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CURLING IS A WINTER FAVORITE IN MANY PLACES… BUT IN THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM, ONE EVENT PUTS A VERMONT TWIST ON THE SPORT. NBC5’S CHARLOTTE HANCOX SHOWS US HOW THIS COMPETITION SWAPS STONES FOR CHEESE. THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE NORMAL CURLING… BUT IN GREENSBORO, THE PUCKS ARE MADE OF CHEESE. Mateo Kehler / Head cheese maker at Jasper Hill “What can be better than a winter festival built around cheese?” THE FOURTH ANNUAL ‘CURDS AND CURLING’ COMPETITION AT JASPER HILL FARM… BRINGING TEAMS FROM ACROSS NEW ENGLAND TO THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM. “Over 100 teams here are taking turns sliding the cheese down the ice trying to get it closest to the target.” TEAMS OF FOUR TAKE TURNS PLAYING ROUNDS IN THE QUALIFYING ROUND TO GET INTO THE TOURNAMENT. Samuel Rheaume / Content Marketer at Jasper Hill Farm <“We do a lot of prep to print out rules and score sheets and coordinate volunteers.”> THE GOAL IS TO GET THE CHEESE CLOSEST TO THE CENTER… CALLED “DELICIOUSNESS”, TO SCORE. AND WHILE IT MAY LOOK EASY, PLAYERS SAY THERE’S A STRATEGY TO WINNING. Hannah Eldridge / Cheese Curler <“talking about strategy, eating cheese, eating cheese, watching other people, you know, trying to figure out how to use the broom.”> WHILE OTHERS TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH. BUTTED <“calisthenics. Yeah. Guys, stretch, you guys just gotta be ready. Protein in the morning. That helps, you know, gets it into the finals. But outside of that, I’d say a lot of, a lot of hard core coffee, straight up not cream.”> FOR JASPER HILL’S HEAD CHEESEMAKER, THE EVENT IS ALSO A CELEBRATION OF THEIR CRAFT. Mateo Kehler / Head cheese maker at Jasper Hill “In affinage, when we’re ripening a cheese, we’re making micro adjustments along the way to make sure each wheel reaches its peak flavor potential.” BRINGING TOGETHER VERMONT’S LOVE OF WINTER… AND ITS LOVE OF CHEESE. Mike Mislak / Cheese Curler <“What Says Vermont. More than fresh snow cheese, Sliding cheese on Northeast Kingdom. You can’t beat it.”> “Organizers here say it’s about more than just competition. It’s about getting people togethe
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When the Olympics are on, suddenly the whole world has a renewed interest in curling.One event puts a Vermont twist on the sport with pucks made of cheese.“What can be better than a winter festival built around cheese?” said Mateo Kehler, the head cheese maker at Jasper Hill Farm.The fourth-annual Curds and Curling competition at Jasper Hill Farm brought teams from across New England to Vermont. More than 100 teams take turns sliding the cheese down the ice, trying to get it closest to the target. Teams of four take turns playing rounds, just to qualify for the main tournament.“We do a lot of prep to print out rules and score sheets and coordinate volunteers,” said Samuel Rheaume, the content marketer at Jasper Hill Farm.The goal is to get the cheese closest to the center, called Deliciousness, to score. While it may look easy, players say there’s a strategy to winning.”Talking about strategy, eating cheese, watching other people, trying to figure out how to use the broom,” said Hanna Eldridge, one cheese curler.While others take a different approach.”Calisthenics. Stretching. Protein in the morning. That helps get into the finals. But outside of that, I’d say a lot of hard-core coffee, straight up no cream,” said Jordan Buntain, another cheese curler.For Kehler, the event is also a celebration of his craft.“When we’re ripening a cheese, we’re making micro adjustments along the way to make sure each wheel reaches its peak flavor potential,” Kehler said.Bringing together Vermont’s love of winter and its love of cheese.”What says Vermont more than fresh snow, cheese, sliding cheese in the Northeast Kingdom. You can’t beat it,” said cheese curler Mike Mislak.Organizers said it’s about more than just competition. It’s about getting people together for a Vermont tradition.
When the Olympics are on, suddenly the whole world has a renewed interest in curling.
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One event puts a Vermont twist on the sport with pucks made of cheese.
“What can be better than a winter festival built around cheese?” said Mateo Kehler, the head cheese maker at Jasper Hill Farm.
The fourth-annual Curds and Curling competition at Jasper Hill Farm brought teams from across New England to Vermont.
More than 100 teams take turns sliding the cheese down the ice, trying to get it closest to the target. Teams of four take turns playing rounds, just to qualify for the main tournament.
“We do a lot of prep to print out rules and score sheets and coordinate volunteers,” said Samuel Rheaume, the content marketer at Jasper Hill Farm.
The goal is to get the cheese closest to the center, called Deliciousness, to score. While it may look easy, players say there’s a strategy to winning.
“Talking about strategy, eating cheese, watching other people, trying to figure out how to use the broom,” said Hanna Eldridge, one cheese curler.
While others take a different approach.
“Calisthenics. Stretching. Protein in the morning. That helps get into the finals. But outside of that, I’d say a lot of hard-core coffee, straight up no cream,” said Jordan Buntain, another cheese curler.
For Kehler, the event is also a celebration of his craft.
“When we’re ripening a cheese, we’re making micro adjustments along the way to make sure each wheel reaches its peak flavor potential,” Kehler said.
Bringing together Vermont’s love of winter and its love of cheese.
“What says Vermont more than fresh snow, cheese, sliding cheese in the Northeast Kingdom. You can’t beat it,” said cheese curler Mike Mislak.
Organizers said it’s about more than just competition. It’s about getting people together for a Vermont tradition.
