Here’s Why Greek Feta is Better (Hint: it’s All About What it’s Made Of)
Click here to watch more kitchen tips:
It’s not just folklore that Greeks make great feta cheese. Tradition—and Protected Designation of Origin requirements—ensure cheese that is rich and uniquely flavorful.
We review and determine the best slow-cooker for your money:
Here’s what you need to know to buy the best Parmesan:
MOSTLY SHEEP’S MILK
Greek feta must be at least 70 percent sheep’s milk (which has twice as much fat as cow’s milk), with any remainder made up of goat’s milk. Both sheep’s and goat’s milks contain fatty acids that give them slightly gamy, savory flavors not found in cow’s milk.
FLAVORED BY GREEK FLORA
Greek sheep (and goats) eat a uniquely diverse diet—at least 6,000 different types of plants, including many that grow only in Greece. Since flavor compounds in feed make it into milk, that translates into milk with uniquely complex flavor.
DRY-SALTED
Unlike commercial producers of feta in the United States, Greek manufacturers dry-salt their cheese (cut first into blocks) before brining it, a step that allows flavorful bacteria to grow on its surface, which the cheese readily absorbs.
RIPENED IN BRINE
After salting, the feta is brined for at least two months, which allows time for enzymes from the bacteria, the rennet, and the milk itself to create additional flavor molecules. U.S.-made feta is typically brined in its packaging and for only as long as it takes to arrive at stores and be sold.
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
Bulgarian feta is the best.
I am reading about French or Bulgarian etc feta in Europe and elsewhere in the world Greek feta cheese it’s a protected domain product and as people have also claimed in the comments that does not implied in the US. But i can’t stand other European countries to have feta .
we don't consider cheese with cow milk feta we call it telemes
Please, Please, Please…. would you and Hillary just go back into the woods?
Since 2002, feta has been a protected designation of origin (PDO) product in the European Union. According to the relevant EU legislation, only those cheeses produced in a traditional way in particular areas of Greece, which are made from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep's and up to 30% of goat's milk from the same area, can be called feta. White cheese made of cow's milk labeled as "feta" is actually NOT feta, it's only white cheese made of cow's milk.
Clearly you never tasted Bulgarian feta before.
I love that it crumbles so you don't have to cut or shred it. It evens out the flavor over the whole dish.
This sounds like a list of marketing claims rather than test results
Well, duh! But thanks for explaining why.
It's just better because it's Greek!
French feta is the best.
This video is misinformed.
Feta can't be anything else than Greek…It's exactly like how champagne can only be from Champagne in France. it's a protected designation of origin item and it would be illegal to call it Feta if it's not made in certain regions in Greece with a certain method. If it's not it's called "white cheese".
Greek Feta be beta 😎
I always liked Bulgarian sheep's milk "feta" best.
I prefer feta made from cows milk. Sorry, had both types and I just don’t like the Greek Feta. Love Greek cuisine. But no sheep cheese. Just can’t….
I agree Greek imported Feta cheese made with Greek sheep's milk & Greek products is really very tasty and the most satisfying.
No other Feta compares to authentic Greek Feta Cheese imported from Greece and sold by Greek merchants throughout the USA.
It’s made of cruelty and systemic death, like any other form of dairy. Get some ethics.
You think Christopher kimball is salty about this guy ? Lmao
Groovy.
The stuff is pretty expensive in the US though! In the Netherlands you pay $8.33/lb for the real stuff. It still ruined me financially though, as I used to like the fake non-A.O.P. alternative ($2.65/lb), that was until I got my hands on true Feta… Holy shit does it make a difference.
Imagine a barnyard in spring time, with all the frozen dung perfuming the air. Now translate that odour to a flavor, and you have goat/sheep cheese. The stuff literally tastes like shit, I'd rather eat moldy Velveeta.
I've never seen Greek feta before at regular grocery stores, at least not in the places that I've lived (in the US). Is it only available at specialty stores?