Adventure in the world of Turkish cheeses; Unique and amazing flavors

Turkish cheeses, with their ancient history and unique variety, form an important part of the country’s food culture. Cheese plays a key role in many Turkish recipes; From traditional breakfasts to popular dishes such as burek and piedeh. Each region of Türkiye has its own cheese known for its different taste and texture; So, you can enjoy tasting different flavors of cheese in addition to visiting the sights of Turkey during your trip to this country.

One of the most famous cheeses is “white cheese”, which is used in breakfast and salads. “Lore” is also a dry cheese with high protein, which is used in preparing dishes such as “Guzlemeh” and “Burek”. These cheeses are not only diverse in terms of taste and texture, but due to the different methods of preparation and preservation, each of them offers a unique experience of the local flavors of Türkiye.

In this article, we want to introduce you to the delicious world of Turkish cheeses; So stay with Kojaro until the end of the article.

Get to know Turkish cheeses:

Tulum cheese

“Tulum peyniri” is a Turkish cheese that is mainly made from goat’s milk in the mountainous regions of the country. This white cheese has a creamy texture and its special and unique taste varies from mild and slightly sweet to somewhat bitter.

_{Photo source: rizeyayladan.com. Photographer: Unknown}

It is recommended to serve Tulum cheese with olive oil, fruit, figs, olives and fresh vegetables so that its unique aroma can be felt well in the mouth. This cheese is very delicious with lavash bread.

Dill cheese

“Dil” is a traditional Turkish cheese made from cow’s milk around the cities of Bilecik and Bursa. This fresh cheese is white in color and has a stringy texture similar to mozzarella. As the cheese melts, its texture becomes stringier. For this reason, in Turkish pizzas, instead of using this type of cheese, they use kasar cheese.

_{Photo source: camlidag.com.tr site. Photographer: Unknown}

The taste of dil cheese is mild, milky, sweet and slightly salty. This cheese is usually offered in the form of large rectangular cube pieces; But it can be cut into smaller pieces, similar to a tongue. Dil actually means language in Turkish. Fresh dill cheese is usually served for breakfast, although the braided version is called “orgu peyniri” (meaning braided cheese).

Mihalich cheese

Mihalic peyniri is a Turkish cheese produced in Bursa and Balikesir. The reason for its name is rooted in the origin of its production, i.e. the village of “Karacebey”, which was called Mihalich in the past. In the past, this cheese was prepared from raw sheep’s milk; But today it is prepared from cow’s milk or a combination of goat’s, sheep’s and cow’s milk; Because sheep’s milk is no longer produced in sufficient quantity.

_{Photo source: tasteatlas.com. Photographer: Unknown}

Mihalich cheese is kept in salt water to get a firm and elastic texture. Then it is salted and dried in sheets or balls before being sold. As the cheese ages, its texture becomes brittle, grainy and open; While its taste is spicy and salty.

Kopanisti cheese

Kopanisti peynir is traditionally made from goat or sheep milk. Although today, some producers prepare this cheese from cow’s milk or a mixture of cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk; Of course, these lions are taken from breeds raised in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. The diet of animals in this area is based on aromatic and native plants that affect the taste of their milk.

_{Photo source: ugurozsoy.com. Photographer: Unknown}

In the not so distant past, fresh butter was added to Kopanisti cheese in the traditional way; This butter is obtained from the cream after skimming the milk. The added butter, which makes up only 15% of the total weight of the cheese, adds to its fat and gives it a creamy texture.

White cheese

“White cheese” (Beyaz peynir) is a semi-soft Turkish cheese made from unpasteurized cow, sheep or goat milk. The color of the cheese is pure white and it has a texture similar to Greek feta cheese. It is usually stored in salt water for more than 6 months.

_{Photo source: cheesemaking.com. Photographer: Unknown}

The taste of white cheese is spicy and its texture is fragile. It is traditionally sold in pieces or rectangular pieces. This cheese is the main part of Turkish breakfasts and can be used in sourdough dishes, salads or all kinds of Turkish dishes. Although white cheese is produced throughout Türkiye; But you can get the best samples from the western provinces.

Hatay cheese

Hatay peyniri, also known as kunefe peyniri, is a soft cheese that is usually made from raw cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or a combination of both. Its color is white or light yellow, it has a creamy and stretchy texture and a mild and salty taste.

_{Photo source: naturalkoyurunleri.com. Photographer: Unknown}

As its name suggests, Hatay cheese is produced in the Hatay province of Türkiye. This cheese is usually used in preparing the local and authentic dessert “Antakya kunefe”; But it can be consumed alone or used as an intermediate ingredient for burek, topping for pasta, pide and other foods.

laurel cheese

“Lor” (Lor) is a Turkish white cheese made from the remains of strained milk curds. Its texture is very dry and crumbly and does not change much when heated. Laurel cheese is very popular among health-oriented people and bodybuilders due to its high protein content. Bay cheese is usually not eaten alone; But it can be mixed with spices and vegetables and served for breakfast. This cheese is also used in burek or “guzelmeh” pancakes.

_{Photo source: yemek.com site. Photographer: Unknown}

If you are familiar with delicious Turkish cheeses or have special and lasting experiences from eating these cheeses, we will be happy to share them with our colleagues.

_{Cover photo source: orontesgrocery.com website; Photographer: Unknown}