Sõir, Estonian Quark Cheese with caraway seeds is very known in South Estonia. And this is my father recipe.
Traditionally was it dish for Midsummer and Pentecost.
Do you know, that in Latvian is cheese – Siers and in Russian сыр. And even in English, cheese sound very similar. So, all these cheeses are related 🙂
Important:
quark must be as dry, as possible. And better is fat-free quark
Ricotta is not alternative to use. Make your quark yourself
Be sure your quark is natural and Do NOT consist gelatine or whatever.
Estonian Black Bread is fermented Rye Bread.
For this bread we have even the own word: LEIB.
“white wheat bread” we call “Sai”.
Of course, shops are full of different breads, even with nuts and chocolate.
But some years ago, our first lady Evelin Ilves promoted the homemade bread. So, today, I believe, all Estonian woman has their own home-made bread recipe.
Each estonian eat ca 10 kg white wheat bread and 30 kg black rye bread per year, so Rye bread is very popular and I can say, that this is something very “Estonian”.
24th February is Estonian Independence Day, our republic become 99 years old 🙂
so this is the best day to bake the Estonian traditional rye Leib.
Kohuke- chocolate glazed quark snack is very popular dessert for children breakfast. Estonians can buy from store tens of sorts Kohuke: with different flavours and fillings.
Because of quark, Kohuke is rich of protein and because of chocolate, it is energy bar:)
Impossible to write Estonian food blog without quark.
To be honest, I am not sure, which word is right
quark or curd or fromage blanc.
In each country you get the different product with different acidity, texture, consistent….., because of leavening, milk.
Quark is not
.. riccota. Riccota is made from cheese whey, which give the specific taste and texture
… cream cheese. Cream cheese is made from cream and has different consistent, texture, acidity and usually in cream cheese has added salt
… mascarpone. Mascarpone is not fermented product. Protein is curdled with acid.
Estonian quark is made from skimmed milk and mesophilic starter. This is fat-free and mesophilic means, that quark is fermented on the low temperature.
If you have children, call them to join. To make quark is fun process and lesson about chemistry, cooking, health and fermentation 🙂
A fresh, light, homemade natural quark for several dishes
Ingredients
1 litre ” milk”
From 1 litre milk you receive ca 200 g quark.
What to use:
skimmed milk + ca 150 g sour cream
kefir
fermented milk
yoghurt. But! Be sure, that yoghurt is not consist thickeners or stabilizers
NB! DO NOT use products with signs UHT (ultra high temperature), ESL (extended self life), aseptic, thermized… You need living bacteria and natural product.
Directions
1. You need:
hot water bath
thermometer
thigh sieve and (gauze) cloth for straining
And patience
2. Pour ” milk” in to a pot, and put pot in to hot water bath. Ideal temperature is 55 C- 65 C. Water bath is not necessary. And if you want result quicker (for example you making lesson for kids:)), do not use water bath but make quark directly on the stove and use higher temperature.Higher temperature gives you less curd, but you get this quicker.
For better result stir as little as possible, and if, then very carefully
Quark is ready when has formed clumps and whey has separated. It takes ca 40 minute.
Meat Jelly, Sült is very good example, how time changes the meaning of some food. In old times Sült was winter time food. Because it takes 4-6 hours to cook it and this will heat the kitchen hot. Because in old times for winter was left only pork legs and heads, which are suitable for cooking Sült. It was “poor” food. Today all ladies know, how important is collagen…
Today, for me, this is perfect summer dish. Sült is cold and with cold cottage cheese sauce and boiled fresh potatoes.. yummy 🙂
Meat Jelly. Sült
My father still cooking Sült himself. It is very complicated to cook Sült only for 2 persons and still you need very large pot. So, I buy sült in summer time from culinary. And in winter time, I get it from my father. This is my father recipe.
Estonians have not “street food”, because our mothers and grandmothers and their mothers said: this is impolite to eat in street.
Liver pate is quite “street food”, because this is good to have sandwich with pate for example in forest or just outside. Add some salted cucumber and.. delicious!
From first Advent until Chrstimas every night Estonian children put their shoe on their windowsill, because Päkapikud (little elfs) starts visits good children and brings at night in to the child slipper, some candy.
Today there are of course discussions:) Is it good idea, that “Päkapikud” leave candy, maybe it should be carrot or raisins 🙂
And what about “not good” children. But anyway, christmas time is started and this is means Piparkook!
In Estonian, Piparkook means, in direct translation – pepper cake. So, nothing about ginger 🙂 Continue reading “Gingerbreads. Piparkoogid.”
Homemade Sauerkraut, Fermented Cabbage, Hapukapsas is very important and popular dish in Estonia during autumn winter time and mandatory food during Christmas time.
In ancient time, Hapukapsas and cranberries were only sources of C vitamin, during winter time.
Sauerkraut is fermented food and this is not only source of vitamin, this is source of probiotic bacterium and this is excellent for your health.
By the way, ancient Estonians believed, that Sauerkraut succeed best, during New Moon. So, 7th of December is right time to test it 🙂
Sõir, Estonian Quark Cheese with caraway seeds is very known in South Estonia. And this is my father recipe.
