Let’s talk about Feta

Feta has a recognizable salty consistency that perfectly accompanies many different dishes. You can add it to salad, wraps, and eggs; the choices are endless. Today, there are a few variations of feta, but it can always be identified by its signature salty brine cheese. Though it is found throughout the world, we have the Greeks to thank for this staple. 

History Based in Myth

According to Greek mythology, it was Aristaios, son of Apollo,  who was sent by the gods to help teach Greeks the art of cheese making. It is known to have been made in Greece for thousands of years, even being described in Homer’s Odyssey, where the story was told of how milk was being transported when it was discovered that the milk had curdled. To everyone’s surprise, it had become solid, and tasted good! From here, Feta became a staple of the Greek people, and Feta today is not too different from the cheese that Homer and Aristotle ate. 

Feta remained predominantly a Greek food for centuries, until in the 20^th century where through a mass immigration of Greeks it was diffused through the world

Greek Feta Vs. Feta

Today, Greek Feta is Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese, which states it can only be made from sheep’s milk, or a combination of sheep and goat milk (with a maximum of 30% goat milk) and must have at least 6% fat content. This popular cheese still accounts for 10% of total Greek food exports.

Now this may leave some people confused as they could swear, they have had a cow’s milk feta. Technically, this isn’t feta, but a feta style cheese. There remain a few varieties of feta found throughout the world, including French, Bulgarian, and American, which can take on different flavors or consistencies, including using cows’ milk.  Next time you are looking for some Feta, or want to make Feta yourself, try using the traditional goat or sheep milk! Blessed by the Greek Gods, this cheese hasn’t disappointed for thousands of years, and certainly won’t disappoint you!