🧀 Varenets

Varenets is a Ukrainian fermented milk product and a close relative of ryazhenka. The national Ukrainian standard DSTU 4565:2006 “Ryazhenka and varenets” describes it like this: sterilised milk is soured with pure cultures of thermophilic streptococcus, sometimes together with Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The Ukrainian terminology standard DSTU 2212:2003 also allows baked milk to be used for varenets. Ryazhenka, by contrast, is made only from baked milk and only with streptococcus.

Long heating gives varenets a colour from milky white to light cream and the taste of pasteurised milk. Its surface may carry milk skins ranging from light cream to brown — the standard explicitly allows them. Varenets contains 2.5 to 8% fat and at least 2.7% protein, with an acidity of 70–110 °T (Thörner degrees). There have to be at least 10 million lactic acid bacteria per 1 cm³. It is made by the set (thermostat) method, where the curd is left undisturbed, or by the stirred (tank) method, with mixing.

Soured heated milk is an old Ukrainian dish. In Zinovia Klynovetska's book “Dishes and Drinks in Ukraine” (1913), milk is “steamed” in the oven until it turns yellowish and then soured with sour cream; she calls this dish ryazhenka, pryazhanka and parukha. Ethnographer Lidiia Artiukh, in her notes to the 1991 reprint, adds that after about twelve hours it was eaten with varenyky, pancakes and pies. Varenets belongs to the same family of soured heated milk products.

Varenets or ryazhenka? They are close relatives, but not twins. Varenets is soured from sterilised milk, although the Ukrainian terminology standard also allows baked milk, with thermophilic streptococcus and sometimes Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Ryazhenka is made only from baked milk and only with streptococcus. Long heating gives varenets a colour from milky white to light cream and the taste of pasteurised milk, and a skin from light cream to brown is allowed. It also differs from kefir, whose starter contains yeasts, and from plain soured milk, which has no heated-milk taste.

Look for the Ukrainian name “varenets” (варенець) and the mark “DSTU 4565:2006”, together with the fat content, 2.5 to 8%, and the “use by” date. There is no EU protected name. It comes in cups, cartons or bottles of 100–1,500 g and sits in the chilled dairy aisle, mostly in shops selling Eastern European food. Keep it at 0–6 °C and eat within 7 days, as the standard says. A skin on top is normal.

Why it matters to you. On the label, look for the mark “DSTU 4565:2006”, the fat content and the “use by” date. Keep varenets at 0–6 °C — under the standard, for no more than 7 days. A skin on top is a normal sign, not spoilage. It is packed in portions of 100–1,500 g in cups, cartons or bottles.