Chechil

Chechil (Armenian: չեչիլ) or chechili (Georgian: ჩეჩილი) is an Armenian brined string cheese,[1][2] popular in Armenia and Georgia.[3] It has a consistency approximating that of mozzarella or sulguni and is produced in the form of dense strings, rolled up in a figure eight of thick braid-shaped ropes. Chechil is a smoked, braided, salty, string-cheese beer snack that is enjoyed by beer drinkers and enthusiasts across the globe. Chechil is made from pasteurized cow milk and is low in fat. Its taste is salty, very chewy, and with a smoky flavor to it. Its consistency is firm and smooth.[4]

Chechil
Country of originArmenia
RegionArmenia, Turkey, Georgia
Source of milkCow
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Chechil is one of the cheeses produced in the Armenian Highlands and is also called husats or tel. It is a kneaded or pulled cheese, and the art of the cheese-maker is in stretching it thin so that it yields a "chicken-breast texture". The cheese is often sold braided in thick ropes. Curd is given a hot whey bath, then kneaded and stretched to the desirable, pliable consistency. In the Western world, chechil panir is often called Armenian string cheese.[1] Armenian refugees who settled in Syria after the Armenian genocide of 1915 introduced it in the country.[2] In Turkey, chechil is called çeçil or tel peyniri, and is widely popular being specifically produced in Erzurum and in Ardahan.[5] In Russia, it is very popular as a pairing to beer in bars. It is also popular in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Chechil is also produced in the USA. In the UK, Meskhuri Chechili is a "protected geographical indication" by agreement between the UK and Georgian governments, Georgia being the country of origin.".[6]

Chechil is matured in brine and often smoked before consumption. It is sometimes mixed with farmer cheese or various hard cheeses, and is stored in jars or wine skins.

Nutrient content:

Because of its low fat content, chechil is often considered and used as diet food.

See also

References
  1. Donnelly, Catherine, ed. (2016). The Oxford Companion to Cheese. Oxford University Press. p. 475. ISBN 9780199330881. Twisted string cheese, chechil panir, husats, or tel cheese are Armenian pasta filata cheeses, which are pulled into thin strings and formed in braids
  2. Petrosian., I. and Underwood., D. (2006). Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction and Folklore. Yerkir Publishing, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
  3. Batello, Caterina (2018). GARDENS of BIODIVERSITY: Conservation of genetic resources and their use in traditional food production systems by small farmers of the Southern Caucasus. Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 235. ISBN 978-92-5-106613-3. In both Armenia and Georgia, chechil is a very popular stringy cheese
  4. "A Short Introduction to Armenian Cheese Cuisine – Food Factory" (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  5. "Civil Peyniri". Yemek.com. 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  6. "Meskhuri Chechili". Gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2021-09-14. Retrieved 29 March 2021.


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