Feta

Feta
Country of origin	Greece
Source of milk	Sheep (≥70%) and goat per PDO; similar cheeses may contain cow or buffalo milk
Pasteurised	Depends on variety
Texture	Depends on variety
Aging time	min. 3 months
Certification	PDO, 2002

Vegetable salad with feta cheese. (White blocks near top layer of salad.)

Feta (Greek: φέτα, féta, "slice") is a white-brined curd cheese traditionally made across the Eastern Mediterranean basin which traces back to Greece. It is a crumbly aged cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. Feta is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads (e.g. the Greek salad) and pastries. Most notable is its use in the popular phyllo-based dishes spanakopita ("spinach pie") and tyropita ("cheese pie"), or served with some olive oil or olives and sprinkled with aromatic herbs such as oregano. It can also be served cooked or grilled, as part of a sandwich, in omelettes, or as a salty alternative to other cheeses in a variety of dishes.

Since 2002, feta has been a protected designation of origin product in the European Union. According to the relevant EU legislation, only those cheeses produced in a traditional way in some areas of Greece (mainland and the island of Lesbos), and made from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk (up to 30%) of the same area, may bear the name "feta".^[1] However, similar white-brined cheeses (often called "white cheese" in various languages) are found in the Eastern Mediterranean and around the Black Sea. Similar white-brined cheeses produced outside the European Union are often made partly or wholly of cow's milk, and they are sometimes called "feta".

Description

Feta is a Greek soft white-brined cheese with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. It is usually formed into large blocks, which are submerged in brine. Its flavor is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp. Its maximum moisture is 56%, its minimum fat content in dry matter is 43%, and its pH usually ranges from 4.4 to 4.6.^[2] Feta is traditionally categorized into "firm" and "soft" varieties, the former being tangier and considered higher quality; the latter is so soft it's almost spreadable, (mostly used in pies) and sold at a cheaper price. When sliced, feta always produces a varying amount of trímma, "crumble", which is also used in pies; trímma is not sellable and is usually given away for free upon request.

High-quality feta should have a creamy texture when sampled, and aromas of ewe's milk, butter, and yogurt. In the mouth it is tangy, slightly salty, and mildly sour, with a spicy finish that recalls pepper and ginger, as well as a hint of sweetness.

Production

Traditionally (and legally within the EU), 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 pasteurised or not, but most producers now use pasteurised milk. When the pasteurised milk has cooled to approximately 35 °C,^[3][4] rennet is added and the casein is left to coagulate. The compacted curds are then cut up and placed in a special mould or a cloth bag to allow the whey to drain.^[5][6] After several hours, the curd is firm enough to cut up and salt;^[3] salinity will eventually reach approximately 3%,^[4] the salted curds are then placed (depending on the producer and the area of Greece) in metal vessels or wooden barrels, and allowed to infuse for several days.^[3][4][6] After the dry-salting of the cheese is complete, aging or maturation in brine (a 7% salt in water solution) takes several weeks at room temperature and then for at least 2 months in a refrigerated high-humidity environment, and as before, this takes place either in wooden barrels or metal vessels,^[4][6] depending on the producer; however, barrel aging is said to give the cheese a unique flavour and is more traditional. The containers are then shipped to supermarkets where the cheese is cut and sold directly from the container; alternatively blocks of standardized weight are packaged in sealed plastic cups with some brine. Feta dries relatively quickly even when refrigerated; if stored for longer than a week, it should be kept in brine or in lightly salted milk.

History

The earliest references to cheese production in Greece date back to the 8th century BC and the technology used to make cheese from sheep's/goat's milk, as described in Homer's Odyssey involving the contents of Polyphemus's cave,^[8] is similar to the technology utilized by Greek shepherds today to produce feta.^[9][10] Cheese made from sheep's/goat's milk was a common food in ancient Greece and an integral component of later Greek gastronomy.^[9] Feta cheese, specifically, is first recorded in the Byzantine Empire (Poem on Medicine 1.209) under the name prósphatos (Greek: πρόσφατος, "recent" or "fresh"), and was produced by the Cretans and the Vlachs of Thessaly.^[7] In the late 15th century, an Italian visitor to Candia, Pietro Casola, describes the marketing of feta, as well as its storage in brine.^[7]

The Greek word feta (φέτα) comes from the Italian word fetta ("slice"), which in turn is derived from the Latin word offa ("a morsel", "piece").^[11][12] It was introduced into the Greek language in the 17th century, became a widespread term in the 19th century, and probably refers to the practice of slicing cheese in order to place the slices into barrels.^[10]

Certification

After a long legal battle with Denmark, which produced a cheese under the same name using chemically blanched cow's milk, the term "feta" has been a protected designation of origin (PDO) since October 2002, which limits the term within the European Union to feta made exclusively of sheep's/goat's milk in Greece.^[13]

According to the Commission, the biodiversity of the land coupled with the special breeds of sheep and goats used for milk is what gives feta cheese a specific aroma and flavor. When needed to describe an imitation feta, names such as "salad cheese" and "Greek-style cheese" are used. The European Commission gave other nations five years to find a new name for their "feta" cheese, or stop production.^[1] Because of the decision by the European Union, Danish dairy company Arla Foods changed the name of its white cheese products to Apetina, which is also the name of an Arla food brand established in 1991.^[14]

Similar cheeses

Greek salad. Feta cheese, a traditional product, is usually sliced in small cubes or crumbled.

Similar cheeses can be found in:

• Albania (djath i bardhë or djath i Gjirokastrës)
• Azerbaijan (pendir, lit. "cheese")
• Bulgaria (бяло сирене, bjalo sirene, lit. white cheese)
• Denmark (salatost, salad cheese)
• Egypt (domiati)
• Sudan (gibna beyda)
• Finland (salaattijuusto, salad cheese)
• Germany (Schafskäse, sheep cheese)
• Georgia (ყველი, kveli, lit. cheese)
• Iran (panir lighvan)
• Israel (gvina bulgarit, lit. Bulgarian cheese)
• Italy (casu 'e fitta Sardinia)
• Lebanon (gibneh bulgharieh, lit. Bulgarian cheese)
• Macedonia (бело сирење, belo sirenje, lit. white cheese)
• Poland (bryndza)
• Romania (brânză telemea)
• Russia (брынза, brynza)
• Serbia (сир,брнза sir)
• Turkey (beyaz peynir, lit. white cheese)
• Ukraine (бринза, brynza)

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Feta.

• List of cheeses
• Greek cuisine
• Greek food products

References

Citations

Sources

External links

• Fetamania

v t e Cuisine of Greece History Ancient Greek cuisine Ancient Greece and wine Byzantine cuisine Influences Italian cuisine Ottoman cuisine Ingredients Basil Dill Eggplant Honey Mastic Olive oil Olives Oregano Raisin Tomato Thyme Salads Dakos Greek salad Melitzanosalata Skordalia Taramosalata Tirokafteri Tzatziki Appetizers Bakaliaros Dolma Fava Kalamaria Kolokythoanthoi Kolokythakia Koulouri Lakerda Loukaniko Lountza Octopus Paximadi Pita Spanakopita Tyropita Cheeses Anari Anthotyros Feta Formaela Graviera Kalitsounia Kasseri Kefalotyri Kefalograviera Manouri Metsovone Metsovela Mizithra Saganaki San Michali Xynotyro Xynomizithra Dishes Apáki Anginares alla Polita Atherina Bourdeto Garides Gemista Gigandes plaki Giouvetsi Gyros Hilopites Lagos Stifado Keftedakia Kokkinisto Kokoretsi Leaf vegetable Manestra Moussaka Mussels Pastitsada Pastitsio Pilafi Savoro Sheftalia Smyrna meatballs Snails Spanakorizo Spetsofai Strapatsada Sofrito Souvla Souvlaki Swordfish Soups Avgolemono Fasolada Kakavia Chicken soup Magiritsa Psarosoupa Revithia Trahanas Desserts Copenhagen (dessert) Diples Finikia Galaktoboureko Galatopita Halva Karydopita Koulourakia Kourabiedes Lazarakia Loukoumades Loukoumi Mandolato Melitini Melomakarona Melopita Moustokouloura Pasteli Spoon sweets Trigona Tsoureki Vasilopita Wines Agiorgitiko Aidini Assyrtiko Athiri Kotsifali Lesbian wine Limnio Mavrodafni Mandilaria Moschofilero Retsina Robola Savatiano Vilana Xinomavro Drinks Kitron Kumquat Mastika Metaxa Ouzo Rakomelo Tentura Tsipouro Tsikoudia Zivania Frappé coffee See also Kafenio Meze Ouzeri Taverna Notable products Avgotaraho Florina pepper Greek wine Fava Santorinis Kalamata (olive) Krokos Kozanis (Saffron) Zante currant Greece portal