Cheese curds are the fresh, unaged solid pieces of curdled milk formed early in cheesemaking, before pressing and aging turn them into a firm block of cheese. They are eaten on their own as a snack, with a mild, slightly tangy taste and a squeak that fades within a day or two as the curds dry out, and are best known as the cheese used in Canadian poutine, alongside fries and gravy. Fresh cheese curds are also a specialty snack food in Wisconsin and other Midwestern U.S. dairy regions.