Dambalkhacho (mouldy cottage cheese) belongs to the category of the Georgian cuisine treasure, which should be preserved in the ground – obviously for a period of time, not forever. The tradition of cooking Dambalkhacho is mostly spread around the mountainous regions of Georgia. The specialty of this delicacy lies in the method of preparation - it needs not a day or couple of weeks to make, but whole few months.
The preparation starts in May, as it’s the best period of milk production in mountains. Making Dambalkhacho takes longer than the ordinary cottage cheese as they round already prepared cottage cheese in balls and place them in special wooden cages for drying. Later they put the balls in a clay pot, cover it tightly and fill the cover in order to make it hermetically closed. The pot is preserved in a dark, cool basement or even under the ground. Preserved this way the cheese gets covered in mould, which later needs to be peeled off. The inside part of the ball is cut into rings and used for cooking Khachoerbo – cottage cheese butter.
It’s worth to note that the Dambalkhacho consists of the elements that are not recommended for those being allergic to penicillin.
If you aren’t still quite sure about Dambalkhacho phenomenon, just trust the mountain people and give a try, who knows maybe you’ll even love it!