Liqvan Cheese

The history of making cheese dates back more than four thousand years. Thus, cheese can be considered one of the oldest human-made edibles. It has been narrated that when Arab merchants used to store milk in bags made of sheep intestines, the daylight heat and the material of the bag caused the milk to curdle and form a solid substance, which is referred to as cheese today. Presently, there are more than 1800 types of cheese in the world, most of which are made with a small change from the basic cheese. There are also certain types of cheese in Iran, the most delicious of which are produced in the western and northwestern provinces of the country, and of which Liqvan Cheese is one of the most delicious ones. The traditional method of producing this cheese was inscribed on the list of Iran’s intangible heritage in 2021.

The origin of Liqvan Cheese

Housing green and fertile pastures, West Azarbaijan Province of Iran has been a suitable place for animal husbandry and raising livestock since the distant past, and it is, therefore, one of the main centres of dairy products in Iran. In some parts of the province, dairy products are considered the most important economic products, and people’s lives and livelihoods depend on their production. One of the areas that has become famous for the production of such products is the Liqvan Village, where a special type of cheese is produced that, with the holes it has in it, is distinguished from other types of cheese.

Liqvan Village is located 36 km from Tabriz, and being in a mountainous area, the houses are built in the form of stairs. Except for its famous and very delicious cheese, Liqvan is also famous for its pristine and spectacular nature, eye-catching scenery, pleasant weather, hot water springs, and permanent streams. One of the reasons why the cheese produced in this village has become so popular is the quality of the milk of the cattle here, which are nurtured in this pollution-free air area and the natural and fertile pastures around it.

Liqvan Cheese is so popular among Iranians that this small village has earned the title of Iran’s cheese capital. The population of Liqvan village is about 6 thousand people, and most of them are engaged in farming and animal husbandry.

The Traditional Procedure of Producing Liqvan Cheese

Liqvan Cheese is made in metal vats, locally called ‘putoq'. Empty metal vats are ready all over the village, which are stacked in front of dairy factories to be filled with cheese. The white cloths that are hung on the ropes tied to the walls of these workshops are another tool used by the Liqvan people to make cheese.

Most of the sheep of the Liqvan people are from the “Qizil Quyin” breed, which has very fatty and delicious milk. These sheep are usually milked by women, and great care is taken to keep the milk free from impurities.

Unlike the industrial method, Liqvan cheese is made from un-boiled milk. Immediately after milking, the milk passes through several sieves and is fermented. In industrial methods, boiling destroys pathogenic bacteria, but in Liqvan cheese, concentrated salt water eliminates harmful bacteria while preserving beneficial ones. Besides eliminating pathogenic substances in milk, this method makes all the beneficial bacteria in milk remain untouched, which increases the nutritional value of Liqvan Cheese.

To keep Liqvan Cheese fresh, it is stored in salt water. This method of storage also prevents the re-entry of pathogenic bacteria and the creation of a bad smell in the cheese.

The Special Method of Fermenting Liqvan Cheese

Even though many types of cheese called Liqvan are produced and marketed similarly in Iran, even industrially, the original Liqvan cheese is obtained in a completely traditional way without the use of different industrial devices. There are special workshops for fermenting Liqvan Cheese, in which the temperature of the milk is lowered with vats filled with ice. This work is done with sufficient care, especially while adding the amount of yeast, so that the quality of the product does not decrease.

The produced cheese is then transferred to handmade cellars, traditional natural cold storage spaces, and stays there for three months until they are well processed and its harmful bacteria are destroyed. With its high nutritional value, Liqvan Cheese is the best choice for a healthy breakfast.

There are also certain types of cheese in Iran, the most delicious of which are produced in the western and northwestern provinces of the country, and of which Liqvan Cheese is one of the most delicious ones.