Meram prepares tuluk cheese for cave aging festival in Konya, Turkey
In the Kızılören neighbourhood of Meram district, Konya, local producers place tuluk cheeses in natural caves to mature for four to five months without any additives. Women process the milk, separate cream, heat it, add cheese culture, and fill goat or sheep skin tuluks, which are then stored in the cool, humid caves.
The Meram Municipality has organized a "Cave Cheese Extraction Festival" to be held at the end of October, when the cheeses are taken out and offered to the public. Mayor Mustafa Kavuş emphasized that the event not only celebrates the cheese itself but also preserves a centuries‑old cultural heritage of the region. Long‑time cheese maker Miyase Koyuncu and resident Ahmet Koyuncu highlighted the role of the tuluk leather and cave climate in giving the cheese its distinctive flavor.
The festival will showcase the finished tuluk cheeses to citizens, reinforcing the continuity of this traditional craft that has been passed down through generations.
Entities: Konya Province · Kızılören · Meram Municipality · Miyase Koyuncu · Mustafa Kavuş
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Cheese is made without any additives, using milk processed by local women and placed in goat or sheep skin tuluks.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ahmet Koyuncu stated that tuluk leather makes cheese more protected, healthier, and gives a distinct aroma, and that the tradition has continued since ancestors.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Miyase Koyuncu described the cheese‑making process, including separating cream, heating, adding culture, and filling tuluks.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Meram Municipality organized a Cave Cheese Extraction Festival scheduled for the end of October where the matured cheeses will be served to citizens.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Tuluk cheeses are placed in natural caves in Kızılören for four to five months to mature without additives.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Mayor Mustafa Kavuş said the festival preserves a centuries‑old cultural heritage.