The Lion's fare: Classic cookbook gets a makeover

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Nov 10, 2004 by Valerie Phillips Deseret Morning News

Twenty-five may be too young for a face lift, unless you're a cookbook that's already sold more than 100,000 copies.

"Lion House Classics" is an updated version of the first "Lion House Recipes," which sparked spin-offs such as "Lion House Weddings," "Lion House Desserts," "Lion House Christmas," "Lion House Lites" and "Lion House International."

This National Historic Register landmark has a reputation for homey, hearty dishes, melt-in-your-mouth rolls and memorable desserts. For the 25th anniversary edition, the staff added, subtracted and updated recipes to fit with today's culinary trends.

It may not seem that long ago, but when "Lion House Recipes" came out in 1979, microwave ovens were still a novelty rather than standard kitchen equipment. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pre- cut carrots and bagged salads weren't everyday staples, and few people had heard of Roma tomatoes or portobello mushrooms. Lard was commonly used in pie crusts and pastries; this was changed to vegetable shortening in the new book, said banquet manager Julie Ulrich, who headed up the project.

The Chilled Cucumber Soup, Sweet Fruit Soup and Lemon Gelatin Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad were omitted.

"They're just not popular items these days," Ulrich said.

The first book was compiled by Helen Thackeray, a retired Utah State University Extension home economist who had also managed the test kitchens of General Foods Corp. She spent three years on the project, watching the chefs cook and adjusting and testing their banquet-size recipes for family use.

An October 1980 Deseret News review of the book adds, "If there are recipes included in the book that Lion House devotees have not tasted, it is probably because favorites of Lion House board members were used to fill and balance out the collection."

Some of those extra recipes have been taken out for the new edition, said Ulrich, "because we wanted to have the recipes that are actually served at the Lion House. We took out the Tuna Chow Mein Casserole; it just wasn't what we would serve here. We added recipes that we actually use, like the Tomato Bisque Soup, which is made with Roma tomatoes."

Stuffed Mushrooms and Parmesan Ranch Chicken were added to perennial favorites, such as Chicken Alabam and Chicken Cordon Bleu.

The Picnic Brownies in the new book were developed by pastry chef Brenda Hopkin for the Pantry shops in some of the Deseret Book stores. Baked in two 9-inch round pans and cut in wedges for serving, they got their name because they stack and travel well, according to the book's notes.

In keeping with today's streamlined approach, "We tried to make the recipes so they were more simple," Ulrich said. "The Chicken and Broccoli Bake is a few steps shorter and much easier. "

The Chocolate Cream Cake uses a box mix rather than being made from scratch.

Ulrich, Hopkin and other staffers, such as Ann Sudweeks and Alba Maroquin, culled through the recipes, testing them and making improvements.

"The new recipes are those cooked at the Lion House on a regular basis," said Neil Wilkinson, marketing director of Temple Square Hospitality and a former general manager of the Pantry. "Some of the older recipes were resurrected. Since the Lion House has a different menu every day, they can take all these different recipes and use them from time to time. And when the chefs started going through the old cookbook, it got them interested in reusing them."

The Lion House's history carries a certain cachet for both locals and tourists. It was built in 1856 on South Temple as the home of Brigham Young, territorial governor and second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and up to 12 of his wives who lived there with their children. The name comes from the stone statue of a reclining lion on the portico above the front entrance.

Still owned by the LDS Church, the upper levels are used for wedding receptions, business meetings, family dinners, children's birthday parties and other special occasions. The Lion House averages more than 125 weddings per year.

The ground level is now the Pantry, where hot meals are served cafeteria-style to the public. The bakery produces 3,000-4,000 rolls and 80-90 pies on a regular day; nearer to Thanksgiving, it cranks out more than 20,000 rolls and 600 pies daily.

Kids know of the Lion House as a place for memorable birthday parties, where they can dress in bonnets and coonskin caps, hear pioneer stories and play old-fashioned games. A highlight of the party is the taffy pull, where each child receives a piece of warm taffy to pull and stretch.

Last year, the Lion House was in the national spotlight when Bobby Flay of the TV Food Network's "FoodNation" did a segment there. Flay and the Pantry's general manager, David Bench, cooked sourdough scones, chicken 'n' dumplings and lamb.

"On nearly every tour bus that comes through, I'll ask if anyone has seen that episode, and a couple of hands will go up," Wilkinson said.

The building's history is a selling point with tourists, who, he added, "like to be able to say they ate at Brigham Young's home, as opposed to a McDonald's across the street."