Feta

Feta is a quite unique and distinctive cheese.

It has recently been registered in the EU as a product of controlled origin, which means that true feta is made in Greece from 85 per cent goats' milk and 15 per cent ewes’ milk.

It develops its special flavour by being kept in salted brine. This gives it a salty flavour with slightly sour undertones. Its colour is brilliant white and it falls somewhere between a hard and soft cheese because, although it looks firm, it is in fact very crumbly, so there’s no need to grate it – all you do is crumble it between your fingers. It is delightful sprinkled on to a Greek salad made with ridge cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, olives and Greek olive oil. It’s also marvellous as a dip whizzed together in a blender with some ripe avocado.

The French are now making a version of feta and this has a milder, fresher flavour than the Greek and Cypriot versions and well worth trying as a variation.

DID YOU KNOW? The word feta can can be translated as ‘slice’.