The “king” of cheeses, Vlastis manouri, is celebrating in Kozani

The result of a painstaking process, during which the breeder needs to remain for hours over the fire that burns up to 89 degrees Celsius, will be able to be enjoyed by its visitors Manouri Festival in Vlasti, Kozaniwhich is coming back strongly after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.

So, tomorrow, at 21:00, in the central square of the village, those lucky enough to be there will have the opportunity to watch the whole process and taste one of the most delicious cheeses.

“Vlastis manouri is one of the rarest cheeses in Greece, as the product exists for some time of the year and in small quantities”, explains, speaking to APE-MPE, the president of the local Livestock Association “SINIATSKOS” Christos Lelekis, clarifying that its preparation, by very few breeders, takes place during the period from mid-July to mid-September, “when the milk also has the correct and necessary amount of fat, which ultimately gives the unique Vlastis manouri».

“The secret to a good manuri is to hit the bass“, emphasizes Mr. Lelekis, pointing out that the breeder who knows the art and wants to achieve the best possible result knows from the outset that in order to prepare it, he must be ready to endure the trembling of his legs from standing for long hours, but also the burning he will feel on his hands and face.

The artisanal-handicraft cheese-making of Manouri in Vlasti is done by the farmers, who during the summer keep their herds in the mountainous and semi-mountainous area defined by the Askio and Mouriki mountains. Vlastis manouri is made from goat’s milk and the cheese is made daily, right after the animals are milked, in the barn, according to Mr. Lelekis, who reminds that the art of its traditional preparation now belongs to the National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece .

The Livestock Association “SINIATSKOS” consists of 30 members, ten of whom are active. In total they breed about 6,000 goats and 2,500 sheep, while in the short period of the year, when they prepare Vlastis manouri from goat’s milk, they produce and market about ten tons. “It is a painstaking and difficult process to make Vlastis manouri and now we who make it can’t afford to make larger quantities”, characteristically notes Mr. Lelekis, sounding the alarm for the future of the product. “Unfortunately, I “see” that the product may even disappear in the coming years, since now we who prepare it have grown older and young people do not choose the livestock sector“, points out.

A celebration dating back to 1965

“For the people of Vlatsio, manouri is “the king of cheeses” and the product that is the star of the celebration every August“, says, for her part, the municipal councilor for the municipal unit of Vlastis of the municipality of Eorda, Anastasia Prapa, underlining that in addition to being a fine cheese product, manouri is a symbol, a reference element of the community’s collective identity.

According to her, every August Vlasti “comes alive”, since and because of the Manouri Festival “all those who left the village in search of a better professional rehabilitation return to their ancestral home”. Thus, as he adds, more than 1000 people flood the central square of Vlasti and “although some of them cannot find a chair to sit and a table to eat, no one complains and we all dance, drink and sing together, of course enjoying the unique taste of the region’s manouri”.

The celebration is organized by the livestock association “SINIATSKOS”, the community of Vlastis and the municipality of Eordaia and during its duration 1000 kilos of manouri from the region will be made available, as well as other popular dairy products and snacks.

The celebration will be “dressed” musically by the multi-member orchestra of Namatian organist and traditional clarinet player Dimitris Paraschos. With many years of experience, research, study and a rich discography, the orchestra of Dimitris Paraschos will present traditional musical pieces, instrumental purposes of the village and the wider region, giving the public, in addition to a unique feast, a musical atmospheric experience colored by the nobility and the glamor of Western Macedonia of the past.

RES-EMP

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