GREECE IS | GASTRONOMY | 2018

EXPERIENCE CULTURE, GASTRONOMY & MORE

G A S T RO N O M Y

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ISSN: 2529-041X

ISSUE #33 | 2018 EDITION

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I N T R O D U C T I ON

We set the table; talk to well-known Greek gastronomy ambassadors from around the globe; shed light on the dietary secrets of the ancient Greeks; and meet the people spearheading the new era of Greek food.

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EX PLORE

Greek cuisine is not monolithic; it’s a rich mosaic of products, recipes and customs shaped by local environments and histories.

We travel the length and breadth of the country to explore its diverse culinary wealth.

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FOODIE GUIDE

Athens and Thessaloniki are in a perpetual battle for the title of national gastro capital.

We highlight established and up-and-coming restaurants shaping Greek cuisine, as well as the best shops for local delicacies.

WELCOME

GR.EAT

Greece and its food are inseparable; to get to know us, come dine with us.

BY GIORG O S T SI RO S & N E NA DI M I T R IOU

Studies show that the potential for authentic culinary experiences has a strong influence on the destination choices of an increasing number of travelers. The national and local cuisines of any destination, treasures of another kind of cultural heritage, can be as important to visitors as historical monuments or natural attractions, particularly for that group of people who get as much pleasure out of a well-executed, authentic local dish as they do from an afternoon of sightseeing or a visit to a museum.

Greece makes the grade in every aspect of the visitor checklist, and the food factor is certainly no exception, thanks to 4,000 years of culinary heritage, a plethora of artisanal products, and distinctive regional cuisines shaped both by the immediate natural environment and the native population’s ability to maintain traditions while embracing foreign influences and change.

Thanks to all this, Greece boasts a fascinating culinary culture.

What the nation eats is what forms the basis of the Mediterranean diet, a food philosophy synonymous with good health and longevity. Customs associated with food, from the simplest things, such as a meal with friends at a taverna, to the ritualistic − the Lenten fast and the happy gluttony of Easter − give visitors an idea of what we mean, in this country, by the joy of living. We celebrate with loukoumades (like a donut, only better) soaked

in honey; we cure colds and hangovers with healing herbs and egg-and-lemon chicken soup; and we gather our friends and family around our tables whenever possible, and celebrate seasonal delights. As strange as some of our habits may seem to the uninitiated − sharing food from the same small plates, angling for that crispy bit of crackling skin, sopping up sauces and salad oil with chunks of bread, toasting one another multiple times during a meal, shouting as if we’re arguing, or laughing and kissing at the table − they’ll always feel welcome: one of us. The absence of convention is our convention.

Recent research conducted for Hotrec, a pan-European association representing nearly two million hospitality and catering businesses, ranked Greece among the top three gastronomic destinations in Europe for the quality and variety of its food.

Throughout the financial crisis, the food sector - from production and manufacturing to exports and catering - was among a handful of sectors that improved rather than shrank. Today, new initiatives are mushrooming all over Greece – food festivals on small islands of the Cyclades, local cuisine seminars, national campaigns like the Greek Breakfast drive - and strengthening the country’s gastronomic brand. We hope that this issue of Greece Is Gastronomy does its small part in this worthy endeavor.

A table laiden with local specialties in the Mani region of the Peloponnese.

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CONTENTS G R E E C E I S - I S S U E# 3 3 G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018 E D I T I O N

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4. AMAZING TABLES Breakfast, Easter and fasting a la Grec.

60. STARS OF THE SHOW The country’s main culinary attractions.

10. AMBASSADORS For these renowned chefs and food writers from three different continents, Greek food runs in the family.

72. THE FOOD INDUSTRY How local products have gone global.

22. ORIGINS Ancient Greek diet and the art of cooking.

32. INSIGHTS Shedding light on the tradition, evolution and versatility of Greek cuisine.

46. GAME CHANGERS Chefs, producers and winemakers who shaped the landscape of modern Greek gastronomy.

Explore 78. CRETE The birthplace of the Mediterranean diet, with a millenia-old culinary tradition that is still alive and well.

86. THE CYCLADES The Archipelago’s famous island group has plenty to bring to the table – from fresh seafood to amazing cheeses and cured meats.

94. THE DODECANESE The islands of the southeastern Aegean offer food experiences ranging from sincere simplicity to splendid sophistication.

122. NORTH AEGEAN With influences from Asia Minor and its own rich seas, this island group serves up some of Greece’s most exotic dishes.

102. EPIRUS Spectacular areas of beautiful wilderness and a fresh, rustic cuisine.

128. THE NORTH A cuisine steeped in a various culinary traditions, drawing on an abundantly fruitful land.

110. THE IONIAN ISLANDS Greece’s westernmost islands also feature strong Italian influences and their own exciting dishes.

116. THE HEARTLAND Legendary lands with a wellearned reputation for great meat and seafood dishes.

136. THE PELOPONNESE Amazing olive oil, delicious pork dishes and great wines.

Foodie Guide 144. Shopping and eating out in Athens and Thessaloniki, plus amazing gastro-tourism experiences across Greece.

ON THE COVER: ILLUSTRATION BY BOB STUDIO

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BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

People used to joke that a Greek breakfast was a tiny cup of coffee and a cigarette. But tourists expect more than that, and hotels now offer fabulous spreads featuring local products and delicious local specialties.

Suddenly breakfast has become more interesting, even to Greeks.

How about some nourishing wheat broth mixed with nuts, or fried eggs with extra-tasty Santorini tomato paste, or a Greek “pizza” from Kimolos? Try some freshlysqueezed orange juice from Laconia, but leave room for a bowl of thick strained yogurt drizzled with either fruit preserves or thyme honey and served with a barley rusk on the side.

– DIANA FARR LOUIS

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FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

IN PICTURES

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WHO NEEDS MEAT?

In Greece, fasting isn’t about total abstention or bread and water. Giving up animal products before major feasts at Christmas or Easter was an early Church rule designed to purify the body and focus the mind, but it was also a way of conserving precious food resources in lean times. Clever cooks saw it as a chance to devise tasty new recipes so that Lenten menus were just as mouthwatering as that of Easter.

The monks on Mt Athos subsist on vegetables, pulses, pasta and seafood all year. During fasts, they even abstain from olive oil.

This strict diet has led to delicious inventions: baked mushrooms stuffed with shrimp, octopus “meatballs” with fennel and onion, taramosalata (fish roe dip) with potato and dill, and a rosemaryinfused lemony chickpea stew.

– DIANA FARR LOUIS

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The Easter feast in Mani begins with tripe soup (often thickened with egg and yogurt). The kid goat is roasted in a clay pot, while a salad − not of lettuce but of oranges, onions and olives − adds both color and zing. The greens and wild asparagus aren’t unique to this region, but they are traditional fare. For dessert, a soothing custardy galatopita (“milk pie”) is perfect.

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NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED

Of all the celebrations in the Greek calendar, Easter is perhaps the most important, the most eagerly awaited and the most colorful. Like American Thanksgiving, it brings together far-flung relatives and close friends, and focuses on a single main dish, roast lamb or kid goat. But while twirling a lamb on a spit remains a very popular method of cooking it, this is a custom from Central Greece; it isn’t universal. Elsewhere, you’ll find your lamb or goat stuffed, slow-cooked in a clay pot, or oven-baked on a bed of vine trimmings . . . But wherever you go, the main dish will always be accompanied by lots of wine and even more kefi, that feeling of high spirits that sets Greek festivities apart. – DIANA FARR LOUIS

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WELCOME AMBASSADORS

FROM FATHER TO SON How childhood holidays in Greece formed the basis of a culinary career in Vienna.

B Y KO N S TA N T I N F I L I P P O U

The son of a Greek father and an Austrian mother with a great love for the Mediterranean, I was lucky to be able to spend all my childhood summer vacations with my family in Halkidiki, in northern Greece.

Every year when school was about to end, I became giddy with excitement because I knew I would soon be back at the seashore. I loved this time of year. The days seemed endless, and amazing adventures awaited around every corner. In addition to being able to explore the great landscape of the first of Halkidiki’s three peninsulas with my friends and cousins every day, I was given a great gift by my father: he taught me how to catch an octopus with my bare hands.

In the beginning, it was tough and – of course – I failed a

lot. But being a focused kid with a strong will, I kept trying until I finally got the knack for it. From that point on, I became a regular attraction on the beach, emerging from the water with an octopus in my hand, his tentacles wrapped all around my small hands.

The part of the action that followed the hunt was even better: I learned how to turn my catch of the day into supper. My father taught me how to prepare the octopus for cooking, rubbing it on the rocks and beating it for a long time in order to tenderize it.

How great those meals were! I was proud of my achievement and, besides, sitting together with my folks and enjoying a good meal made me happy. Every time I think back on those dinners, I just want to go back there immediately – and next summer I will!

Konstantin Filippou’s two-star Michelin restaurant bearing his name and located in central Vienna offers fine dining at the highest level. (konstantinfilippou.com) 10

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WELCOME AMBASSADORS

Tomato, with sea bass tartare, dashi yogurt and lemon marmalade.

SPREADING THE WORD A Greek-Australian celebrity restaurateur conveys his passion for the homeland’s cuisine.

BY GEORGE CALOMBARIS

I was born in Australia, the child of Greek immigrants. Even as a child, I loved food – not only for the taste, but also for the feeling of generosity that it conveys. As you might imagine, my mother and my grandmother wouldn’t let me anywhere near the kitchen. “These things are not for boys,” they would say.

My strongest childhood memory is of avgolemono, the Greek egg-and-lemon sauce. It is the very definition of comfort food.

Whenever I was sick, my mother would make a delicious soup with avgolemono, and I’d unfailingly get better – like a shot!

If you come to any of my restaurants, you’ll see avgolemono playing a leading role in many dishes, and you’ll see it in a rather new version, too − as a dessert. Because this is what I do: I filter Greek flavors through my own prism. I mix them with fresh ideas, a lot of history and contemporary cooking techniques. You won’t find tzatziki or moussaka on my menu.

You will, however, find the true essence of Greece, its spirit, and some of its values. Because food shouldn’t be just a pleasure for the senses. It should be a challenge for the mind, “taking” you to places you’ve never visited before, startling you, giving you food for thought…

I haven’t forgotten my roots. Greece runs in my veins. I respect it, love it, and it is the inspiration and the motivating force behind everything I do. I owe it enormous gratitude for the

values and ideals it has bequeathed to me. Every two weeks, all those employed in my restaurants attend courses on Greek philosophy, on our way of life, on our culture. Without these things, the food means absolutely nothing.

In my kitchen I always have avgotaracho – fish roe – from Messolongi, pistachios from Aegina, saffron from Kozani, capers and other “treasures” from the homeland. Without good primary ingredients, you cannot be a good chef. This is why most of the vegetables we use are grown on our own farms.

A favorite ingredient is olive oil. I can’t do anything without it.

At home, it is Natalie, my wife, who cooks. She’s Italian, but she is, in fact, more Greek than many Greeks. She’s learning our language and cooks the most delicious lentils I’ve ever tasted! I recently bought a house in Athens, in Varkiza. I want our children, Dimitris and Michaela, to develop strong bonds with Greece, to have memories from our homeland, to love it as much as I do.

Some like to label me a star, because of the celebrity status I’ve been given through my participation in popular television programs. I don’t feel like a star. I remain a chef, and I’ll never forget where I started from, and how lucky I am to have such a wonderful life. I feel blessed, because I can still be in a kitchen and “communicate” with food.

George Calombaris is one of Australia’s most influential chefs. He owns 21 restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne.

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WELCOME AMBASSADORS

A GREEK GARDEN IN CANADA Transplanted to distant shores, this Greek-Canadian family maintained its food roots.

B Y B E T T Y, E L E N I A N D S A M A N T H A B A KO P O U L O S

We’re not being overly sentimental or exaggerating when we say that the most precious ingredient in Greek cooking is love. Our parents didn’t calculate how much money was spent on ingredients or bemoan how much time it would take to prepare a favorite dish. Instead, they cooked as if their souls were on display. Perhaps this was because we grew up in Canada, and our Greek culture was kept alive in our kitchens.

Our parents’ garden was a clear reflection of what they held dear to their hearts – their native homeland. They may not have been able to bring back the mountains and the breathtaking views of the sea that Greece offered them, but they could grow a little bit of Greece in the backyard. We can remember eggplants growing side by side with basil, grapevines giving us shade, and bean stalks and zucchini plants as high as our fence. Early mornings meant learning how to pluck zucchini flowers, or quietly scanning the garden beds for greens like

sorrel, chicory and horta (the Greek term for wild greens). Afternoons involved preparing meals around the kitchen table, fueled by strong Greek coffee. There was, for example, the colorful, summery dish known as yemista: tomatoes stuffed with rice, fresh mint, parsley and onions. For the three of us, the aroma of that dish as it cooks still floods our minds and hearts with fond memories.

Our cooking “lessons” were never seen as a chore, but rather as a chance to connect. Because we still feel this way, cooking is rarely a chore in our own homes. The meals that we prepare, like the meals our parents prepared, are almost always meant to be shared with friends and family. Food is not just a means for survival. Cooking and eating can be one of the most sensuous and enjoyable aspects of your day. Like love, good food is comforting. For those preparing the meal, it is rewarding; for those who share in the feast, it is life-affirming.

The Bakopoulos sisters are the authors of “Three Sisters Around the Greek Table” and “Three Sisters Back to the Beginning.” (3greeksisters.com) 14

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WELCOME AMBASSADORS

GO WITH THE FLOW A beginner’s guide to the Greek taverna, where the spirit of the country finds expression around the table.

BY TESSA KIROS

Greek cuisine isn’t just about souvlaki, gyros and moussaka, even though I do think that moussaka is one of those all-time wonders. In fact, the combination of velvety eggplants, spicy ground beef and fluffy bechamel sauce blanketing the top – the way these three unusual ingredients come together in the dish – is a bit like the crowd at a Greek taverna. You’ll find the young family dining out together, the old friends meeting up for drinks, and the excited tourists trying dishes they’ve never tasted before. Here they all are, just regular human ingredients coming together in a very special combination.

It’s best, as you head out to a typical Greek taverna with friends, to go with the flow. Don’t try to order plates of food just for yourself as you might do in another country. Instead, surrender to Greek hospitality and spontaneity. After all, the meze dishes are arriving steadily, everything is coming together and you need not do much more than eat, drink and converse. Trust the people at your table and trust your hosts, and you’ll witness the heart and soul of the Greek nation informally displayed before you, unpretentious in every way.

The Greek kitchen has very few commandments – unlike other ruled-by-rules cuisines. Here, you can eat makaronia (pasta) as either a first or second dish, and there will almost always be a Greek salad on the table throughout the meal. Cheese is per-

fectly acceptable with fish, and watermelon is to be enjoyed with feta. Many food combinations are based on traditions (Greeks love traditions) and there are some items that should definitely be eaten on certain days. On the national holiday of March 25th, for instance, when Greece celebrates the successful uprising against its Ottoman occupiers, fried bakaliaros (codfish) is what everyone eats; it’s served with a tangy, garlicky sauce.

Tradition doesn’t mean rigidity, however. There’s an informality to taverna dining, so don’t be surprised to see your fellow diners attack the communal salad with a fork, or use pieces of bread to soak up the oily liquid at the bottom of the bowl. This papara (dunking) is quite acceptable taverna etiquette.

Everything in Greece comes with a healthy dose of hospitality.

Whether you’re visiting a friend or stopping for an ouzo at the humblest kafeneio, you’ll always be brought a small serving of tidbits, including perhaps some olives, cucumber slices and a few pieces of cheese, all crammed together on a tiny plate. It would be unheard of not to do this; droppí, or shameful, not to offer it.

I love a glass of raki or tsipouro with meze at the start of the meal. With beautiful small plates of treats like ambelofasoula (snake beans), kaparosalata (caper dip), marinated anchovies, saganaki (fried cheese) and octopus, either chargrilled or marinated in vinegar, I can enjoy a splendidly orchestrated round of appetizers before switching to wine with the main meal.

A good lunch option is something from the range of mageirefta, slow-cooked ready-to-serve dishes often on show in display cases to make the selection process easier. For dinner, many prefer to order something from the skhara (the grill).

Greek cuisine, although it is simple, is certainly not bland. A serving of grilled fish, for instance, will get a generous drizzle of latholemono (olive oil and lemon juice) and a sprinkle or two of a mixture of salt, pepper and dried wild oregano from the rugged Greek mountains. (This mix is also wonderful sprinkled over french fries with a crumbling of feta on top.)

My curiosity about Greek cuisine stemmed largely from a sentimental attachment to the food. But when I started doing research for my book “Food From Many Greek Kitchens,” I was amazed to learn how vegetarian-friendly Greek cuisine really is. Until recently, meat was a once-a-week dish. Fish was eaten at sea when a fisherman brought in his nets, or that day when he brought his catch home. A chicken might be boiled up if you were sick. A vegetarian, on the other hand, will always be well-fed in Greece – depending on the season, there’ll be black-eyed beans, lentils, yellow split peas, artichokes or okra to choose from, and delicious mineral-rich boiled wild greens are available year-round.

When I think about Greece, it’s the country’s amazing food, along with the wonderful smells and sights you find in the oldstyle fruit and vegetable shops, that come to mind, and the humble Greek taverna is just the place to experience all these edible treasures.

A food writer of Greek-Cypriot and Finnish parentage, Tessa Kiros is the author of “Food from Many Greek Kitchens” (Murdoch Books, 2010).

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The taverna Ama Laxei in downtown Exarchia.

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WELCOME AMBASSADORS

YIAYIA’S KITCHEN STILL RULES Family and food go hand in hand for these famous Greek-Australian sisters.

BY HELENA AND VIKKI MOURSELL AS

On a Sunday in 1936, in a small seaside village called Fourka in the northern Greek region of Halkidiki, Koula was born.

Little did her beaming parents know that little Koula would later move to the other side of the world, to the Australian city of Adelaide, where she would marry, and one day become the grandmother of identical twin girls. Our yiayia (grandmother) Koula and our pappou (grandfather) Vasilis played integral roles in our lives, shaping our love and passion for food from a young age. One of our most cherished childhood memories is racing to the front gate of the house after school, where Yiayia and Pappou would be waiting for us with a bag of freshly fried fish and steaming-hot fried potatoes.

Yiayia was known for her pastitsio (a Greek version of lasagna) and especially her delicious kima (the layer of ground beef in the pastitsio that sits between the pasta and the baked bechamel sauce). Even simple things made by Yiayia seemed to be perfect when we were growing up, like her plain, buttery spaghetti that we would eat straight from the pot, slurping it up with glee.

Growing up as Greek-Australians under the watchful eye of a matriarch who made sure we maintained a strong link to our Greek roots, we understand that food makes a home and brings a family together. For us, family and food go hand in hand. Whenever we cook for family and friends, they know to show up at the house with hearty appetites!

In recent years, we’ve become real advocates for the Mediterranean diet, which has been linked to longevity. Last year, we went vegetarian and acquired an even stronger appreciation for the beautiful simplicity of Greek food which, contrary to popular perception, is very vegetarian-friendly. Take the humble zucchini, for example. It can be served fried, stuffed with rice or even ribboned raw; the options are endless. A hot summer’s day demands piping hot fried zucchini chips dipped in tzatziki!

Our favorite Greek feast for family and friends includes recipes from our 2015 cookbook, “Taking You Home: Simple Greek Food.” We like to pile our table high with freshly made dips like tzatziki and htypiti (a whipped cheese treat); piles of warm yogurt pita bread; saganaki (fried cheese) topped with tomatoes, honey and sesame seeds; spanakopita (spinach pie) and a generous tray of hot, oozy moussaka, paired with a good Greek wine (we love Alpha Estate’s Axia Red).

No Greek feast is complete without dessert! Our family’s four-generation-old revani (semolina cake) recipe is what scored us full marks on the Australian TV show “My Kitchen Rules,” and we always get special requests to make this for dinner parties.

For us, there’s no greater joy than a table overflowing with food and wine, accompanied by the beautiful sound of the chatter and laughter of loved ones. This is the essence of a Greek feast, and it’s also what inspires us as chefs.

The authors are Sydney-based recipe developers and chefs. In 2015, they published the cookbook “Taking You Home: Simple Greek Food.”

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WELCOME AMBASSADORS

REINVENTING SOUVLAKI One London restaurant’s journey towards becoming a culinary destination.

B Y C H R I S T I N A M O U R AT O G L O U

We opened Mazi, with Adrien Carré, in London’s Notting Hill in June 2012 with a mission to change people’s perception of Greek food. Until that time, Greek restaurants in London had been stuck in the past, showing little creativity and innovation.

As a Greek foodie, it had always upset me that there wasn’t a restaurant I could recommend when friends asked me where to find some decent Greek food. So we came up with the concept of Mazi, a thoroughly modern Greek restaurant.

Mazi, which means “together” in Greek, references and revives Greece’s noble sharing tradition. But while we draw inspiration from customary practices and childhood memories, we reinterpret them with a modern twist. A perfect example would be one of our most popular dishes, Cool Souvlaki, which has appeared in many different versions over the years, sometimes with a southeast Asian twist, sometimes with a Mexican take.

Souvlaki (or gyros) is Greece’s national street-food dish, consisting of shavings of pork or chicken cooked on a vertical rotisserie, wrapped in pita bread with tzatziki, onions, tomatoes and fries. It‘s one of the country’s most recognizable/Instagrammable dishes and it’s always been a firm favorite among the staff at Mazi. Who doesn’t love a good souvlaki? It tastes of vacation

and of Greek summer…

So one sunny day, on a break between services, as we were all sitting at a big table in the garden and enjoying some unbelievably good homemade gyros, I said to our chef, John Skotidas, “Come on! We have to put this on the menu! People will love it.” As I expected, he rejected the idea at first, but, after some serious lobbying by both my partner, Adrien, and me, he agreed to come up with something shareable and “cool” enough to go on Mazi’s menu.

Inspired by the current London trend for tacos (they’re the new bao buns), we decided to create individual tacos that taste like souvlaki. First off, we replaced the pita bread with a thin, soft handmade tortilla. Then we used pork belly, as it most resembles the taste of pork gyros.

We bake the meat in the oven for four hours and then use a frying pan to give it that glossy and crispy outside look. Instead of tzatziki, we use cumin yogurt and thin strips of cucumber.

We add tomato marmalade, finely sliced onions and, for the final touch, some coriander cress on top. It looks like a Mexican taco with Asian notes but once you fold it up and put it in your mouth, the taste kicks in: Greece at last!

Christina Mouratoglou is one of the owners of the Greek restaurant Mazi in London and has published the book “Mazi: Modern Greek Food” with co-owner Αdrien Carré.

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GASTRONOMY ORIGINS

ANCIENT DIET AND THE ART OF COOKING From simple staples and home-cooked meals to the sophisticated cuisine of Athenian symposia, eating in ancient Greece, in wartime or peace, could be a matter of feast or famine.

BY JOHN LEONA R D

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In the world of the ancient Greeks, just as in our world, food’s life-giving power came to be intertwined with religious belief, and the occasion of its availability or plentifulness called for gratitude to be ritually expressed to the responsible god or goddess. Homer’s poems reveal that close ties already existed between food, religion and mannerly, ritualistic social conduct as early as the Late Bronze Age and the early centuries of the Iron Age. So valued and universal were the bronze or iron spits used at feasts for roasting meat over the fire that, by at least the 8th c. BC, they had become a form of currency and were often bestowed as dedicatory offerings

in religious sanctuaries such as Olympia and Delphi.

In the 5th and 4th centuries BC, wine was the celebrated social lubricant at symposia (evening parties) in Athens and other Greek city-states, while food and its preparation were transformed into a complex, sophisticated art form practiced by elite chefs and described in noted “cookbooks.”

Food themes and imagery were also a ubiquitous feature in popular entertainment, especially in the political and social satires of the comedic playwright Aristophanes. Greek cuisine went on to influence Roman and Byzantine tastes, with the elaborate rituals and the exuber-

STAFF OF LIFE

A crew of female bakers kneading dough for loaves of bread, accompanied by a musician playing a flute; terracotta figurine group discovered at Thebes, Boeotia, 6th century BC (Louvre, Paris).

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aving choices in eating has probably been a human impulse since the dawn of time. One can almost hear the cave dweller saying, “No, I think we should splurge tonight, dear, and have the wild-boar steaks.” Archaeologists and historians frequently talk about trade in ancient Greece, usually involving raw materials, metals, pottery and the major foodstuffs, but overall diet and the import/export of various fresh or dried commodities other than wine, olive oil and grain are increasingly important, research-worthy topics, since a diverse food supply was clearly also a central, vital factor in ancient daily life.

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GASTRONOMY ORIGINS

ance associated with ancient communal dining ultimately becoming recognized as an iconic aspect of classical culture.

Today’s studies of ancient food greatly benefit from the extraordinary variety of evidence and innovative analytical approaches that researchers now have at their fingertips. Through texts, vase paintings, wall frescoes, botanical and bone remains, archaeological artifacts and architectural knowledge related to pantries, kitchens and dining rooms, along with scientific detection of food residues preserved in dishes and storage vessels, we can now, more than ever, appreciate the diverse diet and the eating habits of ancient Greeks, and marvel at the eternal roots of our own “Mediterranean Diet.”

A LOAF OF BREAD, A JUG OF WINE… The Greek land and seas, as all who have spent time in Greece can attest, offer a remarkable variety of edible items that make eating here – even on simple occasions – a pleasurable, palate-intriguing experience. Distinctions existed, however, in ancient times (just as they do today) between basic fare, such as what one might eat at home during an ordinary meal, and the broader range of delicacies served at private or public banquets.

Food, then as now, was an identifying mark of culture – both of Greek versus foreign (“barbarian”) culture and of the sub-cultures within Greek society, defined by economic or social rank.

Bread, wine and olive oil were universal staples of the ancient diet. Wholewheat bread (there was no bleached, refined white flour), today still considered a primary “staff of life,” provided energy, vitamins, protein, regular bow-

els and feelings of fullness and satisfaction. Bread-baking had already been developed in Neolithic times, as evidenced by courtyard ovens discovered at Sesklo (7th/6th millennium BC). Wine and olive oil, as well as whole olives, supplied essential calories and were consumed at all times of the day. A typical breakfast or snack in classical Greece customarily included bread dipped in wine.

ATTITUDES TOWARD MEAT Homer’s epic heroes ate plenty of roasted meat, usually lamb, goat or pig, but meat consumption was not as common in antiquity as it is today, instead often being reserved for celebratory feasts or featuring only occasionally in one’s weekly or monthly program. Animals, including cows, birds (thrushes, doves, quails, blackbirds, geese), wild hare and deer, were likely more regular food items in the countryside than in the city. Various types of seafood (especially fresh or dried/salted fish), river/lake fish and eels were also frequent menu items.

Less-advantaged members of society, as well as the priesthood, had access to meat through religious sacrifices that ultimately amounted to a key mechanism of social redistribution.

Strict vegetarianism, on the other hand, was also a well-known practice, alluded to in the Odyssey and in the Histories of Herodotus, where the lotus-eaters of North Africa were said to have sustained themselves on only the fleshy, seed-bearing lotus fruit of the Ziziphus/Rhamnus bush. Similarly, vegetarianism was a tenet of Orphism and the philosophy of Pythagoras (6th/5th c.

BC), who reportedly likened eating meat to cannibalism and praised the natural

WE CAN NOW, MORE THAN EVER, APPRECIATE THE DIVERSE DIET AND THE EATING HABITS OF ANCIENT GREEKS, AND MARVEL AT THE ETERNAL ROOTS OF OUR OWN “MEDITERRANEAN DIET.”

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PREPARING THE KYKEON A woman grates cheese, perhaps for the “kykeon” potion described in Homer; terracotta, with red, yellow and white paint; Tanagra, Boeotia; early 5th century BC (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston).

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THE APPRENTICE A woman in the act of cooking is watched by a young girl as she adds ingredients to a pot over the fire; ca.

500-475 BC (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston).

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GASTRONOMY ORIGINS

IN THE 3RD C. BC, THE “MEZE” APPEARED: A MEAL (POPULAR AGAIN TODAY) CONSISTING OF MANY SMALL DELICACIES THAT OFFERED GUESTS A DELIGHTFULLY DIVERSE DINING EXPERIENCE.

abundance of alternative foods: “What else is this but to devour our guests, and barbarously renew Cyclopean feasts?

While Earth not only can your needs supply, but, lavish of her store, provides for luxury…” (Ovid, Met. 15.60ff, translated

by Brookes More, 1922).

NEVER DINE WITH A SPARTAN Simple fare found on an ordinary table might feature lentil soup or a gruel of barley cooked with cabbage leaves and turnips. Kykeon, another widely-enjoyed grain-based product, was described in Homer; it consisted of barley prepared on the fire with wine and goat’s cheese.

Humble country or city folk would have supplemented their daily repasts with vegetables, fruit, dried nuts and perhaps some goat’s or sheep’s milk, cheese, or oxygala, a form of yoghurt. According to Aristophanes, soldiers likewise ate simple meals, sometimes comprising only cheese and onions. The Spartans, noted among ancient writers for their austerity, prepared a black broth of blood and boiled pig’s leg, seasoned with vinegar, which they combined with servings of barley, fruit, raw greens, wine and, at larger dinners, sausages or roasted meat.

Spartan boys were sparingly issued barley cakes.

A FINE SPREAD The fuller spectrum of foods one might generally find in ancient Greece, in the more liberal, un-Spartan-like households of Athens, or served in the male-only party rooms (androns) used for symposia, included: pulses (lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas and broad beans); vegetables (onions, garlic, wild greens, cabbage, lettuce, turnips, leeks, radishes, cucumbers, celery, dill, fennel, artichokes and

asparagus); edible bulbs; mushrooms; fruits (grapes/raisins, olives, figs, apples, pears and plums/prunes); nuts (walnuts and almonds); honey; and various herbs (thyme, marjoram and mint). Salt was a valued commodity; it was collected on the seashore or mined from salt lakes such as those Pliny the Elder describes at Kition and Salamis in Cyprus. Land snails, particular to Cretan cuisine from as early as the Minoan Bronze Age, were also a desired trade good, which archaeologists have unearthed at Akrotiri on Santorini.

Throughout classical times, as diners became more demanding and their tastes more sophisticated, the spreads that were laid before them expanded correspondingly. In the 3rd c. BC, the “meze” appeared: a meal (popular again today) of many small delicacies that offered guests a delightfully diverse dining experience. The most popular wines came from Thasos, Ismaros (Thrace), Chios, Cos, Lesvos, Mende (Halkidiki), Naxos and Peparethos (Skopelos).

COMPLIMENTS (OR NOT) TO THE CHEF The names of leading chefs and the details of food, wine and behavior at ancient dinner and drinking parties have come down to us through the writings of Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, Theophrastus, Pliny, Plutarch, Aspicius, Petronius, Juvenal and a host of other Greek and Roman authors. Their varying opinions reveal that much, sometimes bitter, debate and disagreement existed on the merits, shortcomings and appropriateness of contemporary culinary practice and the “party culture.”

The earliest-known Greek cookbooks are a guide to the Sicilian gastronomy of Magna Graecia by Mithaecus (late

Firedogs or “souvlaki trays” with bulls-head finials, from Akrotiri, 17th c. BC (Archaeological Museum of Thera).

FOOD ON THE FLY “Fast food” nowadays often means a quick meat snacksuch as souvlaki, pita gyros, hotdogs or hamburgers – a class of food widely considered a hallmark of our fast-paced, modern lifestyle. But the ancient Greeks and Romans also ate “on the fly” using only their hands! At prehistoric Akrotiri, racks for grilling meat on skewers and a firebox topped with a flat griddle indicate souvlaki and flat-bread (pita) were already popular nosh some 3,700 years ago. Homer describes meat roasted on spits (a forerunner of food items such as kontosouvli and/or gyros), and he also mentions the ancestor of the hotdog: “…And as when a man before a great blazing fire turns swiftly this way and that a paunch [i.e. sausage; anc. Greek: gaster] full of fat and blood… eager to have it roasted quickly, so [sleepless] Odysseus tossed from side to side…”

The Romans, too, liked “take-out;” small street-front shops (popinae or thermopolia) in Pompeii featured service windows and countertops with reservoirs for serving wine and warm foods. The chef Apicius (3rd/4th c. AD) recommended various ground meat dishes, such as Isicia Omentata, a fancy forebear of the burger. Condiments in classical/ Hellenistic times included a sauce of milk, animal fat, cheese and honey (an early form of tzatziki), while the Romans had garum, a pickled-fish sauce as common on tables then as ketchup or mustard is today.

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GASTRONOMY ORIGINS

5th c. BC) and a gourmet travel book (“Hedypatheia”) by Archestratus of Gela (ca. 350 BC). Mithaecus is skewered

by Plato (“Gorgias,” 518b,c) for being an ill-educated chef whose kitchen creations pose a health risk. Archestratus, also a controversial figure, recorded memorable foods and recipes he had encountered as he toured the Hellenistic Greek world.

Sadly, little textual information has been preserved concerning these and at least 20 other classical gastronomic specialists (of some, only their names have survived).

Perhaps the most replete source on ancient food and parties comes from Athenaeus of Naukratis (ca. AD 200), who penned a spoof of Plato’s “The Symposium,” filled with names, quotes from past literary works and a wealth of contemporary knowledge on the culinary arts.

SYMPOSIA Since at least Homeric times, feasting in ancient Greece was associated with extending hospitality to one’s friends or foreign guests. By the 5th and 4th centuries BC, many evening parties had become raucous gatherings marked by excessive drinking and eating, philosophical and political debates, dancing, sexual activity and occasionally violent or destructive behavior. Every well-to-do house had a private dining room for male parties, where the only females allowed entrance were hired flute girls and other female entertainers or courtesans (hetairai). Men reclined on couches lining the walls, consuming food and drink brought by servants and placed on low tables.

They played party games and, as vase paintings illustrate, often engaged in uninhibited communal sex. Some painters show the guests as wine-swilling satyrs: grossly-featured men with horses’ tails and ears who were followers of Dionysus.

Wine was never consumed “straight”; instead it was mixed in large or small vessels (craters) and served from a pitcher (oinochoe) into the guest’s drinking cup (kantharos or kylix). It was the responsibility of the host to allocate the wine and prevent over-inebriation. The food included finely selected and prepared meats, vegetables and fruit, usually pre28

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SUCKLING PIG A man about to slaughter a small pig prior to roasting it, perhaps as part of a sacrifice and ceremonial feast; terracotta figurine, discovered at Tanagra, Boeotia; 6th century BC (Louvre, Paris).

sented in two courses (“tables”). While a humble meal might end with desserts such as boiled chickpeas or fresh or dried beans, or apples or figs, Archestratus advises against these at an upscale symposium, instead offering a delectable Athenian cheesecake, or at least one topped with the superb honey of Attica.

FOOD AS METAPHOR IN SATIRE In the “food-obsessed comic world” (G. Compton-Engle, 1999) of classical Athens, food imagery and metaphors became integral elements in popular satirical entertainment. In plays of Aristophanes produced either during the Peloponnesian War or its troubled aftermath, including “The Acharnians” (425 BC),

Peace (421 BC) and “Assemblywomen” (391 BC), plentiful food and feasting symbolize peace as contrasted to the hungry hardship of wartime. The protagonist of “The Acharnians,” Dicaeopolis, makes a private treaty with Sparta, thereafter enjoying a peaceful life of food, wine, and sex; while in “Peace” the chorus sings of what is essentially a comforting country symposium: “Oh! joy, joy! no more helmet, no more cheese nor onions! No, I have no passion for battles; what I love is to drink with good comrades in the corner by the fire when good dry wood, cut in the height of summer, is crackling; it is to cook chickpeas on the coals and beechnuts among the embers, it is to kiss our pretty Thracian maid while my wife is at the bath.”

© FRED BOISSONNAS: IMAGES OF GREECE/RIZARIOS FOUNDATION COLLECTION

EXPERTS TR ADITION

Interior of a Cretan house in 1911 from ‘Images of Greece,’ Fred Boissonas, published by the Rizarios Foundation.

STRIKING A BALANCE

Tradition changes as it flows through time, picking up new elements and adapting, but it also retains its core identity.

BY EV I VOU T SI NA

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EXPERTS TR ADITION

W

hen we talk about Greek food, we mean the country’s traditional cuisine, even though we tend to overlook the word “traditional,” which requires its own lengthy explanation. A thankfully dwindling number of people still associate that word with the bygone era of looms, washboards and oil lamps, and with the smell of fresh dung.

Why don’t we let it bring to mind the flavors and aromas of oregano, honey, good wine, bergamot, bitter-sweet grape syrup and myriad wild greens instead?

Many countries treat the notion of tradition in a similarly dismissive manner, but a further complication in Greece is that we have not defined the term “tradition” in an indisputable way. Fundamental questions remain unanswered, such as: How far back does our tradition stretch? Are we related to the ancient Greeks? Were we around in Byzantine times? What was our role during Ottoman rule? Did we have a culture then? And what happened after the establishment of the Greek state to make us forget our wild greens pies or our meat casseroles with quince, almonds and prunes? What separates us from our grandmothers who, in the blink of an eye, could roll out a hundred paper-thin sheets of pastry and throw together a tray of baklava?

I can’t open every chest of memories to see which of them contain treasures and which hold only ghosts, so let me pick up the thread of the story as close as possible to the present. Contrary to what many believe, tradition is a dynamic force. It evolves and it assimilates contemporary elements, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly. I remember Dimitris Papiris, an elderly man in the western seaside town of Preveza, telling me how he served a meze of octopus with quince at the ouzeri he had run since 1950. Noting my obvious skepticism, he politely reminded me how Greek cooking had changed, largely thanks to Ioannis Kapodistrias, the country’s first head of state after liberation. “He’s the one who introduced potatoes to Greece,” said Papiris.

“What do you think we used before then, if not quince, prunes and other fruits, almonds and raisins? My mother cooked

HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU CAN MAKE A WONDERFUL SALAD FROM THE PEPPERY YOUNG LEAVES OF THE TOMATO PLANT, THE BROAD BEAN OR THE ONION?

meat with almonds, and it was so good, you’d lick your lips just thinking about it.

Now we have potatoes that are easier, cheap and filling, and we’ve forgotten so many delicious dishes.”

I was too stunned to answer him.

Potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and corn are all things that came to Greece from the New World and were quickly assimilated into our cuisine, because they were hearty, easy-to-grow foods. They were soon in every kitchen, prepared using existing Greek cooking techniques and combined with ingredients that had always been around. A similar pattern is evident in other countries.

Like all traditional cuisines, however, the cooking of Greece has certain principles that never change. These are often related to climatic conditions and matters of economy. Greek cuisine, for example, respects seasonality and uses products when they are at their finest. As much as we may love stuffed cabbage leaves, for example, we won’t make them in April or May, when the spring garden brings us fresh peas, artichokes, heady fennel, asparagus and broad beans.

Authentic Greek cuisine is always about striking a balance. The sweetness of peas, for example, is offset by a bit of sour plum. Readers may argue that you cannot always find fresh plums, but they forget that the market is shaped by demand. If enough people ask for a thing, it will eventually appear. Look at petimezi (grape syrup), which was almost forgotten some 15 years ago but now can be purchased in every supermarket and grocery store.

Tradition changes as it flows through time, picking up new elements and adapting, but it also retains its core

identity. And the message that modern man must heed is that, ultimately, it’s all about management. How many people, for example, know that you can make a wonderful salad from the peppery young leaves of the tomato plant, the broad bean or the onion? “I’m waiting for the beans to ripen but, until they do, I can enjoy the sweetness of their leaves,” I recall a woman from Thrace telling me.

It’s smart to make the most of what’s at hand, but it’s also important to adjust to new circumstances. “I used to make a big pot of trachanas (a fermented cracked wheat dish) every morning and I would add cheese and bread to it,” a woman from western Macedonia told me.

“My husband would have some wine with his food, and then we’d go to the fields, taking some bread with cheese or olives. These days, I still make trachanas for breakfast because we like it, but we only eat a small bowl, because the work is so much easier, thanks to the tractor.”

This makes sense. Most people nowadays who live in cities and spend hours sitting don’t use as much olive oil with their peas or their artichokes as their grandparents once did. We adapt to the times, and this is precisely the point of tradition: changing to meet new needs but keeping the core identity, the principles of Greek food, intact.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The late Evi Voutsina (1950-2013) was an acclaimed chef and food writer and a leading figure in the documentation and preservation of traditional Greek cuisine. This article was first published in Kathimerini newspaper.

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INSIGHTS EVOLUTION

KEYWORD: SIMPLICITY

Greek cuisine, originally based on availability and freshness, went through the inevitable stage of disowning its roots, only to rediscover them and take them a step further.

BY C A L I D OX I A DI S

NOT POOR, JUST NATURAL AND AVAILABLE It’s how it all began, in Greece as in every part of the world − in Italy, they would go on to call it “cucina povera.”

People ate what they had on hand: dried grains, pulses and, depending on the season, different vegetables and fruits.

If they lived near the sea, they also ate fresh fish or salted it for later consumption. In communities that raised livestock, they smoked and preserved meat, and also enjoyed fresh meat (stewed, boiled or roasted) on special occasions and at celebratory feasts. There was little variety, especially in the winter months and in colder areas. Ordinary people, cooking at home in towns or in villages, ate what was available, and only few of them thought of themselves as poor. Composite dishes that could be baked unattended in the wood-fired bread oven without drying out used dough as a sealant, mostly in the form of filo. Pitas, or pies, with various fillings continue to be extremely popular today.

What is unusual in Greece is that most of the everyday dishes from those days have survived (with very few changes) in the kitchens of today’s homes and tavernas. At least three out of ten Greeks, myself included, will tell you that their favorite dish is fasolada, a soup made with dried beans, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, tomato and olive oil. When I was a child in the 1950s, meat appeared on the table perhaps a few times a week in our middle-class urban home, usually in the form of ground beef to be used for 34

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meatballs or pasta sauce. Roast chicken or a veal pot roast was a Sunday treat, as was the one dessert course we ate per week. But while much has remained consistent over the decades, Greek cuisine was subject to an evolution that mirrored the history of the modern Greek state.

WESTERN IS BETTER, FRENCH IS BEST The great change came in the 19th century when, in the newly formed nation state of Greece, which had become independent from the Ottoman Empire, an urban middle class of merchants and clerical workers with access to the European world began to emerge and to aspire to a more sophisticated life. People started to travel, and hotels in the larger cities had to provide food for Western visitors who found existing Greek food “heavy.”

Within this new society, the notion grew that “Western” – which at the time meant French – was better. If a dish was French, it was necessarily tastier, healthier, and certainly socially more acceptable.

This movement was consolidated at the beginning of the twentieth century around the figure of Nikolaos Tselementes, a young cook with a middle-class background who traveled to Vienna to serve a three-year apprenticeship before moving to the US, where, for several years, he worked in some of the best restaurants of the time. Upon his return to Athens, he became active in spreading French cuisine, first through a monthly magazine and then with an authoritative cookbook that is still in print. Throughout

the twentieth century, this cookbook was the kitchen bible of every middle-class housewife. (Over a long series of reprints, some of the foreign ingredients listed in recipes were Hellenized.)

The fundamental divide between French cuisine and Greek home cooking at the time was intricacy versus simplicity. The contrast between complex tastes and simple straightforward ones centered on the use of sauces. In practical terms, ingredients like butter and cream were introduced; in combination with reduced stock, they created a new culinary element. Simple grilled meat or fish, dressed with a sauce, became more foreign and elegant. One sauce in particular, béchamel, was to drastically alter even everyday Greek dishes. As a gratinée topping combined with grated cheese, it came to complete composite dishes like pastitsio and moussaka and even simple vegetable dishes like steamed cauliflower or broccoli. Used in this way, bechamel came to open up new possibilities of baking: it was a new way to “seal” dishes to retain moisture.

It was then that these dishes, which have subsequently come to be considered typical of Greek cuisine, were established.

Incidentally, it was béchamel, this time with added broth and cheese to form a suprême sauce, that helped create

Nikolaos Tselementes, the early 20th-century chef-reformer, changed Greek cuisine.

(Collage by Dimitris Tsoumblekas)

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INSIGHTS EVOLUTION

ONCE AGAIN, SMALL FAMILY COMPANIES ARE PRODUCING TERROIR-SPECIFIC CHEESES AND CHARCUTERIE, ITEMS THAT HAD DISAPPEARED FROM THE MARKET.

perhaps the most representative of the new urban dishes, one that became a worldwide favorite: poached chicken with rice smothered in this sauce. For some reason, in Greece this came to be called Chicken Milanese, though it began life in France as poule au riz.

FROM THE EAST At the same time, by the turbulent early years of the 20th century, Greece had doubled in size and acquired a second large urban center, Thessaloniki, a teeming metropolis where the population consisted of Greek, Jewish, Turkish and Bulgarian communities. Their cuisines influenced each other, with herbs, spices and other ingredients being shared around, giving birth to brand new dishes.

All these novelties, born here, traveled to the rest of Greece as well.

Thessaloniki, however, was an exception in northern Greece, whose landscape and climate differ geographically from the rest of the country. The plains are more fertile and plentifully irrigated by two large rivers, so the produce has always been more varied and of better quality. Meat in the north was more plentiful and of better quality, with pork the favorite rather than lamb, as was the case in the south. One product in 36

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particular came to characterize northern Greek cuisine: red peppers, both hot and mild. These were pickled or dried and used throughout the cold winters, as in all Balkan countries. A typical seasonal dish of Macedonia and Thrace, then and now, is pickled cabbage with hot red peppers. In the rest of Greece, spicy food was practically unknown and even today remains uncommon.

Then, in 1922 after a disastrous military defeat in Asia Minor, Greece was flooded with over a million refugees from across the Aegean Sea who also brought with them their own recipes.

The rural populations cooked equivalents of the simple Greek peasant dishes with some variation in the use of spices.

Cumin, for example, was first introduced to Greece at this time.

Among these refugees, however, were also middle-class city dwellers from Smyrna, a thriving port city, many of whom were well-educated and well-traveled.

They had adopted foreign elements into their traditional cuisine. This group was joined later by bourgeois Greeks from Istanbul, whose cooking had been influenced by Ottoman haute cuisine, the sophisticated food of the sultans and their courts. Characteristic of this new imported cuisine was Hunkar beyendi – stewed veal in a sauce of smoked eggplant puréed with butter and milk – a dish that, though greatly valued in Greece, has retained its Turkish name and identity.

The great city offered further riches as well. Strategically placed between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, its markets featured a wide variety of fish and other seafood, both as luxury foods (caviar, for example) and as common, inexpensive fare, such as mussels, which were fried up on street corners and sold in newspaper cones, or stewed with wine and tomato sauce in a tasty pilaf.

A RENAISSANCE OF TRADITIONAL WAYS In recent times, some gifted chefs in leading restaurants in locations such as Athens, Thessaloniki and the more fashionable islands have created some

truly inspired new dishes, often taking advantage of experimental culinary techniques in combination with traditional local recipes. Partly because of the economic crisis, some young people have returned to the countryside and rediscovered heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables, and traditional organic methods of production. Once again, small family companies are producing terroir-specific cheeses and charcuterie, items that had disappeared from the market. Small farms are raising livestock under natural conditions, without using antibiotics or industrially produced animal feed. Foragers are gathering all kinds of different mushrooms which had been languishing unappreciated in our forests. An increasing number of forgotten ingredients are reappearing in the market and the public is now beginning to expect wholesome, tasty and interesting food.

The keyword in Greek cuisine is “simplicity.” A fish is not smothered in sauce; it is grilled whole and served with lemon and olive oil, or poached with vegetables and served in its juices, with fresh sourdough bread for dipping. Meat is either grilled over embers or stewed slowly in tomato sauce or wine, and served with pasta, rice or potatoes fried in olive oil.

A salad is made with seasonal greens or vegetables and given a see-through dressing.

To really enjoy Greek cuisine, make smart choices when dining out. Don’t order moussaka or pizza from a yard-long menu, and be sure to check inside the kitchen to see if it contains more than a freezer and a microwave oven.

In the end, it’s important to remember that what’s best in Greece today is what was always best: fresh local ingredients simply prepared.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cali Doxiadis lives on the island of Corfu, where she gardens, cooks, reads and writes.

E XPERTS FOR AGING

“STINKY-GREEN” AND OTHER FAVORITE WEEDS

Living off the land is something Greeks still do, and wild greens are some of the most sought-after food items in nature’s larder.

BY AGL A I A K R E M E ZI

Are you from Kea?” asked the vendor at my local farmers’ market, as he watched me picking the feathery, gray-green weeds from his big pile of various, more attractive-looking horta (wild greens). He went on to say that most of his usual customers avoided vromohorto, or “stinky-green,” as the plant that that my Kean grandfather taught me to love is called. Somewhat smelly, vromohorto (white mignonette or Reseda alba) becomes wonderfully sweet when blanched, losing its unpleasant odor. On Kea, islanders know where the green sprouts after the winter rains and they rush to collect it. Vromohorto beautifully complements the bitter galatsides, a kind of wild chicory, another favorite green, along with tangy leaves of provatsa (sea lavender, Limonium maritimum), a plant cultivated in other countries mainly for its papery flowers which, even when dried, remain attractive and colorful.

I was ten when my grandfather taught me which greens are edible and which aren’t. Horta can be sweet, tart or bitter, and some can be wonderfully aromatic. Greek cooks have different opinions about the greens they cook; which ones are good in stews, which go best together, and which make the best hortopita, or greens pie. Most often, we blanch different kinds of horta together and eat them as a boiled salad or side dish, topped with fresh lemon juice and olive oil.

The greens we consume today are probably the same we encounter in the texts of Theophrastus and other ancient 38

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authors, with a few name changes: ascolymvros has become scolymos, sonchus is now zochos, and caucalis is kafkalithra.

As these plants – their names and uses – have never been part of any school curriculum, we can conclude that what we know about them has been passed down orally from one generation to the next over the centuries.

In the glove compartment of our car, we always keep an Opinel knife. It’s there in case we spot edible greens during our rides around the island. Greeks probably began foraging horta because they had little else to eat, but we continue to gather and eat them today because we love them!

From winter and up to early spring, there are plenty of wild greens in the hills and mountains that surround villages and big cities alike. Aficionados make special excursions to gather them, armed with a knife and a bag or a basket. These foragers can be spotted anywhere; far away on steep hills, or right next to the busy highways. A friend told me once that he had seen Greek-Americans gathering greens on a sidewalk in New Jersey. These days, though, most city people buy horta from the weekly street markets; they have become quite expensive, a real delicacy.

Like many islanders, my grandfather would drink the broth in which the greens were boiled, adding a little lemon juice.

This tangy-bitter broth is now the epitome of hip – “a cleanser.” Scientists have found that most of these wild weeds contain a fair amount of antioxidants and other nutrients which promote good health.

GREEKS PROBABLY BEGAN FORAGING WILD LEAFY GREENS BECAUSE THEY HAD LITTLE ELSE TO EAT, BUT WE CONTINUE TO GATHER AND EAT THEM TODAY BECAUSE WE LOVE THEM!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aglaia Kremezi introduced Greek cooking to the American audience with her Julia Child Award-winning book “The Foods of Greece.”

Her best-seller “The Foods of the Greek Islands“ is now available in paperback. With her husband Costas Moraitis, she teaches cooking to visitors to the beautiful island of Kea, in the Cyclades, where they live (aglaiakremezi.com).

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

Amaranth greens, purslane and saltwort are but some of the more popular summer legumes.

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INSIGHTS CUSTOMS

FASTING AND FEASTING

Abstaining from certain foods for religious reasons is meant to be a voluntary act of deprivation, but in Greece it’s really not too painful.

BY GE ORGI A KOF I NA S

T

he gastronomy of Greece is rooted in the country’s history. Ever since the ancient days of banquets and symposiums, many factors have influenced the development of Greek cuisine. Religious celebrations and festivities, which were at the center of all ancient cultures, played an important role in Greece as well, where sacrificial animals were ritually prepared and ceremoniously eaten. With the shift from pagan rituals to Christian practices, the ceremonial feasts changed, but the “experience” of feasting remained the same, relying on the same food items that have always been used.

Even in the Christian practice of fasting – the abstinence from certain foods – we see the consumption of the same vegetables, legumes, cereals and fruit that were noted in the “Deipnosophistae,” the famed 3rd-c. AD account of Greek cooking written by the Greek rhetorician Athenaeus of Naucratis.

But how did fasting become so influential in Greek culture and cuisine? The fasting practices of the Greek Orthodox Church provide some clues. Fasting is first mentioned in the Old Testament.

During the time of Moses, the Jews fasted for the first Pascha, or Passover, which took place in Egypt. After two or three days, they sacrificed a lamb, whose blood they smeared on their doorways so that when the Angel of Death passed over their homes, their firstborn sons would be spared. After Moses led the people out of Egypt, they fasted in the wilderness 40

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for three days before Moses received the Ten Commandments.

In the New Testament, Christ fasted for forty days in the wilderness before starting his ministry. This period of fasting subsequently became a common practice, first under the apostles and then throughout early Christianity. In the Orthodox Church, it has retained its role as a form of ascesis, or spiritual self-discipline for the faithful. In Orthodox theology, the body and soul are inseparable. Therefore, whatever has to do with the body also has to do with the soul.

In the 4th century, one of the bestknown Early Church Fathers, St John Chrysostom, wrote a homily on fasting that also mentions its medicinal benefits.

He declared that “fasting is called the mother of bodily health.” When referring to abstinence from food, he pointed out that fasting is a medicine and that over-indulging in food produces negative consequences: “When the body becomes sluggish, the soul undergoes damage, as

the activities of the soul are determined by the condition of the body... Ailments and weakness of the body... come from great luxury and the love of pleasure.

When we leave the table, we feel heavy from the great amount of food; our stomachs hurt, our head aches and our sleep is deep... Food in excess is not nourishment; rather, it can destroy our bodies.”

Just how does one fast in the Orthodox way? Fasting entails abstinence from meat, dairy products and fish – but not shellfish. There is also the strict fast, which is practiced on certain days of the year, where there is also abstinence from oil. There are four major fasting periods in the Orthodox liturgical calendar: the Christmas Fast, lasting forty days from November 15 to December 24 (fish can be eaten up to December 17, except on Wednesdays and Fridays); the Fast of Lent, the forty days leading up to Holy Week and the week itself; the Fast of the Holy Apostles, which runs from All Saints’ Day (which depends on the date

FASTING ENTAILS ABSTINENCE FROM MEAT, DAIRY PRODUCTS AND FISH – BUT NOT SHELLFISH. THE STRICT FAST, PRACTICED ON CERTAIN DAYS OF THE YEAR, DEMANDS ABSTINENCE FROM OIL AS WELL.

Š DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

The monks of Mount Athos prepare delicious lenten dishes such as steamed potatoes and octopus with ditalini pasta. Every meal includes olives.

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INSIGHTS CUSTOMS

Father Artemios tends to the Monastery of Great Lavra vegetable garden.

of Easter) up to the eve of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 28; and the Fast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, lasting from August 1 to August 15. What’s more, every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year are fast days, except for certain dates that follow major feast days.

How does this all tie in with Greek cuisine? In our day and age, much has been written about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. In 1998, the International Conference on the Mediterranean Diet, held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, gathered 50 nutrition scientists from a dozen different countries to define a healthy diet. They concluded that it was one high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, nuts and low-fat dairy products. They also emphasized the im42

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portance of using monounsaturated oils, mainly olive oil, and noted that the intake of trans fat from partially hydrogenated oils should be minimized.

Traditional Greek cuisine is rich in olive oil, vegetables, legumes, grains and fruit, and this is particularly true of dishes eaten during periods of fasting, although, of course, each fasting season brings its own traditional ingredients and recipes.

In the fast before Christmas, for example, there’s a special soup made from various legumes from the recent harvest period. These are all boiled together and served with nuts, raisins and honey. During Lent, fresh vegetables from the late winter and early spring crops are used; as Easter approaches, these slowly give way to recipes with artichokes, spring onions, lettuce, broad beans, peas, leeks and herbs. One can also enjoy numerous dishes featuring squid, octopus, cuttlefish and a variety of shellfish, such as clams, mussels and shrimp. Summer fasting periods are also rich in ingredients, as Greece produces a wide array of summer

fruit and vegetables, as well as bountiful shellfish.

If you’d like to experience the flavors of Greek fasting cuisine when you’re dining out in Greece, then ask for ladera, a term describing dishes that are made with olive oil and contain no meat or dairy products. More important than what you eat, however, is the chance to experience the Greek “theology” of food. Here, food is seen both as a source of life and as a way of achieving communication with God as well as our fellow man. The act of consuming food has always had deep social and spiritual implications in Greece, whether it be in the course of fasting or in the midst of feasting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Georgia Kofinas is a Greek-American gastronomy researcher, educator and food writer. She co-authored the best-selling book ”The Festive Fast” (with Marigoula D. Kokkinou).

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I N S I G H T S V E R S AT I L I T Y

GOING LOCAL TO GO GLOBAL

Vibrant and ever-evolving, 21st-century Greek cuisine is forging the way towards a new national culinary identity.

BY A NGELOS R EN TOUL AS

“A branch cannot grow without a root. That’s the root I want to explore so as to contribute to its fresh blossoming.”

– Evi Voutsina, Lefkaditika Mageiremata (Dishes of Lefkada), 2008

“Globalization has involved the reconstruction, in a sense the production, of ‘home,’ ‘community’ and ‘locality.’”

– Roland Robertson, Global Modernities, 1995

“We used to cook dishes we’d learned from our mothers: vegetable stews, meatballs, spaghetti with ground beef – regular fare. On Sundays, it would be meat or meatballs in tomato sauce, or maybe chicken or lamb roasted in the oven with potatoes. On holidays, we’d dip into the classic Tselementes cookbook for ideas. I still have my copy.

Now I’m in a Facebook group with women from all over Greece where we share so many local recipes, you wouldn’t believe it. Ten lifetimes aren’t enough to cook them!”

– Sofia Kokkinou, home cook, 2018.

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Greece’s national street food, an old-school souvlaki.

O

n the island of Symi, dolmades are made with the leaves of cyclamen flowers, stuffed with rice and herbs, and sometimes with lentils or fava (yellow split peas). Another great dish they make here is lentils with orzo and xerotiganisi, sliced onions that have been gently fried until perfectly golden and sweet.

In Samothraki, lioto is the signature dish, reserved for special occasions at home and church festivals, and made with a strong-tasting meat (mutton or goat) slow-cooked with tomato paste and lots of onions that melt into a finger-licking sauce.

A vegetarian stew of cabbage and various fragrant greens that are lightly sautéed in butter and oil, then braised in milk and served with a sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese, is a simple, everyday dish in the northwestern region of Epirus. In the mountains of Achaia in the northern Peloponnese, meanwhile, there’s karkasopita, a pie made with eggs and barrel-aged feta, where they make the dough with the cheese’s brine instead of water. And kiltiritsi is a type of stewed meatball made with bulgur traditional to Kavala and rooted in the Greek Pontian (Black Sea) cuisine. In Mani, they use lemon when making tomato sauce and in Lefkada, they bake grey mullet in tomato sauce with potatoes.

A fissure seems to have developed in Greece’s culinary culture in recent years, between the touristy moussaka, the classic stuffed tomatoes and the ubiquitous souvlaki on the one hand and the “exotic” dishes of the country’s local communities on the other. This phenomenon also appears to have happened quite suddenly. Future historians, sociologists and ethnographers will probably be able to describe this phenomenon more accurately, and in scientific terms, but for those of us who are present at this pivotal phase of Greece’s culinary evolution, it remains inexplicable. How did this come about?

It might be that the right moment came for us to dig into the historical depths of Greek cuisine in order to lay foundations for our contemporary culinary legend. We had to be bold in doing this, as it’s a process of introspection that other countries underwent years ago. And it started with a decision by cooks, restaurateurs, farmers and consumers to explore the country, to revive the past and trigger new collective memories.

Information technology and the media have been instrumental, too: blogs, e-socializing and sharing platforms; and long before that, travel and cooking shows set out across Greece to take people

on a journey of discovery that covered every nook and cranny of the nation.

Some of the greatest inroads were made by specialist magazines and, before them, by people like Evi Voutsina, who blazed new trails by recording in great depth and scientific detail things that had been overlooked: the origins of our culinary heritage, the history of our recipes and the distinct traits of our local products. She and others celebrated cuisine produced on the smallest of scales, illustrating how dishes arise as a result of very specific factors.

Thanks to this valuable work, a new generation of cooks – well-educated, well-traveled and well-trained in the kitchens of countries with splendid culinary heritages and with well-established culinary identities – cultivated the belief that Greece’s strongest comparative advantage lay in its particularities: its largely unknown local food cultures. There is nothing wrong with a good moussaka or dolma, but Greece’s culinary identity is so much more than that, so much richer. It consists of incredible products arising from a biodiversity rarely encountered in other parts of Europe, a multiplicity that has contributed to an incredible variety of dishes. On televisions all over the world, popular chef Jamie Oliver cooks with feta and Greek yogurt. How could we not use them, too?

And so, as this long process unfolds, we have started to introduce local dishes into our dayto-day cooking, and to favor those restaurants that are helping the country on this journey of self-awareness that takes us beyond ridiculous trends and ephemeral lifestyle crazes. Our good cooks are doing great work, exploring the roots of our foods, adopting the old traditions and drawing out their essences. In doing this, they’re shaping a new culinary genre, a fresh and young Greek cuisine that respects its rural roots, restoring their lost honor while mindfully adapting them to the present. At the same time, these chefs are also producing the knowledge that will shape our culinary footprint on the world food map. It is much as though we had to look deep inside in order to be able to look out to the world, to go local before we went global.

This is us: souvlaki and stuffed cyclamens.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angelos Rentoulas is the chief editor of Gastronomos, the leading magazine on the culinary culture of Greece, published by the newspaper Kathimerini.

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FUNKY GOURMET: STUFFED VINE LEAF

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© IOANNA PAGALIA

Innovative chefs and bold restaurateurs, dedicated producers and passionate winemakers have all helped shape modern Greek gastronomy.

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

GEORGIANNA HILIADAKI AND NIKOS ROUSSOS FUNKYGOURMET.COM

“At Funky Gourmet, the overall experience is like an edible theatrical event: from the presentation of the dishes (a performance which stirs all the senses) to the choreographed service, which constitutes an inalienable part of this experience.”

Nine years ago, Georgianna Hiliadaki and Nikos Roussos opened the restaurant Funky Gourmet. They offer dishes inspired by tradition but presented in unconventional contemporary gastronomic forms characterized by finesse, complex techniques and a sense of humor.

Their Greek salad is a white sorbet, their dolma takes such a minimalist abstract form that you won’t recognize it until you take your first bite, while their rabbit stew has no meat, only meat flavor, thanks to the highly concentrated stock.

Hiliadaki and Roussos are unique.

They hold two Michelin stars as well as several other awards. They’re the Greek chefs best-known abroad, enjoying the recognition of both the public and the international culinary community. Ambassadors of contemporary Greek cuisine, they have two London businesses, too: the restaurant Opso and the street food eatery Pitta Bun. Every new step they take causes a stir.

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YIORGOS HATZIYANNAKIS SELENE.GR

“Greek cuisine is going through a phase of redefinition.

Local cuisines mutually influence one another, and the chefs’ techniques add depth to the flavors. Tourism is the ultimate judge of the Greekness of a dish. Everything intermixes.

It is absolutely possible to have a great cuisine, unless, of course, the notorious ‘national genius,’ in its most negative sense, were to regain the upper hand.”

Yiorgos Hatziyannakis is the man who established Santorini as a gastronomic destination. He was also the first to serve local produce and bottled Assyrtiko wine to the relatively few visitors who came to the island in the 1980s. His restaurant celebrated the very soul of Santorini’s local gastronomy, the humble products yielded by the island’s soil: yellow split peas; small, “waterless” tomatoes; sweet white eggplants; wild capers; and the great Assyrtiko grape, thus raising local cuisine to gourmet standards.

In this way, he built an enviable reputation and created great culinary expectations among the island’s visitors. Thirty-two years later, and his award-winning restaurant Selene still has a distinct character and identity, a clear sense of direction when it comes to creativity, and it remains the top choice for an unforgettable gastronomical experience on the island.

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THOMAS AND GEORGE DOUZIS ERGONFOODS.COM

“The dish that summarizes the Ergon philosophy is our ‘Greek salad,’ which is a best seller at all our stores, from Santorini to London and Singapore. The way in which our chefs have redefined it without sacrificing any part of its identity is superb. It contains Cretan baby plum tomatoes, cucumber, roasted peppers, feta cheese from Lesvos, extra fine virgin olive oil and Kalamata olives, all served on a grilled pita bread.”

It all started with one small grocery shop in Thessaloniki. There, the Douzis brothers, motivated by a highly innovative spirit and having the energy of youth on their side (neither had yet turned 30), began to market products from small producers using modern, high-quality packaging. By doing so, they contributed significantly to making Greek goods better known beyond the country’s borders. A little later, they brought back, in a more modern version, the concept of the grocery/eatery that had disappeared decades earlier from the big cities. On the shelves of Ergon stores, one can find delicacies and fine primary ingredients from across the country. With the same ingredients, they cook traditional Greek dishes in their restaurants, albeit with creative twists. Through franchising, they have expanded the Ergon network significantly, which means that, at key tourist destinations in Greece, London, Brussels, the US and Singapore, locals and visitors can sample Greek cuisine in the same place where they can shop for traditional Greek products, such as olive oil, feta cheese and yogurt, Cretan rusks, honey, honey and sesame bars, sesame rings and vanilla fondant spoon sweets.

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LEFTERIS LAZAROU VAROULKO.GR

“For me, Greek cuisine is the showcasing of a primary ingredient by creating recipes that use our traditions and οur fine products to their best advantage, in order to put the country on the world gastronomy map. Through the dishes produced at Varoulko over the past 31 years, my aim has been always to present a new way of cooking that marries the present with the past. Traditional cuisine can become modern through knowledge and dedication, as long as we do not stop learning and evolving, always seeking out everything new and good that our country produces, and using it generously in our cooking.”

Lefteris Lazarou began his career working as a cook on commercial ships. Very soon, however, his name became synonymous with fine seafood dishes. The first chef to receive a Michelin star for a restaurant serving Greek cuisine, Lazarou exploits the high quality of Greek fish to produce contemporary, creative dishes, often using less popular species in groundbreaking recipes. It

was at his restaurant, Varoulko that Athenians tasted squid with pesto sauce for the first time, as well as orzo with shrimp, graviera cheese and wine from Limnos. Today, Varoulko Seaside in Piraeus continues to maintain a consistently high standard and a strong reputation. An award-winning eatery, it’s unquestionably one of the best places for dining in Athens.

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DOC TV SPECIALISTS

APOSTOLOS TRASTELIS

SPONDI.GR | HYTRA.GR | FUGARESTAURANT.GR

“Greek cuisine for me is the smell of a wood-fired oven, the headscarf-wearing village aunt kneading dough by hand, the mixing of the ingredients in a ceramic bowl, the sorting of the eggs just collected from the chicken coop, the homemade bread on the table. Greek cuisine is not gourmet, and it should never become that. What should be perfected is the execution, the techniques adopted in each recipe. In this way, and by using high-quality main ingredients, every dish in traditional Greek cuisine is automatically raised to a higher level.”

Taken together, the business ventures of Apostolos Trastelis hold the highest number of Michelin stars in the country.

The opening in 1996 of the stellar Spondi, his multi-award-winning restaurant, redrew the gastronomic map of Athens. He introduced new techniques, brought great chefs to the city and raised the bar in the food business. Aesthetic quality, authenticity and the highest standards of cooking have kept it at the top of the rankings for more than two decades. Trastelis has also found other outlets for his creavity. Fuga, his restaurant at the Athens Megaron Concert Hall, serves a delicious combination of Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean flavors. Michelin-starred Hytra, on the 6th floor of the Onassis Cultural Center in Athens, focuses on a particularly creative version of local gastronomy that includes notable Greek products and aromatic herbs and uses advanced culinary techniques. For example, the spinach rice, a traditional dish, has been transformed into a crispy rice chip without losing any of its essential Greek taste.

NIKOS KALOGIANNIS OUZOPLOMARI.GR

“Greek cuisine is something more than its traditional dishes.

It’s a gathering of people connected by friendship and love.

Besides the unquestionable value that it holds for the simplicity of its flavors and ingredients, Greek cuisine will always provide people with the excuse to communicate, discuss, relax, have a laugh and strengthen their ties around a table.”

The scent of anise has been steeped into his clothes. A second-generation distiller, he literally grew up inside the family business. Today, Nikos Kalogiannis is at the helm of the largest Greek ouzo distillery. From the home of our national drink, the seaside town of Plomari on Lesvos, his company Ouzo of Plomari - Isidoros Arvanitis exports to more than 40 countries. Kalogiannis has created the first premium ouzo, called Adolo, which is triple distilled. Thanks to this new recipe, the humble ouzo of the traditional kafeneio now has a place next to other noted spirits and has even managed to make it into classic cocktails at top bars. Moreover, Kalogiannis has invested in single-variety tsipouro, something which, in turn, has helped high-quality Greek spirits gain access to the international drinks scene, at a time when Greek bartending is increasingly outward-looking.

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DOC TV SPECIALISTS

THIS CAROB-FLOUR BREADSTICK WITH EDIBLE SEASONALFLOWERS AND FRESH CHEESE IS THE WORK OF TASOS MANTIS AT HYTRA.

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STELIOS PARLIAROS STELIOSPARLIAROS.GR

“Traditional Greek pastry-making has changed, thanks to new people constantly entering the field, with the knowledge, willingness and dedication to bring about a new order of things. My childhood memories, filled with wonderful treats, challenge me to constantly create new desserts. It is tradition itself that guides me to that which is contemporary, which has evolved and is different and yet also possesses roots and history. And I firmly believe that only when something has history can it also have a future.”

The most important Greek pastry chef, Stelios Parliaros has created many contemporary trends in baking and pastry-making. Born in Istanbul, he came to Athens about 40 years ago and later opened a pastry shop that instantly became the talk of the town. Prior to the early 1980s, no one in the capital had exhibited such talent or had his deep mastery of technique, his focus on seasonality or his playful, creative spirit. Fruit tarts, 52

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airy mousses and French profiteroles were only some of his most famous desserts in a city that was used to baklava and spoon sweets. He published the first magazine dedicated to pastry-making, runs a pastry shop and pastry workshop in Kolonaki and presents a TV program. Parliaros continues to experiment with traditional Greek recipes, producing exceptional new desserts.

© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

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PARIS SIGALAS SIGALAS-WINE.COM

“Because of its various microclimates and the limited total surface of arable land, Greece is destined to yield products whose competitiveness does not rely on their low cost but on their uniqueness and the particular character traits that the place where they are produced gives them. Greek cuisine is characterized by simple compositions whose aim is to showcase the primary ingredients (namely seasonal produce), which are always both special and of a high quality, the most basic constituent being, of course, Greece’s outstanding olive oil.”

In Santorini, where ancient vines have traditionally been trained into low basket-shaped arrangements, Paris Sigalas insisted instead on experimenting with linear vineyards and new plantings.

He was the first to plant upright vines, and was labeled a heretic as a result. Two decades later, linear alignments are used in other vineyards, suggesting that he might have been right after all. For years now, he has been insisting on financial arrangements that favor local grape producers, which indicates the importance he places on the raw materials for his wines. Sigalas was the first winemaker to price his products at a grand cru level, declaring that Assyrtiko should be considered a premium wine. In addition to significant vinifications using Assyrtiko grapes, he has also performed wonders with the Mavrotragano variety, rescuing it from near-extinction and highlighting its spectacular potential.

ZAFEIRIS TRIKALINOS TRIKALINOS.GR

“Greek cuisine is important, not only from the gastronomic point of view, but also in terms of dietary value.

The true definition of a gourmet is someone who wishes to enjoy the tastiest foodstuffs available. He may choose to eat a humble fasolada (bean soup), a classic Greek dish, and to accompany it with marinated sardines or he might decide to eat a rye rusk with fresh cheese and fresh almonds.

That, too, is ‘gourmet’ food. It’s tasty and, what’s more, it’s also nutritionally valuable.”

Following the family tradition, Zafeiris Trikalinos went into the avgotaracho (bottarga) business in a small village near Messolongi, where, in1865, his great-grandfather, Giorgos Trikalinos, began producing avgotaracho from the eggs of the grey mullet.

Apart from its beneficial properties, this delicacy, which is only produced in limited amounts, constitutes a particularly tasty treat and, in the hands of famous chefs, becomes an interesting if unusual primary ingredient.

The pioneering Ferran Adrià, one of the most influential chefs in the past few decades, has included Trikalinos bottarga in his list of the 30 best products in the world, while the award-winning Roca brothers of the Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, use it in their highly imaginative culinary compositions. Trikalinos, a fourth-generation producer, invests continuously in research, promoting and funding projects related to bottarga and its gastronomic potential.

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SOTIRIS KONTIZAS NOLANRESTAURANT.GR

“For me, Greek cuisine is Sunday lunch with my parents and grandparents all sitting around the table. Of course there have to be salads, feta cheese and olives at the center of the table, and a casserole dish or baking tray with ladera, oven-baked vegetables in olive oil. And plenty of bread!”

ARIS KEFALOGIANNIS GAEA.GR

An award-winning chef and a judge on the reality TV show MasterChef Greece, Greek-Japanese Sotiris Kontizas is one of the country’s most important cooks. Two years ago, at the age of just 33, he created a brand-new, particularly interesting cuisine that no one has yet managed to categorize. His work at the restaurant Nolan has been honored with several different awards, including distinctions for fusion cuisine, ethnic cuisine and international cuisine. Kontizas combines Greek and foreign products, employing techniques and recipes from both Asia and Greece, and using only seasonal ingredients. Noodles are served with a tahini sauce, zucchini is combined with miso paste and smoked eggplant; a very mature, rare cheese from Naxos is added to seared cabbage. His dishes are noted for strong elements of surprise, harmonic contrasts and innovative ideas, which explains why Nolan has been fully booked since the day it opened.

When Aris Kefalogiannis set up GAEA in 1995, his vision was to make high-quality Greek products known abroad. He was relying on the relative superiority of Greek olive oil and olives.

He stressed the connection between the health benefits from Greek olive oil and table olives on the one hand and the Mediterranean Diet and a healthy way of life on the other, a factor which helped the international recognition of products sold under the label “Made in Greece.” In collaboration with the National Technical Univeristy of Athens, Kefalogiannis created innovative packaging for his products. GAEA was, in fact, the first company worldwide to achieve standardized packing of olives without the use of liquids, preservatives or thermal processing, thus offering to the international market a tasty, high-quality Greek product in its most unadulterated form.

Today, he works in direct collaboration with Greek producers mainly in PDO regions. GAEA’s Extra Virgin Olive Oils are the first carbon-neutral olive oils worldwide. The company exports goods, all of which are produced from Greek raw materials, to 27 countries around the globe.

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© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

“The advantages of Greek products are derived from what sets them apart: their flavors and aromas, the native varieties used to produce them, the microclimate, the limited production which, in most cases, lies in the hands of a family business. They also arise from a particular understanding of innovation that respects tradition. They possess a high nutritional value, and enjoy the popularity of the Greek Mediterranean Diet, the healthy nature of which has been established by many studies, with olive oil playing the leading part.”

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DEBONED FRESH FISH WITH SMOKED OLIVE OIL, HOT PEPPERS AND A HERB SAUCE,

BY SOTIRIS KONTIZAS AT NOLAN.

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STELLIOS BOUTARIS KIRYIANNI.GR

“On a table set for foreign friends, I’d place different things depending on season and location. On the estate, we offer ‘winegrower’s elevenses’ −tomatoes, spring onions, olives, bread and more. If I were in the Cyclades, it would be sea urchin salad, tomatoes with cloves, octopus with yellow split pea purée. At the mountain village of Nymfeon, it would be pan-fried cheese, lamb with parsley, and pork with leeks. On Diaporos Island, it would be oven-baked sardines. And, of course, some delicious bottled Greek wine!”

Stellios Boutaris comes from the largest winemaking family in Greece. He is a fifth-generation wine producer working with one of the most characteristic Greek varieties, namely Xinomavro of Naoussa, as well as other grapes. Boutaris, who exports to Europe, the US and Asia, is considered one of the main players in this new era for Greek wine. During the first five months of 2016, the winery Kir-Yianni received 29 international distinctions 56

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for its Xinomavro wines, both for varietals and for blends. Last year, the estate, founded in 1997, made the Wine & Spirits list of the 100 world’s best wineries. Boutaris is considered something of a marketing wizard. Every wine comes with an interesting story; he introduced storytelling as an indispensable promotion tool, which helped the estate gain international recognition and reinforce the reputation of Greek wine at the same time.

PEOPLE, PLACES AND STORIES...

AROMAS, FLAVORS AND MEMORIES...

AND A TABLE. On a sun-drenched beach in the northern Sporades, where the pine trees almost reach the sea.

With a glass of wine, and a view of the Acropolis.

Next to a warm fire in a stone-built guesthouse in a mountain village in Epirus.

S

uch is the table that has been prepared by the National Bank of Greece in partnership with IdeasLab, one that is piled high with local food products from every region in the country, in an undertaking that we call “Greece On Our Table.”

Through a series of public events, “Greece On Our Table” aims to showcase and to promote Greek agri-businesses that are remarkable for the products they create – backed by a strong sense of local character and identity – and that are export-oriented and aspire to innovation. The program, launched in 2017, has included events in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Kalamata and Nafplio, where we have presented the stories of those producers and products from the regions of Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Central Macedonia, Thessaly and Attica that have secured “protected designation of origin,” and the added value that comes with this status.

AND OUR JOURNEY CONTINUES...

It is a journey to places and flavors, discovering people of action who innovate, embrace challenges, and distinguish themselves at every stage of the productive and creative chain, from field or sea through the laboratory right up to the moment where the product reaches the shelf.

The “Greece On Our Table” events take place on a regular basis in selected cities and feature specific producers and products. They provide a platform and a voice to producers (whether individuals or innovative teams, agri-cooperatives or women’s

cooperatives) as well as to small and medium-sized enterprises, enabling them to present their products and their business activities, the challenges they face and their future plans to a wider public. Leading industrial and trading companies, retail networks and export businesses, local and regional bodies, universities, and research institutes make up the audience, carefully selected in order to enhance business networking and promote potential trade partnerships.

The concept envisages that each event is accompanied by a product exhibition and, of course, the requisite opportunity for all those attending to taste the products. What’s more, participating producers have the chance to learn about specialized financing tools and other support tools for their export endeavors, plus a multitude of value-added services that can benefit their businesses. Those taking part in the events also gain media exposure, thanks to a series of promotional activities (including the annual “Gastronomos” awards from the food and wine supplement of the newspaper Kathimerini), as well as the possibility of participating in domestic and international exhibitions in the agri-business sector.

Through our “Greece On Our Table” initiative, which is scheduled to travel to every region in the country, the National Bank of Greece is supporting the modernization of the production model, strengthening innovation and export activity, and adding value to the already-flourishing agri-food sector of Greece.

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GALLERY PRODUCTS

STARS OF THE SHOW A collection of close-ups featuring the best that nature’s bounty and human ingenuity have bestowed on Greece.

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU / PHOTOS DION ISIS A N DR I A NOPOULOS A S SI STA N T P HOTOGR A P H E R A NA STA SI A DI A KONOU

SACRED FRUIT

No other fruit expresses Greece as completely as the olive. From the time when the goddess Athena was said to have planted an olive tree on the hill of the Acropolis, olives have played a significant part in Greece’s cultural and culinary heritage, in the Mediterranean diet and in the local economy. This marvelous fruit is an economic powerhouse, as a full 60 percent of Greece’s cultivated land is, in fact, dedicated to olive groves. From dozens of varieties that grow in the country, around 10 are used today to make oil, the foremost of which is the famed Koroneiki variety. Another 10 or so are used as table olives, most notably those from Kalamata. But other varieties are worth trying, too; there are olives that are dried, pickled in vinegar, or served with a dash of lemon and oregano.

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INVALUABLE AND UNIQUE

It takes just a few thin threads of Kozani saffron to turn a simple dish into a fragrant golden delicacy, while a pebble-sized chunk of mastic gum from Chios suffices to flavor several batches of dough, and a pinch of Messolongi fleur de sel adds depth to any dish. All three of these products are painstakingly produced in (and are unique to) Greece. People spend hours picking the crocus flowers and separating the saffron threads in northern Greece, and collecting the gum from mastic trees on the eastern Aegean island, while in western Greece, workers scoop up salt from expansive salt flats. Saffron and mastic are renowned for their medicinal properties, and the salt is an important source of minerals. But beyond the health benefits they offer, these are all amazing products worth splashing out on for their taste alone.

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GALLERY PRODUCTS

CAREFULLY CRAFTED

From the Ionian Islands to Crete, and from the Cyclades to Macedonia, you’ll find recipes for curing meat that draw on a historic tradition that has never been broken. Long ago, the people of these lands learned to use spices, vinegar, olive oil, smoke curing and herbs to preserve, for home use, pecious cuts of meat from their animals. Today, with the same recipes, artisan businesses across Greece produce delicious meat treats that are naturally matured, and are typically served with alcoholic drinks. Look for the different regional types of cured meat, such as louza from Mykonos, syglino from Mani, apaki from Crete, or nouboulo from Corfu, and enjoy them with tsipouro, a pomace brandy, or wine.

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SO GREEK

If there’s one type of food that brings Greece to mind, it’s the country’s amazing salted, pickled or sun-dried seafood. From the scrumptious sardines of the Aegean Sea to the small, sun-dried octopuses served on the Cycladic islands or the roe of flathead grey mullet used to make Greece’s famous avgotaracho (bottarga), there’s a trove of incredible meze here that’s perfect with ouzo or tsipouro.

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SAY CHEESE

Greek dairy farms have an outstanding primary ingredient in the milk that comes from the flocks of goats and sheep grazing freely on the plateaus of Crete, in the meadows of Naxos or on the green hillsides of Macedonia and Epirus. Even smaller Cycladic islands, which lack extensive fertile pastures, turn out some of the country’s most important cheeses, the production of which is limited but which boasts high nutritional value and terrific flavor. Greece produces a number of notable cheeses using traditional methods. On Lesvos, spicy ladotyri is matured in olive oil; on Kos crumbly krasotyri ages in wine lees; on Limnos, tangy kalathaki is matured in small wicker baskets; and in Kozani, buttery aeromanoura is left to dry naturally in the open.

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GALLERY PRODUCTS

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SINE QUA NON

A meal is never complete without bread. Greeks even eat bread with pasta. In the morning, a slice of bread is spread with thyme honey, or some homemade jam. At lunch, we dip chunks of bread into the olive oil at the bottom of a Greek salad. If we feel hungry in the afternoon, we have some bread and cheese. A fried egg with a runny yolk becomes a full meal with a little bit of bread, while an entire category of dishes, the ladera, oven-baked or casseroled vegetables cooked in olive oil, cannot be truly enjoyed without a few slices from a fresh loaf of bread, ideally sourdough.

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BEST OF THE BUNCH

Vineyards have been generous to the Greeks since time immemorial. Some grapes are grown especially for vinification, yet the same fruit produces several noteworthy byproducts. Grape must, from the crushing and pressing of the grapes before the vinification process, is used as a base for desserts.

Boiling the must produces petimezi, a highly concentrated sweet molasses which is used to add flavor to pancakes or in cooking and pastry making. The pomace (grape pulp) is used to make spirits such as tsipouro. Vineyards also provide different types of raisins, including those from Corinth and Zakynthos, both of which have protected designation of origin (PDO) status. Fresh grapes can be made into preserves, and vine leaves are used for dolmas.

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SNACK ATTACK

Greek honey is unrivaled in terms of quality, with an exquisite aroma and very high nutritional value. The most popular type is produced from wild thyme, whose flowers bees find irresistible. Another notable type comes from fir trees – milky white and thick in texture, it enjoys PDO status as Mainalo Vanilla Fir Honey. A spoonful of honey with some dried nuts is enough to provide a real energy boost; try a combination of wildflower honey with walnuts from Feneos or peanuts from Phthiotis, or the mildly bitter honeys from chestnut trees or heather with almonds from Thessaly or pistachios from Aegina. With honey and sesame seeds, you can make your own energy bars. This treat is known all over Greece as pasteli, except in Rhodes, where they call it melekouni.

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36 PRODUCT STORIES FROM THE LAND OF ATTICA National Bank of Greece, in partnership with IdeasLab, recently co-organized the sixth “Greece On Our Table” event in Athens, which showcased 36 outstanding food production businesses from Attica. Among the firms that participated were: • Aegean Naturals, which gathers salt from the depths of the Aegean Sea. • Alexandros Hand Made Chocolate, which manufactures and markets organic chocolate in amazing combinations of flavors.

• Alfiton Plus, a dairy production enterprise that runs a farm at the foot of Mt Kithairon.

• Award-winning Anassa Organics, which produces natural beverages and herbal infusions.

• Argoundelis, which has been producing handmade halva and tahini for many decades in Kaminia, Piraeus.

• Athens Noctua Microbrewery, whose production plant in Gazi was the first microbrewery in Athens.

• Betty’s Bakery, which produces a fantastic variety of bakery products.

• Bonum Terrae, which markets over 100 quality products, the most important being olive oil.

• Buzzer Bitter, which has created a remarkable vegan ice cream based on olive oil.

• Honey Beverages, which

• Daphnis and Chloe, a producer of high-quality herbs and spices.

fruit, vegetables and spices

• Delitas, an urban micro-industry that manufactures freshly packaged meals.

• Enios, which launched a box of raisins in snack form, which converts into a toy for children.

• Gala Onou, which produces milk and ice cream products from its own herd of donkeys.

• Greek Honey, which produces a pioneering honey blended with Kozani saffron.

manufactures NOMADA Honey Soda.

• Jukeros, which combines in delicious jams and chutneys.

• Kostarelos Cheeses

& Delicacies, which boasts a history that goes back over 80 years.

• Megaris Goods, which is active in the bio-cultivation and marketing of pistachios.

• Nikolaou Family, an olive-growing company that has been operating in Megara since 1875.

• Nutree, which is taking its first business steps with its unique energy bars.

ADVERTORIAL

• Oinovation, producer of Chimera sparkling wine (flavored with Kozani saffron).

• Organic3s, which manufactures breakfast cereal bars for discerning consumers.

• Philippos Hellenic Goods, which produces premium olive oil products on the island of Aegina.

• Stergiou Beers and Holy Ginger, two outstanding endeavors, the first of which brews beer, and the second of which makes a beer and a non-alcoholic beer, both with the backing of The People’s Trust, an NGO.

• Stone Mill Pantazi, a family-run business set up in 1936, which produces traditional flour products as well as new flours containing superfoods.

• Sykeones Papasotiriou, which has been building on a decades-long tradition of making high-quality jams.

• Three Cents Greece, set up by three young bartenders and which produces soft drinks in exciting combinations of flavors.

• Yamas, which produces a range of iced tea products.

To all these success stories a tribute was added to Attica’s vineyards and the wines associated with them, through the nine select wineries participating in the event.

In its endeavors to support the agri-food sector, National Bank of Greece (NBG) is continuing to support small and medium-sized enterprises through a series of actions. Recently, it began collaborating with the Guild of Fine Food, the British company behind the annual Great Taste Awards for the last 30 years.

NBG is the sponsor of the Best Greek Cheese Award, staged as part of the World Cheese Awards, which involves over 230 international judges from 29 countries.

PRODUCTION EXPORTS

FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL The food industry in Greece is one of the nation’s success stories. Today, top-quality Greek products can be found on shelves everywhere, but it wasn’t always thus.

B Y D I M I T R A M A N I F AVA

F

or decades leading up to the late 1980s, feta cheese, olive oil and small quantities of retsina wine were Greece’s only important food exports. Many consumers abroad, in fact, had been using Greek olive oil during this time without knowing it, since around 60 percent of the country’s olive oil yield was sent to Italy, where it was packaged and sold as an Italian product. In those years, the Greek food industry, which had experienced a boom in the late 19th century, could do little more than cover domestic demand. Its biggest export markets, such as they were, happened to be countries with sizeable Greek immigrant communities, including Germany, Belgium, the USA, Canada and, to a lesser extent, Australia and Sweden.

The picture, thankfully, is now much different: some of the world’s greatest chefs use avgotaracho (salt cured fish roe) produced by Trikalinos in Messolongi; the Kozani-based company Alfa exports its traditional savory pies all the way to Washington, D.C.; global dairy firms are battling one another for shares in the Greek yogurt market, popularized by Fage; Greek fish farms are the world’s second leading source for farmed sea bream and sea bass; Dodoni feta has cornered 90 percent of the Australian market for the cheese and 30 percent in the USA; and the oil and olives of Olympia Xenia can be found in supermarkets around the world.

THE BEGINNINGS The Greek food industry has deep roots: the country’s first large-scale flour and olive mills opened in 1855 and Pavlidis established a major chocolate factory in Athens in 1876. Commercial food manufacturing dates to 1870, with the opening of the Triantis flour mill and the Karambelas pasta factory in the western port town of Patra. More large industrial units followed in the early 20th century, including the Benvenice rice plant in Thessaloniki; Natzari & Co, the noted rice processing factory (it opened in 1905); the Greek Canning Company, one of the oldest in Europe (it began operating in Nafplio in 1915 and is still active under the brand name Kyknos); and Loulis Mills in Volos in 1917. Mass migration into Greece after the catastrophic 1919-1922 Asia Minor military campaign, along with rapid urbanization, gave a significant boost to the Greek food industry, as refugee Greeks from Turkey infused it with capital and 72

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PRODUCTION EXPORTS

know-how. The Papadopoulos brand is a good example; a family of biscuit makers from Istanbul landed in Piraeus and found a country that knew nothing about biscuits. The now-famous company began life as a bakery before opening its first factory in 1938. In 1917, Greece had 1,244 food processing facilities, with an additional 221 opening from 1921 to 1926. The main centers of production were Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Patra and Volos.

BUST The German occupation of Greece in World War II halted the growth of the domestic food industry, and the anticipated post-war rebound proved elusive. A further population shift to the cities resulted in a steep decline in agriculture and food production, while most investments were directed towards the real estate and services markets rather than manufacturing.

However, as Greeks saw their standard of living shoot up in the mid-1980s, the food sector became particularly lucrative, attracting a fresh wave of investment, both of domestic and foreign capital. Several Greek brands were taken over by foreign companies. The Ivi-Panagopoulos soft drinks firm, for example, was acquired by PepsiCo in 1989; the chocolate maker Pavlidis was bought by Kraft and, more recently, by Mondelez; and the coffee company Loumidis was acquired by Nestle in 1987.

RESTART The collapse of communism in the Balkans led to the gradual liberalization of those countries’ economies and increased foreign trade in the region, providing a major boost to the Greek food industry by creating new markets for its products, as well as giving the country a key role in regional development.

In fact, exports to these markets – which grew steadily as living standards improved in the former communist countries – and investments by Greek producers (including the dairy company Olympus and the snack-maker Chipita, among others) have been important sources of revenue in the sector since the start of the current crisis, which saw sales take a serious hit in the domestic market: Central and Eastern Europe account for 68 percent of Chipita’s current annual turnover of €432m, while Olympus has benefited significantly from its activities in Romania, where it first established a presence in the 1990s.

CRISIS CURE How is the Greek food industry faring today? Shrinking demand and turbulence from bankruptcies, takeovers and mergers have certainly done some damage, but on the other hand, the industry is more technologically advanced and export-oriented than ever before, thanks to a realization that the future depends on two, seemingly opposing, pillars of growth: innovation and investment in high-quality, local products. Synergies with the

tourism sector have been instrumental in reshaping the food industry, as the leaps made in the mass catering sector in the past few years have popularized Greek products among foreign visitors and helped their reputations travel abroad.

According to a recent report by the Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE), carried out on behalf of the Association of Greek Food Industries, food is now the largest sector in Greek manufacturing. Over a quarter of all manufacturing businesses are involved in food and/or beverages (as opposed to an EU average of 12.5 percent), accounting for approximately a quarter of the industrial turnover in the country and likewise producing one quarter of the nation’s gross manufacturing value. The food industry is also the second largest employer in Greek industry, with food and beverage producers providing jobs to one-third of the manufacturing workforce (compared to an average of 13.6 percent across the EU).

The sector saw its revenues increase by an average annual rate of 1.86 percent from 2009 to 2016, despite the economic crisis, thanks to the rise in exports and particularly, albeit at a slower pace, the rise in added-value exports. From €2.1 billion in 2010, Greek exports of food products shot up to more than €3 billion in 2016, with the trend continuing. Some products, in fact, including olives, fresh fish, olive oil, and processed food goods like fruit preserves and yogurts, are taking over large chunks of the global market.

Experts argue that the Greek food industry could be even more powerful with further consolidation. Ninety percent of the businesses in the sector are classified as very small, employing a staff of less than 10 people, while only 1 percent are medium-sized businesses, with a workforce of 50 to 249 people. In 2016, Greece had just 24 big enterprises with 250 or more workers; these accounted for 32 percent of the industry’s annual turnover. Nevertheless, it’s a dynamic sector capable of attracting domestic and foreign investor interest. A recent study

by PricewaterhouseCoopers identified 110 food companies in the Greek market that would make promising acquisitions, as well as 20 firms that could play the role of consolidator.

Greek food export figures could rise if more products receive protected designation of origin (PDO) and geographical indication (PGI) status. Such products offer significant added value, offsetting the fact that the country does not have – and may never have – a “heavy” food industry. The EU’s register of certified food products includes 76 PDOs and 30 PGIs in Greece, while six more are awaiting approval. Furthermore, 116 Greek wines have been granted PGI status and 33 have PDO status, while 16 other alcoholic beverages enjoy PGI status as well.

There’s an important clue to Greek success in these PDO numbers; in the end, the Greek food industry will rise to overcome any challenges it faces because it is based on outstanding products and remarkable raw materials.

Much of the historic information in this article came from Evangelos Hekimoglou and Efrosyni Roupa’s “The History of the Greek Food Industry” (published in Greek by Kerkyra Publications, 2006).

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THE GREEK FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY: KEY FIGURES

TOP

processing sector in Greece

26.4%

of the country’s industrial enterprises

FOOD –

IN DR

of all processing workers

2%

24.3%

KS

Smoked fish

of the total production value of processing

25.3%

7.3%

of total processing turnover

Yogurt

20% Stewed fruit

26.3% Olives

SHARE OF GREEK PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD MARKET

€13+

billion turnover

10

20

2.9%

8

2.0

1 201

1

2.3

5

2012 2.4

Feta

7.6%

17.5%

Fresh fish (sea bream, sea bass)

Olive oil

2013 2.63

EXPORTS (in € billions)

20

20

201

16

15

3.

4 2.

2.9

39

05

6

SOURCES: Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), National Bank of Greece

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explore G A ST RONOMY

LAND OF PLENTY A gastronomic journey from the islands of the Dodecanese to the mountains of Epirus and from the Cyclades and Crete to Macedonia and Thrace reveals an incredible cornucopia of products, recipes and traditions. Illustration by Costas Theoharis

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ASKIFOU PLATEAU, SFAKIA, HANIA.

CRETE E XPLORE REGIONS

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Foodwise, Greece’s largest island is a land unto itself, with unique local dishes and a culinary tradition that’s still alive and well today.

#

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

#MinoanRoots #SuperHealthy #ShepherdsRealm #GreensGalore #AwesomeDakos #CottageIndustry #OliveOilJunkies

HANIA

IRAKLEIO RETHYMNO

SITIA

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

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© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

© EFFIE PAROUTSA

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GASPARAKIS DAIRY.

C

rete has tall mountaintops that are lost in the clouds, gorges and ravines wrapped in blankets of wild herbs, valleys bursting forth with fruit and vegetables and small scattered vineyards. At strategic locations across the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) and the slopes of Mt Ida (also known as Psiloreitis), shepherds have built round stone shelters known as mitata to provide protection from the elements for themselves and their animals. It was up here in the highlands that the island’s famed heritage of cheese-making was born, while shepherds are also credited with inventing the antikrysto cooking technique, whereby lamb or goat is roasted “across from” the fire rather than directly on it. That’s not to say, however, that Cretans traditionally ate a lot of meat. The Cretan diet, which forms in large part the basis of what is called “the Mediterranean diet,” is rich in fruits and vegetables, pulses, wild greens and herbal teas, and has multiple health benefits.

Animal fats are consumed only in moderation, and good-quality olive oil is essential. Dozens of scientific and medical studies have pointed to the innate wisdom of this diet, spreading its reputation around the world as a key to a healthy life.

The Cretans have always taken their cue from the land, basing their diet on the products available in abundance. (Meat, for instance, has long been something of a luxury; even today, it is often reserved for Sunday meals, weddings and other special events.) With the vegetables they grow, they create marvelous ladera: stews with liberal amounts of olive oil made from the Koroneiki or Tsounati olive varieties that most households cultivate. When fresh vegetables are limited in winter, Cretans eat pulses like lentils and chickpeas, along with foraged wild greens.

The island’s omnipresent snails (known locally as chochlii) offer a tasty and abundant source of protein that’s easy to gather; it was the ancient Minoans who first discovered them.

Livestock farming is still common, and the people of Crete, like Greeks everywhere, learned long ago to use as much of 80

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MYSTRAKIS HAND-KNEADED RUSKS.

the animals they raise as possible, from the tail to the snout and from the innards to the skin. Back in the days when families were almost entirely self-sufficient, each household would rear a pig. Legs were turned into cured cold meats such as syglino and apaki. For the syglino, they would cook the meat with lots of cumin and then store it in clay jars (kouroupia) covered in pork lard. The apaki was given a coat of cinnamon and cumin, soaked in vinegar and then lightly smoked with sage before being dried.

Cretans eat quite a lot of rabbit, too, cooked in all sorts of ways: with fresh green beans; fried; in a lemon sauce with wild greens; and even grilled over charcoal. The wild goats of Crete yield some of the most delicious meat you’ll ever taste, thanks to a diet of herbs, wild greens and, most importantly, seawater. These animals are known in the local dialect as fouriarika, from a word meaning “in a rush”or “out of control.”

When this meat is served tsigariasto, it’s been cooked in just a tiny amount of olive oil, without any flavoring. The result is something quite special.

Milk from sheep or goats goes into the production of xinochondros, a dish similar to trachanas; like trachanas, xinochondros is a fermented wheat product that takes the place of pasta in many dishes. Crete is also known for its mini-pies, stuffed with unsalted cheeses or with greens and herbs such as fennel leaves.

It’s a strange fact that, although Crete is an island, it has very few recipes for fish or other seafood. And, of course, the further you get from the shore, the harder it is to find such items.

As far as sweet treats are concerned, most are dough-based: xerotigano is crispy fried filo with honey and walnuts, traditionally served at weddings; Pita sfakiani is a fried pie made with a thin crust stuffed with myzithra cheese, and is often eaten at breakfast; and kalitsounia, which you’ll find in nearly every Cretan kitchen and bakery, are homemade baked mini-pies stuffed with myzithra and sprinkled with cinnamon.

© NIKOS PSILAKIS

“ANTIKRYSTO” IS A TECHNIQUE OF COOKING MEAT AT THE EDGE OF THE GRILL RATHER THAN OVER THE FIRE WHICH WAS INTRODUCED TO CRETAN CUISINE BY ITS SHEPHERDS.

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© NIKOS PSILAKIS

CRETAN FOOD INCLUDES DOZENS OF DIFFERENT WILD GREENS.

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

TRADITIONAL “GAMOPILAFO,” RICE COOKED IN MEAT BROTH.

© EFI PSILAKI

E XPLORE CRETE

WHERE TO EAT At PESKESI (6-8 Kapetan Haralambis, Irakleio, Tel. (+30) 2810.288.887), you can tuck into authentic Cretan food, including apaki which is flavored with sage smoke right at your table. • ILIOMANOLIS in southern Rethymno (Kanevos, Tel. (+30) 28320.510.53) serves only local dishes, such as lamb with askolymbos (the edible roots of the common golden thistle), snails served with zucchini, and 20-odd other menu items made fresh every day. • At FERRYMAN (Schisma, Elounda, Tel. (+30) 28410.412.30) chef and Cretan food devotee Yiannis Baxevanis cooks classic dishes, including venison with chickpeas and fennel-leaf pie, in a wood-fired oven. • Local meat is the specialty at DOUNIAS (Drakona, Tel. (+30) 28210.650.83), where the grill predominates. The fried potatoes alone are worth a visit here.

TRADITIONAL PIES WITH GREENS AND HERBS.

MOST OF THE ISLAND’S CHEESEMAKERS USE TRADITIONAL METHODS.

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS Cretans claim that their island is self-sufficient, and it’s hard to argue with them.

Some of Greece’s tastiest food items are produced here, and there’s little that you can’t find on the island. Its dairy products are renowned; the most famous cheeses come from the region of Rethymno. Myzithra is a slightly tart soft cheese made with goat’s milk (or a blend of both goat’s and sheep’s milk). Graviera is a hard cheese that can be anything from a quite fresh cheese to something that’s been aged for up to a year or more and is very tangy. There are also cheeses that are produced in a well-ventilated space (called a trypa) in small makeshift dairies; these are usually small cheeses produced in very limited quantities, using fresh sheep’s milk that would otherwise go bad. Touloumotyri is another very special cheese that emerged in order to prevent waste. Made with a blend of goat’s and sheep’s milk, it is aged for a year in the hide of a sheep. The result is a strong, salty and extremely flavorful cheese. Olive oil is produced all over the island; the best known enjoys protected designation of origin (PDO) status and is made from Kolymbari olives in Hania. The honey from Sfakia in southern Hania, which has an abundance of wild herbs and forests, is wonderful. Get paximadi (rusks) or dakos (rusks usually made from barley) from Lasithi, and your handmade skioufichta pasta from the city of Hania.

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SIGNATURE DISHES One of Crete’s greatest dishes is the lamb with stamnagathi, a native variety of wild spiny chicory that has a delicious if characteristically bitter flavor. At traditional kafeneia and tavernas across the island, you’ll find treats such as vine leaves or zucchini blossoms stuffed with rice and herbs, occasionally served with yogurt. On Crete, eggs are fried in staka, the butterfat that forms at the top of goat’s milk. If you happen to be invited to a wedding featuring local cuisine, you will most likely be served gamopilafo, a dish of rice cooked in broth made from the meat of an older animal.

© GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

•

E XPLORE CRETE

© DAGMAR SCHWELLE/LAIF

DIY: CRETAN SNAILS

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 4) 1kg snails • 500ml dry white wine • 3 cloves garlic, peeled • 1 bay leaf • Sea salt • All-purpose flour • 70ml olive oil • 150ml good quality vinegar • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary • Salt and pepper to taste •

PREPARATION

Soak the snails in a deep bowl of cold water for 1 hour, throwing out the ones that rise to the surface. Drain and place in a deep saucepan over low to medium heat. Add the wine and enough water to cover them. Then add the garlic and bay leaf and simmer for 20-25 minutes, removing any scum that forms on top with a slotted spoon. Set aside and let cool in the liquid. Once they have cooled down, drain and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Have a large bowl of flour nearby. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a high heat before flouring the snails quickly, shaking off the excess flour and placing them in the hot oil so that the shell’s aperture is facing down. Fry for 2-3 minutes without moving them. Sprinkle with salt and/or pepper to taste. Add the vinegar and the rosemary, cooking for another 2-3 minutes, without stirring, until the vinegar has evaporated. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

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© EFFIE PAROUTSA

WINE: AN ISLAND ON THE RISE

NEW GENERATION OF CRETAN WINEMAKERS.

Crete has only really emerged as a top-quality wine producer in the last two decades, bringing a breath of fresh air to the Greek wine scene. The “sleeping beauty” of Greek wine has witnessed the arrival of a new generation of wine producers blessed with excellent skills and with passion, who are leading Greece’s largest island into a new wine era through their own “Cretan revolution.” Long-forgotten native grape varieties and privileged mountainous terroirs, combined with a long-standing wine tradition, are being exploited to the maximum, leading to stunning results for white wines in particular. International wine experts are talking about a new wine success story.

There is, of course, nothing new about Crete’s impressive wine history, which dates back thousands of years. There are indications that wine was part of everyday life in Minoan culture. Archaeological excavations in a Minoan villa in Vathypetro, Irakleio, have brought to light one of the world’s oldest wine presses, dating from 1500 BC. Nowadays, there are about 60 quality-focused wineries active on the island, producing more than a tenth of the country’s total domestic output.

The new kid on the block in terms of intriguing Cretan varieties is Vidiano, a flashy white grape with a velvety, creamy texture and an unmistakable floral and apricot character. The best terroirs are located at relatively high elevations, where they enjoy cooler temperatures and freshness. However, if Vidiano is the king, then Vilana, the grape grown across a fifth of the island’s plantings, 84

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is undisputedly the queen of the whites. Again, it is at higher elevations and with restrained yields that it does best, producing fruity wines with balanced structures and complex tastes of ripe fruit and herbs. Assyrtiko, Muscat of Spina, Malvasia di Candia, Thrapsathiri, Plyto and Dafni, all possessing distinctive aromas and flavors, help form a diverse Cretan mosaic of indigenous grapes. The wine producers to look for are Douloufakis, Lyrarakis, Miliarakis, Manousakis, Diamantakis, Idaia, Karavitakis, Klados and Paterianakis, all of whom produce solid examples of fine Cretan wine from these grape varieties.

Crete’s reds don’t disappoint, either. The pale-colored Liatiko, with its phenomenal dry and sweet versions, and the finest blends of Kotsifali and Mandilari are all equally beautiful. Domaine Economou in Sitia produces wonderful wines from Liatiko, often released after extended bottle ageing. The international varieties which thrive best in Crete are mainly the Rhone varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Roussanne, which have produced some amazing results, including exceptional wines

by Manousakis Winery and by Rhous Winery.

These wines of Crete are the noteworthy results of hard work by passionate producers who have benefitted from the island’s long-standing wine tradition and working with varieties that not only survive but thrive in the island’s extreme conditions. What’s more, I’m certain that Crete’s best is yet to come.

- BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW

A FISHERMAN IN MYKONOS.

THE CYCLADE E XPLORE REGIONS

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# #SunKissedProducts #SeafoodFeast #FruitFromStone #CycladicVibe #IslandHopping #CuredColdCuts #FamousFava #CheeseDelight

ANDROS TINOS

GYAROS KEA

SYROS

RINEIA

MYKONOS

KYTHNOS SERIFOS

NAXOS

PAROS

DONOUSSA

SIFNOS KIMOLOS

ANTIPAROS

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

FOLEGANDROS

S

MILOS

IOS

AMORGOS

SIKINOS

SANTORINI

ANAFI

Greece’s most famous island group has more to offer than stunning landscapes, pristine beaches and picturesque villages.

BY N I KOL ET TA M A K RYON I T OU

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© GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

© EVELYN FOSKOLOU

climates, and with seafood that is prepared in various ways: boiled, baked, fried, or grilled on charcoal and served with a simple sauce of olive oil and lemon. Pulses and red meat (mostly lamb or goat) are sealed in traditional clay pots that look like ancient amphoras, or in covered steel vessels and baked slowly overnight in a wood-fired oven. These dishes are still classics on islands like Sifnos and Serifos. Unlike in other parts of Greece, the savory pies in the Cyclades tend to be small, bite-sized affairs that are fried, rather than the big trays of baked stuffed filo that dominate in other regions.

Cheese, either homemade or from one of the many cottage dairies, is served at almost every meal. From Ios to Tinos and Syros, there’s a plethora of delicious cheeses made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, as well as a handful of notable cow’s-milk cheeses, such as those made on Andros. Cheese is also used in desserts such as melitinia (tiny treats customarily served at Easter). Sundry almond delights and spoon sweets, the latter including a type made with fragrant citrus blossoms, steal the show in the category of homemade treats.

FAVA.

© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

T

hirty-three islands comprise the Cyclades, which lie in the heart of the Aegean. While each island has unique features, the island group as a whole is mainly rocky and arid. Nonetheless, you’ll find green exceptions where abundant natural springs benefit crop and livestock farming. Overall, however, the people of the Cyclades have tended to seek their livelihoods at sea, either as sailors or as fishermen. The region’s maritime history has also been responsible for shaping its societies and, by extension, its cuisine, both of which were significantly influenced by Frankish and Venetian rule, as well as by sundry other nationalities that passed through the ports here.

In the past, local farms produced grains and a lot of fruit – mainly summer fruits such as grapes and figs – which were used to barter for goods from nearby islands. Long spells of sunshine allowed residents to dry octopus, tomatoes, okra, grape must and many more products so they would keep longer and exhibit more flavor. Most of the recipes of the islands’ colorful rustic cuisine are still made with local vegetables that do well in arid

MARATHIA RESTAURANT, TINOS.

LOUZA (CURED MEAT ).

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

SIGNATURE DISHES

WHERE TO EAT

You mustn’t leave the Cyclades without trying its protected designation of origin (PDO) products, such as the famous kopanisti, a tangy spread made from matured cheese of goat’s and sheep’s milk, or the louza, a gorgeous cured meat scented with cinnamon, cloves and pepper. Wild capers and thyme honey are also a must, as is a packet of split peas from Santorini, so you can make your own fava dip, and some San Michali cheese from Syros – the latter two also enjoy PDO status.

The Cycladic islands are renowned for their white wines, the most famous of which are those made with the Assyrtiko or Monemvasia (Malvazia) grape varieties.

If you’re visiting Sifnos, make sure you try the revithada, a rich chickpea stew that is cooked very slowly in a ceramic pot in a wood-fired oven. Naxos is renowned for its rosto, a pork dish with a tomato sauce, served with locally grown spunta potatoes, while on Andros, the specialty is froutalia, a hearty omelet that’s either fried or baked, made with seasonal vegetables, local cheese and sausage. On Santorini, tomatoes are sun dried and then placed in jars with olive oil to give them a longer shelf life. Tomato fritters, made either with fresh or sun-dried tomatoes, depending on the season, are a popular meze.

• At ALLOU GIALOU (Tel. (+30) 22810.711.96) in Kini on Syros, you’ll find great local products and fresh seafood, such as roasted calamari with sea urchin. • In the main town of Mykonos, KALITA (Tel. (+30) 22890.271.02) is known for its modern take on traditional recipes. • Kimolos is a tiny island, but it boasts amazing food. Head to AVLI TOU SAMPLOU (Tel. (+30) 22870.516.66) for lamb meatballs in tomato sauce and fried local cheese flavored with summer savory. • The flavors of the Cyclades are on hand at MARATHIA (Tel. (+30) 22830.232.49) on Tinos’ Aghios Fokas Beach. Highlights include the kariki, a tangy local blue cheese, the grilled artichokes and the squid cooked in its ink.

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© CHRISTINA ANTONIADOU

VASSILIKI FROM KIMOLOS HOLDING “BOULERIA,” EGGS WITH VEGETABLES.

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FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

DIY: ANDROS OMELET

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 3)

4 medium-sized sausages • 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds • 2/3 cup grated cheese (preferably volaki from Andros) • 1/2 cup milk • 8 eggs (preferably organic) • The leaves of 1/2 bunch of mint or parsley, finely chopped • Salt and/or pepper to taste • frying oil •

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PREPARATION

In a large frying pan with a lid, add just enough oil to cover the bottom, and heat.

Prick the sausages with a fork and fry for around 5 minutes, turning for an even cook. Remove and keep warm. Add a couple more tablespoons of oil to the pan, salt the potatoes and fry until soft. Beat the eggs with the milk in a bowl. Drain the oil from the pan and add the egg mixture, with the cheese, herbs and salt and pepper. Space out the sliced up sausages evenly in the mixture. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium. Once the bottom side of the omelet is done, flip to cook the other. Otherwise, use an oven-proof frying pan and bake the omelet until golden under the grill.

E XPLORE C YCL A DE S

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

WINE: ASSYRTIKO OUT OF THE ASHES

SIGALAS WINERY.

The Cycladic islands are not simply a paradise on Earth for tourists, with all those gleaming sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, idyllic blue-and-white houses and premium hotel resorts.

They are are also a five-star destination for all wine enthusiasts seeking to explore unusual flavors.

The epicenter of quality wine production in the Cyclades is the volcanic island of Santorini, reborn out of the ashes of a major volcanic eruption. Santorini’s heart-stopping beauty may be hard to put into words, but you can put it into a glass; drinking chilled Assyrtiko while watching the most amazing sunset from Oia on the northernmost tip of the island is an amazingly pleasurable experience.

The Assyrtiko variety is the leading lady of the island, producing both dry and sweet wines, and accounting for 65 to 70 percent of the total 1100 hectares of plantings. One look at the old, ungrafted, basket-trained vines, some of them sitting on 400-year-old roots, is enough to let you know that Assyrtiko has always grown here. Other varieties able to cope with the inhospitable soils of this ancient wine island include Athiri, Aidani and, increasingly, Mavrotragano; they are all worth seeking out.

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emerging with unique varieties and sublime handcrafted wines.

In the lunar landscape and the granitic soils of the Falantados area on the island of Tinos, a number of grape varieties with tongue-twisting names like Aspro Potamissi, Koumariano and Rozaki, as well as sublime examples of Assyrtiko and Mavrotragano, offer memorable experiences to those seeking different flavors.

Paros is another important wine-producing island. In this equally arid terrain, vines are trained using a traditional growing system known as aplotaries that forces them to grow horizontally along the ground rather than vertically so as to protect them from the strong winds. The island produces low yields of mainly Monemvasia white and Mandilaria red varieties. Paros’ PDO status is the only one in Greece that allows for a blend of white and red varieties in the production of dry red wines. On Paros, the Moraitis family has consistently produced wines with character, and which exhibit complexity and a great quality-to-price ratio.

The wealth of choices available on other Cycladic islands such as Syros and Milos suggests that, if you’re looking for very good wines from the Cyclades, it pays to cast a wide net.

- YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW

© CLAIRY MOUSTAFELLOU

HANDMADE PASTA COMES IN ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES IN THE DODECANESE.

THE DODECA E XPLORE REGIONS

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ARKI AGATHONISI

LIPSI

PATMOS

LEROS

KALYMNOS

KOS SYMI

ASTYPALEA NISYROS

TILOS

HALKI

RHODES

KARPATHOS KASTELORIZO

KASOS

# #Melekouni #DiverseTraditions #SymiShrimp #GrainsNPulses #HoneyBees

NESE

This island group offers food experiences ranging from sincere simplicity to splendid sophistication.

BY L I NA K A PETA N IOU

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MELEKOUNI, SWEET TREAT MADE WITH SESAME AND HONEY.

© VANGELIS ZAVOS

KAPAMAS, KID GOAT STUFFED WITH RICE AND GROUND MEAT, RHODES.

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ou can’t really describe the islands of the Dodecanese as having one particular culinary identity. From the stuffed lamb baked in a wood-fired oven on Karpathos to the handmade pitaridia pasta served with a meat and tomato stew on Kos, or the grilled seafood on offer on Kalymnos, each of these southeastern Aegean islands has its own dietary customs and produces different products.

Ottoman, Venetian and later Italian rule diversified their cultures, while their proximity to Turkey and the Middle East colored every aspect of local folk traditions, from the music to the food.

What all the islands have in common is the idea that food is an expression of hospitality, which you’ll see reflected at tavernas and eateries – particularly those off the beaten tourist path.

In terms of the food you’ll find, the bounty of the Aegean is evident throughout the Dodecanese, where fresh fish and shellfish are served everywhere, commonly grilled over charcoal or pan fried, but used in rich stews, too. Smaller fish, such as sardines and mackerel, are still preserved in coarse-grained salt, as they were in the past. Food preservation is an important part of homemaking across Greece; it is a result of the many lean periods the country has experienced in its history, and these islands learned as well as any to economize.

To stretch meals, calamari is stuffed with rice and herbs, and fish is baked with tomatoes, onions and herbs. Small octopus are ground up to make fritters, and smelts are made into a pancake 96

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called gaelopita. It was food like this that made up the daily fare here, before the advent of mass tourism meant that items like pasta with lobster came to be regarded as typical island dishes.

The islands of the Dodecanese are also diverse in terms of their local economies. The people of Kalymnos, Symi and Halki have always tended to work as fishermen, while on Rhodes and Kos tourism replaced farming and trade as the main source of employment. Nevertheless, these islands still produce wine, olive oil, cheeses and pulses − albeit in limited quantities.

Bulgur (pligouri), bread and pasta are staples of the household menu, while on many islands, homemade pasta is served with tomato-stewed goat or rooster. Festive meals served at church fetes or Sunday family gatherings include dishes like stuffed goat.

On Halki, the animal is stuffed with rice and liver and baked in a wood-fired oven; on Lipsi, it’s stewed in a tomato sauce; on Leros, it’s cooked in a lemon sauce; and on Tilos, it’s baked in the oven with potatoes. There are dozens of variations, but the goat is almost always local and free range and consequently extremely tasty.

Livestock farming has also resulted in a great tradition in dairy products; each island has its own special cheeses. In most cases, they are made from blends of sheep’s and goat’s milk in small quantities and cannot really be found outside the Dodecanese. The soft fresh cheeses are used mostly in desserts, usually with honey.

© CLAIRY MOUSTAFELLOU

TRADITIONAL DOLMADES, KALYMNOS.

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KRASOTIRI FROM KOS, SITAKA FROM KASOS.

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

© CLAIRY MOUSTAFELLOU

Symi is renowned for its small shrimp, which are sweet and fried to crispy, golden perfection, while on Astypalea the saffron that grows wild on most parts of the island is used in all sorts of savory and sweet recipes, including the kitrinokouloura: bright yellow biscuits with a slightly peppery taste from this very special spice. Honey (thyme or wildflower) is a must on Kalymnos, and soumada, an almond drink that is traditionally served at weddings, is the favorite soft drink on Nisyros. Karpathos produces a tagliatelle-like pasta known as makarounes, which is made by the local women’s cooperatives for various stores around the island. On Leros, taste the guava, which has been cultivated on the island for the past 60 years or so. And on Rhodes, make sure your snack pack for a day exploring the Old Town or the island’s forests includes a melekouni, a traditional energy bar made with sesame and honey.

WHERE TO EAT On Kos, ARAP (Platani, Kos Town, Tel. (+30) 22420.284.42) is inspired by the flavors of the Near East, producing dishes like its incredible pilau with yogurt sauce. • Also on Kos, enjoy a meal of seafood meze and a sea view at BARBOUNI (26 Georgiou Averoff, Kos Town, Tel. (+30) 22420.201.70). • Sun-dried grilled octopus, white fish roe dip and beautifully cooked fish are what make PIZANIAS (24 Sofokleous, Old Town, Tel. (+30) 22410.221.17) on Rhodes stand out from the competition. • Also on Rhodes, MAVRIKOS (Lindos, Tel. (+30) 22440.312.32) is famed for its squidink risotto, calamari with a saffron sauce and other creative Greek dishes. • On Patmos, BENETOS (Sapsila, Tel. (+30) 22470.330.89) serves homegrown vegetables and fresh fish caught exclusively for this restaurant. • At DILAILA (Katsadia Bay, Tel. (+30) 22470.410.41) on Leros, make sure to order the tzatziki dip with beetroot, the orange salad with capers and sea fennel, and the pasta with tuna tartare. The herbs and vegetables are homegrown and organic, the meat is all free-range and the seafood comes from local fishermen.

•

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KARPATHOS PRODUCES EXCELLENT HONEY, ALBEIT ON A SMALL SCALE.

SIGNATURE DISHES On Karpathos, order the stuffed lamb if you have the chance, especially if it has been slow-roasted in a wood-fired oven. On Kos, the pork and chickpea tomato stew is a must, while Symi and Kalymnos are renowned for their seafood.

E XPLORE DODEC ANESE

WINE: DIVERSITY ALEXANDRIS WINERY.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 4-5)

3 large onions, finely diced • 100ml olive oil • 1kg squid, cleaned (chop up the tentacles for the stuffing) • 4 tbsp dill, finely chopped • 6 tbsp parsley, finely chopped • Salt and pepper to taste • 150g white rice, rinsed • 1 cup warm water • 3 ripe tomatoes, partly squashed • 1 cup white wine •

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PREPARATION

Using half the oil, sauté the onions in a deep frying pan over medium heat until translucent. Add the chopped-up tentacles and cook until they change color. Add the herbs, salt and pepper, then the rice and 1 cup of warm water. Stir until the rice soaks up the liquid and remove from the heat. Once the mixture has cooled off, stuff the calamari about twothirds full so that there’s enough room for the rice to expand. Place the squid close together at the bottom of a pan that’s small enough to ensure a snug fit.

Add the rest of the oil, half the wine and just enough water to cover the squid. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, then add the tomatoes and keep cooking until the rice is done. If you want extra sauce, or if it looks like it’s drying up, add the rest of the wine.

Rhodes, the largest in the group, is the most important in terms of viticulture and winemaking, while Kos has a small but noteworthy winemaking industry. The other islands are of minor importance; their wines are rarely available outside local markets. Nonetheless, there are excellent innovative projects afoot, such as the Patoinos Winery in Patmos, planted with Assyrtiko and Mavrothiriko and farmed according to biodynamic principles, followed by a hands-off, natural approach in the cellar.

Rhodes has the longest tradition in the region, not only in sparkling wines but in the production of still white and red wines as well. Cair, founded in 1928, is the island’s major producer. For decades, sparkling Cair wine was known as “the Greek champagne.” The main varieties on Rhodes are Athiri, better suited to the higher elevation vineyards on Mt Attavyros, and Mandilaria, known locally as Amorgiano.

Muscat varieties are particularly important for the production of Rhodes’ excellent sweet PDO wines. There are two Muscats grown on the island: the Petits Grains and the di Trani, the latter a clone of Puglia Muscat introduced by the Italians. Other varieties, such as Assyrtiko, Malagousia and Mavrothiriko, are used to make up blends or to produce dry varietal wines. In addition to the well-established Cair and Emery brands, there are a few small artisanal wineries in Rhodes such as Alexandris and Kounaki that are helping to raise quality standards.

- BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW

© VANGELIS ZAVOS

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

DIY: STUFFED CALAMARI

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

EPIRUS E XPLORE REGIONS

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SAVORY PIE WITH HANDMADE PASTRY, WILD GREENS AND CHEESE.

# #Ingenuity #MushroomHunting #PieCountry #GrapeFirewater #FetaHeaven #HumbleTreasures

ZAGORI METSOVO IOANNINA

ARTA

PREVEZA

This oft-overlooked region has something of a frontier feel, with spectacular areas of beautiful wilderness as well as a fresh, rustic cuisine.

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

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E XPLORE EPIRUS

A TABLE FULL OF LOCAL DELICACIES IN KAPESOVO, ZAGORI.

F

or the most part, Epirus is composed of mountains, rivers and gorges. It’s dotted with scattered settlements and blanketed by snow in winter. Even though one side of Epirus is coastal – with the Ionian Sea lapping its long shoreline – the region has never sought to depend on summer seaside tourism; instead, it’s livestock farming that has always served as its “heavy” industry. Apart from those residing in Ioannina – the region’s cultured capital – most Epirotes have traditionally been stockbreeders. To this day, the area produces milk of exceptional quality, delicious meat and some wonderful cheese products from goat’s and sheep’s milk – the most famous of all being feta, our national cheese. The Epirote mountains are full of wild greens, nuts and other edible products – from chestnuts and mushrooms to fruits of the forest and grapes. Its vineyards are primarily concentrated in the Zagori and Metsovo areas.

In earlier times, the daily lives of the livestock farmers – which were characterized by demanding agricultural schedules and the lack of many basic necessities – forced them to become inventive in the way in which they fed themselves. Indigence and an obligatory self-reliance came together to mold their distinctive cuisine – a model of home economics, according to which everything is exploited to the fullest and nothing is tossed out. And it was through this spirit and approach that the Epirote pites (pies) came into being, as a creative way to multiply dishes and servings. With a handful of trachanas (a fermented 104

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cracked wheat or flour product) or a little bit of home-produced cheese, they would make a pie that the entire family would eat. The way they use their various cheese products in these creations is also noteworthy; Epirotes have created dozens of different tyropites (cheese pies), recorded in old recipe books, using ingredients such as cheese that has been freshly curdled (chloro), as well as salty feta or hard goat cheeses. Hortopites (pies with greens) – which Epirotes also call lachanopites, are popular as well. They make lachanopites out of garden-grown greens, or whatever wild greens they collect along the route from their houses to the animal pens; these offer a traditonal taste experience and are high in nutritional value as well. The area’s cuisine also features meat dishes, including numerous recipes using the entrails of goats and sheep prepared with greens. In addition, Epirotes favor game, river fish – which they grill, roast, or pan-fry in butter – as well as thick soups with rice and avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce). The use of sweet paprika is also characteristic and common; this ingredient is used both to make food more delicious and to add color to the plate, and serves as a substitute of sorts for tomato, which is scarce here. The most important element concerning Epirote cuisine, however, is how the locals have managed to keep it alive; its traditional dishes are still cooked at home and still served at food establishments, too, with all involved taking full advantage of local ingredients and following age-old – albeit often slightly updated – recipes.

© ALEXANDROS ANTONIADIS

GIANNA PAPAGEORGIOU, THE COOK AT GUESTHOUSE THOUKIDIDIS.

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E XPLORE EPIRUS

MORE THAN 30 KINDS OF EDIBLE MUSHROOMS GROW IN THE MOUNTAINS OF EPIRUS.

© ALEXANDROS ANTONIADIS

CHICKEN AVGOLEMONO (EGG-LEMON) SOUP.

GIANT WHITE BEANS WITH GREENS.

© ALEXANDROS ANTONIADIS

SIGNATURE DISHES

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS Dairy products are ever-present in the kitchens here; they include sheep’s yogurt, protected designation of origin (PDO) feta, hard and salty kefalotyri cheese, and PDO Metsovone – a smoked cheese made from a blend of goat’s, sheep’s and cow’s milk. It is produced in Metsovo using the same method employed to create Italy’s PDO Provolone Valpadana. Another cheese both typical of the area and very distinctive is galotyri (milk-cheese), which is salty, tangy and with a creamy consistency, and consumed with bread or as an accompaniment to pies.

Be sure to try some wild mushrooms from the Pindus National Park and from Zagori. If you find yourself near the Acheron or Louros rivers, ask for trout. The Arta eel is exceptionally tasty, a delicacy that’s exported to the rest of Europe. Epirus is famous for its tsipouro (pomace brandy), for the PDO wines of Zitsa and Metsovo, and for its handmade pasta. Epirote trachanas, made from milk and either flour or cracked wheat, is produced in small cottage industries or homes.

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There is no “universal” recipe for their most popular pie – alevropita or kasopita (bread pudding) – which is well-known throughout Greece. It is, in fact, made differently in every household. The official measuring device in the area is the blohero or aplochero, that is, “the handful.” You can be initiated into the secrets of the Epirote pie – with its sweet or savory fillings and dozens of types of crusts – at one of Zagori’s traditional tavernas. Trachanas with shredded feta makes a splendid soup, a comfort food for those chillier days. If you find yourself near Arta, head to the tavernas in Koronisia, with a view overlooking the Amvrakikos (Ambracian) Gulf, where you can sample local eel roasted on a ceramic tile with tomato and onion. Ioannina is famous for its baklava, filled with walnuts and sweet spices.

ZUCCHINI PIE, ASTRA.

DIY: EPIROTE FETA TART FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

© CLAIRY MOUSTAFELLOU

E XPLORE EPIRUS

WHERE TO EAT • If in Megalo Papigo, book a table at ASTRA (Tel. (+30) 26530.421.08) and enjoy local roasted/grilled meat, traditional pies and a special dish called skotobriamo, featuring rice, herbs, greens and liver. • Just outside Metsovo is the village of Anilio, home to a former traditional general store now called the DELFAS TAVERNA (Tel. (+30) 26560.414.74). There you can enjoy meat mezes such as kontosouvli (marinated and seasoned chunks of pork cooked on the rotisserie), local sheep on the spit and a variety of locally-produced Metsovian cheeses. • Situated in isolated Kapesovo – a village whose year-round population is only in the double digits – is a little guesthouse called THOUKIDIDIS (Tel. (+30) 697.998.3798). A restaurant operates there every Saturday and Sunday and on holidays, too. Here, you’ll find veal with wild mushrooms (which they gather themselves), pies, soups and beans baked in the oven with wild greens.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 6)

400g flour • 1 cup milk • 2 cups water • 1 egg • salt • 50ml olive oil • 300g feta • 2 egg yokes • 80g butter •

PREPARATION

Place a large, low pan – empty but greased – in the oven. Turn the oven on and set to 250°C. In a deep bowl, combine 400g of flour, one cup of milk and two cups of water and whisk until the mixture becomes smooth. Add one egg, salt and about 50ml of olive oil, blending it into the mixture. As soon as the oven temperature reaches 250°C and the pan is hot, remove it from the oven and place the mixture in it. Thickly crumble 300g of feta over the mixture, scattering it across its surface. In a bowl, beat two egg yolks and then pour them on top. Cut 80g of butter into small pieces and place these here and there on top of the mixture. Bake for approximately 50 minutes. Remove from the oven when the edges of the pie look quite crispy and crunchy and have almost become burnt. This pie may be enjoyed both fresh out of the oven and after cooling down.

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WINE: THE FIRST FOREIGNER KATOGI AVEROFF.

If the new global wine trends continue to favor indigenous varieties, freshness and elegance, then this remote and mountainous part of Greece, dominated by the Pindos mountain range and the cool climate that it brings, will definitely be a place to keep an eye on in the coming years.

Epirus has always been an insider’s secret; it is an underdog of a region where cool-climate viticulture has reached its apogee. Among its signature wines are stylish, elegant, low-alcohol reds and refreshing whites – still or sparkling, and sourced from steep high-elevation vineyards, often located 1000m or more above sea level.

The two most important wine areas in Epirus are Zitsa and Metsovo. Located northwest of the town of Ioannina, Zitsa has been graced with PDO status and produces the lemony Debina, a variety that yields subtle fresh sparkling wines which, together with those of Amyntaio, are the country’s most reliable bubblies. The still wines produced from the same variety are equally light-bodied, with bright acidity and delicate aromas of green apple, pear, lemon and white flowers. They are ideal 108

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GLIVANOS WINERY.

as aperitifs or to complement salads and starters.

Metsovo, to the east of Ioannina, also has a well-established reputation for winemaking, thanks to the pioneering work of the Katogi Averoff winery and its founder, the statesman Evangelos Averoff-Tositsas. He was the first to introduce foreign grape varieties to Greece back in 1958, starting a vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon in a rugged, inhospitable spot in the wild highlands that came to be called Yiniets, after the local dialect word for “vineyard.” This winery’s textbook-stylish medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon (with great ageability) is among the top examples of tits kind produced in Greece. In the broader region, Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by two other red varieties, Bekari and Vlachiko, as well as aromatic white grapes (such as Traminer, Malagousia, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc) that combine tension, lovely crispiness and minerality. One well-known native to the region, the brown bear, has developed a taste for all these varieties, devouring the lovely grapes as soon as they ripen and endangering annual production.

- BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW

THE PDO RAISINS OF ZAKYNTHOS DRYING IN THE SUN.

IONIAN ISLAN E XPLORE REGIONS

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NDS

# #Pastitsada #NobleTastes #ReputedRaisins #WineEvolution #SplendidSeven #ItalianTouch

OTHONI

SOUKIA

PLATIA

CORFU

PAXI ANTIPAXI

LEFKADA

MEGANISI

ARKOUDI

KALAMOS

KASTOS

ATOKOS

ITHAKI

© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

KEFALONIA

Greece’s westernmost islands feature strong Italian influences and their own exciting cuisine.

ZAKYNTHOS

KYTHIRA

BY V I V I CONSTA N T I N I DOU

G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018

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T

he Ionian islands, or the Heptanese, are nothing if not privileged. With fertile soil, plenty of rain and just the right amount of humidity, anything you plant here takes root and grows. This arability shaped the islands’ rural customs as well as their cuisine, but they were also influenced by the Western powers that held sway here, particularly the Venetians. Is it cheese you want? Kefalonia produces one of the best feta cheeses in Greece – although legally it cannot be marketed as such, but as “white cheese in brine” – and Zakynthos’ ladotyri (cheese preserved in oil) is just incredible, tangy and robust. Cold cuts? You can’t beat Lefkada’s salami, Corfu’s noumboulo (smoked cured pork) or Zakynthos’ pork shoulder. And then there’s the rich butter, the raisins, the top-quality olive oil, wines from at least 20 different grape varieties, crackling fragrant breads made with local grains,

potfuls of honey and a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables.

Ionian cuisine consists of hearty, rustic gems like pastrokio (eggplant baked in a tomato sauce with eggs and cheese) and sophisticated dishes once reserved for the nobility, such as sofrito (thinly sliced veal in a delicate garlic sauce). It’s a voluptuous cuisine, filled with sauces and rich with flavor. The people here celebrate seasonal vegetables, favor a bit of spice, love garlic, tomatoes and parsley, and create unusual dishes with every type of meat. Where can all this deliciousness be found? Mainly at smaller tavernas in out-of-the-way villages, the humble eateries favored by locals. There are also a handful of restaurants in the capital of each island that respect local ingredients and traditions, and whose chefs are known for presenting the kind of food their mothers and grandmothers prepared at home in their padellas, which is how cooking pots are known in this area.

ARTICHOKE STEW, ZAKYNTHOS.

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

ROOSTER WITH FAVA AT FAMILIA, KYTHIRA.

© NIKOS KOKKAS

KUMQUATS, CORFU.

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

SIGNATURE DISHES

WHERE TO EAT

Look for the local “feta” in Kefalonia, sold in supermarkets, grocery stores and tavernas, and for Prentza, a spicy cheese flavored with summer savory.

Don’t leave Lefkada without some of its peppery salami and a bag of local lentils. The stars of Zakynthos are its ladotyri, a cheese aged in olive oil, and its PDO sweet and fleshy raisins. Kythira is known for its olive oil rusks and its amazing thyme honey.

Corfu’s jewels include noumboulo – a cured pork or beef coldcut – as well as kumquat (in a liqueur or as a sweet preserve). Search here for spetseriko, a fiery 12-spice blend whose secret recipe dates back centuries. Everywhere, you’ll find traditional sweets such as pasteli (sesame-and-honey snaps), mandolata (nougat with nuts and merengue), and mandoles, made with almonds, honey and sugar.

Sofrito, a veal stew which hails from Venetian times, pastitsada (beef cooked in a rich tomato sauce and served with thick pasta) and bourdeto (fish in a spicy tomato sauce) are the signature dishes of Corfu, along with other casseroles cooked inouminto, meaning without water but with lots of fresh grated tomatoes.

Zakynthos’ culinary highlights include rooster in tomato sauce served with pasta and grated ladotyri, and eggplants cooked in a delicious vinegary, garlicky sauce. The manestra (a vegetable stew with a velvety egg-lemon finish) is also delicious. Kefalonia’s octopus pie is to die for, while in Lefkada they make a whitebait pie that will have you licking your fingers.

In Kiliomenos on Zakynthos, AMPELOSTRATES (Tel. (+30) 26950.437.18) serves a delicious dish of stuffed spleen, a rich beef ragu and handmade mini-pies stuffed with wild greens, accompanied by local bottled wine. • On Kythira, FAMILIA (Tel. (+30)27360.339.08), a restaurant located on the main square in the village of Fratsia, is known for its lamb scented with fennel seeds and for its tsipouro (a strong spirit). • In Corfu’s Old Town, KOKORIA (Tel. (+30) 26610.350.02) is the place to go for well-executed classics like pastitsada, sofrito and bourdeto.

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MANTOLATO – A LOCAL NOUGAT TREAT.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

PASTITSADA – A CORFU SPECIALTY.

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

MANDOLES – CARAMELIZED ALMONDS.

GREY MULLET IN A TOMATO SAUCE.

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FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

DIY: CORFIOT VEAL STEW

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 4)

1kg veal fillet, cut into 2cm slices • 120g all-purpose flour • 100ml olive oil • 8 cloves of garlic (or less, depending on taste), finely sliced • 1 1/2 bunches of parsley, finely chopped • 100ml white wine vinegar • 150ml dry white wine • 300ml chicken stock or water • Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste •

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PREPARATION

Set aside 2 tbsp of the flour and put the rest in a shallow dish with salt and pepper, using this to lightly flour the slices of meat. In a broad, shallow pan, heat the olive oil and brown the meat in batches for 1-2 minutes on each side until evenly brown and sealed. Place in a separate dish. Keep 3 tbsp of the oil in the pan and discard the rest. Then add the garlic and half the parsley to the pan, sautéing for a maximum of 10 seconds, mixing continuously. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of flour onto the mixture and sauté for another 1 minute. Add the vinegar and wine and, when the liquid comes to a boil, put in the stock. Reduce the mixture until it just starts to thicken, and add the meat slices, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the parsley. Serve with fried potatoes.

E XPLORE IONIAN ISL ANDS

WINE: ROBOLA REIGNS

CHARITATOS ESTATE.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

The Ionian islands enjoy a mild climate with abundant rainfall, in sharp contrast to the arid environment of the Cyclades.

Here, the sea is the color of sapphires and the hillsides abound with pine and olive trees that can, in places, stretch all the way down to beautiful unspoiled beaches. The islands’ distinct cultural identity is the product of strong Italian influences, as the Ionian group avoided Ottoman conquest and remained under Venetian rule.

The undisputed oenological star of this region is Kefalonia, the leading Ionian island in terms of viticulture, and the only one to possess three different PDOs. Rugged, steep and topped by the imposing peak of Mt Ainos, Kefalonia is a Noah’s Ark for grape varieties, with prodigious vine biodiversity. Of all its varieties, perhaps the most important is the elegant and refreshing Robola, which produces some of the finest whites in Greece, especially on the high limestone slopes of Ainos. Floral and rich in character, it has herbal undertones, a high level of complexity and a moderate capacity for aging. Other notable local grapes are Tsaousi, Vostilidi, Zakynthino, Moschatela and Tsigelo, the small-berried clone of Mavrodafni that is now being vinified in exotically fragrant dry versions. Wineries to look out for include Foivos, Gentilini, Haritatos, Petrakopoulos, Sclavos and the local Robola cooperative.

The wine scene is quieter on the other Ionian Islands, but there are gems to be found. Zakynthos is best known for its Verdea, a traditional, multi-varietal dry white that is aged for several years.

Lately, however, major strides have been made with the Avgoustiatis variety, used by the Grampsas Winery to make a mild red dry wine with complex red fruit, flower and spice aromas. The wine scene is limited on Corfu and Lefkada, but the varieties of Kakotrygis on the former and Vertzami on the latter deserve to be mentioned.

PETROS MARKANTONATOS OF GENTILINI WINERY.

- BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018

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© SAKIS GIOUMPASIS

SEAFOOD AT A “TSIPOURADIKO” (A PLACE THAT SERVES TSIPOURO AND MEZE), VOLOS.

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E XPLORE REGIONS

THE HEARTLAND The regions of Thessaly and Central Greece are legendary lands with ancient histories and a well-earned reputation for great meat and seafood dishes.

BY L I NA K A PETA N IOU

LARISSA TRIKALA

PILIO VOLOS

KARDITSA

ALONISSOS SKIATHOS

LAMIA

SKOPELOS

KARPENISI

SKYROS

LIVADIA

HALKIDA

# #Meze #Tsipouro #Souvlaki #GrilledCheese #TunaAlaLunga #HeavenlyApples #Prosciutto G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018

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WOMEN’S AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION “ESPERIDES”, PILIO.

F

rom the foothills of Greece’s highest mountain, Olympus, across the vast plain of Larissa and down to the islands of the Sporades and the coast of Pilio, the region of Thessaly offers a smorgasbord of experiences and flavors. In the mountains of Pieria and Trikala, the cuisine is rustic, with a heavy emphasis on meat; Karditsa, too, is renowned for its cold meats and sausages. The great plain, meanwhile, produces sundry staples, from grain and corn to vegetables and fruits, and helps feed the entire country. But in the context of Greece’s culinary culture, the region’s greatest contribution has been its diverse offering of meze dishes.

The excellent tsipouro (pomace brandy) produced in Tyrnavos and other parts of Thessaly naturally gave rise to different meze items to accompany this potent traditional spirit, with these in turn influencing culinary customs. In fact, the locals often prepare two or three different dishes in small quantities for their meals at home, especially if they’re drinking tsipouro. Tyrnavos and Volos to the south are also famed for their tsipouradika, small tavernas where meze selections are on the house when you order tsipouro. Patrons of these establishments are not there merely to satisfy their appetites; the idea is to socialize.

They might spend several hours nibbling and picking at various delicacies while sipping on the fiery spirit. Cheese is a must: varieties include tangy local feta, creamy and tart galotyri, salty and slightly hard kaseri, or buttery white manouri, to name just a few. The Pagasetic Gulf provides an abundance of fish 118

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and other seafood that fills meze platters all across Thessaly’s biggest city, Volos.

Nearby, Mt Pilio (or Pelion), land of the Centaurs, boasts numerous great tavernas that attract the weekend crowd with their traditional specialties such as spetsofai (spicy sausages with peppers in a tomato sauce), boubari (intestines stuffed with liver, rice and potatoes), gioulbasi (lamb roasted in an oven dish or in a pouch of parchment paper with peppers and garlic) and other hearty foods.

Along the coast of Pilio and on the Sporades, you’ll find an enormous variety of seafood, with the tuna of Alonissos standing out as a local star.

CENTRAL GREECE From the gorgeous seafood of Evia to Livadia’s famed souvlaki, and from the wild game of Arachova to the ubiquitous spit-roasted lamb, the region of Central Greece is a paradise for foodies – meat lovers in particular. Colloquially known as Roumeli, the region is renowned for the way that lamb and other meats are traditionally prepared, with whole animals skewered on long metal spits and slow-roasted over charcoal-filled pits.

It’s also known for such delicacies as kontosouvli (chunks of salty pork cooked on short skewers) and kokoretsi (a sausage-like affair where lamb sweetbreads, spleens and liver are wrapped in intestines and roasted to crispy perfection). Various sweet and savory pies are also staples of the local cuisine.

© OLGA CHARAMI

© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

FISHING IN THE PAGASETIC GULF.

CHESTNUTS FROM THE FOREST, TSAGARADA.

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

OVEN-BAKED OFFAL – A TRADITIONAL EASTER DISH IN CENTRAL GREECE.

STRAKAS GROCERY, VOLOS.

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HARVESTING THE PDO APPLES OF ZAGORA.

SIGNATURE DISHES Spetsofai (sausage and peppers) is Pilio’s undisputed star, but there are plenty more specialties in the region, including Skopelos’ crispy filo cheese pie and Volos’ seafood meze dishes, particularly the shrimp cooked in a tangy tomato sauce with peppers and cheese. Livadia is famed for its souvlaki, a bigger version than you get elsewhere. In the hinterland of Roumeli, rooster in tomato sauce with hylopites (a square pasta) is almost de rigueur. Residents of Lamia and Karpenisi prefer mutton to lamb, though its more pungent aroma and full-bodied flavor is not to everyone’s liking.

WHERE TO EAT For tsipouro with modern, sophisticated meze dishes in Volos, head to MEZEN (8 Alonissou, Tel. (+30) 24210.208.44); for traditional fare, try STATIRIS in Tyrnavos (7 Polytechneiou, Tel. (+30) 24920.224.45). • Traditional Pilio recipes are very well executed at the taverna KRITSA (Portaria, Tel. (+30) 24280.991.21), which serves dishes such as fried eggs with sautéed wild greens, and trachanas with sausages, feta and smoked paprika. • FAROPOULOS in Amfissa (Androutsou & Papachristou, Tel. (+30) 22650.288.23) has the feel of an old-school Greek eatery and a fine reputation for traditional cuisine, as does BEBELIS in Galaxidi (20-22 Nikolaou Mama, Tel. (+30) 22650.416.77), notable for its top-quality ingredients.

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS Pilio is home to the delicious and PDO-certified Zagora apples, and to numerous women’s cooperatives which make preserves and marmalades from the mountain’s bounty (which includes apples, walnuts, chestnuts, quinces and sour cherries). Thick and fragrant petimezi syrup, usually made from grapes, is made from apples here and is used to great effect in both sweet and savory dishes. The town of Farsala is famed for its halva, made with semolina, sugar and almonds; Karditsa produces incredible sausages, mostly of pork with leeks and onions, while Alonissos’ tuna and Skopelos’ plums are absolute musts. Visitors to the region are strongly advised to purchase a couple of bottles of Tyrnavos tsipouro, as the local native grape from which it’s made – the Black Muscat of Tyrnavos – is a historic gem. If you’re visiting Amfissa, treat yourself to a bag of delicious, fleshy olives. In Domokos, don’t miss the katiki, a fresh spreadable white cheese, and in Arachova look for the trachanas (fermented cracked wheat), the hylopites pasta, and cheeses such as Parnassos feta, rich in fats and flavor and with a slightly tangy taste. The figs grown in northern Evia are particularly sweet and delicious, remaining fleshy and soft even when dried. The cured variety can be found all over the island.

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© PERIKLES MERAKOS

© KATERINA KAMPITI

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“FORMAELA” CHEESE, ARACHOVA.

E XPLORE ΗΕ ΑRTL AND

DIY : PILIO SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS © CHRISTINA GEORGIADOU

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 3-4)

1kg long green peppers, roughly chopped 1-2 small chili peppers, finely sliced • 3 ripe tomatoes, pulverized and mixed with 1 tsp of thick tomato paste • 3 largish good-quality sausages, sliced • Olive oil for cooking • •

PREPARATION

In a large frying pan, cook the peppers over medium heat in 1 1/2cm of olive oil for around 6-7 minutes, until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess fat using a paper towel. Place the sausage slices in the pan and sauté lightly, without letting them turn brown, and then remove from heat. In a separate pan (a deep frying pan or wide saucepan), simmer the tomato in 2 tbsp of olive oil until it reduces by half and then add in the peppers and the sausage. Cook until the sauce thickens to a creamy texture. Season with salt and pepper and serve with thick slices of rustic bread.

© DIONYSIS KOURIS

WINE: RAPSANI, LIMNIONA AND SAVATIANO

RAPSANI WINE ADVENTURE.

Featuring diverse topographies of plains and mountains, the regions of Central Greece and Thessaly (the latter home to Mt Olympus), form the heart of the winemaking industry of mainland Greece. The area has a history of viticulture; grape seeds from the Stone Age were in Theopetra Cave, which was inhabited in prehistoric times.

Thessaly was a region abundant in indigenous grape varieties, but the phylloxera pest in the 20th century led to the loss of many of these. Today, Thessaly is the main production center for tsipouro, a pomace brandy made from varieties such as Muscat Hamburg and Roditis.

However, if you decide to look beyond tsipouro and tasty food combinations such as salty sardines and meze in the local tsipouradika (spots serving the drink

PAPAGIANNAKOS WINERY.

TSANTALI, RAPSANI.

paired with food), the area can still offer truly rewarding wine discoveries.

The Rapsani PDO zone in the foothills of Mt Olympus is making international waves with reds based on the Xinomavro variety. Tsantali is the largest producer in the region, while Dougos Winery, managed by siblings Thanos and Louiza Dougos, crafts products that age well. A rising star is Apostolos Thymiopoulos, who produces the amazing Earth and Sky Naoussa.

Another noteworthy local gem in Thessaly is the Limniona grape. Recently revived, it now produces wines of great elegance with a Pinot-like character.

Christos Zafeirakis has created some sublime wines with it, as has Theopetra in Meteora, albeit with a denser style.

The areas of Boeotia, Evia and Phthio-

tis are all fertile grounds for quality wines, both from international varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah) and from Greek treasures, including Assyrtiko and Mandilaria.

South of Central Greece is Attica, the region around Athens, where a wealth of old, unirrigated, low-yielding vines express the local terroir and the beauty of the Savatiano variety. Papagiannakos, Mylonas, Fragou, Matsa, Vassiliou and Markou are all wineries to look out for.

Even retsina has improved, with excellent new-age retsinas, well made and characterful, like Greek summer in a bottle. This willingness to redefine a classic style is a clear sign that the new generation of Greek winemakers is firmly focused on innovation, quality and individuality. - BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018

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NORTH AEGEA E XPLORE REGIONS

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LESVOS OUZO IS USUALLY SERVED WITH OCTOPUS AND OTHER SEAFOOD MEZE DISHES.

EAN

# #CulinaryCrossroads #OdeToOuzo #ThasosThroumba #LoveSardines #MuscatGrape

THASOS

SAMOTHRAKI

AGHIOS EFSTRATIOS

LESVOS PSARA

OINOUSSES

CHIOS

SAMOS

IKARIA

FOURNI

With influences from Asia Minor and its own rich seas, this island group serves up some of Greece’s most exotic dishes.

BY N I KOL ETA M A K RYON I T OU

G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018

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PORIAZIS BAKERY, LIMNOS. SALTED SARDINES FROM KALLONI BAY BEING PACKED AT THE LEVA FACTORY, LESVOS.

© ANGELOS GIOTOPOULOS

HANDMADE PASTA WITH GRATED CHEESE AND GRAPE SYRUP, LIMNOS.

T

he island group of the North Aegean, consisting of nine larger islands and a number of smaller ones, is scattered across the area where Europe meets Asia. Among its members are: Samothraki, Thasos, Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Limnos, Ikaria, Fourni, Oinousses, Psara, Aghios Efstratios and more. Some are more fertile than others. Limnos features cereal crops, endless pastureland and vast meadows; locals hunt wild rabbits and keep flocks of sheep and goats, along with a few cattle. Lesvos is known for the diversity of its terrain, with olive groves that stretch as far as the eye can see and mountains that reach as high as 1000m above sea level; the island is famous for its ouzo and its fragrant wines.

On Chios, the valleys are redolent with the scent of citrus trees; this is also where mastic trees thrive, producing their precious teardrops used in everything from chewing gum to essential oils. Hedges and shrubbery, thyme and fig trees are characteristic of Psara, while Samos features dense vegetation, woods with both fruit trees and plane trees, and vast vineyards.

The waters of the North Aegean supply plentiful seafood, including a number of fish noted for their firm, delicious flesh. The local cuisine evinces the influence of Asia Minor and Constantinople, which have added their flavors to the culinary traditions of the islands.

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there is a long tradition of preparing salted meats and homemade conserves, handmade pasta, breads and rusks.

One of the most prevalent vegetables on Samos, Limnos and Lesvos is the eggplant, cooked either with fresh tomatoes or in tomato sauce, which balances out its sweetness.

During religious festivals on Samos and Lesvos, they cook the keseki (or “feast”), which is lamb or kid-goat meat on the bone, cooked with onions and cracked wheat in cauldrons that simmer for hours over a fire. The thickened stew is distributed to all who are present at the service in honor of the saint being celebrated. Even meze and savory treats here are more lavish, less casual, and require plenty of time and effort in their preparation, challenging the dexterity of the home cook.

The most common meze dishes are stuffed vine or cabbage leaves, stuffed onions and stuffed zucchini flowers. The filling for these different dolma (stuffed) dishes is usually rice flavored with aromatic herbs and spices; cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon are, in any case, never absent from any meal. North Aegean desserts usually involve some type of dough. On Lesvos, they prepare baklava with many layers of filo pastry and a filling of almonds, and platsenta – a sweet treat made using pastry sheets drenched with ouzo-infused syrup. Honey dumplings made with local honey and cinnamon are served at cafés and during local fairs on Ikaria and Samos.

© VANGELIS ZAVOS

© ANGELOS GIOTOPOULOS

E XPLORE NORTH AEGE AN

© VALANTIS ZOUMIS

TENDING TO MASTIC TREES ON CHIOS.

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SIGNATURE DISHES Fried zucchini flowers, stuffed with local cheeses and spearmint, are a meze not to be missed. The seaside tavernas and traditional cafés of the islands serve salt-dried sardines and sun-dried seafood on the grill, as well as stuffed squid and pickled lakerda (bonito). On Limnos, try the local, handmade pasta called flomaria, served with lots of grated cheese, and on Ikaria seek out the sofiko, a local dish made by layering summer vegetables in the cooking pot.

© PETROS ADRIANOPOULOS

KALATHAKI CHEESE, LIMNOS.

MANDARIN TREES IN KAMPOS, CHIOS.

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS Lesvos and Limnos produce several types of outstanding protected designation of origin (PDO) feta. In Lesvos, which has a long tradition in cheesemaking, do absolutely try ladotyri, a cheese that matures in olive oil and acquires over time a more pronounced sharpness and spicy flavor. On Limnos, taste kalathaki, a white, mildly acidic, full-fat cheese, that takes its shape and name from the little baskets in which it is strained and matured. On Samos, the island’s only cheesemaking dairy produces armogalo, a white, mildly acidic and spreadable cheese made from goat’s milk.

Ikaria’s anamatomelo (“heather honey”) has a truly remarkable flavor, while Lesvos’ olive oil is light and fragrant. You must not, of course, fail to taste the PDO Mastic of Chios, which is unique in the world, nor the island’s fragrant clementines, which enjoy protected geographical indication (PGI) status. Definitely try the lobsters of Psara and Fourni, the sardines (papalines) of Lesvos from the Kalloni region, and plenty of fish on Limnos. The sweet dessert wines of Samos and Limnos are world-renowned, made from Muscat and Muscat of Alexandria grapes, varieties that are widely cultivated on both islands. As for the several types of ouzo from Lesvos, they are famed to the ends of the Earth.

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WHERE TO EAT • Go to VAFIOS on Lesvos (Tel. (+30) 22530.717.52) for sougania (stuffed onions), sfougato (zucchini tart) and oven-roasted lamb stuffed with rice, raisins and orange – all local ingredients, some of which are the owner’s own produce. • At Platanos, one of the oldest villages on Samos, you’ll find ORIZONTAS (Tel. (+30) 22730.394.57), a restaurant that follows traditional recipes, such as zucchini flowers stuffed with rice, and serves local bottled wine. The view is staggering. • ENNIA PO’CHS (Tel. (+30) 22540.717.42) is living proof that the culinary tradition of Limnos remains alive precisely because its recipes are used every day.

Only local ingredients are used here.

E XPLORE NORTH AEGE AN

WINE: SWEET SIPS

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

© CHATZIIAKOVOU NIKOS

DIY: STUFFED ONIONS

EOSS, SAMOS.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 4-5)

2kg red onions, peeled • 2 tbsp sugar • 180ml vinegar •

For the stuffing 1/2kg ground beef (or half beef, half lamb) • 200g long-grain rice • 1 tsp cumin • 20g pine nuts • 1 large ripe tomato, pulped • 2 tbsp parsley leaves, finely chopped • 150ml olive oil • 150ml water • salt, freshly ground black pepper •

PREPARATION

For the onions: Cut away any roots and remove the first layers of the onion. Then slice the onion down one side, almost to the heart, so as to have as many big petals as possible. Separate the bigger, stuffable shells and dice the heart and smaller petals for the stuffing.

In a saucepan big enough to accommodate a dinner plate, simmer the stuffable onion petals, along with the sugar, 100ml of the vinegar and enough water just to cover them, for around 5 minutes until they are pliable. Drain and set aside to cool.

For the stuffing: In a large bowl, add the ground beef with the rice, the tomato, the pine nuts, the diced onions, the cumin and the parsley, seasoning to taste, and add half the olive oil (along with small quantities of water) as you knead the mixture until all the ingredients are well blended.

The stuffing process: Lay out each onion layer and place about 1 tbsp of stuffing, or enough so that it has room to expand without tearing the onion, and roll up. Place in the saucepan with the seam down and repeat, placing all the stuffed onion petals next to each other and in layers if necessary. Add the rest of the olive oil and vinegar, and just enough water to cover the onions. Place a dinner plate upside down on top of the onions to keep them from moving around, cover the pot and cook over medium heat for around 25 minutes. Remove the lid and plate, check one onion to see if they’re done and cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

These beautiful islands have a long history of viticulture and winemaking.

One of the most sought-after wines of antiquity, the famous red Pramnios Oinos, was produced on the island of Ikaria.

With their own grape varieties, styles and traditions, these islands add to the complexity of the contemporary Greek wine scene. On Lesvos, for example, where ouzo is the king of all alcohol-related products, it’s certainly worth trying a chilled glass of Chidiriotiko, a singular grape variety displaying a peppery, mineral character and boasting aromas of wild cherries. It is produced exclusively by a single winemaker, Methymnaeos. How better to spoil your oenophile friends?

Limnos and Samos are both globally renowned for their great dessert wines, but Limnos in fact produces both dry and sweet PDO wines from its mineral-rich soil, using the red Limnio and the white Muscat of Alexandria varieties.

Chatzigeorgiou is a leading player, producing, among other wines, an excellent Asti-like frothy Muscat with a dollop of residual sugar.

Today, Samos is synonymous with sweet Greek wine. The local cooperative, EOSS, is the largest wine producer but has been recently joined by new enterprises, including Nopera and Vakakis.

Ikaria and Chios are less prominent in the world of wine but efforts are afoot to revive the industry on both islands. These include the continuing work of Afianes Wines on Ikaria, where this innovative winery ferments wines in clay pots buried underground, a must-try for all natural wine lovers.

- YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW G A S T R O N O M Y 2 018

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THE NORTH E XPLORE REGIONS

With the country’s proud second city and some of the its most majestic scenery, northern Greece (made up of Macedonia and Thrace) is famed for its exceptional food.

BY L I NA K A PETA N IOU

DRAMA KAVALA EDESSA FLORINA

NAOUSSA

KASTORIA KOZANI GREVENA

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THESSALONIKI

ALEXANDROUPOLI KOMOTINI

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FLORINA PEPPERS.

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TRADITIONAL CABBAGE ROLLS, KASTORIA.

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MACEDONIAN PITA IN FLAMPOURO, FLORINA.

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E XPLORE THE NORTH

WILD MUSHROOMS, GREVENA.

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acedonia is noted for having a cuisine steeped in a variety of culinary traditions, one that draws on an abundantly fruitful land offering a wide range of raw materials and ingredients. After all, the plains of Thessaloniki and Serres are the second and third-largest, respectively, in the entire country, after that of Larisa. Different culinary cultures (with influences from neighboring countries) flourish throughout the whole of Macedonia, producing a cuisine that has amassed many diverse elements.

It is sometimes rich, as is the case near the plains and wherever else affluent inhabitants resided, and at other times more frugal, where it is linked with the difficult life of the refugees who settled in the area in the early 20th c.

In fact, the food culture has been influenced by all the groups that made their way into the region; Vlachs, Sarakatsani, Bulgarians, Turks, Thracians and, of course, Pontians (Black Sea Greeks) and others from Asia Minor have all made their presence intensely felt in the cuisine here. Their famous sousamopita (sesame pie) was called sousamniak, they referred to eggs as occia, which they prepared in dozens of ways – among them poached in water and flour, and pan-fried with spring onions. The Pontians made Macedonian cuisine more interesting, bringing with them, as part of their culinary culture, Russian dishes such as 130

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borscht, and putting new varieties of pies, pastries, pastas and pickled foods on local tables. Leeks, eggplants and red peppers play a prominent role in many Macedonian recipes. Many of the spices used in the dishes of all these groups demonstrate the strong influence of the Near East. Macedonian cuisine, because of the cold climate of the area, has the reputation of being “heavy,” dominated by pork, winter vegetables such as cabbage, mushrooms, pies and spices. However, the region features a wide range of environments which in turn have shaped culinary habits, and the above comments apply mainly to highland locations such as Florina and Kastoria. In coastal areas, such as Halkidiki and Kavala, fish and other seafood are to be found in abundance.

THRACE The multicultural coexistence of people hailing from different backgrounds came to sculpt the cuisine of Thrace as well, in which eastern influences are also apparent. Notable items include cold cuts and pickled foods, as well as spicy kebabs that help inhabitants withstand the cold winds that sweep down from the Rodopi mountains. Xanthi and Komotini are famous for their syropiasta (syrupy pastries), while in Alexandroupoli, dishes made with seafood supplied by local fishermen are favored.

FOOD STYLING: TINA WEBB - PHOTO: GEORGE DRAKOPOULOS

THE FAMOUS PRESPES BEANS, COOKED WITH TOMATO SAUCE IN THE OVEN.

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E XPLORE THE NORTH

WHERE TO EAT Savor super-fresh mussels and seafood – and all this with a sea view – at PANOS & ZAFIRA (20 Dimitriou & Karaoli Sq, Kavala, Tel. (+30) 25102.279.78). • For a taste of Macedonian winter cuisine, which includes pies filled with ground meat and leek, smoked pork with peppers and mushrooms, meatballs in a white sauce and various other meat dishes, head to KONTOSOROS (Xino Nero, Florina, Tel.(+30) 23860.812.56). • Little mezes play the starring role at KENTRIKON (5 Stavridi Nikolaou, Serres, Tel. (+30) 23210.227.83), while the Evora Taverna pays homage to Pontian cuisine (Makrynitsa, Serres, Tel. (+30) 23270.233.95). • Enjoy small pan-fried fish, grilled calamari, octopus on the coals and a selection of tsipouro (pomace brandy) and ouzo, all just a couple of meters from the water’s edge, at the STELIOS family taverna (Toroni, Sithonia, Halkidiki, Tel. (+30) 23750.510.72).

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MUSSELS, KAVALA.

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FISH-FARMING, SERRES.

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS The red peppers produced in the Florina area are sweet and fragrant. The beans from Prespes – near Florina – enjoy protected designation of origin (PDO) status; they boil easily and are extremely delicious. Many types of wild mushrooms grow in the mountains around Grevena (fungophiles will think they’ve found heaven) and are served in many of the local tavernas. If traveling to Kozani in October, you’ll get to see vast pale purple fields of Krokos Kozanis (Kozani saffron). You can obtain this valuable spice from the local producers’ cooperative. Serres is famous both for its tasty Carolina rice and for its water buffalo meat. The green olives and the Sithonia honey produced on Halkidiki’s middle peninsula are renowned. Heading in an eastward direction, the route is filled with gastronomic goodies: Kavala offers fish-farmed mussels as well as fresh fish and other seafood; in Drama, cold cuts are the thing; syrupy pastries are a specialty in Xanthi; and Komotini is famous for its kavourmas (meat slow-cooked with salt and spices in order to preserve it), which can be enjoyed as is or fried with eggs.

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SIGNATURE DISHES Macedonia is famous for its pites (savory pies). Wherever you are, you’re sure to come across a bakery selling pies featuring handmade filo. In Kozani, sample the twirled kichi (cheese pie) and, in Serres, the bougatsa (a cream or cheese blend wrapped in very thin filo sheets). They also make tasty kebabs in Xanthi and Komotini.

E XPLORE THE NORTH

© JESSICA MORFIS

DIY: KOZANI-STYLE CHEESE PIE

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 6)

6-8 ready-to-use country-style filo sheets • 800g feta, preferably spicy • 70ml olive oil + 50ml extra for greasing the pan and the filo sheets • Freshly ground pepper to taste •

PREPARATION

In a deep bowl, combine the feta, olive oil and freshly ground pepper until mixed well. (For a creamier outcome, combine these ingredients in a blender using the whisk attachment.) Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease the pan with some olive oil. Open up a sheet of filo on a smooth surface, lightly oil it with a basting brush, and spread two or three heaping tablespoons of the filling mixture out along the length of the longer side (leaving a space of 2cm from the edge). Roll the filo, forming it into a long, thin sausage-like roll. Place it all around the inside of the pan.

Repeat this process with the remainder of the filo sheets and filling. Place each successive roll in the pan, picking up where the previous one left off, thus forming a spiral that ends up in the center of the pan. Coat the top with olive oil and bake for one hour, or until the filo becomes golden and crispy. You can check on the pie by carefully lifting its edge with the help of a spatula. When done, remove the pie from the oven, let it cool down from hot to warm, and then serve.

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WINE: XINOMAVRO SHINES BRIGHTEST XINOMAVRO PAIRS WELL WITH SPICY DISHES.

HARVEST AT THE ALPHA ESTATE.

One of the most reliable areas for the wine industry, northern Greece is home to 15 percent of the area in Greece covered by vineyards. The region’s winemaking history dates back almost four and a half millennia. Thrace and Macedonia enjoy a fine reputation, not just for their well-established industry names, but also for smaller producers who are making significant inroads with top-notch wines fast gaining fans around the world.

Macedonia, stretching from Epirus in the west to Thrace in the east, offers great diversity and the opportunity for numerous indigenous and international varieties to shine in a number of different appellations. However, despite the wide selection of grapes on hand, Macedonia is first and foremost Xinomavro territory. The star of northern Greek vineyards, Xinomavro excels in three different Macedonian appellations. With its cool climate and high elevations, Amyntaio yields a lighter Xinomavro, fresh and elegant, while Naoussa to the east delivers robust, structured wines with great ageing potential. Lesser-known Goumenissa, northeast of Naoussa, blends Xinomavro with the local Negoska for a softer and riper result. In time, Siatista may emerge as another great Xinomavro terroir; it’s already crafting some gorgeous examples of the grape.

Meanwhile, Plagies Melitona in Sithonia in Halkidiki is the only Greek PDO region where Cabernet Sauvignon is still the dominant variety; it is also used in blends with Greece’s oldest surviving variety, Limnio. It was here in Halkidiki that Malagou134

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sia, now the fastest-growing Greek variety, was first planted commercially on its journey to success and fame. Nowadays, first-rate wines are made from this grape by producers such as Gerovassiliou, Porto Carras, Alpha Estate, Costa Lazaridi, Ampeloeis and Wine Art. In eastern Macedonia, Drama and Kavala are other regions worth exploring. The former was responsible for a Greek wine revolution in the 1990s after major investments resulted in benchmark wines such as Amethystos and Magiko Vouno. In Kavala and the Pangeon terroir, similar wines are made with excellent results. Both Kavala and Drama have had success with international grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. However, there’s a growing trend of focusing on indigenous varieties, with some stunning examples of Assyrtiko, Malagousia and Agiorgitiko wines from producers such as Biblia Chora, Pavlidis, Lazaridi and Wine Art. Moving eastwards, Thrace has no shortage of wine history, with references in Homer to the land of the Kikones, a people of Thrace, and the wine made there by Maron, one of the priests of Apollo in Ismarus. Today, Thrace is a vibrant winemaking region. While Tsantali is the largest producer, the emergence of a number of artisanal wineries such as Kikones, Vourvoukeli and Anatolikos Vineyards has promoted a new sense of excitement among wine enthusiasts regarding this part of the country.

- BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW

© GEORGE TSAFOS

HARVEST TIME IN MESSINIA.

THE PELOPON E XPLORE REGIONS

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# #OliveOilChampions #MediterraneanDiet #OrangeGroves #HerbsAplenty #SmokedSyglino

PATRA

NEMEA PYRGOS NAFPLIO

TRIPOLI

KALAMATA

NESE

Amazing olive oil, delicious pork dishes and great wines are the hallmarks of this sprawling section of Greece.

SPARTI

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

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E XPLORE PELOPONNESE

ROASTED KID GOAT – A TRADITIONAL EASTER DISH IN MANI.

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f one had to choose just two agricultural products to represent the Peloponnese, they would undoubtedly be olive oil and oranges. Sprawling olive and citrus groves cover the region like vast natural carpets. Such a restriction, however, would not do justice to this exceptionally fertile land, noted for its bountiful yields of myriad products. Honey, dairy products, cured meats, table olives, fruit and vegetables, pulses and wild and farmed fish are all available in abundance.

In the beautiful countryside, you’ll smell sage and thyme everywhere; from Kyparissia to Mt Taygetus to the southernmost tip of mainland Greece, Akrotenaro (or Cape Matapan). These scents mix in springtime with the fragrance of wild daffodils and the clean smell of salt from the salt pans around its bays. Soaring mountain ranges ring fertile flatlands and forests, and there are picturesque villages, citadels, stone tower houses and, in between them all, vineyards and orchards.

The local cuisine is earthy and simple – an orange, a simple pie of wild greens, a slice of bread with a little olive oil and tomato sauce. Local olive oil is the essence of Peloponnesian cuisine. Its abundance has given rise to a broad range of fried dishes that soak up all its goodness. Kitchens here produce omelets with homemade cured meats, simple, bite-sized pies and different types of fried dough, such as lalangia (unsweet138

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ened fried “ropes” of dough, similar to churros), diples (fried sheets of dough served topped with walnuts and honey), and fluffy pancakes. Olive oil isn’t used just for cooking here, either; fried veal preserved in olive oil will keep for up to six months.

Other traditional methods of preservation include using salt from the salt pans, in which locals cure dairy products, meat and fish.

Smoking foods is another way of preserving them, including the lean meat from home-reared pigs, which is smoked with sage to make something called pasto (“salted meat”) or syglino. Most of the older recipes that were born from the long tradition of making the most of every cut of pork have now been abandoned.

The great effort required for their preparation on the one hand and the modern dietary precepts that dictate limiting heavy, fatty dishes on the other have led to their disappearance from contemporary menus and recipe books. What hasn’t changed, however, is a love of fresh flavors. In their cooking, Peloponnesians use a great variety of aromatic herbs, especially fennel and dill, and they cook wild greens together with pulses or meat.

The region is also home to many interesting casserole dishes that are finished with an egg-and-lemon sauce (avgolemono) in combination with a tomato-based sauce, a very interesting local novelty.

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TSAKONIKI EGGPLANTS, LEONIDIO.

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“SYGLINO” – SMOKED PORK WITH SAGE.

ANARGIROS MARGIOLIS IN THE VILLAGE OF DRY, MANI.

FRESH FISH FROM KORONI.

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E XPLORE PELOPONNESE

SIGNATURE DISHES Kagianas is an egg dish that is similar to scrambled eggs but made with grated fresh tomatoes; it has several variations, including versions with added cheese or syglino (cured meat); it is also eaten at breakfast. A special local delicacy is roast piglet, with crisp, crackly skin and mellow, tender meat. In the local tavernas, try rooster in tomato sauce with hylopites (handmade pasta), as well as roast lamb in tomato served with egg-and-lemon sauce, a dish that requires plenty of freshly baked bread. In Corinthia, trachanosoupa, a soup made with cracked wheat, is very popular, while in Mani they prepare regali, a tomato sauce-flavored medley containing lamb offal that is served with rice.

OMELET WITH PRESERVED PORK.

This is the region with the greatest number of protected designation of origin (PDO) products. PDO olive oils from several regions in the Peloponnese are internationally renowned, as are the world-famous Kalamata olives; these products are never absent from the Peloponnesian table. Taste the local wine – this is where the famed red Agiorgitiko is produced, as well as the crisp white Mantineia. If you find yourselves higher up in the mountains, ask for a pot of honey, ideally “vanilla pine” honey, which is thick, milky white in color, and deeply aromatic. The region is home to the black, deliciously sweet Corinthian currants as well: the Greek railway network was expanded in the early 1900s to facilitate their export to foreign markets. The PDO eggplant of the Tsakonia region is thin, oblong and sweet, and ideal for frying. If you like pasta, try the local goges (elongated fresh pasta similar to gnocchi). The sausages and salted meat of Mani, which are redolent with the scent of citrus fruit, are particularly tasty, and you can quench your thirst in Messinia and Laconia with juicy local oranges. Sfela is the regional cheese, similar to feta, but harder. Dry myzithra is very tasty, a sharp white cheese made of sheep’s and goat’s milk, as is kefalotyri, a medium-hard salty cheese. Both are ideal for grating over pasta. It is imperative that you take back some traditional pasteli (thin, flat honey and sesame bars) with you, as well as dried figs from Kalamata.

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ROOSTER WITH SFELA (LOCAL CHEESE MADE WITH SHEEP’S AND GOAT’S MILK).

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CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

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MARIA DOUVOGIANNI PRODUCES “SPOON SWEETS” AND MARMALADE USING FRUIT FROM HER ORCHARD IN MESSINI.

E XPLORE PELOPONNESE

DIY: MANI-STYLE CARBONARA

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

DIPLES – A SWEET MADE WITH FRIED BATTER AND HONEY.

WHERE TO EAT • PLATANOS is a classic example of a traditional Greek café that serves simple and tasty regional cuisine. The traditional roast piglet, served with potatoes that are slow-cooked in the same roasting tray, is a delicacy that you really must try (84 Artemidos, Kalamata, Tel. (+30) 27210.882.66).

• At NERAIDA, make sure you order the saitia, small local pies made with handmade pastry dough and fresh goat’s cheese and mint. The taverna also makes it own bread, with stoneground wheat flour, and its own pasta; the meat is from local sources (Aghios Nikolaos, Voies, Laconia, Tel. (+30) 27340.312.27). • The wood-fired oven at ZERZOVA gives the dishes an authentically rustic character. This taverna serves locally sourced meat, and game is often on the menu. Here you can taste delicious hylopites (handmade pasta) with rooster in wine, as well as wonderful savory pies (Panaghia, Arcadia, Tel. (+30) 27950.317.53, open Friday to Sunday only).

INGREDIENTS (SERVES: 4)

1 packet spaghetti No. 5 (500g) • 100ml olive oil and extra for frying the eggs • 300g dried myzithra cheese, finely grated and more for serving • 2 tbsp butter • 4 eggs (or more, depending on individual preferences) • Freshly ground salt and pepper •

PREPARATION

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water to which you have added salt, following the instructions on the packet. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil and butter to a large frying pan over medium to high heat, until very hot. Add the grated myzithra cheese, and stir well using a wooden spoon, sautéing for about 5-8 minutes until brown but not burnt. Drain the spaghetti and add again to the pot. Pour the cheese mix over the spaghetti when ready, and fold well, so that it is evenly distributed. In a non-stick frying pan, cook the eggs in a little olive oil sunny side up (until just soft, if possible). Serve the spaghetti on each plate, and place one or two eggs on top. If desired, add some freshly ground pepper and grated myzithra, and prick the yolk, so that it runs through the pasta.

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WINE: AGIORGITIKO AND MORE

ERIFILI PARPAROUSSI.

Fertile ground for the crafting of exciting wines, the Peloponnese is the largest grape-growing area in Greece, accounting for approximately 30 percent of the country’s vine-planted land.

It features an incredible array of fascinating terroirs, numerous indigenous varieties and quality-minded producers who are raising Greek wine to new heights. The history of vine cultivation in the Peloponnese dates to antiquity. A few kilometers from Kalavryta is an ancient vine, estimated to be 3,000 years old, which the ancient geographer Pausanias (writing in AD 160) described as “a unique phenomenon” because of its size; today, the vine measures more than 100 meters in length and consists of nine trunks.

Nowadays, the Peloponnese is home to some of the most characterful native varieties in Greece, the benchmarks being the hedonistic Agiorgitiko of Nemea and the exotic Moschofilero, with its singular perfume, from the Mantineia plateau. Other varieties, such as the mineral Roditis, the elegant, quince-scented Kydonitsa, the texturally refined Mavrodafni and the ethereal Black of Kalavryta, as well as some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grown in Greece, are marvelous examples of how diverse the treasures of the Peloponnese can be.

Some of the area’s most vivid wines come from the high-elevation vineyards of Aigialeia (up to 1000 meters above sea level), from certain villages in Nemea (including Koutsi and 142

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AGIORGITIKO.

Asprokampos), from the Mantineia plateau and, for international varieties, from the region of Messinia. There are, however, many more wine destinations to explore, including Mani.

Along with the area’s dry wines, the sweet wines of the Peloponnese carry well-justified reputations for their fine quality and include several expensive premium examples: Mavrodafni of Patra, the small-berried clone of Muscat and the historic Malvasia (grown in the greater area of picturesque Monemvasia) all display high levels of complexity and plenty of character. One can say without any exaggeration that these are among the best sweet wines in the world.

It seems that there has never been a better time than right now for the wine enthusiast to dive in and explore. Well-established producers such as Gaia, Christos, Mercouri, Parparoussis, Semeli, Skouras and Tselepos have been joined by a new generation of rising stars, including Bosinakis, Ieropoulos, Mitravelas, Sant’Or, Tetramythos, Troupis and many others.

Whichever route you choose, you’ll discover that the Peloponnese is a stunning destination, offering remarkable archaeological sites such as Olympia and Epidaurus, beautiful beaches on both its Aegean and Ionian coasts, fresh seafood and highly praised meat dishes, and some of the best wines in Greece.

- BY YIANNIS KARAKASIS, MW

foodie guide G A ST RONOMY

A TASTY TOUR

We let you in on the best places to shop for authentic Greek products in Athens and Thessaloniki; select restaurants that represent the best of the country’s gastronomy – in both its traditional and contemporary forms; and original gastro tourism experiences to be had throughout the whole of Greece. Illustration by Tiago Majuelos / tiagomajuelos.com

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F O O D I E G U I D E AT H E N S

DOWNTOWN DELIGHTS From barrel-aged feta to award-winning olive oil, aromatic herbs and fresh seafood from the market thrown in, too, the capital offers something for everyone.

BY NENA DIM ITR IOU

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n the central indoor food market of Athens, you won’t find stands featuring neatly arranged, Instagrammable exotic fruit from the tropics.

The atmosphere inside the listed historic building that houses the Varvakeios Market evokes the Balkans and the Orient rather than Barcelona’s Boqueria or the Marche des Batignolles in Paris. There are throngs of people, strong smells and a great deal of noise. This is where the freshest seafood available in the city first arrives, and where fishmongers call out prices and clever catchphrases at the top of their lungs in an effort to sell the day’s catch. Make sure you drop by stall number 49, where Arapis will sell you a bag of clams or other shellfish, but you’ll have to take it with you, because Greek law won’t let the fishmongers serve them on the premises. As for the meat section, avoid wandering in if you aren’t comfortable with the sight of carcasses, since a great deal of the butchery is carried out in the presence of customers.

The entire neighborhood around this market, both towards Aiolou Street as well as towards Sokratous Street, has the aura of a bygone era. Here, you’ll see people lining up for packs of freshly milled Greek coffee from the city’s oldest coffee roasteries – Mokka and Loumidis.

Shoppers dragging their two-wheeled

trolleys come to the city center to buy barrel-aged feta and fresh butter from Zafolias’ dairy shop. As you maneuver down Evripidou towards Sokratous, the bustling crowds brush against the potted plants at the flower shop on the street corner, and the fragrance of spices commingles with the scent of fresh basil. On Evripidou, make sure to pop your head into one of the several old shops that sell mostly in bulk and that have been in operation here for decades. They carry everything from pulses to kitchenware to cleaning products. This street is the city’s own spice route, and you can shop for colorful curry and garam masala powder, as well as for oregano from the Cyclades, smoked paprika from Macedonia, crushed red Florina pepper from the north of Greece, salep flour from Thrace and marjoram from Central Greece. One shop certainly worth a visit, with a great variety of good quality aromatic herbs and spices and Greek superfoods, is Hatzigeorgiou Bros. Down the same street, you’ll find the little shop called Arapian – a small temple dedicated to select Greek cheeses, cured meats and other delights – which has had a loyal following ever since it opened in 1965.

Across the street, at Karamanlidika tou Fani, Fanis Theodoropoulos has created a modern grocery with dozens of deli-

VARV AKEIOS.

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© CLAIRY MOUSTAFELLOU © KATERINA KAMPITI

MADRAS.

SHOPPING FOR SPICES.

ARAPIAN.

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YOLENI’S.

cacies, mostly charcuterie, but there are also jars of various sauces, mustards, capers and other deli items. You can enjoy a snack from the small tasting menu served on the premises. At Zouridakis’ Cretan grocery, they’ll treat you to a small glass of raki and a crisp light rusk or to some alatsoelies (small shriveled Cretan olives) before you begin your shopping. Different types of graviera cheese, bite-sized oven-ready pies and snails are all on offer.

The Pantopoleio tis Mesogeiakis Diatrofis (“The Mediterranean Diet Grocery”) was one of the first food stores to bring regional artisanal Greek products to the capital. It maintains direct links with the producers and showcases two or three new products each week; it also organizes food tastings.

As you walk towards Syntagma Square, the bustle and clamor of the market is replaced by modern, shiny new shops lining the streets. In the Bolanis Arcade, Madras is a boutique shop for fine teas, in a pure-white space. You’ll find excellent Greek mountain tea as well as other local aromatic and medicinal herbs with various beneficial properties.

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six minutes. Yoleni’s is a multistore for foodies. You’ll need plenty of time to explore its two floors filled with regional Greek treasures, including Greek truffles, balsamic vinegar, handmade pasta, fleur de sel from the Peloponnese, and products made using the prized mastic of Chios and the saffron from the northern city of Kozani. Should you forget anything, you can always pick out whatever you want from the website (www.yolenis.gr); the staff will be happy to pack and ship your purchases to wherever you happen to be in the world.

Kostarelos’ deli is a cheese-lover’s heaven, with dairy products of outstanding quality from the family farm, as well as several other noteworthy goods from across the country. Try one of the most delicious Greek yogurts you’ll ever find – their strained goat’s yogurt with just 2 percent fat – which they still make by draining it through a cloth. Buy the soft, slightly sharp feta cheese; you can try it first as a spread in one of the sandwiches that are prepared daily on the premises and served in the shop’s café.

INFO

VARVAKEIOS MARKET 42 Athinas

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MOKKA: 44 Athinas, Tel. (+30) 210.321.6892 LOUMIDIS: 106 Aiolou, Tel. (+30) 210.321.4426 ZAFOLIAS’ DAIRY SHOP: 17 Sofokleous, Tel. (+30) 210.321.6931 HATZIGEORGIOU BROS: 37 Evripidou, Tel. (+30) 210.325.0434 ARAPIAN: 41 Evripidou, Tel. (+30) 210.321.7124 TA KARAMANLIDIKA TOU FANI: 1 Sokratous, Tel. (+30) 210.325.4184 ZOURIDAKIS’ CRETAN PRODUCTS: 25 Evripidou, Tel. (+30) 210.321.1109 PANTOPOLEIO TIS MESOGEIAKIS DIATROFIS: 1 Sofokleous, Tel. (+30) 210.323.4612 MADRAS: 7 Voulis, Bolanis Arcade, Tel. (+30) 210.324.2777 YOLENI’S: 9 Solonos, Tel. (+30) 212.222.3623 KOSTARELOS’ DELI: 30-32 Patriarchou Ioakeim, Tel. (+30) 210.725.9000

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OIKONOMOU.

VAROULKO.

F O O D I E G U I D E AT H E N S

GET YOUR FORK OUT

Old and new eateries make the city special for those who delight in the delicious.

B Y N E N A D I M I T R I OU & PAU L I N A B J Ö R K- K A P S A L I S

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thens is more alive than ever today, thanks to its vibrant food scene. A slew of new restaurants and eateries have helped the city center to blossom despite the problems of the crisis.

Classic tavernas – quintessential symbols of the Athenian food culture with their great atmosphere, hearty stews and walls lined with wine barrels – remain the dominant force. They are joined by restaurants of modern Greek cuisine where talented cooks are reinventing the genre, and street food joints, with souvlaki being the unrivaled star.

The sheer variety of choices is ample proof that Athenians love to eat and to explore new cuisines. An ethnic food

district has formed around Syntagma Square, to cater to adventurous Greeks and the millions of tourists who flock to the city all year round.

New in-spots in neighborhoods around the outskirts of the city center like Koukaki and Pangrati keep growing, as new restaurants and trendy cafés serving great brunch set up shop.

Athens also has a few Michelin-starred restaurants, which are quite affordable considering the quality of the food they serve, while the latest trend features wine bars specializing in Greek selections.

What, apart from all this, makes Athens special as a food destination? Well, for a start, you can find a table after hours at even the fanciest restaurant, enjoy val-

ue-for-money fresh fish at a table right on the seashore or have an absolutely smashing time at tavernas that have been around for more than half a century. It’s a city that loves its street food, as is evident from the growing number of young entrepreneurs entering this arena. And even if you’re part of the 72-hour crowd choosing Athens for a short city break, it’s all so accessible that you’ll be able to get a pretty good idea of what’s on offer. Start with breakfast and go all-Greek, with a traditional savory pie, some yogurt with thyme honey and a glass of freshly squeezed juice from Laconia oranges.

Athens is a foodie’s delight, and you’ll discover a host of great little treasures provided you’re ready to go exploring.

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ATHIRI Housed in a charming neoclassical building with a green garden in the Kerameikos neighborhood, award-winning Athiri showcases Greek ingredients in unexpected and contemporary ways. Sourcing both traditional and new products from all over the country, chef Alexandros Kardasis prepares dishes that just can’t be found at other upscale restaurants.

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15 Plateon, Keramikos,

Tel. (+30) 210.346.2983

COOKOOVAYA The result of a collaboration between five talented chefs, Cookoovaya serves reinvented Greek cuisine alongside classic dishes such as Greek salad, fresh fish with seasonal vegetables, and savory pies baked in the restaurant’s wood-fired oven. • 2A Hatziyianni Mexi, Tel. (+30) 210.723.5005

ATHIRI.

changed since it opened, making it a favorite spot for romantics and history buffs alike. The food is still cooked the same way, and the wine is still poured straight from the large barrels. Try the chickpea soup, the boiled greens and the whitebait.

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FABRICA TOU EFROSINOU After eating here, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the owner once studied theology. Efrosynos (the restaurant’s name means “The Factory of Efrosynos”) is the patron saint of cooks, and many recipes in this retro-chic modern taverna with its unique décor are inspired by the cuisine of the monastic community of Mt Athos. The easy atmosphere of this place and the food it serves have earned this eatery many believers.

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DIPORTO This basement taverna might just be the oldest one in Athens. The atmosphere here is unbeatable; the place has barely 148

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9 Sokratous and Theatrou, Omonia,

Tel. (+30) 210.321.1463

34 Anastasiou Zinni, Koukaki

Tel. (+30) 210.924.6354

HYTRA Located on the 6th floor of the Onassis

Cultural Center, Michelin-starred Hytra is perfect for those who love fine dining. Tasos Mantis’ dishes are highly contemporary, both in execution and presentation.

The food is inspired by Greek recipes, but the emphasis on appearance means each dish is a work of art, too. Organized by their taste profile, the wine list features over 100 domestic and international wines.

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107 Syngrou Avenue,

Tel. (+30) 210.331.6767

KRITIKOS This family-run taverna, located in the middle of nowhere in Kantza, is famous for serving excellent cuts of meat, perfectly grilled over charcoal. It’s a carnivore’s paradise. Try the steak, burgers, and ribs (the whole rack of ribs is a must order). The menu includes various traditional Greek meze dishes such as tzatziki and fried zucchini, but be sure not to over-order on the starters because you’ll want to leave plenty of room for the main attraction. • 49 Aiolou, Kantza-Pallini, Tel. (+30) 210.665.9061

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COOKOOVAYA.

OIKONOMOU This neighborhood taverna in Petralona offers little in terms of décor but plenty in authenticity and flavor. Serving traditional rustic foods such as soups and casseroles that remind locals of the food their grandmothers used to make, it’s a popular choice among families on the weekends. • 41 Troon & Kydantidon, Petralona, Tel. (+30) 210.346.7555

PAPAIOANNOU This seaside restaurant is a perfect place to enjoy the classic seafood you’ve come to associate with Greece. The sea urchin, the red mullet or the catch of the day, prepared on the grill, are all recommended. Pair your food with a nice Greek white from the extensive wine list.

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42 Akti Koumoundourou, Piraeus

Tel. (+30) 210.422.5059

SEYCHELLES This taverna, which has a great vibe and sources excellent ingredients, offers delicious no-frills food in a lively setting. With tables on the main square of Metaxour-

gio, it’s the perfect easy-dining setting for those warm evenings in the city.

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49 Kerameikou, Metaxourgio

Tel. (+30) 211.183.4789

TRAVOLTA Brothers Spyros and Vangelis Liakos collaborate with fishermen from Halkida and Kalymnos, among other places, to serve innovative seafood and fish-based meze such as red mullet tartare and fava (yellow split-pea dip) with smoked eel. The high point of the menu is the skewer with shrimp and squid, served with squid ink and olive oil.

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33 Aghiou Pavlou, Peristeri,

Tel. (+30) 210.571.9222

TRIANTAFYLLO TIS NOSTIMIAS Situated in an arcade full of old goldsmith workshops, this simple eatery has just a handful of tables. Locals come here for ouzo and meze. Try some small grilled fish, herb stuffed sardines, fava (yellow split pea) with onion, and fried saganaki cheese. • 22 Lekka, Syntagma, Tel. (+30) 210.322.7298

TUDOR HALL Featuring neoclassical décor and an amazing view of the city center and the Acropolis, Tudor Hall serves modern Greek cuisine. Inspired by the food of his home island of Corfu, chef de cuisine Alexandros Koskinas puts emphasis on quality seasonal ingredients to create dishes such as grilled calamari and handmade pasta. The dessert menu by French pastry chefs Arnaud Larher and Evgenios Vardakastanis is just as impressive.

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3 Vasileos Georgiou I, Syntagma Square,

Tel. (+30) 210.333.0265

VAROULKO Lefteris Lazarou is Greece’s most famous seafood chef. At his Michelin-starred Varoulko in Mikrolimano, he cooks innovative fish and seafood recipes together with chef Giannis Parikos. Enjoy dishes such as dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaf rolls) filled with cuttlefish risotto, and other gastronomic delights. Dessert is an absolute must.

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52 Akti Koumoundourou,

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A TRAIL OF DELICACIES Edible souvenirs abound across the city, reflecting the wide variety of influences that have shaped the local cuisine.

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n contemporary Thessaloniki, many locals still prefer to do their food shopping the traditional way – at independent stores that specialize in certain products. It’s not a chore, but a highlight of their week – a time to socialize, sample new things and see what’s on offer. Join them to get a look at how the community really lives and eats in this delicious, food-forward city.

Serious shopping trips often start out amid the charming chaos of the Kapani Market. Fish, meat and poultry vendors hawk their fresh wares with good cheer.

Dry goods, herbs and spices spill out of bins, and glistening seasonal produce is piled high. You’ll find the olive vendors in the big kiosk on the western side of the market, along Vlali Street; they’ll be glad to vacuum-pack your selection.

The area around the market is full of specialty shops. Halkiadakis carries Cretan products, including special seasonal produce. Try goat’s-milk cheeses like tangy fresh myzithra, or some apaki – a smoky cured pork. They sometimes even have the aromatic, sherry-like marouvas, a wine that’s beguiling with cheeses.

Family-owned Papageorgiou are specialists in exotically flavored loukoumia (the Greek word for Turkish delight), as well as syrup-preserved fruits, nuts, rose petals and even baby vegetables, traditionally served to guests from saucers with a tiny spoon, with a tall glass of water on the side. They’re delicious spooned over thick Greek yogurt, too.

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tins and canning jars. The neighborhood’s food-centered past and chic present converge at Olicatessen, purveyors of fine artisanal products from all over Greece.

It’s a splendid source for cheeses and cold cuts, traditional hand-rolled pastas, honeys, wines, oils, biscuits, teas, condiments and preserves, and can treat you to a more in-depth culinary experience via one of its guided tastings or seminars.

For sesame lovers, a stop at Halvas Giannitson is a must. Here, you’ll find hand-kneaded halva (made according to an old family recipe) that comes in a number of new flavors. Pantopoleio tis Thessalonikis gets its name from the Greek word for “general store” because here you really can find everything – it’s stacked to the ceiling with specialty products from all over Greece and the world.

The deli case of cold cuts, cheeses and appetizers looks like an edible museum.

The cobblestone alleys around Athonos Square offer a much more low-key, but just as traditional, shopping experience as the Kapani Market. Ragian is dedicated to preserving a key part of Thessaloniki’s culinary culture: when the Greeks of Asia Minor filled the city during the population exchange of the 1920s, they brought their specialties with them.

Ragian has the cheeses, butters, creams, yogurts and dairy drinks these herding cultures perfected, as well as their wheat products, including filo, dumplings and rustic pastas. Nearby you’ll find Ellinikon, specialists in organic and fresh products, as well as some more classic greengrocers stacked with the best of the season.

Along pedestrianized Papamakrou, there are a few shops selling traditional kitchenware, such as wooden spoons and pad-

dles, bread peels and carved wooden stamps for embossing liturgical loaves.

For more artisanal food shopping in a beautiful space, visit Ergon Agora.

Products from the simple (quality chickpeas) to the glamorous (white truffle in olive oil) from the finest small and independent producers from all over Greece have been packaged at source in Ergon’s unique style.

Finally, few products are as strongly associated with Greece as feta. This snowy-white tangy cheese is so essential and fundamental to Greek cuisine that its name simply means “slice”; it’s celebrated in style at the feta bar Mia Feta.

Try different varieties and shop from a full selection of feta-based delights, all from the establishment’s own dairy in Grevena.

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KAPANI MARKET: Just west of Aristotelous Square, above Ermou HALKIADAKIS: 28 Komninon, Tel. (+30) 2310.225.510 PAPAGEORGIOU: 11 Aghiou Mina, Tel. (+30) 2310.278.562 OLICATESSEN: 4 Victor Hugo, Tel. (+30) 2313.030.286 HALVAS GIANNITSON: 20 Venizelou, Tel. (+30) 2310-222.26 PANTOPOLEIO TIS THESSALONIKIS: 12 Komninon, Tel. (+30) 2310.244.684 RAGIAN: 13 Balanou, Athonos Square, Tel. (+30) 2315.003.907 ELLINIKON: 5 Mitropolitou Gennadiou, Tel. (+30) 2310.257.503 ERGON AGORA: 42 Pavlou Mela, Tel. (+30) 2310.288.008 MIA FETA: 14 Pavlou Mela, Tel. (+30) 2310.221.120

PANTOPOLEIO TIS THESSALONIKIS.

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KAPANI MARKET.

OLICATESSEN.

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A FABULOUS FEAST The jewel of the north is known for its outstanding food scene, and there are plenty of top restaurants where you can find fresh variations on classic dishes.

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ne could compare Thessaloniki’s cuisine to a fabulous feast to which each “tribe” that has lived here has added its own specialties. The original residents of the city contributed a love of meat stews. Those who came to settle here from Istanbul brought with them the meze, small plates of bite-sized snacks such as salted meats or fish, accompanied by strong spirits. The people of Pontus, in the Black Sea, added recipes using ground meat; the Macedonian Greeks provided pies and charcuterie; and immigrants from elsewhere in the Balkans brought recipes for game. What’s more, thanks to its geographical location, Thessaloniki incorporated into its cooking several spices from the Near East, as well as the sujuk (a dry, spicy sausage), and a taste for syrupy desserts.

However, the food served by local dining establishments long differed greatly from homemade food, and was frequently of a substandard quality. For years, the dominant category was the “meze taverna” where, for a modest price, one could eat large quantities of low-quality food. This has now changed. Right now, there are many who cook innovative dishes – simply served, yet delicious – across the city. Today, you’ll find affordable food in a new category of eatery: bistro-restaurants. These are the result of the zeal of a new generation of cooks and restaurateurs, whose audacious culinary approach has produced a new cuisine that fuses East and West, and is reminiscent, in a manner of speaking, of Thessaloniki as a melting pot of civilizations.

CLOCHARD Since 1972, Clochard, with its classic urban cuisine, has been a popular lunch spot for the city’s professionals. Today, the dining room, after its recent renovation, is more contemporary in style.

The menu features dishes such as beef carpaccio, foie gras and Black Angus steak. On Sundays, families come here for more traditional comfort foods such as lachanodolmades (stuffed cabbage leaves), pork with leek and celery, and roast lamb.

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DIAGONIOS Serving grilled meat since 1977, Diagonios is a great spot for the famed Thessalonian grilled soutzoukakia (meatballs).

Containing no spices or breadcrumbs, they’re served with dried chili on the side. The liver is also a must. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

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13 Stratigou Kallari,

Tel. (+30) 2310.260.958

EXTRAVAGANZA Three friends who met during their military service teamed up to create this bold rock bistro. Antonis cooks non-Greek

MAVRI THALASSA.

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NAMA

dishes using local ingredients, such as burgers with kavourmas (spiced cured meat) instead of ground beef. Try the tortellini with myzithra cheese, honey, raisins and caramelized almonds.

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29A Stoa Ptolemaion & 8 Amvrosiou,

Tel. (+30) 2310.529.791

MAITR & MARGARITA In 2015, a group of friends from Thessaloniki and Komotini decided to open Maitr & Margarita. Today, it’s one of the best restaurants in the city. The flavors are perfectly balanced in every dish on the menu. Worth trying are the giouzlemedes (traditional fried pies) with fillings like spicy ground lamb, fish with lavender sauce and lentils, and a wonderful vegetarian bulgur risotto with mushroom ragout. 65 Greek wines are available by the glass.

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2 Verias, Tel. (+30) 2314.007.586

MAVRI THALASSA Everyone in Thessaloniki knows this is one of the best places to enjoy quality fish. At this upscale restaurant with white tablecloths and freshly cut flowers on the tables, Alexandros Tokidis cooks the food he remembers from his grandfather’s kafeneio (traditional café), such as boiled fish with a thick fish broth made with olive oil and lemon. Other seafood dishes, such as traditional mydopilafo (mussels with rice), are also on the menu.

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CLOCHARD.

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RADIKAL.

MOURGA This kafeneio with marble tabletops and wooden chairs serves fish and innovative meze. Nowhere else in town will you find anglerfish liver with grape must and mustard seeds – a neglected part of the fish transformed into a magnificent dish. Try the cabbage rolls with cod and trachanas (a cracked wheat product). Pair your food with tsipouro from northern Greece.

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12 Athanasiou Christopoulou,

Tel. (+30) 2310.268.826

MPAKALIARAKIA TOU ARISTOU The spot for the Thessalonian version of fish and chips: fried cod with potato rounds, skordalia (garlic dip) and chili. In operation since 1910 and passed down from generation to generation, the restaurant became a hit in the 1940s and is still the best place to eat this dish today.

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2 Katouni, Ladadika,

Tel. (+30) 2310.542.906

NAMA Housed in an old warehouse, this bright urban-style restaurant serves vibrant food with lots of quality spices and fresh herbs.

Even the bread, which comes warm in a wooden box, is sprinkled with paprika, oregano and marjoram. Try the celery with mushrooms and myzithra cheese, the liver with apple purée, and the oxtail with hylopites (traditional handmade pasta).

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1 Olympou, Dodeka Apostolon Square,

Tel. (+30) 2313.088.241

NEA FOLIA A hangout for food connoisseurs, Nea Folia may only have a handful of tables, but its fridge is packed with over 40 different cheeses and just as many kinds of cured meats and cold cuts. The beer selection is also impressive, with 20 brews from all over the country.

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4 Aristomenous,

Tel. (+30) 2310.960.383

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RADIKAL In one of the beautiful listed buildings in Ano Poli, the 12 young people who run Radikal present a different menu every month, basing their food on seasonal ingredients. The slow-cooked oxtail with gnocchi and trachanas purée is an excellent order. The wine list is curated with care. All wines are available by the glass.

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61 Stergiou Polidorou, Ano Poli,

Tel (+30) 2310.202.007

SEMPRIKO The New York Times said that this restaurant was a reason to visit Thessaloniki. The food is characterized by simple cooking methods and creative ingredient combinations; it’s said that Sempriko was the first contemporary restaurant in town to turn a spotlight on products from local small producers. The atmosphere is lively.

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2 Fragkon, Dikastiria,

Tel (+30) 2310.557.513

GUIDE EXPERIENCES

BEHIND THE SCENES Farmers, cooks, cheesemakers, vintners and expert food producers open their doors to foodies from all over the world.

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TRUFFLE HUNTING: MUSHROOM MUSEUM, METEORA The microclimate in central and northern Greece is perfect for truffles and mushrooms.

Truffle hunter Panagiotis Varipatis and his trusted labradors, Maya and Dorita, guide visitors into the forest near the village of Kalambaka.

Below the towering rocks of Meteora, the dogs scour every corner of the woods, skillfully and carefully digging up their precious finds. Once the hunt is over, the Mushroom Museum’s chefs join the group outside and cook a feast of truffle pasta. After the meal, visitors are given a guided tour of the museum, complete with a mushroom tasting. The monthly truffle hunt event lasts for three hours, and costs €31/ person.

INFO 20 Pindou, Kalambaka, Tel. (+30) 24320.249.59, meteoramuseum.gr

LIQUID GOLD: VASSILAKIS ESTATE, MIRABELLO, CRETE If you’ve ever dipped bread into a horiatiki salad in Greece, you know what separates it from the copycat dishes served all over the world under the name “Greek salad.” All the ingredients make a difference, but the most important one is the local extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). At the Vassilakis 156

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Estate in Crete, you’ll learn why, for free, in about 45 minutes. After learning in the estate’s museum how oil used to be produced from olives, a tour of the production facilities gives insight into more contemporary practices. Finally, a video presentation regarding the harvest is followed by a tasting of the company’s five olive products as well as a selection of other local delicacies.

INFO Neapoli, Lasithi, Crete, Tel. (+30) 28410.336.53, vassilakisestate.gr

TRADITIONAL ISLAND FLAVORS: COOKING WITH “MAMA MARIKA,” LIMNOS Under the auspices of “Taste Lemnos,” Marika Salamoussa hosts cooking classes for those interested in learning to prepare traditional Greek food using locally sourced ingredients. The group meets at Mama Marika’s home in the village of Moudros where participants gather fruit and herbs from the garden, and cook dishes such as goat and potatoes in the oven and yemista (vegetables stuffed with rice). The 3-hour lessons cost €35/person (children: €29). A minimum of two participants is required.

INFO Iroon Park, Moudros, Limnos, Tel. (+30) 22540.710.42, tastelemnos.com

A WEEK OF FOOD: AGLAIA’S TABLE, KEA For true foodies, every day on vacation is another chance to discover new flavors. For those who have more time to spend, cookbook author Aglaia Kremezi and her husband, Costas Moraitis, design all-in-one programs on Kea, striking a perfect balance between cooking, sightseeing and relaxation. During the recommended six-day stay, where you’ll sleep at a four-star hotel, you’ll learn to make everything from grilled fish wrapped in fig leaves to your own filo dough and desserts, and you’ll enjoy farming activities, guided walking tours, picnics on the beach, trips to local artisans and tavernas; you’ll also have time to relax or explore on your own.

INFO Ioulis, Kea, Tel. (+30) 22880.219.17, (+30) 693.241.3205, aglaiakremezi.com

FOREST-TO-TABLE: ANEMI GUESTHOUSE, ZAGORI In a beautiful mountain village of Zagori, guesthouse owners Lila and Pavlos put together mouth-watering meals and food-centered activities focused on local products, much of it foraged. The forest offers an abundance of wild fruits and berries. From early spring until autumn, there are also plenty of mushrooms,

if you know where to look, which their guide does. The indoor activities are equally educational. Freshly picked fruit is turned into jam, mushrooms are used in wonderful meals, and milk from the village is transformed into cheese.

INFO Kato Pedina, Zagori, Tel. (+30) 26530.720.03, anemizagori.gr

FAMILY FARM FUN: THE ORCHARD IN VARI, NEAR ATHENS At the Orchard in Vari, 20km from the center of Athens, the setting goes perfectly with the food served. “Our hope is to be able to act like a gateway drug to healthier living,” says founder Anna Mordechai. The Orchard is one of very few permaculture establishments in Greece. The food they serve is made with their own herbs, eggs and vegetables, grass-fed meat and local products, and contains almost no additives.

Surprisingly, this healthy food is a hit with children. Kids also love the gardening workshops (€10/person) and playing outside at the farm.

INFO 15 Kyrgion, Vari, Tel. (+30) 210.896.3000, perivolivari.gr

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TRUFFLE HUNTING: MUSHROOM MUSEUM.

TRUFFLE HUNTING: MUSHROOM MUSEUM. FAMILY FARM FUN: THE ORCHARD.

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WINE LOVERS: SANTORINI WINE TRAILS.

WINE LOVERS: SANTORINI WINE TRAILS Like wreaths strewn over the naked ground, the vines of Santorini’s vineyards are trained to grow in basket-like rings called kouloures to protect them from the harsh sun. Iliana Sidiropoulou of Santorini Wine Trails says that “Greek wines have become almost synonymous with Santorinian wines internationally, so this is an excellent place to start exploring.” The Wine Lover tour (€120/person) includes a guided tour of one vineyard and three different wineries, and a tasting of local wines. On the Foodie tour (€125/person), visits to one vineyard and two wineries are followed by trips to a microbrewery and a farm.

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INFO Emporio, Santorini, Tel. (+30) 22860.831.03, (+30) 697.900.0568, santoriniwinetrails.gr

A DREAM FOR CHEESE LOVERS: MYKONOS FARMERS Mykonos Farmers makes traditional cheeses using modern equipment and techniques, presenting them to visitors in tastings and on guided tours of its facilities.

The cheesemaking classes cover how to make cheese and how to source the best possible milk.

In the cooking classes, some dishes are standard, but you can also ask to learn how to make your favorite Greek foods. The cooking courses (€45-70) and the food tour (from €70) have to

be booked two days in advance.

If you don’t have time to take a course, you can drop in for a tour of the facilities instead (tours last from 45 minutes to an hour), complete with a cheese tasting (€10).

INFO Aghios Lazaros, Mykonos, Tel. (+30) 22890.239.70, mykonosfarmers.com

ANCIENT COOKING: SEMINARS BY MARIANA KAVROULAKI, HANIA, CRETE Cook and eat like the ancients at Mariana Kavroulaki’s Greek Culinary History and Cooking Adventures in Crete. She uses age-old techniques and replicas of ancient equipment to create the typical flavor-packed food

enjoyed from the classical period to the late Byzantine era. Myma, for example, is a sweet-and-sour dish combining honey or raisins with blood, liver, cheese, onion, 17 different herbs and spices, and sour elements such as vinegar.

Many such dishes included diverse elements; the result is food that tickled the entire palate. Other dishes, like the bread and the cheese, are more like the staples we’re used to today. The seminars, although customizable, usually run around 3-4 hours and cost from €70/person.

INFO Ano Daratsos, Hania, Crete, Tel. (+30) 690.755.2349, historyofgreekfood.weebly.com

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