Devour Utah September 2019

FREE COPY

VOL. 6 NO. 9 • SEPTEMBER 2019 • FALL FUN

WILD ABOUT WOODLAND P. 14

FUNERAL POTATOES TO DIE FOR P. 50

Fall

MID-AUTUMN MOONCAKE P. 39

Fun

Devour Utah • september 2019 1

2 Devour Utah • september 2019

Devour Utah • september 2019 3

Contents Whiskey Street’s fried-green tomatoes with pork belly DEREK CARLISLE

10 Autumn Bounty Utah’s produce shines in these craveable dishes

BY HEATHER L. KING

14 Fall Foraging

Tempting fall festivals and harvest eats give you reasons to hit the road

BY DEVOUR STAFF

28 The Spread Whiskey Street

BY HEATHER L. KING

30 The Green Scene

Vegging out at the SLC VegFest

BY AMANDA ROCK

36 Gardens of Hope

Salt Lake County Metro Jail inmates work off time cultivating a future

BY MERRY LYCETTE HARRISON

50 Last Bite 4 Devour Utah • september 2019

39 Plate It

Mid-Autumn Mooncake

BY CAIT LEE AND MIKA LEE

42 Things We Love

Farmers Market Finds

BY AIMEE L. COOK

44 Spirit Guide

Freshen up autumn cocktails with garden goodness

BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

The quest for SLC’s best ‘fun pots’

BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

NOW OPEN

IN FARMINGTON 895 EAST PROMONTORY (385) 988-3727

VOTED BEST ITALIAN! ANTICA SICILIA

COTTONWOOD

SICILIA MIA

DOWNTOWN

2020 East 3300 South Millcreek (385) 202-7236

2578 Bengal Blvd.

Cottonwood Heights (801) 666-6918

4536 S Highland Drive Salt Lake City (801) 274-0223

10 E Broadway Salt Lake City (385) 420-4114

SICILIAMIAUTAH.COM Devour Utah • september 2019 5

Contribu tors STAFF Publisher JOHN SALTAS Director of Operations PETE SALTAS Edi torial

Editor JERRE WROBLE Proofreader LANCE GUDMUNDSEN Contributors JARED BLACKLEY, CAROLYN CAMPBELL, AIMEE L. COOK, DARBY DOYLE, BRYAN FRYER, MERRY LYCETTE HARRISON, ANNA KASER, HEATHER L. KING, CAIT LEE, MIKA LEE, CLAIRE MCARTHUR, AMANDA ROCK

Claire McArthur spends most of her day thinking about food—growing it, cooking it, eating it, discovering it and writing about it. Look for her on a mountain trail with her dog or follow on Instagram at @claire__mcarthur.

Production

Art Director DEREK CARLISLE Graphic Artists SOFIA CIFUENTES, SEAN HAIR, CHELSEA NEIDER

Business /Office

Accounting Manager PAULA SALTAS Office Administrators DAVID ADAMSON, SAMANTHA HERZOG Technical Director BRYAN MANNOS

Marketing

Anna Kaser is a U of U graduate with an English degree who grew up loving everything about Utah.

When she’s not hiking or camping in Utah’s great outdoors, you can find her sampling local food and beer and writing about her love of roadside attractions.

Director of Events and Marketing SAMANTHA SMITH

Circulation

Circulation Manager ERIC GRANATO

Sales

Magazine Advertising Director Sales Director, Events Digital Operations Manager Senior Account Executives Retail Account Executive

JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF KYLE KENNEDY ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER KELLY BOYCE

Brian Fryer is a native Utahn with a communications degree from Utah State University. He’s edited for McGraw-Hill Construction publications, Intermountain Healthcare and the Park Record newspaper.

Cover photo: Whiskey Street’s tomato-and-cucumber salad by Derek Carlisle 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@DevourUtah.com Advertising contact: Sales@DevourUtah.com

Copperfield Publishing

Copyright 2019 All rights reserved

@DevourUtah

6 Devour Utah • september 2019

@DevourUtah

@DevourUtah

Carolyn Campbell has written for Copperfield Media since the 1980s, where she’s published numerous cover stories for City Weekly, several of which earned top awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. She is the author of three nationally published books and 800 magazine articles.

Be

FEARLESSIn The

Kitchen

Now, Anyone Can Attend Culinary School!

Get certified in as few as 6 Weeks In Salt Lake City - Small Class Sizes Convenient Schedules. Call for more information! #1 Best of State in Culinary Education

1484 South State Street, Salt Lake City | pcculinary.com | 801.413.2800 Devour Utah • september 2019 7

From the Editor

Shine On, Harvest Moon L

—Jerre Wroble

8 Devour Utah • september 2019

DREAMSTIME

ooking at my recently picked heirloom tomatoes today, I must ask, “What went wrong?” The misshapen greenish/red globes are cracked on top with erratic yellow lines circumnavigating the orb. Their bulbous bottoms make me laugh. Perhaps I need to speak to a tomato expert at the upcoming Tomato Sandwich Party (see p. 33) about the errors of my gardening ways.

Yet, they taste great, and I can’t help thinking Mother Nature’s having fun with me while delivering a flavor-packed old-fashioned tomato.

Fall is just that way. It’s joyful, not only in the garden, but wherever there is a harvest. You can enjoy tasty seasonal items at many eateries (for ideas, read Heather L. King’s spectacular menu offerings in the Fab Four and Claire McArthur’s botanical beers and cocktails in Spirit Guide). And there are fairs and festivals galore, each marking the end of a fantastic growing season.

Autumn fun is what caught our fancy in this issue. Darby Doyle explores the food scene in Woodland, while Anna Kaser veers off in the direction of Kamas.

Carolyn Campbell is taken with Peach Days in Brigham City, while one of our new writers, Jared Blackley, delves into meatier matters with the Mangalitsa pig herd at Clifford Family Farm, and the Junior Livestock Auction at the Utah State Fair. Brian Fryer covers a sheep parade in Cedar City while Amanda Rock highlights the veggie celebration known as SLC Vegfest and Aimee L. Cook culls her favorite farmstead finds in Things We Love.

Many have heard odes to the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. In Utah, you can look for that bright orange moon this year on Sept. 14. It’s an even bigger deal in Asia, where the moon is the reason for one of the largest festivals in Mainland China and East Asia. Mika Lee and Cait Lee, our intrepid @crazyfullasians team, write about the Mid-Autumn Festival in The Spread, highlighting the moon’s significance to Asian food symbolism.

You also can find autumn bounty in unexpected places. Devour’s resident herbalist, Merry Lycette Harrison, spent some time visiting the 3-acre farm at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail, where select inmates learn horticultural skills and improve their self-worth by growing some 20,000 pounds of produce.

And as a Last Bite, Claire McArthur just had to go there. The relative newcomer to Utah wrote about her favorite funeral potatoes. We know you have your favorites—or perhaps the recipe you prepare at home is the best—so let the games begin.

Go out and rake in some fun this fall.

I know I’ll be celebrating my contorted heirloom tomatoes. They make me laugh. And salivate.

Devour Utah • september 2019 9

Fall Fun

AUTUMN BOUNTY

Utah’s produce shines in these craveable dishes STORY AND PHOTOS BY HEATHER L. KING

he onset of fall brings the promise of Utah’s most bountiful season.

Northern Utah’s late winter and cooler temperatures into early summer mean the balance of the region’s fresh produce is arriving at farmers markets and restaurant tables two to three weeks later than usual—so September’s harvest is on full display along with warm days and cool evenings. From cucumbers and peppers to berries and beets, here are four dishes that epitomize the best of the Wasatch.

T

Hamachi Crudo Pickling is a tried and true preseveration method regularly employed by White Horse in downtown Salt Lake City. The hamachi crudo ($14) uses pickled peppers for a tangy element while fresh cucumber, radish and locally grown micro greens accent the star of the show—sushi-grade raw hamachi sprinkled with furikake, a dried Japanese seasoning that brings umami to this delicate starter.

White Horse 325 S. Main, SLC 801-363-0137 WhitehorseSLC.com

10 Devour Utah • september 2019

Shellfish Pepper Soupo Nothing says fall more than a warm bowl of soup. And Stein Eriksen’s Glitretind restaurant takes the presentation of its shellfish pepper soup ($15) to the five-star level that Deer Valley visitors demand. Artful mounds of sweet lobster, crab, shrimp and pops of caviar peek out

Hamachi crudo at White Horse

from a bowl of crimson roasted red pepper puree. Spicy and filling, each spoonful delights the senses with notes of the sea countered by the comfort of creamy capsicum.

Glitretind Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley 7700 Stein Way, Park City 435-649-3700 SteinLodge.com/dining

Shellfish pepper soup at Glitretind

Devour Utah • september 2019 11

Before

•

Any digital image

•

On any surface

•

Same day image application

After

POISON APPLES

(ONLY AVAILABLE IN OCTOBER) Logo’s - Portraits- Paintings Most surfaces- In/Out

ACCEPTING HALLOWEEN ORDERS

www.artciel.com (801) 897-6204 Call for an appointment!

12 Devour Utah • september 2019

801.485.1031 | 2057 E. 3300 S. | FINECANDIES.COM

Fall Fun Beet and burrata salad at Hearth and Hill

Beet and Burrata Salad

Grilled Peach & Arugula Salad

What a gorgeous way to preserve the best of the harvest months and keep them fresh in our memories—right on the table at Hearth and Hill at Kimball Junction.

The trendiest of all root vegetables, beets are the star of this dish ($15) that’s also dotted with preserved lemon for a bright, citrusy pop; fresh dill, pickled raspberries, grilled peasant bread and creamy fresh burrata.

The grilled peach caprese salad ($12 lunch, $13 dinner) at Bartolo’s, also at Kimball Junction, celebrates the bountiful harvest of late summer and fall. Fresh peaches are grilled for a smoky, sweet finish that counters peppery arugula and thick slices of meaty mozzarella.

Ripe heirloom tomatoes and a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze round out this salad packed with farm-fresh flavors and festive fall colors.

Hearth and Hill 1153 Center Drive, Park City 435-200-8840 Hearth-Hill.com

Bartolo’s 1241 Center Drive, Ste. L100, Park City 435-604-0608 BartolosPC.com

Grilled peach and arugula salad at Bartolo’s

Devour Utah • september 2019 13

l l a F

FORAGING Tempting fall festivals and harvest eats give you reasons to hit the road

BY DEVOUR STAFF

Y

Wild About Woodland

BY DARBY DOYLE

Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. About six miles southeast of Kamas on State Route 35 (also known as the Wolf Creek Road), the picturesque village of Woodland is home to a collection of tidy houses, a church and a historic building formerly housing the country store. Paralleling Utah 35 on the south side of the Provo River, Bench Creek Road makes a wide loop that accesses private ranches, verdant fields and the whiplash-inducing sight of a herd of grazing buffalo. The area is also becoming a destination for sourcing top-notch artisan products. Pro tip: pack a cooler to keep your precious perishables chilled, a paper map or pre-loaded directions (cell coverage can be spotty) and, of course, bring your appetite. Welcome to Woodland.

High Flying Biscuits The first stop for fueling any adventure should be a hearty breakfast. And you can’t go wrong with a meal at Woodland Biscuit Co. Owner Laurel Bartmess often admired the old Woodland country store building—and when she found 14 Devour Utah • september 2019

out it was available a few years ago, she jumped at the opportunity to start her first restaurant there based around that most comforting of comfort foods: biscuits. WBC’s allbutter flaky bits of fabulousness are made from scratch daily with Lehi Roller Mills Peacock Flour, and they also make a gluten-free version.

Often with a line out the door, the small dining room is packed with happy eaters on the three days a week they’re open (hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday-Sunday).

While the all-day breakfast options such as loaded biscuit sandwiches are always popular, the lunch menu also sports stacked sandwiches, grilled corn tortilla tacos and a burger. Full breakfast plates come loaded with eggs and a choice of fresh grilled veggies and herbs (some harvested from the garden plot out back) or hashed browns. And a biscuit, of course.

WBC even has a small but mighty bar selection of mimosas, a delightfully spicy bloody mary, local whiskey cocktails, wine and beer.

Woodland Biscuit Co. 2734 E. State Road 35, Woodland 435-783-4202 WoodlandBiscuitCompany.com

Laurel Bartmess, owner of Woodland Biscuit Co.

DARBY DOYLE

our car is gassed up and you’re itching to head out on the highway.

The only question is: where? Where are the farms, ranches and restaurants that are offering what your body craves? Need some ideas? We’ve got you covered in this month’s Devour Dozen. From bison ranches to livestock auctions, cheesemakers to food festivals, there’s a little something fun for every appetite on the following pages.

Where the Buffalo Roam “Raising buffalo isn’t anything like cattle ranching,” Buffalo Run Ranch manager Wade Klingler explained to me when I first visited in 2017 researching an article for Devour’s sister publication, Vamoose Utah.

Though surrounded by very tall (and sturdy) fences, the ranch’s bison are still very much wild animals—bison of both sexes have horns and can charge at an alarming speed of up to 40 mph! Their care and feeding needs reflect their ancient free-ranging roots.

Cooking bison is also different from preparing beef: diet and genetic predisposition means that bison meat is lean—lacking the fat marbling of beef— and naturally deep red. According to the Buffalo Run Ranch website, bison meat is a kind of power food. Its proportion of protein, fat, minerals and fatty acids to its caloric value puts it in a league of its own. Plus, it has more iron than many other meat sources. Although the

DARBY DOYLE

Buffalo Run Ranch in Woodland

term buffalo is commonly used when referring to American bison, the animal’s correct scientific name is Bison bison. No matter what you call them, the animal’s distinctive silhouette is synonymous with the West’s vast basin and range topography.

A visit to the ranch can supply you with a variety of bison steaks and chops, direct from the source. The ranch store freezer is usually stocked with ground bison, sausages and delicacies such as soup bones, ribs and organ meats. Locals know to call ahead or email the ranch before heading to Woodland to confirm someone will be at the farmstead store and to make sure a specific desired cut or large quantity is available before making the trip.

Don’t forget to pick up a pack of buffalo jerky for the road!

Buffalo Run Ranch, 4611 E. Bench Creek Road, Woodland, 435-200-9360 BuffaloRunRanch.com

Say (Artisan) Cheese!

When Alan and Debbie Gold bought their 130acre ramshackle Woodland property in 2007, they inherited the soul of a former dairy operation, but little in the way of usable equipment. They decided early on to invest in a new facility and cheese-making equipment but turned to a very traditional source for the milk itself: Brown Swiss cows. Says cheesemaker Fernando Chavez-Sandoval, “Having Brown Swiss cows makes all the difference. Their milk yields aren’t the highest,” compared to most dairy operations, “but the quality and flavor of their milk is outstanding.”

A former restaurant and private chef in Park City, Chavez-Sandoval’s culinary background paired well with his curiosity about the science of cheesemaking when he was hired by the Golds in 2009. He developed Gold Creek Farms’ signature artisan cheeses, winning his first gold medal in competition after only one year on the job. Since then, Chavez-Sandoval has created more than a dozen internationally acclaimed flavors—like pimento-bay cheddar, smoked Romano and truffle cheddar—and he makes Utah’s only commercially available artisan blue cheese. His culinary background and precision palate have made Gold Creek cheeses a favorite with Utah chefs, as they’re exceptional starring on a cheese board or as a supporting player as a dish ingredient. If you’re in Woodland, a side trip to the small Gold Creek Farms cheese shop is a must.

Gold Creek Farms Cheese, 6297 E. Bench Creek Road Woodland, 435-783-5815, GoldCreekFarms.com Gold Creek Farms cheesemaker Fernando Chavez-Sandoval

DARBY DOYLE

Woodland Biscuit Co.’s breakfast plates come loaded with eggs and fresh grilled veggies and herbs or hashed browns

DARBY DOYLE

Fall Fun

Devour Utah • september 2019 15

Fall Fun

The Call of Kamas

BY ANNA KASER

State Road Tavern and Restaurant, 970 N. State Road 32, Kamas, 435-783-3530, StateRoadTavern.com The Cookie to Stop For Kamas is one of Utah’s gems, home to an inviting small-town cafe: Michelle’s Cutting Board. Owned by Michelle Christensen for a little more than four years, the eatery’s known for its hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, soups and coffee, as well as a breakfast menu perfect for carb-loading in advance of a big day on Mirror Lake. But the Cutting Board’s thick chewy cookies ($2.50) are a big hit with the regulars. “We sell these things like hot cakes,” says Cutting Board employee Matthew Anderson, adding that the restaurant probably goes through 40 to 50 cookies a day, quite a few considering the size of the town and the size of the cookies. Two types are offered—a classic perfected chocolate chip and a hardy peanut butter oatmeal. I sprang for both and wasn’t disappointed.

Michelle’s Cutting Board, 54 N. Main St., Kamas, 435-783-6898 Smoky Treats Some say the Samak Smoke House is a trip back in time (After all, Samak is Kamas spelled backward). Open seven days a week, this roadside country store is on the scenic Mirror Lake Highway just 2 1/2 miles east of Kamas. Stop here for house-smoked jerky and trout prepared in a USDAinspected facility. Plus, they can even smoke your own trout, wild salmon and cheese! In addition, they sell complete provisions for any mountain excursion, including firewood, box lunches, fishing licenses, recreation passes and free maps. They can even help you rent canoes or snowshoes.

(Jerre Wroble) Samak Smoke House & Country Store, 1937 Mirror Lake Highway, Kamas 435-783-4880, SamakSmokeHouse.com

16 Devour Utah • september 2019

Shrimp scampi at State Road Tavern and Restaurant

Cookies worthy of a stop at Michelle’s Cutting Board

ANNA KASER

Scamper for Scampi State Road Tavern and Restaurant is located inside Kamas’ DeJoria Center on the High Star Ranch, offering stunning views of the Uinta foothills.

Utilizing a custom-built smoker, the establishment serves freshly smoked Angus beef, pork and organic chicken. The carefully crafted food, prepared by head chef Ernesto Rocha, runs the gamut from steak to delicate seafood and features a full bar. Rocha, who moved to Utah in 1991 from Mexico City, has worked his way from washing dishes in some of Park City’s poshest hotels and restaurants to now running his own kitchen. His expertly plated shrimp scampi ($18) includes fresh housemade linguini tossed in a butter sauce with red onion, capers, fresh tomato, pine nuts, parsley and sautéed shrimp. “We cook everything separately so that the fish and the vegetables have their own cooking time,” he says. Doing so, he continues, “brings out all of the textures in the dish.”

ANNA KASER

Dubbed by some as the place where ski bums go to retire, Kamas is a town of 2,000 that serves as the gateway to Utah’s Uinta Mountains.

It’s lately surged in popularity while managing to retain its small-town charm. One of most notable additions is the DeJoria Center, which opened in March 2016. The event center has become a staple for weddings and concerts, boasting beautifully kept grounds, a huge lawn, horseback riding adventures with 20 miles of trails, a planned housing development and an eatery that’s a destination in itself: State Road.

ANNA KASER

State Road Tavern and Restaurant’s head chef Ernesto Rocha

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

This favorite roadside shop will smoke your trout and cheese for you

Devour Utah • september 2019 17

Fall Fun

Depending on where you embark on Highway 89, Utah’s Famous Fruit Way either begins or ends at the Brigham City Farmers Market. Located on the Bill of Rights Plaza in the heart of historic downtown, this year’s market operates on Saturdays through Sept. 28, from 4 to 8 p.m., with music and food until 9 p.m. If the market isn’t reason enough to travel north, consider making the journey for the juicy succulence of Peach Days.

Nectarous Noshing Since 1904, on the weekend following Labor Day, Brigham City celebrates Peach Days as time off from the harvest. It also commemorates “an abundance of the best peaches in Utah,” says Monica Holdaway, executive director of the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce. This citywide event is the longest continually celebrated harvest festival in Utah and reportedly the second-oldest nationwide. Peach Days began as a way to honor a new breed of peach, the Early Elberta, that still grows in the area.

Held Sept. 6 to 7, the traditional celebration will feature more than 200 vendors, 35 of which offer every peach dish imaginable. The fruited fare ranges from peach salsa to peach-filled churros to peach smoothies to fresh peach pie and Dutch oven peach cobbler. Peaches and cream and peach donuts are also among the delicious offerings. Peach hand pies are similar to empanadas, Holdaway explains. She adds that deep-fried peaches are created by dipping peach slices in funnel cake dough and frying them.

Most Brigham City ice cream stores serve peach shakes while peach taffy is available in the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce office. Along with peach delicacies, visitors can enjoy a carnival complete with rides.

There’s also a free 900-vehicle car show, a 10K race and the Peach Queen pageant. One of two parades—the Saturday version—is the second largest in Utah. Gentri, three Utah tenors whose group name is short for Gentlemen Trio, will present a free concert on Saturday night. For parking, Holdaway suggests that visitors park at the Utah State University Brigham City campus at 989 S. Main St. and use the free UTA shuttle buses to get to and from Peach Days activities. Along with the festival, visitors can travel on Highway 89, between Willard to Brigham City, home of the famous Fruit Way, dotted with fruit stands. More details are available on the website.

Peach Days, c/o Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, 6 N. Main St., Brigham City 435-723-3931, PeachDays.com Make a Mad Dash Two miles from Brigham City, Maddox Ranch House is an iconic steak and seafood restaurant that will celebrate its 70th anniversary one month before Peach Days. A local family furnishes the fresh peaches for Maddox’s own brand of peach pie, in which glazed peaches are topped with a big scoop of housemade whipped cream. This family-friendly eatery features comfort food including thick, flavorful steaks, fried chicken, and breaded turkey steak. Ground shrimp and turkey are combined to create Maddox’s unique shrimp steak. Two chefs prepare the hand-pinched melt-in-your mouth rolls that, along with the corn pones, can be topped with honey or Maddox’s signature raspberry butter. “The rolls are fresh every day, all day long,” says Julie Reeves, Maddox’s public relations director. She adds that nearly everything at Maddox is housemade—from the salad dressing to the ice cream to the cake of the day.

Maddox Ranch House, 1900 S. Highway 89, Perry 435-723-8545, MaddoxFineFood.com 18 Devour Utah • september 2019

The two-day Peach Day celebration features some 35 peach dishes that range from peach salsa to peach donuts

COURTESY PHOTO

BY CAROLYN CAMPBELL

Peach Days began as a tribute to the Early Elberta, a new peach variety still grown in Brigham City

No trip to Brigham City is complete without visiting Maddox Ranch House, if only for a slice of homemade pie

COURTESY PHOTO

Brigham City Bound

COURTESY PHOTO

Maddox’s strawberry cream pie

TONA tonarestaurant.com SUSHI BAR AND GRILL 2018

2013 - 2018

BOSS 2016

Best Odgen Restaurant

2015 - 2018

2012 - 2017

COURTESY PHOTO

210 25th Street, Ogden • (801) 622-8662 • facebook.com/tonasushi

LEARN TO COOK LIKE A PRO IN BEAUTIFUL PARK CITY

Maddox’s sauteed bison is grilled and smothered in veggies and cheese

COURTESY PHOTO

COOKING CLASSES • PRIVATE EVENTS • KITCHEN FUNDAMENTALS

EAT WELL, COOK WELL, AND BE WELL MINDFULCUISINE.COM | (949) 328-7131 INFO: CHEFLINDA@MINDFULCUISINE.COM

Devour Utah • september 2019 19

Fall Fun

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

Clifford Family Farm in Provo

Fat of the Land

BY JARED BLACKLEY

With its long, upwardly pointing snout and body covered in coarse and curly wool, the Mangalitsa pig looks the unintended consequence of a romantic weekend between a sheep and a pig.

When Julie Clifford, partner in Clifford Family Farm in Provo, first saw a picture of these pigs, she thought, “Wow, those are cool. I need to get some.” She immediately began researching the pig’s traits and meat quality and was impressed by what she found.

With its dark red, beef-like meat and creamy marbling of fat, the Mangalitsa is often referred to as the “Kobe beef of pork.” As such, it can be found on the menus of numerous Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, but remains relatively obscure in the United States, though its popularity is beginning to grow here, too.

Intent on finding a good breeding stock, Julie and her husband, Richard, set off for California to learn more about the breed and meet with breeders. Four years later, there are now between 15 and 20 Mangalitsa pigs rooting around on several acres of their farm. “Julie is a doer,” Richard says.

“She is a woman of action. If she wants something, she figures out a way to make it happen.”

The Mangalitsa first appeared in the 1830s in the AustroHungarian Empire, after Archduke Joseph Anton Johann received some Sumadija pigs from a Serbian prince and bred them with Bakony and Szalonta pigs, which had been raised 20 Devour Utah • september 2019

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

Clifford Family Farm eggs remain a favorite at local farmers markets

for lard. The result soon became the most sought-after swine in Eastern Europe. As one of the fattiest pigs in the world, its body weight is about 65% to 70% fat.

Mangalitsas, Richard says, “take about twice as long as a Berkshire pig to mature. And then they are only half the size.

And they have less meat, because they have so much fat. And their litters are smaller.”

These very traits caused the Mangalitsa breed to fall on hard times in the 20th century. Vegetable oil and shortening overtook lard as the main lipids used in both restaurants and homes. Animal fat itself became taboo, blamed for high cholesterol and heart disease. And, let’s face it, there are fewer pigs with more fat than the Mangalitsas. Add to that the rise of industrial farming that focuses on food as a commodity and that utilizes the most cost-efficient means to bring commercially viable meat to the table.

By 1990, fewer than 200 Mangalitsas remained. It is only due to the zeal of Hungarian geneticist Peter Toth that the Mangalitsa survives today. There are now an estimated 65,000 of these curious pigs on the planet; approximately 10,000 of them are in the United States. Because of their high production cost, small family farms, where animal are humanely raised and cared for, make a natural home.

Clifford Family Farms fits that profile. The farm began as way for Julie Clifford to feed her nine children nutritiously.

The idea for their farm, Richard says, was “to know where our food came from. We’d feed the family first and then we could sell whatever was left over.”

When they first started raising chickens, they started

Meat from Clifford Family Farm’s Mangalitsa herd, also known as the “Kobe beef of pork,” are making their way onto local menus

SOUP SEASON

COURTESY PHOTO

IS HERE

with 40. The farm quickly grew a reputation for its highquality eggs. Chefs and locavores came knocking, and the business grew. They currently have approximately 3,000 free-range chickens on two properties. Their eggs can be found on the menus of restaurants such as Pago, Communal and Trio. Eggs remain their biggest seller at the SLC Farmers Market, too.

The Mangalitsa has yet to become a regular item on any menu along the Wasatch Front, but it’s gaining popularity at the SLC Farmers Market and also at the Winter Market.

If you want a certain cut, or even a half or whole hog, contact Clifford Family Farm directly. The meat can also be found at Beltex Meats.

“All of our business, even to restaurants and chefs,” said Julie, “is direct to customer.” The person you buy the farm produce from, whether it be pork or eggs or vegetables, is the person who raised it.

“For us, most of what we’ve been doing [with the Mangalitsa] has been an educational focus,” Julie says.

“It’s been a big learning process. I mean, we’re still learning to cut off the right amount of fat and what not to trim, but slowly and surely, we’re building a group of people who really love what we’re doing and what the Mangalitsa has to offer.”

Warm up with our Bonsai butternut squash soup 801-713-9423 | 5692 S. 900 E. Murray

www.japanesegrill.com

@yoshisensogrill

Clifford Family Farm 1461 N. 2100 West, Provo 801-368-7250 CliffordFamilyFarm.com Devour Utah • september 2019 21

COURTESY PHOTO

Fall Fun

Galt Farm Genetics: 2013 Grand Champion Barrow Utah State Junior Livestock Show

Going Once, Going Twice The Utah State Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction serves up blue-ribbon meat

BY JARED BLACKLEY

T

he bidding begins with the familiar, rapid-fire twang of the auctioneer’s cattle rattle. “Who’ll give me 125? 125. 130. 135? 135. 140? Who’s in 140? 140.

145. Give me 150? 150. 155. 160? 160? Give me 160? Sold 155.”

This breakneck waltz is sung every Tuesday morning at the Anderson Livestock Auction in Willard and the Producers Livestock Marketing Association Auction in Salina, as well as every Thursday at the Cedar City Livestock Market. Livestock auctions also occur at county fairs throughout the year.

One of the most unique livestock auctions, however, happens but once a year—the Utah State Fair Junior Livestock Auction. Here, members of the 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) bring the animals they’ve raised and cared for to be sold to the highest bidder.

The FFA and 4-H are both youth organizations. The former focuses primarily on youth development through agricultural education, while the latter offers projects in several areas in addition to agriculture, including health, science and civic engagement.

For more than 60 years, the FFA and 4-H have brought sheep, goats, pigs and market steers to be judged and sold at the Utah State Fair, which runs 10 days at the State Fairgrounds west of downtown Salt Lake City every September starting the first Thursday after Labor Day. Every animal that makes it to the state fair’s auction must be owned and reared by a member of either the 4-H or FFA. Ranging in age from 8 to 19, these young folks put in the 22 Devour Utah • september 2019

time, energy and money to raise animals of superior quality in hopes of winning a blue ribbon and profiting from their labor.

Fair director Judy Duncombe says that, for many youth, the auction “is the culmination of a project that not only teaches them the skills of raising an animal, but the value of record keeping, livestock and money management, responsibility and other worthwhile life skills.” Duncombe says that those buying livestock are investing in the future, since many 4-H and FFA members use that money for college Jessie Hadfield is a professor at Utah State University Extension who works with Utah 4-H and youth programs.

She says that the hands-on aspect of 4-H livestock projects is what makes it unique. “The youth are involved from start to finish,” she says. “These animals are handled daily, are given the best food and are kept out of the elements.” As stewards of livestock, young people learn valuable life skills that help them in their future endeavors, she says.

Animals at the state fair are judged using the Danish system, Hadfield says, using blue, red and white ribbons.

While blue is the highest award an animal can receive, a white ribbon means the animal needs improvement. To be eligible for auction, an animal first must earn a blue ribbon.

In most cases, animals judged to be a red or white standard could still be improved and are sold at one of the other five state-sanctioned Junior Livestock Auctions, or at county fairs throughout Utah.

Thus, livestock offered at the state fair are the crème de la crème of 4-H and FFA livestock. Other auctions have less youth involvement and sell animals that may not be top of the line, and with less information as to where they were raised and what they were fed.

“For the environmentally conscious consumer,” Hadfield says, “4-H livestock are given the best care and, because they are local, also have a smaller carbon footprint.” Consumers pay for the quality, to be sure, but the total cost is still much less than if they were to buy individual cuts. “These types of auctions,” Hadfield says, “are designed to help youth and the junior livestock program, and so the prices are inflated to reach that goal.”

Nevertheless, getting a small group of friends or family members to go in together on an animal auctioned at the State Fair Junior Livestock Auction is an economical way to fill the freezer with top-quality meat. Knowing that proceeds go directly to helping a kid pay for college or turn a small profit from months of diligent effort and record keeping just makes that steak taste all the better.

4-H & FFA Junior Livestock Auction at Utah State Fair show ring 155 N. 1000 West, SLC, 801-538-8400, UtahStateFair.com Sept. 14, 10 a.m.

Where’s the Beef?

This year’s auction will include about three dozen steers, four dozen pigs, eight-to-10 dozen lambs and 60 goats.

Steers typically sell for $2,000 to $2,500 (about $1.75 to $2 a pound). Pigs range between $500 and $700, while lambs and goats go for a few hundred dollars.

How it works: Register as a buyer the day of the auction in the livestock show ring where you’ll be given a numbered card. To bid, raise your card after the sale begins. A buyer has the option to pay to have the animal custom slaughtered or they can “boost” the animal, which means the buyer makes a financial gift to reward a youth for their efforts (but does not take the meat home). The buyer pays only the “boost” price, which is the difference between the selling price bid by the buyer and the actual market value of the animal.

What you bring home: If you have the animal slaughtered and processed, you can expect to fill your freezer with the following quantities:

Welcome to

Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner bartolospc.com | 435.604.0608 1241 Center Drive Ste. L100 Park City

20 1 8

Beef: A 1,200-pound live steer yields

about 490 pounds of packaged meat.

Hogs: A 250-pound live market hog yields about 133 pounds of packaged meat.

Lambs: A 120-pound live market lamb yields about 49 pounds packaged meat.

Goats: An 80-pound live market goat yields about 33 pounds of packaged meat. (estimates are for bone-in, trimmed products and will depend on each individual animal as well as meat processing)

Source: Judy Duncombe, Utah State Fair, and USU Extension

serving breakfast, lunch and dinner 2005 E. 2700 SOUTH, SLC FELDMANSDELI.COM @ FELDMANSDELI OPEN TUES - SAT TO GO ORDERS: (801) 906-0369 Devour Utah • september 2019 23

COURTESY PHOTO

Fall Fun

Sheep Parade on Cedar City’s Main Street at the Cedar Livestock and Heritage Fest

As Ewe Like It

Catch the wooly parade at the Cedar Livestock and Heritage Festival

T

BY BRIAN FRYER

raffic jams on Cedar City’s Main Street are not a common sight. The central Utah town is best known as the home of the Tony-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival and for its year-round recreation in the nearby highdesert mountains. But on one weekend each fall, traffic grinds to a stop, and the street goes to the dogs—sheep dogs, that is, and the wooly flocks they tend to. The herding of a thousandhead of sheep down Main along with a parade of antique tractors, sheep camps (sturdy trailers used by shepherds) and horses is a reminder of the Old West’s livestock heritage, traditions that live on in Iron County.

“There used to be livestock trails all around and through town,” said Donna Christensen, a member of the executive committee organizing the 14th annual Cedar Livestock and Heritage Festival taking place Oct. 24-27. “In the fall, people would bring their sheep down from the summer pastures on Cedar Mountain and move them to the valley for winter,” she says. “This is a way to celebrate that tradition and what it has meant to this area.”

According to the Utah State University Extension’s Chad Reid—himself a graduate of what is now Southern Utah University and now serving as this year’s parade grand marshal—sheep have dominated the area’s livestock industry since the 1890s when prominent local ranchers purchased a 24 Devour Utah • september 2019

herd of sheep from Colorado.

“The livestock men soon realized that sheep were ideally suited to southern Utah ranges, especially the mountain summer ranges where Larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi) was common,” Reid said in an academic report on local history.

“This plant is highly toxic to cattle but is well tolerated by sheep and is considered valuable forage for them.”

The Saturday morning sheep parade ends at the nearby Cross Hollows Event Center, launching a day of events that includes a quilt show, antique tractor and draft horse pull, sheep-dog demonstrations and, of course, food—featuring Dutch oven cooking and locally raised lamb. Attendees also “flock” to order lamb burgers cooked by the women of the Utah Wool Growers Auxiliary. Admission is free.

“We’ve had people from all over the world show up to this event. It’s a fun fall tradition for a lot of people,” Christensen says.

Cedar Livestock and Heritage Festival Cross Hollows Event Center, 11 N. Cross Hollow Drive Cedar City, 435-586-8132 Oct. 24-27 Sheep Parade, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. on Main Street CedarLivestockFest.com

It’s time to book your

PARTY

THE PATIO IS OPEN!

2155 s highland drive | salt lake city Reservations: 385.602.3177

7am-11pm / 7 Days A Week • 3231 S. 9 0 0 E. • 801-466-3273

Make September special with our

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CREPE!

Septe m speci ber al

Greenhouse Effect

3176 E. 6200 S. • Cottonwood Heights, UT 801.944.0505 • banditsbbqutah.com Devour Utah • september 2019 25

Excellent Food • Craft Cocktails

Join us for Poker each Tuesday at 7:00pm

321 S Main Street | 801-363-8888 londonbelleslc.com

26 Devour Utah • september 2019

A COOKBOOK IS BORN

F SERGII KOVAL

Spanakopita

It’s a Greek Thing

BY JERRE WROBLE

Sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake, the Salt Lake City Greek Festival is now in its 44th year. Lest you think it’s just for Greeks, know that as many as 50,000 attend this three-day big-tent affair of high-kicking Greek folk-dancing, music and cuisine. On the food front, expect to nosh on your favorite Greek dishes, including gyros, souvlaki, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and spanakopita (spinach pie). But consider branching out to sample Greek classics such as calamari, roasted lamb, marinated baked chicken, fasolakia (stewed green beans), keftethes (seasoned meatballs), pastichio (Greek lasagna), stifatho (beef stew with pearl onions) and rice pilafi, along with salads and a church auditorium full of pastries, including baklava and the honey-coated donut known as loukoumathes. All dishes are lovingly prepared and served by volunteers as a fundraiser for the church. Beer, Greek wines and Greek coffee are also available.

Salt Lake City Greek Festival Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake Holy Trinity Cathedral, 279 S. 300 West, SLC 801-328-9681 SaltLakeGreekFestival.com Sept. 6-8

or the past two years, Eleni Saltas (daughter of Devour Utah publisher John Saltas) has been at the helm of Devour Instagram page, where’s she’s jet-fueled a large and loyal following for the magazine. She’s also found time to assemble an impressive Greek cookbook with recipes gleaned from her yiayia (grandmother), Stella Saltas, as well as her parents. Her book, All You Can Greek: Food, Life, Travel, is 197 pages filled with classic and modern Greek fare. Its 65 recipes range from dips and salads to spanakopita and dolmades. Along with some 140 gorgeous full-color photographs is a glossary of Greek culinary terms, sections on travel that highlight Greek beaches and monasteries and a chapter on life lessons that relate to Greek life.

Growing up in the Salt Lake Greek community (one of the oldest in the country), Eleni participated in Greek folk dancing with her church group and visited Greece on numerous occasions. As a teen, she began making Greek dips for home parties (her favorite was the creamy garlic dip known as skordalia, which is included in her book).

An Exercise and Sports Science major at the University of Utah, Eleni started a blog on fitness that featured healthy Mediterranean recipes. Her followers began asking for more and more recipes, which evolved into an idea for a cookbook.

Eleni’s pride in her Greek heritage is evident in all her recipes. She not only provides cooking instructions for each dish but also its history and where it comes from, along with her memories of enjoying the meal with family and friends.

While the book is available on Amazon.com, Eleni also will have copies on hand at the Greek festival and will offer cooking demonstrations.

So, if after shouting your last “opa!” and returning home, you start craving the hearty flavors you sampled at the festival, you can leave with recipes of your favorite dishes at your fingertips.

Devour Utah • september 2019 27

Fall Fun Tomato and cucumber salad

the

Spread Whiskey Street

E

arly in the history of Salt Lake City, Brigham Young designated the area on Main Street between 200 and 400 South as Whiskey Street—the place where gentiles were able to quench their thirst in the city’s saloons, breweries, billiard clubs and parlor houses. Today, Whiskey Street is one of downtown Salt Lake’s most popular bars.

Housed inside a grand old building from the early 1900s, Whiskey Street patrons are greeted with a spectacular 72-foot-long cherry wood bar backed by

28 Devour Utah • september 2019

BY HEATHER L. KING PHOTOS BY DEREK CARLISLE

a wall of impressive spirits including as many as 150 whiskeys from around the world.

“I wanted to build a bar that would rival any great bar in any big city in this country,” Jason LeCates says. He’s the managing partner with The Bourbon Group, which also owns Bourbon House and White Horse.

Whiskey Street’s warm, welcoming environment extends not only from the bar but also to the southern-inspired food as well. Executive chef Matt Crandall designed the current menu to

highlight the colors and flavors of the season.

His take on fried green tomatoes ($12) delivers cornmeal battered tomatoes topped with a generous dollop of kicky pimento cheese. In between the two, you can add thick slices of pork belly for just $2. Create the perfect bite with a swipe of green goddess dressing and balsamic.

And although simple in name, the tomato-and-cucumber salad ($14) is virtually a work of food art in its eyecatching presentation and delicate

Fried green tomatoes

Whiskey Street’s 72-foot-long cherry wood bar features 150 whiskeys from around the world Whiskey Street’s smoky deviled eggs

Matt Crandall, Whiskey Street’s executive chef

combination of flavors. Thin shaves of carrots and cucumber curl above cherry and heirloom tomato varieties, butter lettuce, kalamata olives and a sprinkling of microgreens. Underneath it all is a creamy whipped chevre-and-basil vinaigrette that’s addictive.

Whether diners whet their whistle from a towering booth along the north wall or the open-air patio at the entrance, the care and thought of every design decision—from the inclusion of more than 20 different woods in the interior to the careful curation of quality spirits—it’s

easy to appreciate the craftsmanship that the has placed Whiskey Street at the forefront of Utah’s growing bar scene.

“Whiskey Street taught us that people in Utah were starting to demand the absolute highest quality in every aspect of their drinking and dining experience,” LeCates says. And that’s something we can all raise a glass to.

Whiskey Street 323 S. Main, SLC, 801-433-1371 WhiskeyStreet.com

Devour Utah • september 2019 29

The Green Scene

COURTESY PHOTO

SLC VegFest exists to help animals and promote healthy living

Vegging Out

The SLC VegFest is Salt Lake’s only vegan food festival

BY AMANDA ROCK

S

LC VegFest is not just an event for vegans. It’s a day for the entire community to ponder ways to help animals, reduce our footprint on the planet, support local green businesses, live healthier and just enjoy a fun outdoor festival while eating delicious food. Hosted by the Utah Animal Rights Coalition and run by volunteers, SLC VegFest is now in its fourth year. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 14, from noon to 8 p.m., at Library Square, which will become a vegan paradise filled with food purveyors and a beer garden. Entry is free for this familyfriendly event.

Choose from a variety of exhibitors, entertainment, speakers, films and workshops. Grey (of the 2016 viral Thanksgiving freestyle video) will perform with his unique combination of activism and hip hop. Capt. Peter Hammarstedt from Sea Shepherd will travel from Sweden to talk about fishing and the state of the world’s oceans. A Salt Lake City mayoral forum is also planned where you can learn how the candidates will make the city more humane for animals, along with other important issues.

30 Devour Utah • september 2019

Some of this year’s food vendors include: Big O Doughnuts has long been serving colorful and delicious fresh-baked doughnuts to SLC VegFest crowds.

“It’s been great to grow with Vegfest and see it expand throughout the years,” co-owner Ally Curzon says. If the day is a scorcher, save room for Big O’s newest item (and probably the most Instagrammable at the fest): ice cream-doughnut sammies, made with sorbet from another local favorite, Normal Ice Cream.

Lavender Kitchen from Ogden will bring its creative and delicious baked goods, such as jam-filled coconut cookies and lavender blueberry muffins. “We tend to have a few tricks up our sleeve at the last minute,” co-owner Kye Hallows promises. “I can’t tell ya what it will be yet, but it is going to be amazing.”

Huckleberry Grill will debut a new food truck. For the past three years of catering the event, Huckleberry Grill’s Eric Westover, who considers himself a “vegan sympathizer,” has blown the minds of VegFest attendees. In addition to creating crowd-favorites like elotes with cilantro-lime pesto

Open everyday for breakfast & lunch!

COURTESY PHOTO

Look for crowd-pleasing spicy vegan dishes like this one from Huckleberry Grill

or habanero sour cream, he challenges himself to come up with a dish to flex his chef muscles. In 2018, he sold fireroasted poblano and black bean mini taco salads for only $5. He keeps his costs low to encourage people to try something different. No promises, but he’s been inspired by the Poke bowl trend and hopes to experiment with wasabi and soy-infused watermelon bowls. Whatever he comes up with, it’s sure to be delicious and unique.

New this year! New vendors such as Lucky Slice Pizza and Trolley Wing Co. are signing up for VegFest every day.

Follow along on social media so you don’t miss out! Also, keep an eye out for these two: Namash Swahili Cuisine: Najati Abdalla grew up selling her mother’s food and ultimately her own fare on the streets of Kenya before coming to the United States in 2008. Working with Spice Kitchen Incubator, she’s started a new food business in Salt Lake.

Specializing in East African, Somali and Swahili fare, she’s prepared a special menu for VegFest consisting of Chapati bread served with coconut beans and samosas served with pilipili sauce.

“Wherever I go, people like my food.” she says.

Garden O’Veaten: Julianne Nagle is bringing her groovy food truck filled with whole-food, organic, gluten-free goodness to VegFest. The Sweet Baby Crabless Cakes, made with sustainable Heart of Palm and topped with a decadent (but healthy!) remoulade sauce are sure to sell out. The Mindful Mac and Casheeze also sounds like a winner.

See you at the festival!

SLC VegFest Library Square, 210 E. 400 South, SLC SLCVeg.com Saturday, Sept. 14, noon to 8 p.m.

Cottonwood Heights Cafe 7146 Highland Dr. | 801-947-0760 Open 7:00am-2:30pm

New Location!

Jewelry for every occasion

Custom design, in house work, jewelry repair, high quality diamonds, engagement rings.

801-583-2700 | 1346 S. 2100 E. SLC, UT www.redfordjewelers.com Devour Utah • september 2019 31

3 CATERING OPTIONS TO SERVE YOU!

FALL IN LOVE WITH SUSHI AGAIN

PICK UP, DROP OFF, OR STAFFED EVENTS

Proudly serving SLC and the valley for over 12 years.

Endless sushi, a la carte, take out and to go options available 7 days a week.

A fun, casual, affordable experience for the whole family.

FANCY TACOS & FINE TEQUILAS

1615 S. FOOTHILL DRIVE | 385-259-0712 4670 HOLLADAY VILLAGE PLAZA (2300 EAST) | 801-676-9706 149 EAST 200 SOUTH | 385-259-0940 6154 SOUTH FASHION PLACE BLVD | 801-266-2487 1688 W TRAVERSE PARKWAY (LEHI) | 801-331-8033

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK I T A Q U E R I A 2 7 . C O M

32 Devour Utah • september 2019

Downtown Salt Lake City 400 South 200 West Salt Lake City, UT

Smith’s Shopping Center 7117 S. Redwood Road West Jordan, UT Open Daily from 11:30am to 8:30pm Open Sundays at 12:30pm

A N F O O D H E AV E N G E RaM n Delicatessen & Restauran t

Wasatch Community Gardens Tomato Sandwich Party

COURTESY WASATCH COMMUNITY GARDENS | AUSTEN DIAMOND PHOTOGRAPHY

Germ

20 W. 200 S. • (801) 355-3891 • Catering available Open Mon-Wed: 9am-6pm Thu-Sat: 9am-9pm siegfriedsdelicatessen.com

You Like Tomato, I Like Tomah-to

Kick off this year’s Eat Local Week with Wasatch Community Gardens by sinking your teeth into an heirloom tomato and pesto sandwich at the annual Tomato Sandwich Party on Sept. 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy live music while enjoying this free event that includes kids activities. And go ahead, explore the garden (but please resist the urge to pick the gardeners’ produce!).

A tomato expert booth will be set up to answer gardening questions, and Slow Food Utah will help attendees sign up for the Eat Local Challenge.

Founded in 1989, WCG manages 16 community gardens, which give nearly 500 individuals and families the chance to grow their own fresh, organic produce. In its youth gardens, the nonprofit also helps more than 1,200 youth learn about growing and eating healthy food. Plus, they support school gardens at 10 Title I elementary schools, serving more than 3,400 students.

Wasatch Community Gardens offers 40 classes and hands-on workshops per year, educating more than 500 community members about growing and eating fresh, healthy food. Plus, they provide employment and job training at their Green Team Farm to women currently experiencing homelessness. (Jerre Wroble) Tomato Sandwich Party at the Grateful Tomato Garden 615 E. 800 South, SLC, 801-359-2658, WasatchGardens.org Sept. 7, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Contemporary Japanese Dining LUNCH • DINNER • COCKTAILS

18 MARKET STREET • 801.519.9595 Devour Utah • september 2019 33

34 Devour Utah • september 2019

Devour Utah • september 2019 35

Fall Fun Salt Lake County Metro Jail inmates have cultivated 3 acres of former Bonneville lakebed to now grow 20,000 pounds of produce

GARDENS OF HOPE

Salt Lake County Metro inmates work off their time growing vegetables, fruit and flowers STORY & PHOTOS BY MERRY LYCETTE HARRISON

S

ince its inception in 2007, the Salt Lake County Sheriff Jail Horticulture Program has grown to encompass 3 acres, two greenhouses, a hoop house, chicken coop, pond area and a 1-acre pumpkin patch.

In that time, the hard, compact, Bonneville lakebed has been nourished with cover crops, then tilled and irrigated for it now to produce tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, peppers, peas, chard, kale, lettuces, asparagus, potatoes, gooseberries, strawberries, grapes, blackberries, flowers, herbs and more.

In 2018, of the 20,000 pounds of produce that was grown, about 40% was distributed to senior centers and local community organizations while the rest was sold at farmers markets, earnings from which help to fund the program.

The large pumpkin harvest in the fall goes to community children’s programs and jail staff.

Twenty-four prequalified male prisoners work in the program at a time. It’s on-the-job training as they do assigned tasks and receive lessons in soil structure, mulching, planting, irrigation, trimming, pest and disease 36 Devour Utah • september 2019

identification and management, harvesting, beekeeping and flower arranging.

A white board lists the duties of the day that are checked off when completed. In the greenhouses, aloes and succulents are separated from the mother plant to pot and sell as indoor plants. It is also where prisoners experiment with random starts and seedings to gain knowledge and experience. It can be surprising to see such things as flats of parsley starts in early March or the medicinal herb pleurisy root next to tiny Arctic strawberries or other exotics.

A year-round program, veggies are grown in greenhouses during the winter (where only organic pesticides are used) and sold at the Winter Market at the Rio Grande. Four inmates staff the booth at each market, offering information on their produce that they have learned about from the ground up. Jail staff is always there to oversee things.

The recently formed pond area is an attractive, 5-acre learning project requiring work in landscape design and maintenance, plus irrigation, water and

wildlife management. In coordination with Utah Fish and Wildlife, the 1-acre pond has become a nursery for the Least Chub, an endangered Utah native fish. It attracts many other water-loving plants, animals and insects like ducks, geese and dragonflies.

The garden is staffed by Joshauh Murphy, a program coordinator, plus two part-time horticulturists and jail employees who supervise.

Lt. Javier Gonzalez, who oversees operations, says the program is therapeutic and helps in rehabilitating offenders. He credits its success and longevity to present and past administrations whose sheriffs and leaders have supported programs to train prisoners and make their jail time productive.

“Gardening can bring calmness to inmates who are in an environment that is high stress at times,” Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera says. “It helps with self-esteem and brings a sense of accomplishment to the inmate when they have an opportunity to channel negative or aggressive energy into the creation of something beautiful and

beneficial. The garden also provides a soft visual contrast to the institutional setting of a correction facility. I am grateful to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office personnel and volunteers who make the horticultural program a success.”

When inmates complete the program, they leave with an Excellence in Gardening certificate, meaning they’ve had 16 hours of training in horticulture and agriculture. They also receive a foodhandler permit. Supervisors have been known to write recommendations in support of these men getting hired on with landscape companies or nurseries.

Some even leave with high hopes to start a business. However, it is unknown if they do use their horticultural training, Gonzalez says, because the jail doesn’t track the participants.

The garden is beautiful and colorful, in healthy balance and well maintained.

Anyone interested in gardening will likely be impressed and learn from visiting it. Until the end of season, hourlong tours are offered the last Thursday of the month and are conducted by a horticulturist. Prisoners will be in the garden during the tour. No guests under 16 are permitted nor are personal items such as cell phones and cameras.

Salt Lake County Metro Jail Garden 3415 S. 900 West (directly south of the Adult Detention Center), South Salt Lake Tours on the last Thursday of each month Phone 385-468-8800 for info/reservations SLSheriff.org Devour Utah • september 2019 37

FINE JEWERLY PIERCING MASSAGE REIKI CARD READING

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS! 38 Devour Utah • september 2019

2 0 17

801.810.9247

245 E. 300 S. Salt Lake City

Fall Fun

Get Fit, Not Hit

Mid-autumn mooncake filling made with walnuts and red bean paste

Plate it

Mid-Autumn Mooncake

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY MIKA LEE & CAIT LEE

P

lid Va at e ly s on rhou on ga Su ocati l

SEPTEMBER SPECIAL

1 month of UNLIMITED Boxing and/or Kickboxing classes only $59

Includes 1 pair of premium hand wraps and boxing gloves

Call Today!

801-256-6808 729 E 2100 S

eople are often sad to see summer go. They resist sweater weather and protest the waning daylight hours until the bitter end. But us? We’re sipping tea on a cool night lit by lanterns. We’re nibbling on mooncake while gazing at the moon hung high in the sky.

Welcome to Mid-Autumn Festival.

The festival, which pays homage to the moon, has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years. Also called the Moon Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival follows the lunar calendar and is typically celebrated in September or October. While celebrated by many Asian cultures, the holiday is most popular in Chinese and Vietnamese cultures.

This year’s festival begins on Friday, Sept. 13. It marks the changing of seasons and provides a reason for loved ones to gather and eat seasonal fruits and veggies at the time when they at their most healthy and delicious. Family and friends gather at the dinner table and laugh the night away enjoying pumpkin, taro and lotus root dishes.

In Chinese culture, food symbolism is woven into all holidays, and Mid-Autumn Festival is no exception. The moon, with its round shape, is represented by fruits such as pears, pomelos and persimmons and, of course, by mooncake, the most iconic dessert of this celebration.

The full moon has a circular shape that represents unity and togetherness, bringing family and friends closer during the changing season. “We’re always finding excuses [for family and friends] to spend time together,” says May, a Continued on p. 41

Devour Utah • september 2019 39

Best BBQ West of the Mississippi!

• Butcher Shop offering the World’s Highest Beef Grade • King’s Treats beef and pork bones for the four-legged kids • Free drinks and bread with BBQ purchase!

435-709-5BBQ benjisbbqshack.com 3245 S State Street SLC

We have moved to the newly restored to glory Historic Eagle Building.

Italian Cuisine 404 South W Temple ´ Salt Lake City, Utah 801-364-8833 ´ www.caffemolise.com

40 Devour Utah • september 2019

Fall Fun

Elegant lotus root mooncake, left, and red bean mooncake honor the moon and mark the changing of the season

Taro root—raw on the left, and cooked, right—is used to make mooncake filling

A green bean filling placed in mooncake crust

Snowskin mooncake is made with soft glutinous rice

Continued from p. 39

Chinese immigrant from Taiwan. “It’s a treat when delicious food can also be shared.”

Mooncake comes in various shapes, sizes and fillings. The thin outer layer can be a soft “mochi” rice texture or firm flour-based crust. The crust envelops a smooth center filling such as lotus root, red bean, nuts and dates. Special mooncakes may include one (or two!) salted egg yolks, another symbol of the full moon representing completeness.

Sizes range from an inch to even 6

inches in diameter! The recipes can be rather involved, so we suggest researching one you can undertake online or simply buying the cakes at a local shop. Mooncake can be purchased at Chinatown Supermarket (3390 S. State, South Salt Lake, 801-906-8788, ChinatownSupermarkets.com) or Ocean Mart (115 W. 9000 South, Sandy, 801255-1118, OceanMartSandy.business. site) while supplies last.

Traditionally, seasonal fruits were offered to deities and to the moon in

thanks for the previous season’s harvest and seeking good luck for following year’s harvest. In modern times, we will use any excuse to eat mooncake while enjoying lion dance celebrations, floating lanterns in the night sky or sipping tea while gazing at the moon.

To celebrate your own Moon Festival, consider getting tickets for the Night Lights: Sky Lantern Festival to be held Saturday, Sept. 21 at Utah Motorsports Campus (512 Sheep Lane, Erda, NightLightsEvent.com)

Devour Utah • september 2019 41

THINGS WE

1

E V LO FARMERS MARKET JOY

BY AIMEE L. COOK

Fall’s the time when local farmers markets are in full bloom.

These farmers produce small batches of locally grown or raised foods, where quality and a unique experience is the goal.

1

Honey Caramels

Sam Huntzinger, at age 19, and his brother Nathan, 20, have turned their exploratory home project of beekeeping into a small business.

Since the ages of 7 and 8, the brothers have been harvesting honey and creating tasty treats. Their father, Craig, works for the USDA Bee Lab in Logan, so the brothers have had native bees around for as long as they could remember. Wanting to extend their knowledge to honeybees, they got a couple of hives. At the end of their first year, with more honey than expected, they started selling it at the local farmers market, and it took off from there.

“The lesson began with just learning about the bees,” Nathan says, “then transformed into how to sell honey and run a business.” The brothers have expanded their operation to include 25 beehives which, at summer harvest, typically produces several gallons of honey each.

Look for their honey caramels (1-pound bag for $27) at the Cache Valley Gardeners’ Market in Logan on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Oct. 19.

Bees Brothers, North Logan, 435-764-6532 BeesBrothers.com

42 Devour Utah • september 2019

2 2 Beef Grill Master Package

3 3 Wasabi Arugula

In September 2017, Tyler and Whitney Thomas took over operations for the 200-acre Christiansen’s Family Farm, west of Utah Lake in Utah County. Both came from beef-producing backgrounds, so they settled in quickly and soon began raising registered Berkshire (aka Kurobuta) pork as well.

As a small, family-operated farm, the farm prides itself in producing all natural, humanely treated, pasture-raised pork and beef. Their grass- and barley-fed beef is available for purchase year-round, but fall is the best time to buy as animals are usually in their best condition. The farm offers a variety of cuts and quantities.

But for your backyard BBQ, consider the Grill Master package ($85) with four 20-ounce premium steaks, plus 1 pound each of bratwurst and hamburger. Order online, then pick-up monthly at various locations from Utah County to Salt Lake County listed on their website, or have it delivered.

Inspired by the farm-to-table movement,

Christiansen’s Family Farm, 1599 N. 17790 West, Fairfield, 385-215-4557, ChristiansenFarm.com

Ascent Farms, 2023 S. 800 East, SLC, 781-771-6603, AscentFarms.us

Salt Lake City’s first vertical, hydroponic, leafy green farm was built inside a stateof-the-art, 400-square-foot shipping container retrofitted with LED lights and 256 crop columns. Founder Reed Snyderman calls his farm “beyond organic” as water is distributed through a reverse-osmosis filter and no pesticides or herbicides are used. “We are trying to ascend to a better food-supply system,” Snyderman says—one that’s cleaner and better for the customer and the environment. His goal is to prove the locally grown concept works and provide people with fresh, organic leafy greens.

While many varieties are grown, the wasabi arugula (1 ounce for $3) offers a nice bite of flavor. Purchase greens at the farm (by appointment), Redmond Heritage Farm Store and the Downtown Farmers Market.

Devour Utah • september 2019 43

Spirit Guide

HARVEST TIPPLES Freshen up autumn cocktails with garden goodness

STORY & PHOTOS BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

S

ummer is a time to celebrate local food. If you’ve done it right (by this food-obsessed writer’s standards), these past few months have been filled with new seasonal entrees at your favorite haunts, BBQ experiments with nonstandard veggies (ever thought to grill your Caesar salad?) and runs to the farmers market for fresh fruit that you can casually throw into a rustic galette. You’ve tended an enviable edible garden, foraged for wild berries in the mountains and wowed friends with over-the-top crudite spreads.

As another beautiful summer sets on the Wasatch Front, it’s time to squeeze out that last bit of harvest fervor—and what better way to celebrate the bounty than with a boozy beverage? Forget the strawberry daiquiri. Move away from the bloody mary. The creativity of Salt Lake City’s establishments shines through in these four plant-inspired drinks. A little sweet, a little savory, we’re here to tell you that these drinks will not only delight your taste buds but will probably count toward your five daily servings of fruits and veggies (we said probably).

So, get your muddler ready—or better yet, grab an Uber to one of these joints—and enjoy a sip of summer. Cheers!

44 Devour Utah • september 2019

The Sour Patch Kids The Raspberry Weisseman from Toasted Barrel Brewery starts on the base of the brewery’s light, tart and refreshing Berliner Weisse. Add in 20 pounds of fresh raspberries to the 140-gallon brew, and the much-loved Raspberry Weisseman was born.

“The biggest compliment we’ve gotten is local beer clubs will come to buy our Berliner Weisse to teach judges what the beer is supposed to taste like,” says Sage Dawson, coowner and brewer of Toasted Barrel alongside business partner Lynn Litchfield.

“We want all of our fruit beer to accentuate the fruit flavors of the beer, not say, ‘Wow! It tastes like raspberries,’” he adds.

The home brewers and friends opened the brewery and tasting room a year ago after noticing a gap in the market for sours and barrelaged beers.

“Some people were dabbling a bit with sours, but not many,” says Dawson, noting that for many, the potential for contamination and attention required to make a sour can be a turnoff for some brewers.

Today, the brewing pair is pumping out creative fruit-forward beers like the Cantaloupe Weisseman, Black Current Sour and a Golden Sour with apricots and aged in a chardonnay barrel—all made with fresh fruit, never any concentrates.

Toasted Barrel Brewery 412 W. 600 North, Ste. B North Salt Lake 801-657-6942 ToastedBarrelBrewery.com

Devour Utah • september 2019 45

Spirit Guide

Ring a Bell?

The Ruin’s ever-evolving cocktail menu is chock-full of wellbalanced fruity drinks that won’t leave you with a sugar hangover.

While mint has long enjoyed its reign as the herb of choice in cocktails, basil is lately giving it a run for its money. In the Bluebell, you’ll find its subtle flavor mingling with blueberry and plum, all brightened up with a splash of lemon. It’s refreshing, simple and hard to order just one.

Bluebell 1 ¼ ounce Dented Brick Vodka 1 ounce housemade blueberry basil simple syrup (see recipe below) ¾ ounce lemon juice 3 dashes plum bitters Add vodka, syrup, lemon juice and bitters to a shaker and mix well.

Pour over ice and garnish with blueberries and lemon peel.

Blueberry basil simple syrup: Add 2 cups blueberries, ½ cup water, 1 cup sugar, 15 basil leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice to a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking and stirring for 10 minutes as the mixture reduces. Strain and store syrup in refrigerator.

The Ruin 1215 E. Wilmington Ave., Ste. 120, SLC 801-869-3730 RuinSLC.com

Beet-le Juice With a focus on plant-based, vegetarian, raw and gluten-free dishes, it’s no wonder that Zest Kitchen and Bar is pumping out cocktails with veggie flair. The beet margarita has a brilliant color and earthy flavor thanks to the root vegetable, which is juiced in house. Orangey Patron Citronage Tequila, lime and bitters brighten up the drink, while agave adds a touch of sweetness.

Rounded out with a healthy dose of Reposado Tequila, the drink is well-balanced and refreshing. Pro tip: Periodically wipe off the fuschia beet mustache while drinking this.

Beet Margarita ¼ ounce agave ½ ounce lime ½ ounce Patron Citronage Tequila 1 ounce beet juice 2-3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 1 ¼ ounce Reposado Tequila Put all ingredients in a shaker and shake for five seconds. Rub the rim of a glass with lime before salting. Add ice and pour drink over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Zest Kitchen and Bar 275 S. 200 West, SLC 801-433-0589 ZestSLC.com 46 Devour Utah • september 2019

Come in for

something sweet!

Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Local Coffee Use this coupon for

1 FREE

12oz daily brew with purchase Valid through December 2019

Check us out on Facebook Cafe VilleBella 3679 Harrison Blvd, Ogden

' n i ll Fa for you!

Mon - Sat 8am to 6pm 9275 S 1300 W 801-562-5496 glovernursery.com Devour Utah • september 2019 47

48 Devour Utah • september 2019

Spirit Guide

Planter Banter 2 ounces snap pea and kefir blend ¾ ounce cashew orgeat ½ ounce lemon juice ¾ ounce Beehive Gin ¾ ounce Dented Brick White Rum Pinch of tarragon Pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Kefir Madness The Planter Banter is unlike any cocktail you’ve had before.

It also might be the most difficult drink of the bunch to recreate at home, so perhaps a trip to the hip Rye restaurant for a cocktail and a meal of modern twists on American classics is in order. With a base of snap-pea-infused kefir (a fermented milk drink), the Planter Banter takes your taste buds on a adventure from tangy to nutty, savory and salty. It’s complex, yet well-balanced, and you’ll need to Google things like orgeat (a sweet syrup usually made from almonds, sugar and rose water or orange flower water).

Lightly blanch a handful of snap peas in boiling water before blending with kefir and straining mixture with a cheesecloth. Add 2 ounces of the blend with cashew orgeat, lemon juice, gin and rum to a shaker.

After mixing, pour in a tall glass and garnish with fresh tarragon leaves and Himalayan sea salt.

Rye 239 S. 500 East, SLC 801-364-4655 RyeSLC.com

Devour Utah • september 2019 49

Last Bite

CLAIRE MCARTHUR

I cherished every cheesy bite of Tradition’s funeral potatoes

It’s Your Funeral The quest for SLC’s best ‘fun pots’

BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

T

he first time I saw funeral potatoes on a menu in Salt Lake City, I thought, “Well, that’s a bummer of a name.” That was just a few short months ago, when my husband and I moved from Nevada to Utah and began indulging in the surprising amount of Southern-inspired comfort food we came across in our new hometown.

After a quick Google search explained the name (tip for Utah newbies: These cheesey spuds are often served after Mormon funerals or at family gatherings), I made it my mission to try as many versions of the dish as I could get my hands on because A. I love potatoes, B. I love cheese and C. I couldn’t get enough of that perfectly crunchy cornflake crust.

With either a cubed or shredded potato base, the dish is usually made with a cream-based soup, cheddar cheese, butter, onion, sour cream and of a crunchy top of cornflakes or potato chips. I was eager to see how restaurants around town put their own flair into arguably the most famous dish coming out of SLC. At Orem’s 5 Star BBQ & Catering Co. (70 N. Geneva Road, 801-225-2685, 5StarBBQCompany.com), I tried my first “fun pot”—this version rolled into balls and coated in cornflakes before a trip to the deep frier. The crunchy exterior gave way to cheesy potato-y goodness. I was hooked.

Back in Salt Lake City, I scarfed down a homemade version made with shredded potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs. The dish was topped with more cheddar and crumbles of cheese crackers.

50 Devour Utah • september 2019

At Garage on Beck (1199 Beck St., SLC, 801-521-3904, GarageOnBeck.com), I was reunited with the deep-fried variety—this version made with Idaho potatoes mixed with cheddar, jalapeño, bacon and onion, then rolled in cornflake crumbs and deep fried. Dunked in a side of ranch, it was a revelation.

Funeral potatoes have even found their way onto a burger at Fat Jack’s Burger Emporium (206 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-890-5155, FatJacksUt.com). The sinfully decadent Mormon burger not only has a slab of funeral potatoes (made crunchy thanks to the meeting of cornflakes and applewood smoked peppered bacon grease), but it’s heaped with bacon, pepperjack, the house sauce, lettuce, tomato and grilled onion. The technical term for a meal like this is “gut bomb.”

But my favorite funeral potatoes came from Tradition (501 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-202-7167, TraditionSLC.com) Just like the rest of the menu, they were comforting and creative, but not overly heavy. The shredded potatoes were mixed with white cheddar, gruyere and golden Velveeta cheese, chives, onions and heavy cream. The dish was topped with cornflakes, smoked cheddar and a sweet housemade bacon jam before heading into the oven to crisp up. Garnished with ribbons of scallions, the ooey-gooey, multi-cheese dish is fantastic alone, but the bacon jam takes it next level.

Many pounds of potato, cheese and cornflakes later, I am by no means a fun-pot connoisseur, but I will say this: Utah feels a whole lot more like home than when I started.

Devour Utah • september 2019 51

52 Devour Utah • september 2019