As is the case with most Greek islands, dairy products come in huge variety and every island prides itself in producing its very own, exclusive cheese. Skotyri is a traditional creamy, spicy cheese from Ios, one of the Cyclades Islands of the Aegean Sea in Greece. It is made by mixing myzithra, the Greek fresh and soft ricotta, with kefalotyri -another kind of hard yellow Greek cheese-, milk, vinegar and spices. The special flavor is a result of a local herb, named throumpi, a sort of wild thyme.
It is a centuries-old traditional product of the island and the reason it was first made back in the day of no refrigerators was so that excess myzithra wouldn’t spoil and go to waste, while also using kefalotyri that had not been consumed. A local family-run dairy plant from Ios, called “To Niotiko”, now offers consumers this premium quality, preservatives-free product. Ingredients include goat, cow and sheep milk, rennet, culture blend, salt. It is best enjoyed mixed in green salads, pies, even as an appetizer with alcohol, either alone or in cheese platters.
