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Quark or quarg is a type of fresh dairy product made from milk. The milk is soured, usually by adding lactic acid bacteria cultures, and strained once the desired curdling is achieved. It can be classified as fresh acid-set cheese. Traditional quark can be made without rennet, but in modern dairies small quantities of rennet are typically added. It is soft, white and unaged, and usually has no salt added. It is traditional in the cuisines of
Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...
, Germanic and Slavic-speaking countries. Dictionaries sometimes translate it as curd cheese, cottage cheese,
farmer cheese In the United States, farmer cheese (also farmer's cheese or farmers' cheese) is pressed curds, an unripened cheese made by adding rennet and bacterial starter to coagulate and acidify milk. Farmer cheese may be made from the milk of cows ...
or junket. In Germany, quark and cottage cheese are considered to be different types of
fresh cheese There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most com ...
and quark is often not considered cheese at all, while in Eastern Europe cottage cheese is usually viewed as a type of quark (e.g. Russian for cottage cheese is "зернёный творог" ''zernyony tvorog'', literally "grainy quark"). Quark is similar to French fromage blanc. It is distinct from Italian ricotta because ricotta ( Italian "recooked") is made from scalded whey. Quark is somewhat similar to yogurt cheeses such as the South Asian ''chak(k)a'', the Arabic labneh, and the Central Asian suzma or kashk, but while these products are obtained by straining
yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bac ...
(milk fermented with thermophile bacteria), quark is made from soured milk fermented with mesophile bacteria.


Name

Quark is possibly described by Tacitus in his book '' Germania'' as ''lac concretum'' ("thick milk"), eaten by
Germanic peoples The Germanic peoples were historical groups of people that once occupied Central Europe and Scandinavia during antiquity and into the early Middle Ages. Since the 19th century, they have traditionally been defined by the use of ancient and ear ...
. However, this could also have meant soured milk or any other kind of
fresh cheese There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most com ...
or fermented milk product. Although quark is sometimes referred to loosely as a type of " cottage cheese", they can be distinguished by the different production aspects and textural quality, with the cottage cheese grains described as more chewy or meaty.


Etymology

The word ''Quark'' (Late
Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. Hig ...
: ''quarc'', ''twarc'', ''zwarg''; Lower Saxon: ''dwarg''), with usage in German documented since the 14th century, is thought to derive from a West Slavic equivalent, such as Lower Sorbian ''twarog'', Upper Sorbian ''twaroh'', Polish ''twaróg'', Czech and Slovak ''tvaroh''. The word is also cognate with Russian ''tvorog'' () and Belarusian: ''tvaroh'' (тварог). The original Old Slavonic ''tvarogъ'' (тварогъ) is supposed to be related to the Church Slavonic ''творъ'', tr. ''tvor'', meaning "form".; Vasmer, Max (1953-1958) ''Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. Winter'', Heidelberg. The meaning can thus be interpreted as "milk that solidified and took a form". The word formation is thus similar to that of the Italian ''formaggio'' and
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
''fromage''. ;More cognates and forms The Slavic words may also be cognate with the Greek name for cheese, ''τῡρός'' (''tūrós''). A cognate term for quark, ''túró'', is used in Hungarian. Cognates also occur in Scandinavia ( Danish ''kvark'', Norwegian and Swedish ''kvarg'') and the Netherlands ( Dutch ''kwark''). The
Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th ...
form is . Other German forms include ''Quarck'', and ''Quaergel'' (''Quärgel'').Christian Samuel Theodor Bernd. ''Die deutsche Sprache in dem Herzogthume Posen und einem Theile des angrenzenden Königreiches Polen''. Bonn, 1820, p. 227
Der Qua(o)rk
(in German).


Other names

In several languages quark is also known as "white cheese" (french: fromage blanc, southern german: Weißkäse or , he, גבינה לבנה, translit=gevina levana, lt, baltas sūris, pl, biały ser, sr, beli sir, italic=yes), as opposed to any rennet-set "yellow cheese". Another French name for it is '' fromage frais'' (fresh cheese), where the difference to ''fromage blanc'' is defined by French legislation: a product named ''fromage frais'' must contain live cultures when sold, whereas with ''fromage blanc'' fermentation has been halted. In Swiss French, it is usually called ''séré''. In Israel, ''gevina levana'' denotes the creamy variety similar to the German types of quark. The firmer version which was introduced to Israel during the Aliyah of the 1990s by immigrants from the former Soviet Union is differentiated as ''tvorog''. In Austria, the name ''Topfen'' ( pot cheese) is common. In
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
, it is called ''plattekaas'' (runny cheese). In Finnish, it is known as ''rahka'', while in
Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also * ...
as ''kohupiim'' (foamy milk), in Lithuanian as ''varškės sūris'' (curd cheese), in
Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...
it is frequently called ''cир'', and in Latvian is known as ''biezpiens'' (thick milk). Its Italian name is ''giuncata'' or ''cagliata'' (curd). Among the Albanians quark is known as ''gjizë''.


Production

Quark is a member of the acid-set cheese group, whose
coagulation Coagulation, also known as clotting, is the process by which blood changes from a liquid to a gel, forming a blood clot. It potentially results in hemostasis, the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel, followed by repair. The mechanism ...
mainly relies on the acidity produced by lactic acid bacteria feeding on the lactose. But moderate amounts of rennet have also been in use, both at the home consumption level and the industrial level. Manufacture of quark normally uses pasteurized skim milk as the main ingredient, but cream can be added later to adjust fat content. The lactic acid bacteria are introduced in the form of
mesophilic A mesophile is an organism that grows best in moderate temperature, neither too hot nor too cold, with an optimum growth range from . The optimum growth temperature for these organisms is 37°C. The term is mainly applied to microorganisms. Org ...
'' Lactococcus'' starter cultures. In the dairy industry today, quark is mostly produced with a small quantity of rennet, added after the culture when the solution is still only slightly acidic (ph 6.1). The solution will then continue to acidify, allowed to reach an approximate pH of 4.6. At this point, the acidity causes the casein proteins in the milk to begin precipitating. In Germany, it is continuously stirred to prevent hardening, resulting in a thick, creamy texture. According to German regulations on cheese (''Käseverordnung''), "fresh cheeses" (''Frischkäse'') such as quark or cottage cheese must contain at least 73% water in the fat-free component. German quark is usually sold in plastic tubs. This type of quark has the firmness of
sour cream Sour cream (in North American English, Australian English and New Zealand English) or soured cream (British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial cultu ...
but is slightly drier, resulting in a somewhat crumbly texture (like ricotta). Basic quark contains about 0.2% fat; this basic quark or skimmed quark (''Magerquark'') must under German law have less than 10% fat by dry mass. Quark with higher fat content is made by adding cream after cooling. It has a smooth and creamy texture, and is slightly sweet (unlike sour cream). A firmer version called ''Schichtkäse'' (layer cheese) is often used for baking. Schichtkäse is distinguished from quark by having an added layer of cream sandwiched between two layers of quark. Quark may be flavored with herbs, spices, or fruit. In general, the dry mass of quark has 1% to 40% fat; most of the rest is
protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...
(80% of which is casein),
calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...
, and phosphate. In the 19th century, there was no industrial production of quark (as end-product) and it was produced entirely for home use. In the traditional home-made process, the milk would be allowed to let stand until it soured naturally by the presence of naturally occurring bacteria, although the hardening could be encouraged with the addition of some rennet. 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 a muslin bag or a loosely woven cotton gauze called
cheesecloth Cheesecloth is a loose-woven gauze-like carded cotton cloth used primarily in cheesemaking and cooking. Grades Cheesecloth is available in at least seven different grades, from open to extra-fine weave. Grades are distinguished by the numb ...
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. Variations in quark preparation occur across different regions of Germany and Austria. Most of the Austrian and other Central and Eastern European varieties contain less whey and are therefore drier and more solid than the German and Scandinavian ones. In the Netherlands, many products labelled "kwark" are not based on quark as described in this article (fresh acid-set cheese), but instead a thick yogurt-like product made using yogurt bacteria (such as ''Streptococcus thermophilus'' and ''Lactobacillus acidophilus'') in a quicker process using a centrifuge. Under Russian governmental regulations, ''tvorog'' is distinguished from cheeses, and classified as a separate type of dairy product. Typical ''tvorog'' usually contain 65–80% water out of the total mass.


Common uses

Various cuisines feature quark as an ingredient for appetizers, salads, main dishes, side dishes and desserts. In Germany, quark is sold in cubic plastic tubs and usually comes in three different varieties, ''Magerquark'' (skimmed quark, <10% fat by dry mass.), "regular" quark (20% fat in dry mass) and ''Sahnequark'' ("creamy quark", 40% fat in dry mass) with added cream. Similar gradations in fat content are also common in Eastern Europe. While ''Magerquark'' is often used for baking or is eaten as breakfast with a side of fruit or muesli, ''Sahnequark'' also forms the basis of a large number of quark desserts (called ''Quarkspeise'' when homemade or ''Quarkdessert'' when sold in German). Much like yoghurts in some parts of the world, these foods mostly come with fruit flavoring (''Früchtequark'', fruit quark), sometimes with vanilla and are often also simply referred to as quark.


Dishes in Germanic-speaking areas

One common use for quark is in making cheesecake called ''Käsekuchen'' or ''Quarkkuchen'' in Germany. Quark cheesecake is called ''Topfenkuchen'' in Austria. The ''Quarktorte'' in Switzerland may be equivalent, though this has also been described as a torte that combines quark and cream. In neighboring Netherlands there is a different variant; these cakes, called ''kwarktaart'' in Dutch, usually have a cookie crumb crust, and the quark is typically mixed with whipped cream, gelatine, and
sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...
. These cakes do not require baking or frying, but instead are placed in the refrigerator to firm up. They may be made with quark or with the yogurt-like quark that is common in the Netherlands (see above). In Austria, ''Topfen'' is commonly used in baking in popular desserts like ''Topfenkuchen'' as already mentioned, Topfenstrudel and Topfen-Palatschinken (a form of crepes). Quark is also often used as an ingredient for sandwiches, salads, and savory dishes. Quark, vegetable oil and wheat flour are the ingredients of a popular kind of
dough Dough is a thick, malleable, sometimes elastic paste made from grains or from leguminous or chestnut crops. Dough is typically made by mixing flour with a small amount of water or other liquid and sometimes includes yeast or other leavenin ...
, called ''Quarkölteig'', used in German cuisine as an alternative to
yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constit ...
-leavened dough in home baking, since it is considerably easier to handle and requires no rising period. The resulting baked goods look and taste very similar to yeast-leavened goods, although they do not last as long and are thus usually consumed immediately after baking. In Germany, quark mixed with chopped onions and herbs such as parsley and chives is called ''Kräuterquark''. Kräuterquark is commonly eaten with boiled potatoes and has some similarity to tzatziki which is based on yoghurt. Quark with linseed oil and potatoes is the national dish of the Sorbs in
Lusatia Lusatia (german: Lausitz, pl, Łużyce, hsb, Łužica, dsb, Łužyca, cs, Lužice, la, Lusatia, rarely also referred to as Sorbia) is a historical region in Central Europe, split between Germany and Poland. Lusatia stretches from the Bóbr ...
and an iconic dish in
Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 squ ...
and parts of
Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a ...
. Quark also has been used among Ashkenazi
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
.


Slavic and Baltic countries

Desserts using quarks (Russian: ''tvorog'', etc.) in Slavic regions include the ''tvarohovník'' in Slovakia, ''tvarožník'' in Czech Republic, ''sernik'' in Poland, and ''syrnyk'' in Ukraine) and cheese pancakes ('' syrnyky'' in Russia and Ukraine). In Poland, ''twaróg'' is mixed with mashed potatoes to produce a filling for '' pierogi''. ''Twaróg'' is also used to make gnocchi-shaped dumplings called '' leniwe pierogi'' ("lazy pierogi"). Ukrainian recipes for ''
varenyky Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Easte ...
'' or ''lazy varenyky'' are similar but ''tvorog'' and mashed potatoes are different fillings which are usually not mixed together. In Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, ''tvorog'' (Russian: творог) is highly popular and is bought frequently by almost every family. In Russian families, it is especially recommended for growing babies. It can be enjoyed simply with sour cream, or jam, sugar, sugar condensed milk, or as a breakfast food. It is often used as a stuffing in '' blinchiki'' offered at many fast-food restaurants. It is also commonly used as the base for making Easter cakes. It is mixed with eggs, sugar, raisins and nuts and dried into a solid pyramid-shaped mass called '' paskha''. The mass can also be fried, then known as '' syrniki''. In Latvia, quark is eaten savory mixed with sour cream and scallions on
rye bread Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat ...
or with potatoes. In desserts, quark is commonly baked into ''biezpiena plātsmaize'', a crusted sheet cake baked with or without raisins. A sweetened treat '' biezpiena sieriņš'' (small curd cheese) is made of small sweetened blocks of quark dipped in chocolate. Estonian Quark is evaluated on olfaction, vision, taste, after taste, and texture and is distributed nationally as well as to nearby regions. File:Cheese blintzes with blackberries.jpg, '' Blintzes'' / ''naleśniki'' filled with quark and garnished with blackberries File:Pierogi leniwe 3538.jpg, ''Lazy vareniki'' / ''lazy pierogi'' File:Paskha2.jpg, Russian '' paskha'' File:Oberlausitzer Quarkkeulchen.JPG, Saxon '' Quarkkäulchen'' served with hot
sour cherries ''Prunus cerasus'' (sour cherry, tart cherry, or dwarf cherry) is a species of ''Prunus'' in the subgenus '' Cerasus'' (cherries), native to much of Europe and southwest Asia. It is closely related to the sweet cherry (''Prunus avium''), but ...
File:Kartoffeln-quark.jpg, Boiled potatoes with quark and herbs (Germany) File:Noodle_Kugel.jpg, Noodle '' kugel'' with quark and raisins File:Syr-domashnij.jpg, '' Túrós csusza'' File:Vatrushka.jpg, '' Vatrushka'' File:Pyrig.jpg, '' Pirog'' with quark and beet greens filling File:Pyrig 046.jpg, '' Pirozhki'' stuffed with quark and herbs File:Tisto.jpg, Quark rings ''( Pączki serowe)'' File:Varskes surelis2.jpg, Quark chocolate snack


Availability in other countries

Although common in continental Europe, manufacturing of quark is rare in the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...
. A few dairies manufacture it, such as the Vermont Creamery in
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...
, and some specialty retailers carry it. Lifeway Foods manufactures a product under the title "
farmer cheese In the United States, farmer cheese (also farmer's cheese or farmers' cheese) is pressed curds, an unripened cheese made by adding rennet and bacterial starter to coagulate and acidify milk. Farmer cheese may be made from the milk of cows ...
" which is available in a variety of metropolitan locations with Jewish, as well as former
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
populations. Elli Quark, a Californian manufacturer of quark, offers soft quark in different flavors. In Canada, the firmer East European variety of quark is manufactured by Liberté Natural Foods; a softer German-style quark is manufactured in the
Didsbury, Alberta Didsbury is a town in central Alberta, Canada at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is located next to Alberta Highway 2A, near the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. Didsbury is within the Calgary-Edmonton corridor. Didsbury is approximately t ...
, plant of Calgary-based Foothills Creamery. Glengarry Fine Cheesemaking in Lancaster (Eastern Ontario) also produces Quark. Also available in Canada is the very similar Dry Curd Cottage Cheese manufactured by Dairyland. Quark may also be available as ''baking cheese'', ''pressed cottage cheese'', or '' fromage frais''. In
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
, Ukrainian traditional quark is produced by Blue Bay Cheese in the Mornington Peninsula. It is also sometimes available from supermarkets labelled as quark or quarg. In
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
, European traditional Kwark is produced by Karikaas in North Canterbury. It is available in 350 g pots and available online and in speciality stores such as Moore Wilsons. In the United Kingdom, fat-free quark is produced by several independent manufacturers based throughout the country. All the big four supermarkets in the UK sell their own branded quark, as well as other brands of quark. In Finland, quark (''rahka'') is commonly available in supermarkets, both in plain and flavored forms. It is produced by
Arla Arla may refer to: * Arla (moth), ''Arla'' (moth), a genus of moth * Arkansas Library Association * Arla, Greece, a village * Ärla, a village in south-eastern Sweden * Arla Foods, a large Scandinavian producer of dairy products ** Arla (Finland), ...
, Valio and is also sold under private labels by Kesko and S Group. It is often used as a dessert when mixed with berries and whipped cream.
Karelians Karelians ( krl, karjalaižet, karjalazet, karjalaiset, Finnish: , sv, kareler, karelare, russian: Карелы) are a Finnic ethnic group who are indigenous to the historical region of Karelia, which is today split between Finland and Ru ...
have a dish called ''piimäpiirakka'', which is a quark pie. Nevavesi, Heli. ''Ortodoksisen paaston ja pääsiäisen ruokakulttuuri Raja-Karjalassa syntyneiden keskuudessa ja Valamon luostarissa.'' Savonia AMK 2004. http://portal.savonia.fi/img/amk/sisalto/_tki-ja-palvelut/julkaisutoiminta/pdf/Ortodoksisen_paaston_ja_paasiaisen_ruokakulttuuri_Raja_Karjalassa_koko-teos.pdf


See also

*
Clabber (food) Clabber is a type of soured milk. It is produced by allowing unpasteurized milk to turn sour ( ferment) at a specific humidity and temperature. Over time, the milk thickens or curdles into a yogurt-like consistency with a strong, sour flavor. In ...
* Mizithra * List of ancient dishes and foods *
List of German cheeses Cheeses have played a significant role in German cuisine, both historically and in contemporary times. Germany has by far the highest variety of cheeses worldwide with 9,500 cheeses coming from Germany. Cheeses are incorporated in the preparation ...
* List of cheeses


Explanatory notes


References


Citations


General bibliography

* * .


External links


Instruction on how to make Quark at homeKonditoreja un deserti - recepšu kolekcijas, Receptes.lvMaking Quark at home using buttermilk
{{Authority control Curd Albanian cheeses Acid-set cheeses Slovak cheeses Polish cheeses Ukrainian cheeses Russian cheeses Dutch cheeses German cheeses Lithuanian cheeses Fermented dairy products Israeli cuisine Czech cheeses Belarusian cuisine Latvian cuisine Estonian cuisine French cheeses Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine Austrian cheeses Finnish cheeses ba:Эремсек et:Kohupiim eo:Kazeo sl:Skuta (mlečni izdelek) tt:Eremçek