Most Madisonians will agree that, in the warm months, the best place to feed your cheese curd addiction is at the Farmer’s Market on the square. But here at the tail end of the cold season, this Madisonian had a serious yen for those fresh squeaky orange and white nuggets of pleasure. So began my quest for the best curds in the cold.

The Madison area is home to several cheese shops; surprisingly, not all of which carry curds. How was I to choose which few to try for this little experiment? I decided on Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet (DeForest) and Mousehouse Cheesehaus (Windsor) because those are the two I’ve repeatedly heard recommended by locals. Then I threw in Brennan’s Country Farm Market & Liquor Store (Madison West) into the mix because I’ve always found them to carry top-tier produce but had yet to get around to sampling their cheese curds.

First stop: Brennan’s. The store was arranged beautifully, with samples of practically everything as far as the eye can see. And by everything I mean piles upon piles of produce and cheese. The cashier was one of those wonderfully happy types, overflowing with compliments and smiles for every customer, practically out of a movie. The curds cost $6.99 per pound. Presentation: 5 stars.

Next stop: Ehlenbach’s. This is a classy German shop, right down to the cuckoo clocks for sale on the wall. They focus so heavily on cheese that there’s even a giant cow statue out front. You can ask for sample after sample from the friendly cashiers. Also available are lots of preserves, candies, and sausage. Cheese curds here are priced at $6.98 per pound. The store was virtually deserted, unlike the other two shops. Presentation: 4 stars.

Final stop: Mousehouse. Not as classy as the others, this shop has more of a truck stop feel with all the candies and miscellaneous stuff they sell. There’s wine and a good fudge selection, if that’s your game. Samples galore. Some set out and some you need to ask the staff for. The people here are surprisingly cheerful for how busy they are. At $5 per 12 ounces, the curds are cheaper here than the other shops. Presentation: 3 stars.

All curds acquired, I borrowed a friend and began a blind taste test with gusto. We let the curds sit at room temperature for about an hour (like the locals do, don’tyaknow?) and got to business. We took turns feeding each other a curd from each bag with the eater’s eyes shut so they wouldn’t know which it had come from. Our conclusions were in sync: Brennan’s got three stars. Ehlenbach’s got three stars. Between the two, we both thought Brennan’s was a little better. Mousehouse got four stars, the winner!

Now, I wouldn’t suggest skipping the Farmer’s Market. There are so many tasty treats and it’s a great excuse to get outside on a warm day. It’s a Madison tradition for good reason. But during the cold season, I recommend Mousehouse Cheesehaus to satisfy your curd craving.