Cheese curds consistently top the list for Wisconsin's most iconic foods so to celebrate this cult favorite "snack that squeaks," Wisconsin dairy farmers are bringing together the world's largest group of cheese lovers for National Cheese Curd Day on October 15th. The event will broadcast live on Wisconsin Cheese and Culver's Facebook pages, and 10 participating guests will win fresh Wisconsin cheese curds and Culver's fried cheese curds for a year.
"We know how much people love cheese curds so we're uniting virtually with the most passionate, proud cheese lovers for the cheese curd squeak heard around the world," says Suzanne Fanning, Chief Marketing Officer for Wisconsin Cheese and Senior Vice President at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. "We're sending fresh Wisconsin cheese curds to 3,000 fans in all 50 states, courtesy of our friends at LaGrander's Hillside Dairy in Stanley, Wisconsin. While Wisconsin has more award-winning cheeses than any other region, getting fresh cheese curds will always top the list for must-dos when visiting our state, so while people have paused their travel plans, we've decided to bring the cheese curds to them."
The virtual event host is Luke Zahm, award-winning James Beard chef and host of Wisconsin Foodie. Zahm will do a live cooking demo to show fans how to fry cheese curds at home, and talk with Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Ryan LaGrander of LaGrander's Hillside Dairy, who supplies the cheese curds to Culver's. In the past year, Culver's has served more than eight hundred million individual fried, melty cheese curds at over 770 restaurants in 25 states.
"Culver's and Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Curds go hand in hand, it's only right that we created a National holiday for cheese curds," said Julie Fussner, Vice President of Marketing at Culver's. "We are excited to work with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin to help our guests celebrate the sixth annual National Cheese Curd Day."
Not a part of the Cheeselandia community, or don't live in Wisconsin where you have access to fresh cheese curds made daily? No problem! You can still purchase cheese curds online by checking out the full list of Wisconsin cheesemakers that will ship fresh cheese curds straight to your door in time for the online event on Thursday, October 15th at 6:00pm EST/ 7:00pm CST.
Craving more cheese knowledge from Wisconsin, The State of Cheese? Below are the most frequently asked questions about this dairy delicacy:
What are curds? Essentially, curds are unaged cheddar cheese. They are separated from the whey early in the cheesemaking process and instead of being pressed into a block or wheel shaped form, they are cut into randomly shaped sweet, salty morsels.
Why do they squeak? The elastic protein strands in the curds rub against the enamel of your teeth to create that characteristic sound. The "squeak" is also a sign of curd freshness, which are traditionally eaten at room temperature, the same day they are made.
How do you eat them? Eat them fresh straight out of the bag, toss them on a salad, use them on a cheese board or in a recipe like poutine, where curds are placed on top of fries and smothered in gravy. Batter and fry the curds, use your air fryer, or order them fried at your local Culver's restaurant.
About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin's world-class dairy products.
About Wisconsin Cheese
The tradition of cheesemaking excellence began more than 175 years ago, before Wisconsin was recognized as a state. Wisconsin's 1,200 cheesemakers, many of whom are third- and fourth-generation, continue to pass on old-world traditions while adopting modern innovations in cheesemaking craftsmanship.
