Apr 7
2010

Utah: Good Fun & Good Food

in Family, Travel

We’re home!  It was a wonderful, albeit quick trip to Utah.  The girls had a blast, of course.  Grandma’s house is always a good place for doing fun things like riding horses, playing in the sink, and dying Easter eggs.

Grandmas help you do fun things.

We enjoyed our time with family and friends, as well as some good food.  Squirrel and I met up with Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod for lunch.  She is just as sweet in real life as she is on her blog.  Both of us forgot our cameras, so I don’t have any pictures to show for it!  Mr. Fuji and I ate a slightly belated anniversary meal at Settebello Pizzeria in Salt Lake City.  I ordered the Capricciosa pizza (pizza topped with crushed tomatoes, prosciutto cotto, artichoke hearts, roasted mushrooms, olives, mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil), and Mr. Fuji had the restaurant’s namesake pizza, the Settebello (pizza topped with crushed tomatoes, pancetta, wood oven roasted fennel sausage, roasted mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil).

Settebello Pizza at Settebello's in SLC

The pizzas were delicious.  The crust was thin, crispy, and slightly chewy with that delicious smoky taste that comes from being baked in a wood burning brick oven.  I think the Fuji family will be having pizza in the near future that incorporates similar toppings—delish!

Easter dinner was absolutely delicious.  My wonderful MIL made a ham and assortment of sides, including Mr. Fuji’s favorite potato salad.

Easter Dinner

I contributed by making some hot cross buns and my lemon shortbread bars.

Warm Hot Cross Buns

I was a bit worried when the hot cross buns didn’t have a very successful second rise, but was relieved when they puffed up beautifully in the oven and turned out just as they should. Phew!

Fuji Mama, so proud of her hot cross buns

On Monday I made a stop at the Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery in Draper, Utah to pick up some treats to take to my little brother and a friend.  That is the cutest bakery I have ever seen!  With notices like, “May contain fairy dust” all around, this is definitely a place to bring out your inner girly girl.

Goodies from the Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery in Draper, UT

I picked two Carrot Cupcakes (which they individually packaged!), a Chocolate Truffle Cookie, and some Double Fudge Cake Bites.  The cupcakes were to give away, so I didn’t get to taste them (but they looked fabulous).  The cookie was good, but those cake bites were DIVINE! It’s a good thing I don’t live near this bakery, as I think I would gain 10 pounds just driving by it every day.  I’ll definitely be going back though.

Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery Cake Bites

All too quickly it was time to return home.  Yesterday morning we woke up to this:

A snowy morning in the Salt Lake Valley

We got in the car and drove south and slowly the snowy Utah landscape gave way to the windswept desert of Nevada,

From snowy Utah to the windswept desert of Nevada

and then as the sun was dropping behind the mountains we went through the Cajon Pass and into the urban sprawl of Southern California.

Back to the urban sprawl of SoCal

Now it’s time to unpack!

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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }

Kitchen Runway April 7, 2010 at 11:06 am

I love Settebello in Salt Lake! Yum! Looks like you had a great time!

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Kayte April 7, 2010 at 11:08 am

Gorgeous, gorgeous photos…all of them, not just the scenery ones! This was such a fun read, thanks for sharing all of it. Fun to hear about your holiday and see the Easter egg coloring process, etc. (I was giggling at how elegant yours looks with everything so pristine in those matching white mugs of brightly colored dye…ours egg coloring cups all are plastic and say things like Indiana Pacers, Go Hoosiers, IU, Iowa Hawkeyes, Colts Rule, etc. — it’s the guy factor, what can I say? I am just delighted that at 17 they still want to color eggs with Mom!) Lovely shots of your Easter dinner. It was my first year to make Hot Cross Buns as well. I used Jeffrey Hamelman’s recipe and was surprised how nicely they tasted. Who knew? Definitely a repeat for next year. Yours look perfect!

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Barbara Bakes April 7, 2010 at 11:25 am

How nice that you were able to spend time with family at Easter. It looks like a wonderful feast. Glad you had a nice time. I’ll have to check out the restaurant and bakery.

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Lyndsey April 7, 2010 at 12:10 pm

Sounds like great fun, and food, and family! I love the photos. The snowy town picture looks like a painting or postcard, it’s gorgeous! Too bad you and Maria didn’t get a photo:( but thanks for taking us along and sharing a good time!

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Fuji Nana April 7, 2010 at 1:24 pm

I love your pictures, especially the one of the beautiful girl holding the hot cross buns.

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Michelle April 7, 2010 at 1:56 pm

Sounds like such a fun trip. There really is nothing like visiting Gramas!

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thatssoron April 7, 2010 at 2:53 pm

wow! miss visiting my granma

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Megan April 7, 2010 at 6:27 pm

Hmmmm, all those amazing places and all that amazing food. I might like to visit one day for a holiday!

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Maria April 7, 2010 at 7:08 pm

I am so glad we were able to meet up for lunch. I had a great time with you and Squirrel. She is a doll. We love Settebello too! Great pizza! And you went to Sweet Tooth? Another great spot. They are donating some baked goods for my bake sale. Yahoo! I am glad you had a nice trip to Utah, come visit again soon:) Oh and your spread of food looks amazing!

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Fuji Papa April 8, 2010 at 3:48 pm

Hey, great picture of you in SLC! We missed you over Easter, but look forward to being with you in a get together in a few weeks.

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jo April 8, 2010 at 5:21 pm

Gorgeous, gorgeous photos. Utah looks fantastic and all the food, especially the buns are scrumptious.

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Clare April 9, 2010 at 1:28 am

Gorgeous photos! I never had hot cross buns before I moved to Ireland; here, they are a staple at every bakery and grocery store. Yours look divine!

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diva April 9, 2010 at 2:22 am

Beautiful photos of your easter dinner! And such lovely well-risen hot cross buns :)

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Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction April 9, 2010 at 8:14 pm

Sounds like a wonderful trip. Your hot cross buns look lovely!

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Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite April 11, 2010 at 3:12 pm

A lovely wrap up of your weekend Rachael – that hammmmmmm!!!

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Katrina April 11, 2010 at 4:23 pm

Great post. We’re moving back to Utah in June. Can’t wait. I’ve been wanting to go to the Sweeth Tooth bakery and will for sure!

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Christine @ Fresh Local and Best April 14, 2010 at 2:47 pm

R – That is such a beautiful picture of you holding the tray of hot cross buns. I’m going to check out your lemon bar recipe, I have so make some soon for a bake sale.

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Fuji Mama April 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm

@Christine @ Fresh Local and Best, Thank you Christine–you are so sweet! XOXO

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Susan April 24, 2010 at 8:00 pm

I wanted to thank you for your kind comment on my blog!

What a beautiful Easter trip you had. I’ve only been to Salt Lake City once when a college roommate and I drove from the Midwest to Utah to visit a newly married friend who moved there. I loved Park City, Alta and Snowbird. Beautiful country and great photo of you holding those hot cross buns ;)

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