Are you buying 'Real' Feta Cheese at the grocery store? 

Yes please

Unfortunately, the extra virgin olive oil you buy at the grocery store is most likely rancid, unless you’re buying from a specialty store.

What irritates me, olive oil... Nothing but olive oil. What the fuck is with 20 different brands of olive oil but a single avocado oil, generic "vegetable oil", and if you're lucky a single type of peanut oil. So many grocers do this crap.

A lot of Extra virgin olive oil is a fake. Mixed with refined olive olis and artificially coloured. It's a world wide problem.

Dang I would love to see something similar with oils too!

My dream is to go to Greece one day. I hope someday it happens 🤩

Yeah the cows milk variety is called salad cheese where I come from

well thats your opinion. cow style feta or salt brined cheese call it whatever you want is made all across the balkans. People just make cheese with whatever animals they have. My family used to have sheep and cow and made cheese of both. Just because sheep feta is more famous doesn't make it better than anything else lmao

debt

@@artan. It's not just their opinion, in Europe you literally can't call it "feta" if it isn't the real deal.

feta, olive oil, oregano. that's like the holly trinity. went through a phase where i would eat just that after school.

wtf no greeks eat this, we dont eat pita in our homes

@@theodosioskantasmd7388 you sit on a throne of lies!

Brine is boiled water and salt just make it yourself lol. If i am bored i do not boil the water, it would not last as long but is is the same thing boiling kills the bacteria in the water.

@@chicomarlin1246 born and lived my whole life in greece...we eat psomi not pita in our homes...when we go out for souvlaki we eat the pita...

I'm glad Dodoni has gone full circle. I grew up in greece and it used to be really good. Then for a while it went downhill in taste and quality, but now like a full 12 years later it sounds like it came back. Gonna have to try and get some.

Δωδωνη=dodoni

It's my favourite feta! I will eat other brands, but Dodoni is my household standard! Lidl has it too, often in discount :D

Great choice of Feta ,..dodoni is making a real effort in the past few years

Dodoni is magical.

In Denmark the fake stuff is literally sold as "Salattern", or translated, "Salad cubes".

This is one of the major issues with the Australian-EU Free Trade Agreement. Greece is trying to 'regional brand' the Greek word for cheese. The largest Greek community outside Greece is quite grumpy about this, as they have been making it according to their family recipes since emigrating in the 1950s.

@@TheGfxJG In Sweden the same product is called Apetina. It's thanks to Arla only real Greek Feta can be sold as Feta. They launched this product in the 90's as Feta - leading to Greece getting mad and us getting these rules.

@@brendanrobertson5966 that’s their issue 🤷🏻‍♂️ I prefer it this way

In Bulgaria we just call it "white cheese" or just "cheese", it's a big part of the everyday cuisine and only the Greek stuff is called feta

It's a European protected name , this is centralized for all of Europe . I can't create any cheese and call it feta.

Feta cheese is first attested on Homer's Odyssey. I don't know the exact details but i know that when they registered it as european protected name they used a passage from the Odyssey as evidence

It’s pretty common here in Europe. You’ll find hundreds of regulated names for traditional food. Parmigiano, Roquefort, Blue Stilton, Manchego, many cheeses can only be named as such if they’re from the region and made under certain processes and ingredients. Even in some food you probably wouldn’t expect, like German pumpernickel or Spanish nougat. It’s a great thing for the consumer, as you know just by the label that the product will have a minimum quality. And if you want a cheaper product you can buy the imitation, you always have an alternative. I think it’s a great way to preserve the culture and help the industry to keep higher standards. If you buy “Parmesan” in the US, you don’t know if it will meet expectations (unless you buy something with the Parmigiano EU label). In Europe, you can’t call it Parmesan unless it’s the real one.

@@quentindesca281 I was just gonna say, we have strict rules on product naming… if it ain't cutting it, you can't call it that… same goes for olive oil, parmeggiano reggiano, Champagne and so on

@@AlexandreBFK it's not about the quality of the product, it's only about where it has been made. The rule is called PDO - Protected Destination of Origin, so only feta made in Greece can be actually called feta.

I don’t know how it is now with Brexit, but until recently, the UK had to follow EU regulation. So you only had to look for the EU label and you could know it was feta.

@@jmiquelmb its exactly the same

debt

My favorite I've found in the UK so far is Yamas brand. It has PDO certification.

I am greek! And i love cheese like feta!

Hahahahaha

I prefer to use my slates on the roof, can't stand getting food served up on a slate or a piece of wood

Right, what self-proclaimed foodie does this. lmao

I know I'd love that

Pleaseeeeee ethannnn

Dude seriously. Understanding cheese differences would be a lifelong fundamental benefit. I'd watch the hell out of that.

Yes pleaseee

YESSS

This is interesting because there's a Greek cafe near where I live (in Scotland) that sells tiropita which is described as being made of 'feta and white cheese'. I found this confusing, because feta IS a white cheese, in the literal sense. Thanks for clearing it up!

@@fgaze72 don't sweat it. Its cheaper this way and a tiny bit lighter for the stomach

@@fgaze72 Feta is a white cheese, but not all white cheeses are Feta :D

Hi, I am confused. Is vegan white cheese is plant based or you're calling yourself vegan by mistake instead of vegetarian? I follow plant based diet. What plant based greek cheese would you recommend? Thanks.

@@fgaze72 i am vegan. My family aren't. So they consume white cow cheese, but i make a concoction of tofu vinegar and spices as long as buying actual VEGAN cheese

Yep, I was cringing everytime he was touching the cheese and brine with his fingers. Great tip 👍🏾

Did not know this. Always reached in before. The brine wouldn't kill bacteria? But good to know, from now on.

Bacteria can't live in brine. That's why it's a preservative. Sheesh.

@@theveyron164 The brine would generally halt the growth of any introduced bacteria, yes. It's one of those things where it's a good idea to use a fork or whatever, but if you use your hand it's going to be fine.

Try Bulgarian Feta. I'm Greek, and I love it.

@@lilliehalumi8770 There is no "Bulgarian" Feta, Feta is a Greek cheese and since you are Greek, you should know about it. I guess you are talking about a Bulgarian cheese that has a similar style to Feta.

@@scarfacegr5 imagine gatekeeping feta to a Greek. Lmfao clown

Don’t believe it for a minute

@@ChaosSwissroIl I merely stated facts. What you make out of them (or you don't) is your concern...

​@@ChaosSwissroIl Ever had lamb from Greece and Wales? Same animal, wildly different taste. Had milk from a pasture-grazing grass-fed cow and a grain-fed cow confined in a tiny stall? A Cabernet Sauvignon wine with grapes grown in France and one with grapes grown in China? Same fruit, same variety, very different results. Where the animals have been raised makes a difference. What they have been fed makes a difference. Where their food has been grown makes a difference. Then, you have the difference between craftsmen. If you and I make the same dish, chances are they won't taste the same, even if we follow the same recipe. How I like to season may not be how you like to season. Maybe I want to add that extra pinch of salt. Maybe I want to pick a more peppery olive oil and you like a sweeter/fruitier one. Maybe I like to boil my pasta 2 minutes longer and you like to keep them al dente. Does that mean you can't make a cheese similar to feta in another part of the world if you follow the same guidelines? Obviously not, it exists and it's called white cheese or feta-style cheese or anything in between. It can be delicious, it might be cheaper and if it covers your needs, more power to you. I like certain bubbly wines far more than I like the region-protected Dom Perignon champagne. And they are much cheaper, score! But I don't have any kind of internal need to call them champagne nor do I feel like I am the victim of some big corporation conspiracy that wants to take away my rights to claim I am having champagne. Call my bubbly wine "Princess Consuella Bananahamock III" and I will still cheerfully consume it any day of the week over Dom Perignon and laugh my way to the second bottle I can easily afford over splurging on the single one of "the real stuff". However, not all bubbly wines are made the same but when I get champagne, I expect certain things, which I am guaranteed to get if they are called champagne. And I can understand that Dom Perignon is not the same as Moët Impérial, even though they are both champagnes. Same way I understand my Dr. Martens made in England are not the same as my Dr. Martens from their factory in China. They look the same... they are called the same... They are definitely not the same and I do wish they weren't called the same, cause I paid the price for what the UK-made Martens used to mean in terms of quality, but got their far inferior but equally expensive Chinese version. All the above would explain why while only a specifically made cheese made in a specific part of the world can be called feta, there can still be a difference between different manufacturers of that specific cheese in that specific region of the world. Hope it helps. I am personally not that concerned about the stifling of all producers of white cheese in the world nor of the sparkling wine-makers nor of those who make Parmesan cheese and can't call it Parmigiano Reggiano. They seem to be doing ok.

I grew up with Dodoni. Φakin Xell the best Feta ever.

My mom does this all the time. Took me a while to figure out that the brine was the reason that I couldn't keep my feta lasting as long as her's.

This is a great idea! I think I saw they use a 10% brine for anyone doing metric.

Thank you!

This is a great idea. The other benefit is that you can control the saltiness of your feta. After a couple days, the cheese will reach equilibrium with your brine.

That was also my immediate thought since I do it all the time. You can also further modify the flavour profile by changing the saltiness of the brine. Low to no salt will drain salt from the cheese, not last as long but still longer than exposed to air. High salt will increase saltiness and I sometimes add some chilli for an interesting kick. But Feta is not really an ideal vessel for flavour so unless you want to surprise people just make a flavoured oil.

Indeed.

Does it taste as fresh as ricotta? Even though it's main whey protein, there's a difference between siero and water + whey

@@Serena-or7sl because water + whey is not naturally acidic like siero, the acid added to the water + whey primarily influences freshness. I have not experimented with different acids yet, and primarily used distilled white vinegar for a proof of concept. Maybe acid from citrus fruits produce a fresher cheese?

Go better first to Greece before Germany 😂

@@Tenerisius They are not that far apart. It shouldn't be too hard to find genuine Greek feta imported to Germany in Germany.

una faccia una razza

❤️

We love our Italian brothers

Was going to comment saying the lack of pickled onions was disturbing.. but I failed to notice them in the background. Thanks for your service, what would we do without you!

@@stone5against1 glad I could help!

@@ethanspantryreport948 Still disappointed he didn't suggest a recipe that incorporated both feta cheese and pickled onions.. since apparently he eats lots of both in a week

where have you been bro 😔

what happened to ethan's pantry report

Fascinating, I never knew that!

You're wrong.. Lactose is a sugar only produced by a cow. Goats don't create lactose

That's also why feta tends to have goat milk too! The Greek population has a low percentage of people who are able to digest lactose efficiently, so most of our traditional milk things tend to be low in lactose

@@therobot1080 exactly

Except lactose is a sugar, and not a fat?

Don't expect your diet to work if you are eating a lot of feta :)

We got some Myzithra from Crete back when I lived in Athens. Myzithra is a byproduct of making feta. The mizithra we got from crete we could kill for when we were kids. We ate it on bread as a spread. I think grandma kept it frozen in a plastic bag.

greece is like, the definition of the western world

@@luiysia lol no, we are a mix of Asia, Europe, Balkan and Mediterranean. Just because the *foundations* of the western world were based on Greece's culture doesn't mean that it is like that. We are no America but also no Middle East. Take a look at Italy who is the closest one to our culture

As Konstantinos said, Myzithra is the real shit if you like sour cheese. But keep in mind, if you want to try it, come to Crete and go around some non touristic villages to buy some, the real stuff is hidden over there.

I used to get Bulgarian feta out of a bulk bin in Montreal. Super-cheap and delicious!

Which is hilarious bullshit.

Bulgarian cheese is bomb

your translation isn't quite there. Shepard is a Schäfer. You're looking for "herder".

😏

i might be a bit tired but i dont get it pls help haha

Facts

If the US cared more about food, then they would be better at labeling and all sorts of other things. Change the people and the FDA will follow

@@SuWoopSparrow I think Americans do care. The problem is our political structure is far to the right of the average American, 30 years older and significantly more white and male.

American businesses are against food labeling because apparently is not good for business.

@@hes_alive Openly racist is openly racist

A couple of tomato's would be good to.

@@patmos68 tomatoes 😘

@@patmos68 Of course my friend! How could I forget! A good ripe flavourful tomato is absolutely essential!

@@georgemantz2490 Preferably a really good ripe tomato eaten in a little taverna in Greece.

debt

Haha true. It seems cows milk feta is only good packaged in olive oil. Then again, what wouldn’t be good that way

olive oil

Sure, why not. Every other country prides with what they have, like France with Champagne, Spain with Jamon Iberico, etc.

@@pehash Europe sure does have weird obsessions with demanding their food be to extremely specific requirements to have the name that definitely referred to a far wider range of resulting end products traditionally.

geef stukje

Right on! Based on the info I looked at for this video I think in the EU if it's made with cow milk its not allowed to be called feta, but in the US it's a naming free for all lol.

@@antoniemitartristanvandrim6898 zweer?

@@boyd9281 waar heb jij het nou over man

@@EthanChlebowski we take food names very seriously in europe. I cringe everytime someone calls weird american cheese "swiss", as though there werent hundreds of distinct types of cheese from switzerland

nice comment that was wat i try to say but my english is to bad:D idk why they love feta i aktually prefer cow milk the others have a to storng flavor.

...why you have to make me see that.

I can't unsee it now...

There is not Bulgarian Feta. The only Feta is the one produced in Greece!

Same

Is feta used on mac and cheese ?

Why?

@@DaMorg3 It's not easy, being cheesy

This is something on the idea list, not sure how I want to tackle it yet!

@Brent Smith okay, thanks alot, I've just been finding conflicting information on the granite(which is my main concern). Very helpful🙏

@@EthanChlebowski look forward to seeing it

Smart idea. Butcher block maintenance is probably a whole episode alone too.

@@jeff-ramos True, I barely work with meat, I know nothing about that😅

100%!

Omg Bulgarian cheese is my fave! I’m Mexican and even put it on Mexican dishes, it goes so well. That sheep flavor is to die for. ♥️💕

@@rgdssd You are a man of culture, comrade!

Thats the funniest thing i heard in a long time!!!

There is a lot of this in Europe, because the EU has protected terms regarding food and wine. You can Google "eAmbrosia" and find the official database. There is 1557 foods, 1622 wines, and 251 spirits that have protected names. Most known are probably Feta, Champagne, Prosciutto de Parma (Parma ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, Camembert, Cognac etc. There are both regional protections etc. Champagne must come from the Champagne region, and ingredient protections such as Feta must be made a certain way

@@Akinto710 tHeRe iS a lOt oF tHiS iN eUrOpE

Yea

I don't remember asking

Yep, our choice is between actual Feta cheese, or 'Greek style salad cheese'. Good idea I think.

@@nowdefunctchannel6874 cope

@@exsanguinatedd OP is the one coping, thinking that their country's regulations makes them superior. I only see Europeans (by that i mean people from EU countries) and Americans care about things like this, it's really stupid and bizarre

How much is it in the US? In Denmark, cows "Salad style cheese" is about $3,8 pr lbs. Where real feta is $7,1. Real cheddar is about 25% more expensive, and parmesan almost twice as expensive as real feta.

@@Akinto710 I live in germany, and I think the parmesan part is rather similar. However, it takes me so much longer to use up a piece of pamesan that I just grate over pasta, compared to feta I e.g. cook in the oven as a whole. I think the "salad style cheese" is about 1.something per block (200-300g), whereas authentic greek feta is about 2-3 € for the same amount of cheese

That's what most of the greeks do. We don't buy prepacked and processed. Producing---->Consuming