Author
George Papadellis | SG Head
Metsovone is a semi-hard smoked pasta filata cheese produced in the region of Metsovo (Epirus, Greece). It was an idea of Evangelos Averoff supported with funds of the Tositsas family (see Michael Tositsas), and a cheese similar to the Italian provolone cheese, an aged (stretched-curd) cheese with origins in in Casilli near Vesuvius.
Photo by: C messier, Metsovone 6304, CC BY-SA 4.0
It has been a European protected designation of origin since 1996 (meaning it can only be produced in Greece and there is no Metsovone cheese alternative) and it is manufactured from cow’s milk or a mixture of cow and sheep or goat milk.
This famous cheese is mainly produced in the Tositsa Cheese Factory in Metsovo, which started operating in 1958. The vision of Evangelos Averoff was not just to create some jobs for the people of Metsovo. He wanted to create a Cheesemaking School for young people of the area to help them create their Cheese Manufactures. To achieve this, Averoff was sending young cattle breeders to Italy tyo learn the secrets of cheese production. This procedure gave birth to the Metsovone cheese, as well as to Metsovella (close to Pastorella) and to Rezzana (close to Parmesana).
Photo by: www.shinygreece.com
Today, the Tositsa Cheese Factory produces Rezzana, the Metsovone Smoked Cheese, Metsovella, Geladisio (cow cheese), Graviera (Gruyere type) and Gidisio (French Chevr type).
The Metsovone Fromage pairs well with red wine and it has a sharp taste, close to Swiss cheeses (Metsovo has generally many similarities with some unique destinations of Switzerland). It is widely known as a grilling cheese (they grill it sliced with paprika in Metsovo - they call this recipe "Metsovone Saganaki").
