The manufacturing process is long and difficult. One needs knowledge, skills, and, of course, every shepherd has its own secrets. But there is one thing in common – only men do this. They say that bryndza is like a woman: very gentle, so to prepare her, it takes a man’s hands.

Bryndza is a favorite food of the mountain inhabitants of Transcarpathia, which is an indispensable component of many traditional dishes. The most popular of them are banosh, kulesha, pies, halushky, machanka and googel. Sometimes bryndza is called the Carpathian white gold, emphasizing its spread throughout the Carpathian region.

The real business card of Transcarpathia, which gathers thousands of guests to Rakhiv and represents the customs of the region, is the festival “Hutsul bryndza”, which is dedicated to the return of shepherds with sheep flocks from the meadows. A vibrant national holiday takes place each year in the middle of September. It welcomes guests with sounds of trembits, drimbs and panpipes – traditional Hutsul musical instruments and songs, original pieces of folk art, and open-air prepared dishes of Hutsul cuisine. Here you can buy fresh bryndza, wurda, sheep cheese.

Preserving tradition of Hutsul bryndza is facilitated by the fact that this product is becoming popular both in Ukraine and abroad. This has led to an increase in its value, and on the other hand – it gives impetus to development of production. By the way, the Hutsul bryndza is a product that may soon be given a geographical indication, which proves its originality and authenticity.

The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation

The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation

Communal Institution «Regional Organizational and Methodical Center of Culture» of Zakarpattia Oblast Council

Communal Institution «Regional Organizational and Methodical Center of Culture» of Zakarpattia Oblast Council

Online HUB ICH of Transcarpathia, 2019
© All rights reserved

The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation

The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation

Online HUB ICH of Transcarpathia , 2019 



utsul “bryndzja” (bryndza) can be easily called the brand that promotes Transcarpathia. The traditions of products manufacturing are original – it is about the unique sheep cheese of the Ukrainian Carpathians, which is permanently made since XIV – XV centuries. 

The originality is provided due to the fact that the sheep graze during 120 days of summer in the high mountains at altitude of not less than 700 meters above sea level. And the preparation of Hutsul bryndza itself is a real magic. Fresh sheep’s milk and ferment still remain unchanged components of the product. To sheep’s milk, which is squeezed through the fir branch, the shepherd adds an enzyme, so-called “klyag”, obtained from the stomach of a milk lamb or calf.

Production technology of bryndza involves souring of heated milk with the klyag, thus whipping it with a wooden “zbetala” (hand mixer) and forming of a large pile – “budz”, which is placed on a clean cloth and hung, so that “zhentytsa” (whey) could flow down. After the budz is ripe, it is being grinded and mixed with salt. In such a way bryndza is born.

“Vurda” is another kind of sheep cheese that has a soft consistency and delicate taste. This product is made of whey left after preparation of bryndza, with addition of fresh sheep milk by method of heating and grunting.





The city of Rakhiv is the administrative center of the Rakhiv district of Transcarpathian region

Population: 17,000 inhabitants

Сoordinates: 48° 03′ N, 24° 13′ Е.

Distance: Kiev – 680 km • Uzhhorod – 208 km • Lviv – 275 km

Foundation date: 1447

Website: http://rakhiv-rda.gov.ua

Communal Institution «Regional Organizational and Methodical Center of Culture» of Zakarpattia Oblast Council

Communal Institution «Regional Organizational and Methodical Center of Culture» of Zakarpattia Oblast Council

© All rights reserved