True Treasure of the Village: The Secret – In Skin Bags

In a small village of southeast Bosnia you can guess: more cows or people. Because livestock farming in these fields is a deep -rooted tradition.

However, the locals have been making efforts to stand out for some time, not the herds of cows, but what they are able to make from their milk.

« About four years ago, we founded an association to protect and preserve our rural lifestyle and traditional products, first and foremost our local cheese, » said Dragana Milovic, Chairwoman of the Cheese Manufacturers Association.

Rural women and men make cheese from cow’s milk and ripen in animal sacks. All production skills come from generation to generation. However, farmer Milanka Markovic was open to the building door and told about the unique process.

« I work with milk, I make cheese. No one but me comes to my workplace, » she said.

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Technological abilities do not need much here. Fresh boiled milk, which the locals pour into wooden bowls and leave to cool.

But while the milk is cool and the thick cream is formed on it, the rural people do not stand up, and they get into other farm work – milking, milk bottling and cooking.

« After 48 hours, we remove the cream and place it in a hot tub, which we add salt and leave it for a month, one and a half, and sometimes two months depending on the weather.

This thick, fat cheese is locally called kajmak.

The first knowledge of Kajmak is in the 14th century when the merchants were mentioned.

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What makes this cheese so unique? The locals are convinced – taste and spicy aroma. The cheese is matured only in handmade sheep or cow leather bags.

« We make bags from cow or sheep’s skin. Elsewhere, people use goat skins, but we don’t do it. For example, when we slaughtered sheep, wash her skin and shave, then make a bag and dry it, » said Snazana Markovic.

However, few can taste this cheese now. The product is known only in certain parts of Bosnia.

But women who established the association are already discussing how to spread the unique product to the world and include in the gastronomy map.

Thoughts mature in joint meetings. At least twice a month, women taste each other’s cheese and talk about the future.

« Our products are always distinguished. I don’t boast – I just state the facts. We have purchased a number of devices that are just facilitating cheese production in 15 years, » said Vukosava Milosevic, a cheese.

Perhaps more people will be able to taste these cheeses soon.