Feta Cheese vs Metsovone Cheese
Feta Cheese
Metsovone Cheese
Feta Cheese is a soft, white, aged in brine goat and sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while Metsovone Cheese is semihard to hard and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk, originating in Greece.
What Is Feta Cheese?
Feta is a brined curd white cheese from Greece, made traditionally from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is crumbly with a slightly grainy texture and has a salty, tangy flavor. Feta is commonly used in salads, pastries, and as a table cheese, and is central to Greek cuisine.
What Is Metsovone Cheese?
Metsovone is a smoked, semi-hard cheese from Metsovo in the Pindus mountains of Greece. Made from cow's milk or a mix of cow and sheep or goat milk, it is one of the few Greek cheeses that is smoked, giving it a distinctive flavor that is nutty and buttery with smokey undertones.
What's the Difference Between Feta Cheese and Metsovone Cheese?
- Milk type: Feta Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk), Metsovone Cheese (Cow's milk, Ewe's or Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Feta Cheese (Pasteurized, sometimes raw), Metsovone Cheese (Smoked)
- Texture: Feta Cheese (Soft, white, aged in brine), Metsovone Cheese (Semihard to hard)
- Rind: Feta Cheese (None), Metsovone Cheese (Waxed)
- Aging: Feta Cheese (2 months to longer), Metsovone Cheese (3 months)
- Taste: Feta Cheese (Sharp to mild), Metsovone Cheese (Slightly salty and piquant)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feta Cheese | Metsovone Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Greece | Greece |
| Specific Origin | Throughout Greece | Metsovo, Epirus |
| Milk Type | Goat's and sheep's milk | Cow's milk, Ewe's or Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized, sometimes raw | Smoked |
| Texture | Soft, white, aged in brine | Semihard to hard |
| Rind | None | Waxed |
| Aging | 2 months to longer | 3 months |
| Taste | Sharp to mild | Slightly salty and piquant |
Pairing Comparison
What works with each cheese — wines, foods, breads, and more.
| Feta Cheese | Metsovone Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | Albariño, Asparagus, Avocado, Cod, Dirty Martini, Green Tea, Kiwi, Kolsch, Kombucha, Mangoes, Muscat, Pesto, Pinot Grigio, Pistachios, Pumpkin, Riesling, Roasted Vegetables, Salmon, Sauvignon Blanc, Seaweed, Shrimp, Sweet Potato, Tomatoes | — |
| Other Good Pairings | Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc, California Viogniers, Chicken, Dried Cranberries, Fruit Compote, Gamay, German Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Prosecco, Raspberry, Sparkling Rosé, Strawberries, Tacos, Tequila, Tuna, Viognier | — |
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Where to buy Feta Cheese and Metsovone Cheese
Feta Cheese
Metsovone Cheese
Taste Comparison: Does Feta Cheese Taste Like Metsovone Cheese?
Feta Cheese reads as sharp to mild, while Metsovone Cheese brings slightly salty and piquant character. On the nose, Feta Cheese offers nutty, strong, contrasted with Metsovone Cheese's natural smoke. More specifically, Feta Cheese shows sharp, dry, hard to mild, rich, creamy depending on production methods, breed of animals, season, and diet. can be tangy or creamy. flavors of sheep’s milk, grass, and clover. variety ranges from region to region, and producer to producer., while Metsovone Cheese leans toward smoked cheese resembling italian provolone with a special smoked perfume. Aging plays into this as well. Feta Cheese at 2 months to longer develops a different profile than Metsovone Cheese at 3 months.
Can You Substitute Feta Cheese for Metsovone Cheese?
Feta Cheese can stand in for Metsovone Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, white, aged in brine bite and body where the recipe calls for semihard to hard. Flavor-wise, Feta Cheese reads as sharp to mild while Metsovone Cheese brings slightly salty and piquant notes.
Which Is Better, Feta Cheese or Metsovone Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft, white, aged in brine cheese, go with Feta Cheese. For a semihard to hard profile, Metsovone Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Feta Cheese suits recipes that want sharp to mild notes, while Metsovone Cheese fits dishes calling for slightly salty and piquant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Feta Cheese the same as Metsovone Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Feta Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk; Metsovone Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep. Aging also differs: Feta Cheese is typically aged 2 months to longer, Metsovone Cheese 3 months.
Is Feta Cheese similar to Metsovone Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Feta Cheese for Metsovone Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Feta Cheese taste like Metsovone Cheese?
Feta Cheese reads as sharp to mild, while Metsovone Cheese is slightly salty and piquant. Aromas also diverge. Feta Cheese leans nutty, strong, and Metsovone Cheese is closer to natural smoke.
What is Feta Cheese made of?
Feta Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk (pasteurized, sometimes raw). It's typically aged 2 months to longer. It originates in Greece.
What is Metsovone Cheese made of?
Metsovone Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (smoked). It's typically aged 3 months. It originates in Greece.
Which should I choose, Feta Cheese or Metsovone Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Feta Cheese is soft, white, aged in brine, while Metsovone Cheese is semihard to hard.
See full profiles: Feta Cheese and Metsovone Cheese.