Hotel Monaco AIDS Benefit
To help raise funds to support the Utah AIDS Foundation mission to empower those living with HIV/AIDS. Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City, the adjacent Bambara restaurant and the Utah AIDS Foundation will co-host the eight annual Red Party on Thursday, November 29 from 5:15 until 8 p.m. Guests are invited to enjoy professional cabaret performances while they commemorate upcoming World AIDS Day 2012. The public is welcome and a $35 donation at the door is suggested. RSVPs can be made by calling Chet at Utah AIDS Foundation: (801) 487-2323, email Chet.Cannon@utahaids.org.
The elegant Paris Ballroom will be draped in red, and the cuisine will be presented by Bambara’s award winning Executive Chef Nathan Powers. This year’s gala, “Rouge Cabaret,” will feature performances by the LaRouge Entertainment Studio with professional song and dance performances. Enticing auction items, including round trip airfare from Jet Blue (in the continental U.S.) luxurious romance-themed packages at 14 Kimpton hotel properties around the United States and more will be offered at live and silent auctions. Prizes will be awarded for the best dressed (in red, of course!) and there will be opportunity drawings for additional treasures.
At Kimpton hotels, guests can “Join the Fight by Staying the Night” with a package that offers a 15 percent discount and donates $10 per night to Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations funding local HIV service organizations. To book the “Join the Fight by Staying the Night” package, travelers should use the rate code: “RRC.”
Hotel Monaco
15 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 595-0000
www.monaco-saltlakecity.com
Another Food Network Win for Utah Bakers
Season seven of the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars is now airing and Salt Lake City is the host of new champions. Owner of Mini’s cupcakes, Leslie Fiet, and her counterpart, Stephanie Deer, are the winners of bragging rights and the $10,000 prize.
Fiet and Deer competed in the cheerleader themed episode against three other bakers from across the nation. The winning episode will air on Food Network again on November 15th at 6:00 p.m. This team was the last one standing despite quirky ingredients, like hamburger and fries, fires in the kitchen by Stephanie and Leslie suffering from burns from the ovens.
They say that their advantage is their approach to baking. Fiet says, “Everything we bake is from scratch and we use real ingredients.” This gave them confidence even as they were competing against two teams who were previously on the show.
Mini’s celebrated their win with a viewing party Sunday night at their downtown location.
For the rest of the week customers are being thanked with free samples of the winning cupcakes, they are also available for purchase at both locations, Downtown 14 East 800 South and Sugarhouse 1741 South 1100 East.
Mini’s Cupcakes
14 E. 800 S. SLC, UT 84102
(801) 363-0608
www.mini-cupcakes.com
Oasis Cafe Thanksgiving Brunch Proving Popular
For the second year, Oasis Cafe on 500 East will serve Thanksgiving Brunch on Thursday, November 22 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Mirroring the creative daily menu filled with local organic vegetables, sustainably ranched meats and freshest seafood, brunch at Oasis Cafe is a favorite with locals. It’s loaded with traditional breakfast dishes, soups, salads and sandwiches. Reservations are highly suggested.
“We opened last Thanksgiving for brunch for the first time and were bowled over that it was so popular,” said Will Keesen, general manager. “This was really just all about me needing a place to eat that morning,” he jokes. “After the turkey is in the oven, come on down and relax with a nice light brunch before the kitchen work beckons you back.” A full menu can be found here.
Oasis Cafe
151 South 5th East Salt Lake City, UT 84102
(801) 322-0404
www.oasiscafeslc.com
“Pop-Up” Winter Farmers’ Market
Lastly, The Downtown Alliance is launching a series of “Pop-Up” Winter Farmers’ Markets with a local food focus. These one-day events will be held monthly (November – April) at different downtown locations. The first market will be held on Saturday, November 17th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, at Rico Foods Warehouse (545 W. 700 S).
A pop-up concept offers only dates, times and themes in advance, location and vendor lists are announced 2 weeks prior. A variety of nearly 50 local vendors offering locally grown produce, local meat, cheeses, dairy, baked goods, artisanal food, food trucks and more will be found at each market.
“The response from growers and potential vendors has been tremendous, and we’re excited to show people just how much local food can be found in the cold winter months”, said Alison Einerson, Winter Market Manager. “We’ll have everything from local apples, greens, squash, and pumpkins to local pork, beef and eggs. There will be a great diversity and selection of items. We will even have tomatoes and peppers!”
The first event will take place on November 17 at Rico Foods Warehouse – 545 W. 700 South. Chefs from Frida Bistro will be on-hand demonstrating meal ideas with local foods for Thanksgiving. Utah Food Bank will be accepting donations and the Salt Lake-based band Touchstone Coyote will perform throughout the day.
Vendor List as of Nov 14th:
Pierre Country Bakery – Homemade stuffing, pastries, breads and baked goods
Love Muffins Bakery – Gluten-free baked goods
Red Bicycle Breadworks – Artisan breads using local ingredients
SugarDaddy Sweet Shoppe – Delectable desserts using local ingredients
Asian & Heirlooms – Organically-grown Asian and heirloom vegetables
Blue Spring Farm – Local, organic vegetables
Jensen Farms – Apples, pears, and veggies
Mololo Greenhouse and Nursery – Variety of local produce
Paul’s Vegetable Farm – Chemical-free produce and free-range eggs
Pyne Farms – Apples and other tree fruit
Wyomatoes – Certified-organic greenhouse tomatoes, basil, and cucumbers
Zoe’s Natural Garden – Organically-grown greens and veggies
Clifford Family Farm – Pork, chicken, eggs, honey and winter greens
Amour Spreads – Artisan jams and marmalades
Cheese Bread Mania, LLC. – Gluten-free Brazilian cheesebread
Chocolate Conspiracy – Raw artisan chocolate and hot chocolate
Dessert Bites – Bite-sized and individual-sized treats
Laziz, LLC – Authentic Lebanese hummus and spreads
Millcreek Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oils
Yummy Products – Fresh salsa and other yummy products
Sugared – Artisan confectionary
Tankinz Noodle Mfg, LLC – Fresh pasta in Tuscan and Asian styles
Tequenos Factory – Gourmet cheese sticks
Terrapin Station Smokin’ Co. – Smokehouse products, barbeque sauce, and roasted nuts
Tree Hugger Foods – European-style granola
Blue Star Juice and Coffee – Fresh-squeezed juice and coffee
Chow Truck – Haute Asian Cuisine
World Dog – Gourmet hot dog stand
Lewis Brothers Food Services – Eclectic street food
SugarBear – Kettlekorn, Roasted Nuts & Chainsaw Carvings
Utah State Extension Office Salt Lake – Comprehensive information on home gardening
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC. I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.
I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV. Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.
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