Batzos is one of the oldest Greek cheeses. It is traditionally made by the farmers of Northern Pindos, a mountain range in Central Greece, who used to move their flocks to graze on the plains of central Macedonia and Thessaly in the winter.
It is named after the batzario or batzio, the improvised cheesemaking hut where the batzios, the experienced cheesemaker, put his skills to work. It is a white, semihard-to-hard goat’s and sheep’s milk cheese, with a slightly spicy and very salty taste. It is kept in brine for it to retain its moisture.
Batzos is a product of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the areas of Western and Central Macedonia and Thessaly.
It is consumed as saganaki, grilled, or grated over pasta, in salads and other dishes or fried with eggs and enjoyed with ouzo or tsipouro.
