vol. 3 no. 11 • November 2017 • celebrate
Chefs’ Thanksgiving Table p. 30
It’s time to
Utah’s Craft Chocolate Crusaders p. 44 Punch! p. 52
Gift Givaway p. 42
Utah Restaurant Association p. 60 Devour Utah • November 2017 1
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2 Devour Utah • November 2017
Devour Utah • November 2017 3
C10 ontents 26 Eat Your Veggies
14 22
Invigorating autumn dishes BY HEATHER L. KING
You Do Yule
Personalizing holiday celebrations BY MERRY HARRISON
The Spread
Saffron Valley Sugar House BY AIMEE L. COOK
The Deconstruct
30 44
Feldman’s Deli blintzes BY TED SCHEFFLER
The Chef’s Table How local chefs celebrate Thanksgiving BY AIMEE L. COOK
Craft Chocolate Crusaders Meet Utah’s cacao aficionados BY DARBY DOYLE
4 Devour Utah • November 2017
52 66
Punch!
Celebrating a classic holiday libation BY DARBY DOYLE
Last Bite
A call to celebrate BY VANESSA CHANG
Devour Utah • November 2017 5
DEVOUR
Contributors STAFF Publisher JOHN SALTAS Editorial Editor Copy Editor Proofreader Contributors
Photographers
TED SCHEFFLER SARAH ARNOFF LANCE GUDMUNDSEN VANESSA CHANG, AIMEE L. COOK, DARBY DOYLE, MERRY HARRISON, HEATHER L. KING
When not preaching pork at her day job for Creminelli Fine Meats, freelancer Vanessa Chang regularly nerds out on chocolate and cheese.
NIKI CHAN, JOHN TAYLOR, JOSH SCHEUERMAN
Production Art Director Assistant Art Director Graphic Artists
DEREK CARLISLE BRIAN PLUMMER JOSH SCHEUERMAN, SOFIA CIFUENTES VAUGHN ROBISON
Business/Office Accounting Manager Office Administrator Technical Director
PAULA SALTAS ANNA KASER BRYAN MANNOS
Writer and recovering archaeologist Darby Doyle highlights hip SLC as a cityhomeCollective contributor. She also blogs about boozy experiments at abourbongal.com.
Marketing Marketing Manager
JACKIE BRIGGS
Circulation Circulation Manager
ERIC GRANATO
Sales Magazine Advertising Director Newsprint Advertising Director Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executives
JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF PETE SALTAS ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER LISA DORELLI, PAULINA KNUDSON, ALEX MARKHAM, JEREMIAH SMITH
Heather L. King writes about food, travel and culture in Utah and beyond. She is the founder of Utah Ladies Who Lunch and a proud Great Dane owner.
Cover Photo: Vince Burrows Distribution is complimentary throughout the Wasatch Front. Additional copies of Devour are available for $4.95 at the Devour offices located at 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 • 801-575-7003 • DevourUtah.com Email editor at Ted@DevourUtah.com Advertising contact: Sales@DevourUtah.com
Copperfield Publishing Copyright 2017. All rights reserved
@DevourUtah
6 Devour Utah • November 2017
@DevourUtah
@DevourUtah
Aimee L. Cook writes for several local publications. She enjoys reviewing all things art, entertainment and food related.
Devour Utah • November 2017 7
Celebration Days
It’s a time to rejoice in our differences and similarities.
A
s I sit down to write, I’m blasting Celebration Day on the stereo. That was the seemingly impossible one-off reunion concert by Led Zeppelin in 2007. It had been a long, long time since they’d rocked and rolled, but proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they still had the goods. Against all odds, the boys came out sounding fresher than ever; anything but stale. It’s a reminder—in light of the approaching holidays—that we can dust off and refresh old traditions as well as create new ones. This issue of Devour Utah carries a mix of old and new, with some suggestions to avoid getting stale. Few foods have endured longer than the pastry of Jewish origin called blintzes. In The Deconstruct, Janet Feldman of Feldman’s Deli shares her method of blintz-making with readers. Serving blintzes during the holidays would be a warm, loving (and luscious) gesture to your family and friends, and in this issue, Merry Harrison shares thoughts on ways to revitalize and personalize your own holiday celebrations. For example, “rosemary is for remembrance,” she reminds us. Celebrations and sweets go hand-in-hand, and Darby Doyle explores the rich world of Utah’s artisan craft chocolate makers—a sticky job, but someone had to do it. She also offers up a trio of classic punch recipes for holiday (or anytime) imbibing. Ever wonder what professional chefs look forward to most at their Thanksgiving table? Aimee L. Cook has the answers, along with a peak at the new Saffron Valley Sugar House restaurant in The Spread. Yes, we live in troubled times. But maybe that’s all the more reason to celebrate. We need to revel in our differences, as well as the ways we come together. Breaking bread around the holiday table is a joyous way to do so. Please pass the gravy and the grog. ❖ —Ted Scheffler Editor
8 Devour Utah • November 2017
STORE
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DEVOURUTAHSTORE.COM Devour Utah • November 2017 9
Veggies EAT YOUR
A visual feast of invigorating autumn dishes. BY HEATHER L. KING PHOTOS BY DEREK CARLISLE
10 Devour Utah • November 2017
I
n November, the turkey seems to get all the attention. But Thanksgiving and autumnal meals would be nothing without their supporting sides—primarily the flavorful colorful vegetable dish. Here we explore four veggie dishes found around valley restaurants that deserve a starring role at any table.
Buffalo roasted cauliflower $8 If the proliferation of cauliflower dishes on the hottest chefs’ menus are any indication, it’s definitely the vegetable on fire. Executive Chef Matt Crandall put together this Buffaloroasted cauliflower small plate as part of the opening menu at White Horse downtown. Roasted to bring out the earthiness of the floret, it’s bathed in a kicky Buffalo sauce then placed atop a flourish of gorgonzola crème fraîche that will leave you fighting with your tablemates for the last punchy spoonful. White Horse Spirits and Kitchen 325 S. Main, SLC 801-363-0137 whitehorseslc.com
Elotes $3 At chef and owner Matt Lake’s newest restaurant, Alamexo Cantina near 9th and 9th, you’ll find the humble elotes side dish. Celebrating the simplicity and flavors found south of the border, this Mexican street corn dish surprises and delights—bright kernels dressed with an addictive lime aioli, a generous dusting of queso fresco and a sprinkle of mild chile molido. It pairs perfectly with a margarita custom made with your choice of tequila. Alamexo Cantina 1059 E. 900 South, SLC 801-658-5859 alamexocantina.com
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Brussels sprouts $6 Eva’s Brussels sprouts have stood the test of time—living on the smallplates menu since the restaurant opened in 2009. Chef and owner Charlie Perry shaves the raw sprouts so they cook quickly when sautéed in butter. Toasted hazelnuts, a splash of tangy apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sea salt are all that’s needed to make these tiny cruciferous vegetables sing. You can easily find the recipe online to make them yourself or venture down Main Street for a visit to one of Utah’s original tapas restaurants. Eva 317 S. Main, SLC 801-359-8447 evaslc.com
Zanahorias $9 Under the watchful eye of owner Scott Evans and former Executive Chef Phelix Gardner, Finca introduced Salt Lake to Spanish tapas in a fresh new light. Here, even vegetables get the spotlight—with plates like zanahorias. As pretty as they are delicious, these colorful baby carrots hit all the right notes of a balanced dish— earthiness from the root vegetables, sweet and nutty tones brought together by the strikingly yellow honeycumin sauce and brightness from fresh lemon zest—all rounded out by a helping of ricotta. ❖ Finca 327 W. 200 South, SLC 801-487-0699 fincaslc.com
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Yule YOU DO
THOUGHTS ON PERSONALIZING HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS BY MERRY HARRISON
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W
hen I held a holiday open house last year to celebrate my new living space, deciding on the menu was easy. I prepared a turkey with wild rice dish loaded with red grapes and peppers, chopped celery, green onions, pecans and dries cherries, dressed with a raspberry vinaigrette. A salad of dark greens, baguettes, plates of rich homemade cookies and brownies, and a festive Poinsettia Punch rounded out the offerings. The main dish was such a hit that friends were not shy about asking if they could take home some leftovers, which I encouraged, since I always make too much food. It was a bright and happy affair. Surprisingly, the hardest part was choosing what music to play.
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Fort Union 6981 S. Park Centre Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84121 Devour Utah • November 2017 15
Last year brought changes and challenges for so many that the repetitive ring of sleigh bells or some famous singer belting out carols just did not suit the occasion. After much YouTube sampling, I chose lovely Renaissance lute music that, to me, reflected the feel of tradition and had a pleasant ease. This year, I am again looking forward making careful holiday-inspired selections—hoping to discover additional, meaningful alternatives that feed my soul, honor the deeper meaning of the season and feel more authentic. I look to history for inspiration. Coming together for food, drink, feasting and giving and receiving gifts is practically universal during the holidays. Winter Solstice on Dec. 21 is about not only the joyous return of the sun’s lifegiving light but about darkness, too. We naturally anticipate wonder and opportunity for review and renewal. Here are some ideas for thinking a bit out of the holiday box. Skip the overheads. Think fires, candles and handsome reflective décor using rich fabrics, glass, mirrors and colors that feel right for the setting. Natural elements are appealing
16 Devour Utah • November 2017
because they add genuine vitality with organic scents and colors. “Rosemary is for remembrance.” It is a fragrant evergreen that can adorn centerpieces and enhance flavors. In medieval times, it garlanded the celebrated boar’s head on the platter. Hang shiny, red chile ristras. Use the lavender you bundled in July and tuck it into wreaths with dried yarrow, tansy and red-berried holly. Fragrance your home by simmering together fruit and spice like apple and cinnamon or orange and clove. We love the fresh, pine scent of Christmas trees. (I use the same one every year; it lives in a large pot on my patio.) Many traditions use trees to help convey messages by tying ribbons written with hopes and intentions for the new year or even notes to the departed. It seems a meaningful activity to share with others. As for feasting, there are abundant opportunities to enjoy purchasing, making and giving food. So much is new and interesting. Plan to buy local from our hard-working farmers and ranchers, bakers, butchers, chocolatiers, caterers, etc.
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Devour Utah • November 2017 17
This can allow for new menu and gift items that bring joy and interest. Develop a can-do attitude toward new diets people have, and try serving something new. Try a restaurant that has a special holiday menu, and pick up a gift certificate on your way out. Traditional favorites are so important. I would have a real problem on my hands if I did not deliver my grandmother’s powdered sugar-coated pecan puffs. People wait all year for them, and the door swings wide when they see me coming with my puffs. Sharing made-from-scratch treats is a real joy to everyone. Is there anyone who can’t attend or will be especially missed at your holiday gatherings? The Celts used the “chalice of remembrance,” a vessel filled with drink that everyone shared yet left enough for the one being remembered. The cup was then placed next to an emblem that represented the person. Today, we might choose a photograph. I miss my great-grandmother and cherish clear memories of her plum pudding that, once drenched with brandy and placed in a darkened room, was set alight for us to
18 Devour Utah • November 2017
watch its magical blue flame. It was the greatly anticipated finale of our Christmas meal. I have her recipe, which was handed down from her great-grandmother. She began it weeks in advance by mixing beef kidney suet, nuts, several dried and crystalized fruits, 14 eggs, milk, molasses, sherry currant jelly and more. Once it was shaped into a ball and wrapped in cheese cloth, it hung in the spring house on the farm for a long time. I don’t want to attempt to make it, but remembering her reminds me that I have her sepia-toned wedding portrait that has been in a box for decades. What a nice addition it would be to add it to my other cherished photos on display for the holidays. I can’t think of anyone who is not somewhat challenged by the rapid pace of our lives. This is all the more reason to think of what you (yes, you) want this season to be. It is a chance to feel deeply and make a few new choices to share and celebrate that might even become cherished memories and new traditions for future holidays. ❖
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Devour Utah • November 2017 21
The
pread S Lavanya Mahate
22 Devour Utah • November 2017
SAFFRON
L
avanya Mahate has done it again. This restaurateur is never comfortable resting on her laurels. Known for not shying away from a challenge, Mahate has not only pioneered another unique Indian restaurant, serving her award-winning family recipes, but she revitalized a corner of Sugar House that had been an eyesore for years. Saffron Valley in Sugar House is the restaurant’s third location, but it has many unique offerings that sets it apart from its sister establishments. The most notable is the debut of thali-style dining. These beautifully round-plated samplings of traditional Indian foods include roti (flat bread), dal (simmered lentils), brown or white rice and sabzi—a dish made up of many combinations of vegetables and spices, which can be either sweet or spicy, along with your choice of dessert. “Thali has been the traditional way of serving Indian food at home in India for centuries and something that was exclusive to our Sugar House restaurant,” Mahate says. “We wanted to serve authentic Indian food, but elevated. Indian food is a combination of spicy, sour, sweet and pungent that gives you a guessing feeling of what flavor is coming next. I think our menu really captures that.” Also introduced on the menu are signature curries from the north, south and west of India. Chicken coconut curry, laal maas (lamb) and butter chicken are all deliciously crafted along with the specific spice blends used in each dish. The biryani selections (rice casseroles) are made using a distinctive technique of layering a sheet of naan dough on top and slow cooking the dish to seal in all the flavors. Cracking open this dish presents a gust of steam and aromas, a pleasure for all the senses. Many vegan and vegetarian dishes have been added to the menu. The garlic okra has become very popular, and the eggplant dish, hyderabadi baingan, is a favorite among diners. The old corner building that now is home to the new Saffron Valley has housed an array of businesses over the years, but most recently sat vacant. Mahate enlisted MJSA Architecture to translate her vision of creating a space that is reminiscent of an Indian spice market, with vibrant colors and textures. The result is a bright, warm and comfortable space with mixed metals, wood tables and hand-painted mandalas adorning the walls. The new location has private and semi-private dining areas for special occasions, meetings or events. There is also unused space adjacent to the restaurant where Mahate plans to create an Indian cooking school with free culinary training for underserved youth. “This is an opportunity for us to bring all our businesses together,” Mahate says. “We have products from our spice store Dhanya, bakery items and chai from Biscotts, and the foods from the Saffron Valley restaurants. It is unique that we brought these three things under one roof and created an Indian marketplace environment, that is not only a restaurant, but is a place where people can fall in love with Indian food—that is our ultimate goal.” ❖
TDK
Saffron Valley Sugar House 479 E. 2100 South, SLC 801-203-3754 saffronvalley.com —By Aimee L. Cook Photos by Niki Chan Devour Utah • November 2017 23
Love
4
Things We
BY TED SCHEFFLER
1 2
3
At Harmons Grocery deli counters, we can’t resist the fresh, Southwestern taste of their black bean and corn salsa, made fresh daily. It’s terrific with tortilla chips to scoop up the sassy salsa, but it also makes for a colorful side dish. ($4 per pound)
1
24 Devour Utah • November 2017
Hello Gorgeous! E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2015 from France’s northern Rhône Valley is a luscious, luxurious Marsannebased white wine with white peach and apricot flavors. Think of it as Catherine Deneuve in a bottle. ($29.30)
2
ThermoWorks is an American Fork-based company that manufactures world-class timers, thermometers, probes and such tools for chefs and amateur cooks alike. The Thermapen Mk4 is an indispensable weapon in my kitchen arsenal, available in 10 colors and accurate to within plus or minus .7 degrees. Temperature readings are almost instantaneous: 2-3 seconds! ($99)
3
Although Barely Buzzed gets much of the accolades, one of my favorite Beehive Cheese Co. artisan cheeses is SeaHive. It’s a well-balanced, Jersey cow milk cheese that’s handrubbed with Redmond Real Salt and local honey. I love it shaved on a simple salad. ($20 per pound at Harmons)
4
Contemporary Japanese Dining SU LUNCH • DINNER • COCKTAILS
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SH
I B A R & G RI
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Devour Utah • November 2017 25
The 26 Devour Utah • November 2017
A
ccording to Feldman’s Deli owner Michael Feldman, there is some dispute among food historians over the origin of blintzes, but “they probably came from Hungary or Russia,” he says. Wherever they were created, I’m happy that they found their way to the hands and heart of Janet Feldman, Michael’s wife, who makes ethereal blintzes from scratch at the Deli. Her thin—almost see-through—crêpe-like pancakes are stuffed with a heady mixture of mascarpone, ricotta and cream cheeses along with lemon extract, egg yolk (the whites would make the filling too runny, Janet says) and vanilla. The cheese filling is wrapped up—sort of burrito-style—in the blintz pancake and then pan-fried until golden brown and crisp on the outside. She finishes off her beautiful blintzes with a topping of sour cherry compote and a dollop of sour cream. It’s definitely a blintz to brag about. ❖ —Ted Scheffler Photos by Niki Chan
Feldman’s Deli
Blintz with Sour Cherry Compote
2005 E. 2700 South • 801-906-0369 • feldmansdeli.com
Devour Utah • November 2017 27
Scheff’s Table: Ingredients:
3 large whole tomatoes or 6-8 smaller plum/Roma tomatoes 3 dried ancho chiles 2 dried pasilla chiles 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican) 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 scallions, white and green parts minced
Method:
Shrimp with Chile Rojo Recipe and photos by Ted Scheffler
I
n Mexico, this dish is called camarones in chile rojo—shrimp in red chile. It’s an easy and quick dish to prepare, and one bursting with rich, bold chile flavors, although it’s not especially spicy. Be sure to take the time to toast the dried chiles on a comal or griddle before using. This will really bring out the chiles’ deep flavors. Dried chiles can be found in most regular supermarkets in the Hispanic food section.
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Broil the tomatoes in the oven, turning occasionally, until blistered and blackened a bit, about 15 minutes. Remove the stems and most of the seeds from the chiles by tearing them open. Roast the chiles on a hot comal or griddle/skillet until they give off wisps of smoke and are fragrant. Roast the garlic cloves briefly in their skins until slightly blackened and the garlic is softened a little. Remove the skins. Place the roasted chiles into a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring the chiles to a boil, then turn off the heat and place a lid or a plate smaller than the pan on top of the chiles to keep them submerged in the hot water. Allow the chiles to soften in the water for a half hour. Drain the chiles and place them into a blender along with the roasted tomatoes, garlic, salt and oregano. Purée the mixture until smooth—this is the chile rojo. Put the chile rojo into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the scallions, saving a tablespoon or so for garnish. Stir the shrimp into the chile rojo and simmer until cooked through, 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. Serve garnished with additional scallions. ❖
serving breakfast, lunch and dinner
bagels, bagel beignets corned beef hash, blintzes fried egg & taylor ham sandwiches from 8:00 am - 10:30 am 2005 E. 2700 SOUTH, SLC FELDMANSDELI.COM @ FELDMANSDELI OPEN TUES - SAT TO GO ORDERS: (801) 906-0369
Devour Utah • November 2017 29
Table THE CHEF’S
How local food & drink pros celebrate Thanksgiving. BY AIMEE L. COOK PHOTOS BY NICK GLEESON
T
hanksgiving is a holiday centered around feasting. Traditions, time with family and friends, and preparing a meal for a large or small gathering make the food almost as important as the company. These local chefs and a wine expert share their thoughts on what the November holiday means to them and what they prepare for their guests.
Jonathan LeBlanc, executive chef at Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar
Jennifer Gilroy, chef/owner of Meditrina and Porch
My new gnocchi dish reminds me of seasons changing and the coming holidays—especially Thanksgiving. At Stanza, I have created a dish using local seasonal ingredients. We start with garnet yams, which make rich colorful gnocchi. We add local wild mushrooms, sautéed broccoli raab, winter squash, drunken cranberries, Parmesan and it’s finished with a garlic-sage brown butter sauce. All the flavors of fall reimagined in a delicious new gnocchi dish.
I’ve always loved this food-based holiday. Honestly, one of the things I look forward to the most is the turkey gravy and mashed potatoes made with the leftovers! I do Frenchstyle pommes purée (almost as much butter as potato) and add a splash of brandy to the gravy. This year, I’m also looking forward to brining and smoking my own ham. As a restaurant owner, it’s great to have a space big enough for the whole blended family.
30 Devour Utah • November 2017
Pumpkin Halwa
Method:
Halwa refers to a dense, sweet confection, served across the Indian subcontinent. Pumpkin halwa is a perfect ending to an elaborate Thanksgiving meal. Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 cups grated pumpkin, skin and seeds removed 10 unsalted cashews or pistachios, broken 3 green cardamoms powdered, skins removed ½ cup melted unsalted butter (ghee) 1 cup milk ½ cup sugar ¼ cup honey
In a wide-mouthed pan with a lid, heat about 2 teaspoons of ghee (melted butter) and roast the cashews or pistachios and set aside. Add two more tablespoons of ghee and grated pumpkin, sauté till the raw smell goes away (about 10 minutes). Add milk, cover and cook until the pumpkin turns soft (15 minutes). Stir mixture occasionally to prevent sticking. Add sugar, cardamom powder and honey. Mix and cook until all the moisture evaporates. Add remaining ghee and cook until it starts to separate (8-10 minutes) Add the cashews or pistachios and turn off the heat. Serve warm.
Lavanya Mahate, chef/owner of Biscotts and Saffron Valley Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, a time to gather around great food, family and friends. It’s also the kick off for the Christmas season and puts everybody in the holiday mood. Pumpkin halwa is a perfect addition to any holiday table.
Pumpkin halwa Devour Utah • November 2017 31
Jim Santangelo, owner/educator at Wine Academy of Utah One of my earliest visits to Utah was in the late ’80s. I’d visit family while in college and spend the weekend skiing and watching the World Cup hosted at Park City Mountain Resort. I fondly remember dancing on Park City’s snow covered Main Street watching the band America perform “Ventura Highway” while sipping on a Wasatch ale from Utah’s first craft brewers. Today, Thanksgiving is still spent in Park City, and before even getting through the door I’m greeted on the patio with a cold one by friends and family. The cooler has an assortment of craft beers, and I’ll bring along some Deschutes Black Butte Porter to warm up the bones from the crisp fall air. When we make our way inside, if weather permits, I’ll use icicles to make a few stirred-down Manhattans. Using nearby High West Double Rye whiskey, a nice portion of Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth and a dash or two of local Honest John black walnut bitters, I’ll replace the beer and quaffable chardonnay that’s being enjoyed with this deep flavorful cocktail. As for what to drink with the bird, usually we’ll pop the remaining Beaujolais nouveau from the previous week’s festivities. Look for George Duboeuf for a truly juicy expression of Beaujolais nouveau. I always seek out a more serious version of Cru Beaujolais picking up a few bottles of Maison L’Envoyé Morgon Côté du Py. This’ll remind you of expensive red burgundy for half the price and pairs nicely with the richness of the flavors of the day.
Eggnog
Nick Fahs, chef/owner of Table X Thanksgiving for me is all about family. It’s the time of year where I can get away from the restaurant business and spend quality time with my mother, niece, nephews and siblings. My mother rarely gets to cook for her children and she enjoys making us Thanksgiving dinner. My favorite dish is sweet potato pie, and homemade eggnog is my favorite drink without question.
Steve Ulibarri, executive chef at Cuisine Unlimited I look forward to football season during Thanksgiving time. As a chef, I get to be a little more creative at Thanksgiving since I’m doing turkey for most catered events prior to the holiday. I get burned out by the time Thanksgiving comes around, so at home, I’m making turkey mole or turkey carnitas. I use your basic mole but instead of chicken, I use turkey. I prefer the turkey since it has a little more fat and seems to be more flavorful. I confess, I don’t have time to make the mole base from scratch but use Doña María mole and season to my taste. 32 Devour Utah • November 2017
Turkey mole
GIFTS, CIGARS, AND FINE TOBACCOS.
Prime rib Viet Pham, chef/owner of Pretty Bird A few of the things I look forward to most about Thanksgiving are the people around me. People tend to be in a cheerier mood. I look forward to how the bright days of summer transition to an orange glow as if someone put a filter over the day. Above all that, I look forward to perfecting my 12-hour prime rib roast. Call me unorthodox, but I love a good, thick slice of bone-in ribeye drowning in its natural jus surrounded by all your standard turkey accouterments for Thanksgiving. It’s not typical of Thanksgiving and it’s not often that I get to eat it, but when I do, I want to make sure I have a big roast to be able to share it with my friends and family. Thanksgiving has changed for me very much since moving to Salt Lake City to become a chef. For the first time, I had to celebrate without my family and close friends due to my hectic schedule. Throughout the years there are times I have been lucky to be able to travel home; other years not so much. The beauty of being a chef is the amazing people and the community that you get to surround yourself with. We can talk turkey (no pun intended) but Thanksgiving for me allows me to cook in a more relaxed, festive and fun environment, which means I get to let my guard down (as a chef) and be thankful for all the wonderful things in my life.
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Briar Handly, chef/owner of Handle Park City and HSL I would have to say my favorite food for Thanksgiving is the leftovers—mainly turkey sandwiches. I look forward to them every year. But what I most look forward to at Thanksgiving is spending time with friends and family. When (wife and Handle manager) Melissa and I are able to break away from HSL and Handle, we head back east to Manchester, Conn., to celebrate the holiday. Our T-day usually starts a couple days before with Grammie Britton baking at least 8 different pies to ensure every family member is able to have a bite of their favorite. We always have a pasta dinner with everyone the night before to “carb” up for the 5K Manchester Road Race the next morning. The morning of is spent running in the race or cheering from the sidelines with mimosas in hand. After the race, we have appetizers before the meal, which include shrimp cocktail, Grammie Britton’s pepper jelly-covered cream cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, bloody marys, stuffed celery, olives and pickled watermelon rinds. Football is on the television throughout the day. Dinner is a huge spread with a big bird and all the fixins made from scratch—giblet gravy, sourdough stuffing, green beans made with mushroom béchamel (not Campbell’s) and fried tobacco onions, yams with maple syrup from Vermont, mashed potatoes, creamed onions, turnips, caramelized parsnips, Grammie’s cranberry relish, pumpkin bread, homemade rolls, butternut squash bisque and beet salad. If we can’t break away from the restaurants, we try to celebrate the same traditions here in Utah. Our first year at Handle, we cooked for all our staff, friends and family. One year, I was laid up after knee surgery and Melissa did all the cooking while I shouted directions from the couch. Another year, we decided to have a Moroccanthemed Thanksgiving. No matter what we do, Thanksgiving is just about taking some time out of our busy lives to enjoy good food and conversation with the people we care about.
Brandon Price, chef/culinary director at Even Stevens Honestly, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I look forward to it every year. I start making stocks a month before so I can reduce them down to demi-glace consistency, and I always buy some weird ingredient to incorporate into the meal. This year, I’m using transglutaminase so I can debone the entire turkey and glue it back together. Not sure if it’ll taste good, but it should be a lot of fun. I love cranberries, and I only eat them during Thanksgiving. Since no one wants to eat the canned stuff, I bring something exotic in cranberry form. This year, I’m making Cranberry kecap manis—an Indonesian-style sauce with palm sugar, soy and spices. But, food and fun aside, what I really enjoy about Thanksgiving is the fact that everyone is gathered for one reason—well, one real reason—and it’s the food. It can be traditional recipes from family-heirloom index cards tucked behind the stove, or it can be innovative new ways to experience cranberry. 34 Devour Utah • November 2017
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Cranberry kecap manis Cranberry Kecap Manis 1 8-ounce bag of frozen cranberries 1/3 cup soy sauce 3 pucks of palm sugar or 1 cup brown sugar 2 star anise 1 stick of cinnamon 1 bird’s-eye chile 1 tablespoon garam masala 1 cup of water. Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 30 min. Cool and serve.
Nathan Powers, executive chef at Bambara restaurant My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is caviar. In 2005, I cooked a 16-course meal for my family over the course of eight hours. The first course I did was the caviar dish, blini Demidoff, and now it has evolved into a family tradition whenever I go home for Christmas or Thanksgiving. It is not traditional but it’s just about family, celebration and a decadent way to get things rolling. This year, Bambara will be open again on Thanksgiving so I’ll probably skip the foods—I don’t love the traditional foods anyway. When I did my 16-course meal, I cooked the turkey very differently. I made a Bolognese out of the wing and a confit out of the leg with a fig jam, I wrapped the breast in bacon, etc. It was the most extravagant meal I have ever made. 36 Devour Utah • November 2017
Devour Utah • November 2017 37
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John Murcko, chef/owner of Firewood I typically celebrate Thanksgiving two or three weeks earlier than the actual day. Because chefs are traditionally working the day before or the day of, and it has always been one of my favorite holidays, I started a tradition 10 years ago down at my cabin in Escalante. We are off the grid with minimal power for cooking. We cook everything outside with wood, dutch ovens and over an open pit. I change the menu constantly but there are some dishes I keep the same every year. We rotisserie roast turkeys, and the duck à l’orange is my favorite. I make a stuffed squash that people really like. The squash is stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, blue cheese and then wrapped and buried in the coals. I have other chefs who cook with me and the amazing part is that everything is cooked over the wood. Last year, we had 50 people come. It’s grown to be sort of a coveted spot. It really is a great time. I enjoy cooking for friends and family, Thanksgiving brings everyone together. I also love the season changes. Living in a ski town means it’s the kick-off to ski season, as well. ❖
38 Devour Utah • November 2017
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Scheff’s Table: Ingredients: (The Chicken Colombo) ½ teaspoon coriander seeds ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon anise seeds 1 chicken, cut into eight pieces, or eight chicken parts such as thighs and drumsticks, skin removed 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 1 shallot, minced 2 tablespoons Colombo powder 1 can (14-ounces) chicken
Caribbean Chicken Colombo Recipe and photos by Ted Scheffler
T
he first time I ever ate chicken Colombo was in St. Martin. I absolutely loved it. If you’ve never tried it, chicken Colombo is a popular stewed chicken dish in the Caribbean with subtle, curry-type flavors. You can purchase Colombo spice mixes, but it’s also easy (if a bit time-consuming) to make a batch of your own. The recipe for the Colombo spice mix here will make enough for 8 or 10 batches of chicken. Ingredients: (For the Colombo spice mix) ¼ cup coriander seeds ¼ cup cumin seeds ¼ cup uncooked white rice 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon whole cloves or ½ teaspoon ground 2 tablespoons turmeric 1 tablespoon yellow Indian curry powder Begin by toasting the rice in a dry skillet over medium heat until slightly golden. Stir occasionally to keep the rice from burning. Transfer the rice to a bowl to cool. Place all the other spice ingredients— except the turmeric and curry powder—into the skillet and cook until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the rice to cool. Using a coffee or spice grinder, grind the rice and toasted spices into a fine powder. Stir in the turmeric and curry. This is your Colombo powder. Store in an airtight jar at room temperature.
40 Devour Utah • November 2017
Method: Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the coriander, mustard, cumin and anise seeds into a powder. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the spice powder (not the Colombo) and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic and shallot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Place the chicken pieces into the pot and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the Colombo powder, lime juice and habaneros. Stir until the chicken is evenly covered in Colombo. Stir the chicken broth to the pan. Cover and cook at a simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrot and scallions to the pan and continue to cook at a simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy. Sprinkle the Colombo with the parsley and serve with white rice. Garnish with minced chives (optional). ❖
broth 2-3 white or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces 1 carrot, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces 2 habañero peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely minced 2 scallions, chopped Juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons minced thyme leaves 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley Salt and pepper, to taste Minced chives (optional)
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Devour Utah • November 2017 41
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1. We Olive & Wine Bar
Private olive oil tasting and sensory experience for 10 people at We Olive & Wine Bar. Taste the newest extra virgin varietals, learn about perfect pairings. Customized gift to commemorate your event. 10% discount on any purchase in the store. We Olive’s retail store has gourmet foods to recreate the experience at home. For the foodie, we create custom gift baskets to ensure the perfect gift. 602 E. 500 S., SLC 801-448-7489 WeOlive.com
2. Soulstice Day Spa & Salon
Give the gift of pampering this holiday season with a day at the spa! Soulstice Day Spa & Salon offers a variety of services to fit your needs. From our full-body sugar scrubs, spa pedicures, a fullservice hair studio and two locations across the valley, Soulstice Day Spa & Salon is your one-stop holiday shop! 801-255-3655 Multiple locations - see website soulsticedayspa.com
42 Devour Utah • November 2017
3. Redford Jeweler
Join Redford Jewelers this holiday season for unique, handmade gifts that will truly dazzle! We specialize in custom jewelry, engagement rings and jewelry sales. Our pieces are one-of-a-kind, and our friendly service will make your holiday shopping a breeze! 801-583-2700 RedfordJewelers.com 1346 S. 2100 E., SLC
4. Belle’s Bakery
Classically trained pastry chef, Kayleigh Morton brings traditional baked goods to the Heber area! All fresh, local ingredients. Croissants, Kouign-Amann’s, specialty pastries, cookies, cakes and more! Breakfast and lunch sandwiches including house smoked bacon. Great patio area to enjoy the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. 435-300-0393 bellesbakeryheber.com 734 W. 100 S., Heber City
5. City Cakes
Not your average café, City Cakes found its niche specializing in Vegan and Vegan Gluten Free baked goods, including Café fare. While offering a wide variety of options from breakfast, lunch and gourmet desserts to customized celebratory cakes for any occasion. And City Cakes gift certificates are a sure way to warm up your loved ones this holiday season! 801-359-2239 Multiple locations - see website citycakescafe.com
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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE AND GIVEAWAY
During the months of November and December you can enter to win beautiful prizes from local shops and restaurants featured here in our special Gift Guide section. Visit devourutah.com and sign up for Devour Utah’s newsletter to get weekly updates on prizes.
READER GIVEAWAYS NOV. 1 THRU DEC. 15
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6. Rawtopia
Surprise a loved one with a gift card from Rawtopia this holiday season. Rawtopia provides the highest quality, organic, sustainable, glutenfree, NON GMO foods available and exclusively use low temperatures to preserve vital enzymes and nutrients. Good food, good energy! 801-486-0332 3961 S. Wasatch Blvd., Millcreek rawtopia.com
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7. Hugo Coffee Roasters
Hugo Coffee Roasters is a friendly, small-batch roastery located in the high altitudes of Park City, Utah inspired to elevate the coffee experience through highest quality beans, meticulous roasting and hands on customer care. Coffee, retail items, and gifts are available at the Hugo Coffee Shop in the Park City Visitor Center. 435-655-5015 1794 Olympic Parkway, Park City hugo.coffee
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8. Polished Image Salon and Skin Spa
Give the perfect gift for everyone on your list with a gift certificate for a specialized treatment from our full service salon & skin spa menu. Or, pick up our 10 service gift certificate package for $299. Includes 10 spa, skin, hair or nail treatments for a more POLISHED you. 801-668-7988 Sugarhouse & Ogden locations polishedimagespa.com
9. Thai Siam
Treat yourself or loved one with a gift certificate from THAI SIAM this holiday season. Fantastic, awardwinning Thai food, in an informal setting. THAI SIAM serves all of your traditional favorites from coconut soup, Salt Lake’s Best Pad Thai to our delicious curries. Let us cater your next event! 801-528-4987 12147 S State St., Draper thaisiam.com
10. Tinder Box
Pick up a Tricia & Milo flask for your friends this holiday season. They are only $26.99 and each flask is 8 ounces. All the images area available on shakers too. 801-268-1321 188 E. Winchester, Murray facebook.com/tinderboxut
Devour Utah • November 2017 43
Crusaders CRAFT CHOCOLATE
Celebrating Utah’s cacao crew.
“M
ost people don’t understand that chocolate comes from beans,” Utah Chocolate Society founder and president Brian Ruggles says. Specifically, beans from the cacao tree, a plant that requires very particular growing conditions to thrive. In fact, most of the world’s cacao is sourced from a narrow corridor straddling the equator about 20 degrees to both the north and south—the so-called “chocolate belt,” which includes countries like Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Venezuela and much of Indonesia. “Once you know there are actually different origins for beans” which creates a terroir of flavor influence much like wine, Ruggles says, “you now know more about chocolate than probably 90 percent of the people in the world.” It’s probably safe to say that most Devour readers fall within that 10 percent of folks in the know. After all, Utah is home to some of the world’s top chocolate makers, purveyors and experts, with internationally award-winning brands like Amano, Solstice and Ritual made right here along the Wasatch. “Utah is the epicenter of cacao connoisseurs,” food educator and writer Vanessa Chang says. And that’s for both chocolate-makers and discerning consumers. Seconding that
44 Devour Utah • November 2017
JIRI HERA
BY DARBY DOYLE
notion, in 2016, Saveur magazine published an article titled, “The Craft Chocolate Capital of America is … Utah?” Yes, Utah. Matt Caputo, CEO of Caputo’s and A Priori artisan foods distribution company agrees. Caputo himself samples between a half- and full-pound of chocolate per day to determine which of the more than 400 samples he receives each year will get to grace Caputo’s shelves (their rotating roster currently includes over 450 types of craft chocolate). A Priori is recognized as the largest distribution company in the U.S. that focuses on the craft-chocolate industry, according to Caputo. And his personal and professional mission for years has been to elevate the conversation about cacao in Utah and beyond, through classes and events like the Caputo’s Chocolate Festival, celebrating its sixth year this month. Although he equivocates that most industry statistics on chocolate consumption don’t differentiate between craft chocolate and what he calls “vanilla-flavored candy” (that’d be what I pilfered from the kids’ Halloween stash), Caputo says Utahns are crazy for craft chocolate. “I can tell you that if forced to bet on which state consumes the most craft chocolate per capita,” he says, “I would not hesitate to say Utah.”
JIRI HERA
JIRI HERA
Craft chocolate vs. the supermarket candy aisle
AUSTEN DIAMOND
Matt Caputo
So, what separates “craft chocolate” from massmarket sweets? Unfortunately, the chocolate industry overall isn’t doing consumers any favors with education and labeling standards. As Caputo laments, there’s very little actual cacao present in most industrial chocolate bars, including those labeled “dark” chocolate. Even cacao percentage numbers touted on wrappers say relatively little about what’s inside besides the weight per bar that comes from cacao beans (including cocoa butter and cocoa solids from the fatty and non-fat parts of the cacao bean). Rebecca Millican, pastry director of the Park City Culinary Institute, helps clarify some of the biggest misconceptions about chocolate covered in the institute’s multi-week pastry program. She emphasizes that even within categories like “dark” or “milk” chocolate, there’s a huge range of quality, flavor, sweetness and intensity. With beans sourced from specific regions around the globe, “You find very unique flavor profiles in single-origin chocolates, as each variety of bean has different flavor characteristics,” she says. “The manufacturer’s skill in roasting the beans comes into play as well. We could taste a dozen different bars, all with an identical cacao content and find that no two bars taste the same.” In addition to roasting, the amount of fermentation the beans go through during initial processing as well as the chocolate-making steps (like conching—stirring or mixing the chocolate with heavy stone rollers) play a huge role in flavor, smoothness and that incomparable “snappy” texture found in superlative chocolates like Park City’s Ritual. For the Utah Chocolate Society’s Ruggles, recognizing quality chocolate, like many artisan foods, is essentially about the relationship between cacao farmers and the chocolate makers. “Great chocolate is made by people who understand and respect the ingredients,” he says. “[It] has a story that reaches back to the heritage of the cacao trees and traditions of the people who farm it, forward to the farmers and the producers’ own backstories and perspectives.” Further, he sees the biggest difference being the act of consumption itself: “Fine chocolate is meant for mindful, multi-sensory experiencing ... Cheap— and by ‘cheap’ I mean plebeian stuff not worth my finite time—chocolate is a commodity with no story to tell.” Its baseline flavor is usually flat and overwhelmingly sweet, what Ruggles calls “candy for mindless consumption.”
Devour Utah • November 2017 45
A Sample of the Beehive’s Best Bean-to-Bar Chocolates
ART POLLARD
BY DARBY DOYLE
“U
tah chocolate is the bomb,” award-winning pastry chef Alexa Norlin says. “I’ll always use it first.” Utahn’s love for the best of the cacao bean also means that we have the luxury of sourcing some pretty amazing single-origin bars right at the neighborhood grocery store, with Liberty Heights Fresh, Urban Farm & Feed, Harmons markets and Caputo’s downtown shop leading the way. Here’s a small sample of the best bars in the Beehive and where to find them.
amanochocolate.com New kid on the chocolate block The Cacao Bean Project often woodsmokes their cacao beans instead of traditional roasting. “Using different woods to complement the natural cacao provides an additional flavor experience,” chocolate maker Lance Brown says. Think cherry-woodsmoked-cacao from Tanzania and hickory-smoked 74 percent cacao from Madagascar. As a small-batch cottage producer, Brown encourages people to find their products at farmers markets in the south valley and at the Urban Farm & Feed Store in Sandy. thecacaobeanproject.com
46 Devour Utah • November 2017
Sourcing cacao
Several of Utah’s award-winning chocolate makers have built their brands and reputations around responsible cacao sourcing and respect for ingredients. In Salt Lake City, Millcreek Cacao owners Dana Brewster and Mark DelVecchio call their shop a “farm-to-bar” chocolate company, working directly with farmers in Ecuador and Nicaragua dedicated to using sustainable practices and paying living wages. Arguably one of the top awardwinning chocolates in the world, Amano chocolate is made by Art Pollard in a warehouse filled with vintage chocolate-making machinery that he selected specifically to achieve a particular outcome at each step of the chocolate-making process—from winnowing to roasting to conching. But for Pollard, all those process details mean nothing without first sourcing the best quality beans: “To be successful in the chocolate world, it’s very much a relationship business,” he says, which can give one producer an edge over another. “I’m grateful for the relationships I’ve built with farmers and suppliers.”
JIRI HERA
COURTESY ART POLLARD
The go-to chocolate for internationally acclaimed restaurants like Berkeley’s Chez Panisse is made in an unmarked warehouse in Orem. Having won nearly 200 awards since it was founded in 2006, Amano Artisan Chocolate’s Art Pollard likes to keep his trade secrets a bit of a mystery in the competitive community. Full of intense flavor and velvety cocoa-butter nuance, Amano is an absolute local favorite.
Art Pollard
Fun & informative: chocolate tastings Connecting the story of cacao growers to the final single-origin bar is just one part of the education process, Ruggles says. From that point on, he recommends that the only way to truly develop a discerning palate for fine chocolate is to taste, and taste a lot. “Blind test to figure out what you like. Be mindful. Engage all five senses,” he advises. Case in point, Ruggles invited me to a Utah Chocolate Society meeting, scheduled roughly once a month at the Caputo’s downtown store, which Ruggles calls the “chocolate mothership.” Founded in 2010, about 40-60 regulars of the several hundred-member group hone their chocolate palates with blind singlesource tastings curated by Ruggles, and an annual tasting tournament. Local chocolate makers sometimes drop in to share their works in progress. Guest pastry chefs like Alexa Norlin and Amber Billingsley have made popular presentations to the group, often keeping in mind what Ruggles calls “Mosher” ingredients (caffeine- and alcohol-free in deference to the many LDS members). Vanessa Chang calls Ruggles and crew,
Mon - Sat 8am to 5pm • Closed Sunday 9275 S 1300 W 801-562-5496 glovernursery.com
Devour Utah • November 2017 47
With a solid reputation as a “chocolate geek’s chocolate,” Durci Chocolate has a passionate and loyal fan base in cacao-crazy Utah and beyond. Owners Eric and Cassandra Durtschi started Durci following the success of their line of roasted cacao beans blended as a coffee alternative, Crio Bru. Find Durci Chocolate at all Caputo’s Market and Harmons locations. durci.com
In addition to making small-batch single-origin bars, Millcreek Cacao is also unique in the industry for their infused chocolates, which impart a subtle aroma and flavor without inclusions. One of Millcreek’s most popular bars features 70 percent Chuno cacao from Nicaragua infused with High West Double Rye! whiskey. millcreekcacao.com
48 Devour Utah • November 2017
BRIAN RUGGLES BRIAN RUGGLES
774 S. 300 West, SLC 385-212-4474 eatchocolateconspiracy.com
Brian Ruggles
BRIAN RUGGLES
The Chocolate Conspiracy’s AJ Wentworth makes un-roasted raw chocolate bars, truffles, smoothies, sauces and other products influenced by his nutrition background in raw-food cuisine and vegetarian practices. While Chocolate Conspiracy bars are sweetened with raw honey, Wentworth also makes completely vegan truffles, all available at their cozy shop. For the cacao-curious, Wentworth and/or company owner Steve Ohlson teach an Intro to Fine Chocolate class featuring 10-15 chocolates from around the world You can register through their website.
“the chocolate intelligentsia.” And they’re not just recognized as legitimate cacao aficionados in Utah, but also among national chocolate authorities. When I attended a “Choc Soc” meeting a few months ago, Ruggles started out the evening with a blind tasting of eight single-origin Tanzania-sourced cacao bars. He passed around unmarked samples, and after tasting each we speculated on the maker and the presence or absence of cocoa butter, vanilla and other ingredients. Ruggles followed the discussion by circulating the bar wrapper—one of his picks was Utah-made Solstice 70 percent Kilombero Tanzania redolent with honeysuckle and amari notes—and provided some background research on product components and sourcing issues specific to Tanzania. For the uninitiated, it’s a lot of technical cacao geekery to take in, in the best possible way: debates over what really constitutes a “raw” food when chocolate fermentation temperatures climb, how tempering techniques translate to texture, and gossip about which chocolate makers are using various conching techniques or roasting processes. For a booze nerd like me, it was very similar to a wine or whiskey tasting, with members chiming in with flavor descriptions like wood smoke, grassy notes, papaya or even getting a bit frustrated with a favorite chocolate
maker’s interpretation. At one point Ruggles said of a famous French brand, “their roasting is just thissss close to being burned. It can make me angry,” accompanied by big booming laugh. As Ruggles told me, most members take their chocolate seriously, but not themselves. “It’s usually a pretty laidback and humble group,” he said, “even with the high level of expertise in the room.” When the ninth blind sample (out of an eventual 16) circulated, one member chimed in, “Whoa. We’re not in Tanzania any more. Is this New Guinea?” Sure enough, the sample was redolent with bright raspberry and new-car leather. Very different from the bitter astringency present in the Tanzanian chocolate we’d been tasting. Ruggles had shifted the cacao origin to emphasize a distinctly different terroir by adding an Amano Morobe into the mix, to the resounding delight of the group. The evening finished with four samples brought by Utah chocolate maker Lance Brown of The Cacao Bean Project, homeproduced bars made with wood-smoked (instead of roasted) beans. Brown engaged the members with a lengthy discussion of sourcing, roasting methods and tempering strategies. Ruggles wrapped up the meeting, now running well over three hours, saying, “In the end it’s not really about the terminology. It’s all about how it tastes.”
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Devour Utah • November 2017 49
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And when it comes down to it, that’s what really determines the ephemeral and subjective qualities of what makes chocolate “great” by each individual’s standards. Some days I’m craving an Amedei Chuao, earthy Pralus Djakarta or Millcreek 78 percent Nicaraguan cacao infused with High West rye whiskey. Other times a peanut butter cup scored from the kids’ Halloween plastic pumpkin (guilty, as charged) hits the salty-sweet spot. As Ruggles said one afternoon while we compared notes on samples at Caputo’s chocolate mothership, “Great food has a good story,” which is as much about the chocolate maker’s inspiration and process as it is about the specific moment and mood of the person enjoying the bar. “Chocolate can take you on a trip,” Ruggles reflected, exploring flavors from places you might never actually get to visit in person. “It’s worth the journey.” ❖ Ritual Chocolate owners Robbie Stout and Anna Davies credit Park City as a near-ideal location for chocolate production. Davies says, “We don’t have to worry about triple-digit temperatures and there is no humidity,” crucial for achieving that distinctive Ritual chocolate “snap” and spectacular gloss. At Ritual Café, try their chocolates served as hot or cold drinks and watch ongoing chocolate production through the largepaned window separating the café and factory. You’ll carry the delicious fragrance of cacao with you for the rest of the day. 1105 Iron Horse Drive, Park City 435-200-8475 ritualchocolate.com
50 Devour Utah • November 2017
One customer told Solstice Chocolate owner/chocolate maker DeAnn Wallin that eating Solstice Chocolate was “like a party in her mouth.” It’s a love-at-firstbite sentiment that’s struck many a chocolate fanatic. In fact, so many local chefs use award-winning Solstice that it’s next to impossible to single out any one Solstice bar as a foodie community favorite. One of Solstice’s biggest draws, according to local pastry chefs, is Wallin’s commitment to consistency across the board, with her white and milk chocolates having as much depth of flavor as Solstice’s darks are known for their brightness.❖ solsticechocolate.com
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Devour Utah • November 2017 51
Punch! Celebrating a holiday classic.
W
words and photos By Darby Doyle
hen thinking of celebratory imbibing, the classic cocktail has enjoyed quite a comeback in recent decades. But long before professional bartenders codified cocktail-making in the 19th century, much of the world’s inhabitants communally consumed their libations in the form of punch. From naval grog barrels aboard ships on all seven seas to Regency ballrooms and New England roadside taverns, flavoring and mixing distilled spirits with a bit of sweet, sour and a touch of spice was considered a proprietary point of pride. In fact, as drinks historian David Wondrich notes in his comprehensive study Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl, punch was so prevalent in the life of the greater British diaspora that if a curious reader “opens just about any volume written in English between the late 1600s and the mid 1800s that deals with the details of day-to-day life … odds are sooner or later, somebody’s going to brew up a bowl of the stuff.” Real Punch (which Wondrich designates with a capital “P” to differentiate historical recipes from modern day fraternity bug juice served from a trash can) sometimes takes days to
construct, with steps like making infusions, concentrating citrus oil sugars and laboriously straining and clarifying—all part of building the perfect Punch. Water Witch owner and bartender extraordinaire Scott Gardner is a huge fan of both the traditional methods and resulting potion. He explains that “Punch can have such complexity” of both technique and resulting flavor, but with minimum fuss when serving a crowd. Unfortunately, many states (including Utah) do not allow serving punch to patrons by-the-glass for general bar and restaurant service since the alcohol content per drink isn’t metered. Fortunately for home-based punch-making, these arbitrary standards can be tossed out the window, making for some entertaining and delicious historic punch recipe resurrections. Just keep in mind that many old formulae do, indeed, pack quite a punch proof-wise. As Wondrich notes, “If the Punch is cold, the ice will melt as the [evening] drags on; if it’s hot, the alcohol will slowly steam out. Either way, it will weaken over time, in parallel with the drinker’s judgment. This is not a bad thing.”
“You may talk of brisk Claret, sing Praises of Sherry, Speak well of old Hock, Mum, Cider and Perry; But you must drink Punch if you mean to be Merry.” —18th century drinking song
52 Devour Utah • November 2017
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Charles Dickens’s Punch
P
erhaps one of literature’s greatest proselytizers of Punch, Wondrich says Charles Dickens was “known among his friends for his ritualized performance as he worked up a bowl or jug [of Punch], complete with running commentary on his ingredients, techniques and progress.” Dickens generously shared his popular punches with friends far and near, including this recipe for a highbrow hot rum-and-cognac punch that he sent to an in-law, Amelia Austin Filloneau, in 1847. Dickens recommended decanting this punch into a large stoneware jug and setting it next to a roaring fire so that it might be served very warm. While the charm of his presentation is uncontested, modern hosts might chose to keep their punch warm in a heavy pot over very low flame or on the low setting in a Crock-Pot. I’ve adapted the recipe here for conventional measurements and nominal fire safety considerations (tavern-keepers of the time often poured and tossed flaming cups of punch over distressingly long distances). Although Dickens’ recipe doesn’t call for spice elements and oranges, both were very common additions in the era. Avoid using spiced rums in this recipe; there’s more than enough intensity going on here without adding additional artificial flavors.
Procedure: DAY 1: With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from lemons with as little of the white pith as possible attached. Reserve the peeled lemons for day two. Drop all of the zest into a lidded glass jar and add sugar. With a blunt wooden spoon or cocktail muddler smash contents until the zest is bruised and completely coated in sugar. Place jar in a dark spot at room temperature; smash the zest/sugar every few hours if possible. Within 24 hours, you should have a syrupy but still grainy jar of citrus-oil sugar (historically called oleo saccharum). DAY 2: About one hour before serving, scoop all of the oleo saccharum mixture into the slow cooker basin or heavy pan. Add the rum and cognac, stir well to combine. Using a long matchstick, carefully set the surface of the lemon/booze mixture on fire (this will melt the sugar and extract more oil from the peel). After 4 minutes, place a well-fitting lid over the basin to snuff out the flame. Turn the slow cooker on low (or put pan over low heat). Add to the pot all of the fresh strained lemon juice from the reserved lemons and five cups very hot water. If desired, add orange slices and star anise pods. When serving, ladle into cups and grate a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg over the top; add a cinnamon stick for garnish. Makes about 8 cups of punch (just under 4 pints).
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Charles Dickens’s Warm Rum & Cognac Punch 4 medium-sized lemons 6 ounces demerara or raw sugar 6 ounces white rum 10 ounces aged (gold) rum 10 ounces cognac 5 cups hot water Fresh nutmeg optional: 4-5 star anise pods, slices from 1 orange, cinnamon stick for garnish
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Mary Rockett’s Citrus Milk Punch
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lthough the term “milk punch” brings to mind creamy nogs and syllabubs, historically speaking it refers to the process of making a punch that’s both crystal clear and shelf-stable. Now often called “fat washing,” folks in 17th century Europe added milk to boozy citrus punches to mellow the stomach-achy acidic effects of all that lemon and lime juice. Very non-scientific short version: After clearing away the bubbly raft of gunk created when dairy fat from milk and citrus react and bind together, the resulting potion retains a full-bodied flavor with stunning clarity and a long shelf-life—a boon in the days before refrigeration. Booze historian Wondrich notes that milk punches became so popular in the early 19th century that they were commercially bottled. He writes, “Queen Victoria so liked the version Nathaniel Whisson & Co. bottled that in 1838 she had them named ‘Purveyors of Milk Punch to Her Majesty.’” In Punch, Wondrich shares the oldest known milk punch on record (1711) from a British woman named Mary Rockett; her recipe made the equivalent of a dozen 750-milliliter bottles. Food scientist Dan Souza at America’s Test Kitchen converted Rockett’s recipe to modern measurements, added a bit of orange for balance and scaled it down to make a manageable one quart milk punch, which he describes as “bright and clean with limoncello-like lemon (and orange) intensity.”
Procedure: DAY 1: Combine brandy and the lemon/orange zest strips in a lidded container and let sit at room temperature for at least 18 hours. Discard zest strips. DAY 2: Place milk in a large measuring cup (at least 8-cup measure) or large pitcher; set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the infused brandy, water, sugar, lemon juice and orange juice until sugar dissolves. Pour brandy mixture into the container with the milk. Gently stir curds with a spoon. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. DAY 3: Line a fine-mesh strainer with a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth; set over a large measuring cup or bowl. Gently pour brandy-milk mixture through the strainer. Drain strained punch mixture through curds in coffee filter one more time. Discard curds and the coffee filter. Transfer clarified punch to a lidded glass container and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, pour about ¼ cup chilled punch into a small cordial glass.
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Mary Rockett’s Citrus Milk Punch via Dan Souza/America’s Test Kitchen for thesplendidtable.org
2 cups brandy Zest strips (use a vegetable peeler) of 1 lemon Zest strips of 1 orange 1 cup whole milk 2 cups water ½ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ¼ cup fresh orange juice
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Quennell’s Cardinal Punch
T
humbing through vintage bar books, it’s readily apparent that most Punch recipes tipped the scales toward aggressive tippling rather than teetotaling. Such is not the case of Charles Baker’s compendium The Gentleman’s Companion: Vol. 2, The Exotic Drinking Book; Or, Around the World With Jigger, Beaker, and Flask (1939), wherein Baker notes that there are an abundance of occasions where festive alcohol-free libations should be graciously provided. Chronicling his worldly travels, Baker recounts a dozen punch recipes prepared sans booze, saying “There simply happen to be quite a few rational souls who don’t care for anything containing alcohol” including his own Quaker relatives and assorted children of his acquaintance (or at least in deference to their parents). Baker collected this recipe from the files of C.H.B. Quennell, “a typical old-time English recipe from the country in and around Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire.” Fragrant, tart and refreshing with a gorgeous bright ruby color, this cranberry-based punch pairs beautifully with rich holiday foods. While Quennell’s recipe calls for a laborious process of cooking and straining cranberries for juice, bottled 100 percent cranberry juice (not sweetened cranberry cocktail) works great. For hosts in need of a slug of liquid courage in the face of family drama or when contemplating post soirée clean-up, it’s also delicious mixed with a generous glug of vodka or gin.
Procedure: DAY 1: Make festive ice blocks by adding cranberries, zest and wheels of citrus fruits to oversize ice cube trays, large ice-sphere molds or a bundt cake pan; use boiling or distilled water for clearer ice cubes. Freeze for 24 hours. Add zest of 2 lemons (remove with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith) to the cranberry juice. Reserve peeled lemons for use the next day. Refrigerate juice and lemons. DAY 2: Two to three hours before serving, juice and strain the 2 reserved lemons. To the bowl of cranberry juice, add the lemon juice, sugar, orange juice and 6 cups cold water. Stir well to dissolve sugar and refrigerate for an hour or more. Just before serving, add decorative ice blocks to a large punch bowl and pour the cranberry punch into the bowl along with the ginger beer. MAKES 20-24 ONE CUP (8-OUNCE) SERVINGS 58 Devour Utah • November 2017
Quennell’s Cardinal Punch Dan Souza/America’s Test Kitchen for thesplendidtable.org
32 ounces (1 quart) unsweetened 100 percent cranberry juice 2 lemons 4 cups sugar 2 cups fresh strained (pulpfree) orange juice 8 cups water (divided use) 4 12-ounce bottles ginger beer
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e t a r b e l Cthee casion c O Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
N
ovember marks the beginning of several causes for celebration in Utah. The ski season begins, the holidays are here and the season of gatherings becomes the time to celebrate each other and commune with family, friends and colleagues. The holidays are filled with parties, whimsy and occasion. Simultaneously, for those of us responsible for organizing or hosting such festivities, the holiday season can result in overwhelming stress, drama and even dining catastrophes. This is exactly what restaurants were made for and Utah Restaurants thrive in times of celebration! For our Utah restaurants the aim to serve and the entire mission is to allow you to shine and relax — we do all the work, you take all the credit! Through TasteUT.com the Utah Restaurant Association has done all the work to guide you to restaurants and purveyors that will pair perfectly with any gathering or celebration.
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Whether we are taking care of you and your loved ones, colleagues and friends allowing you the opportunity to enjoy moments together in our restaurants or preparing amazing hand-crafted food and drink to compliment any gathering you are hosting, we know sometimes eating out, means getting it to go. Within these pages we’ll introduce you to to great holiday ideas and helpful insights that only Utah’s food community and restaurants can provide. Turn your attention to celebrating the season, wow your guests with extraordinary artisan, craft and specialty foods that connect you to Utah’s unique food community. Consider the reliability, convenience and wow factor of holiday take-out. Our restaurants will provide you with the greatest commodity during the holidays… more time, not to mention significantly less dishes! More time for friends, family, relaxation and general merriment.
Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
to-go Sometimes “eating out” means getting it to go. Take-out and take the credit this holiday season.
The Main Attraction
When it comes to the star of any celebration, the main course can make or break the meal! From a well prepared steak, pork chops or even goat Beltex Meats in Salt Lake City can help make any celebration memorable. Serving a special dinner menu featuring Utah’s freshest seafood is as easy as stopping by the Market Street Fish Market or or placing an order to go from the Cottonwood Heights location. Finally, if it’s quality comfort food you are craving to offer your guest, Maddox Ranch House in Perry has you covered. For more restaurant take-out ideas visit www. TasteUT.com.
Beltex Meats
Whether you are interested in amazing steaks or cuts of meat, fresh, cured eclectic, Beltex Meats has your number. Beltex has curated special relationships with many ranchers such as Christiansen’s Family Hog Farms (both featured on Taste Utah) who adhere to best practices and ethical treatment of all their animals. Beltex brings in whole livestock and butchers in house with the ability to customize and meet any request. These hardworking craftsmen skills will help make your guests feel incredibly special while showcasing the center of the plate at your dinner party and making yours the most memorable event of the season.
Market Street Grill & Fish Market
If something from the sea is more your style, the fish mongers at the Market Street Grill have expertise and advices for any holiday bash. Market Street makes certain to adhere to strict purchasing practices using only line caught in season fish. Visiting the fish market at their Cottonwoods location will arm you with the freshest and most succulent seafood offerings. However we recommend calling up Market Street downtown or in South Jordan just for the halibut, for their Seafood Louie with blackened halibut to be exact or ordering a round of halibut “oscar-style”. From salmon filets, to mahi-mahi and other exotic fish selections, you’ll be sure to impress your guests with these options as the highlight of any dish this holiday season.
Maddox Ranch House
Off scenic Hwy 89 in Perry Utah, Maddox Ranch house has been the center of family gatherings and their legendary fall of the bone, crunchy, tender fried chicken. And while Irvine Maddox prepares the chicken they way it has been prepared for decades they won’t give out the family secret. Family secrets aside, Maddox offers take-out meals fit for any celebration and sure to fill and impress anyone supping at your table. From their heavenly rolls and raspberry honey butter to their turkey steaks and hand cut steaks, the menu at Maddox is here to help you celebrate comfort food in style. Maddox Ranch house explemplifiues the concept: sometimes eating out, means getting it to go.
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Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
The Sweet Side of Take-Out Your holiday happy place is easy with bakeries such as Bake 360 in Draper, Windy Ridge Bakery in Park City, and Sunglow Cafe in Bicknell. From traditional French and Norwegian pastries to far-out pie pairings, we encourage any of these restaurants to make your dinner a whole lot sweeter. For more holiday restaurant ideas visit www.TasteUT.com Bake 360 is a Utah gem period. Chef and baker Roy Olsen has taken culinary traditions from the old world and modern approaches to exceed customer expectations. While boasting an impressive dine-in menu, Bake 360 offers sweet, savory, and surprising baked goods to you, your family and your friends. It is chef Olsen’s hope that as you speak, sing and celebrate, Bake 360 pastries and desserts shall remain in the middle of the table; those around us wondering what the event will taste like. Windy Ridge Bakery does it all. From soups and salads and savory entrees for take out to extraordinary pies, pastries and cakes. Windy Ridge Bakery proudly offers elevated standards of quality in their foods to ensure that each item meets restaurant standards as they prepare many of the bakery items served at Bill White Restaurants in Park City and are a delight to both the eye and the palate. Striving for consistency so that each visit to our bakery delivers the same reliably satisfying experience while offering an exciting variety of products. Offerings change to showcase seasonal ingredients and the exceptional creative talents of our chefs. Sunglow Cafe is a must stop. The Sunglow Cafe is famous for their diverse selection of pies including their savory pies, the “Pinto Bean” and “Pickle Pie”. The secret to their notable pies is in the unique ingredients of course but also their sweet baker of over 35 years, Bessie Stewart. She’s up every morning at 4:00 AM at the Sunglow and has her hands full … of pie filling to help you relax while you celebrate. Stopping by the Sunglow Cafe for these remarkable pies is not only an adventure in palate expansion but a guaranteed conversation piece to end any holiday gathering. They suggest ordering well in advance and keeping in mind the drive to Bicknell is a four hour drive from SLC, but well worth the travel if dining is your destination.
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Content provided by Utah Restaurant Association
Holiday Libations Libations bring an extra sophistication to any holiday menu or gathering. Serving specialty brews and cocktails from local Utah companies offers an element of holiday whimsy, a sense of community and entertainment as well. Holiday drinks are dynamic and range from specialty drinking chocolate featuring an artisan chocolate producers Ritual Chocolate, to nonalcoholic Garwood’s Ginger Beer and can be served with or without alcohol. For limited-edition seasonal brews as a part of your holiday celebrations, we suggest a stop by Red Rock Brewery for a growler to go, always a hit for your take-out and take-the-credit holiday bash! Need more holiday restaurant ideas? Visit www.TasteUT.com Garwood’s Ginger Beer Garwood’s Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic) was created out of a love for fresh and exciting beverages, especially strong ones! This ginger beer is a unique beverage crafted and bottled by hand here in Salt Lake City, Utah. Each batch is made from the fresh cold-pressed juice of high quality citrus, and organic ginger, delightfully sweetened with organic cane sugar. Not only will you find Garwood’s ginger beer at several of your favorite Utah dining destinations but you can also purchase this local Utah product at Liberty Heights Fresh, Harmon’s, Caputo’s and more. Check out more about Garwood’s ginger beer of the location where you can buy Garwood’s Ginger Beer at www.TasteUT.com and drink up! Ritual Drinking Chocolate At 70% cacao Ritual’s Drinking Chocolate is a powdered form of the same chocolate that is used in the Ritual chocolate bars, except it’s easier to mix with hot liquid. It’s better than cocoa powder because it’s made from the whole cocoa bean, with none of the cocoa butter removed. This powder is served at the Ritual cafe to make hot chocolate, sipping chocolate and mochas. It can also be used in baked goods because it’s easy to incorporate with other ingredients such as brownies and cakes. Red Rock Brewery Discovering and serving interesting limited-time brews is a holiday highlight for many Utahans. Red Rock Brewing Company, a neighborhood brewery established in 1994, traditionally kicks off the season with Oktoberfest soon to be followed by such releases as a holiday cult classic; Griswald’s Holiday Ale. Now available in bottles at all Red Rock Brewery locations, Griswald’s Holiday Ale is a medium body, low bitterness, amber, flavored with orange peel, coriander, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Slightly sweet, but far from heavy this ale makes a fine companion to your favorite holiday celebration!
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Behind every good food story, is a great people story. Join your hosts Katy and Jami as we take a bite out of Utah’s food culture with this food forward weekly series. Each episode is a road trip across our state where we discover unique Utah dining destinations, chefs, farmers and the stories behind their craft. Season 3 of Taste Utah begins January of 2018 on Utah’s CW 30 at 11:00AM
Get Tasting With Us!
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Devour Utah • November 2017 65
Last Bite:
What’s the Point?
A call to celebrate together, even when times look tough. By Vanessa Chang
I
f I took an inventory of my most frequently typed words from this year, the top three would be: “#resist, #SMH, #WTF???” So, yeah, as I sit here writing this, it’s hard for me to get excited about stuffing or getting crafty A.F. to transform my Thanksgiving dinner table into a cornucopia. Even the promise of crispy golden turkey skin can’t shake the feeling that maybe there isn’t really anything to celebrate. It’s been one hell of a year. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel like we are in that oftmentioned hand basket to hell. And that hell was entirely of our own creation. Vitriol flies on news and talk shows and even now in everyday interactions between ordinary people. Mass shootings are as frequent as episodes of Game of Thrones (and the show seems to spark more visceral reactions than “thoughts and prayers” offered during real-world violence). Racism is rationalized with convenient statistics and cooked into laws affecting more and more people we know. It’s a weird feeling to be watching Elizabeth Moss in A Handmaid’s Tale stew beneath her big red bonnet, only to turn off the TV, skim my Facebook feed full of regressing women’s rights and seethe beneath my own big virtual bonnet. Mother Earth seems mighty pissed off at us—or at least, how we live—and it’s everyday folks that seem to get hit the hardest by natural disasters and the bureaucracy that follows. Katrina, Irma, Maria—same shit, different year. And who knew that even geopolitics follows the same timelines as fashion trends? Nuclear threat is as rampant now as high-waisted mom jeans and squared-off wire-framed eyeglasses. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. In the event of a nuclear strike, remember to duck and cover. It’s enough to make anyone want to hunker down alone in stretchy pants with a pint of ice cream (or in the deluxe fallout shelter, depending on who you are). But if we did, then fear wins. And that’s why, despite the scariness of the world, I choose to celebrate. If you think about it, celebrating is an act of resistance. Fear can’t win when you’re celebrating good people over a good meal. Insouciance has no place at the table when you give thanks for your good fortune and empathize with those less so. You rejoice in all that is good and worth living for, and the little joys that fortify us and cultivate the antidote to the venom in this world. And yes, that pint of ice cream and upcoming Star Wars movie count. There are many good things worth remembering. That’s more than enough reason to make merry, and we need that feeling now more than ever. So, celebrate. #FTW
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