| Circassian cheese | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country of origin | North Caucasia |
| Region | Circassia |
| Source of milk | Cow, sheep or goat milk |
| Pasteurised | Depends on variety |
| Texture | Depends on variety |
 Related media on Commons | |
Circassian cheese (Adyghe: адыгэ къуае Adyghe pronunciation: [aːdəɣa qʷaːja], Russian: адыгейский сыр adygeyskiy syr), is a cheese found across the North Caucasus, the Levant and other areas with a Circassian diaspora.
The cheese is prepared with raw cow, sheep and/or goats milk (Adyghean cheese - only with cow milk) and molded into a wooden basket. Circassian cheese is a mild type of cheese that does not melt when baked or fried, and can be crumbled. Circassian cheese is often consumed fresh, or after having been dried by the sun or in the oven. There is also a smoked Circassian cheese.
There is an annual festival for Circassian cheese in Maykop, the capital of the Republic of Adyghea, Russia, held during the Circassian cultural festival with participants from different regions in the North Caucasus, competing in producing the best types of Circassian cheese.
The small Circassian community in Israel, most of whom live in Kfar Kama and Rehaniya in the Upper Galilee, operates boutique dairies that produce traditional Circassian cheese.
References
- ^ Oluk, Celile Aylin; Karaca, Oya Berkay (2020-01-30). Traditional Cheeses from Selected Regions in Asia, Europe, and South America. Bentham Science Publishers. pp. 159–162. ISBN 978-981-14-3235-4.
- Международный фестиваль адыгской культуры. Kavkaz-Uzel, 2010 (in Russian)
- О мероприятиях, посвященных 20-летию Республики Адыгея. Ministry of Culture of Adyghea, 2011 (in Russian)
- Фестиваль «Адыгейского сыра» Archived 2017-03-12 at the Wayback Machine. Committee of Adyghea for Tourism and Resorts, 2015 (in Russian)
- Israel's Tiny Circassian Community Maintains Its Culinary Traditions Under Fire, Haaretz