Patrick Oconnell
Greece has a wide variety of cheeses, from soft to hard, white to yellow, fresh to ripe, and salty to sweet. While feta is the most famous Greek cheese worldwide, there are many other types of Greek cheese, including kefalotyri, kasseri, graviera, and manouri. Greek cheeses are typically made from goat's or sheep's milk, but in recent years, cow's milk has also been incorporated into some Greek cheeses. So, is there a Greek cheddar cheese? Read on to find out.
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What You'll Learn
Feta, the most famous Greek cheese
Feta is the most famous Greek cheese in the world. It is a soft to medium, brined, white cheese with a tangy and salty flavour, ranging from mild to sharp. It is made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. It is formed into large blocks and aged in brine for a minimum of two months. Its texture is crumbly with a slightly grainy texture. It is traditionally stored in wooden barrels or tins.
Feta is a very versatile cheese and can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to pastries. It is often served with olive oil or olives, and sprinkled with aromatic herbs such as oregano. It can also be served cooked, grilled, or as part of a sandwich. Feta is also used in the famous Greek dish spanakopita, or "spinach pie", and tyropita, or "cheese pie".
Feta has a long history in Greece, with the earliest documented reference to cheese production dating back to the 8th century BC. The technology used to make cheese from sheep and goat milk is similar to the methods used by Greek shepherds today. Feta was also mentioned in the Odyssey, where Homer describes Polyphemus making cheese and dry-storing it in wicker racks. The first unambiguous documentation of preserving cheese in brine appears in Cato the Elder's De Agri Cultura in the 2nd century BC. Feta, specifically, is recorded by Psellos in the 11th century under the name "prósphatos" (Greek πρόσφατος, meaning "recent" or "fresh").
Feta is the biggest export of Greek cheese outside of Greece and is a staple in Greek cuisine and culture. It is also a popular ingredient in other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. In 2002, feta was designated a Protected Designation of Origin in the European Union (EU), meaning that only cheeses produced in the traditional way in mainland Greece and the Lesbos Prefecture can be called "feta".
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Greek cheeses: soft, semi-soft, semi-hard, and hard varieties
While Greece has traditionally produced goat and sheep's milk cheeses, cow's milk has also been incorporated into some Greek cheeses in recent years.
Soft Greek Cheeses
Feta, also known as "white gold", is one of the most famous Greek cheeses in the world. It is a soft, white, salty cheese made from goat's and sheep's milk, with a slightly sour taste. It is preserved in brine in wooden barrels or tins and is versatile enough to be used in dishes from salads to desserts. Kopanisti Mykonou is another soft Greek cheese, known for its light pink colour and rich flavour. It is served as an appetizer, as a spread on bread, or with the local Mykonian rusk, mostra.
Semi-soft Greek Cheeses
Manouri is a semi-soft white cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk whey or a mixture of both. It is creamier and less salty than feta and can be used in salads or as a dessert with honey and dried fruit. It is also used as a substitute for cream cheese in cheesecakes or as a yoghurt substitute at breakfast. Anthotyro is another semi-soft cheese, with a mild flavour.
Semi-hard Greek Cheeses
Kasseri is a semi-hard, pale-yellow cheese made from sheep's milk with up to 20% goat milk. It has a rich, slightly salty flavour and a characteristic aroma of goat's and sheep's milk. It is a popular table cheese and is often used in cheese pies.
Hard Greek Cheeses
Graviera is the second most popular cheese in Greece and is produced in various regions, including Naxos, Crete, and Metsovo. It is made with cow's milk, sheep milk, or a mixture of both. It is a hard, yellow cheese with a fine aroma and rare taste. It is often grated on spaghetti or served in slices as an appetizer. Kefalotyri, also known as Kefalotiri, is considered the oldest of the hard Greek cheeses. It is made from goat's or sheep's milk, or a blend of the two, and has a salty, spicy taste and a pleasant aroma. It is often fried, grated, and served as an appetizer. San Michali is a hard, golden-yellow cheese made exclusively from cow's milk on the island of Syros.
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Kefalotyri, a salty Greek hard cheese
Greece has a rich history of cheese-making, with a variety of cheeses produced from goat, sheep, and cow's milk. While feta is the most famous Greek cheese globally, there are several other popular Greek cheeses, including kefalotyri, a salty Greek hard cheese.
Kefalotyri, also known as kefalotiri, is a traditional Greek cheese with roots dating back to the Byzantine era. It is a hard, salty cheese made from sheep's milk or goat's milk, or a combination of both. The cheese is produced in various regions of Greece, including Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Crete, the Ionian islands, and the Cyclades. As a result of the different production techniques, milks, and ingredients used in each region, kefalotyri can vary significantly in terms of features and quality.
Kefalotyri is known for its rich, salty, and tangy flavour, with a pleasant aroma. It has a high melting point, making it suitable for cooking and frying. The cheese can be consumed in a variety of ways. It can be eaten on its own, fried in olive oil to make a dish called saganaki, or grated over pasta, meat, or cooked vegetables. It is also commonly used in spanakopita, a traditional Greek casserole made with feta cheese, spinach, and pasta.
Kefalotyri is considered a gourmet cheese and can be found in specialty stores outside of Greece and Cyprus. It is a versatile cheese that can be paired with a variety of dishes, such as red wine, avgolemono soup, and manouri or kasseri cheese for a traditional Mediterranean starter. Young kefalotyri typically takes two to three months to ripen, while aged kefalotyri, a year old or more, has a drier texture and a stronger flavour.
Kefalotyri is a popular ingredient in Cypriot and Greek cuisine and has been a fixture of Mediterranean culture for almost two millennia. While it may be challenging to find in some regions, several substitute cheeses can be used in its place, such as caciocavallo, Gruyère, or halloumi.
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Graviera, the second most popular Greek cheese
Greece is known for producing goat and sheep's milk cheeses, but in recent years, cow's milk has also been incorporated into some Greek cheeses. One of these is Graviera, the second most popular cheese in Greece after Feta.
Graviera is a semi-hard, pale yellow cheese with uneven holes and a greasy texture. It is produced in various regions of Greece, including Naxos, Lesbos, Crete, and Amfilochia islands, and each region's Graviera has distinguishing features. For example, Naxos Graviera is made with 80% cow's milk, while Cretan Graviera is made from sheep's milk with the addition of 20% goat cheese. Graviera Agrafon, a rare variety produced in Western Thessaly and Evritania, is made with sheep's milk and up to 30% goat's milk. Graviera is typically aged for a minimum of three months and has a sweet and nutty flavour, with hints of burnt caramel. The addition of goat's milk adds a spicy characteristic to the cheese.
Graviera is a versatile cheese that can be used in many different ways. It can be sliced and grated over dishes, melted in sauces, or fried. It is an essential ingredient in traditional Greek dishes such as spanakopita and moussaka and is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. It can be purchased in specialty cheese shops, larger grocery stores, Greek markets, or online.
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Greek cheese production and exports
Greece has continued to craft a variety of other cheeses, including both traditional and newer types. For example, Kasseri is a semi-hard, staple yellow table cheese that is very popular in Greece. Another popular variety is Graviera, produced in various regions with different distinguishing features. For instance, the Naxos Graviera is made with 80% cow's milk, while the Cretan Graviera is made from sheep milk with the addition of up to 20% goat cheese. Graviera is aged for a minimum of 3 months and is known for its light yellow colour, fine aroma, and rare taste.
Other Greek cheeses include Kefalotyri, a salty, spicy, hard cheese made from goat's or sheep's milk, or a blend of the two. It is produced in many regions of Greece, resulting in a variety of techniques, milks, and ingredients. Manouri, a white, soft whey cheese, is produced from sheep's or goat's milk whey, or a mixture of both, with the option of adding whole milk or cream. It is creamier and less salty than Feta and is often used as a dessert cheese or a substitute for cream cheese. San Michali, a hard golden-yellow cheese, is the only Greek PDO cheese produced exclusively from cow's milk on the island of Syros. Metsovone, a smoked cheese, is made from 100% cow's milk or a mixture with up to 10% goat milk. It is smoked for 12 days and then kept hanging in the smokehouse for around 5 months, giving it a distinct smoky aroma.
In 2022, Greece exported $815 million worth of cheese, making it the 12th largest exporter of cheese globally. The main destinations for Greek cheese exports include Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, and the United States. The exports of feta, in particular, have been gradually rising, reaching about 30,000 tons per year, with Germany being the largest market for feta exports.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there is no Greek cheddar cheese. However, there are several other Greek cheeses to try, including feta, kefalotyri, and kasseri.
Feta is a soft to medium-soft white cheese made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep's and goat's milk. It is one of the most famous Greek cheeses in the world and is often served in salads or baked in oven-cooked dishes.
Kefalotyri is a hard, salty Greek cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. It has a tangy flavor and a pleasant aroma. It is typically fried, grated, and served as an appetizer.
Kasseri is a semi-hard yellow cheese made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep's and goat's milk. It is excellent when melted and is often used in sandwiches or as a table cheese.
