There's burgers in them there hills

Oh my readers, I have so many stories for you. I'm happy to say I have Internet access here in the land of peaches and peanuts for the next few days. So y'all better get used to hearing from me right regular again.

Now on to the recap for the so-called, "Burger Week."


St. George, UT
On the way to Las Vegas Erin, Ava and I stopped at Iceberg in St. George for lunch. I ordered the "Famous Thick Shake" in the flavor of lemon custard. The shake was nearly $5 and huge. I ordered the small and felt overwhelmed by the pint or more of ice cream staring me in the face. The ice cream itself was yummy. But I wouldn't recommend the lemon custard flavor. It was just too much cream for the sweet, artificial lemon to counteract. If you have a big appetite for a shake, Iceberg is worth the price for the size of their shake.

Las Vegas, NV
Oh yes, in Sin City we found burgers at Planet Hollywood. The food was not very good. Our waitress worked really hard to make sure our table was happy. The decor is pretty cool. It was exciting to see John Wayne's high school yearbook and Harrison Ford's jacket from "Indiana Jones." Unfortunately, the decor is not enough. I will most likely never go to another Planet Hollywood restaurant.

Our next burger joint stop was at In 'n Out Burger. As always with any chain the food is consistent. One of my favorite things about In 'n Out is there limited menu. I had the cheeseburger with french fries. The burger was pretty tasty. The fries are marked at mediocre. I suppose my only real complaint about In 'n Out is the ridiculous amount of people in line. Their food is good, but it's not that good. I just don't understand the In 'n Out cult following. Sorry, kids.

Salt Lake City, UT
In the in-between time, I went to Amber's for dinner. Eli made delicious BLTs with avocado replacing the lettuce. So I guess, it's a BAT. A cool trick I noticed was that he peppered the bacon before frying it. It worked out well. Although, I think when I try these on my own I'll have to forgo the dill rye bread. I like rye bread it just didn't work as well with the bacon as I would have liked.

Monticello, UT
Back to burgers again, my dad handled the grill for our family reunion. He made some dutch oven potatoes with bacon. As the man who gave me my love of anything potato he makes a pretty decent dutch. He also grilled burgers and it was dinner with the family. A million kids running around, everyone talking at once and more food than people.

Next up were Navajo tacos at the Pioneer Day celebration in Monticello. I love this dish. You pile up fry bread with chili beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Unfortunately, the booth I went to didn't have very good beans so the whole dish suffered. The beans were bland and undercooked as the ingredient to give the whole meal it's flavor that's a serious problem. However my craving for fry bread is temporarily fixed until next time I venture into San Juan County since it's apparently the only place to get traditional fry bread.

Athens, GA
Well, I just landed so I haven't eaten anything cool and new yet. But I was told that almost all the local restaurants have live music every night here. I'll be sure to check it out and let you know. Have a fantastic week!

Review: "The Date" as seen post-Vegas

I've been away to Sin City for a few days and now I'm ridiculously far behind. I have a lot of food stories to share about my visit, but for now I'm leaving you with a link to my review of Kelsey Landry's "The Date." I hope I'll be able to catch you up before I head to Southern Utah. Have a wonderful Utah holiday! And for you non-Utahns, have an amazing weekend!

The Searchers

My short story "The Searchers" is published online. I stole the title from that awesome John Wayne western because the Duke is just that bad ass.

I wrote this story one morning after a pretty intense dream. This is just the first chapter of the two and a half I've written. I didn't think it would publish anywhere, but AuthSpot picked it up so please read the story and let me know what you think.

For anyone who knows me, it shouldn't be too hard to see where this story is coming from. And I'll admit I'm a little worried this story may offend some of you, but please understand that this story is fictional and is not a direct reflection of anyone I know. Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy the read.

Beer and movies

At least, I imagine those are the words behind the name of local beer pub Brewvies the only movie theater in Utah where you can drink while you take in a film.

I was there for the premiere of Kelsey Landry's directorial debut "The Date." A short film about classic mishaps of miscommunication. The film was well executed and a great script. Kelsey did a fantastic job. The Salt Lake film community was incredibly supportive with the best filmmakers volunteering their time and talent to this film.

Brewviews could use a little filmmaker magic. I have a theory that every so often a table becomes the bad luck table for the night. Last night, that was me.

Erin and I sat down and waited for a few minutes. No waiter showed up. I looked at the drink menu on the table. "Oh there isn't food on this," I said.

"The menu's over there," Erin answered and pointed to a stack of menus on the bar. I walked over and grabbed a couple menus. We looked over the menus and talked about what to order. I looked around. No waiter showed up.

"Do you want to move to the bar so we can get some service?" I asked Erin. Yes, I said it loudly and on purpose. Really, I'm five inside.

*Poof* Inexperienced waiter appeared. Blond-haired Emo-kid asked what we wanted I ordered a pitcher of Uinta Cutthroat Pale Ale. It's a nice local beer that is always good. I also asked for an appetizer of sweet potato fries.

Erin decided she wanted more time to choose an entree. So I sat back and waited for our beer and fries. While I was waiting, Esther showed up and asked if we wanted to order anything. I said we had ordered and we were waiting for our server to come back before ordering more. She said it was okay that they share tables. So I went ahead and ordered the nachos and Erin ordered the Pub Club sandwich with chips and salsa.

A different person (I'm guessing bus boy) stopped by with our beer and sweet potato fries. The fries were different. This was my first and last experience with sweet potato fries and I like normal fries better. The smoother, creamier texture of sweet potato isn't conducive to my taste buds for deep-fried starches. Although the bottled aioli at Brewvies much improved the fry, I won't order them again.

Esther brought the nachos and pub club. The sandwich looked delicious. The nachos looked sad. I was nervous about the pile of jalapenos and chicken atop crusty looking cheese. I should've been. I went for a chip on the edge avoiding the jalapenos I had asked to have removed from the nachos. It was stuck. The cheese had been microwaved on top of the chips then left to get cold. Leaving a hardened mess of goo on top of the now soggy chips covered with dry flavorless chicken.

I asked Esther if I could send the nachos back and try again. Luckily, she saw the chicken and jalapenos and said there was a mix up. She took the nachos back. In a few minutes she brought out a second order of much better looking nachos. In the meantime, Harry's order for a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries came out with regular french fries. So Emo-kid waiter took the order back.

Finally, we ended up with a pub club done right, edible nachos and a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. The cost of beer, sweet potato fries and nachos was about $25. Making beer the best part of the night's food.

When I'm at Brewvies for another premiere, I'll stick with the beer and movies.

Balsamic onion steak

Let's talk about food again shall we? I know it's been awhile, but I want to share my secret for an incredible steak that is oh-so-summer easy.

For the tools, you will need:
A sharp knife
A cutting board
A skillet
A wooden spoon
A spatula

For the yummy stuff, you will need:
4 1-inch thick grilling steaks (like sirloin or round)
1 sweet onion
1 clove garlic
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 C. Balsamic vinegar
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Let the steak reach room temperature. I know, when you got your food handler's permit they said this was a no-no, but trust me your steak will be juicier and more tender.


Heat the skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Rub the salt and pepper into the room-warm steak. I just read about this method of salting if you're feeling adventurous. (I'll try it out and let you know how it goes.) Throw the steaks into the hot pan and let cook for seven-ish minutes.

While the steak is happily grilling, slice the onion. You want nice, thin even rings. So slice carefully and slowly. Now, mince the garlic clove. You should end up with about a cup of onion rings and two tablespoons of garlic.

Turn the steaks over and let cook for another seven-ish minutes. The outside should be a little bit charred and a nice brown.

When the steak is cooked through, remove to a plate and let rest for five minutes. The resting lets the steak reabsorb all it's yummy juices.

Keep the heat on your skillet. Toss in the EVOO, the onions and garlic and Kosher salt. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon until they are nice and sweaty-about five minutes. Add the 1/2 C. of balsamic vinegar and let everything simmer.

The onions should cook down until the juices run clear. The balsamic vinegar should cook down until it becomes sauce like in it's consistency. About seven more minutes.

You may notice this gives you more than five minutes for the steak to rest. I like to cover the steak with a tent of aluminum foil so it stays warm. If you must, you can cover the steak and place it in the oven on warm. Be warned: the oven will dry out the steak a little bit.

Top your yummy steak with your Balsamic caramelized onions. Enjoy!

Note: The recipe is for medium rare steak. The photo is from Colavita.

Film 101

In case you've ever wondered, just what the Utah Film Commission does with your tax dollars.

This isn't everything they do, but a brief overview of their goals.

Film News: A chat with Marshall

A profile piece on Marshall Moore, Director of the Utah Film Commission for Examiner.com

Article

Food News: Brookside is now Yellowfin

A quick update in the Salty City food world.

Brookside Broiler and Grill near Hidden Hollow in the Sugar House Commons has closed. The beef kabobs will surely be missed.

Yellowfin will open in the same location soon. The sign still says broiler and grill, but I believe it's a sushi place. When I spoke with the owners today, they said they are hoping to open next week. The restaurant is waiting on a liquor license that has been delayed for two weeks.

Yay! Utah, always making it easier on your local business.

Film Notes: Harry Potterness actually worth buying

Where were you at midnight? Sitting in a dark theater waiting for the previews to start before the magic of "Harry Potter" began. Me, too. And just to clutter up the online world of Harry Potter, I'm going to give you my two cents.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is a showcase of the best work in British filmmaking. David Yates is a God-send who has made the fifth and sixth films far better than any of the previous films by initimately understanding British culture, getting spectacular performance from his actors and envisioning a film with a specific look.

The attention to detail in this film was outstanding-the art department outdid themselves. The director of photography deserves huge accolade for his use of color and the frame. There are few big budget films with this much artistry in them. Finally, the music in the film was absolutely incredible it was never overwhelming nor underwhelming. Watching the fim, it is clear that everyone working on this film loved their job and put everything they could into it.

Now on to the actors. Oh. my. God. Tom Felton is amazing! All the kids have really started to come into their own, but I was blown away by Tom's depiction of a struggling kid who just wants to prove himself. Absolutely fantastic! All the actors playing Weasley's were again brillant and funny. Emma Watson brought a strength to Hermione the books didn't communicate to me.

So yeah, I'm pretty happy with awesomeness of Harry Potter and I'm looking forward to an early bedtime tonight.

Like I said last night, "This might be the only Harry Potter film worth buying on DVD."

Drunken Oreos II

Remember, Drunken Oreos? The cookie and ice cream dessert of amazing deliciousness. Well, here's what it looks like.


I like to make one big plate for Erin, Ava and I to enjoy family style. Props to Erin for the beautiful photos.


We also enjoyed a great bottle of chianti with dessert.


Drunken Oreos were long enough ago, I don't remember specifically what I liked about this chianti, but I remember liking it.

Of course, the best are the originals at Meditrina.

Low-budget films earn incentives

In Monday's film news, Utah is now offering incentives to films with a budget under one million dollars. For more info, go to my article. Warning: It's newsy, but great information if you ever want to dabble in filmmaking.

Bulky chicken

This whole not having money thing means I've been eating at home a lot more, which in turn means I'm learning more about the value of knowing how to make something yummy with the food stuff that's been in the cupboard for a smidge bit too long.

For example, adding chicken stock to the water for instant rice. It adds much more flavor and since I usually have some stock in the pantry it doesn't cost anything more. (Thanks, Andrew!)

Or learning the combination of paprika, cayenne and pepper flakes will make salsa just as spicy as the jalapeno pepper I didn't buy. Oh and if I add some cumin I pretty much can make anything taste like Mexican.

And of course, the best trick for getting by when you can't go out is butter. Seriously, just add a little extra butter and the extra richness will make you think you're eating out.

I almost forgot to mention the salt. Ava's cousin said, "If something tastes a little off I just add a little salt and it's better." It's true, kids. Seriously, a pinch of Kosher will you get you far.

Then there's the tested truth of buying in bulk to save money. Sure this means I've eaten chicken for nearly every dinner since last Sunday. Just switch up the spices from the cupboard. One night it's Mexican (paprika, cayenne, cumin) the next it's Italian (oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil) and another it's American (garlic, onion and barbecue sauce) . Thus the monotony of eating chicken is staved off for a few days.

That is until the Cheez-Its I'm eating run out and I'm back to more chicken with lots of butter and a little bit of salt. Maybe, I'll try Japanese chicken tonight. After all I have some soy sauce in my fridge full of condiments.

Change is a comin'

I feel a need to change a few things on the blog these days. Don't worry! I'll still be posting the usual reviews, stories and recipes, things will just look a little different. As always thank you for reading and supporting me.

Is that the lunch bell?

For more reviews about the amazing food Salt Lake City has to offer, check out Heather King's Examiner.com page. It's full of helpful info about how to do lunch right.

Sundance Reviewed

Here we go kidlets! Another review for your viewing pleasure. All about my nine favorite Sundance Festival films.

Summer memories

I've been eating a lot of Otter Pops lately. And when I say a lot, what I mean to say is enough to have a blue covered tongue with drips of green down my shirt.

I still manage to eat the frozen treat like I'm six so it's inevitable my mouth and hands will be sticky and my shirt will be covered in goo. It's tough being coordinated some days. Besides, everyone knows blue and green are the best flavors of frozen water. Otter Pops are a sure-fire way to spark memories of the good ol' days: playing outside, eating mac and cheese and sucking on a Popsicle passing the slow, hot days of summer.

For a more grown up version of Otter Pops, try Erin's version of Strawberry Lemonade Slushies. It's super simple and very yummy.

In a blender add ice, frozen strawberries and lemonade. Blend until frozen and delicious. Pour into a glass. Enjoy.

For the happy sinners, add some vodka. We tried Ketel One in this mix and it was a great choice. Ketel is a fruitier vodka than most and mixes great with the strawberry lemon concoction.

Because I share

A gig finally came to Salt Lake looking for PAs and guess what? It's with "So You Think You Can Dance" over July 24, 25 and 26.

I'm already committed to a family reunion and going to Atlanta for an editor's conference. So anyone else who is available and interested should apply. Here's the link to their Craigslist ad.

You can thank me later.

Review Time

Here's my review of "Me and You and Everyone We Know" I'm about the only person I can find who doesn't love this film. But it still makes for decent reading and I even included a video. So get yourself over there.

She never had it so good

Maybe it's anti-Semitic, maybe she never had it so good. Either way, all I know is I love Jewish Thursday.

What's that? You've never heard of Jewish Thursday. Well, let me explain each Thursday a group of friends and I buy the cheapest wine we can find and drink it down. It's always a great night with fascinating conversation. We've managed to cover Ancient Egypt, the anti-Semitism of Jew Thursday, human rights and religion. Plus, there's always film talk.

Last Jew Thursday, Mikey and Stryder (that's his real name) brought us wine in a bottle. It was amazing! I can't serve wine in plastic that comes in a bottle so for once we broke out the real wine glasses.

Between the Barefoot Cabernet Savignon and the Barefoot Merlot, I liked the Merlot just a smidgen better. The Merlot was more mellow and seemed to have a smokier spiciness to me. They were both pretty good and apparently not too expensive at the liquor store.

Our next bottle was Yellowtail Cabernet sponsored by the motherhood-centric Jeff. I've had the Yellowtail before and it seems like a good stand-by choice for a red wine. At this point, I had switched to a plastic cup because all our guests were using the real wine glasses so I didn't get nearly the flavor. The whole wine is better from a wine glass rule is... well, a rule for a reason. However, I've never been horribly disappointed in a Yellowtail so there's no reason not to drink even if it is from a plastic cup.

And of course Jew Thursday means having a box of Franzia Classic White on hand. This time I could really taste the sugar and I'm a little sad to have disliked my favorite boxed wine so much. But like true Jews, next Thursday we'll be back to boxed wine.

What? She never had it so good.

Boy will you cry

My review of "Boys Don't Cry."Be a dear and read all about a film from the Sundance Institute Directors Lab in 1999.

This is the end, my friend.

Just a happy reminder from me and The Doors: Utah's Private Clubs are extinct today. Yes! Utah is one baby step closer to making adulthood legal. Let's play!

Thinking thinkiness

It was a balmy, dark night when Erin, Harry, Chris and I enjoyed some sushi from Ichiban on 200 East 350 South-ish.

Our waiter was adorable and amazing. He poured our wine an overpriced bottle of Lindeman's Shiraz perfectly. Plus, he did the whole taste testing thing, which I always think is cool. Oh yeah, and he let Harry make fun of everything in sight and laughed along.

We sat on the patio looking out onto 200 East-a small street that had more traffic than I thought it would for a Sunday night. The only downside to the patio was the ridiculously loud air conditioner from the apartments next door.

We had the Jazz, Dragon, Utah, Caterpillar and another Utah-named roll. Everyone agreed the rolls were much spicier than we anticipated. I suppose this could be the fault of the order and not Ichiban, but really four out of five rolls had some kind of spice included. That sounds way more Korean than Japanese to me. I also felt like these rolls were a lot richer than other sushi I'm wondering about the amount of Japanese mayo used or other sauces in the rolls.

However, the rolls were still flavorful and yummy. I really liked the caterpillar roll (non-spicy) it had a lot of avocado. All the fish in all the rolls seemed really fresh. We also tried a tempura fried roll, the tempura fried sushi was new for me. I really liked the crunch of the tempura, but it seemed to drown out the flavor of the rest of the fish and veggies in the roll itself so it was a little disappointing.

The shiraz was fairly good. Next time, though I'll be picking up a much cheaper bottle from the wine store. I was surprised by how much I liked this wine since I usually don't love wine. But it had a nice spiciness to it that I don't usually get out of my wine.

For our appetizer we had the miso soup. It was very good. The tofu pieces were bigger than the traditional soup usually has, but I liked the added chunkiness. The flavor was so good, I'm not usually a big fan of miso because it seems bland, but this soup had nice flavor with fresh herbs like cilantro really standing out.

I'm not sure about our total bill, but the average roll seemed to cost about $14. Definitely, not cheap eats for me. Luckily, Harry was kind enough to pick up the tab so this time it was cheap for me.

The experience of Ichiban leaves me wanting to go back, the food not so much. Maybe, next time I'll ask the adorable waiter for some suggestions on the sushi.