Frederic Melton
Feta cheese is a Greek brined white cheese that is traditionally made with sheep and goat milk. However, some companies produce feta cheese with cow's milk. In the United States, most cheese sold under the name feta is made from cow's milk. In Canada, if the ingredient list says milk without specifying the animal, then it is cow's milk. Authentic Greek feta is produced in designated regions of Greece and must be made with specific percentages of sheep and goat milk to carry the Greek Feta label.
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What You'll Learn
Feta cheese made with cow's milk
Feta cheese is a Greek brined white cheese that is traditionally made with sheep and goat milk. However, it is also possible to make feta cheese with cow's milk, and this is becoming more common. In the United States, most cheese sold as feta is made from cow's milk. This is also the case in Canada, where one of the country's most popular cheese brands, Krinos, makes its organic feta using cow's milk.
The reason for the shift towards cow's milk may be due to the higher yield of cow milk compared to goat and sheep milk, making it more readily available in supermarkets. Additionally, the price per gallon of cow's milk is lower, making it a more lucrative option for dairy farmers.
To make feta cheese with cow's milk, one can follow a similar process to that used for traditional feta cheese. This involves heating the milk to around 86-90 degrees Fahrenheit, adding buttermilk, and allowing the mixture to sit for about an hour. Rennet is then added to the mixture, diluted in cool water, and stirred using circular and up-and-down motions. The curd is then cut into small cubes and allowed to rest, before being hung to drain for several hours. The curds are then salted and pressed, and the cheese is aged in brine for several weeks to a month.
The resulting cow's milk feta cheese will have a different taste and texture compared to traditional feta. It will be firmer and less tangy, lacking the sharp bite of traditional feta.
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Feta cheese made with sheep's milk
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep's and goat's milk. In Europe, feta is protected by a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), which dictates that it must be made with specific percentages of sheep's and goat's milk. The legislation states that feta can contain up to 30% goat's milk, with the remaining percentage made up of sheep's milk. This results in a semi-hard, crumbly cheese with a tangy, salty flavour.
The unique flavour of sheep's milk feta is influenced by the diet of the sheep, with the cheese taking on the characteristics of the geographical environment in which it is produced. This is why Greece is considered the owner of feta cheese, as the flavour is influenced by the specific dietary and environmental factors found in the country.
Sheep's milk feta is available from various retailers, including Green Dirt Farm, Nordic Creamery, and Amazon.com. It is often recommended to be enjoyed at room temperature to appreciate its true flavour, and it pairs well with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and crusty bread for a Mediterranean-inspired dish. It can also be crumbled over salads, soups, eggs, or roasted vegetables, making it a versatile addition to any kitchen.
While cow's milk feta is more readily available in some regions, traditional feta made with sheep's milk is considered superior in terms of flavour and texture. The process of making feta with cow's milk is different, and it does not possess the same sharp bite as sheep's milk feta.
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Feta cheese made with goat's milk
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. In Greece, where feta cheese is said to have originated, feta is made with 100% sheep milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk, with goat milk not exceeding 30%. The percentage of goat milk used in feta production is important as using more goat's milk than sheep's milk will result in a milder flavour that lacks the sharp bite of traditional feta.
When making feta cheese with goat's milk, the milk is heated to 86°F, and a starter is added. The mixture is stirred for a full minute using up-and-down motions. After an hour, the curds are cut into half-inch cubes and allowed to rest for 10 minutes. The curds are then stirred gently for 15 minutes and poured into a cheesecloth-lined colander. The curds are drained for 6 hours and then cut into one-inch slices and cubes. These cubes are salted and placed in the refrigerator to age for 4 to 5 days. A brine solution is then prepared for storage, and the cheese is stored in this solution for up to 30 days.
Some sources mention that while feta is traditionally made with goat or sheep milk, cow's milk can be used with the addition of lipase powder. However, it is important to note that the taste of feta made with cow's milk will be different from that made with goat or sheep milk.
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The ingredients and process of making feta cheese
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep and goat's milk, but cow's milk is also used. In Europe, there are laws dictating how much goat's milk may be mixed with sheep's milk to make feta, and the milk must come from the same place. In Canada and the US, if the ingredient list on a package of feta simply says "milk" and does not specify the animal, it is assumed to be cow's milk.
Feta is a great beginner cheese because it can be made with minimal ingredients and equipment, and it can be aged in a regular refrigerator. It is also a good option for those who want to make cheese with a smaller amount of milk. The ingredients required to make feta include:
- Milk
- Buttermilk
- Rennet
- Fine ground salt
- Water
- Calcium chloride
- Vinegar
The process of making feta cheese involves:
- Heating the milk to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Adding buttermilk and letting the mixture sit for 60 minutes.
- Adding rennet diluted in cool, unchlorinated water.
- Stirring the mixture for 1 minute using circular and up-and-down motions.
- Letting the curd set until it pulls away from the sides and has a layer of clear whey on top.
- Testing for a "clean break" by placing a finger in the curd and lifting it out until it forms a clean break.
- Cutting the curd.
- Draining the curds and whey into a colander lined with butter muslin or cheesecloth.
- Tying the corners of the muslin into a knot and letting it drain for 4 hours at room temperature.
- Cutting the congealed mass into rough blocks and letting them drain for another 30 minutes.
- Making a saturated brine by dissolving salt, calcium chloride, and vinegar in water.
- Submerging the blocks of feta in the brine for 10 to 12 hours.
- Storing the feta in a lighter brine solution for long-term storage.
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The history of feta cheese
Feta cheese has been a part of Greece for nearly as long as humanity itself. It is believed that feta cheese emerged after early domestication of animals, likely from fermented milk transported in animal stomachs. The first documented reference to feta cheese appears in Homer's Odyssey, where Ulysses discovers cheesemaking in the cave of Polyphemus, the Cyclops. In the Odyssey, Polyphemus is described as storing snow-white cheese made from sheep's milk.
In Greece, the earliest documented reference to cheese production dates back to the 8th century BC, and the technology used to make cheese from sheep and goat milk is similar to the technology used by Greek shepherds today to produce feta. Cheese made from sheep and goat milk has been common in the Eastern Mediterranean since ancient times. In Bronze Age Canaan, cheese was perhaps among the salted foods shipped by sea in ceramic jars, so rennet-coagulated white cheeses similar to feta may have been shipped in brine, but there is no direct evidence for this.
The name "feta", meaning "slice", originated in the 17th century, and probably refers to the practice of slicing up cheese to be placed into barrels—a tradition still practiced today. The name "feta" prevailed in the 19th century, and since then has characterized a cheese that has been prepared for centuries using the same general technique. In the 20th century, a mass immigration of Greeks to various countries, including Australia, the United States, Canada, and Germany, led to the creation of new markets for feta cheese and the growth of its international trade.
In 2002, feta received a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status from the European Union, limiting the "feta" label to cheeses produced in certain regions of Greece using traditional methods. This helped to preserve the cheese's cultural and historical integrity. Feta is now made in many parts of the world, but the best versions adhere to the original ingredients and production methods.
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Frequently asked questions
Feta cheese is traditionally made with sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. However, in the United States, most cheeses labelled as feta are made from cow's milk.
Feta made with cow's milk is often cheaper to produce than feta made with sheep or goat's milk. Additionally, cow's milk is more readily available in US supermarkets than goat or sheep milk.
If the label on the feta cheese packaging simply says "milk", it is likely cow's milk. If it is sourced from another animal, the label will usually specify.
No, the type of milk used affects the flavour and texture of the cheese. Feta made with cow's milk tends to be creamier and less tangy than traditional feta.
