Turoš Is A Popular Croatian Cheese Worth Knowing

Turoš is a cow's milk cheese from the Međimurje region inCroatia, bordering Austria and Hungary (the word turoš comes from the Hungarian túrós, meaning "curd cheese"). Ines and Miran Krnjak make it at their farm in the village of Belica, Sirana Krnjak (Krnjak Dairy), which they've run for 15 years.

They have 35 milk cows and 55 calves and make seven types of cheese besides turoš (they produce about 300 of these a week), as well as cream and yogurt.

Turoš is made by shaping chunks of curd cheese, mixed with salt and paprika, into small cones, about two-and-a-half inches high. After shaping, the cheese is air-dried in the sun, or sometimes smoked.

The couple sells most of their wares out of their own shop on the farm, but they also sell their product to local restaurants and to the nearby spa and wellness center called LifeClass Terme Sveti Martin.

The Krnjaks got into the dairy business because milk prices were high 15 years ago and they thought a dairy would be a good business. Three years ago, however, the price of milk dropped, and they moved into cheese production. Local cheese lovers are glad they did.