Brânza de Burduf

Brânza de burduf is a soft sheep's milk cheese produced in Transylvania, on the slopes of the high Bucegi Mountains in the Carpathians, Romania.

To make it, fresh Caș produced from the raw milk of heritage sheep breeds such as Turcana and Tigae is cut into small pieces, salted, and then hand-mixed in a large wooden bowl. It is then left to age inside coaj de brad (fir tree bark) to obtain Brânzá de Burduf.

Brânzá de Burduf is produced from May to July when the bark is rich in aromatic resin. They are processed and sewn together to produce cylindrical containers that are sealed with bark discs at the edges. Brânzá is aged in these containers from 20 days to 2-3 months. As it ripens, its flavor becomes increasingly spicy and salty.