Vermont Cheese Council e-Newsletter Volume 5, Issue 2 April, 2012

In this issue:

Cheese Events

New Cheese

Cheese News

Cheesemaking Classes

Recipe


Join the Vermont Cheese Council

...more info


Vermont Cheese Trail Map
The Vermont Cheese Trail Map is available for download, or if you would like some printed copies, 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

The Concord Cheese Shop

Dakin Farm

Dairy Connection

Equinox Resort and Spa

Diamond Information Solutions

Fairfield Cheese

Hanover Coop

Harvest Market

Healthy Living Market & Cafe

Hunger Mountain Coop

Jim Wallace Consulting


Joppa Fine Foods

Lebanon Coop

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op

Milky Way Farms

Mountain Cheese and Wine

Newport Specialty Foods

Peter Dixon Dairy Foods Consulting & Westminster Artisan Cheesemaking

Provisions International

Ren Hen Cafe and Bakery

Rock Art Brewery


Stratton Mountain Provisions

Sugarbush Farm

Sweet Clover Market

The Cheese House

The Cheese Shop/ Wasiks

The Daily Planet

Wine and Cheese Depot

Upper Valley Food Coop

The Vermont Country Store

Vermont Roots

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 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

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

Southwind Farm

Taylor Farm

Thistle Hill Farm

Turkey Hill Farm

Twig Farm

Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery

Vermont Farmstead Cheese

Vermont Shepherd

von Trapp Farmstead

Willow Hill Farm

Willow Moon Farm

West River Creamery

Woodcock Farm


Cheese Events


 

A new "Pasture to Palate" for 2012!
Of Cows, Caves, and Cheese

Take a journey into the world of artisanal and farmstead cheesemaking

 

Friday-Sunday, MAY 11-13
Dinners on Friday & Saturday (at The Inn at Shelburne Farms) will include cheese programs.
FEE: $350/person includes tuition & all meals. Call for information about special rates on accommodations at The Inn at Shelburne Farms.

INFORMATION / REGISTRATION: 802-985-0342 or Hilary at hsunderland@shelburnefarms.org

Click here for complete event details.


Billings Farm & Museum's
3rd Annual Cheese & Dairy Celebration

 

Billings Farm & Museum, gateway to Vermont's rural heritage, announces the 3rd Annual Cheese & Dairy Celebration on Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Celebrate Vermont's rich dairy heritage during this two-day event, by meeting Vermont cheese makers and sampling their delicious artisan cheeses and taking part in engaging dairy education programs.


Join us for the 4th Annual VT Cheesemakers' Festival!

Join us on Sunday, July 22nd at the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms. Enjoy over 100 Vermont Cheeses along with artisan breads, crackers, pickles, and jams as well as beer, wine and spirits produced in Vermont!

• Over 40 Cheesemakers
• 20 Wineries and Breweries
• 20 Artisan Food Producers
• 2 Tasting Seminars
• Cooking Show
• Cheesemaking Demo
• Over 200 cheeses to sample and purchase

Visit www.vtcheese.com for complete details.


New Cheese


Southwind Farmstead announces the debut of their Vermont Raclette, a semi-soft raw cows milk cheese aged for a minimum of 60 days, and made in the style of a traditional Swiss Raclette.


Cheese News


Consider Bardwell Farm held its first annual egg hunt and brunch on Easter Sunday. More than 100 people came by the farm for fun and prizes, and to visit with the spring kid goats. See more here.

CBF is pleased to welcome it's newest cheesemaker, Kate Turcotte. After finishing up at UVM and her work at Shelburne Farms, Kate took a quick detour through Europe in search of cheese inspiration before rounding back to VT to join the team at CBF. Kate is on the board of NOFA VT and is now completing the VIAC Cheesemaking Certificate Program.


Fat Toad Farm has expanded sales ~ find their cheese at Joppa Fine Foods in Newburyport MA and Cornucopia Wine and Cheese Market in Exeter NH. And now they are offering their cheese for sale via their website.  This is all tied to the fact that they have increased production capacity this year with a few more milkers and use of Turkey Hill Farm's cheese room. Great News!


Blue Ledge Farm's Lake's Edge was featured in New York Magazine' In Season.

 

 


New available from Bob-White Systems
LILI: Low Input-Low Impact Pasteurizer

Curious? This video takes you through a near real-time look at LILI.

 

 


Cheese Trail Map

Planning your summer cheese tour? Download a PDF version today, and you can use our Google Map right now! Plan your day, a weekend, or vacation! Find out who is open daily, who offers tours, and how to make an appointment for those smaller operations and those off the beaten path.


Cow Photoshoots?

Check out the latest post on VT Farmstead Cheese Co.'s blog, and for even more cow beauty, here's there latest video.


Read the April/May 2012 issue of USDA's Rural Cooperatives magazine.  To request a hard copy or for more information contact dan.campbell@wdc.usda.gov.

 

 


Cheesemaking Classes


Artisan Cheesemaking Workshops in Westminster, Vermont. 

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

 

Advanced Cheesemaking: Washed-curd, Grana, and Hard Alpine Cheeses
May 26-28

Affinage: Techniques, Microbes and Facilities
June 11-13 or October 18-20

Hands-On Cheesemaking for Beginners  
June 23-24 or September 29-30

Developing a HACCP-Based Risk Reduction Program for Small-Scale Cheesemakers  
July 10-11

Advanced Cheesemaking : Soft-ripened and Blue Cheeses
September 15-17

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



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



May 5-6 Italian Cheese

May 19-20 Your Next Big Step in Cheese Making

Click here for complete details.


The Vermont Institute For Artisan Cheese Classes


April 23-26
Essential Principles & Practices of Cheesemaking

April 27
Quality & Chemistry of Milk

April 30 - May 1
Cheese Chemistry Short Course

May 2 Food Safety and Artisan Cheesemaking: Essential Hygiene Practices and Programs

May 3 Basic Sensory Evaluation

May14-16 Artisan Cheese Practices: Blue Cheeses

May 17-18 Affinage: Behind the Scenes

May 21-22 Cheesemaking Facility Construction

May 23 Food Safety and Artisan Cheesemaking: Advanced Risk Reduction Practices and Programs

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


Recipe


chefcontos

By Courtney Contos,
Culinary Consultant @ chefcontos.com


Grilled Asparagus Caesar 
Serves 4

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 anchovies, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard)
Sea salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Place garlic, lemon juice and anchovies in bowl. Mash with fork until a paste forms. Add worcestershire sauce, egg and pepper; mix well. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill asparagus and assemble:

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons, olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
4 slices of your favorite bread, rubbed with garlic and olive oil, grilled until golden
Vermont Alpine cheese, shaved
Pea shoots or other greens for garnish

1. Heat grill to medium high. Rub asparagus with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Lay asparagus on grill. They will cook fast. Depending on the thickness your total grilling time may be 3-7 minutes.
2. When you have nice grill marks and asparagus still has a bit of snap, remove from grill and cut in half. Serve on top of bread drizzled with Caesar dressing. Garnish with desired amount of freshly shaved Vermont Alpine cheese and greens.


Become a Friend or Associate Member of the
Vermont Cheese Council

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.