Vermont Quark (Jersey Girls Dairy)
- Producer
- Jersey Girls Dairy
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Vermont
- Weight
- 8 oz
- Website
- www.jerseygirlsdairy.com
- Milk
- Cow
- Treatment
- Pasteurised
- Classification
- Soft
- Rennet
- Vegetable
- Rind
- None
- Style
- Fresh
Jersey Girls Dairy was opened in 1999 by real “Jersey girl” Lisa Kaiman. Lisa first milked cows as an aspiring veterinarian, then spent eight years working on other people’s farms before buying an old farmhouse in Chester, Vermont. Soon after, she was milking two dozen Jersey Cows and selling the raw milk to neighbors and to other Vermont cheesemakers. Today Lisa has a full scale pasteurizing and bottling line, and is selling milk, veal, eggs and cheese on-site as well as in markets as far away as New York City.
Quark is a soft, fresh skimmed milk cheese that is traditional in parts of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. This version is made on-site in Chester, Vermont in small batches from Lisa’s skimmed, pasteurized Jersey Cow’s milk. Each eight-ounce container is packaged by hand.
Tasting Notes
Vermont Quark resembles ricotta in appearance, but it’s thicker and firmer in texture. Smell is slightly tangy and sour, reminiscent of butter and buttercream frosting. Flavor exhibits a tart, tangy acidity that makes us think of lemon meringue pie. When tanginess fades, buttery flavors linger.
Pairings
We’d eat this with granola and honey on peaches in the morning, or spread over a bagel. Lisa also suggests using her quark to make a “crazy good cheesecake.”
