This week was a week of gatherings, get togethers and good byes, peppered with good friends and food. I ‘do’ parties professionally. As in, I’m the gal behind the scenes pulling strings to make everything come together.
Here’s the stressful bit about doing events – I always secretly wonder if anyone is going to come to my party… This past week I helped run an event and then on the flip side, I got to go to someone else’s event and let them worry about if anyone was going to show up.
The two of us out on the town!
We also made the rounds around our food circle block and visited some new spots and old favorites.
One of our Whole Foods Market chefs doing the creme brûlée thing… And, who can resist!
Salt of the Earth Spa Party
With my fellow Whole Foods Peeps, we did the food at a blogger event at Salt of the Earth (a seriously cool company with really great products). Lucky girl that I am, I work with some amazing chefs. They went all out to wow the bloggers with a Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese + Creme Brûlée. The hit of the night was a Cajun-style Fig Cake with either Bischoff or Maple Walnut Ice Cream. Guess where those leftovers went?
A couple of my photos of the event are here & kudos to the professionals I work with – both marketers and chefs – who made it happen. Check out the hashtag #saltyparty to see more pics.
At the Icehouse
Salt Lake Magazine Farm to Table Cocktail Contest
This event is the baby of one of my friends, Chantelle – who I refer to as the food queen of our Salty City. She is multitalented, professional, visionary and practical – tough to find in any one person. And she is a lovely soul to boot.
This event basically brings farmers, restaurants, bartenders, and people that love to support them to the same room on the same night for libations and food and friends! One of the food providers was Taco! Taco! – whom we’ve talked about before.
For a great review of the event itself, see this great post by Sarah Lappé who writes the Farm to Table Utah blog. It’s featured on Salt Lake Magazine‘s blog HERE. In the words of a great chef, I just came for the food…
Meet the Apple Crostata from Vinto
A Night in the Neighborhood
We live in the heart of the city. Our weekend sometimes consists of sitting on our porch and watching the parade of interesting people pass by. We are nodding aquaintances with some of the people, speaking acquaintances with others and simply bemused by another set.
When that doesn’t cut it, we wander off to join the parade and generally follow our feet some of the great restaurants that are all within a 5 minute walk.
At Spitz. I always order the spicy one…
This week, my mom and I ended up walking to Spitz for lunch – home of the Doner. My first experience here was the night we flew back from Paris. After a 10 hour flight, massive jet lag, an accidental nap and a ticked off Kitty, Greg and I wandered out the door in search of food. We’d been traveling for more than a month, so the pantry was literally, intentionally bare. Doners, it turns out are Turkish street food and we had just been in Istanbul days before. It was the perfect transition from the exotic food we’d been eating on the road, with a bite of home mixed in. I thought then that it was one of the best things I have ever tasted in my jet-lag-drugged state. Having been back every couple of weeks since, I can say it still maintains high marks. Do not miss the sweet potato fries.
V is for Vinto, as in this is Vinto’s Molten Chocolate Cake
Greg and I sometimes skip going out to dinner and go out for a late night dessert. One of our regular dessert places is Vinto, which is just around the corner. They do amazing wood fired pizzas and have the best gelato in town. But save room for their Molten Lava Cake & Apple Crostata while you are there. Or make a special trip like we do…
Greg, enjoying the sun and his braised beef biscuit
Next on our walking food tour this week was a trip to the farmers market – in theory to buy our weeks’ worth of produce. But, first stop: Dottie’s Biscuit Barn for Greg (he’s been craving their biscuits since he had them last week) and Southern Hospitality for jambalaya for me. Yes, I think jambalaya and po boys are a fine breakfast food. Only a couple of weeks left of market season…
Red Snapper Hot Sauce!
While at the market we met the owner of Red Snapper Hot Sauce. Now, I am a hot sauce kinda girl. I have habanero salsa in my fridge at work and at home! So, from my spicy-loving heart – you should really pick up their Cajun Snapper Sauce. Probably now.
Last stop this week was for a late lunch at the recently opened Tosh’s for ramen as a good bye meal for a friend who is moving away. I love anything hot and brothy. So, the broth was lovely but they are still ironing out a kink or two. Excited to come back in a few weeks and have another go.
Mushroom Hunting
Sunday Mushroom Hunt
In case you missed it, we went mushroom hunting this week. We found a few guys but didn’t actually eat them, being babies in the mushroom hunting world. Turns out, 3 out of the 4 wouldn’t have killed us. The other one? My teacher Dan wasn’t sure about that guy…. We also found some other things besides mushrooms. Mostly cool old bottles.
What were your food adventures this week? I’d love to hear them so I can adventure along!
-Lydia, restless food wanderer
