E-Haberler 
Balıkesir, representing Turkey for the first time at the World Cheese Awards held in Norway, achieved a significant success with the bronze medal won by “Kirli Hanım Peyniri” (Dirty Lady Cheese). This cheese, traditionally produced in the districts of Gömeç, Burhaniye, and Ayvalık in Balıkesir, stands out with its delicacy, flavor, and intriguing name. The production of Kirli Hanım Peyniri requires about a year of dedicated work.
Balıkesir participated in the competition organized by the Metropolitan Municipality with 50 varieties of cheese, where a total of 4,502 cheeses from 43 countries were featured. Kirli Hanım Peyniri, representing Balıkesir, not only participated in the competition but also won a bronze medal.
Kirli Hanım Peyniri, produced in the Gömeç, Burhaniye, and Ayvalık regions around the Edremit Gulf, has been famous for its delicacy, flavor, acidity, and distinctive name for centuries. What sets this cheese apart from others is its ability to be stored for a long time without the need for cold chain and its value increasing as it ages.
Mehmet Özgü Manisalı, who revived the production of Kirli Hanım Peyniri in its true form after many years, said, “Kirli Hanım Peyniri is one of the forgotten Turkish cheeses. It is produced in the Gulf region, especially in Burhaniye, Gömeç, and Ayvalık. It is a cheese that can be aged for a long time, produced in times when refrigerators were not used, hence its name ‘dirty lady cheese’. After being rubbed with salt for about 7-8 days, the cheese is left in the sun and wind. The dominant wind in this region is a strong northern wind known as ‘poyraz’. After being exposed to poyraz wind for about a month, it is baked and takes its current form. During this process, the cheese loses its water and moisture, eliminating the possibility of spoilage and becoming a cheese that can be stored for many years.”
