Cheese Database

Lighvan cheese vs Pot Cheese

Lighvan cheese

Facts

Milk
Sheep
Texture
Semi-soft
Type
Brined
Rind
No rind
Country
Iran
Place
Liqvan

Lighvan is a brined sheep's milk cheese from Liqvan in Iran. The curds are white, salty, and tangy, with a texture that can be crumbly or slightly supple. Makers drain the cheese and then hold it in brine, which is the step that defines the taste. There is no bloomy rind and no long dry aging on a shelf. Iranians know it best as a breakfast cheese with bread.

Pot Cheese

Facts

Texture
Semi-hard
Rind
No rind
Country
Iran
Place
Urumia

Pot cheese is a traditional cheese from Urumia, in Iran. Makers pack salted curd into a pot or jug, then leave it to ripen, often in the ground, until the paste turns savory and aromatic. It is not a fresh pot of uncured curds. The ripe cheese is known for a strong smell and a salty taste, and the texture can be firm, crumbly, or almost powdery. Households in the area still make it, and it also appears in local markets.