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Dining, What We're Made Of

What We’re Made Of: The Covey Chef & Owner – Jesse Sheue

A Ketchum native, local restauranteur and owner of the Covey restaurant Jesse Sheue spent years learning and honing his craft in other locales before settling back in to his hometown with his wife and son. The importance of family and community was a big draw and is apparent in his restaurant which he and his wife designed to have the feel of a big living room or kitchen where everyone can mingle, eat, and connect.  Sheue got his start in the restaurant biz as a dishwasher—the worst dishwasher, he says—at Hailey’s CK’s restaurant when he was 23. “I was terrible but Chris [Kastner, owner of CK’s] took me under his wing and showed me how to act in a restaurant and what it takes.” From there, Sheue went to culinary school, a decision he regretted choosing instead of working in the industry. Sheue headed to the San Francisco area where he would stay for several years, opened up his own restaurant, working in La Jolla for Tony Di Salvo and Marco Ferraro at Jacks, then to Santa Barbara to work for John Pettitt. After marrying his wife Jane in Nepal and backpacking in Asia for a year, they came back …

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24hrs with a Local, Dining

24hrs with a Local: Christina Giordani, October

In this new monthly series, we’re asking locals to share how they would spend 24 perfect hours in Sun Valley. For this first installment, we interviewed Christina Giordani, a local food and beverage entrepreneur, to discover what her ideal October day looks like. I’d eat breakfast at: Hank & Sylvie’s, where I’d have a cold brew coffee with house-made vanilla bean syrup and local, raw milk from Old Almo Creamery, paired with a delicious croissant. In the morning I’d: Practice throwing at Boulder Mountain Clayworks. I’m working on making my own cups and plates. I’d eat lunch at: The Farmers Market. I’d grab a local Hangar Bread baguette (they are made with locally milled flour from Hillside Grain), local goat cheese, and the last of the summer peaches and tomatoes for a picnic.  In the afternoon I’d: Hike Proctor Mountain to get a look back at the town, leaf peep, and enjoy my picnic lunch from the Farmers Market. Before dinner, I’d: Go to the Boho Lounge and drink a specialty cocktail featuring Roadbars’ shrubs or syrups. I’d eat dinner at: The Covey. I’d drink whatever Pét-Nat wine is on the menu or an Aperol spritz and eat one of their handmade pasta dishes. Buon …

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Dining, Uncategorized

From Farm to Table: Sun Valley’s Freshest Dining

Here in Sun Valley, we are lucky to have innovative community groups, markets, and restaurants that pushed the idea of farm-to-table dining and experiences quickly to the mainstream. Are you ready to know what fresh tastes like? You can find it here.

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Arts & Culture, Dining, Summer

Oh, Kale Yeah! It’s Time for the Wood River Farmers Markets

Life rolls at a more relaxed pace in the mountains, and those minutes between when an event is supposed to start, and when it actually starts, is what we like to call “Ketchum-time.” There’s always some wiggle room…which means a little extra time on the trail, or for a lingering lunch with friends. Or, at least, so I thought. Turns out that “Ketchum-time” doesn’t apply at the Wood River Farmers Markets. “You should have been here earlier,” one farmer told me when I looked sadly at an empty bin labeled ‘broccoli.’ “Those sold within the first thirty minutes.” When it comes to supporting local producers—and eating the freshest, tastiest fruits, meats, and vegetables—the people of this Valley don’t mess around. It’s ‘be there or be square,’ and I’ve learned my lesson. Ketchum Farmers Market The Wood River Farmers Markets hold two markets each week through the summer. The first, on Tuesdays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, is hosted at the River Run Parking Lot on Serenade Lane in Ketchum. Dozens of local vendors set up for four hours and offer locals and visitors the change to purchase locally-grown produce, meats, and dairy products alongside artisan crafts and flowers. Food …

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Dining, Summer

Sun Valley’s Best Outdoor Patios

The summer season offers visitors the option of enjoying the splendor of the Wood River Valley’s scenic views from the comfort of some of the best patios and decks for dining. Whether it’s post-golfing on the patio of Sun Valley’s Clubhouse or enjoying free music on the deck at Bellevue’s Mahoney’s, these are the best spots to grab a sip or a bite and soak up some summer rays. Ketchum and Sun Valley When settling on a deck or patio to enjoy in the Ketchum and Sun Valley area, there are a few questions to consider. How much sun are you looking to get? Are you heading for an afternoon drink or want a full meal? Do you want to hear music? Lefty’s For those looking for the most sun for their buck, the deck at Lefty’s can’t be beat. With the afternoon rays hitting the area directly, you’ll find this deck packed with locals and visitors alike on weekday and weekend afternoons all summer. Musicians play here sporadically and fare includes basic pub food like burgers and drinks of the mostly beer persuasion. Grumpy’s Another mid-day local’s favorite is Grumpy’s, home of the schooner and classic pub fare. The …

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Dining, Wellness

Eating Healthy & Sustainably in Sun Valley

While the Wood River Valley may be a bit lacking in options when it comes to big bulk goods, it is abundant with opportunities for eating healthily and sustainably. As exhibited by retirees you’re sure to find passing you seemingly effortlessly on the Nordic or bike trails, this is a community that cares exceptionally about health, and it also shows in the many local efforts to bring healthy eating to our little town.  5B Fruit 5B Fruit, located downstairs in the Leadville building offers a wide array of smoothies, juices and bowls crafted with all kinds of antioxidant berries and seeds as well as unique add-on options such as bee pollen, bamboo charcoal, hemp protein and more.  You’ll also find a slew of 3oz “shots” tailored to cure your hangover, cold or post workout dehydration. What’s more, 5B fruit grows organic kale and spinach in their greenhouse located south of Bellevue, and at the end of the day their juicing pulp and compost is used to enrich planting soil or feed free range chickens.   GLOW A fusion between a health food store and café, GLOW is completely plant-based. In addition to a variety of smoothies, bowls and juices, GLOW also provides a …

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Dining, What We're Made Of

What We’re Made Of: Squash Blossom Farm Owners – Sara & Ed

Ranching is a way of life in Idaho, and when driving into the Sun Valley area it’s hard to miss the thousands of acres planted with malted barley, alfalfa, and seed potatoes. But if you look closely, you’ll find something else: small farms that work to create products—meat, vegetables, and fruit—for the local community. Squash Blossom Farm, located in Bellevue, is one such farm. When Wood River Valley native Sara Berman first learned about sustainable agriculture in a high school class at the Community School in Sun Valley, she didn’t yet know how that knowledge would shape her path through life. The class sparked enough interest for Berman to pursue the subject through college, and then spend time working on different types of farms and ranches across the globe. When Berman met Ed Zinader, who shares her passion for agriculture, the pair began to dream about creating a small, sustainable farm to grow to produce for their friends, family, and the community. They began searching for the right property with patience and determination. When the opportunity arose to purchase a home with acreage just blocks off of Main Street in Bellevue, they jumped at the chance. “I didn’t think we’d …

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Dining

Ketchum’s Coffee Culture

Dubbed the “best city in America for coffee lovers,” Berkeley, California, boasts one café per 2,073 people. We hate to steal your thunder, Berkeley, but with roughly one coffee shop for every 580 people (calculated on a coffee-stained napkin, no less), we think we have you beat.  When you’re in Sun Valley, you’ll never have to worry about where your next dose of caffeine is coming from. Whether you’re on the hunt for that perfect latte to kickstart your morning or need a spot to hunker down and catch up on work emails, we invite you to explore Ketchum’s coffee culture. Maude’s Coffee and Clothes 391 Walnut Avenue, Ketchum For that “hang with the locals” vibe head to Maude’s Coffee and Clothes. Maude’s serves locally-roasted organic coffee and espresso drinks alongside tea, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and pastries. The atmosphere at Maude’s is lively, so grab a table and catch up with a friend. When you’re done with your drink, wander through Maude’s “closet,” a clothing retailer that offers vintage and contemporary pieces. Java on Fourth 191 4th Street West, Ketchum Java on Fourth might well be considered an institution in Ketchum’s coffee culture and is known for its rich, deeply flavorful drinks. The …

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Dining, What We're Made Of

What We’re Made Of: Maude’s Coffee & Clothes Owners – Jacob & Tara

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Jacob and Tara Frehling are the newest generation of a host of entrepreneurial Frehlings in the Wood River Valley. Jacob’s mother Annette owns the clothing shop Sister in Ketchum, cousins Maeme and Callie Rasberry own the lunch spot Rasberry’s in Ketchum, and father James opened the original Esta’s restaurant on Main Street. Now Jacob and Tara own Maude’s, a combination coffee shop and vintage clothing store in the heart of Ketchum. After owning a food truck before Maude’s and with aspirations for future businesses, these Frehlings plan to leave a long legacy in Ketchum. “Our whole pastime in life as a couple is spit-balling business ideas,” says Jacob. The business-minded couple, who married in 2017, met while attending the same high school in Portland, Oregon. Although Jacob grew up in the Valley, he attended the last few years of high school at Northwest Academy and then attended Portland State University a year behind Tara. “We were living in a house with seven other people, a total teenager house,” explains Tara. The couple began dating during college and graduated with degrees in psychology (her) and sociology (him) before Jacob headed back to his hometown to open the first …

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Dining, What We're Made Of

What We’re Made Of: Restauranteurs – The Mason Family

The food scene of Ketchum would truly be a different landscape without the Masons and as their family continues to grow, so too does the family business.