Let’s Go Eat and Drink

Violet’s story begins at another Violet in a bygone time. About 20 years ago, Myra and Troy Petersen met while they were both working at a restaurant named Violet in Santa Monica, California. She was a bartender and he was a server. After their first daughter was born, the family moved to Utah, where the Petersen's became involved in the industry locally as well as in the Utah food scene. Troy Petersen, who grew up with the Caputo family and is a friend of Matt Caputo and the late Tony Caputo, worked at Caputo’s Market and Deli downtown and also helped open Caputo’s at 15th and 15th in about 2006. The family bounced between Los Angeles and Utah for a while, but eventually Myra and Troy Petersen decided that they wanted to raise their children in Utah, so they moved back for the final time in about 2012. Once the Petersen's were ready to open their own Violet in Utah, they contacted the restaurant’s previous owner, got his blessing to reuse the name, and went for it. Find some bubbly, bust it open, and join us in celebrating one of Salt Lake City's finest 'Ma and Pa' restaurants!

If you’ve google searched a menu for a restaurant in Utah, you likely can thank Stuart for the results! Stuart is the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC. He’s a multiple-award winning journalist and has written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City dining scene for the better part of seventeen years. He’s worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, and helping to consult on national TV. Pause those credits, yep, that's Stuart! He’s also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. He appears largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don't understand. What they're saying about Stuart: "Not inaccurate", "I thought he was older", "I don’t share his feelings". If you ever need to know where to eat, Gastronomic SLC is the ultimate resource! He started SLC Menu as somewhere to house all the hard-to-find menus he picked up during hid food writing travels. Through the archives you can find menus from the last fifteen years of the Salt Lake City dining scene. https://gastronomicslc.com/ or https://www.slcmenu.com/

Your Oasis in the Great Basin is Coming Soon! https://www.remorabar.com/ Mikey and Sam have been concocting more than just Hurricane's and Perfect Storm's. These guys have been working hard, and planning something special to bring to the community. They took residence over a heartbreakingly closed 'The Ruin' bar which was called 'Mutiny on Main'. Sam and Mikey know how to bring tricks, atmosphere, and presentation to your glass. They most certainly brought it to our show. Fill one up. Sip it down, and enjoy another 'Lets Go Eat and Drink Show!'

On today's episode we speak with referee royalty in the MLS, NCAA community, Paul Scott! Scott also serves as the referee coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, as well as Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football manager of refereeing and the National Premier Soccer League director of officials. In addition, he is an assessor for the Professional Referee Organization, and a US Soccer national instructor. On the field, Scott was named 2014 Major League Soccer Assistant Referee of the Year and also worked both the 2013 MLS All-Star Match and the 2013 MLS Cup. During his MLS career, he officiated over 200 matches. Scott also has extensive collegiate experience, having worked championship matches at the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NAIA levels. In February 2017 he was inducted into the Oklahoma Soccer Hall of Fame.

This month we step into a historically significant space where stories, place, and presence come together. Another iteration of Salt Lake City’s new monthly live podcast and boozy book club series—gathering writers, readers, and thinkers for intimate afternoons of conversation and connection. We’re re-launching the podcast series into this new space by discussing the literary work of American writer, educator, conservationist, and activist, Terry Tempest Williams, one of Utah’s most powerful literary voices, at the historic Clubhouse on South Temple—originally home to the Ladies Literary Club. (Click to learn more history). Charcuterie by Beehive Cheese Guests enjoy a guided wine tasting paired for each book/author presented by Jim Santangelo, Sommelier and steward of The Wine Academy of Utah, (optional + non-alcoholic libations included), with on-site books available for purchase curated by Ken Sanders Rare Books. Next month come early, grab a glass, and take your seat for a memorable experience rooted in story, spirit, and the landscape we call home.

From the X96 webpage, “Nick Davis is the ‘newest’ member of the X96 family. He was born and raised in Utah and is currently a student at the University of Utah. His passions include listening to music and going to concerts, so working for X96 is a perfect fit. He started out as an intern for the Radio From Hell show and wouldn’t leave the building.” Nick is considered X96’s market tested bad boy, with a streak for taking photos with people in panda costumes. Is he considered tumultuous? No, instead, that’s his alter-ego Dick Navis. Worrisome mustache mania continues to plague the mind of Nick, at least from my perspective. Residing in the SLC valley, he works hard for his dog biscuit, his wife, and hopes the construction stops soon so maybe he can get some sleep.

Mike Marron has been fermenting since he was 10 year old, and no. We don't mean he's been sitting in it. He's been gloriously intrigued by the process of fermenting grapes, and planted pinot noir grapes behind his childhood home in 1977 — which he still uses to make wine. He has brought his professional intrigue of winemaking to La Caille in 2015. La Caille, the iconic restaurant which sits on 20 acres at the mouth of Cottonwood Canyon in Sandy, has found its stride with farm-to-table food and a re-established wine label. Mike has been making wine from Salt Lake Valley Grapes since he was 19 years old, his expertise has brought Chateau La Caille to a new level of excellence. In 2012, La Caille re-opened under the ownership of Kevin Gates, who spent $1.5 million restoring the chateau and the grounds.

Ken Sanders is an American antiquarian bookseller who is also well known for his pursuit of book thieves. We are lucky enough to get to interview him, and join him alongside 'Literary Libations'. He founded Ken Sanders Rare Books in 1997 and Dream Garden Press in 1980. In 1982 he was a founding member of the Fund for Wild Nature (then the Earth First! Foundation), which provides grants for the protection of biodiversity and wilderness. He is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America and served on its Board of Governors for six years. Because we couldn't get enough of him, we decided to sit him down with some smoky whisky, and get to know the man behind the books!

This week on the Let's Go Eat and Drink Show, we’re turning up the heat in the kitchen with a special guest: the owner and director of Park City Culinary Institute, one of the nation's most prestigious culinary schools. Whether you're a seasoned chef, a home cook, or just someone who loves good food, this is an episode you won't want to miss. In our conversation, we dive deep into the world of culinary education—what it takes to train the next generation of top chefs, how the food industry is evolving, and the challenges and rewards of running an institution dedicated to the culinary arts. Our guest shares behind-the-scenes stories, insights into food trends, and valuable advice for anyone dreaming of a career in the kitchen. From knife skills to leadership lessons, this episode offers a rich blend of inspiration and insider knowledge. So grab your favorite snack, and drink then hit play to join us for a flavorful discussion with one of the culinary world’s most respected voices.

Join Ken, and Bill while we explore, and celebrate the life as well as the works of Wallace Stegner. Jimmy Santangelo provides the crowd with libations paired with the Dean of Western Writers, as well treated to a decadent charcuterie board. (Thanks Porkchop!) Wallace Stegner (1909-1993) was an American novelist, historian, conservationist, and teacher who is considered by many to be one of the most important American writers of the 20th century. His work often focused on the American West, nature, and the relationship between humans and the landscape, and he is known for his passion for wilderness preservation and respect for nature. You can find Wallace Stegner Academies all across the Wasatch Front!

Julie Janke is the owner and publisher of Millcreek City Lifestyle. Julie is more than a master in crafts work of relationship building, community spotlighting, self investing, and so much more! Jimmy kept pouring Bill drinks, and he wouldn't stop asking questions... Bill figures out the big picture of why Julie does what she does, and even how does she do it!? Grab another drink, and sip down with us!

Dylan McDonnell helped us answer these important questions. What would ancient Egyptian beer taste like? Would it be safe to drink? Are the ingredients they use similar to what's used today? We got as close as one person can tasting the ancient brews, because Dylan used yeast that's 3000 years old from Egypt amongst other ingredients from the area based off ancient text. We are very thankful Dylan opted to show us what it took to make this special drink, let alone to share it with us. Join us quickly before this beer is pyramid schemes it's way into my heart!

This month we sat down with our bookclub at Ken Sanders Rare Books to discuss Wendell Berry and The Mad Farmer Poems, and more Wendell Erdman Berry is an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer. Closely identified with rural Kentucky, Berry developed many of his agrarian themes in the early essays of The Gift of Good Land and The Unsettling of America. Join us for splash of knowledge from The Mad Farmer read by Ken Sanders and Bill Allred of X96.3 in Salt Lake Utah. Jimmy provides some sips for the crowd, and join us every month!

Bill Allred and Ken Sanders delve deep into the works of Willa Cather with help from our boozy bookclub. Friends joined us for drinks provided by Jimmy Santangelo from the Wine Academy of Utah, charcuterie, and a boyant discussion on Willa Cather's life, as well as talking about what shaped her writing. We keep a focus on My Ántonia, but you can't miss with anything she wrote. Willa Cather was an American writer known for her novels of life on the Great Plains, including O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia however her writing is loud and clear through any of her works. She held her own against Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner. If you need any more convincing that Willa is as big as the boys were, then take a listen. Grab some snacks, and a splishy splash of something!

Ken Sanders, and Bill sit down with our bookclub to discuss the life and legacy of Chuck Bowden. We share drinks, snacks, stories, and each others company. Chuck was a writer who known no bounds when interviewing members of the Mexican Drug Cartel. He had an in-depth look on the drug cartel, and their problems with the border. Charles lived a life of current events being deemed a 'Historian of the Future'. Chuck was a close friend of Ken Sanders, who briefs over conversations, memories, and overall describes the enigma that is, Chuck Bowden. Pour a drink, and soak up the stories of America's most dangerous writer.

Stay Salty: Lakefacing Stories is a podcast and multimedia project about overlooked stories from people connected to and impacted by the receding Great Salt Lake. We explore what it means to stay as we face an environmental and public health crisis. We took the time to speak with hosts Olivia Juarez and Meisei Gonzalez to figure out why they're doing this project, what the lake means to them, and most importantly, what do they like to eat and drink! Join Jimmy and Bill as we dive into the lives of the hosts of Stay Salty: Lakefacing Stories, and the potential future life of the Great Salt Lake. Grab something thirst quencing, and savory because there's more than enough salt!

Dorothy Parker is a Literary Icon who had one of the saddest stories of American Authors. Her struggles were clear, and she knew how to be jovial about it. She's considered one of the wittiest women of the 20th century. Her most known works are being a critic working with the New York Times, and as a screenwriter for A Star is Born. Her fall from grace wasn't pretty, and neither is most of her story. Join Ken, Bill, Jimmy as well as the crowd as we celebrate her collected works with whatever wets your whistle!

Jimmy concocted a plan to bring two members from the fabric of the community of Salt Lake to sit them down in front of some drinks, and books! We call it Literary Libations! Friends joined us for books, booze, centered around Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitaire". Jimmy as well mixed up a Mezcal Negroni to pair with such a beautiful piece of literature. We had some questions we couldn't answer, some laughs we couldn't contain, and some memories we made. So experience with us, literature in a way that cannot be replicated with the premiere of Literary Libations!

Join us once a month for this special event!

Today we speak with some of the founders of Beehive Distilling. Erik Ostling, and Chris Barlow. Beehive Distilling was started in 2013 by three friends who audaciously thought they could start a distillery in one of the most theocratic, alcohol adverse states in the country. With a little 80 gallon still and 1200 sq feet of production space in a run down warehouse, Beehive Distilling was born. They kicked off their journey with gin, infusing it with unique flavors and character. Soon, another gin joined the lineup, followed by a smooth vodka. With the draw of whiskey aging in barrels more space was needed so in 2017 they purchased a building—an expansive 10,000 square feet dedicated to distilling, barrel aging and their new endeavor canned cocktails. Now, eleven years after opening, Beehive has multiple offerings, and they can be found at bars that make excellent cocktails such as Bar-X, The Rest, and Copper Common, as well as on the menus of many excellent restaurants around the valley. Bill brought Deja Vu, Jimmy Splashes up your News, and Dawson hits the wrong buttons. Snag something Beehive Distilling as we joke along the way!