Bleeding cheese

The bleeding cheese, or kravosirenye, is an important part of The way of the Bagathour. When an Onogurian youngster steps on The way, he or she must prepare so-called bleeding cheese -a leavened fresh soft cheese, made from mare's milk, with a specific mould. Then it must be periodically "feed" with additional layers of raw cheese. The disciple must personally handmade the cheese, and it must meet certain criteria.
The perfect bleeding cheese has a thin hard yellowish rind on bloody red spots, white creamy internal with red veins and a core of reddish thick liquid. The mould needs proper conditions and care to mature right, elsewhere it can ever become poisonous.

1. Character

1.1. Overall

The bleeding cheese can be made as flat or spherical spiral. In both cases the transition is very smooth or, at best, completely unnoticeable. The surface is hard, resistible to moderate press, but a stronger one can cause fine cracks and sinking the rind. The colour depends on the grade of ripening - from whitey for unripe, through yellowish for right ripeness, to yellow for overripe, and even to orange for heavy overripe,

1.2. Rind

The rind is hard, but thin. It resists moderate pressure like poking with a finger, but harder hit breaks it. The rind is yellowish on blood red dots, where the internal "veins" - the mould's mycelium- reaches it. Overripe or too dried up rind may crack by itself. The cracks of overripe (both from hitting or by internal pressure) tend to "bleed" - leaks a reddish liquid. The rind edible with distinct salty taste, that became sweeter with ripening.

1.3. Internal body

Under the rind, the texture is mild a creamy, homogeneous. Its white in colour. Properly grow body absorbs the rinds of past spiral's rounds, as the less distinguishable are rind's remains, the better is the cheese. The fibres of the mould's mycelium grow radially from the core through the internal texture. These "veins" are reddish, and the shade may vary, and when cut, a dense red liquid leak. The fibres' thickness depends on feeding and level of ripening. The taste is slightly sweet, mild, with hints of milk, butter and mushrooms.

1.4. Core

The centre of a cheese wheel or orb is where the main body of mould lives. It's usually in the shape of an oblate spheroid, but very rarely, and only when the whole cheese grows in a spherical shape, the shape can be regular spherical. The core is liquid or gel, red or reddish in colour. It's quickly coagulate and darken if it's exposed to air. The core of properly ripened cheese is viscous, honey alike, liquid in bright red. The taste is sweet, rich with the distinct taste of cream, mushrooms and peach.

2. Stages of making

2.1. Preparations

Before the one begins the actual process of cheese making, he or she must haves clear vision of the exact characteristics of the product, such as used yeast shape, dimensions, level of ripeness, additional tastes, co-ingredients and etc. In terms of yeast, there are a few stains of mould, both wild and cultivated, that can be used. The proper vessels for leaven's activation and for the cheese growth must be selected, and the leaven's vessel is usually for single-use and crafted specially for each cheese. The temperature, moisture, fresh air, and other conditions also must be considered at this time. Usually, the expected properties of the kravosirenye are recorded and stored, so the expected and the real product to be compared.

2.2. Activation of the leaven

In the special vessel the chosen mould is soaked in fresh raw mare's milk and which is sealed up. Then it is left to grow undisturbed for a certain period of time. After the initial period of growth is passed, the sealing is broken and the then-to-be core is exposed to small air flows. The vessel is slowly destroyed by drilling small holes and breaking parts of it until the core is completely exposed. The activation is completed when the colour turns bright red, and the milk become gels. If the sealing is broken too early, or the vessel is stripped off too fast, the core could crumble.

2.3. Swaddling

When the mould core is fully activated and exposed, it must be fed. It is swaddled with layer cheese until it is completely covered. The used cheese must be very fresh and just ripened, made from pure mare's milk with no additives, nor impurities; otherwise the kravosirenye can become poisonous. This differentiates it from subsequent feedings, when a mixed or spiced types can be used. Often, the cheese is pressed against the core with wooden frame. Usually this very first layer is absorbed toward the core instead of body.

2.4. Growing feedings

The time for first growing, feeding comes when the red dots appear on the outer layer and it is starting to harden. The cheese is wrapped with new layers, as the traditionally the spiral pattern is used. Various types of pure or mixed cheese are used and often between the coils of the layer additives and spices are placed. The mycelium grows radially in a horizontal direction, so if a spherical shape is desired, the cheese must be rotated periodically. In this case, the layers at the different directions are placed sequentially. Often the new layer is slightly pressed to the body and wrapped with leather (usually horse) stripe or fabric.

2.5. A final feeding

The last feeding also differs from the growing. It is made with a much thinner layer and the cheese is much more ripe, but not overripe. Usually, the final layer is single coil and there are no additives between it and the past one. It is slightly more pressed toward the body from regular layers, but not as hard as the swaddling.

2.6. Ripe

The full ripening starts after the final layer is wrapped around the body. When the mycelium grows through the final layer and reach the open air, the mould can breath. Then its starts to process the nutrients from feeding layers. This usually takes a few weeks, but it depends on the size of the wheel or orb. The ripening is considered for optimal, when the rind has lost its elasticity, but isn't starting to crack.

2.7. Overripe

The ripening continues as the mould grows. The first visible signs of overripe are cracks in the rinds. Then the cracks start to "bleed" - a red or reddish liquid beings leak. After, the entire inner body liquifies and the wheel or orb is collapsing in. At this point, the kravosirenye was already inedible and poisonous. The mould completely depleted the main nutrients of raw cheese and now process the additional substances of its, releasing toxins as bi-products.

2.8. Ripening interruption

Usually, the kravosirenye is served and consumed immediately when it's optimal ripe. Sometimes, however, the ripening must be held, interrupted or completely stopped. This usually is usually is achieved by introducing an ingredient, acting as an inhibitor, that puts the mould in a dormant state. Killing the mould is no option, as both it is very resistant and releases toxins when it's threatened. The inhibition of the ripening usually impacts negatively the taste of kravosirenye and is largely avoided.

3. Importance

The difficulties, problems and fails are the struggles, hardships and issues of someone trying to feed the family, tribe, and people of his or hers. And the cheese symbolizes what its maker should be. The hard rind stands for the toughness to withstand the world. The mild internal texture means to be soft and gentle with the own people. And the bloody red core is heart - never to stop feeling and follow your heart. As the "veins" of cheese go through it, the heart will take you across everything!
These are the postulates in the moral Code concerning the attitudes, which the Way of Baghatour professes. They are of grave importance for all baghatours and their entire worldview is built on them. The perfect kravosirenye symbolizes the perfect, idealized baghatour, but the imperfections are more important. They stand for the faults in human nature and how everyone must know him- or herself in the way he or she is. The defects and vices have to be known. If they can be fixed is best, if not - they have to be restricted and controlled. They have to be avoided in the next cheese... and in life the next cheese stands for the heirs

4. Ceremonial usage

4.1. Trial

A Bagathour is not only fierce warrior and good leader. He or she must have a much broader set of skills, and many of them are required for hand-making of such capricious product like Bleeding cheese. So, all the disciples have to make their very own kravosirenye, using their own hands and ideas. A teams or small groups are sometimes accepted, but it is an exception, not the rule. Often, the personal cheese-making task is part of a larger group assignment, dedicated to learning how to form а command structure. Usually, the assignment is the last in the disciples' training before they take the oath as young baghatours. The personal task, often dubbed as "The Cheese trial", covers the entire process of making kravosirenye - from choice and method of work, to the place of growth, to the degree of ripening, to the Ceremony of tasting, where the case will be evaluates. Usually, the tasting ceremony takes place during the much larger Graduation ceremony, another task in the group assignment.

4.2. Evaluation

The evaluation of a kravosirenye is not just a grade of its quality and taste. It is an assessment of the disciple's skills and abilities. The evaluation considers all the efforts, applied knowledges, used skills, technologies, quality of work, and the proximity to the planned result. The grade is actually on the student, not the cheese. Failed project doesn't necessarily means the disciple fails too. As long as they can present valid proofs the failure is not their fault, they still can get a good grade. And a negative grade yet doesn't mean the disciple fails. He or she may attempt again another time.
On the other side, if there is evidence the disciple is dishonest, his/her work is neglected or there is something shady, he or she is permanently removed from the Ceremony until further investigation. While awaiting the outcome of the investigation, the disciple will usually have to endure some kind of punishment. The possible consequences are:

• The evidence proves to be real - The culprit is forever expelled from the Way of Baghatour. It is marked as dishonest and cheater and never again can walk the Way of Baghatour. A flagrant or egregious violation of the Code may even lead to the disciple's outcast and banish.
• The evidence turns to be fabricated - All accusals are dismissed. If - when - the true culprits are found, they are stripped of all honours and ranks, and had to suffer much suffer version of the original punishment. Usually, they are exiled beyond the border. The falsely accused disciple is restored receive a formal apology.
• The evidence cannot be neither confirmed, nor denied. - The most unpleasant option. Such cases are resolved individually behind the closed doors. Usually, the outcome is either restoring without apology, or releasing without further consequences.

4.3. Ritual tasting

The kravosirenye must be presented to several high ranked baghatours, before it can receive a grade. Each disciple, now aspirant has to choose for him- or herself exactly who will evaluate the cheese. As the tasting has to happen during the Ceremony of Tasting, it is personal liability everyone to invite their desired guests. However, the invited people are not obligated to accept the invitation, and it is common for a baghatour to decline to poor known or unknown disciple. It is not mandatory to give a piece of cheese to everyone the aspirant invited, nor are there any restriction on giving cheese to someone other's guest. Often bringing a specific person to the event is the result of a teamwork, even if the Ceremony of Tasting is during the Graduation ceremony.
There is a minimum number of baghatours, the cheese have to be presented to, before the it can receive a grade. Once the count is satisfied, the aspirant can request the evaluation. The Cheese trial usually is the very last task and requires success in all previous assignments. So a positive means the aspirant is passed all the trials and now he or she can take the oath. This occurs at the climax of the Graduation Ceremony, when succeeded aspirants are pronounced Baghatours.
An unsuccessful aspirant, whose cheese or work didn't pass the criteria, can attempt another time. This is nothing shameful and it happens quite often. Many need several attempts before they succeed. Since they are not just regular disciples, but aspirants of Baghtour title, they have to meet harsher and stricter requirements.

5. Other usages

The bleeding cheese is a very short-lived product and its conservation compromises its taste and quality. It's hard, difficult, labour intensive, and assisting to make, and sometimes fails with no particular reason. Most of its lovers also prefer to make it by themselves. All this leads to lack of commercial production and the kravosirene cannot be bought from the market. There are, however, true masters of kravosirenye, who work to order. They offer their service to true cheese-lovers, such as busy high officers or dignitaries, who can't or don't want to do it by themselves, for celebrations, gifts and other cases.

Primary Related Location

Eastern Mainland

Related Organizations

• Onoguria

Related Ethnicities

• Onogurian