Field Trip: Cuba Cheese

On our last trip to Western New York we decided to take an afternoon food tour. Silka grew up in an area that has active dairy scene- the two biggest claims to dairy fame being Cuba Cheese and Friendship Dairy- so one of our priorities was a stop at the famous Cuba Cheese Shoppe. 

While we've always thought of Wisconsin as the home of American cheese (not that gross "cheese stuff"- we're talking real Cheddar here), Cuba was actually the heart of the industry until the mid-twentieth century. Fun fact: from the late 1800’s till the mid-1900’s the price for the world's cheddar was established in a weekly meeting here. 

At the Cuba Cheese Shoppe we found a variety of wax-coated aged Cheddars plus a bunch of flavored cheeses and cheese spreads (not our style, but we get it). The store also features regional treats like salt-rising bread (our favorite thing ever), Amish canned vegetables and a ton of maple sugar treats. 

After many a taste test, we still love the classic cheese curds the most. A byproduct of making cheddar, the curds have a salty taste and chewy texture that is a perfect snack... one that almost never lasts us the car ride home.