Why Tourists Should Discover Serbia’s Pule Cheese And Other Hidden European Delicacies

Published on September 23, 2025

Europe has agelong been a wealth trove of delicious and divers cheeses, pinch immoderate of nan world’s astir iconic varieties, specified arsenic Camembert and Mozzarella, still being enjoyed successful kitchens crossed nan globe. But beyond nan celebrated cheeses, Europe is location to lesser-known, ancient varieties that clasp heavy taste significance, tied to centuries-old traditions. This travel done Europe will present you to immoderate of these concealed cheeses, each offering a unsocial glimpse into nan rich | history and traditions of its region.

Pule Cheese: The Rarest and Most Expensive Cheese successful nan World

A sojourn to Serbia offers a chance to sensation Pule cheese, wide regarded arsenic nan rarest and astir costly food globally. Made from nan beverage of Balkan donkeys, Pule is produced exclusively successful nan Zasavica Donkey Reserve, located adjacent Sremska Mitrovica successful Vojvodina. This mini reserve is location to conscionable 100 endangered Balkan jennies (female donkeys), whose beverage is cautiously harvested up to 3 times daily.

The rich, earthy, and somewhat saccharine sensation of Pule is made imaginable done an intricate process that uses some donkey beverage and, occasionally, goat milk. The scarcity of this food is not conscionable owed to its constricted accumulation but besides nan precocious attraction required to sphere nan donkey organization and their beverage yields. For those seeking a deeper relationship to nan environment, nan reserve besides offers unsocial experiences for illustration stream cruises and visits to spot different autochthonal animals, making it a cleanable operation of quality and cheese.

Gjizë: A Taste of Albanian Tradition

Next, caput southbound to Albania, wherever you tin observe Gjizë, a accepted soft, strained curd food made successful nan distant villages of nan Accursed Mountains. This food is portion of nan Albanian highland practice and is typically preserved successful clay pots pinch oliva oil. Gjizë’s somewhat sour, barren ricotta-like sensation is produced by acidifying beverage pinch citric acerb aliases yogurt, resulting successful a food that is simply a cornerstone of Albanian cuisine.

Travelling to Shkodër, a municipality adjacent nan foothills of nan Albanian Alps, visitors tin acquisition nan accumulation of Gjizë firsthand. The food is simply a cardinal constituent successful section dishes specified arsenic Fërgesë, a accepted baked dish. To acquisition nan afloat charm of Albanian highland life, a hike on nan Valbona-Theth Trail offers breathtaking views, starring visitors to earthy wonders for illustration nan Theth Blue Eye and Grunas Waterfall.

Ziger: A Swiss Tradition successful nan Alps

In nan Swiss Alps, Ziger cheese, peculiarly Glarner Schabziger, takes centre shape arsenic 1 of nan oldest Swiss cheeses still successful production. This food is made from leftover whey from different Swiss cheeses for illustration Emmental, giving it a unsocial spot successful Switzerland’s rich | dairy culture. Its chopped lime-green hue and pungent, spicy flavour travel from nan summation of crushed bluish fenugreek, a cardinal herb successful Swiss alpine cuisine.

While Ziger is not typically consumed connected its own, it is utilized arsenic a condiment complete pasta, potatoes, aliases mixed pinch food to make a spread. Visitors to nan Bernese Oberland tin research nan scenic villages and meet section cheesemakers who proceed to trade this ancient cheese. Despite its humanities significance, Glarner Schabziger remains small known extracurricular circumstantial Alpine regions, making it a hidden gem for food enthusiasts.

From Italy to France: Famous Cheese Destinations

No food circuit of Europe would beryllium complete without visiting nan world-famous food regions of Italy and France. In Sicily, nan coastal municipality of Catania offers visitors a chance to bask accepted cheeses for illustration Mozzarella successful an unconventional mounting – a 24-hour edifice located successful a cave. This unsocial location serves food platters and section specialties for illustration sautéed vegetables pinch sausage and mozzarella, cleanable for food lovers seeking a unique experience.

In Normandy, France, nan birthplace of Camembert, visitors tin dive heavy into nan history of this iconic cheese. A sojourn to agrarian fromageries (cheese dairies) offers an immersive acquisition wherever travellers tin sensation freshly made Camembert and study astir its origins. The Cheese Museum successful Vimoutier further enriches this experience, detailing nan centuries-old process of Camembert production.

Cheese Adventures successful Switzerland and Serbia

Whether you are wandering done nan scenic Swiss Alps, exploring Albanian villages, aliases seeking uncommon delicacies successful Serbia, Europe offers a wealthiness of cheese-related adventures that necktie into nan taste and biology cloth of each region. These destinations supply not only nan opportunity to sensation nan rarest and astir unsocial cheeses but besides to acquisition nan landscapes, history, and group down nan cheese.

For those passionate astir culinary tourism, Europe’s lesser-known cheeses supply an breathtaking measurement to research nan continent’s rich | cultivation heritage. From ancient practices for illustration Pule food accumulation successful Serbia to nan alpine traditions of Ziger successful Switzerland, these cheeses are a nonstop nexus to nan past, representing hundreds of years of craftsmanship and section culture.