Olomouc cheese – an aroma for the strong of spirit
After you open the package of cheese, wait a few seconds to let the aroma spread better. Do not be afraid of its sharp smell, because it is precisely this that makes this Czech delicacy so unique. In 2010, the European Commission granted Olomouc cheese the status of PGI (Protected Geographical Indication).
As reported by Radio Prague, the product got its name from the markets in the Moravian city of Olomouc, where the cheese – called tvarůžky in Czech – used to be sold. Modern production of the cheese takes place in the town of Loštice, located 30 km northwest of Olomouc. There is also a whole museum dedicated to this Czech piquant "gold."
Jana Šilberská is always ready to give you a fascinating tour: "The cheese matures under a fat layer that has a viscous yellowish surface. The process starts from the outside and gradually moves inside the cheese. In the museum, you can learn about the history of making Olomouc cheese in our region. Who exactly started its production is not known for sure, but the first mentions date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Initially, the cheese was made here, in the Haná region, for local residents. They called it village cheese back then."
Also in the museum's exhibition, you can see traditional old tools – for example, wooden mallets that gave the cheese its characteristic round shape. At that time, all production was done by hand.
About where such a sharp and incomparable smell of Olomouc cheese comes from, the chairman of the Czech-Moravian Dairy Union, Jiří Kopáček, says: "During the production of the product, milk protein coagulates under the influence of bacterial cultures. Rennet enzymes, usually used in the production of natural cheeses, are absent here. And that is a huge difference. We divide the curd into several categories: soft, fatty, tender, and industrial, which essentially contains no fat and is used solely as raw material for making cheese. Its dry matter percentage is higher, and most importantly, it is more acidic. In short, it is one of the products of the dairy industry."
Every resident of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia has their own view on Olomouc cheese. But what emotions does it evoke in foreigners who decide to try it for the first time in their lives? Helen Rankin from London, who first encountered its aroma back in the 1990s, shared her unforgettable impressions.
"The smell is really not very appealing. Once I took the cheese with me on a long journey. First I traveled by bus, then by plane, again by bus, and finally by train. After some time, I felt that I urgently needed to take a shower. Fortunately, I soon realized that the unpleasant aroma was coming not from me, but from the cheese in my backpack – and this despite the fact that it was wrapped in about ten layers of plastic wrap."
As Helen admits, there was no love at first sight, but now Olomouc cheese is a true delicacy for her, which she will never be able to give up.
Olomouc cheese is the only "domestic" cheese of the Czech Republic. It has survived many generations. Perhaps there were once more "Czech" cheeses, but today they are no longer produced. That is why the cheese is a unique product, which, among other things, contains special nutritional values: it is low-fat, low-calorie, suitable for people on a reducing diet, and easily digestible. Thus, from this point of view, it is very, very healthy.