About the Recipe
June is Dairy Month, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with fresh, flavour-packed recipes made with BC’s finest local milk, cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Whether you’re barbecuing, beaching, or just hanging in the backyard with friends and family, these two dips—featuring high-quality local dairy —are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
From farm to table, local dairy connects us with BC’s more than 400 family-run farms across the province that produce the delicious, versatile ingredients we rely on every day. By choosing local dairy, you’re not only elevating the flavour and nutrition of your dishes—you’re also supporting a local industry that fuels 12,000+ jobs and helps build a more sustainable, secure food system.
These dips are sweet, spicy, cheesy, creamy—and the perfect match for your garden harvest or that overflowing farmers' market basket.
Ingredients
Creamy + Cheesy Chive Cheddar Dip
Best served with seasonal veggies and potatoes
As soon as I made this recipe for the first time, my immediate thought was: potatoes. This dip was made for them. But honestly, it’s great with any vegetable—raw, steamed, grilled, roasted, or baked. It’s creamy, cheesy, and incredibly easy to make.
Pro tip: Add thick-cut smoked bacon or grilled sausages to the platter for a savoury upgrade.
Ingredients:
1 whole white or yellow onion, peeled and sliced or diced
¼ cup butter
1 cup whole milk 1½ cups white cheddar cheese, grated
⅓ cup full-fat sour cream (or substitute Greek yogurt)
1 lemon, juice and zest (or white wine vinegar / quality balsamic)
4 tbsp finely chopped chives
Optional: 1 tsp chili flakes for a kick
Hot Honey Cottage Cheese + Greek Yogurt Dip
Best served with local fruits, berries, butter cookies, and crackers
This dip is sweet with a little heat, and the perfect companion to summer fruit. Creamy cottage cheese blended with tangy yogurt and a drizzle of hot honey makes for a luscious spread—perfect for a grazing board or as a light dessert.
Ingredients:
2 cups cottage cheese (look for local brands at your grocer)
1 cup Greek yogurt
4 tbsp Honey Bee Zen hot honey (or maple syrup for a milder version)
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 lime, juice and zest (or lemon)
Optional: ¼ tsp cinnamon and/or ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Preparation
Creamy + Cheesy Chive Cheddar Dip
Method:
In a small pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in butter until translucent (approx. 7 minutes).
Add the milk and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are fully tender.
Remove from heat and blend the milk/onion mixture until smooth.
Add the grated cheddar and blend on low-medium speed until melted and creamy. (Make sure the mixture is warm—neither cold nor boiling.)
Add the sour cream and blend on low for 20 seconds until just incorporated.
Cool slightly, then stir in the chives, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Hot Honey Cottage Cheese + Greek Yogurt Dip
Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and well combined.
Chill completely—preferably overnight—to allow the flavours to meld.
To Build the Platters:
Select the best local vegetables, fruits, and berries you can find. Pair with your favourite crackers, breads, or cookies, and serve alongside these two dips. Arrange on large boards or trays for easy, help-yourself grazing that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Why it matters: These simple summer recipes show how dairy can transform everyday ingredients into unforgettable bites. Versatile, flavourful, and packed with nutrients, dairy is a staple that brings people together—especially when it’s made close to home. Let’s celebrate Dairy Month in BC by supporting local farms and food producers.