Event Report: Meet the Maker

Log Haven is a pretty silly name for a restaurant. At best, it makes me think about bottled maple syrup. At worst, it reminds of the phrase "hog heaven."

Regardless of the dumb name, there it is: sitting three miles up Millcreek Canyon, it all its well-reviewed, four-star beauty. Salt Lake Magazine's food critic mentioned on her blog that Heaven's Log...er...Log Haven...was having a free tasting with samples from local "artisan food makers." These included Beehive Cheese Company, Uinta Brewery, Clifford Family Farm, Creminelli Fine Meats, and Kenyon Organics.

Not being a drinker, Uinta Brewery was out for me. Kenyon Organics gave out seeds, and Clifford Family Farm's deviled eggs were good, if hidden.

The real dynamite was the aged culinary perfection of Beehive Cheese Co. and Creminelli Fine Meats.  First off, Creminelli is actually run by a real Italian family.  So when they serve you salami, you better pay attention!  They offered no less than 10 different varieties of salami for our endless sampling pleasure.  All were delicious and the flavors were delicate - with the exception of the spicy Salami Piccante.  Of particular note were the Salami Cacciatore, flavored with juniper berries, and the Salami Tartufo which was decked out with none other than Black Summer Truffles from Northern Italy!  Top it off with some Wild Boar Salami and we're really talking artisan!

But the highlight of the evening was Beehive Cheese Company's artisan fromage. They busted out none other than the American Cheese Society competition winning Barely Buzzed. Not being a espresso consumer, I can't report on it. But it's neighbor, Sea Hive, may have been the best cheese I've ever tasted. This brand new flavor is infused with salt harvested from Lake Bonneville's ancient lakebed in the belly-button of Utah ("more than 50 trace mineral deposits," the website boasts), and honey from local orchard and wildflower-pollinating bees. My friend noted its smooth texture, while its honey touch grabbed my attention.

These world-class artisans are worthy of every cheese and salami lover's attention. They both ship directly from their websites (www.creminelli.com www.beehivecheese.com).