Kaymak

Kaymak is a creamy dairy product similar to clotted cream, made from the
Kaymak
milk of water buffalos, cows, sheep, or goats in Central Asia, some Balkan
countries, some Caucasus countries, Turkic regions, Iran and Afghanistan.

The traditional method of making kaymak is to boil the milk slowly, then
simmer it for two hours over a very low heat. After the heat source is shut
off, the cream is skimmed and left to chill (and mildly ferment) for several
hours or days. Kaymak has a high percentage of milk fat, typically about
60%. It has a thick, creamy consistency (not entirely compact due to milk
protein fibers) and a rich taste.
Kaymak from Turkey

Course Breakfast and dessert

Contents Place of Turkic Central Asia

origin
Etymology Region or Azerbaijan, Georgia,
History state Turkey, Greece,
Turkey Macedonia, Serbia,
Balkans Montenegro, Bosnia and
Iraq Herzegovina,
Iran Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq
Afghanistan Main Milk
ingredients
Georgia
Variations Kaymar, Gaymar,
Greece
Qaimar, Qaimaq
See also
Citations Cookbook: Kaymak

References Media: Kaymak

External links

Etymology
The word kaymak has Central Asian Turkic origins, possibly formed from the verb kaymak, which means melt and molding of
metal in Turkic.[1] The first written records of the word kaymak is in the well-known book of Mahmud al-Kashgari, Dīwān
Lughāt al-Turk. The word remains as kaylgmak in Mongolian, and with small variations in Turkic languages as qaymaq in
Azerbaijani, qaymoq in Uzbek, қаймақ in Kazakh and Shor, каймак in Kyrgyz, kaymak in Turkish[1], gaýmak in Turkmen,
კაიმაღი (kaimaghi) in Georgian, and καϊμάκι (kaïmáki) in Greek.

History

Turkey
Shops in Turkey have been devoted to kaymak production and consumption for centuries. Kaymak is mainly consumed today for
breakfast along with the traditional Turkish breakfast. One type of kaymak is found in the Afyonkarahisar region where the water
buffalo are fed from the residue of poppy seeds pressed for oil. Kaymak can also describe the creamy foam in the traditional
"black" Turkish coffee. Kaymak is traditionally eaten with baklava and other Turkish desserts, fruit preserve and honey or as a
filling in pancakes.

Balkans
Known as kajmak, it is almost always produced in the traditional way, in private
households; commercial production is also gaining in popularity, but the best
kajmak is sold at markets in some countries on the Balkans. Kajmak is most
expensive when freshest—only a day or two old. It can keep for weeks in the
fridge but it becomes hardened and not as tasty as the fresh kajmak.[2] Kajmak
can also be matured in dried animal skin sacks, and this variation is called
skorup. The word kajmak can also describe the creamy foam in the traditional
"black" Turkish coffee in the Balkans.

It is usually enjoyed as an appetizer or for Saturday morning breakfast, as Palenta, cornmeal mush with kajmak
Saturdays are considered open-air market days where best kajmak is found, but and čvarci
also as a condiment. The simplest recipe is lepinja sa kajmakom (bun bread
filled with kaymak in Serbia) consumed for breakfast or as fast food. Bosnians,
Montenegrins, Serbs, and Macedonians consider it a national meal. Other traditional dishes with kajmak (sold in restaurants)
include pljeskavica sa kajmakom (the Balkan version of a hamburger patty topped with melted kajmak), as well as ribić u
kajmaku (beef shank, simmered with kajmak).

Iraq
In Iraq, it is called Gaimar, Geymar or Qaimar and is very popular. Possibly derived from the
ancient Sumerian word "Gamur" or Ga'ar which means cheese.[3] Iraqi Gaimar is usually
made from the rich, fatty milk of water buffaloes which are prevalent in the marshes of
Southern Iraq. It is available both factory produced and from local vendors (farmers)
commonly known as Arab, Arbans or Madan, thus the product is sometimes referred to as
Gaimar Arab, Gaimar Maadan, or farmer's Gaimar.

Iraqis like to serve Gaimar for breakfast with fresh bread, honey or jam. However the most
popular way is to spread it on a type of Iraqi pastry bread called "Kahi", smother it with date
honey and then wash it down with hot tea. Gaimar on kahi with date syrup is a long-standing
traditional breakfast all over Baghdad and throughout the whole of Southern Iraq.
Iraqi Gaimar made from
water buffalo milk
Iran
In Iran, sarshir is used to describe a different method which does not involve heating the milk, thus keeping enzymes and other
cultures of the milk alive. The word kaymak (qaymaq) is also used for the boiled method. Qaymaq is a Turkish word used to
describe this product among the Azari people of Iran.

Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, Qaimak (qaymaq) has a thinner quality and is eaten for breakfast meals usually with bread. People typically top
qaimak with honey, sugar, or mix it with jam. You can spread qaimak on pastries or even put it in milk tea. Qaimak can be
purchased at any local grocery store in Afghanistan or of course made at home. It is quite a long process to make at home some
might think the work isn’t worth it. Hours of stirring the milk pot and collecting the product can be eaten within the hour for
breakfast. Qaimak can be found at any Afghan/Iranian grocery stores in the west but take note that the prepackaged jars are not as
rich and real as the qaimak that is homemade. While a lot qaimak variations are made from buffalo milk, Afghan qaimak can be
made from regular cow milk.

Georgia
In the Adjara region of Georgia, bordering Turkey, კაიმაღი or kaimaghi is
made from cow milk in homes in the mountainous municipalities of Keda,
Shuakhevi, and Khulo. It is typically eaten with Georgian cheese and/or bread,
and is only rarely served in restaurants.

Greece
Kaimaki in Greece refers to mastic-flavored ice cream that is widely available
and often served alongside traditional desserts.
A bucket containing kaimaghi in a
home in Keda, Georgia.
See also
Malai

Citations
1. "kaymak" (http://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=kaymak) (in Turkish). NişanyanSözlük. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
2. Vrzić, Nikola (December 28, 2000). "Sve srpske kašike" (http://www.nin.co.rs/2000-12/28/15928.html) (Windows-
1250). NIN (in Serbian). Retrieved 13 June 2012.
3. "ga'ar[cheese]" (http://psd.museum.upenn.edu/epsd/epsd/e1482.html). The Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary.
University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 13 July 2017.

References
The Poppy Growers of İsmailköy (2002) (https://web.archive.org/web/20070928145321/http://editore.slowfood.co
m/editore/riviste/slowark/EN/25/papavero.html)
Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food (1999). "Kaymak", pp. 428–429. ISBN 0-19-211579-0
An Introduction into the Serbian Cuisine (http://www.travelserbia.info/serbian-cuisine.php)

External links
Media related to Kaymak at Wikimedia Commons

The famous kaymak breakfast of "Pando Usta" at Beşiktaş, Istanbul (https://web.archive.org/web/201306242227

07/http://www.havuzsauna.com/detay.asp?y=639)
Kaymak recipe (https://web.archive.org/web/20060926222537/http://faq.macedonia.org/cuisine/kajmak.html)

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This page was last edited on 27 April 2019, at 15:11 (UTC).

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