BEGINNINGS 2024 culturecheesemag.com 63
MARCH
Mac & Cheese Festival | Mar. 2
Bloomsburg, Pa.
macandcheesefestpa.com
2024 World Championship
Cheese Contest | Mar. 5–7
Madison, Wis.
wischeesemakersassn.org/events/
world-championship-cheese-contest
California Artisan Cheese Festival | Mar. 22–24
Santa Rosa, Calif.
artisancheesefestival.com
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition
Entry Deadline | Mar. 22
cheesesociety.org/events/
judging-competition-entry-deadline/
APRIL
Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival | Apr. 4–7
Fort Worth, Texas
fwfwf.org/festival
Knoxville Cheese Festival | Apr. 11
Knoxville, Tenn.
knoxvillecheesefest.com
Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival | Apr. 13
Kenosha, Wis.
kenoshabeerfest.com
Cheese Expo | Apr. 16–18
Milwaukee, Wis.
cheeseexpo.org
The Big Cheese Mac and Cheese Festival | Apr. 20
Battle Creek, Mich.
thebigcheesebc.com
Oregon Cheese Festival | Apr. 27–28
Central Point, Ore.
oregoncheesefestival.com
Sacramento Grilled Cheese Festival | Apr. 27–29
Sacremento, Calif.
sacgrilledcheese.com
MAY
Pittsburgh Mac & Cheese Festival | May 18
Pittsburgh, Pa.
macandcheesefestival.com/city-events/
pittsburgh-mac-and-cheese-festival
The Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival | May 31–Jun. 2
Little Chute, Wis.
littlechutewi.org/226/Great-Wisconsin-Cheese-Festival
Mark Your Calendars
CHEESE MEAT BOARD
2054 N Broadway,
Denver, Colorado
Owner: Melanie Flint
When COVID reshaped our ability
to build connections, Cheese
Meat Board, founded by Melanie
Flint, emerged to fill the gap.
Flint's travels across Italy and
Spain, where she savored aperitivo
and tapas, inspired her to create
beautifully handcrafted grazing
boards and boxes. Despite the
challenges posed by the pandemic,
Flint's unwavering dedication
helped her successfully sustain
her business.
Her focus is providing elegant
and approachable experiences
without pretension. When social
distancing sparked demand for
creative ways to connect, Flint
leveraged the opportunity to
position her shop during these
trying times. "People were looking
for nice ways to treat their loved
ones on special occasions during
quarantine," Flint says.
Despite these challenges, she
successfully mastered the art
of providing beloved cheese
experiences for her customers.
Thanks to the steady community
support—who sang her praises
on social media—she continues to
offer services like grazing tables and
cheese plates for special moments.
What cheese trend do you see
on the horizon?
We have a motto: Presentation
without pretension. We preach
"cheese plates for all" instead of a
cheese board in an expensive, stuffy
French restaurant. I love seeing
spreads becoming mainstream,
even for just a few friends. If you
think about trends like #GirlDinner,
it's cool to see cheese becoming
accessible to wider audiences.
What's your favorite cheese
pairing right now?
I've been sampling loads of jams
and chutneys and putting those
on everything. There's a great
Colorado brand called PRiMO, and
I love spreading their blackberry
and serrano pepper preserves on
Mimolette for sweet and nutty bites
with a touch of heat.
