Events: Farm To Glass

237 Beetknik at pallet

Farm To Glass – Throughout the month of September, pay extra attention to the liquor menu at your favorite downtown haunt. Twenty bars and restaurants are participating in the Salt Lake Magazine’s third annual Farm To Glass contest. Each has an extra special cocktail concoction on the menu running through till September 21st. You can see the full list here.

Drinkers can vote for their favorites online and once the votes have been tallied and the glasses emptied – an awards party will wrap things up on October 4th. Held at the The Gallivan Center (6 p.m onward), tickets are priced $45 per person and guests will have the opportunity for one last taste of several of the creations from SLC’s finest bar tenders.

Jack rabbit saison at Finca

In the run up to the 21st, Downtown SLC also have a series of informal bar crawls each Tuesday 4.30-6.30 for the public to get together and take in a trio of venues in quick succession.

I had the pleasure of tagging along this Tuesday, stopping by Pallet, Finca and Undercurrent. It’s thirsty work, but someone has to do it. Here are the details for the pictured trio of beautiful beverages:

Pallet
237 Beetknick

2 oz. Ransom Dry Gin
0.5oz. Licor 43
1 oz. lime juice
0.5 oz. honey water (available at Downtown Farmers Market)
0.75 oz. beet juice (available at Downtown Farmers Market)
2-3 slices serrano pepper
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice, strain twice. Serve in a coupe. Garnish with lime wheel.

Scarborough fair at Undercurrent

Finca
Jack Rabbit Saison

1.5 oz. Beehive Jack Rabbit Gin
0.5 oz. Velvet Falernum
0.5 oz. fresh orange juice
0.25 oz. Fresh lime juice
4 sage leaves
3 cilantro leaves
0.75 oz. hop infused simple syrup
1 dash hop infused bitters
3 oz. Epic Utah Sage Saison

Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin. Shake over ice, strain into collins glass half full of ice. Top with Epic Utah Sage Saison.

Hop Infused Simple Syrup Recipe
1 cup water
1 cup sugarhouse
½ cup whole flower hops

Combine and cook over medium heat until all ingredients are incorporated–about 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool and let steep for one hour. Strain out hops and use. Store in refrigerator.

Undercurrent
Scarborough Fair

sprig of fresh parsley
sprig of fresh sage
0.75 oz. rosemary-thyme syrup
0.75 oz. lime juice
1.5 oz. gin

Muddle fresh parsley and sage leaves in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients and shake. Serve over crushed ice. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Rosemary-Thyme Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
sprig of rosemary
2 sprigs of thyme

Combine all in a saucepan and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature, then strain out herbs and store syrup in the refrigerator.

Finca – Tickets are still available for tomorrow evening’s (Thursday 3rd, 6 p.m.) Bodegas las Orcas wine dinner. The evening focuses on the wines of Spanish wine maker Raimundo Abando, making his third appearance at Finca for good reason. About Abando and his wines, owner Scott Evans writes:

“Over the years of visiting winemakers I can’t help but make parallels between the winemaker and their wines. Rai’s wines offer that same sense of presence he has. Some of his wines are imposing, like the Pagos de Valde Orca with a ripe and rich core. It has never been flat or boring, but each year in bottle it softens and expresses more of itself, showing complexion at each step of its maturity. His younger wines, like the Rosado and the Blanco, are instantly approachable, and show Rai’s personal balance and steadfastness. Both wines are precise varietal examples. The Blanco offers a bit of floral and apple aromas, but no single profile takes over — balance between the mouth feel, acidity and the fruit profiles. I could go on and on, as his wines really do reflect him as the winemaker. Nothing is too flashy, too big or too bold. All the wines strive for balance and even a sense of humility. He knows that when you drink his wines, they will speak for themselves. With multiple generations of winemaking experience along with incredible 60-90 year old vineyards, there is no need for aggressive short-lived wines. His wines and his presence will likely be around another four generations.”

You can read the full story on the man, the wines and the winery over on the Finca website. Cost is $45 for the tasting menu and for $45 wine pairings. Menu is as follows:

327 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 487-0699
www.fincaslc.com

Even Stevens – September is Hunger Action Month, when Feeding America and member food banks ask everyone in America to take action to fight hunger in their community. With this in mind, local philanthropic-sandwich-slingers, Even Stevens, will be offering double donations all day long on September 18th, at each of their three locations.

This means all you have to do is order up one of Even Steven’s superb sandwiches, and they’ll donate two – to one of their current twelve local partners. That includes in store purchases, take out and catering orders; so make sure the boss gets that credit card out on the 18th and orders up Even Stevens for the office lunch.

Downtown: 200 S. 414 E.
Sugar House: 2030 S. 900 E.
Draper: 12300 S. 541 E.”

Full details on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/443796145806795/.

Celebrate The Bounty – Tickets are now on sale for the annual fundraiser and party for all things local. Celebrate the bounty aims to represent the heartbeat of the Local First Movement in Utah: “a gathering of hundreds of localvores, influencers and tastemakers” in their own words. In my words – a bunch of local food and booze, and a good time.

This year is the 8th year for the big bash which is held on Thursday, October 15th from 7-10 pm at Ricos Warehouse. This year, food will be provided by:

Avenues Bistro on Third
Black Sheep Cafe
Even Stevens
Frida Bistro
From Scratch
Handle
Pallet
Red iguana
Sage’s Cafe
Zest
and more TBD

Tickets are $65 for food and drinks, or $55 for food online and are available at www.24tix.com.

Stuart Melling

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”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.