Estonians can waltz into almost any grocery store and grab a cold kohuke from the refrigerated dairy aisle. This local favorite roughly translates to “little curd” and is made of pressed cheese coated in a sweet glaze. In its classic form, kohuke is reminiscent of a chocolate-covered vanilla cheesecake bar.
These confections debuted during the Soviet regime, a time when they were particularly coveted. In the 1950s, they disappeared from the shelves. This was due not only to food shortages, but also as a result of their popularity. Today, Baltic residents choose from flavors such as berry, chocolate, coconut, kiwi, and even bread (fans say the lattermost option has a more biscuit-y flavor).
Chocolate-covered curd bars are popular in other eastern European nations, as well. Groceries sell the sweet treats packaged individually, which make them great as a grab-and-go snack. Estonians treat them like energy bars that just happen to taste like cheesecake.
Need to Know
Remember to look for kohuke among the dairy products, not in the candy aisle. They're unfortunately tough to find outside the Baltic states.
Contributed by
e espeterson9Sources
- www.likealocalguide.com/blog/the-estonian-kitchen-5-classic-foods-you-probably-didnt-think-of-trying/
- estoniancuisine.com/2017/01/13/kohuke-chocolate-glazed-quark-snack/
- www.inyourpocket.com/tallinn/flavours-of-estonia_74689f
- www.expatinestonia.com/experiences/favourite-estonian-foods/
- official-estonia.tumblr.com/post/169852540879/estonian-secret-kohuke-chocolate-glazed-quark