Brânză de vaci facts for kids

Brinza de vaci, which means "cow cheese," is a fresh dairy product made from whole milk. It's a bit like quark, another soft cheese. This tasty cheese is very popular in the kitchens of Moldova, Romania, and some Slavic countries.

How Brinza de Vaci is Made

Making Brinza de vaci starts with fresh milk. The milk is left at room temperature, usually around 22-23°C, for about 36 hours. During this time, the milk becomes sour and thickens, a process called coagulation. The fatty part of the milk rises to the top.

This top layer is a creamy dairy product called smântână, which is similar to crème fraîche. After taking off this creamy layer, the rest of the milk can be mixed well and enjoyed as kefir.

To make the cheese, the soured milk is gently heated. The temperature should not go above 50°C. As it heats, the whey (the watery part) separates from the solid cheese curds. The cheese curds gather in the middle, and the fat floats on top. The mixture is gently stirred to mix the fat into the large pieces of cheese that are forming.

Once the cheese mixture has cooled down a bit, it's strained. This is done using a special cloth called a cheesecloth or a piece of gauze. The whey drains away, and the soft, white, crumbly cheese is left behind in the cloth, often in a round shape.

How People Enjoy Brinza de Vaci

In Moldova, Brinza de vaci is used in many delicious ways. It's often a main ingredient in plăcintă, which is a type of pastry. You'll also find it in dumplings and in syrniki, which are like small, fried cheese pancakes.