Category Archives: Emily Summers

It’s My Deer Valley with Stephen Harty

Posted on by
1

We couldn’t wait to sneak down to the bakery and catch up with Silver Lake and Empire Pastry Chef, Stephen Harty. The man behind some of the wonderful desserts at the resort shares with us “His Deer Valley.”

When did you come to Deer Valley?

I started as a seasonal baker in the Snow Park Lodge in the 1995/1996 season (17 years and counting). I was a production baker working three 6 a.m. shifts, so I could get out skiing for two hours after my shift, and two 8am shifts. I had a young family so I had Tuesdays and Thursdays off to be Daddy daycare/preschool.

What does a perfect ski day mean to you?

Big POW and still snowing! I love those days when it just keeps on coming. I’ll admit I am a “crack of ten o’clock” skier so all day dumps suit me. The storms from the south that bring the biggest snow to the Sultan side of the resort are my favorite.

Where is your favorite place to eat at Deer Valley?

The Natural Buffet during lunch at all three lodges offer such a variety of unique salads, creative sides, as well as house made dressings and of course homemade breads, you can’t beat the great tastes. You do have to be creative in the way you stack your plate to get the value as well as the flavors.

What do you enjoy about baking?

The great thing about baking at Deer Valley Resort is that we do such a wide range; from artisan breads and baguettes, bulk production of cookie dough (huge amounts) and carrot cakes, small production of high end plated desserts (with all their sauces and garnishes), elaborate wedding cakes, and chocolate. I truly enjoy the variety. I enjoy the creativity and the science of baking, especially at the varying altitudes. I enjoy working with new flavors and products to keep Deer Valley baked goods at the fore front of trends. I enjoy mastering the classic recipes so we can put our own twist on them. And I really enjoy all the taste testing!

Your must have treat at Deer Valley?

17 years and 1000’s of batches of cookies and I still love the cookie dough! Plus all the chocolate that we serve.

What run is a must for every ski day?

Anything off-piste off the Sultan lift and Ontario bowl (I have some “secret stashes” in there that are good for days after a storm).

Who is your favorite person to ski with?

I have been riding chairlifts with my beautiful bride, Sandy, for 25 years. We celebrate together on our first ride up each year and I look forward to continuing for 25 more.

Can you share a recipe with us?

French Silk Pie
Yield: 1 Pies

5 oz Unsweetened Chocolate
8 oz Butter,Room Temperature
8 oz Brown Sugar
1 1/2 t  Vanilla
1 c  Pasteurized Eggs
1    10″ Brisee Shells,Pre-baked
-
Whipped cream,AS Needed
Chocolate Shavings,AS Needed
1.  Pre-bake 10″ brisee shells.  Let cool completely.
2.  Melt unsweetened chocolate over a double boiler.  Set aside.
3.  Cream butter until very soft.
4.  Add brown sugar and beat until very soft and fluffy.  Stopping to
occasionally scrape.
5.  Add vanilla extract.
6.  Add melted chocolate and mix until combined, scrapping occasionally.

7.  Add eggs VERY SLOWLY, about 1/4 cup at a time, incorporating well
after each addition.  Stopping to scrape occasionally.
8.  It will take awhile to add all of the eggs if you do it correctly.
**If you add the eggs too fast-the batter will be grainy and not light
and fluffy**
9.  When all the eggs are added divide into crusts.  Using an offset
spatula, spread to smooth out top.
10.Wrap and Chill.
11.  To Serve:  Finsh top with whipped cream pipped in a shell pattern
using medium star tip. and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Wine Pairings at The Mariposa

Posted on by
Reply

This month we caught up with Clint Strohl, Resort Restaurant Operations Manager, to get the insider tips into pairing wines with some of the favorite menu items from The Mariposa.

Warm Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Tart:

The caramelized onions and the muscat reduction add subtle layers of sweetness to this dish which can be complemented by an initially sweeting tasting but dry finishing light white wine. We are currently serving Domaine Weinbach ,Reserve Personelle, Gewurztraminer, Alsace France 2009

Tomatillo Crusted Sturgeon Fillet:

With nearly a pyramid of flavor profiles contained in this dish a paired wine must not cover or clash with any of them. Sauces of roasted red pepper and black bean add earth and mild spice to the sturgeon. Add in the crisp green freshness of frisee, a layer of sweetness from the local sweet corn and a touch of acid from the heirloom tomatoes. Considering these many flavors over time we have learned that Pinot Grigio from northern Italy is at once no heavier in weight than the dish and at the same provides a wine with equally deep flavors and intensity. We are currenly serving Livio Felluga, Pinot Grigio, Fruli, 2010

Wild Mushroom Beggars Purse:

To the same degree that the above dish is a challenge to pair the beggars purse is a dream with touches of fat coming from the cheese and the purse itself.  This touch of fat is complimented with earthy richness of the mushrooms and hints of beaujolais fruit and acidity in the sauce. For some time we have enjoyed serving somewhat earthly light pinot noirs from Burgundy with this dish. Currently we are serving Vincent Girardin, Les Santenots, Volnay 2008

Bear Lake Lamb Chop:

Many of our guests know that indian spices and in this case masala are tough to impossible wine matches, (masala chicken and lamb are classic Indian preparations), However Clark keeps it all in balance with this lamb preparation. The lamb chops are seasoned lightly with masala while being seared. The lamb itself is tender and succulent. The pan sauce brings additional richness to the dish. The pan roasted cherry tomato and its richness allow us to serve a slightly bigger wine than might be expected. We are currently serving Shafer Vineyards, “Relentless” Napa 2007. “Relentless” is a Syrah, Petit-Sirah blend.

The various desserts:

We are currently serving a Pedro Ximenez Sherry produced by Alvear of Andalucia Spain. It is their Solera 1927. The taste of this wine quite complex with dark caramel, maple syrup, dates, prunes, and hints of coffee and dark chocolate. It is an exquisite and warming sweet wine that goes great with nearly all of Letty and Steve’s dessert

A Note from Our President on President’s Day

Posted on by
2

To celebrate President’s Day and the height of the winter, we met up with Deer Valley Resort President, Bob Wheaton to get an update on this ski season.

What a year it has been! We’ve continued to invest each season in the resort’s snowmaking system, and this season the system was certainly put to the test! The team we have at the resort in every aspect of our operations is second to none and this becomes increasingly evident when Mother Nature sends us a curve ball. Prior to the welcomed storm cycle, I have certainly been enjoying the Deer Valley corduroy this year, while curving lines on Stein’s Way and Magnet.

I hope many were able to get out and experience our VISA Freestyle International World Cup event the first week of February. We added another evening event with moguls on Thursday. It is always a thrill to see the events under the lights. The event means a lot of extra work for staff but we are thrilled to host such an amazing group of athletes from around the world. Our partnerships with FIS (International Ski Federation) and with the US Ski Team are great for the resort.

The President’s Day holiday means March and spring skiing are right around the corner. In the Wasatch spring also brings its share of powder days. Whether its spring corn or fluff  I am looking forward to being on the mountain and enjoying the amazing efforts of the Deer Valley Team.

Hope to see you out there!

Bob Wheaton shares one of his favorite powder stashes:

Empire Canyon Grill with Andrew Fletcher

Posted on by
Reply

Deer Valley is lucky to see visits from both loyal locals and returning out-of-towners. Many guests return each season with specific traditions that they must incorporate into their Deer Valley experience. A best kept secret for many skiing at Deer Valley is Empire Canyon Grill, located in the Empire Canyon Lodge, tucked away at the base of Empire Canyon Express Chairlift.

We caught up with Andrew Fletcher, Empire Day Sous Chef to share his favorite things about Empire Canyon Grill and Deer Valley.

When did you come to Deer Valley?

I arrived at Deer Valley in November of 1998 for one ski season, and have been here ever since.

What does a perfect ski day mean to you?

Any day on the slopes!  If you are cold you can come inside and warm up by the fire.  If it is sunny you can sit out on the deck.  You can always find the perfect run at DV no matter what day it is.

What is your favorite thing on the menu at Empire Grill?

The Steak Baguette at the specialty grill.

Who is your favorite person to ski with?

My wife and daughter.

What is your must have treat at Deer Valley?

A beer on the Empire or Sliver Lake deck after a day of skiing.

What run is a must for every ski day?

Magnet on Lady Morgan.

What is your most memorable chairlift ride?

I was once on a chair with two men who had just retired and were going to ski every resort in the U.S. that season.

Empire Canyon Grill is open during the ski season for continental-style breakfast from 9:15 – 11 a.m. daily, featuring fresh pastries, homemade granola and beverages including espresso, latte and cappuccino. Open for lunch from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., offering a traditional and gourmet grill, Natural Salad Buffet, soup, chilies, paninis and fresh baked goods.  Afternoon snacks are available until 3:30 p.m.

Attempt at skiing, #2!

Posted on by
1

I woke up this time and felt so much more at ease for the upcoming ski adventure. I knew that I could at least wedge down the mountain if absolutely necessary, but that Eddy probably would be rather disappointed (and that is something that I couldn’t handle).

After I went through the process of getting all my equipment I met up with Eddy on the beginners slope and felt even more at ease with the situation. However, unlike my first day I was not ready for the cold. I realize that you can’t always have a beautiful sunny day, but from my personal experience, I can say without a doubt that if you don’t like being cold and you are trying to learn to ski, you won’t have a great experience. Eddy gave my some hand warmers to put in my gloves and we made our way to the lifts.

The first couple of runs we took just went very slow and reviewed all that we had learned at a slow pace. I cannot say enough how great Eddy is! He was trying to cheer me up because I was frustrated at how I wasn’t doing as well as before and not to mention that I had turned into the abominable snowman. As great as he is, cheering me up was not happening and I was losing my excitement quick. Eddy then suggested we take a break and warm up inside, which I was more than happy to do. We then met up with JF Lanvers in the lodge who was very excited and couldn’t wait to see how much more progress I had made. Eddy delicately explained it was too cold to get as good while showing me puppy pictures to bring my smile back. I think that the most important thing that Eddy taught me in this lesson was that you can’t be hard on yourself and you need to be patient (whether that is with your progress or with the sun).

We decided that it was time to give it another chance because the sun had come out and I was on a cute-puppy-picture high and now was as good of a time to try as any. We started with our run and the difference between that run and the previous runs was unbelievable! I was for sure not as good as I had been towards the end of the first lesson, but I was much, much, MUCH better than before. My mood instantly got better and I was ready to go. (Again mad props to Eddy for being able to read me and know how to best ensure I had a good day!)

After a few runs on the bunny hill Eddy decided that it was time for an actual run. My heart just about stopped and I was less than enthused to fall down a very large and much longer hill. Eddy promised me that he would never endanger me by putting me on a run that he didn’t know I could handle. Eddy is a very optimistic person clearly, because I for sure felt like that was something that I could not accomplish. But he had never steered me wrong so I needed to trust him and everything he had taught me…

Fast forward to the top of the run which was called Success, which Eddy promised was super easy and just a longer version of the bunny hill.

At the top of the run I snapped this pic to both A) show the world my mastery of the sport B) lie to the world and say I skied skillfully down the run.

We started down the run and I cannot believe what happened. I destroyed it (In a good way!). I did so well and I felt that excitement of skiing and accomplishing something. I did fall twice, on two flat parts because I was spazzing out and looking directly down which you should not do! Eddy told me half way through that he had a secret that he would tell me when we finished, which I knew was something I was either or that the run was maybe not the easiest of the beginner runs. I flew down the rest of the mountain (still a bit of a ski hazard so if you ever see a fully purple ski suit looking a little nervous and in the way, it’s me and I will apologize now if you run into me, I’m sure it’ll be great meeting you like that.)

At the end I felt so accomplished and was so happy to be able to say that I skied my first run and lived to tell the tail. I was so proud of myself and I know that Eddy was really proud of me as well. He then proceeded to tell me that I had just skied the hardest beginner’s hill and “killed” it. Eddy is very sneaky and totally tricked me into realize that I’m good enough for even the more difficult beginner runs.

Long story, very short; Had a really hard morning, decided I hated skiing, hung out with Eddy and listened to him and finally skied down an actual run. Decided that I like skiing and I have a lot of potential to be good at it.

As always, a special thank you to JF Lanvers for catching my lessons on video and showing everything I cannot describe in words.

January Learn To Ski & Snowboard Month

Posted on by
2

January Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month began in 2007 and has since grown to include 32 states and over 300 resorts. Deer Valley Resort is proud to participate in this great national program.

What is Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month?

“Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January encourages children and adults to learn by taking lessons from professional instructors. It also challenges current skiers and snowboarders to improve their skills through lessons.” (According to skiandsnowboardmonth.com)

What is Deer Valley offering in January for Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month?

Deer Valley is offering a Learn to Ski Lodging Package this year for out-of-town guests.

Whether you are new to skiing or perhaps have just taken some time away from the sport, what better time to visit Deer Valley Resort than during National Learn to Ski Month! Save 25% on lodging, adult ski rentals and two MAX 4 semi-private group lessons. Valid January 2 – 12, 2012, and January 17 – 31, 2012.

Deer Valley is also offering a Ski Utah Learn to Ski Program on January 28, 2012 for locals.  

Date: January 28, 2012
Program: Ski Utah Learn to Ski Program – Never-ever skiers and locals only (local is anyone with a current Utah driver’s license. Lesson Time:   9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Maximum: Limited to the first 55 registrants.
Participants: First-time skiers (never-ever skied before).
What is included: Ski lesson, lift ticket, ski rentals (helmet not included) and locker token.
Age: Participants must be 13 years or older. Cost: $39 for the package, per participant ($13 for a lift ticket, $13 for ski rental equipment and $13 for the lesson)
What to bring:  Appropriate ski attire (pants and a jacket), gloves, goggles/sunglasses and sunscreen.
Reservations: Must be made prior to January 26, 2012.  Reservations can be made by calling 888-754-8477 or 435-645-6648 and mention “Ski Utah Learn to Ski Program” One lesson per participant.

*Though January is known as Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month, Deer Valley is a ski only resort.

To celebrate Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month Deer Valley will be following a local, never-ever skier as she learns to ski this January.

Meet Katie Fredrickson

Katie is 21 years old and is studying History at the University of Utah. Born and raised in Utah, Katie is looking forward to finally learning how to ski.

“Living in Utah you are surrounded by people who ski, it’s easy to feel left out when all your friends leave you down in the valley on powder days.”

With the improvements Deer Valley has made to its Wide West beginner area the environment should be less intimidating for Katie.

“I’m stoked I don’t have to get on a chairlift right away. The conveyor lifts on the beginner hill seem a lot less scary. I think it will help me to focus on learning to ski and not freaking out about getting on and off the chair.”

We took Katie down to the rental shop to get fitted for skis and boots. It’s important to follow the steps when renting gear for your first time skier.

When you first enter the rental shop you want to make sure you fill out the proper form before anything.

The rental shop has several tools to help you determine your ability and type of skier.

There are lots of friendly customer service employees to help you out.

Boot fitting will be your first stop.

Followed by getting measured for the right ski…

Finally you will be fitted for the right length of pole

We asked Gary Wassmar, our rental shop manager for some tips on renting gear for first time skiers.

Tip #1: When trying on boots make sure you toes touch the end with straight legs. You know they fit properly when your foot slides back with your knees bent

Tip #2: For beginners, your ski length should come right below your chin

Tip #3: To choose the right size poles, your arm should be a 90-degree angle holding the pole under the basket

Katie has her first lesson Friday, January 6. Check back here to see how our first time skier does!

Dessert Recipe For Your Holidays

Posted on by
1

This holiday season; surprise your guests with delicious Deer Valley Lemon bars. Executive Pastry Chef Letty Flatt, shared her recipe for Deer Valley’s President Bob Wheaton’s favorite sweet treat at the resort.

Lemon Bars
2 cups plus ¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup plus 1 ½ cups sugar

8 ounces unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

4 teaspoons grated lemon zest

½ cup lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar, to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix the first 2 cups of flour with the first ½ cup of sugar. Cut in the butter, mixing until the dough resembles sand. Press evenly into the bottom and a little bit up the sides of a 9 x13-inch baking pan. Bake about 15 minutes until the crust loses its shine and barely begin to show a hint of color.  Cool.

Sift the remaining 1/4 cup of flour with the remaining 2 cups of sugar and the baking powder into a large mixing bowl.  In another bowl, beat together the eggs and lemon zest and juice; then mix into the sugar/flour mixture until the ingredients are homogenous. Pour over the pre-baked crust. Bake until the filling has set and the edges are light golden—about 20 minutes. Cool. Chill. Cut into 2” squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Makes about 24 lemon bars.

 

Letty Flatt, Deer Valley Resort

Thanksgiving Feast

Posted on by
Reply

Don’t forget to choose one of our delectable made-to-order pies for your Thanksgiving Feast this year.  Choose from old fashioned pumpkin, sweet potato pecan, apple cheddar, traditional pecan or chocolate silk.  We also offer apple ginger bread, pumpkin walnut bread and cranberry orange pecan bread.

We peeked into the bakery to see the staff getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Be sure to order by Monday, November 21.

Deer Valley’s food and beverage team is here to also help with some Thanksgiving favorites for your holiday dinner. Our Thanksgiving menu includes; Deer Valley roasted garlic mashed potatoes, steamed green beans with shiitake mushrooms, roasted acorn squash, house made struan stuffing, lemon thyme sauce, cranberry chutney.

Pick up is on Wednesday November 23rd by 6:30pm or November 24th by 11:30am at the Deer Valley Grocery~Cafe.

Please call 435-615-2400 to place your orders for turkey dinner sides and 435-645-6625 for Bakery orders.

Thank You from Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley President

Posted on by
2

I would like to express a HUGE thank you to our Deer Valley guests and staff for making us the #1 resort in North America for a fifth consecutive year! I am humbled to be able to enter another winter season being able to say this.  No other ski resort has accomplished anything close to this and I think the reason is that no other ski resort comes close to matching Deer Valley’s amazing vacation experience.

Thank you to our guests who visit year after year and have become part of the “Deer Valley Family.” Thank you to our new guests who gave us a try and found something here that will bring them back again and again.  Your support each year has made us who we are today and keeps us striving to improve each season. I thank each of you for your vote in the SKI Magazine reader resort survey and for always telling us what we are doing right, where we can improve and providing your suggestions.

And of course, thank you to the Deer Valley Staff.  This achievement would not have happened without you.  The culture here is to put the guest first at all times, and our employees not only accomplish this every day, but enjoy it, anywhere in our organization. My hat is off to our incredibly dedicated crew. This honor goes to them and I thank and congratulate the entire Deer Valley Resort team.

Here’s to a memorable and enjoyable winter season.

 

Winter Is In the Air with John Guay, Deer Valley’s Director of Skier Services

Posted on by
2

We caught up with John Guay, Deer Valley’s director of skier services Director, to see what the current winter like weather means for his ski season.                                                                                                                                                                 I love summer and my summer sports but I’m always ready for snow and am always excited to ski. I have a new pair of Rossignol Experience 88 skis with the Auto Turn Rocker technology ready to go. If you haven’t skied a rocker ski you are missing out. The Experience 88’s has early rise in the tip and tail which make them easy to steer and super friendly in the bumps and powder. What’s really cool is that they still have plenty of side cut so when you tip them up on groomers the whole ski engages for a great carving ski.

The weather is rapidly changing and we are busy getting ready for the winter season in Skier Services. We are always looking for ways to improve our services and this year is no exception. I thought I would share a few of our big projects.

First, we are very excited about our four new surface lifts for our first-time and beginner skiers. We have had a surface lift at Snow Park and one at Silver Lake for many years, but this season, we are replacing them with new SunKid conveyor lifts and are adding two additional conveyors at Snow Park.  The result will be an entirely new design to our beginner run, Wide West.  Skiers will now access the Snowflake chairlift side of Wide West by three of these new conveyors. The base of Snowflake lift is now midway up the run. The result is that our first-time and beginner skiers will have more terrain accessible by surface lifts and will spend more time developing their skills before they learn to ride chairlifts.  This is especially important for our young children in ski school

Another fun new project is our new Kid’s Trail Map.  We have eight on-mountain children’s features that are associated with our Ski School mascots – Bucky the deer, Quincy the bear, Ruby the raccoon and Silver the eagle.  The Kid’s Trail Map incorporates the story of our mascots and shows the locations of the features on our mountain.  The map also focuses on the Skiers Responsibility Code, as well some fun facts on our mining history and mascots.  It will be easy to read and a wonderful keepsake for kids to take home.

 

 

 

     


Last, but not least, the Children’s Center also has big news! We are pleased to announce a new year-round outdoor playground.  It is located on the northeast corner of Snow Park Lodge and is securely accessible directly from the Children’s Center.  We redesigned the Children’s Center parking lot and space along the front of the lodge to accommodate the playground.

 

Can’t wait to see you on the slopes!