Curdbox is our monthly cheese + pairing subscription service. Want to join our merry band of cheese lovers? Head on over to our subscription page to sign up for your monthly box!
Spring has finally sprung, and this month we’re preparing you to step into summer with our Great Balls Of Fire box. We’re getting spicy this month, with just the right amount of heat, and the right amount of sweet. For this box, we have a selection of three cheeses, each with their own unique and fiery personality, as well as three special pairings to accompany them. Inside, you’ll find some garlic, some sweetness, some nuttiness, and some heat to wake up your taste buds for this fiery-flavor adventure.
Big John's Cajun by Beehive Cheese Co.
We all know that cayenne pepper can make a dish stand out, but you might not have thought about using it for your cheese…Enter: Big John's Cajun.This adventurous combination from brothers-in-law Tim Welsh and Pat Ford, founders of Utah’s Beehive Cheese Co., is going to be a wake-up call to your taste buds. Developed after local chef John Dearmin showed up one day with a bag of Cajun meat rub and suggested it could be used for a new cheese. It was that idea that ultimately lead to this signature combination of punchy heat balanced with a smooth sweet-creamy center. Softer in texture than your average cheddar, its creaminess comes from the high butterfat content, sourced from the milk of local dairy Wadeland South’s Jersey cows. Its smooth, easily-meltable feel adds a nice compliment to the kick of the garlicky, smoky, and spicy finish of the rub, it’s milder in the middle, turning up the heat as you get closer to its rind. Big John’s Cajun… The Spice Is Right!
Big John's Cajun by Beehive Cheese Co. and Giddy-Up Nuts' Original Spiced
Harlech by Somerdale
If you're a fan of cheese, you've probably heard of Somerdale. Somerdale is an English company that has been making delicious cheeses for decades. Founded in 1990 by Stephen Jones and Ernie Waldron, its humble beginnings started with just a few employees and a small office in Taunton. Today, Somerdale has grown to have a turnover above £42 million and exports 95% of its products to over 50 countries worldwide! And one of their flagship products is the Harlech Cheddar. Named after the famous Welsh Warriors of the Middle Ages, it's made with the highest quality Welsh cow's milk and coated in a distinctive bright orange wax that gives it its unique look. This creamy, medium to strong mature cheddar has a subtle crumble but packs a big punch when it comes to flavor, with notes of horseradish and parsley that give it a tangy kick and a tingling heat that will leave you wanting more with every bite. Somerdale’s Harlech is a fantastic flavor combination that can add extra depth to your cheeseboard or salad, or melt this on a steak or roast beef sandwich for an absolute flavor sensation. A modern taste of the middle ages.
Harlech by Somerdale and Seasoned Dipping Pretzels by East Shore Specialty Foods
Garlic by Beemster
Built on the rich heritage of more than 115 years of cheesemaking, and using milk from small, sustainable family farms, Beemster has a long history of creating irresistible cheeses. Founded in 1901 by a group of farmers who wanted to protect their land and establish the quality of standards that would define Beemster cheeses for decades to come. Their time-tested techniques and the incredible milk they use result in their signature rich, flavorful cheeses. Aged slowly and naturally on wooden planks in historic stone warehouses, their garlic-infused Gouda is fragrant and intense yet sweet and subtle all in one bite! This cow's milk cheese is creamy and soft with just the right hint of garlic for a succulent flavor that smells as good as it tastes. Beemster Garlic melts wonderfully on a sandwich, on top of a soup, or topped on a pizza.This really is a dream come true for both garlic and cheese lovers everywhere.
Garlic by Beemster and Saw Palmetto Honey by Savannah Bee Co.
Original Spiced by Giddy-Up Nuts
Giddy-Up Nuts is on a mission to make snacking fun and healthy. And they’re doing it with California almonds and fresh, all-natural local ingredients that are in season and abundant at the local farmers' markets. Founder Kristy Mangia came up with the idea for her company while trying to find a healthier, yet great-tasting snack for a road trip. Not long after that, she started selling Giddy-Up Nuts at the local farmers' markets, where the stall quickly became a favorite among the customers. Her unique flavor combinations, all-natural ingredients, and interesting packaging quickly created a fan base for her products.You can’t go wrong with the Original Spiced flavor, offering hints of sweet cinnamon and orange zest- perfectly balancing out a little kick of cayenne.An exciting snack for all of your adventures.
Seasoned Dipping Pretzels by East Shore Specialty Foods
Wisconsin’s own East Shore Specialty Foods brings the most uniquely flavored and versatile specialty pretzels on the market. Jeri Mesching, teacher, homemaker, and cook started East Shore with only one product: her Sweet and Tangy Mustard. Eventually, after conducting her own market research in local gourmet stores, she introduced her line of specialty pretzels to accompany it. Their seasoned dipping pretzels are made with a unique blend of herbs and spices, giving these traditional snacks an unconventional twist. A perfectly crunchy companion for all your dipping needs.
Saw Palmetto Honey by Savannah Bee Co.
If you love honey, you’ll be sure to fall head over heels for Georgia’s own Savannah Bee Company’s Saw Palmetto Honey.Founder Ted Dennard is passionate about helping bees and has been an avid beekeeper for over 35 years. He also started The Bee-Cause Project, which seeks to inspire the next generation of beekeepers while teaching them to protect our planet’s precious pollinators. This glorious honey comes from bees that pollinate the Saw Palmetto, a short tree topped by an enormous crown of fan shaped leaves. Because the saw palmetto’s growth rate is extremely slow, it takes 100 years for this palm to grow big and strong enough to produce nectar for the bees to start their honey-making process, making this sublime snack even more special.Full-bodied and citrusy, with subtle woody overtones, t’s the perfect honey for your sweet tea or anything else that needs a touch of that Southern charm!
And that's our box! So pull up a few chairs on your front porch, or open some windows and let the spring air cool you down from this month’s spicy selection. While you’re at it, make yourself a cold glass of sweet-tea. Because the heat is on!
***
Did you take some photos while enjoying this box that you were thinking of adding to Instagram? Please tag us @curdbox along with our cheese and pairingpartners @beehivecheese, @somerdalecheese, @beemstercheese, @savannahbeeco, @giddyupnuts, and @eastshorespecialtyfoods. We love to see our cheese lovers enjoying their boxes!
