Making Cheese

Animal farming has always been the main occupation of the inhabitants of the mountainous areas of Crete. Thousands of sheep and goats gaze on the mountains of Psiloritis, Lefka Ori and Dikti Mountain, where wild herbs and aromatic plants are the only plants that grow.

The cultural tradition of Crete would be poorer without the “rizitika”, the songs that mainly narrate the life of shepherds; a life that is hard but free. A way and a philosophy of life that is simple, proud and hospitable. The real Crete continues to find ways of expression in places where the comforts of modern life and civilization do not exist.

Of course, it would be impossible modern day Cretans to produce world famous traditional dairy products without the knowledge and experience of thousands of years. In modern dairies the milk is pasteurized first and then warmed up to make the famous Cretan “graviera” cheese, which will ripe for several months before being ready for consumption. Other famous cheese dairy types are “mizithra” and “athotiros” (both white cheese types). Traditional yoghurt made from sheep’s milk is also wonderful.