September 2023 issue of Utah Stories

PARK CITY STAYCATION & RISING CHEFS

THE STATE ROOM

9/3 NICK SHOULDERS AND THE OKAY CRAWDAD

'BEST WESTERN TOUR' // WITH DEAN JOHNSON

9/6 DANIELLE NICOLE

9/19 VINCE HERMAN (OF LEFTOVER SALMON)

9/21 COCO MONTOYA

UTAH BLUES SOCIETY PRESENTS // WITH JEFF CROSBY

9/22 THE PRANKSTERS

9/9 CAITLYN SMITH

D TOUR PRESENTS

9/12 GENERATIONALS

9/13 DEXTER AND THE MOONROCKS

9/15 TONY HOLIDAY

UTAH BLUES SOCIETY PRESENTS // WITH SAMMY BRUE

9/16 PETTY THEFT

20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

9/18 FOY VANCE

UTAH BLUES SOCIETY PRESENTS 9/7 LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES 9/8-

REGARDING THE JOY OF NOTHING TOUR

THE COMMONWEALTH ROOM

HONEY DAYS FESTIVAL

SUGAR CANDY MOUNTAIN, MUSTARD SERVICE, DE LUX, FONTEYN, 26FIX, DAD BOD, SUNFISH, FUTURE.EXBOYFRIEND, THE PLASTIC CHERRIES, OVER UNDER, THE MELLONS, DAYTIME LOVER, LEE RAFUGEE, ANAIS CHANTAL, HARPERS, THE LINGO, NICOLE CANNAN, MUSOR, TOMPER, LAPDOG, MODERN SPEED, GUAVA TREE, THE FERVORS, & COMPASS ROSE.

AN EVENING WITH...

9/23 EZRA BELL WITH DOLÎ

9/27 SON VOLT

KRCL PRESENTS // 28 YEARS OF SON VOLT: SONGS OF TRACE AND DOUG SAHM // WITH PETER BRUNTNELL

9/28 EGGY

9/30 GEORDIE KIEFFER

9/16 THE PANCAKE AND BOOZE ART SHOW

9/17 DEVON ALLMAN & DONOVAN FRANKENREITER

SEE IT ALL AMERICAN TOUR // WITH SPECIAL GUESTS GOODNIGHT, TEXAS & JACKSON STOKES

9/28

SAMANTHA FISH

UTAH BLUES SOCIETY PRESENTS // LOVE LETTERS TOUR // WITH ERIC JOHNSON

9/30 SARKODIE

GKFOLKS FOUNDATION PRESENTS

BEHIND THE STORIES

Darby Doyle

Darby Doyle is a food, beverage, and outdoors writer who covers the culinary and natural wonders of the American West. She has freelanced for a passel of print and digital publications, and her stories featuring Utah’s bar and restaurant scene have won multiple journalism awards. When not reminiscing about great meals shared with friends, you’ll find Darby camping, fly fishing, or hunting with her family, or lounging in her overgrown garden with a good book and a Boulevardier.

Bianca Dumas

Bianca Dumas and her family spent nine years traveling the US by RV, bicycle, kayak, and sailboat. She has now resettled in her hometown of Helper, Utah, where she writes about art, travel, food, and culture.

Braden Latimer

Braden Latimer is a lifelong Utah native with a passion for photography, videography, and capturing the essence of people and nature.

A graduate of the University of Utah in communications, Braden (or Biddy, to his closest friends) stumbled into photography, first as a hobby, before growing his work through freelance and full-time gigs.

Braden has been a contributor to Utah Stories since 2017. When he isn’t traveling the world shooting vibrant photos and video, Braden enjoys hiking, camping, and road-tripping to concerts. His loves include good kombucha, good people, and anything with four legs, fur, and a tail.

ONLINE COMMENTS

Hi Richard, I strongly believe every word you write and hope you can persist, especially in your investigative journalism! But don’t get me wrong, I am a dyed in the wool Utahn and love stories about our state. (I was the first woman to traverse the Zion Narrows top to bottom. I was 18 in 1948.)

So much goes on behind the scenes, particularly the political scenes, that a bright light needs to shine on those dark recesses! I was broken hearted to see the old Utah Theatre demolished. Such gorgeous architecture — amazing and intricate! And historical! And then for the greedy developer to lose his funding not too long after this devastating destruction! Too much!

I’m 93 now and it seems like we used to know more about what our politicians were doing. Were they more open? Less devious? Was there less profit in their legislative efforts so there was less incentive to divert funds for their own benefit? I don’t know, but the mantra “Follow the money!” sure seems to apply much more now!

I admire your diligence in your work and hope nothing dims your enthusiasm for continuing this crusade for truth, transparency, and accountability!

[Name Withheld]

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Richard:

Way to go with “Can We Trust Our Leaders?” and “Gondola Approved — But at What Cost?”

Although we are way on the other side of the fence on the issue, both Dave Fields and Nathan Rafferty are good friends of mine and have been for several years. I am a former Snowbird employee and former member of Ski Utah. Knowing them both, my gut feeling is that if both Dave and Nate were not employed by their current employers, their personal feelings regarding the Silly Gondilly would be lukewarm at best.

Little Cottonwood gondola and the PAC-12 spell trouble. Morons who care only about money are calling the shots. Skiing is not fun if there are too many of you on the hill. Park City has always been desecrated by commercialism. Little Cottonwood is an ancient cathedral now overrun by unbelievers. Learn from the PAC-12 catastrophe. Blind greed is a destroyer that only makes life worse for everybody or as Yogi Berra said, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

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Why do we care so much about food?

What is it that makes food the most popular posts on Instagram? Food shows like Beat Bobby Flay and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives are huge fan favorites. Guy Fieri is a rock-star. We are willing to drive hours, if not days, for great food. When we see a nice photo of food, we drool, salivate, and something in us wants to try it. What is that something?

But we are fickle when it comes to food. What was “Hot!” “Amazing!” “The best!’’ one day is gone the next day. I remember when Sugar House was home to Der Ratskeller Pizza, Sizzler, Skippers Seafood and Chowder, Millie’s Burgers and Soup Kitchen.

Back in the 80s, there was nothing like trying a new place like Wienerschnitzel. I made my grandpa take me there after I had seen their commercial with the wiener cartoon character being chased around by a very nice looking lady. Once I finally ordered the “World’s most wanted wiener”, I did feel privileged, like I had finally arrived, telling kids at recess, “Yea, I tried Wienerschnitzel. It was the most incredible hotdog I ever tasted.” “Wow!” the kids would say. But for some reason, people got tired of them. Hotdogs served

The real food we eat at real places

from a giant fiberglass hotdog with clever marketing was indeed a fad.

But examine who remains from my list of famous Sugar House eats from the 80s: Millie’s Burgers and Soup Kitchen (I think part of the Der Ratskeller sign still stands). My point is that it’s the locals that offer great food and lasting value. Certainly, I admit I was excited when I finally had an In-N-Out Burger. It was great. But they will never top the experience I get from Millie’s — seeing Dan, Vicki and the crew with their old-fashioned bacon cheese burgers and shakes. Or seeking Mike and Janet at Feldman’s dishing their incredible pastrami. Or Ricci at Villagio Pizza with his crew producing his grandma’s recipes — it’s great.

The owners and operators offer not only the best food, but they create our social fabric. They produce a sense of place and offer a sense of purpose that pure consumerism and mass production cannot beat.

In this issue, we offer places that offer a true “sense of place.” And the best chefs create something special. It is in these places where we meet, get acquainted, enjoy the company of friends, celebrate, grow old, and remember.

Five visionary chefs

Quintessential Faves For Flavor Lovers

Inclusive eats from Chef Felicia Holmberg (“Chef Fee”)

During the pandemic, you could find Chef Fee selling “vegan crack” out of her trunk in parking lots. Once her copycat version of Snickers put her on the map, she quit her job as a sous-chef to pursue her vegan dreams.

Fast forward three years. She now owns Sweet Hazel and Co. Bakeshop & Bistro with her wife, Laurie. Her full line of vegan candy bars are sold throughout the country, including shops in Salt Lake City. As an LGBTQ+ woman, Chef Fee works hard to be inclusive, and that means making delicious food for everyone.

Besides making egg and dairy-free comfort food and treats, you’ll find gluten-free, sugar-free, and nut-free candy and menu items at Sweet Hazel and Co. Bakeshop & Bistro. Chef Fee doesn’t want anyone to feel left out. Making vegan food fun and approachable is part of her job.

The bistro menu boasts comfort food favorites for breakfast (served all day), lunch, and weekend brunch. You can find whatever you’re craving on the menu, whether that’s the Strawberry-stuffed French Toast Combo made with house whipped cream, tofu scramble, and a side of savory, crispy vegan bacon, or the messy but delicious Philly Sandwich made with locally crafted seitan-based meat. Chef Fee is particular about her ingredients, sourcing the most cutting-edge and delicious meat and dairy substitutes.

Chef Fee works her magic by being a meticulous candy maker, a creative, passionate chef, and creating a welcoming environment and brand. By supporting other local businesses and charities, Chef Fee has become a shining star on Utah’s food scene.

Chef Ian Brandt: The Vegan Chef OG

With creative and comforting dishes made with local vegetables and fruit, Chef Ian Brandt introduced Salt Lake City to upscale vegan food. In the 25 years he’s been making innovative animal-free dishes, the vegan scene has blown up around him, but Brandt is the original and his food is still some of the best.

Vertical Diner opened in 2007 and merged with Brandt’s legendary upscale Sage’s Cafe in 2018. A second location of Vertical Diner opened in Portland in 2019. Vertical Diner serves comfort food using as much organic and local produce as they can find. A lot of the ingredients are house-made, too. In a Beyond Burger world, this is commendable.

Salt Lake City’s most awarded vegan restaurant, Vertical Diner’s menu offers dishes like The “Dude” Cakes, two fluffy, delectable pancakes stuffed with housemade sausage, grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms. The dish is drowned in gravy and topped with hot, crisp french fries. One of their most popular burgers is the Ian Mackaye, a housemade lentil veggie burger topped with mac and cheeze (from scratch!).

Chef Ian Brandt is a visionary, and Salt Lake City is lucky to have Vertical Diner.

Christopher Blatchford: Award-winning Vegan BBQ

You have to take notice when a vegan BBQ joint wins a state-wide award for the best BBQ.

Making his own smoked, hand-crafted vegan meats with house-made rubs, Christopher Blatchford takes his BBQ seriously.

Inspiring a cult-like following, Blatch’s Backyard BBQ’s menu features

meat substitutes made from tempeh, jackfruit, and house-made seitan. You’ll find traditional dishes with a vegan twist like Tempeh Burnt Ends and Smoked Vegan Brisket. The flavor and mouthfeel of his vegan BBQ is incredible!

Blatchford doesn’t skimp on his sides, either. The wood-fired rolls, Smoked Poblano Potato Salad, and Purple Citrus Slaw are delectable pairings to round out your meatless meal.

For only serving up BBQ twice a week at his home, the menu is extensive! Choose from hearty sandwiches like The Big Texan — brisket piled on Texas toast with house-made pickles and BBQ sauce served with a side.

Omar Abou-Ismail: Rawtopia, Living Cuisine and Beyond

Leaving behind a career in geophysics, Omar AbouIsmail pursued his passion to open a restaurant serving delicious and healthy raw food. According to his restaurant’s website, “Patience, peace and love” are the major ingredients in the food served at Rawtopia.

Using organic pro duce and cooking every thing from scratch, this living cuisine takes at least two days to prepare using everything except an oven. Blenders, food processors, dehydrators, and juicers do most of the work in Abou-Ismail’s kitchen. Nuts and seeds are sprouted to amp their nutrient levels and make them easier to digest.

Popular raw dishes include the Seaweed Roll — an addictive take on a maki roll made with macadamia nut

rice encasing veggies with a sweet curry almond ginger sauce, and the creamy and tart Berry Cheesecake, a heavenly dessert made with a base of coconut and blended macadamia nuts.

After moving locations from Sugarhouse to Millcreek in 2017, Abou-Ismail added a few cooked and meaty dishes. Diners can now opt for a hearty Bison Burger and a fresh salad topped with wild-caught salmon.

Cecilia Armenta: Traditional Latin Dishes Made Vegan

Take a bite of her jackfruit Birria taco dipped in the flavorful consomme and you’ll forget all about meat. Veganizing traditional Latin dishes, Cecilia Armenta opened Yumz Vegan Bakery & Cafe in October of 2021. Customers were blown away by the authentic dishes. Word of mouth spread, online reviews were written, and Yumz became one of the hottest new spots in Salt Lake City.

Reimagining her favorite family recipes without meat and dairy, Armenta proved herself a talented chef and baker. One of Yumz most popular items is the Jackfruit Birria taco. Jackfruit, when marinated and cooked just right, is incredibly meat-like. The Al Pastor and Asada are equally as deceptive — and delectable.

What about dairy products and eggs? Nope, Armenta doesn’t need those either. Beautiful vegan cakes and pastries line the case in Yumz. She’s opening a second bakery, Dulce De Yumz, with an expanded dessert menu.

FOOD TO DIE FOR!

Five Chefs You Need To Know About

As if things couldn’t get any more magical at legendary Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah, co-owner’s Blake Spalding and Jen Castle announced that for their 24th season, Tamara Stanger would be joining their team as Executive Chef. Stanger’s commitment to using wild and Indigenous ingredients in creative (and delicious) ways has been a hallmark of her cooking style, both at award-winning restaurants in Arizona and more recently here in her home state of Utah at The Lake-

house at Deer Creek. A tip for your next HBG visit: Anything involving pie — whether a savory dinner pie or fruitpacked sweet ending to the meal — is a must-order with Stanger’s deft hand at pastry. (Hellsbackbonegrill.com)

When asked which chefs in Utah reflect the best of what’s happening in the state’s burgeoning culinary landscape, chef-owner Andrew Fuller at Oquirrh is always on my list. His food is consistently delightful and truly speaks to a sense of place without

being gimmicky. And regulars are crossing fingers for the return of his famed chicken pot pie, epitomizing the comfort foods of fall. Whether stopping in for one of the best burgers in the Salt Lake Valley for weekend brunch, or when ordering any of the dishes featuring house-made pasta for dinner, Oquirrh’s small but mighty menu is full of surprises. (oquirrhslc. com)

With multiple James Beard award semifinalist nominations for Best Chef in the Mountain region, Executive Chef Briar Handly plates some of the most beautiful food in the state at Handle in Park City, and sister spot HSL in downtown Salt Lake. Fortunately for diners at both spots, the bright, zingy, and beautifully balanced flavors as conceptualized by Handly, dependably live up to the expectation of each dish’s gorgeous presentation. From the signature cauliflower appetizer — served Buffalo-style at Handle or a General Tso’s version at HSL — to one of their decadent main dishes and on to a sweet finale, a meal at one of Handly’s restaurants is a treat for all of the senses. (handleparkcity. com; hslrestaurant.com)

Chef David Chon is creating some of the most original and bound-

ary-pushing food in the valley right now at Bar Nohm. As the name indicates, the restaurant, formerly called just Nohm, recently reopened as a 21+ bar attached via a pass-through door shared with new ownership partners at Water Witch, a James Beard 2022 nominee for Outstanding Bar Program. While some Nohm favorites — such as chicken skin and pork belly skewers — are still on the menu, Bar Nohm’s fresh and flavorful bites lean in the laid-back direction of Japanese izakaya bar culture, both in terms of inspiration and ingredients. (barnohm.com)

At Central 9th bar The Pearl, Chef Tommy Nguyen is hitting his stride serving up elevated and beautifully plated interpretations of Vietnamese street food. Think fried fish bahn mi sandwiches loaded with fresh and house-pickled veggies, flavor-packed chicken wings with fish sauce and house chili crisp, or satisfying pork belly sliders. And when the weather cools down, there’s something particularly life-affirming about a big bowl of Nguyen’s pho, only available on Sunday nights. At once simple and sophisticated, Nguyen’s food is a perfect complement to the bar’s adventurous cocktail menu and lively atmosphere. (thepearl.bar)

best chefs

Fine Dining Never Tasted So Sumptuous

Fernando Soberanis

Sobe Eats Grand America

Executive Chef Fernando Soberanis has more than 25 years of professional culinary experience on his resume, but cooking has always been a part of his and his family’s life. That’s part of the reason that he and his brothers, Executive Chefs Victor and Salvador, launched Sobe Eats, a Sandy drive-thru as well as a catering and concessions outlet offering fresh Mexican tastes.

Sobe Eats celebrates traditional flavors and techniques of Mexican cuisine from their family recipes and heritage while also incorporating modern twists. The tuna tostada is loaded with spicy ahi poke on a crispy tostada topped with a cool layer of avocado that’s drizzled with a spicy aioli alongside black sesame seeds, tobiko and fresh radish slices.

Soberanis has been a part of Utah’s growing hospitality industry for decades. He’s been the executive chef at Hotel Park City and The Aerie at Snowbird,

as well as the executive banquet chef at Zermatt Resort. But he found his most tenured culinary success at The Little America and The Grand America.

As Executive Chef at The Grand, he oversees 350 culinary staff members who serve more than one million guests each year.

He works closely with local purveyors such as Christiansen Family Farm in Fairfield, Utah to curate dishes like the cider-brined, bone-in pork chop at Laurel, accompanied by not-too-sweet candied yams. Snake River Farms grassfed beef franks are the meat of the Pigs in a Blanket starter that are then wrapped in croissant dough and dipped in spicy mustard sauce.

Chef Jacqueline Siao

Adelaide and Van Ryder

Chef Jackie is no stranger to Utah. She perfected her craft in the kitchen at several restaurants in Park City — including J&G Grill at St. Regis Deer

Valley. She brings her Le Cordon Bleu training, including time in San Francisco, Colorado and Vermont; knowledge of hotel guests’ and Utah diners’ tastes, and her own multi-cultural heritage to the table as she oversees the kitchen and food menus at both Adelaide on the first floor, and Van Ryder on the sixth floor of the recently opened Le Méridien and Elements hotels.

Siao, who is Filipina and fluent in English, Chinese and Tagalog, melds Western and Eastern influences impressively. Take her summertime Asian fusion Sushi Thursdays menu at Van Ryder that features a decadent lobster and shrimp tempura shareable with black pepper marmalade and tangy yuzu kosho — a Japanese chile condiment.

Careful execution is her hallmark using quality ingredients. For example, the mushroom al Ajillo gives vegetarians something to rave about with meaty mushrooms mingling with sweet peppers, chili flakes, blistered garlic, and a splash of Chablis wine, then dressed with a corn and leek emulsion.

And her thirst for experimentation is evident in every meal, from a play on vichyssoise soup that welcomed Adelaide guests at opening with warm cauliflower base featuring white truffle, d’Anjou poached pears and spiced pecans to the newly launched daily brunch menu at Adelaide that leans into the urban brasserie vibe with ricotta donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar and resting on a pool of crème anglaise.

Matt Crandall

Franklin Ave. Cocktails and Kitchen, White Horse, Whiskey Street

Matt Crandall is a name that has been around Salt Lake’s culinary scene for some time. Born into the Hires Big H family, the restaurant business is in his blood. Today, he is the Executive Chef and Bourbon Group Partner of Franklin

Ave. Cocktails and Kitchen, White Horse and Whiskey Street. It’s his culinary genius on display daily at these foodforward bars in downtown Salt Lake City and the airport.

Trained at the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Crandall coaxes nuanced flavors from vegetables like fresh snap peas with coconut and Chile crisp at Franklin, and roasted corn crab chowder at Whiskey Street. His love of fresh seafood is fully on display at the 2 locations of White Horse with the Fruits De Mer (12 oysters, 6 prawns, ahi tuna tataki, hamachi, wakame) which also showcases some impressive knife work.

Each restaurant’s menu is thoughtfully reflective of the intention of the place with splurge-worthy protein and veggie dishes that will delight a group at brunch, lunch or dinner.

From the comfort-food heart-stopper short rib grilled cheese at Whiskey Street, only the best ingredients like Gruyere, smoked cheddar and slow-braised short ribs, to a gorgeous steak tartare at Franklin that’s counter-balanced with both rich and fresh flavors from pickled daikon and cucumber that can be built onto a potato chip one bite at a time.

Thanks to Crandall, a meal at Franklin, White Horse or Whiskey Street is a culinary adventure in every bite.

Joey Ferran

Cucina Wine Bar

Cucina Chef Joey Ferran excels at layering textures, colors and flavors into every bite. The dynamic small plates dinner menu features inventive interpretations of American and southwest flavors — whether it be the annatto chicken with blue hopi masa and borlotti beans with a chile de arbol butter, or the paper-thin smoked venison carpaccio served with pickled black currants and a bacon mayo.

While Ferran is an avid collector of

cookbooks and loves to seek inspiration from celebrity chefs, his dishes at Cucina have plenty of fans — and there is a good reason for it. He smokes tomatoes in the house smoker, grows herbs for garnishes and builds sauces from scratch.

On his first day at Cucina, Ferran discovered an Imperia pasta roller in storage, and fresh pasta has been on the menu every day since. Always intriguing, Ferran does follow a formula for his pasta dishes: each of the pastas will have a wilted green, a protein and some kind of sauce. Diners can enjoy regularly changing and robust offerings like the herbaceous oregano tagliatelle studded with Spanish chorizo swirled in a Marcona almond Romesco sauce or the squid ink gnocchi featuring calamari and a buttery pea flower beurre blanc.

The Salt Lake native honed his culinary chops at Log Haven where his love of local ingredients grew. Today, his relationships with local purveyors, growers and foragers means that the ever-evolving menu always features seasonal ingredients — whether that’s edible flowers, mushrooms or bison.

Nick Zocco Urban Hill

Nick Zocco has spent the past two decades honing his culinary craft around the western United States. Time spent in his native New Mexico, including training in the culinary arts, along with a

long stint in Las Vegas helped develop his signature style.

Zocco eventually landed in Park City as a chef at Tupelo restaurant in 2017. In 2021, he became a part of the Hearth and Hill family in Park City in 2021 in anticipation of his role as Executive Chef at Urban Hill in the Post District of Salt Lake City.

If seated in the right spot, you can watch Zocco and his “love-to-cook attitude” in action via the open kitchen. His innovative cuisine is regularly on display through his creative use of culinary techniques — fire for example.

At opening, ember-roasted carrots graced the menu while today coalfired beets and fire-roasted squash are featured in various sections.

Attention to detail and Zocco’s dedication to quality ingredients takes center stage with seafood options. Try the crudo that pops with tangerine aguachile, jalapeno and furikake.

Zocco’s heritage and history are also evident on the upscale menu at Urban Hill. The halibut ceviche is served with plantain chips and fermented habanero coulis, bringing together fresh citrus and crunch in an addictive way. But meaty cuts of pork, lamb porterhouse and dryaged ribeye also speak to those who like big steak house-style entrees.

In Urban Hill, Zocco has crafted a delicious vision of what fine dining can taste like.

Moab’s youth garden project

Growing Kids & Vegetables

Remember your school lunches growing up? Left-over impressions of Taco Tuesday, pizza and chocolate milk are a common experience.

In Moab, kids get a taste of something fresh and real from the community garden thanks to the Youth Garden Project.

Nestled next to the school and housed in the oldest adobe house in the town, this non-profit of more than 20 years seeks to cultivate children,

families and the community through garden educational programs like summer camps, after-school programs, and hosting classroom lessons. They connect people with food from seed to table through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), bi-monthly weed-n-feeds, and “farmily dinners.”

For the last few years, they’ve been bringing fresh flavors from the farm right to kids, highlighting the colors

and textures of the garden through the “Harvest of the Month” program. Once a month, students are encouraged to try something new and expand their comfort zones.

According to the KIDS COUNT report, 14 million children are considered obese nationally, and nearly a quarter of teens ages 10-17 in Utah, this is an important movement.

Michelle Obama’s move towards more vegetables and fruits as a requirement in meals was a step in the direction of offering healthy options for growing kids in school. A study by the National Institute of Health reports that increased vegetable intake is associated with reduced risk of obesity. Kids who are exposed to fresh vegetables and learn to love them are likely to live healthier lives.

In Moab, choices are limited to either school lunch, or walking to City Market

to get a snack before the next bell. Carrots are served in plastic bags at the school lunch, or as a side dish next to fried chicken at the grocery store deli.

When the Youth Garden Project visits, bold and curious kids are encouraged to try purple carrots or pear tomatoes, with a variety of flavors and textures, expanding their exposure to the wild and wonderful world of vegetables.

As kids enter the cafeteria, they are able to grab the classic options like pizza and hamburgers on the right, or step to the left and create a colorful salad supplemented with vegetables from the Youth Garden Project.

Cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, spring mix and cucumbers help to give kids the micronutrients they need to fuel their brains. In 2022, they delivered more than 150 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Grand County School District cafeterias.

I chatted with Sarah Bowen, the farm produce manager. She hopes to continue this Harvest of the Month program, and is seeking to explore more ways to get the produce to kids and families in need. For example, 3,000-7,000 pounds of produce are distributed to over 30 households with their growing CSA program. The Food and Nutrition classes from the high school have come in to can tomatoes and fruits from the orchard.

After-school programs enable kids to wrangle chickens, get their wiggles out in garden games, and learn to love the flavors of fall by cooking in the kitchen.

Every class kindergarten through 6th grade visits the Youth Garden Project twice each season, helping to strengthen the connection to their food with lessons that build their awareness of their snacking choices and learning how to grow their own food. Program Instructor Nicole Westlund reports that

garden education is a neat way to teach kids as they learn without knowing they are learning, often face-to-face and alongside each other.

At the end of the season, the community gathers to celebrate a successful year. The annual Harvest festival (this year on September 23rd) serves a delicious menu from homemade pizzas or veggie burgers and live music and games. Community members contribute pies and hot sauces in a competition for mostly pride, and pies, if you win the entertaining pie walk!

And while there is a lot to celebrate, this program doesn’t happen without help from grants, volunteers, and strong community relations. Communication between the school and the garden is important in delivering the produce to the deserving students. Staffing shortages in the nutrition services at the school have put the delivery

in limbo, though the desire to continue the program is strong.

Obstacles such as prep-time and preparing the food in a way kids like is important to navigate. YGP has specifically grown more of what kids reported enjoying, in an effort to get more veggies into kids’ hands.

Inside the historic Shafer Home, Executive Director Emily Roberson muses about the interconnections of the vegetable-growing community at large, reflecting on the abundance of farms and gardeners in the area. It seems they support each other in a mutually beneficial hand-shake, offering seed swaps and sharing information.

Other organizations, like the Resiliency Hub’s Community Gardens, support more than three vibrant community gardens and are still growing.

While it’s not clear if it’s correlation or causation, having the Youth Garden

Project as a hub for gardening education and a voice for the vegetables is certainly a benefit to the children, families and community living here in beautiful Moab. It also can be a model for other communities hoping to have similar success in seed-to-table programs.

Geologically, Moab lies in Canyon Country, and is considered a desert, yet summer monsoons and a perennial stream provide temporary relief. Some rural and urban communities are considered food deserts, defined as areas with limited supply of fresh and affordable foods.

Tourism booms force restaurants to resort to grocery stores, clearing out the produce sections. While YGP is only one facet of the complex food distribution landscape, they are raining relief in the form of refreshing produce to the kids and families growing here.

OGDEN’s sonora grill

Authentic Mexican Food With Vertically Grown Ingredients

In the heart of Downtown Ogden, Sonora Grill is a testament to genuine Mexican cuisine and keeping food local and sustainable. Standing out from American-centric Mexican food in the Mountain West, a trip to Sonora Grill is a complete immersion into an authentic world of Mexican sights, sounds, and tastes, making it a unique jewel in Utah’s culinary landscape since 2008.

At the helm of the grill is Steve Ballard, a fifth-generation Ogden native who has deep roots in the community. When he was a teen, Ballard handed out chicken nugget samples in the very place where Sonora Grill now stands — the Ogden City Mall.

As he grew up, Ballard’s passion for the restaurant business took over his life and he found a love for dining. The issue? He felt too many restaurants were buckling to American tastes

and not honoring traditional Mexican cooking the way they should. When he was served cheddar cheese on a burrito while visiting San Diego, he said enough was enough.

“When I opened Sonora, one thing that was big for me was that we use all Mexican cheeses,” Ballard said. “We source ingredients from Mexico or locally first.”

Since its inception in March 2008, right before the financial crisis, Sonora Grill’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges.

“Those first few months were really, really hard,” says Ballard.

Instead of buckling under the pressure, Sonora took feedback and ran with it, refining its offerings and keeping things fresh, recreating the menu 45 times over the years. At times, Ballard had to find a middle ground between

tradition and the American perception of Mexican food, not providing rice at first — then finally, after daily pressure — adding it to the menu. Through every iteration the restaurant’s core mission remained: deliver authentic and fresh Mexican flavors.

At the heart of Sonora Grill’s success is attention to detail and Ballard’s passion for fresh produce.

During the pandemic, Ballard realized the vulnerabilities that existed in the food supply chain.

“We were spending time just finding the food we would then serve to people,” he said.

Determined to find local solutions and close the loop on sustainability so he wasn’t relying on produce that was shipped to the US, Ballard turned to his love of gardening for inspiration. After repurposing a shipping container and a lot of videos and instruction manuals,

Ballard says the restaurant now grows a lot of its own fresh greens, ensuring a predictable and sustainable supply.

“We get 1,000 heads of lettuce every week, guaranteed,” Ballard says.

On the other end of the consumption chain, Ballard says he works to make the restaurant as waste-less as possible, composting hundreds of pounds of material per week in his state-of-the-art composter behind the kitchen.

Staying up to date on Mexican food, and learning more about the vast cuisine is a priority for Sonora Grill and the menu they offer. Every year, Ballard goes to Mexico to check out popular restaurants and gain inspiration for new menu items and preparations.

Beyond the food, Sonora Grill has a full bar and rotates through monthly drink specials. The crown jewel, according to Ballard? The Seafoam Margarita, inspired by the ocean with a layer of “seafoam” sweet bubbles and oceanblue liquid, made with only the finest tequila and flavors.

The vibe at Sonora Grill is more than just a restaurant; it’s an experience that Ballard deliberately creates. Each server is trained on the food and seasonal items, and is a walking dictionary when it comes to beverages and margaritas. And with a dedication to community initiatives like the Sonora Grill Dining for Dollars program, your visit could also be impactful in a young student’s life.

“If you want to beat out generational poverty, one way to do that is through education,” Ballard says. “That’s why we do our scholarship program every year.”

Sonora Grill stands as a model of authentic Mexican cuisine, sustainable innovation, and unwavering community spirit. At its core, it and Ballard symbolize a perfect blend of tradition and innovation, creating a project that’s unforgettable, and most importantly, delicious.

5park city chefs

Star Chefs Make Park City Shine

FOOD WITH A TWIST The Vibrant Flavors of Twisted Fern’s Adam Ross

One of my very favorite restaurants, not just in Park City, but in Utah at large, is Twisted Fern.

This gem of a restaurant — opened in 2017 by Chef/Owner Adam Ross and his wife Meisha — is located near The Market in the Snow Creek Shopping Center. But don’t let the shopping center location dissuade you from visiting, because it’s an oasis of culinary excellence combined with outstanding ambiance. But despite the eye-popping decor, it’s as well suited to apres ski after a day of shredding as it is to a romantic date night.

A sampling of enticing dishes from Ross’s kitchen include Nashville Hot Maitake Sandwich; Roasted Japanese Eggplant with Middle Eastern accouterments; Spanish Octopus with poached

Yukon potatoes, kohlrabi, salsa verde, roasted pepper chimichurri, and chililime popcorn; or my very favorite: the Shorty Melt open-face braised short rib on rye with gruyère cheese, B&B pickles, 1000 Island Dressing, apple-bacon sauerkraut, fried egg and fries or salad.

In addition to Adam Ross’ delectable dishes, Twisted Fern recently became even more enticing after a renovation in collaboration with the Crotty Collaborative Design Group and Franklin Woodworking, which elevated the already appealing eatery to a whole new level. It’s now one of Utah’s best looking restaurants, with an ambiance and decor deserving of Adam Ross’ killer cuisine.

HEAVY LIFTER

Chef Matt Harris — A Man of Many Hats

Park City diners should thank their lucky stars that Atlanta native Matt Harris decided, 14 years ago, to relocate

to Utah to help open Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s J&G Grill at the new St. Regis Deer Valley.

After training with Vongerichten in New York City, Matt opened the popular Market by Jean-Georges restaurant in Atlanta. Prior to that he had worked with Kevin Rathbun and Pano Karatassos at the renowned Atlanta hot spot, the Buckhead Diner, eventually becoming executive chef there.

As a consulting chef for the St. Regis Deer Valley, Matt does some heavy lifting, overseeing the culinary programs at multiple outlets including RIME, Brasserie 7452, The St. Regis Bar, La Stellina, Astor Bar, The Vintage Room, and more. Oh, and did we mention that in 2015, Harris and his wife Maggie Alvarez opened their own restaurant, tupelo Park City? They also operate RIME Raw Bar at Deer Valley Resort during the winter ski season.

Matt’s and Maggie’s extensive global travels and study of worldwide food cultures have strongly influenced his approach to food and cooking. The flavors at tupelo and the St. Regis restaurants are from a global spectrum — always inventive and often surprising.

To repeat, we’re lucky Matt decided to make Utah his home.

CHIMAYO CHEF

Arturo Flores’ Journey from Lawyer to Head Chef

Park City restaurateur Bill White has a keen eye for talent and potential and has managed to keep most of them around for years, if not decades. One

such example is Arturo Flores, Executive Chef of Bill White’s Chimayo restaurant — a fixture on Park City’s Main Street for 27 years.

Arturo has been working in Bill White restaurants for nearly 30 years, since moving to the US from Mexico City. He attended and graduated from law school, passed the bar to become a lawyer, but then did a 180-degree turnabout deciding to abandon the world of law for a world of flavor.

Soon after passing the bar he realized that “his passion was not in the courts, but rather in the kitchen.” That passion is in evidence throughout the Chimayo menu, from his coffee-rubbed filet mignon, sugarcane elk skewers, and pepita-crusted Chilean sea bass, to delectable dishes like his duck enchiladas with honey-roasted duck, grilled onions and peppers, crisp duck leg confit, white bean relish, and poblano verde sauce.

From dishwasher to Executive Chef, Arturo Flores has put his stamp on the Park City culinary scene with exceptional talent and a passion for food and cooking. Most people who know him have heard him sum up his life and profession by saying, “I just really love food!”

Matt Fischer’s Friendly Fare

Eclectic American Izakaya at Banchan

The decor at Banchan reflects his passion for skiing and boarding, especially a large mural that is the dominant feature of the main dining room, painted by local artist AD Allegretti, who goes simply by the name AD. Matt has said that

he “believes the après culture of Park City’s mountains closely mirrors the after work and street food model of the Japanese Izakaya and this is reflected in our menu and atmosphere.”

Izakaya is a Japanese term for an informal bar that serves drinks and snacks, similar to a tapas bar in Spain. The atmosphere is usually casual and pub-like. And that’s the laid back vibe at Banchan. It’s not surprising that Matt settled on an izakaya style menu for Banchan since he’s had lots of experience working with Asian cuisine and sushi in restaurants like Shabu, Sushi Maru, Blind Dog Restaurant & Raw Bar, Kampai, and Yuki Yama.

As a chef, Fischer’s approach is an eclectic one, with a menu that ranges from kimchi miso soup and seki sunomono salad, to Korean fried chicken, bulgogi egg rolls, gyoza, smoked ribs, yakisoba, and woodfired pizzas.

Matt Fischer has created a rad eatery with a vibe that couldn’t be more friendly and inviting.

MAIN MOUNTAIN MAN Park City Mountain’s Alex Malmborg

As Director of Food and Beverage at PCM, Alex Malmborg oversees the resort’s 13 restaurants, as well as the

banquet department and special events. That’s one reason why the PBS food show, Moveable Feast, chose to feature Alex and his team in an upcoming episode this fall.

Alex is originally from Massachusetts, where he learned to cook from his mom before landing his first job on the way to a culinary career.

Since his dishwashing gig in an Italian restaurant, he’s worked in restaurants ever since and served for three years as Executive Chef at Bill White’s Grappa restaurant and as Executive Chef at Canyons Resort, as well as a stint as Executive Chef at the St. Regis Deer Valley before moving over to Park City Mountain.

Alex has a competitive side as seen on Guy’s Grocery Games with Guy Fieri. At Park City Mountain, he deftly maneuvers between comfy casual eateries like Backyard BBQ, Murdock’s Cafe and Pizzeria, and Red Pine Lodge, to upscale dining destinations both on-mountain and off, such as Lookout Cabin, The Farm, and Red Tail Grill, plus grab-and-go outlets like Jupiter Java, First Tracks, Umbrella Bar, and Treat & Sweets.

Malmborg is a Swiss army knife chef who’s right at home in any kitchen no matter how small or large.

Park city staycation

For The Best Out-of-Utah Experience Without Leaving Home

Our neighbor to the east, Park City, has something of a mixed reputation — It’s an incredibly forward, progressive, Hollywood Esque, outof-Utah experience. But it’s also an incredibly elitist, Hollywood Esque place for billionaires to bank their money in astronomically expensive mansions where now even small homes fetch millions.

My question is this: Has Park City become too elitist for the average Utahn to have an affordable fall staycation? Our conclusion is that it has not yet been completely corrupted by greed and

billionaires. Yes, there are mansions built on hilltops that sell for more money than 1,000 average Utah homes, and consume more energy; but those who have elevated to the prime status achievement of purchasing power haven’t yet made Park City dull and boring. If you can appreciate the lux-life as well as the occasional mud-splattering single-track mountain biking, this might be a good guide for your next visit.

Where to stay: There are many options for every budget. A suite at the Montage at Deer Valley will set you back around $1,170 per night (in the off-

season). The Stein Erikson runs less than half of that for a deluxe room ($574). A junior suite at the Treasure Mountain Inn is just $130 per night, and it’s right on Main Street. If you want to bring kids and dogs, perhaps RV or tent camping is best. There are four campgrounds near Jordanelle State Park, offering both RV hookups and tent camping sites with views of the lake in close proximity to nice trails.

Where to go biking and hiking: The Historic Union Pacific Trail (AKA Rail Trail) is probably our favorite go-to. It’s a bike/walking trail winding around the Wasatch Back. The trail showcases the town’s periphery where traces of Summit County’s silver mining and coal mining past are still found. The Rail Trail travels all through Snyderville and Coalville, the way up to Echo Reservoir.

Close to Park City the Park City trail connects to the Jordanelle Reservoir, where there are several single-track downhill trails of various degrees of difficulty. If your preference is to take in broad vistas and experience the fall colors, consider the Millenium Trail. This trail travels past the historic McPolin Farm, famous for the iconic white Park City Barn. It winds through aspen groves and travels closer to the main highway in and out of Park City.

If you seek adrenaline and downhill action, visit Deer Valley’s extensive 70 miles of mountain biking trails, offering chairlift riding access with your bike, where it’s all downhill all the time. Whoo Hoo!

What to Drink: While in Park City, there are a few places you must try after a day of riding or hiking. Grab a craft beer from Wasatch at the top of Main. The Devastator Double Bock is one of my favs. For spirits and cocktails I recommend Alpine Distillery’s tours and tastings.

Alpine’s highly-decorated whiskey

portfolio will not disappoint any connoisseur. They offer a barrel-proof single malt whiskey, Alpine Triple-Oak Whiskey, and bourbon whiskey. The 2023 release offers four-grains, so tell your wife after you come home with a bottle that it’s a nutritious multi-grain treat!

The distillery offers a nice variety of cocktails, and their old fashioned is my go-to because I’m old-school. But they also offer a “Bramble” gin cocktail which features preserve liquor and blackberry preserves. They also have something to spice up your evening called “Hot Fuss” — a spicy cocktail with killer hot sauce and spiced whiskey. If you want to dine upstairs, the bar called the Spur Bar and Grill offers blackened shrimp tacos.

Across the street you will find the historic “No-Name Saloon” where the drinks and food are legendary. Try their BBQ bacon cheeseburger. After burning 2,500 calories on the rail trail, this makes a nice recovery meal.

What to Eat: As for fine dining options in Park City, the choices are numerous and extremely diverse. Some of the best chefs in Utah reside in Park City and Deer Valley. As for cuisine, the Maverick hot dogs offered near Kimball Junction are a staple — but don’t forget to add relish and mustard, which is offered complementary with the dog.

Kidding aside, the food offerings, pairings, ingredients and options are as diverse as the movie stars and celebrities who frequent them. Some of our favorite affordable dining destinations include Banchan, Pretty Bird, Twisted Fern, El Chubasco, Stacked Sandwich Co., O’Shucks, Billy Blanco’s, Buona Vita, The Eating Establishment, Bangkok Thai on Main, and Bartolo’s, to name a few.

If you want to peruse Park City’s Main Street like a billionaire, check out the art galleries. The galleries have plenty of works that even average-millionaire

Utahns can afford. My favorite is the Mountain Trails Gallery. They feature many excellent Utah artists and sculptors that you can’t find anywhere else other than perhaps in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

We have written in the past about the late Glen Edwards, who is survived by his wife Barbara, who is also a worldclass western oil painter and one of the best legends of Utah State University’s top-notch program. Mountain Trails still offers some of Edwards’ paintings. Also on display there are works by Scott Rogers, whose bronze works feature iconic imagery of cowboys on horses and wild west scenes. The Mayer Gallery also features Utah artist Douglas Aagard. If you prefer photography or art you can wear, there are many more galleries and nice places to buy clothing and finecrafted cowboy hats.

I mentioned that history buffs will enjoy Park City. The Park City Museum is always offering great exhibits showcasing the towns storied past. But where I get lost is in their research library. They have a treasure trove of photographs, books and newspapers all chronicling the town’s past. My research a few years back was to learn about the town’s silver mining past and the working conditions of the men who worked in the Silver King and Ontario mines in the late 1880s. These mines were among the largest and most productive mines in the United States at that time, back when Park City was still

quite wild.

If you aren’t like me and would rather walk and see than stay cloistered in a library, the museum offers historic walking tours Monday-Friday at 2pm through the summer. Tours are just $7 per person. But if you want to experience the ghosts of Park City, then it’s $20 for adults and $10 for children. Private Main Street tours are also available.

I’ve heard good things about the Park City ghost tour, but have not yet experienced it. If you want to find Park City’s real ghosts, search up in the hills for abandoned mine shafts, where legend has it, after dark the prospectors come out and haunt their former barracks, and where you can still hear the sounds of mules braying, and creaky iron wheels from mineshaft carts being pushed by the old timers who remain there.

Mims bakery

Supporting The Artisan Food Revolution

You know the old adage about knowing the face, but not the name? Tripp Mims is the opposite. He might not know your face, but he definitely knows your name. And the color of your front door.

That’s because Mims’ lucky customers get his artisan micro-bakery bread delivered to their doorsteps, whether they’re home or away.

“I think people like getting packages,” says Mims, who bakes out of the garage he has converted into a commercial kitchen. “They look forward to it.”

Mims’ home bakery is located in Murray, but he delivers bread all over the Salt Lake Valley. On a regular delivery day, he will drop off standard loaves of classic sourdough, seeded polenta, or even “everything bagel” bread from South Jordan to North Salt Lake.

Just a few pockets of the city are outside his delivery zone, but fans can still pick up their weekly bread at the Neighborhood Hive off Parley’s Way. Mims makes deliveries to the Hive Tuesday through Saturday.

Mims bakes about 300 loaves a week in a MONO deck oven with steam injection. He uses local flour from Lehi

Roller Mills and specialty ingredients from Caputo’s. Just as important are the containers he bakes in: imported German pans made of wood pulp are the secret to his delicious oblong loaves, as the pan absorbs moisture from the dough, making it bake up with a good crust and a moist, delectable crumb.

The sandwich loaves Mims sells to places like Old Cuss Coffee Co. and the Ellerbeck Mansion are made in rectangular British Pullman pans to create a uniform slice but maintain the bread’s hearty texture.

Mims offers six standard breads and one standard cookie, which are ordered through his website and are eligible for

home delivery. And then there are the loaves Mims calls his “strange breads”: a Spam musubi loaf with seaweed and sushi rice. A loaf with gochujang (fermented Korean chili paste) and toasted sweet rice. These are advertised on Instagram and have to be picked up at the Hive.

For a lot of people, having bread delivered to their doorstep is a reminder of a more neighborly time when people knew the names of the milkman and the postman. In this way, Mims has been adding to the feeling of community that the good food revolution has been bringing to Salt Lake City.

“The whole Mims story was based

on building community,” he says. The business began in 2020, when the restaurant where Mims was working as a sous chef had to temporarily close. He and wife Thy started a micro-bakery to support their small family of four and found that they could offer no-contact home delivery.

Although the times were terrible in many ways, Mims remembers that “there was a certain luster” to those Covid days. “Something special happened where a lot of big businesses stepped aside and we little businesses had the chance to do something.”

In 2021, Thy was an innocent casualty of a high-speed police chase. After her death,

the community she had helped establish through Mims Bakery rallied around her husband and two sons, and have kept the family going through hard times.

“Without Thy setting this whole thing up, I probably would have lost the house,” Mims says. “I really feel she left it for us.”

Having the bakery in his home allows Mims to raise his sons on his own. He starts baking before they wake up, then takes a break to get them off to school. When they come home, the boys know where to find Dad. He’s always present to help with homework, to have dinner, and to tuck them into bed at night. This is part of the gift Thy left her family.

One of the gifts Mims tries to give in return is an annual donation drive for refugee children. Thy’s parents were Vietnamese boat people, so refugees were dear to her heart. “She taught me how to be an activist,” he says.

The next iteration of Mims Bakery will roll into town in the form of an imported Honda Acti micro-truck, just the right thing for a micro-bakery.

Mims will build a rustic cargo box with closing panels into the truck bed to help him transport product from the bakery to sales venues.

Mims enjoys selling bread at farmers markets and popups hosted by brick and mortar businesses. He’s always happy to work with other bakers, whom he feels are colleagues more than competitors.

“There’s so much room here for everybody,” he says. “I bring bread, cookies, maybe brioche, and someone else brings sweets.”

As industrialized foods caused the quality of bread to diminish in the United States, people stopped making bread a staple of the nightly dinner table. The artisan food revolution in the United States is bringing that back, and Mims is part of it.

It’s said that bread is life. These crunchy loaves demonstrate why. Mims Bakery bread is warmth and community delivered to your door.

Find out more at theneighborhoodhive.com.

Tastes Better

Restaurant nostalgia

Did Chain Restaurants Kill Sugar House’s Former Charm?

“Sugar House used to be a city inside a city.”

Barry Bank moved to Sugar House in 1949. He was two years old, and has been a resident ever since. He’s seen the city change over time and is discouraged to see the city he loves become unrecognizable.

“Sugar House had character and it had a concentration of locally owned businesses, including many restaurants that thrived there for years,” he says.

Sugar House was once packed with Mom & Pop eateries that offered authentic meals at reasonable prices. According to Barry, the community has lost the former family-friendly service and quality that were once typical. “The boss doesn’t come out of the kitchen

anymore to ask you how your lunch was. Now you just get into arguments about the fries.”

Barry’s dad, Neisen Bank, bought the old Fisher Jewelry Store in 1949 and renamed it Neisen R. Bank Jewelry. He started out on 1074 E and 2100 South next to Rockwood Furniture. Barry took over when his dad passed away and stayed with it through two moves until he retired in 1996.

One of the best parts of owning a business in Sugar House was becoming a regular at the many diners and restaurants in this eclectic part of SLC. One of Barry’s favorites was Nero’s. It was right next to the jewelry store and the family ate there every day if they didn’t bring lunch from home.

“It was a lunch counter kind of place

with a small dining room, booths, and a counter. They had a great roast beef sandwich,” Barry recalls fondly.

Sugar House was an enclave of diners, including the Dixie Diner in an old railroad car between the Tap Room and Southeast Furniture. The Pine Cone was known for their Sheepherder’s Sandwich and was a destination stop after class for martial artists at the Karate-Do Center up the street. Kuong Jou, with its distinctive neon sign on Highland Drive, offered oriental food. Andy’s Famous Smorgasbord offered a chef’s cutting table and Scandinavian dishes. Other exotic places, at least for Salt Lake in the 1960s and 70s, included Bratten’s Seafood Grotto, Johnny Quong’s The Hawaiian (complete with indoor thunderstorms), and the Beefeaters Inn with lobster for $3.99.

Barry feels that with the loss of local business, Sugar House lost its heart. “The restaurants now are all chains or

commercial. The owners used to always be on hand, checking to see if people were enjoying their lunch,” Barry says.

Old timers who are attached to their favorites might think the ‘city inside a city’ is morphing into a mundane, cookie-cutter urban replica of the modern Wasatch Front, but it’s still far more walkable, interesting and local than most places: places like Millie’s Burgers, Salt Lake Pizza and Pasta, Fiddler’s Elbow, The SugarHouse Barbeque Company, Soup Kitchen and Olympian are still mainstays in Sugar House.

When the Granite Block was razed for the new mixed-use development that now stands, there were at least 15 locals who made a name for themselves: Pib’s Exchange, Sugar House Coffee, Omar’s Rawtopia, Square Nest, and the beloved Fat’s all resided there. All found new locations, with the exception of Fat’s.

Long live local!

SHOPS UNDER ONE ROOF . UNIQUE, Thoughtfully chosen gifts

finney farm in hildale

Family Farm Hosts Visitors From Around The Globe

Father and son duo, Joseph (Joe) and Taylor Barlow of Hildale, went out of a limb purchasing the Finney Farm during the global pandemic in September of 2020. Originally owned by their 3rd shoestring cousin, Winford “Finney” Barlow, Joe, an electrician by trade, and his son, Taylor, a police officer, both kept their day jobs and added a farm load of work to their families’ daily agenda.

Joe grew up in the Salt Lake area before moving to Hildale 30 years ago

and is no stranger to farm life. As a kid, Joe was responsible for milking the family cow, and now, as an adult, he’s raising cows and pigs. Taylor’s upbringing has been one of farm life in many ways, yet before the purchase of the farm, they had not operated a farm of this size, and according to Joe, “the learning curve was steep.”

Many folks assumed that the pandemic wasn’t a good time to purchase a farm such as the Barlow’s did, however, according to Joe, “Covid helped our business

because people wanted to eat healthier options, and especially during a time of turmoil and fear within the nation, it’s nice to have a nearby local option.”

The farm is located in an idyllic location surrounded by red rock country on the backside of Zion National Park in the small town of Hildale, which rests on the Utah-Arizona border. The Barlows enjoy the location which offers stunning views of the red rock country, and wide open spaces that allow them to participate in Harvest Host, an

RV membership program that allows self-contained travelers to overnight at unique locations around the country including farms, wineries, ranches and more, with no overnight fees.

The Barlow family has hosted families from as far away as Germany and Holland, as well as several local or USbased tourists. When you visit the farm, you can also take part in a tour specializing in small groups. From preschoolers to seniors, all are welcome.

The ranch specializes in raw milk, butter, cream, cheese, and smallbatch frozen yogurt, all from their 40 registered Swiss Brown milking cows. The cows consist of 31 milking cows, nine dry cows which are calving, and one bull. Each one has been named and tagged with its name and birthdate instead of just a number.

“A free-roam cow mingling out in the field combined with no antibiotics simply makes a healthier option, along with rotating them to allow the cows to have a calf and take the time needed to restore their milk-giving capacities,” said Taylor.

Brown Swiss cows are said to be great for cheese-making, which is aged from a basic cheddar to a fine artisanal cheese you will find at the Finney Farms Dairy and Country Store, with locations in both Hildale and St. George.

The small stores sell all homemade wares including a crowd-favorite, squeaky cheese, and braided smoked mozzarella cheese. There is even a beer sourced from the local Edge of the World Brewery in Hildale, grass-fed beef from Parowan, and Elderberry Jam from American Fork.

While the products may cost a bit more and have a shorter shelf-life than

those found in regular supermarkets, you will find that the unpasteurized products offer a quality that is second to none. Costs reflect a direct correlation between feed and hay costs which have affected farmers across the United States.

When I asked about their biggest challenge in owning a farm of this size, Joe chuckled and explained that it was the machinery that was the most challenging aspect.

“My background in electrical engineering has been a huge blessing as we’ve learned how to operate the miking system consisting of a menagerie of pumps, valves and motors,” he said.

When asked about what their greatest joy was regarding the farm, both father and son responded that watching something grow and turn into something great that in turn blesses members of the community is by far their greatest joy.

The Barlow’s have huge plans and dreams for the farm in the future, along with another store in the mouth of the canyon and a future farm-themed Airbnb on the property with each room featuring farm life from a different country such as Germany, Switzerland, and so on.

“The farm is a work in progress and we are excited to see where it takes us,” said Taylor.

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