Feta

Encyclopedia : F : FE : FET : Feta

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Feta
Country of origin	Greece
Region, town	N/A
Source of milk	Goat, sheep or cow
Pasteurized	Depends on variety
Texture	Depends on variety
Aging time	min. 3 months
Certification	PDO, 2002

For other meanings of feta or FETA see FETA (disambiguation)

Feta (Greek: φέτα, feminine gender meaning 'slice (piece)') is a classic curd cheese in brine whose tradition dates back to Greece thousands of years ago. It is traditionally made exclusively from goat's and sheep's milk, but cow's milk varieties are readily available in some areas. It is widely spread also in Bulgaria (sirene, сирене), F.Y.R.O.M, Serbia, Turkey (beyaz peynir, i.e. white cheese), Romania (brânză), Russia (brynza, брынза) and other countries.

It is salted and cured in a brine solution (which can be either water or whey) for three to several months. Feta dries out rapidly when removed from the brine. Feta cheese is white, usually formed into square cakes, and can range from soft to semi-hard, with a tangy, salty flavor that can range from mild to sharp. Its fat content can range from 30 to 60 percent; most is around 45 percent milk fat.

Feta cheese is covered by a protected designation of origin (PDO). It is one of the ingredients of Greek salad. Feta, like most cheeses, can also be served cooked; it is sometimes grilled as part of a sandwich or fried as part of the saganaki side-dish.

History

What we now call feta cheese was known to ancient Greeks, at least since Homer's era, as there were several references to it in the Odyssey. The myth has it that the cyclop Polyphemus was the first cheese manufacturer. Carrying the milk that he collected from his sheep in animal-skin bags, he realised, to his great surprise, that days later the milk had become a solid, savory and preservable mass. However, it is very likely that other civilizations might also have discovered cheese independently.

The name Feta has an Italian origin, being derived from fetta (slice), and dates back to the 17th century, likely referring to the method of cutting the cheese in thin slices to serve on plate.

See also

• List of cheeses
• Cuisine of Greece
• Greek products
• Sirene
• Bulgarian cuisine

External links

• [Feta registered as Protected Designation of Origin]
• [link] on feta's history, production and conservation methods, plus dozens of recipes with feta

 

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