Family Proclamation Made Pretty

Today's post is a bit off the beaten food path. But you will like it.

If you are a Mormon, you are familiar with "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". And if you don't have it framed in your home yet, my graphic designer slave, Megan, has a solution. If you do have it framed, you probably have the really bland version sold at the church bookstore. It's time to give your wall a makeover. Here is your makeover. How cool is this?


If you want to purchase one for your home, click here.

If you aren't LDS, I invite you to read the proclamation. It's worth reading. Click here.

Compound Butter Extravaganza

On my Formspring thingy, Erica asked that I talk about the compound butters I am into these days. Why not? So here are the butters I am into these days. All you do is combine all ingredients together and stir well. What can you put it on? Let's start from the very beginning, a very good place to start.

Steamed vegetables
Roasted vegetables
Grilled chicken
Grilled steak
Biscuits
French bread
Baked potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Shrimp and fish
Pancakes (kidding)

How do you store this stuff? You can obviously keep it in the fridge, but you can also keep it in the freezer. Roll it into a log (I hate using that word when referring to food) on a piece of waxed paper and then roll up the waxed paper and twist the ends to seal. When you are ready to serve, slice off however much you want to use, unwrap it and cut it into small slices. So if you have a perfect grilled steak, add a slice of delicious compound butter on top and then it melts and makes a great steak even better.

Anyways, here are a few of my little compound butter recipes. If you try them, let me know what you think.

Garlic Herb Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley

Chipotle Cilantro Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle pepper can)
1/2 tsp cumin

Chipotle Lime Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
Zest of 1 lime
1 tsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle pepper can)

Lemon Herb Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Zest of 1 lemon

Roasted Red Pepper Basil Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp minced roasted red pepper
1/4 cup basil, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced

Pesto Compound Butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup basil, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts, chopped

Dressing up a Salad

Spring has finally arrived and as it made it's grand entrance, so did salad season. Who doesn't love a bowl of fresh, cold greens, fresh cut vegetables and a delicious dressing tying it all together? While I can and sometimes do make my own salad dressings, I still have some store-bought ones that I love. I thought I would share and maybe you would get some new ideas. And if you want, tell me your favorite ones in the comments.

Ken's Steakhouse Creamy Caesar Dressing

This is my greatest secret. Whenever I serve this when people come over, they ALWAYS ask what dressing it is. This dressing is delicious and it makes for the easiest salad ever. I do one head of romaine, cut into bite-size pieces, a bunch of fresh Parmesan shaved with a vegetable peeler, croutons and ground pepper. And then toss in about half a bottle of this dressing and you're done. You will love this stuff.

Marie's Spinach Salad Dressing

My mother in-law introduced me to this one. When she served it at a big family dinner, it was this with baby spinach leaves, cranberries, chopped chicken breasts, candied walnuts and chopped pears. It was divine. It has a sweeter taste and a little goes a long way.

Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch

I like this one because it is spicy, but doesn't set your mouth on fire. Besides being good on some fresh greens, it's great for dipping carrots and celery for a snack. I think I have even served it on beef tacos.

Kraft Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

While balsamic vinaigrette is the easiest, cheapest dressing to make at home, I don't always remember to whip up a batch before dinner is going to be served. This balsamic vinaigrette is surprisingly good for a shelf brand. I like it on a simple salad of chopped greens, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, shaved Parmesan cheese and black olives. Even Jack likes this dressing.

Hidden Valley Ranch

This is something we always have by order of the patriarch of the family. And it can't be low-fat. He wants full fat and a giant bottle of it. So that is what we do. It makes everything taste good, even boring iceberg lettuce. Ethan also likes dipping pizza in it.

Ken's Steakhouse Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

Here is another one that was introduced to me by my mother in-law. This is such an excellent fruity vinaigrette. Great on a spinach salad and surprisingly great as a marinade. Like pour it over some chicken breasts and grill those babies up. Mmm mmm tasty.

Trader Joe's Champagne Pear Vinaigrette

No picture for this one. But for a lot of people, they already know about this one. This is one of Trader Joe's best dressings. It has champagne vinegar, pears and gorgonzola cheese in it. Even for a cheese hater like me, I like this dressing. There isn't too much cheese at all. This dressing is great with some mixed greens, chunks of chicken and some toasted pecans.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Tonight I sat on my bed and watched "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" on Hulu. And I was effected. Completely effected. I want you to be too. Click here to watch it for yourself. You will want to peel an orange, throw away all the candy in the cupboard and eat a salad for breakfast. Chef Oliver's food revolution will really get the wheels in your head turning about your own eating habits and your family's.

What were my thoughts about my eating habits and my family's? I won't be bashful, I will lay it all out.

We need to:
Eat more brown rice
Eat less candy
Eat less ice cream
Eat more yogurt
Eat more green vegetables
Drink less soda
Find better snacks
Eat more fruit
Stop Daddy from bringing home junk food

While there is plenty I can improve on, there is a lot that I need to be realistic about. Like while some families eat lentils, mine just won't. Same with whole grain pasta. So I quit trying with those. But they do like things like broccoli, kale, green beans, eggs, oatmeal and quinoa, so I will focus on our strengths instead of lamenting what I wish we liked and stop trying to shove it down my family's throats.

What is it that you and yours can be better about?

In-N-Out Dream

One of Ethan's many cousins, he has 91 first cousins, wrote the following while serving an LDS mission in Peru while he was longing for In-N-Out back home in California. For those of my readers that are In-N-Out fans and are LDS or are familiar with language of ancient scripture, I think you will like this. My sister in-law read this to me and I just had to post it. Thanks for letting me, Corey.

In-N-Out Dream by Corey Rusick
I have dreamed a dream. And in my dream I walked amongst a sea of tiendas and restaurantes. And I did cast my eyes about, and did behold a light which did beckon me unto it. And I did approach the light, and I beheld that it was in truth a sign unto me, and I did read the words, and they did read "In-N-Out".

And it came to pass that I did enter the "In-N-Out" and did find a form of nourishment which was beautiful to behold, even to the exceeding of that of all other nourishment which I had heretofore beheld. And I did reach forth my hand, and did partake of the Double Double. And it did fill my stomach with inexplicable joy. And I did behold that it did consist of two all-beef patties, which had never been frozen, and of two slices of cheese, which were melted and did cover the patties of never been frozeness. And it did also contain lettuce, which did exceed the crispiness of all other lettuce I had eaten until this moment. And it did have tomatoes, which were firm and of a perfect texture. And it did contain a savory and delicious sauce, of which I had never before found in any other form of nourishment, and I shall name it "spread".

And as my stomach delighted in the joy it had found, I did cast my eyes about, and beheld a cardboard carton almost the size of the hand of a man. And within the carton was a certain amount of salted and thinly sliced fried potatoes. And it did have melted cheese and more spread being mingled with grilled onions. And i heard a voice in my head which did say, "Eat the animal-style fries". And I did partake of the animal-style fries and they were indeed delicious, but not to exceed the deliciousness of the Double Double.

And once I had eaten the top layer of fries, I found myself in wanting of cheese and spread and grilled onions. But I beheld that in front of me was a chocolate shake which i perceived was from real ice cream. And once I did sip of the shake and did dip my fries and therein partake, my joy was restored to me. And I did also have a medium root beer, and it did have ice. And as I was thus endeavoring to indulge of the wealth of nourishment before me, I beheld that I was not alone in my endeavors, but was surrounded by the closest of friends. And we did have a night of laughter and telling stories, quoting lines from all those movies that we love, it still brings a smile to my face. And we did sing songs together, and did rock out with instruments of air one with another. And our love and friendship was strengthened, and behold, my joy was full.

Best jarred salsa?

This is what I have been eating for dinner lately. Just me, salsa and a bag of tortilla chips. We make each other so happy. This jarred salsa is the best marriage of sweet and spicy that I have ever found- besides me and Ethan's marriage of course.

Since summer left and took all the good tomatoes with it, quality fresh salsa is hard to come by. So...

What is your favorite brand of jarred salsa?

El Azteca in Provo, UT

They have done it. El Azteca has satisfied my need for great, authentic Mexican food outside of Southern California. And they did it through beef tacos. What a great day it was when I wised up and went through their drive-thru a few months ago. I hadn't been to the EA since high school and back then I didn't have an appreciation or knowledge of good food. But I have come a long way since then.

My little lunch pal, Van. He is starting to dip chips in salsa and it warms my heart.

My favorite food is Mexican food. Fresh, simple and a little greasy. And if all that can come with guacamole, I am even happier. Guacamole dots the i's and crosses the t's on a good taco plate. A barometer on great Mexican food is beans and rice. They are a staple and if those are good, you know the rest of the menu will be too. Good news, El Azteca has some of the best beans and rice in Utah Valley. Off subject, wanna know who has the worst beans and rice? Los Hermanos. I am sorry, but they do. They cannot whoo me with their fancy plant/vine/Tarzan room. If they want to romance me, they can do it by figuring out some better beans and rice. And salsa while they are at it too.


When you go to El Azteca, may I recommend the taco combo with either chicken or beef. Both are good. Don't forget to order a side of guacamole so you can add little dabs of that to your meal. And pay close attention to those beans and rice, especially the magical, spiritual place on your plate where the beans run into the rice. Carefully pour a little of their fresh, house-made salsa right there and scoop it all up with some of their perfect, fresh tortilla chips. Oy vey.


If you are a reader in Southern California in the Inland Empire or the San Gabriel Valley, go to Los Jarritos off of Garey in Pomona. Order the carnitas and then e-mail me and thank me for giving you the best Mexican food experience of your entire existence. In advance, you're welcome.

It's that important

Guess what, I can't take a blogging break. BlogHer just won't allow it. Something about posting every week. Oh well, I am sure I can muster up a post once a week. It's not hard to have something to say. Having something to cook is another thing.

As I type this, I am sitting in Sparks, NV on my sister's beautiful, comfortable chocolate brown sectional. It is a quiet morning, for I didn't bring any children with me. There is just the sound of a small Yorkie sleeping next to me. My other sister Caitlyn and I were welcomed with Marie Callendar's pie and there is slow cooked applesauce for breakfast. And once again, let me reiterate that it is quiet. Ever so silent. A cyber high five to my husband for willingly wrangling the little boys while I escaped across the salt flats and into the corner of Megan's chocolate brown sectional.

Anyways...

When I posted about my day from hell, you were probably thinking something terrible happened. It didn't. Ethan just had to do a difficult medication induction. All is well and he is feeling great.

Anyways, while Ethan was preparing for his ordeal, my brother in-law wanted to help. But he lives far away. So he thought he would send something and spices came to mind because Ethan likes to cook. So my brother in-law decided to send Ethan a pound of fancy, expensive cinnamon from Penzeys.

We now have a pound of cinnamon. Some of the finest cinnamon you will ever smell or taste. I highly recommend it. Click here to buy.

If you start feeling shoppy and want to buy more from Penzeys, I recommend their Chicago steak seasoning and their whole nutmegs. And I know Cafe likes their lavender.

Commune with Thee

Dear Communal,

Thank you for inviting me over for lunch. It was perfect in every way. Atmosphere, company and food. Oh the food, the food, the food. The heirloom tomatoes were one of my favorite things, like cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel. With them being so simply dressed, they were simply delicious.

Thank you for the butterscotch pot de creme. Stephmodo and I thoroughly enjoyed that. Speaking of Stephmodo, thank you for providing an event where I could sit with her, share plates of food and talk about France. Stephanie is a delight, as were the scallops. Those scallops were cooked perfectly. Thank you for cooking them perfectly.

Thank you for the heirloom tomato bread pudding. I never knew I would like a savory bread pudding, but I do now. I also never knew that I could love heirloom tomatoes so much. Wait, I already talked about those tomatoes. But I am serious, they were one of my favorite things.

Thank you for inviting Carina. She is funny and loves bread. Loves it so much she likes to wear it. Oh yeah! The BREAD! Thanks for the bread. It was as soft as a baby's bottom.

Thank you for having such beautiful bathrooms. They are really clean too and that means a lot. Also, thank you for having totally reasonably priced food. It's nice to know I can get a total food experience without the price tag.

Once again, thank you for a lovely afternoon. I can't wait to bring Ethan over there. He is going to freak. Like freak all over the place.

With love and admiration,

Whitney

POST EDIT: I forgot to mention Cafe. Cafe was the highlight. Not only is she a good person to sit next to at a nice restaurant, but she is funny, cool, smart and sexy.

Info on where I picked my blackberries

For those who have asked, here is the info on where I picked my succulent, juicy blackberries. Click HERE and then scroll about a quarter of the way down and look for Phelps Berry Farm. Call to make an appointment.

Blackberries are $2/lb and raspberries are $2.25/lb. But I would go for the blackberries. They are much easier to pick.

Julie and Julia. As lovely as I had expected.

Last night, Cafe and I went out on a date. We both had been ansty for "Julie and Julia" and it seemed appropriate that two food bloggers go together.


The movie was every bit as delightful as I had hoped. Meryl Streep captured Julia Child in such a brilliant, accurate way. Watching her be Julia made me giggle like a little girl. Amy Adams was perfect and I could so easily relate to Julie Powell's ups and downs in the kitchen. Even the part where her stuffed chicken falls on the floor and she ends up laying on the kitchen floor crying.

The real message of the movie was that food saved both Julia Child and Julie Powell. When all was awry, food was the one constant. Oh how I can relate! It almost made me emotional to think of how food has saved me. When I can't be satisfied with how my children behaved, I can be satisfied in the pesto I made for dinner. When my husband and I were apart for over a month last fall, it was the comforting soups that I made that lifted my spirits. And even when the recession has hit my pocket book the hardest, making a chocolate cake hasn't. Nothing nourishes my soul more. On so many levels, food has saved me as well.

Glade's Drive-Inn in Spanish Fork, Utah

Glade's has the best milk shakes around. I prefer Oreo, extra thick. Ethan likes their ice cream cones and he is quite particular about his soft serve cones. My little Jack likes ice cream cones, but turned upside down in a cup and eaten with a spoon. He doesn't like getting messy. Van likes to sit in the back of the car and do his usual song and dance called "What about me???!!!".


Being completely honest, their food is nothing to blog about. If you are looking for a good burger and fries, Diamond Grill in Salem is your best bet. I go to Glade's for the shakes because summer time calls for shakes.

Kitchen Goods

Here are a few of my favorite kitchen goods. If you are in the market for some new kitchen do-dads, try some of this stuff. I cook a lot and these things have stood through the test of trial, taste and time.

Messermeister Serrated-edge Swivel Peeler

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Organic Dutch Process Cocoa
Escali Digital Kitchen Scale

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer

Microplane Coarse Grater

Taylor Digital Read Instant Thermometer

Ikea ARV Plates

Pampered Chef Roasting Pan with Rack

Spark Restaurant Lounge in Provo, UT

HEADS UP: You will want to scroll down through this post. Big time gift card voucher from Spark Restaurant Lounge. Print and use!

A few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from the owner of Spark Restaurant Lounge, Blake Ballard. Basically it said, "Let me feed you and some other cool Utah Valley bloggers and I'll show you how great my restaurant is and then please tell everyone you know about it." I had been to Spark before, but this time it was to be wined and dined and I am not going to turn that down.

I was asked to invite a guest, so with me I toted Ashley of Bird on the Lawn and Ashley Thalman Photography. At the restaurant, we were seated with Carina from Jet Set, the ever-funny Lisa Clark from the Thrillionaires and the Rookie Cookie-proclaimed Utah Valley ice cream whisperer, Lindsay Johnson of Cafe Johnsonia and her honey, Fred. I am so glad I was seated at the cool table. Great company to accompany great food.

The first course was a shrimp roll platter. They were divine. Probably my favorite thing of the whole night. Shrimp, jicama, cilantro, rice, tomato jalapeno salsa and guajillo paste. Such a great starter. It gave me a good idea of how the rest of the evening would go. Next came the meat and cheese platter. I thrilled Ashley and Carina with my disdain for cheese. More for them! Although I didn't partake, I can really appreciate that the chef chose mostly local cheeses. Next up was the BLT salad. What makes a BLT great? The tomato of course. And the tomato did not disappoint. In fact, one thing I noticed through out the night was that the produce was perfect and fresh.

Pan-roasted filet mignon with potato gallete, roquefort,

red wine demi-glaze and sauteed spinach
photo by Ashley Thalman Photography

After the BLT salad came the pan-roasted filet mignon with potato gallete and sauteed spinach. And bravo to Chef Romero for cooking all of the steaks to a perfect medium rare. Medium rare is the way a steak should be. One qualm with the dish, not enough of the demi-glaze!!! I need a little jug of that.

Basil crusted wild Alaskan halibut, Parmesan gnocchi,

heirloom toatomes, sweet peas with tomato consumme
photo by Ashley Thalman Photography

After the beef came the seafood. Wild Alaskan halibut with an awesome basil crust. I don't think I remember anything else about the dish besides the fish and the Parmesan gnocchi. It was exceptional. Everyone at the table kept talking about it. The gnocchi were delicious as is, but then they were sauted and had a crisp crust. Oy vey. I was thinking those gnocchi would be great in place of popcorn at the movies. I would happily pop those in my mouth one after another.

By the time I was done with the fish, I was spent. Thanks heavens for the intermezzo. But it wasn't long enough. Next came the passion fruit sorbet as a palate cleaner. The sorbet was the perfect amount of sweet and tart. I bent over to Lindsay and said, "You have got to figure this out!"

Vanilla panna cotta with kiwi pearls
photo by Ashley Thalman Photography

The evening was rounded out with two superb, well-thought out desserts. Banana strudel with house-made mango ice cream, strawberry coulis with a mango coconut foam. Tropical dessert paradise. And to leave us with a good taste in our mouths as we left, we ended with vanilla panna cotta with kiwi tapioca on top. Such a nice way to end the meal.

Kiwi martini

photo by Ashley Thalman Photography

Besides all of the delicious food, we had unlimited drinks from their non-alcoholic mocktail bar. And let me say, if they were alcoholic drinks we all would have been so sloshed. Out of all of the drinks I had, my favorite was the kiwi martini.

Chef Lauro Romero

photo by Ashley Thalman Photography

What is my analysis of the whole event? It went flawlessly. Each dish was consistently good. The ingredients used were the best available. In my opinion, I think Spark is way ahead of the game, maybe too ahead. I am not sure that Provo, Utah is quite there in terms of appreciating the chef's ideas and use of perfect ingredients. There are too many area restaurants that don't take pride in what they are putting on their plates. Spark does. I hope that the area catches up in terms of their expectations of their dining experience. I would love to see what Chef Romero has planned for the future.

On my drive home, I kept moaning about how full I was. But then I got home and crawled into bed and had dreams of shrimp rolls and panna cotta. And it was a delicious dream. Thank you Spark for having all of us bloggers there. It was such a treat and I will be back again soon.


If you haven't been to Spark, now is your chance. Below is a voucher of sorts. Dine at Spark Restaurant Lounge between the 8 and 11 of June. Bring the voucher and you will get a $25 gift card to use after June 12th. Spark expects June 8-11 the be hoppin', so be sure to call for a reservation (801-701-6780). As a note, I would advise you that this isn't a family restaurant. You will find a more mature crowd and no children. So make your visit a date with you and your honey.

Click on the voucher and then click print.

Terra Mia in Orem, UT

My sister Caitlyn cuts and colors my hair and does a great job. I love my hair. It is my best feature. What is your best feature? Anyways, after getting my hair done, I wanted to drag out my childless evening so I took Caitlyn out to dinner.

Terra Mia is in Orem across from the University Mall's new Cinemark movie theater. Perfect for the dinner-and-a-movie-date-night we are all so used to. The atmosphere is very uncomplicated and open. The menu is traditional Napoli style and very straightforward. Nothing too pretentious or pricey. We ordered two pizzas and a Caprese salad and spent $25. Lots of bada-bing for your buck.

Caprese isnt complicated or fancy and it is one of my favorite salads. And I even had a little fresh mozzarella! Proud? Look at me, how adorable, trying my darnedest to like cheese. For my pizza, I ordered the Terra Mia. Traditional Margherita pizza with chicken, pine nuts, spicy salami and provolone. Absolutely divine. Crispy, chewy thin crust and fresh ingredients make Whitney very happy.


They also have excellent gelato. Caitlyn got some mango gelato and coconut gelato. Super smooth and there is no way there can be artificial flavors in that stuff.

If you are looking for a fresh, delicious dinner out, go to Terra Mia. And while you are there, go across the street and see "Up" and then tell me how it is. I love any and every Pixar movie and sometimes lose sleep over my excitement for "Cars 2".

"Falling Cloudberries" by Tessa Kiros

"Falling Cloudberries" is absolutely charming. It is a cookbook, family history and personal essay collection all in one. I loved reading about the author's background. Tessa Kiros' family is from Finland and Cyprus, so there are recipes from both of those areas. And then with the author's travels, we get recipes from South Africa, Greece and Italy. The recipes in this book provide a wide array of tastes and flavors.

Along with the eclectic variety of recipes, the author includes sweet stories and memories of her parents and grandparents. And those stories come to life as she has included old black and white photos of her family through out the book.

"Falling Cloudberries" by Tessa Kiros

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Some of the recipes that I earmarked were the pork schnitzels from Finland, the baked lamb and potatoes with cumin and tomatoes from Cyprus, sweet potatoes with sugar, cinnamon and orange juice from South Africa and especially the lemon vanilla jam from South Africa.

Everyone loves a good book that transports them to the world it describes. But a cookbook that does that is a rare treat.

Gloria's Little Italy in Provo, UT

If you are ever in Anaheim Hills, CA, go to Foscari's. Some of the best Italian food around. Also, another good one is Tony's in San Dimas. Both of those restaurants have some seriously good Italian eats going on. I am making a trip to Southern California in June and I plan on hitting both of those places up. And hey Southern California friends and family, you hear that. I AM COMING IN JUNE. Prepare yourselves. Beach, In-N-Out, Long Beach Aquarium, beach, cousins and sisters in-law. We can't wait. I get butterflies in my stomach just typing about it.

In Provo, there is some darn good Italian eats too. Gloria's Little Italy on Center Street and University Avenue. We have been there a few times in the last couple months and we absolutely love it.

A few weeks ago, my mother, sister and my children and I went to Gloria's for lunch. I have a one track mind when I go to Gloria's. Gnocchi with the pink sauce. Gnocchi with the pink sauce. Always the same and always a happy tummy. Even Jack gets that every time.

Top left is little sister, who happens to look somewhat like myself.

One night when we were there, I couldn't handle how good that gnocchi was. I asked the server to bring Gloria on out. So Gloria came out and I told her she has it going on. The sweet Italian woman hand-makes that gnocchi every 15 minutes. Every 15 minutes people. And it's only her that does it. So what would happen if she was sick? No gnocchi that day? Oh the tragedy!

So if you want some comfort, go to Gloria's Little Italy and order a steaming plate of gnocchi with the pink sauce. You won't know what to do with yourself.

One thing I don't like about Gloria's or any Italian restaurant. Operatic singing servers. It's awkward enough, but if they are bad, then it is almost more than I can bear. Your thoughts?

American Heritage Chocolate

People like to send me things so that I will talk about them. It's a great trade off. The latest thing people like to send me is American Heritage Chocolate by Mars, Inc.

What is American Heritage Chocolate?

"... a unique recipe that combines all-natural ingredients
and handcrafted processes consistent with those in the Colonial Era.
It's distinct flavor and authentic form brings you
a centuries-old genuine colonial chocolate experience...today!"

So what could be so special about old-tyme chocolate compared to today's varieties? Well, the Mars people wanted me to truly find out because they sent some Dove chocolate along with the American Heritage Chocolate. A bit of competition, eh? It's on.

We all know Dove is good. It isn't the best, but decent for coming from the grocery store. What is American Heritage like? Very different.

American Heritage has the most unique aftertaste. The pamphlet says that the recipe includes, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper, orange, vanilla and salt. You really can taste it. Lingering chocolate taste, laced with a little heat. Love that.


Dove is a little square that you unwrap and pop right into your mouth. American Heritage is a stick. I like it because I could pass around a stick for everyone to take a bite off of. Jack loved it and I almost hated myself for sharing this delicious chocolate with an unappreciative palate. Ethan didn't care for it very much, because he doesn't like dark chocolate- which I see as a sign of infancy, but that is a whole other post for another day.

I think my most favorite thing about American Heritage Chocolate is that is it sold in very distinct places, like Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Vernon. I don't know if it will ever be more widely available, but I like the idea that they are keeping true to the chocolate's colonial roots. That actually says a lot about a huge chocolate company. They are trying to preserve the integrity of the product. Love that.

If you are interested in purchasing some of this truly unique chocolate, click here. Luckily Colonial Williamsburg has a website. I am thinking the chocolate drink would be the ultimate.

Pizzeria 712 in Orem, UT

In Southern California, you have access to amazing food everywhere. The availability of fresh ingredients makes for better food. When we were getting ready to move to Utah, Ethan and I were bummed about the restaurants we were leaving behind. There are so many restaurants we love and they aren't in Utah. So I knew I had to find me some good food, made by people that love their job. Unfortunately, that isn't found in a big chain restaurant. But doing a little research as proved fruitful and we have found some great food. Here are some restaurants that are worth going back to again.

Spark in Provo, UT
Gloria's Little Italy in Provo, UT (get the gnocchi with pink sauce)
Diamond Grill in Salem, UT
Los Three Amigos in Payson, UT
Pizzeria 712 in Orem, UT


The latest was Pizzeria 712. Loved it, mostly because it's a seasonal restaurant. Any restaurant that changes with the seasons is a good thing. That means you are getting food at it's peak of perfect. If they are cooking seasonally, it is obvious these people know what they are doing.

Ethan and I went there on Friday at about 9:30 pm. No wait, which was nice. We started with the boneless braised short rib on polenta with horseradish cream. Amazing. The meat tasted as it should. Not like some marinade or rub, it tasted like meat. It's a shame they only gave us one. But then again, the pizza is big.

Speaking of pizza, I ordered the pizza with butternut squash, caramelized onion, bleu cheese, slab bacon and rosemary. And got it sans cheese, because I am a loser. The crust is perfect. It is so thin you can see through it. Ethan got the pizza with tomato sauce, fresh basil, hand-pulled mozzarella and he added bacon. I am pretty sure he liked it. I never let him get a word in because I wouldn't shut up about my pizza.

Next was dessert. Buttermilk panna cotta with mandarin oranges. Smooth, sweet and just the right amount of tart. The oranges were really complimentary. Although, I could swear they spiked those. I don't drink so that's kind of a problem. After eating the panna cotta, I started talking a lot and even went up to the chef and flirted a little. But the man needed to know he is running a tasty tight ship. I am one of those weird people that likes to talk to the chef of a restaurant.

When I was talking to him, I asked him how often he changes his menu and he said that when he starts seeing new produce coming out, he starts experimenting. That genius. He knows his craft well. He also makes all the desserts. None of that ordered Sysco stuff. Ethan requested that he starts making creme brulee. Ethan loves creme brulee like he loves my long hair.

So where is your next date night in Utah Valley? Pizzeria 712. Prepare yourself. Some of the best food I have had in Utah since I got here.

Hey, any suggestions for more good eats around the Frozen North?
And please do not tell me Bajio. I no likey.

The Diamond Grill in Salem, UT

Green chile burger with fries and fry sauce

Salem, Utah, population 5,000. We don't live in tiny Salem, but it's right by us. This is our MOST favorite place for lunch that we have found since moving to the Frozen North.

The DG, as we call it, it a classic greasy spoon. They feed hungry construction workers and old ladies with snowmen embroidered on their sweater vests. To prove to everyone that they are as hometown as they appear, they have a bulletin board with pictures of the locals with the latest beast they have hunted and killed. There are dead moose, pheasants, deer and elk, all posed with their captor, smiling and proud.

I mostly stick with my old stand-by when I go there. Burger, fries and drink. But Ethan has ventured past that and has enjoyed the scones and chili- both very good.

The best bite of a burger, right in the middle.

My current favorite is the green chile burger. What makes a burger worth your time and stomach space is a good bun. If the bun is no good, it's not worth the calories. At the Diamond Grill, they know this and they use the best hamburger buns.

The fries are totally worth mentioning. I don't know what they do to make them so magical, but they are. They also give you some fry sauce to go with them. Fry sauce is a Utah thing. You can't get fry sauce in California. All it is is mayo and ketchup. But it is a Utah thing. I have been known to visit Utah and go to the grocery and buy bottled fry sauce so I could take it home to California.

If you find yourself in need of a real good burger, head on out to Salem. The Diamond Grill is right next to the shiny new Salem Hills High School. And while you are out there, take a gander at the city's brand new traffic light. It's their first.