Un Dîner Amical, Bartolo’s
By Sue Geary, Vice Chargée de Presse, FWS, IWS, SWS
The mildest of months is May’s reputation
So a rooftop patio was our destination.
A casual dinner this time it would be
With family-style pastas and BYOB.
In shirt sleeves and sunglasses we gathered to play
Admiring the sunset and toasting the day.
For this event we waived the formality
In the spirit of fun and pure joviality.
With the charcuterie offerings our guests were delighted
Then along came a west wind that wasn’t invited.
As we settled in our places and heard the corks popping
We worried to see the barometer dropping
While wind gusts sent heaters and wine glasses crashing
For their airborne napkins the guests were all dashing.
Now in parkas and blankets and earmuffs and hats
We huddled to dine like Siberian cats.
But undaunted we stayed and enjoyed to the end
Who cares about weather when we are with friends?
In defiance we pledged that we’d do it again
And howled back at the wind “Viva la Chaîne!”
During the lock-down of the Covid pandemic, Chef Alex Bartolo of Bartolo’s Restaurant of Salt Lake City prepared a beautiful take-out meal for one of the events we held via Zoom. We vowed to return to Bartolo’s in person and set the date of Sunday, May 22 for a warm spring evening on the patio. Thank you to Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Sammie Doyle and Vice Conseiller Culinaire Sean Doyle who worked with Chef Alex to plan everything except the weather. Thanks to Vice Chargeé de Missions Cessily Johnson for advertisement and registration, and to Vice Chargédes Médias Sociaux Cole Johnson and Bailli Sheral Schowe for capturing some of the comedy of this event in photos.
The dinner began with a beautiful charcuterie offering which we enjoyed as we visited and admired the view of the Wasatch Mountains. Once seated, guests enjoyed an appetizer of salmon crudo and steak tartar followed by beet burrata salad. The family-style course of pastas included Tuscan chicken macaroni with walnuts, lamb campanelle, and pesto malfaldine. The dessert of citrus and mixed berry cannoli was accompanied by a taste of espresso martini. Guests brought their own wines, so there was plenty of sharing and paring across tables throughout the evening. As originally planned, the meal was to be prepared on the rooftop patio. The weather forced a change to that plan. We appreciate the Bartolo’s staff who provided excellent service shuttling food from the main floor of the restaurant to the roof then dodging wind-blown food, glasses, and space heaters. Thank you most of all to the members of our bailliage who attended the event and endured the disruptive wind and cold in good humor. This will surely be another of our most memorable gatherings!
Bailliage de Salt Lake City 2022 Winter Induction Gala
By Sue Geary, Vice Chargee’ de Presse, FWS, IWS, SWS
Event photos by: Cole Johnson, Vice Charge’ des Medias Sociaux, FWS
Additional photo credit: Sheral Schowe, Bailli
The Induction Gala held at Salt Lake Country Club on February 20, 2022 certainly elevated the bar for our bailliage. We chose the Country Club as our venue for the explicit purpose of enjoying Chef Melvin Harward’s culinary artistry one more time before his retirement at the end of 43 years. The evening was simply perfect from start to finish!
Our event was held in the upstairs dining area of the 100-year-old clubhouse, the entry of which was transformed by a massive ice sculpture incorporating the Chaîne logo and a display of our three dessert wines: W & J Graham’s 30 year Tawny Port, 2020 Marenco Brachetto d’Acqui Pineto, and 2020 Vietti Moscato d’Asti. The foot of the sculpture was adorned with the Chef’s Gift of loaves of beautifully-wrapped artisan bread. Members and guests returned to this area at the end of the evening for a dessert social featuring three confection-and-wine pairings.
Bailli Provincial Philip I. Kress traveled from his home in Irvine, California to serve as Inducting Officier. Vice Chancelier Argentier Richard Pater introduced and welcomed each of our nine inductees. Three members were promoted to officier and we honored both a Silver Commandeur and a Gold Commandeur. We feel fortunate that our bailliage has continued to grow amid the challenges of the past two years, and we look forward to getting better acquainted with our new members.
Following the Induction Ceremony, diners were seated to enjoy a tasting plate of Osetra caviar toast, Maryland crab and dill phyllo, wild mushroom brisee, and carpaccio of beef tenderloin paired with NV Beau Joie Special Cuvee Brut Champagne. This exquisite zero dosage Champagne wears a copper suit of armor which added beautifully to our table décor.
Vice Echanson Kasey Dubler chose 2020 Menard-Gaborit Premier Cru Escale Muscadet to accompany the yellow fin tuna a foie gras baguette appetizer. The seafood course, an espresso sea scallop plank with butternut risotto, was matched with 2017 Domain Romain Collet “Les Pargues” Chablis. The seafood course was followed by a salad of Mountain Rose apple brulee and cambozola croutons and walnuts in a raspberry and port vinaigrette along side 2019 Domaine Jean Fery & Fils. The 2012 Marc Sorrel Hermitage was the perfect match for our entrée of roast rack of lamb poivre with chive potatoes, morel mushrooms, and fig caponata.
During the dinner, Bailli Sheral Schowe and Officier Rex Falkenrath honored Chef Mel Harward with a Lifetime Achievement Award to add to the many honors he has received over the course of his career. The award recognized his long tenure as a member of our bailliage, his mentorship of other chefs who have become celebrated both within and beyond Utah, and his professionalism and creativity which exemplify the values of le Chaîne.
We are grateful to Officier Rex Falkenrath and Dame de la Chaîne Amy Paul for arranging for our induction to be held at Salt Lake Country Club. This was indeed an evening to remember.
Welcome to Our Inductees
Chevaliers Monty Botosan and Mark Wenzel
Dames de la Chaîne Anna Bennett, Christine Botosan, and Rebecca Love
Professionals du Vin Cheryl Mansen and Pamela Wood
Maître Restaurateur Sean Doyle
Maître Rôtisseur Harold Robert Jacobs
Promotions
Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Sammie Doyle
Vice Conseiller Culinaire Sean Doyle
Vice Echanson Kasey Dubler
Commandeur
Chevalier Jon Last, Silver Commandeur
Officier Rex Falkenrath, Gold Commandeur
Une grande soiree, the Aerie – A French Wine Dinner
We could not have picked a more beautiful autumn day than that of October 9, 2021. Our dinner event at Snowbird Resort required a 20-minute drive through Little Cottonwood Canyon at the peak of its coat of fall colors. The vivid pallet of orange, red, and yellow against the dark green evergreens and the granite mountainside was simply breathtaking. The view was even more spectacular from the Aerie Restaurant, located on the top floor of the Cliff Lodge, with its panorama view of the ski area and the surrounding canyon.
Chef Ken Ohlinger--who took the reins at the Aerie in 2011 following a tenure at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Winter Park, Colorado—prepared a most exquisite dinner for this fall gathering. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Ohlinger apprenticed at a Michelin three-star restaurant in Germany and was later named one of Bertolli’s Top 10 Sous Chefs in the United States. His culinary artistry relies on local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Sammie Doyle worked with Chef Ohlinger in assembling the perfect menu.
Bailli Sheral Schowe procured the MV Michel Genet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Nature Champagne to accompany the Hors D’oeuvres of Quinoa Fritters with mushroom and white truffle herb aioli, Oyster Shooters with jalapeno cocktail sauce, and Beef Tartar with anchovy dressing and parmesan. Echanson Kasey Dubler dug deep into our bailliage cellar to select the perfect French wines for the four-course meal.
The first course of Peppercorn-encrusted carpaccio of bison with pickled peppers, parmesan crisp, and anchovy oil was perfectly paired with the NV Olivier Morin, Cuvee Tentation, Cremant de Bourgogne. Kasey chose a 2009 Louis Jadot Boucherottes Domaine des Heritiers Premier Cru, Côte de Beaune, Bourgogne for the second course of House-made Gnocchi with roasted mushrooms and boursin cream. The third course offering was a choice of local Grilled Double R Ranch beef tenderloin with mushroom butter and fingerling potatoes in roasted red onion sauce or Ratatouille roasted vegetables and timbale with lentil puree and toasted farro. Both paired superbly with the 2008 Château Montrose, St. Estephe, Medoc, Bordeaux. The perfect finale 1998 Domaine Gardies Ambre, Rivesaltes, Languedoc-Roussillon accompanied the last course of assorted domestic cheeses, spiced pecans, fruit compote, and crostini.
The highlight of the evening was the celebration of the birthday of Dame de la Chaîne Anne Cullimore Decker. Bailli Honoraire Ashby Decker, who served a 26-year term as our Bailli, gave the birthday toast to his wife. Vice Echanson des Etats-Unis David Merrill and his wife, Colleen, generously provided a Jeroboam of 1990 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame Champagne for this special occasion. As we discovered, both Grande Dames are still in their prime!
Thank you to Chef Ohlinger and his staff. Thank you also to Vice Charge des Medias Sociaux Cole Johnson, who was released from the hospital just in time to take photos of our attendees for the evening. Finally, thank you to Vice Chargee de Missions Cessily Johnson and Vice Chancelier Argentier Richard Pater for taking such excellent care of the guests they brought to this event.
Une fête Italienne: Italian Wine Dinner
Photos by: Cole Johnson, Vice Charge’ des Medias Sociaux
On the evening of July 11, we held our first live event after a year-long detour into virtual gatherings. This marked the first anniversary for the current Board of Directors. Even under the capable direction of Bailli Sheral Schowe, we confess to experiencing a few jitters as we prepared for this dinner. Seeing the delight of our members and guests as they arrived for this reunion event put us all at ease for an enjoyable evening.
We could not have picked a more perfect place for our re-entry than Fratelli Ristorante.Fratelli translates to “brothers” and Chef Pete Cannella and Manager Dave Cannel grew up working in their family restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City serving dishes born of their grandmother’s cooking secrets. Now in its 15th year and having recently moved to its newly-built restaurant, Fratelli remains one of few locally-owned restaurants in the Sandy area. Chef Pete and his capable staff made this a night to remember.
Guests were greeted upon arrival with a sparkling glass of Barone Pizzini Rose’ Extra Brut Franciacorta DOCG Edizione 2014 to enjoy with trays of antipasti and lively conversation. We moved from the reception area to be seated for a delicious Citrus Seafood Salad paired with I Pentri Flora Falanghina Beneventano IGT 2018. Our knowledgeable Vice Echanson Kasey Dubler had prepared wine notes to accompany the menu of carefully-selected Italian wines. He was also on hand to introduce the wines and answer questions throughout the evening.
The second course of House-made Butternut Squash Ravioli was perfectly matched with the Gianni Gagliardo Fallegro Favorita Langhe DOC 2019. The third course of Braciole, a stuffed braised flank steak, was the ideal centerpiece to the two red wines of the same vintage served side-by-side: Lungarotti Rubesco Vigna Monticchio Torgiano Riserva DOCG 2008 and Tenuta di Arceno Il Fauno Di Arcanum Toscana IGT 2008. Diners at each table enjoyed discussing the differences in these two wines and declaring their preferred pairing. The Pistachio Almond Gelato Sandwich alongside Marenco Scrapona Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2019 was a sweet finale to a beautiful evening.
Many of our guests lingered for conversation well after the end of the event as the smiling Fratelli staff looked wistfully toward the door. This long-awaited live event affirmed how much we had missed the camaraderie of our bailliage and how good it was to be together again.
Celebrating World Chaîne Day 2021 with Mazza Restaurant
By Sue Geary, Vice Charge’ de Presse, FWS, IWS, SWS
Members of the Salt Lake Bailliage could not have enjoyed a more fitting celebration of World Chaîne Day than to sample the cuisine and wines of Lebanon with an elegant dinner prepared by Mazza Restaurant. This is a dinner that was planned for another time and another place. Bailli Sheral Schowe had met with Mazza owner Ali Sabbah over a year ago to plan the dinner that was to be held last spring. Ali placed a special order of wines for this event, and the Chateau Musar in our cellar had been waiting for this meal. Members of the board were excited to gather for an event in the beautiful dining room of the newly-opened Mazza of Sandy, the restaurant that had replaced the Mazza at 9th and 9th. And then, the growing Covid-19 pandemic brought our plans to a jarring halt. More sadly, Mazza of Sandy became a casualty of the pandemic.
Resilience can be a brutal requirement for restaurateurs. During the year of the Covid shut-down, Ali and his staff shifted to providing only take-out meals from the original Mazza Restaurant which opened 20 years ago in the unique 15th and 15th neighborhood. (Some of our Bailliage members are of an age to remember Smokey’s Records which occupied that space.) Our event planning with Ali resumed in February for our April 24 dinner, and to say that the dinner was worth the wait would be a gross understatement.
Several board members were on hand that afternoon to distribute the carefully-packaged meals in front of the restaurant. Bailli Sheral Schowe dispensed color-coded bags of wines from the back of her car. And thus began her new fantasy of driving around in a bright pink truck delivering wine.
Speaking of wine, participants for this event were given the choice of two wine selections with three wines in each. Echanson Kasey Dubler gave a most-informative and interesting presentation on the wines of Lebanon including the long history of viticulture in that part of the world, some of the premier winemakers, and the influence of Bordeaux on the Lebanese red blends. Kasey also described some of the grapes that are indigenous to the area, including Obaideh and Merwah that comprised the blend of the Chateau Musar Blanc 2010 in our offerings.
Ali joined us for this our last event via Zoom to describe the exquisite menu items. The meal began with an appetizer of prawns in spicy garlic and herb sauce. The multiple layers of flavor paired beautifully with both the Chateau Musar Blanc and the Barkan Classic Chardonnay 2018. Ali introduced the Lebanese crunchy garden salad and explained the tradition of eating the salad throughout the meal for a contrasting texture and a means of cleansing the palate between courses. The next course of most delicious lamb meatballs in tomato pomegranate sauce was accompanied by a Chateau Ksara Sunset 2017 Rose’ that carried us to the jeweled rice with fava beans, nuts, and dried fruit. The final course was a duck schawarma with tahini sauce and pita that deserved the Chateau Musar Rouge 2006 and the Chateau Ksara Reserve Du Couvent 2016.
This was the best-attended in our year of remote events, and we are still hearing rave reviews of this beautiful meal. We are grateful to Ali Sabbah for making this such an exceptional event under such challenging conditions. We all look forward to dining at Mazza in person.
Bartolo Pasta Dinner and Italian Wine Pairings
On Saturday, March 20, 2021, we enjoyed a spectacular dinner from the newly-opened Bartolo Restaurant. Bartolo’s of Salt Lake, which borders the Sugarhouse and 9th and 9th Neighborhoods, is the second restaurant for owners Alex and Rhia Bartolo following their first opening in Park City. Each location was designed to be “an artisanal neighborhood spot with an Italian inspired kitchen specializing in pastas and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” The Salt Lake City restaurant includes a rooftop dining area with panoramic views of the city and surrounding Wasatch Mountains.
During the week before our scheduled dinner event, we were able to view a delightful and informative YouTube demonstration of Chef Alex making pasta by hand. Alex’s careful instruction could easily be followed by the cooks in our group who want to make authentic pasta at home. And for those of us who are not as ambitious, we learned that Bartolo’s sells its freshly-made pasta in addition to its menu items.
Alex Bartolo joined us for the four-course event to describe the three pasta choices, each from a different region of Italy. The wines were selected and presented by Charge’ de Presse Sue Geary, who is also an Italian wine instructor. In response to requests we had received from some of our members, Sue recommended wines at two price points for each of the entrée options.
Bailli Sheral Schowe welcomed our members and guests as we enjoyed the appetizer of house-made focaccia and ricotta cheese with red wine-poached pears, toasted pine nuts and rosemary. Our first wine-- Terredora Di Paolo Corte di Giso Irpinia Falanghina 2018 from the Campania Region--paired nicely both with the appetizer and with the beautiful and delicious Beet Tomato Burrata Salad.
Chef Alex chose Agnolotti alla Piemontese as representative of the Monferrat District of Piemonte. The delectable sauce of beef, brown butter, and Parmigiano-Reggiano was paired with a choice of two Barbera wines from Asti appellations: Vietti Barbera D’Asti Tre Vigne 2018 and Michele Chiarlo La Court Nizza Riserva 2016.
The second of our pasta entrée options was Firenze’s signature dish, Pappardelle al Cinghialle. This delicious wild boar ragu with tomatoes and pecorino welcomed the Sangiovese wines selected: Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico 2016 and Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2015.
The vegetarian pasta presented was Macaroni alla Norma, which originated in Italy’s southern and more agricultural regions of Sicilia and Catania. Chef Alex prepared a most exquisite version of this dish of fried eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and ricotta salata. The wine offerings were Morgante Nero D’Avola Sicilia 2018 and Alta Mora Etna Rosso 2017.
The dinner’s grand finale was Chef Alex’s own approach to Tiramisu. His lighter use of lady fingers allows the Brandy mascarpone, coffee cream, and chocolate to blend most delicately. The meal could not have ended more perfectly. Our only challenge now will be in deciding which menu items to sample on our next visit to this welcoming neighborhood restaurant.
Losing a Legend: A Tribute to Tony Caputo
By Sue Geary, Vice Charge’ de Presse
Confrerie de La Chaîne des Rotisseurs of Salt Lake City
Earlier this week, we read about the death of Steven Spurrier, author, wine merchant, founder of L’Academie du Vin, organizer of The Judgement of Paris, and overall champion of French wines. Members of the Confrerie de La Chaîne des Rotisseurs of Salt Lake City who are students of wine, wine educators, culinary artists, or who simply enjoy fine wines knew Spurrier by his reputation and were stunned by the loss of such a giant.
And then . . . we learned of the sudden death of Tony Caputo. Tony was someone we knew not just by reputation for his prominent role in bringing fine artisan foods to our community. We knew Tony for his insistence on quality and authenticity in the foods he imported and the cheeses he made. We knew Tony for the warm smile with which he greeted every one of his customers as well as the many strangers who recognized him and said “hello” whenever he was around town. We knew Tony for his wit and playfulness, most recently as one of the “Old Coots Giving Advice” at the downtown market. We knew Tony for his generosity in giving a leg up to other small business owners. We knew Tony and Mary who, especially since their retirements, seemed never to be apart.
Tony’s knowledge of Mediterranean foods (gained from his work at Granatos Deli and Kitchen), his pride in his Italian heritage, and a genuine love of people converged in his decision to open his own Italian market in 1997. Against the advice of some, Tony settled on a location in a neglected area of Salt Lake City’s downtown across the street from a notorious park. The success of Caputo’s Market and Deli transformed the area with a devoted customer base, attracted more specialty food stores, provided an incubator for other small businesses, and launched a weekly Farmer’s Market at that park. Tony was also a leader among Salt Lake City’s local businesses in promoting responsible environmental practices and taking action on issues of importance to our community’s under-represented populations. His son, Matt and daughter-in-law, Yelena, continue all of those traditions at Caputo’s now four locations.
As our Bailli and owner of Wasatch Academy of Wine, Sheral Schowe, recalls, “I used to teach wine classes at his original market in town and he was always so welcoming and warm when I would see him at fundraisers, at his market and at the Saturday Farmer’s Market… [Caputo’s] has supported our Chaîne events as well as my Italian Wine Scholar classes for years.” In just the past seven months, our Bailliage has enjoyed two events with Caputo’s beautiful artisanal meats, cheeses, olive oils, and chocolates delivered to our doors. Although we will continue to rely on Caputo’s quality products and expert staff for many events to come, Tony Caputo was one-of-a-kind whom we will dearly miss.
L’Amore – Chaîne et Mondiale Induction
The Salt Lake City Bailliage held it first event of 2021 with cocktails and inductions on the eve, not of the new year, but of Valentine’s Day. Under the leadership of Bailli Provincial Phil Kress and with the help of Bailli Sheral Schowe and Vice Chancelier Argentier Richard Pater, we welcomed four new Chaîne and Mondiale members:
Dame de la Chaîne Rebecca Doersam
Professional du Vin Cheryl Mansen
Chevalier Tim Peterson
Dame de la Chaîne Jessica Wacker
We were honored that Chancelier des Etats-Unis de L’Amerique Rufus Cressend was able to join us for the induction. We were pleased to have Phil Kress’ wife, Daryl, at this event. This is the second induction ceremony we have held by way of ZOOM. We wish we weren’t getting so good at it. There is reason to hope that the next one will be live once again.
The induction ceremony was followed by a Mondiale Cocktail Class expertly led by Cole Johnson, Vice Charge’ des Medias Sociaux, French Wine Scholar, and passionate mixologist. With a nod to our Valentine’s Day theme, most of the seven cocktails that Cole selected had shades of pink or red. We enjoyed Kir Royale, French 75, Sazerac, Aromatic Gin and Tonic, New York Sour, and Old Fashioned. Cole guided us through the process of mixing each cocktail while he also presented some of the history, folklore, and origin of each drink. Participants enjoyed the snacks we each made from recipes that Cole shared prior to the event. Many of our members had been asking for an event focusing on cocktails. Thank you, Cole, for making it happen!
Salt Lake City Bailliage Gives the Gift of Food
The Salt Lake City Bailliage’s current Board of Directors--installed in July--has yet to hold an in-person event. Yet, out of necessity and with a good deal of pluck, we have found new ways of bringing our members together by offering a variety of activities. For the months of November and December, in lieu of dinners we opted for events with minimal cost and for modest registration fees with the goal of generating a cash donation for a charitable cause. Vice Echanson Kasey Dubler masterfully prepared and conducted both events: a Beaujolais and Thanksgiving Wines Class and a Champagne Brunch.
We have felt an urgency to find a way of giving to our community. As we have watched the cumulative effects of a growing and sustained pandemic, we have mourned the closures of many local restaurants and the resulting loss of jobs among the culinary work force. For the broader community, this pandemic has only intensified the shocking disparity between those who have enough and those with far too little. School closures and after-school program suspensions have disrupted this critical source of weekday meals for children and youth. The economic ripple has stressed food budgets for hard-working parents who have lost employment with more families than ever experiencing food insecurity. For these reasons, the Board voted to direct the funds we raised to the Utah Food Bank, where every dollar donated generates another eight dollars.
The Utah Food Bank, founded in 1904, has been a critical source of food for many families. According to Executive Director, Ginette Bott, the pandemic of 2020 “caused hunger on a scale we’ve never seen before.” The need has increased by 160,000 Utahns, and the number of children experiencing food insecurity has grown from 1 in 7 to 1 in 5. In response, Utah Food Bank increased its mobile pantries by 113% and provided 474,000 meals for kids.
We are extremely proud of our members and friends for their generosity by which we raised $1,000. The $8,000 our donation generates will provide meals for 40,000 individuals. We look forward to holding more events for charitable giving in this new year.
Bott, G. A Look Back at 2020, January 1, 2021. utahfoodbank.org.
“Do” Try This at Home: Beginning with a Sabrage Salt Lake City Bailliage Enjoys a Remote Champagne Brunch
Our eagerness for an end to the year 2020 can not be over-stated, so we popped some corks to say good riddance and celebrated the New Year with our December member event. Vice Echanson Kasey Dubler took charge of this fun and educational remote gathering starting with a sabrage demonstration. Kasey then gave an excellent presentation on Champagne including its history, production, grapes, winemakers, and recommendation of some exceptional Champagnes. We took two side tours to highlight other sparkling wines, Prosecco Superiore DOCG of Veneto, Italy, and Raventos Cava of Catalonia, Spain.
Members who registered for this event received a list of Champagnes and other sparkling wines available through our local, state-operated wine stores and some recipes for quiche. We made our own brunches and dined together via Zoom during the presentation. All of the registration fees we collected became part of a donation to the Utah Food Bank.
It was fun to toast one another and salute our endurance as a bailliage through the challenges of this year. We greet 2021 hopeful that we will soon be able to meet again in person to enjoy fine dining, fine wines, and fine friendships!
Chaîne Salt Lake City
Address: PO Box 900727, Sandy UT 84090
bailli@chaineslc.org
© 2020 Chaîne SLC - All Rights Reserved.
