Benita Kasbo, an entrepreneur who left Aleppo, Syria, as a toddler and lives in Chatham, N.J., makes jibneh, a variety of cheese served across …
Benita Kasbo, an entrepreneur who left Aleppo, Syria, as a toddler and lives in Chatham, N.J., makes jibneh, a variety of cheese served across the Middle East. She started making it at home before moving to a commercial kitchen in 2020; that summer Ms. Kasbo, 43, found stores to sell it under the name Kasbo’s Market. Jibneh often suggests feta with less salt, with a softer texture and an affinity for melting. Her version has a slightly sweet nuttiness and is seasoned with mahleb, a spice derived from cherry pits. Suited for Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr feast on May 1, it marries well with watermelon, is excellent in salads with a shower of fresh mint and is a fine sandwich component when melted.
Jibneh Syrian Cheese, $14.95 each (about 12 ounces), Ideal Cheese Shop, 942 First Avenue (52nd Street), 800-382-0109, idealcheese.com.
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