Park City Creamery wins cheese plate honors

Park City Creamery in Heber City has won runner-up in the Best of Show in cheese plates for the Intermountain West in the Utah Cheese Awards — which gave first place to a Colorado entry?

Park City’s entry, Silver Queen, is an aged goat cheese covered in vegetable ash. It won gold in the Goat/Sheep category and was noted to be creamy, tangy, funky, very sharp, and acidic. The cheese molded in a ring won the best of show in 2019.

The Utah Cheese Awards, a cheese plate food contest of the Intermountain West completed its seventh yearly judging in late August at Beehive Distilling in South Salt Lake.. The contest awarded 27 medals and two Best of Shows from the 38 entries received.

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The Best of Show in cheese went to first-time entrant Morning Fresh Dairy of Bellevue, Colorado, for its white cheddar curd. The cheese also won a double gold distinction and was described as firm, bright, and earthy with a delightful, delicate flavor.

The 2023 Salt Lake City judges were Nicole Simper, owner of Maven Oak Creative, a Salt Lake City charcuterie board catering company. Tosha Rustad, a baker at Tulie in Salt Lake City, who has judged the majority of the contests and was awarded a special recognition award by the Utah Cheese Awards. Rounding up the team was Kirk “Circus” Brown, a long-time rock DJ on KRCL 91 FM, food enthusiast and tomato grower.

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The complete list of winners will be released on Nov. 18 at Beehive Distilling in South Salt Lake, the annual tasting reception. It runs from 1:00 to 4:30 pm. Tickets are available through the contest website; utahcheeseawards.com .

Snowbasin finishing new lift, other projects

Snowbasin Resort announced Monday that before the start of ski season, the resort will complete several projects, including the construction of a new high-speed chairlift, expanded parking, a new patio with additional dining capabilities and other improvements.

“It’s rewarding to be a part of an organization that is so committed to investing in preserving and bettering this historic mountain playground for the enjoyment of many generations to come,” said Davy Ratchford, general manager of Snowbasin. “The projects we are undertaking enhance our accessibility and every guest’s on-mountain experience. From their ride up the slopes, to the spot they choose to reflect on the day’s adventures — these improvements allow us to build towards our continued goal of providing a world-class experience for all who choose Snowbasin.”  

Among the improvements:

— Parking: 124 additional parking stalls coming to its Canyon Rim lot this summer.

— New Strawberry patio: A new patio is coming to Snowbasin’s Strawberry side of the resort alongside the anticipated DeMoisy Express, providing more access to this area. Spanning from the northwest portion of Strawberry Lodge and encompassing over 5,000 square feet, the area will feature a heated cobblestone patio with over 180 seats and multiple dining options, increasing accessible options at the base of Strawberry Gondola and DeMoisy Express.  

— New lift: The DeMoisy Express will double the uphill capacity to Snowbasin’s Strawberry side of the resort through the six-chair, highspeed installation. Scheduled for completion in December. 

— Don’t forget the restrooms: With an additional 14 ground-level stalls coming to the Grizzly Center, the resort aims to increase accessibility for guests year-round.

To learn more visit http://www.snowbasin.com. Season pass prices increase on Sept. 8.

Gas prices raise across state

Average gasoline prices in Utah have risen 9.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.27/g Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 1,171 stations in Utah. Prices in Utah are 17.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 7.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 9.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.435 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Utah was priced at $3.79/g, while the most expensive was $4.79/g, a difference of 100.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state was $3.79/g while the highest was $4.79/g, a difference of 100.0 cents per gallon.

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.77/g Monday. The national average is down 4.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 2.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.