Goat’s milk is the main ingredient used to make Feta Cheese. This is a white cheese that is quite salty. It has been the main source of cheese products in Greece for the past several thousand years. Feta Cheese is considered to be the legal asset of the Greek culture.
According to the history books Feta Cheese was the very first kind ever made. It is produced through a process involving curing the milk and adding salt. It is then placed in water or whey for at least a three month period of time.
In 2002 the European Commission agreed that he claim Greece was making for retaining the name Feta Cheese was legitimate. They are the only European country that can sell it with that name. Of course other countries including Denmark, France, and Germany aren’t too happy about this decision. Denmark exports 20,000 metric tons of Feta Cheese annually but they have to apply a different name to it. Greece makes almost 100,000 metric tons annually but they don’t export it – all of it is used domestically.
Many people are more upset over the Feta Cheese decision than when the European Commission decided to protect the name of the Champagnes Italian Parma Ham and Newcastle Brown Ale. Denmark is still battling the Feta Cheese decision in the courts and has been for more than 13 years now.
There stand is that they have been successfully making Feta Cheese for decades. However the Greeks are able to prove their heritage and Feta Cheese being made by their ancestors during the time of Homer and Ancient Greece. In fact some of the well known myths in Greek mythology talk about Feta Cheese. In one story a Cyclop by the name of Polyphemus carries milk from his sheep on a trip. As the days pass he discovers the milk has turned into cheese.
One reason the Greek’s give for wanting to protect Feta Cheese is that they believe it should only be made from sheep or goat milk. They are offended that Denmark and other countries are making it from cow milk. They also feel their sheep and goats are raised in better conditions on the land in Greece where they can eat all the flowers and grass they desire.
Regardless of the controversy surrounding the making of Feta Cheese it continues to be a favorite not only in Greece but all over the world. Should Denmark have to stop exporting Feta Cheese their economy would suffer.
