The reasons to explore Türkiye's cheeses

When discussing the culinary treasures of Türkiye, the diverse array of cheeses (peynir) often goes overlooked. Yet, cheese plays an essential role in breakfast spreads, is a vital ingredient in pastries like börek and pide, and even makes appearances in some desserts. This article invites you to discover and crave some of the nearly 200 types of Turkish cheeses, categorized by region.

Eastern Türkiye

Let’s embark on our exploration in the eastern Anatolia region, a key area for livestock grazing with vast pastures. Two cheeses from this region have gained global recognition. The first is Kars Graveyeri, a semi-hard cheese with a sharp flavor and dark yellow hue, rooted in the late 1800s when Swiss cheese maker David Moser introduced his techniques to the area. It’s crafted from the milk of cows and goats that feed on the region's rich endemic flora.

Erzincan Tulumu (tulum, made with goatskin & sheepskin cheese sacks) is crafted from sheep's milk. Traditionally, the milk was fermented in a sheep’s stomach (known as şirden), aged, and then encased in sheep or goat skins. Nowadays, due to increased production, these cheeses are safely packaged. Its white, creamy texture and distinctive aroma and flavor make it a favorite among cheese enthusiasts. Various regions in Türkiye, such as Çorum Kargı, Izmir, and Bergama, each offer their own unique variations of tulum cheese.

Western Türkiye

Ezine cheese originates from western Türkiye and has received geographical indication recognition from the European Union. Named after the Ezine district in Çanakkale, this cheese is a delightful blend of cow, sheep, and goat milk, resulting in a medium-hard, full-fat cheese that is white to slightly yellowish with small holes throughout.

Mihaliç cheese is made in the regions of Bursa and Balıkesir, with roots tracing back to the Ottoman era. This salty, hard cheese, crafted from sheep's milk and featuring a slightly holey texture, is famously used in the beloved Susurluk Toast.

Northern Türkiye

The Black Sea region boasts stunning plateaus, unique flora, and fresh springs that greatly enhance the quality of milk from the animals in this exceptional area. Kolot cheese, produced from full-fat cow's milk, is essential for the popular Black Sea dish Kuymak (a delightful mix of corn flour, butter, water, and kolot cheese); it's renowned for its delicious flavor, rich yellow hue, and excellent melting properties.

Gümüşhane Deleme (also known as teleme in various regions) is crafted from cow's milk without the use of yeast. It features a robust milk flavor, a hint of tartness, and a semi-hard texture. This yellow cheese melts beautifully when heated and can be enjoyed fresh or after being aged underground for several months.

Central Türkiye

Divle Obruk Peyniri is produced by aging tulum cheese in the natural sinkhole known as Divle Obruk within Karaman province. This traditional method combines cow, sheep, and goat milk, with the cheeses pressed into tulums and left to mature for three to six months. The cave's mold flora gives the tulums a distinctive brick color, signaling that the cheese is ready to eat.

Yozgat Çanak cheese is crafted from a blend of sheep, goat, and cow milk through a unique technique. During production, water is extracted using stones, and the cheese is placed in earthenware bowls and buried in sand for a few months to ripen. It is characterized as semi-fat and not fully matured.

Southern Türkiye

Antakya Küflü Sürkü is created through an intricate process that utilizes mold. Initially, milk is turned into yogurt, which is then transformed into ayran (a salty yogurt beverage) by adding water. This ayran is further processed into terayağı (butter) and tereyağı ayranı using a local churn called yayık. The ayran is boiled, and the resulting curds are collected, filtered through cheesecloth, and spiced with ingredients like black pepper, chili, and cumin. The curds are shaped into pear-like pieces, covered with cheesecloth, dried, wrapped in paper, and stored in an airtight environment to develop mold. After several weeks, the surface mold is scraped off, and the cheese is ready to serve.

Gaziantep Sıkma (also referred to as Antep Peyniri or Antep Sıkma Peyniri) is a salty cheese crafted from sheep or goat milk, or a blend of both. It is shaped into irregular pieces by hand, featuring a flexible consistency that results in a delightful chewiness.

Desserts

In a country like Türkiye, renowned for its love of sweets, you’ll discover delightful cheese-based desserts. Don’t miss out on the famous katmer (a flaky pistachio pastry) from Antakya, or the lor cheese dessert popular in many regions of the Northern Aegean. Be sure to try the pudding-like höşmerim from Balıkesir and nearby areas, along with the hayrabolu dessert and cheese halva from Thrace.