Bibeleskäs (Bibbeliskäs)

Bibeleskäs belongs to Baden, especially the Black Forest, Breisgau, Ortenau, and the villages along the Rhine. It sits on the Vesper table, the southwest German snack-supper, when there are potatoes in the cellar, chives by the window, and a tub of quark that needs turning into a meal. This is weekday food, picnic food, and after-work food. Das ist kein Bierzelt.

Across the Rhine in Alsace, Bibeleskaes is often made softer with fromage blanc, sometimes with shallot or garlic. In Baden I keep the quark firmer, loosen it with cream, and let onion and chives do their work cleanly. Further north and east you get Quark mit Leinöl, quark with linseed oil and potatoes, a cousin but not the same bowl. Im Norden anders, im Süden anders.

The one technique is water control. Quark carries whey, onion throws water when it meets salt, and a careless hand turns the spread into a puddle before the potatoes are ready. Drain the quark if it looks wet, salt the onion separately, then fold the herbs in gently. Beat it hard and you smear the curd flat; leave the water in and it weeps.

Serve it cool beside Brägele, Baden fried potatoes, or Pellkartoffeln, jacket potatoes. The cold curd, the hot potato, the bite of onion, the green chives. That's the meal. Schön ist, was schmeckt.