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SMART SHOPPING: Feta Cheese

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In 2005, the European Union ruled that only cheese produced in Greece from at least 70 percent sheep’s milk can rightfully bear the label “feta.” Here in the United States, where these stipulations don’t apply, imitators abound. We tasted five brands, both imports and domestic. Tasters preferred the “barnyard” taste of the sheep’s and goat’s-milk imports, giving Mt. Vikos Traditional Feta, which hails from the mother country, the top spot. Keep feta submerged in the brine in which it was packed. When stored properly, feta can keep for up to three months, though it will become considerably saltier and more pungent over time.