Nov 25 2011
What Is Halloumi Cheese
If you are looking forward to spend your holidays to Cyprus, be sure to drop by local eateries and cafes. Here you can taste the mouth-watering dishes, desserts, soups, stews, and delicacies that uniquely characterize Cypriot cuisine. These delectable dishes are described by many as a perfect mix of many Greek cuisines. When you eat Cypriot dishes, you can expect a a gastronomic experience of a lifetime.
One of the most well-known foods served in this Eurasian island country is halloumi, a traditional Cypriot cheese that is also popular in Greece and in the Middle East. Formulated out of a mixture of unpasteurized sheep and goat’s milk, the cheese is set with rennet. The cheese is quite unusual considering that no acid or acid-producing bacteria are used in its making.
Registered as a protected Cypriot product, the cheese has a white color and has a distinctive layered texture just like mozzarella cheese. It has a salty flavor and is usually stored in salt water. If it is frozen below -18 degrees Celsius, it can be preserved for up to a year. Most cheese lovers prefer halloumi that has been aged and kept in its own brine due to its stronger, saltier taste. Producers of halloumi usually flavor their cheeses with bits of snipped mint leaves to enhance the taste.
Halloumi’s fat content is around 25% of the cheese’s wet weight, 47% dry weight with around 17% protein. When cooked, it results in a firm texture, making squeaking sounds as it is chewed.
Another intersting thing about halloumi cheese is that it can be utilized in cooking. Most cheeses melt when heated, but halloumi has a higher-than-normal melting point, making it an excellent cheese for grilling and frying. Cypriots are fond of eating halloumi with watermelon in the summer months. Halloumi is also a main ingredient in halloumi and lountza, a dish that combines the cheese with a slice of smoked pork or lamb sausage.
When you are planning to have your cheap holidays abroad, don’t forget to order some halloumi cheese to go with your meals. Reserve your tour through Travel Republic.
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