Greece’s Artisanal Cow’s Milk Cheese
Among Greece’s diverse range of traditional cheeses, Graviera Naxou stands out as a prominent PDO-protected variety, distinguished primarily by its use of cow’s milk. While other Graviera cheeses (e.g., from Crete or Agrapha) are typically made from sheep or goat’s milk, Naxos Graviera relies predominantly on milk from local cow breeds.
Produced on the Cycladic island of Naxos, the cheesemaking process for Graviera Naxou follows traditional methods. The fresh cow’s milk, often with a small percentage of sheep or goat’s milk added, is slowly coagulated and then heated. The curds are pressed into molds, and the resulting cheese wheels are then dry-salted before being transferred to ripening rooms.
Graviera Naxou undergoes an aging period of at least five months, developing a hard rind and a firm, pale yellow interior with irregular small holes. It possesses a rich, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor, often with a subtle nutty finish, distinguishing it from other Greek hard cheeses. It is typically consumed as table cheese, grated over pasta, or used in baked dishes.
