List of Syrian cheeses

Along with providing an innovation in the diet of people, in a way that is as equally important, farmers invented more dairy products that could be sold.

There are several traditional varieties of cheese most commonly found throughout the region, including ackawi (from Akka), baladi (from baladi goats), jibneh arabieh (from Galilee and Negev Desert), jibneh mshallale (from Armenia), nabulsi (from Nablus), and surke (from Akkar and around Tartus).

Baladi cheese is fresh, traditionally unpasteurized, and uncultured and is made with a mixture of goat, cow and sheep's milk.

The presence of microorganisms and factors such as high moisture, being uncultured and unpasteurized tend to limit shelf life to just three days.

Circassian and Adyghean cheese are both made by producing curdles, which is achieved by adding acid to raw milk.

[5][6][7] Majdoule [(or, madjoul) means “braided” in Arabic] originates from Armenia and is incredibly popular for centuries and considered a culturally Syrian food [ mainly in ] Northern Syria.

[11] Surke (also called sorke or shanklish) is a matured cheese made with spices and generally presented as balls covered in za'tar orchile powder or other dry herbs (thyme, oregano, garlic, and/or chili pepper).

It is a cross between mozzarella, feta and halloumi (a cheese from the Cyprus that has a tangy taste and a firm, chewy texture).

Akkawi cheese served with cherries
Three thick white blocks of arabieh/baida cheese are stacked atop a wooden serving board.
Blocks of jibneh arabieh /baida cheese
White nabulsi cheese studded with black caraway seeds in a vacuum-sealed package.
Firm, white nabulsi cheese studded with black caraway seeds
A white ball of Levantine cheese called shanklish is cut in half and covered in spices.
Shanklish cheese cut in half
Firm, white shanklish cheese balls covered in spices in a vacuum-sealed bag.
Shanklish cheese balls
Firm, white shanklish cheese balls covered in spices in a vacuum-sealed bag.
Shanklish cheese balls