{"id":14130,"date":"2009-11-17T18:00:22","date_gmt":"2009-11-17T22:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.firstthings.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/?p=14130"},"modified":"2017-03-11T00:49:29","modified_gmt":"2017-03-11T00:49:29","slug":"nun-cheese-other-happy-monastics-with-great-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2009\/11\/17\/nun-cheese-other-happy-monastics-with-great-products\/","title":{"rendered":"Nun Cheese & other Happy Monastics with great products"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I have written frequently about the great consumables<\/strong> and products offered by various monastic communities. This year, happily, there seem to be a number of news outlets taking the time to visit with communities to get the low-down on their wares, and in the process, we learn about more great monastery items, and (happily for us) just in time for Christmas shopping!<\/p>\n

Here, for instance we find some discussion of the monastic life of prayer<\/a>, combined with the news that the Trappistine Nuns at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Virginia have been making what sounds like a terrific Gouda cheese<\/a> for several years:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\nEleven sisters live at the monastery, where their day begins at 3 a.m. At 6:30 a.m., it\u2019s time to have Morning Praise, followed by a half-hour of silent meditation.<\/p>\n

On this morning, though, some sisters are missing from the morning formation, and the remaining sisters recite an abbreviated version of the usual prayer. Besides that, several will not stay for meditation. They must go and help the others. . . .<\/p>\n

It\u2019s cheese-making day.<\/p>\n

[the nuns] have changed from their white tunics, black scapulas and brown leather belts into work pants, tall rubber boots and smocks that burst with sunflowers. Instead of veils, they have tied colorful handkerchiefs around their heads.<\/p>\n

It is still dark out, but the lights of the monastery are visible from what the sisters call the \u201ccheese barn.\u201d<\/p>\n

The equipment for making Gouda, a mild Dutch cheese, already was set up in the cheese barn when the land was purchased, the remains of a former owner\u2019s expensive undertaking gone defunct. It seemed an ideal opportunity for the nuns. How hard could it be to learn how to make Gouda? \u201cWe were so naive,\u201d Sister Smickel said, smiling.<\/p>\n

But a couple of Virginia cheesemakers, Jim and Margaret Morse, had heard through word of mouth that some sisters needed help.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just showed up on our doorstep and said, \u2018Can we help you?\u2019 \u201d Sister Smickel said. \u201cIt was a gift from heaven.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The cheese must be good; it sells out every Christmas.<\/p>\n

The Boston Pilot<\/strong>, which is the newspaper of the Diocese of Boston, has done a nice profile on our dear friends<\/a>, the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming, known to Anchoress readers The Mystic Monks<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past two years, the monks themselves have grown from six to 15 monks and all the new monks are under 25, some right out of high school,\u201d said Susie George, a neighbor of the monks who helped with marketing and computer work for the coffee business . . .<\/p>\n

One young man from Australia said he has found his place in life there. Carmelite Brother Paul Marie told CNS in a Nov. 4 phone interview that he was searching for more in life than just \u201cconforming to society\u201d and the Wyoming religious order has provided that for him.<\/p>\n

Brother Paul said he discovered the monastery by searching for religious orders online but was initially attracted to the Carmelite order because of the joy and spiritual aspect of the community and the fact that some of his favorite saints \u2014 including St. John of the Cross and St. Therese \u2014 were Carmelites.<\/p>\n

He also found he has a place in the cloistered monks\u2019 coffee business.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That article talks rather more about the coffee business (and the complexity of their annual Christmas Blend<\/a>) than the monk\u2019s prayer life, but it seems the monks have had a hand in the creation of a romance, as well.<\/p>\n

The Trappists of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery<\/strong> in Conyers, GA, are pushing chocolate, among other things<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe secret of any good fudge is in the last 15 minutes,\u201d Father Delisi said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about making sure it\u2019s properly mixed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The monks, who created a sensation when they introduced their peach brandy-laden fruitcakes in 2001, are again trying their hand at making sweets. At the Abbey Store, located on the monastery grounds, fudge from the monks\u2019 mother monastery, Gethsemani in Kentucky, is already a popular seller. Father Delisi saw a business opportunity for the Conyers monastery.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were already selling fudge from other places, and I\u2019d been thinking about it for years. I thought, \u2018Why can\u2019t we sell our own fudge?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cOur fruitcakes do well, but those are only sold during the Christmas season. We are hoping that the fudge can be a year-round industry for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Father Delisi began experimenting. He didn\u2019t want to have a liquor-heavy fudge, like the bourbon-flavored fudge of Gethsemani, and after many test batches, he struck a perfect balance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted something that was Southern but not too overwhelming,\u201d he said. \u201cSo we came up with the idea of diced peaches soaked in peach brandy. That way it doesn\u2019t overwhelm the taste of the fudge.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Woohoo! Peach Brandy Fudge!<\/strong> I have already tried (and given out as gifts) the Bourbon Fudge<\/a> from the Gethsemane Monastery, so I\u2019ll have to give this one a whirl. But for the nieces, who are still underage, I\u2019ll keep ordering the incredible chocolate-covered caramels<\/a> from the (Trappistine, again) nuns from what my Li\u2019l Bro Thom calls \u201cOur Lady of the Mouthwatering Candy\u201d Abbey. My nieces work themselves up all-of-a-doodah if I don\u2019t remember the candies.<\/p>\n

Finally, you love the soaps, and hand cremes, now you can see how they are made<\/a>: our friends at Summit, NJ present a little slide show. Which reminds me, I have to order more lip balm!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have written frequently about the great consumables and products offered by various monastic communities. This year, happily, there seem to be a number of news outlets taking the time to visit with communities to get the low-down on their wares, and in the process, we learn about more great monastery items, and (happily for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,44,47,187],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholic-vocations","category-catholicism","category-charitable-stuff","category-nun-news"],"yoast_head":"\nNun Cheese & other Happy Monastics with great products<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I have written frequently about the great consumables and products offered by various monastic communities. 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