The herbs have names
The provincial tourism directorate describes sheep’s milk cheese with herbs known as sirmo, heliz, mendo and siyabo. Learning the names changes the way you look at it: those small green pieces each belong to a wider food vocabulary.
Ask which herbs were used when buying cheese. A word you have never heard before can be as memorable as a new flavour.
Time contributes to the flavour
The official account also describes maturation in pots beneath the ground. The story therefore includes more than milk and herbs: waiting and maturing have a part in its character.
Notice the aroma and texture, and ask the producer about their method. A conversation can tell you more than the product name on a label.
A shared regional table
This is presented as part of Van’s regional cuisine, not as a product exclusive to Erciş. Alongside grapes and kelem associated directly with the district, shared foods offer another way of getting to know the town.
