Remember the big marketing push behind ‘Quark’ in the mid 20-teens? Then it faded from our culinary awareness here in the West. But I think it’s overdue for a comeback, as a healthy, fermented, nutrition-dense food for the mid 2020s!
Quark is traditionally eaten for breakfast in Scandinavia – often with fresh or preserved fruits…
What it is…
Depending on the concentration of the quark you buy, it can be crumbly, firm, satiny or even drink-able… Great for a wide variety of applications. It’s kind of like cross between tofu and yogurt – serving all the applications covered by both.
Quark is described by Health Canada as being, “of high nutritional value due to its high concentration of proteins. Casein contains various levels of all the essential amino acids although it is relatively low in sulfur-containing amino acids.”
That’s an understatement, at least according to healthy eating authorities…
Shtayburne Farm Creamery, of Rock Stream New York, a manufacturer and big promoter of quark, says: “If you’re looking for a healthy high-protein food that’s creamy, low in sugar, and works in both sweet and savory dishes, quark cheese stands out.”
Multiple health benefits
Grahams Family Dairy, another quark booster, lists the key health benefits of the stuff:
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- High in protein
- Rich in vitamins
- Low in fat
- Low in salt
- Low in sugar
- Supports the nervous system
- Supports gut health
Gets along with everybody…
Quark is also remarkable among dairy foods that often play a supporting role in dishes, in that it gets along equally well with sweet and savory – and pretty much any collaboration of the basic flavours.
It’s naturally nutty and a bit tangy. Not unlike plain yogurt. The flavour, overall, is described by aficio-nados as on the mild side: “When used in sweet recipes, the tang gives [them] a rich, cheesecake style taste. The flavor is mild enough that it doesn’t interfere with whatever you are adding it to.”
Unlike traditional cream cheese, quark is lighter – more like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt in dens-ity. But unlike cottage cheese, it boasts a smooth, silky consistency.
My take
Quark has all the qualities I cherish in cream cheese and yogurt. And none of textural issues that make me tend to steer clear of cottage cheese… And it falls neatly in the middle, price wise, at about $1.20 / 100 g. Yogurt averages about $1.00 / 100 g. And cream cheese ranges from $1.60 to $2.55 / 100 g, depending on brand, with spreadable types costing at least $0.20 more / 100 g.
So there’s no reason not to try multi-talented, super-healthy quark!
~ Maggie J.