Xynotyro
Xynotyro is an unpasteurized Greek whey cheese made from sheep's milk or goat's milk. It is hard and flaky, with a pungent aroma and a sweet and sour taste close to yogurt.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Greece |
| Specific Origin | Greece |
| Milk Type | Goat's or sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized |
| Texture | Hard, whey |
| Flavor | Burnt caramel, sour, sweet |
| Aroma | Pungent |
| Age | Fresh or 3 months |
| Alternative Spellings | Xynotyri |
What is Xynotyro Cheese?
Xynotyro comes from Greece. The name, spelled Xynotyri, means "sour cheese" in Greek, and the taste explains the label.
It is a whey cheese made from sheep's milk or goat's milk, never cow's milk, and the milk is not pasteurized. Traditionally the curd is drained and cured in reed baskets, or left to mature in bags made of animal skin.
The body is hard and flaky. The aroma is pungent and the flavor is sweet and sour, much like yogurt.
You can eat it fresh, or after about three months of ripening, when the naturally dominant microflora does the work. The Lactobacillus strains in the cheese have antibacterial effects that kill Salmonella pathogens.
How Does Xynotyro Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Xynotyro against.