Storyteller
A Pyrenees-style cave aged sheep’s milk cheese informed by a rich history
Storyteller may seem a strange name for a cheese to some, but not to us. Unlike other cheese companies, Grafton Village Cheese has a mission that goes beyond creating award-winning, small batch cheeses. We also work to support Vermont’s rural communities by partnering with local farmers and supporting cultural events. We also like to celebrate the rich history of our hometown.
Daisy Turner, one of Grafton’s most well-known community members, was the daughter of an escaped slave who, after making his way north and fighting for the Union army, made his home on Turner Hill in Grafton. Daisy was an exemplary student growing up, and a gifted and enthusiastic storyteller her whole life. Jane Beck of the Vermont Folklife Center recognized the treasure in Daisy’s stories.
In 1983, when Turner was 100 years old, Beck began recording Daisy’s account of the Turner family’s rich history. It was a project that lasted four years until Daisy’s death. Beck’s book, “Daisy Turner’s Kin,” is a collection of those conversations.
Naming our newest cheese Storyteller is our way of paying homage to this remarkable woman. Made with 100% unpasteurized sheep’s milk, Storyteller is aged in traditional basket-weave molds and aged for at least six months in our caves. Its creamy paste, earthy aroma, balance of nutty and grassy flavors, and a lingering/long finish, makes it an ideal representation of sheep’s milk cheese.
Here’s to Grafton’s own Daisy Turner, and to delicious cheese.