Zagreb Dairy ABC

Take a look at Zagreb’s cuisine and you’ll see that meat and meat products definitely prevail, but it seems to me that the title of MVP in our traditional gastronomy goes to another food category.

One that is so basic and simple that it often gets neglected, taken for granted. And that's dairy products. Some of our most iconic dishes and specialties are based on dairy. Let’s just mention štrukli, sir i vrhnje, bučnica, zlevanka… Cottage cheese (svježi sir) and cream (vrhnje) are the unsung heroes of our culinary heritage, our past and present. Today they are cheap and accessible, but the real deal, the stuff that makes the difference, are fresh cheese and cream coming from small family farms around the city. It's the non-branded, homemade products without fancy packaging, sold at Zagreb's farmers markets by diligent ladies we call kumica.

“Fresh cottage cheese, sold in typical plastic containers. Note the leafy structure!” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

Am I giving too much credit to everyday things made from cow’s milk? I don’t think so. When our chefs travel abroad to prepare and showcase Croatian dishes to foreigners, they can really fall into despair because they can't find the right replacement for Croatian cottage cheese. No wonder they often bring it along, otherwise you can forget about the authentic štrukli. You might think that fresh cottage cheese is the same everywhere, but obviously that's not the case. Let's take a look at the basic dairy products we take pride in and that are so vital for our local culinary identity.

“More dairy action at Kvatrić market.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

It all starts with fresh, full-fat cow's milk. It’s actually amazing when you think about it... The same basic raw material, similar procedures, but so many different results. Unlike the smooth Italian ricotta (which is actually whey cheese), creamy Spanish Queso blanco, or grainy German quark (made from soured milk), traditional Zagreb-style cottage cheese has a leafy structure. It’s mild, slightly acidic and pleasantly aromatic. Mix it with fresh cream to get one of the most famous northern Croatian cold starters and starting point for some other delicacies - sir i vrhnje.

“Forget about good sir i vrhnje without top quality homemade ingredients.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

The next stage after cottage cheese is the semi-soft mladi sir (young cheese), sold in small wheels. It’s very neutral and tender. Often the farmers take it to the next level - spice it up with some paprika or herbs like chives. If they mature it a few weeks longer, it becomes a little bit harder, stronger. This is when it can be smoked for a few hours to get the popular dimljeni sir (smoked cheese). Beech is traditionally the most common wood used for this purpose. When you see market vendors selling cheese with a brownish crust, you know it has been smoked. Smokiness gives an extra flavour, which can be very attractive and delicate if it’s nicely balanced.

Young smoked cow’s milk cheese, with the perfect brown crust.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

Yes, the cheese can still develop further and mature even longer, or it can be dried. But kumicas sell most of their products in the young stage and then start the procedure all over again. Don’t forget about the byproducts of cheese making. If you’re lucky, you can get excellent homemade butter or whey. To set high standards and promote Zagreb’s dairy more effectively, a few of the farms, supported by local institutions, united in an initiative called Zagrebački sirek. They protected their brand and when you see their sign, consider it a seal of quality, a piece of heritage and tradition cherished for future generations.

“Dairy farmers from Zagrebački sirek project, promoting their cheese and their brand.” Image credit: Zagrebački sirek

Header image credit: Taste of Croatia

Author: Taste of Croatia