Levant · Palestine
Akkawi.
Akkawi is a pristine white cheese with a squeaky, semi-firm crumb that yields to pressure—imagine biting into something between fresh mozzarella and halloumi. Its clean, milky sweetness carries a pronounced brine salinity that tingles on the palate, with a subtle mineral coolness reminiscent of sea salt and fresh cream. The aroma is mild and dairy-forward, letting the simplicity of quality cow's milk shine through.
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The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Akkawi (from Acre/Akka in present-day northern Israel) is a white brined cheese widely used in Levantine cuisine. It is the preferred cheese for kunafa (a Middle Eastern sweet pastry with cheese).
The cheese is typically desalted by soaking in water before use in sweet preparations. It is produced commercially throughout the Middle East.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Mixed · pasteurised
- Family
- Brined
- Rind
- rindless
- Age
- 0–3 mo
- Intensity
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
Caseo's flavour axes are calibrated against reference cheeses. This is Akkawi's fingerprint.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Estimated values — based on similar cheese family data
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Akkawi.
28 pairings across 8 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Spirits
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
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