A journey from the mountain pastures to our table. Farms in the mountains of Pindos, cheese makers with a rich history and tradition, and renowned protected designation of origin (PDO) cheeses that we can’t get enough of.
The picturesque region of Pindos is synonymous with animal husbandry, with its lush grazing fields serving as a second home to nomadic shepherds and their flocks. It’s no wonder that the unique dairy products produced here are a favorite among cheese lovers in Greece and beyond. Small and large villages at the foothills and slopes of the mountain range have a centuries-long tradition of animal husbandry.
High-quality goat and cow milk, pure butter, and a wide variety of unique and flavorful cheeses are produced exclusively from breeds of animals raised in the areas surrounding the largest mountain range in Greece. One of these areas is undoubtedly Grevena, one of the most mountainous regions in the country, with a large portion of the Northern Pindos National Park and Valia Calda, vast forests, and rushing rivers giving it a unique character. There, the production of dairy products is the core of the livestock farming activity, with large and small farms and dairies supplying the daily milk collected under often difficult conditions.
The selected cheeses that make their way to our tables are made based on traditional recipes and methods, crafted with love and passion. Kasseri, Kefalograviera, Manouri, Kefalotyri, Anthotyro, Myzithra, as well as lesser-known Anevato, goat, and batzos cheeses, and of course, the queen of Greek cheese, the top-quality Feta PDO, are the pride of Grevena’s cheesemakers. Two of these cheese-making operations welcomed us into their facilities and proved that when tradition is followed with respect, and the raw ingredients are pure and fresh, the taste and quality are guaranteed.
At the Siafarikas Cheese Factory, the fourth generation of cheese makers continues a family tradition that dates back to 1930. It all started with the great-grandfather of the current owner, Vasilis Siafarikas, who raised his own cattle in Trikala and made butter that could be preserved without refrigeration in underground cellars. He also oversaw five other cheese production units in the mountainous villages of Pindos, where “baski” was made from the cheese curds before the final step of cheese making. The “baski” was made by mixing milk with rennet, heating the mixture in kettles, and straining the curdled milk to tighten it. The “baski” was then transported to the central cheese factory in Grevena to become “kasari” cheese.
The black and white vintage photos that Mr. Siafarikas shows us in his current dairy speak for themselves. Simple, smiling people stand proudly next to the cheese they have made, while their grandfather always stands by their side, proud of his family and their cheese. These photos take us back to the third generation, which is now based in Grevena and has added feta and manouri to its repertoire. These products are still made in today’s modern facilities using traditional methods, without any processing to remove the milk fat.
Now, in addition to feta and manouri, they also produce sheep and goat’s milk graviera, xynotyri, anthotyro, and sweet myzithra. Their PDO manouri, with its wonderful buttery finish, has won a silver award at the 2nd Greek Cheese Competition, and as we have tasted on site, it is amazing with honey from the forests of Pindos. Of course, the tasty PDO Grevena feta and the white goat, sheep, and cow’s milk cheeses could not be missing. Of the six different white cheeses produced at Siafarikas Dairy, two – feta and goat’s milk – are organic.
As we step inside the facilities of the Siapharikas cheese factory, we immediately notice that traditional methods are being followed in the production of cheese. The cheese is allowed to naturally strain and set at its own pace using the chandila method. Watching the cheeses being strained on cloths, we learn from people who truly enjoy what they do, that the P.D.O. feta is made from a blend of 70% sheep and 30% goat milk, set in molds and salted with dry salt for a duration of 20 hours. For the white, country-style cheeses, wet salting is used, allowing them to “swim” in brine for the same duration.
Regarding the milk, which requires four liters to yield one kilogram of cheese, it is collected daily or every other day, depending on the production schedule, and the quantity that arrives at the factory determines the daily output. The factory sources milk from 50 livestock farmers from Grevena and Kozani, three of whom we had the pleasure of visiting at their farms, observing them tending to their sheep and cows, some with more traditional and others with more modern methods, under difficult conditions at times, but always with care and love for their animals.
Address: 25th Martiou 6, Grevena – Telephone: 24620 22551.
The Kouréllas Cheese Dairy, with the slogan “Eat like a Greek” and bold steps, not only evolved the traditional cheese dairy from 1960, but also proves that our national cheese can even star in gourmet dishes. The recipe for creating their most representative cheese, feta, has not changed in 63 years: fresh sheep and goat milk, without any additives. This rule also applies to the cheesemaking of other cheeses – cow’s milk graviera, low-fat goat or goat cheese, manouri, anevato (which has also achieved PDO status), cow and goat milk anthotyro, myzithra, PDO kasseri and kefalotyri, and delicious saganaki cheese in a skillet, also PDO.
While the founder of the cheese dairy, Mr. Christos Kouréllas, knew the recipe for top-quality feta, his two sons, Socrates and Theodore, who are now at the helm of the business, have led it down new, pioneering paths. Proof of this is that in 1996, it became the first company in Greece to produce organic dairy products, certified in Germany. Since then, one surprise follows another, so next to the barrel-aged sheep and goat feta, all PDO, we also find the corresponding organic versions, and all other cheeses are now also produced organically, including vegan options with white cheeses, spreads, and cheeses suitable for different types of cooking.
The valuable raw material, the milk used in the production of their cheeses, comes from their own farm of 200 cows or other certified organic farms of sheep and cows. In addition, collaborating livestock breeders from the wider region of Western Macedonia are trained by the Kourellas dairy industry to maintain high standards of animal nutrition and hygiene. This has also been achieved with the creation of their own animal feed company without genetically modified organisms. And as one can see by tasting their cheeses, each of these significant actions has a real impact on both their quality and taste.
Luckily for us, the end recipients of these delicious ideas, the innovations don’t stop here. A unique feta bar in Greece is their exciting new idea for promoting authentic feta and presenting the countless ways it can be cooked and enjoyed. This idea was realized within the cheese store and delicatessen of Thessaloniki. The Mia Feta Feta Bar is the place that will surprise you with its menu and original ideas for you to try feta in ways you never imagined, but also where you can taste the other cheeses of the family.
What about a risotto with tsounati and feta followed by a tiramisu with anthotyro? Or a glass of wine accompanied by a variety of cheeses and some black olive cookies filled with feta cream? Or – since it’s winter – a velvety graviera soup as a first course, followed by ravioli with feta, mushrooms, and truffle sauce, and for dessert, feta panna cotta with figs and tomato jam? All recipes are creative and original, the dairy products come fresh every day from Grevena, and even the other ingredients of the dishes come from small, Greek producers, sold in the delicatessen so that you can easily create similar dishes at home.
Cheese store: 1st km Grevena – Megarou, Grevena – Phone: 24620 87150
Mia Feta Feta Bar: Pavlou Mela 14, Thessaloniki – Phone: 2310 221120
And a small gastronomic tip: Apart from the excellent feta, manouri, and kasseri that you must try when visiting Grevena, don’t miss the relatively unknown batzo cheese. The slightly spicy, salty cheese that is closely associated with the nomadic shepherds of the mountainous regions becomes delicious fried chese saganaki either breaded or accompanying an eggs/tomato kagiana.
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