Feta is a type of white cheese consisting of brined curd. Feta Cheese originated in Greece and is typically made from sheep’s milk or a combination of both goat and sheep’s milk. It is quite crumbly in texture that is aged. It takes about 3 months to completely finish the aging process. It is commonly made in blocks and is slightly grainy to the touch. Feta cheese is commonly used in salads and pastries and is also commonly used as a table cheese.
Feta Cheese is a staple element of Greek cuisine and it can be popularly found sprinkled over Greek salads and as part of dressings. It can even be a part of pastry fillings such as in ‘Spanakopita’, a famous Greek delicacy. The best and purest forms of Feta Cheese can be found in most parts of Europe and beyond.
Traditionally made Feta Cheese is a dairy-based product and is not suitable for the growing vegan population today. However, to cater to their needs as well, some companies have begun making their version of Feta Cheese from tofu and this makes it completely vegan-friendly. More vegans are beginning to use this tofu version of Feta Cheese as a substitute to the real one. There is also the soy Feta Cheese available for those who want to quit eating dairy products. However, these are only substitutes and cannot be considered the real thing.
Since Feta Cheese is considered a dairy product, most people tend to relate to it as a dairy product that is made out of cow milk. However, these days, many dairy products are seeing their origin from the milk of other mammals such as goat, sheep, buffalo, and others. Similarly, Feta Cheese is a table cheese that is primarily made out of the milk of sheep and/ or goat.
Thus, the real version of Feta Cheese is not made out of cow milk. Cow milk feta cheese versions can be seen on the market shelves, but this is not generally the real one! This is why it is important to read the labels on the packaging of the masquerading Feta Cheese. Another option is to get it straight from a dairy farm where they are generally true to their word. The purest form of Feta Cheese is dry, crumbly and is primarily full of crannies and nooks. Cow milk Feta Cheese, on the other hand, will tend to be a lot more sticky and silky in nature just like regular cheese.
As tasty as Feta Cheese may be, it is high in saturated fats as well as sodium and so consumption of this kind of cheese must be in proportions. It is also another reason as to why Feta Cheese is commonly used as a dressing or as part of the filling and in general, does not constitute the main ingredient of most of the dishes. Another thing to remember when consuming Feta Cheese is that all milk products will contain lactose and a common mistake made when diagnosing lactose intolerance is the lack of distinguishing between this particular condition and intolerance to cow milk protein specifically.
Feta Cheese is commonly touted to be a better and healthier type of cheese as compared to its partners and is thus being increasingly recommended by fitness experts. Since Feta Cheese is believed to have ‘good fats’, it continues to be consumed by those following diet plans. Thus, Feta Cheese is definitely a dairy product and must be chosen carefully. However, multiple versions of Feta Cheese are beginning to show up in the markets and this must be known when buying it.