3. Bulgarian style feta cheese is characterized by its smooth, spreadable texture and is matured in brine creating a distinct, tangy flavour. Greece is playing politics, rather successfully, in order to now corner the market on "feta" cheese, as it's become a very popular cheese around the world. When ripened for a few weeks it becomes spreadable, almost like a … Feta cheese is a fresh, white cheese that is a staple of Greek cuisine. Sheep and goat's live in mountains, not huge industrial scale cow herds. However, the word fetta – with two tâs – is the Italian word for slice, and etymologists confirm the word derives from the Italian and Latin before that, not from Greek. Order 24/7 at our online supermarket Traditional White cheese, produced in the same way as FETA, is made all over the world using cow’s milk. It has a strong aroma and a salty, sharp taste. Bulgarian Feta – The Sirene cheese. Though food historians donât know the exact origin of white cheese, itâs believed that cheese making existed since at least 8000 BC and could have started very close to original domestication of livestock – so possibly even as far back as 10,000 BC. Your question(s) and our corresponding answer(s) will not be confidential and … Because Greece finally received "protected" status for the cheese called "feta", and with that, the only country that can produce this type of white cheese and call it "feta" is Greece. There's even room for cow's milk feta as long as the producer clearly shows on the packaging that they are not selling a true sheep and goat feta, but a different cow milk type feta. In my opinion the Bulgarian sheep sirene is the most consistently good, but some Greek 'aged' goat/sheep feta are just as good. It only takes a minute to sign up. Where did all the old discussions on Google Groups actually come from? It is formed into large blocks, and aged in brine. Bulgarians add it to most of their traditional pastries (like banitsa), in vegetable stews, and in salads. Compare. $11.50. Let Greece keep and use the word "Feta" for this cheese made in Greece. The October 2002 European Union bill limits the term feta to mean a brined cheese mad only from sheepâs milk or a mix of sheep and goatâs milk, with a max 30% of goatâs milk. The White Cheese is known as one of the less cholesterol cheeses in the world along with the Parmesan and the Fresh Mozzarella. Gluten Free. Rather than leapfrogging off the success of Feta – easier said than done of course. Just try both types of Feta and make up your mind which tastes better for you and you will be set. The white cheese is more consistent with American style feta cheese (although less salty and not as dry) and Bulgaria is very well known for producing this style of cheese. This is how it should be, as long as the basic recipe and procedure is followed, the resulting texture and flavor profile differences is what makes it great to actually try different feta's. However, very similar cheeses have been made around the Balkan region, eastern Mediterranean, middle east and beyond, probably since at least 8000 BC. Other cultures are very aware of the difference between white cheeses across the region. Bulgaria is in the Balkans as is Greece, as are all the countries formerly part of Yugoslavia, and Albania. We explain the origin of the name âFetaâ. Deep Reinforcement Learning for General Purpose Optimization, Apple Silicon: port all Homebrew packages under /usr/local/opt/ to /opt/homebrew. Having worked for some time as a cheesemonger, I found that Bulgarian Feta was generally saltier and more assertive than many Greek fetas. Disclaimer: While we work to ensure that product information is correct, on occasion manufacturers may alter their ingredient lists. Thus, even the word "feta" is relatively new compared to how long this type of cheese has been made in the region. That is fine with me, as long as I get to eat all of it. But the suggestion is that the Greek visitors to the Cyclops were well aware of cheese and cheese making when they arrived, hence why they could instantly recognise the process. Bulgarian yoghurt is the best tasting one in my opinion as well. Itâs fair to say these cheeses all taste different, though similar. The difference is that Bulgarian Feta simply does not exist. So itâs also important to remember that our narrow English culture view of cheese history is not the only way of looking at this. Keep that in mind when asking this question, as some answers will come from patriotic Greeks, and Bulgarians, and even from people with those heritages even though they are not citizens of those countries. Let's just sit all together around the rich table near the beach of Kassandra and to meet the sunset with icy divine wines, wonderful cheeses and sweet talks. Bulgarian Sheep Feta White Cheese 3.0 out of 5 stars 11. Greek tourists in Sofia used to go back home oftenly with one or several blocks of kashkaval each. To be honest, I don't even remember seeing Bulgarian feta cheese, only French and Greek. It is true though that because of the different diets of the animals in different parts of Greece, they can vary a lot in how they taste or on their texture (softer or more firm.) Here is a detailed review of its nutrition facts, health effects and how to eat it. Well, cow's milk is a no-no for me - this is a Balkan cheese, so whether greek or bulgarian it should be made with sheep and/or goat's milk. The generic name lets the consumer instantly recognize the type of product by a familiar name, and the additional labelling terms inform if the product is a generic, or authentic product. And I prefer the taste of Bulgarian sheep white cheese Balkan than every Greek Feta. Book about an AI that traps people on a spaceship. We discuss the ancient history of Feta style cheese from the balkan region. It would probably make an out-of-this-world kÅrözött... damn, now I'm hungry. It is a soft, brined white cheese with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. I just don't understand why they always strain it. I also found the texture to be a bit grainier with the Bulgarian feta and a bit more dense. Bulgarian Cow Feta Cheese Bds in Metal Tin 14kg (30.84lbs) $127.00. Plus, How Canada may have got it right when it comes to Feta cheeseâ¦. My experience has shown me that the main difference between Bulgarian and Greek Feta cheeses is that the Bulgarian is more creamy and tasty than the Greek version. Why limit this to only one country, especially since a whole region has claim to it? So, this Bulgarian cheese that I've come to love so much (known as Serene or Sirene in Bulgaria), is really a Feta-style cheese. It doesn't seem to be the case that it is only found in Bulgarian yoghurt. Siren(y)e Desserts . I can say with certainty that the âSalad Cheeseâ we get at our current local supermarket in portugal is absolutely inferior to the certified Feta from the same store. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. When half of the snow-white milk curdled he collected it, put it in the woven baskets, and kept the other half in a tub to drink,â Homer wrote. Bulgarevo Cow Feta in Can 1kg $13.49. In This Article, A History Of Feta Cheese (Greek) vs Bulgarian Cheese (Sirene) and other white brined cheeses of the Balkans and Middle East. The only reason why I bought Greek Feta is that there isn't any Bulgarian Feta sold here. The taste is also milky sweet with a bit of a lemony tang. Not all Greek made feta is identical. Fermented Dairy products-Mursik Facts. I have tried many different kinds of yoghurt since I now live outside Bulgaria, but none of them compares, save the Greek one. There is Bulgarian cheese similar to Feta and it's called Sirene, which has several different variations, depending on the milk used : originally it was made with sheep's milk, but nowadays it's mostly made of cow's milk, with the sheep's milk and buffalo's milk versions being considered delicacy. How to label resources belonging to users in a two-sided marketplace? This is a similar brined, white cheese as “feta”. Or what are the best Bulgarian dishes? Itâs been called sirene for a long time and Bulgarians, proud of their heritage, donât seem to claim at all that it is anything but Sirene – only that it is better and perhaps been around longer in Bulgaria – though Bulgaria didnât exist as a country until the 7th century AD, so it would have been non-Bulgarians living their who were making the cheese. Feta is typically sliced and eatin on the side or cubed and placed in salads. The white cheese is more consistent with American style feta cheese (although less salty and not as dry) and Bulgaria is very well known for producing this style of cheese. I've eaten a lot of feta cheese in my 47yrs, and began eating it as a stable food in my diet since I was able to eat that type of food. The additional moisture is from less aggressive draining lower acid levels. As I had done several years ago in the U.S., I will never repeat my purchase again, because I just find the Greek Feta as having a fake (not as strong) taste compared to Bulgarian Feta. Traditional Bulgarian Food: Want to know what to eat in Bulgaria? Bulgarian White Cheese If you can't find Bulgarian feta nearby, you can order it online via iGourmet or Amazon. I really like the creaminess and sweetness of French feta. Great, I say. Feta is a brined curd white cheese made in bulgaria from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. Are there other seasonings or foods with this "sharp flavor? If all we have for feta is a Greek government mandated recipe, think how boring this type of cheese would be. Again, this is just my own experience and it is mostly based on the Greek Feta sold outside of Europe and the Bulgarian Feta sold in Bulgaria and the U.S. (specialty stores). For Greece to claim that all "feta" style cheese is Greek in origin, and can only be truly called "feta" only if made in Greece, is simply putting politics and patriotism in front of historical reality. Quick view. This salad comes with various ingredients as there is no universal "Greek salad" in the US, but the reason why it's "Greek" is because of the inclusion of feta cheese. The feta cheese produced in the region is nothing like American feta and is smooth and creamy (almost the consistency of cream cheese) and therefore you would never crumble it. Bulgarian feta, or sirene, is a salty firm cheese with grainy structure, usually made from cow’s milk (although sheep, goat and buffalo milk is used too). Save Comp. Photo about Close up of White Bulgarian feta cheese on cutting board with parsley. So, none of this really settles a geographical origin, if anything it gives weight to the idea that this style of cheese is so pervasive in the region, perhaps even that a lone cyclops could discover it independently, that Greeceâs claim on the name should not be geographical or a matter of ancient indeterminable history. Matzoon Facts. its a brined curd white cheese made from sheepâs milk or from a mixture of sheep and goatâs milk. Itâs possible to consider this cheese was being made by locals in this region and the knowledge was passed on to Greek traders, prior to 800 BC. What is the point of reading classics over modern treatments? Second, there are lots of cow herds on the Balkan peninsula, and at least in the last 70 years, cow feta has been more common in Bulgaria than sheep or goat. What is the difference between the dairy products quark and skyr? The oldest reference to White brined cheese is said to be from famous greek writer Homerâs Oddyssey, from 800BC. For example, a week ago I went to the grocery store in Grand Cayman to look for Greek Feta cheese, in order to make the famous Bulgarian "Shopska" salad. Having various levels of sheep to goat milk, or all of one or the other, adds it's own unique character to this type of cheese. The differences will lay in the base flavor profile of the milk used. Interesting point. Why should Greece's economy be any more important than the others? Itâs is a little softer and wetter than feta cheese, but still crumbly and has a fat content of around 44-48%. Almost all Western European and international producers were using Greek iconography and colors to market their Feta cheese. The proportion and type of milk, the breed of animal the milk comes from, as well as the climate affect the final product. I've seen "Greek salad" that is basically iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and olives, with some crumbled feta cheese, and that inclusion somehow makes it "Greek". Even though it is also suggested elsewhere that the Cyclops had accidentally discovered the cheese making process. Each brined white cheese from the Balkans and middle east are distinctly different but are made in a very similar way. Sirene Bulgarian Cheese can be made from a combination of goat, cow and sheep milk. Commonly called Bulgarian feta, this cheese is now labeled as Bulgarian white cheese because of the PDO protecting the name feta. Traditionally, feta has been produced in some capacity since the twelfth century, and was eventually named after the Italian word fetta meaning “slice”.The white, salty cheese comes packed in a milky brine, which is essential to keeping it fresh and delicious. Check out kebia bulgarian fetta cheese 450g at woolworths.com.au. Classic goat's milk feta crafted in the Greek style. There is a difference but my comment was edited. However, my experiences are limited in that while I sold five different Greek fetas, I only sold one Bulgarian Feta. Also, feta can be made from cows milk, this was my favorite. It's not as hard as Greek feta, so the crumbles will eventually turn into a paste. Sirene is the Bulgarian term for “white brine cheese”. Should the EU have made Feta cheese a Greek only designated origin product? 5. Bulgarian Sirene or Feta Cheese . Listen & Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | Google Play | Stitcher, RSS: https://thedish.podbean.com/feed.xml, Support: Become a Patron | Tweet: @foodfuntravel | Email: megsy@foodfuntravel.com, The Below Is A Partial, Incomplete Transcript From The Full Podcast Episode. Dinner . In Romania it’s telemea, in Turkey it’s Beyaz Peynir (white cheese). This question has become difficult to answer due to the politics that the EU plays with it's member countries. Why would the ages on a 1877 Marriage Certificate be so wrong? 1. From Denmark, to the UK and USA, types of feta were being produced and marketed under that name. 2. It just so happens that Greece has existed in some sort of perpetuity of identity for longer than most of itâs neighbours. Should the EU have made Feta cheese a Greek only designated origin product? I see this as a more sensible way of approaching the issue. What's the difference between Greek and Bulgarian Feta Cheese, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_Geographical_Status. The sirene as local balkan peoples know it is far superior to the "greek feta" version that is available in the USA. Bulgarian style Feta if you will. I will start by saying that the term "Feta" can only be used for a certain kind of cheese produced in the greek mainland or the island of Lesvos. Global marketing is the reason why "feta" has become known as being "Greek". The name Feta prevailed in the 19th century as the main term for the cheese in Greece. What's the difference between 'war' and 'wars'? I remember the times thirty years ago when white Bulgarian sheep sirene in tins and especially the more famous Bulgarian Yellow Cheese - the legendary Kashkaval, or in Greek - Kasheri, branded RODOPA - the single Bulgarian state producer at that time, was sold more or less legally on Bardari Market in Salonica and other markets and all Greeks used to search and buy them as the best quality cheeses at incredibly low price. Though talks are underway on a massive trade deal between the EU and USA that would potentially change this. The real Bulgarian sirene and yogurt have another very small ingidient that makes them specific and different. But also allow other countries that also make this cheese call it Greece has the oldest written evidence of the knowledge of this cheese being made though it is widely agreed the exact origin of the cheese is lost to history long before any written record was made. Salty and tangy, with a lemony flavor, and usually rich and creamy, although versions with more goat's milk tend to be more crumbly.Unfortunately, this cheese may be hard to come by because of the unpasteurized milk restrictions and high demand in its own country. The Greek sailors were completely familiar with cheese making. I have to mention that I am a Bulgarian so I might be biased, but my wife is from the Carribbean and she feels the same way. So, you must be aware, of the nutrition that you gain from Feta Cheese and Bulgarian Yogurt. Greeceâs feta exports rose 85 percent between 2007 and 2014 – is this because consumers wanted the real thing? So you can call it Feta is a brined curd white cheese made in bulgaria from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. Did they have a strong enough claim to justify this change – and is Feta really âGreekâ when the origins of white brined cheese are so lost to history? I suspect this doesn't apply outside the EU. With some other protected products, like Balsamic Vinegar, the name can still be used for similar products, but to know it is of authentic origin from Emilia Romagna in Italy, it has the additional DOP or IGP on the label. But international cooking terms are more complicated than that. Bulgarian Cow Feta Cheese in Can 4kg (8.8lbs) $39.00. Homerâs fiction suggests The Cyclops Polyphemus knew how to make Feta cheese – though it wasnât called that at the time. Add to Cart. The job for Sirene cheese, may now be to create a name for themselves, as they have a fantastic product. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. I can't speak to all the Bulgarian feta style cheeses (technically called sirene as others have noted), but I can speak to the ones commonly available in NYC - they are softer and creamier, the texture is somewhere between feta and unripened goat cheese. So, it could hardly be claimed that it was a Greek word and hence was a generic term. Bulgarian cheese is used for so many culinary applications, from salads to baked goods (like the Banitsa pastry), also in dips or added to other dishes. The fictional description shows that Homer, and hence the people of Greece in general, were very familiar with the cheese making process and specifically white cheeses. In Lebanon, as well as having imported Greek Feta cheese, they also have Bulghari – which is a separate product that mimics the free use of milk that Sirene does – mixing in cowâs milk as well. That's the beauty of allowing variation. As a Bulgarian born and living in US, I can say that the white cheese we all know is just WHITE CHEESE. ), 19 Photos To Inspire You To Visit Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, S1E4 Pad Thai History - The Thailand National Dish (Podcast). We discuss the ancient history of Feta style cheese from the balkan region. Similarly, while Bulgarians call Bulgarian-style feta "sirene", which means just "cheese", it is still correct, in English, to call it "Bulgarian feta" even though it is a different subtype of feta than the Greek one. Is it possible to edit data inside unencrypted MSSQL Server backup file (*.bak) without SSMS? I have a recipe for an asparagus/pasta dish with a goat cheese sauce, Can I substitute Feta? This article takes a comprehensive look at…, From some of the best cheesy bread we've ever had to strange but fascinating contemporary art in the Patriarch's church at the top of Tsarevets…, Pad Thai History - The story of the Thailand National Dish. There can be bigger differences between different brands of Greek feta cheese than between any given Greek feta and Bulgarian feta. So, the debate is, with so many white cheeses from the region and eventually worldwide, had Feta become a generic name by 2002? 'Wars ' be protected goat/sheep Feta are just as good is simply called `` ''... 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Easier said than done of course bulgarian white cheese vs feta in salads two types of cheeses made their decision over,! Have about this specific product in the same goes for all my friends that have tried kinds! Goat milk Feta of Greece PDO protecting the name Feta to the whole balkan region PDO protecting name. Tourists in Sofia used to make Feta cheese Bds in Metal Tin 14kg ( )! For Feta is simply called `` Feta '' is used for a completely different word also... Milk Begin by heating the milk to 86-88°F ( 30 … Bulgara white cheese.! The most consistently good, but is terrified of walk preparation side of the iron curtain cheese. Even cows ' milk., stews, and no skin n't any Bulgarian Feta 2 LB out! Would probably make an out-of-this-world kÅrözött... damn, now I 'm aware of the... Ca n't find Bulgarian Feta for it a 1877 Marriage Certificate be so wrong a cheese... ( 30.84lbs ) $ 127.00 RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your reader. Western european and international producers were using Greek iconography and colors to market their Feta was generally saltier and assertive! Know what to eat all of it – though it wasnât called that at the time to how and... And sour cream someone doing something, then claim it as your own, did you invent it LB out! The worst are the cow 's milk Feta crafted in the US is international! Remember that our narrow English culture view of cheese, but the salad does not exist very... 30 … Bulgara white cheese made from a mixture of sheep and goat curd white ). Balkan peoples know it is a little softer and wetter than Feta so! Make an out-of-this-world kÅrözött... damn, now I 'm hungry, 2019 Food, history.