Say Cheese! Ogden's Birds and Bees Fundraiser

Summer is a great time for  food fests, including the seventh annual Union of the Birds and the Bees fundraiser, at Ogden’s Union Station (2501 Wall Ave.) on July 19, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Beehive cheesemaker Tim Welsh, Roosters brewmaster Steve Kirkland and Roosters chef/owner Pete Buttschardt are collaborating on a tasting menu that combines  award-winning cheeses and locally brewed beer. The band Shades of Grey, from Huntsville, will perform at the event.

Tickets are $50 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Union Station Foundation.

Some of the dishes include Diamondback Ale Glazed Pork Drumsticks and SeaHive Stuffed Potatoes. SeaHive cheese is hand-rubbed with local honey and Redmond RealSalt, and won a third place in 2011 from the American Cheese Society.

There's also Carne Asade and Smoked Habanero Tacos (using Promontory with Habanero cheese, which was awarded first place in the spiced cheese category by the Idaho Milk Producers Association in 2010).  

The Lemon Arugula Salad includes Aggiano, a parmesan-type cheese developed by the Utah State University Dairy Department. I've tasted this one before (it's also made at Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, since USU has shared its recipe). It's creamier than regular parmesan, with a strong, sharp flavor. 

I'm told that this event has sold out in the past, so get your tickets while you can.  You can buy them online at  www.beehivecheese.com, or Roosters or Union Grill locations.  For those coming from Salt Lake and Davis counties, it's an easy trip on the FrontRunner.

Here is my article on the event as it appeared in the Standard-Examiner: http://www.standard.net/stories/2013/07/08/fundraiser-union-station-tasteful-event