Bryndza
Encyclopedia
Bryndza is a sheep milk
cheese
made in Central and Eastern Europe
. Recipes differ slightly across the countries.
, there is no special type of cheese associated with it. It is a word presumably inherited by the Romanian language from Dacian
, the language of the pre-Roman population in the actual Romania (see also List of Romanian words of possible Dacian origin). The word was first recorded as brençe described as "Wallachian
cheese" in the Croatian port of Dubrovnik in 1370. Bryndza was first recorded in the Slovak
counties in 1470 and in the adjacent Polish Podhale
in 1527. Today, "bryndza", a word descended from the Romanian root, is used in various countries throughout the CEE region
, due to its introduction by migrating Vlachs
. In contrast to the original Romanian word, it is exclusively used for the one type of soft crumbly cheese described above. In Slovakia, bryndza serves as the main ingredient to "bryndzové halušky" which is regarded the national speciality (halušky - small gnocchi - are mixed with bryndza and topped with fried chops of fatty bacon). Bryndza is therefore regarded as typically Slovak product, though of Vlach origin. The modern version of the soft spreadable bryndza is believed to have been developed by enterpreneurs from Stará Turá (Western Slovakia) toward the end of the 18th century who founded bryndza manufactures in mountainous regions of Central and Northern Slovakia where sheep cheese production had deep roots of the Vlach tradition, and traded with it, popularizing bryndza all around the Austrian monarchy. Outside Slovakia and the flanking regions of Southern Poland, it is still popular nowadays in the Czech Republic under a modified Czech spelling "brynza".
Sheep milk
Sheep's milk is the milk of domestic sheep. Though not widely drunk in any modern culture, sheep's milk is commonly used to make cultured dairy products. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano , the Pecorino...
cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
made in Central and Eastern Europe
Central and Eastern Europe
Central and Eastern Europe is a term describing former communist states in Europe, after the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989/90. In scholarly literature the abbreviations CEE or CEEC are often used for this concept...
. Recipes differ slightly across the countries.
Etymology
Brânză or brînză (ˈbrɨnzə) is the generic word for "cheese" in RomanianRomanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
, there is no special type of cheese associated with it. It is a word presumably inherited by the Romanian language from Dacian
Dacian language
The extinct Dacian language may have developed from proto-Indo-European in the Carpathian region around 2,500 BC and probably died out by AD 600. In the 1st century AD, it was the predominant language of the ancient regions of Dacia and Moesia and, possibly, of some surrounding regions.It belonged...
, the language of the pre-Roman population in the actual Romania (see also List of Romanian words of possible Dacian origin). The word was first recorded as brençe described as "Wallachian
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
cheese" in the Croatian port of Dubrovnik in 1370. Bryndza was first recorded in the Slovak
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
counties in 1470 and in the adjacent Polish Podhale
Podhale
The Podhale is Poland's most southern region, sometimes referred to as the "Polish highlands". The Podhale is located in the foothills of the Tatra range of the Carpathian mountains, and is characterized by a rich tradition of folklore that is much romanticized in the Polish patriotic imagination...
in 1527. Today, "bryndza", a word descended from the Romanian root, is used in various countries throughout the CEE region
Central and Eastern Europe
Central and Eastern Europe is a term describing former communist states in Europe, after the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989/90. In scholarly literature the abbreviations CEE or CEEC are often used for this concept...
, due to its introduction by migrating Vlachs
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
. In contrast to the original Romanian word, it is exclusively used for the one type of soft crumbly cheese described above. In Slovakia, bryndza serves as the main ingredient to "bryndzové halušky" which is regarded the national speciality (halušky - small gnocchi - are mixed with bryndza and topped with fried chops of fatty bacon). Bryndza is therefore regarded as typically Slovak product, though of Vlach origin. The modern version of the soft spreadable bryndza is believed to have been developed by enterpreneurs from Stará Turá (Western Slovakia) toward the end of the 18th century who founded bryndza manufactures in mountainous regions of Central and Northern Slovakia where sheep cheese production had deep roots of the Vlach tradition, and traded with it, popularizing bryndza all around the Austrian monarchy. Outside Slovakia and the flanking regions of Southern Poland, it is still popular nowadays in the Czech Republic under a modified Czech spelling "brynza".
Geographical indications
- Bryndza PodhalańskaBryndza PodhalanskaBryndza Podhalańska is a Polish variety of the soft cheese Bryndza, from the Podhale region, it is made from sheep milk.It has a geographical indication under EU law, with PDO status....
from PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
has been registered in the EU's Register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications on 11 June 2007 as a Protected Designation of OriginProtected designation of originProtected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
(PDO). The geographical indicationGeographical indicationA geographical indication is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin...
was requested on 23 September 2006.
- Slovenská bryndza from SlovakiaSlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
has been registered in the EU's Register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications on 16 July 2008 as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The geographical indication was requested on 4 October 2007.
See also
- Romanian TelemeaTelemeaTelemea is the name of the traditional Romanian cheese. The term encompasses cheese made out of cow milk and more often, sheep milk. As is the case in Greek feta, Bulgarian/Macedonian sirene, and Serbian sir; Telemea can have a higher water content, making it a semi-soft, white cheese with a...
- Bulgarian sireneSireneSirene/ Sirenje or known as "white brine sirene" .Salads: Shopska salad with tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions and sirene. Ovcharska salad with the above mentioned vegetables, cheese, ham, boiled eggs and olives. Tomatoes with sirene is a traditional light salad during the summer.Eggs:...
- Greek fetaFetaFeta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese,...
- Mexican queso fresco