HalloumiΧαλλούμι

Appearance & taste

Halloumi is folded or unfolded, rectangular or semicircular, and weighs 150 to 1,200 g. It keeps its shape, is easy to slice and, according to the specification, also stays firm at high temperatures, so it can be fried and grilled. Folding creates two layers, between which mint leaves are usually placed.

Fresh halloumi is semi-hard and elastic, whitish to pale yellow, and contains at most 52 % moisture, at least 43 % fat in dry matter and at most 3 % salt. It smells strongly of milk and whey, has a mint aroma and an animal note, and tastes strong and salty. Matured halloumi is semi-hard to hard, less elastic and whitish to yellowish. It contains at most 37 % moisture, at least 40 % fat in dry matter and at most 6 % salt, and tastes strong, slightly bitter and very salty.

Production

Whole milk from Cyprus is used: sheep’s or goat’s milk or a mixture of both, with or without cow’s milk. The share of cow’s milk must be smaller than that of sheep’s and goat’s milk; for mixtures the label states the types of milk and their shares. The milk may be raw, pasteurised or heated to over 65 °C. Milk powder, condensed milk, caseinates, colourings and preservatives are prohibited. Sheep and goats graze all year round when the weather allows; their roughage comes from Cyprus. The cows are kept in sheds and receive roughage produced in the country and supplementary feed.

The milk is curdled with rennet. The curd is heated for at least 30 minutes in whey at over 90 °C. According to the specification, this creates aroma compounds that shape the flavour. Then the cheese is shaped and folded; mint (Mentha viridis) is usually placed between the layers. Matured halloumi then lies in salted whey for at least 40 days. Milk production and cheesemaking take place in Cyprus. Packing must also be done there, among other things so that the cheese is packed immediately after production and does not continue to ripen.

Origin & history

Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The flora comprises 1,908 species, 140 of them found only on the island. The native dairy breeds include the fat-tailed sheep and the Machaira and Pissouri goat breeds. The lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus cypricasei has so far been found only in Cypriot halloumi.

The oldest written mention, as “calumi”, dates from 1554 and is kept in the library of the Museo Correr in Venice; in 1788 Archimandrite Kyprianos mentions it. According to the specification, its importance is also shown at agricultural fairs, for example in Lyssi in 1939; it was exported to many countries. “Hellim” is the Turkish name; Turkish Cypriot producers use both names or only “Hellim”. Both refer to the same product. Folding was originally meant to make it easier to place the cheese in the containers in which it was stored in whey. According to the specification, the method has been passed down for generations.