Best Salt Lake City Food Blog Recipes of May

I've tried several great recipes recently from local bloggers in Salt Lake City. Here are a few I highly recommend.

Pictured above: Mahi Mahi with Mango Red Pepper Chutney by Cookin' Canuk

Quinoa with Black Beans and Corn in a Chipotle Lime & Honey Dressing by Cookin' Canuk

Homemade Pop-Tarts by FoodFinery

Edamame Guacamole by Two Peas and Their Pod

Ground Chicken & Chickpea Curry Stew with Yogurt and Cilantro by Kalyn's Kitchen

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Margarita Pie

I've been searching for a good Spring recipe to try and stumbled upon this when I visited a Williams Sonoma recently. Ironically, this week in Salt Lake City it has rained and even snowed so it doesn't feel much like Spring but I'll be drinking mojitos and making margarita pie despite the weather. Maybe my attitude will bring on some sunny days.

I look forward to patio weather, sitting outside at some of our favorite restaurants in Salt Lake and enjoying a good meal. I can't wait to fire up the grill and make use of our backyard patio as well. What do you love about Spring?

This super easy-to-make pie turned out to be a crowd pleaser. In fact my sweet-toothed husband ate his slice it in just a couple of bites.






Margarita Pie
adapted from a recipe of a friendly employee at Williams Sonoma

INGREDIENTS
1 graham cracker crust
2 packages of 8 oz cream cheese
1 cup of margarita mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk

DIRECTIONS
*Soften cream cheese in microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. (Make sure you take it out of the foil wrapper and put in microwave safe bowl!) In a mixer, or with a whisk and strong arm, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the margarita mix and sweetened condensed milk and whisk until smooth and fluffy. Pour into graham cracker crust and refrigerate for about half and hour. Or you can freeze it for about 15 minutes.

To me, the pie looked a bit plain so, if you want to embellish it a bit you can add some natural sugar crystals around the rim of the pie to make resemble a margarita.

*This recipe is super easy. The only think you could mess up is if you don't soften the cream cheese, it could end up with some chunks, looking a bit like cottage cheese instead of looking like marshmallow cream.

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Frida Bistro Announces Margarita Mondays

If you haven't checked out Friday Bistro yet, here is another reason to go, go now, really go! They are having Margarita Mondays with $5 Margaritas with lots of choices for flavors for sipping pleasure including: Pineapple, Tamarind, Banana, Blood Orange, Prickly Pear, Fresca (lime), Plum, Strawberry, Watermelon, and Guava. Patrons can add Midori, Grand Marnier, or create a Chambord “float” for $1 more. If you missed my past posts on Frida go here to read about their brunch and here for the overall review.

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Lunch Bunch Concert Series in Downtown Salt Lake City

I love this poster! Plus how fun...free music while you dine outside at Gallivan Center. Read more here.

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Cafe on 1st

I think I'm a coffee snob now.

Or at least I'm learning to be. After trying some of the best coffee in the country on our recent punctuated trip to Portland, I'm actually starting to taste the difference between coffees.

Cafe on 1st, is a rather simple coffee shop in the Avenues of Salt Lake serving up some of the best coffee in the city. I've learned recently that many coffee shops burn their milk, taking away from the sweetness of a latte. I've also learned that dark roast doesn't mean there is more caffeine in the coffee.

I'll keep learning but what I can tell you is that Cafe on 1st is doing it right and really caring about the art of a cup of coffee. They are currently brewing Lavazza. They also have some stellar baristas.

Cafe on 1st
39 I Street
Open Mon-Sun 7-9pm

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High West Distillery's New Silver Whiskey

written by my husband Josh, because he knows whiskey much better than I
I leaned over the bar at Seven Grand, a whiskey bar in downtown LA, searching through their hundreds of whiskey options hoping to find something from High West. I didn’t care to order it, I just wanted to make sure they had it to prove their taste in good beverage before I ordered an obscure, hard-to-find Scotch, neat with a water back. After all, I was out of Utah, I wanted to try something not so…regulated. If a bar shelf has High West, I feel at home. I feel like I can trust the bartender to do me right.

Not long ago, I finally made it to High West Distillery and Saloon on Park Street in Park City. Walking in, I planned to see the many versions of wood-toned spirits, but their latest creation left me with a lot of questions for the bartender, like “Why did you put vodka in a whiskey bottle?” or “What?”

High West’s new Silver Whiskey offers all the processes of whiskey minus the aging in wooden barrels, so it’s clear. It never met anything to shade its color. In a shot glass, it might be mistaken for Vodka, but one sniff and there’s no mistaking the fragrant, floral aroma. After the first taste, the vodka disguise is completely compromised.

Silver whiskey is new to me, but it’s no longer foreign. I’m looking forward to returning to the distillery to pick up a bottle soon because it’s not yet in liquor stores. Any whiskey snob/Utah snob needs a bottle of High West’s Silver Whiskey for their cabinet. I must admit, I certainly enjoy their Rendezvous and Rocky Mountain better, but the Silver will certainly have a place on my shelf. Look for it at the State Store this summer.
written by my husband Josh

Go here for a full review of High West from our first visit to the Distillery.

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Epic Brewery in Salt Lake City

A new brewery opened up about a week ago called Epic Brewery. The store is located on State Street offering up all of their most recent brews for sale.

The founders and co-owners David Cole and Peter Erickson, have a passion for making and drinking fine ales and lagers. They partnered with la ocal brewmaster from Bohemian Brewery to create exclusively high alcohol content beer. The beers are bottled in 22-ounce bottles which are perfect for sharing.

If you want to sit down and have one of their beers you'll have to go to the Beer Hive, because Epic is a store front only brewery. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing because it's creating a lot of excitement around the culture of the brand. The word is out about Epic because when we went there was a long line to purchase beers and two of their brews were sold out. Our Portlander friends, who moved here recently and are self acclaimed beer connoisseurs, have given Epic their stamp of approval. My husband, who brews, and myself, who enjoys a good beer, agree that Epic is brewing up some unique offerings for Utah and we're thankful.

Epic Brewery
825 South State Street,
Mon – Thur: 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sat – 10am – 11pm
Closed Sunday

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Ekamai Thai in Salt Lake City

After settling back in after a few weeks of crazy traveling around the country, I asked some Twitter friends what I had missed in the food scene of Salt Lake. They told me about Ekamai, one of Salt Lake's newest Thai food cafes. Ekamai is located near Pioneer Park and conveniently also right by several of my favorite food stops in the city: Aquarius (freshest seafood in town), Bruges (to die for Belgian waffles and fries), Tony Caputo's Market (delicious gourmet foods market and restaurant), and Carlucci's Bakery (who sells my favorite cannoli in town). Now I can grab some Thai food after picking up some specialty cheese at Caputo's or fresh tuna steaks at Aquarius, and maybe even a waffle on my way out. It is almost foodie overload in this little street across from the park.

When asking about Ekamai on twitter, I was told that it was "Like a street cart with a door and roof." After checking it out myself I agree with that statement but also add that the food is absolutely beyong what you would think of most food cart food. Food carts are stepping up in many cities around the U.S. and you can read more about food carts in my post of Portland here. This tiny cafe serves up a delicious assortment of Thai food favorites. Their menu changes daily so make sure and check out their website or if you're in the area you can check the chalkboard by the street to see what they are offering that particular day.
I had the pleasure of meeting my fellow food friend, Heather from slclunches on Twitter, who shares my love for adventurous dining and trying new things. We went on a Thursday and loved their Coconut Curry Chicken Soup. I ordered the one-choice lunch option, which is only $4.99. You can get two choices for $7.99. I tried the brown rice, which was a beautiful, almost purple, rice, and ended up being tossed right in with my soup making for an amazingly tasty lunch.
All of their food is fresh, from the fresh ginger in my soup to the bright green basil in the curry. I highly recommend their food and their outdoor dining is inviting. The owner makes sure to greet everyone and see how they all like the food. Friendly service, fresh tasty Thai food, cool location...I couldn't ask for much more.



Ekamai Thai Curry
336 West 300 South
Monday-Friday 11am-7pm
Saturday from 12pm-7pm



For more info read Heather's review at The Salt Lake City Lunch Examiner.

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Guess the Pictures: Breakfast in Salt Lake City

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It's been too long since I've given away something on the blog. This morning as I sat hungry and indecisive on what type of contest to make up in order to give away a few tasting classes at Tony Caputo's I decided to have a little photo quiz. Its simple,

Leave a comment letting me know your favorite breakfast/ brunch spot in Salt Lake City and
Email your answers to vintagemixer at yahoo listing out what restaurant you think the picture is from.

Winners will receive free tasting class at Caputo's (chocolate, cheese, or olive oil classes are provided). Contest ends on Wednesday May 26. A hint: all photos are taken of my favorite meal of the day, breakfast. Good luck!
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And I do have some breakfast-y news for you...Elizabeth's English Bakery is reopening! Hooray! Read more here.

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The Copper Onion in Salt Lake City

A recent gathering of some of my closest girl friends brought me to the new Salt Lake City restaurant, The Copper Onion. AAfter reading several reviews online I didn't jump at the chance to try this new place. But, still, I pursued their menu online and decided it would be worth a shot, and now I'm so glad I did.

Many online reviews talk of the saltiness of their food but it didn't seem to bother any of the pickest of eaters at my table. I sat with a table full of ladies and none were bothered by any sense of over-saltiness. One thing I think is that many of the foods they serve are salty in nature: like duck confit, which is cured in salt for over 36 hrs. (You can read more about my experience with Duck Confit here), pork belly which is naturally salty cut of pork, mussels and clams- also salty in nature. All that to say, we didn't find the food irrationally salty. I also consulted with another foodie friend, Tiffany, who is a killer cook and writes on FoodFinery and she was in agreement with me that the food was properly salted but not overly.

Enough about salt. For starters, they have a great list of small plates, which could serve as appetizers or a meal for those with a smaller appetite. You absolutely must try the Ricotta Dumplings made fresh with thyme and lemon. I also tried the sauteed chickpeas with dried apricots and loved them but they are not on the current seasonal menu.

As for entrees, we tried a few and all sampled each-others plates. We really enjoyed the Duck Confit and the Sauteed Mushrooms with the farm fried egg.

Our waitress was exceptional, catering to two pregnant women, one woman with a new born, and me the "foodie." Plus we came in with a coupon, which isn't always smiled upon, but she was gracious and very hospitable.

Overall, it was a lovely evening. What could trump a night out with the girls, savory (but not too salty) foods, and warm service? Not much in my opinion.

The Copper Onion
Brunch: Saturday - Sunday 10:30 am - 4 pm
Lunch: Monday 11:30 am - 3 pm
Tuesday - Friday 11:30 - 5 pm
Dinner: Tues - Thurs, & Sun 4:00 pm -10:00 pm
Fri - Sat 4:00 pm -11:00 pm

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Almond Torte

This weekend I met up with my friend, Maria, who is also a food blogger and we made a few fun dishes together. This recipe I found online as I was in search of a torte similar to one I had in Northern Spain. This was not quite the same but still tasted amazing. Made with Almond Paste, it is dense with a nutty and buttery flavor.

We ate it with mixed berries but it would also be nice just by itself with a small cup of espresso or strong coffee.



Almond Torte
from the LA Times

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 c Sugar
8 oz Soft almond paste
1 1/4 c Unsalted butter; softened
1 ts Vanilla
6 Eggs; at room temperature
1 c Flour
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Salt

DIRECTIONS
In food processor, process sugar with almond paste until paste is in small pieces. Add butter and vanilla and continue processing until mixture is smooth. Add eggs, 1 by 1, mixing until each is incorporated, then process until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. In small work bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Sprinkle over butter mixture and process in 2 or 3 short bursts, just until flour mixes in well. Butter and flour 9-inch spring form pan or 9x5-inch loaf pan and pour in batter, smoothing top evenly. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean and center feels springy when pressed gently with tips of fingers. Let cool then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Check out some great recipes from my friend Maria at Two Peas and Their Pod.

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Flagstaff and Williams, Arizona

As a last minute gig, Josh got to play music at a marriage retreat for Young Life Staff in Arizona. We flew into Phoenix, relied on our GPS and drove North exploring the higher parts of Arizona. From sticky hot skin to cool calming air in a matter of hours.

We were desperately hungry as we drove into Flagstaff and of course I couldn't compromise to stop at a chain in the name of starvation but I had to find a fun local spot for us to eat. Getting frustrated and desperate I found a burrito place on yelp from my phone and used its GPS to navigate the city. Unfortunately, it was dark and our GPS lead us in circles. We found ourselves in a dark alley, but hope arrived as we saw the dim lights of a little cafe, the Greek Islands, and we gave up our burrito quest quickly for the possibility of Greek food.

Greek Islands was more than we could have hoped for in a local spot for dinner. $3 glasses of wine, perfectly cooked lamb, and plenty of creamy tzatziki sauce. Sometimes getting lost is the best way to find something great.

During the week of the conference we stayed near Williams, AZ, which is a tiny gateway town to the Grand Canyon. There you can ride a train to the Grand Canyon, which might make a trip to the the large hole a bit more interesting in my opinion, considering my infatuation with trains. In Williams you can also find drive in diners, local burger joints, and small town coffee roasters.

Josh played one evening at The American Flyer coffee shop on the main drag in Williams. After the concert, the proud owner, highly caffeinated from of roasting beans all day, explained to us the entire process of roasting. We took home some freshly roasted beans and lots of new knowledge on coffee.

Being a cool weather and mountain fan, I enjoyed the Northern parts of Arizona that we explored, an area I highly recommend visiting. Though it is nice to have a GPS while traveling, sometimes the old way of just happening upon a restaurant is the way to make the best memories. Check out my friend Phil's blog here, where he writes about traveling the old school way with maps and intuition.

American Flyer Coffee in Williams on Urbanspoon

Greek Islands in Flagstaff on Urbanspoon

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Spicy Spaghetti

A few weeks back Josh and I ran the Salt Lake City half marathon together. To carb-load before the race I picked out the most beautiful pasta from Tony Caputo's and paired it with a spicy tomato sauce from a food and wine cookbook.

The recipe for the sauce is actually from one of our favorite restaurants, Christina's, which is in Sun Valley, Idaho. I altered her recipe a bit but the basics are the same. You can read more about Christina's here and read more about the charming town of Sun Valley here.

The pasta came highly recommended to me from many of the employees at Caputo's. The brand of pasta is Maestri and I've also used it in Wild Mushroom Lasagna. I learned that the more texture a pasta has the more flavor it holds from the sauce you pair it with. This pasta is extraordinarily rough with lots of tiny crevasses for the sauce to soak into. To cook the pasta we did have to break the noodles in half because, most likely, no one has a pot big enough to hold them.


Spicy Spaghetti
serves 6

INGREDIENTS
2 zucchini, cut into 1 in' cubes
1 spicy Italian sausage (or substitute zucchini and sausage for 2 medium eggplant, cut into cubes)
1 1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tb kosher salt
4 cups of diced tomatoes
8 piquillo peppers (buy canned in abodo sauce)
2 Tb minced garlic
2 cups of tomato sauce
1 cup of fresh basil leaves, cut in strips
pinch of hot red pepper flakes
2 Tb fresh oregano leaves
2 Tb chopped Italian parsley
1 lb of spaghetti (I used Maestri's tall noodles)
3-5 thin slices of prosciutto (cooked like you would cook bacon until crisp) *optional
shaved parmesan

DIRECTIONS
Place zucchini in a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil an high. Cook until crispy on one side then turn. Repeat until lightly crisp. (If using eggplant, first cut then sprinkles with salt and let rest in a colander for 1 hr before cooking). Remove zucchini from pan and cook sausage. Set sausage and zucchini aside.

In a wide pot heat 1/4 cup of olive oil, add diced tomatoes and peppers, and cook on high, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Lower heat, add garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes Add zucchini, sausage, and tomato sauce, and cook, stirring gently. Add basil, red pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of cooking water. Ass pasta to sauce and cook over high heat 2-3 minutes, adding a little pasta water if needed to keep everything juicy. Serve with shaved parmesan and crispy prosciutto.

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A few of My Favorite Things: Asparagus, Figs, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese

Josh and I are a part of a wine club. It sounds a bit formal, but it is really just an excuse to hang out with good friends and share wine and food together. For the latest meeting, all of us brought Spanish tapas to share. I made up my own tapa including several of my favorite things: sautéed asparagus and goat cheese drizzled with agave nectar, wrapped in prosciutto, and embellished with a dried fig. Sometimes you put all of your favorite ingredients in one dish and it doesn't turn out so great but in this case, all of the flavors coincided for a tasty little treat.

Some other tapas we shared at the party were croquettes, bruschetta, and an assortment of cheeses and dips. If you'd rather go out for tapas, I highly suggest Eva's in downtown Salt Lake.

Here are a few other asparagus dishes for you to try this Spring:
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Asparagus
Lemon Rice and Asparagus Soup
Asparagus and Brown Rice with Tahini Dressing

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Wild Mushroom Lasagna

Are there people in your life who you completely trust will make you something delicious when you come over? Or friends whose recipes never let you down? I have a few of those friends in my life, some of which I've met through the blogging world and some whom I have known for years.

Tiffany, who blogs at foodfinery is just that, a dear friend with reliably astounding food. People are constantly telling her that her recipes are ones they now make frequently in their homes and I am no different. Her recipes are ones that quickly make it on your list of ones you'll be cooking for years to come.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna was the first dish of hers I tried. She has blessed me with the recipe to share with you. If you are into wild mushrooms, as we are, you will love this. The only change I made was to add some chicken, but it is definitely equally as good if you don't add meat. She and I both used Maestri Pasta noodles for this, which make the dish especially good. Fine pasta can truly take a dish up a notch. I highly recommend Maestri Pasta which you can find locally at Tony Caputo's Market. Check out more of her recipes on foodfinery.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna
from foodfinery

INGREDIENTS
1 pkg. lasagna noodles (I use Maestri Pasta which you can buy from Tony Caputo's)
2 pounds organic wild mushrooms (possible choices: crimini, shitake and oyster)
3T butter, melted
2T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1C cream
1 pound fresh spinach
1/2 pound fontina cheese, grated
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4C parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta 3 minutes under typical time and rinse under cold water. In a food processor: place shitake and oyster mushrooms, garlic, 1T of the butter and 1T of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and pulse several times. Add 1/2 of the cream and pulse again until it's a puree. Grate cheeses. Slice crimini mushrooms and set aside. In a baking dish layer: pasta, puree, spinach, fontina, mozzarella, butter s&p, oil, remaining cream and repeat this to the top layer where you will sprinkle the parmesan and cover with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, covered. Remove foil and broil 3-5 minutes to brown cheeses.

More delicious dinner recipes from foodfinery
Soy Honey Chicken with Spinach Mushroom Saute
Onion Steaks
Creamy Lemon Chicken

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More Gourmet Gifts

Occasionally, when I am browsing the web I will find a fun kitchen tool or foodie gift. I have been saving them on my delicious account and thought I should share a few with you. From top to bottom: Homemade Jam Jars by Burgon & Ball; Mortar and Pestle by Herriott Grace; and Frame Placemats by Velocity Designs.

Clic here for more gourmet gift ideas.

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