6 Insider Tips for Buying Feta Cheese – Like a Greek
This post was a bit difficult to write in the sense that when you have been eating feta since you were a baby like I have, you just know what is good feta and what is bad feta and so putting certain rules on how to choose it seems a bit unnatural to me. But there are certain things you need to know, especially if you are new to feta.
First I need to say that Greeks know their cheese; several statistics place the Greeks as the highest consumers of cheese in the world (French come second). Yes, it appears that the average Greek consumes about 50-65 pounds (23-30 kg) of cheese a year. Blame it on the feta; at least half of that cheese consumed is feta.
So here are some points to keep in mind when choosing feta.
Rule #1: Make sure it only contains sheep’s milk (and maybe some goat’s milk), rennet and salt.
It should not contain anything else nor should it contain cow’s milk. Feta made with cow’s milk can crumble easily (that’s not a good thing), may develop a sour taste and does not leave a pleasant aftertaste. Also it is more likely to become mushy and have a bad odor.
Rule #2: Look for feta made in Greece-it’s the only one that is real feta.
I’m not saying this because I am Greek, but legally this is the case. I’ve been reading all sorts of articles, wrongly describing feta as a white, salty cheese made in different parts of world with different types of milk and various countries claiming ownership. As I mentioned in the previous post, feta is Greek and it is acknowledged as that by the European Commission due to a variety of factors. If you want feta, choose Greek, if you want some sort of salty white cheese-you can choose something else.
Rule #3: Taste it.
Rule #3: Taste it.If you have the luxury of being able to taste the cheese before you buy it, than do so. There are 3 different types of feta based on the texture: hard, medium-hardness and soft. There are also different aromas: some are saltier, some are spicy and some are mild. This all depends on what area and in what kind of container the feta is matured. Most Greek people have a favorite feta and they always buy that one. But you can also use different types of feta for different recipes. For example feta for a cheese pie- tyropita maybe a bit saltier -I’ll talk about how to eat and how to use feta in the next post.
Rule #4: Feta should be white-not yellowish.
If it is a bit yellow, that means that the cheese has been exposed to air outside of the brine.
Rule #5: Feta should have a tangy flavor and a rich aroma.
It should not taste bitter, sour, rancid, chalky, tasteless.
Rule #6: Feta should have a few tiny holes on the surface.
Once you get your hands on some good feta, check out this article for yummy ways to use it.
Some comments:
*I often read that pregnant women should avoid feta because it is made from unpasteurized milk, this is not true, almost all feta on the market (Greek) is pasteurized.
* You may find the fact of cheese sitting in this milky salt water not very appetizing, but it is necessary to keep it from going bad.
Here in Canada, I buy Greek Masadonian Feta. It’s very creamy, delicious with anything.
PS However, the ingredients for the Feta from Bulgaria list only Pasteurized sheep milk, starter culture, salt, rennet. They add:
contains milk.
That’s good that it’s from sheep milk
Hello, I purchased some Feta cheese yesterday at Krogers Market. It is 100% Sheep and is in a milky base. I didn’t notice when I bought it exactly where it’s from but in big letters it said: IMPORTED.
But it is from Bulgaria. I noticed on a map it sits just north of Greece. So I’m disappointed after reading this article. Next time I’ll know and buy from Whole Foods Market.
Thank you for setting us straight.
I really like your info ! Thnx for sharing
The use of the Feta name by other countries is only banned in the EU. They were ordered to call it something else or stop making it. I am sure they will choose the former. The French, Bulgarians and the Israelis all make decent feta that is a bit different than Greek feta but that does not make it bad. Lebanese and Russian markets near me have assortments of feta from a number of countries, all a little different. I often but Dodoni in the suoermarket. It is Greek,DOP, and all sheep’s milk. I get it in 14 oz tubs so I don’t have to make brine. If you buy it loose, Krinos.ca recommends 1 Tbs. of salt to 2 cups of water. If you use kosher salt, remember to double the quantuty
Should we expect packaged feta to be in water? Seems like all I see is in a plastic box with no liquid.
I finally tried real feta after discovering it at Whole Foods. Wow! The difference is night and day from what’s sold in most stores here. After tasting this delicious Greek-imported cheese, I’m never going back to the crap I’ve bought for years. If you look at the ingredients on the American ones (including store brands like Whole Foods, etc.,), they contain an anti-caking agent. Seriously? Why is that necessary? The imported feta cost $2 more per package, but was well worth it! It paired beautifully with my red Swiss chard salad! Thank you for the recommendation! It was a pure joy to indulge in this meal after a long, hard day at work last night. I even told my colleagues about it at work today. Then I came home to enjoy another red Swiss chard salad with more Greek feta. This might be my go to meal on nights I’m too tired to cook anything after work.
Thank you for sharing Katie! Yes, it is quite different. Will try that swiss chard salad.
How can I buy this quality Feta cheese living in Scotland?
just about any supermarket or deli.
I likeе this post, enjⲟyed this one appreciate it fοr posting .
And also remember one thing: Everything tastes better with feta…
Any brands sold in the US that you can recommend? I was sad to learn Athens brand is cows milk
I live quite rural in the US and the only feta I will eat is Vigo brand. It’s made with sheep’s milk and Publix supermarkets carries it. It cost more than the others but it is worth every penny.
I guess I should have stated that it’s the only sheep’s milk feta I can find around here.
Laura, Vigo Brand is imported from Bulgaria (not Greece) and contains calcium chloride.
Krinos is ok. some places like parthanon online grocery will cold ship the good stuff (Dedoni feta) to you !
Thanks for sharing Anastasia!
Calcium chloride is salt
Haha! Am I the only one of Hellenic nationality who is eating feta while reading this XD?
Thanks for this article. I was looking for a feta to pair with some fruit, and your article pointed me in exactly the right direcftion.
Great, glad you found it!
Where do I find real Greek feta in Toronto, Ontario? I just got back from Greece and it was amazingly different than the one we are used to buying
I like my feta in watermelon salad
Especially in summer
Very refreshing and delicious
I lived in Turkey for three years. Just returned last year. One of my favorite foods there had “white cheese” (beyaz peynir) in it. This cheese is, obviously, white, and it is salty and crumbly. When I asked Turkish people who had visited Greece about Greek food, they told me with admiration that “It is the same food.”
I never got over to Greece, but that country is high on my list of places to visit. My question is: Is Greek “feta” cheese like Turkish “white cheese?” Or is it like American feta cheese, which I am not fond of?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for the question.
It is a different cheese, although yes there are many similarities. In the production the beyaz penir is soaked in a vegetable coagulant rather than rennet. I find the taste of beyaz penir less salty and spicy than feta.
No Greek feta is not like American feta which is usually made of cow’s milk, real feta is made from sheep’s milk (or a combination goat and sheep’s). Feta is a protected product in the European Union, so only feta made in Greece can be named and sold as feta, you can read more about it here: https://www.olivetomato.com/what-is-feta-and-why-is-it-greek/
By the way you can find Greek (made in Greece) feta in the U.S.
I believe the last point may be misleading – doctors tell pregnant women to avoid soft cheeses due to Listeria bacteria, which can thrive even with pasteurization and processing as do a lot of bacteria that needs moisture. Hard cheeses have enough salt and moisture that it’s not really a hazard. Soft cheeses, they say, have more risk.
As a foodie, I’m not sure if I’d ever give up foods or food groups when pregnant, and who knows – maybe it would boost up the immune system, but I can see why people avoid it.
Gina, thanks for your comment. Yes, it can certainly be difficult to avoid certain foods during pregnancy, especially when you are a foodie! In the case of listeria, it is killed by pasteurization and cooking, so it would not be present in cheese made with pasteurized milk, regardless if it was soft or hard. But it is assumed that most soft cheeses do not use pasteurized milk, which is not the case with feta. You can check with the CDC, cdc.gov for more information on the different types of bacteria that are present in food.
I’m not a doctor, but I’m Greek. Don’t know which is worst )). Well okay, my mother and my wife ate feta daily when they were pregnant. As a result, I have 4 brothers and 2 children!
Ha ha! Great point Nick!