Nearly everybody loves cheese, but being a judge at the American Cheese Society’s (ACS) annual conference and competition requires more than a passing interest in fromage. This year, the nonprofit swept into meltingly hot Austin, Texas, with a record 1327 artisan cheeses from North America in tow. A panel of aesthetic and technical judges painstakingly tasted each wheel, wedge and sliver, enumerating the joys and defects thereof.... Read more

Last Friday, visitors to the McDonald’s restaurant in South Burlington got a surprise: free “Unhappy Meals” courtesy of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.... Read more

It’s National Farmers’ Market Week (didn’t you know?) and, to celebrate, NOFA Vermont is sponsoring the first-ever “Buy It, Cook It, Film It” challenge.... Read more

Getting hitched outdoors in Vermont has always required a sense of humor: Bugs, hail and random rain showers can throw kinks in the most fanatically organized wedding plans. But 2009, with its economic crisis and frequent heavy storms, is proving rockier than most wedding seasons, and the drama is taking a toll on local caterers.... Read more

The beginning of August has come and gone, but August First bakery, located at South Champlain and Main Street in Burlington, hasn’t yet opened its doors to the public. “We still [need to] have five inspections,” notes co-owner Jodi Whalen. She and her husband, baker Phil Merrick, hope to start selling organic loaves sometime next week.... Read more

Kismet in Montpelier offers local food with big flavors — fresh pesto, raw-milk cheese, smoky tempeh — but its dining room is tiny. Now patrons have the option of eating on the patio in a miniature garden. “We have 12 extra seats out there,” explains co-owner Crystal Maderia. “We’ve been lucky, because it doesn’t start raining until the afternoon, when we close.”... Read more

As a dedicated athlete, Chris Kaiser, 38, was tired of chowing down flavorless energy bars and the same old trail mix. So the part-time Vermonter, who owns a financial planning firm in New York, decided to put his business savvy to work. After developing and testing products all winter, Kaiser unveiled a line of preservative-free peanut butters in 10 varieties. He calls his biz Vermont Peanut Butter Co.... Read more

Lots of couples hook up at bars after work, but 15 years ago, Jen and John Kimmich — who now own The Alchemist Pub and Brewery in Waterbury — met at a bar during work hours. At the time, they were both employed at Burlington’s Vermont Pub & Brewery. ... Read more

According to the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine, the best place to stay in the United States is right here in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The August issue announces the results of the ’zine’s 14th annual survey of the world’s top hotels, and the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford is 52nd on the list. No other American property scored better.... Read more

Aloha! With a 150-gallon saltwater fish tank, lots of bamboo décor and dishes named after surfing hot spots, eating at