Squeezed Cheese Description and Distinguishing Features of the Product: Maraş Finger/Squeezed Cheese is a cheese produced from pasteurized cow/goat/sheep milk or a mixture of these, shaped to be approximately two fingers wide (about 2-3 cm) in hot water. After production, it can be consumed without any further processing, and it is also used in making various types of pastries, casseroles, and desserts by removing its salt. In regions where transhumance is practiced in Kahramanmaraş, butter, cheese, and yogurt are the main components of nutrition throughout the year. Initially produced only in the summer months from raw sheep or goat milk, Maraş Finger Cheese is now produced year-round from cow/goat/sheep milk or a mixture of these. The oldest official record indicating the production of finger cheese in Kahramanmaraş dates back to the year 1969. Production Method: Milk from cows/goats/sheep raised within the borders of Kahramanmaraş, or a mixture of these milks, is heated at 63°C for 30 minutes. If necessary (to maintain the natural balance between calcium and protein in the milk), calcium chloride is added at a rate of 0.02% while the milk is at 42-45°C. Rennet diluted in approximately ten times its volume with cold water is added to the milk, which has been cooled to 30 ± 1°C. When the curd is fully formed (45-75 minutes later), it is cut into approximately 3x3x3 cm cubes using a cutting knife. The whey-drained curd is collected in a cheese mold cloth, and a pressure, one-fifth of the weight of the milk used in production, is applied to the cheese for 1-2 hours. The Teleme is then left to ferment at room temperature (22-24°C) until it reaches a titratable acidity of lactic acid type, approximately 1.0-1.2% (about 10 hours), covered with a cloth. The cheese in mold form is cut into pieces of 5x3, 5x2 cm dimensions. It is boiled at 65-70°C for 5 minutes, then squeezed and shaped by hand. After the cheese cools, it is salted at a rate of 1%. The brining process can be applied the next day using water containing 12-13% sodium chloride. The packaged cheeses are stored at 4 ± 1°C.