Motal (cheese)

Motal (Armenian: մոթալ, Armenian pronunciation: [mɔˈtʰɑl]) is a traditional Armenian brined cheese, typically made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk.^[1][2][3][4] It is characterized by its aging process in tki (Armenian: տիկ), which are leather containers made from sheep or goat hides.^[5] Motal is regarded as one of the highest-quality cheeses, comparable to French Roquefort and Italian Parmesan.^[6]

Motal
Motal cheese served at an Armenian restaurant
Country of origin	Armenia
Region	Syunik, Artsakh
Source of milk	Sheep's, goat's
Texture	Soft
Fat content	30–40%
Aging time	3–4 months

Characteristics

Motal is a fatty, crumbly white cheese with no rind or external coating.^[1] During production, aromatic herbs—most commonly wild thyme—may be added to the curd, giving the cheese its distinctive aroma.^[1][7] The aging process lasts three to four months in cool environments.^[1][6][4]

The finished cheese typically takes the form of irregularly shaped masses weighing between 20 and 25 kilograms.^[6] In industrially produced versions, fat content ranges from 30% to 40%.^[8]

Production

Traditionally, Motal is made from whole sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. In some cases, partially skimmed milk with added curd is used.^[4] The process begins with the production of a basic farmer's cheese (ktor panir), which is then crumbled, packed tightly into a tki, and left to mature.^[4]

In some farms and state-run factories, Motal may also be produced from off-grade cheeses or fragments of other brined cheeses.^[8] In these cases, the cheese is not aged in tki but instead stored in barrels.^[8]

Distribution and consumption

Historically, Motal has been especially common in the regions of Syunik and Artsakh.^[7][5] In rural areas, it was traditionally stored in tki or clay vessels.^[9] Motal is typically consumed fresh—wrapped in Armenian lavash flatbread and served with herbs such as basil, green onions, and garlic.^[6][9]

In literature

Motal is mentioned in the first chapter of the historical novel Wounds of Armenia by Armenian author Khachatur Abovian:^[10]

Կարասներով կողակ, կճճներով պանիր ու ղավուրմա, աքաշներով զոխ, բոխ, ողորմակոթ, բղղներով եղ ու կարագ, մոթալներով պանիր,— ծո՜վ, ի՞նչ տուն։ Խաչատուր Աբովյան, Վերք Հայաստանի ― Գլուխ առաջին [Jugs of wine, clay pots of cheese and khavurma, bundles of dried fruits and herbs, cords of onions and garlic, chunks of butter and motal cheese — oh! what more does a home need?]

— Khachatur Abovyan, Wounds of Armenia — Chapter One (1858)

Current status

In 2005, Slow Food created a project around Motal after being approached by Ruslan Torosyan. The project aimed to get local farmers involved in preserving the tradition and work towards selling a product globally. However, by 2016 the Slow Food project for Motal had ended.^[11]

According to international organizations focused on traditional food products, Motal has been listed in the Ark of Taste as a product at risk of disappearing.^[6] Today, it is produced in limited quantities and is recognized as one of the authentic cheeses of Armenia.^[6]

Gallery

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  Motal cheese on a store shelf in Yerevan