We returned to our favorite food-event of the summer this year and it continued to live up to all the hype.  Savor the Summit is an event in Park City, where many of the restaurants move their service to Main Street, lining the block with one long table and serving several courses to their guests.  Each restaurant creates their own special menu for this evening, showcasing new ideas sprouting from their talented chefs.

This year, we sat at Handle’s table, a restaurant that’s been on my list for quite some time.  I’m honestly a little embarrassed that we hadn’t experienced Handle until now.   I’ll blame it on a busy season and parenthood, but never-the-less, I’m just glad we finally got to have the a full experience at Briar Handly’s table.

Savor the Summit was the perfect way to get a full taste of what Chef Handly is capable of.  We were served our food family style and EVERY SINGLE DISH lived up to my expectations or exceeded them. So many of the plates were piled high with fresh, seasonal veggies, cooked to perfection with plenty of texture and flavor. The meats incorporated into the meal, were also cooked and seasoned just right.

One of my favorite bites of the night came from the dish above glittering with fresh cherries, pickled rhubarb, seasonal mushrooms, pheasant confit, brussels sprouts, and scattered herbs.  Every fork-full gave a balance of fresh and satisfying flavors. 

The eclectic, pure nature of the food and atmosphere proved to be authentic and though I got to taste so many dishes on this evening, I am already looking into getting more experiences with Briar Handly’s food!

Past Savor the Summit experiences:

Savor the Summit 2015 at Reef’s

Savor the Summit 2013 at Reef’s

Savor the Summit 2012 at Royal Street Cafe

Savor the Summit 2011 at 350 Main

I get such nostalgia attending the same food events annually.  For us, there are just a couple of events that we get really excited about every year and the Wasatch Mountain Table at Solitude Mountain Resort is one of them.  The last three years, we’ve gotten to attend this dreamy outdoor dinner with wine pairings and a view unlike any other.  At the same meal two years ago we brought a newborn with us (who slept quietly in a sling the whole dinner). This year we knew our toddler would not have the patience for a 5 course meal, so we hired a babysitter but those memories of him with us that first summer made it even more special.

This year, our dinner was a pairing of pork and pinot noir, aptly called Pigs and Pinot.  Their second dinner of the summer is Bison and Beer.  This is not only a fun chance to eat well and meet new people in a beautiful mountain setting but also to get a taste for the new management team and kitchen staff at Solitude (newly hired by Deer Valley Resort).  There is a lot to be excited about for this upcoming season.  The food at Solitude is definitely getting a makeover while the resort is still keeping its accessible charm.

If you’re interested in attending the next Wasatch Mountain Table Dinner, visit the Solitude Website.

My favorite bite of the evening was this simple peach and proscuitto flatbread (a combo that gets me every time!).

Wasatch Mountain Table 2013

We were led to our seats at the classic long table that is the centerpiece of the Savor the Summit event – Main Street in Park City is shut down to automobile traffic, opening it up to a wonderful ‘Eat in the Street’ evening. We decided to start with a cool and refreshing Italian Pinot Grigio, perfect closure for the hot day. The warm evening had everyone in good spirits, and as the sun set over Main Street, servers brought around smoked salmon crostinis for the first course.

As the night progressed, we tasted several other wines; a Côtes du Rhone, and an Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon that was my drink of preference for the remainder of the meal. As a main course, my mom ordered the sweet and juicy rack of lamb, served over a lightly spiced mixture of beans and cooked apricots. The most memorable dish of the evening was my halibut, which had been steamed in a bright green banana leaf, with lemon slices, leeks, carrot greens, and a kick of spicy green curry on top.

After the main course and before dessert, people started getting up to deliver the envelopes and roses to Bryn, whose boyfriend was proposing to her that night. After everyone had delivered Brent’s messages to her, he asked her to marry him right then and there. She said yes!! Everyone snapped photos and cheered as the servers brought around a light fruit salad flecked with mint leaves. We relaxed and conversed with our neighbors and drank more delicious Israeli wine as patrons started to drift off to different after parties.

This family owned restaurant put on a great evening, which I’m sure will be remembered for years to come by Bryn and Brent. We enjoyed Reef’s hospitality and will be sure to check out their daily menu on our next visit to Park City!

If you have been following me over on theVintageMixer.com, you’ve seen me journey through a quick 8 week Culinary School Program at Park City Culinary Institute.  As my program comes to a close we are preparing for a big graduation dinner.  This dinner is open to the public and I would like to extent a personal invitation to you!  Next Thursday, in the most beautiful aspen filled area of Deer Valley, you can experience a 5+ course meal plus wine pairings.  Our small class will be lead through the dinner service action by three of our instructors, who happen to be some of the best chefs in the area. I can promise you that nothing in this meal will disappoint. Come join us on this culinary adventure!

Here are the courses we will be serving:

Canapé Style Appetizers

Cured Scottish Salmon
English cucumbers, horseradish cream

Leek and Chorizo Risotto Cake
with smoked tomato jam

Miniature Cauliflower Panni Cotta
Pickled sweet onion and basil

Dinner

Chilled Poached Lobster
Carrot cardamom purée, pea shoots, carrot chip

Beet gnocchi
Lemon chèvre cream, shaved fennel, candied walnuts

Watercress and Butter Lettuce Salad
Dill-buttermilk dressing, dried apricot, pepitas, watermelon radish

Slow-Roasted Utah Elk Loin
Herb dust, quinoa, shaved asparagus, honey-rhubarb sauce

Seats must be reserved by this Friday (May 29), with full payment to reserve in advance. Dinner is $90 per person or $135 for dinner plus wine pairings. Call Park City Culinary Institute at 435-659-5075 to reserve your seat.

A little background.

In January 2014 we got a call from Globe Pequot about writing a book about the Salt Lake dining scene.  After a few emails and phone calls, we were given a deadline of May 1, 2014 to deliver all content – 224 pages, 200 photos, 55,000 words, 80 recipes, 65 restaurant profiles, all while also caring for one infant (who went to every single restaurant except Forage).   Ninety days.  Not to mention Josh was opening Charming Beard’s cafe at the University of Utah during March of that year while also working half time at Missio Dei Community Church.  It was a busy time for sure, but it was certainly a labor of love.

There are a lot of writers and photographers in SLC, why did they choose us?  Great question.  We can’t completely explain that outside of rich blessing.  We take ownership of this city and believe its a privilege to be one of the talented voices and eyes telling and showing what’s happening around here.  Chef’s Table is basically a combination of both of Becky’s blogs – theSLCfoodie.com (profiles, personal interest stories, local food highlights, photography) and thevintagemixer.com (recipes, food photography).

On many levels, I think we made the publishers life a little easier by handling the writing and the photography (hopefully with a measure of competence).

Regardless of how we got here and the day to day task of getting it done, it’s done.  And it’s beautiful.  What makes us most proud is the hope that you would be proud – of this book, of the chef’s, of the restauranteurs, of the producers, of this city.  We may be small and unsuspecting compared to other urban settings, but our food and people behind the food are special.

The day is coming (and is perhaps already here) where Salt Lake City will be the place other cities look to for inspiration.  May this city and its people not lose its one-ness no matter its size or influence.

Cheers to SLC.

The book includes over 65 restaurants and 80 recipes!

Pick up a copy for yourself or for a holiday gift at these local stores and events:

Wellers Books – Book Signing on Dec 9th

Kings English – Book Signing on Jan 15th

Dolly’s Bookstore – Book Signing on Dec 21st

There’s a party coming.  A party celebrating a book we’re really excited to release to the public. Make sure you save a little holiday shopping money for the event. Books will be available for sale.

December 19 • evening
at CityHome COLLECTIVE
Save the Date
Details coming soon

For all of those looking to advance their wine tasting and ordering skills, I have just the class for you.  And I say ‘class’ lightly because though you’ll be learning a lot of valuable information, wine sipping isn’t exactly your typical night class.

Jimmy Santangelo and the Wine Academy of Utah provide these wine classes for business executives and wine enthusiasts to learn more on how to order wine and taste wine.  Participants will gain confidence and knowledge in tasting, pairing, and ordering wine. Plus, each class gives you a chance to try 6 + different wines! The past few classes have been held at the Alta Club and I can’t image there being a better location for business executives and wine enthusiasts to convene.

The next Executive Wine Class is in August. Sign up today at WineAcademyofUtah.com.

I first discovered Jeni’s Ice Cream tucked in the small freezer section at Liberty Heights Fresh.  With flavors like The Buckeye State, Goat Cheese with Red Cherries, and Wildberry Lavender, I immediately fell in love.

Cookbook author Jeni Bauer Britton will be in Salt Lake at The King’s English Bookshop to discuss her newest recipe book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts.  Her ice cream recipes have won awards have garnered alot of positive press. The King’s English will be  serving scoops of Jeni’s famous *Pumpernickel Cherry *and *Sea Salt Caramel* ice cream. In case you have not tried Jeni’s ice cream, it is amazing and only available locally at Whole Foods and Liberty Heights Fresh Market.

The cookbook signing is at King’s English Bookshop on Tuesday, July 1 at 7:00pm.

We all like to let loose a little on the weekends. Maybe we order pizza, have a burger and fries or go for that ice cream shake we’ve been craving all week.  But then Monday rolls around and we feel the need to make right some of the wrongs from our weekend.  Isabel Mejia, a nutritionist and community health educator from Food is Our Friend, recently started teaching Meatless Monday classes in downtown Salt Lake City. The classes are fun, educational, and I must say, delicious! She focuses on easy, healthy cooking methods and you leave feeling satisfied, but not stuffed, and filled with lots of new knowledge.

I jumped at the chance to attend one of Isabel’s first classes and here are a few snid bits of what I learned and ate:

A great way to up your water intake, is to infuse it with herbs and fruit.  Try cucumber, mint, basil, and lemon to spice things up without adding calories or chemicals.

You don’t need cream to make a bisque.  Use a good blender and puree your vegetables well to get the texture of creamy soup.  Avocado, like in this Avocado Soup, creates a perfect creamy texture for soups and sauces.

Don’t be afraid to use water. We made a carrot soup and spiced it up with ginger and garlic (both anti inflammatory and anti viral ingredients). The addition of just enough water turned the puree into soup without watering it down. Also, carrots don’t loose their nutrients when you cook them, like many other vegetables. So, in this Carrot Soup, you can make it with shredded raw carrots or cooked carrots and get the same nutritional benefit.

We also enjoyed a fabulous grilled cheese on sourdough bread from Morning Mills Bakery.  Sour dough bread doesn’t cause inflammation in the intestines and it is often times tolerable to those with gluten intolerances.

These are just a few tips I picked up from Isabel during our class. One of the greatest things about Isabel is that she’s approachable.  She never makes you feel dumb if you don’t know something and she makes eating seem healthy doable and enjoyable! Check out her Meatless Monday class schedule to select a class you’d like to take this summer!

The first professional certificate program starts in September. Apply at www.parkcityculinaryinstitute.com or call (435) 659-5075 for more information. Also, you can attend single classes for an affordable fee.