God and Gouda (Video)

On 32 days a year the sisters sleep in until 4 a.m. to rest up for the laborious work, and adapt their prayer sessions to accommodate the inflexible schedule of the cheese.

The women are nuns living in a cloistered Trappist community at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery located in Crozet, Va. Prayer is the heart of life for the sisters, who gather for worship and prayer seven times a day, starting at 3:15 a.m.

The women also sustain their life of prayer by making 20,000 pounds of Gouda cheese every year. Most of their $250,000 business is mail order, although some local specialty shops drive out monthly for the cheese their customers crave.

VIDEO

"The flavor's great," customer Eric Gertner said. "It's on the mild end in terms of intensity, but it's delicious and really versatile. You can use it for cooking or just nosh it with salami and olives and bread."

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