Wait, what is it? We admit that the phrase “spoonable cheese” is about as appetizing as your mother-in-law’s meatloaf. But think of quark as a creamier version of yogurt. During production, cheesemakers stir curd to stop it from hardening so it produces a thick, rich dairy cream. Only it’s not cheesy or tangy. “Quark has that great creaminess, but the taste is relatively plain,” says chef Peter Sandroni, who mixes quark with roasted garlic and caramelized onions to fill vegetarian pierogies at his Milwaukee restaurant, La Merenda. And while European producers leave in some of the soft, chunky curds, giving quark a texture similar to ricotta, most US brands are stirred to be as smooth as (or smoother than) anything in the yogurt aisle. Who’s making it? Small, local creameries used to be the only place you could find quark, but that’s changing, thanks to two new national brands, Elli Quark and Misha Dairy. Both sell quark in single-serving yogurtlike containers, just like Fage or Chobani, and with sales of Greek yogurt finally dipping for the first time in 6 years, there’s demand for something new. Misha ($3 for a 5.3-oz container) expects to launch in grocery stores by summer 2015. Right now, you can buy Elli at select Whole Foods stores nationwide (suggested retail $2 for a 6-oz container) or online ($12 for a 6-pack, delivering to all US states except Alaska and Hawaii). Though not sold in a grab-and-go yogurt tub, Vermont Creamery also makes quark, which is available at select Northeast grocery stores and online ($13 for three 8-oz containers). MORE: The New Way Milk Can Make You Sick And it’s good for me? Like Greek yogurt, quark is ridiculously high in protein, packing up to 17 g or more per 6 ounces. It’s also just as high in good-for-you probiotics as the Greek stuff. While quark’s calorie, carb, and sugar count is comparable to Greek yogurt, Elli boasts that it can help you cut back on all three by choosing its product: A 6-ounce tub of plain nonfat Elli has 90 calories, 6 g sugar, and 6 g carbs, while the same size of Fage 0% has 100 calories, 7 g sugar, and 7 g carbs. Not huge savings, but it’s something, right? Misha doesn’t make 0% quark, but its 5.3-oz serving of plain 2% has 120 calories and 17 g protein; the same amount of plain 2% Fage Greek yogurt has about 113 calories and 15 g protein, so you get slightly fewer calories with the Fage, but less protein as well. MORE: The Three Best Savory Dairy Foods in the Supermarket These slight differences, though, are no reason to toss the Greek stuff, experts say. From a nutritional standpoint, “quark has more in common with Greek yogurt than these new brands make out,” says Janet Helm, an RD in Chicago. “All are great options, with a similar amount of protein and calories.” The big difference seems to be simply a matter of taste. “For some people, the tartness of Greek yogurt is a barrier,” Helm says. “Quark isn’t tangy or sour, so if that gets people eating it, that’s wonderful.” What about flavored quark? It does exist—Elli makes flavors like bananas foster and sea salt caramel, while Misha offers peach mango, vanilla bean coconut, and more. But nutritionists agree: Stick to the plain. “Elli markets that its flavored quarks have less sugar, but they’re sweetened with stevia, and a lot of people have digestive issues with sugar alcohols,” Helm says. Misha’s flavored quarks contain cornstarch, which can be an allergen for some people, along with some 14 g sugar per flavored container. MORE: Six Big Myths About Greek Yogurt Plain: Roger that. So I should add fruit? For a simple, healthful breakfast or snack, mix plain quark with fruit, oats, low-sugar granola, nuts, or seeds. “In northern Europe, it’s common to spread quark on toast in the morning, like you would butter,” says Sandroni. “Yesterday we got in some local spinach and chard, so we sautéed it with shallots and garlic, added quark, and baked it in a tart shell. Basically anything you think of that uses ricotta, you can make with quark.” Swap quark for ricotta, and you’ll also save yourself more than 200 calories per serving.
