QUARK (CHEESE)

'Quark' (or 'qvark') is a type of fresh cheese of Central European origin. Dictionaries usually translate it as 'curd cheese'. It is soft, white and unaged, similar to cream cheese, pot cheese, or ricotta, and is a member of the acid cheese group. 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 created by adding mesophilic lactococcus starting culture. ⁱⁿ Acidification continues until the pH reaches 4.6, which causes precipitation of the casein proteins. Then a small amount of rennet is 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.
Quark is usually sold in plastic tubs with most or all of the whey. This type of quark has the texture of sour cream and is often sold flavored with herbs, spices, or fruit.
Quark consists of 60% to 80% water. Dry mass ranges from 10% to 40% fat; most of the rest is protein, 80% of which is casein, calcium, and phosphate.
The name comes from the German ''Quark'', which in turn is derived from the Slavic '''tvarog''', (Polish ''twaróg'', Russian ''tvorog'', and Czech and Slovak ''tvaroh'', 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"). 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'') as opposed to any rennet-set "yellow cheese."
The Polish and Lithuanian variety contains less whey and is therefore drier and more solid than varieties common in other countries. It is often used as an ingredient for sandwiches, salads, and cheesecakes.

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References

# Quark manufacturing innovations and their effect on quality, nutritive value and consumer acceptance, P. Jelen and A. Renz-Schauen, , , Food Technology, 1989
# Lactose absorption by postweaning rats from Yoghurt, Quark, and Quark whey, N. Shah and P. Jelen, , , Journal of Dairy Science, 1991
# Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology, Vol. 1, Patrick F Fox, , , Academic Press, 2004, 012263652X

See also

★ Cottage cheese

★ Paneer

★ Rennet

Links

★ Recipe and picture for Topfenknödel (curd dumplings), a delicious Austrian dessert, on www.thepassionatecook.com

★ A recipe for homemade Quark

★ A recipe for homemade Quark without rennet