At a young age, I learned that the cheese curd is perhaps
Wisconsin’s finest delicacy. With this knowledge comes power. With power comes
the duty to educate my loyal readers about the wonders and uniqueness of cheese
curds.

I attribute this cheese wisdom to my great Aunt Ellen from
Montana, who might be the greatest cheese fiend west of the Mississippi.

Aunt Ellen would demand to be driven to the nearest cheese
store upon landing in Wisconsin. This tiny woman would purchase her weight in
cheese and place her golden treasures into several coolers to bring back to the
folks in the mountains.

Cheese curds were her top priority.

At first, this behavior confused me. As a kid who literally
cried when a restaurant forgot to put the cheese on my cheeseburger, I too was
well acquainted with the awesomeness of cheese. What I did not comprehend was
why Aunt Ellen did not just buy cheese from the roadside cheese stand or cheese
store attached to a cheese factory.

If I had enough plutonium to get the flux capacitor up and
running again in my DeLorean, I would go back in time and first tell young
Holly to stop crying about that damn cheeseburger. Then, I would kindly explain
to her that not every kid went to a cheese factory for a school field trip, nor
have many of them even heard of a cheese curd.

Only in Wisconsin, young Holly. Only in Wisconsin.

If I had to describe the essence of a cheese curd to
someone, I would say they are the rawest, purest form of cheese you can get,
man. If they squeak when you bite into them, you know they’re fresh. They do
not have a super strong cheesy flavor, but they are salty and delicious and not
at all nutritious.

Speaking of which, they also come in the deep fried variety,
which adds another layer of tastiness while also ensuring maximum artery
clogging. For this reason, I suggest indulging in moderation. If you don’t,
your stomach will be very, very angry at you.

As for places to try cheese curds – there are so many options!
This includes, but is not limited to, grocery stores, roadside cheese stands
and specialty cheese shops for the fresh variety, bars that serve food and
restaurants like Culver’s for the deep fried kind.

However, my favorite place for cheese curds is and always
will be Tom’s – a local fast food chain of the Fox Valley that originated in my
hometown of Menasha. If you’re ever in the Appleton area, I suggest you eat
their curds, for they are the finest in the land.

Like a sharp cheddar, my love for cheese curds has only
matured with age. I can only hope this column will help spread the love.

Holly Hartung ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism and communication arts. If ya have ideas for future Dairyland Down-Low columns about Wiscaaansin culture, send ’em her way.