Cheese-curd poutine, eh?

According to folklore, a nomad in the Middle East long ago took his camel out for a ride in the desert sun. This man had some milk in his saddlebag for nourishment along the way. When he opened his bag at the end of his journey he was shocked.Due to the heat, the motion, and the fact that the saddlebag was made from a cow’s stomach—thus being infused with an enzyme called rennin—the lucky man’s milk had coagulated into something new: a cheese curd!Since this questionable beginning, cheese curds have made their way to North America, most famously to Wisconsin and Quebec. A cheese curd is a very fresh form of cheddar. Early in the production of cheddar, the curds are separated from whey. To then make cheddar, the curds are pressed into blocks and left to age.Or, the curds can be eaten as they are. Curds have a legendary squeak when chewed that certainly makes them a charming food. This squeak occurs because the binding proteins in the cheese are very elastic, a quality they lose with age. In fact, by the time it is 12 hours old, a curd will have likely lost its signature sound. While Wisconsinites eat their cheese curds fried in batter, the classic Canadian way to consume the cheesy treat is in a dish called poutine. Poutine was created in Montreal in the mid-1900s — although there is some argument as to exactly who created the dish or when. Classically, poutine is a gooey mess of French fries, too much gravy and fresh cheese curds. I have learned from living in Canada that there is no end to what people will add to it to make their snack even more disturbing. It occurred to me that while cheese curds can be purchased in nearly every grocery store and gas station in Canada, they are definitely trickier to find in New England. So I searched out a mail order cheese curd company. At the website www.simplycheese.net, or by calling 206-350-7122, one can purchase up to 40 pounds of cheese curds. While that much squeak will cost about $250, a more modest pound runs about $7. Once the cheese curds are located and purchased, glorious poutine can be assembled. While perhaps not the most nutritious thing to ever appear on this health page, cheese curds do contain some protein, calcium and vitamin A. Since I am a vegetarian, I eat my poutine with mushroom gravy. I have included a recipe from www.flourishingfoodie.com for vegetarian poutine, for those adventurous enough to try. To make it easier, store-bought French fries can be used.To make the gravy, heat two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until light brown and foaming. Take one cup of vegetable broth and add one tablespoon at a time until the roux has turned into a creamy liquid. Then add the rest of the broth; stir quickly and carefully, to avoid lumps. Bring your gravy to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. When it’s thickened, serve it.Once the fries are cooked, place them on a plate and top them with the gravy and cheese curds.