Who could have predicted the It Snack of 2023 would be the pickle? Already this year, the hashtag pickles has racked up 4.3 billion views on TikTok, and trending pickle recipes have popped up everywhere. In February, the internet freaked out over the viral pickle in a blanket snack, and soon after, the Slice of the Union report (from the independent pizza delivery app, Slice) stated that pickles were destined to top pizzas everywhere in 2023. There's even a pickle-flavored seltzer on the market now (currently sold out).
If you fell in love with the pickle and cheese trends of the spring, get ready to meet your new summer snack obsession: The newest player to hit the brine-soaked foodie market is Pickle Curds, a picnic-ready spin on TikTok's pickle in a blanket. The limited edition offering comes from a collaboration between an award-winning Utah cheese maker and Trader Joe’s, the retailer that also brought you pickle seasoning, pickle popcorn, and more recently, pickle-infused mini corn dogs.
BEEHIVE CHEESE
Pickle Curds are cheese curds, a fresh cow’s milk product that results when straining curds from whey in the cheesemaking process. This part of the “cheddaring” process results in bits of young, unaged cheddar with a springy, squeaky texture—in this case, flavored with notes of dill and garlic.
Beehive Cheese, the maker behind these herbaceous bites is one of only seven B Corp Certified cheesemakers nationwide and something of a pioneer in the rubbed-rind cheese industry. They're mostly known for their popular Squeaky Bee cheese curds and Barely Buzzed Cheddar (a cheese rubbed with espresso and lavender), but they've also made award-winning cheeses with coffee, tea, bourbon, mushrooms, and hatch chiles.
The Beehive Pickle Curds will be available exclusively at Trader Joe’s starting July 10, and only for a limited time—so be sure to grab a few bags.
How to Use Pickle Cheese Curds
Pickle-flavored cheese curds make a ~dill~icious snack on their own, but they would also be great tossed in a salad, on a pizza, and of course in your favorite poutine recipe. They would also make the perfect garnish for a Bloody Mary, Michelada, and other savory cocktails. Get creative and stuff them into boiled red potatoes, then bake them into fancy potato poppers, or simply dip them in a light batter and fry them up.