Peynir, Turkish Cheese

Turks eat alot of cheese.  I have heard that there are over 100 different types of cheese throughout Turkey. All the different regions again making thier own specialities.  Cheese is mainly eaten for breakfast or used in the cooking of various böreks.  There are some cheese desert recipes as well the most famous being Künefe, Kadayif Noodles with Kaşar Peynır.


The most popular cheeses are Beyaz, Kaşar and Tulum.  


Tulum cheese has a white or cream colour, soft-crumbly texture and a high fat content.  İt is traditionaly made in sheep or goat skins and left to mature, also being made from sheep or goats mik.  You can now find Tulum cheeses maturing in other containers.


Kaşar cheese can be made from sheep or cows milk and resembles a processed cheese.  İt is suitable for cooking ie melted cheese on toast or for pizza. 


Beyaz cheese is the one probably most widely eaten. This is very similar to fetta.  There are many versions of this cheese.  Some being just as salty as fetta whilst others are nice and smooth more akin to cream cheese.  You will find this cheese on a meze menu and is very popular when eaten with alongside Rakı.


A few more popular ones are,


Dil cheese.  This has a similar taste to Kaşar but instead of moulding it they stretch it, it becomes fiberous and comes in strands.  This is nice for breakfast.


Orgu cheese is very nice, can be a bit salty.  It comes in little braids so looks great on a plate.  It has a firm texture.


Van cheese resembles beyaz cheese but has a mixture of herbs added into it.  It is a speciality from Van. 


Lor cheese is the main ingredient for böreks and isnt a solid cheese instead it is the curds.  Maybe more like a dry cottage cheese. 

Lor Peynir at the Bazaar

Goat and Sheep Cheese

Dill Peynir

Left-Gaziantep cheese Right-Plaited cheese

Noodle type, Salty slab and at the back Kasar peynir

Herbal cheeses of which Van is famous for