Get to Know About the World’s Most Expensive Cheese

Say cheese before we start this blog! It’s not just mice that love cheese, but every one of us does. That’s why we celebrate January 20th as National Cheese Lover’s Day. Cheese is simply amazing; it makes anything tastier when added. In this blog, I’m gonna share everything about the world’s most expensive cheese: Pule. Let’s discover the world through cheese.

Before we proceed, do you know the most expensive cheese on Earth? Interestingly, while one pound of cheddar cheese costs about 5.55 U.S. Dollars, pule cheese, which is one of the most expensive cheeses in the world, costs 600 USD a pound.

History of Pule Cheese

Slobodan Simić, the Managing Director of Zasavica Special Nature Reserve is the one who cultivated the most expensive cheese: Pule. He is a former lawmaker in the Serbian parliament. His motto is to save the endangered breed of Balkan donkeys as there were only 1000 in number in Serbia. So he started a donkey farm in the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve. Initially, they were producing only donkey milk but when the farm reached 200 donkeys he decided to make cheese from this milk by partnering with the cheesemaker from Belgrade.

Pule Cheese

Pule cheese is the rarest type of cheese that is powdery soft and tastes rich, creamy, and nutty. The color of the cheese ranges from pale yellow to a light golden color. It has a tangy, slightly sour taste that is balanced by the rich, buttery flavor of the donkey’s milk. The pule cheese is made from 60% of Balkan donkey milk, 40% of goat’s milk, rennet, and some secret additives.

The Making of Pule Cheese

Step 1: Milking the Balkan Donkeys

Zasavica provides healthy food for the donkeys, including apples, carrots, and maize. The donkeys are milked three times a day by hand as their udders are small and take time to refill. 

Step 2: Milk Processing

The collected milk is pasteurized to maintain its flavors and qualities.

Step 3: Curding the Milk

The milk is then curdled using the natural enzyme or rennet. Then the curd is separated from the whey.

Step 4: Shaping and Preserving

The curds are collected and pressed to their molds to get the cheese shape and preserved for several months under controlled environmental conditions and left to age.

Step 5: Quality Check

Throughout the aging process, the cheese is continuously monitored for quality checks to ensure it meets the desired flavor and texture.

Step 6 – Packaging

Once the cheese reaches its optimal aging period, the Pule cheese is ready to serve. It is then packaged and distributed in limited quantities.

Why Is Pule Cheese So Expensive?

The milk of Balkan donkeys is the key ingredient to prepare Pule cheese. Unlike cows, these donkeys produce only 2 liters of milk a day. To make 1 kilogram of cheese, we need to collect milk from 15 Balkan donkeys. Machinery doesn’t work in the milking process so it is always done with hand. Importantly, these donkeys can produce milk only six months a year. Hence, Pule cheese’s limited production affects the cost.

Slobodan Simic spends around $100,000 a year to maintain the donkey farm, buy food, and hire workers. There are legal restrictions on exporting unpasteurized milk and cheese. So, there’s a hefty price tag on this cheese.

Where Can You Buy Pule Cheese?

Since Pule cheese is the rarest and the most expensive cheese, it may take some effort to find and purchase. You can buy them online via retailer Zasavica or from high-end food stores that sell unique cheeses. Although it is available, it will be in short supply and more expensive than what is sold in Serbia. The best way to obtain pule cheese is to travel to the Balkan country and purchase it directly from the farm. It is found that the flavor and texture of pulse cheese are quite similar to manchego, which has a crumbly texture and nutty, earthy flavors. Hence, manchego is a good choice if you are unable to purchase pule cheese.

Nutritional Benefits of Pule Cheese

Pule cheese has gained attention not only for its rarity but also for its potential nutritional benefits. Pule cheese is known for its high protein content. It contains various vitamins like A, B12, C, and E and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. These cheeses contain only 1% of milk fat, high amounts of healthy fats, and may have probiotic properties.

Benefits of Donkey Milk

• Donkey’s milk is nearly 60% more nutritious than cow or goat milk and can support body healing both in cases of acute or chronic disorders.
• It is the best source of protein, minerals, and vitamins such as A, B, and E, healthy fats, etc.
• It has a higher percentage of healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Contains anti-allergens, which can protect against asthma, dermatitis, bronchitis,  breathlessness, cough, skin rashes, nose block, and other symptoms caused due to allergies.
• Possesses a higher amount of vitamin C that acts as an antioxidant and might prevent damage to body organs and tissues even reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Pule Cheese Recipes

Here are a couple of quick and easy recipes you can try:

Pule Cheese Crostini

• Slice a baguette into thin slices and toast them lightly.
• Spread a generous amount of pule cheese on each slice.
• Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the pule cheese layer.
• Drizzle the hot honey, over the top of each crostini.
• Place the pule cheese crostini onto a platter and serve.

Pule Cheese Salad

• Mix greens such as spinach and lettuce with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
• Add finely sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions into the bowl and mix them up.
• Crumble pule cheese over the salad and toss gently to combine.
• It’s ready to serve as an appetizer or light meal.

These recipes highlight the delicate flavor and creamy texture of pule cheese without overwhelming it with other ingredients. Enjoy experimenting with different flavor combinations!

Other Most Expensive Cheeses in the World

Savor Every Slice

From the delicate creaminess of Pule cheese to the other rare and exquisite varieties like Moose and White Stilton Gold, the world’s most expensive cheese invites us on a journey of taste. So, let’s celebrate the artistry of cheese-making, where every crumble tells a story.