I see both version and was wondering what the difference between the two is?
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1"Feta" is an EU PDO so I'm not sure what "Danish feta" you're seeing...– AakashMMar 18, 2022 at 10:06
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(to add, I know there is a lot of yoghurt that's branded "GREEK style YOGHURT"), because it's not actually made in Greece; maybe what you're seeing is like that?)– AakashMMar 18, 2022 at 10:12
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I googled "difference between greek and danish feta" and got several good answers right away. Have you tried that, and if so what questions remain?– GdDMar 18, 2022 at 11:03
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I have made an edit to add pictures of the different products I saw.– Neil MeyerMar 18, 2022 at 11:06
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4@AakashM this is a case where the Danish were producing a different cheese under the name "Feta" before PDO laws came into existence. Right now, the legal situation is murky/contested, but the two types of cheese certainly exist. Which one is more commonly recognized as 'feta' among customers in a country depends on which one was first marketed under this term in a given country.– rumtscho ♦Mar 18, 2022 at 11:30
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1 Answer
These are two different cheeses. I don't know how they came to be called by the same name, but they have a very different taste and texture.
The Greek-style Feta is a subtype of the standard cheese on the Balkan peninsula. When I say "standard", I mean that it is so entrenched, there is not even a word for it - linguistically, "cheese" just means this type, and all other kinds are an exotic afterthought.
This Balkan-type cheese is a semi-hard white cheese, for which the curds are ripened in a salty brine, without culturing. It is crumbly, and has a characteristic aroma, especially when well-ripened and when made from sheep or buffalo milk. I am not sure whether the Feta PDO only covers the sheep-milk type, but the process is suitable for all milks. It is quite salty, and melts only partially when heated.
The Danish Feta is an entirely different beast. It is a soft cream cheese, similar in texture to American cream cheese. The taste is a bit stronger than American cream cheese. Typically, it is not marinated, even though the product you show is sold in marinade - but this is more of an "additional treatment", not part of the cheesemaking process. The only similarity to Greek Feta is that is also white in color, and that it happens to bear the same name (at least until the PDO laws and their application get sorted out).
answered Mar 18, 2022 at 11:52
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Nit: PDO feta is made from "sheep or goat milk" not "sheep or buffalo milk". Buffalo milk feta exists, but it's an exotic variant and is not part of the PDO definition. ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/… Mar 19, 2022 at 18:34