Telemea

Telemea is a traditional Romanian cheese made by the Vlach or Wallachian people of Europe. Since 2005, the name Telemea is a protected designation of origin product of Romania. There are various types of Telemea official recognized under the PDO label such as Telemea de Arges, Telemea de Brasov, Telemea de Carei, Telemea de Harghita, Telemea de Huedin, Telemea de Oas, Telemea de Sibiu and Telemea de Vâlcea.

Telemea is a soft, white cheese with a creamy texture and tangy aftertaste. In some cases, cow’s milk is also used. The cheese was originally produced only in Romania but when the Vlach population started spreading beyond their native country, the recipe became popular in European nations like Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Poland. Sharing similarities to Feta, Telemea is used in salads and in pairings with snacks. There are a few variations with cumin seeds in it that assign the cheese a spicy aftertaste. As Telemea is stored in a brine solution, it gets saltier with age.