Halloumi
A Cypriot cheese with a high melting point.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Halloumi, also known as haloumi, is a cheese originating from Cyprus. It is traditionally made from a mixture of goat milk and sheep milk, though modern industrial production increasingly uses cow milk. The cheese is noted for its high melting point, which allows it to be fried or grilled without melting, and its texture is often described as 'squeaky'.
- origin
- Cyprus
- type
- Cheese
- traditional_milk
- Goat and/or sheep milk
- fat_content
- Approximately 25% wet weight, 47% dry weight
- protein_content
- About 17%
- annual_production_2023
- Over 450,000 tons
- global_market_value
- Approximately US$500 million per year
Lore & Background
Halloumi is thought to have first been made by Bedouins, as its preserved qualities were ideal for a nomadic lifestyle. According to folklore, sometime between AD 395 and 867 a herder in Cyprus combined milk from sheep and goats, heated the mixture over a fire, sifted out the curds, formed them into blobs, and left them to cool. The earliest known surviving descriptions of halloumi in Cyprus were recorded around 1554 by Florios Voustroniou, head of the Secretariat in the Venetian administration of Cyprus, where it was called 'calumi'.
Reader's Guide
Halloumi is significant as a traditional Cypriot cheese that has gained global popularity, particularly as a meat alternative for vegetarians due to its high melting point and firm texture when cooked. Its production involves scalding the curds in hot whey, a step crucial to its characteristic texture. The cheese is protected as a geographical indication in the European Union, meaning only products made in certain parts of Cyprus can be called 'halloumi'. The global halloumi market is approximately US$500 million per year, with the UK being the largest importer. Halloumi accounts for 13.4% of exports from the Republic of Cyprus. Its versatility and salty, savory flavor, along with high protein content, have made it popular worldwide.
Did You Know?
- Halloumi is traditionally made from a mixture of goat milk and sheep milk, but modern production increasingly uses cow milk.
- The cheese has a high melting point and can be fried or grilled without melting.
- Halloumi accounts for 13.4% of exports from the Republic of Cyprus.
- The UK is the largest importer of halloumi, importing 18,000 tons in 2023.
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