Thilikotiri (female cheese)
Perhaps less known than Arseniko – the emblematic cheese of mountainous Naxos – Thilikotiri owes its name to the way it is prepared and its special characteristics, which in the old, patriarchal societies, corresponded to female nature. Because, while the former is produced from whole milk and is characterized by its strength and wealth, the “female” cheese comes from its whey, that is, a by-product of Arsenico cheese making, so it is weaker and less hard. In fact, it is a salty, dry anthotiro, which acquires an enjoyable personality, when aged for a few – or even better for several – months.
