Feta is a white Greek cheese, salty and semi-firm, that is traditionally made from sheep’s milk. It is typically stored in brine (a strong salt solution), which preserves its freshness. Feta is a prime example of the fresh-type cheeses made by nomadic peoples and herdsmen the world over. The cheese-making method described by the Greek poet Homer is the same one still used to produce traditional feta today.

In the making of feta, fresh milk is heated to 95° F (35°C), rennet is added, and the mixture is left to coagulate. Once the milk has separated, the curd is cut and the whey is drained off. The moist curds are put in a cloth bag that is twisted or pressed to compress them, and then hung to dry for a few hours. When the curd is firm, it is cut into slices or cubes, sprinkled with salt, and dried for 24 hours. At that point, it is packed into wooden barrels, covered with brine, and aged for about a month. The finished product is solid but crumbly, a type of aromatic semisoft cheese.