City Weekly freelancer Austen Diamond loves his recycled bread machine. He writes: I’m a baker; I bake things. Well, at least I’m slowly starting to bake with my new thrift store bread machine. After I bought it for a screamin’ hot deal, left it in my truck for three weeks and gave it the same sort of scrutiny a caveman would give a computer (sheer awe, really), I started asking around. “Oh yeah, my grandfather used to use one of those all the time,” was the common response. I found a little recipe called “Your Very First Loaf of Bread,” and, since it was, I went to task. Liquids go on the bottom (one cup of water and one and a half tablespoons of oil) and dry ingredients go on top (three cups of flour, one teaspoon salt, one and a half tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of active dry yeast). Close the lid, hit a little button, click, whir ... voilá! A piping hot, delicious loaf of bread, made hassle-free in about three hours that would make my grandfather proud. I’m one for one, so now it’s time to start experimenting: cinnamon raisin bread, Ezekiel bread—there’s no limit, really. So, everything does indeed come back in time. The 1980s have seen their return (and hopefully departure again) and maybe my grandfather’s era (bread machines and all) will, too. Well, at least I’m not calling pants trousers ... yet.

City Weekly production manager Susan Kruithof digs MacCool’s. She says: “I just had the good fortune of eating at MacCool’s Public House on Foothill (1400 S. Foothill Blvd, 801-582-3111). I always enjoy going there, and would go more often if one were in my ’hood or downtown. (Hint hint, MacCool’s!) I dined with some real manly men, so we started the meal by ordering the fried cheese plate and the lamb ribs. I can’t say enough good things about those ribs. They were so tender and delicious. And if you’re a lamb fan, they’re a must starter. My he-man co-workers ordered the buffalo shepherd’s pie, which I sampled but could not commit to after a fried cheese starter. I opted instead to get the tossed salmon salad—a most splendid mixture of fresh green beans, char-grilled salmon, tomatoes and candied walnuts. Yum! If you’ve never been to MacCool’s because you thought you wouldn’t like Irish fare, go. There are so many great choices, sure to please anyone.”

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