Akkawi
| Akkawi cheese | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other names | Akawi, Akawieh and Ackawi |
| Region | Levant |
| Town | Akka |
| Source of milk | Cow |
| Texture | Soft |
Akkawi cheese(Arabic:جبنة عكاوي,romanized:jubna ʿakkāwī,alsoAkawi,AkawiehandAckawi) is a white brinecheesenamed after the city ofAkka(Acre, present-day Israel).[1][2]
Etymology
Akkawi cheese is named after the port city ofAkka(Arabic:عكّا). Akkawi inArabicmeans "from Akka".[2][3]
Production and storage
Akkawi is commonly made with pasteurizedcow'smilk,but can also be made withgoatorsheepmilk.This cheese is largely produced in theMiddle East,notably inIsrael,Palestine,Lebanon,Jordan,Syria,Egypt,andCyprus.[2][3]In these regions, people usually eat it with a soft flatbread during lunch and dinner. Akkawi is hand-packed into square draining hoops and then cured in a salted whey brine for two days.[4]
Texture and taste
The color is white and it has a smooth texture and a mild salty taste. It is commonly used as a table cheese eaten by itself or paired with fruit.[2]
The texture can be compared tomozzarella,fetaor amizithra,since it does not melt easily. Akkawi can be stored up to a year.[3]The texture and flavor is a result of its specific culturing from its curds that are kept together for a prolonged period longer than simpler tasting curd cheese such asSyriancheese when akkai is transformed into cheese.[2][3]
Supply chain problems
The supply of akkawi has often been a problem in the Middle East.[citation needed]During theLebanese Civil War,dairyanimals were slaughtered and the country had to import akkawi fromEastern Europe.InLos Angeles,people used to make a substitute for akkawi by soaking feta cheese in several changes of water to desalinate it.[4]
See also
- Brined cheese– Cheese that is matured in brine
- List of cheeses– List of cheeses by place of origin
- List of stretch-curd cheeses– Cheeses prepared using the pasta filata technique
References
- ^"Ackawi - Cheese".cheese.Retrieved2016-04-18.
- ^abcdeTamime, A. Y. (1991). R. K. Robinson and A. Y. Tamime (ed.).Feta and Related Cheeses.Woodhead Publishing. pp. 209–216.ISBN978-1-85573-278-0.
- ^abcd"Ackawi".Retrieved24 March2015.
- ^abBurm, Linda (28 January 1993)."MARKETS: Pulling Strings: Cheese From the East".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved24 March2015.