Fresh Cheeses

The vital elements of a fresh cheese are a refreshing taste and a light texture. Every country has its favorite, ranging from American cottage cheese to British cream cheese, Italian ricotta and French fromage frais (fromage blanc is similar and smoother). Many other fresh cheeses are almost as well known. Some are creamy and relatively high in fat like Italian Mascarpone and French Petit Suisse; while American creole cheese consists of a single large curd floating in heavy cream. Quark is a low-fat curd cheese made in Austria and Germany. Almost all are made with cow’s milk, but they are surprisingly different in moisture and fat content, and cannot always be interchanged in recipes without appropriate adjustments. Yogurt may be drained in a cheesecloth to produce Labna, a white cheese popular in the Middle East.