🧀 Pichtogalo Chanion

Pichtogalo Chanion is a soft table cheese with a creamy texture from the Chania prefecture on Crete. It is traditionally made from goat's or sheep's milk or a mix of the two. It is ready to eat once drained and salted, with no long maturing. The name has been protected in the EU as a PDO since 1996. ¹³

How it is made. The milk is coagulated at 18–25 °C over two hours. The curd is left to sour for 24 hours and then laid in cloth so the whey can drain. Once it has drained, 1% table salt is added and the cheese is ready to eat. This short route is why it is a fresh cheese rather than an aged one. ³

What sets it apart. A comparison in EU documents shows that it has the most fat of any similar Greek spreadable cheese: at least 50% in dry matter. Moisture reaches 65%, which puts its thickness between the runnier Galotyri, Katiki and Xygalo and the thicker Kopanisti and Anevato. As in most of its neighbours, the salt goes into the drained curd. ⁴

Where it comes from. The cheese has a very long history and is traditionally made within the administrative borders of the Chania prefecture. The milk comes from the goat and sheep breeds traditionally raised here. The application came from the prefecture's union of professional livestock farmers. ³

Why it matters to you. Look for the words Pichtogalo Chanion PDO, the control mark PHCH, a serial number and the production date. This is a fresh cheese with no maturing period, so check the date and keep it cold. The name is tied to the Chania prefecture alone: a similar cheese from another part of Crete cannot use it. ³