Goat cheese, also known as chevre, is any cheese made from goat’s milk. Firm but soft, and sometimes creamy enough to spread, chevre is similar to and often compared with quark. The guide below explores the history and process behind the two kinds of cheese and how they vary.

Quark

Quark is a fresh dairy product classified as cheese. Popular in Central Europe, particularly Germany, Austria, and Poland, quark originates from German-speaking and Eastern European countries. It is made by warming sour milk until it curdles, then straining it. 

Pasteurized milk is heated to 150.8 degrees F—just hot enough so that the enzymes don’t get damaged and the vitamins remain, which occur above 160 degrees and 180 degrees respectively. The temperature is retained for 30 minutes to kill all bacteria. Then, the milk is cooled down to 72 degrees.

Cheese cultures are added over several hours to sour the milk. Then rennet, an enzyme, is added to thicken it. The result is a soft, spoonable cheese with a mild, milky flavor that makes it highly versatile. It is mostly used in baking or as a fruit quark dessert. And in many countries, Tzatziki, the famous Greek condiment, is made with goat quark.

Chevre

Chevre, French for “goat,” is a cheese made from goat’s milk. It is produced all around the world, but it is especially popular in France. Chabis, Crottin de Chavignol, Bucheron, and Chavroux are just a few of the many French varieties of goat cheese. 

Chevre is sometimes confused with quark because it is produced using an almost identical process—the goat milk is heated to 150.8 degrees, cooled down to 75 degrees, then cheese cultures are added and 3 hours later rennet is added. After a total of 22 hours, it thickens to form a dense curd, then drains in cheese cloths covered drain pans. When it has drained enough, salt is stirred in to enhance the flavor and strain away more of the whey protein, which is mostly left in quark. Fresh goat cheese has a unique, earthy flavor. It is commonly eaten as a snack or dessert cheese or is used in salads or on a pizza.

Try both of these fresh cheeses at Surfing Goat Dairy in Kula, HI. Serving locals, visitors, and businesses across Maui and neighboring islands, this family-owned dairy farm offers an impressive selection of high-quality goat cheeses, chocolate truffles, and soaps. Using their own unique recipes, they produce over 30 types of cheese, and they continue to develop new flavors every year. Shop their collection of cheeses online, or call (808) 878-2870 to place an order.