ABOUT GREEK CHEESE
Mythology & Ancient History
• Cheesemaking is an ancient art in Greece
• According to Greek mythology, Apollo’s son Aristaios taught humans how to make cheese.
• Ancient Greeks loved goat’s milk cheeses, sheep’s milk cheeses, soft, sharp cheeses like feta, and even cheese cakes!
• Many of the cheeses Greeks enjoy today are remarkably similar to those mentioned in ancient literature
Geography and Greek Cheese
• Greece, with its 2,000 islands and mountainous mainland, has been home to roaming shepherds since time immemorial.
• Shepherds, of course, use their milk to make cheese…
• Every region in Greece—sometimes individual villages, too—produces unique, local cheese.
• Many of these regional cheeses are products of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
