Harzer cheese is a German
sour milk cheese
Acid-set or sour milk cheese is cheese that has been curdled (coagulated) by natural souring, often from lactic acid bacteria, or by the addition of acid. This type of cheese is technologically simple to produce.
When making soft acid-set cheese ...
made from low fat curd cheese,
which originates in the
Harz
The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...
mountain region south of
Braunschweig
Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( , from Low German ''Brunswiek'' , Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek'') is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the Nor ...
.
Harzer is often small and round, in which case it is called ''Handkäse'' or ''
Taler'', or cylindrical, in which case it is called ''Stangenkäse''. Frequently, the small and round variety is sold in a cylindrical package, which is then called ''Harzer Rolle''.
[
Harzer cheese is typically flavored with ]caraway
Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
Etymology
The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been ...
spice. Some varieties are white mold cheeses, others, red mold; the latter type generally has a stronger flavor. Both types develop a strong aroma after maturing for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Harzer has both a distinctive strong smell and flavor.
Harzer contains very little fat (less than 1%) but extremely high protein (usually around 30%), and is thus often used for special diets and sport nutrition.
See also
* German cuisine
The cuisine of Germany () is made up of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history. Germany itself is part of the larger cultural region of Central Europe, sharing many culinary traditions with neighbo ...
* List of German cheeses
Cheeses have played a significant role in German cuisine, both historically and in contemporary times. Germany has by far the highest variety of cheeses worldwide with 9,500 cheeses coming from Germany. Cheeses are incorporated in the preparati ...
* List of cheeses
This is a list of cheeses by place of origin. Cheese is a milk-based food that is produced in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms. Hundreds of types of cheese from various countries are produced. Their styles, textures and flavors depe ...
* Olomoucké syrečky
* Hauskäse
References
Cow's-milk cheeses
German cheeses
Harz
Sports nutrition
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