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| Category: Cheeses and dairy products |
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Feta | ||
 Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece with goat’s and sheep milk. Feta is an aged cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads, pastries and in baking, notably in the popular phyllo-based dishes spanakopita (spinach pie) and tyropita.Feta (from the Italian word fetta meaning slice) is actually cheese curd in brine solution. It takes at least three months to make feta. When it is removed from the solution, this type of cheese dries up immediately. Milk from goats, sheep or cow can be used to make this. Appearance: 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. The cured cheese easily crumbles. Its fat content can range from 30 to 60 percent; most is around 45 percent milk fats. Most feta cheese has a pH of 4.4 to 4.9. Origin: Greece, Feta has been a protected designation of origin in the European Union, and defined as having at least 70% sheep's milk, with the remainder being goat’s milk. History: Feta cheese is first recorded in the Byzantine Empire and was associated specifically with Crete. An Italian visitor to Candia in 1494 describes its storage in brine clearly. The Greek word feta comes from the Italian word fetta (slice) and that from Latin Offa «bite, morsel». It was introduced in Greek in the 17th century, likely referring to the method of cutting the cheese in thin slices to serve on a plate. Feta has been made by peasants in the lower Balkan Peninsula from sheep's milk, although goat's milk has been used in more recent times. It is also used for banitsa. Nutrition Facts: It is a superior source of riboflavin, protein, calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin B12. The bad: it has a high cholesterol and sodium content. It comes with high saturated fat. |