Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2021/C 46/08)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Sõir’

EU No: PGI-EE-02487 – 21.11.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X )

1. Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Sõir’

2. Member State or Third Country

Republic of Estonia

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.4 Other products of animal origin

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

The name ‘Sõir’ refers to a traditional, unripened curd cheese. It is a dairy product in the category of baked cheeses, and it is known in Estonia above all in the historical Võromaa and Setomaa regions.

The mandatory ingredients of ‘Sõir’ are:

— milk (cow’s milk),

— curd,

— chicken eggs,

— butter,

— salt,

— caraway seeds.

No rennet, additives or flavourings are used in the production process.

In general, ‘Sõir’ has a characteristic round and flat shape. Pieces that are to be sold may also be cut from ‘Sõir’ wheels or rectangles and take the form of half wheels, sectors or angular pieces. The weight varies from 100 grams to several kilograms.

Organoleptic properties

Appearance: the surface depends on the type of mould – rough if the mould is made of cloth, and smooth if the mould is smooth.

Interior: the cut surface is smooth and has a uniform light-yellow to yellow colour, which may contain caraway seeds. There may also be a perceptible graininess.

Colour: the product’s characteristic colour comes from the egg yolk, and thus the colour of the cut surface may range from light yellow to yellow. The colour of the outer surface ranges from light yellow to yellowish brown, depending on the final treatment method. Baked ‘Sõir’ has a characteristic yellowish-brown crust.

Texture: the texture of the product is affected by the time taken draining the coagulated mass. The texture is elastic, uniform and rather firm, and it does not crumble when cut. ‘Sõir’ produced from coagulated mass that has been drained less is softer. As it is left to stand, the product becomes firmer and develops a crust.

Aroma and flavour: the product has a characteristic light aroma of cream. It is mild to the taste and moderately salty with a slightly sour flavour as a result of the lactic acid bacteria. There is a discernible taste of caraway seeds.

Physical and chemical properties

(1) The fat content depends largely on the raw materials used as ingredients and may range from 5 % to 30 %.

(2) The dry matter content depends on the fat content and on how the product is processed further. The dry matter content of the unprocessed product must be at least 30 %, while for baked ‘Sõir’ it is higher, but no more than 60 %.

(3) Salt content 1,0-2 %

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The raw materials used to prepare ‘Sõir’ originate from the identified geographical area, with the exception of the caraway seeds and the salt. Clarified butter may be used instead of butter.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The following specific steps in producing ‘Sõir’ must take place in the identified geographical area:

— the milk is heated,

— the curd is added, and the mixture is stirred and heated,

— the coagulated mass is drained,

— the butter is added, and the mixture is heated,

— the eggs and caraway seeds are added to the mass,

— the mass is heated,

— the mass is poured into moulds and left to set.

The following exceptions are permitted in the stages of production that take place in the geographical area concerned:

(1) in the technological stages: eggs and seasoning are added to the curd before it undergoes heat treatment;

(2) in the stages of further treatment to extend the shelf-life of the product: the surface of ‘Sõir’ is rubbed with salt; ‘Sõir’ is baked in an oven.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

In order to preserve the soft structure characteristic of ‘Sõir’ and to ensure a later best-before date, the product must be packed at the place of production. This is to prevent any microbiological, chemical and physical contamination of the product.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

When labelling the product, it is mandatory to add additional information concerning the treatment method to the registered name ‘Sõir’ on the packaging, for instance – baked ‘Sõir’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area covers the cultural areas of Vana-Võromaa and Setomaa, which are located in south-eastern Estonia, are distinct from the rest of the country and are precisely defined by their historical boundaries.

In the administrative division of Estonia applicable in 2019, the Vana-Võromaa geographical area covers the following localities: the rural municipalities of Kanepi, Põlva and Räpina in the county of Põlvamaa; the rural municipalities of Antsla, Rõuge and Võru and the town of Võru in the county of Võrumaa; the following villages in the rural municipality of Valga in the county of Valgamaa: Iigaste, Korijärve, Väherü, Vilaski, Raavitsa, Kaagjärve, Pugritsa, Pikkjärve, Kirbu, Valtina, Lusti, Lüllemäe, Karula, Käärikmäe, Rebasemõisa, Koobassaare, Lepa, Ringiste, Lutsu, Koikküla, Koiva, Laanemetsa, Korkuna, Taheva, Tsirgumäe, Sooblase, Hargla, Kalliküla and Tõrvase. The Setomaa geographical area covers the administrative unit of the rural municipality of Setomaa, which is in the county of Võrumaa.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specific features of the geographical area

The factors that make ‘Sõir’ unique are its production method, which is based on regional traditions, and its distinctive taste. The skills involved in preparing ‘Sõir’ form the link with the specific features of the geographical area, since it is precisely there that they are recognised. ‘Sõir’ is produced in the area in largely the same manner as in the 19th century. Producers continue to use the method that has been known in their family or community and that has been passed down from generation to generation. The key skill for makers of ‘Sõir’ is knowledge of the coagulation process: when heating the curd in the milk, they must be able visually to recognise the right moment, in order to avoid excess heating. Producing the ‘Sõir’ mass after coagulation and draining also requires experience and specialist know-how when it comes to uniformly heating the mixture and continuously stirring it while adding the butter, salt and eggs at the right time. The process of making ‘Sõir’ ends by pouring the hot, smooth mixture into moulds, where it is left to set and cool. The whole process of producing ‘Sõir’ is learned from an experienced ‘Sõir’ maker. Both the flavour and the texture of ‘Sõir’ depend on the way in which it is made and on the timing being accurate.

The raw materials used in ‘Sõir’ originate from the ‘Sõir’ producers themselves or from other producers in the vicinity, thereby guaranteeing that they are fresh (milk that is 1–2 days old) and ensuring that the ‘Sõir’ produced has its distinctive flavour, aroma and texture. The producers of ‘Sõir’ in the area consider it important for the curd used to produce ‘Sõir’ to be prepared by the same producers as the ‘Sõir’ itself, or for the curd to be prepared in the same area.

5.2. Specificity of the product

‘Sõir’ is an unripened curd cheese which is made using butter and eggs. ‘Sõir’ has an elastic, uniform and relatively firm texture and does not crumble when cut. It is mild to the taste and moderately salty, with a slightly sour flavour. There is a discernible, pleasant taste of caraway seeds. Compared to the unripened baked cheeses produced from curd and sold in Estonia, ‘Sõir’ is yellow in colour as a result of the use of eggs.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for a protected geographical indication)

The link between ‘Sõir’ and the geographical area is based on the product’s reputation and distinctive flavour, which are closely linked to the specific nature of the production method (the origin of the raw materials and know-how as regards preparation) and to historical tradition. Consumers who buy ‘Sõir’ do so with clear expectations of a particular flavour to which they have become accustomed. This is a result of the know-how of the ‘Sõir’ producers in the area and it can be experienced only when eating ‘Sõir’ produced in this geographical area.

‘Sõir’ is linked to the geographical area described in the application by historical practice. ‘Sõir’ was traditionally produced on farms by hand. The milk, and the curd and butter made from that milk, came from the cows on the producer’s own farm, the eggs came from the hens on the farm, and the caraway seeds were collected in the meadows. In Estonia, ‘Sõir’ is known and produced only in the south-eastern part of the country. The word ‘sõir’ comes from the local dialect and originally appeared only in material referring to the language used in the parishes of south-eastern Estonia. Although ‘Sõir’ has been produced and eaten elsewhere in Estonia since the second half of the 20th century (primarily as food eaten at home), it still has a significant reputation as a traditional food characteristic of Vana-Võromaa and Setomaa and as a regional product particular to that area.

The fact that ‘Sõir’ is typical of the geographical area is illustrated by archival sources, the press and recipe books.

The earliest reference to ‘Sõir’ in a printed source was in Eesti rahva kalender 1853 aasta peale [Estonian folk calendar for the year 1853], which included a recommendation to make the local cheese ‘Sõir’ from cow’s milk. In old press articles (from the period 1907–1934), people from other parts of Estonia who found themselves in the area described ‘Sõir’ as a food characteristic of the area. There are descriptions of the preparation and eating of ‘Sõir’ and of associated customs and rituals in Võromaa and Setomaa at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century in the Estonian Literary Museum’s Folklore Archives and in the archives of the Estonian National Museum and the Estonian Mother Tongue Society.

Historically, ‘Sõir’ has been a food prepared in households in the area, and there has been no constant practice of producing it industrially. Today ‘Sõir’ is produced mainly by micro and small producers. It is not produced by the larger dairy undertakings. ‘Sõir’ is sold at farmers’ markets and fairs, in smaller local shops, tourist farms and cafeterias, and in a small number of supermarket chains. Several undertakings also offer workshops on producing ‘Sõir’.

As a food product particular to the area, ‘Sõir’ enjoys continued popularity in both everyday and festive meals. It is also sold and consumed in the area at cultural events, fairs – for instance Lindora Fair and the Uma Meki [‘Own Flavour’ in the local dialect] Fair – and other events promoting local cultural heritage.

A ‘Sõir’ day has been held at the Saatse museum in Setomaa in June every year since 2010. This brings together local ‘Sõir’ makers, who also offer workshops. At the largest and most important event in Setomaa each year – the Seto Kingdom Day – a competition is held for makers of ‘Sõir’ and the best ‘Sõir’ maker is chosen. In summer 2019, to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the town of Võru, producers of ‘Sõir’ in the county of Võrumaa gathered to make what at 106 kg in weight (or, using the old units of measurement, 235 pounds) and over 4 metres in length was the largest ‘Sõir’ ever produced in Estonia. This was offered to the town’s inhabitants and visitors to taste.

In 2010 the practice of making ‘Sõir’ and the skills involved in doing so were entered in the Estonian list of intangible cultural heritage as part of the cultural heritage of Vana-Võromaa and Setomaa.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

https://www.agri.ee/sites/default/files/content/ministeerium/kaitstud-tahis-2019-09-soir-spetsifikaat.pdf

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.