Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Circassian Cheese

Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri is a traditional semi-hard cheese with long shelf life, produced in the geographical region of the Uzunyayla plateau, which belongs to the Pınarbaşı district of Kayseri, using full-fat cow or sheep milk. It was officially registered as a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office on 14 April 2021.

^{Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri} (Anadolu Agency)

This cheese was first produced by Circassians (Adiges; Kabarday, Hatkoy, Abzah) who migrated from the Caucasus after 1850 and has preserved its authenticity to the present day through adaptation to the region’s geographic conditions since 1864. The Uzunyayla plateau is a vast, elongated, and flat highland area extending from Pınarbaşı district in Kayseri to villages and neighborhoods in Kangal and Şarkışla districts of Sivas. This region lies at the intersection of Eastern Anatolia and Central Anatolia. In the Circassian language, this cheese variety is called only “Koypıtlıj” (red cheese) in Uzunyayla, while Circassians living in the rest of Türkiye and the Adyghe Republic refer to similar cheeses as “Adige Koaye” (Circassian cheese) or “Mate Koaye” (basket cheese). Due to the high altitude of the Uzunyayla plateau, significant temperature differences between day and night, and the absence of trees, the local population has traditionally matured and stored their cheeses not by processing but by placing them in areas of their homes exposed to the northeastern (Poyraz) wind. This method ensured long-term preservation and became one of the distinguishing features of Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri compared to other Circassian cheeses produced elsewhere.

^{Cheese Salting Stage} (Anadolu Agency)

Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri is produced using traditional methods in villages and highland pastures of the Uzunyayla plateau, from the full-fat milk of sheep or cows grazing freely on open meadows (cow and sheep milk are never mixed). Production begins in April and May and continues until November.

The main production stages are as follows:

1. Milk Preparation and Heating: Fatty and aromatic milk collected from pastures and highlands is filtered through a sieve or cloth to remove impurities. The milk is heated in stainless steel or chrome pots to near boiling point (approximately 80–85°C).
2. Coagulation: Fermented whey (soured yogurt whey or cheese whey) is added gradually, at 10–15% of the milk volume, to the heated milk. The coagulant is poured slowly in a circular motion from the outer edge of the pot and gently stirred with a wooden spoon. This process is repeated three to five times until the milk curdles and separates into solid curd and pale yellow-green whey, forming a dough-like mass.
3. Molding and Pressing: The dough-like curd is immediately transferred into woven baskets (Mate Koaye) with diameters between 15×15 cm and 30×30 cm. The curd is pressed gently with a wooden spoon to settle evenly within the basket. When full, the basket is inverted onto another to shape the cheese. A weight approximately twice the cheese’s mass is applied for 8 to 12 hours to extract excess moisture and consolidate the curd.
4. Salting: The surface of the pressed cheese is rubbed with coarse rock salt (dry salting). This is done after pressing to prevent the cheese’s moisture from dissolving the salt. The salt, due to its hygroscopic properties, draws out residual moisture and adheres to the surface. The salting ratio is approximately 1.5–2% of the cheese’s weight.
5. Resting and Drying: The salted cheese is placed on shelves in areas of homes exposed to the northeastern (Poyraz) wind and protected from direct sunlight, where it rests and dries for at least 15 days. The cheese is turned daily to ensure even moisture reduction. By the end of this period, the cheese’s color changes from dark cream to light yellow and finally to yellow.

After this 15-day pre-drying period, the cheese may be consumed fresh. For long-term storage, it can be wrapped in cloth or vacuum-packed and stored at +4°C for up to six months to one year.

^{Production Stage} (Anadolu Agency)

The factors that distinguish Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri from other Circassian cheeses are:

• Coagulation of milk using heat and fermented whey.
• Shaping of the curd in specially crafted baskets.
• Natural drying and ripening under ambient conditions, utilizing the region’s geographic features by exposing the cheese to the northeastern (Poyraz) wind.
• Formation of a fatty, yellow rind on the cheese surface due to fat accumulation and oxidation upon air exposure.
• Use of locally produced fermented yogurt whey as the primary starter culture.

• Appearance: Initially, the surface is matte and pale white and smooth. After one week, it takes on a cream or straw-yellow hue. During ripening, a firm, fatty rind forms due to oxidation. The rind of mature cheese is approximately one millimeter thick, extremely hard, and not chewable, gradually turning dark yellow over time.
• Texture and Structure: The cut surface has a unique semi-hard structure and fractures without elasticity. Hardness increases with ripening. The cheese does not melt in the mouth.
• Shape: It is shaped in round baskets.
• Aroma and Flavor: It has a mild sour and yeasty aroma due to fermentation. Fresh cheese has a mild, bland, cooked flavor with no noticeable saltiness. During ripening, slight variations in flavor and aroma may occur, and a faint salty taste may be perceived from the surface inward.

The chemical properties of Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri, based on analyzed samples, are presented as average ranges:

Studies have shown differences in dry matter, salt, fat, total nitrogen, protein content, pH, and lactic acid percentage between fresh (day 1) and ripened (day 30) cheeses, with higher values observed in ripened cheeses. The primary reason for these variations is the absence of a standardized production process in Circassian cheese making. The ripening index (Soluble Nitrogen/Total Nitrogen ratio) remains a key criterion for evaluating the degree of ripeness.

Monitoring of Pınarbaşı Uzunyayla Çerkes Peyniri is conducted regularly (April–October) by a supervisory body composed of Pınarbaşı Municipality, Pınarbaşı District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, Pınarbaşı Chamber of Agriculture, Pınarbaşı Chamber of Trades and Crafts, and the United Caucasus Association, under the coordination of Pınarbaşı Municipality. Monitoring includes compliance with geographic sourcing of milk, ripening stage, sensory characteristics (color and taste), production method, storage conditions, and proper use of the geographical indication.