Recently, I was invited to the Peterson Company’s Holiday Open House in Auburn. The Peterson Company is THE premier wholesale food purveyor in the Puget Sound area. Nothing against Sysco or FSA (Food Services of America), but they can’t touch the Peterson Company when it comes to specialty foods, and they are the go-to company when you want good cheese and meats.

This holiday open house offered restaurants, grocery stores and caterers the opportunity to try before buying products that can be expensive and even a little scary if you’re not used to REALLY stinky cheese. In this week’s column I bring to you my favorite discoveries of the event and encourage those of you with purchasing power to consider adding the Peterson Company to your list of vendors. Here we go ...

 

The first table I encountered was the Porchetta Primata. Their method of cooking pork is the traditional Italian style of de-boning and roasting of an entire pig. The end result is a natural artisan product from an animal that is hormone free and traceable directly to the farm. If you like pork, it really doesn’t get any better than this: crispy and salty on the outside, tender and savory on the inside — perfect for a carving station.

 

While the Porchetta was lovely, my heart will always belong to the cured meats, and there were plenty on hand. Creminelli Fine Meats of Seattle tickled my fancy with their tasty handcrafted Italian Salami. All of their salamis had just enough fat to add balance and not be too greasy. My favorite of the bunch would have to be the sopressata, which is known for having a very robust taste thanks to the generous amount of garlic added. Perfection.

 

Next up on my meat parade came the prosciutto. Oh for the love of prosciutto. Principe Meats offers a wide array of cured meats, but the one that stole my heart was the San Danielle Black Label Prosciutto. Sliced paper thin, it was tender, salty and finished with a hint of smoked honey. Pass me a baguette, some Isigny Ste. Mére unsalted butter, a slice of SDB Prosciutto and a private room. 

 

Now for the cheese, oh the glorious cheese. First up was the Everybody’s Nokkelost from Whatcom County. Nokkelost is a festive Norwegian cheese with cumin, clove and caraway. The name “Everybody’s” is strange for sure, but this locally commissioned cheese is creamy and bursting with flavor. The Norwegian side of me is giddy with possibilities.

 

Up next, an exotic domestic cheese from Utah, and it’s a weird one: Beehive Cheese Company’s Barely Buzzed Coffee and Lavender rubbed white cheddar. The rub is nutty and bold, but it is tempered the buttery sweetness of the cheese. Try it, if you can find it. Use it to break up the monotony of triple cream on your cheese board. 

 

My favorite of the day had to be the Balarina Premium Aged Goat imported from Holland. This cheese is stunningly complex with hints of nuts and a lingering maple finish. Aged for more than two years, it has lost much of the gaminess of a traditional goat cheese. Substitute it for anything calling for Parmesan.

 

Last but not least, have you ever considered dessert accessories? Bring your desserts up a notch with these fascinating additions. I don’t have any more room left in my column to explain, so check out www.dobla.com or call my friends at the Peterson Company for more information.

 

So now you can hopefully understand why I believe heaven is in Auburn, the last place you would ever think to look. But doesn’t that make sense? Where might hell be? Federal Way? Wait, that’s too obvious ...

 

Eat out, Tacoma. We need your love.