The cheese that defines the color of a region's palate
In short: In many parts of the Balkans and the Levant, calling a cheese simply 'cheese' is a linguistic impossibility. To do so would be to ignore its color. Kashkaval serves as a cultural divider, where white cheeses hold the title of 'cheese' and yellow ones must carry a specific name.
The term kashkaval functions as a linguistic chameleon across Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In Hungary, kaskavál refers to a specific cheese type, but in the broader Balkans, Turkey, and the Levant, it often serves as a generic descriptor for all yellow cheeses. This distinction is so culturally ingrained that in North Macedonia, calling a yellow cheese simply 'cheese' would be considered ludicrous, as the word is reserved almost exclusively for white varieties like feta.
The cheese's history is a map of migration and trade. One theory suggests its name derives from the Italian caciocavallo, while others link it to the Romanian word for cheese, 'caș.' Historical records from the 17th century in Istanbul note that 400 artisans produced various cheeses, including kaşkaval, which was celebrated in Ottoman feasts. By the 1810s, Italian and Dalmatian cheesemakers who settled in the Ottoman Empire are credited with bringing the production of kačkavalj to the city of Pirot in Serbia.
Production methods vary by geography and necessity. In Albania, kaçkavall is a staple often served raw or fried as a complimentary side dish. In Romania, the term cașcaval can apply to semi-hard cheeses like the cow-milk-based rucăr or the sheep-milk-based dobrogea, but it also serves as a catch-all for Western varieties like Gouda or Cheddar. Even during the communist era, food shortages forced Romanian housewives to innovate, creating a homemade pressed cheese from milk, smântână, butter, and eggs to mimic the traditional variety.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Kashkaval
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