Next time you visit, try our Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds. When we first started making our cheese in July 2009, almost right away we heard from our Guests who asked, “Are you making cheese curds? Or squeakers?” Being from Ohio (and not Wisconsin), we weren’t really sure what the fuss was about. Now we know! After some research, recipe development and a lot of trials, we now have 6 flavors available – Plain Cheddar, Garlic, Ranch, Horseradish/Bacon, Italian and Cajun.
What Are Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds?
Fresh cheddar cheese curds are what we produce as one of the last steps in making Young’s Farmstead Cheddar Cheese. When making cheddar cheese, we usually take the curds and place them in a ‘hoop’, or form (either a round or square shape) that we then put weights on overnight to squeeze together into a block or wheel. It’s then aged for a few months.
Curds are just the fresh cheddar cheese that hasn’t been pressed into a hoop and aged. Curds have a mild taste — they haven’t developed the stronger cheddar flavor. Curds are delicious as a snack and can be used in many tasty ways!
How Can I Use Curds?
Just like cheese, curds have many uses. Here are a few ideas: Sprinkle on top of a pizza instead of mozzarella, use in stuffed pepper or tomato recipes, sprinkle on top of your favorite salad, use in your favorite panini sandwich, great in quesadillas, sprinkle on top of creamy soups, use as the cheese in mac & cheese, cheesey egg omelets, on top of chili, and the best way to enjoy fresh curds is just to eat them as they are!
