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If we are to believe the ancient Greek poet Homer, the Cyclopes once tried their hand at the art of cheese making: in the Odyssey - one of his greatest works - he describes in the 8th century BC how the mythical hero Odysseus observes that the one-eyed mythical creatures in their caves keep sheep and process their milk into cheese. What's more, Odysseus even steals a piece of this forerunner of today's feta during his escape. In fact, cheese appears frequently in Greek mythology. The god Aristaios is said to have learned how to make cheese from nymphs and then passed on his knowledge to humans. Whether invented by nymphs, gods, Cyclopes or humans, it is certain that the production of goat's and sheep's cheese is ancient in Greece. The country has a rich shepherding tradition; to this day, flocks of goats and sheep are led by their owners across the barren meadows on remote islands to find their food. In return, they provide milk, cheese and occasionally meat.
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