Maria Papakleanthous writes about the roots of the Cypriot cheese that is now found in larders around the world.

The first time I tried halloumi fries, I was dumbfounded. I took a bite from the long, narrow piece – covered with red sweet chilli sauce – and all I could think was: “This is a disgrace!”  

In Cyprus, we take halloumi seriously. Soft, squeaky, and salty – a texture so distinct that nothing really tastes like it. For Cypriots, halloumi is more than just a cheese: it is our proudest national creation. 

Upon entering any Cypriot kitchen, you will most definitely stumble across a massive plastic jar of halloumi sitting on the counter, filled with fresh cheese in brine. At my family home we always buy our jar from our friend Maria, who makes it herself. She boils goat’s milk, adds rennet for clotting, and strains it with a cheesecloth to form it into a block. For extra flavour, she then tops it off with fresh spearmint.  

“By being a neutral ingredient, it can blend well with tastes from different cuisines, producing multiple successful end results”

Petros Mavros

My family likes to add halloumi everywhere – on top of pasta, inside the traditional Easter dessert flaounes, or in pitta bread with the local meat delicacy lountza. We eat it the way our ancestors did. 

Yet, it’s up for debate whether using halloumi as a conduit for different cuisines, such as the case of halloumi fries, can peel away its traditional value. 

As halloumi is now sold in supermarkets worldwide, Cypriot-based halloumi manufacturers produce it in different varieties to commercialise to countries outside of Cyprus and appeal to different tastes. The cheese comes in a plethora of forms, flavours and spices – including basil, chilli, spearmint, or curry.   

There have also been attempts by other countries, such as Greece, Turkey, and the UK, to imitate the Cypriot recipe and technique, remaking an almost identical product but often selling it as “grilled cheese”. To stop that from happening, in 2021, the European Commission registered halloumi as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product. Similar to other trademark products such as the French Brie de Meaux, or the Greek feta, the agreement was established to protect the traditional recipe and origin.    

Marios Koliandris, owner of Cypriot-based halloumi manufacturing facility Koliandris, says: “At the moment, halloumi is at a transitional stage. The introduction of the PDO protection on halloumi is a way of securing the patent to avoid other nations from duplicating the cheese and making money off of it.”

He adds: “The agreement denotes that for the cheese to be sold as halloumi, it must be made of 50 per cent goat’s milk and 50 per cent cow’s milk. The goat’s milk in the recipe is what makes it unique and to be of a higher quality.” 

Petros Mavros, executive chef at Radisson Blu in Cyprus, attributes halloumi’s increasing global popularity to its versatility. He says: “By being a neutral ingredient, it can blend well with tastes from different cuisines, producing multiple successful end results.” He also mentions how halloumi is an ideal option for restaurants that want to offer vegetarian options.

So maybe halloumi’s global recognition doesn’t devalue its traditional use but is rather a sign of appreciation for Cypriot culture and culinary heritage that transcends borders. 

Beyond its contributions to the national economy, halloumi’s presence in diverse cuisines evokes a sense of personal pride and connection to home, underscoring its enduring role as a cherished symbol of Cypriot identity. Encountering the cheese abroad only reinforces the bonds to one’s cultural roots – even when that dish is halloumi fries.