Sulguni 

Sulguni is the most popular cheese in Georgia, and is enjoyed in many of its neighbouring countries. It is a stretched curd cheese which has been produced in Georgia for centuries, and comes in many different varieties, from fresh and mild to aged, dried and smoked, and often quite salty. It is closely related to Italian pasta filata cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone and caciocavallo. Sulguni is among the favourite ingredients used in Georgian cuisine, most commonly in the famous Georgian cheese-bread called khachapuri, although many prefer to eat it simply as a table cheese.

At the moment, we make three variations of sulguni -

Fresh sulguni - though none of our cheeses are technically aged, we call the fresh one 'fresh' because that is the way we recommend you eat it. When newly made it resembles the classic Italian pasta filata cheeses such as mozzarella or bocconcini, though its characteristic taste is more sour, tangy and acidic than its Italian counterparts. It is soft yet springy and its layered texture gives it a distinctly succulent mouthfeel. It is delicious eaten simply as a table cheese or added to salads, antipasto, marinades with oil and herbs, and can be added to practically dish which requires a mild melted cheese. Its delicate flavour makes it a perfect accompaniment to just about anything, and it is the ultimate pizza cheese! It won us a gold medal at the 2009 Cuisine Champions of Cheese Awards.

Semi-hard sulguni - the very aptly named semi-hard sulguni differs from the fresh in that it is harder (though not hard enough to be considered a hard cheese) and saltier, with a richer, more buttery flavor, but otherwise can be used exactly the same way, though because it is firmer it actually holds its shape better when melted. It was awarded a silver medal at the 2010 Champions of Cheese Awards.

Smoked sulguni - a naturally smoked version of the semi-hard sulguni, smoked in our own little smokehouse with a mixture of manuka and applewood chips, with a lovely rustic flavour and a pleasant aftertaste. This year it got a silver medal at the Champions of Cheese Awards.