The roving reporters of Dishing Magazine were out in force sipping and savoring the flavors of the Wasatch Back and Front at the weekend food and wine festivals in Utah.
First up, Park City Food and Wine Classic. A longtime Park City event, the Classic draws people from near and far to participate in wine, beer, spirits, food tastings and seminars seasoned with outdoor activities in the mountains.
Hike & Hops, Hosted by Montage Deer Valley
The day began with a hike through the idyllic Deer Valley Resort ski runs, now carpeted in summer wildflowers. Guided by Deer Valley hiking guides this proved to be a perfect way to work up an appetite for what was to come.
Back at Montage, Deer Valley, hikers were greeted with cold “welcome” beers followed by a hearty lunch. Montage Deer Valley and Proper Brewing Company paired traditional summer beers with fresh and unique epicurean treats that delighted all who participated.
Taste of Park City hosted by Dejoria Center
This year, Taste of Park City was hosted at the Dejoria Center in the beautiful Kamas valley. Hundreds of winemakers and distributors gathered to showcase their best vintages as participants strolled through the beautiful grounds and ranch-style setting.
Light bites were provided by Whole Foods, Beehive Cheese and State Road Tavern. Tastings were poured freely including whites, reds, rosés and bubbly. Handcrafted liquors were also represented and new summer cocktail recipes were passed around.
In the Wasatch front, the Salt Lake Food and Wine Fest inaugural event was presented by Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association at various venues in Salt Lake City. From creatively crafted cocktail experiences, eclectic progressive dinners, to wine education events, Salt Lake Food & Wine Fest brought a week-long culinary festival filled with top restaurateurs, wine educators, mixologists and food lovers.
Meet Your Maker
Meet Your Maker was held at the Park City Culinary Institute in Salt Lake City. The setting was intimate and allowed participants to mingle and take their time sitting at each individual bar top meeting the makers of local Utah spirits. Alpine Distilling, Beehive Distillling, Vida Tequilla, Waterpocket Distillery were some of the distillers present.
The highlight of the event was meeting Chef Moppy, an 11 year old girl who is attending the Park City Culinary Institute. Attendees of Meet Your Maker were able to watch Chef Moppy as she prepared crepes. She hopes to one day open her own restaurant. Currently, she sells her own line of knives, and you can find her cooking classes on YouTube or follow her on Instagram @chefmoppy.
