Tony Hook, of Hook’s Cheese Company Inc., Mineral Point, WI, knows a thing or two about cheese. He has been selling his cheeses at the Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, WI, for more than 30 years and has about 50 years of cheesemaking experience.
“We sample all of our cheeses every Saturday at the outdoor market, and we get feedback about all of our products directly from the consuming public,” says Hook.
That feedback and Hook’s knowledge have resulted in dozens of awards on numerous levels, from the state fair and the American Cheese Society to the World Championship Cheese Contest. His wife, Julie, is still the only woman to win the overall world champion championship award for Colby at the World Cheese Championship. She won the title in 1982.
Hook’s Cheese Company makes its cheeses from local cow, sheep and goat milk. Sheep Milk Truffle Cheese is one of the unique cheeses Hook’s Cheese has been making since May of 2021. It is made when sheep milk is permeated with truffles to provide an earthy, mushroomy, nutty flavor.
“We make our Sheep Milk Truffle as a Monterey Jack-style cheese made from sheep’s milk, and then we add black truffles from Italy,” says Hook.
The latest honor awarded to the Sheep Milk Truffle Cheese was first place at the Iowa County Fair in Wisconsin.
Hook’s Cheese Company makes Sheep Milk Truffle as often as they need to, so it is always available. “That being said, there is always the possibility of not being able to get the truffles when we need them. At that point, we could be out of stock for a while. We have not run into that issue, and hope we never do,” says Hook.
Hook recommends pairing the truffle cheese with pinot noir or Nebbiolo. It also pairs with an India pale ale (IPA) or a dark lager. He says the cheese would be good on pasta, potatoes, rice, steak, or on a grilled cheese sandwich with sourdough.
Local customers can purchase Sheep Milk Truffle from the cheese factory at Hook’s Cheese Company or at the Dane County Farmers’ Market. Find the full cheese list and descriptions online at https://hookscheese.com, or place an order via email at hookscheese@gmail.com.
