Blueberry picking returns to the Buffalo region

The following U-Pick farms have opened for blueberry season: Becker Farms (Gasport), Blueberry Tree House Farm (West Falls), Greg’s U-Pick Farm (Clarence Center), Russell’s U-Pick Blueberries (Somerset), South Hill Farm (Boston), and Thorpe’s Organic Family Farm (East Aurora).

Paul’s Organic Farm (Colden) launches its blueberry picking season on July 12.

If you’re going berry picking, keep in mind that many berry picking operations only accept cash or checks and close in the event of rain or thunderstorms, so it’s best to call ahead.

The great cheeses of the cheese world are coming to Buffalo.

More than 1,000 cheese professionals from across North America are expected to converge on the Buffalo Convention Center (153 Franklin St.) July 10-13 for the American Cheese Society’s 41st annual conference.

This is definitely an industry must-attend event. The non-member day pass costs $450 and is out of reach for most local cheese lovers. However, the downtown area will be packed with cheesemakers, cheese merchants and cheese lovers, just a block away from the thousands expected for the Taste of Buffalo (where there will also be cheese, for sure). The conference will feature more than 30 educational sessions on topics ranging from climate change and sustainability to cheesemaking trends, as well as daily cheese tastings, a Buffalo Cheese Tour and an awards ceremony where the best cheeses will be crowned.

If all this cheese talk has inspired you to host your own cheese tasting, you can always stop by Premier Gourmet (Amherst), The Cheese Factory (Orchard Park), or Wegmans to select your own bries and blues, or order a board from a local charcuterie company, like A Board Above (Orchard Park) and Meet & Eat Charcuterie (Larkinville).

Nigerian restaurant Buffalo Suya has opened a club and cocktail lounge, Buffalo Suya Loungein June at 875 Bailey Ave. It features live entertainment, DJ sets, craft cocktails and a fenced outdoor patio.

Jennifer Bohlen and Ashton Warner opened Golden Lion Cafe in June at 1255 Niagara St. The bright, plant-filled cafe’s menu includes coffee and espresso drinks made with beans from Brooklyn-based Variety Coffee Roasters, pastries from Blue Eyed Baker and grab-and-go lunch items from Elma-based 716 Fresh.

Bookstore Read it and eat ita bookstore that sells cookbooks and other food-related texts inside the West Side Bazaar (1432 Niagara St.), will close at the end of July. Owner Kim Behzadi shared on Instagram that she plans to continue the business at events and markets throughout the summer.

Bricks and BeersThe 12th annual Martin House Craft Beer Tasting will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 12. Thirty area breweries and cideries will offer tastings of their beverages on the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed grounds. There will also be food trucks and live music. Tickets are $75 for non-members/$60 for members and can be purchased online at martinhouse.org.

Artpark Wine and WheelsIf you’ve always wanted to learn how to make pottery but think it seems less intimidating after a glass or two of wine, then book a spot at Artpark’s Wine and Wheels series on July 10, 11, 23, 34, and 31. For $65, learn to throw pottery on a wheel while drinking two individual bottles of wine (included in your ticket). Take home your two best pieces of pottery, which can be picked up a few weeks after they’ve been glazed and fired. Tickets are available at artpark.net.

Here are 13 remarkable new foods, from doughnuts to pulled pork parfaits, to try at Taste of Buffalo.

Restaurant industry veterans Amanda and Bruce Wieszala have opened their dream restaurant, Beacon Grille in Allentown.

Double Up Food Bucks, a program that increases access to fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income people, is expanding across Western New York.

A guide to seasonal hot dog stands around Buffalo for those hot summer days when only a hot dog, fries and a milkshake will do.

A developer continues to fight to bring a Tim Hortons to Orchard Park.

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