| Akkawi cheese | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other names | Akawi, Akawieh and Ackawi |
| Country of origin | Palestine (region) |
| Region | Levant |
| Town | Akka |
| Source of milk | Cow |
| Texture | Semi-hard[1] |
| Named after | City of Akka |
 Related media on Commons | |
Akkawi cheese (Arabic:جبنة عكاوي,romanized: jubna ʿakkāwī, alsoAkawi,Akawieh andAckawi) is a white brinecheese named after the Palestinian city ofAkka (Acre, present-dayIsrael).[1]
Akkawi cheese is named after the port city ofAkka (Arabic:عكّا). Akkawi inArabic means "from Akka".[1][2]
Muslim scholarAhmed Aref El-Zein's 1913 bookThe History of Sidon (تاريخ صيدا) contained a list of imported goods intoSidon,Lebanon from 1907, the list contains mentions of 1200 containers of "Akkawi cheese" (Arabic:جبن عكاوي,romanized: jubn ʻakkāwī) being imported from the cities ofHaifa and Akka.[3]
Akkawi is commonly made with pasteurizedcow'smilk, but can also be made withgoat orsheepmilk. This cheese is largely produced in theMiddle East, notably inIsrael,Palestine,Lebanon,Jordan,Syria,Egypt, andCyprus.[1][2] In these regions, people usually eat it with a soft flatbread during lunch and dinner. Akkawi is hand-packed into square draining hoops and then cured in a salted whey brine for two days.[4]
Akkawi is produced by heating milk to 35-40 Celsius, addingrennet, then leaving it to curdle for around an hour, after which thewhey is squeezed out through acheesecloth to drain the cheese.[1][5]
The color is white and it has a smooth texture and a mild salty taste. It is commonly used as a table cheese eaten by itself or paired with fruit.[1]
The texture can be compared tomozzarella,feta or amizithra, since it does not melt easily. Akkawi can be stored up to a year.[2][6] The texture and flavor is a result of its specific culturing from its curds that are kept together for a prolonged period longer than simpler tasting curd cheese such asSyrian cheese when akkawi is transformed into cheese.[1][2]
The supply of akkawi has often been a problem in the Middle East. During theLebanese Civil War,dairy animals were slaughtered and the country had to import akkawi fromEastern Europe. InLos Angeles, people used to make a substitute for akkawi by soaking feta cheese in several changes of water to desalinate it.[4]
جبن عكاوي, 1200, سحارة من عكا وحيفا[Akawi cheese, 1200, containers from Acre and Haifa]
