Kaymak, a turkish speciality between butter and cream cheese.
2 min read
Here we are:
We are in Turkey, where i tried a cream made of 60 percent milk fat, really excellent. But if it arrives to the table in a fantastic roll filled with local honey, it’s really legendary. Probably this is one of the reason that some form of the condiment known in Turkey as kaymak has spread throughout the Balkans, the Middle East, and even India.
The traditional way of making the dish is to slowly simmer milk (preferably from the water buffalo) over low heat for about two hours. The cream, which has risen to the top during delicate heating, gets skimmed off and placed in a shallow pan where it cools overnight. In Turkey, the thickened cream is often rolled into a spiraled loaf, similar to a jelly roll, where a spray of honey makes for a sweet and tangy flavor.
Kaymak is a delight with a shelf life of about a day. Refrigerating the cream it’s possible but someone said me that will disturb its delicate flavor! It’s possible enjoy the freshest kaymak from local markets in several regions throughout Turkey and the Balkans, where it is often sliced and served straight from the tin. The truly lucky might find kaymak perched atop künefe, an excellent cheese-filled pastry, or scattered on some pistachios.
