Looking back on my fresh air retreat trip to Park City, Utah with a group of professional food bloggers.
fresh air retreat
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of attending a number of professional blogger retreats. What blogger retreat you ask? Think of a more intimate meeting where you can really dig into the details and ask questions you might not ask in a large group. Every time I leave, I come back with a challenge, inspiration and some new friends.
Fresh Air Retreat hosted by Liz from lemon bowl and lauren from curious plate. This dynamic double room has hosted several retreats together over the years, and I was fortunate enough to attend two of them.They have done a fantastic job of organizing it, always have amazing brand sponsorship retreats and bring incredible talent photographer Capture every moment of it.
where is it
The retreat was held in Park City, Utah. I’m super excited because, one, I’ve never been to Park City before, and two, I watched Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and wished I could see some. Ha ha! (Side note, despite my best efforts I have had no luck)
Park City is about a 45-minute drive from Salt Lake City. Having said that, it doesn’t seem like it’s long, as you’re always drawn to the beauty of the mountains and the gorgeous fall colors.
We live in an amazing house Deer Valley Resort Properties. It is located on the top of the mountain, and the surrounding scenery is beautiful, it can’t be more picturesque. There is a huge backyard full of furniture and rocking chairs, very quiet. Honestly, I go there whenever I get a chance. We even had a moose and turkey up front.I appreciate Deer Valley Resort And definitely want to plan a trip with the kids during ski season!
food
The Fresh Air Retreat was actually the first retreat I attended and the owner brought in a chef to serve most of the meals. I feel spoiled.The moment I walked in the door for the first time Chef Trimel Hawkins I was taken aback by the smell coming from the kitchen. I knew we were in for a treat and he played some really good music! Ha ha!
Once everyone arrived, he whipped up an array of mouthwatering appetizers, from the vegan stuffed mushrooms I was so obsessed with to bacon-wrapped scallops, served with the most delicious red pepper sauce you’ll ever eat. The chef then took us on a tour of the exciting lamb tasting menu he picked up at the farmers market that day. My favorite is his comforting lamb stew. But slow-cooked lamb chops smothered in this ridiculously delicious BBQ sauce is something to brag about. (Like the real thing, I’ve never tasted anything like this) He’s been delivering the flavor all weekend. Whether it’s a crazy breakfast sauce or a light lunch, he even gave us some of my all-time favorite cooking tips.
We also hosted High West Distillery Tuesday lunch. If you go to Park City, it’s worth going there. Not only was the bourbon (I brought back a bottle for Mike), but the food was great too. I had these Bison Street Tacos with Pickled Onions and they were so good! That’s because I’m from Texas. I know tacos!A few other places we went to were Tupelo restaurant and Alpine Winery. Also, both highly recommend those!
The brand that makes it possible
Tuesday morning we woke up to the most delicious food Jutz apple thanks Starr Ranch Growers. Chef Trimell uses homemade Apple Turnovers, fresh apple butter, apple cinnamon oatmeal, and of course, fresh caramel apples to give you a real taste of the crunchy apples that JUICI apples are known for. I was so obsessed that I legally smuggled some into my Texas home! (The good news is they are now available at Costco nationwide)
Justin’s Nutella It’s the star and demon of the Wednesday morning show. It’s nut butter in all its glory. My favorite combo so far is the vanilla almond butter + cinnamon almond butter toast topped with sliced bananas and chia seeds. Go try it, stats! Plus, their to-go nut butter packs are a great quick source of protein when you need it. I’m totally going to start putting them in my wallet. They came in handy on our nature hike after breakfast.
Creminelli Fine Meat took us through a deli board making class where we learned how to turn food into art and I made my first salami rose. Want to see food bloggers become competitive? Give them fine meats, cheeses and all the toppings. Ha ha! It was an absolute blast and the perfect “happy hour” entertainment.
Overall, I’m very grateful for my business, the people I’ve met along the way, and all the brands I’ve been honored to work with.
Moral implications of the story. Travel to Park City, Utah. Bring a group of good friends. Hire a cook and eat a lot of food. Finish!
Don’t miss the recipe ->
