Adding enzyme requires precision, as does the subsequent time and heating allotted for curdling. Workers add rennet to incite the milk protein to precipitate. In layman’s terms, this process converts protein to the main substances of cheese curd and whey.

After cutting the curds, “We drain the whey from the cheese and add the salt and then the truffle,” Cook said, again referencing Black Sheep Truffle cheese.

Draining the whey means increasing the shelf life of cheese. It essentially dehydrates the curds, diminishing the milk’s water activity and thus propensity for spoilage. The amount of whey drained amounts to both an economic and artistic decision, as it determines its vending longevity and flavor.

“The tricky part is [getting] the right amount of truffle to cheese ratio,” Cook said. “We want to achieve both a sheep cheese flavor and not overpower it with truffle. We want the flavors to compliment or dominate—this is the balance.”

And this cheesemaster spares no expense to make the truffled delicacy—sheep's milk costs $78 per hundredweight and Italian truffles boast a price tag of $400 to $600 per pound. Not to mention the cost of the trip to Italy that inspired the cheese, which offers a rich, earthy flavor to soothe the palate.

The last step in the process is ripening or curing, and depending on the cheese, additional spicing may come into play. Apple Smoked Cheddar, a white cheese that has won first place at the 2005 American Cheese Society competition and third place at the 2006 World Cheese competition, is generously hand rubbed with paprika to accentuate the flavors from the apple smoker.

“We purposefully make [cheese] unusual so that there’s a twist or a nuance at some point to differentiate them from other cheeses,” Cook said. “They’re just a little different from anything else, even the cheddar.”

Flavorful twists and turns differentiate Cook’s cheeses from any other according Heather Porter Engwall, director of national product communications for the WMMB.

“All of the Masters have a skill set and a passion, but Sid is one of few others who do mix milks—cow, goat and sheep,” she said, noting that “in doing so, Sid has won more awards than any other cheesemaker in the world.”

Some cheeses, once dipped in glossy red or black wax, remain in ripening mode for up to 10 years. Among the top sellers at Carr Valley Cheese, Aged Cheddar 10-year ranks third, followed by the eight-year and five-year Aged Cheddars in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Of course, Fresh Cheddar Curds straight from the factory ranks as the top seller, with Apple Smoked Cheddar in second.

Jill Klosterman/Curb
Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Sid Cook divides a wheel of cheese.

But even when a new variety makes its debut in Carr Valley Cheese stores, Cook leaves room for adjustment.

“We document all ingredients and amounts that we use so small adjustments can be made seasonally,” he said, noting that Black Sheep Truffle took several initial batches to strike the ideal flavor balance.

Such variations lend credence to Cook’s skills, developed over time, which allow him to create vastly different varieties of cheese with just a few staple ingredients: milk, lactic acid, enzymes and salt. Depending on the cheese he intends to produce, Cook adjusts ingredients and procedures with natural precision.

“Very few people can just walk into this business and make edible cheese—cheese with the right smell, taste, texture, appearance,” Cook said.

Sam Cook agreed: “You have to get the right ingredients, you have to have the right temperature and you have to do it right,” he said, adding, “Sid does it right.”

Indeed, in the cheese industry, haste begets people who make cheese, while heritage nurtures true cheesemakers.