•Made from pasteurized cow's milk

•Country of origin: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and United States

•Family: Cottage

•Type: fresh soft, artisan

•Texture: creamy and smooth

•Rind: rindless

•Colour: white

•Flavour: mild, milky

•Aroma: milky, sweet

•Vegetarian: yes

•Coagulant: non-animal rennet

•Synonyms: Tvorog, Twaróg, Quarck, Qark, Tyros, Tyr, Turo, Tvarog, Topfen, Plattekaas, Kwark, Kvark

Quark (or quarg) is a traditional, creamy, vegetarian, fresh dairy product tracing its origin to German-speaking and Eastern European countries. It is known by many names, chief among them being творог in Russian, tvaroh in Czech and Slovak, topfen in Austria, kwark in Dutch, kvark in Denmark and kvarg in Norway and Sweden. Quark is said to be a cross between yoghurt and cottage cheese.

This fresh, soft, white curd cheese is prepared from pasteurised cow's milk with a small amount of rennet added to achieve a good, firm curd. However, traditional quark is a purely fresh dairy product and does not make use of rennet.

It is moist, snowy white in colour with a subtle taste and smooth & soft texture. Its texture is similar to that of cream cheese, pot cheese or ricotta, with a fat content ranging from low to medium. Quark is usually sold in plastic tubs with most or all of the whey. The flavour is reminiscent of sour cream with the seasonings of herbs, spices or fruits. The quark makes a great base for many recipes, such as cheesecake, pasta, creamy sauces, sandwiches, salads and desserts. It pairs well with Champagne, White sparkling, Pacherenc-du-vic-bilh White, Coteaux-du-layon White, Monbazillac White and Cadillac White.

Quark is also produced outside their respective native countries, such as in Australia and the United States.

•Made from cow's milk

•Country of origin: Italy

•Region: Veneto, Trentino

•Type: hard

•Fat content: 34-48%

•Texture: compact, crumbly, open and smooth

•Rind: natural

•Colour: yellow

•Flavour: full-flavored, mild, milky, sharp

•Aroma: pungent

•Vegetarian: no

Asiago DOP (protected designation of origin) is a cow's milk cheese produced only on the Asiago plateau in the Veneto foothills in Italy. The cheese-making tradition in the provinces of Vicenza and Trento dates back more than a thousand years. Traditionally, it was made from sheep's milk, but today it is produced from unpasteurised cow's milk.

The texture of Asiago DOP differs according to its ageing period. There are two types of Asiago - fresh Asiago (Asiago Pressato) has a smooth texture, while aged Asiago (Asiago d'allevo) has a crumbly texture. Asiago d’allevo is matured for different time periods; Mezzano for 4-6 months, Vecchio for more than ten months and Stravecchio for two years. On the other hand, Asiago Pressato made with whole milk, is matured for a month and sold fresh as a softer, milder cheese.