Zhongya

Zhongya
Other names	Zhongia
Source of milk	Senadonian Tkha
Pasteurised	Depends on variant; Typically yes
Texture	Creamy
Aging time	min. 8 months
Certification	UTS

Zhongya (ჟონგია, Zhongia) is a traditionally Senadonian brined curd cheese made from the milk of a Senadonian Tkha. Typically ripened, Zhongya cheese is produced in a white grainy block, which is then crumbled. Zhongya is typically used to top off the Senadonian Salad, but is also used as a regional topping for salads. Zhongya itself is also served with the Imedian Whiteberry, typically the Imedian Highlander Snowberry to balance the saltiness of Zhongya or to enhance the sweetnes of the Imedian Whiteberry.

Zhongya itself has many variations across Imedio, however each one goes by a different name with Zhongya affixed at the end. The majority of Zhongya cheese variations are made using the same recipe with tweaks to certain instructions or to the base of the milk, which is usually a difference in the regional Tkha. Traditional Zhongya is referred to as Dzveli Zhongya, which infers the original base of a Senadonian Tkha with the original recipe of blending and creation. Today Zhongya is identified as an Akannus cuisine, meaning within races of the Akannites, Zhongya is universally shared in cuisine.

Etymology

The name Zhongya has had its origins lost. It is suggested that it is a constructed word that originates from Pre-Timeless Era, specifically during the Akannite Golden Era under the Ghadamian Sabaphos. Zhong (ჟონგ) came to represent milk that originated from a Tkha, while ya (ია) came to represent the product of that milk. Zhongya itself as a word is archiac and only used to refer to the cheese, as both Zhong and Ya as individual words were eliminated from vocabulary, as they were never fully used within Akannite vocabulary.