What's New At Lyme Farmers Market? Goat Cheese and Soap

There is evidence that goats were domesticated over 10,000 years ago for meat, milk and dung. Goat meat is the most widely consumed red meat in the world. It is said that Cleopatra bathed in goat milk to soften her skin. Goat dung was used for fuel, probably in early Vermont Castings pellet stoves.

Beltane Farm in Lebanon has provided us with goat cheese for the past 12 years. I never tire of it. I also never tire of avocados. I do tire of Cajun food. There’s just so much red beans and rice I can eat, although some seafood gumbo does sound pretty good right about now.

Goat milk has about the same fat content as cow’s milk. It’s the medium-chain fatty acids that gives goat cheese its tart flavor. Probably like you I have no idea what “medium chain fatty acids” are. Once again I’m glad that Pfizer is close by and full of people who know what “medium chain fatty acid” is. If someone would text a friend at Pfizer and get back to us with the answer I’m sure we’d all appreciate it.

Simple goat cheese can be made from curdled raw milk that is hung in cheesecloth to drain and cure. Aged goat cheese is often brined to let it form a rind and then stored in a cool cheese cave for several months. My dear departed Aunt Trudy knew where some Indian caves were in the Nehantic Forest. I don’t remember her ever talking about cheese caves, but if anyone would have known where they were it would have been her.

I don’t think there’s a better salad than a little warm goat cheese over a bed of arugula. Throw in some walnuts and pears and I’m in heaven. When I was a kid, I thought heaven was like big cotton balls that you’d lay around on all day. The only distractions were either playing your harp or hanging out by the Pearly Gates to see who got in and who didn’t.

The first thing you notice about goat soap is all the wonderful molds the soapmakers have. I buy the soap just to see how it looks in the powder room. We actually don’t have a powder room here at the farm, but if we did I’d fill it with goat soap, although I think if we did have a powder room I’d rip it out and put in a wall to wall freezer full of venison and frozen vegetables. That’s more farm like. Sometimes to live the role you have to play the role.

Goat milk soap has a high level of caseins which allow easy absorption into the skin. It helps prevent dryness of the skin and allows it to breathe. It contains vitamins A, B6, B12 and E. With the proteins of milk products it is said to kill acne producing bacteria.

Our goat soap vendor is Mayflower Soaps from Colchester. Marcy and her mom come every Saturday. I like them a lot. They are very gentle people and good to their goats. Marcy’s mom also makes these market bags out of feed bags.

Stop by and pick up some of their scented soaps. Your skin will be as soft as Cleopatra’s and all the asps will thank you.

Meriano’s Bakery Food Truck  

I loved Tony Meriano. As Patriarch to his family, he led the family bakery in Guilford for many years. Looking down from his Heavenly perch, how proud he must be of their new food truck. Meriano’s Bake Shoppe has always been what an Italian bakery should be. It’s the kind of place where you walk out 5 lbs heavier than when you walked in and you don’t care. It’s that good.

So the good news is that they are coming this Saturday. Do Tony proud and get in line for a cannoli.

Eight Mile River Band Plays Bluegrass

These old geezers just keep on truckin’. Bring the blanket, bring the chair and settle in for a morning of bluegrass. It’s sweet tea and lemonade. When these guys start pickin’ you know it’s summertime and it’s not getting any better.

Guest Vendors

Melissa Punzalan is here with her jewelry. She showed up last weekend as a shopper and did herself proud. Nothing was missing after she left.

The Puzzle Man, Don “three fingered” Paczowski, is displaying his wooden works of wonder.

John Parent is coming with his handcrafted furniture and cutting boards. I’m telling you again that the cutting boards make great wedding presents and they will last a lot longer than many of the marriages.

Phoebe Riegle is here with Lox&loaded, her cream cheese spreads. Phoebe is saving money for College. Help her out a little.

Cindy Fencher will be rolling in with Hidden Art Gallery. Always something different from her.

Julia Leis and her notecards are setting up on Saturday. Good stuff.