String cheese

In Slovakia, korbáčiky is made,[3] which is a salty sheep milk cheese, available smoked or unsmoked. It is traditionally made by hand-pulling steamed sheep's cheese into strings and braiding them. Cow milk versions are also available.[4][5]

In Turkey most common type of string cheese is dil peyniri (Dil Cheese). Dil is a traditional Turkish cheese made from cow's milk around the cities of Bilecik and Bursa. The cheese is fresh, white, and it has a stringy texture, similar to mozzarella. The texture becomes even more stringy when the cheese is melted, which is the reason why it's not often used on pizza in Turkey (they usually use kasar cheese instead).[6]

In Armenia, traditional string cheese is made with a white base. The type of milk used usually comes from an aged goat or sheep depending upon the production methods of the area of choice.[7] It includes black cumin[8] and a middle-eastern spice known as mahleb, and it comes in the form of a braided endless loop.[9] The cheese forms strings because of the way it is pulled during processing.

There is also Syrian cheese processed this way. Other cheeses are only cut and pressed, not pulled, and don't develop strings.

In Georgia and Russia string cheese is known as tenili (Тенили). It is made from fermented sheep's milk and cream allowed to mature for 60 days in a salted and dried veal stomach.

Cheestrings became a popular snack in the UK and Republic of Ireland in the early 1990s. They are made from processed cheese by Kerry Group and the mascot is a cartoon character called Mr Strings.[10]

The original advert had a theme tune based on the popular song "Bend Me, Shape Me", but with different lyrics ("You got a cheese string day or night, you got a cheese string you're all right").[11] The first version of this advert was set at a kids' disco, and a later remake was set at a funfair.[12] Originally Mr Strings was a wild cartoon character who pulled himself apart[13] but by the late 1990s the packaging had been redesigned with a more simplified mascot.[14] On television the original Mr Strings was phased out during the mid 2000s and replaced by an unseen character who played creepy practical jokes on teenage consumers. In the late 2000s the design of Mr Strings was changed for a third time[15] to appear more child-friendly and was given a new catchphrase ("Hey, I'm just cheese").[16]

In the present day, cheestrings are available in cheddar, mozzarella, and the two colour cheddar and red leicester twisters.[17] Discontinued flavours include cheddar and smoky bacon, and pizza.[18]

Kerry exports Gouda cheestrings from Charleville, County Cork to Holland, and a Gouda-Emmental mix to France, where the product is known as Ficello.[19] Low cost imitations of the original cheddar cheestrings were formerly manufactured in the UK by Tesco, Dairylea, and currently by Dunnes Stores.[20] An item in the product range of the original Kerry cheestrings, known as Attack-A-Snack (a rival to Dairylea Lunchables), packaged with a tortilla wrap or cracker, sachet of tomato ketchup, and piece of processed ham has been available from the late 90s.[21]

In Australia, string cheese is sold by Bega Cheese and is called Bega Stringers. String cheese can also be sold in a can.[24][25] In the Marquesas Islands, a popular variety of string cheese is made from breadfruit proteins and buffalo milk, and is marketed under the brand, Sea King String.

• Armenian cuisine
• List of cheeses
• List of stretch-cured cheeses
• Pasta filata

• Process of making mozzarella cheese — US Patent 5567464
• "Kraft Polly-O String Cheese". Kraft Brands.