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Feta Cheese
Appears in
Published 2021
When it comes to versatility, I would place feta second only to Parmigiano-Reggiano in the canon of workhorse cheeses, and it is used throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, and beyond. With its briny tang, crumbly texture, and excellent melt-ability, it does multiple duty as a seasoning, a garnish, and, of course, a delicious ingredient in its own right. We probably sell more feta at Sahadi’s than all other cheeses combined—hundreds of pounds per week.
Feta is of course most associated with Greece, but it is produced worldwide, primarily from sheep’s milk, but also from cow’s and goat’s milk, or a combination, depending on the region. Whichever dairy is the base, the cheese curds are pressed into a form and then pickled in brine for two months, giving feta its distinctive salty flavor. It is ready to eat at that point, but feta can also be aged, with the texture becoming drier and crumblier the longer the cheese stays in its brine.