Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts are Two Greats in One.

Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts

148 South Main Street

Blanding, UT, 84511

Telephone: Currently unavailable; however, ordering can be done via their website: https://orders.cake.net/11552341, and they also have a Facebook page, so you can leave comments or reviews.

Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 11am to 9pm, Closed on Sunday. 

 Several hours after visiting Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts, I was still finding it difficult to begin this newest of restaurant review articles.  Why?  Reeling from great conversation with owners Jon and Colleen Raisor (another owner, Daylen Carter was not present), and employee Vincent, plus the amazing food high from the great food and baked goods…how in the world was I supposed to sit still, form coherent sentences and make sense!? (Wow, talk about a run-on sentence).

First, we have to time travel once again to December 9, 2015 and the article about David Ludwig, his pizza wagon, and the wood burning oven he had built himself.  While he provided a good product to Blanding locals, and visitors passing through, he eventually moved on, and sold his business to Jon and Colleen Raisor.  “What were they thinking?”, they had to ask themselves, but they were interested in getting into the food industry, and opportunity came a-knocking at their door.  For eight years they created excellent pizzas at a Main Street location, and also went to events to wow new customers.  As good as this was, they wanted more, a larger location, the opportunity to earn monies to fill their coffers, more food choices for the community, and a way to truly show off their cooking and baking talents.  Getting together with Daylen Carter, having access to a prime Main Street location once again, Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts opened in September 2025.

Sourcing comes from a popular food distribution company that most restaurants tend to use.  Jon makes sure to purchase as many products that are of Italian origin as quality goes a much further distance.  Practically every food item is housemade; dough for the pizzas and pastas, sauces, dressings; except the sauces for the wings.  Alright Jon, let’s go over this one more time: 1-stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted; whisk in ¼ cup Frank’s Red-Hot sauce, and that’s mild for the wings.  Want it hotter?  Just whisk in more Frank’s till it’s just right, yes, we had a good laugh over this.  Back to the housemade, the salads are created fresh, not purchased prepackaged, and all the baked goods (breads, croissants, cookies, brownies and much more) are made in-house.

 

Colleen Raisor Working the Oven.

Just a small selection offered by DaYz Desserts.

So, how was our dining experience from start to finish?  When we first got there, a group of motorcyclists, who just happened to see the new sign, decided to try it out.  I asked them about their experience, and they were so pleased about everything; the welcoming and friendly atmosphere and staff, the longest wait time was about 10 minutes, and they thought the food was quite amazing. They were seasoned travelers, so a good place to eat, could be a challenge at times.

 

The building interior is very open, roomy, with large windows that let in plenty of light.  A motorcycle group of about 24 people were there, so this restaurant can handle large groups looking to celebrate an event, such as a family gathering, or friends having a reunion.   Let me tell you, after speaking with Jon, Colleen and Vincent, that is exactly what it felt like, a few friends getting together for laughs, storytelling and enjoying great food.

Alright, I hear you, shut up about the people and building and tell us about the food!

 

We ordered the Combo Meals; as usual, this pizza snob went with the 10-inch plain cheese pizza.  Hey, if they mess up that kind of pizza, what chance do they really have?  It came with a brownie (I chose mint) and a 16-ounce beverage.  Roy went with supreme pizza loaded with Italian sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and olives; his brownie choice was salted caramel plus the 16-ounce beverage.  The price for this meal deal could not be beat!  We also ordered wings with barbecue sauce as a starter.

 

The Wings – an order has 6 large and meaty wings that are baked, yet they have a good texture, thoroughly cooked, and not a gummy skin on the outside.  They are not over sauced, so your taste buds get a good mixture of chicken meat with sauce.  This starter is perfect for two people, or a really hungry single person.

 

 

 

 

 

The Pizza – crust was nicely browned, not overly crispy, but it held all the ingredients well; no flopping and dropping. The edges were slightly darker, but that is due to being close to the flames; yes, their pizza ovens use flame cooking.  Sauce was definitely a winner in flavor; Mama Mia, that’s Italian!  The cold pizza test gets a definite A+, and if you see my hubby with a bandage around his hand, he tried to steal my leftovers.

The Brownies – they are frosted brownies with the frosting being a perfect accompaniment for the rich chocolate brownie.  The mint had a subtle taste which combined so well with the chocolate.  The salted caramel had just enough of a hint of salt, you knew it was there, but did not get overwhelmed as if biting a nugget of sea salt.  Later on, I purchased a sampler container of the brownies which contained three with vanilla frosting; oh, that was nice, yeah, really nice.

 

When it comes to customer favorites, everything on their menu depends on tastes, but pepperoni pizza, or anything pepperoni really, is the best seller.  Speaking of the menu, besides those amazing wood fired pizzas, there are pasta dishes, salads, breadsticks, chicken wings (choice of four sauces), sandwiches, additional toppings and sauces and, not to be overlooked, those yum-o-licious brownies.  The prices are very reasonable, especially for such good quality.

There are a few future goals for the business, like adding calzones and gelato to the food menu.  Catering is being considered, but all the logistics have to be figured out, so stayed tuned for further news. Oh, the food truck, that will still be used for special events.

 

Before leaving, purchases of cinnamon rolls, brownies, a huge loaf of ranch bread, and humongous croissants were destined for home.

Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 11am to 9pm, Closed on Sunday; busiest time is usually 6-7 pm, the dinner hour.  Friday and Saturday are the busiest days, and Monday the slowest, so now you can plan your visit…you have to visit!  Afterwards, you will again and again and again; hey, maybe you’ll see us there and we can have a fun chat.

Mary Cokenour 

 

A Tad Late for a Mormon Thanksgiving, But Still…

On August 10, 1848, the Mormon pioneers that had traveled to Utah, celebrated their first season’s harvest.  Remember, when they entered Utah in 1847, all they had, in provisions and livestock, was what was in their handcarts and ox-drawn wagons.  They had to make it through a harsh winter with what they had, or what they could purchase from established ranchers, or get from the indigenous tribes, they encountered.

So, while we, in America, know Thanksgiving as a holiday in November, based upon the settlers of Plymouth Rock; this Thanksgiving aka The Harvest Feast, was certainly a giving of thanks.

“…called the harvest feast, we partook freely of a rich variety of bread, beef, butter, cheese, cakes, pastry, green corn, melons and almost every variety of vegetable.  Large sheaves of wheat, rye, barley, oats…for public exhibition.”  (“Plain but Wholesome, Foodways of the Mormon Pioneers”, by Brock Cheney, pages 1-2).

While they did “partake freely”, it was also known that much of the foods also had to be “put up”, or prepped for storage, so there would be provisions for the winter months.  Meats, poultry and fish were salted, dried or smoked; vegetables were pickled or dried, fruits were dried or made into jams/jellies, but what about dairy products when there were no refrigerators at that time.

They used underground root cellars and outdoor storage pits to keep root vegetables and other produce cool, while smoked or salted meats were stored in smokehouses. They also utilized spring houses, which were small structures built around natural springs, to keep items like milk and butter cold, and harvested ice from frozen lakes and ponds for use in insulated ice houses and ice boxes.

Here is a breakdown of those storage structures:

Root Cellars:

These underground or partially underground structures provided a cool, stable temperature year-round, perfect for storing root vegetables, potatoes, and stored preserves.

Smokehouses:

Dedicated buildings for smoking and storing cured meats were essential for protein preservation.

Spring Houses:

Located near natural springs, these structures used the cold water to keep dairy products and other perishable items cool.

Ice Houses and Ice Boxes:

After the 1800s, ice cut from frozen rivers and lakes was stored in insulated ice houses and delivered in blocks to homes for use in ice boxes.

Pits:

In some cases, root vegetables were simply buried in mounds of earth and covered with corn stalks to protect them from frost and keep them cool.

After reading all that, there should definitely be a more grateful attitude towards gas or electric power supplies, and storage units called refrigerators and freezers.

Here’s a recipe from “The Mormon Pioneer Cookbook”, page 80, to get our harvest feast moving along.

Sauerkraut with Apples

Ingredients:

2 lbs. sauerkraut

¼ lb. dried apples

1 medium onion, diced

½ cup grated carrot

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Chicken broth

Preparation: Put sauerkraut, apples, onion, carrot, salt and pepper in a deep saucepan.  Add enough chicken broth to cover.  Bring to a boil.  Cover.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Yield: 8 servings.

Unfortunately, the initial temperature is not stated, so I will presume it is high heat, to bring it to a boil, and then reduced to low for a one-hour simmering.

 

 

Now I have made a similar recipe using Polish kielbasa and call it “Polish Fry Up”.  In a large skillet, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, medium-high heat, fry up 1 lb. sauerkraut plus 1 tsp. paprika.  When sauerkraut begins to slightly brown at edges, add in kielbasa (12 oz. package of smoked beef or pork, cut into 1/4-inch slices); mix thoroughly and let cook together for 5 minutes, or until kielbasa is completely heated through.

In another large skillet, 4 Tbsp. olive oil, medium-high heat, spread out thin slices from 2 large potatoes.  Let them fry for 5 minutes before flipping over; add ½ tsp. salt plus ½ cup diced onion over the potatoes.  Fry another 5 minutes, mix potatoes and onions together and continue to fry until onions begin to brown on the edges.  The potatoes should have a brown coloring with a slight crisp on the outside.

Plate or large soup bowl, put ¼ of the potatoes, top with a ¼ of sauerkraut-kielbasa and enjoy.

Makes 4 servings.

 

Just for “shite and giggles”, how about we play with the Old Nauvoo recipe for Fried Tomatoes, but use zucchini.  The zucchini “chips” are slightly moist inside, with a crispy, crunchy coating on the outside.  They are a much more satisfying snack than those bagged chips that can be purchased for way too much money. 

So, go to San Juan Record’s website and look up Food Adventures, September 23, 2020; or do a search on my food blog for fried green tomatoes (two different recipes will come up, you want the one from 2020).  The only change to make for the zucchini is, instead of 1 cup flour, do a mixture of ¾ cup ground, plain bread crumbs plus ¼ cup flour.  That’s how to get that crispy crunchy coating.

So, while I may be late writing about the actual celebration of the Mormon Thanksgiving, it’s not too late to enjoy the benefits of the last harvest of the season.

Ah, while it’s nudging at my mind, while Blanding and Monticello have attempted to establish a farmers’ market, eventually lack of vendors, and interest, have deterred this. The Utah Farmers Market Network lists dozens of markets statewide, with many counties hosting more than one.

Farmers markets have been established in at least 15 Utah counties, including Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Davis, Grand, Iron, Juab, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, and Weber.

In 2018, a significant Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grant was awarded to Utah State University to fund the capacity building, outreach, and marketing efforts for Utah farmers markets.  This led to the lists on The Utah Farmers Market Network.  This federal grant, part of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) created by the 2018 Farm Bill, aimed to connect low-income and diverse communities with healthy, local food and supported the development of the statewide network.

Definitely something that San Juan County needed in 2018, and still needs now, so county commissioners and economic development department, something for the next agenda?

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ghosts of Theatres Past.

 

Young's Theater

 

Opera House - Monticello Memories Calendar - 1988

 

 The Opera House aka Young’s Theatre has a history rich in entertainment.  Originally built in 1907, it was a community center for Monticellians to play basketball, put on plays, hold dances or watch movies (silent ones of course).  In 1918, a severe snowstorm dumped so much upon the building’s roof, it completely collapsed.  Along came Alfred Young, who built a new building, in a different location, and called it Young’s Theatre. Naming things after one’s self is definitely a way to be remembered.

The Theatre remained opened until 1931, and then was purchased by…, San Juan Record, May 10, 1934, page 5, “Marie M. Ogden last week purchased the Young show hall, a well-known building which has been idle for two or three years. It is expected that a community house will be made, that is, it will be converted into a place for her people to stop for rest while considering their future activities in this county.” 

However, in 1935, the controversy over the death of Home of Truth member, Edith Peshak, forced Marie Ogden to close the theatre, and it has remained closed since that time.  While the Monticello Community Foundation made many attempts to obtain funding, to renovate and save the building, it, sadly didn’t happen.  Now it is scheduled to be demolished as the San Juan County Public Safety Building Expansion Project plans to remodel and expand the existing facility, which houses the Sheriff's Department, courts, and corrections.

However, entertainment was not lost to the citizens of Monticello.  Mr. and Mrs. Claude Foy opened their first movie theatre, on Main Street, June 15, 1936. Then, in 1939, they opened a larger 120-seat theatre, located in the Moab Garage warehouse, which Mr. Foy also managed.   The first movie featured was “Young Mr. Lincoln”, with Henry Fonda. The seating was eventually increased to 225, and in 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Randall bought the theatre, but alas, it too closed down.

 

The Little Theater - Cinema Treasures (https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/67616)

 

 

Personal story time!  Bill Boyle, editor of the San Juan Record, related, to yours truly, a story about his mother.  During the 1930s, she would go to the theatre daily, and with leading actors such as Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Robert Montgomery and Errol Flynn…hubba hubba, someone get me some cold water please!

In 2015, the San Juan Record’s editor hosted a haunted hayride, The Monticello Ghost Tour, and related ghostly stories of various buildings around the city.  This was one of the best events for Pioneer Weekend, so Bill, please bring it back, I’m begging you!!!  Anyway, the San Juan Credit Union, in 2015, was the former location of the movie theatre; the rooms over the San Juan Pharmacy (now Main Street Drug) were used for storage for the theatre.  Monticello was making headlines all over the United States when an armed gunman was noticed in the upper window.  A young police officer, Kent Adair (Monticello's long time Chief of Police for 34 years) deftly disarmed the culprit with an expert karate chop.  Only to find out he had knocked off the arm of "Rambo", a large cardboard display of Sylvester Stallone; Kent's call in to other officers..."The suspect has been disarmed."  

 

If you’re interested in seeing what The Monticello Ghost Tour was all about, go to my travel blog posting at: https://www.southwestbrowneyes.com/2015/08/hayriding-to-meet-ghosts-of-monticello.html

Now, after all that researching to find details and photos of the old theatres, I am hungry!  How about a comforting plate of creamed chicken over country biscuits?  The best part about this recipe is that you can make this dish over and over, but with different flavor enhancements.  This is a semi-homemade recipe, so using “cream of …” soups for the sauce making.  Two cans (10.75 oz.) of cream of chicken gives that downhome chicken taste that is so satisfying.  Use one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of celery or cream of potato, you’ve got pot pie.  For a more savory taste, one can of cream of chicken plus one can of cream of mushroom; and adding some sliced mushrooms into the mesh won’t hurt either.  By the way, I boiled the chicken breasts, in salted water, over medium-high heat, about 20 minutes, and then diced it up.

 

Creamed Chicken

 

Ingredients:

1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of (see variations above)

1 cup half n’ half

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen peas, thawed and drained

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced

Preparation:

In a saucepan or large skillet, over medium-high heat, combine contents of the soup(s) plus half n’ half, and whisk until smooth.

 

Two chicken breasts, boiled in salted water, then diced.

 

Add in peas, black pepper and chicken; stir and let cook until bubbles begin to form around interior wall of pan.

 

Serve immediately over biscuits, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Makes 6 servings.

So, put on a movie, and enjoy a bowl full of creamed chicken.  Um, don’t watch a very scary movie though, don’t want you throwing that bowl of food up in the air.

Mary Cokenour