Quark (cheese)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Quark (disambiguation).
Polish twaróg in the traditional wedge shape
German quark in its usual creamy form

Quark (or qvark) is a fresh cheese of Central European origin[citation needed]. Dictionaries usually translate it as curd cheese. It is soft, white and un-aged, similar to fromage frais. It is not the same thing as cream cheese or cottage cheese. It is distinct from ricotta because ricotta (Italian: recooked) is made from scalded whey. It usually has much lower fat content (about the same as yogurt) than cream cheeses and has no salt added.

Contents

[edit] Production

Quark is a member of the acid set cheese group, meaning it is traditionally made without the aid of rennet.[1] In dairies today, it is made with rennet.[2] Because quark is consumed without aging, in the United States the milk must first be pasteurized. Once the milk is ready, lactic acid bacteria are added in the form of mesophilic lactococcus starter culture.[3][4] Acidification continues until the pH reaches 4.6, which causes precipitation of the casein proteins. In Germany, the curd is continuously stirred to prevent it from getting hard, resulting in a thick, creamy texture. Quark is usually sold in plastic tubs with most or all of the whey. This type of quark has the texture of sour cream, but slightly dryer, and contains in its basic form about 0.2 % fat. Quark with higher fat content is made by adding cream, and is often sold flavored with herbs, spices, or fruit.

To make the firmer eastern European version, a small amount of rennet may be added to make the curd firmer. Some or most of the whey is removed to standardize the quark to the desired thickness. Traditionally, this is done by hanging the cheese in loosely woven cotton gauze called cheesecloth and letting the whey drip off, which gives quark its distinctive shape of a wedge with rounded edges. In industrial production, however, cheese is separated from whey in a centrifuge and later formed into blocks. The Polish, Lithuanian and Austrian varieties contain less whey and are therefore drier and more solid than varieties common in other countries.

Quark consists of 60% to 80% water. Dry mass has 1% to 40% fat; most of the rest is protein (80% of which is casein), calcium, and phosphate.

[edit] Applications

German Käsekuchen, made with quark
Ukrainian Vareniki. They are like Russian Pelmeni, but with Quark filling (particularly)

Quark is often used as an ingredient for sandwiches, salads, and a kind of cake similar to cheesecake, called "Käsekuchen" in Germany[5] and "kwarktaart" in the Netherlands. In these cakes, the quark is typically mixed with eggs, milk or cream, and sugar, and baked.[6][7][8] Quark flavored with vanilla or fruit is used as a dessert in the Netherlands[9][10][11] and Germany.[12]

[edit] Name

The name comes from the German Quark, which in turn is derived from the Slavic tvarog, (Polish twaróg, Belarusian тварог, Russian творог, Czech and Slovak tvaroh, and Hungarian túró) which means "curd." In Austria the name Topfen ("pot cheese") is used instead of Quark, while in Estonian, it is known as kohupiim ("foamy milk"). In Flanders it is called as platte kaas ("flat cheese"), while the Dutch use the name kwark.

The cheese is also known simply as "white cheese" (Polish: ser biały, Lithuanian: Baltas sūris, Southern Germany: Weißkäse or weißer Käs, Hebrew: Gvina Levana גבינה לבנה, Serbian: beli sir), as opposed to any rennet-set "yellow cheese." Quark is first described by Tacitus in his book Germania as lac concretum, "thick milk," eaten by Germanic peoples.[13]

[edit] Availability

Although common in Europe, manufacturing of quark is rare in the United States. A few dairies manufacture it and some specialty retailers carry it.[14][15] In Canada quark (firmer East European variety) is available as "baking cheese"[16]

In India the Amul co-operative dairy products co sells Shrikhand and labels it as Quark[citation needed].

In Russia (and in almost all former USSR countries) quark is known as tvorog. This type of fresh white cheese is highly popular and is bought frequently by almost every family. As a result, tvorog is a member of the official minimal basket of foods.[17]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fox, Patrick F (2004). Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology. Volume 1: General Aspects (3rd ed.). Academic Press. ISBN 978-0122636523. 
  2. ^ In Molkereien produzierter Quark wird meist mit Lab hergestellt.(Quark produced in dairies is usually made with rennet.)
  3. ^ Jelen, P.; A. Renz-Schauen (1989). "Quark manufacturing innovations and their effect on quality, nutritive value and consumer acceptance". Food Technology 43 (3): 74. 
  4. ^ Shah, N.; P. Jelen (1991). "Lactose absorption by postweaning rats from Yoghurt, Quark, and Quark whey" (PDF). Journal of Dairy Science 74: 1512–1520. http://jds.fass.org/cgi/reprint/74/5/1512.pdf. 
  5. ^ Also "Quarkkuchen"; in Switzerland it is called "Quarktorte" and in Austria "Topfenkuchen."
  6. ^ Leckere Käsekuchen: Vom Klassiker bis zur Torte. Otus Verlag. 2003. ISBN 9783907194751. 
  7. ^ Kersting, Claudia; Erwin Neu (2001). Hallo Niedersachsen kocht: Ein kulinarisches Lesebuch. Schlütersche. p. 41. ISBN 9783877068540. http://books.google.com/books?id=jti6wvrl-bIC. 
  8. ^ Rönner, Josef (2006). Backen mit Trennkost. Schlütersche. p. 80. ISBN 9783899940565. http://books.google.com/books?id=xCv-sxOG9uUC. 
  9. ^ Coccinella, C.. Mijn Jack Russell IS mijn Kind. Wwaow. p. 75. ISBN 9789090236063. http://books.google.com/books?id=CSPvq035u8gC. 
  10. ^ Blommestein, I. van (2002). Toetjes & desserts. Inmerc. p. 13, 74. ISBN 9789066114487. http://books.google.com/books?id=FkB6ONiCbq0C. 
  11. ^ Duquesnoy, C.; F. van Wijk (ills.) (2002). Toveren met toetjes. Inmerc. p. 67. ISBN 9789066112681. http://books.google.com/books?id=eAExuFat0AUC. 
  12. ^ In German this is called "Quarkdessert." See Grell, Monika (1999). Unterrichtsrezepte. Beltz. p. 156. ISBN 9783407220080. 
  13. ^ Tacitus: De origine et situ Germanorum (Germania), par. 23
  14. ^ "Appel Farms Traditional Quark (Green Label)". GermanDeli.com. http://www.germandeli.com/040817010014.html. Retrieved on 2008-06-19. 
  15. ^ "Cows' Milk Cheeses". Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Store. http://butterandcheese.net/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/scstore/c-CowsBS_Milk_Cheese.html?L+scstore+zkmf6271ff384538+1199675875. Retrieved on 2008-06-19. 
  16. ^ "Baker's special". Western Creamery. http://www.westerncreamery.com/en/products_bs.html. Retrieved on 2008-06-19. 
  17. ^ "Minimal basket of goods" - Rossiyskaya Gazeta

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark_(cheese)"
Personal tools