Fall is a special time in the life cycle of plant life. Perennials gently nestle into hibernation while we kiss some of our favorite sweet annual plants goodbye. While it feels slightly sad, this is my favorite time for food as we move from light, crisp flavors to bigger, funky, fermenty ones.

Testun al Foglie di Castagno embodies the best of this cooling season. Cow, sheep, and goat milks are blended into large wheels and aged over a year in the Cuneo region of Piedmont by Beppino Occelli. We carry a handful of selections from this lovely artisan, but this one in particular has stolen my heart. The wheels are wrapped in freshly plucked chestnut leaves and left to continue its year-long aging journey. The result is a sweet, complex paste tinged brown by the oxidized plant matter it’s been snuggled into. Testun’s paste is both creamy and crunchy from crystallized bits of tyrosine while the aroma smells just like the bottom of the leaf pile waiting for you in your back yard. Don’t believe. Go on, dive in there and give it a whiff.

If you’re really lucky, you’ll be graced with small flecks of naturally ocurring blue mold growing just beneath the surface of the cheese. I live for these bits and will wait days for even a hint of blue. This added flavor tips the scales for flavor right up toward transcendence.

When you’re done diving into your leaves, treat yourself to a this lovely cheese. Pair it with bold, tannic red wines, whiskey, or Epic’s Smoked & Oaked beer, and a fireplace. This is the perfect time to enjoy this cheese and the season wanes into winter.

June is always exciting—vacations, outdoor concerts, farmers markets, and summer festivals are one the horizon. And the small amount of gardening I attempt every year isn’t quite ruined yet. Plus, it’s national Accordion Awareness Month. So there’s that.

We’re gearing up for Father’s Day, and it shows in our Cravings this month. We may or may not have been hungry when we put the list together, and now I just can’t stay away from these fantastic little treats. Check out June’s selections for you and your friends, for Dad, and for another upcoming summer to remember.

CHEESE: Quicke’s Red Leicester

We’ve always been big fans of Quicke’s traditional cheeses from the United Kingdom. Their meticulous processes involve hand-making every wheel and milling the cheese curds twice before forming the clothbound wheels for this cheese. Quicke’s Red Leicester is made with vegetable rennet and annato seed, which gives it its wonderful dark orange hue. It’s aged at least four months before wheels are released.

Red Leicester is crumbly, dense, and has a lovely, well-balanced sweet and caramelized flavor. Serve on a cheese board and pair with full bodied white wines and seasonal summer beers. We’ll be testing recipes with this beauty soon, so stay tuned!

CHOCOLATE: Rozsavolgyi Chocolate with Olives and Bread 77%

To be perfectly honest, we were not prepared for this chocolate to be as good as it is. This brand is definitely some of the best in the world, and Caputo’s is thrilled and proud to include it in our portfolio. Single origin and inclusion bars alike are produced with the utmost care, no vanilla, and a balanced roast. This type of passionate production allows for a very deep exploration of terroir, while still having a distinctly European ‘chocolatey-ness’ (we insist this is a word).

Additionally, some of their inclusion bars, like this 77% bar with olives and bread, will amaze even the most jaded connoisseur! Roasted olives, toasted bread, and olive oil are blended with 77% dark chocolate for an entirely unique chocolate experience. The result is an unlikely, but incredibly satisfying, combination of sweet and savory.

Rozsavolgyi was given a Bronze award by the Academy of Chocolate for this bar in 2013 in the Seasoned Bar category. We’re proud to say we’re truly addicted to this award-winning bar.

CHARCUTERIE: Smoking Goose Delaware Fireball

It all started on Delaware Street in Indianapolis. Coarsely ground pork met its match in crushed chili, espelette peppers, and garlic and was wrapped in caul fat, dry aged, and finally cold smoked. Thus, the Delaware Fireball was born. Smoking Goose Meatery in Indiana makes a drool-worthy array of smoked and cured meats that we can’t seem to stop eating. Animals are sourced from independent farms across Indiana and these truly artisanal products speak to that in just the first bite. Hand-tied, nitrate-free, and utterly-delicious, with a perfectly pleasant spicy finish…what more could we ask for?!

SWEET / DRINK: Bittermilk New Orleans Style Old Fashioned Rouge

This is our second Bittermilk selection. Our cocktailing remains incredibly easy with Bittermilk in the proverbial arsenal. If you missed it last month, here’s a quick refresher on Bittermilk:

Fans are singing praises for Bittermilk across the country, and the full line of Bittermilk has already been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal! Joe and MariElena Raya are the owners of Gin Joint in Charleston, South Carolina, and the makers of our newest all-natural cocktail go-to. Simply mix your Bittermilk of choice with a spirit and ice. Voilà: a cocktail, and an impressive one, too. Add a garnish if you insist, but how easy does that sound? No more muddling, peeling, and hunting for a whole shipping cart full of grocery items to serve your friends a delicious libation. You just need this lovely bottle and a quick jaunt to the liquor store. With six fantastic concoctions, there’s an option for every spirit and every soul.

Whiskey fans? Meet your new secret ingredient for the easiest and most impressive home cocktails. Fans are singing praises for Bittermilk across the country, and the full line of Bittermilk has already been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal! Joe and MariElena Raya are the owners of Gin Joint in Charleston, South Carolina, and the makers of our newest all-natural cocktail go-to. Simply mix your Bittermilk of choice with a spirit and ice. Voilà: a cocktail, and an impressive one, too. Add a garnish if you insist, but how easy does that sound? No more muddling, peeling, and hunting for a whole shopping cart full of grocery items to serve your friends a delicious libation. You just need this lovely bottle and a quick jaunt to the liquor store. With six fantastic concoctions, there’s an option for every spirit and every soul. Whiskey fans? They’ve got a few for you. Clear liquor only? Fret not, this Charred Grapefruit Tonic works with gin, vodka, AND rum. Try them all—we have. We’re currently digging this in particular because of its multiple uses; plus, spring feels like the perfect time for a fun spin on a the classic gin & tonic. We’re big fans, and we hope you’ll join the club. Dad’s going to love this fresh take on an all time favorite drink.  Add 1 part Bittermilk with 4 parts rye, stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Done. It couldn’t be an easier, or any more delicious for that matter.

We’re looking forward to another fantastic Salt Lake City summer, and we plan to welcome the season with these addicting nibbles. We hope you have the tastiest June possible!