The Gouda produced by the nuns at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Virginia has been referred to as ‘heavenly.’
The 13 nuns support themselves by making the Dutch-style Gouda, which they produce in a cheese barn just down the hill from the monastery. It’s an enterprise they inherited from the farm’s previous owner.
It is very much a community effort, where all 13 of the sisters are involved in the process.
“I think what makes our cheese special is the fact that part of our tradition is to do whatever you do as well as you can, whether it’s sweeping a floor or cooking the dinner or feeding the dog, or gardening or making cheese,” says Sister Barbara Smickel.
The nuns expect to sell about 10,000 wheels of their hand-made Monastery Gouda by Christmas.
“I think people buy it because it’s good, but also because they feel a certain solidarity with our way of life and want to support it in the way they can,” Sister Barbara says. “We try to put a lot of love and prayer into the cheese. We say that’s the secret ingredient.”
Source: Voice of America