List of Greek Protected Designations of Origin cheeses

In 1996, 19 cheeses from Greece were awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status defining their areas of origin and methods of production. Feta received the same status in 2002 and Xygalo Sitias in 2008. The designated cheeses are made from fresh milk by traditional methods. They contain predominantly sheep or sheep and goat's milk.^[1]

Feta, the most popular of Greek cheeses, has PDO status since 2002

The use of cow's milk is not traditional in Greece as the nature of much of the terrain favours the farming of sheep and goats. Such cow's milk as is produced is mainly destined for drinking or the production of processed cheese.^[2] The Greek cheeses containing cow's milk that have PDO status are Graviera Naxou, San Michali^[3] and Metsovone (which also contains sheep's milk).

Cow's milk cheeses

Metsovone

Anthotyros

Kopanisti

Ladotyri Mytilinis

Manouri

Mizithra

San Michali

Anevató

• Graviera Naxou (Γραβιέρα Νάξου) from Naxos island, South Aegean

Sheep's milk cheeses

• Kasseri (Κασέρι)
• Graviera Kritis (Γραβιέρα Κρήτης) (may include some goat's milk)^[1]
• Kalathaki Limnou (Καλαθάκι Λήμνου), a brine cheese produced on the island of Limnos, North Aegean^[3]
• Formaela Arachovas Parnassou (Φορμαέλλα Αράχωβας)

Mixed milk cheeses

Cow/Sheep

• Metsovone (Μετσοβόνε), a semi-hard smoked cheese produced in Metsovo, Epirus
• Graviera Agrafon (Γραβιέρα Αγράφων)

Sheep/Goat

• Feta (Φέτα), the most popular of Greek cheeses
• Kefalograviera (Κεφαλογραβιέρα)
• Kopanisti (Κοπανιστή), a pink, spicy cheese that owes its hotness to fungal growth; from Mykonos island and the surrounding Cyclades
• Manouri (Μανούρι), a semi-soft fresh whey cheese
• Xynomizithra (Ξινομυζήθρα)
• Anevato (Ανεβατό), a spreadable, creamy cheese^[4]
• Galotyri (Γαλοτύρι), a soft, creamy cheese produced in Epirus and Thessaly^[3]
• Katiki Domokou (Κατίκι Δομοκού), a spreadable, moist, slightly spicy white cheese; from Domokos, Thessaly
• Ladotyri Mytilinis (Λαδοτύρι Μυτιλήνης), a sharp, salty cheese that matures immersed in jars of olive oil; from Mytilini Island
• Batzos (Μπάτζος), a salty, semi-hard to hard cheese which matures and is preserved in brine; from Macedonia^[3]
• Pichtogalo Chanion (Πηχτόγαλο Χανίων), a white table cheese produced in the Chania Regional Unit, Crete^[3]
• Sfela (Σφέλα), also referred to as "Fire Feta", a mildly spicy soft white cheese from Messenia, Peloponnese
• Xygalo Siteias (Ξύγαλο Σητείας), a soft cheese produced in the easternmost portion of the island of Crete^[3]

Goat's milk cheese

There are several types of cheese made solely from goat's milk in Greece, but no applications have been submitted for PDO status, yet.

See also

• Cuisine of Greece