Inside the tents, local cheesemakers display samples of their tastiest varieties. It’s best to bring a padded cooler so you can stock up on cheese and keep them cool throughout the day.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Held each summer on the grounds of beautiful Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont, the Vermont Cheesemakers Festivalbrings together the very best of Green Mountain cheesemakers, artisanal producers, bakers, brewers, and so much more! As event sponsor, Yankee Magazine was on hand for this year’s festival (with a team that included yours truly) to help celebrate the region’s many tempting culinary offerings, plus lead a cooking demo using (what else?) Vermont cheese! It was a wonderful and delicious day.
Here’s a look at this year’s VT Cheesemakers Festival in photographs, from starting the day with breakfast at a nearby B&B to ending it with a late-afternoon cocktail overlooking Lake Champlain.
This year’s VT Cheesemakers Festival experience started with leisurely and delicious breakfast at the inviting Heart of the Village Inn in charming “downtown” Shelburne, Vermont. Innkeepers Anatoly and Rose Polyakov could not have been more welcoming. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyBlueberry pancakes and warm maple syrup alongside herbed potatoes to kick off a long day of even more eating? Why not?! Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyNo great photos are taken from behind a car window, but this shot gives you the best look at the VT Cheesemakers Festival’s plum location at Shelburne Farms, just steps from beautiful Lake Champlain. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyWelcome to another VT Cheese Fest — say cheese! Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyFestival-goers begin sampling straight away in the festival’s main entrance tent. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyBehind the Yankee table, we partnered with the folks at Kenyon Grills to serve up “The Ultimate Vermont Burger.” Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyThe “Ultimate Vermont Burger” was complimentary to festival attendees thanks to a delicious array of donated products. The Vermont Beef Council and South Dakota Beef Council provided the beef, Shelburne Farms the cheddar cheese, and the Vermont Bread Company the slider buns. Pick-your-own mustards and chutneys from Green Mountain Mustard and Wozz! Kitchen Creations added zip and even more flavor. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyWhen you’re serving complimentary and delicious sliders, you should expect a busy day. This was the shortest line I saw at the Kenyon tent all day! Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyInside the multiple tents, local cheesemakers display samples of their tastiest varieties. It’s best to bring an insulated cooler to the VT Cheesemakers Festival, if possible, so you can stock up and keep your purchases cool throughout the day. Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerBeautiful, beautiful cheeses! Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerI can never resist a familiar favorite like Cabot Creamery! I especially love all 4 flavors in their recent Farmers’ Legacy Collection. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyRed Kite candy, a 2014 Food Awards winner for toffee, is a Yankee favorite. This year’s caramel flavor samples included chai and maple. Yum. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyI cannot resist the bright and sweet packaging and amazing flavors of Blake Hill Preserves, another 2014 Food Awards winner. It’s also always a treat to chat with Blake Hill’s warm and welcoming Vicky Allard. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyPart of Yankee‘s involvement at this year’s event included a demonstration of recipes featured in the May/June 2016 issue. Here, senior food editor Amy Traverso reviews the recipes before the demo alongside author (and cheesemaker) Allison Hooper of Vermont Creamery. Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerWe couldn’t pull of our food demos at the VT Cheesemakers Festival without the help of the wonderful and talented New England Culinary Institute staff! Here they’re helping prepare samples of Herbed Watermelon Salad. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyHerbed Watermelon Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyA well-fed audience is a happy audience! Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyThis year’s festival included a food truck from Bluebird Barbecue, based in Burlington, Vermont. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyAnd, of course, sweet samples from Vermont favorite King Arthur Flour. Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerOne of my favorite parts of the Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival is ending the day with a trek up to the Inn at Shelburne Farms to enjoy the view of Lake Champlain from its welcoming lawn. Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerInside, there’s a gorgeous old library and bar — the perfect place to grab a cocktail. Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyWho wouldn’t want a beverage from this setup?! Photo Credit : Aimee SeaveyViews of Lake Champlain from the Inn at Shelburne Farms. The perfect way to end the day! Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
Have you ever been to the VT Cheesemakers Festival?
SEE MORE:Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont | PhotographsScenes from the 2015 Vermont Cheesemakers Festival
Aimee Tucker
Aimee Tucker is Yankee Magazine’s Home Editor and the Senior Digital Editor of NewEngland.com. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
