| Cașcaval |
 |
| Country of origin |
Romania |
| Source of milk |
Cow Sheep |
| Pasteurised |
Traditionally, no |
| Texture |
Semi hard |
| Certification |
Romanian Cașcaval have PDO status since 2005. |
Kashkaval deriving from the Italian Caciocavallo (Bulgarian: кашкавал, pronounced [kɐʃkɐˈvɑɫ], Macedonian: кашкавал, pronounced [kaʃkaˈval]; Romanian: cașcaval, Turkish: kaşkaval, Serbian: качкаваљ or kačkavalj; Albanian : Kaçkavalli) is a specific type of yellow sheep milk cheese. However, in Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Romania, the term is often used to refer to all yellow cheeses (or even any cheese other than sirene). In English-language menus in Bulgaria, "кашкавал" is always translated as "yellow cheese" (whereas sirene is usually translated as "white cheese" or simply "cheese"). The taste of the kashkaval is sometimes compared to that of the United Kingdom's cheddar cheese, although variations exist.
[edit] Romania
In Romania, cașcaval (Romanian pronunciation: [kaʃkaˈval]) is used to refer to a number of types of yellow semi-hard cheeses made out of sheep's or cow's-milk. The term is often used by extension as a generic name for all semi-hard yellow cheeses such as the Swiss Emmental cheese, the Dutch gouda and the British Cheddar, or anything that looks similar to the cașcaval.
The name Cașcaval may come from Latin caseus (cheese) and caballus (horse)[1].
But an another theorie exist. Some Slovenians historians said a nomad population named Tzintars established in the Balkans, created the Cașcaval. The word Caș means in Tzintars language cheese. And in the italian name Caciocavallo, the word cavallo, in English horse remember the nomad origin of this ethnic group [2].
Several sorts of the Romanian cașcaval have PDO status in the European Union. As of 2005, the following types of cașcaval are PDO products of Romania[3]:
In Romanian cuisine, a lot of dishes is made with cașcaval, like caşcaval pane or mămăligă cu brânză.
[edit] Middle East
Kashkaval cheese in the Republic of Macedonia
In Syria and Lebanon, this type of cheese is also called kashkawan (Arabic: قشقوان). It is very popular and is generally imported from countries such as Bulgaria, and is sometimes used as a topping for manakish.[4]
[edit] Notes and references
Romanian cuisine 
