🧀 Slovenský oštiepok

Slovenský oštiepok is a Slovak semi-hard, semi-fat cheese, scalded (steamed) or not, smoked or not. The name is protected in the EU as a PGI (eAmbrosia PGI-SK-0549; entered in the register by Regulation (EC) No 943/2008). The designated area is the mountainous part of Slovakia, which the specification says covers more than 80% of the country.

The raw material is sheep's milk, a mixture of sheep's and cow's milk, or cow's milk. On mountain farms (salaše) raw milk is used; in dairies, pasteurised milk. A characteristic culture of Lactococcus lactic acid bacteria, isolated from raw sheep's milk and sheep's cheese on Slovak salaše, is used. The curd is formed into a lump, scalded in hot whey or water at 55-70 °C, pressed into a ring mould with carved ornaments, brined and, if smoked, smoked over hardwood smoke.

The shape is a large egg or an ellipse decorated with ornaments. The surface is golden-yellow to golden-brown after smoking, the inside white to buttery yellow; the consistency is firm and slightly brittle. The taste is pleasantly cheesy, mildly piquant to sour and moderately salty, with a typical smoky smell when smoked. Dry matter is at least 48% and fat in dry matter at least 38%. The cheese is sold whole and must not be portioned or repackaged, so that it keeps its shape and ornaments.

According to the specification, written and family records show that Slovenský oštiepok was made as early as the beginning of the 18th century.