Halloumi, is the most unique of the Cypriot delicacies and is registered as a
Cyprus product only. The Ministry of Commerce is establishing the rule that only
cheese made in Cyprus can be marketed as Halloumi.
So what exactly is Halloumi? It is a mix of whole sheep, goat and cow milk,
salt and a hint of mint, made for centuries on the Mediterranean island of
Cyprus.
Halloumi cheese has been produced in Cyprus for centuries. Traditionally a
group of women in the village makes it, from a mixture of sheep, goat and cow
milk. Every few days, once sufficient milk has been collected, it is heated in a
large cauldron, and then rennet is added to start the curdling process. Once the
curds are set into a soft cheese they are cut and removed from the whey and
pressed. The halloumi is then re-cooked, which results in its firm, almost
rubbery texture. Whilst still warm the cheeses are sprinkled with a mixture of
salt and dried mint, folded, and stored in brine. This folding process gives the
cheese its distinctive shape.
Fresh halloumi is excellent with watermelon or figs, or indeed with any
seasonal fruit. Although halloumi lovers regard this as probab
ly the best way to enjoy the cheese,
many people prefer it cooked. Halloumi claims to be the only cheese in the world
that can be eaten and enjoyed either raw or cooked in any possible way, fried,
grilled, baked or boiled. Chunky slices can be grilled either under a stove
grill or on the barbecue, or they can be fried lightly in a little oil to a
crunchy crispness.
The versatility of halloumi is such that it can be used in pies and pasties,
it can be cooked with chicken or with fish, or grated and served with pasta. It
is particularly good in ravioli, a popular dish in Cyprus, probably dating back
to the 13th or 14th century. If halloumi cheese is simmered in water for about 5
minutes, until it gets soft, it loses some of its salt and fat content, a
healthy option and yet another flavor surprise.
Anari
Anari is another delicious fresh cheese from Cyprus. It
is made traditionally by adding milk to the whey left after making halloumi. If
not consumed fresh, the cheese is salted and air-dried. The resulting very tasty
hard grating cheese is used to flavour homemade pastas and pies.
Kephalotyri Cheese
It is a
hard type of traditional Cyprus cheese prepared from 100% pasteurised sheep's
milk. It is considered to be one of the best and and most expensive cheeses and
it's preparation is very complicated. It contains a maximum moisture of 38%, 48%
fat in dry matter and 2,5% salt. Storing temperature is 5ºC.
