Heber Valley Life

Author: Scott Mitchell

There’s Something in the Air

Most people see Utah’s mountains and simply stop to admire them, towering peaks drenched in light, worthy of postcards and quiet awe. But for a daring (and growing) few, these Wasatch Back “hills” aren’t just scenery—they’re a playground, a proving ground, and the perfect launchpad for paragliders!

My introduction to these thrill-seekers found me huffing and puffing up PC Hill (named for the massive cement letters “PC” that sprawl hundreds of feet across its face), on a brisk hike right before sunset. As I crested the top, I was met with a group of guys examining a wind sock and crossing their fingers that conditions would be just right for an exciting flight back down to the ground. The windsock—a large, silky pouch permanently fixed to the hilltop—snapped in the breeze, its tail pointing southwest. Perfect. They quickly unpacked their speed wings and started to get strapped in, donning safety helmets (complete with a very cool 360° camera) and harnesses. One by one, they launched and flew through the air, expertly maneuvering, zig-zagging around until touching down at the base of the hill. I timed the first pilot, from the time he said “launching” to the time he had both feet on the ground, and it was a total of 43 seconds. Those wings certainly do live up to their name. After climbing down the hill and watching the pilots glide effortlessly through the air, I learned a wealth of fascinating things about paragliding, shared by some of the most spirited people I’ve ever met.

Utahns on the other side of the Wasatch Mountains are quite acquainted with seeing paragliders. You might have seen them yourself, as they soar around the Point of the Mountain. With its sweeping landscapes and steady thermals, Utah offers paragliding conditions that rank among the best in the world. Aaron Simmons, one of the pilots I met, is young, adventurous, and very passionate about paragliding. He described the local paragliding scene, “living in Utah, getting into the sport is really, really accessible, I would say, unlike anywhere else.” Like with most hobbyists, paragliders enjoy sharing their love of the sport and encouraging others to join in the fun. “You could go down to the Point of the Mountain flight park on any day of the week, as long as it’s not a thunderstorm, you could show up there and get a tandem ride.” Aaron and his brother, Ben, have been flying for over four years. Ben describes what he loves most about the sport, something he calls the flow state: “You can’t really think about anything else, apart from exactly what you’re doing in that very moment.” Ironically, a very grounding thought.

In addition to PC Hill, Nick, Ben, and Aaron have been gliding around a beautifully maintained sight in Oakley as well as Jupiter Peak, and the views are spectacular! While paragliding can take place year-round, all three agreed that autumn is their favorite season to fly. The cooler air brings gentler shifts in flight conditions—but more than that, the views are unmatched, with the mountains ablaze in color. Nick remarked, “The coolest thing about flying in the fall is the fall leaves, the colors, and being able to see it from a different perspective than most people do… makes the world feel smaller, I think.” Aaron described the site they fly off Jupiter Peak as world famous; in fact, it is a USHPA-insured site. Paragliding at Jupiter Peak is a world apart from flying at PC Hill. Here, pilots use wings built for longevity and distance, allowing them to stay aloft for hours. From that vantage point, the sweeping views of mountains and forests are nothing short of spectacular. Aaron excitedly described, “The Alpine Loop is up there in Jupiter, it’s so popular, tons of people are there to see the trees. So, you could just picture seeing it from 13,000 feet up above Park City.”

Regardless of where they fly, this group of friends tries to get in a few good flights every day. The evening I spent with them on PC Hill, they were able to get two “laps” in, hiking up the mountain and soaring right back down, fly and repeat until the weather or light stopped them from doing so. Nick Carusi, another flyer, described this location as their “training hill.” “It’s a pretty short hill with a grassy runway; it’s kind of the perfect place to practice.” A training hill indeed. Just before the trio took to the air, a newer paraglider named Jack was attempting a takeoff. With only a handful of flights under his belt, he was airborne by his second try. Aaron was quick to the rescue when Jack’s first attempt ended sideways, being toppled by the wind with his feet up in the air. Aaron dispensed some quick advice and directed him where it might have gone wrong. Ardent cheers and accolades rang out as Jack made it off the hill and quickly glided to the ground below. The whole experience felt very fraternal. Ben described folks who paraglide as a very tight-knit community. In Aaron’s view, the camaraderie comes naturally—born from the sport’s inherent risks and the good nature of those who work together to keep each other safe.

The pilots could not stress enough that paragliding is a very safe and regulated venture, “a lot of people just see a crazy person flying through the sky. I’m on a certified aircraft; it’s not this crazy thing someone made in their garage.” Each pilot received a rating from the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) ranging from beginner to master pilot, distinguishing them and their ability to command the various paragliding wings. Additional information on ratings and paragliding can be found on ushpa.org. More than anything, Nic, Ben, and Aaron wanted me to educate people about the sport, to let readers know how fun and safe it is. Aaron finished by saying, “This is something that’s not as scary as you might think it would be. Check it out, whether that be riding with a professional, doing a tandem, or taking your first lesson and feeling it out under your own guidance, because it is that safe, you can just go do this.” These pilots are very excited about the future of paragliding in the Wasatch Back. There’s so much untapped potential; one day, they hope that there will be sites all over this side of the mountain with paragliders enjoying the beauty the area has to offer.

Want to take that ‘leap’ and learn to Paraglide?

There are several schools that offer paragliding lessons, training, and certification in or near Wasatch and Summit counties.

For more information about these schools and contact details visit: uhgpga.org/learn-to-fly

In the US it is not legally required to have a license to paraglide. However, most flying sites require pilots to have the appropriate United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) certification (like the P2 rating) to ensure safe and responsible flying.
September 4, 2025
Gratitude Tiger

I sat down with Joel Zuckerman, author of Gratitude Tiger, in a cafe surrounded by magazines that he could have written in what he calls his former life. At one time, he was a wildly successful golf writer; however, that wasn’t what he wanted to talk about today. Joel discovered something he loves more than waxing poetic about a beloved sport; and that something is all about gratitude.

This journey of Joel’s began more than a decade ago, when he picked up a self-help book that advised him to write a heartfelt letter. Fortuitously, he misread the book’s instructions, thinking it said to write a letter of gratitude. Writing a simple letter of gratitude, Joel mused, “I can do that.” He explains, “I decided I was going to write a letter to a business associate of mine who had been very helpful in my golf writing career, and as I sat down to write the letter on my computer, it never occurred to me I would write a second letter.” What he wasn’t expecting was how good he felt. At the time of our interview, he had written 280 letters of gratitude. Each letter brings an incredible elation not only for the recipient but also for himself.

In a 20031 study on the effects of gratitude and grateful thinking, the data showed that grateful thinking dramatically improves mood and brings about a greater sense of well-being.

Upon making this discovery, Joel wanted to share it with the world, so he created a presentation and wrote Gratitude Tiger. “Most people write a book and then speak. I spoke first, and then decided to write a book,” Joel exclaimed, “[I needed] a book as a calling card… a 160-page business card.” For Joel, the term “motivational speaking” reeks a little too much of a certain van-dwelling character played by Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live; that’s why he coined the term enrichment speaking. “I deliver it with a degree of entertainment and humor and poignancy, but the message is that if you write letters of gratitude, you, the writer, will feel good.” His presentation is titled The Seven Pillars of Expressive Gratitude. Joel has presented his philosophy of gratitude to hundreds of people and offers workshops to help attendees get into a gratitude-centric state of mind.

You can tell how clever Joel is from some of the names he gives to chapters in his book or the names of his workshops. My personal favorite is Thank Tank, Better than a Think Tank. This workshop is all about asking the kinds of questions with no wrong answers that get participants thinking about gratitude in ways they never have before. Joel is very pleased with the reviews for both his book and speaking seminars, “People feel moved when they hear my presentations. The Seven Pillars is funny but also poignant. There are sad moments in it, and a lot of people say I’m gonna write a letter [sic]. I’ll say, ‘Well, hopefully you’ll enjoy the feeling so much, you’ll write a second one’, because when I wrote the first one, it didn’t occur to me that I would write a second one.”

How about the titular tiger hiding in the metaphorical bushes? Most people assume it comes from Joel’s golf background. I personally thought it was about being fiercely grateful. Joel clarified that Tiger (or more appropriately, T.I.G.E.R.) is an acronym that means: Tapping Into Gratitude Engenders Rewards. He further elaborated why it’s so important to be grateful, musing, “a podcast interviewer said to me, ‘you can’t be grateful and angry in the same moment.’ You can’t be grateful and worried at the same time. They can come hot on the heels of each other. But creating a gratitude mindset is helpful for emotional well-being.” T.I.G.E.R is right on the money, neurologically speaking. The same regions that light up the brain’s reward centers fire off like crazy when it comes to grateful thinking. It’s no wonder that we have an entire holiday dedicated to recentering people’s minds on gratitude; it’s one of the first things we teach babies. Countless studies conclude that gratitude is an essential sociological response crucial for building social bonds.

As our conversation concluded, Joel shared with me what he explained as the difference between proactive and reactive gratitude. He listed several examples of reactive gratitude, from the benign, like seeing gridlocked traffic going the other way, feeling grateful you’re not in that, to receiving a good medical diagnosis. “Everyone feels that. Proactive gratitude is the brass ring that I’m chasing, and everyone should be chasing. When you’re proactively grateful, you take the time to be grateful, expressively grateful.” He proceeded to quote Gertrude Stein, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” So, I’ve been making an effort to express my gratitude. I haven’t gone so far as to put pen to paper to express my gratitude, but that’s okay because Joel’s final thought for me was this, “Just because I write seven paragraph letters, it doesn’t mean you can’t do the same thing in seven sentences, or even seven words.” As long as you are proactively expressing gratitude, you will see the reward, and, overall, you will have healthier emotional well-being. Thanks, Joel, I owe you one.

To learn more about Gratitude Tiger or to book Joel Zuckerman for a speaking engagement, visit gratitudetiger.com
September 4, 2025
Folklore connecting people and stories

In the digital age, it may come as a surprise that bookstores are making a strong comeback. Across the country, independent bookshops are popping up and thriving—fueled by a growing desire to disconnect from screens and reconnect with the simple pleasure of reading. Nowhere is this more evident than in Midway, where Folklore Bookshop is quickly becoming the community’s newest favorite gathering spot.

Founded by Lindsey Leavitt Brown, Audrey Lind, and Alison Russell, Folklore is more than a bookstore—it’s a labor of love. On a perfectly stormy day, the kind of day made for curling up with a good book, I met with the trio behind the shop. With Lindsey’s background as a children’s book author, Audrey’s librarian expertise, and Alison’s retail experience, Folklore was destined to be something special.

If it’s been a while since you’ve walked into a bookstore, let me paint the scene: the moment you open the door to Folklore, you’re met with the intoxicating scent of paper and ink. Walls of colorful tomes beckon you in, each promising an adventure, a lesson, or a new perspective. There’s something comforting about being surrounded by stories, and Folklore knows exactly how to make you feel welcome.

The shop carries a thoughtful selection of titles across every genre—fiction, non-fiction, thrillers, romance, horror, and, of course, a robust children’s section filled with board books, picture books, and chapter books. As we sat among pop-up books and picture books, Alison showed me a copy of Willis Wilbur, one of Lindsey’s own titles. It was clear that this was a place built not just for selling books, but for celebrating them.

Cozy seating throughout the store encourages visitors to slow down and stay awhile. There’s a quiet magic in turning the pages of a book, something you can’t replicate with a swipe on a screen. As an avid reader, I’ll always choose a hardcover or paperback over an e-book. Science backs me up: study after study shows that reading physical books improves focus, sleep, and retention—unlike screen time, which has the opposite effect.

The Folklore team agrees. When asked about competition from online giants, they smiled and jokingly referred to one in particular as “The Big A.” But they also pointed out that shopping local supports your community. As Alison put it, “When you buy locally, you’re giving back to the community. That money stays where you live.” Authors get paid regardless of where their books are sold, but local purchases benefit neighbors, not corporations. Plus, nothing compares to holding a book in your hands before you buy it.

More than just retail, Folklore is a space for community. Sociologists talk about the importance of a “Third Place”—a space that’s neither home nor work, where people gather, connect, and exchange ideas. Coffee shops, parks, and bookstores often fill this role, and Folklore embraces it wholeheartedly. The store is a hub for book clubs, author signings, and special events that bring people together.

On the day I visited, a group of a dozen women had gathered in the back for a book club meeting. Despite the gloomy weather, the room was full of warmth, laughter, and conversation. Think about the last time you talked to someone about a book you both read—how your interpretations sparked deeper discussion. That’s the kind of interaction Folklore hopes to foster regularly.

“People will always need bookstores,” Lindsey said. “Reading is just what people do—it will never go out of fashion.” The team is especially proud of their passionate and knowledgeable booksellers, who have a knack for helping customers find the perfect read. Whether you’re a voracious reader or someone just dipping your toes into a new genre, they’ll make you feel right at home.

Folklore also hosts several events each month. Thanks to Lindsey’s connections in the publishing world, they’ve already featured some top-notch authors. In February, they threw a fun “Galentine’s Day” party, and in December, a birthday bash for Taylor Swift. When I asked if the shop was named after Swift’s 2020 album, Audrey and Alison shared knowing smiles. “Oh, that question,” Lindsey laughed. “I am a Swifty, but we chose the name back in 2018.” While there’s a playful nod to Taylor—the poetry section is called “The Tortured Poet’s Department”—the name Folklore is much deeper.

They explained it this way: break it down—folk, meaning people, and lore, meaning stories. “Connecting people and stories,” they said. That’s their mission, and it shows in everything they do. Whether you’re browsing, buying, chatting about your favorite characters, or just sitting quietly among the shelves, Folklore invites you to be part of something meaningful.

As I stepped back out into the wind and rain, I felt a little more rooted in this valley—grateful for places like Folklore and the people who create them. Because in the end, it’s not just about the books—it’s about the stories we share and the community we build.

More Information: @folkloremidway
folklorebookshop.com
June 5, 2025
Fire Station 51

There’s no denying that Heber Valley is growing. New buildings and plans for new buildings are popping up all over the place. One such building that is the clearest sign of Heber’s growth is the new fire station that is slated for completion in April 2025. The new station will provide emergency services to all of Heber’s residents and countless future residents
to come.

When you think of the fire department you may think that they are only responsible for putting out fires, but they also provide other essential emergency services like paramedics and EMTs which are managed by The Wasatch Fire District. The district stretches from the top of the Jordanelle Reservoir, down through Provo Canyon, and as far east as Yellow Lake, which experienced some pretty dramatic wild fires in the summer of 2024. Wasatch Fire District is overseen by Chief Eric Hales. Chief Hales is excited by the growth in the area, and believes the number one reason the new station is being built in Heber is because of that incredible growth, “One of the reasons why I took this job is because, number one, I’ve experienced some of that growth already, but I’m excited to be involved with this community as they navigate that.” Hales became fire chief in 2022, after more than 25 years of fire service for the Park City Fire District. Heber’s fire station was in dire need of some updating. Back when it was built in the 90s the fire department was manned almost exclusively by volunteers. Chief Hales describes the key difference between how things run today versus 30 years ago, “That volunteer response model… it worked well. You’re able to leave your job and go on. There were a couple calls a week. But today we’re averaging almost 15 calls a day.” The old fire station was never equipped for housing staff, something that is standard in most fire stations these days. Currently they house a few staff members in a trailer on the site of the fire station located on 100 East in Heber. Fortunately, the new fire station, being built in the south part of town on 1200 South, will be able to house up to eight full-time fire fighters, EMTs, and paramedics 24 hours a day. “We’re going to be hiring first of the year, we’ll have a fire engine staffed with three people, and an ambulance staff of two. We’ll have a paramedic rescue unit staffed with two. And then our battalion chief, who oversees the day-to-day operations.”

In addition to new quarters for the staff, the new station will be equipped with a space for members of the community, Chief Hales describes, “We’ll also have about a 1500 square foot community room where we’ll be able to host educational classes and other events, everything from CPR to babysitting classes, first aid, and fire prevention classes.” The fire district has been partnering with Wasatch High School since 2021, offering Seniors the opportunity to take an EMT class and earn their license. “Can we expand that to maybe firefighter training at some point? Possibly. We do have a spot on the station site, and a training facility, so we can do some additional firefighter training.”

The construction of the new station hasn’t been without a few challenges. With such close proximity to the Heber Airport, they needed to acquire the proper permits to deal with the FAA and the airspace above the station, an administrative hiccup that caused a 45-day delay for the building. Construction crews weren’t allowed to extend the cranes to the height that they needed, forcing them to get creative and reposition the cranes more often than they normally would to accommodate.

When asked about what members of the community can do to get involved, Chief Hales expressed his gratitude for the people of Wasatch County who voted with an astonishing 62% majority for a sales tax increase in order to help fund the fire district, “We truly appreciate the support that we’ve received from the community. So, we just want to basically give back and provide the service that they not only deserve but what they need.” The .5% increase also helped residents paying property tax because it allowed people visiting from outside the county to help lift some of that burden when they pay for goods and services inside our community. The chief also wants to remind community members to be vigilant in understanding living in a wild land/urban interface area, to be mindful about wild fires and residential fires.

Barring any further complications to construction, the station will be completed in April 2025, at which point Chief Hales will open the doors to host an open house for the public to come tour the new station. Another feature that visitors can get excited about is the museum that will feature over 100 years of history, from the humble beginnings of the Heber Valley Fire Department to today. The museum will showcase murals, memorabilia, and most exciting of all, an old 1934 Mack fire engine, whether or not you’re a history buff, this is very exciting. Ours is a rich history, and while we are going to be saying good-bye to the old fire station, we can look forward to the new station which will undoubtedly create its own history while it serves our community as we progress and grow. Chief Eric Hales concludes, “Growth is inevitable, but it’s just something that we have to be mindful of as a fire district, we just have to look at it, and work together on how we provide the necessary fire and life safety, and emergency medical response to this community as we are growing so exponentially. This is truly rewarding, being part of this growth.”
December 9, 2024
Boom! Roasted!

I’ve always been fascinated with the processes that go into the seemingly simple. I love those TV shows that let you peek behind the curtain to learn how various things are made. So, I was ecstatic about the opportunity to watch the process of roasting coffee beans at Pink Elephant Coffee Roasters in Heber. The Pink Elephant gathers and roasts beans from all over the world. Who knew so much work goes into something as simple as a cup of coffee?

What once started as a hobby for Mitch Baker, who owns Pink Elephant with his wife Kelly, has flourished into a successful roastery and cafe. Kelly explains, “We had a little less than a pound roaster that we had in our house, and we were doing a couple of ounces of coffee at a time and kind of just fell in love with sourcing the coffee, roasting it, introducing people to freshly roasted coffee, which is so different.”

Kelly gave me the grand tour of their roastery, and they’ve come a long way from a one-pound roaster. I was impressed by the sheer volume of beans they roast every day. Pink Elephant had stacks and stacks of 50-pound bags of green coffee beans waiting to be crisped to perfection. The raw beans look like green lentils, only a little bigger. Kelly enlightens me on the importance of the roasting process, “We don’t add any flavoring or anything like that; kind of like wine or chocolate, you’re highlighting the natural flavors that come with each bean.”

Coffee beans are the seeds of what they call a coffee cherry; each cherry has two beans. Usually, those beans are removed from the fruit and roasted, and that’s your typical coffee. However, the Pink Elephant does things a little differently. They have a blend called Nomad, where the fruit is left on the beans, giving the coffee a fruity taste, which is Kelly’s favorite.

At Pink Elephant, they haves meaningful names for each of their blends: Roam Roast, Solitude, and Nomad. Kelly explains it best, “It’s kind of a nod to the outdoors, getting outside or enjoying a cup of coffee out there.” The outdoors is the Baker’s favorite thing about living in Utah. When asked what she would consider her favorite hike in the valley, Kelly replied, “Dutch Hollow, the state park on River Road. We go there several times a week with our dogs.” Pink Elephant is so committed to the outdoors that they fund quite a bit of preservation locally in Utah, “We donate a portion of sales to public lands, the nonprofits that support that, and wildlife. So, we do Utah Open Lands, Sageland Collaborative, Rocky Mountain Elkhound Nation, and International Dark Skies. We try to do some that promote outdoor living, access, and wildlife.”

Recently, Mitch and Kelly took over the management of Ritual Chocolate Cafe a couple of doors down from the roastery. It hasn’t been too daunting of an experience since they also have a location in Park City. Ritual still manufactures chocolate in the same building but didn’t want to keep up with the cafe. That’s where Pink Elephant came in. While the name remains Ritual Chocolate Cafe, they lovingly refer to it as the “mocha cafe,” mocha being a combination of chocolate and coffee. In addition to being able to serve better coffee, they’ve also added their wares to the store, providing their blends for sale along with chocolate from Ritual. That’s not the only change they’ve made. Mitch and Kelly host an open mic night on Tuesdays. Mitch is a musician, and he wanted to give others the chance to perform in front of an audience. It’s not only limited to music, “We’ve had some poetry, and we’ve had comedy, covers, and a lot of original music. It’s been really cool to see. We have a lot of talent here in the valley. I was blown away by a lot of people.”

Mitch and Kelly have been happily married for 14 years; they left Ohio and moved to Utah the day after their wedding, putting down roots in Midway in 2014. The couple has a four-year-old and a three-month-old. When I expressed surprise at Kelly’s quick recovery, she just laughed, “We’re business owners, you know, you gotta go.” And go they do! Pink Elephant provides coffee for several cafes and restaurants around the valley, from Jade’s Cafe in Heber to Café Galleria.

As our tour ended, Kelly shared Pink Elephant’s motto: “Roam Free” A very fitting mantra to live by, to enjoy life, freedom, and exploration.

If you’re a coffee-lover, you’ll want to check out this local roaster!

Enjoy a freshly roasted coffee and support wildlife
pinkelephantcoffee.com
2175 W 3000 S Heber

September 9, 2024
Great Eggs-pectations.

Every morning, I pull out my cast iron pan and crack and cook six eggs for my family’s breakfast. Eggs are delicious scrambled, fried, or hard-boiled, I even tried poaching them one day (emphasis on tried). How can we possibly keep up with that kind of demand for eggs? That’s almost 2200 eggs a year! Luckily, I have several chickens living in my backyard to thank for a nice, steady supply.

With an enjoyable breakfast finished and cleaned up, it’s time to check on our feathered friends. My two-year-old holds my hand; with her other hand, she carries a bucket for collecting the eggs. Every morning, she runs excitedly out into our backyard. She can hardly wait to see who has already lain. We open the nesting box door to find six eggs laying on the wood shavings and straw placed inside. So far, we’ve broken even for the day, but we’ll be back later for the stragglers. Our eggs are a veritable rainbow of colors. We have the standard whites and light browns you might see in the grocery store, but we also have dark red browns, grayish whites, pale pinks, blues, and even green eggs!

Our chickens live in a coop in the corner of the yard; we don’t live on a farm by any means, but like many other families in Heber Valley, we brought a little ‘farm’ to the middle of our neighborhood. Although it might seem a bit daunting, raising chickens is the easiest ‘chore’ I’ve ever done, and well worth all the work. Our hens are incredibly hearty and fairly self-sufficient. For us, it’s just a matter of keeping them well fed and watered, and keeping the coop clean and full of fresh shavings and straw, as well as making sure they stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Their coop is perfect for just that. Coops should be weather and predator proof, have good ventilation, enough room for all your chickens, and include nesting boxes, a secured roost, and access to a roaming pen or outside. To protect your feathered friends from predators it is best to always lock them in their coop overnight.

Raising chickens can take as much or as little studying beforehand as you like. You can do all the research to find out what breeds are the best for the climate you are in, approximately how many eggs will be laid per year, what color the eggs will be, and even what the birds’ temperaments are like. For example, some breeds are very docile and playful and will allow you to hold them, while others are skittish and don’t want to be touched. Or maybe you only want a few chickens for eggs and are happy to get what you can; either way, they’ll still be a wonderful addition to your family. My wife is the kind that does all the research! She sought out exactly which breeds would be ideal for our family; she was looking for those that not only lay the most eggs in quantity and color but also hens that are on the more docile and playful side for the kids.

I was surprised to learn there are hundreds of unique chicken breeds; however, they all fall into these four categories: Heritage, Egg Laying, Dual Purpose, and Meat breeds. So, which breeds are considered the best layers? If that’s all you’re looking for, go with Leghorns, Rhode Islands, or Australorps, they are the top layers in the chicken world. I’ve been most impressed by our two Rhode Island Reds. They lay extra large brown eggs; think of your normal grocery store variety but almost double the size! We have two Aquilas, beautiful birds with deep black iridescent feathers; they will even lay through the winter along with our Leghorn, who lays white eggs. The green eggs come courtesy of our Easter Egger and Barred Rock. That Sam-I-Am guy might have been on to something; those green eggs are delicious!

I like to check on our birds throughout the day, especially during the summer. If it’s a particularly warm day, I’ll bring a pitcher of ice and dump it under the coop, where the birds like to rest in the shade. Unfortunately, we learned this trick a year too late; we lost our Lavender Orpington to the 100-degree temperatures last year. I also check to make sure they have enough food and water. We feed them a grain mash, which we store in 50-gallon drums in the garage. Before we discovered that we could buy the feed in bulk from a mill in Utah Valley, we were purchasing 25-pound bags from either Tractor Supply or Ace Hardware in Heber. Chickens are the perfect way to eliminate a lot of food waste as well. We keep a bucket by the door to the backyard for scraps, old vegetables, popcorn kernels from the bottom of the bag, or fruit that’s a little too ripe. Some days, it feels like we have pigs instead of chickens! I will say that while we love to feed our chickens scraps, we do have to be careful, as some scraps can be toxic for chickens. No moldy foods, fruit seeds or pips, potatoes, onions, garlic, raw beans, citrus fruits, green tomatoes, or coffee grounds. These are the big ones! Chickens are also great for pest control and can debug a 120-foot garden space in about one week. Chicken manure is one of the best fertilizers. It adds organic matter and increases the water holding capacity in addition to providing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to you plants. Overall, chicken manure is better than horse, cow or steer manure.

Raising chicks is one of the most enjoyable parts of keeping backyard chickens. We had so much fun last year, that we decided to expand the flock. We picked up several chicks at our local Ace Hardware. We kept them in a plastic moving box in our bathroom under a heat lamp until they were feathered and ready to move outside.

Some counties do not allow residents to keep chickens; luckily for us, Wasatch County is not one of them. There are rules and regulations in place for chicken owners though. Heber’s are: chickens should be kept exclusively in the backyard, in a coop no closer than 25 feet from any dwelling. Roosters are not allowed due to noise ordinances — waking up to a shrill “cock-a-doodle-do” may be your choice of alarm clock, but I dare bet it’s not your neighbors. Finally, any eggs you gather can’t be sold commercially. Though not a written rule, I would argue the best rule to follow is to have fun, love your chickens, and care for them like you would any pet — cuddling and petting are optional — but highly recommended!

Wyandotte

Ameraucana

Ancona

Black Australorp

Brahma

Buff Orpington

Cochin

Delaware

Wyandotte

Langshan

New Hampshire

Plymouth Rock

Rhode Island Red

Speckled Sussex
September 9, 2024
A Murder Mystery.

There’s been a murder at the Heber Senator! The award-winning bed and breakfast has seen a massive influx of patrons and would-be detectives investigating this mysterious murder. I sat down with Steve Douglas, owner of the Heber Senator, to get the scoop on what is going on in our normally quiet and peaceful town. It turns out the murder mystery dinners are the newest addition to the wild success that is the Heber Senator Bed and Breakfast.

Steve is a very keen, well-dressed gentleman; he wore a smart vest, white shirt, and bowtie as we sat down and chatted. Steve ran a publishing business for 20 years, and it really shows; his particular knack for storytelling shined bright while we talked about the Heber Senator. After purchasing the building, he did a deep dive to learn about its history and the history of the original owner, Joseph Royal Murdock. “He was a Utah state senator. And that’s where the name of Heber Senator Bed and Breakfast comes from.” Senator Murdock was a prominent figure in Heber Valley. He became a senator in 1900 and served as Heber City’s mayor for 10 years. In addition to his political career, he also founded Heber Valley Mercantile and the Heber Valley Bank whose buildings still stand on Main Street today. Steve describes, “So if you look at [the bank] building, it says 1904 on top,” he gestures to the dining room, “This place was built in 1902. So he basically took the workers and used similar materials and just went, okay, let’s build another one. A few blocks away they built the bank.” In 1911 Senator Murdock helped to raise 2.3 million dollars and oversaw the construction of a canal that provided water to tens of thousands of homes in Utah Valley stretching from Orem to Lehi, it was aptly named the Murdock Canal; the canal is still in use to this day.

Steve describes the decision to open the now iconic Bed and Breakfast, “Living [in Heber] for 11 years now, the first 4 or 5 years we kept driving by this building, [thinking] oh my gosh, if that place ever became available, that would be a great bed and breakfast.” When that opportunity finally presented itself, Steve and his wife Paige jumped on it right away, purchasing and renovating the building in 2018. “There isn’t an inch in this place that we haven’t touched — the wallpaper, paint, carpet, all new beds, everything. But the challenge was getting vintage items that were sturdy and presentable.” Steve and Paige themed the Heber Senator after the building’s original owner and namesake. Senator Murdock built the home for his family: his wife and 11 children, 10 of whom survived to adulthood. It was almost as if it was destined to be a bed and breakfast from the start, with so many bedrooms for the children and a fortuitous decision (made by the senator all those years ago) to insulate between the floors to block the noise of said children. “It did stay in the family for a couple of generations. It was a hospital at one time…and it was abandoned for a while. And the local high school used the building as a haunted house at one time.” When the Douglas’ purchased the building it was an unused boarding house. Most of the pieces of the original construction that have withstood the test of time were maintained to show off the building’s unique charm. One guest described to Steve that the stained glass in the lobby and dining area had originally come from his family’s stained glass facility in Chicago. It was the only facility in the United States in the early 1900s that produced a particular shade of pink stained glass. The building has some real history to it. “In our minds, we’re preserving the legacy, through the history. The place has been through so many remodels over the years that I’m not sure trying to preserve it as an original is possible.” The decor really does feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the turn of the century, but they’re not uncivilized of course; you can still enjoy a few modern amenities.

While we were chatting, a local woman from Midway came into the Heber Senator to ask about the murder mystery dinners. She was quickly greeted by Christine Martinez, the general manager, who promptly asked her if she’d had a tour of the Senator, the guest exclaimed, “I’ve had the tour. I wanted to stay in every room!” During construction Steve took the thirteen existing rooms and converted them into ten individual rooms and suites, “We brought it down to ten actual bedrooms because the other three we converted into bathrooms, essentially, because when the house was built, it was built for a family. And so everyone didn’t have a private bathroom. We’ve turned them into suites and oversized suites with spa tubs; the standard rooms have beautiful traditional bath facilities. And then there’s [sic] a couple of rooms that have vintage soaking tubs and that sort of thing. So we made sure every bedroom had its own bath.” They are happy to give tours between check-out and check-in times of 11 and 3 o’clock. They took me on a tour of all the unoccupied rooms, several of which are named in homage to Mr. Murdock, like the Murdock Room and the Royal Spa Room. My tour started in the Murdock Room, an ADA-friendly room on the ground floor that used to serve as the senator’s office; it’s also the site of the aforementioned murder. The most beautiful room, in my opinion, is The Senator Spa Suite, the official unofficial honeymoon or anniversary suite. It has gorgeous gold accents throughout the room and beautiful marble tile in the bathroom surrounding the jetted tub. Christine tells me with a smile, “I feel so honored that people choose the Heber Senator to celebrate such an important occasion.” Any bed and breakfast worth its salt ought to have a decent breakfast to go along with the stunning bed part of the equation. Fortunately, The Heber Senator boasts exactly that and more, they recently took home the Best of State award in the bed and breakfast category. Their chef, Paul, makes spectacular crepes. Steve “got into it” with a French guest, “They like to poke at us, and I like to poke back; that’s half the fun. They’ll say something about our crepes, like, ‘It’s nothing to write home about’, you know, but the wife will say, ‘Oh, my gosh! It’s the best I’ve ever had!’” With such close proximity to so many ski resorts and all of the other spectacular events and adventures to be found in Heber Valley, the Heber Senator finds itself busiest in the late summer through the winter. Steve wanted to find something to bring in more people during their shoulder seasons — that’s when he resorted to murder.

I’m not saying that Steve is the culprit responsible for the murder that takes place during their Murder Mystery Dinners; you’ll have to go to the show yourself to find out whodunit. During the show, the dining room transforms into a dining car on a train, and the staff of the Heber Senator becomes the various players; Steve himself plays a ticket taker. The Murdock Room, as mentioned previously, is the place where the body is discovered, the twenty or so guests attending the dinner are invited to examine the crime scene. Steve is eager to put his storytelling acumen to work. Steve and Paige are writing a new murder mystery that weaves together stories of the Murdock family as well as a piece of the Douglas family lore. They plan to integrate Steve’s ancestral quilt, which hangs on the wall as you walk into the bed and breakfast, into the plot. When the couple announced that the Heber Senator would start hosting the dinners, they sold out three months in advance in only ten days; with such intense demand, they decided to add more dates. Who knew that murder was so good for business?

The Heber Senator Bed and Breakfast is a beautiful piece of living history. It’s good to know that there are wonderful people like Steve and Paige Douglas with enough passion for the past that they wish to share stories and memories with others trying to make some significant memories of their own.

Attend a Murder Mystery Dinner
118 S 300 W, Heber hebersenatorbedandbreakfast.com
435-777-2262
June 4, 2024
The Pizza Yard.

The Pizza Yard is Wasatch County’s coolest hangout for spectacular pizza and even better company. A few steps off the Main drag in the heart of Midway, it’s the perfect spot to meet with friends and grab the freshest slice, served hot out of a wood-fired oven. “Pizza is just the perfect social food,” says owner Matt Reshke. “Our motto kind of just became: We’re all friends here.”

Matt sat down with me over a margarita pizza (his recommendation). He explains, as he prepares the pizza right before my eyes, “I’ve always said you can get a good feel for a pizza place by trying their margarita pizza.” Let’s just say, I had a good feeling about The Pizza Yard from the first bite. We chatted about what got him into the pizza business. With a nostalgic smile, he recounted that he’s been cooking since he was six years old, and that his cooking has always served the purpose of bringing people together. “In college, my wife and I got married before a lot of our friends, and nobody really wanted to hang out with us anymore,” he recounts wryly, “and so I just started making pizza to lure my friends over; and then things kept getting crazier and crazier.” Even back then his backyard pizza parties planted ideas in the back of his mind for the pizzeria that exists today. The name “The Pizza Yard” is a call back to those parties with friends gathered around the table, and Matt hard at work making an assortment of pizzas; everyone grabbing a slice of each as they come steaming hot out of the oven. A painting depicting the infamous pizza parties hangs on the wall behind the pizza oven. It’s a beautiful piece they commissioned a Provo artist, and Matt’s best friend, Colby Sanford, to paint for the shop.

Initially, Matt earned a degree in advertising, “I considered opening a pizzeria right out of school, but I figured I should go use my degree for a while.” He fondly recalls the summer he spent, about a dozen years ago, as a poor college student; selling pizzas out of the back of a 1964 VW double cab with a custom-built deck and pizza oven. Matt would show up to the farmers market not knowing what his full menu would be. He would walk around and see what everyone was offering, and then he’d figure out how to put it on the pizza right there. This made for some pretty unique and delicious creations; like a pizza with a salsa base, mozzarella, and guacamole in the middle with chips for dipping. Matt worked at an ad agency in Salt Lake for several years, but he wasn’t sure how long he wanted to stay in the ad business. When he and his wife had their two children, life took on a whole new perspective. Matt describes, “As we had kids, we thought the longer we wait, the more important it is for [our business] to be successful.” That’s when the hunt began to find the perfect spot to create The Pizza Yard.

They bounced several ideas around before landing on the restaurant in its current incarnation. They thought about everything from a defunct factory or warehouse with enough space to drive a food truck into and fill with tables to a farm that would allow them to practice true farm-to-table dining. Matt decided that the best option though would be an old house that they would then convert into a restaurant, where it could feel like people coming over to his house and hanging out in his backyard for pizza. This brings us to the building they are in now. Matt says, “We’d always kind of had our eye on Midway, from driving through all the time, it’s just so beautiful and verdant and picturesque.” He continues, “This house is 120 years old, it has been a bunch of different things; it’s been commercial for a long time.” Matt moved his family to Midway in 2019 with every intention of opening the pizzeria quickly, when the world was shut down by Covid they took that as a sign, as Matt puts it, “If we’re going to do this, let’s just do it, right? So we took [the house/store] down to the studs, opened it up, and basically started from scratch.” His wife did all the interior decorating. When you walk in it feels like a cozy home, with warm lighting, neo-rustic decor, and lots of tables and chairs. In addition to the professional art on the wall, you can also see some of the creations other kids, including Matt’s, have contributed to the decor. My particular favorite is a piece Matt told me his daughter drew, it reads, “No stinky pizza!” Of course, if you want to have a true “yard” experience you can eat your pizza outside under string lights on warm nights. They’ve even got a yurt equipped with a wood stove to keep it nice and cozy during the colder months.

As I enjoyed my margarita pizza I was curious about the rest of the menu, Matt describes The Pizza Yard’s food offerings, “I call it Neapolitan-ish, like, Neapolitan style pizza. I went and trained at the AVPN School in Italy. I say trained, it’s like a two-week intensive program where you’re making margarita and marinara pizzas for nine hours a day, just perfecting those. And I did that to have a nice foundation.” AVPN is essentially a school that teaches how to make original authentic Neapolitan pizza. The thing that Matt is most excited about is using fresh local ingredients. “That kind of became my mission while we were opening. I just became so inspired by local food,” he explains. Matt even took it so far as to call up a farmer he met at a local farmer’s market and arranged to visit her farm. He walked away from that meeting fired up about using as many local ingredients as possible. Pointing to my margarita pizza, he recounts where all the ingredients come from: the dough from Logan, the cheese from Provo, the basil another local find. “It’s funny because people see pizza and think [the big chains,] a greasy slice,” Matt describes, “and there’s like, a pretty good movement right now that’s like this artisan creation. If you use good ingredients and good stuff it doesn’t have to be bad for you.” The menu is small, a point of pride for The Pizza Yard. They offer your standard pizzas – margarita and pepperoni – but then you also have some seasonal pizzas. I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear about their sage brown butter, winter squash, and prosciutto pizza; they put 150 pounds of winter squash, gathered from several farmers, to good use. It was a big hit until they ran out of winter squash. According to Matt, the menu is going to constantly be changing. There will always be something new, made with fresh seasonal ingredients. He smiles, “It’s been so fun to see 60-year-old men who were maybe skeptical, eat the pizza and then be like, ‘Oh, this is the best pizza I’ve had in my life.’ I need to keep a tally of how many times that’s been said because that’s just the best compliment you can get.”

The Pizza Yard officially opened its doors in September 2023 and became an immediate success. “We’re glad we opened when we did, it’s a really fun time in Midway; there are so many new families. And it was also really fun to open in the fall,” Matt posits, “I think Midway thinks it’s a winter town, but Midway is a fall town… Swiss Days is kind of the start of it, and we’re at the end of the ‘yellow brick road’ for leaf peeping. We were slammed when we first opened.” Matt muses about the infamous waiting culture that’s so prevalent at restaurants, “You’re waiting for a table, sitting down, waiting for a server, waiting for a drink, waiting to order, and waiting for your food.” The Pizza Yard jumps all these hurdles by offering a counter service and open seating, their only holdup he foresees is the additional prep needed for ingredients. They are brainstorming ideas for the busy summer months, which they imagine will be an order of magnitude busier than when they first opened their doors. Aspirationally, they would bring a second oven outside and serve margarita pizzas, majorly cutting down on prep time; any other variety of pizza could, of course, be ordered inside. They also hope to furnish guests with picnic blankets and point them towards Midway Centennial Park, about 100 feet away from the store, and then deliver pizzas to people enjoying the beautiful sunny weather. In addition to serving pizza, Matt is hoping to open their doors soon to a pizza-making class, where students would learn everything from how to make dough and sauce from scratch to how long to cook the pizza. He’s not worried about losing business this way; he’s excited about providing customers with a chance to have more intimate and fun pizza parties of their own.

As I finished my pizza, Matt shared with me how excited he is to be starting this journey, “It’s such a dream. I come in every day. I’m like, ‘I’m doing this! I made this’… The first time my girls came in… They pulled up to those stools right there. They’re little, they barely reach up to the counter, and I just looked at them. I teared up a little bit. You’re going to grow up here.”

I was so thrilled to meet Matt and his staff at The Pizza Yard, they’re such a friendly bunch, and it is the perfect place to make genuine connections and new friends, with the bonus of having the best margarita pizza I’ve ever had. Add that one to your tally, Matt.
June 4, 2024
Jade’s Cafe.

It’s amazing how sometimes when you walk into a restaurant, a store, or cafe you can immediately feel the atmosphere that the owners are aiming for. This is exactly what happened to me the second I stepped foot in Jade’s Cafe, it was as if there was an enchanting aura that enveloped the entire space. The vibe that the owners, Halle and Mason Squires, are trying to achieve is a laid back cozy cafe, somewhere you feel right at home. In Halle’s words, “My favorite, we have this lady that comes in with her mom. Her mom’s old enough that the one time she gets out is to come get breakfast, and I loved creating a place for them to do that” she continues, “I’ve loved getting to host different groups of people, and just creating a place for people to come out and enjoy something together.”

Jade’s Cafe opened in the summer of 2023. It’s always been Halle’s dream to open a coffee shop, and name it Jade’s Cafe, Jade being her middle name. Any time she vacations she insists on finding the cutest shops, on her most recent vacation she visited four in an hour just to see which was her favorite. Describing her dream becoming a reality, Halle says, “I always wanted to open it. I had envisioned how I wanted it and everything, I just didn’t know how it was going to be possible. But then, after we were married, I told Mason my interest in it, and he was like, ok, let’s do it, I’ll make it possible. So, he figured out all the logistics, and then I figured out how to make it pretty.” And make it pretty she did, the decor is reflective of the theme of the restaurant, “Food for the Mountains.” Rustic furnishings, deep rich colors and warm light, and lots of beautiful vintage photos of Halle and Mason’s family on what Halle calls the ancestor wall. The beauty and attention to detail shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone because Halle has a background in interior design. She owns and runs Nomad Soul with her mom and sisters, the store right next door to Jade’s. They’ve been running a very successful interior design business at other locations, but decided when they found what Halle describes as their “forever store” they would attach a cafe, “So it’s like, you come out with your girls, shop, eat, it’s a whole experience.” If cozy and comfy are what you’re going for, you’ll find it at Jade’s Cafe.

The view from the restaurant can not be beat, and it’s so appropriate with the theme of the restaurant, looking directly out you have the most spectacular view of Mount Timpanogos. When I mentioned how inspiring the view was, both Mason and Halle touted it as one of the reasons they love this location, describing it as magical. Mason fondly recalls always visiting Heber Valley from the other side of Timpanogos, a short drive through Provo Canyon from his home town of Alpine. He says,“This is the perfect place to be up in the mountains, there’s three really great lakes for fishing close by.” So why “Food for the Mountains?” Mason relates, “I don’t know if you’re like me and my wife, we never like eating the same thing all the time, we like to try something new.” Halle continues, talking about Jade’s Cafe, “It’s hearty. It’s real food. That’s what I told our chef when he was like, ‘What do you want it to be like?’ I’m like, ‘I want it to be something that your mom would make for you in the morning but better.’ And so it’s just good home cooking, nothing so out of the norm that you’re not sure what it is yet, but it’s good.” Their menu is quite distinctive, it has your standard items like steak and eggs (for breakfast from 7 am to 2 pm) but it also features some more unique options like sticky pork belly (offered at dinner from 4 to 9 pm.) Halle gets a whole restaurant named after her, but don’t you worry, Mason gets his fifteen seconds of fame too, Mason’s Jar is a brownie and pudding dessert served in a mason jar, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Dinner is a newer addition to the cafe, they were both excited when they started serving dinner, “I think it was fun to see our chef get to do a whole new category. He’s so creative, and he has so many ideas. I feel like we tasted a small little bit of what he could do with breakfast, and now we’re getting a little bit more with dinner, and then it will just be ever changing.” Their goal is to hold on to their menu for a season or so and then give their chef, Michael Grieco, a chance to dazzle the cafe with something new. Maybe you’re only looking for coffee, it is a cafe after all. They have a great selection, their hot blend comes from Stumptown Coffee out of Portland, while their cold brew comes from a local roaster called Pink Elephant just down the road in Heber.

In Halle and Mason’s estimation, what they love most about Jade’s Cafe is getting to meet all the different people that stop by. Halle describes one group in particular that she loves, “We have a ladies coffee club that comes in once a week.

It is so enjoyable to see them come and have a place where they feel comfortable, can sit and chat for hours and just enjoy it. I think that’s been the most fun.” The Squires love being in a smaller area like Heber because of the great community that it espouses. They’ve taken ownership of that community and the service that they are providing to this town, they want to take that service even further. Ultimately, it’s Halle’s goal to open more Jade’s Cafe locations. She states, “We’re looking to open in Saint George next and that will be ‘Food for the Desert’ and kind of just moving to each location, targeting exactly the environment, the landscape of each place, and making it [the cafe] feel like wherever you are. For other locations we would only pick small towns, so that we can get to know our people and be a part of the community.” I love the idea of emphasizing the things that make a community great and theming a restaurant after them, Jade’s is the perfect example of that. Wherever the future takes Jade’s Cafe, Heber Valley is a better place for having Mason and Halle building our community with a place everyone can go to enjoy something together.

Drop in for a hearty meal, a visit, or a cup of coffee at Jade’s Cafe.
200 Gateway Drive, Heber City | jadescafe.com
June 4, 2024
Crazy Goodies.

Enrique Bautista and Gloria Vieyra are a husband and wife team that own and operate one of the most unique shops in Heber Valley. It’s no secret, as the name of their Mexican-themed snack shop implies, they make some Crazy Goodies!

Enrique and Gloria grew up in different states in Mexico; it wasn’t until they came to the United States that they met. Enrique emigrated from Mexico City when he was a teenager to work with two of his older siblings. He recalls, “Back then, you could work during the winter and go back to Mexico [for the rest of the] year […] Things change, you know.” When he met Gloria, twenty years ago, they decided to settle down and raise a family right here in the Wasatch Back.

It’s always been Gloria’s dream to own her own business, “I wanted to open a business in Heber. Heber is very beautiful […] it’s growing in a very unique way, and it’s so diversified now.” Crazy Goodies is a prime example of that growth and diversity in Heber Valley. Inspired by ice cream shops found on every corner of her hometown in Michoacan, Mexico, Gloria wanted to bring that Mexican flair here to the States and make treats and snacks that might not be too familiar with American customers. Once they started to see similar shops pop up all around the United States, Enrique and Gloria knew that they, too, could do something like this. Enrique humbly admits that Gloria is the mastermind; he describes her go-getter attitude in getting Crazy Goodies up and going, “I was just like, I’m going to support you 100% […] every day was a different thing.” Gloria displayed a real entrepreneurial spirit and jumped through all the hoops required to start a business. One month after opening the shop, the couple had the opportunity to expand from the smaller space they were in into the business next door. They knocked down the wall and added room for customers to sit and enjoy their goodies.

Whether you’re looking for a simple ice cream cone, hand-scooped ice cream milkshakes, or a crepe with a side of ice cream, Enrique explains, “We want people to know this is an ice cream shop […] but not just ice cream […] we can make a lot of creations with ice cream as well.” On more than one occasion, a customer has shown Enrique a picture on their phone and asked if they made anything similar. Immediately, the answer is always yes. Gloria takes a lot of inspiration from TikTok and Instagram. Their most popular snack is the Mangonada; Crazy Goodies makes theirs with fresh mango and lime, plenty of ice, chamoy, and Tajin (to give it that tangy Mexican flavor), to top it all off, they add a Popsicle and Mexican candy to be enjoyed later. Enrique comments, “We not only wanted our snacks to taste good, we wanted them to be beautiful.” It’s not just sweet snacks on the menu; they offer a variety of savory snacks as well. The Chicharon is particularly tasty, a traditional Mexican snack that is prepared a bit like a tostada. Enrique and Gloria make theirs with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and avocados, and top it with pork rinds and a tangy hot sauce. Everything is made fresh right here in the store; they hope someday to make their own ice cream from scratch. Enrique is very proud of the business that Gloria has built, he says, “Everything we make, we make with our heart […] we just want to share our culture with everyone.”

Spice Things Up!

760 S Main Street, Heber
crazygoodiesheber.com
March 8, 2024
The Sweet Life.

When you first walk into Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Café in the heart of Midway, you are immediately greeted by a flurry of sensations. The smell of delicious fudge and caramel, made the old fashioned way right before your eyes. Display cases choc full of so many varieties of chocolate you almost give yourself whiplash trying to take it all in. No café would be complete without the aroma of hot coffee, fortunately Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Café serves fresh brew from Peet’s Coffee.

n my first visit, after taking in all the sights and smells, I was greeted by Lori and Eric Rutland, owners and managers of the café. Lori gave me the chance to employ my sense of taste with a sampling of their signature Rocky Mountain Fudge. I felt like one of those proverbial kids in a candy store, only it was quite literal for me. Why should kids have all the fun?

Lori and Eric are in so much more than just the chocolate business. With a career in Retail that stretches over thirty years, Lori explains, “Retail is just in my blood… I love the merchandising part. I’m very artistic and creative, but mostly, it’s just the people.” Lori, who graduated from BYU with a degree in marketing, goes on to describe their overall goal for opening Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Café, “We’re trying to create this little quaint shop, as our landlord calls it, the ‘Cheers’ of Midway.” The good news is that at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, you won’t need to sit through eleven seasons and all the “will they/won’t they” with Sam and Diane to find yourself a place “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” Of course, the café is not a gathering place just for locals. Located down the road from the Zermatt, the Homestead, and several bed and breakfasts, Rocket Mountain Chocolate Factory Café gets plenty of foot traffic from tourists, honeymooners, and couples celebrating their anniversaries. Upon discovering the reason for their visit to Midway, Lori often gifts the couples a truffle to celebrate the occasion. Right across the street, visitors skating at the Midway Ice Rink can hardly resist a warm beverage after a cold skate in the winter. And who wouldn’t be excited for a reenergizing sweet treat during the fanfare of Swiss Days in September.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is an international franchisor with over two-hundred-fifty Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory locations, including the café in Midway. Only three offer food alongside chocolate. According to Lori and Eric, they are the only store in Utah that sells Peet’s Coffee. “This is not Starbucks coffee,” Lori says, “We did our research on that and decided to go with Peets.” Peet’s Coffee uses only coffee beans that are reliably sourced and free from child labor and other harmful business practices. If coffee isn’t your thing, the café also serves hot cocoa made with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory chocolate. They offer three types of sandwiches in the café. My personal favorite offering, though, is ice cream. Lori and Eric have partnered with Cloud Ninth Creamery, a local ice cream shop in Salt Lake, to bring exclusive flavors to the café. Eric explains, “What’s nice about going with them is we can kind of get our own flavors. I took [them] some blueberry donuts from Judy’s Donuts, and [they] put it into some lemon ice cream for us.” Lori and Eric have plenty of creative control for all the delicious confections they offer in the café. The waffle cones for the ice cream are made from scratch, with a unique variety offered each month, like red velvet in February for Valentine’s Day or green mint in March for St. Patrick’s Day.

But what about the eponymous chocolate? There’s plenty of that, and it’s absolutely divine. At their most recent convention, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory made a companywide goal for store owners to help customers create moments with chocolate. “They talked about how much chocolate is involved in people’s celebrations and different parts of their life,” Lori shares, “It’s kind of changed our outlook a little bit.” Before, they had been leaning into the café angle more than specializing in chocolate. Lori expounds, “We’re sort of going more with chocolate now because it’s an important part of our life.” And they have an incredible variety to create a special chocolate moment. Everything from boxes of chocolate to all the best things dipped in chocolate, cookies, pretzels, even Twinkies! Valentine’s Day is obviously one of the busiest times of the year for them. “Our big business is chocolate-dipped strawberries,” Eric explains with a smile. “We have to dip those every day; we sold out in two hours.” But the biggest labor of love for them is their handmade fudge. They offer eight different varieties, so it’s always in demand.

Each Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store comes equipped with a copper kettle and marble slab for making fudge the old-fashioned way. “Once you start mixing the fudge, you’re in it for the long haul; you couldn’t even stop to use the restroom,” Eric laughs as he demonstrates the methods they use to craft their fudge. “It’s all based on temperature, and that temperature varies a little bit from the different times of the year, depending on the weather, humidity, cool, hot, that kind of thing. Once you get it up to temperature, that’s when you pour it onto the marble slab.” After pouring the fudge, Eric adds in the ingredients: mint, nuts, caramel, and even marshmallows for the Rocky Road Fudge. Finally, he forms the fudge into an eleven-pound loaf. “You’ve got to move. It’s a quick process,” Eric says. The smell of cooking fudge wafts throughout the store and the surrounding street. The copper kettle isn’t just for making fudge — they spin massive Granny Smith apples into elaborately decorated caramel apples weekly. There’s a special window where guests can view the whole intense candy-making process. If your heart is set on a demonstration, make sure to call ahead of time to see if they are planning on making a batch the day of your visit.

Lori and Eric are excited for the future of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Café. In addition to cooking and helping Lori run the café, Eric has a background in construction; describing her husband, Lori says, “He does all the hard work, he does all the construction, and all the fixing, and that kind of stuff. He’s been very supportive.” With Eric’s construction experience, they decided to double the space in the store to make more seating for customers who wish to dine in. When I asked Eric what he thought when Lori told him she wanted to start the café, Eric mused and stated, “I grew up in Farmington, New Mexico, which is forty-five minutes from Durango, where Rocky Mountain started in 1981. So, I’ve been around Rocky Mountain Chocolate since I was in high school. I thought it was a good fit for Midway.” Lori is excited about the potential for growth in Midway, “A lot of people come here just for the atmosphere, to walk around, or to eat.”

Whether you’re a local looking for your own scene to frequent or visiting from a little farther away, you can make a special moment at Midway’s very own Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Café.

Treat Yourself or a Friend! 206 W Main St Suite B, Midway, @rmcfcafemidway
March 8, 2024

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