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Burgers and Backyard BBQ Bashes – need we say more?

It’s backyard BBQ season in Canada, and we’re having a burger moment – big time. The burger is a staple summer party dish: perfect for the grill, get-togethers with friends and is even kid-friendly. This summer instead of heading to the frozen aisle why not take your burgers to the next level.

If you’ve never made a homemade burger, now’s the time to give it a try. A homemade burger can be made in minutes, with fresh ingredients and is completely customizable. And you can taste the difference. We have some ideas to elevate your BBQ menu and give your burgers a new life with just a few simple ingredients, like feta.

Our Feta Sliders are the perfect burger reinvention – they’re easy-to-make, have a zippy and warm flavour and are great for parties. With vegetarian and light meat options, this take on a traditional burger will impress and convert even traditional BBQ enthusiasts.

We share three options for our Feta Sliders: a ground turkey base, a lamb base and a quinoa zucchini base. To each base, we suggest adding a medley of spices and herbs including toasted fennel and cumin seeds, chili flakes, peppercorns, garlic, salt, chopped rosemary and lemon zest. And of course, feta. Adding creamy feta to a protein base ensures a soft and juicy texture throughout.

Planning a summer get-together? All three slider recipes can be prepared in advance and chilled until guests arrive.

For the full recipes and video: https://krinos.ca/recipes/feta-sliders-3-ways/

How about some Halloumi?

Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese made from a blend of cow, goat and sheep’s milk and is seasoned with mint leaves and soaked in brine. When you fire up the grill, place ¼ inch slabs of halloumi directly on the grill for a couple of minutes, or until both sides are brown and toasted. The inside will be soft and warm and a perfect appetizer with a piece of warm bread. Offer it up on a feta slider for an extra-punch of flavour.

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Krinos Cheese Maker Brings Innovation to Edmonton

When Manolis Georgantelis came to Canada from Greece less than 3 years ago, he was excited to combine the best of Greek cheesemaking with rich Canadian agriculture to create Canada’s finest feta cheese. Today, the Krinos plant in Alberta is the first Canadian organic feta cheese producer and has recently unveiled innovative retail feta packaging — Krinos Feta Multi-Packs: Two 100g individual servings of feta vacuum sealed without the use of brine. This new line of packs allows you to use one 100g serving and keep the other 100g sealed fresh.

Q : How did you get started in cheesemaking?

A: I studied food technology on the island of Kefalonia. My grandmother and grandfather were also cheesemakers and when I moved back to my hometown on the island Mytilene, I worked at one of the local cheese plants. There I was able to combine my scientific background with tradition. After 6 years of working on the production line, I became the plant manager.

Q: What is feta cheese? What makes it distinct from other cheeses?

A: Feta is a traditional Greek, soft, specialty cheese, cured in brine. Nowadays, we can make feta from cow’s, goat and sheep or any combination of these milks so as to cater to different consumer preferences. Cow’s milk feta for example, is lighter and not as buttery. Goat’s milk, is harder in texture, has a distinct flavour and a stronger aroma and interesting taste. Sheep milk has a smooth, sweet taste and velvety texture.

Aside from its delicious flavour, feta is considered a healthier cheese because it contains naturally occurring probiotics and in the soft cheese category, it is one of the lightest in fat content – for example, regular feta contains 22% fat compared to light cream cheese which contains 24% fat.

Q: How is Krinos feta different from other Canadian fetas?

A: To stay as close to the original recipe we went back to our Greek roots and sourced the best traditional recipes and combined that with top quality fresh Canadian cow’s and goat’s milk that is produced at a farm close by to our facility. Unlike other dairies that make many different types of cheeses – we are specialists in making feta cheese. It is our culture, our passion and we take pride in offering Canadian consumers the best feta cheese made right here in Canada.

Q: How do Greeks typically enjoy feta?

A: The word “feta” means “slice” in Greek and that is because the most popular use of feta in Greece is in the form of a slice on top of a Greek salad. Greeks will always have feta cheese on the dinner table and eat it with their meal as a sort of mini side dish. Feta is so versatile – it can be used in salads, bakes, pasta dishes, made into dips or spreads – it adds great flavour to so many types of foods.

Q: What does the future look like for Krinos feta cheese? What inspires you?

A: I’m inspired by all we do, all the changes and innovations we are coming up with. We started this plant with five people and today we have over 15 employees working in a fully automated, certified, modern facility. Last year, we received the gold medal for the best feta in Canada! Our new multi-packs are also a very exciting step towards the right direction. We plan to do even more in the future. I look forward to the future.