How did the Sephardi-Jews brought the production of Kashkaval cheese to Bosnia

Abstract

After the Spanish Reconquista, Inquisition and exile of Jews from Spain and Portugal (1492–1496) many of the Sephardi-Jews came to the Dalmatian coast. Sultan Bajazit II opened the doors of Ottoman Empire to Jews inviting them to live proudly in his Empire. Spanish Jews settled in Bulgaria after 1494, in the cities where the Jews have already lived. Sephardi brought with them the production of the yellow cheese called cache yall, which became very popular in Bulgaria as Kaskaval.
According to the notations from Sijil (protocol) families Papo, Maestro and Levi were producing the cheese in Sarajevo, bringing the tradition from Bulgaria and Albania in 16th century.
One of the oldest autochthonous cheese of Bosnia and Herzegovina is cheese Tarenik (Tucanik, Tučenik, Čabrenik), which was kept in the vats. It was produced in the mountainous part of Central Bosnia. In 15th century Spanish Jews brought in Bosnia technology of making Kaškaval cheese, similar to the Kačkavalj. Cheese was made out of sheep milk on the mountains around Sarajeva until the beginning of the Second World War. Cheese was made for the local Jews, as well as for the export. It was made in a form of small bread (without mould) on weight of ½ or ¾ of kilogram.
Production of Kaškavalj cheese was not known in this region until the Sephardi came in Bosnia. Some of the families were performing this craft until the Second World War, going in the mountains in the season and buying the milk from the peasants, for cheese making.
Unfortunately, Second World War and Holocaust on Jews of Bosnia and Herzegovina have taken 70 percent of this nation. Among them victims were also Sephardi Jews as the last manufacturers of Kačkavalj in Bosnia and Herzegovina.