| Cheese. Just a mere mention of the word and | | | | done to lower the salinity of feta cheese and |
| one would think of sumptuous appetizers or | | | | how this has significantly improved its |
| meals served with them. Cheese, when served | | | | nutritional value. The conclusion was, it has |
| with wine, depicts impeccable taste and | | | | good and bad points. The good: it is a |
| class. Here is but one of the many varieties | | | | superior source of riboflavin, protein, |
| of cheeses: Meet the Feta Cheese. | | | | calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin B12. The bad: |
| | | | it has a high cholesterol and sodium content. |
| Feta (from the Italian word 'fetta' meaning | | | | It comes with high saturated fat. |
| 'slice') is actually cheese curd in brine | | | | |
| solution. It takes at least three months to | | | | Another downside to eating feta cheese: |
| make feta. When it is removed from the | | | | pregnancy would not allow feta cheese |
| solution, this type of cheese dries up | | | | consumption. Since feta is made from |
| immediately. Milk from goats, sheep or cow | | | | unpasteurized milk and comes in soft, it may |
| can be used to make this. | | | | contain a type of bacteria called Listeria. |
| | | | Although Listeria registers symptoms like |
| The color of Feta cheese is white. It is | | | | that of the common flu and can be tolerated |
| usually formed into four-sided cakes that can | | | | by adults, it is highly fatal to fetuses. |
| either be soft or semi-hard. Its salty flavor | | | | |
| can be adjusted to suit the taste of the | | | | Could you take another bad news? It is very |
| maker. | | | | difficult to get the real thing in the |
| | | | country. Since it is highly consumable in |
| Traditionally, in Greece, feta cheese is made | | | | Greece and because of the restriction on |
| with just goat's milk or a combination of | | | | importing products made with unpasteurized |
| goat's and sheep's milk. They are first | | | | milk, Americans can have a taste of feta |
| salted as a slab, then sliced, then salted | | | | through commercial counterparts. Although the |
| once more before it is subjected to | | | | commercial feta cheeses are inferior in most |
| maturation process. | | | | aspects, at least they are the closest we |
| | | | could get to feta taste. If you are looking |
| Other countries that make feta cheese | | | | for the 'original' cheese, then be prepared |
| include: Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, | | | | to pay exorbitant fees! |
| Ukraine, Romania, Iran, Australia, Denmark, | | | | |
| Germany and many other countries. Although | | | | Enough with the bad. There are more good to |
| feta is called differently in each country, | | | | this type of cheese than the occasional bad. |
| the process of manufacturing it is the same. | | | | Feta cheese is used in a lot of sumptuous |
| | | | recipes which stimulate the taste buds and it |
| The first historic record of feta cheese was | | | | is highly-incorporated in most Greek meals. |
| during the Byzantine time. One Italian who | | | | Here are a few recipes that you could |
| visited Candia (in 1494) made a vivid | | | | research online: |
| description of the brine solution used in | | | | |
| making feta cheese. Additional records are | | | | 1. Chunky guacamole (or Guacamole Picado) |
| those of Balkan peasants who made it either | | | | |
| with sheep's or goat's milk. | | | | 2. Goat Cheese Patties |
| | | | |
| Nowadays, cow's milk can be used to make feta | | | | 3. Feta and Ricotta Cheese Fondue |
| cheese. The processes involved are: curdling | | | | |
| of the milk with rennet, separation and | | | | 4. Greek Scramble |
| draining of the curd, putting salt on the | | | | |
| blocks of curd, slicing the slabs which are | | | | 5. Lamb and Olive Balls |
| then salted once more. | | | | |
| | | | 6. Lemony Artichokes with Feta and Oregano |
| Feta is usually used in making salads and is | | | | |
| much tastier when combined with tomatoes, | | | | 7. Lobster bundles |
| olives and green vegetables. One can store | | | | |
| feta cheese indefinitely because of the salt | | | | 8. Mediterranean Feta Cheese Dip |
| solution. A wise tip: if you want to reduce | | | | |
| the saltiness of the cheese, soak feta first | | | | 9. Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Roasted Garlic, |
| in milk or water (just for a few minutes) | | | | Feta and Basil Leaves |
| before eating. | | | | |
| | | | 10. Spinach Triangles (Spanakopita) |
| Now here is some important nutritional | | | | |
| information: it contains 30-60% fat of which | | | | Aren't the recipes enough to convince you |
| 45% is fat from milk. The caloric content is | | | | that there is more good to feta cheese than |
| 100 calories per small slice. Whether that's | | | | bad? If you're not convinced and would want |
| good or bad for you is a question you need to | | | | to decline a nice meal with feta in it, then |
| ask your nutritionist. | | | | believe me, you're definitely missing one |
| | | | half of your life! |
| There were actually some studies that were | | | | |