The History of Halloumi Cheese (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of halloumi cheese? ›

Haloumi hails from the Mediterranean and was first made on the island of Cyprus during the Medieval Byzantine period (AD 395 – 1191). Cypriot famers relied on haloumi as a source of protein and in many villages the entire community would join forces and make huge batches together.

Many Halloumi-style cheeses are prepared by dairy and goat farmers in Canada and the United States. For legal proprietary reasons, these cheeses are usually called Halloumi-style or grillable cheeses. Sometimes they are called grilling cheese or frying cheese, or queso de freír in Spanish.

Currently, the UK is the country consuming the highest number of halloumi cheese outside of Cyprus.

Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese known around the world. It is identified by its semi-hard and rubbery texture and is a popular choice for many different dishes as an alternative to traditional cheese due to its high melting point. .

What is halloumi? Originating from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard, un-ripened, brined cheese that can be made from cow, sheep or goat's milk. It can be eaten raw but is truly delicious cooked, having a high melting point, makes it an excellent choice for grilling or frying.

Originally from Cyprus, halloumi cheese is a popular dairy product. Its firm texture and unique savory taste are enjoyed worldwide. Given that it provides a good amount of protein and calcium in each serving, adding it to your diet may enhance your bone health and protect against type 2 diabetes.

Halloumi is made out of sheep's milk, which is more expensive than cow's or goat's milk due to the animal milking production—though nowadays you can also find Halloumi varieties with a mix of these kinds of milk, thus lowering the price of the product.

Nutritionally haloumi cheese contains slightly less fat (26 per cent) than regular cheddar cheese but more than double the sodium content thanks to the brine used to preserve it. Haloumi is delicious, and as such one of the biggest issues it poses is the risk of overeating.

It is the high pH (low acid) of the cheese that causes this non-melting characteristic. Although the cheese keeps its shape, its outward appearance turns into a crispy, golden-brown color when fried or browned and with grill marks when grilled, it softens significantly but it does not melt.

This is because, unlike many cheeses, halloumi has a high pH, as no starter cultures are used in its production. It seems that when this dense casein network “rubs” against the enamel of the teeth, it produces a squeak. Other cheeses usually have a lower pH, which tends to make the casein more fragile.

How long does halloumi last in the fridge? ›

Halloumi will keep in the refrigerator for as long as a year, if it's unopened. Once opened, store it in the refrigerator in salt water in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Or wrap it tightly in waxed paper, parchment paper or cheese wrap.

Halloumi cheese also contains high levels of selenium, which is a mineral that has anti-inflammatory properties. Selenium helps reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can help relieve pain and improve joint health. The high levels of selenium in halloumi cheese also help boost the immune system.

How do you tell if halloumi cheese is bad? Spoiled halloumi cheese can be easily identified. If the cheese has become slimy or developed a mold, it's time to toss it out. Moreover, a strong sour smell or change in color can also indicate that the cheese is past its prime.

Halloumi could be eaten raw, but it typically isn't as its flavour and texture is enhanced when cooked. A big part of enjoying halloumi is the crisp, browned outside and soft inside when cooked, and this would be lost if eaten raw.

Borrowed from Greek χαλλούμι (challoúmi), from Cypriot Arabic xallúm, from Coptic ϩⲁⲗⲱⲙ (halōm, “cheese”) (Sahidic), ⲁⲗⲱⲙ (alōm, “cheese”) (Bohairic), itself in turn probably a borrowing from Semitic, though in manuscripts and ostraca from 2nd century Roman Egypt, Egyptian Demotic ḥlm is also attested with the meaning ...

It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled, a property that makes it a popular meat substitute.

A top court in the European Union has rejected an attempt to drop the protected status of the dairy-favourite, staving off a challenge on one of Cyprus's top exports. Halloumi has a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, meaning that only approved producers from Cyprus can market the cheese under that name.

But other aspects of its production also make halloumi unique: Typically, no starter cultures are added to the milk to drop the pH, unlike many cheese recipes. After the milk is warmed, rennet coagulates the milk into a gel-like curd, which is then cut, stirred, and gently heated to drive out whey.