Cheeses of the world

Cheeses of Rennet

Amongst other varieties these are some of the cheeses made in the Aulumë Cheese Caves.

While other cheese farmers also make different cheeses (each has their family secrets), these are cheeses the Tyurahto Cheese Farm (Dauphine's parents' farm) predominantly makes.

Tyur Moica

(Soft cheese)

The most commonly made cheese. Very little of this is exported because it’s mainly eaten by the Elves themselves. It’s incredibly tender and some people call it ‘tender kiss cheese’ (Tyur Miqiltse) As it’s often compared to the soft and tender lips of an elf.

Almost every cheese farmer in Aulumë makes this cheese, though every farm has their own take on it.

Tyur Rotelë

Cave cheese. These take quite some time to ripen and are imbued with spores. There are several stages of this cheese. Especially the older, ripened cheeses are favorite by the Elves. It’s also a cheese that is exported. They are made as 20x10cm pucks. The older the cheese the more liquid the core becomes. The cheese itself has a distinct smell, but once cut the funk spreads the room.

Older cheeses have a stronger, more developed funky taste and can be a tad sharp. Kids generally aren’t that fond of the old cheese, but eat it on special occasions and celebrations.

It’s customary to carefully cut of the top layer of the cheese and use the core as a dip with various condiments. Sometimes the cheese is heated to make it more runny.

The liquid (goopy) core can be mixed with alcoholic beverages to make sauces, or with Lissënier Melu (Sweet Bee Honey).

Binkhâga khâga

(Dwarven Hard Cheese or Autyur in Elvish)

Literally translated this means ‘cheeseless cheese’. The cheese more closely resemble stone than cheese. If you think Dwarven Hardbread was hard, you’re in for a surprise. A Dwarven hardbread sandwich with dwarven hard cheese is better suited as a foundation for your house than a snack on the top of the day.

The cheese is made in warm caves with very little humidity. In Dwarven Burrows they are often made in chambers next to forges.

Nochume Tyurahto (Dauphine’s Great Grandfather) has been on countless patrols through Fir Lanear and had dealt with the dwarves on multiple occasions. One of them Mathrari Mahamgimi (to rock to roll) has become a close friend. Together they have traveled and adventured the world.

Because this cheese is so hard, it’s practically never spoils. Which makes it great to use as a ration. It’s tossed in a cup of boiling water together with Dwarven hardbread, and dried soup stock. After boiling it for some time you’d get a lovely recuperating soup that’ll get you going to a while.

It’s broken in small chunks and used in soups where it melts and gives of a very pleasant aroma. Sometimes it’s ground and used on top of dishes, but because it closely resembles sand at that point it’s not enjoyed by anyone but the hardiest of Dwarves.

Dauphine had a set of dice carved out of Binkhâga khâga.

Cheeses of the world

But of course there are more cheeses to be found in the world. Here are some of the classics as well as some legendary rare cheeses.

Orcgonzola

Made by small Naguk Orc in the Giant’s Crown Mountains. These balls of soft cheese have two ‘nubs’ on top resembling Orc tusks. It’s great to use in salads, but also a feast to eat raw.

Usually they are made into fist sized balls. But large 60kg cheeses are made for feasts and celebrations where they take the center stage as they are cut in half and gush milk all over the banquet. It’s a sight to behold.

Orqford

Another variant made by the Naguk in the the Giant’s Crown Mountains. Housed deep in side branches of the tunnel through the mountains are artisan cheese houses that make Orqford, amongst other variations.

Cheeses are left in natural caves and depending on how long they rested the insides are white (young), gooey with green (medium) or hard green marbled and pungy (mature). The Orc use a special bacteria culture that turns the veins of the cheese green instead of the more common blue.

Breejovac

Haza traditional cheese wheels that weight about three kilos. About 35 liters of alpaca milk is processed and matured in savory sticky cheeses.

Hazzami

A cheese from the Loveria region. Unlike the name may suggest it's not from Haza. It looks a lot like white cheese, but it’s special in the sense that it does not melt. This cheese is made into blocks or disks depending on the purpose.

One particular treat is the burger cheese. Where normally cheese is used as a pairing with meat, in this case it’s the other way around. Disks of Hazzami are grilled and then topped with a disk of meat.

It’s especially popular at fairs and as a street food.

Lovechego

Just below the Copis River, at the edge of Loveria, is a small town that sits tucked in the valley of the Giant’s Crown Mountains.

This place is known for two things; hot springs and cheese. The volcanic grounds are incredibly fertile and when you follow the road to the top of the valley you are greeted with bright green pastures rimmed with black roads and mountains. Ending your journey at the bottom of the valley you’ll find an inn and rest your weary body in one of it’s hot springs. You’d do yourself a favor to order a floating charcuterie board.

Decorated with dried brined meat, raw eggs and the traditional Lovechego cheese. It’s customary to soft boil the raw eggs in the hot spring and eat it together with the other presented delicacies.

The hot springs are of a volcanic nature and have a very high salt content. Besides being used at hot springs, water is diverted into indoor networks to brine the Lovecho cheese and local meats.

Both the cheeses and the meats are aged in local caves which have a high temperature and reek of sulfur.

Ciwiruil Adv’Tmyywy

(Kasarian Cheese Horns)

Little is known about the Kasarians. Their existence surrounded in mystery and mystique. It’s very rare to see anything Kasarian made and to find a piece of Ciwiruil Adv’Tmyywy on the table is a rare delight reserved for the wealthiest only. Do not make the mistake to use the common name when a Kasarian is present though. The steep cone shape may resemble a Kasarian horn, they will likely take it as an insult. Literally translated Ciwiruil Adv’Tmyywy means Kasarian Old Cheese, so better stick with that. The cone shaped cheeses are hard and dense and marbled with dried meat. It’s shaved over other dishes, or shaved exceptionally thin and rolled up to be eaten with a pairing of fine wine.

Midtal Mudcakes

If this does not sound appetizing you’d be right. But it only sounds that way.

The base cheese is made on various farms and it can be made out of cow, sheep or goat milk.

The cheeses, about 20 cm in diameter and 20 cm high are transported to mud farms on the banks of the Tal River. Dams periodically flood the banks creating mud fields. The cheeses are then dug in in rows and the mud is left to dry. As the mud dries in the sun, the cheeses are heated, fermented and dried as well. The result is a hard rinded cheese with a soft center. Because of the different milks it can be made of, and the different herbs used in the curd there is a huge variety of Midtal Mudcakes.