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This article is about cheese curds, the regional delicacy, for information about the dairy product, see curd. For information about the role of curds in cheese processing, see cheese.

Cheese curds are the fresh curds of cheddar cheese. They are generally available in retail stores operated at cheese factories throughout the United States and Canada (especially in Wisconsin and Quebec).

Cheese curds are little-known in locations without cheese factories, because they must be eaten absolutely fresh, within hours of manufacture. After twelve hours, even under refrigeration, they have lost much of their "fresh curd" characteristics, particularly the "squeak." This "squeak" has been described by the New York Times as sounding like "balloons trying to neck"^[1]. After twenty-four hours, they have lost the marks of freshness entirely. They have not become unwholesome or distasteful, but they are not fresh cheese curds any more—they are just boring, insufficiently aged cheese. No ordinary shipping method is sufficiently fast to preserve their flavor intact. If they are purchased locally, and need to be kept for a couple of days, room temperature, rather than refrigeration, does something to preserve the flavor and "squeak." Sonically impaired curds can sometimes have the "squeak" restored by no more than a couple of seconds in a microwave oven.

Fresh curds are roughly the size and shape of peanuts or, perhaps, Cheetos. The flavor is a mild, delicious, "fresh-dairy" taste. The texture and mouth feel is unique. They have about the same firmness as cheese, but have a springy or rubbery texture, rather than the yielding, clay-like texture of cheese. Fresh curds squeak against the teeth when bitten into. This squeak is perhaps the defining characteristic of fresh cheese curds. They are somewhat salty and have the same addictive, greed-inspiring charactistics as other salty snacks, although they are cool and moist rather than being dry and crunchy. The American variety are usually yellow or orange in color, like cheddar cheese. Other varieties, such as the Québécois variety, can be roughly the same color as white cheddar cheese.

Fried cheese curds

In Wisconsin, deep-fried cheese curds are often found at carnivals, fairs, local non-chain fast food restaurants and bars. Deep-fried cheese curds are covered with a beer based batter, like to that used for onion rings, or are breaded and placed in a deep fryer creating something akin to mozzarella sticks.

In the United States, A&W Restaurants has added fried cheese curds to their menu and they are available nationwide, however the frozen cheese curds are not as good as freshly prepared ones and lack some of the eating characteristics. [2]

Poutine

Cheese curds are a main ingredient in poutine, a French-Canadian dish in which cheese curds are mixed with french fries and gravy. It is found primarily in eastern Canada, especially Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario.

Where to buy

Online retailers such as needcheese.com [3] provide Wisconsin cheese curds; however, when ordering cheese curds note that a shipping time of two days or more results in an almost complete loss of the characteristic texture, taste, and "squeak."

Cheese curds in song and poetry

The New York times in 1911 reported on an ancient Celtic song, dating from the 12th century, that mentioned cheese curd, perhaps the first musical reference to the most musical of cheeses^[4]:

"Visions of MacGonlannee"

Stately and pleasantly it sat

A compact house and strong

Then I went in

The door of it was hung beef

The threshold was dry bread

And cheese curds were the walls...

References

^  Louisa Kamps, "Cheese Curds," NY Times, October 17, 2004 ^  SONGS OF LONGHUSHED HARPS; Tunes That the Keltic Bards Set Ringing Centuries Ago in Praise of Love and War, New York Timesm New York, N.Y.: Sep 10, 1911. p. BR540 (1 page)