Recently we asked some of our chefs to share what they’re looking forward to this winter. I don’t suggest reading this blog on an empty stomach!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Letty Flatt serves as executive pastry chef for Deer Valley Resort where she prepares and oversees production of the breads, cakes and desserts for all 10 mountain dining establishments. Working at Deer Valley since 1981 Letty joined the bakery after two seasons on ski patrol. In addition to creating delectable desserts for the Resort, Letty is the author of the cookbook Chocolate Snowball: And Other Fabulous Pastries From Deer Valley Bakery.

 

Here is what Letty is looking forward to for the upcoming season:

1. A great team of bakers. We have our core, year-round pastry chefs and assistant pastry chefs, as well as a strong group of returning bakers from last season.  Our head pastry chefs, Steve Harty and Debbie Swenerton, have hired a bunch of really capable bakers for the positions we had open.  Also, each year we hire culinary externs from around the country and we are excited to welcome those that are coming for their externships this winter. In addition, we hire bakery counter attendants through a college exchange program in South America. These kids are always very smart, bilingual and studying for careers as lawyers, engineers and scientists in their home country. I love the diversity they bring to the bakery and that we are giving them the chance to polish their English-speaking skills. All in all—the bakery team we have assembled for the upcoming season looks to be world class.

2. Our new gluten-free and vegan offerings. Over the summer we developed a delicious chocolate chip cookie and a simple, elegant almond agave cake that we hope our gluten-free and vegan guests will love. Cookies are available any time right now at the Grocery~Café . We also made the Healthy Heart Muffin vegan this year by taking out the eggs—I think we made this daily muffin twice as good and hopefully it appeals to twice as many guests!

3. Both Steve at Silver Lake/Empire and Debbie at Snow Park/Grocery~Café have been dreaming up and working on new winter menu items. Each season the Mariposa dessert menu features several new desserts and among Steve’s latest is a dessert with a twist on the cheese course—a mousse with all the flavor of Barely Buzzed, the flavorful cheese rubbed with coffee and lavender from Utah’s Beehive Cheese Company. Steve is pairing the mousse with an olive oil cake, with grapes and late harvest wine. I love it.

 

Clark Norris serves as executive chef of Silver Lake Lodge which includes The Mariposa, Deer Valley’s premier fine dining restaurant, and Royal Street Café, the resort’s only winter and summer a la carte restaurant . Norris joined Deer Valley Resort’s internationally recognized food and beverage team in 1985 as a line cook and rose to become executive chef in 1988. Clark was also the recipient of Salt Lake Magazine’s annual Best Chef Award in 2006.

Here’s what is looking forward to this winter…

1. Having so many talented chefs and cooks returning this season. This makes training the new cooks so much easier, efficient and thorough that re-opening our winter operations is seamless.  From the first day of the season we are ramping-up for working full-tilt through the busy holidays and with experienced staff it is relatively painless. Thanks to all our dedicated kitchen managers, supervisors and cooks returning this season! I may get more powder days 🙂

2. Our ever-expanding house-made products. Here, in the Silver Lake kitchen, we make all the Bratwurst and Veggie Burgers for the entire resort — tons of them, literally. (Thanks for the new Hobart Mixer/Meat Grinder and mac-daddy Smoker, Bob!) We also make our own

Oak-Smoked Maple Cured Bacon, Pancetta, Chorizo, a variety of Salamis, Kielbasa,

Fresh Ground Bison Burgers, Huckleberry-Duck Sausage, Lamb Sausage, Italian Sausage, Juniper-Venison Sausage, Blackstrap Molasses Smoked Ham, Lamb Gyro,

Smoked Habanero Sauce…the list goes on.

We pride ourselves on using all-natural Niman Ranch Pork, Beef and Lamb. Their animals never get hormones or anti-biotics and are raised with care by small, sustainable, family owned and operated ranches. Myself, Jodie and other DV chefs, have visited Niman ranches and are very impressed with the natural, humane and sustainable ranching practices being followed. Our lamb comes from the local Willis Ranch near Bear Lake.

3. A season to best all others, earning us a 5th consecutive #1 ranking!