Trappist, Kentucky -
Bourbon Fudge Monks

The Gethsemani Monastery in Trappist (near Loretto) is a great place to see how an order of monks lives in modern-day America. It's really off the beaten path, but definitely worth it. There is a small visitor center where you can view photos of the Dalai Lama's visit to the monastery. You can actually observe the monks doing one of their many daily prayer sessions in the chapel. They make fabulous cheese, fruitcake, and bourbon fudge in order to support themselves. You can buy it there or at a few of the small convenience stores around town. The food is so good that at the holidays they had to pull the plug on their fax machine and stop taking orders. They do not employ any outside help to make the stuff, and there are only around a hundred or so of them. Combine a visit to this monastery with a trip to the nearby Maker's Mark distillery. [Lori Jander, 03/28/1999]