Cheese curds are the curds of milk that result from the earliest part of the cheese-making process. They are made with fresh pasteurized milk which is treated with bacterial culture and rennet, which causes the curd and whey to separate. The curd is cut into cubes, cooked, and pressed, and the whey is drained off.
Cheese curds are popular in cheese-producing areas of Canada and the United States, where they are prized for their freshness. When consumed within a day of production, cheese curds have a springy, bouncy texture and make a distinctive "squeak" sound against the teeth when chewed.