|
FIRE AND ICETHE ROMANCE OF DEER VALLEY RESORTBy Martha HollisDeer Valley Resort’s hospitable warmth quickly melts away all icy twinges from the outside world. Adjacent to Utah’s Park City, Deer Valley is more like a 5-star luxury resort than a sporting venue. Its selection by the Olympic Committee for the 2002 downhill event verifies that it is also a world-class skiing site. But we marveled at the resort’s incredible culinary heights—this is a venue for the culinary traveler, the perfect fueling place for the fire of romance with the ice of play.
Fun-meters’ mercury soars to the top with this joyous winter wonderland escape. The sun’s fiery brilliance reigns on the skiers sunbathing on the snowy “beach,” the bank of welcoming, white lounge chairs used between runs or for watching the well-clad, ski equipment and attire parade. More intense heat radiates from the roaring fires that always seemed to glow from most rooms. But let me not slide into this story until explaining that we came to Deer Valley for a romantic mid-week getaway. This haven is less than one easy hour from the Salt Lake City airport—a divine destination where Southwest Airlines features convenient air as well as complete packages for sporting Romance! We left very much in love with the resort and its luxurious appointments, service and uncompromising commitments to its guests’ delights. May I Carry Your Skis? And other AmenitiesJust like the doorman at a luxury hotel, the green and gold ski-suited host opens the car door offering both a genuinely infectious smile with an offer “May I carry your skis?” We also witnessed the arrival of a local transport bus. No problem. A bevy of hosts set up a bucket-style brigade accomplishing the job in no time. A service innovation, called the Ski Corral, is a no-additional charge, checked ski hold. Again manned by the Greenies in ski suits, you trade your skis for an elastic wrist bracelet band with a number. It could not be easier—no more worrying about stolen skis or mix-ups while you stop to check your answering machine, have a cappuccino with a freshly-baked goodie, shop for a new pair of the polypropylene skinny ski socks at Jan’s, or a bag of the addicting Deer Valley’s signature crispy pita chips spiked with Parmesan cheese and spices.
Many skiers, especially women in one-piece suits, try to limit liquid intakes before and during skiing to avoid visiting necessary stations. (Please see the review of WOMAN SKI by Claudia Carbone in TravelLady’s book review section, at http://www.travellady.com/articles/article-womenski.htm for the inside secret to managing these suits under such situations). To encourage replacement of bodily fluids, the bathrooms here are, once again, similar to those found in a luxury hotel. Yes the counters are marble, the fittings brass, the flower arrangements fresh, the hand lotion creamy—and for the skiers there are places to rest gear to free up your hands. It is quiet riding the lifts and coming down the mountain—the peace of remoteness with a gentle shuss from your skis. Only a handful of resorts have banned snowboarding. No, I did not miss being clipped from behind and treated rudely by boarders. Skiing with them reminds me of the rapidity of a Mercedes zooming into your review mirror on an Autobahn. In a blink it is there. If you bring children, there are, of course, all-day ski programs, lessons, lunch and snacks and while a child is in daycare, parents may keep in touch with complimentary cellular pagers—just for peace of mind. And two-way radios are rentable so those teenagers can venture off alone, but still keep in touch with their families. Why wait in line for a lift? Do that at the post office or supermarket. At Deer Valley, lines rarely form since the number of tickets sold per day are limited to their ability to move folks around the mountain. Only 4500 lift tickets are sold per day (buy the tickets a day in advance with an automated machine). The uphill capacity is 34,800 per hour for the 84 runs on four mountains. And the mountain tour is another luxury. Grouped with similar level skiers we had a tour of the mountains, the lifts and learned conditions and strategies for skiing in places conducive with our needs. Jody Baker, our host for the mountain ski tour, regaled us with stories of starter castles (such as one luxury ski home built by Johnny Carson for a former bride), sculpture alley (delightful yard sculptures in adjacent homes), the Beach (row of “lawn chairs” outside Silver Lake Lodge as THE place for people watching) and the perfect stops for a warming hot drink. The Olympics2002 Olympic events—slalom, combined slalom, aerial and mogul—will be held on the runs just above the lower lodge. Baker said that the course will be hosed-down first thing in the morning making icy conditions for the initial contestants, which will imitate the later day conditions.
The Culinary Adventure From Eight RestaurantsMcHenry’s has the feel of a warm-wooded neighborhood bistro. The open kitchen lets you watch the talented chefs at work and let them know how good the food is. They specialize in sandwiches during the day and everything from smoked shrimp quesadilla with melon salsa and cilantro sour cream to piadini (a divine fresh spinach and feta salad in a large flat bread wrap, a thinner, more tasty cousin to foccacia) and special entrees at night. Baby back rib addicts, after tasting the lime cilantro jalapeno glaze, will find all tomato-based sauces trite in comparison. The glaze, thank goodness, is sold in the signature shops and can be mail ordered. Two desserts deserve praise. I have already mentioned the ethereal pie with its frozen puckery lemony filling under the sky-high light baked meringue. But do not miss the adult ice cream fantasy—two giant chocolate chip cookies stuffed with a mountain of creamy ice cream is cut into four almost manageable wedges to dip in gooey, rich hot fudge sauce…now this is fun. The epitome of fine, romantic dining is to be had at the Mariposa, located mid-mountain at Silver Lake near McHenry’s. Reservations for the ninety seats are a must. Service personnel are impeccably well trained, informative albeit not stuffy. The wine list offers some excellent choices, but might change frequently due to the Utah liquor laws and availability. The two European-style degustation menus, six courses each smaller than their a la Carte counterparts, represent a culinary tour through the kitchen’s talents. The starters are a house lightly smoked salmon with lime caper aioli followed by grilled wild mushroom risotto cakes on mizuna greens. The charbroiled yellowfin tuna, sashimi quality, was served with fragrant basmati rice, grilled baby vegetables with a piquant green olive and roasted pepper vinaigrette. Delicately light fresh mozzarella rolled with prosciutto and basil came with a golden pear tomato and a lemon roasted garlic sauce. One of the signature resort dishes followed, Sea Bass Mariposa—a moist piece of baked sea bass with a honey soy glaze and fresh ginger sauce. The rack of lamb was roasted with freshly made pesto and accompanied with haricot verts and a wedge of rich potatoes Anna. The dessert sampler was a giant plate with the seasonal Yule log, actually a tiramisu in disguise, a macadamia nut tart with caramel ice cream, mango sorbet, homemade cookies and garnishes of fresh fruits including raspberries, blackberries and pomegranate seeds.
Nightly, The Seafood Buffet draws crowds at the Snow Park Lodge, at the base of the mountain. As soon as anyone knows that you will be doing the buffet, strategic advice avalanches forth. Typical comments were “skip lunch,” “do not even attempt to go any further than the cold buffet,” “go slowly and pace yourself,” and “do not miss a thing,” After the fact, my advice would be “Let your eyes be bigger than your stomach. Taste everything, absolutely everything and vow to ski harder tomorrow!” The iced buffet was everything advertised—succulently fresh oysters on the half shell with traditional cocktail sauce or the more delicate mignonette sauce, Dungeness crab, steamed and chilled shrimp, sushi, gravalax, salads, cheeses and every garnish and condiment one could desire. These we savored sitting in front of a roaring fire sipping our libations. The hot appetizers were my favorite. The steamed New Zealand clams were wonderful as were the petite skewers of shrimp and sausage. The Louisiana oysters with the mango salsa and hot hit enthralled me—they were perfectly crisp and addictive. The crab cakes were almost as delectable as those at the Mariposa (albeit lacking their artful plate design and saucing). It is always difficult to "hold" food until the diners are ready, particularly a hot carvery for fresh fish. Having sampled the sea bass signature at the Mariposa where it was stupendous, I was mildly critical of this less-than-perfect presentation, even though it was still fabulous! Other hot entrees change nightly. We enjoyed a lobster pie, poached salmon, oven-roasted root vegetables, richer-than-rich mashed potatoes, and pastas. Neither of us managed any of the prime rib, but it appeared to have been cooked with care. We delayed desserts ever so slightly by sipping on perfectly brewed coffees. Julie Wilson, Food and Beverage manager since 1985, with her impeccable attention to detail and quality had commented earlier that day that she was not quite satisfied with the brew. But by that evening it appeared that she could easily give the Starbucks and other brewers a serious run for their money. Coffee, espressos, cappuccinos and other beverages served in all the restaurants are spectacular. And I have never before been offered a refill at my luncheon table at ANY SKI RESORT!!! Then we swaggered over to the dessert counter—a paean to Letty Flatt, the talented Pastry Chef who started with the ski patrol in 1981 and became a baker in 1982. She is a 1986 graduate of the French Culinary Institute of New York and has also studied with the legendary Madeleine Kamman. The bakery with items such as apple tarte tartin, caramelized pear tart, chocolate carrot cake, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and hazelnut daquoise can certainly hold its own in any competition. You will quickly understand why Flatt’s baking skills are legendary and rejoice that 100 recipes with special high altitude advice will be available in a new cookbook scheduled to appear in Fall, 1999.
One popular lunch item is the Norwegian recipe lamb stew made with cabbage richly studded with garlic. The grilled smoked turkey, Jarlsberg cheese, aioli mustard tarragon is quite popular as is the grilled chicken sandwich with sautéed onions served on freshly baked foccacia. Wildly popular is the Turkey Chili (mix available from Signature Shops) made with white meat, black beans, fresh vegetables and served with flour tortillas. And, of course, Flatt’s desserts are there.
Chef Jim Norton, who has been with Deer Valley for 11 years, summed up the resort’s culinary philosophy “the core people work together like a family. The final product is something we are proud of and the best that it can be. Deer Valley’s heart and soul are in cooking.” Sample RecipesSHRIMP AND CILANTRO WONTONS WITH A GINGER BUTTER SAUCE Jim Norton, Snow Park Lodge Executive Chef Served at the Seafood Buffet Wontons: 12 wonton skins 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced ½ teaspoon salt zest of 1 lime 4 cups boiling water for poaching Cut shrimp in half lengthwise, then cut each piece into thirds. In a mixing bowl, combine shrimp and other ingredients. Place wonton skins on a flat surface. Moisten the edge with water. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of shrimp mixture in the center of the wonton. Fold wonton skin in half so the edges meet. Press firmly together. Poach in boiling water for 2 ½ minutes. Makes one dozen. GINGER BUTTER SAUCE 3 medium sized shallots, peeled and chopped 3 walnut size pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips 1 cup white wine ½ cup heavy cream ½ pound butter, cut into small cubes ½ teaspoon salt Place shallots, ginger and white wine in a medium saucepan. Boil over high heat until reduced by three-quarters. Add heavy cream and reduce by half. Remove from heat. Add butter cubes one at a time whisking until melted. Add salt and strain. Makes one cup. FAT FREE HEALTHY HEART MUFFINS Letty Flatt, Pastry Chef Featured on the Natural Breakfast Buffets ¼ cup pitted prunes, tightly packed, soaked in 2 tablespoons water for 10 minutes 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce 1/3 cup orange juice 3 egg whites or 1/3 cup liquid egg substitute 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup raisins 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¾ teaspoon orange extract 1 teaspoon grated orange zest, optional 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¾ cup oat bran (substitute old-fashioned rolled oats ground in food processor) ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats, for garnish Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Puree prunes in food processor until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk the prunes, applesauce, orange juice, egg whites, honey, raisins, vanilla and orange extracts and the optional orange zest. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into another bowl. Stir in the oat bran. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just to moisten. Divide into the prepared muffin tins and sprinkle with rolled oats. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched with a finger. Cool for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan. Note: At high altitude, decrease honey by 1 tablespoon and reduce baking soda to 1½ teaspoons. Contacts: Deer Valley website: www.deervalley.com Deer Valley Central Reservations, the one-stop vacation planning center, (800) 424-3337, Rooms, suites, condominium and homes Snow Report: 435-649-2000 McHenry’s, Silver Lake Lodge, (435) 645-6724 The Seafood Buffet, Snow Park Lodge, reservations (435) 645-6632 Mariposa, Silver Lake Lodge, reservations (435) 645-6715 Southwest Airlines serves the Salt Lake City Airport from its various locations. (800) 435-9792, www.southwest.com. Skiers can have two pieces of luggage and a ski bag or board checked. Southwest Airlines features all-inclusive ski package tours including Deer Valley lift tickets, Snow Park condominium accommodations, and skierized rental cars or transfers. Shuttle service is available from the airport for the approximately 39-mile drive via I-80 exit 125 onto SR-224 for the 5.4 mile drive south to Park City and to Deer Valley. Signature Stores, 800 833-2002, sell vinaigrettes, marinades, cookie mix, Turkey Chili Mix, granola, Parmesan Pita Chip and other gourmet, specialty items. Images: Martha Hollis |
|
TM
Magically the ice reappears in this winter wonderland in
unexpected ways. My favorite was the “shards” in the frozen lemon meringue
pie—an extravagant dessert with a frozen, tangy filling under a small mountain
of whipped egg white and sugar peaks served at McHenry’s, a casual restaurant
on the mid-mountain lodge, Silver Lake. 
While traditional lockers are available, for a small fee you
can also rent a basket, staffed all day, with unlimited in and out privileges.
This is so convenient you can permanently zip your ski pockets and leave the
extra hats, goggles, and sunscreen in a place where you can easily get to them.
We gained a hot collector’s tip from the resort’s
communication manager, Christa Thompson— “the prized green Jell-O commemorative
pins issued as official Olympic souvenirs sold out months ago.” Thompson said,
“Salt Lake City has the highest per capita consumption of green Jell-O which
according to the Later Day Saints’ recipe is filled with carrots and
marshmallows.”
Another degustation menu presents vegetarian selections prepared
with similar talent. This one started with the mozzarella roulade and moved
into a wild mushroom polenta with sautéed mizuna, roasted onions and sauces of
goat cheese and sundried tomato. Baby spinach with grilled gala apples is toped
with crispy, sweet maple sugar roasted cashews, and feta cheese bathed with
Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Brilliantly gracing sautéed Oriental vegetables,
basmati rice and fresh ginger sauce was a honey tamari glazed tofu. Raviolis
are stuffed with roasted butternut squash and leeks and served in a smoked
onion cider broth garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted sunflower
sprouts and cilantro leaves. This dining experience also climaxes with the
Pastry Chef’s Dessert Sampler.
One of our favorite Mariposa starters was a delicate fresh
Dungenese crabcake on avocado and cucumber artfully presented on a black plate
with wasabi and ginger sauces presented in inside of each other in three
polygons. Meat and game lovers may select the mixed grill with rack of lamb, a
venison medallion wrapped in smoked bacon and seared ostrich filet with
caramelized shallot, shiraz wine and Montmorncy cherry sauce, portobello
mushrooms and mashed potatoes. Pan-seared Tiger prawns came with a cilantro
lime and roasted corn sauces along with a shrimp tamale.
Breakfast and lunch at both lodges are similarly gourmet
dining experiences. Luncheon salad bars, called the “Natural Buffet,” are
impeccably fresh including even chilled fresh artichokes. Build your own salad
with items with just-picked freshness or marvel at composed salads with meats,
seafoods, cheeses, and vegetables enlivened with clever ideas adapted from many
cuisines. Not to be missed is the lowfat, roasted tomato dressing.