Feta

When most Americans think of Greek cheese, they think of white, chalky feta, usually in its crumbled state atop the ubiquitous Greek salad. But there is more to Greek cheese than feta.Sotiris Kitrilakis, the owner of Peloponnese in Oakland, Calif., started to bring in regional Greek cheeses about five years ago.Kostas Mastoras, the owner and cheese buyer at Titan Foods in Astoria, N.Y., said he discovers new cheeses every year. He has seen his selection grow from a handful of the best-known cheeses several years ago to about 50 today.

The Greek cold cut sub at Old World Delicatessen is a big sandwich. Portly. Granted, the largest contributor to its bulk is the roll, a hot dog-bun-class giant that threatens to take over the sandwich at every bite. But at $5.25, this sub begins to look like a bargain. And the really wonderful part about this sandwich is where you buy it. To build the sub, Old World takes the Italian cold cut standard and adds feta and Kalamata olives. Unless you're a major feta cheese fan, you may need to do a mining operation and either jettison some of the larger chunks or break them up and spread the cheese around some.

The first time I made this dish, my husband delighted in its briny goodness. "This tastes like something a mobster would eat," he said, meaning that it's rich and satisfying and seems luxurious. So it has been "Shrimp Gambino" ever since in our house. Actually, the shrimp-feta pairing is traditional in Greece, whence so many good things seem to come. Frozen peeled tail-on shrimp would be fine for this dish. Choose the 21-30 size if you can, but thaw them under cold running water first.

Forty-five minutes into the one-hour drive from Baltimore to Cafe Tuscany in Westminster , I'm cursing my editor. With all of the restaurants in Baltimore, why is it necessary to go this far out for Italian food? "This place better be worth it," I said jokingly to my companion as we pulled up in front of the storefront-like facade on Main Street. Later, while walking out the front entrance, I wanted to call my editor and thank him for sending me out for a great dinner. Opened in 2008, Cafe Tuscany (formerly A Little Bit of Tuscany)

As a duo, spinach and feta cross all ethnic bounds and global borders. Throughout the Mediterranean, this couple flourishes. Greek pies such as spanakopita ooze with spinach and melted feta. Turkish phyllo pastries called boreks and even Italian stuffing for vegetables and meats depend on this duo. How did these two become so universally popular? Because they taste so good. SPINACH FETA EDAMAME HUMMUS Makes 4 cups 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach leaves, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess moisture 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons tahini juice of 2 lemons 2 teaspoons hot sauce 1/2 cup crumbled feta salt, to taste 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup shelled, cooked edamame (see note)

WASHINGTON - They're cheesed off in Wisconsin over a European scheme to ban foreigners from using popular cheese names such as feta, Parmesan and Gorgonzola. Europeans claim that certain products are part of their heritage, and they are preparing to ask world trade officials this week for exclusive rights to 13 cheese names. Wisconsin, America's No. 1 cheese-making state, has come out swinging against the idea, however. "We see it as a serious threat to our ability to market cheeses that we've been making for decades," said John Umhoefer with the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association.

Here's an idea for a casual meal for the grill that's a little different -- Greek wraps. The heated tortilla wraps a juicy filling of grilled mushrooms, chickpeas, tomatoes, feta cheese and a cooling yogurt sauce called a raita. A few pluses are that the meal is oh-so-quick, transportable in its separate components, can be easily doubled and is self-serve!Fresh fruit seared on the grill is a great finish, especially topped with a kicky bourbon caramel sauce. Peel and core a fresh pineapple and then slice into 3/4 -inch thick rings.

Middle Eastern flavors have inspired our light vegetarian menu for a warm summer evening. For the main course, slices of eggplant and halved plum tomatoes are quickly roasted in the oven. The eggplant is then wrapped around a filling of whole-wheat couscous accented with fresh mint and feta cheese, and the tomatoes are mashed with a bit of olive oil and spooned over the top. A salad of grated carrots flavored with garlic and cumin and flecked with a handful of parsley is a colorful accompaniment.

Cooking for weekend company can turn into a marathon if you're not careful. I know from experience: In the past, I used to spend an inordinate amount of time in front of my stove turning out complicated meals for overnight guests. Not any more! I still love to do the cooking, but now I plan simple menus that leave me free to catch up with our out-of-town visitors. That's exactly what I did this past Saturday when close friends arrived for an overnight stay. Dinner was the big event of the visit, and I went all out to make it stylish, but I didn't pour hours into its preparation.

FRESH SPINACH AND feta cheese give this easy recipe a Greek flavor. It's from the Home Economics Department of the Rice Council.5/8Spinach Feta Rice1 cup uncooked rice1 cup chicken broth1 cup water1 medium onion, chopped1 cup (about 4 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms2 cloves garlic, mincedVegetable cooking spray1 tablespoon lemon juice1/2 teapoon dried oregano leaves6 cups shredded fresh spinach leaves, about 1/4 pound4 ounces feta cheese, crumbledFreshly ground black pepperChopped pimiento, optionalBring rice, broth and water to a boil in medium saucepan.

We're working on a watermelon story for an upcoming Taste section. Watermelon and feta have become a modern classic pairing, but what else have you seen a chef do with watemelon? Of course, let us know if you've come up with your own creative applications for watermelon. The photo here is of the a watermelon salad at Ranazul in Fulton/Maple Lawn. It features fresh watermelon wedges on an arugula salad in a citrus vinaigrette with shredded manchego cheese and kalamata olives.

They say the more colorful your salad, the more healthful it is. But instead of piling on the shredded carrots this month, try chopping up a bell pepper to decorate your mixed greens. Ranging in color from red to yellow to green and sometimes even purple, bell peppers are available throughout the year, but they are especially delectable during the summer months. It's well-known that bell peppers are high in vitamin A, but you might not know that they are also very rich in vitamin B-6 and folic acid, both of which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cooking for weekend company can turn into a marathon if you're not careful. I know from experience: In the past, I used to spend an inordinate amount of time in front of my stove turning out complicated meals for overnight guests. Not any more! I still love to do the cooking, but now I plan simple menus that leave me free to catch up with our out-of-town visitors. That's exactly what I did this past Saturday when close friends arrived for an overnight stay. Dinner was the big event of the visit, and I went all out to make it stylish, but I didn't pour hours into its preparation.

Tearing out the beer-making equipment and adding a slate-topped raw bar has been the second-best change at Ryleigh's. The best change was installing Patrick Morrow as executive chef. In December 2006, Ryleigh's Brew Pub became Ryleigh's Oyster Bar. What an improvement. The indifferent food has been replaced with an inventive menu that changes every week but might include a salad with duck confit and goat cheese ($10) or coriander-crusted tuna ($16) served with tomatillo salsa and mashed purple potatoes.

When two distinct ethnic food influences collide to create a hybrid dish, chefs call it fusion cuisine. The fusion doesn't necessarily mean it's lean, but it does provide a nice jumping-off point for creative cooks. Take something familiar, and turn it into something new by making a few healthy substitutions. These Greek Tacos take the standard Mexican-style taco - a hard or soft shell stuffed with ground meat and layered with lettuce, tomato and cheese - and give it a spin using a whole-wheat pita.

As a duo, spinach and feta cross all ethnic bounds and global borders. Throughout the Mediterranean, this couple flourishes. Greek pies such as spanakopita ooze with spinach and melted feta. Turkish phyllo pastries called boreks and even Italian stuffing for vegetables and meats depend on this duo. How did these two become so universally popular? Because they taste so good. SPINACH FETA EDAMAME HUMMUS Makes 4 cups 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach leaves, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess moisture 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons tahini juice of 2 lemons 2 teaspoons hot sauce 1/2 cup crumbled feta salt, to taste 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup shelled, cooked edamame (see note)

When two distinct ethnic food influences collide to create a hybrid dish, chefs call it fusion cuisine. The fusion doesn't necessarily mean it's lean, but it does provide a nice jumping-off point for creative cooks. Take something familiar, and turn it into something new by making a few healthy substitutions. These Greek Tacos take the standard Mexican-style taco - a hard or soft shell stuffed with ground meat and layered with lettuce, tomato and cheese - and give it a spin using a whole-wheat pita.

The local farmers' market can provide almost everything needed for a carefree meal that says "summer." Little preparation is needed, and this freshest of produce can stand on its own without much embellishment.A quick but unique twist for a barbecue sauce is the addition of cup rum and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice to about cup of your favorite tomato-based barbecue sauce. Marinate the steak in this if you have the time; otherwise, dab it on as the steak grills.The pattypan squash can be cut into wedges, doused with olive oil, salt and pepper and then grilled with the steak.

Big Sky Cooking By Meredith Brokaw and Ellen Wright Vintage Restaurant: Handcrafted Cuisine From a Sun Valley Favorite By Jeff Keys Gibbs Smith / 2006 / $34.95 Here's more Sun Valley cuisine, this time with a greater emphasis on fusion fare; for example, Fresh Alaskan Halibut, Mediterranean Style; Asian Mahogany Chicken Bowl; and Grilled Chile-Lime Prawn Salad. Many of Jeff Keys' recipes require a lot of prep work and the lists of ingredients for each stage of a dish could have been listed in a less-confusing manner.

The first time I made this dish, my husband delighted in its briny goodness. "This tastes like something a mobster would eat," he said, meaning that it's rich and satisfying and seems luxurious. So it has been "Shrimp Gambino" ever since in our house. Actually, the shrimp-feta pairing is traditional in Greece, whence so many good things seem to come. Frozen peeled tail-on shrimp would be fine for this dish. Choose the 21-30 size if you can, but thaw them under cold running water first.