Red Moon

This Wednesday, August 1st at 11:28PM (EST) the moon will be in it's full phase. The August full moon is aka "red moon"; referring to the moon's glowing red color during August. Before you nod off under the brightness in the sky, you may want to consider the magical occurrences that take place during a full moon. I'm not talking folklore like werewolves or the loony effect on human or animal behavior—I'm referring to the making of a great artisanal cheese.

One Monday night in February under a full moon, using milk just coaxed from the cow, Tim Welsh and Pat Ford decided to skip the pasteurization process and stay up late to make cheese, while the milk was most fresh. After letting it age 60 days (a federal health requirement for unpasteurized milk cheese) and giving it a final approving taste test, they named the cheese Beehive's Full Moon Cheddar and hit the market running. The cheese is made with clean, raw milk from Wadeland South Dairy. Full Moon Cheddar carries earthy flavor undertones that reflect the unique four season climate of their farm in Utah.

Celebrate this lunar phase with a full moon late night picnic. Serve Beehive Full Moon Cheese—a Good Stuff pick—with my spiced nuts, a good crisp rose, and sliced crunchy baguette bread. Just kick back and enjoy the magical power of the summer solstice.