Tvorog

A tvorog is a curd, soft white fermented milk product, traditionally made in regions of Central, Eastern and Northern Europe; like curd, tvorog is obtained by fermenting milk with subsequent whey removal.
It's customary to classify traditionally prepared tvorog according to its fat content. According to GOST standards tvorog is classified based on physical and chemical indicators into several categories: fat-free, low-fat, classic, and fatty. Depending on a method of production types of tvorog are distinguished as simple, soft, and grained tvorog, which is a type of low-fat tvorog.
Tvorog that is made out of milk with fat substitute is referred to as a "curd product" and not just 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 - fresh or brackish, and in Northern Europe - brackish. Cottage cheese 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.
In English-speaking cultures, cottage cheese is considered a type of young soft cheese, while in modern Russian-speaking environments, tvorog is usually not considered a type of cheese.

Etymology

Comes from Proto Slavic *tvarogъ — from the same basis as to create, that is, processed milk.
Many dictionaries indicate two stresses in the word "творог", however, in normalized speech, in particular on radio and television, as well as in a number of reference books, the stress on the second syllable is considered preferable''.''

Types of tvorog

According to the method of preparation there are two ways to produce tvorog - traditional and separate. According to the method of coagulation of milk proteins in the traditional way, tvorog is divided into acid and acid-rennet.

Sour curd is usually made from skimmed milk. In this case, the protein coagulates under the action of lactic acid, which is formed in the process of lactic acid fermentation, which develops as a result of adding starter cultures to milk.
Acid-rennet curd differs from acid curd in that during its production, rennet and starter cultures of lactic acid bacteria are used simultaneously to coagulate milk proteins.
The separate method differs from the usual one in that the purified milk is separated in order to obtain skimmed milk and cream, the mass fraction of fat in which is 50–55%. Fat-free tvorog is obtained from skimmed milk. In this case, acid-rennet coagulation of milk proteins is used to obtain a clot. Fat-free tvorog is cooled and mixed with cream.

; By properties

Fat
Classic
Bold
Fat-free

; By fillers

With additives
Calcined
Manufacture

The traditional way of making tvorog involves the use of fermented milk with the separation of liquid whey in free-hanging bags. The finished tvorog has a dense texture, smooth edges on the break, the separated whey is transparent, slightly greenish in color. When using fermented milk, the curd will turn out sour.
The process of industrial production of tvorog is following: milk first is normalized, pasteurized and poured into baths. The baths maintain a certain temperature, which is necessary for the normal course of processes. Ferment and pepsin are added to warm milk. After some time, a curd grain is formed in the bath, which forms a monolith. Serum begins to separate - a clear yellowish liquid, a by-product of production. At the final stage, the curd monolith is cut with strings into small pieces in order to increase the surface area and facilitate the outflow of whey. Next, the curd grain is squeezed and cooled. At the end of the technological process, the curd is packaged.

Nutrition

According to the 1981 Dietetic Handbook, tvorog contains:

	fat творог	semi-fat творог	low-fat творог	diet творог
water	0,647	0,710	0,777	0,700
protein	0,140	0,167	0,180	0,160
fats	0,180	0,090	0,006	0,0011
carbohydrates	0,013	0,013	0,015	0,010
ash	0,010	0,010	0,012	0,010
sodium	41	41	44	41
potassium	112	112	115	112
calcium	150	164	176	160
magnesium	23	23	24	23
phosphorus	217	220	224	224
iron	0,4	0,4	0,3	0,3
vitamin A	0,10	0,05	Footprints	0,06
β-carotene	0,06	0,03	Footprints	0,03
vitamin B₁	0,05	0,04	0,04	0,04
vitamin B₂	0,30	0,27	0,25	0,27
vitamin PP	0,30	0,40	0,64	0,40
vitamin C	0,5	0,5	0,5	0,5
vitamin E	0,38
vitamin B₁₂	1,0
folic acid	35,0
copper	74
zinc	394
fluorine	32
energy value	2260	1560	860	700
energy value	9450	6520	3600	2930

Consumption

Before using tvorog for making culinary dishes, it is usually rubbed or passed through a meat grinder. Dishes containing tvorog are cooked boiled, baked, fried. Tvorog is often served with sour cream, fermented baked milk, fruits, berries, honey or sweet sauce.

Pierogi
Syrniki
Vatrushka
Cheesecake
Vareniki
Easter Paskha
Cottage cheese casserole
Syrok curd snack, often glazed with chocolate)
Kurut
Pasta with strawberries
Use in clinical nutrition

Tvorog is one of the richest sources of complete protein. Due to denaturation, milk protein becomes more available for cleavage by proteolytic enzymes, so tvorog is easily digested.
Tvorog contains a large amount of calcium in an easily digestible form, as well as vitamins B1, B2, PP, C and others. Promotes the formation of hemoglobin, improves the regenerative capacity of the nervous system, strengthens bone and cartilage tissue.
It has a pronounced diuretic effect.
It has been experimentally established that several times less gastric juice, hydrochloric acid and enzymes are released on tvorog than on fermented and whole milk.
In view of the foregoing, tvorog is very widely used in dietary, as well as children's and sports nutrition, as well as in diets in the treatment of obesity, heart disease, liver disease, atherosclerosis and hypertension, as it has a lipotropic property.

Use in religious rituals

; Christian church of the first centuries
In a number of Christian churches of the first centuries there were ritual prohibitions on the use of tvorog in the summer.
In the "Apostolic Tradition" - the manual of the first Christians - there are ritual formulas with a play on words, pronounced during the consecration of Творог: "Sanctify this milk that has curdled, and sanctify us, binding with your love."
; Russian Orthodox Church
In the central and northern regions of Russia, there is a custom to prepare a special dish of tvorog for Easter - Paskha, which is consecrated in the church.

Literature

Cottage cheese // Commodity Dictionary / I. A. Pugachev. - M. : State publishing house of trade literature, 1960. - T. VIII. - Stb. 671-673. — 630 p