Brânza da burduf is a cheese not often found in western supermarkets unless there is a Roumanian population. I often purchase this particular cheese from supermarkets in central Hounslow, London.  It is a  soft sheep’s milk cheese. Most of these cheeses are produced in the region of Transylvania, especially on the slopes of the Bucegi Mountains in the Carpathian mountains of Romania. The precise denomination for the cheese are the Bran, Moeciu and Fundata municipalities in the county of Brasov.

The cheese (called caș in Roumania) is made from unpasteurised milk of heritage sheep breeds known as Turcana and Tigae and collected in the months between May and July.  This cheese is cut into small cubes or segments, salt is added and all is mixed by hand in large wooden bowls. Aging of the cheese takes place in a fur tree bark container called coaj de brad. The aromatic resins from the bark are allowed to permeate the cheese where it produces a distinctive flavour and protects the surface of the cheese from surface microbes. The bark containers are sewn together into cylindrical containers and sealed at both ends with bark. The Brânzá cheese is matured in these containers from between 18 days to up to 3 months. The flavour becomes increasingly savoury, salty and spicy with a resinous note which is particularly attractive.

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