We caught up with Jodie Rogers, Snow Park and Empire Lodge Executive Chef and Clint Strohl, Deer Valley Resort Restaurant Operations Manager to see what they’re looking forward to this winter; and to share some secrets and recipes from Deer Valley’s restaurants.

Jodie Rogers serves as the executive chef of Snow Park and Empire Canyon Lodges.  Rogers’ job as executive chef entails operations of all Snow Park and Empire Canyon Lodges restaurants and food events, including breakfast and lunch cuisine in the Snow Park Restaurant and Empire Canyon Grill; cuisine for the child care and ski school programs; après-ski appetizers in the Snow Park Lounge, the evening Seafood Buffet and the new Deer Valley Grocery~Cafe.  In addition, she oversees Fireside Dining at Empire Canyon Lodge.  Rogers also spends her summers overseeing all banquets at the Resort. Rogers boasts a 15-year cooking career that includes stints in several hotels in Sydney, Australia and working as head chef at Australia’s Charlotte Pass Resort

Jodie Rogers

The 3 things I am looking forward to in our restaurants this winter are:

1. @ Seafood Buffet Heather is working on a twist the to traditional Pasole,  a Rich Pork and hominy stew that originated in Jalisco, in the middle of Mexico’s Pacific Coast region. It is traditionally served at Christmas time. Come and try our version, Lobster Pazole.

2. @ Fireside Shane and Ryan are working on Homemade Lamb Bacon that will be used in numerous applications. See the recipe below to find out just one of them. Our Niman lamb is from Clark’s Farm in Bear lake. The chefs were lucky enough to visit the farm this year so we could see just how well the animals are taken care of. Just one of the many reasons our Fireside Lamb leg tastes to wonderful.

3. Apres Ski is now available at 3 locations, join us at Royal Street Cafe at Silver Lake Lodge, the EBS Lounge, located at Snow Park Lodge or the DVGC, located at the Plaza after a long day of skiing to try one of our new cocktail concoctions from our fabulous bar tenders, The “High Apple Attitude” and the DVD ( Deer Valley Diablo) are just two that come to mind.

4. Lets not forget the huge amounts of snow!

Fireside Dining Bacon Pancakes

At Fireside these pancakes will be made from our homemade lamb bacon and served accompanied by seared venison, homemade elderberry jam and lemon chive butter.

For home use I would suggest this as a great appetizer. Make small bite size pancakes and top with your favorite artisanal jam and a lemon chive whipped cream.

Ingredients

2  Cups All Purpose Flour
2  1/4 Cups Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Sugar
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Cup Water
3-4 Bacon Slices

Directions

Slice the bacon up into small pieces and fry it over medium heat until it is the crispiness that you desire. When finished drain on a paper towel.
While the bacon is cooking mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
In a separate bowl mix the dairy, water, egg, oil and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated.
Over medium heat, pour the pancake batter onto the pan.
Immediately after you pour the batter, sprinkle a hand full of bacon bits onto the pancake. You could mix the bacon directly into the batter, but I have found that you get better distribution if you sprinkle it on this way.
Once you see bubbles forming and bursting on the top of the pancake it is time to flip. Only flip pancakes once.
Another minute or two later the pancake is cooked. Remove onto a plate and either eat, or place the plate in the oven on warm to keep the pancakes hot until you are finished cooking all of them.

That recipe will make about 24 small 2” pancakes

 

Clint Strohl

Clint Strohl  was recently promoted to Deer Valley Resort Restaurant Operations Manager.  He is responsible for all front-of-house restaurant services at the Snow Park, Silver Lake and Empire Canyon Lodges, including The Mariposa, Royal Street Café, Seafood Buffet, Fireside Dining, the Empire Canyon Grill, Snow Park and Silver Lake Restaurants, Bald Mountain Pizza in Silver Lake Lodge, Snowshoe Tommy’s and Cushings Cabin. Clint has been working for Deer Valley Resort since 1984.

Clint’s 3 high points for the upcoming season:

1. Restaurant Reservationists will be available 9am to 9pm, 7 days a week starting on Friday, December 2 and continuing through Saturday, April 7. This will add an additional 4 hours each day where  guests can make reservations. Of course, restaurant reservations can always be made at www.deervalley.com. Also, by early December guests will be able to reserve a table at our restaurants through Opentable.com

2. Fireside Dining will be open most Saturday nights this coming season. Most recently Fireside has  been open  Wednesday through Friday with an an occasional Saturday during the Holiday periods. By opening another evening I believe our guests will find it easier to visit us at their preferred times.

3. Mamete Prevostini wines at Fireside. So much of the food at Fireside is linked traditionally and culturally to the area where  Italy and Switzerland intersect. Mamete Prevostini produces wines in the region of Valtellina, which is as well at the intersection of  Italy and Switzerland, of 100% Nebbiolo from steeply terraced vineyards. I believe that these will be wines to be enjoyed with all savory courses at Fireside.