🧀 Olomoucké tvarůžky

Olomoucké tvarůžky is a Czech skimmed cheese that ripens under a smear layer and has a typical smell. The name is protected in the EU as a PGI (eAmbrosia PGI-CZ-0399; entered in the register by Regulation (EU) No 702/2010). The production area is the Haná region, with Olomouc as its historical, geographical and economic centre.

It is made from fat-free sour curd with a crumbly structure. The curd is crushed, salted, mixed with lactic ripening cultures, ground and moulded. The pieces ripen on grids under controlled temperature and humidity; after rinsing, a second ripening follows, in which the surface microflora forms the golden to orange smear and gives the cheese its flavour and smell.

The cheese is semi-soft to soft, with a noticeably lighter heart. The fat content does not exceed 1% and the dry matter is 34-38%. It usually comes as short rolls, rings or sticks of about 20-30 g, or as irregular pieces. The flavour is savoury and piquant; the smell ranges from slight to rather penetrating, depending on ripening.

According to the specification, production in Haná is documented since the late 15th to early 16th century, and the whole process, from receiving the curd to packaging, takes place in one place in the region.