![]() ![]() ![]() Right now, the number one seller is a traditional Finnish cheese called Juustoleipä, otherwise known as “bread cheese,” made from curds that are drained and pressed flat, ready to be lightly toasted on both sides. “The cows stand up and do a little happy dance when they see the High West delivery truck,” winks Chavez. Chavez is lucky enough to ply his trade with rich milk from the farm’s furry-eared Brown Swiss cows, which sometimes feed on stillage from Park City’s High West Distillery-a protein-, fat-, and fiber-rich mixture of grain and water left from the whiskey-making process. Working in small batches, he stirs warmed milk with the cheesemaker’s signature “harp” and listens to opera as he circles the vat again and again, relishing the whole process. Left: Finished cheddar at Gold CreekĪ longtime professional chef, Chavez is relatively new to cheesemaking, but he’s found his passion and has been going with it for about two years now. Right: Fernando Chavez pulls mozzarella at Gold Creek Farms. ![]() Gold Creek’s cherrywood-smoked cheddar recently won a second-place award from the American Cheese Society, as did its year-old Parmesan, the only one produced in Utah. The cumin doesn’t hit your taste buds with a wallop instead, it sneaks up as you’re pondering the creaminess of the cheddar. At once creamy and tangy, this cheese is a perfect example of Chavez’s ability to juggle creativity and subtlety. They’ll have you at the first bite of cheesemaker Fernando Chavez’s cumin-flecked cheddar at Gold Creek Farms, an idyllic ranch on Bench Creek Road in Woodland. ![]() Working in small batches, Chavez stirs warmed milk with the cheesemaker’s signature harp while listening to opera. If you’re interested in a tour or trying your hand at cheesemaking yourself, the folks at Beehive are happy to accommodate. Although Welsh and Ford produce their cheeses by hand, the company does a high-volume business, including online sales. You can find Beehive cheeses at retail locations nationwide, from the famed Murray’s Cheese Shop in New York City to Whole Foods in many major cities, including the Park City location. Among numerous honors, Beehive has enjoyed three first-place awards from the American Cheese Society for its Barely Buzzed (hand-rubbed with espresso and lavender) and a distinguished third place from the World Cheese Awards for the buttery, earthy Full Moon, a seasonal raw-milk offering.Ĭlockwise from top left: Cheese curds in the making, Pat Ford with the finished product, and Ford working the curds at Beehive Cheese. Since its founding in 2005, the small company-which concentrates on various cheddar styles-has created a major buzz all over the United States and points beyond. Currently the most lauded of all Utah artisan cheese producers, Beehive was also one of the first. Though the look is industrial at the production facility and tiny retail outlet in South Ogden, the approach and flavors at Beehive Cheese ( ) are anything but. Welsh and Ford like to say that their cheeses “carry undertones of Utah’s unique high-desert and four-season ecosystem. Here’s a quick taste of the deliciously varied flavors of Utah’s artisan cheese. Thanks to their talent and passion, these artisans regularly bring home prestigious national awards for their cheeses-many of which you’ll find on menus in and around Park City. But all members of the growing cadre of local cheesemakers understand that great results depend on superb raw ingredients time-honored, hands-on methods and careful aging or ripening-an art unto itself, especially in Utah’s dry climate. Some have apprenticed with a master in Italy others have studied nearby at Utah State University’s Western Dairy Center. Barely Buzzed cheese from Beehive, hand-rubbed with lavender and espresso ![]()
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