Skyr (ˈscɪːr̥) is an Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

ic cultured dairy product

Milk

Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...

, similar to strained yogurt. Technically it is a very soft cheese

Cheese

Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....

. It is very popular in Icelandic cuisine

Icelandic cuisine

Important parts of Icelandic cuisine are lamb, dairy, and fish, due to Iceland's proximity to the ocean. Popular foods in Iceland include skyr, hangikjöt , kleinur, laufabrauð and bollur...

. Skyr was originally discovered by accident. A group of farmers in Iceland in the early settlement days poured skim milk over barrels of meat to attempt to preserve the meat throughout a long and harsh winter. During this same winter, the farmers became hungry and ate the fermented by-product which formed on the sides of the barrels. This was the first known culture of Skyr. It is traditionally served cold with a topping of sugar and cream.

Although raw milk may have often been used after the discovery of Skyr, the original batch was made with Skim-Milk. Modern skyr is made with pasteurized skim milk. A small portion of skyr is added to the warm milk, to introduce the right bacteria, such as Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus

Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus

Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus is a Gram-positive bacteria and a homofermentative facultative anaerobe, of the viridans group. It tests negative for cytochrome, oxidase and catalase, and positive for alpha-hemolytic activity...

and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. Rennet

Rennet

Rennet is a complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mother's milk, and is often used in the production of cheese. Rennet contains many enzymes, including a proteolytic enzyme that coagulates the milk, causing it to separate into solids and liquid...

 is added as well, and the milk is left to coagulate. The skyr is then strained through fabric to remove the whey

Whey

Whey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like cheddar or Swiss cheese...

 (mysa in Icelandic) and the milk solids retained.

Skyr has a slightly sour dairy flavor, with a hint of residual sweetness. Commercial Icelandic manufacturers of skyr have added flavors such as vanilla, berries, etc. common to yogurt to the final product, to increase its appeal. Skyr-based smoothies have become very popular.

Skyr is a very popular health product in Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

 and can also be purchased in parts of the US, UK, and Scandinavia at specialty markets. Thise Mejeri in Denmark has produced Skyr since May 2007. As of September 1, 2009, a licensed version produced by Q-meieriene is available in Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. In 2011 Q-meieriene launched the product in Sweden.

Varying slightly between brands, unflavored skyr is roughly 12% protein, 3% carbohydrate, and 0.5% fat. It is high in calcium

Calcium

Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...

 and vitamins commonly found in milk products.

Skyr may be used in a traditional Icelandic dish called hræringur (meaning "stirred" or "made by stirring") which consists of roughly equal amounts of skyr and porridge

Porridge

Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish...

. It is often mixed with jam or fruit for a dessert, or with cereals for breakfast. Children often like sugar sprinkled on top. It will keep without refrigeration, making it a good high-protein food to take on a trip.

In Norway today, skyr (or more commonly skjør) is also used as a term for other variants of cultured milk products - usually byproducts from cheese production. In its traditional use, it was diluted with water when used as a beverage, or mixed with milk and crumbs of flat-bread as a quick meal.

External links

• Skyr Web Site of Icelandic Skyr producer, MS (Mjólkursamsalan) skyr.is
• Amateur Gourmet blog article on trying skyr
• Food-Info article on skyr
• Recipe for making skyr (in English)
• Iceland woos America with lamb and skyr - NY Times article (October 18, 2005) on Whole Foods introducing skyr to the US.
• Web site of New York-based Skyr producer Siggi's Skyr
• Blog Dynamics of Cats entry on skyr