Goat Cheese Confusion

[emilycat]

I'm a bit confused -- I've read on several threads about substituting feta for goat cheese -- but feta is goat cheese (unless you're using cow's or sheep's milk feta). Am I to assume that every time a recipe calls for goat cheese, it's referring to chevre? Any ideas?

[SandyM]

Um...now I'm confused. I love goat cheese, but I can only handle feta in small doses. Yikes!

[Jessica]

Emily--

According to the food network, feta is traditionally made with sheep's or goat's milk, although commercial producers often use cow's milk. I always assume "goat cheese" is chevre unless it says otherwise but you are right, there are many types of goat cheese.

[Leanne]

I think of them as being very different cheeses (even if they are made with the same milk). I'm with Jessica - I would definitely use Chevre when a recipe calls for goat cheese.

[SusanMac]

I always assume that when a recipe calls for goat cheese it means chevre. There are dozens of goat's milk cheeses, like you said, but generically goat cheese means chevre, at least to Americans (that's probably blasphemous in France!)

With that said, I do a lot of substituting in CL recipes when it comes to cheese. I just think about the type of flavor I'd like, how creamy the dish should be, whether or not it has to melt, etc. If you prefer feta, I say go for it instead of chevre any time!

[AD]

I eat very little dairy, but I like a Greek cheese called Mizithra. I first tried it at the Spaghetti Factory restaurants in California. I believe it is made from sheep's milk, and it has an excellent flavor, but it is very hard to find.

[This message has been edited by AD (edited 04-24-2001).]

[Luiza]

I almost always use feta instead of chevre when a recipe calls for goat cheese, because I always have feta in my fridge, and it's cheaper than chevre. But it must be goat milk feta. Most of the feta produced in North America is made from cow's milk, and in my opinion it's just bad tasting (perhaps because I'm used to the real stuff). Bulgarian feta is cheaper than Greek and usually as good. And it's worth finding a place that sells it fresh.

The European Comission ruled not too long ago that only feta cheese made with goat's milk can be called feta (the Greeks were getting annoyed at the Danish who were marketing feta made with cow's milk).

Mizithra is a hard cheese that's grated and used like Parmesan. It's overpowering in big quantities, so I don't quite see how it can be used instead of chevre.

Just my 2 cheesy cents... And you know, I barely used to eat a slice of cheese a month. That's what I get for living with a Greek http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Luiza

[Gail]

Originally posted by Luiza:
I almost always use feta instead of chevre when a recipe calls for goat cheese, because I always have feta in my fridge, and it's cheaper than chevre. But it must be goat milk feta. Most of the feta produced in North America is made from cow's milk, and in my opinion it's just bad tasting (perhaps because I'm used to the real stuff). Bulgarian feta is cheaper than Greek and usually as good. And it's worth finding a place that sells it fresh.

The European Comission ruled not too long ago that only feta cheese made with goat's milk can be called feta (the Greeks were getting annoyed at the Danish who were marketing feta made with cow's milk).

Mizithra is a hard cheese that's grated and used like Parmesan. It's overpowering in big quantities, so I don't quite see how it can be used instead of chevre.

Just my 2 cheesy cents... And you know, I barely used to eat a slice of cheese a month. That's what I get for living with a Greek http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Luiza

Ah, Luiza--

Just the person I can use. My absolute favorite store locally is a feta lover's dream, offering fresh French feta, Bulgarian feta and Greek feta (all in brine)to mention a few. I've always gone with and been happy with the Greek, but I'm wondering what the differences might be? (Of course, I suppose I could ASK... duh...)

Got a clue offhand?