Tvorog

Tvorog is a soft, white, fermented milk product, traditionally made in regions of Central, Eastern and (less commonly) Northern Europe. Like curd, tvorog is obtained by fermenting milk, with subsequent whey removal. In the Anglosphere, cottage cheese is considered a type of young soft cheese, while among speakers of modern Russian, tvorog is usually not considered a type of cheese. Hungarian cow's milk túró should not be confused with the curd cheeses of Slavic peoples, as Hungarian túró has a crumbly, grainy texture, is drier and more pronounced in flavour, and is made without aging; by contrast, the curd cheeses of Slavic peoples (known as tvorog) are smoother, creamier, mildly tangy, and more homogeneous in texture. Traditionally prepared tvorog is customarily classified according to its fat content. According to the GOST standards, tvorog is classified, based on physical and chemical properties, into several categories: fat-free, low-fat, classic, and fatty. Depending on their method of production, types of tvorog are distinguished as simple, soft, and grained (which is a type of low-fat tvorog). Tvorog made with milk fat substitutes (such as vegetable oils) is considered a "curd product", and cannot be legally classified as tvorog. In countries of the former Soviet Union, tvorog is made and directly consumed fresh or sweet. In other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, it is consumed fresh or salted, while in Northern Europe it is mostly consumed salted. Tvorog is consumed to a small extent in Great Britain, North America, and Japan, and is almost completely absent in Southern Europe and other parts of the world.