Mykonos Farmers are local cheesemakers specializing in the production of traditional Mykonian cheeses.
Third generation cheese maker. That means Giorgos Syrianos is up to his neck in all the secret recipes for the cheeses his great grandmother used to make, which were improved upon by each generation. It didn’t take long for tradition to meet the entrepreneurial spirit, when Giorgos and a friend and partner of his – a Mykonos local who studied abroad, with in-depth knowledge of finance – started a model cheese dairy in Agios Lazaros. They didn’t just want to make tasty cheeses.
In 60 minutes, visitors can find out how the milk is processed and the cheese is made; and then there is a tasting of xinotyri, kopanisti, “boiled cheese”, and tyrovolia with a glass of wine or a taste of Mykonos yoghurt with a homemade spoon sweet.
Their challenge was to persevere through the difficulties of a venture and survive the harsh reality of Greece’s financial crisis, turning their dream into reality. Giorgos Syrianos’ cheeses are the continuation of his family tradition. Xinotyro, tyrovolia, niari, vrasto, kopanisti, Greek yoghurt – all unique and connected to the island, they bear the Mykonos Farmers stamp. Behind them hides an investment of dreams and significant funds.
The cheese dairy of Giorgos Syrianos is a family jewel. He describes it as though talking about a valuable heirloom. Architectural simplicity and superiority, modern surgical steel equipment, double glazing and disabled access, a lack of preservatives and chemical enhancers. The sheep are allowed to graze freely in order to meet increased demands in milk. Everything down to the smallest detail has been studied carefully in order to harmoniously combine the past and the present, and to highlight the farming tradition of a local community that once consisted of families that each made their own cheese. The cheese dairy can be visited.