Feta Cheese

Feta Cheese Blocks “Hello. I’m Cristina and I’m cheesoholic”. That would probably best describe my attitude towards Feta cheese: I just love it! And there is no better place to eat than in Greece, the country where Feta cheese is at its best.

What is Feta Cheese?

Feta is the most well-known, classic Greek cheese. Feta is made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. It’s a curd cheese cured in brine and is still made from unpasteurized milk by Greek shepherds in the mountains.

Although sometimes cow’s milk is used, the real Feta cheese should not contain it. Feta is an aged cheese and is commonly produced in blocks.

Feta is white and can range from soft to semi-hard blocks. The salty flavor can range from soft to sharp. Most feta cheese has 45% fat content (so it’s not really a “diet” cheese).

You will find it in salads (the Classic Greek Salad), in pastries and as a stand-alone meze. It’s commonly used in the spinach pie (spanakopita) and cheese pie (tyropita).

History

The first record about Feta cheese dates back from the Byzantine Empire. It was mostly produced in Crete and was known under the name of “fresh cheese”. The modern name “feta” comes from Italian. In Italian “fetta” means “slice” and the cheese got the name because of the way it is served (cut into thin slices).

After a long battle with Denmark –where cheese made from cow’s milk was sold as Feta – the term “Greek feta” is now used only within the European Union and is a protected designation of origin.

Similar Cheese

Similar cheese is produced all over the world in countries such as Albania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Macedonia, Malta, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sudan, Turkey and Ukraine. In all these countries, the similar cheese has its own local name, while “Feta” refers only to the cheese imported from Greece.

How to make Classical Greek Salad (Horiatiki Salata)

Enjoy a bit of Greece in the comfort of your own…kitchen. Here’s what you need to make the Classical Horiatiki Salata:

2.8 oz (80 gr) tomatoes cut into cubes
2.1 oz (60 gr) cucumber peeled and sliced
2 oz (50 gr) feta cheese cut into large cubes
0.3 oz (10 gr) green peppers sliced
0.7 oz (20 gr) onion rings
0.3 oz (10 gr) escarole
4 black olives
Fresh Oregano, Olive Oil, vinegar, Salt and Pepper

At the bottom of the bowl, place the escarole, then the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, onion rings, feta cheese and oregano. Season it with olive oil and vinegar.