Revival of traditional cheese

Everything new is well-forgotten old. The Torosyan family from Martuni gave a new breath to the 400-year-long tradition of the Armenian “Motal” cheese, which is on the verge of extinction. “Motal” is fully handmade, and is traditionally made from goat, and now also from cow's milk.

The cheese, matured for two months in brine, is cut into small pieces, seasoned with mountain herbs and placed into clay pots. Then the pots are buried in ash, to be strained and get rid of the air. A month later, the pots with matured cheese are sealed with natural beeswax.

After operating in the European market for more than 10 years and receiving numerous awards, the exports of “Motal” to Europe have been halted in recent years. Non-EU countries have been banned to export dairy products to Europe. The “Motal” cheese once competing with Roquefort and Parmesan is on the verge of closing today.