Pass The Cheese, Please
September 29, 2005

It is time to toast the wine harvest and a beautifully made artisanal cheese is the perfect complement to a nice glass of wine. We are fortunate to live in Vermont where, per-capita, the greatest number of artisanal cheesemakers in the United States reside. Exceptional cheeses abound: Major Farm Vermont Shepard, Thistle Hill Tarentaise, Shelburne Farms Cheddar, Orb Weaver Farm Colby, Willow Hill Sheep, and Green Mountain Blue’s Gore-Dawn-Zola are just a few of the delectable cheeses available at specialty stores like Fresh Market, Cheese Traders, City Market, and Healthy Living.

Luckily for us this delicious trend will grow due to the creation of a unique resource at the University of Vermont: the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese (VIAC) is the lovechild of a public and private collaboration of resources. VIAC   is the only institute of its kind in the country and provides an array of technical and professional educational programs to strengthen and support artisan cheesemaking. VIAC offers a Certificate in Cheesemaking Program and a Master Artisan Cheesemaker Certificate, as well as a Public Education series. VIAC also sponsors a variety of tasting events like the one planned for November 1, 2005 at the Firehouse Center for Visual Arts called “An Introduction to French Cheeses”. (Call Jody Farnham at 802-656-8300 for more detailed information.)

VIAC, another jewel in Burlington’s beautiful crown, makes us the epicenter of American handmade cheese! As a foodie you’ll want to learn more. The Cheeses of Vermont A Gourmet Guide to Vermont's Artisanal Cheesemakers by Henry Tewksbury is an excellent place to begin aligning the map and the palate. When you are ready to learn how Vermont cheeses compare globally, check out the newly released Cheese: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best by Max McCalman & David Gibbons. Both books are wonderful resources that made my mouth water. In fact, I went right over to the market and selected an array of cheeses and treated myself to a cheese plate and glass of wine, even though it was a school night. It made me feel wonderfully indulgent and little bit naughty, a perfect evening that I plan to replicate tonight!

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008