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Unirea Village, Alba County
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Branza de burduf (bellows cheese) with humanity
Branza de burduf is a flagship Romanian cheese, mentioned in numerous texts since the 14th century. It was produced for the first time in sheepfolds in mountain areas, made from sheep's milk and matured in bellows and other ways. Today, it is produced throughout the country, from sheep, cow and goat’s milk. And this local product is in high demand for export.
Taking the Cheese Route, we began with the producers of Transylvania. This is how we arrived at De la Ferma (From the Farm), a family business started over 20 years ago in the village of Unirea, Alba county.
Passion, work done responsibly and vision characterise Marius Bîcu, the majority shareholder in De la Ferma, who aims to focus all production efforts on brânza de burduf in the near future.
The manufacturer focuses on traditional products, preserving the original recipe. The milk comes from the cows and sheep on his own farm, which covers over 800 hectares of arable land, mostly cultivated with cereals, and 200 hectares of pasture. The dairy is close to the farm and processes 15,000 litres of milk a day, which are turned into about 50-60 tons of cheese. Some of the production is outsourced to other dairies, which produce cheese, cream and yogurt under the De la Ferma brand.
Both the farm and processing station can be visited by tourists with prior reservation. And if you are passing by, there is also a shop where you can buy all the dairy products.
Nationwide, De la Ferma products can be found in the major retail chains (Carrefour, Metro, Auchan, Kaufland), and you can find out more about them here.
Wine pairings for brânza de burduf
If you’re serving a branza de burduf with vegetables or simply on a slice of bread, try a dry white with a high acidity to offset the fat from the cheese, a Chardonnay or a Feteasca Regala. If you’re serving a bulz (traditional Romanian dish) of it alongside pork, beef or game, pair it with a dry red, perhaps a Fetească Neagră. A Cabernet Sauvignon or a Shiraz would work well for dishes with spicy notes.
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Alina Iancu
17/09/2019
