If there's a good cheese shop near you, they can advise you and give you tastes of various cheeses so you can choose something you really like.

It's delicious with watermelon and other fruits.

Bookwoman has a good point regarding tasting at a cheese shop. Definitely helpful.

I like to crumble feta into pasta salads. It's also essential for spanakopita.

I tried the feta and tomato pasta bake thingy and it's pretty good - esp. if the tomatoes are very sweet.

But if you don't like it, you don't have to...

The following thanks to online sources

Feta has name origin protection, as with many traditional products in the EU. Products with such protection must come from designated areas (for Feta, they're in Greece and the cheese must be made only of or predominantly of sheep milk.). Similar restrictions protect products like Champagne, Camembert, Stilton cheese, Prosciutto di Parma, etc. In French it's Appellation d'origine contrôlée, which in English you can think of as restrictions on use of certain recognized product names being dependent on area of origin. Most such areas have boards that define where and how products with the protected name must be made.

If you find real Feta (from Greece) too strong, likely you'd find American made cheese in the same style (often called Feta because America doesn't abide by the labeling restrictions) to be milder because it's often made from cow milk. Or, use less. Or use less of it in a recipe and add a milder, bland cheese.

Along with the feta and watermelon ideas, I also add some quinoa and very thinly sliced onion. 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and it makes a lovely salad. I do this with my tasteless seedless watermelons. I seem to buy more tasteless than tasty melons!

accompli?

I don't like goat cheese often just straight, but I love love love it on pizza. Especially with arugula.

Have you ever tried manchego cheese? It is a sheep's milk cheese from Spain, and fairly mild (to my taste buds). I usually eat it with some membrillo (quince paste) that I've made.

I find the softer feta's less briny than the more firm type. The cheese shop is a very good idea however the one I used to go to never seemed to have the same types after they sold them once.

feta and spinach

You might like Organic Valley or Whole Foods 365 brands, both make feta with cow’s milk.

I like a little funk in cheese. If you don't, you have a choice between bland, flavorless feta or the real deal (there is a continuum of intensity, but feta should be salty, damp and funky). Who says you have to like it? It's just cheese! Try some of the crumbly Mexican cheeses. They work in a similar kind of way without the funk. My favorite feta is Bulgarian sheep's milk in brine.

I’ve only ever gotten feta already crumbled from the grocery store. Last week DH broight home block feta. We added it to a salad and i have to say, it was quite nice. Not as shaeppe, i guess. Very nice. i look forward to adding it to a pasta dish thiw week.

I can’t stand goat cheese but i adore feta and have some crumbled in my daily lunch salad. i prefer it whole in brine. ive been buying domestic feta made with cow’s milk but the experts say the best is Greek made with sheep’s milk. it’s delish crumbled on roasted beets in vinaigrette with capers. sweet salty tangy.

sorry for the ipad/houzz weirdness.

Feta is a cheese i had to learn to like. Small bits in salad, worked my way up, now I’d cut a thick slice and enjoy it straight. Agree with watermelon.

Shambo’s shrimp with feta is delicious and if she jumps on this thread I’ve got a question.

I’m here but don’t have anything useful to add to this conversation. I have mixed feelings about feta. FOAS, ask away. No guarantee I’ll have an answer though.

I agree with Plllog regarding Bulgarian sheep's milk feta and Mexican Cotija cheese, which I find very similar to feta, but of course much drier. I actually use Cotija cheese more often than feta.

A lot of the American feta you buy in the supermarket is made from cows milk and not really funky at all...

As for goat cheeses, don'td amn them all just because you had one you didn't like. My late husband was head honcho at a famous cheese making plant and at one time they were experimenting with goat cheeses. One of the things they discovered was that because goats don't give as much milk at a milking as holstein cows do that the farmer would save the milk for several days before selling it, giving the cheese a "goatier" taste, and the longer a cheese is aged, the "goatier" it tastes. Try a nice fresh Chevre and see if it's not more to your liking.

I am intolerant to lactose in cows milk, but a soft cheese made with goat cheese is just fine!

Elmer's right.

I have a block of feta in my refrigerator now. I used it in a blueberry basil salad with a vinaigrette and enjoyed it. As others have suggested, I like it paired with a fruit. I prefer it unbrined and as a block (not pre-crumbled). This might be a better starting point for you.

Raee, manchego cheese is one of my favorites.

I get pizza with both feta and goat's cheese.

Lindac92, I consider you GW royalty due to your husband's career :-) He was at Maytag, right? Maytag Blue is one of my favorite cheeses. My husband loves that family's other venture, Anchor Steam beer.

I love all feta cheese and always have it on hand to put in salads or to add to dishes or to just eat with olives as a snack. Right now I have a few containers of Apetina cows milk feta cubes in the refrigerator. Not too salty, nor does it have much flavour but I like to toss it in scrambled eggs or to eat with olives. I am on a lower sodium diet so I can easily measure how much I can have with the cubes. I will forgo breakfast just so I can save those sodium mgs with my lunch so I can have the feta.

I love goat's cheese ... that soft creamy type. Doesn't taste gamey at all to me -- or maybe I just like that style of gamey??

Feta is too salty, but I like it in smaller concentrations - some salt is fine at a time!

Thanks for all the inputs and suggestions. I'll have to give it a go with your guidance!

Shambo - I was looking for your recipe collection, it was removed from the site where I used to find it. Years ago you kindly sent me a copy of everything, but I misplaced it as I just used the web site. Wondering if its available out there anywhere. I do see the videos, but not the written recipes.

Rae, I made membrillo years ago when a nearby orchard had a quince tree. The tree and the orchard are long gone, and I haven't found a source for quinces. I'd love to make it again. Where do you get yours?

I am not a fan of cheese. As a matter of fact, the only cheese I can eat that I will not eat melted (grilled cheese, on a burger, etc) is Gouda. I'll eat cheddar, Kraft slices, swiss but it has to be melted. VERY melted. BUT: feta? NO way will I ever put that stuff in my mouth again. It's horrid. I used to work for a major drugstore chain and every year we had our Christmas Party at the largest venue Calgary has so all the locations could party together. I would starve myself all day for the delicious roast beef, the prime rib, the garlic mashed potatoes and the roasted vegetables. The last year I went before quitting, I starved myself all day. My mouth was salivating for this dinner only that particular venue could create so well. Then dinner was served. I jumped up to the buffet and grabbed my plate. I scooped up my potatoes and my vegetables then worked my way to the chef would doled out the meat. Only where was my roast beef? And what was with that chicken with the white stuff piled on top. "would you like the chicken?" Well, I'm starving, so sure. But what's that white stuff? I didn't ask, but I took it. I brought it back to my table with great disappointment in my face. I looked and saw the other three couples and my husband were also staring at their chicken with the white stuff on it too with the same disappointment. "It can't be that bad" I said as I took a bite. OMG! Was I wrong! I scraped off the cheese onto a side plate and the other five people at my table were also using to get rid of that cheese but it was too late: the flavour had worked its way into the meat. I gagged. Literally gagged. I could not eat it. I looked around at the other tables. Almost all of them had side plates heaped with the cheese on them and half eating chicken breasts. What a waste of money that was. After the Christmas party was over, all of us sitting at my table stopped at a truck stop for dinner: at midnight. We were starving. LOL

Feta might just have a flavor profile you don't care for...any of them. An option might be to visit a good cheese monger and ask to taste their most mild cows milk feta. I've tasted many and the most mild and called creamy but still has the tangy, briny, salty flavors, even a bit crumbly....mild and creamy 'for a feta'...compared to other fetas. Yet, i would hate to put you through the misery of trying/testing a group of cheeses you just don't care for.

If it is recipe you want to try that includes feta, a replacement might be a QuesoFresco. A domestic cows milk. Add some lemon, good vinegar, and ev olive oil. Some fresh herbs.

Or, a somwhat mild one, 'for a feta', is the President brand found in most groceries. Not expensive. Still briny and salty like most fetas.

Take a quarter of it, 2ounces, in a small heatproof ramekin. Surround with a few cherry tomatoes and a few olives if you like olives. Fresh lemon, olive oil, garlic. Roast at 375º for 10-15 minutes or until the feta blisters. Serve with toasted baquette rounds. A greek restaurant might serve with a bit of honey. Feta changes quit a bit when roasted. Here is one of many recipes, link, HERE

8 ounces should be under 5 bucks.

I tend to seek out the goat and sheep milk cheeses. This is the one i've been buying the past year. Uses both goat and sheep from Greece.

We do tend to like strong Mediterranean bold flavors. Not that based on a couple cheeses we would not share many other recipe likes. That said, i'm stuck at the moment with a 4 lb wheel of a cheese i do not understand. It is mild but has a barnyard scent i just can't get past. Our local market that had an excellent cheese monger closed Fall 2019.

Annie, let us know what you try and think about it. We're certainly all different when it comes to cheese likes and dislikes. Lots of cheese choices out there!

I love goat's cheese ... that soft creamy type. Doesn't taste gamey at all to me -- or maybe I just like that style of gamey??

Creamy goat cheese spread on crostini and topped with a roasted plum tomato is pure heaven!

Fresh goat cheese has a very mild taste. I used to get fresh Bulgarian feta which I found very mild. Or maybe it was "Albanian." Some type of "ian." I think freshness is part of the taste element of feta. Less aging, less tang or whatever you want to call the aging byproduct flavor components. It varies.

Feta, when it's fresh - meaning it will be in bulk and in liquid - really does differ between the type of milk used. We did a tasting at a local cheese shop that had fresh Greek, French and Bulgarian fetas, and the Bulgarian was by far the mildest and least salty, while still being flavorful. However, there was no indication of brand (creamery/company), so that may not help.

If we're buying an American brand feta, commercially prepackaged, I look for the Athenos brand - like the OP, my spouse doesn't care for the funkier types.

And if you want the best, mildest chevre, there is nothing better than the Laurel Chenel brand. That is the style of American chevre she pioneered, and it has won over even my goat cheese-hating friends.

The Chenel chevres come in different flavors - try the one with honey, which is amazing with ripe persimmons in the fall.

Happy eating!

I love this feta out of Berkeley CA. I don't know if it's sold beyond the West Coast.

Belfiore Feta Cheese

Interesting. From the photos on the website, it looks to be more creamy than crumbly. Made from cows milk

I don't know if it's still around but a popular local dairy brand (milk and the like) was Berkeley Farms. Its ads would close at the end with "Farms? In Berkeley?"

Of course, there are none, it's an urban/residential area, the home of UC Berkeley, DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, etc. .

I recently bought Aphrodite brand Feta cheese and it was one of the best I've ever had.

cloudy_christine, I had an ornamental quince that produced a lot of fruit for a couple of years - but then it stopped producing at the same time that it started trying to take over the garden (sending up suckers everywhere), so I cut it down. The past couple of years I picked them from a bush at my daughter's apartment building, but I noticed this spring that the landscapers have taken that bush out now. So I will have to scavenge for another source!

I'll look for that bob, I will try it. The package says it's from Greece and made of sheep and goat milk, so it's the real thing.

FOAS, I apologize for the state of the website. It’s being repaired but taking a while. My husband was ill and didn’t have the strength to keep it up. He died last year, and my son has been working on rebuilding it. But it’s taking a long time. Let me talk to him and see if I can get the recipe PDFs back in place. Thanks for remembering.

Shambo, I'm so sorry for your loss.

I remember your recipes and I hope they'll be online again.

I'm so sorry for your loss, shambo.

Hugs Shambo. I know it's been a tough couple of years. Still love to you and still appreciate the difference you've made in my life with the low salt tips and Greek cooking!! I am still all over both types of cooking, when I can get the inspiration. But its harder now than it once was. Loving thoughts going out from here in MI!!

Thanks for your kind thoughts. I truly appreciate them.

FOAS, did you want all the recipes or just the shrimp recipe in particular? I've got that and could email it to you or just copy and paste it here. Let me know.

Shambo - I just saw your name on the okra thread and remembered to look here for your reply.

I was debating whether to mention your husband when I posted. While looking for your recipes I came across the announcement, and assumed the two were related. I was very sorry to see that. Very nice obit by the way.

Anyway, yes, I hope to see your entire collection again one day and while I can watch your video again I think the shrimp recipe is worth sharing with the forum; very delicious! 😃

FOAS, thanks for your kind thoughts. Funny and slightly related. We finally had John’s memorial yesterday, and a couple of people asked about the website. My son tried to explain that he wants to get it up and running again, but it’s taking longer than anticipated. It’ll eventually happen. I’ll post the recipe tomorrow.

Here's the recipe.

Garithes me Feta

(Shrimp with Feta)

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1-pound fresh chopped tomatoes or 1 large can diced tomatoes

¼ - ⅓ cup dry white wine (optional)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Shrimp:

1½ - 2 pounds raw medium (41 – 50 count per pound) shrimp, shelled and de-veined*

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

Topping:

4 – 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Sauce Preparation:

In a skillet, heat the oil, and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Simmer over medium heat with cover askew for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.

Shrimp Preparation:

In another skillet, heat the oil and sear the shrimp, about 1 minute. Do not overcook shrimp. When the shrimp turn pink, remove them to a bowl. Toss shrimp with the lemon juice.

Casserole Assembly:

Lightly oil a baking dish. Spoon half of sauce into the bottom of baking dish.

Arrange the shrimp in a layer over it. Top shrimp with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta. Bake at 450° in a pre-heated oven for only 15 minutes, until the feta begins to melt and brown slightly. Do not over bake. (Instead of one large baking dish, use 6 - 8 individual ramekins or scallop shells.)

Garnish with parsley sprigs and thin lemon wedges. Serve with crusty bread and rice pilaf or buttered noodles.

*Cooked, shelled, and de-veined shrimp may be substituted for the raw shrimp. Do not sauté; toss cooked shrimp meat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the juice of ½ a lemon. However, just to be on the safe side, be sure to check shrimp for residual bits of center vein.

Thanks Shambo!

debby, I do like feta and use it a lot. But that chicken that you described really does not seem the right venue for feta and I can understand why so many did not like it.

When I have guests at the table, I usually dont serve feta incorporated into the meal, but will put some on the table as a choice.

My favorite way to use feta at this time when the onions are coming in fresh from the farm is to add it to a bowl of thinly sliced onions and dress it with olive oil, salt and lots of black pepper.

It is really good as a garnish and I like it with an egg dish and even with my southern cornbread and beans. You need a good, sweet and mild and fresh onion for this.

Yesterday I dressed my small burger with this onion salad.

Annie, If I were you I would go to a cheese shop and ask to try some of these things. Both Feta and goat cheese can very a great deal. Tell them your preferences and let them guide you. That way you won't "get in trouble" for buying something you don't care for. : )

It's delicious marinated in olive oil with dried herbs, pepper flakes, chilli......