The inventor of cheeses, secluded in her alpine retreat, is this woman.
Every morning, similar to routine, she ascends as day breaks over the lushly wooded hilltops of this UNESCO-protected biosphere reserve in the Kaçkar Mountains, to manually milk her cows.
Situated on the hillside, mere steps from the balcony where later visitors will partake in a homemade breakfast, lies what can undeniably be regarded as one of the globe's most picturesque cow sheds.
Inside, there are three pregnant cows and a single one who isn't. Successfully milking requires a swift, firm motion, as Iyem clarifies. Avoid tugging or pulling, instead, squeeze the teat from the upper end to the bottom, and before long, the bucket is filled.
"I communicate with the cows throughout the day. There's an ongoing discourse," Iyem shares with CNN via an interpreter. "I can discern their desires, their wishes."
These bovines lack for little in this alpine paradise, situated just a winding, 90-minute drive from the Black Sea coast. In this UNESCO-protected region, untouched and undisturbed nature thrives, and traditional lifestyles are honored.
Iyem enlightens CNN's Christina Macfarlane on the milking process. ### Village Living
In this remote corner of Turkey, life continue as it had for generations, women's industrious hands maintaining the land and caring for the livestock.
"I prefer village life to city life," Iyemading. She and her husband Mevlüt revitalized his rundown familial residence, transforming it into the serene guesthouse it is now.
Initially, they divided their time between the summer months here and the winters in Istanbul, but now they reside here year-round. Seasonal migration is common in this area, so Iyem assumes responsibility for her neighbor's cattle during the colder months.
The quaint wooden dwelling is brightened by handcrafted rugs and home-sewn placemats, invoking a sense of settling back in time to the rustic mid-20th century.
Sprawling vistas captivate the gaze from each window and balcony in this most tranquil mountain refuge.
Although the views are breathtaking, Iyem's home-cooked dinners and breakfasts take center stage, a dizzying assortment of Turkish and Georgian dishes, many of which are prepared daily using local ingredients from her own garden and the surrounding mountains.
Gastronomic Adventure
Cheese production is a daily endeavor at the guesthouse. Iyem's kitchen isn't merely a space for cooking but rather a workshop, a lab, and a sorceress's lair.
She crafts at least "15 distinct types of cheese," the interpreter explains. "Four of them are native to the area, while the rest are Iyem's inventions, her gastronomic discoveries in progress. Some are consumed immediately, while others are aged."
Toasted sesame seeds may find their way into the mixture. Zucchini flowers, parsley, dill, or herbs might be incorporated. Cheeses are drizzled with oil, preserved in jars, or baptized with salt and spices.
Efficiency is a guiding principle in her nearly waste-free kitchen. Milk collected in the morning is transformed by hand into butter, reserved for the morning table. Leftover milk sees new life in bread baking, and even stray pieces of cheese blocks receive a second chance by being boiled in milk and transformed into a new culinary creation.
A traditional Turkish breakfast boasts a diverse assortment of cheeses, ranging from cow to goat and sheep milk, with staples such as stringy çeçil and pungent tulum.
Iyem's table is laden with delectable cherry and blackberry preserves, as well as molasses and tahini. The Black Sea region is renowned for its hazelnut farms, while the mountains are famed for their honey produced by the prized Caucasian honeybee.
Cucumber, tomato, olives, and freshly baked bread accompany the repast, while an assortment of delicate tea glasses serves to refresh the palate. Northeastern Turkey is renowned as tea country, with vertiginous tea plantations a common sight along the winding mountain roads.
The amber beverage is consumed in abundance – by some estimates, Turkey boasts the highest tea per capita consumption on the entire globe.
Running a traditional, labor-intensive home and preparing food from scratch is no easy task, Iyem acknowledges, "If I didn't find joy in it, I wouldn't be able to do it. It would be a chore. But I do it with great affection."
Her guests' satisfaction is meaningful to Iyem, "I love how much they enjoy it. I've never had a guest complain about the food. So, it brings me immense pleasure."
Macahel İremit Pansiyon, Maral Köyü, İremit Mahallesi, No: 7, Borçka 08490
After immersing themselves in village life and stunning landscapes, guests can retire to their accommodation, offering a unique stay in a traditional Turkish guesthouse. Inside the renovated residence, visitors can indulge in homemade breakfasts, filled with local delicacies and freshly-made cheeses.
To enhance their travel experience, guests have the opportunity to participate in daily cheese-making workshops, guided by the skilled hands of Iyem, who crafts a diverse range of cheeses, both traditional and innovated.
