FETA
Feta
is a soft white table cheese with a pleasant and mildly tangy taste. Feta has a
very special position in the traditional Greek diet. The name feta dates back
to the time of the Venetian empire in Greece in the 17th century and is
probably derived etymologically from the Latin word ‘fette, which referred to
the actual cutting of the cheese into slices for the purpose of putting it into
wooden barrels (Delforno, 1980). It has PDO status and refers to cheese, which is
traditionally prepared in Greece from sheep milk or from a combination of sheep
and goat milk, in which the proportion of goat milk cannot exceed more than 30%
of the total. During preparation, the milk solids (curds) separate from the
liquid whey.
Its substances also separate accordingly: carbohydrates and
various salts remain in the whey which casein and fats remain in the curd. The
curd is transferred to molds to drain naturally without pressure. Coarsely
grained salt is applied to the surface of the cheese and then placed in
ripening chambers of up to 18oC and at least 85% relative humidity.
This first ripening stage lasts approximately 15 days. The second ripening
stage takes place in refrigerated chambers where there is a constant
temperature of 2-4oC and relative humidity of at least 85%. Feta is
eaten as an accompaniment to a meal. It is served with olive oil and oregano.
Feta can also be roasted with aromatic herbs or used as an ingredient in pies.