Halloumi Fun Facts
3rd April 2022
Halloumi, the cheese that is famous for being the ‘squeaky cheese’, has boomed in popularity over the last decade. Initially a well-love BBQ favourite, Halloumi is now the go-to choice for vegetarian and flexitarian diets due to it being a great source of protein. Halloumi is now so popular it can be found on most menus, across all meal occasions, from breakfast through to lunch, dinner, and bar snacks, as well being a popular ingredient in home cooking.
The Cypriot cheese is a staple across the island and a popular choice in Greece and the Middle East, but did you know these fun facts about Halloumi:
- It is a cooked, semi-hard, unripened, brined cheese that has a high melting point so is great grilled, pan-fried or cooked on the BBQ.
- The English word for Halloumi is derived from the Greek word for Halloumi; Khalloúmi (χαλλούμι).
- Traditionally Halloumi is manufactured using only sheep and goat’s milk, however today Halloumi is commonly made using a mixture of cow, sheep and goat’s milk.
- Halloumi is made exclusively in Cyprus, where production and consumption dates back to somewhere between 395 AD and 1191 AD.
- The Halloumi trademark prevents any copies being named Halloumi within the EU, ensuring that Halloumi is only produced in Cyprus (with a PDO pending in Europe).
- More than 12,000 tonnes of Halloumi is consumed each year in Britain, making us the biggest consumer of the cheese outside of its homeland.
- The cheese is formed by placing the cooked curds into moulds and then hand folding them to get the distinctive folded shape.
- The cheese has a salty, milky flavour with mint notes from the dried mint leaves that are added to the cheese before packing.
- Traditional halloumi also often has a crescent shape with the fold may containing a whole mint leaf. This is a nod to the traditional belief that wrapping halloumi in mint keeps it fresher and more flavoursome.
- It is traditionally consumed uncooked in Cyprus. A Cypriot national favourite flavour combination is to pair it with watermelon, specifically during the warmer summer months for a light dish, where the saltiness of the Halloumi contrasts well with the sweetness of the watermelon.
We can supply a wide range of Halloumi at Futura Foods. From traditional retail pack sizes, up to 1kg blocks for foodservice and food manufacturing solutions, as well as IQF options including Halloumi Fries.
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Futura Foods UK Ltd.
The Priory, Long Street, Dursley,
Gloucestershire GL11 4HR