Un Dîner Amical, Bartolo’s

By Sue Geary, Vice Chargée de Presse, FWS, IWS, SWS

                                    The mildest of months is May’s reputation

                              So a rooftop patio was our destination.

                              A casual dinner this time it would be

                              With family-style pastas and BYOB.

                              In shirt sleeves and sunglasses we gathered to play

                              Admiring the sunset and toasting the day.

                              For this event we waived the formality

                              In the spirit of fun and pure joviality.

                              With the charcuterie offerings our guests were delighted

                              Then along came a west wind that wasn’t invited.

                              As we settled in our places and heard the corks popping

                              We worried to see the barometer dropping

                              While wind gusts sent heaters and wine glasses crashing

                              For their airborne napkins the guests were all dashing.

                              Now in parkas and blankets and earmuffs and hats

                              We huddled to dine like Siberian cats.

                              But undaunted we stayed and enjoyed to the end

                              Who cares about weather when we are with friends?

                              In defiance we pledged that we’d do it again

                              And howled back at the wind “Viva la Chaîne!”

During the lock-down of the Covid pandemic, Chef Alex Bartolo of Bartolo’s Restaurant of Salt Lake City prepared a beautiful take-out meal for one of the events we held via Zoom. We vowed to return to Bartolo’s in person and set the date of Sunday, May 22 for a warm spring evening on the patio. Thank you to Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Sammie Doyle and Vice Conseiller Culinaire Sean Doyle who worked with Chef Alex to plan everything except the weather. Thanks to Vice Chargeé de Missions Cessily Johnson for advertisement and registration, and to Vice Chargédes Médias Sociaux Cole Johnson and Bailli Sheral Schowe for capturing some of the comedy of this event in photos.

The dinner began with a beautiful charcuterie offering which we enjoyed as we visited and admired the view of the Wasatch Mountains. Once seated, guests enjoyed an appetizer of salmon crudo and steak tartar followed by beet burrata salad. The family-style course of pastas included Tuscan chicken macaroni with walnuts, lamb campanelle, and pesto malfaldine. The dessert of citrus and mixed berry cannoli was accompanied by a taste of espresso martini. Guests brought their own wines, so there was plenty of sharing and paring across tables throughout the evening. As originally planned, the meal was to be prepared on the rooftop patio. The weather forced a change to that plan. We appreciate the Bartolo’s staff who provided excellent service shuttling food from the main floor of the restaurant to the roof then dodging wind-blown food, glasses, and space heaters. Thank you most of all to the members of our bailliage who attended the event and endured the disruptive wind and cold in good humor. This will surely be another of our most memorable gatherings!