Sunday, January 28, 2007

NICOSIA, Cyprus (Agence France-Presse) — Cyprus has unearthed an obscure Venetian document that could bolster its case for halloumi cheese to be registered as an exclusive product of the Mediterranean island.

Public radio in Cyprus announced Saturday that the 16th-century document, which dates back to Venetian rule of the island, outlines taxation and production regulations on halloumi and notes that the cheese was manufactured in March.

Back then, the soft, stringy cheese was made with goat milk, which is thickest in March.



Agriculture Minister Fotis Fotiou said Cyprus would try to use the document to back the island’s European Union registration bid and its efforts to secure exclusive rights to market the cheese in Europe under the name of halloumi.

Cypriot radio said the document dates to about 1520 and reportedly is located at Italy’s Dona Delle Rose museum.

Halloumi is already registered as a protected Cypriot product within the United States, having beaten off a legal challenge from Denmark.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide