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A few years ago, we were wondering how to tell a joke. “Well,” we asked. “Who do we know who’s funny?” We found Andy Farnsworth, a local comic who describes himself as “born in Chicago, styled in Los Angeles, toughened in New York City, and battle-tested in a casino five miles outside of Butte, Mont.” In our quest, Andy was pretty much no help. “You can’t know what’s funny until you get up there,” he told us.
Andy has been “getting up there” for a while now and on April 29, 2022 he’ll return to The State Room to record his second stand-up comedy special. (His current album “Between Haircuts” was a SiriusXM Raw Dog Comedy Top 10 Standup Album of 2020, he’ll have you know). Get your hair done, put your makeup on, and come be a part of Salt Lake City comedy history.
Along with his standup, Andy’s Wandering the Aisles podcast is quickly gaining note among comedy fans and hardcore podcast enthusiasts alike. Described as “Impulse buys with commentary from Earth’s most interesting regular people,” the show was created in 2014 as an out-in-the-world documentary happening that explored New York City on foot. Collaborative curiosity and emotional explorations guided these journeys to places such as the Staten Island Ferry, Central and Prospect Parks, Alpha Donuts in Queens, the Union Square subway station, and a Brooklyn Barber Shop.
You kind of have to see Andy’s act to understand what we mean when we call it a “fun meltdown.” Basically, if we were therapists, Andy Farnsworth would for sure be our favorite client. (C’mon, you know therapists pick their favorites.) Here are a couple of clips on Instagram (“Things are Going to Be Fine” and “Bed Bath & Beyond“) so you can see what we mean. Anyway, you don’t have to be an LCSW to show up at the State Room and get your laughs onto the video and audio. Tickets are $20. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Visit stateroompresents.com for more.
Bright? Check. Fresh? Of course. Green? Delightfully so. If anything tastes like the springtime, it’s spring peas. And while fresh-picked are only just available now, peas are one of the few vegetables that retain much of their flavor and form when frozen, so there is no reason not to indulge this season and beyond. We’re obsessed with the classic pairing of peas and mint in this bright, verdant soup, but there are countless other ways to capture the joyous flavor of peas in your cooking. Here are a few spring pea recipes to get you started.
Fresh Pea Soup with Mint
Cook 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped leeks in 2 Tbsp. butter until they are soft. Add 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and 5 cups of peas. Cook until peas are tender, then stir in about 1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves, 2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of white pepper. Puree in a blender, one cup at a time. Serve warm or cold. Top with a dollop of crème fraîche.
Three-way Peas
Saute 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp. grated ginger in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Stir in 3 cups snow peas and 3 cups of sugar snap peas and sauté until barely tender. Stir in 4 cups of pea shoots, cook for 2-3 minutes, then serve.
Risi e Bisi
Cook one minced clove of garlic in 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then stir in a heaping cup of Arborio rice and sauté a minute. Add a quart of warmed stock or water, a ladleful at a time, cooking until absorbed after each ladleful. Stir in a cup of peas, 1/4 cup diced, frizzled pancetta and 1/2 cup corn. Finish with 1/4 cup or so of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Mushy Peas
Bring a shallow pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add frozen peas and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain peas and transfer to a food processor. Add a few Tbsp. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and process until thick but with small pieces of peas remaining. If it seems too thick, mix in 1 Tbsp. of heavy cream. Stir in 2 tsp. of lemon juice. It’s a great side dish for ham.
On Ice
Don’t turn a cold shoulder to frozen peas. They’re picked fresh and flash-frozen when ripe, and they can live in your freezer for months. The trick: Don’t overcook them. Because they’ve been flash-steamed before frozen, they’re ready to eat. Cook for a brief minute or simply defrost them before throwing them directly into your hot dish (so they don’t cool down your recipe). Then simply savor their sweet flavor and firm, delicious forms.
Hungry for more? Get more recipes and food inspiration.
Love for national parks is one of the few things that unites most Americans. Even the bitterly partisan U.S. Senate recently agreed on a resolution designating the week of April 16 through April 24, 2022, as “National Park Week,” by unanimous consent. One bipartisan Senate resolution isn’t going to fix all of the challenges national parks are facing today, but our mutual love for national parks could help us come together on at least one divisive issue impacting our parks: climate change.
According to a recent Pew Research Center report on climate change, “partisan affiliation remains the dominant divide in views of climate and energy issues, with Republicans and Democrats staking out competing visions for the country’s energy future.”
While the aforementioned Pew report found that more than 70% of Americans believe climate change is an issue and should be addressed, it also found that we are far from agreement on how it should be addressed. But, recent polling by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) suggests Americans could come together over climate change policy if it’s centered on protecting national parks from further impacts.
The poll found a bipartisan majority of 84% see national parks as part of the solution to address climate change and 83%, regardless of political affiliation, would be more likely to support a representative who supported a bill to reduce the impact of climate change on U.S. national parks.
“It was interesting to see how much of a unifying force national parks can be on the topic of climate change,” says Erica Parker, Managing Director of The Harris Poll, which conducted the NPCA poll, in a recent statement. “Americans, both Democrats and Republicans alike, clearly see the adverse effect climate change is having on the national parks and that connection compels them to support climate change solutions.”
Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for NPCA says, “This poll shows national parks unite us and offer solutions for addressing it. With visitation to our parks at an all-time high, Americans are seeing the impacts firsthand with parks burning, flooding, melting and eroding. We all agree. We cannot and must not wait.”
And the time to come together on climate change was yesterday. A new UN report on climate change indicates that harmful carbon emissions from 2010-2019 have never been higher in human history. The report concluded that the world is on a “fast track” to disaster, with scientists arguing that it’s “now or never” to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. That’s the proverbial tipping point that could lead to “cascading and irreversible climate effects,” says UN chief António Guterres, such as “unprecedented heatwaves, terrifying storms, widespread water shortages and the extinction of a million species of plants and animals.”
“Climate change is the most serious problem our national parks face, wreaking havoc on so many things we love,” says Pierno.
We are already seeing how climate change can impact the delicate environments, ecosystems and resources protected by the boundaries of our national parks. Peer-reviewed science from the NPS Climate Change Response Program has found that human-caused climate change has exposed the US national park area to more severe increases in heat and aridity (that means higher temperatures and less rain) than the rest of the country as a whole.
Scientific research in national parks has identified numerous changes attributed primarily to human-caused climate change, including:
- Doubling of the area burned by wildfire across the western US, including Yosemite National Park
- Melting of glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park
- A doubling of tree mortality across the western US, including Sequoia National Park
- A loss of bird species from Death Valley National Park
- A shift of trees onto tundra in Noatak National Preserve
- Sea level rise of 17 inches near the Statue of Liberty National Monument
- Decline of the flow of the Colorado River (which runs through Arches National Park, Canyonlands, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon and Lake Mead), along with drought, reducing Lake Mead and Lake Powell to their lowest levels
According to that same 2020 report, “adaptation measures can strengthen ecosystem integrity. Yet, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from human activities is the only solution that prevents the pollution that causes climate change. Energy conservation and efficiency improvements, renewable energy, public transit and other actions could lower projected heating by two-thirds, reducing risks to our national parks.”
Southern Utah’s 16th annual Amazing Earthfest 2022 is hosting an event highlighting climate change’s effect on national parks, calling it “the greatest threat the national parks have ever faced.” Registration is required to attend this and other Amazing Earthfest events.
Learn more about National Park Week on the NPS website and what you need to know to make the most of National Park Week. For more outdoor adventures, subscribe to Salt Lake magazine to receive the latest issue.
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Red Butte Garden has released its Outdoor Concert Series lineup. The series is hosting its full summer season, including 30-plus bands, artists and performers, compared to just 22 shows last year. This year’s concerts will kick off mid-May, while last year didn’t get rolling until July. All in all, that means more chances to lay out a blanket on the grass, pop the cork on your wine and enjoy some live summer tunes.
Tickets for the Red Butte Outdoor Concert Series will go on sale April 25, 2022 for Garden members and on May 2022 for the general public. Before you go, double check the venue’s restrictions on the size of chair you can bring as well as outside food and drink (and make the most out of your experience with Salt Lake‘s tips on how to Red Butte.)
“We are more than ready to get back to filling the amphitheater with guests and music—and based on the inquiries we’re getting, we think our guests are ready, too,” says series Executive director Derrek Hanson. He added that this season should have a little something for everyone with a lineup that includes alternative-indie, pop, rock, and folk music.
The concert series has continued its tradition of a very musically diverse lineup, from pop rock acts like Barenaked Ladies, to contemplative folk like Iron & Wine, to straight bluegrass like Old Crow Medicine Show. As it stands, here is a look at this year’s Red Butte Outdoor Concert Series lineup and ticket pricing:
MAY
- May 18, 2022. KALEO Fight or Flight Tour w/ Bones Owens; Garden members: $52 / Public: $57
- May 20, 2022. TREY ANASTASIO BAND Spring Tour 2022; Garden members: $60 / Public: $65
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Joss Stone will perform July 13. -
Howard Jones will perform June 28. -
CAAMP will perform July 27 as part of the 2022 Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series.
JUNE
- June 14, 2022. SHE & HIM Melt Away Tour; Garden members: $60 / Public: $65
- June 15, 2022. ZZ TOP Raw Whisky Tour; Garden members: $80 / Public: $85
- June 20, 2022. BARENAKED LADIES Last Summer On Earth Tour, GIN BLOSSOMS & TOAD THE WET SPROCKET; Garden members: $72 / Public: $77
- June 21, 2022. ANDREW BIRD, IRON & WINE Outside Problems Tour w/ Allison Russell; Garden members: $50 / Public: $55
- June 28, 2022. HOWARD JONES The Dialog Tour, THE VOICE OF ULTRAVOX MIDGE URE; Garden members: $47 / Public: $52
- June 29, 2022. TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, Tank & the Bangas, Big Freedia, George Porter Jr. & Dumpstaphunk, Cyril Neville, The Soul Rebels; Garden members: $68 / Public: $73
JULY
- July 1, 2022. CHRIS ISAAK, LYLE LOVETT AND HIS LARGE BAND; Garden members: $80 / Public: $85
- July 6, 2022. MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER w/ John Craigie; Garden members: $45 / Public: $50
- July 13, 2022. JOSS STONE w/ very special guest KT TUNSTALL; Garden members: $62 / Public: $67
- July 19, 2022. MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD Follow Your Heart Tour w/ The New Respects; Garden members: $67 / Public: $72
- July 23, 2022. OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW Paint This Town Tour; Garden members: $43 / Public: $48
- July 27, 2022. CAAMP w/ Futurebirds; Garden members: $55 / Public: $60
- July 28, 2022. AMERICAN ACOUSTIC: PUNCH BROTHERS and WATCHHOUSE featuring SARAH JAROSZ; Garden members: $55 / Public: $60
- July 29, 2022. O.A.R. / DISPATCH Summer Tour 2022 w/ G. Love; Garden members: $64 / Public: $69
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Bonne Raitt will perform Aug. 13. -
The Black Crowes will perform Aug. 17. -
The Revivalists will perform Aug. 1 as part of the 2022 Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series.
AUGUST
- Aug. 1, 2022. THE REVIVALISTS; Garden members: $65 / Public: $70
- Aug. 4, 2022. THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS, very special guest X; Garden members: $43 / Public: $48
- Aug. 8, 2022. THE HEAD AND THE HEART Every Shade of Blue Tour w/ Dawes; Garden members: $55 / Public: $60
- Aug. 13, 2022. BONNIE RAITT, very special guest MAVIS STAPLES; Garden members: $75 / Public: $80
- Aug. 17, 2022. THE BLACK CROWES PRESENT: SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER Played In Its Entirety, Plus All The Hits; Garden members: $99 / Public: $104
- Aug. 18, 2022. MAREN MORRIS Humble Quest Tour w/ The Lone Bellow; Garden members: $90 / Public: $95
- Aug. 20, 2022. PINK MARTINI featuring CHINA FORBES; Garden members: $43 / Public: $48
- Aug. 21, 2022. MY MORNING JACKET w/ Joy Oladokun; Garden members: $73 / Public: $78
- Aug. 22, 2022. BOY GEORGE & CULTURE CLUB; Garden members: $73 / Public: $78
- Aug. 29, 2022. JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ; Garden members: $44 / Public: $49
- Aug. 30, 2022. GIPSY KINGS featuring NICOLAS REYES; Garden members: $62 / Public: $67
SEPTEMBER
- Sept. 8, 2022. UMPHREY’S MCGEE; Garden members: $37 / Public: $42
- Sept. 18, 2022. BUDDY GUY, JOHN HIATT & THE GONERS featuring SONNY LANDRETH; Garden members: $58 / Public: $63
- Sept. 20, 2022. MELISSA ETHERIDGE & KEB’ MO’; Garden members: $60 / Public: $65
Tickets for Red Butte Concerts will go on sale at the Outdoor Concert Series website. Check out Salt Lake’s guide on how to Red Butte. For more information about the garden itself, visit redbuttegarden.org.
Apres-ski was turned up a notch in Park City over the weekend. Let’s say two to three notches. And over three delicious days. It was all thanks to Deer Valley Resort and DAOU Family Estates’ premier Taste of Luxury Series, the first of three-weekend events this year featuring food and wine, world-renowned culinary figures and luxury brands. Three-star Michelin Chef Roberto Cerea headlined the inaugural weekend April 8, 9 and 10 as he joyfully pleased the palettes of dozens of guests at a meet-and-greet reception, personalized cooking class, eight-course dinner and finale brunch.
“We must have used 80 pounds of parmesan cheese in four days,” exclaimed Deer Valley Resort Executive Sous Chef, Chris Gibson. Gibson, formerly Silver Lake Lodge’s Executive Chef, was promoted to his new role as the resort recently welcomed Chef Peter Meneer as the new Executive Chef.
“When the seasons change and all the new fruits and vegetables come in, that’s my favorite part about cooking—that and fusing different cultures together and fresh farm-to-table ingredients. When the team comes together and we work really hard and the customer is really happy, that’s what I live for,” said Meneer.
Guests were certainly happy and undoubtedly very full following the event’s fabulous feasts, as evident at Sunday’s brunch when fresh juices and baked pastries, a beet trio salad and two generous helpings of Chef Cerea’s Paccheri were all followed by an espresso panna cotta tiramisu dessert.
Cerea brought with him a jar full of Italian tomatoes to add to locally sourced ones for the paccheri pasta sauce—just another one of Chef Cerea’s special touches made from the Deer Valley kitchen.
As many chefs do, Cerea learned much of his craft from his parents who dedicated their lives to culinary excellence. The family restaurant, Da Vittorio, just outside of Milan opened in the 1960s and has since earned three Michelin stars.
Cerea wasn’t the only award-winner sharing, celebrating and educating guests at Taste of Luxury.
The team from DAOU Family Estates, home to some of California’s most noteworthy wines, paired several varietals of Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon with the fine food meal after meal. DAOU wines hail from the untapped world-class Adelaida District of Paso Robles.
“For me, it’s from one mountain, DAOU Mountain, to another here in Park City but really it’s all about creating an experience for our guests. For us, we get to do that through the lens of wine here at Deer Valley and at Park City, working with the team here. It’s just all-encompassing and all-immersive and we are thrilled to be a part of that because, at the end of the day, life really is about connection,” says Maeve Pesquera, DAOU Senior Vice President.
Forever Gourmet and KJUS premium ski, golf and lifestyle apparel also sponsored Taste of Luxury’s inaugural event. The Taste of Luxury Series will continue later this year with two more weekends of premier wine, food and festivities at Deer Valley Resort. For more information about upcoming Taste of Luxury Series events, visit Deer Valley’s website.
See more of our food and drink coverage here.
