Description
Similar to the Greek feta, but also as in the case of Turkish '' teleme'', Bulgarian or Macedonian sirene, and Serbian ''sir'', telemea can have a higher water content, making it a soft or semi-soft white cheese with a creamy texture and a tangy aftertaste. Alternatively, the cheese is put through an ageing process that makes it crisper, more flavoured and saltier. Cumin seeds are occasionally added for a spicy, nutty flavor. It is used as a table cheese for snacks, in salads, and in a variety of dishes (e.g., omelettes, clătite, plăcinte).Production
To make ''Telemea'' cheese, rennet is added into milk to curdle it. Most commonly, cow's and sheep's milk are used, with goat's and buffalo's being more of a delicacy. The resulting curd is removed and is kept in cheesecloth, pressed overnight, then cut into square pieces. The cheese is then left to mature in brine. This fresh cheese (preserved in brine up to a couple of weeks) has its own name, caș. Subsequently, it is stored in wooden barrels named ''putini'' (singular: ''putină''). It can be kept throughout winter in a more concentrated brine, in which case, it is desalted in fresh water before consumption.Certification
Starting 2004, the ''Telemea'' is intended to become a protected traditional speciality product of Romania, and the following types of ''telemea'' have sought to be recognized under the PDO or PGI labels: *Telemea de Argeș *Telemea de Brașov *Telemea de Carei *Telemea de Harghita *Telemea de Huedin *Telemea de Ibănești (PDO) *Telemea de Nucet *Telemea de Oaş *Telemea de Sibiu (PGI) *Telemea de Vâlcea In 2017, the EU acknowledged ''Telemea de Ibănești'' as having Protected designation of origin (PDO), followed by ''Telemea de Sibiu'' as having Protected geographical indication (PGI), in 2019.See also
* * *References
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