Andy Montoya
Georgia is home to a wide variety of unique cheeses, with around 60 types of cheese that are unlike those found anywhere else. While Georgia is known as a lead producer of wine, it has also been making cheese for thousands of years, as confirmed by various cheese-making utensils uncovered by archaeologists on Georgian territory. The country's cheese-making traditions were nearly lost in the 20th century when cheese production became expensive, and delicate, quality cheeses became scarce. However, thanks to the efforts of cheese enthusiasts like Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze, also known as the mother of Georgian cheese, many of these lost cheeses have been rediscovered and are now enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. So, where can you find the best cheese in Georgia? Let's explore the country's rich cheese culture and discover the top destinations for cheese lovers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of unique cheese types | 60 |
| Well-known cheese types | Imeruli, Sulguni, Narchvi, Chogi, Kalti, Kobi, Chechili, Guda, Dambalkhacho, Meskhetian Tenili, Kazla |
| Most popular cheese | Imeruli |
| Cheese filled bread | Khachapuri |
| Staple of Georgian cuisine | Khachapuri |
| Sacred cheese | Tenili |
| Region of origin of Imeruli | Imereti Region |
| Region of origin of Sulguni | Samegrelo Region |
| Region of origin of Narchvi | Svaneti Region |
| Person who made it her life's work to research Georgian cheese culture | Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze |
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What You'll Learn
The 'mother of Georgian cheese', Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze
Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze, also known as the "mother of Georgian cheese", is a woman on a mission. She has dedicated her life to researching and reviving Georgia's lost cheese heritage, a journey that has taken her to remote mountain villages and ancient cookbooks in search of traditional cheesemaking techniques. In doing so, she has not only helped to preserve a vital part of Georgian culture but also challenged the notion that Georgia only has a few types of cheese.
Mikadze-Chikvaidze's interest in cheese began during her pursuit of a philologist career when she met ethnographer Tamila Tsagareishvili, who opened her eyes to the world of "underground" cheeses in Georgia. She learned that, for decades, Georgia's artisanal cheesemaking tradition had been forced underground due to the oppressive Soviet-planned economy, which restricted the market to only a few types of cheese. This sparked her curiosity, and she set out to uncover the diverse cheese heritage of her country.
Mikadze-Chikvaidze travelled to isolated villages, interviewing elderly residents and searching for cheesemakers who still practised the ancient methods. She discovered that each region of Georgia had developed its own unique techniques over time, resulting in a vast tapestry of cheese varieties. Through her research, she has rediscovered over 60 types of cheese from different regions of Georgia, including Tenili, Guda, Narchvi, and Dambalkhacho.
In 2010, Mikadze-Chikvaidze founded the first-ever Cheese Festival in Georgia, which has since become an annual event. The following year, she opened the first cheese shop in Tbilisi, the country's capital, and a few years later, she established a small workshop outside the city where she produces some of these old-fashioned cheeses herself. Today, there are several shops in Tbilisi selling handmade cheeses, and upscale supermarkets have started to stock them as well.
Mikadze-Chikvaidze has also actively partnered with the "Wine Club" to hold various wine and cheese-related events, pairing different types of cheese and wine and discussing their future. She has even worked with the government to select authentic and old types of cheese to promote and send to different embassies. Through her tireless efforts, Mikadze-Chikvaidze has not only helped to revive Georgia's lost cheese heritage but also to showcase it to the world.
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Traditional Georgian feasts, or supra
Georgia has been making cheese for thousands of years, but in the 20th century, cheese production became expensive, and information on many traditional Georgian cheeses was lost. In recent years, Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze, known as the "mother of Georgian cheese", has helped to introduce the people of Georgia to their lost cheese heritage. Mikadze-Chikvaidze has so far rediscovered about 60 types of cheese from different regions of the country.
One of the most popular cheeses in Georgia is Imeruli, which is produced mainly in the Imereti Region. It is an uncooked cheese made from cow's milk and has varying salinity levels. When fresh and unsalted, it is semi-soft and chewy, and when aged it develops a slightly grainy texture and sour taste. Sulguni, also known as Selegin, is another well-known cheese in Georgia, made from cow, goat or buffalo milk. It hails from the Samegrelo Region in western Georgia and has a moderately salty flavour and an elastic consistency. It is very similar to Mozzarella cheese, although it requires different storage techniques.
A supra is directed by the tamada, or toastmaster, and marked by frequent toasts, each of which may go on for several minutes. Toasting is an art form in Georgia, and the tamada peppers their speech with references to history, literature and philosophy. The tamada will lead the party in raising a glass to various entities, ranging from God to the host to the dearly departed, and guests are then invited to add their own toasts, following a specific order. The tamada is usually a man, while the women of the household are occupied with the preparation and serving of food.
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Cheese production in Georgia
Georgia has a rich history of cheese production, with around 60 types of unique cheeses that are a significant part of the country's culture and diet. While Georgia is known as a lead producer of wine, cheese has also been made in the country for thousands of years, as evidenced by cheese-making utensils uncovered by archaeologists. However, in the 20th century, cheese production became expensive, leading to a loss of information on traditional Georgian cheese varieties.
In recent years, Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze, known as the "mother of Georgian cheese", has pioneered the research and revival of Georgia's lost cheese heritage. Mikadze-Chikvaidze has travelled to isolated mountain villages to uncover traditional cheese-making practices and introduce them to the wider public. One such village is Lakhamula in the Svaneti region of northwestern Georgia, where she discovered Narchvi, a rich, creamy cow's-milk cheese with a funky aroma, buttery texture, sweet initial flavour, and lingering salinity.
Another well-known Georgian cheese is Imeruli, which is produced mainly in the Imereti Region. Imeruli is an uncooked cheese made from cow's milk with varying levels of salt. When fresh and unsalted, Imeruli is semi-soft and chewy, while aged Imeruli develops a slightly grainy texture and sour taste. It is commonly used in the famous Georgian dish khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread, as well as in khinkhali dumplings, usually in combination with cottage cheese.
Sulguni, also known as Selegin, is another popular cheese in Georgia. Hailing from the Samegrelo Region in western Georgia, Sulguni is made from cow, goat, or buffalo milk and has a moderately salty flavour and elastic consistency similar to mozzarella. It is often served as a table cheese or melted into Megrelian dishes like ghomi, a corn flour porridge. Smoked Sulguni, noted for its brownish colour, smoky aroma, and salty flavour, is also available in local stores.
Other unique Georgian cheeses include Guda, which is made by placing fresh sheep milk into a folded bag, salting it from the outside, and then transferring it to a guda (well-cut sheepskin) and covering it with mountain grass. The bag is hung all spring, allowing the sun to warm the cheese from above while the earth cools it from below. Tenili, a sacred cheese from the Meskheti Region, is made from cow or sheep milk and is used on special occasions such as weddings, Christmas, and birthdays.
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Famous Georgian cheese dishes
Georgia has a rich history of cheese-making, with around 60 types of unique cheeses that are endemic to the country. Cheese is a fundamental part of the everyday menu in Georgia, with numerous cheese recipes in Georgian cuisine.
One of the most famous Georgian cheese dishes is khachapuri, a soft, cheese-filled bread with egg baked on top. The most common cheeses used in khachapuri are Imeruli and Sulguni, which are difficult to find outside of Georgia. Imeruli is an uncooked cheese made from cow's milk with varying salinity levels. When fresh and unsalted, it is semi-soft and chewy, but when aged, it develops a slightly grainy texture and a sour taste. Sulguni, also known as Selegin, is made from cow, goat, or buffalo milk and has a moderately salty flavor and an elastic consistency similar to mozzarella. The Megrelian khachapuri recipe is a culinary masterpiece that uses Sulguni cheese both as an inner filling and as an outside topping.
Another famous Georgian cheese dish is khinkhali dumplings, which are typically stuffed with meat. However, vegetarian varieties feature Imeruli and cottage cheese as a replacement filling.
Other notable Georgian cheeses include Guda, a time-consuming variety that is ripened in a bag made from sheepskin, and Tenili, a sacred cheese from the Meskheti Region made from cow or sheep milk that is used only on special occasions. Narchvi is another rich and creamy cow's milk cheese with a funky aroma, buttery texture, sweet initial flavor, and lingering saline quality.
Georgia has been making cheese for thousands of years, but in the 20th century, cheese production became very expensive, and information on many traditional cheeses was lost. Since 2001, Ana Mikadze-Chikvaidze, known as the "'mother of Georgian cheese,'" has made it her life's mission to research and revive Georgian cheese culture, rediscovering around 60 types of cheese from different regions.
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The best-rated Georgian cheeses
Georgia has around 60 types of unique cheeses, and cheese is a significant part of Georgian culture. In fact, it is always present at every table, as reflected in the idiomatic saying, "Cheese and bread, a kind heart." While there is no consensus on the birthplace of cheese, it is believed to have originated in Europe, Central Asia, or the Middle East. The oldest archaeological evidence of cheese was found in Poland and dates back to 5500 BCE. However, cheese containers from 8,000 years ago have been discovered in Georgia, and some claim that the country is not only the birthplace of wheat and wine but also of cheese.
One of the most popular cheeses in Georgia is Imeruli, which is produced mainly in the Imereti Region. It is made from cow's milk and has varying salinity levels. When fresh and unsalted, Imeruli is semi-soft and chewy, but when aged, it develops a slightly grainy texture and a sour taste. It is commonly used in khachapuri, a famous cheese-filled bread, and khinkhali dumplings, which are usually stuffed with meat but sometimes have Imeruli and cottage cheese for a vegetarian option.
Another well-known Georgian cheese is Sulguni, also known as Selegin. Hailing from the Samegrelo Region in western Georgia, Sulguni is made from cow, goat, or buffalo milk and has a moderately salty flavor and elastic consistency similar to mozzarella. It is often served as a table cheese or melted into Megrelian dishes like ghomi, a hot porridge made with corn flour. The Megrelian khachapuri recipe is another culinary masterpiece that uses Sulguni cheese both as an inner filling and as an outside topping. Smoked Sulguni, noted for its brownish color, smoky aroma, and salty flavor, can be purchased in blocks in local stores.
Guda is another unique Georgian cheese that has been produced for centuries, even during the Soviet era when officials encouraged its production due to its delightful taste. To make Guda cheese, fresh sheep milk is placed into a folded bag and salted from the outside. The bag is then transferred to a guda, or well-cut sheepskin, and covered in mountain grass. The bag is left hanging all spring, allowing the sun to warm the cheese from above while the earth cools it from below.
Other notable Georgian cheeses include Tenili, a sacred cheese from the Meskheti Region made from cow or sheep milk and used on special occasions, and Narchvi, a rich and creamy cow's-milk cheese with a funky aroma, buttery texture, sweet initial flavor, and lingering saline quality.
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Frequently asked questions
Georgia has around 60 types of unique cheeses, including Imeruli, Sulguni, Narchvi, Chogi, Kalti, Kobi, Chechili, Guda, Dambalkhacho, Meskhetian Tenili, Kazla, and more.
Imeruli is the most popular cheese in Georgia and is produced mainly in the Imereti Region. It is made from cow's milk and has varying salinity levels. When fresh and unsalted, it is semi-soft and chewy, and when aged it develops a slightly grainy texture and sour taste.
Sulguni, also known as Selegin, is another well-known cheese in Georgia which is made from cow, goat or buffalo milk. It hails from the Samegrelo Region in western Georgia and has a moderately salty flavour and an elastic consistency.
