Baladi Cheese – A cherished fresh cheese
Discover Baladi Cheese, a traditional delight from International. Enjoy its authentic flavor and creamy texture in your favorite dishes.
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Cheese Of The Levant Region
Definition and Scope
Levantine cheese refers to dairy products originating from the Eastern Mediterranean region, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. These cheeses are typically made from sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, or a blend, reflecting the pastoral traditions of the area. They are distinguished by their brining or dry-salting preservation methods, which grant them a characteristic salty flavor and extended shelf life in warm climates.
The category encompasses both fresh varieties, like labneh, and aged types, such as halloumi and shanklish. Many Levantine cheeses are stretch-curd or brined cheeses, a technique that impacts their texture and melting properties. This group is integral to Middle Eastern culinary practice, with specific cheeses tied to cultural dishes and eating habits across the region.
Production Techniques
Traditional production often begins with raw or pasteurized milk from local herds, heated gently before rennet addition to form curds. For brined cheeses like feta-style varieties, the curds are cut, drained, and then submerged in a saltwater solution for several weeks. This brining process inhibits spoilage and develops the cheese’s signature tangy, salty taste profile.
Other techniques include stretching the curd in hot water for cheeses such as halloumi, which creates a semi-hard, grill-able texture. Some, like the aged shanklish, are formed into balls, dried, and rolled in spices such as thyme or chili. Aging periods vary from days for fresh cheeses to months for drier, more pungent varieties, often in controlled, cool environments.
Sensory Profile
Levantine cheeses typically present a pronounced salty and tangy flavor, a direct result of the brining process. Fresh cheeses like labneh offer a creamy, spreadable texture with a refreshing acidity, while aged versions develop deeper, sharper, and sometimes spicy or herbal notes from added seasonings. The mouthfeel ranges from soft and moist to firm and crumbly.
Halloumi is notable for its high melting point, yielding a squeaky texture when raw and a crisp, browned exterior when grilled. Brined white cheeses often have a moist, slightly grainy consistency and a clean, milky aroma. The overall sensory character is bold and robust, designed to stand up to strongly flavored regional accompaniments like olives and flatbreads.
Culinary Uses
In Levantine cuisine, these cheeses serve as table cheeses, breakfast staples, and key ingredients in cooked dishes. Labneh is commonly eaten for breakfast, drizzled with olive oil and paired with vegetables. Halloumi is frequently grilled or pan-fried and served in sandwiches or alongside salads, capitalizing on its heat-resistant properties.
Brined cheeses are crumbled over fattoush salad, baked into pastries like sfeeha, or melted in manakeesh. Aged, dry cheeses such as shanklish are often combined with tomatoes, onions, and oil as a mezze dish. Their strong flavors and preservative qualities make them suitable for a diet that historically relied on non-perishable, nutrient-dense foods.
Regional Examples
Lebanon produces jibneh baida, a white brined cheese similar to feta, and the strained yogurt cheese labneh. Syria is known for its string cheese, jibbneh mshallaleh, often braided and eaten as a snack. Each country’s variations reflect slight differences in milk type, brining duration, and added herbs or spices.
Halloumi, originally from Cyprus, is widely made and consumed throughout the Levant, sometimes with mint leaves embedded in the curd. Jordan and Palestine have their own versions of brined sheep’s milk cheeses, often identified by local names like nabulsi cheese, which is sometimes sweetened and used in desserts. These examples highlight the diversity within a shared cheesemaking heritage.