Mike Marron has been fermenting since he was 10 year old, and no. We don't mean he's been sitting in it. He's been gloriously intrigued by the process of fermenting grapes, and planted pinot noir grapes behind his childhood home in 1977 — which he still uses to make wine.

He has brought his professional intrigue of winemaking to La Caille in 2015. La Caille, the iconic restaurant which sits on 20 acres at the mouth of Cottonwood Canyon in Sandy, has found its stride with farm-to-table food and a re-established wine label.

Mike has been making wine from Salt Lake Valley Grapes since he was 19 years old, his expertise has brought Chateau La Caille to a  new level of excellence. In 2012, La Caille re-opened under the ownership of Kevin Gates, who spent $1.5 million restoring the chateau and the grounds. 

Ken Sanders is an American antiquarian bookseller who is also well known for his pursuit of book thieves. We are lucky enough to get to interview him, and join him alongside 'Literary Libations'.

He founded Ken Sanders Rare Books in 1997 and Dream Garden Press in 1980. In 1982 he was a founding member of the Fund for Wild Nature (then the Earth First! Foundation), which provides grants for the protection of biodiversity and wilderness. He is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America and served on its Board of Governors for six years.

Because we couldn't get enough of him, we decided to sit him down with some smoky whisky, and get to know the man behind the books!

This week on the Let's Go Eat and Drink Show, we’re turning up the heat in the kitchen with a special guest: the owner and director of Park City Culinary Institute, one of the nation's most prestigious culinary schools. Whether you're a seasoned chef, a home cook, or just someone who loves good food, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

In our conversation, we dive deep into the world of culinary education—what it takes to train the next generation of top chefs, how the food industry is evolving, and the challenges and rewards of running an institution dedicated to the culinary arts. Our guest shares behind-the-scenes stories, insights into food trends, and valuable advice for anyone dreaming of a career in the kitchen.

From knife skills to leadership lessons, this episode offers a rich blend of inspiration and insider knowledge. So grab your favorite snack, and drink then hit play to join us for a flavorful discussion with one of the culinary world’s most respected voices.

Join Ken, and Bill while we explore, and celebrate the life as well as the works of Wallace Stegner. Jimmy Santangelo provides the crowd with libations paired with the Dean of Western Writers, as well treated to a decadent charcuterie board. (Thanks Porkchop!)

Wallace Stegner (1909-1993) was an American novelist, historian, conservationist, and teacher who is considered by many to be one of the most important American writers of the 20th century. His work often focused on the American West, nature, and the relationship between humans and the landscape, and he is known for his passion for wilderness preservation and respect for nature.

You can find Wallace Stegner Academies all across the Wasatch Front!

Julie Janke is the owner and publisher of Millcreek City Lifestyle. Julie is more than a master in crafts work of relationship building, community spotlighting, self investing, and so much more! Jimmy kept pouring Bill drinks, and he wouldn't stop asking questions... Bill figures out the big picture of why Julie does what she does, and even how does she do it!? Grab another drink, and sip down with us!

Dylan McDonnell helped us answer these important questions. What would ancient Egyptian beer taste like? Would it be safe to drink? Are the ingredients they use similar to what's used today?

We got as close as one person can tasting the ancient brews, because Dylan used yeast that's 3000 years old from Egypt amongst other ingredients from the area based off ancient text.

We are very thankful Dylan opted to show us what it took to make this special drink, let alone to share it with us. Join us quickly before this beer is pyramid schemes it's way into my heart!

This month we sat down with our bookclub at Ken Sanders Rare Books to discuss Wendell Berry and The Mad Farmer Poems, and more

Wendell Erdman Berry is an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer. Closely identified with rural Kentucky, Berry developed many of his agrarian themes in the early essays of The Gift of Good Land and The Unsettling of America.

Join us for splash of knowledge from The Mad Farmer read by Ken Sanders and Bill Allred of X96.3 in Salt Lake Utah. Jimmy provides some sips for the crowd, and join us every month!

Ali Sabbah has been apart of the backbone in the Salt Lake City restaurant scene for well over 20 years. His service loving demeanor is apparent the moment you step foot into his quaint and calming restaurant. The flavors of Mazza put most of the mock middle eastern restaurants to shame.

Ali has lived from Lebanon to the Ivory Coast, making his cuisine authentic and genuine to the pallet. Ali expanded to multiple restaurants over the years, but when COVID struck, he was forced to shut doors on all of the locations except the original location of Mazza.

Visiting Mazza will do more than test the senses of your tastebuds, so join us as we sit down with one of, if not, the best in SLC the valley for food, drinks, and a great conversation!

Bill Allred and Ken Sanders delve deep into the works of Willa Cather with help from our boozy bookclub. Friends joined us for drinks provided by Jimmy Santangelo from the Wine Academy of Utah, charcuterie, and a boyant discussion on Willa Cather's life, as well as talking about what shaped her writing.

We keep a focus on My Ántonia, but you can't miss with anything she wrote. Willa Cather was an American writer known for her novels of life on the Great Plains, including O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia however her writing is loud and clear through any of her works. She held her own against Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner.

If you need any more convincing that Willa is as big as the boys were, then take a listen. Grab some snacks, and a splishy splash of something!

Ken Sanders, and Bill sit down with our bookclub to discuss the life and legacy of Chuck Bowden. We share drinks, snacks, stories, and each others company. Chuck was a writer who known no bounds when interviewing members of the Mexican Drug Cartel. He had an in-depth look on the drug cartel, and their problems with the border. Charles lived a life of current events being deemed a 'Historian of the Future'.

Chuck was a close friend of Ken Sanders, who briefs over conversations, memories, and overall describes the enigma that is, Chuck Bowden. Pour a drink, and soak up the stories of America's most dangerous writer.