Five Ways with Quark

Popular in Europe for centuries, Quark is somewhat of an undiscovered gem in Australia.

A German-style fresh cheese, this mildly tart cheese is often compared to mascarpone – but with a refreshing tang thanks to the same ABC cultures used to ferment yogurt.

We’ve been making Organic Quark at Schulz for over 35 years, and still use Hermann Schulz’s traditional recipe to this day!

Firstly, we take our non-homogenised Certified Organic Full Cream Milk and make fresh cheese, before adding ABC cultures and microbial rennet, then allowing the cheese to ferment the same way our Yogurt does. This fermentation process also means that Schulz Organic Quark is naturally high in protein and fantastic for gut health – plus, it’s higher in calcium than cream cheese, lower in sugar than regular yogurts and lower in fat than many other dairy products.

This makes it a lighter option to substitute for crème fraîche, sour cream, cottage cheese and even thick yogurt when cooking – plus we like it straight out of the tub too!

Scroll on for some of our favourite ways to use Schulz Organic Quark from morning to night.

BREAKFAST

Spread thickly on sourdough, dolloped on top of fresh fruit or incorporated into fluffy pancakes, Organic Quark is a versatile and healthy addition to any breakfast table.

It’s also one of Simon Schulz’s favourites: “I was brought up on an inch thick layer of my granddad Hermann’s Quark on homemade dark rye toast,” Simon says. We can’t think of anything better!

Try our Herbie Organic Quark (with added dill, garlic, capsicum and chilli) slathered on a bagel and topped with smoked salmon and greens for a gourmet take on weekend brunch!

LUNCH AND DINNER

To incorporate Quark into your entertaining repertoire, look no further than this Caramelised Onion, Tomato and Rocket Tart, shared by Julia Busuttil Nishimura (Ostro).

“The quark in the filling gives the tart a welcome zing,” says Julia. “And cuts through the richness of the eggs and cream.”

Caramelised Onion, Rocket and Tomato Tart.

Equally delicious warm from the oven or snuck slice-by-slice from the fridge later on, we also love the versatility of this tart. Here Julia has used fresh cherry tomatoes, but we’re already dreaming up a spring version for later in the year, adding fresh seasonal vegetables like asparagus and peas.

For a satisfying light lunch, try your hand at this Yoghurt Flatbread recipe from Schulz Organic Creamery and Cafe head chef Hila, which is served alongside a generous bowl of Herbie Organic Quark.

Easy, versatile flatbreads made using our Natural Greek Yoghurt.

QUARKBOARDS

Quarkboards – a riff on the viral ‘butterboards’ (but better) – have been a new favourite at the Creamery and Cafe!

Our Organic Quark is mild in flavour, so makes an easily customisable base for both sweet and savoury versions of this moreish treat! Try our Sweet Summer Fruit Quarkboard the next time you’re passing through Timboon, or create your own savoury version at home using nuts, olives or whatever produce is in season.

Try our seasonal Quarkboard – a favourite at the Schulz Organic Creamery and Cafe – at home.

CAKES AND SWEETS

Quark is used in many traditionally German desserts, but perhaps most famously a light and fluffy cheesecake.

Head chef Hila uses our Organic Quark in her famous cheesecake at the Creamery and Cafe, and Julia Busuttil Nishimura (Ostro) has also shared her recipe for a baked Strawberry Quark Cheesecake, substituting cream cheese with Quark for a light and creamy texture – plus a little twist thanks to the chocolate biscuit base.

Schulz Organic Creamery and Cafe head chef Hila Perry slices her famous Quark Cheesecake.

Julia has also generously shared a recipe for her Spiced Carrot Cake with Quark Frosting – but we think this simple icing would work wonderfully atop any cake.

Organic Quark makes a fantastic alternative to cream cheese in the icing for this spiced carrot cake.

LEFTOVERS

Have a little left in the tub? Don’t let it go to waste!

Stir the last of your Quark through a delicious spaghetti primavera, add to iron-rich leafy greens for a lighter, brighter take on classic creamed spinach, or use fresh veggie sticks to scrape the final morsels of Herbie Organic Quark from the container – just like Coralie has below!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Coralie Sneddon (@coraliesneddon)

We love seeing the ways that you cook and create with Schulz products at home – so tag us at @schulzorganicdairy this next time you’re using Quark in the kitchen, or comment on this post below to share your tips and tricks.

Kindred Spirits – Fleur Studd, Market Lane Coffee

The vision of Market Lane Coffee is to deliver good coffee that is good for everyone – from producers to the planet – says founder and co-owner Fleur Studd. 

From day dot, Fleur and the Market Lane team have been committed to quality, transparency, sustainability and doing good through their business. These are values that easily align with our own at Schulz, and we’re proud to have supplied Market Lane – now a Certified B Corp – with our organic milk since 2009. 

Over a decade later, we use Market Lane Coffee every day at the Schulz Organic Creamery and Cafe. While we can safely say nothing makes a better flat white, Market Lane’s continued dedication to ethical and sustainable sourcing, reducing their environmental impact and building a thriving community is why we admire this Victorian roastery so much.

We sat down with Fleur this month for the latest edition of Kindred Spirits, talking ‘aha moments’, working with like-minded businesses and why building relationships is such an important part of Market Lane’s DNA.

Market Lane Coffee owners Jason, Jenni and Fleur. Image: Abigail Varney

What are some of the most fulfilling aspects of running Market Lane?

Building a business that is purpose-led, and, because we are independent and owner-operated, making decisions that are informed by our values. Not compromising. Striving to use business as a force for good. Creating a workplace that is healthy, supportive and safe, where our team can grow and thrive. Working with dedicated, and quality focused producers (including Schulz!). Serving an awesome and engaged community of customers in each of our shops, and online. Drinking delicious coffee and doing what we love, every single day.

What do you love most about coffee and the coffee industry?

Well firstly, there is nothing better than a carefully harvested, roasted and brewed coffee, that preserves its taste of place and is clean, balanced and delicious.

I remember my first coffee ‘aha moments’, when I started to understand coffee as a differentiated beverage; one that’s flavour is influenced by things like the plant variety, the region it’s grown in and the way it was processed. A great joy of working in coffee is sharing or facilitating ‘aha moments’ that help get people excited about quality, provenance and flavour. We strive to communicate what makes a coffee special, and why we chose to share it, and celebrate the stories of the people who produced it. My favourite moments in the shops is when a customer asks for a specific coffee by name and, if it’s out of season, asks when it might be back. This makes me feel like we’ve done our job well.

Secondly, I love the relationships in specialty coffee. Whether it’s a producer we’ve partnered with for over a decade, a long-time Market Lane barista who goes on to open their own business, a local ceramicist who hand-makes unique coffee cups just for us, or an enthusiastic customer whose kids we’ve seen grow taller behind the counter in our shops – these relationships and our community are so important to us and bring true meaning to what we do. They’re what get us out of bed every morning.

Building lasting relationships at Market Lane’s Faraday St. location. Image: Abigail Varney

Tell us a little bit about your relationship with Simon Schulz and Schulz Organic Dairy.

When we opened Market Lane in 2009, our goal was to serve the highest quality coffee we could. To do this, we needed to ensure we had the very best drink ingredients: great coffee, and great milk. At that time, the quality and provenance of milk wasn’t a particular area of focus for Australian cafés. We wanted to change this, and use the best milk we could find; knowing this would make an enormous difference to the quality of our milk-based drinks.

We did a lot of tasting of different milks and we fell in love with Simon’s milk because it was organic, unhomogenised, sweet and creamy, and it tasted absolutely delicious with our coffee! Back then, Simon’s milk was only available at farmers markets, so we approached him and asked if he would consider supplying our cafés. We were thrilled when he said yes. He then scaled his business to be able to support ours, and now many other retailers and cafés across Victoria. To help our customers understand how special Schulz Organic Milk is, we created postcards explaining where the milk comes from and why it’s unique. We also visited Simon’s farm with our team to learn about how the milk is produced and how the animals are cared for.

It’s been amazing to work with Simon for so long, and to see his business evolve alongside ours. We’re grateful for this relationship, and we’re proud to serve this delicious and ethically produced milk. We have plans underway to install an Udder Way keg dispenser in our new Sydney Rd shop for Schulz Organic Milk, so we can have fresh milk on tap, reduce packaging waste, and give customers the opportunity to refill their own bottles. And we’re thrilled that Schulz Organic is now serving Market Lane coffee in their own café!

Market Lane has become B Corp certified which is a great achievement. Can you tell us what was involved in the certification process and what were your main drivers to seek this certification?

Yes! This was our biggest achievement in 2022, and we’re really proud of it. Becoming a certified B Corporation requires an organisation to look at every single aspect of their operation, with full transparency and accountability, benchmarking every detail against the most ethical, responsible and sustainable businesses in the world.

Since we opened, we’ve endeavoured to make all our decisions in accordance with our vision to deliver good coffee that is good for everyone – our producing partners, our customers, our team and our planet. We always felt and believed that we were doing the right things, but the B Corp certification process gave us a verifiable framework through which to measure our positive impact, and make sure we’re doing everything as ethically and sustainably as possible. 

Market Lane Coffee meets Schulz Organic Dairy Milk. Image: Abigail Varney

Did your relationship or use of Schulz Organic Dairy Milk play a part in the B Corp certification process?

It did! As part of the B Corp certification process, we had to audit supply partners and provide information on their ethical and sustainability practices. The fact that Schulz milk is certified organic contributed very favourably to our assessment, as did the fact that the milk is available in glass bottles (which we use in several of our shops, where storage allows).

What are your favourite Market Lane beans, and how do you have your coffee? 

I drink filter coffee at home. I love it because it’s easy to brew this way, and because filter brew methods really highlight the more delicate and nuanced flavours in a coffee. On weekdays, I grind my coffee fresh using a Fellow Ode grinder, and typically brew using a Moccamaster, which is a fast and convenient method. On the weekend, I like to brew coffee using a pour over cone. I love the pour over method. There’s something quite meditative and special about the ritual of pouring water over coffee and taking the time to do it carefully and consciously. If my kids are happily occupied, I get to drink the coffee carefully and consciously, too! It’s a special way to enjoy it.    

You can visit Market Lane at their roastery or eight locations around Melbourne, purchase their specialty small-batch coffee beans online, or if you’re travelling through Timboon, drop by and get your hands on a freshly brewed cup in our Cafe.

If you enjoyed this read, take a look at our Kindred Spirits conversation with Miranda Sharp from the Melbourne Farmers Markets.

Schulz Shorts: Matt Walker, Cafe and Creamery Gardener

Matt Walker, Cafe and Creamery Historic Gardener.

Tell us what you do at Schulz in 25 words or less.

“I am the gardener, looking after the grounds around the Schulz Cafe and Creamery all the way to the factory.”

How much have the Creamery & Cafe gardens changed and grown since you’ve been working here?

“When I started back in 1994, there were no gardens around the Cafe. My role was initially to landscape and plant garden beds. Now, I maintain what we have established.”

Matt tending to the Cafe gardens.

What are your favourite aspects of the Creamery & Cafe gardens?

“Probably the variety of trees we have planted, which have created pleasant shaded areas, particularly in the summer months.”

What is your favourite plant and why?

“My favourite plants are the magnolias that produce a stunning display in the late winter to spring.”

What are the most significant changes you have seen at Schulz Organic Dairy since working for the Schulz family?

“I have seen numerous changes in my time working for the Schulz family. It has gone from a small family business through changes in ownership and finally circle back to Schulz family.”

Do you have a favourite Schulz product?

“I love the yogurt.”

What are your top three things to do in Timboon?

“Play golf, drink Timboon whisky, drink coffee, and eat Hila’s cheesecake in the gardens at Schulz Creamery & Cafe.”

Pictured is Hila’s Famous Quark Cheesecake, available daily at the Cafe from 10am - 4 pm.

What are the best things about living in Timboon/the country?

“We are very lucky to be living in a place like Timboon. Even though it is small, we have all the facilities we need in terms of a good hospital, schools and a range of good eating places within easy reach. Friendly people and a relaxed lifestyle are also a bonus!”

Milk On Tap in Melbourne: An Update

Schulz Milk on Tap at The Leaf Store, Hawthorn

Back in August we partnered with legendary Tassie company, The Udder Way, to deliver our Organic Full Cream and Low Fat Milk direct to customers, taking another step towards our mission to eliminate single-use plastic milk bottles from our business, and your lives!

Our founder, Simon, said when he initially began discussions with The Udder Way in early 2022, he knew their concept aligned perfectly with our sustainability principles and the overall Schulz ethos, yet he never imagined how well received it would be.

“In the past five months, we have been overwhelmed with the amount of support and interest from consumers, cafe owners, and retailers keen to install The Udder Way Keg System and supply Schulz Milk across Victoria. So much so that we are at capacity for the next three months!”.

So you could say we are onto a good thing. 

The Udder Way keg system was created by Tassie café owner Ed Crick, who developed the system out of frustration that over 500 million single-use plastic bottles are used every year, with less than half being recycled.

Each unit holds 18L of milk, allowing refrigerated storage and dispensing of milk from an installed tap ensuring fresh and free-flowing milk, without the waste and clutter involved with conventional single-use plastic bottles and crates.

Schulz Milk in The Udder Way Keg System at Small Batch, North Melbourne

Since launching the partnership in August 2022 The Udder Way in collaboration with Schulz have:

• Removed one million bottles from landfill across Australia and New Zealand.

• 30 new businesses on board, joining us in the fight to remove single-use plastics from waste – with plenty more on the way in the new year!

• Removed approximately 13,000 milk bottles from waste in Victoria (that’s nearly 600kg!).

• Seen customers at retailers such as The Leaf Store, Wildings, and Goods Grocer change their behaviour and turn to filling and refilling glass bottles as the norm.

• Cafes such as CIBI, Sibling, and Bench Coffee set examples of how to remove plastic milk bottles from their venues and ultimately, rubbish bins, forever.

Reflecting on the partnership to date, Ed has said that The Udder Way’s growth in Victoria has been exceptional and their most successful launch.

“Our partnership with Schulz and subsequent rollout has exceeded all expectations. The uptake and receptiveness by cafes, retailers, and consumers has been phenomenal, and speaks to how environmentally conscious Victorian consumers are, and of course, how much they love Schulz Organic Milk!” says Ed.

We first launched Milk on Tap in 10 locations across Melbourne, in four months this has grown to include eight prominent retailers and 17 cafes.

Collingwood cafe, retail, and design concept store, CIBI, was one of our founding cafes to onboard our milk via The Udder Way keg system. 

General Manager at CIBI, Pippa James said they didn’t need to think twice when they were approached by The Udder Way to install Schulz Milk on tap.

“This is such a great initiative and has been so impactful on us and how we do business in terms of handling waste at CIBI. Our customers have the pleasure of drinking Schulz milk in all our milk-based beverages including CIBI blend coffees, tea and hot chocolates, and our staff enjoys the ease of milk on tap, as well as the huge reduction in, and management of, plastic waste on a daily basis,” says Pippa.

Head barista, Alec Guerzoni at CIBI, Collingwood uses Schulz Milk on tap via The Udder Way

What’s next?

Our sustainability journey is ever-evolving and we are always looking for new ways to improve how we do business in this space, along with seeking out new partners to collaborate with. There are many ways you can get involved in sustainability initiatives on a local level too - speak to your local council, check out your local community reuse initiatives at Recycling Near You, or learn some tips from Sustainability Victoria on recycling and reducing household waste and improving energy efficiency in the home as we move towards a circular economy.

Our Milk on Tap program is currently at capacity for 2022. If you would like to express interest in installing The Udder Way Milk on Tap System in your business in the future please get in touch here.

For more information on the Schulz x The Udder Way partnership, including comprehensive FAQ’s and a list of participating retailers and cafes, please visit the Milk on Tap page on our website.

Everything tastes better with cream!

The first time our Creamery and Cafe pastry chef Hila Perry made butter with our cream, she was working at the highly regarded Dinner by Heston in Melbourne. Hila clearly remembers saying, "I want to move to Timboon and make butter for the rest of my life.” And she did… well sort of.

Widely regarded by our customers as the best pure ‘creamy’ cream on the market, it’s made from our certified organic milk with no added thickeners or stabilisers. With a butterfat percentage of around 45%, it’s pure and simply thick cream!

Coming into the warmer months, we thought we’d share some of our favourite recipes from our kitchen, and our friends, that showcase the versatility of our cream, along with tips on what you can do with leftovers (although we doubt there will be any)!

Rich, smooth and extra creamy ice cream!

Hila’s recipe for no-churn ice cream is the ultimate summer indulgence. We use it to blend into our milkshakes to make them extra thick, or as a creamy pairing with our desserts. This recipe makes two litres of ice cream, serves around eight people and will keep stored in the freezer for up to a month. Enjoy it on its own as a vanilla treat or add your favourite flavourings to make a decadent sundae!

Salad anyone?

Our friends over at Morning Market in Fitzroy and Prahran recently shared a delicious vinaigrette recipe, perfect drizzled over spring vegetables and light summer salads. The combination of Chardonnay vinegar, lemon juice and our cream makes for a zingy salad dressing that you can use any time of the year.

What you’ll need:

100ml Schulz Organic Dairy Pure Cream

1 tsp of Dijon mustard

2 tbsp Chardonnay vinegar (they recommend La Guinelle)

1 clove of garlic, crushed

A generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl then whisk together until smooth.

Dress washed leaves with a generous tablespoon of the vinaigrette then toss together. Finish with shavings of radish and chives.

OSTRO: Linguine with Lemon, Cream and Peas

Julia Busuttil Nishimura created this subtle yet satisfying pasta dish for us and it’s a great reminder that you can create tasty, light recipes with cream all year round. Not only is it quick to make, it’s a perfect dish as the weather begins to warm and fresh peas become available (although frozen ones work just as well)! The cream is gently perfumed with garlic while the lemon gives the dish a nice fresh lift. Other pastas such as tagliatelle or spaghetti would work well here too, as would asparagus or broad beans to replace the peas.

Any leftovers?

While we think you’ll love our cream so much there won’t be any leftovers, we’d hate for any to go to waste! How about a batch of our famous Creamery and Cafe Scones with sweet strawberry jam and a dollop of thick cream, or Hila’s Lemon Berry Pavlova topped with summer berries, mint leaves and whipped cream? Or reach for a comforting plate of Jill Dupleix’s foolproof creamy scrambled eggs – just a splash can improve the texture and flavour, turning this simple dish into a gourmet breakfast delight!

Although our cream has a long fridge life, if it ends up close to its best before date you can also freeze it. Whether it’s fresh or whipped, cream freezes well, and with a bit of stirring once it’s thawed, it’ll be ready to go!

Kindred Spirits - Miranda Sharp, Melbourne Farmers Markets

Long before we were selling our products through retailers, our main source of sales and connection with customers came through Melbourne’s vibrant Farmers Market network. Melbourne Farmers Markets (MFM) is a not for profit social enterprise dedicated to promoting and supporting Victorian food and producers, regional food cultures, seasonal produce, biodiversity, sustainable farming practices and strengthening relationships between the consumer and producer. 

Miranda Sharp, Melbourne Farmers Markets and Simon Schulz, Schulz Organic Dairy

Highly respected across Melbourne’s food scene and beyond, Miranda established the first farmers market of its kind at Collingwood Children’s Farm in 2002 and has continued to work tirelessly to support and promote regional producers to an urban audience. Miranda was instrumental in developing a set of standards for farmers’ markets across Victoria and has played a key role in founding the Victorian Farmers Market Association.

Why is it important to showcase regional producers, like Schulz Organic Dairy, at urban farmers markets?

 It’s easy to say we all want to know where our food comes from but there are very few ways to really meet the people who produce food for city consumers. MFM’s reason for being is ‘connecting Victorian farmers with urban communities’ so having regional producers at our markets means we achieve our purpose and make that expression a reality, not just a throwaway line. 

Shopping direct means the customer is giving all credit and the full dollar to the farmer which goes directly back to a regional community. It’s not an exaggeration to say that has a direct flow on effect in the future of farming families, jobs, services and mental health.

Coburg Farmers Market, Melbourne

What are some of the most successful / fulfilling aspects of running Melbourne Farmers Markets? 

The strength of our community during the tough times – we’ve been through fire, drought and now, sadly, floods. The lockdown years in Melbourne showed just how valuable the social, economic and supply networks became to us all, and that for all the sophistication and convenience of what we could do online, all we wanted to do was be together!

How do you scout for new producers? 

We are heartened that so many come to us by recommendation, but we also follow every lead we hear or see, we are furious networkers and we have true knowledge of regional Victoria so we know where to look!

What are your favourite Schulz products and how do you enjoy them?

Well, obviously we are very proud to have played a role in milk in glass, but also the yoghurts and we are suckers for a herb quark!

What are some of your fondest memories of working with Simon at the Schulz Farmers Market team?

I was delighted that my nomination of Simon for a Melbourne Food and Wine Legend Award (Simon won the HOSTPLUS Trailblazer Award) in 2018 was successful, and so well deserved in recognition of his family’s contribution to Victorian agriculture. His Grandfather, Hermann would have been very proud! 

I go so far back with Schulz that I remember clearly when Hermann rang me to ask if Simon could do a few markets. He said Simon was at a bit of a loose end and needed focus. That was about 2005, and the rest is history!

Our farmers market team still rise early every Saturday and Sunday morning to sell our products across Melbourne at various markets including Coburg, Alphington and Abbotsford. If you are lucky, you might even get to catch up with Simon, who still drives down to the big smoke occasionally to work alongside our team and chat with customers.