Discovering the delight of the variety of Turkish Cheese is a great surprise and a definite treat for your palate. Each region of Turkey tends to have its own specialty; from feta cheeses to Gouda most of them can be found on the Turkish bazaar or at the supermarkets. Here are some to look for :-

Eski Kaşar (old kaşar). This cheese is made from sheep’s milk. Its rich taste and yellow colour come from being aged for 6 months; this cheese can be kept for up to three years. As with any cheese there are certain variations with the flavours, do a taste test to find the one that suits you.
Bandırma Mihaliç Peyniri. This is a regional cheese from the area of Balıkesir – Bursa that works similarly to parmesan cheese. Strong flavoured and easily grated, it also has a reasonably long shelf life.
Beyaz Peynir (white cheese) This is the cheese you will find on most breakfast plates throughout Turkey. White in colour and soft in texture, this Feta cheese can be high or low fat, salted or unsalted. Different regions produce it in different ways like leaving it in salt water or hanging it up and letting it filter. Any milk can be used but the popular Thrace (Marmara) beyaz peynir is produced with sheep’s milk.
Karadeniz Tel Peyniri This particular light yellow cheese from the Black Sea region of Turkey is made from fat free milk and is a high protein cheese. It gets its name tel, meaning fibre, because if rubbed between the hands it divides into fibre like strands.
Çerkez Fume This is a lovely low fat smoked cheese with a distinctive taste and aroma. In its processing it is salted at both ends creating a thick crust and this is then smoked in special smoking rooms with pinewood or thick pitch pine. The smoking not only adds to the flavour but extends its shelf life as well.

Turkish cheeses have a lot to offer the turophile (cheese connoisseur) amongst you and there are varieties within varieties, cheeses from sheep, goat and cow’s milk, the above list is just a starter, more to follow. Whenever you visit a new area in Turkey ask about the regions cheese, expect to be overwhelmed!