Feta, Ouzo and watermelon might seem like an unusual combination but this trio is Greek mischief with a capital M. Whether it is served as an appetiser or made up as a salad accompaniment to your main, it is delicious summer freshness at its best.

I love writing about things that I grew up with and I vividly remember backyard parties in summer with extended family where more than one or two little glasses of ouzo were sipped along with ruby red water melon and chunks of salty Feta. A welcoming summer refreshment before the massive spread of traditional Greek food. One thing about Greeks, they love to feed you.

Alternatively, the three ingredients can be put together to make a summer salad that synergises well with a whole baked snapper. This is done by simply cutting up chunky pieces of sweet watermelon flesh, arranging in bowl with finely sliced red onion, then placing the feta of your choice on top. It is important to put it in the fridge as this salad is best when served well chilled. Meanwhile make a dressing of equal parts of Ouzo, red wine vinegar and olive oil, however truth be known, I usually up the Ouzo component! Whisk dressing before drizzling on top of the salad and finish with sprigs of fresh mint. If, like me, you have a soft spot for the liquorice and aniseed, you will love this.

Feta featured fairly heavily in my dining experiences growing up, so much so there would be a mini crisis should the fridge be Feta bare. Feta is used as an appetiser, side dish, it tops the popular “Greek Salad” made with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, dried oregano and olives and it is crumbled into pies and savoury pastries. Feta can also be fried in a similar way to haloumi. My grandmother would serve this as a kind of poorman’s “spanakopita”. She would have a few sheets of philo pastry cut into small squares, drizzle them with olive oil before placing chunks of feta on top before pulling up the sides to make a loose casing for the cheese. She would then sprinkle with a little dried mint and bake until the philo was golden. The Greek Gods would eat this with a little wine of course, she would say. The use of Feta in Greek dishes is almost as important as the use of olive oil!

In 1994, Greece asked for Feta to be protected under a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). After a thirteen year battle with Denmark, France, and Germany (who also produce cheese under the name Feta), Greece was finally granted the PDO. The PDO status began in the EU in 1992, as a way to protect specific foods and maintain their authenticity. And rightly so, in my opinion, as Greeks consume 12 kg of feta cheese per person per year.

My recent discovery of making Persian Style feta has me addicted even more to this simple cheese. Made slightly differently to traditional Greek Feta I was brought up with,  the Persian Style is made using a pot set method that requires acid development which usually is made overnight. The result is a very creamy almost silken like, rich cheese which as I mentioned above is ridiculously addictive.

Our new range of these cheeses is rather exciting as we have mixed it up a bit by making a range under the Kris Lloyd Artisan brand using three different milks to gain a slightly different result with each. Each of the styles is marinated in fresh herbs and olive oil. The straight buffalo is by far the most delicate in flavour. I continue to be surprised working with buffalo milk and its charming characteristic to be subtle and gentle in flavour.

Our cow milk Persian Feta is rich, rich, rich – almost a triple cream cheese in a jar (covered with olive oil). The flavours are buttery and a little nutty – very decadent. I like using this to finish a risotto or a pasta dish, it takes the dish to a whole new level.

The 100% goat presents a more acidic feta as you would expect from goat milk and then finally the blend of 50% cow and 50% goat milk is rich but also has the acid kick from the goat milk, it is my favourite of the four we produce.

I can only dream of sitting in a gorgeous little taverna in Greece looking over a turquoise blue sea sipping a little Ouzo and enjoying  this simple cheese that can be served and enjoyed in so many ways.