The Savvy Guide to Georgian Cheese

A guide to Georgian cheese cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the country’s relationship with this strange delicacy. Georgia is known as a lead producer of wine, but many do not realize that it has also been making cheese for thousands of years, a fact which numerous cheese-making utensils uncovered by archaeologists on Georgian territory can confirm.

In the 20th century, however, cheese production became very expensive. Delicate, quality cheeses became scarce, and as a result information on many types of Georgian traditional cheeses was lost. A woman named Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze pioneered the research and revival of many cheeses which were once endemic in Georgia, and since 2001 her life mission has been the research of Georgian cheese culture. To date, she has rediscovered some 60 types of cheese from different regions of the country. For our Georgian cheese guide, we have chosen to review some of the most popular varieties.

The first-ever cheese festival was held in Georgia in 2010 and has been followed up by annual cheese events. Unfortunately for tourists, none of these festivals have fixed dates yet. As you await news of the next cheese festival to be staged in Georgia, browse our Savvy Guide to Georgian Cheese to become acquainted with this staple in the Georgian diet.

Imeruli is the most popular cheese in Georgia which, true to its name, is produced mainly in Imereti Region. Imeruli cheese is an uncooked cheese made from cow's milk and has varying salinity levels. When fresh and unsalted, it is semi-soft and chewy, yet when aged it develops a slightly grainy texture and sour taste. Recipes with Imureli cheese abound in Georgia. The famous cheese-filled bread called khachapuri is usually cooked with Imeruli or Sulguni cheese. Khinkhali dumplings are another famous dish, and while typically stuffed with meat, the vegetarian varieties usually feature Imeruli and cottage cheese as a replacement filling. Imeruli cheese is also an integral part of the traditional Georgian feast, or supra.

Sulguni, also known as Selegin, is another well-known cheese in Georgia which is made from cow, goat or buffalo milk. Hailing from Samegrelo Region in western Georgia, Sulguni has a moderately salty flavor and an elastic consistency. It is very similar to Mozzarella cheese, although it requires different storage techniques. Sulguni can be served as a table cheese or melted into Megrelian dishes like ghomi, a hot porridge made with corn flour. The Megrelian khachapuri recipe is another culinary masterpiece which uses Sulguni cheese both as an inner filling and as an outside topping. Smoked Sulguni, which is noted for its brownish color, smoky aroma and salty flavor, can be purchased in blocks in local stores.

Tenili is a sacred cheese from Meskheti Region. Made from cow or sheep milk, Tenili is used only on special occasions such as weddings, engagement parties, Christmas, New Year, birthdays and the arrival of an honored guest. A thermally processed cheese, the cheesemaker does not stop until the cheese has been transformed into long, thin threads. The threads are then stored in pots in a cellar, and only after a year is this Georgian string cheese ready to eat. Conveniently, nearly all Meskhetians have a cellar with an ideal temperature for storing Tenili cheese.

Guda cheese must go through many stages of ripening, yet the effort and patience are well worth the result. This time-consuming process continued unabated even during the Soviet era, for Soviet officials were enamored with this delicious treat and encouraged the shepherds to produce it in larger quantities.

To make Guda cheese, fresh sheep milk is placed into a folded bag and salted from the outside. It is then transferred to a guda, or well-cut sheepskin, and covered in mountain grass. The shepherd leaves the guda bag hanging all spring, during which time the sun warms the cheese from above and the earth cools it from below. These conditions allow for a natural ripening process for the cheese, which is kept at the shepherd's home until it is ready to be consumed. Guda pairs excellently with Mtsvane, a Georgian amber wine.

Dambalkhacho is a cottage cheese made in Pshavi, a mountainous region of Georgia. The buttermilk cottage cheese that remains after churning cow milk butter is the secret ingredient for this delicious treat. The cottage cheese is salted and dried over medium heat. It is then aged in a clay pot for approximately three months, during which time it develops a characteristic mold. Due to its long shelf life and nutritional value, soldiers from Pshavi often packed Dambalkhacho before setting out for war.

Rounding up our guide to Georgian cheese is Svanuri Narchvi, the pride and joy of the country! Native to mountainous Svaneti Region, its production begins in the summer and continues as long as there is fresh grass in the meadows. After 10-15 kilos of cow cheese has been prepared, the cheesemaker begins to disassemble it by hand and knead it like dough on a special wooden board. A mass of cheese is then tightly packed into a wooden box pre-coated with a white canvas. After each layer, the product is lightly salted in order to expel more liquid. After the cheese mass is well compacted, it is covered with the canvas. The box is sealed with a wooden lid and heavy stones are arranged on top to expel the remaining liquid over time. The cheesemaker checks the box from time to time before placing a small cap over the box after a maximum of 7 days. The box is then stored in a basement or another cool place for one to three months. Svanetian families enjoy Narchvi all winter and into early spring. As the concentration of salt in Svanuri Narchvi is very balanced, it can be served as an appetizer or added to baked goods and khachapuri bread.

Many Georgian cheeses, including Svanuri Narchvi and Tenili, are recognized as Monuments of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia. When traveling through the Caucasus, taste-testing the cheeses listed in The Savvy Guide to Georgian Cheese are sure to be a culinary highlight.