Telemea
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Telemea (IPA: [te.le'mea]) is the generic name for white cheeses like cottage cheese or feta which originates from Romania. It is also the name of a very specific sheep's milk cheese common in the Balkans. Telemea is a soft, white cheese with a creamy texture and a tangy aftertaste. It is used as a table cheese for snacks and in salads. Cumin seeds are occasionally added for a spicy, nutty flavor.
To make telemea cheese, rennet is added into cooled pasteurized or fresh sheep or cow milk for curdling. An hour later the resulting curd is removed and it is kept in cheesecloth, pressed overnight and then cut into square pieces. The cheese is consumed either fresh or it is left to mature and is preserved in brine. Traditionally it is stored in wooden barrels named putini (singular: putină). It can be kept throughout winter in a more concentrated brine. In this case, it is desalted in fresh water before consumption.
As of 2005, the telemea is a Protected designation of origin product of Romania, and the following types of telemea are officially recognised:
