MINERAL POINT — The surroundings are humble for one of the world's most talked-about batches of cheese.
Tony Hook shows off a rare 40-pound block of 20-year-old white cheddar he has been aging, along with 24 other blocks, in his 38-degree storage cooler in Mineral Point. At $209 per pound, this block is worth $8,360.
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Tony Hook, seen here entering his cold storage room on Wednesday, was 50 years old when he made his 20-year batch of cheddar. Now 70, the award-winning cheesemaker says he has no plans to retire.
The Hook's Cheese 20-year cheddar was initially formed into 40-pound blocks but will be broken down into smaller, more affordable chunks for consumers and cheese shops. This is a half-pound brick, but because of the $209-per-pound price tag, many will purchase the cheese in quarter-pound or eighth-pound pieces.
The cheese case at Hook’s Cheese in Mineral Point offers many varieties.
Hook’s Cheese is located in a former livery stable constructed in 1875 at the corner of Jail Alley and Commerce Street in Mineral Point.
Hook's Cheese in Mineral Point is known for its aged cheddar but makes a wide range of other cheese. On Wednesday, employees and members of Tony Hook’s family — including, from left, his sister, Julie Hook, and nephews Talvick Hook and Jim Stapelmann — made Gorgonzola.
Cricket Stapelmann, right, and husband, Jim, nephew of Tony Hook, fill molds with freshly made Gorgonzola at Hook’s Cheese in Mineral Point.
The small retail space at Hook's Cheese is filled with awards and includes a large window that allows customers to watch the cheesemaking process.
Photos: World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace
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Larry Bell, with LBell Consulting from Green Bay, judges mozzarella during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Greg Kinate, with Winona Foods from Little Suamico, left, and Luis Jiménez-Maroto, with Center for Dairy Research from Mexico, judge cheese curds during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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(From left) Franco Sessa, with Whitestone Cheese from Auckland, New Zealand, and Terry Lensmire, with Lensmire Dairy Consulting from Manitowoc, judge string cheese during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
World Championship Cheese Contest
A sample of rindless Swiss is taken for judging during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace.
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Thierry Martin, of Canada, and Alieen Kacvinsky, of Madison, at right, judge swiss cheese during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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John Jaeggi, of Brooklyn, Wisconsin, left, and Roland Sahli, of Switzerland, judge rindless swiss during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Judging is underway during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Judging is underway during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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David Wentz, with Sargento Food Inc. from Plymouth, left, and Don Tribby, with International Flavors and Fragrances from Springfield, Missouri, judge medium cheddar during the World Championship Cheese Contest at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
