An Insider’s Guide to the Vermont Cheese Trail
Travelling to Vermont is worthwhile for its mouthwatering selection of over 150 types of cheese, which ranges from silky gruyere to strong cheddar.
For many people, cheese is in the top tier of comfort and happiness foods. The Vermont Cheese Trail, which welcomes visitors to tour and taste their cheeses from over 45 cheese producers, may be considered the most densely populated cheese-making region in the country. While there is no right or wrong way to approach a trip along the Vermont Cheese Trail, the following route leaves visitors satiated and, frequently, happily weighed down with a trunk full of delectable souvenirs. The route winds through a mix of well-known and lesser-known stops offering a broad range of flavours, textures, and experiences along the way.
Classic Cheddar in Brattleboro
Since Vermont is known for its cheddar, Grafton Village Cheese Company in Brattleboro, Vermont, would be a fitting place to start the journey. Its cheeses, which range from cloth-bound to smoked chilli to two- and three-year-aged types, are handmade from raw milk from nearby dairies, following a Grafton custom that dates back to the city’s establishment in 1892.
The Brattleboro location (not to be confused with the private facility in the town of Grafton itself) is open daily and welcomes visitors to its wine and gift shop and production observation area. It’s near to Retreat Farm, which frequently has open-barn activities like community food truck gatherings and goat yoga.
Gouda & Goodies in Londonderry
At Londonderry, Vermont’s Taylor Farm, gouda is the order of the day. It comes in four flavours: chipotle, maple-smoked, garlic, and Vermont Farmstead. All four are flavorful, creamy, and prepared from milk from the farm’s cows.
Apart from gouda, though, it also produces Green Mountain Nettle, maybe the only nettle-leafed cheese in the nation, which is a unique wheel that is well worth sampling. Taylor Farm is open all year round and invites guests to sample products in the store and even feed the animals there.
Historic Charm in Mount Holly
The oldest continuously running cheese business in the US is Crowley Cheese Company, which has been producing smooth, creamy cheeses since 1824. It’s well-known for its variations that resemble white cheddar and for using seasonings like sage, garlic, and chives to give the wheels a hint of more flavour.
It’s best if guests give this modest facility a call before visiting, as the staff usually manufactures cheese three days a week. Nestled on a charming plot of land beside a tiny bubbling stream, this off-the-beaten-path location is among the trail’s more private stops. Since the process of creating cheese takes place all day, every time you visit, you’ll witness a different aspect of the business.
Flavor Adventures in Plymouth Notch
With a history dating back to 1890, Plymouth Artisan Cheese comes in second only to Crowley in terms of longevity. Numerous honours have been given to its hand-cut, hand-waxed, hand-crafted cheeses and curds over the years.
All year round, Plymouth welcomes guests for self-led tours of its retail area, cheese museum, and production room overlooking huge windows providing ample views into the cheese-making process.
Known Tastes in Cabot
Cabot, which produces a variety of food products including cheese, butter, yoghurt and speciality dips, is one of the more well-known food manufacturers along the Vermont Cheese Trail. The Cabot Annex, located on the northern portion of this journey, surprises visitors with a store selling Cabot products in addition to wines, ciders and microbrews from Vermont. It’s the perfect way to end a day (or several) full of delicious local cheese.
Taste Something Sweet
Of all, the Green Mountain State is recognised for more than just cheese. Not to be missed are its ice cream and maple syrup. For many an adventurous foodie prepared to take the wheel and conquer the trail, one savoury or sweet bite at a time, a tour of the state’s best factories and small creameries, which stretches virtually the whole length of the state, is a dream come true.
Even if some dairies garnish their samples with a little maple syrup, it’s worthwhile to make the short trip to the source. The New England Maple Museum in Pittsford, Bragg Farm Sugarhouse in East Montpelier, Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, and Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier are all great places to sample some deep golden sweetness and discover how it’s made. Do your homework before you get out because there are a lot of different suppliers in the area.
There are plenty of ice cream producers in Vermont as well, but none are as well-known as the happy-hippie brand Ben & Jerry’s, which is based close to the Cabot annexe in Waterbury. The co-founders, Jerry Greenfeld and Ben Cohen, who were childhood friends, started the company in 1978 and capitalised on the success of wacky flavours like Chubby Hubby and Cherry Garcia. To finish the route on a high note, factory tours are offered and include sampling of the renowned scoops.
However, Vermont is noteworthy for more reasons than only its cuisine. As you travel the cheese path, take in the endless beauty of nature and prepare your camera for these picture-perfect moments.