Why are syrniki called syrniki, and not cottage cheese, if they don’t have cheese? Why are syrniki called that? Where did the name syrniki come from?

Perhaps it’s worth starting a conversation about the history of cheesecakes not with the dish itself, but with the cottage cheese, from which this dessert has been prepared for centuries. And along with this research, we will also find out where they were first created. So, there are several versions of how this fermented milk product appeared. And all of them, it must be said, have the right to life. Let's look at them in more detail and figure out how to prepare cheesecakes.

Version one - ancient Roman

When Rome controlled half of the ancient world, it also included Arabia. A merchant from this particular region once went on a long journey with a fat tail of milk. And, as the legend says, on the road his drink turned sour. But, since the thirst was unbearable, Kanan, that was the name of the merchant, decided to drink the milk in the form in which it turned out. And he unexpectedly liked the serum, and even more - the white crumbly lump.

Returning home, the culinary pioneer happily shared the news with his wife, who repeated the experiment at home. The resulting result impressed relatives and neighbors so much with its taste that it quickly found its way to Rome. By the way, many foreign traders and famous local poets wrote about the popularity of cottage cheese in the city on seven hills, because milk cheese was served both on the emperor’s table and in the slave’s bowl.

As for the technological process, it was extremely simple: milk was poured into huge ceramic amphorae, where it naturally soured, after which the cooks drained the liquid, squeezed out the white mass and immediately served it in plates, supplemented with thick honey and dried fruits. Thus, they never exposed the cottage cheese to heat, and certainly did not prepare cheesecakes from it. Therefore, even if Rome can still lay claim to the authorship of cheese, curd cheese pancakes were definitely not created here.

Version two - Slavic

Since the cow has traditionally been considered the main nurse of almost all Slavic peoples since ancient times, it is not surprising that their representatives understood milk better than anyone else. And such a quantity of dairy products prepared by local chefs does not exist anywhere else. Therefore, it is not surprising that some, unfortunately, unknown housewife once discovered a curdled mass in sour milk.

By the way, since at first this product was produced naturally from raw milk, it was called cheese. But the Slavs, unlike the lazy Romans, went further, deciding to extend the life of the product, which deteriorated very quickly. And they began to simmer the milk in the oven over low heat. The clay pots stood there for several days, and when the cheese was formed, it was squeezed out several times and put under pressure. Thus, the ancient cottage cheese was preserved in the basement for several weeks.

But, apparently, sometimes women did not have time for such lengthy gastronomic procedures, and one really fine day someone added cheese to the bread. The result was approved, and the housewives dared not to stop there. This is how homemade cheesecakes eventually appeared.

Unlikely versions - Asian

Did you think that only Slavic housewives could make cottage cheese pancakes? Well, no, because this sweet dish is also known in another, no less ancient region. And we will talk about mysterious Asia, namely China and India.

Curd product made from soybeans has been known in China for more than 2000 years. Of course, it differs significantly in flavor from our cheese, but the technology for processing soy milk is very similar. In addition, tofu (the name of Chinese bean curd) is used in many dishes as an additional ingredient, but at the same time, it is often breaded in flour and fried in a frying pan and then served as an independent snack. Doesn't it remind you of how cheesecakes are prepared?

But in India, the main fan of cottage cheese is Krishna himself, who called the delicate white mass a gift from nature. The Hindus, as you understand, could not go against God, especially since fresh cheese is really tasty, and very soon it appeared in almost every home. Moreover, they eat it with numerous fruits and berries, generously seasoning the dessert with spices. Regarding heat treatment, Indian women love to pamper their children with cottage cheese balls breaded with coconut flakes, which are deep fried. Sort of like oriental cheesecakes.

Where did the word “syrniki” come from?

Syrniki are called syrniki, not cottage cheese, because the word “cottage cheese” did not yet exist.

When did it appear?

Peter I brought to Russia not only tobacco and potatoes, but also many other products unknown to us, including cheese. However, the overseas analogue was significantly different from the local one, reminiscent of modern cheese. Therefore, the manufactories, engaged in the production of both types, renamed our version “cottage cheese”. Researchers claim that the name comes from “create,” that is, they did a lot of things with the cheese, unlike hard cheeses, which continued to be made from raw milk.

Subsequently, they began to be called cottage cheese, although they were prepared according to the same method: the fermented milk product was mixed with flour, sugar and eggs and baked in the oven in the form of small round pancakes. Moreover, mothers taught their daughters how to make cottage cheese pancakes, and they, in turn, passed on the technology to their own children. So, in many Slavic countries, this dessert was created for centuries according to one recipe, until modern housewives began to add various ingredients and cooking methods to it.

To the question why Syrniki are called -syrniki- if they are made from cottage cheese... asked by the author chevron the best answer is because they are not crackers...

Answer from ^SuN_RaY^[newbie]
Because cheese is made from cottage cheese! ! like this))) and they also say that I’m stupid!

Answer from Dazed[guru]
Dishes made from cottage cheese are called curd dishes, less often cheese dishes, but at the same time they often say cheesecakes, not cottage cheese. Such confusion arose because before the word “cottage cheese” did not exist in Rus', and what we now call cottage cheese was called cheese. With the penetration of German, Dutch, Swiss, French cheeses and with the development of their own cheese making, the word cheese began to be called rennet cheeses, and the word “cottage cheese” appeared to designate the product obtained from fermented milk.

Answer from Reroll[guru]
But it seems to me because when you fry them, the cottage cheese inside melts and becomes like cheese.

Answer from User deleted[newbie]
the settling stage of folding the folding (after cottage cheese, of course) this is cheese, hence the cheesecakes, besides, cottage cheese somehow doesn’t sound...

Answer from Maramba.[guru]
For crests, cottage cheese is cheese

Answer from Just a very good person[guru]
Cottage cheese is also cheese. One of its simpler types.

Answer from Tatyana Trusova[guru]
There are words that are the most ordinary in their meaning and completely ordinary in their use, but which at the same time turn out to be very original and interesting in their origin. These include the “culinary” words cheese and cheesecake. The first was lucky enough to get into both the “Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language” by N. M. Shansky and the Russian translation of the “Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language” by M. Vasmer. The second was ignored by these etymological reference books. Why? Probably because it is very simple in its anatomical structure and its basis in the consciousness of the speaker, with the etymological reflection characteristic of us, is clearly divided into parts, cheese- and -nik. Nevertheless, this word needs an explanation: the simplicity of this word, like the noun cheese, is very deceptive. But let's move on to our lexical heroes. O. N. Trubachev, in the Russian translation of the Vasmer Dictionary, interprets the word cheese very briefly and inaccurately: “cheese I, gen. p. -rka; clever a derivative of cheese." . The explanation of the noun cheese in the “Concise Etymological Dictionary” is also incomplete, although from it the reader receives more specific information. This dictionary indicates: 1) the comparative youth of this noun in the Russian language (“recent”) and 2) the suffix -ok () does not qualify as a diminutive. And indeed, the diminutive suffix is ​​absolutely excluded here. After all, with its help, either diminutive nouns are made (cf.: leaf, breeze, forest, etc.), or so-called forms of subjective assessment (cottage cheese, kvass, sugar, etc.). As for the word cheese “a confectionery product made from cottage cheese (usually sweet)”, cf. combinations: curd cheese, vanilla cheese, children's cheese, tea cheese, then its semantics does not consist of the meaning cheese and the suffix -ok (). This means that the word cheese has a different origin. It, like the word syrnik, came into Russian from the Ukrainian language, in which the noun sir means “cottage cheese”. Only the noun syrnik appeared in our language back in the 19th century. , and the word cheese was used only in the Soviet era. By the way, even in the “Book of Tasty and Healthy Food” (M., 1953. P. 256) what we now usually call syrniki were called curds. The suffix -ok () in the original Ukrainian sirok is not an affectionate diminutive suffix, but an objective one, forming the names of objects made from, or similar to, what is indicated by the generating word (cf.: lubok, horn “a type of musical instrument”, peephole (at the door), oak tree “kind of boat”, chill “kind of menthol candy”, chalk, “Snowball” “name of candy”, etc. d.) In conclusion, I would like to draw attention to the etymologically tautological, but already normative combination of curd cheese. Such cases of “butter” in the language arise in the process of its development quite often, cf. at least black ink, white linen, etc.

Since childhood, many of us have loved delicious flatbreads made from sweet cottage cheese with golden brown sides. Remember? The crispy, aromatic crust hides the most tender middle; there could be raisins in it. They are delicious to eat with sour cream or jam, or condensed milk, washed down with hot sweet tea or coffee, whitened with milk. How can one not agree with the words of Venedikt Erofeev, who claims that he loves more than the Fatherland?

But since childhood, many have been wondering: why are syrniki called syrniki if they are made from cottage cheese, and not from cheese at all? We will figure this out in this article. Let’s also look at the recipe so that you can prepare this delicacy right away without putting it off.

Why are cheesecakes called cheesecakes?

The mystery is explained by the fact that the dish itself is much older than the word “cottage cheese”, which appeared in everyday use only in the 18th century. By the way, “cottage cheese” and “create” are the same root words, derived from the Church Slavonic “tvor”, which means “form”. That's why cheesecakes are called cheesecakes and not cottage cheese.

A logical question then arises: what was this fermented milk dish called then, if the word appeared so late? They called it "sire". At that time, both cheese and cottage cheese were hidden under this word. We may recall, by the way, that for the Ukrainian language this situation still persists. Consequently, everything made from cottage cheese was called “cheese”.

There are people who try to be precise and call the dish curds, but there are not very many of them.

To be fair, let us remember that you can still make cheese from cottage cheese, so you can trace some associative connections without even diving deep into history.

Why are cheesecakes round?

Having dealt with the question of why cheesecakes are called cheesecakes and not cottage cheese, let’s move on to the next question - why are they round.

Everything is even simpler here. For the ancient Slavs, the circle was a sacred form; it reminded them of the sun god they revered, named Yarilo. Therefore, not only cheesecakes, but also many other dishes (pancakes, pancakes) were made exactly like this, reminiscent of the sun.

Now you know not only why cheesecakes are called cheesecakes and not cottage cheese, but also why they are round in shape.

Cooking cheesecakes

Agree that the discussion of why cheesecakes are called cheesecakes and not cottage cheese is appetizing. Therefore, you must definitely prepare this amazing dish to please yourself and your loved ones.

A huge number of recipes have already been invented, each housewife has her own secrets. So, let's prepare the products:

• 2 packs of cottage cheese (you can choose any fat content to suit your taste);
• two chicken eggs;
• 50 grams of granulated sugar;
• flour - 100 grams plus a couple of tablespoons for forming blanks;
• vegetable oil for frying.

This dish is good because it does not require precision. The fattier the cottage cheese, the more tender the product. The more sugar, the sweeter. The amount of flour depends on the moisture content of the cottage cheese; the drier it is, the less flour the dough will take.

For taste, you can add raisins (washed and dried), pieces of dried apricots, prunes, candied fruits, and nuts. Seasonings are good for aroma: vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger. Thanks to all these nuances, something new will be born every time.

It is also not at all necessary to fry the cheesecakes in a frying pan in oil; you can place the pieces on a baking sheet and brown them in the oven.

Serving cheesecakes

You can, of course, eat them, as they say, without any problems. Already delicious.

You can add a simple sauce: sour cream, yogurt (sweet or unsweetened), jam, preserves, syrup, honey, condensed milk. You can only sprinkle it with powdered sugar. It will be even more interesting if you make berry sauce. Required:

• 300 grams of fresh or frozen berries (cherries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, etc.);
• 50 grams of sugar;
• a level tablespoon of potato starch.

Place the berries in a saucepan, add a glass of water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, simmer for a couple of minutes. Dilute the starch in a small amount of water and pour it into the compote. Stir and immediately remove the saucepan from the heat.

Now put a couple of golden-brown cheesecakes on a plate, pour over the sauce, and add a mint leaf for beauty. Pour tea, coffee, juice, milk. Invite us to the table. Collect compliments. And even if cunning guests ask: “Why are cheesecakes called cheesecakes if they are made from cottage cheese?”, you can easily give them an answer after this article.