What's not to love? It's salty, delicious in salads, works well with a lot of dishes and is a staple in many homes. At the bottom of this post, I'll release my all-time #1 Feta Cheese which is possibly available in your area.
I always liked Feta cheese. Growing up, I'd always sneak into the fridge and grab myself a "feta". During my stay in Greece a few years back, I had time to enjoy it in many ways.
One of my favorite ways of having it is in a pastry filled pita. I prefer fresh phyllo but when I usually make any of these at home I take the shortcut and use the store-bought stuff (sorry grandma!). Before I get onto pitas though, here's something you may find interesting...
I remember one day, my aunt and I we're sitting on her balcony on the outskirts of Athens. The concrete jungle below called the City was in its full splendor. It was a wonderful view, a sea of white stretching for miles and miles. White like Feta!
It was brutally hot out.. and it caught me off guard when she brought out a plate of watermelon and feta.
"Try it." I was a little apprehensive considering she made me try sheep intestine in the past with the same two words.
"Try it." I was a little apprehensive considering she made me try sheep intestine in the past with the same two words.
The combination seemed a little odd to me at first, but after a few bites I was transported into a sweet and salty yet refreshing world. It is delicious. Together, along with the help of the feta, we devoured the whole watermelon.
Crazy, I know.
Next time the "heat is on" in your area I recommend trying this. Give a little feta and watermelon a try!
Crazy, I know.
Next time the "heat is on" in your area I recommend trying this. Give a little feta and watermelon a try!
Another delicious little morsel was the different types of feta-filled pastries in the morning at the local bakeries.
Damn, that sesame bread was good too. My father in-law was a picky guy. He made sure we had fresh bread on the table daily and I can't say I blame him. He let it be known that this was my sole purpose in life during my stay there.
"Giorgo, every morning, you're on bread duty."
I was there for nearly six months and before I knew it, this chore of getting bread turned into a pleasant ritual.
"One bread with sesame, one tyropita please."
"One bread with sesame, one lahanopita please."
Walking out of that bakery onto a crowded Athenian street with a deliciously warm tyropita and a coffee at 8 a.m , to me, was heaven. The sun was still low and not torturing your skin. It was very comfortable. I'd grab an English paper at one of the many kiosks and I'd chill out and people watch on a park bench.
I'd bite into that pie and the savory tastes would hit my mouth: the egg , the cheese, the pastry... now this is a breakfast sandwich!
If you ever go to Greece, don't rip yourself off. Make your way to any of these bakeries and grab a tyropita, lahanopita, prassopita, galopita or whatever they're offering. If it has Feta cheese in it, go for it!
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Now for my favorite Feta.
I was there for nearly six months and before I knew it, this chore of getting bread turned into a pleasant ritual.
"One bread with sesame, one tyropita please."
"One bread with sesame, one lahanopita please."
Walking out of that bakery onto a crowded Athenian street with a deliciously warm tyropita and a coffee at 8 a.m , to me, was heaven. The sun was still low and not torturing your skin. It was very comfortable. I'd grab an English paper at one of the many kiosks and I'd chill out and people watch on a park bench.
I'd bite into that pie and the savory tastes would hit my mouth: the egg , the cheese, the pastry... now this is a breakfast sandwich!
If you ever go to Greece, don't rip yourself off. Make your way to any of these bakeries and grab a tyropita, lahanopita, prassopita, galopita or whatever they're offering. If it has Feta cheese in it, go for it!
____________________________________________________________________________
Now for my favorite Feta.
This is by far the best: Dodoni Feta.
"Having won worldwide recognition for its quality, DODONI Feta is produced exclusively from pasteurized goat's and sheep's milk from the region of Epirus.
Tasty, nutritious, with its white colour and delicate scent, DODONI Feta is well-known for its high , consistent quality that has conquered Greek and foreign consumers and has been awarded by Greek and international institutions many times."
Is your mouth watering yet? Have you seen this Feta before at your local grocery store? Oh you have? Well aren't you lucky! I am miles and miles away from any Dodoni Feta. If you aren't near an urban center that has Dodoni, then you may be in luck with something similar I found at Costco recently.
It's a Greco-Canadian Feta made by Skotidakis Farms.
"Having won worldwide recognition for its quality, DODONI Feta is produced exclusively from pasteurized goat's and sheep's milk from the region of Epirus.
Tasty, nutritious, with its white colour and delicate scent, DODONI Feta is well-known for its high , consistent quality that has conquered Greek and foreign consumers and has been awarded by Greek and international institutions many times."
Is your mouth watering yet? Have you seen this Feta before at your local grocery store? Oh you have? Well aren't you lucky! I am miles and miles away from any Dodoni Feta. If you aren't near an urban center that has Dodoni, then you may be in luck with something similar I found at Costco recently.
It's a Greco-Canadian Feta made by Skotidakis Farms.
"Skotidakis Feta cheese has a crumbly, semi-soft texture and comes immersed in its brine solution to keep it young and fresh. Skotidakis Feta cheese is made from cows' and goats' milk, has distinctively sharp and quite tasty. Since Feta is packed in its brine solution, it often tastes saltier than it should. A simple way to unmask the real flavor of the cheese is to soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to remove the excess salt. It can be used for appetizers, salads, and cooking."
Notice the difference? Dodoni is made from goat and sheep's milk. The latter is made with cow and sheep's milk.
Skotidakis is also great Feta and good value. One of the Greek restaurants I used to work at in Montreal used to serve both of these: the Dodoni for the Greek salad, and Skotidakis for everything else.
Cheese please!
Notice the difference? Dodoni is made from goat and sheep's milk. The latter is made with cow and sheep's milk.
Skotidakis is also great Feta and good value. One of the Greek restaurants I used to work at in Montreal used to serve both of these: the Dodoni for the Greek salad, and Skotidakis for everything else.
Cheese please!
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