Russian dairy products

Russians make an interesting range of dairy products. Tvorog is a Russian cream cheese that makes a sweet, sometimes vanilla-flavored, alternative to mascarpone, but thicker. And look for ryazhanka and prostokvasha.

It makes a sweet alternative to mascarpone, but thicker. And it makes the most delicious cheesecake without the trouble of mixing and stirring. If you want to come close to a cream tea but can't find the clotted cream, use this.

In Russia it is used in Pashka, a rich conical-shaped cheesecake studded with dried fruits and made at Easter, inscribed with XB, signifying 'Christ is Risen'. And it's eaten with Kulich, another sweet vanilla-scented Easter yeast bread studded with dried fruits, not unlike Italian panettone.

Ryazhanka and prostokvasha are other Russian dairy products worth trying, along with Russian-dairy sourced sour cream called smetana. Kefir is a liquid yogurt drink with a bit of a 'petillant' bite on the tongue. In American supermarkets it comes flavored with fruit juice. In Russian markets you'll find it plain as well.

Russian markets include  

The European Bazaar, 1488-I Rockville Pike, 301 230 9371;

The International Food & Deli, 912 East-West Highway, Takoma Park, 301 891 1316;

Taste of Europe, 630 Quince Orchard Rd, Gaithersburg, 301 590 9094;

Russian Gourmet, which began in Rockville on Nicholson Lane and Rockville Pike at 11431-B Rockville Pike, MD, 301 816 0550, has now become a growing chain, with a branch in Germantown, MD, at 13077 Wisteria Dr, and another in Gaithersburg at 19110 Montgomery Village Ave. There are also stores at Langley Shopping Center, 1396 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA, 703 760 0411, a little hard to find stuck behind a Three Pigs Restaurant at Big K-Mart Plaza, 468 Elden St, Herndon, VA, 703 707 8181 (that also does catering), and at 907 Slater's Lane, Alexandria, VA, 703 299 4627.

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