Squeezed Cheese Description and Distinguishing Features of the Product: Maraş Finger or Squeezed Cheese is crafted from pasteurized milk sourced from cows, goats, sheep, or a combination of these. The cheese is formed in hot water into shapes approximately the width of two fingers, around 2-3 cm. Once produced, it can be eaten directly without additional preparation, and it is also commonly used in a variety of pastries, casseroles, and desserts after its salt content is removed. In areas of Kahramanmaraş where transhumance is practiced, butter, cheese, and yogurt form the core of the diet year-round. Originally, Maraş Finger Cheese was made only during the summer from raw sheep or goat milk, but today it is produced throughout the year using cow, goat, sheep milk, or a combination of these. The earliest official documentation of finger cheese production in Kahramanmaraş dates back to 1969. Production Method: Milk obtained from cows, goats, and sheep raised within the boundaries of Kahramanmaraş, or a blend of these milks, is heated to 63°C for 30 minutes. If needed to preserve the natural balance of calcium and protein in the milk, calcium chloride is added at a concentration of 0.02% when the milk temperature reaches 42-45°C. Next, rennet, diluted in roughly ten times its volume with cold water, is introduced into the milk after it has cooled to 30 ± 1°C. Once the curd fully forms after about 45-75 minutes, it is cut into cubes measuring approximately 3x3x3 cm using a special cutting knife. The whey is drained from the curd, which is then gathered in a cheese mold cloth, and pressure equal to one-fifth of the milk’s weight is applied for 1-2 hours. Afterward, the cheese, known as Teleme, is left to ferment at room temperature (22-24°C) until it attains a titratable acidity of lactic acid type around 1.0-1.2%, which takes approximately 10 hours. During fermentation, it is covered with a cloth. The molded cheese is then cut into pieces measuring 5x3 cm or 5x2 cm. These pieces are boiled at 65-70°C for 5 minutes, then hand-squeezed and shaped. Once cooled, the cheese is salted at a rate of 1%. The following day, the cheese can be soaked in brine containing 12-13% sodium chloride. Finally, the packaged cheeses are stored at a temperature of 4 ± 1°C.