What the Heck is Curd Cheese from Quebec?

Curd cheese is a by-product of milk and part of the process of making cheese. I don’t know too much about the process of making cheese, but I do know that I love curd cheese. In Quebec we use curd cheese as part of recipes, served on top of our fabulous meals, or served as a snack out of the bag. The cool thing about curd cheese in Quebec is that it squeaks when you eat it. That tells you its fresh!

Why is it so popular in Quebec?

Dairies and farms have been a staple of Quebec from the origins of Canada. The Province is situated along the St. Lawrence River which is a shipping gateway for many Provinces. Other than just the age of the Province, the regulations for cheese also attribute to its fame. For instance cheese curds are allowed to be stored at room temperature in Quebec which gives them that famous squeak.

How should you eat curd cheese?

As mentioned in the first paragraph there are many ways to eat curd cheese, but here are my suggestions. I would try them right out of the bag, but make sure you buy them from a food shop if possible and off the counter. Curds lose their squeak when refrigerated. Once you you’ve tried them on their own, then tasting them in a dish of Poutine would be my next suggestion. If you want to know where to get good Poutine then check out this article on my favourite dish. So next time you are visiting Quebec make sure curd cheese is on your list of to-do items, you will be glad you did!

About the Author

Carmen Outridge owns Outridge Translation Services offering English to French translation services for those operating in the Province of Quebec. She has been in the translation industry for over 30 years and is from Quebec. If you have documents you need translated then visit www.outridgetranslation.com and have your translation completed the way Quebec expects it.