Pule cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pule |
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|---|---|
| Country of origin | Serbia |
| Town | Sremska Mitrovica, at the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve |
| Source of milk | Donkeys and goats |
| Named after | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Pule cheese, also known as magareći sir, is a very special and rare cheese from Serbia. What makes it unique is that it's made mostly from Balkan donkey milk, mixed with some goat's milk. This cheese is famous for being one of the most expensive cheeses in the world!
Contents
What Makes Pule Cheese Special?
Pule cheese is truly one-of-a-kind. It gets its unique flavor and texture from a blend of 60% donkey milk and 40% goat's milk. This combination gives it a distinct taste that cheese lovers around the world appreciate.
Where Does Pule Cheese Come From?
This rare cheese is made in a beautiful place called the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve in Serbia. This reserve is a protected area where many animals, including the special Balkan donkeys, live.
The idea for Pule cheese came from Slobodan Simić. He is the manager of the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve. He was also once a Member of Parliament (MP) in Serbia. An MP is a person elected by citizens to represent them and make laws for the country.
Why Is Pule Cheese So Expensive?
Pule cheese is known as the "world's most expensive cheese." It can cost around US$1300 for just one kilogram! There are a few big reasons why it's so pricey.
Rarity of Donkey Milk
One main reason for the high cost is how rare and difficult it is to get the milk.
- There are only about 100 female donkeys, called jennies, in the Balkan donkey landrace (a local breed) that are milked for Pule.
- Donkeys don't produce a lot of milk.
- It takes a huge amount of milk to make just a little bit of cheese.
How Much Milk Is Needed?
To make just one kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of Pule cheese, you need about 25 litres (6+1⁄2 US gal) of donkey milk. That's a lot of milk for a small amount of cheese! This makes the production process very challenging and costly.
