits broker), was the formal kick-off for the contest.

Through Oct. 31 readers could vote on saltlakemagazine.com and magazine judges evaluated the entries. The winner was announced on Nov. 1.

Call for photos We welcome your photos of recent social events around Utah. Please send high resolution photos (.jpg format) to magazine@saltlakemagazine.com with the subject line “Social” and a package of images and event/caption information in a file transfer service we can access.

Submissions must accompanied by names and a description of the event (who, what, when, where, why).

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Salt Lake magazine’s Farm-to-Glass Cocktail Contest Kickoff Party March 15, 2023, Market Street Grill & Oyster Bar, Cottonwood Heights, Photos by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography

1 Faith Scheffler, Whitley Davis, Brenda Gomez from Log Haven 2 Lorin Wilkie, Kate Merrick, Jacklyn Smith 3 Sam Black, Joel Aoyagi, Bijan Ghiai from Urban Hill 4 Randall Curtis and Tony Vainuku 5 Penny Lanzarotta from Casot Wine Bar 6 Morgan Fetters and Steve Paganelli from Webaholics 7 Connie Daniels, Juan Guttierrez, Rina Mackenzie, Nicea Degering

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SUWA’s Mix Tape Party September 9, 2023, Natural History Museum of Utah Photos by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography

1 Redrock enthusiasts (L to R) David Garbett, O2 Utah Executive Director; Sharon Buccino, SUWA Board Member; Laura Peterson, SUWA Staff Attorney 2 Scott Groene, SUWA Executive Director; Rebecca Chavez-Houck, SUWA Board of Directors Vice-Chair & Secretary; Tom Kenworthy, SUWA Board Chair 3 Robert Gehrke, Sarah Dehoney, and Joellyn Manville 4 and 5 SUWA hosted their 1980s-themed 40th Anniversary Celebration at the Natural History Museum of Utah

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Cowboys with Heart July 15, 2023, TAG Ranch Photos by Sparkle Photography

1 Lucy Wasmund and Anna Wasmund 2 Javier Palomarez and Sarah Ash 3 Jacquelyn Pearson, Amy and Mike George, Rita Corbin, Terry Kelley and Lauren Johnson 4 Mike Dever and Jennifer Jackenthal 5 Glenn and Susan Rothman 6 Marcus Hanley, Rob Moore, Jestine Salazar and Braden Moore

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Craft Lake City DIY Festival August 11, 12 & 13, 2023, Utah State Fairgrounds Photos by John Barkiple

1 Wendy Juarez of Prime Corn 2 Mike White, RAS the ROBOT 3 Heidi and Shea Gillies of Senor Smokes 4 Mary Ann and Caroline Jensen 5 Harper Haase, Belynda Magalei 6 Natalie Allsup-Edwards of Hand Drawn Photo Booth, Maddison Hathaway of Madd Mongrel

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FIELD GUIDE

ESSENTIAL MLM*

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration

J

O I N I N G A M U LT I - L E V E L

marketing (MLM) company is not a requirement for living in Utah.

It only feels that way. MLMs or “directsales” ventures are big business here and prominent features of the state’s cultural and physical landscape. Interstate 15 through Utah County is lined by grand, spacious buildings emblazoned with marquee signs celebrating the largest MLMs in the state—DoTerra, Young Living, Nu Skin, Younique, LifeVantage, and the hits keep on coming. We’ve all been hit up on social media with a “Hey Girl!” from a former high school classmate who is “reaching out with this AMAZING miracle product!” Unfriend. MLM girlies are always hustling and almost every Elder on your mission did a stint selling solar panels or pest control after he got home.

Why, pray tell, is Utah such fertile ground for MLMs? The culture within the ward houses likely plays a part. The LDS faith promotes industriousness and self-reliance. Young return missionaries easily morph into a fleet of pre-trained, often bi-lingual salespeople who are no strangers to knocking on doors. After marriage, LDS women are encouraged to build loving homes and, for many, hawking essential oils can earn pocket change (and break up the monotony). The Church also

provides a built-in community (and weekly meetings) to recruit “downline” sellers. For one reason or another, some LDS folks are particularly susceptible to some of the sleazier schemes. In fact, Church leaders have admonished members to avoid being “too vulnerable to the lure of sudden wealth.”

Meanwhile, Utahns in high places have a history of looking out for these companies.

Many MLMs peddle health and dietary supplements with unproven effects, unevaluated by the FDA. How is that legal?

Thank the late Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who championed the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act which legitimized the sale of supplements and limited FDA oversight. Meaning, that if a company gets too bold with its claims, the FDA cracks down by sending them a strongly worded letter.

Despite the blessing of the U.S. Government, some MLMs have a nasty reputation for their business practices. For example, LuLaRoe was the subject of LuLaRich, an Amazon Prime documentary.

The series shows how the LDS founders of MLM apparel company, LuLaRoe, used deceptive recruiting practices—preying largely on women who shared their religious beliefs—and saddled them with mountains of unsold, and often

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unwearable, inventory and massive debt.

(Sales reps are not directly employed by the companies and often have to buy upfront the product to sell.) The model particulars might differ slightly from company to company, but it usually involves committing sales reps to market and sell products directly to consumers and to also recruit “downline” reps who pay a commission to their “upline” rep with every sale. Kind of like a pyramid.

Still, the direct-sales industry brings in a lot of money to the state, accounting for 2.2% of the annual earnings in Utah in 2020. Ten of the largest MLMs headquartered in Utah (surveyed in 2020) made $10.3 billion in sales, the majority of which (about $6 billion) was made overseas. Those profits do not trickle “downline,” however. Those 10 Utah companies had 21,500 independent sales reps in Utah whose median earnings (before expenses) ranged from only $70 to $3,000 per year.

That could explain why some MLM reps come across as aggressive and pretty desperate when they DM you on social media.

So, maybe, the next time an MLM girlie or solar sales bro emerges from the past with a sales pitch, why don’t we let them down easy?

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