Prepare the cheeses: Grate or crumble seven types of cheese finely. Place them in a large bowl.

Add olives and hazelnuts: Add the chopped black olives with almonds and ground hazelnuts.

Add spices and olive oil: Add fresh thyme and dried mint. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Mix by hand or with a spoon until all ingredients are well combined.

Serve: Spread on a large serving plate or present in a bowl. Drizzle with an extra round of olive oil. Serve cold; bread or crackers are excellent accompaniments.

The variety of cheeses is the essence of this recipe; it wouldn’t be Cretan spread if made with only one type of cheese. If you cannot find black olives with almonds, you can prepare them yourself by pressing almonds into pitted black olives.