As we let go of cold and snow, and days are noticeably longer, I feel a mounting sense of spring in the air, bursting with possibilities and renewal of life. When I think spring, I think all things fresh and new – bringing to mind lambing season and farmstead cheeses. This, in turn, makes me think of Canreg Station Farm & Pasture Dairy, a family operated dairy sheep farm in Finch, Ontario (South of Highway 43).
This week, I’m thrilled to share my “kick off spring” cheese pick – Canreg’s Original Feta cheese – made from the high quality sheep’s milk produced by the over 380 ewes that call Canreg home. Over 20 types of cheese are hand crafted by Josef Regli and family, produced “out of pasture” using milk processing methods in small batches similar to a European method of cheesemaking. Rich, dense, moist and crumbly, but not overly salty, this fresh, unripened traditional Greek style feta is, in a nutshell, stunning. Try with your favourite mix of olives, spiced nuts, or as the perfect finish to your favourite salad.
FACTBOX:
Cheese: Original Feta
Producer: Canreg Station Farm & Pasture Dairy, Finch, ON
Where To Buy: Byward Market (winter season), Ottawa Farmer’s Market (summer season)
Interesting Fact: Feta is a protected designation of origin product in Greece. The name comes from the Italian word fetta, meaning “slice”
Enjoy! – Vanessa