#MeltyFest: An Evening with Tillamook and Hello, Sailor
A big city with a hometown feel; it’s an irresistible quality that pulls people to Charlotte on a daily basis, and with 110 years of hard work and honest values, the announcement of Tillamook’s debut in the Queen City made absolute sense.
To the uninitiated, Tillamook could have appeared as just another brand in the dairy case, but to those who know, everything from Tillamook’s cheese to their ice cream is so much more; it’s a fond memory and a comfort that reminds us of simpler times.
Making our way from Belmont, Hello, Sailor was a beacon of hope at the end of another long Monday, and the food we found once we got there was nothing short of heavenly. Featuring a star-studded lineup of chefs from across North Carolina, the culinary talent of the evening was undeniable. Like something straight out of a dream, the beauty of Craig Deihl’s massive charcuterie board set the tone for the opening hour of Melty Fest. Complete with a spread of Tillamook cheeses, assorted meats and sauces we had never imagined, the Hello, Sailor chef has forever changed the way we look at charcuterie.
And that was just the first five minutes.
Adjacent to the incredible spread, Joe and Katy Kindred (the minds that brought us Kindred and Hello, Sailor) opened with an heirloom tomato pie that married the richness of Tillamook’s white cheddar with the local favorite Neese’s sausage; a combination of flavors highlighted by a pie crust so exquisite I wanted to steal a whole pie for myself.
As the doors opened to the public and the crowd began to swell, the passed appetizers began to circulate. Watching the plates move, they invited us to explore the possibilities of Tillamook cheeses as imagined by John Fleer of Rhubarb (Asheville), Elliott Moss of Buxton Hall Barbecue (Asheville), and Matthew Kelly of Mateo’s Tapas (Durham). With cheddar biscuits, jalapeño cornbread, and sharp cheddar croquettes I had to remind myself that, despite the seemingly endless stream of food available, we still had a full night of chef stations ahead.
It wasn’t hard to recognize how popular the event was, especially with how quickly the crowd filled the Hello, Sailor space. We made our way to one of the few open tables that looked out across the lake, strategically positioned allowing us to see most of the chef stations as they prepared for their main dishes. Unknowingly, our table selection also placed us right behind the magic of the whole hogs Elliott Moss had prepared to accompany his smokey mac & cheese.
Though I may not always look the part, I should take a moment to explain I view myself as somewhat of an expert on North Carolina barbecue; an advocate for pork smoked forever, and only allowing vinegar-based sauce in copious amounts.
We had seen the Buxton Hall van as we arrived for Melty Fest, and could smell the perfection the wood smoke promised was on its way, and we had been waiting for what was inside. Conducting a symphony of flavor Moss chopped and pulled the pork, the smokey notes rising to accompany Tillamook’s richest qualities.
Mesmerized by what was happening right in front of us, we suddenly realized the stations were open; lines forming as it clicked we didn’t have to wait any longer to experience the stunning creations of these chefs.
Nearest to our table was Craig Deihl’s succotash and Matthew Kelly’s summer squash casserole. By far one of the crowd favorites, Kelly’s casserole wasn’t complete without the massive slide of cheddar raclette to top it. The melting cheddar, in all its gooey greatness, was an Instagram dream. As I watched plate after plate receive their beautiful portions, I found myself wanting my plate even more, a cheesy destination that I needed to reach faster.
Beyond the barbecue and the cheddar raclette, Jeff found one of his favorite dishes in the tamale pie of Rhubarb’s John Fleer. A combination of Tillamook triple cheddar shreds, pepper mash, tomatoes and polenta topped with a charred tomatillo salsa, I was surprised to see how much he loved it considering his disdain for most things involving polenta.
The final station we visited was Joe Kindred’s, a true North Carolina callout celebrating the delicious flavors of coastal calabash staples like hush puppies, calabash shrimp and catfish snackwiches.
Delicately weaving through the crowd, it was incredible to see the outpouring of support from the community. Children coloring Melty Fest flyers, people wearing Tillamook sunglasses as we all enjoyed the lakeside atmosphere of Hello, Sailor; it was easy to get lost in time as we all worked our way toward the food comas that were waiting for us. In one last celebration of flavor, as the sun began to paint the sky with those beautiful blues and pinks, the ice cream was served.
Melty Fest at Hello, Sailor was an event we’ll always remember, but I’m truly excited knowing Tillamook is available right here at home. We won’t always have chefs here to keep up the endless supply of delicious food, but we do have this Hello, Sailor crab dip recipe to look forward to whenever we want a mouthwatering reminder of the lakeside evening we celebrated Tillamook’s east coast expansion.
Hello Sailor’s Tillamook Cheese Crab Dip
recipe by Joe Kindred
INGREDIENTS:
Lump Crab Meat, 1lb
Cream Cheese
(room temperature), 1.5 lb
Tarragon, chopped, 1 tbsp
Parsley, chopped, 2 tbsp
Meyer Lemon Juice, 1/3 cup
Smoked Paprika, 1 tsp
Salt, 1 tbsp
Ground Black Pepper, 2 tsp
Tillamook Sour Cream, 1/2 cup
Tillamook Medium White Cheddar, 1 cup
Roasted Red Pepper, diced, 2 cup
Texas Pete Hot Sauce, 2 tbsp
Worcestershire, 1 tsp
Soy Sauce, 1 tsp
Butter Crackers, crushed, 1 cup
how to:
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment start mixing the cream cheese on low speed. Mix 2-3 minutes or until cream cheese is smooth and soft
Add tarragon, parsley, Meyer lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, sour cream, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and soy sauce
Strain any excess liquid off of the roasted red peppers
Add the peppers and cheddar cheese to the cream cheese mix
Remove the bowl from mixer and fold in the crab meat using a rubber spatula
Place mixture into an over proof baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until mixture is hot through out and bubbly on the edges (about 8-10 minutes depending on your dish. It may take longer)
Cover the crab dip with the crushed crackers and bake for an additional 4 minutes
Serve with crackers or sliced veggies
Story created in partnership with Tillamook.
Post and Photos by: Paige Hogan Wilber
She is receiving compensation for this post. All opinions are her own.