Forage chef a James Beard semifinalist
Bowman Brown, chef and co-owner of Salt Lake City's Forage restaurant, is once again a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation Awards, the culinary industry's most prestigious recognition program. Brown is one of 20 semifinalists nominated in the Best Chef: Southwest category, which includes Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. It's the fourth time he has made the prestigious list. He also was a semifinalist in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with restaurant co-founder Viet Pham, who no longer works in the Forage kitchen. On Tuesday, March 24, the foundation will announce the final nominees in 21 award categories, including best chef in 10 U.S. regions, top wine and spirits professionals, best new restaurants and rising star chefs. New in 2015, the foundation will give an award for outstanding baker. For a list of all the semifinalists, visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
New bubbly brews from Wasatch, Red Rock
Wasatch and Red Rock breweries have introduced beers with bubbles recently. Here are a few of the details:
Polygamy Nitro Porter • It took more than a year of testing, but Wasatch Brewery has successfully injected nitrogen into a beer and bottled it, preserving the bubbles. It's only one of a handful of breweries across the country to do it successfully, said founder Greg Schirf. The brewery did it with a high-alcohol version of its popular Polygamy Porter. The result is a beer with a cocoa aroma — from the use of chocolate malt — and a silky smooth texture and mouthfeel from the nitrogen bubbles. Unlike the original Polygamy Porter, which is 4 percent ABV and available in grocery stores, this high-alcohol version — 6 percent ABV — will be available at Utah state liquor stores for $1.89 per bottle.
Red Rock Reve • A Belgian-style tripel that is aged in French oak barrels for a year and bottle-conditioned to give it Champagne-like bubbles. This limited-release beer — only 1,600 bottles were made — is 10.3 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). A 750-ml bottle costs $15 at the Red Rock Beer Store, 443 N. 400 West, Salt Lake City. Price includes two commemorative glasses. The beer also is available at the three Red Rock Pubs in Salt Lake City, Murray and Park City.
Vegan for a day
Nine Park City restaurants will help diners "Eat Vegan for a Day" on Friday as part of the national Meatout campaign. The Park City restaurants will offer special vegan menu items and donate a percentage of sales to Sage Mountain Animal Rescue, a nonprofit advocate for farm animals that will begin construction this year. Diners who participate in the "Eat Vegan" promotion also can win prizes by posting a photo of their dish on Sage Mountain's Facebook page using the hashtag #SMARMeatoutPC. Participating restaurants are 501 on Main, Deer Valley Resort, Du Monde Gourmet at Jafflz, Este Pizzeria, Fairweather Foods, Fuego Bistro and Pizzeria, Handle, Uptown Fare and Zoom.
Free Italian ice for spring
Get a free Italian ice at any Rita's Italian Ice stores in Utah to celebrate the first day of spring.
When • Friday, noon to 9 p.m.
Where • Rita's has stores in Draper, Sandy, Provo, American Fork and Spanish Fork. For addresses, visit ritasice.com/locations/ .
Winemaking class
Park City Culinary Institute is offering an eight-hour Introduction to Wine Making course in Salt Lake City. Joe and Paula Sargetakis, partners in California's Parallel Wines and owners of Frog Bench Farms in Salt Lake City, will help teach the course. The program runs from mid-April to mid-June. Deadline to register is March 30.
When • Class begins Tuesday, April 14, and continues April 28, May 5, May 26 and June 9. All classes held from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Where • Frog Bench Farms, 2404 E. Blaine Ave., Salt Lake City.
Tuition • $1,225 per person; optional wine tasting an additional $27. Price includes all equipment as well as juice to make 30 bottles of finished wine to take home.
Information • 435-659-5075 or parkcityculinaryinstitute.com/utah-wine-making-class/
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