We’ve entered the age of cured meats and artisan cheeses in Sacramento. Restaurants offering little more than fine meat and cheese are popping up and sticking. The Rind in Midtownis celebrating its one-year anniversary Saturday with fanfare, cheese and events.

See also the newly-opened artisan food stops Block Butcher Bar in Midtown and The Cultured and the Cured in East Sacramento. But what’s driving the demand for handcrafted, artisanal food? Joining us to answer this question with some samples of their craft is Sara Arbarian, cheesemonger at The Rind, and Michael Tuohy, who runs Block Butcher Bar.

LINKS:

• FDA May Destroy American Artisan Cheese Industry
• FDA Retracts Its Stance On Aging Cheese On Wood Boards
• CapRadio and Sacramento Business Journal: Arena Construction, River Cats, Jobs, Cheese