A Poutine Newbie in Colorado

The first time I had poutine it was home-made.  And frankly that was a trick.

Fries are not a problem to come by, or make.  Same with gravy.  Best of all I had the guidance of a real live Canadian.  But there was one thing that was a huge challenge.

Finding cheese curds.

Well, first I had to figure out what the heck a cheese curd IS!  Never even heard of such a thing.  Turns out neither had anyone in any store where I inquired about it.

Not completely true, some people knew what I was talking about, furrowed their brow and asked, why would I want cheese curds?  I would then tell them I wanted them to make poutine.  Next question: what's poutine?  It's french fries, cheese curds and gravy.  No more questions after that, mostly just a look of disgust or a tip about my health.

Keep in mind that Colorado is considered one of the healthiest, skinniest states in the union.  Add to the equation that I live very near Boulder where people exercise and hike and bike more than they work and you can understand the horror I was instilling in these people.

Eventually I did find cheese curds.  Turns out Longmont isn't as redneck as ya'll think it is.  The Cheese Emporium is a long time business establishment and besides pricey and fancy cheese and olives and such, they have just what I needed to complete my trifecta!  Cheese curds from Wisconsin, or some such cow-filled state.

Unfortunately I can't find anything close to fresh curds.  There are Colorado cheese companies but they don't seem do curds.  So in addition to the obvious problem of freshness, they don't squeak worth a damn.  Something I was really looking forward to hearing.

Nonetheless this creation turned out to be one of the best things I've ever tasted.  Perhaps the only artery-clogging food that even comes close is the cheese stuffed, crispy-fried chile relleno.  Something that is far more accessible in this area than traditional French-Canadian cuisine.  No matter!  Let the poutine search continue.