Tulum (cheese)
Encyclopedia
Tulum cheese is a traditional Turkish
goat's milk cheese ripened in a goatskin casing. Due to its unique flavor, it is preferred as meze
to rakı
in Turkey.
it through addition a starter culture. The milk then starts to coagulate. After about an hour, the milk is entirely converted into curd
s and whey
.
The curd is drained and repeatedly cut by special knives into smaller cubes allowing the whey to drain. The temperature is kept constant throughout this process. The curds are collected in hemp cheesecloth
, which have been cleaned, cooled and wetted before use. The bundles of curd are then hung for eight hours to allow them to drain and cure. The curds in the cheesecloth are then pressed into a form with a wooden cover. A weight is placed on the cover for several hours allowing more whey to be expressed. The curd is subsequently cut in pieces the size of bar of soap and immersed in brine
. The pieces are then arranged on a counter, and cured for 24 hours.
The next day, the curds are crushed by hand, kneaded with raw goat's milk and then tightly stuffed into a goatskin casing, which has been cleaned and salted. The curd filling is topped with salt, and the casing's opening is fastened with a cord. The goatskin casing is stored in a cool place such as a cave or cellar at temperatures of 10 to 12 °C (50 to 53.6 F) for about six months to ripen. The casing may be perforated at its sides to allow any residual whey to drain.
or sheep milk
, ripened in cowskin casings, and produced in an accelerated process that makes it, however, less durable. Its flavor is slightly different and it may become mold
y. Ripening of commercially produced tulum is commonly also carried out in plastic barrels.
Tulum cheese of Erzincan
:
Made in Erzincan Province
in Eastern Anatolia Region
.
Tulum cheese of Izmir
:
The tulum cheese of Izmir differs from other regional tulum cheese varieties in processing and characteristic.
Produced in Aegean Region
provinces like İzmir, Aydın
, Manisa
, Muğla
and Balıkesir
, it is made of raw milk heated to 60–65 °C (140–149 F), and cooled immediately down to acidifying temperature. Curds are brined in 16-percentage solution and cured for one night. The curd is filled then in cans with 12-percentage solution of brine for ripening.
Tulum cheese of Divle
Divle is village in Ayrancı
district of Karaman Province
in Central Anatolia Region
.
Tulum cheese of Çimi:
Çimi is a village in Akseki
district of Antalya Province
in Mediterranean Region.
Tulum chese of Kargı:
Produced in Kargı
of Çorum province
in Black Sea Region
, this variety comes closest to conventional tulum cheese. The annual production of 25 tons is mostly consumed in Çorum
and its neighbouring provinces Kastamonu
, Samsun
and Ankara
.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
goat's milk cheese ripened in a goatskin casing. Due to its unique flavor, it is preferred as meze
Meze
Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region, meze is served at the beginning of all large-scale meals....
to rakı
Raki
-Alcoholic beverages:*Rakı, an anise-flavored spirit popular in Turkey*Any anise-flavored drink.-Fictional characters:*Raki, a character in the manga/anime series Claymore*Raki, a character in the game Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica...
in Turkey.
Conventional
Tulum cheese is made by heating high-fat goat's milk to a temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) and subsequently souringSouring
Souring is a cooking technique that uses exposure to an acid to effect a physical and chemical change in food. This acid can be added explicitly , or can be produced within the food itself by a microbe such as Lactobacillus.Souring is similar to pickling or fermentation, but souring typically...
it through addition a starter culture. The milk then starts to coagulate. After about an hour, the milk is entirely converted into curd
Curd
Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into solid masses, or curds. The remaining liquid, which contains only...
s and whey
Whey
Whey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like cheddar or Swiss cheese...
.
The curd is drained and repeatedly cut by special knives into smaller cubes allowing the whey to drain. The temperature is kept constant throughout this process. The curds are collected in hemp cheesecloth
Cheesecloth
Cheesecloth is a loosewoven gauze-like cotton cloth used primarily in cheese making and cooking.Cheesecloth is available in at least seven different grades, from open to extra-fine weave. Grades are distinguished by the number of threads per inch in each direction.- Uses :The primary use of...
, which have been cleaned, cooled and wetted before use. The bundles of curd are then hung for eight hours to allow them to drain and cure. The curds in the cheesecloth are then pressed into a form with a wooden cover. A weight is placed on the cover for several hours allowing more whey to be expressed. The curd is subsequently cut in pieces the size of bar of soap and immersed in brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
. The pieces are then arranged on a counter, and cured for 24 hours.
The next day, the curds are crushed by hand, kneaded with raw goat's milk and then tightly stuffed into a goatskin casing, which has been cleaned and salted. The curd filling is topped with salt, and the casing's opening is fastened with a cord. The goatskin casing is stored in a cool place such as a cave or cellar at temperatures of 10 to 12 °C (50 to 53.6 F) for about six months to ripen. The casing may be perforated at its sides to allow any residual whey to drain.
Commercial
Contrary to homemade cheese, commercial tulum is made of goat's milk with a lower fat content, and kneaded with water buffaloWater buffalo
The water buffalo is a domesticated bovid widely kept in Asia, Europe and South America.Water buffalo can also refer to:*Wild water buffalo , the wild ancestor of the domestic water buffalo...
or sheep milk
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...
, ripened in cowskin casings, and produced in an accelerated process that makes it, however, less durable. Its flavor is slightly different and it may become mold
Mold
Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...
y. Ripening of commercially produced tulum is commonly also carried out in plastic barrels.
Tulum cheese by location
Tulum cheese is differentiated in Turkey by location. Cheese originating from different parts of the country differs in taste due to variation in production techniques. Most notable tulum cheeses are:Tulum cheese of Erzincan
Erzincan
-Trivia:Erzincan has the largest man made of Portrait of Atatürk, located north of the city, 176m×43m. It covers 7,500 square meter. Turkish Army made it 1982, in 29 days by 3,000 soldier, 100 tons of black and white paint was used...
:
Made in Erzincan Province
Erzincan Province
Erzincan Province is a province in the eastern region of Anatolia, Turkey, and home to Erzincan, a city which was destroyed and rebuilt after an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on December 27, 1939...
in Eastern Anatolia Region
Eastern Anatolia Region
The Eastern Anatolia Region is one of seven non-administrative subdivisions of Turkey and encompasses its eastern provinces.The region and the name "Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi" were first defined at the First Geography Congress in 1941. It has the highest average altitude, largest geographical area, and...
.
Tulum cheese of Izmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
:
The tulum cheese of Izmir differs from other regional tulum cheese varieties in processing and characteristic.
Produced in Aegean Region
Aegean Region
Aegean Region , is one of the 7 census-defined regions of Turkey, and in Western Asia.It is located in the west part of the country: bounded by Aegean Sea on the west; Marmara Region on the north;...
provinces like İzmir, Aydın
Aydin
Aydın is a city in and the seat of Aydın Province in Turkey's Aegean Region. The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast...
, Manisa
Manisa
Manisa is a large city in Turkey's Aegean Region and the administrative seat of Manisa Province.Modern Manisa is a booming center of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan center of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in...
, Muğla
Mugla
Muğla is a city in south-western Turkey. It is the center of the district the same name, as well as of Muğla Province, which stretches along Turkey´s Aegean coast. Muğla center is situated inland at an altitude of 660 m and lies at a distance of about from the nearest seacoast in the Gulf of...
and Balıkesir
Balikesir
Balıkesir is the capital city of Balıkesir Province. Balıkesir is in the Marmara region of Turkey and has a population of 265,747 inhabitants. Old name is Karesi or Karasi.- History :...
, it is made of raw milk heated to 60–65 °C (140–149 F), and cooled immediately down to acidifying temperature. Curds are brined in 16-percentage solution and cured for one night. The curd is filled then in cans with 12-percentage solution of brine for ripening.
Tulum cheese of Divle
Divle is village in Ayrancı
Ayranci
Ayrancı is a town and district of Karaman Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 13,212 of which 3,153 live in the town of Ayrancı.-History:...
district of Karaman Province
Karaman Province
Karaman Province is a province of central Turkey. It has an area of 9,163 km². It has a population of 232,633 . According to the 2000 census the population was 243,210. Population density is 27.54 people/km². The traffic code is 70. The capital is the city of Karaman...
in Central Anatolia Region
Central Anatolia Region
The Central Anatolia Region is one of Turkey's seven census-defined geographical regions.- Provinces :Total population: 12,105,975* Aksaray Province* Ankara Province* Çankırı Province* Eskişehir Province* Karaman Province* Kayseri Province...
.
Tulum cheese of Çimi:
Çimi is a village in Akseki
Akseki
Akseki is a town and district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. According to 2010 census, population of the district is 15,912 of which 3,441 live in the town of Akseki....
district of Antalya Province
Antalya Province
Antalya Province is located on the Mediterranean coast of south-west Turkey, between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean sea.Antalya Province is the centre of Turkey's tourism industry, attracting 30% of foreign tourists visiting Turkey. The province of Antalya corresponds to the lands of...
in Mediterranean Region.
Tulum chese of Kargı:
Produced in Kargı
Kargi
Kargı is a district of Çorum Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is located at 106 km from the city of Çorum. The mayor is Ahmet Hamdi Akpınar .-Economy:...
of Çorum province
Çorum Province
Çorum Province is a province in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, but lying inland and having more characteristics of Central Anatolia than the Black Sea coast....
in Black Sea Region
Black Sea Region
The Black Sea Region is one of Turkey's seven census-defined geographical regions . It is bordered by the Marmara Region to the west, the Central Anatolia Region to the south, the Eastern Anatolia Region to the southeast, the Republic of Georgia to the northeast, and the Black Sea to the north.-...
, this variety comes closest to conventional tulum cheese. The annual production of 25 tons is mostly consumed in Çorum
Çorum
Çorum is a landlocked northern Anatolian city that is the capital of the Çorum Province of Turkey. Çorum is located inland in the central Black Sea Region of Turkey, and is approximately from Ankara and from Istanbul...
and its neighbouring provinces Kastamonu
Kastamonu
Kastamonu is the capital district of the Kastamonu Province, Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 102,059 of which 64,606 live in the urban center of Kastamonu. The district covers an area of , and the town lies at an elevation of...
, Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
and Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
.