Top 5 Armenian Cheeses

Originating from Armenia, chechil is a unique, low-fat cheese made from cow's milk. It is produced by heating up the curd to high temperatures, a process which allows the cheese to be pulled into thin strings. The cheese strings are then placed in brine, sometimes smoked, and hand braided. Throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia, chechil is often served as an accompaniment to beer.Expand

Lori is a brined Armenian cheese with a white-yellow color of its body, an elastic texture, and irregular eyes dispersed throughout. The cheese has a much firmer texture than its cousin Chanakh, because Lori's curd is heated twice. Its flavor is salty, creamy, and sharp, and it is regularly used as a table cheese in Armenia.Expand

Motal is an ancient cheese that's produced from goat’s milk (or sometimes sheep's milk) throughout the Caucasus. Right after the goats have been milked by hand, calf rennet is combined with the warm milk, and the combination is then left to cool. The curd gets broken and drained in a cloth, while the remaining mixture is broken into smaller pieces and left in brine-filled molds for at least 40 days. After that period, the curd is crumbled, seasoned with a variety of mountain herbs, and placed in goat or sheep sacks to mature from 3 to 6 months. In some regions, the cheese gets placed into terracotta pots, and it's then sealed with wax and left to age from 35 to 50 days in ashes. The cheese is crumbly and very salty, similar in flavor to mature blue cheeses. It's recommended to serve Motal with bread, flatbreads such as pita or lavash, garlic, onions, and basil. Pair it with dry red wines for the best experience. In Azerbaijan, the cheese originates mainly from two regions - Karabakh and Gazakh.Expand

Chanakh is a typical Armenian soft cheese that is soaked in chans (pots) filled with brine. Its flavor is salty, fresh, mild, and slightly spicy, while the texture is brittle. The cheese often has small eyes on its surface. It is regularly used as a table cheese, and it is recommended to pair it with fruits, vegetables, and white or red wines.Expand

Yeghegnadzor is a traditional steamed cheese. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's or goat's milk (or both) mixed with local greens. It is stored in individual clay pots, then buried in the mountains and left to mature for at least 6 months before consumption. The flavors are strong, sharp, and salty, while the addition of mountain greens gives the cheese even more unique flavors. The texture is semi-soft, creamy, and slightly crumbly.Expand