Great Fall Foods in Utah

As long as I can remember, we've been visiting Logan in the fall, for the best food of the season -- namely apples, apple cider and cheese.  Abby & I made a trip today, met Mandy, Tony & Cole and had a great time.  Our first stop was Zollinger's for apples & cider.  Mmmm....the cider is chilling in my fridge right now and I hope I can save a little for Blair when he gets home later.  I'll try.  We also got some apples for Kati's family and a few bags for us.  Blair will make some pie, hopefully tomorrow.  Our next stop was Crumb Brothers, a new spot on the "fall food tour of Logan."  They make incredible bread and we bought two loaves - crusty sourdough for dinner tomorrow and a herb baguette for dinner tonight.  Yum.  We then stopped at the best sandwich shop on the planet (at least in Utah), Logan's Heroes.  I had the hot pastrami (my dad got me hooked on hot pastrami YEARS ago at the Der Ratskeller in Salt Lake) and this one was perfect.  Hot pastrami, mustard, mayo, swiss cheese and pickles on a white sandwich roll.  My mouth is watering, just remembering.  Our last "foodie" stop was at Gossner's for cheese.  We bought "squeaky cheese", sliced Swiss for a future dinner featuring "malibu chicken" and some raspberry honey from Cox's Honeyland.  All great local places - yay!  And, then following a hot tip from my Mom, we stopped at Sumida's Fruit Stand on the way home (on "Fruit Way" - Highway 89) where their squash and pumpkins were very much on sale.  I got four acorn squash, two banana squash, two spaghetti squash and three pumpkins for $3.82.  I LOVE FALL IN UTAH!  YAY!  

X-Treme Sushi-Bountiful

Today Blair called me at work to report there was a new sushi restaurant in Bountiful, X-Treme Sushi at 500 South.  Yes, it was in a strip mall - but so is Tokai, our favorite place so I wasn't swayed by location.  After Abby's daycare Halloween party, we had to try it out.  This is my recommendation:  DON'T GO THERE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!  You can get better sushi at Costco.  And, if that's what you think sushi is, I feel sorry for you.  When we first walked in, we were hit by an overpowering smell of disinfectant.  OK, that put me off a little, but hey - it's a new place, just getting started -- I was going to give them the benefit of the doubt.  We sat down at a table (nice tables, but it was more "fast-food" decor than anything else) and a very nice waitress asked what we'd like to drink (water for me, Sprite for Abby) but they didn't have water.  What?  Who doesn't have water?  They brought us two Sprite cans, no glasses, no ice.  Strike one.  The menu was sparse, but included the choice of a "half-roll" instead of ordering a whole roll, so I was impressed by that.  We ordered a 1/2 Alaska roll and 1/2 Playboy roll, plus two orders of Miso soup.  The soup was served in a square bowl (no, that is not an oxymoron) with soup spoons.  Seriously?  Soup spoons?  Even Abby didn't like the miso soup because...it was too salty.  This is from a girl who LOVES salt (me, too) and I couldn't even take more than three spoonfuls before I was done.  Strike two.  They brought the sushi out right after (thank goodness, I thought) and it looked OK.  I had to ask for wasabi (what?  Ask for wasabi?  What kind of place is this?) and we dug in.  Oh my word, it was so awful.  SO AWFUL!  The rice was DRY, the rolls fell apart and even the "middle" of the rolls weren't good.  The avocado wasn't ripe and was hard to chew and the shrimp wasn't shrimp tempura...it was just shrimp.  Yikes.  Strike three.  I graciously asked for a "to go" container, as not to embarrass the poor waitress, but let's just say that is the LAST time I'll go there.  Maybe people in Bountiful don't know sushi and this place will survive...but a Mikado is opening up next month in the Commons, next to Costco, just down the street.  Let's just say this place will NOT be a problem, as far as competition goes.  I predict they won't be there long.  

Les Madeleine's

I was lucky enough to be invited by my fellow "foodie" friend, Amanda to take a class at Les Madeleine's, an absolutely yummy local bakery.  It's become very famous lately, as Romina Rasmussen (the owner & pastry chef) recently appeared on the Food Network show, "Road Tasted with the Neeley's."  Amanda suggested we go to the class and learn a little more about the "magic" she produces and wow - it was all that and more.  Especially for someone as terrified of baking as me.  We now have recipes for Pumpkin Cheesecake, an Apple Tart, and a Poached Pear Napoleon -- with all the instructions about how to make them like she does.  I've included several pictures to illustrate what an enjoyable afternoon it was.  And, yes -- she has another class coming up in November and yes - you get to eat what you learn to make.  Rock on, foodies!  

The Poached Pear Napoleon

The Apple Tart - isn't it beautiful?