Cheese Story

Today my trip started early in the morning from my hometown Nikiti holding a Greek cold frappe towards to Ierissos.

Ierissos is a small town on the east coast of the Akti peninsula in Halkidiki, Greece. It is the site of the ancient city and former bishopric Hierissus, and as such remains a Latin Catholic titular sea. Ferries run from Ierissos to the east coast of Mount Athos.

I met with my good friend Yiannis in order to share with me his journey to the famous cheese factory in Ierissos.

The first known mention of cheese in ancient Greece was in the epic poem “Odyssey,” where Homer describes in detail the shepherd and cheese maker Cyclops Polyphemus and the different cheeses, made from sheep and goat’s milk, which lay ripening in his cave.

The word cheese itself comes from the ancient Greek word “tyros” (τυρός). It is believed to derive from the verb “tyrevo” (τυρεύω), which means to curdle or solidify, milk. Since ancient Greeks kept a great many sheep and goats, the cheese they made was from the milk of those animals.

The process started in 1986 as a livestock use and with a small cheese dairy after the graduation of the acquirer Ioannis from the Dairy School of Ioannina.

The milk is harvested from herds raised in pastures in North Halkidiki away from industrial facilities and near the border of Mount Athos. For years now we have been supplying the Monasteries of Mount Athos with pure products and they rely on the traditional judgment of the monks in their effort to perfect their products every day following the tradition.

Their products stand out in quality and taste such as Petroto and Athonitiko from goat fresh milk, Agiotyri gruyere with a rich aroma which you can enjoy as Saganaki, eleotyri with oil and oregano and finally with black and red pepper Piperato or Smoked.

This Tasteful journey is promising!!! Arrange with me a day trip to Ierissos and have your own chat with Mr.Yannis with a glass of local ouzo and his signature Saganaki! Feel free to contact me for a day visit to our local cheese factory.Καλή όρεξη!!!!

^{Mara Zafeiroudis}