What is feta cheese and its popular uses?
Feta is used as a table cheese, in salads such as Greek salad, and in pastries, notably the phyllo-based Greek dishes spanakopita (“spinach pie”) and tyropita (“cheese pie”). It is often served with olive oil or olives, and sprinkled with aromatic herbs such as oregano.
What is the difference between feta and Gorgonzola cheese?
Younger cheeses are sold as Gorgonzola dolce, while longer aged cheeses are sold as Gorgonzola naturale or Gorgonzola piccante. Feta cheese is one of the world’s oldest cheeses, and has been made in Greece and other Balkan countries for centuries.
Is feta cheese the same thing as goat cheese?
While feta is mostly made of sheep’s milk, goat cheese is primarily made of goat’s milk. Nonetheless, both feta and goat cheese are typically white cheeses with a creamy mouthfeel. Feta has a nuttier smell and a taste that’s tangy and salty, likely due to the brine curing process it undergoes.
Is feta cheese is halal?
Traditional 60% full-fat halal Nema white-feta cheese in salt brine. No powdered milk only 100% cow's milk. No animal rennet. 800gr. The cheese´s flavor is fresh, slightly salty and tart – as the cheese matures a more strong taste of lipase is experienced.
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Learn All About This Salty Cheese
Food writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer Jennifer Meier specializes in creating healthy and diet-specific recipes.
What Is Feta?
Wherever feta is made in the world or whatever you call it, the basic characteristics of feta don't change--it is salty and tangy with a creamy and crumbly texture. It's a simple but amazing tasting cheese.
What Are the Varieties?
It is impossible to precisely say what each feta from a different country tastes like, but these general guidelines can be helpful when shopping for feta. Like so many types of cheese, the best way to find your favorite feta is to sample many different brands.
How Long Will It Last?
Feta is a great cheese to always keep in your refrigerator because it rarely goes bad (and can be used as a quick appetizer, or put on so many dishes like pizza, pasta, and salads for more flavor). Keep the feta in its brine in a covered container and it stays fresh for weeks or even months.
It Contains High Amounts of Sodium
During the cheese-making process, salt is added to the curd. Additionally, during storage, the cheese block needs to be submerged in a brine of up to 7% salt.
Pregnant Women Should Not Consume Unpasteurized Feta
Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria found in water and soil that can contaminate crops and animals ( 30 ).
Generic
For many consumers, the word "feta" is a generic term for a white, crumbly cheese aged in brine. Production of the cheese first began in the Eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea.
Geographical Indication
Since 2002, feta has been a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product within the European Union.
Description
The EU PDO for feta requires a maximum moisture of 56%, a minimum fat content in dry matter of 43%, and a pH that usually ranges from 4.4 to 4.6. Production of the EU PDO feta is traditionally categorized into firm and soft varieties. The firm variety is tangier and considered higher in quality.
Production
Traditionally (and legally within the EU and other territories where it is protected), feta is produced using only whole sheep's milk, or a blend of sheep's and goat's milk (with a maximum of 30% goat's milk). The milk may be pasteurized or not, but most producers now use pasteurized milk.
History
"They make a great many cheeses; it is a pity they are so salty. I saw great warehouses full of them, some in which the brine, or salmoria as we would say was two feet deep, and the large cheeses were floating in it. Those in charge told me that the cheeses could not be preserved in any other way, being so rich. They do not know how to make butter.
Effect of Certification as a Geographical Indication
Prior to Greece's pursuit of a PDO for its feta, there was long-standing production out of Greece in 3 member states: Germany, Denmark en France, and in certain countries (eg Denmark) feta was perceived as a generic term, while it was perceived as a designation of origin in others (eg Greece), with the centre of production and consumption taking place in Greece.
Sheep's Milk and the Story Behind Real Feta Cheese
A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties.
The History of Feta
Feta cheese dates back to the eighth century B.C. when cheese made with sheep's milk was stored in brine. The cheese itself may come about thanks to an accidental discovery—milk curdled when it was transported inside animals' stomachs. Feta is made using curdled milk.
What's in a Name?
After 16 years of heated debate among member countries of the European Union, the EU's highest court finally awarded exclusivity of the name "feta" to Greece in 2005. The court set very specific requirements for how and where the cheese can be made:
Characteristics of True Feta
The tight restrictions and requirements placed on its production make feta a semi-hard cheese—it crumbles well—that's white in color and tends to be a bit salty. Feta is tangy, but the degree of tang can vary depending on the exact diet of the sheep—what she eats can effectively season her milk.
Impostor Cheeses
Similar cheeses are made with cow's milk—one called " telemes " is even produced in Greece. But cow's milk cheeses or combinations using cow's milk as an ingredient are not the same. The taste is very different.
