When buying wholesale feta cheese, it is important to keep in mind that not all feta cheese on the market is authentic. Feta is one of the most recognisable cheeses in the world and might be the oldest type from Europe. It is the signature cheese of Greece and is an essential ingredient in classic recipes such as Greek salad, feta and watermelon salad and feta and spinach. Feta cheese is made from sheep’s milk cheese and sometimes with a little goat milk. It is then aged in wooden tins or barrels filled with brine.
How to know if it is authentic Greek feta
When purchasing PDO feta, it is important to look for the red PDO logo on the package of the cheese. This guarantees that the cheese is made from good quality sheep’s milk with an addition of up to thirty percent goat milk and that the sheep and goats have fed on the local flora where no insecticides and fertilisers are used and that it is produced in one of the seven areas of Greece namely Thrace, Epirus, Macedonia, Sterea Ellada, Peloponnese, Lesvos or Thessaly.
All other cheese may be in the Greek Feta style but will not be authentic feta cheese. Cows aren’t common in Greece because of the dry conditions but goats and sheep are. They graze on the wild plants that give their milk a particular flavour that is a balance of herbal notes and minerals. So make sure your wholesale food suppliers don’t lie about how they sourced their cheese.
Feta style cheeses
When it comes to other countries such as Bulgaria, France, Australia, Denmark and the US, feta cheese may be made with cow’s milk. The cheese may be aged for a shorter period than authentic feta from Greece. You will find that feta cheeses don’t have the same texture and flavour as real feta from Greece.
Purchasing and storing feta cheese
Do not purchase crumbled feta because you can easily crumble it. It is recommended to purchase feta cheese in packages and pieces with some brine as the feta will keep well if stored in brine. If you purchase feta cheese in a vacuum-packed plastic bag, you should transfer it to an airtight container with two spoons of salt dissolved in a glass of water. You can then adjust the salt content of the feta cheese by adding less or more salt to the brine.
Using feta cheese
Feta cheese is low in calories and fat compared to other types of cheese and it contains a very high amount of protein, phosphorus, B vitamins, and calcium. The Greeks eat feta cheese daily and it is part of the Mediterranean diet. It can be baked or fried, used as pasta and pizza, enjoyed with fruit salads or eggs and can also be made into luscious dips.
An easy and popular way to enjoy wholesale feta cheese is to bake it. You should place a thick slice of cheese and thin slices of bell pepper and tomato on a piece of foil placed into a packet and drizzle with quality olive oil and bake it at 350 degrees.