Kashar Cheese Comparison wanted

[larry_stewart]

Im planning on going to a Turkish restaurant this weekend. Im overlooking the menu, and notice several dishes featuring Kashar Cheese.

Ive either never had it before, or if I did, I didn't know that was what I was eating.

So I'm wondering if anyone has had it before. If so, can you kinda compare it to another kind of cheese ( taste, consistency...) (if possible) so I can have a better idea what I'm getting myself into.

There are few cheeses I dont like, so Im sure Ill be ok, but Id prefer the heads up in advance.

Thanks,

Larry

 

[GotGarlic]

It sounds pretty good to me: http://turkishfood.about.com/od/DiscoverTurkishFood/ss/The-Most-Popular-Turkish-Cheeses_4.htm

 

[Steve Kroll]

I spent 3 weeks in Turkey during the Gulf War (hard to believe it's been more than 20 years ago), and on most mornings breakfast consisted of Kashar cheese, olives, toast with jam, and coffee. It sounds like a weird combination but it works.

There are lots of variations. The one I had most often was sort of a nondescript salty cheese. You'll see people compare it to Parmesan, but I found it more to be like salty Gouda.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Also, I know you're vegetarian. One of the tastiest meals I had there was a cheese ravioli with tomato sauce and yogurt. I don't remember the name but it was delicious!

 

[GotGarlic]

I spent 3 weeks in Turkey during the Gulf War (hard to believe it's been more than 20 years ago), and on most mornings breakfast consisted of Kashar cheese, olives, toast with jam, and coffee. It sounds like a weird combination but it works.

I had that same tasty breakfast when I visited Turkey in 2003; the ones I had usually also included some sliced cucumber and/or tomato and a fried or hard-boiled egg. Really good and healthy. I didn't realize that's the type of cheese it was, though. I thought it was farmer's cheese - very fresh and not aged. I need to check our local Middle-Eastern market and see what they have.

 

[jennyema]

Fresh kashar is the breakfast cheese. It's a mild white cheese sort of like provolone.

Aged kashar is more like pecorino romano or parmesan

 

[larry_stewart]

Great info , guys and gals, I appreciate it. Im looking forward to all my tasty selections when I ultimately go there for dinner.

I like most cheeses ( do I need to pluralize cheese???) . Very few I dont like . I think stilton is one of them. I remember another when i went to a food and wine show. I forgot its name, but it smelled and tasted so bad, I thought , for sure, that it was a joke, and someone was filming the reactions of the people who tasted it. Now Im rambling, but I do remember another cheese served on a cracker with hazelnuts and honey. That was delicious.

 

[larry_stewart]

Also, I know you're vegetarian. One of the tastiest meals I had there was a cheese ravioli with tomato sauce and yogurt. I don't remember the name but it was delicious!

How was the yogurt incorporated into the dish? was it on the side? mixed in with the tomato sauce? in the ravioli filling ??

Just curious

 

[Steve Kroll]

How was the yogurt incorporated into the dish? was it on the side? mixed in with the tomato sauce? in the ravioli filling ??

Just curious

The dish was in layers. The ravioli (meat or cheese filling) was on the bottom. That was topped with a very simple tomato sauce. And then the yogurt was just dolloped on top.

I never would have thought to put yogurt and tomato together on the same plate, but it was really good.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Thinking about this made me hungry for it, so I did some research. Apparently it's called "Manti". Most of the recipes I found called for a minced lamb filling, and the red sauce is paprika and garlic based. But I'm almost certain the meal I remember had tomato in it.

Now I need to find a good recipe.