What goes into making award-winning Island cheese?

As it turns out, there's a few things that go into making an award-winning cheddar on P.E.I., but above all else it begins with one special ingredient that cheese masters agree with.

"[Cheese] goes hand in hand, first of all, with the fantastic milk that we have on Prince Edward Island," saysArmand Bernard, cheese maker atCows Creamery.

• Cows brings home ribbons from international cheese competition
• Cheese awards 'victory for the whole Island,' says ADL

"The ingredients that's in there the most is milk, so we have to start with our farmers," agreesDarcy Carr, the cheese production manager at Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. (ADL).

Both Bernard and Carr's cheddars, from their respective companies, were celebrated at the Canadian Cheese Awards in Toronto this week.

Cows Creamery took home four awards at the pan-Canadian competition, including Best Atlantic Canada Cheese and Best Aged Cheddar. ADLwon two awards for Best Mild & Medium Cheddar and Best Old Cheddar.

But what makes them so good? Both companies have similar approaches.

Cows' secret? Patience

For Cows Creamery, Bernard said, among other thingsthe trick to making "absolutely delicious" cheese is during the aging process.

"The real flavour comes with time as the cheese ages a bit more," he said.

As it matures,he said, theextra time "being patient and waiting for that flavour to come out really pays off."

Explaining exactly what it is about aging that makes the cheese so tastyis "tough" to explain, Bernard laughed, but"like good wines, as the cheese matures the flavours really become enhanced" and that's all you really need to know.

"Some cheese will get sharper, ours becomes more flavourful, more depth of character," he said.

Proper storage, grading is king for ADLcheese

For ADL, Carr said their cheese is "traditionally aged" and proper storagecan make the difference in makinga special cheddar.

Whether fresh or aged, it'sthe storage process itself that's a real science.

"You can tell by the flavour. It's a nice, clean flavour when it's fresh, you know the flavours after a while and you know the flavours that's going to be really good," he said.

"We grade it a lot. It's not just put in the cooler and left for three years there's samples pulled out at least every six months and graded to make sure it's on track. Aging cheese, you have to look after it."

Bernard said when properly stored, the proteins in the cheese break down and the more theybreakdown "the stronger the flavours."

"It all has to do with the storage. We store our cheese at 40 degreesyou can bring the temperature up a bit and [make it] age a little quicker. We don't do that here. It's traditionally aged here."

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