With a Measure of Grace: The Story and Recipes of a Small Town Restaurant

by Blake Spalding, Jennifer Castle, Lavinia Spalding

With a Measure of Grace recounts with sensitivity and wit the tale of a women-owned, Buddhist- based restaurant becoming a community anchor in a small Mormon town. Within the book's 176 beautiful, color-photographed pages, former backcountry caterers and professional river chefs Blake Spalding and Jen Castle share their struggles and successes as the coowners of Hell's Backbone Grill. Spalding and Castle began with the goal to meld their ideas of place-based, seasonally appropriate cuisine, right livelihood, environmental ethics and social and community responsibility into a restaurant they would operate with compassion, generosity, loving kindness and grace. They were unaware at the time that given the unusual circumstances of their venture, this plan would be the restaurant's only chance of survival.

Located in the heart of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Boulder, Utah, was the last town in the nation to receive year-round mail by automobile. Today it has no stoplight, cell phone service, ATM, grocery store or medical facilities. But it has Zagat-rated Hell's Backbone Grill, which despite all odds, has won the acclaim of national and international media. Sixtyfive favorite recipes accompany charming anecdotes, old-fashioned rural wisdom and introductions to captivating local characters, making With a Measure of Grace a warm and earthy, unforgettable read.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Reference

160 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2004

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a cookbook cover to cover before, but this was a lot more than just a cookbook. It was chock full of interviews, essays, photos and how to's. I now know I need Chimayo chili powder and to think more about the ideas presented here, ie the importance of eating and growing organic food to mention just one. Going to start their sequel tonight!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comfort book as well-thought out and delicious to read as the food at Helles. Delightful essays about the people that love at eat at Hell’s Backbone Grill with the added bonus of amazing recipes. The Dark Magic Gingerbread cake is the reason I bought this cookbook, and it is delicious and easy to make, but I’m excited to try the she-devil sauce and others.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite restaurants! I'm glad to have some of their recipes.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome cookbook, stories, and recipes.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting story about two Buddhists who moved to a very small, primarily Mormon town and opened a restaurant. It's a cookbook but there's also a lot of text and photos.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: My family and I had the pleasure of dining at Hell's Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah this past weekend {breakfast, lunch AND dinner... thank you very much} and the experience totally exceeded my expectations! I'm a bit obsessed with the whole thing now and just made the fresh peach crisp from this book... Wowza! I'm not going to lie, I went back for seconds. {happy sigh}



I discovered this little gem last week while enjoying a most relaxing day at The Kura Door Spa (yum). What a delightful find! From the mouth-watering recipes to the stunning photographs to the heart-warming stories, I kinda fell in love with this book. And the very best part? The "tiny Mormon town in the middle of nowhere" this story revolves around is practically in my back yard... Boulder Utah, here I come!:)

[Juni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just didn't want this book to end ~~ being a beach, hot weather and humidity lover I would never dream of being drawn to a high desert location, but this book made me fall in love with south Utah. The 2 women who own this restaurant have lived in big cities, cooked on riverboats, and are Buddhist, yet they found their true home in a Mormon town of 180 people with stark, dramatic red cliffs and literally in the middle of nowhere. It amazed me how such a small town can feel like a big and welcoming family. Their love of food, cooking, and loyalty to their staff makes this book a delight to read. Filled with gourmet recipes, Buddhist philosophy, and lovely photos of the area.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two women practicing Buddhism set up a little restaurant, Hell's Backbone Grill, in the remote and sleepy little Mormon town of Boulder, Utah. Viewed first as outsiders, this book tells of their exploits in trying to cook the traditional and regional dishes of the Southwest with the season-changing fruits and vegetables they and their neighbors grow in organic gardens. Beautifully written and interspersed with recipes from the grill, this book tells of the power of food to bring people together and create friendships among even the most diverse of people.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

We stumbled onto Hell's Backbone Grill on vacation last summer. What a wonderful place!! We had a fantastic meal and wandered around the beautiful grounds, soaking up the zen vibes. I found the book for sale in the restaurant and had to have it. It is the most different book I have read in a long time A journal, mini biographies, and wonderful recipes that are deliciously photographed. A beautiful book, much more than a cookbook.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so much more than a cookbook (what I thought it was at first in my ignorance). It's filled with the history of a Buddhist restaurant (ironically? named Hell's) in a tiny Mormon town in the middle of nowhere U.S.A. The photos are captivating and so are the stories.

Highly recommended as a read for folks interested in food, urban life, and farming as well as for cooks.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cozied up with this cookbook from Hell's Backbone Grill while awaiting a delicious massage in Santa Fe, and found myself coveting the book and recipes. Among them, Navajo-Style Peach Crisp, Green Chile Corn Tamales, Oatmeal Molasses Bread, Rosemary Limeade, Zuni Sweet Potato Skillet Cakes. . . etc. I should have absconded with the book in the afterglow of the massage.

[Jodee Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful story of a small town and one of its restaurants. I very much enjoyed reading about the people that influenced this restaurant there weren't very many recipes I would actually try on my own. I very much look forward to going to this place someday though. After reading the book I feel like I know the people like they were friends.

Well done!

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great "off the beaten path" story about the a small-town desert restaurant that includes an intriguing array of Native American/Mexican/Southwestern recipes using local ingredients as much as possible. I can't wait to try these out!

[Jeani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book and going to the restaurant was truly amazing.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal recipes! and I love getting all the personal stories along with them.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining read about the personalities that make up the Grill and their interactions with the town of Boulder. (Didn't try any of the recipes)

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that I was reading a cookbook. What I found instead was a wonderful and colorful story about life in rural Utah. Oh, and some pretty good recipes as well.

Highly recommended.

[Angela Shaeffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mixture of a coffee table book and a cookbook.

[Tanya]

A customer recommended this book to me she said it was an excellent restaurant " the chez panise of utah"

I Want to go this place looks and sounds amazing!!!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chili cream pots! Creamed chard! Moqui Mac! Tasty recipes, gorgeous prose and beautiful photography that makes me ache for the Southwest when I'm not there.

[Jennifer Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful beautiful book!

[Jennifer Kleinrichert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. These women are incredible and their ability to unite beyond inspiring!