Oscypek
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oštiepok (in Slovak, plural: oštiepky) or oscypek (in Polish; also known as oszczypek; plural: oscypki, oszczypki) is a smoked cheese from Poland and Slovakia. It is an important symbol of the cultural and culinary heritage of Poland's Podhale region in the Tatra mountains (around the town of Zakopane).
Oscypek is created from sheep's milk, although cow's milk is sometimes added. The original oscypek is always made with unpasteurized sheep's milk, which is first turned into cottage cheese. This is then repeatedly rinsed with boiling water and squeezed. After this, the mass is pressed into wooden, spindle-shaped forms in decorative shapes. The forms are then placed in a brine-filled barrel for a night or two, after which they are placed close to the roof in a special wooden hut and cured in hot smoke for up to 14 days.
The first mention of cheese production in the Tatra mountains dates back to the 15th century, in a document from the village of Ochotnica in 1416. The first recorded recipe for oscypek was issued in 1748 in the Żywiec area.
Due to its popularity it is also made in other parts of Poland and Slovakia, but the genuine oscypek should come from the Tatras. The Union of Tatra Commons (Związek Gmin Tatrzańskich) has appled for a Protected designation of origin for oscypek.
Before Poland voted to join the European Union, some Polish Eurosceptics warned that oscypek could be banned in the EU due to its use of unpasteurized milk and its production by unlicensed farmers; this fear proved unfounded.
