Halloumi is perhaps the most versatile cheese in the world, well this is most certainly the case for most Cypriots who very rarely mix sweet and savoury but almost everything seems to work with halloumi. The Cypriot cheese is finally getting the recognition it deserves – In fact, as far back as 22 September 2013, journalist for BBC News Magazine Nicholas Cooke, published an article entitled ‘How Halloumi took over the UK’ outlining that the UK is the second largest consumer of the cheese outside of Cyprus, supplying the impressive stat that from 2010 to 2013 consumption rose 138%!
It is no coincidence the largest Cypriot community outside of Cyprus lives here in the UK, however, they are not directly the sole reason for this but indirectly with none other than CyWineFest as well as other events such as ours that have promoted halloumi for decades with cooking demonstrations, sampling, and of course the opportunity to pair the cheese with a variety of Cypriot wines our wine tasting tables have on offer. Fast forward five years to just a few weeks ago to Gemma Mullin’s article published 24th June 2018 in The Sun entitled ‘CHEESED OFF’, declaring to the world that there is too much demand for the supply chain and how Cypriot farmers working tirelessly to produce like they have never produced before.
This situation has left many consumers angry that their local supermarkets haven’t got enough stock and many individuals have taken to social media asking questions like ‘are people hoarding halloumi’ and ‘are people panic buying halloumi’ to highlight just a few. Fortunately for those living in North London, this isn’t the case with so many Cypriot companies and other stores serving the community, always ensuring there’s a bulk supply of one of the most popular cheeses in Europe. It is not just the UK that has developed a taste for the cheese with Sweden coming behind the UK as the second largest consumer outside of Cyprus.
Halloumi is not to be under estimated – grated it is an absolute treat on pasta of all kind and dare I say it, but it is also perfect for fish pasta dishes, especially with salmon! There are many other ways in which the cheese is traditionally enjoyed – halloumi and watermelon are one of the most popular combos in Cyprus as it provides a refreshing light but substantial lunch with protein, vitamins and fibre; outside the Cypriot community in the UK this craze has yet to hit but probably soon will.
Having parmesan cheese on minestrone soup is no shock, but halloumi also finds a fitting home in trahana, a traditional Cypriot soup made with cracked wheat and sour milk. The raw halloumi chunks are cut in generous sizes and dropped into the individuals bowl completing the dish by providing a soft and satisfying treat with every spoonful. It is also the perfect appetizer at Cypriot BBQ’s at times served with loukanikia, a pork, pepper and wine marinated sausage and/or pastourma, a spicy beef sausage, but the beauty of halloumi is that it has enough power of flavour to stand on its own with a drizzle of freshly cut lemon! Even as an afters, halloumi takes first place on a cheese board, in fact all you need is halloumi complemented perfectly with the sweetness of Commandaria / Koumantaria, the ultimate dessert wine, another world famous Cypriot product of protected origin. These two titans of Cyprus are rarely pared together at general social events but instead, where the host has a genuine interest in wine, trust us, try it and you’ll love it and be constantly exchanging the sweet nectar of the world’s oldest named wine, with a salty, squidgy meatiness of halloumi.
As people begin to experiment with the cheese and discover how the Cypriots have consumed the cheese for centuries, they will no doubt follow suit and try out these recipes for themselves. We believe that demand will keep increasing and with BBQ season in full swing and the word very much out there that halloumi is a cheese that cooks perfectly on a grill, we strongly advise that you make a bit of extra room in your refrigerator this summer and if you see some halloumi in your local deli, green grocers or supermarket, pick up an extra packet!
Getting the word out there through our social on Instagram and Twitter @CyWineFest, at www.facebook.com/cywinefest or our website www.cypriotwinefestival.com, there are many ways to explore past events and keep informed about the weekly happening in the build up to next year’s Expo!