Mascarpone is an Italian fresh cheese made from cow's milk. It is straw yellow color with a soft texture and mild taste. This cheese is actually referred to as a quark, or curd cheese; this means that a culture is introduced to the milk(in this case, cream), heated, and then strained. This process is very similar to the process for making yogurt.

This cheese has round 60-75% fat content and is excellent for spreading. It is probably most famous for its key importance in tiramisu production; but, it can be found in most Italian pastries. I spread it on my bread and my bagels; it was delicious. I also put it in my baked macaroni as a rich substitute for ricotta.