Beehive Cheese merchandise on a reducing board with a campfire within the background. Beehive Cheese
Crudites accessible on the Beehive Cheese social gathering. Hanna Seariac
Britton Welsh, president of Beehive Cheese. Beehive Cheese
Have you ever ever been to a celebration filled with cheese mongers and cheese professionals? It’s a uncommon expertise. Final week, Utah-based Beehive Cheese hosted an intimate gathering of all types of cheese professionals to be taught methods of the commerce and get to know each other — and, after all, to eat cheese.
The social gathering befell on the Salt Lake Group Faculty Culinary Middle. Retreating from a crisp autumn night time, we stepped into the nice and cozy room and had been instantly greeted by one of many largest charcuterie boards now we have ever seen.
#AboutLastNighthttps://t.co/LkoLx0PeiYpic.twitter.com/6NmcHRkwnP
— Gitanjali (@gitanjalipoonia) October 14, 2022
The board overflowed with an assortment of Beehive’s finest cheddars like Apple Walnut Smoked and Queen Bee Porcini. Each cheese product from Beehive Cheese begins with its “buttery cheddar” base (known as “Promontory”) earlier than the corporate infuses and seasons the cheddars to perfection. Prosciuttos and crudites accented the cheese.
We tried all of them.
Gitanjali Poonia’s favourite cheese was the Crimson Butte Hatch Chile, which she went again for a handful of instances. Hanna Seariac most well-liked the Apple Walnut Smoked and Queen Bee Porcini. The inexperienced and purple grapes added a refreshing burst of freshness as we surveyed the appetizers.
Crudites accessible on the Beehive Cheese social gathering.
Hanna Seariac
Beehive Cheese is totally different, mentioned gross sales supervisor Jackie Assaad. It’s all about artisanal merchandise just like the Seahive, a cheddar rubbed with historical sea salt and honey, which may be very well-liked amongst prospects.
As we roamed across the room, nibbling on charcuterie and making small discuss, cheese professionals echoed Assaad and raved about Seahive.
Whereas we had been there, we couldn’t assist however stumble upon Britton Welsh, the president of Beehive Cheese, who was keen to entertain our questions. He carried round a small plate of varied snacks retrieved from the massive charcuterie board in the midst of the room.
Britton Welsh, president of Beehive Cheese.
Beehive Cheese
Normally, it’s the American Cheese Society that hosts a gathering yearly and brings collectively tons of of fanatics and trade people for what Welsh described as a “cheese summer season camp.”
However why meet simply yearly? So, Beehive Cheese determined to “simply throw a celebration for all the native Utah cheese professionals,” he mentioned.
Welsh identified that the gathering included “a lot of actually cool cheesemongers,” like folks from Harmons, Entire Meals and Smith’s, in addition to native cheesemakers. As he described how tight-knit the Utah cheese neighborhood is, a few cheese professionals warmly waved at him.
After all, Welsh has an fascinating story of his personal — his profession within the trade started when he was 14 years outdated, serving to his dad, Tim Welsh, and his uncle, Pat Ford, with making and promoting Beehive’s merchandise for the reason that firm’s incorporation in 2005.
He washed the dishes, stirred the curds and started having fun with the household’s enterprise enterprise “to deliver again craft meals to northern Utah,” Welsh mentioned.
It was clear — he was an knowledgeable. So, we boldly requested the turophile about his emotions in direction of butter boards, a viral pattern the place TikTok customers unfold butter over a board and garnish it with nuts, honey and even flowers.
Butter boards aren’t for everyone. One desk of Harmons workers scoffed when requested what their views had been on the topic.
“You'll be able to costume butter up, you possibly can costume it down,” one mentioned. “However who’s going to deliver butter to a celebration?”
One other added that it appeared like an excuse to eat bread. Truthful level.
One Harmons worker expressed that cleansing a butter board can be nearly unattainable because the butter would seep into the wooden. Additionally, honest.
In the meantime, Welsh beloved the thought of butter boards, however didn’t assume this new wave posed a menace to charcuterie boards.
The phrase charcuterie is French for “flesh,” not cheese or grapes or crackers.
When the idea got here to America, it was adopted to be “like a complete unfold,” Welsh added.
“Why do you'll want to select? You can have somewhat little bit of butter, somewhat little bit of cheese, simply don’t overdo it,” he mentioned, including that a mixture of recent, candy and bitter substances can create a cohesive board.
As self-proclaimed Utah foodies and Utah meals connoisseurs, we requested Welsh about what it’s like making cheese alongside the Wasatch Entrance.
“You go to California or Vermont, they usually have a Wisconsin, they usually have this vivid cheese neighborhood,” he mentioned. “That being mentioned, although, we’re doing the identical factor right here in Utah.”