The Fearless Foodie

                                                     

Scott Heiner

“If You Make It, They Will Come”

is a line from “Field of Dreams,” the 1989 fantasy-drama sports film starring Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella.  It refers to Ray’s repeatedly hearing a voice that whispers, “If you make it, they will come.”  So, Ray plows up his Iowa cornfield to make a baseball field which brings some of baseball’s greatest players—including Ray’s own father—coming back from the past for “dream games.”  It also brings throngs of baseball fans from afar who come to watch these memorable games.

That line also applies to a most memorable food event recently: the 2020 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest.

The event started with the Cisco Disco early in the morning on the east side of Bear Lake.  Now, I’ve heard of cisco, and what an amazing delicacy they are, but I’ve never been able to get up early enough to check it out.

This year, however, our daughter and grandkids were visiting and anxious to experience this sublime treat.  Bleary-eyed, we all ventured out and got to the State Park just in time for the event.  There the crew was under an awning, battering and frying up the little 6-inch critters.  We got in line and they served them up alongside French fries and scones, accompanied by tartar sauce, fry sauce and honey and jam respectively.

The fried cisco were light and crunchy without a hint of fishy taste.  The grandkids (quite picky eaters) also liked them, but didn’t want to eat the tails.  That was fine with me; I was glad to finish them off as well.  The scones and French fries were also very good.

Scott Tolentino of the Utah DNR was in charge of the event and explained some of the details of cisco science to me.  He said all you have to do is take your pole net and wade out into the water ankle-deep and the little critters just come swarming to you.  He said on a good day, you can scoop up your limit of 30 fish in just minutes.   I’ve never been able to catch fish, due to either lack of skills or patience.  However, if catching cisco is that easy, I just might invest in a net.  If you make it, they will come.

Of course, a highlight of the Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is the Monster Plunge, where crazy people in crazy costumes come to jump in the frigid lake, a great attraction for crowds from near and far who come to watch.  If you make it, they will come.

In the evening, the first annual “Monster Taste of Bear Lake” was held at the Sunrise Resort and Event Center, where many of the food establishments at Bear Lake offered their faire to sample.  There was the Bear Trapper with Sicilian Chicken and pot roast.  Bear Lake Pizza was also there with…pizza samples. and The Chocolate Bear served chocolate-covered raspberries.

Ruca’s came with their delicious Danish aebleskivers as well as Moose Buns with their wonderful cinnamon rolls.  The Waffle Den and Bakery was also there with a selection of their goodies; my sweet tooth especially appreciated their “Sweet Tooth Cookies.”  Café Sabor served fajitas while Cody’s featured chile verde and sliders.  It was a wonderland of ‘food, glorious food,’ and I felt like a kid in a candy store.  My biggest frustration was that I couldn’t try every single thing offered.  Unsurprisingly, the place was crowded to the max with people.  If you make it, they will come.