Brined Archives | Cheese Atlas

Sirene Cheese: The Balkan Feta

Cheese Atlas — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 03:22:55 +0000

Greek Feta is not the only white, crumbly brined cheese that comes from Europe. In this post, we explore the origins of the Balkan cheese, Sirene. Read on to learn about its history, where it comes from and how it is made.

What is Sirene Cheese?

Sirene Cheese originated in the Balkans, a region in southeastern Europe. It is believed that this cheese has been produced for thousands of years in this region. The exact origin of the cheese is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in Bulgaria or the surrounding countries.

Actually, this Balkan cheese has a long history and has been a staple in the Balkan diet for centuries. It is made from cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk, and traditionally, it was made by shepherds and rural farmers.

The cheese was stored in brine to preserve it and make it last longer. The cheese was also used as a means of trade, as it could be transported easily and was a valuable commodity in the Balkans.

How is Sirene made?

To this day, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece are the biggest producers of Sirene. However, it is also consumed in other countries, such as Turkey, Romania, and Albania. The cheese is made from different types of milk, depending on the region and the preference of the producer.

To make this cheese, you have to curdle milk with rennet or acid. Then, you cut the curd into small pieces, and drain the whey. The curd is then put into a container and submerged in brine, where it is left to age for a period of time.

The ageing time varies depending on the desired texture and flavour of the cheese. And the cheese is usually white and has a soft, crumbly texture.

Texture, aroma & flavour

Unsurprisingly, Sirene has a tangy, salty flavour and a slightly sour taste. Moreover, its texture of the cheese is crumbly, and it is usually moist. The cheese has a mild aroma that is not overpowering.

Serving guide

Sirene is a versatile cheese that can be paired with a variety of foods. It goes well with olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other fresh vegetables.

In addition to this, you can also use it in salads and sandwiches. Also, this Balkan white cheese is a popular ingredient in local dishes such as Shopska salad, which is made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and cheese.

Alternatives to Sirene

If you are looking for alternatives to Sirene cheese, here are three options:

Feta: Feta cheese is a popular brined cheese that is similar to Sirene. It has a tangy, salty flavour and is usually made from sheep’s milk. Feta cheese is a popular ingredient in Mediterranean dishes.

Paneer: Paneer cheese is a fresh cheese that is commonly used in Indian cuisine. It is made from curdling milk with lemon juice or vinegar and has a mild, slightly sweet flavour. The texture is firm and crumbly, making it a great alternative to sirene cheese in salads and other dishes.

Ricotta: Ricotta cheese is a soft, fresh cheese that is commonly used in Italian cuisine. It is made from whey and has a mild, slightly sweet flavour. The texture is creamy and smooth, making it a good alternative to sirene cheese in dishes such as lasagna and stuffed shells.

Summary

To conclude, Sirene is a popular brined cheese that has a long history in the Balkans. It is known for its tangy, salty flavour and crumbly texture.

Sirene is versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, including salads, sandwiches, and Balkan specialties. While it is mainly produced in Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece, it is also enjoyed in other countries around the world.

What’s your favourite way to enjoy this Balkan brined cheese? Let us know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

If you enjoy learning about new cheeses, you can subscribe to our newsletter below. You will hear from us about once a week as we share new cheese profiles with you.

Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

The post Sirene Cheese: The Balkan Feta appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Kalathaki Limnou

Cheese Atlas — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 03:58:26 +0000

While it may not be as well known as some other Greek PDO cheeses, Kalathaki Limnou is an absolute gem of a cheese. Read on to discover this pristine white brine cheese from the northern Aegean Sea.

Wedge of Kalathaki Limnou – Greek Boston – Source

Where does Kalathaki Limnou come from?

Kalathaki Limnou is a soft and white cheese that comes from Lemnos, Greece in the northern Aegean Sea. It is a brine cheese made from sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s milk and goat’s milk.

If using goat’s milk, the PDO mandates that the amount cannot exceed 30% of the total milk. Moreover, the sheep and goats have to graze freely on wild grass. As a result, the cheese is a spectacular expression of the local terroir.

How is Kalathaki Limnou made?

The traditional method of making Kalathaki Limnou Greek cheese involves placing the curd into a kalathaki, which means “small basket”. Once in the basket, the cheese is allowed to drain and acidify. During this process, Kalathaki Limnou develops its characteristic round shape and pattern. The baskets are then put in brine and matured for at least two months.

How to serve Kalathaki Limnou

Actually, the texture of Kalathaki Limnou is very similar to Feta. However, this particular cheese has a milder flavour which can be described as salty and slightly acidic.

Locals in Lemnos often enjoy this delicate cheese on a cheese platter with stone fruit. In addition to this, they often use Kalathaki in salads and pastries such as Spanakopita.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

If you enjoy learning about new cheeses, you can subscribe to our newsletter below. You will hear from us about once a week as we share new cheese profiles with you.

Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

The post Kalathaki Limnou appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese: Australian Original

Cheese Atlas — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 22:52:24 +0000

Could Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese really be Australia’s first original cheese? Read on to learn about this hugely popular marinated cheese, and the farm where it is made.

Where is Meredith Dairy?

Located between Ballarat and Geelong, the small town of Meredith is home to one of Australia’s most famous dairies. Undoubtedly, Meredith Dairy is the largest farm of its kind in Australia.

At their sustainable farm, Sandy and Julie Cameron raise and milk both goats and sheep. And, of course, they make amazing cheese using only the freshest of milk.

Furthermore, they use the farm’s grain to feed the dairy animals, and the straw for bedding. In addition to this, they take sustainability to the next level by feeding cheese whey back to the cattle and use animal manure as fertiliser in the soil.

The story of Meredith Dairy

Actually, the couple both grew up on farms and had always wanted to be farmers. Coming from careers as a vet and an intensive care nurse, Sandy and Julie made a life-altering change. In 1991, they left their jobs to work full time on their farm in Meredith.

At the time, traditional farming was in turmoil and there was a lot of uncertainty with the price of wool and other commodities. In order to survive, the Camerons had to be innovative and stand out from the competition. Hence was born the idea of milking sheep and goats to make cheese and yoghurts.

The inspiration behind Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese

In fact, Sandy and Julie Cameron first came across this recipe in an Iranian desert village in 1972 when they were travelling the overland route to India.

Because Sandy felt unwell in the middle of the desert, they were dropped off in a doctor’s hut in a small village. After treating him, the doctor took them to show how the locals made a goat cheese similar to Persian Feta. Decades later, this provided the inspiration they needed when they started to make cheese back home.

How Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese is made

Without a doubt, it all begins with the freshest of goat’s milk from their own farm of course. When the milk is still warm, they add dry rennet paste and leave it to coagulate overnight.

By the morning, the curd has formed and can be transferred to a cheese cloth for draining. This allows the cheesemaker to separate the solids from the liquid whey.

After a few hours, they press the formed cheese to further drain moisture. At this stage, Sandy adds salt to preserve and dry the cheese. And garlic to stop mould formation. Finally, they cut the cheese into cubes and submerge them in olive oil to protect from air.

What Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese tastes like

Be prepared for a sensory explosion! This soft marinated goat cheese is beautifully presented in a glass jar. Even though the cubes of cheese are pristine white, the rich olive oil they are immersed in imparts a golden hue.

In your mouth, the tiny morsels of cheese feel velvety and creamy. The garlic, herbs and pepper in the marinade add a certain spiciness to the aroma of the cheese.

And, finally, Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese has a refreshing citrus tang and soft, spreadable texture

How to serve marinated Goat Cheese

This wondrous Australian goat cheese is delicious in salads, soups and sandwiches and on warm crusty bread.

Our recommendation here is to keep it simple. Serve on a baguette, with extra virgin olive oil and a dusting of dukkah!

If you’re into cooking with cheese, Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese is an excellent addition to your next omelette, pizza or even pasta dish.

The post Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese: Australian Original appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Jersey Cheese: Australia’s First Original

Cheese Atlas — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 01:47:34 +0000

Could Colin Wood’s Jersey Cheese be Australia’s first true original cheese? Read on to learn about the maker, and this remarkably delicious cheese.

Handmade Jersey Milk Cheese – Colin Wood – Source

Colin Wood’s journey

With a resume that includes the likes of Melbourne’s Cutler & Co. and New York City’s Flora Bar, you’d forgive Colin Wood for resting on his laurels.

But the current Sydney-sider decided to take it up a notch in 2020 when he set out to make a cheese that would be suited to grilling.

Inspired by Halloumi

Cypriot Halloumi is a PDO cheese made with a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk. Its unique composition and texture mean that it retains its shape when grilled and stays moist inside. While Jersey Cheese is loosely inspired by the traditional Cypriot recipe, it is also so much more!

Jersey milk from Victoria

Colin uses Jersey cow’s milk from Erindale Dairy in Numurkah, Victoria, and his adaptation of the traditional recipe. Using lower cooking temperatures and less stirring, he has been able to develop a unique cheese that has a higher moisture content than the original.

As a result, the cheese has a tantalisingly soft, delicate and creamy texture when grilled. Moreover, this is not too dissimilar to the stracciatella you would find inside burrata.

The signature of a handmade cheese

Since Colin handmakes all of his cheeses, you will very likely find that no two batches are exactly the same. Their shape will be irregular, and their size/weight might vary slightly from batch to batch.

While the cheese loosely resembles the classic Halloumi externally, there is one further point of difference during production. Unlike the Cypriot cheese, it is actually not folded over once cooked in the whey.

How to serve Jersey Cheese

Since this cheese was made to be grilled, it would be a shame to serve it in any other way.

Grill gently and serve with extra virgin olive oil, chili flakes, rock salt and lemon. You can get the complete recipe for how to grill Jersey Cheese here.

The post Jersey Cheese: Australia’s First Original appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Moyarra Myrtle

Cheese Atlas — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 09:50:49 +0000

Seductively luscious

Moyarra Myrtle is a fresh curd made by Prom Country Cheese in South Gippsland, Victoria.

Bronwyn and Burke Brandon make a range of artisanal cheeses at their small Moyarra farm. Nestled in idyllic rolling hills, the farm is home to their own herd of sheep. Subsequently, the couple use their milk as well as cow’s milk from a nearby farm to make cheese.

Infused with local sunflower oil

This particular fresh curd is a farmhouse cheese made with pasteurised sheep’s milk. Burke infuses local sunflower oil with a selection of herbs including lemon myrtle and mountain pepper berries.

Afterwards, he cuts the curd into small cubes and stores them in the marinated oil. The herbs and seeds impart elegant green and black specks onto the cheese.

Overall, the high fat content of the ewe’s milk creates an incredibly unctuous texture that will seductively coat your mouth. Moreover, it is mildly savoury on the palate with subtle citrus and peppery notes.

How to serve Moyarra Myrtle

It is very important to keep this cheese in the oil it is covered in right until you are ready to serve it. It is excellent when spread on a warm crusty baguette and is also a great substitute for feta in salads and various recipes.

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L’Artisan Organic Haloumi

Cheese Atlas — Sun, 17 May 2020 23:17:19 +0000

Sinfully moist on the inside

L’Artisan Organic Haloumi is an unripened cheese made by L’Artisan Cheese Organic in Mortlake, Victoria. Head cheesemaker, Matthieu Megard, has adapted a traditional Cypriot recipe to make this cheese using local cow’s milk. In contrast, the Cypriots historically use a blend of goat’s and sheep’s milk.

Indeed, evidence of making Haloumi dates back to the 16th century in Cyprus. Back then, it was already a very popular cheese amongst the numerous farming communities. Furthermore, local family names such as Hallumas and Hallumakis reveal their close link to cheesemaking.

Using Jersey cow’s milk

However, this version by L’Artisan Organic uses organic Jersey cow’s milk from the Great Ocean Road region in Victoria. Overall, the rich milk imparts a golden yellow colour to the pâte and a buttery flavour with subtle savoury notes.

Undoubtedly, this dense and elastic cheese is universally celebrated for its high melting point. This allows it to maintain its shape and consistency even at very high heat.

When grilled, this amazing Haloumi develops a thin brown crust on the outside of the cheese. However, what truly distinguishes this cheese from others is that it remains sinfully moist and unctuous in the middle.

How to pair L’Artisan Organic Haloumi

This cheese truly excels when grilled. Add to a garden salad or crumb and fry to make Haloumi chips. Wash it all down with a glass of Rosé or an oaked Chardonnay.

The post L’Artisan Organic Haloumi appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Aphrodite Feta

Cheese Atlas — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 11:11:34 +0000

The kind with one “T”

Aphrodite Feta is a soft cheese selected by Will Studd. It is hand-made by artisans in the hills of Northern Greece using 70% sheep’s and 30% goat’s milk.

Since ancestral times, local herders have allowed their animals to roam freely around the hills and forage for food. As a result, their milk is truly representative of the local terroir.

Aged in Beechwood barrels

The cheesemakers cut and drain the fresh curds before packing them under whey in traditional Beechwood barrels. Moreover, the barrels allow an exchange of oxygen while the cheese ferments. Furthermore, the natural flora living in the wooden planks impart a yeasty aroma to the cheese.

In total, the feta will mature for 3 months in the barrel before being ready for consumption. The end result is a creamy cheese with a delicately savoury and playfully peppery flavour.

After the cheese is removed, each barrel has to be pulled apart plank by plank, washed and put back together by a professional cooper.

How to serve Aphrodite Feta

Leave the feta in brine until serving. This will ensure that it retains its creamy and moist texture.

This delicate crumbly cheese is a stellar addition to a fresh salad. To truly appreciate its subtle flavour and soft, crumbly texture, serve it cold!

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