From Cave to Table: Konya’s Moldy Cheese

Moldy cheese, a traditional delicacy dating back to the Ottoman period, remains an important part of Konya’s culinary culture and continues to attract attention with its distinctive flavor and long history.

Historically, it was believed to boost vitality among soldiers and was even used in the treatment of sword wounds. Today, it remains a well-known part of Turkish breakfast culture and has gained recognition beyond Türkiye for its unique taste and traditional production process.

The cheese undergoes an aging period of around six months, during which natural molds develop and give it its characteristic aroma and texture.

In Konya, this tradition continues in the Kızılören neighborhood of Meram, where local families still place cheeses in caves for maturation. Every October, the community marks the end of the aging process with the traditional “Cheese Removal” event, when the matured cheeses are taken out of the caves and prepared for consumption.

Fatih Canfeda, a tradesman at Konya’s Melike Hatun Bazaar, locally known as the “Women’s Market,” said:

“We produce between 4,000 and 5,000 tons of cheese in Konya during the season. We supply some of Istanbul’s most well-known restaurants, and we also welcome customers from abroad. Visitors from Japan and the United States come here, taste the cheese, and enjoy it very much. These cheeses are made from natural village cheese without additives. They are brought here, pressed into sacks, and left to mature.”