Trader Joe's Israeli Feta in brine

[pepperhead212]

I got this cheese the last time I was at Trader Joe's. I would usually get their Greek Feta in brine - a favorite that I would stock up on whenever I went there. I'm not sure if this is replacing it, or if they were just out of it - I'll find out eventually.

I opened it to dice some up, to put in that lentil salad I frequently make, and tasted a couple of cubes by themselves. The flavor is milder than the TJ's Greek, or the Dudoni's - another I often have, when out of the TJ's. Less salty than either, too, with sort of a musty, but not bad flavor. It definitely holds its shape better - as with other cheeses, the sharper are more crumbly.

I hope they don't replace the Greek with this, but I would get it to serve on its own, on a cheese plate, or on an antipasti plate, with some wine.
TJs Israeli Feta in brine by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[taxlady]

Are these imported cheeses or "Israeli style", "Greek style"? Is the Greek one also made with sheep's milk?

I get two different locally made Fetas. One is made of sheep's milk and the other one is called Greek. It's made by some nuns at a Greek Orthodox monastery and they use goat's milk.

 

[pepperhead212]

TL, The Greek feta is actually made in Greece, and is definitely a true feta. And the Israeli Feta is imported from Israel, as well. I checked, and both state the country of origin in a bottom label. Here's a lid to an old Greek feta - I save the containers for planting seeds!
Label for Greek feta, from TJs by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[taxlady]

TL, The Greek feta is actually made in Greece, and is definitely a true feta. And the Israeli Feta is imported from Israel, as well. I checked, and both state the country of origin in a bottom label. Here's a lid to an old Greek feta - I save the containers for planting seeds!
Label for Greek feta, from TJs by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I see that the Greek one is made with sheep's milk too. I was wondering if it was the sheep's milk that made it have that musty flavour you mentioned. It's nice to have more than one feta available that you like.

 

[pepperhead212]

TL, It's not a sheep's milk thing - I haven't noticed it in the other feta cheeses, but like I said, it's not a bad thing.

The best feta, which I haven't had for a few years, since I haven't been to the shop, is a French feta, made with sheep's milk, but with a definite flavor of butter in there! Maybe they add cream - I didn't get it in a container, so I don't know the ingredients. I got it at Claudio's, on 9th st, in the Italian market, and a fellow gave us a sample one time, when it was new there, and it was something I had to get every time, after that! They had 3 different fetas in brine, with large blocks of Italian, Greek, and the French, all labeled as sheep's milk feta. The others were also delicious, sharp, with slightly different flavors, but the French is the only one that had the buttery taste.

 

[taxlady]

TL, It's not a sheep's milk thing - I haven't noticed it in the other feta cheeses, but like I said, it's not a bad thing.

The best feta, which I haven't had for a few years, since I haven't been to the shop, is a French feta, made with sheep's milk, but with a definite flavor of butter in there! Maybe they add cream - I didn't get it in a container, so I don't know the ingredients. I got it at Claudio's, on 9th st, in the Italian market, and a fellow gave us a sample one time, when it was new there, and it was something I had to get every time, after that! They had 3 different fetas in brine, with large blocks of Italian, Greek, and the French, all labeled as sheep's milk feta. The others were also delicious, sharp, with slightly different flavors, but the French is the only one that had the buttery taste.

I figured it wasn't a sheep's milk thing, once I knew you were already getting sheep's milk feta. I didn't really like feta when I first tasted it in the 1970s. But, I have enjoyed it for decades, since then. I was getting some at a local Greek owned supermarket, that has since gone out of business. I just asked for some good feta and they gave me good feta. They pulled a chunk out of a large container and put it in plastic tub with some of the brine. I never paid attention to what kind it was or where it was from. It was just "good feta". But, now I'm getting some stuff made here in Quebec that is really nice. There may well be better fetas out there, but it will be a while before I bother trying to discover them.

 

[Termy]

Israeli would eat from a sheep ? ! ! ! Well I guess if you eat locusts this is nothing. Yeah, they came, they saw the bottom of a deep fryer and now I doubt they'll be back. Don't see why, the Israelis gave them a warm welcome.

I have heard many times from different places that there are many more cheeses than what comes from a cow. Goats and a few other things. And even the cow's milk, overseas they make the cheese before it is pasteurised.

A fine subject to get into.

T