Cheese story
What is Kaşar?
A Turkish stretched-curd cheese used fresh for melting or aged for sharper flavour.
Origin
Turkey-wide, Turkey
Milk
cow or sheep
Board role
Fresh / bright
Cheese profile
Country
Turkey
Region
Turkey-wide
Milk type
cow or sheep
Texture
semi-hard
Rind
natural
Ageing
fresh to aged
Vegetarian
Check the rennet / producer
Milk treatment
varies
Flavour profile: mild, buttery, tangy when aged
Origin, protection and character
Kaşar comes from Turkey, especially Turkey-wide. Its character comes from the balance of milk, texture, rind, ageing and local serving traditions.
Protected status
None
Typical ageing
fresh to aged
How to serve Kaşar
toast, börek, melting, breakfast
Good food matches
bread
tomatoes
tea
Serving tip
Take it out of the fridge before serving so the texture softens and the flavour opens up. Softer cheeses usually need less time than hard aged cheeses.
Buying tip
Look for clean aroma, good texture and a style that matches the board: fresh and bright, soft and creamy, hard and nutty, blue and salty, or bold and washed-rind.
