Or scroll down to learn more about how feta cheese is made. The cheesemaker adds rennet to coagulate the milk, producing a curd that is separated from the whey and pressed into molds to drain off excess moisture. The feta is then cut into smaller blocks, salted and dried for a few days, and submerged in a salt brine where it stays for several weeks or months.
When the cheese is ready for consumption, it is cut up, shipped, and sold still in its brine, typically in a plastic container. Feta will dry out fairly quickly, even when refrigerated, which is why it should be also be stored in its briny liquid. While feta cheese made in Greece is typically made with sheep's milk or with a combination of sheep's and goat's milk, many manufacturers in the US make feta with cow's milk.
When making cheese at home , feta is a popular choice because it does not need to be aged for very long. In fact, many homemade recipes can produce a tasty feta within a couple of days. Like burrata, goat cheese, or ricotta, feta cheese is one of a number of fresh cheeses that are not aged long enough to develop cheese rinds. Additionally, feta is continually submerged in brine, preventing a rind from forming.
Burrata cheese is another fresh cheese. Burrata is made with a shell of soft mozzarella that's filled with cream and fresh mozzarella curd. How is feta cheese made in Wisconsin? The short answer: fabulously. The long answer: by expert cheesemakers who have been perfecting old-world recipes and innovating new cheese varieties for years. Since before we were even a state, cheesemakers from all over the world were settling in Wisconsin and replicating the recipes from their homelands.
This expertise, when paired with the amazing milk from our fertile dairyland, is responsible for producing more flavors, styles, and varieties of cheese than anywhere else.
And for winning more awards for cheese than any other state or country in the world. Today, our cheesemakers make feta cheese just as it's made in Greece — but with cow's milk for a slightly less assertive and gamy flavor. This article takes a close look at feta cheese, detailing the types of milk it contains and explaining how it compares to goat cheese.
Feta cheese is made by adding lactic acid bacteria to milk to sour the milk and initiate fermentation. Once the curds are completely separated from the whey, the curds are cut into small blocks and placed into similarly shaped molds.
After 24 hours, the feta blocks are removed from the molds, salted, and placed into wooden or metal containers for aging. A few days later, the feta blocks are once again transferred into new containers that contain a liquid salty brine. The feta remains in the liquid brine to age for at least another 2 months or sometimes longer. Feta is made by separating and curing curds from milk using bacteria and enzymes.
The main difference between feta and goat cheese is the type of milk that each contains. Feta cheese is shaped into blocks during production and sometimes has small shallow holes throughout, creating a slightly grainy texture. On the other hand, goat cheese is often shaped into a log, a wheel, or cut into a triangular block. The cheese may or may not have an edible rind. How hard or soft feta is can vary. Hard feta should crumble easily while a soft feta will be more spreadable.
Goat cheese also varies in how hard or soft, and stiff or crumbly it is. These similarities between feta and goat cheese sometimes cause them to be mistaken for one another. Some cheese is also rich in fatty acids, including conjugated linoleic acid CLA — a group of fats that research suggests may have benefits, including prevention of heart disease and a reduction of body fat 4 , 5.
Both feta and goat cheeses may contain CLA. However, the production processes used and the length of time for which the cheeses are ripened and aged may affect how much CLA is retained in the final product 6 , 7. Still produced in its place of origin, Feta gets its characteristics from the regions around central Greece. Similarly, other variants of white cheese get their flavour from local ingredients and surroundings. Each pasture offers distinct qualities of both flavour and texture, making each variant unique to its region and country.
While white cheeses do not melt in the same manner as most other cheeses e. Pair any white cheese with fresh fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, grapes and red bell pepper, adding rich drizzles of olive oil to garnish.
Remaining virtually unchanged since its invention, the production of original Feta is devoted to tradition and quality. When the milk thickens, the curd is cut and placed to drain off excess whey in a mould.
Once firm, it is cut anew, salted and set in barrels, soaking up flavours and aromas for several days. This prepares the cheese for maturation in brine for a period of more than a few weeks. Usually sold in blocks, the Feta is shipped sealed or in tubs containing some of the brine. This ensures that the cheese stays fresh and full-bodied right up until use. There are no additives in the traditional method of making white cheese, making it suitable for those who are gluten intolerant, but labels should always be checked before consumption.
Whether the dish calls for sharp zests or added depth, white cheese provides a wide array of different nuances in flavour and texture.
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