This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Greek P.D.O. Cheeses: Vol.2
Greece has a great variety of cheeses and 20 of them are registered as P.D.O. Each one of these 20 cheeses, has its own cultural and geographical characteristics. They follow traditional production methods, require a lot of hand work and are connected to a know-how of decades. If you plan on visiting Greece, search for these authentic flavors, and taste as many as you can.
Following our previous post, here are 5 more P.D.O. Greek cheeses, that have an interesting taste story to share.
Kalathaki is a soft white cheese with a cylindrical shape, which matures in brine and has a slightly acidic taste. Kalathaki is produced in a traditional way by sheep milk or a mixture of sheep and goat milk (in percentage less than or equal to 30%) on the island of Lemnos. The name “basket” is derived from the specific knitted molds used for preparation that look like small baskets.
Metsovone
It is a hard yellow smoked cheese with a slightly salty and spicy taste. It is traditionally made with cow milk or a mix of cow-sheep-goat, with the two latter in proportion not higher than 20%. It is produced in the province of Metsovo, in Ioannina prefecture, where it got its name. Also, Metsovone has an interesting story. The benefactor Evangelos Averof-Tositsas, decided to send some youngsters from Metsovo to Italy in order to learn the art of cheese making. These youngsters later returned to Greece and combined Greek traditional cheese making techniques with methods of preparation of certain Italian cheeses and started producing a cheese that was later named after their region. That is when Metsovone cheese was born.
Manouri
A soft white cheese with a sweet flavor produced from sheep or goat milk (or their mixtures) whey, in which sheep’s or goat’s milk cream is added. Mostly produced in central and western Macedonia and Thessaly .Also is considered that the most famous cream cheese is produced prepared in Blast (Blatsi) of Macedonia.
Katiki Domokou
It has pasty texture characterized by its cool and slightly acidic taste.Produced from mixed sheep and goat milk, in the county of Domokos of Fthiotida prefecture. This cheese is produced in this area for many years and the technique has been taught from generation to generation from shepherds who lived in the area.
Graviera Naxos
Hard cheese with cylindrical shape, and white-yellow color. Salty and tasty, with sweet notes. It is produced exclusively from cow’s milk or a mixture of it with sheep and goat milk (last at no greater than 20% by weight). Traditional and branded, it is produced on the island of Naxos in Cyclades, but consumed widely across territory.
Have you enjoyed any Greek cheeses?
Share with us your comments!
Greek Brands
Photos credits:
http://www.paragogi.net/thumbnail?filepath=/contentfiles/all/graviera.jpg&width=600