Spundekäs is a cheese spread or dip from the city of Mainz and the nearby Rheingau and Rheinhessen winegrowing regions. It is usually served with a glass of wine and pretzel crackers. For me it’s more than a snack to enjoy only with wine, I find it just as good on a slice of wholesome bread.

The name Spundekäs comes from the word Spund, which in German is the cone-shaped plug of a wooden barrel. Spundekäs is therefore often served in that shape.

There are many different recipes for Spundekäs. The one ingredient they almost all contain is quark. Because quark is difficult to find in the United States I am using drained Greek yogurt or fromage blanc, the French cousin of quark.

If using quark or fromage blanc, usually no draining is needed. Greek yogurt is best used drained to remove some of the whey, which will make the Spundekäs more liquid. If this does not bother you, you can skip the draining part.

I am not a fan of raw onion so I am using onion powder. There is room for experimentation here. For example, when I have fresh herbs from my garden again in the spring I will add those.

Cheese Spread (Spundekäs)

½ cup (120 g) cream cheese (full-fat or reduced fat), at room temperature

½ cup (120 g) sour cream, (full-fat or reduced fat)

½ cup (120 g) quark or fromage blanc, or drained Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon onion powder, to taste

½ teaspoon garlic powder, to taste

2 teaspoons paprika

A pinch of smoked paprika (optional)

Salt

Freshly milled pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a fork until smooth and well combined and no white specs remain. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. You can either just put the spread in a container with a lid, or, for a nicer presentation, pack it in a small bowl lined with plastic wrap and unmold it to serve.

Makes 6 servings