“Dretos” Cheese
(Dretos - /dre'tos/, someone who tells the truth in a hard, direct and honest way)
Quantity produced
It is produced in limited quantities; a total of 106 heads of cheese were made, with each head weighing between 2200g and 2600g
Origin
Our journey begins in the sun-drenched fields and pastures where the harmony between tradition and nature flourishes. In this serene landscape, we discover the roots of our craft, deeply embedded in the rich, fertile soil and the timeless practices of Crete's master cheese makers. This idyllic setting provides the perfect backdrop for creating cheeses that are as exquisite as the environment from which they originate.
Produced in the second half of May in Krousonas by Lydakis (Dretos), using milk from their own animals, it fully embodies the farm-to-table philosophy. This is the season when herds are moved from their coastal havens in the Agiofarango area back to the Cretan mountains above Krousonas, in the foothills of eastern Mount Ida at an altitude of over 800 metres. Their food at this period comes from aromatic plants like sage and thyme, mountain bushes, carob trees, under the shade of carob and oak branches, with their abundant mature fruits generously provided by the Cretan land. The animals given birth and weaned their young, allowing the family to collect both sheep and goat milk.
Flavour
Following this family tradition, we have used a mixture of half sheep milk and half goat, to craft a hard cheese, letting it mature for 6 months to develop its full flavor and aroma. Don’t expect a mild cheese, but one with character – slightly salty and spicy – rich in flavor and body, in harmony with the wild nature of the Cretan mountains, that speaks “directly” to your palate. The goat milk provides the necessary sharpness and spicy flavor profile, balanced with the buttery aftertaste of the sheep milk. Finally, cheese connoisseurs will be able to detect the notes from the aromatic plants and the earthy flavor profile offered by the animals’ free grazing in the mountain fauna of the pastureland.
Cheese Characteristics
Each cheese wheel, uniquely crafted and handmade, weighs between 2200g and 2600g, a result of its 6-month maturation. Its maximum moisture content of 38% places it in the category of hard cheeses. Its color lies somewhere between pale yellow hues, resulting from the processing of fresh goat milk, combined with the corresponding amount of sheep milk.
Packaging
You can choose among the following options
Xmas24 Box - Full Whole cheese wheel, packaged per quarter. 70,00€ ~ 2200g - 2600g
Xmas24 Box - Half Half cheese wheel, packaged per quarter. 45,00€ ~ 1100g - 1300g
Xmas24 Box - Quarter One quarter of the cheese. 25,00€ ~ 550g - 650g
Xmas24 Box - Gift Box One quarter of the cheese, a bottle of "Vidiano" white wine - Diamantakis winery, 2022 - and optional logo engraving on the front side of the box. 40,00€
Nutritional Information
| NUTRITION DECLARATION | per 100 g |
| Energy | 1730 kJ - 417 / kcal |
| fat of which saturated fat | 34 g 24 g |
| Carbohydrates of which sugars | <0,5 g |
| protein | 27 g |
| salt | 2,8 g |
*** differentiations may occur due to maturing process. The Nutrition Declaration will be updated in December.
Pasteurized Sheeps milk (50%), Pasteurized goats milk (50%), rennet, starter culture, salt