Greetings from the Green State

Here I am, again, in Vermont, land of greenness and good people. The trip here was pretty uneventful, except the segment from Detroit to Burlington when we were flying over gobs of clouds. It was just past sunset so the clouds were just barely illuminated from underneath. The glory didn't last very long, but when looking out the window, I saw the most beautiful landscape of clouds. Then, after just minutes, it was too dark and the exquisite sea that had been just outside my window disappeared.

I walked around Burlington all day on Sunday. It was a slightly chilly day, but I enjoyed the city immensely. I went down to the lake and saw some windsurfers who were braving the choppy water (it was pretty windy at this point). I decided I should next head over to the local co-op (called Healthy Living) to get a couple of groceries for the week. I picked out a lovely, local goat cheese, an artisan loaf of bread (also local), a pizza to take back to cook and some whole milk (I believe also local). As I stepped out of the door, I noticed some angry clouds gathering, and a gust of wind nearly swept me off my feet. Flimsy pizza box in one hand and bag of groceries in the other, I practically flew home (very much wind aided) and avoided the rain. 

The first two days of classes were about Cheese Chemistry. It was a whole lot of information pretty much putting together everything we've learned in the past classes, plus some more. Many of us left feeling more confused than when we began. (I'll tell you more about my interesting classmates later . . . I almost have to leave for class again). So, to reward ourselves for trudging through such tough material, we headed out of Burlington to visit the education farm, Shelburne Farms.

They are located in a farm/summerhouse that the Vanderbilts built around the 1880's. The buildings are extravagant to say the least. We first met with Nat, the head cheese dude, and got to see the make-room and talk to a couple of college-age kids working there. We talked to them about problems the make room might have, the brown swiss herd from which they get milk, and various other cheesy things. They make only cheddar so it was interesting to see how they had diversified with only one type of cheese. In their massive cheese cave they had blocks aging from 6 months to 6 years or so. They also did a traditional cloth-bound variety and all of their slightly "off" chunks that were edible got sold as Tractor Cheese (with separate labels warning against off flavors and variability, but mentioning that it would "keep the motor running" I believe). We drove further back onto the farm to the house where they now have an inn and restaurant. We ate. It was delicious. It was also very expensive, but worth it. I had a plate of black bean gnocchi. Later, we sat in a living room area and talked. I played with Montse's son (she's the Spanish instructor and loves Shleburne Farms, coincidentally, they also love her and and her sage. cheese advice). It was a nice way to end the day.

I must get ready for the last day of classes - sensory evaluation - so I'll expound on my journey later. Love you all - - - Katie