How Unique is Tushetian Guda Cheese?!

Tushetian Guda Cheese is indeed unique due to its specific production methods and regional characteristics. Guda cheese is made in the Tusheti region of Georgia, located in the Caucasus Mountains. The uniqueness of this cheese lies in several factors:

1. Traditional Production Methods: Tushetian Guda Cheese is made using traditional methods that have been passed down through generations. This includes using locally sourced milk, typically from sheep or cows, and fermenting it with specific bacteria and enzymes.

2. Cultural Significance: The cheese holds significant cultural importance in the Tusheti region and is often associated with celebrations and rituals within the community.

3. Unique Flavor Profile: Guda cheese has a distinct flavor profile that is influenced by the local flora, fauna, and environmental conditions of the Tusheti region. The cheese is typically aged in animal skins or wooden barrels, which can further contribute to its unique taste and texture.

4. Limited Production: The production of Tushetian Guda Cheese is limited to the Tusheti region, making it relatively rare and difficult to find outside of this area. This adds to its uniqueness and exclusivity.

Overall, Tushetian Guda Cheese stands out as a unique product due to its traditional production methods, cultural significance, distinct flavor profile, and limited availability.

A cheese so intrinsically linked to Georgian culture that it has been added to the list of Georgia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, Guda cheese stands out from other Georgian cheeses for its unique flavour and ancient preparation technique, which has been practiced in the mountains of Tusheti since time immemorial. 

The Production of Tushuri Guda

Tushetian Guda is made from fresh, whole milk from either sheep or a mixture of sheep and cow’s milk, which is then ripened in a sheepskin bag.

Guda cheese is made only in the summer, after the Doli (lambing season), ends.

The milk is filtered using a special net, over which the medical herbs are strewn. After that, rennet is added to curdle the milk, and it is covered with a cloak to keep it warm. One hour later, the curdled mass is stirred to break it up, and then covered with the cloak again. Half an hour after that, the whey is drained out of the vessel, and the still-warm cheese is cut, wrapped in a special cloth, placed in a bag to be pressed, and then, after another two hours, placed back into the sheepskin bag.

Four or five pieces of cheese are placed into the bag, with salt between each layer, and the bag is sealed, taken to a cheese room, and covered with a cloak for another two days. The cheese is turned multiple times a day to ensure that the salt settles evenly. The cheese ripens in this bag for sixty days.

Tushetian Guda is considered to be the best accompaniment for mountain Vodka and Dedas puri (Shoti bread).