First off, there is debate on where the cheese's name originates. Some think it's from the Latin word for cheese, which is "caseus." Others claim it's from the Turkish word for kosher, which is either "kaser" or "koser," depending on the source. The controversy and confusion continues with this cheese's actual inventors. One theory is that it was first made by Greek shepherds in the Pindus Mountain region, in the early 1800's. Another claims that it was developed in the Turkish city of Edirne, by Jewish citizens, at an unspecified time. (This would help explain why the cheese was supposedly named for the Turkish word for kosher, clearly.) Anyway, wherever and whenever it was invented, kasseri is very popular in Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria. The traditional manufacturing method is to use mostly unpasteurized sheep's milk, combined with up to 20% goat's milk. (Modern variants allow up to 10% cow's milk.) Kasseri is also made without using rennet. This is important to Jewish consumers, since observant ones are only allowed to eat cheese made using plant-based rennets, or no rennet at all. Which again is evidence for the Turkish origin theory, I guess. Strictly speaking, kasseri is part of the pasta filata cheese family, which also includes provolone and mozzerella (see July 16, 2013 post for info about mozzerella made from water buffalo milk). Enthusiasts enjoy its pungent odor, salty flavor, and semi-hard, springy and stringy texture. It's commonly used as a table cheese, in sandwiches, or as a main ingredient in the kasseropite pie and saganaki dishes. It's also aged for at least 4 months.
The kasseri I had was the Stella brand, out of Wisconsin, U.S.A. An Italian diplomat, Count Bolognete, fell in love with the Wisconsin countryside and dairy tradition. Starting in 1923 he began making his own cheese there. Other cheese types made under the Stella name include ricotta, romano, Swiss, parmesan, provolone, Italian sharp, gorgozola, mozzerella, fontina (see March 4, 2017 post), feta, blue, and asiago. Stella itself was bought up by the Saputo company in 1997. Saputo, in turn, is based in Canada, and was stated by Italian immigrants Guiseppe and Lino Saputo back in 1954. Aside from Stella, Saputo also owns many other cheese and dairy brands, including Montchevre (See August 19, 2017 post).
Saputo, Stella brand kasseri cheese: Had a yellowish-white color, and a semi-hard, slightly crumbly texture. And had a slight odor. I had mine plain, and on a water cracker. Both ways it was very good--tangy and savory. I found it a bit reminiscent of parmesan cheese. So once again a cheese failed to disappoint me, and I highly recommend kasseri cheese. One thing to note, though. The kasseri I ate was pasteurized, unlike the traditional kind. I'm willing to try many different types of food and drink, but I draw the line at unpasteurized dairy products, since they can make people very sick. Also, the ingredient list didn't specify what animal milks were used in it, and at what percentages. So, all in all, some cheese purists might claim that I didn't have "genuine" kasseri cheese.
Switching to writing, I have more news about the upcoming anthology, "Shadowy Natures," which will feature one of my stories. I was recently given my discount code, which I'll reveal now:
Stansfield10
Putting this code in will give you 10% off the $14.99 cover price. As a reminder, the anthology goes on sale on September 10, 2020, but it can be pre-ordered now. To do so, go to the AM Ink website--aminkpublishing.com/shop and then choose "Anthologies/Short Story Collections" from the column on the left. "Shadowy Natures" is currently in the top row. (Dark Ink is AM Ink's horror imprint.)
And here's my personal png image:
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