Cheese can satisfy even the most demanding tastes and extraordinary demands, due to the fact that it has the “gift” to create unique combinations with a variety of dishes and wines. Cheese gives the opportunity for taste ‘experiments’ in salads, bread, crepes, soufflés, omelets, pizzas, sauces, soups, desserts. Worldwide, there are more than 2.000 cheeses.

Greece has the highest global percentage of cheese consumption (28 kg/year/person) but also 20 P.D.O. cheeses to pick from. Except Feta, which is the superstar of Greek cheeses, we will present you a variety of Greek cheeses who have become well-known and branded and have superior taste characteristics.

1. Kaseri
Kaseri is one of the most popular cheeses in our country. It is a semi-hard yellow cheese produced by either sheep or a mixture of sheep and goat milk, with goat milk in a proportion of less than 20%. It has a delicious mild buttery taste with salty notes. It is produced in the geographical areas of Thessaly and Macedonia and has a history of several decades.
2. Kefalograviera
Hard pale yellow cheese, characterized by discrete holes in its mass. It has a salty flavor and rich aroma. It is mainly produced by the regions of West Macedonia, Epirus & Etoloacarnania, from sheep’s milk or mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is excellent for grating and it is often used as topping in pasta dishes.
3. Cretan Graviera
It is a hard yellow cheese with cylindrical shape, derived from the island of Crete. Traditionally made with sheep milk or a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It has a slightly salty sweet taste. It is considered a versatile cheese; it can be sliced, eaten as it is, fried as saganaki, grated, served over pasta, or baked in casserole dishes.
4. Cretan Xinomizithra
It is a soft cheese produced by curd, on the island of Crete. It has an off-white color, a slightly sour taste with sweet notes and a semisoft texture. Made from sheep’s milk, goat milk or a mixture of these. The cheese milk used for the production of Xinomizithra is derived from the making of Cretan Graviera.

What’s your opinion about Greek P.D.O. cheeses? Share with us.

Stay tuned for more information about Greek P.D.O. cheeses.

www.greekbrands.com

Ministry of rural development and food

http://www.minagric.gr/index.php/el/for-farmer-2/2012-02-02-07-52-07/ellinikaproionta/1270-tiria

European Union Portal
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/list.html;jsessionid=pL0hLqqLXhNmFQyFl1b24mY3t9dJQPflg3xbL2YphGT4k6zdWn34!-370879141?recordStart=0&filter.dossierNumber=&filter.comboName=&filterMin.milestone__mask=&filterMin.milestone=&filterMax.milestone__mask=&filterMax.milestone=&filter.country=GR&filter.category=PDOPGI_CLASS_13&filter.type=&filter.status=

Cheese consumption statistics
http://www.statisticbrain.com/cheese-statistics/