Feta is one of the world's oldest cheeses. It is most commonly associated with Greece and rightly so! Feta has been made in Greece for hundreds of years. The ancient Greeks regarded cheese as the 'food of the gods'. Little wonder then, that Greece has the world's highest per capita rate of cheese consumption. And no Greek table is complete without a slice of feta.
Since the ancient days, the production of feta has spread across Europe and into the United States. In 2005, the European Union granted Greece Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for feta. This means other feta-style cheese produced anywhere else in Europe must be called by a different name. I would venture to guess that the European Union will soon press the US to discontinue using the name feta as well. Similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano or Stilton, only Feta made is Greece will be able to bare the well known name of 'feta'.
Feta is traditionally made with sheep's milk and sometimes a combination of sheep and goat milk. In most of the US, feta is made from pasteurized cow's milk or sometimes buffalo milk. (You can see why the European Union would want to enforce the PDO in the States). Feta is pure white, soft to semi-hard and has no skin. It is usually formed into cakes and stored in brine which gives it a tangy and salty flavor, ranging from mild to sharp. If you buy feta from other sources, sometimes the brine can make it taste of little else than salt. In this case, you can soak the cheese in cold water or milk for a few minutes to relieve the saltiness.
But you won't have to worry about that with the feta you receive in this cheese share! This feta is from Butler Farms, located in Whitehall, WI. It is the first licensed Grade A sheep dairy in the United States and also produce camembert, aged tomme, fresh brebis and ricotta. Outside of the cheese share, the only place you can purchase Butler Farms cheeses is at the Dane County Farm Market in Madison on Saturday mornings. Their stand is conveniently located right next to Harmony Valley's!
True to tradition, Butler Farms feta is made from sheep's milk and then packaged in oil and herbs. The consistency is softer than most feta which makes it easy to spread on sandwiches, mix into dressings and melt into pasta sauce.
Naturally, feta goes well with Greek and Mediterranean influenced foods such as cucumbers, tomatoes, olives and spinach. Some traditional favorites are spanakopita and as the crowning top to a Greek salad. Feta is also great in omelets, quiche and crumbled on pizza. Another classic combination is watermelon and feta. My Grandpa always sprinkles salt on his watermelon, a practice I could never understand. While I'm not about to salt my melon, I do love to eat it with feta! The saltiness of the cheese brings out more of the melon's sweetness. Mint also compliments feta very well. One of my salads is with strawberries and mint. Just chiffonade or chop a few leaves and mix with your greens.
What ever way you decide to eat your feta, it's hard to go wrong with such a great cheese!
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