Let me tell you the straight story about cheese curds.
Cheese curds generally come in two fashions: fresh, and fried. Having lived in Wisconsin throughout my entire childhood, one did not have to differentiate between the two, we just called them cheese curds. We would know the difference based on the setting and context in which they would be ordered. Fresh cheese curds are generally bought at the cheese store, perhaps the gas station, or maybe the grocery store whereas fried cheese curds are restaurant/greasy spoon, or fair food. It’s not something that we found difficult to decipher.
Fried cheese curds are different from mozzarella sticks in that they 1) they do not come in stick form and 2) are more than likely going to be cheddar (whether white cheddar or orange – I’ll happily eat either). The cheese is already in curd form and is then coated in a beer-based bread batter before it is deep-fried. Fried cheese curds are a dime a dozen in the upper Midwest. From my own childhood home, we could get them at a variety of burger joints (Tom’s Drive-In, Culver’s, Mihm’s, A&W Restaurants). They are delicious and especially great if they just got taken out of the fryer and there is a string of cheese from your mouth to the other half of the curd in your hand.
Fresh cheese curds are a different story. Having lived in Minnesota for six years now, I have still not yet eaten a decent fresh cheese curd (please note: I am differentiating the type of curd here for you, just so you follow. Got it?). Don’t get me wrong, “fresh” cheese curds are sold in the grocery store, but it is their freshness which I would argue against, as they simply are not.
Real fresh cheese curds must be eaten right away. This is not to say you must eat the entire bag rightthissecond. Rather in order to gain and appreciate a squeaky curd, as they were meant to be, they should be fresh from the cheese factory within hours. My step-dad often buys them, refrigerates them and then leaves them out for about an hour before they are good and ready. This hour long wait allows any effects of refrigeration to reverse. However, please don’t confuse this with allowing cheese curds to site in your fridge for a week or more. Those effects cannot be reversed and you are then stuck with non-squeaky, unfresh cheese curds. In fact, it is best to eat your curds within a day.
To pick out a fresh bag of cheese curds, make sure there is some condensation in the bag. This is the good condensation and contains a salty, liquidy mixture. It is absolutely fantastic. if there is anything I miss about Wisconsin, it is having fresh cheese curds available as there are multiple cheese factories around the area.
I won’t delve into the history of the curd, or how they are made. The work has already been in a comprehensive matter. Check it out here, as Wisconsin has taken the hard work out and made their own site.
