Civil Cheese

What Is Civil Cheese?

Civil cheese is a stringy cheese, mainly specific to Erzurum and its surroundings, made from skimmed (low-fat) milk. It closely resembles “çeçil” cheese and is often mentioned alongside it in the region.

Since it is produced from skimmed milk, it is low in fat and high in protein; alongside its fresh braided form, the region also values a version called “göğermiş (moldy) civil,” matured and allowed to mold in clay jars.

Nutritional Value of Civil Cheese

Being made from skimmed milk, civil cheese is a cheese high in protein and low in fat; it provides about 250 kcal of energy per 100 grams and notable calcium. Since verified species-specific data is limited, values are approximated based on the low-fat string cheese profile.

What Are the Benefits of Civil Cheese?

With its high protein, low fat, and calcium content, civil cheese is a relatively light cheese that can be considered part of a balanced diet; moderate consumption is still recommended due to its salt content.

This information is general; civil cheese is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment.

How to Choose Civil Cheese?

Quality civil cheese should be white, neatly braided, and have a texture that pulls apart into strands; sour-smelling or overly salty-yellowed cheese has lost its freshness. In the göğermiş version, the mold should be evenly distributed.

• Cheese should be white, neatly braided, and stretchy in texture
• A sour smell and yellowing indicate the freshness has passed
• In the göğermiş (moldy) version, mold should be even and pleasantly aromatic

How to Store Civil Cheese?

Fresh civil cheese keeps for weeks in its own brine in the refrigerator; if too salty, its salt is reduced by soaking in water. Göğermiş civil is kept longer in a cool place in its jar or a closed container.

Using Civil Cheese in the Kitchen

Civil cheese is mostly eaten plain at breakfast, pulled apart into strands; it is also used with eggs in the region's “civil cheese menemen/scramble” and herbed recipes.

How Is Civil Cheese With Eggs Made?

Civil cheese, pulled apart into strands, is lightly melted in butter, then eggs are cracked over it to prepare a breakfast dish popular in the region.

What Is Göğermiş Civil?

It is a regional variety obtained by maturing and molding civil cheese in clay jars, resulting in a sharper flavor; it is also known as “jar cheese.”

Which Recipes Use Civil Cheese?

Breakfast platters, civil cheese with eggs/scramble, herbed cheese recipes, and meze platters are its best-known uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are civil cheese and çeçil the same?

They are very similar and often used interchangeably; both are string cheeses made from skimmed milk, though there may be differences in regional naming and production details.

Why is civil cheese low in fat?

It is low in fat and high in protein because it is produced from the skimmed milk left after the cream (fat) has been removed.

How is civil cheese pulled apart?

The braided structure is pulled apart into strands by hand, following its fibers; in this form it is served at breakfast and meze.

Is civil cheese salty?

It can be salty since it is stored in brine; if found too salty, its salt is reduced by soaking in water.

Where is civil cheese produced?

It is produced mainly in Erzurum and the surrounding provinces of Eastern Anatolia; it is one of the region's traditional cheeses.