Cherni Vit cheese facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Green cheese "Cherni Vit"
Country of origin	Bulgaria
Region	Central Balkan Mountains
Town	Cherni Vit, Teteven Munisipallity
Source of milk	Sheep
Pasteurised	No
Texture	Soft

Cherni Vit (Bulgarian: „Черни Вит“) is a special Bulgarian cheese. It is made only in and around the village of Cherni Vit in Teteven Municipality, Lovech Province. This unique cheese is made from sheep milk. It gets its green crust and special taste from natural mold. This mold grows because of the specific weather conditions and traditional ways of making the cheese in the region. People have made Cherni Vit cheese for hundreds of years. It almost disappeared in the early 2000s. However, it was rediscovered and became popular again thanks to a group called Slow Food.

The Story of Cherni Vit Cheese

Cherni Vit cheese has been made in the village of Cherni Vit for many centuries. This village is located at the northern foot of the Balkan Mountains. In the past, local people thought the mold on the cheese was harmful. They often threw away cheese that had mold on it. They saw the mold as an unwanted problem during cheese making.

Even though it was very popular in the village in the mid-20th century, green cheese started to disappear quickly in the 1970s. This happened because people stopped using the special wooden barrels needed for the mold to grow. Instead, they started using plastic containers. By the early 21st century, Cherni Vit green cheese was hardly made anymore and had almost vanished.

Rediscovery by Slow Food

In 2007, the mayor of Cherni Vit, Tsvetan Dimitrov, was contacted by people from Italy. They were part of the Slow Food movement. This group looks for traditional foods that are in danger of disappearing. Mayor Dimitrov eventually found a tiny piece of green cheese. It was kept in the cellar of an old couple who lived in the mountains above the village.

The Italian visitors were very impressed with the green cheese. It was then shown at an international festival in Bra, Italy, where it was very well received. According to Slow Food, Cherni Vit cheese is the only traditional mold cheese found in the Balkans.

Why It's Not Sold Everywhere

As of 2009, Cherni Vit green cheese was not sold in stores in Bulgaria. It was also not exported to other countries. This is because of rules that make it hard for farms to sell dairy products directly. They need special approval from veterinary services first.

What Makes Cherni Vit Cheese Special?

Cherni Vit cheese is made from sheep milk using a simple, traditional method. The unique natural conditions and weather in the Balkan Mountains near Cherni Vit village are very important for making this cheese.

Taste and Appearance

It is a very soft cheese. It has a strong, rich taste and a special, deep smell. The inside of the cheese is a silvery white color. The outside is covered by a naturally formed green mold crust. Cherni Vit cheese is a type of white brine cheese (called sirene in Bulgaria) that changes because of the mold growing on it.

How the Mold Grows

Cherni Vit green cheese grows inside wooden barrels. These barrels allow some of the salty water (called brine) to evaporate through the wood. This helps the mold crust to form. Other things that help create the cheese's special taste include the humidity in the air. The low winter temperatures in Cherni Vit also play a role. The big difference between day and night temperatures is important too.

The cheese also has a different amount of protein compared to cheeses from other parts of Bulgaria. The milk used for this cheese comes from special sheep breeds. These include the Karakachan Sheep and the local Teteven Sheep.

The Production Process

The process of making Cherni Vit cheese starts in the summer, usually after Saint George's Day. This is when shepherds take their sheep to high mountain pastures. When the sheep are brought back in September or October, the cheese is already placed in wooden barrels. These barrels are then stored in damp cellars in the village. The temperature in these cellars is kept between 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit). The mold only starts to grow on the surface of the cheese after the barrels are opened.