Maturation in wooden barrels gives this authentic Greek Feta a rich lasting flavour and soft crumbly texture.
Aphrodite Special Reserve Barrel-Aged Feta
Sheep & Goats Milk | Greece
Not all Greek Feta is mass produced commodity cheese.
Aphrodite Special Reserve Feta is a rare example of traditional Greek hand-crafted Feta, aged the old-fashioned way in beech wood barrels. Made from sheep and goat’s milk it ticks all the boxes for provenance and is the kind of Feta shepherds in Northern Greece once kept at home for personal use.
Until the 1950s barrel-aged Feta was common in Greece where it was sold straight from the barrel through a hole in the counter in small grocery stores! The traditional barrels were made of beech because this type of wood adds no additional flavours to the cheese and enables it to breathe and undergo a ‘secondary fermentation’ whilst stored in humid cellars. Fermentation is important to enhance the exquisite flavours found in this classic benchmark cheese, and encourages small holes to form in the moist crumbly texture.
European Union PDO regulations today only require Feta to be matured for three months, and there is no distinction between genuine barrel-aged cheese and modern industrial production. Consequently, extra mature barrel-aged Feta has almost disappeared, and the future of the few remaining coopers making the barrels is uncertain.
During a visit to Greece to film Cheese – Searching for a Taste of Place, we came across traditional Feta matured in the barrel for six months and were astounded by the difference the additional time made to both texture and flavour. The distinct milky flavours and lingering mild, yeasty finish was so good we decided to organise a special batch of aged Feta to share with our customers.
Aphrodite Special Reserve Feta is the result.
Produced on a seasonal basis and available in limited quantities it is a wonderful eating cheese, and excellent for cooking. We hope you will enjoy the difference.
Please note, this product is only available in Australia
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