Mimihan Halbin Zaidan

Gölmerg – With the arrival of summer, preparations begin in the villages and mountain pastures of North Kurdistan for making herb cheese. At every stage of producing this cheese, which is among the most delicious foods and a staple of the breakfast table, the role of women and their great effort stand out.

Rafia Jilan (58 years old) lives in the town of Kharwata (Büyük Çekmece) in North Kurdistan. Like other women in the town, she prepares herb cheese every year. In spring, she collects herbs that grow in the high mountain pastures, and with the arrival of summer, the cheese‑making phase begins.

She says, as a mother of eight children, that she prepares herb cheese for consumption with her family, as well as for sale to help secure the family's income. She explains that the process begins with collecting herbs in their appropriate season, then moving to the milk stage.

She explains the preparation steps: "In the early morning hours, we go to where the sheep are gathered for milking. After milking, the milk is strained several times, then rennet is added. The milk is left for about half an hour until it curdles and reaches the desired consistency. Then, a group of herbs such as green garlic is added, then it is strained and placed into cloth bags. The remaining liquid from the cheese is collected in a large pot."

A flavor waiting under the soil

Rafia Jilan explains that the cloth bags filled with cheese are left overnight. "When the cheese reaches its final consistency, it is salted and packed into containers of five kilograms, then buried in the ground. The buried cheese is left for no less than six months underground, after which it is taken out and becomes ready for consumption."

She added that the underground is not only used to ripen the cheese but also serves as a natural storage place. "The cheese not only becomes ready underground, but is also stored there. The six‑month period is necessary for it to become edible, but sometimes it is kept for a year or more. When needed, we take out an amount sufficient for a certain period, while the rest remains preserved underground without spoiling."

Making use of everything

Rafia Jilan pointed out that the liquid resulting from straining the cheese is not wasted; it is also used. It is boiled in large pots over fire to produce Lor cheese (fresh cheese) and other products such as "Jajik," which enrich their tables during winter and are also sold to provide additional income for the family.

She mentioned that she sold one kilogram of herb cheese last year for 360 Turkish lira, but this year's prices have not yet been determined. She added that she sometimes sells her products within the district, and sometimes sends them to other cities outside the region.