Feta is a classic and famous Greek curd cheese whose tradition dates back thousands of years and is still made by shepherds in the Greek mountains with unpasteurized milk. It was originally made with goat's or sheep's milk, but today much is often made commercially with pasteurized cow's milk. Salted and cured in a brine solution (which can be either water or whey) for a week to several months (this is why it is sometimes called a 'pickled' cheese). Feta drys out rapidly when removed from the brine.

Feta cheese is white, usually formed into square cakes, and can range from soft to semi-hard, with a tangy, salty flavor that can range from mild to sharp. It's fat content can range from 30 to 60 percent; most is around 45 percent milk fat.