16
October 2018
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Some Words About Curds Cheese curds are a popular appetizer in the Midwest. So why not here? By Sean Derning
A near-fruitless review of menus from Steamboat Springs restaurants sadly revealed you can count on one hand the local eateries that currently serve fried cheese curds as an appetizer, with fried curd’s Canadian cousin, poutine, a dish of French fries, cheese curds and brown gravy, included. And no, fried mozzarella sticks don’t count as a cheese curd.
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Panko crusted curds from the Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works, Normal, IL, with marinara dipping sauce and cilantro garnish. Paired with their Belgian dubbel ale.
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Question: What is the Wisconsin state motto? Answer: Try the fried cheese curds. And it’s true. While walking the streets of Madison, Wisconsin, these cheese themed t-shirts were on display, paired with coffee mugs and bumper stickers. Fresh and fried cheese curds are wildly popular in Midwestern states such as Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota and can be found on almost every menu ranging from bowling alleys to taverns to supper clubs.
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Read on to find out what a cheese curd is, how to judge an above average fried curd, presentation ideas and successfully pairing it with a notoriously famous October beverage, beer. Heard of curds? Then what is a cheese curd? In a few words, a fresh cheese that has not been aged, usually a white, orange or yellow cheddar. When milk is boiled, cheesemakers then add salt, a starter culture and rennet, an ingredient that causes coagulation, according to thespruceeats website. The coagulated curds are then gathered and strained to remove moisture, or whey, and then are pressed into wheels which is aged and turned into the cheddar that appears on our sandwiches, burgers and burritos. Before being pressed into molds, or wheels, the curds look like peanut shaped nuggets. The curds are separated, then dried, packaged and are ready for consumption.
Called squeekers, or squeaky cheese by Midwesterners, the fresh, raw curds get their name because when eaten, the fresh curds make a squeeking noise as you chew them. This is due to the protein in the cheese rubbing against the tooth enamel. Fried curds, however, do not have the squeak as their composition changes during the frying process.
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3162 Elk River Road, P.O. Box 772498 Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Is it because these out-of-state areas are dairy meccas and their residents don’t want to share this fine appetizer alternative to our jalapeno poppers, cheese fries and mozzarella sticks? All of these fried appetizer choices contain dairy products that are popular here, so geez, what’s the matter with this cheese?
Curds from The Merchant, Madison, WI, with house made dill ranch dipping sauce, paired with a New Glarus Brewing Co. imperial hefeweizen.
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As old as Little Miss Muffet’s tuffet, cheesemaking has been a part of the Wisconsin economy since 1840 with the arrival of Swiss and German immigrants, according to whatscookingamerica.com. But state lines tend to blur and word of the curd is spreading, with some interesting twists developing. For example, at the Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works in Normal, Illinois, they have a symbiotic C relationship with their cheese curd provider, the Ropp Jersey Cheese Farm in the same town.