The Lebanese cheese native to the northern mountain villages of Ehden and Bcharre is Darfiyeh.
Darfiyeh is a seasonal goat cheese traditionally made in northern Lebanon. Its name is linked to the goat skin, or “darf,” in which the cheese is matured. The skin acts as a traditional aging container, giving the cheese its distinctive character and connecting it to Lebanon’s mountain food-preservation traditions.
The cheese is associated especially with the highland villages of Ehden and Bcharre, where goat herding has long been part of rural life. It is generally made from local goat’s milk and matured for later consumption, reflecting the practical needs of communities facing cold mountain winters.
Darfiyeh is easy to confuse with Akkawi or Nabulsi, but those are different brined cheeses with broader regional associations. Halloumi, meanwhile, is chiefly associated with Cyprus. Darfiyeh’s defining clues are its northern Lebanese origin, goat’s milk, and maturation in goat skin.