#VocalforLocal: Cheesefreaks! Pamper yourself with Cheese assortments made in India!

Paneer has sadly blurred out the cheese assortments made in India. Most of us go on foreign trips and go crazy over the variety of cheese we get there. But do you know we get some top-notch homegrown cheese? Yes, cheese only meant paneer in India but that is not at all the case. We have an extensive range of cheese to die for. Here are a few that you should pick.

1. Chhurpi

This is a traditional mountain cheese and is produced with yak and cow milk. It is also known as the 'Tibetian chewing gum'. This cheese can be found extensively in the Himalayan region. Chhurpi is both soft and hard. Soft cheese is used for making momos.

2. Bandel Cheese

It came to us with the Europeans has been named after a town in Bengal, Bandel. The cheese is extremely dry, salty, and crumbly. It has two variants- plain and smoked. The correct way to use this cheese is by soaking it in water for hours, then it can be used with salads, pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches.

3. Churu

Churu is famous in Sikkim, Nepal, and Bhutan, where it is called Datshi. This cheese is made from the foam, the cream, and skin formed on top of the milk from Yak and Goat. Churu in Sikkim is used in Beef Stew.

4. Kalimpong Cheese

It has a mellow yet sharp taste. The cheese is manufactured in the hills of Kalimpong in West Bengal. It was started by a priest but now has been taken over by Amul. Kalimpong is sold in India by the name of Amul Gouda Balls. After Amul Gouda, you can still find huge wheels of this cheese in Kolkata markets.

5. Kalari

Kalari is also known as Milk Chapatti. It is produced from cow and goat milk by the nomadic Gujjar-Bakarwal community of Jammu and Kashmir. In winters, you can see Kalari browning and crisping on large griddles. This sour taste, stretchy cheese, is placed between two buns and served with chutney.

6. Acres Wild

A family-run cheese-making farm nestled in the hills of Coonoor, this Artisanal Cheese is made from hybrid Jersey and Holstein cows. The cheese produced here is entirely vegetarian.

7. La Ferme Cheese

This handmade cheese is probably the oldest and best in India. It started back in the year 1988. Since then, they produce 100 kilograms variety of vegetarian cheese. Everything in this cheese is natural. You can pick from their range of cheddar, mozzarella, feta, ricotta, gruyere, and specially seasoned cheeses such as Gorgonzola, Lofabu, and the sharp Auroblochon, which is aged over 6 months.

8. Topli Nu Paneer

The Parsi Topli Nu Paneer is said to be discovered in Surat. It is also popularly known as Surti Paneer. This cheese has a velvety soft creamy texture to it. Sadly, it is barely found in the markets now.

10. Vallambrosa Cheese

This cheese is produced by monks of the Vallombrosan Benedictine Congregation in Bengaluru. They cater to Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, burrata, mascarpone, and pecorino.

Add these cheese assortments made in India to your bucket list right away. And whenever you travel next, remember to get your hands on 'em one by one or all at once!

Also Read: #VocalforLocal, Homegrown Goan Alcohol to sip on!

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