"Vermont's
Got the Blues"

Our, Fall / Winter print newsletter, can be read on our web site.

Vermont Cheese Trail Map
Visit our web site for the latest version, or if you would like some printed copies of the Vermont Cheese Trail Map, please send a request to info@vtcheese.com

Thank you retailers and other associate members for your support of the Vermont Cheese Council!

Billings Farm & Museum

Bob-White Systems

Black River Produce

Brattleboro Food Coop

Castleton Crackers

Castleton Village Store

Cheese Traders &
Wine Sellers

City Feed & Supply

Dakin Farm

Dairy Connection

Equinox Resort and Spa

Diamond Information Solutions

Fairfield Cheese

Hanover Coop

Harvest Market

Healthy Living

Hunger Mountain Coop

Jim Wallace Consulting

Joppa Fine Foods

Lebanon Coop

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op

Mountain Cheese and Wine

Mountain Greens Market and Deli

Norma's Restuarant at Topnotch Resort

Newport Specialty Foods

Peter Dixon Dairy Consulting

Provisions International

Ren Hen Cafe and Bakery

Rock Art Brewery


South Royalton Market

Stratton Mountain Provisions

Sugarbush Farm

Sweet Clover

The Cellars Group

The Cheese House

The Cheese Shop/ Wasiks

The Daily Planet

Wine and Cheese Depot

Upper Valley Food Coop

Vermont Cheesemongers

The Vermont Country Store

Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese

Woodstock Farmer's Market

Facebook

Become a fan of the Vermont Cheese Council on Facebook!

Visit our Facebook page.

Post a comment or a photo about your favorite Vermont cheese.

Follow the Vermont Cheese Council on twitter

Cheese makes a wonderful Valentine's gift. Many of our members sell their cheese  through their web site. Visit our cheesemakers online.

Blue Ledge Farm

Blythedale Farm

Bonnieview Farm

Boston Post Dairy

Cabot Creamery

Champlain Valley Creamery

Cobb Hill Cheese

Consider Bardwell Farm

Crawford Family Farm

Crowley Cheese

Dancing Cow Farm

Does' Leap

Fat Toad Farm

Franklin Foods

Grafton Village Cheese

Hildene Farm Signature Cheese

Green Mountain Blue Cheese

Jasper Hill Farm

Jericho Hill Farm

Lakes End Cheeses

Lazy Lady Farm

Maplebrook Farm

Mt. Mansfield Creamery

Neighborly Farms

Orb Weaver Farm

Peaked Mountain Farm

Ploughgate Creamery

Plymouth Artisan Cheese

Sage Farm

Scholten Family Farm

Shelburne Farms

Spring Brook Farm

Taylor Farm

Thistle Hill Farm

Twig Farm

Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery

Vermont Farmstead Cheese

Vermont Shepherd

von Trapp Farmstead

Willow Hill Farm

West River Creamery

Woodcock Farm

Cheese News

The 3rd Annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival is the food festival not to miss in Vermont according to last Sunday's Parade Magazine!

Get your tickets and register for our fermentation-focused seminars here!

Cheese & Charcuterie: VT Fermentation
Matt Jennings of Farmstead & La Laiterie joins Chris Bailey of VT Smoke & Cure for a discussion of how both cheese and charcuterie, through the process of preservation, accomplish the time-honored task of turning fresh milk and raw meat into savory and nutritious foods, honing and concentrating inherent flavors by virtue of fermentation.

Aged Cheddar & Beer: Pairings from VT
Join chef, author, and media personality Mike Colameco for a pairing of the very best Vermont Cheddars, aged up to four years and beyond, paired with a selection of the finest Vermont beers, carefully chosen to bring out common characteristics and highlight the nuances of flavor and aroma that emerge from particular combinations.

The website is live, and tickets are now on sale! Get yours today ~ tickets sell out early! Last year we had over 60 volunteers and will be looking for more this year. If you are interested in volunteering, email Rachel for details.

The Cellars at Jasper Hill, where more than 12 varieties of Vermont cheese from 8 partner farms get tender loving care as they reach maturity and head to market reports that they are getting ready for the next big phase in their company at the Food Venture Center in Hardwick. Jasper Hill is a core tenant at this exciting new facility that's managed by the Center for an Agricultural Economy, a Hardwick-based non-profit dedicated to sustaining and expanding the agricultural community and working landscape in the Northeast Kingdom. Click here for more information.

New Cheese

Crowley Cheese announces the release of their Crowley Minis, These handy 4 oz. waxed bars offer a convenient alternative to Crowley’s traditional wheels and blocks and include various ages and popular flavors like Muffaletta and Fresh Chive.

Neighborly Farms is introducing their Organic Lemon Pepper Feta.  This hand-rubbed lemon pepper feta is a mild organic cow milk feta, more sliceable than crumbly, is great in summer salads, used as topping for pizza, or served with fruit.

Good Cheese Reading

~Thoughts on Cheese and Life ~

Orb Weaver Farm

Saxelby Cheesemongers & Cutting the Curd

Culture Magazine

Bob-White Systems

Interest in artisan cheeses and a desire to make cheese at home has taken off as the local food movement, sustainability issues and the benefits of self-sufficiency grow in popularity. In their beautiful new book, The Joy of Cheesemaking, Vermont master cheesemakers Jody Farnham and Marc Druart offer everything you need to know to make your own scrumptious cheese at home.

Events

May 28 & 29: Cows & Camembert Weekend

Come out to Billings Farm & Museum and celebrate Vermont’s dairy heritage with two days of sampling and purchasing delicious Vermont cheeses made by artisans, plus dairy education programs, ice cream and butter making, and judging Jerseys with the farm manager. Take a cow’s tour of the farmhouse and test your knowledge of cow trivia.

May 28 & 29: Taylor Farm Fundraiser

Join Taylor Farm for a Celebration of Rebuilding, Spring, & Vermont Farms! Enjoy Wagon Rides, Kids events, Farm Tours and more! Don't miss the Pig Roast and Square Dance on Saturday or the Annual Blessing of the Cow on Sunday morning! Click here for more information. All are welcome!

Cheesemaking Classes

Artisan Cheesemaking Workshops in Westminster, Vermont. 

Two and three-day workshops in making and aging cheese, taught by Peter Dixon.
 

June 23-25
Introduction to Artisan Cheesemaking

July 11-12
Developing a HACCP Progra for Small-Scale Cheesemakers

Click here for more information & a complete list of workshops.

June 7
Cheese & Condiment Pairing

June 14
Summer Cooking with Cheese

June 28
Artisanal Cheese & American Craft Beer

July 12
Cheese 101

July 19
Cheese & Wine Matchmaking w/Harry's Wine & Liquor

Click here for more information.

Cheesemaking with Jim Wallace the 'Tech Guy' at cheesemaking.com

June 11-12
Your Next Big Step in Cheesemaking

Click here for complete details.

The Vermont Institute For Artisan Cheese Classes

June 2
Basic Sensory Evaluation

June 3
Hygiene & Food Safety in Cheesemaking

June 6-9
Artisan Cheesemaking Practices: Soft Cheeses

June 10
Risk Reduction Practices for Cheesemakers

July 18-21
Essential Principles and Practices of Cheesemaking

July 22
Quality and Chemistry of Milk

July 25-26
Cheese Chemistry Short Course

Click here for more information and a complete list of classes.

Recipe of the Month

Courtesy of Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery

Cheese Shot Glasses

One 8 oz. jar of fresh pesto
One 15 oz. carton of high-quality roasted red pepper soup, chilled
1 4oz log Vermont Chevre, plain
3/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted.
 
Use eight 3 oz. shot glasses. For each glasses, pour 2 tablespoon of pesto, then 2 tablespoon of soup, then crumble some chevre on top and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of pineuts.

As a Friend of the Vermont Cheese Council, we welcome your donations to assist us with our endeavors to improve the production and advancement of Vermont cheese. Your generous support helps us to continue to grow and expand our technical support for members, while providing you with delicious Vermont cheese. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a friend of the Council or sign up now!

As an Associate Member of the Vermont Cheese Council, we welcome all industry related businesses and individuals who see the value in having a strong cheese industry in Vermont. Learn more about the benefits of an Associate Membership on our web site.

For more information, you may contact our main office at: (866) 261-8595 or visit www.vtcheese.com

This newsletter can also be viewed on our website.