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Chechil
Region	Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia
Source of milk	Cow
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Chechil (Armenian: չեչիլ), chechili (Georgian: ჩეჩილი) or Sachaqlı pendir(Azerbaijani: saçaqlı pendir) is a brined string cheese, popular in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. It has a consistency approximating that of mozzarella or sulguni and is produced in the form of dense strings, rolled up in a figure eight of thick braid-shaped ropes. Chechil is a smoked, braided, salty, string-cheese beer snack that is enjoyed by beer drinkers and enthusiasts across the globe. Chechil is made from pasteurized cow milk and is low in fat. Its taste is salty, very chewy, and with a smoky flavor to it. Its consistency is firm and smooth.

Etymology

The word "Chechil" is a Georgian word deriving from Achechili(აჩეჩილი) meaning "plucked out" or "pulled apart",which was later borrowed in Armenian and Azerbaijani languages meaning "tangled".

Popularity

Chechil is one of the cheeses produced in the Armenian Highlands and is also called husats or tel. It is a kneaded or pulled cheese, and the art of the cheese-maker is in stretching it thin so that it yields a "chicken-breast texture". The cheese is often sold braided in thick ropes. Curd is given a hot whey bath, then kneaded and stretched to the desirable, pliable consistency. In the Western world, chechil panir is often called Armenian string cheese. Armenian refugees who settled in Syria after the Armenian genocide of 1915 introduced it in the country. In Turkey, chechil is called çeçil or tel peyniri, and is widely popular being specifically produced in Erzurum and in Ardahan. In Russiaand in Azerbaijan it is very popular as a pairing to beer in bars. It is also popular in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Chechil is also produced in the USA. In the UK, Meskhuri Chechili is a "protected geographical indication" by agreement between the UK and Georgian governments, Georgia being the country of origin.".

Chechil is matured in brine and often smoked before consumption. It is sometimes mixed with farmer cheese or various hard cheeses, and is stored in jars or wine skins.

Nutrient content:

• Fat — 5–10%
• Water — 58–60%
• Salt — 4–8%

Because of its low fat content, chechil is often considered and used as diet food.

Varieties

Chechil cheese comes in various forms which change by region and preparation. It also varies by the way of being eaten. For example, in Shirak region of Armenia it is often eaten by wrapping it in lavash bread, which is called brtuch or mixing it with boiling water, which is called panrhash. It is also added to pies for smoky flavour. Chechil has the following types:

• Gyumri chechil, which is distinguished by its mold, which makes it similar in appearance to the blue cheese.
• Erzurum chechil
• Meskhuri chechili
• Acharuli chechili reminds thin wires by consistency, pale yellow in color.
• Kosichka, a variety of chechil distinguished by its form popular in Russia, which was invented by Karan Abramyan.

See also

• Brined cheese
• List of cheeses
• List of smoked foods
• List of stretch-cured cheeses

References

1. ^ Donnelly, Catherine, ed. (2016). The Oxford Companion to Cheese. Oxford University Press. p. 475. ISBN 9780199330881. Twisted string cheese, chechil panir, husats, or tel cheese are Armenian pasta filata cheeses, which are pulled into thin strings and formed in braids
2. ^ Petrosian., I. and Underwood., D. (2006). Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction and Folklore. Yerkir Publishing, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
3. Burford, Tim (2024-08-09). Georgia. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-80469-287-5.
4. T, Chitadze, T. , Dundua, T. , Ebralidze, I. , Gigauri, M. , Jorjadze, M. , Khazalashvili, N. , Lomidze, D. , Zhuzhunadze (2022-08-11). Georgia – Agritourism guide to Samtskhe-Javakheti: Places, people, products. Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN 978-92-5-136544-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. Terra Madre : 1,600 food communities. Internet Archive. Bra, Italy : Slow Food Editore. 2006. p. 256. ISBN 978-88-8499-118-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
6. ^ Topchishvili, Roland (2014). ქართველთა კვებითი კულტურის ისტორიიდან [FROM THE DIET HISTORY OF THE GEORGIANS: SULUGUNI] (in Georgian). Tbilisi State University. p. 327. ISBN 9789941224393.
7. Batello, Caterina (2018). GARDENS of BIODIVERSITY: Conservation of genetic resources and their use in traditional food production systems by small farmers of the Southern Caucasus. Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 235. ISBN 978-92-5-106613-3. In both Armenia and Georgia, chechil is a very popular stringy cheese
8. "A Short Introduction to Armenian Cheese Cuisine – Food Factory" (in Russian). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
9. Nizharadze (1971). ქართული ენის აჭარული დიალექტი [Adjarian dialect of Georgian language] (in Georgian). Soviet Adjara.
10. "Civil Peyniri". Yemek.com. 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
11. ^ "Meskhuri Chechili". Gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2021-09-14. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
12. "Discover the top 5 Armenian cheeses you must try". February 27, 2024.
13. Editorial, Marie Claire. "От сулугуни до чанаха: полный гид по кавказским сырам | MARIECLAIRE". www.marieclaire.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-09-20.
14. "Сыр Чечил Гюмри с плесенью 400 гр". MYSEVAN (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-09-20.
15. "Coğrafi İşaret Platformu". Coğrafi İşaret Platformu (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-09-20.
16. "Acharuli chlechili Cheese - Arca del Gusto". Slow Food Foundation. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
17. "Чечил, он же косичка: легендарный армянский сыр". Royal Сheese. Retrieved 2024-09-20.

External links

• Brined white cheeses
• Smoked cheeses
• Stretched-curd cheeses
• Armenian cuisine
• Turkish cheeses