Whenever people from the edges of the country come to visit me in the Midwest, I don't let them leave until they have tried deep-fried cheese curds.
If you're not familiar with them, cheese curds are a byproduct of the cheddar cheese-making process, and "deep frying" is a method by which anything is made into a better version of itself.
You can find deep-fried cheese curds all over the states surrounding Wisconsin. But today we're eating the exceptional beer-battered ones from in Chicago.
Peter: Some say that the sweet potato is nature's perfect food, because it's packed with vitamins. Well, $&*&% you, Nature, this is mine.
Eva: Whoever invented these should win an Oscar. I don't care if it doesn't fit. The academy should make an exception.
![Robert is transfixed.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4ea11e2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/618x464+0+0/resize/880x661!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2015%2F04%2F27%2Fimg_5100-3ca234c6147719a27ee666d30b1dcc65d1b6d679.jpg)
Miles: No one let the cheese curds know that I brought a salad for lunch — I don't want to look like a nerd in front of them.
Jeanette: I appreciate any food item that oils my cuticles as I eat. It's my ideal spa experience.
Ian: I like how non-fried cheese can now be considered a Healthful Alternative.
Miles: In the Midwestern version of the Bible, the serpent tempts Eve with cheese curds. It's called Wiscon-Original-Sin.
![Sistine Chapel close-up.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/92f7ac6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/614x460+0+0/resize/880x659!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2015%2F04%2F27%2Fimg_5098-72f94c39ec76cae8e829133063a68135842f49b9.jpg)
Peter: No just God would punish her for giving in.
Eva: Little Miss Muffet can no longer sit on her tuffet. What is a tuffet?
![Miles attacks.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2f03a0b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/613x459+0+0/resize/880x659!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2015%2F04%2F27%2Fimg_5176-f2720b5b25662179b63438122615a6ecd0a1d2d7.jpg)
Peter: I don't know, but if you batter and deep-fry it, I'll fight you for it.
Ian: These are so delicious that when you think about them shortening your life, you only worry about it because it means less time to eat cheese curds.
Peter: I had deep-fried cheese curds on an early date with my ex-wife. I realize now what I really fell in love with.
![Cheese, improved.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/caefa1f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x436+0+0/resize/880x659!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2015%2F04%2F27%2Fimg_5182-5788091c394fc9bddc0eb48deb8134fd8a151906.jpg)
Eva: The last cheese curd is the No. 1 cause of murder among dear friends.
[The verdict: a perfect food.]
Sandwich Monday is a satirical feature from the humorists at Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!
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