Though taking a vested interest in where our food comes from used to simply be a way of life, these days it\u2019s becoming more and more punk rock. Re-educating ourselves about what is and is not possible in our local environment is less of an exercise in common sense, and more about self-preservation. <\/p>\n
Perhaps this is why the Natural History Museum of Utah\u2019s (nhmu.utah.edu) annual Utah Food Fest has become such a celebrated local event. Two days of local food vendors, community-based workshops and hands-on learning will be once again available to the public on May 16 and 17.<\/p>\n
The Utah Food Festival as we know it today evolved from an event hosted in 2014 called Chocolate: The Exhibition. It was here that the museum first showcased Utah\u2019s local chocolate scene, and the event\u2019s programming featured workshops hosted by Matt Caputo of Caputo\u2019s Market & Deli, and a panel of local chocolatiers including representatives from Amano Chocolate, Solstice Chocolate and Chocolate Conspiracy. I remember visiting this event, and the cohesion between learning about chocolate before one indulges and enjoying it was a fascinating bedrock upon which to build a festival.<\/p>\n
Chocolate: The Exhibition continued to evolve over the years until it eventually became the Utah Food Festival. These days, the event pulls from an even more diverse pool of local growers and food experts\u2014and yes, chocolate is still very much on the table. As always, admission to the event includes admission to the Natural History Museum, so if it\u2019s been a while since you\u2019ve broadened your mind, this weekend is a good time to check back in.<\/p>\n
In keeping with the tradition of Chocolate: The Exhibition, the Utah Food Festival does include local vendors and plenty of great things to eat and drink. Its primary function, however, is to help locals learn about the food we produce locally\u2014and even how to produce some of that food on one\u2019s own. <\/p>\n
Program Coordinator Lydia Hall took a moment to discuss this year\u2019s programming with me, and the Utah Food Fest sounds like it\u2019s shaping up to be packed with great participants. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, we\u2019re going to be learning all about how to cook with foraged plants along the Wasatch Front, how to make the perfect cup of coffee, and we even have a workshop about how to make a perfect caramel apple,\u201d Hall said.<\/p>\n
As coordinator, Hall is in charge of arranging the Utah Food Festival\u2019s workshop programming, and this year the event will feature six workshops each day of the festival. The Salted Roots host a presentation about creating a custom salt blend for one\u2019s home cooking needs; Mountain Born Creamery will be teaching attendees how to churn their own butter; and Tea Grotto will be sharing tips about brewing loose leaf tea, along with a guided tasting session.<\/p>\n
I also had the chance to chat with Brandy Fowers, owner of The Farmhouse At Sacco\u2019s, who will be both operating a vendor stand and conducting workshops at the festival. This will be the first time Fowers and The Farmhouse At Sacco\u2019s will be participating in the Utah Food Festival, and she is hoping to help people learn more about taking advantage of CSAs. \u201cI\u2019m mainly looking forward to educating people,\u201d Fowers said. \u201cIf you\u2019re not growing your own food, get the freshest food you can locally; that way, we can keep the money in our state and support the person who is most likely your neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those who perhaps can\u2019t make it to this year\u2019s Utah Food Festival should absolutely start following The Farmhouse At Sacco\u2019s on Instagram (@farmhouse_at_saccos) for some everyday locavore tips and tricks. \u201cWe educate you on every single supplier we have, we do background checks on the people we have,\u201d Fowers noted. \u201cMy big call to action would be to follow what the Farmhouse is doing and check out our events.\u201d <\/p>\n
For those who are interested and able, Hall recommends getting tickets in advance. \u201cWorkshop admission also includes admission to the festival, and it also includes admission to Bug World which is going on right now,\u201d Hall said.<\/p>\n
As someone who is always trying to improve my shopping and dining habits, I\u2019ve come to appreciate events like the Utah Food Festival. With all the day-to-day chaos that seems to be piling up on our doorsteps, taking the extra time to deliberate over the food we\u2019re eating can often fall by the wayside. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s frustrating for those of us who want to be a bit more responsible and sustainable to feel somehow forced into making unethical decisions. The practical tips and tricks available at the festival offer some great insights into how we can do the best we can with what we have\u2014and it turns out that we have a lot more than we may have thought. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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