{{Short description|Elongated type of cheese}} {{For|the American jam band|The String Cheese Incident}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox food | name = String cheese | image = Údený korbáčik (Slovakia).jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Traditional Korbáčiky from Slovakia | alternate_name = | country = | region = | creator = | course = | type = | served = | main_ingredient = | variations = | calories = | other = }}

'''String cheese''' is any of several different types of cheese where the manufacturing process aligns the proteins in the cheese, making it stringy.

When mozzarella is heated to 60&nbsp;°C (140&nbsp;°F) and then stretched, the milk proteins line up.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/string-cheese_n_1423938.html|title=What Makes String Cheese Stringy?|date=16 April 2012|work=HuffPost|access-date=1 May 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/string-cheese-vs-mozzarealla-cheese_us_58add1f3e4b0d0a6ef472558 |title=The Real Difference Between String Cheese And Mozzarella Cheese |author=Julie R. Thomson |date=6 March 2017 |access-date=16 February 2018}}</ref> It is then possible to peel strings or strips from the larger cheese.

==Regional variants==

===United Kingdom and Western Europe===

In the United Kingdom and Ireland,<ref>[https://www.foodbev.com/news/kerry-opens-new-cheestrings-facility-in-ireland Kerry opens new cheestrings factory in Ireland]</ref> a popular brand of string cheese is Cheestrings, manufactured by Kerry Dairy Ireland.<ref>{{Citation |title=Kerry Group |date=2025-06-18 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kerry_Group&oldid=1296248544 |access-date=2025-10-19 |language=en}}</ref> The cheese is manufactured using grass-fed cows' milk which is matured into a mild flavour. The cheese is heated, stretched and then cut to size for retailing.<ref>[https://www.dailyedge.ie/90s-lunchbox-treats-ireland-2761429-May2016/ Lunchbox treats Ireland]</ref> From 2004 to 2016, Kerry expanded their operations to continental Europe and currently export to France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Spain and Italy.<ref>[https://www.just-food.com/news/kerry-group-eyes-more-european-markets-for-cheestrings/ Kerry eyes European market]</ref>

Cheestrings first appeared in the UK during the 90s and originally included cheddar, smoky bacon and pizza flavour.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2014/11/10/31-foods-that-made-being-a-kid-in-the-nineties-so-damn-good-4942418/|title=31 foods that made being a kid in the nineties so damn good &#124; Metro News|date=14 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014074332/https://metro.co.uk/2014/11/10/31-foods-that-made-being-a-kid-in-the-nineties-so-damn-good-4942418/|archive-date=14 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stringsandthings.com/our-products/cheestrings-pizza/|title = Cheestrings Pizza}}</ref> A later variant was the two-color Twister made from cheddar and mozzarella. The brand's mascot is a cartoon character called Mr. Strings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stringsandthings.com/our-story/|title=Kerry Group - Strings & Things}}</ref><ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/shoppers-cry-life-changing-luncbox-32600790 Daily Mirror]</ref><ref>[https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2024/07/01/its-older-than-me-tesco-worker-discovers-24-year-old-cheestrings-whilst-clearing-out-stores-warehouse/ 24 year old cheestrings found in Tesco warehouse]</ref>

=== Central and Eastern Europe === In Slovakia, korbáčiky are made,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fgslovakia.com/2007/11/9/slovak-cheeses |title=Slovak Cheeses – The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia |access-date=14 September 2008 |archive-date=24 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224023604/http://www.fgslovakia.com/2007/11/9/slovak-cheeses |url-status=dead }}</ref> which is a salty sheep's milk cheese, available smoked or unsmoked. It is traditionally made by hand-pulling steamed sheep's cheese into strings and braiding them. Cow milk versions are also available.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030405233846/http://www.sazp.sk/parabow/parabow2/traditions/topics/sheepmilk.htm Versatility of sheep milk – Typical Slovak craftsmanship, folk skills and traditions – Slovak Folk Culture Through Amateur Eyes]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20004390/orava-natives-cheesed-off-by-polish-competition-for-beloved-wares.html|title=Orava natives cheesed off by Polish competition for beloved wares|work=The Slovak Spectator|date=12 February 2007}}</ref> The town of Zázrivá is known as the center of the production of this cheese. Similar cheeses are found also in the adjacent regions of South Poland.

===West Asia=== In Turkey, the most common type of string cheese is dil peyniri ("tongue cheese"), a fresh white cheese made from cow's milk, traditionally in the provinces of Bilecik and Bursa. The stringy texture of dil becomes even more prominent when the cheese is melted.<ref>[https://www.tasteatlas.com/dil-cheese Dil (Dil peyniri)]. TasteAtlas, 8 May 2019.</ref> [[File:Թել պանիր 2.jpg|thumb|Armenian traditional tel panir]] In Armenia, traditional string cheese, chechil, is made with a white base. The type of milk used usually comes from an aged goat or sheep depending upon the production methods of the area of choice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://artofhacking.com/aohfood/59000/59083-stringcheese.htm|title=AOH food – String cheese|access-date=4 September 2006|archive-date=28 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928054607/http://artofhacking.com/aohfood/59000/59083-stringcheese.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is seasoned with black cumin<ref>{{cite news| url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2007/04/11/middle_eastern_salad/ | work=The Boston Globe | title=Middle Eastern salad | date=11 April 2007}}</ref> and mahleb, and is traditionally sold in the form of a braided endless loop.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.karlacti.com/angel-hair-mshallaleh.php|title=Armenian String Cheese Braided String Cheese Angel Hair Fine Tresses Mshallaleh Mediterranean|website=www.karlacti.com}}</ref> The cheese forms into strings due to how it is pulled during processing. It is also made in Syria and Turkey, both countries with significant Armenian populations.

In Syria, string cheese is known as jibneh mshalleheh. It contains spices such as mahleb, cumin, anise, and caraway.<ref>https://www.tasteatlas.com/jibneh-mshallaleh</ref>

Russia is the primary importer of chechil, having an 80% market share for Armenian cheese exports, attributed to its sizeable Armenian diasporas.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Cheese in Armenia Trade {{!}} The Observatory of Economic Complexity |url=https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/cheese/reporter/arm#bespoke-title-1146 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=OEC Profiles |quote=In 2023, Armenia exported a total of $11.1M in Cheese, primarily to Russia ($8.84M), United States ($1.71M), and Georgia ($290k).}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-01 |title=Armenia - Cheese production and export supply chain |url=https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/856631517565616040/armenia-cheese-production-and-export-su |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=World Bank Group |quote=Russia and the United States are the main export markets for Armenian cheese exporters. The main consumers of Armenian cheeses in foreign markets are Armenians in the diaspora.}}</ref>

In Georgia string cheese is known as tenili ({{ill|ტენილი ყველი|ka|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Тенили|ru|vertical-align=sup}}). It is made from fermented sheep's milk and cream allowed to mature for 60 days in a salted and dried veal stomach.

===Mexico=== In Mexico, the first type of string cheese was invented in 1885 by Leobarda Castellanos García at 14 years old. A very popular type of string cheese called quesillo is sold today in balls of various sizes. It is also known as Oaxaca cheese or "queso Oaxaca", referring to the place where it was invented, and now it's widely popular in all Mexican territories.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

===United States=== thumb|upright|American string cheese

In the United States, string cheese generally refers to snack-sized servings of low-moisture mozzarella. This form of string cheese is roughly cylindrical, about {{convert|6|in|cm}} long and less than {{convert|1|in|cm}} in diameter.

The cheese used is commonly a form of mozzarella, or a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. This type of string cheese gets its name because it can be eaten by pulling strips of cheese from the cylinder along its length and eating these strings.<ref>{{cite news|title=What Makes String Cheese Stringy?|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/string-cheese_n_1423938.html|department=Kitchen Daily|work=HuffPost|access-date=6 September 2012|date=16 April 2012}}</ref> It was invented in 1976 by Frank Baker.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Basu|first1=Tanya|title=The Secret Life of String Cheese|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/11/the-secret-life-of-string-cheese/383001/|access-date=23 November 2014|work=The Atlantic|publisher=Atlantic Media|date=21 November 2014}}</ref>

===Central America and Caribbean=== In the Dominican Republic "Queso de Hoja" is produced in the form of a ball. It is mostly served with toast or crackers.

===Oceania=== In Australia, string cheese is sold by the Bega Group and is called Bega Stringers.<ref>{{cite web|website=Bega Cheese|url=http://www.begacheese.com.au/Static/Default.aspx?Page=cebd99d4-28db-4a16-a0da-e5f578ff2af5|title=String Cheese}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=Bega Cheese|url=http://www.bega.net.au/products/cheese/kids-snacks/stringers-cheddar/|title=Stringers Cheddar|access-date=17 April 2013|archive-date=9 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409223828/http://www.bega.net.au/products/cheese/kids-snacks/stringers-cheddar/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|left=yes|Food}} * Armenian cuisine * List of cheeses * List of stretch-curd cheeses * ''Pasta filata''

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5567464/description.html Process of making mozzarella cheese]; {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011123934/http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5567464/description.html |date=11 October 2012 }} — US Patent 5567464 * {{cite web|website=Kraft Brands|title=Kraft Polly-O String Cheese|url=http://www.kraftbrands.com/pollyostringcheese/products.html|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-date=14 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814093439/http://www.kraftbrands.com/pollyostringcheese/products.html|url-status=dead}}

{{American cheeses}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:String Cheese}} Category:American cheeses Category:Snack foods Category:Stretched-curd cheeses