Epikouria Spring Summer 2012

Issue14 Spring / Summer 2012

Issue14 Spring / Summer 2012 www.epikouria.com â‚Ź6.50

Small Business

ISSN 1790-5141

Small Business Odyssey

Odyssey

EPIK_COVER.indd 1

5/14/12 2:19 PM

Project1_Layout 1 05/04/2012 11:55 π.μ. Page 1

EPIK_COVER(final).indd 2

5/11/12 4:59 PM

1_5_HEPO.indd 1

5/15/12 4:21 PM

Advertorial

T

he Hellenic Foreign Trade Board, HEPO, realizing the vital role of exports in the recovery of the Greek economy and its growth prospects, continues its efforts to design and implement new and innovative actions that contribute to strengthening the image of Greek businesses in the international market.

HEPO implements numerous increasing actions every year. In particular, 32 actions had been scheduled for 2010, in 2011 this number increased to 45 and for 2012, with a view to further strengthening extroversion, 79 actions are being planned.The above figures show an increase for 2011 by 30% compared to 2010 and an increase of 43% for 2012 compared to 2011.

Contrary to the adverse conditions prevailing in the market due to the current economic climate, shortages in human resources and costs reduction, HEPO continues its difficult daily efforts to maintain a balance between successfully implementing actions and reducing costs. It is steadily close to the exporters and despite adversities goes against current regaining target markets and customers. It works with a view to: a) meeting the needs of exporters, b) opening new markets, and c) enhancing actions with a new image and identity for Greece.

Based on the National Extroversion Strategy, it has implemented in recent years several branding initiatives in key

2

1_5_HEPO.indd 2

sectors of Greek commerce as “DesignGreece” to link design with the export community and the brand “Taste like Greece” for strengthening the image of the Food and Beverage sector.

Specifically, the brand “Taste like Greece” was first presented in the international fair of ANUGA 2011 and goes on in all international food - drink fairs in 2012, where HEPO coordinates the Greek participation.The participation of Greek firms exporting to all international Food and Beverages fairs for the rest of the year and the parallel promotional actions will be branded by the “Taste like Greece” brand, adjusted accordingly. A similar brand is planned for other sectors of products and services.

During the first half of 2012, HEPO has participated in major exhibition events of the food and beverages industry around the world, as it annually does.The Greek participation with the brand “Taste like Greece” was Positively commented on or received, adding to the Greek products the national identity that they lacked.

Specifically: HEPO coordinated the Greek participation in the International Fair ISM - 42nd International Sweets and Biscuits Fair, 30/1-1/2/2012, Cologne.The fair was attended by Greek food companies with products such as sweets, chocolate products, biscuits, snacks, epikouria

5/15/12 11:34 AM

Advertorial

Moscow. This is one of the biggest food - drink fairs taking place in Russia. The 300 Sq m. HEPO’s stand accommodated 22 companies, with a variety of products such as wine, olive oil, cheeses and dairy products, baked goods, honey etc. Foreign visitors had the opportunity to taste a variety of Greek wine in the wine bar that HEPO ran during the exhibition.

candies, honey, nougat, etc. It has also organized with great success, the participation of Greek exporting firms in the International Exhibition FRUITLOGISTICA 2012, 8 – 10 February 2012, Berlin. This exhibition is the top exhibition event for fresh fruits and vegetables. Inside the 500 Sq m HEPO’s stand, representatives from 33 enterprises from various parts of Greece presented their quality, certified products and held important meetings with foreign purchasers. Guests at the Greek pavilion had the opportunity to see the Greek fruits and vegetables, learn about them and of course taste them in a specially designed fruit salad bar that was run by HEPO throughout the duration of the fair.

An equally dynamic presence of Greek exporting firms under HEPO’s coordination occurred in the 20th International Exhibition PRODEXPO 2012, 13 - 17 February 2012, epikouria

1_5_HEPO.indd 3

The Organization has also coordinated with success the presence of 18 Greek exporting enterprises of the organic food and beverage industry at the International BIOFACH WORLD ORGANIC TRADE FAIR, 15 – 18/2/2012, Nuremberg. In the Greek stand of an area of 150 Sq m, the participating companies showed biological products such as fruits and vegetables, wine, olive oil and olive products, sweets, snacks, etc. whose image was reinforced by the brand “Taste like Greece” adopted by HEPO in all exhibition events of the industry.

HEPO par ticipated once again at the Food and Food Equipment GULFOOD international exhibition, 1922/2/2012, Dubai, coordinating the presence of 48 Greek exporting companies with food products such as olive oil, Baked goods, dairy, etc. products and hotel equipment, food processing and packaging machinery, catering equipment etc. in a 611 Sq m stand.

3

5/15/12 11:34 AM

Advertorial

SIAL CHINA 2012, 9-11 May 2012, Shanghai. The exhibition was held for the 13th consecutive year, attracting major and specialized trade visitors. China is a target market for the Agency, particularly regarding food and beverages industry and the presence at the exhibition was yet another attempt by the Agency for approaching the Chinese market.

An equally successful Greek participation was that organized by HEPO in the International Wine and Spirits Trade Fair PROWEIN 2012, 4 - 6 March, Dusseldorf.

This fair is considered the most important professional exhibition event for wine worldwide. In the Agency’s stand, covering a total area of 507 square meters, marked by the brand “Taste Like Greece” and the brand “New Wines of Greece”, representatives from 50 important exporting enterprises in the wine and drink sector from various areas of Greece displayed their products. In order to enhance the image of Greek wines, HEPO accompanied its exhibition presence with parallel promotional events such as wine bar operation, where visitors could get acquainted with and taste selected Greek wines, wine show in the Press Center of the fair, involvement in tasting contest at the fairgrounds, where several Greek wines were distinguished and creation of a directory of exhibitors and wine list.

The Hellenic Foreign Trade Board organized for the first time the participation of 15 Greek export enterprises in a stand measuring 189 sq.m at the International Exhibition 4

1_5_HEPO.indd 4

HEPO again par ticipates in the 58th International Exhibition SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW, to be held in Washington, in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center exhibition space, 17 – 19 June 2012.The Greek pavilion covers a total expanse of 396 square meters and is located in a central area of the exhibition, the rooms “EXHIBIT HALLS AC”, accommodating about 45 Greek export businesses, associations and chambers in a total number of 44 booths. HEPO plans to advertise the Greek presence by registration in the central exhibition catalog, to characterize the pavilion with the brand “Taste like Greece” and to publish a printed list of Greek exhibitors to be distributed free to all visitors.With these promotion actions in conjunction with the larger size Greek participation HEPO aims to attract representatives from the retail, catering, wholesale, distribution, foodservice and food and beverage industry and the press which are the main visitors to this event.

Once again the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board is organizing the presence of Greek exporting companies from the food and beverages industry at the SIAL PARIS 2012 international exhibition.This exhibition taking place from 21 to 25 October at the PARIS NORD VILLEPINTE Exhibition Park in Paris is one of the most important International Food - Drink fairs in the world, held every two years, attracting large numbers of trade visitors.This year, the Greek stand is epikouria

5/14/12 5:26 PM

Advertorial

expected to be larger and extend in many themed rooms.

For better and more effective promotion and communication of the Greek stand HEPO plans to install banners in high accessibility indoor spaces, put advertisements in specialized magazines and newspapers and publish a functional and elegant list of Greek participants, where each participating company could be advertised. It also plans to create a degustation lounge for hosting journalists and buyers but also to conduct live cooking demonstrations and aims to coordinate B2B meetings in collaboration with the French group SOPEXA. The program of the Organization always includes business delegations. For 2012 HEPO plans to implement 18 missions, multisectored and not in markets - goals such as South Africa, India, Brazil etc. In particular the first half of 2012: On 17 and January 19, 2012 a business mission took place to U.S.A to promote the Greek technology and its integration into the ecosystem of Silicon Valley, under the auspices of Synergies, Connecting Changemakers. With the support and co-organization of the Hellenic Semiconductor Industry Association (ENEVI), the Hellenic Association of Mobile Application Companies (SEKEE) and sponsored

by HEPO, thirty entrepreneurs from twenty-five Greek companies of technology industry had the chance to visit Silicon Valley, in California and meet with leading industry professionals, investors, academics and local authorities.The representatives of Greek companies had the opportunity to learn about the business environment of the area and the potential of the SiliconValley ecosystem. Upon completion of the business mission, participants and attendees expressed their desire to establish the Synergies business mission in Silicon Valley for tech industry on an annual basis, congratulating the organizers for the work provided.

In collaboration with the Association of Greek epikouria

1_5_HEPO.indd 5

Manufacturers of fiberglass boats (S.E.KA.PL.A.S) and the Commercial & Economic Section of the Hellenic Embassy in Moscow, HEPO organized a successful business mission to Russia from 18 to 22 March 2012.The mission took place in the context of the International Exhibition for yachts ÂŤMoscow Boat ShowÂť which gathers almost all industry professionals.The 8 Greek companies involved had the opportunity for private meetings with 30 Russian companies as well as other of their choice among those participating in the exhibition and be informed of this market conditions.

It is noteworthy that the above action was the first collaborative effort of the kind abroad for the yacht industry with very fruitful results.

HEPO organized a multidisciplinary mission in Amman, Jordan from 22 to 25 April 2012, with the participation of Greek companies operating in the sectors of food, building materials (mainly marble), pharmaceuticals, construction and renewable energy. The purpose of this mission was to promote relationships and explore opportunities for cooperation with businessmen in Jordan given that the region, characterized by stability, is considered the gateway to the surrounding states and has several investment opportunities.

Hellenic Foreign Trade Board, is a dynamic institution promoting the national export policy, an effective meeting point for extroversion.With basic tools in export marketing, design and implementation of parallel actions and promotional activities, creates the right conditions to facilitate access by the Greek exporter in target markets, who would not be able to approach new foreign markets, with a view to strengthening the Greek exporting firms and further expansion and strengthening of Greek exports.

5

5/14/12 5:26 PM

editorial

It May Take a Village A

few years ago a group of friends and I spent a long weekend at an inn in the hamlet of Ano Pedina. Ano Pedina is one of the villages of the Zagori – an area in the Pindus Mountains of Epirus of striking natural beauty.

The villages themselves, mostly built in the 18th-19th centuries, are calm and quaint, boasting shaded central squares, cobblestone foot paths, impressive manor houses and many small bridges. The local cuisine is also unique. For one thing, the surrounding woods are full (in season) of truffles.

Until recently, the average age of a Greek farmer was 57.

Then the crisis hit. Private sector unemployment soared, especially effecting the younger generation. Now this generation is in search of opportunities and many are looking not to Europe, the US or Australia, but to their ancestral villages. One young friend of mine returned to the island of Tinos, where she is now growing artisanal vegetables.

Another is tending pistachio trees in Aegina. Yet another is planning an olive oil co-op in Evia.

It was a delightful place to spend the weekend, but there was something eerie about it. On day two, I realized what was off: no children.

Greece’s unique climate makes it ideal for raising of certain specialty products, such as olives, olive oil, saffron, oregano, and indigenous varieties of wine grapes. It also has a proud tradition in artisanal foodstuffs, such as cheeses and sausages, though production was never high enough to garner international attention. Perhaps this will change. Perhaps there will be an upside to this terrible crisis. Perhaps there will be children in the villages again.

Greece, like most of the Western world, was once a rural society. And like most of the Western world, the population moved to the cities, chasing better opportunities. Unlike people in most of the Western world, Greeks keep ties to their home villages. Many still own land that once belonged to their grandfathers. These they visit on holidays, especially Pascha or Easter. The rest of the year, the villages are the province of black clad grandmothers and aging farmers.

6

6_7_EDITORIAL.indd 6

Ellen Gooch Editor-in-chief

epikouria

5/14/12 5:27 PM

epikouria

6_7_EDITORIAL.indd 7

7

5/14/12 5:27 PM

contents

12

Small Business Odyssey Next generation food entrepreneurs

20

Adventures in Greek Reds Eric Asimov of the NY Times talks wine

26

World Recipes Greek ingredients, haute cuisine

36

10 Plus One Sardines The fish prized by connoisseurs

48

Last Look Tall boys look good in skirts

8

8_9_CONTENTS.indd 8

Cover Edible Argo Photo George Drakopoulos Styling Tina Webb

+

Advertiser Index page 10 Sourcing Guides page 38

epikouria

5/14/12 5:29 PM

8_9_CONTENTS.indd 9

5/14/12 5:29 PM

advertiser index AGREXPO S.A. Dried figs, oranges, potatoes, watermelons, potato seeds www.goumas.gr 31 ELAION Olive oil www.elaion.gr

39

ELGEA L.T.D Olive oil, Olives, Olive pastes, Feta, Avgotaraho www.elgea.com.gr

41

EZA PROTYPOS HELLENIC BREWERY Beer www.eza.gr HEPO Foreign Trade organization www.hepo.gr IONIKI SFOLIATA S.A. Frozen dough and pastry products www.ionikigr.com

11

2,3,4,5

25

KALLONI S.A. Mediterranean aquaculture products www.kalloni.gr Inside front cover MINERVA S.A. Olive oil, Olives, Olive paste, margarines, butter, seed oil, cheeses www.minerva.com.gr

recipe index 7, 9

NUTRIA A.E. Olive oil, Olives, Olive pastes, Feta, Avgotaraho www.nutria.gr ROI S.A. Olives, Olive paste, dressing www.lelia.gr SIMOS FOOD GROUP A.E. Dairy products www.simosfg.com

1

45

23

APPETIZERS Baked Fish, Fez Style

24

Cretan Pies stuffed with onions and cheese

28

Spiced Fig Cakes (Sykoma誰tha)

29

Warm Manouri Cheese with Fragrant Kalamata Olives

30

Marinated Eggplant with Capers, Mint and Feta

31

SALAD

TRIKALLINOS Avgotaraho, traditional premium fish roe products www.trikalinos.gr Back cover

Chicken Salad a la Grecque

32

Warm Barley Salad with Aegina Pistachios and Pear

33

UNION OF VINICULTURAL COOPERATIVES SAMOU Samos muscat wines www.samoswine.gr

MAINS 43

WINE ROADS OF NORTHERN GREECE Association of wine producers of the vineyards of Northern Greece www.wineroads.gr Inside back cover 10

10_11_INDEX_ID.indd 10

Spicy Meatballs

34

Tomatoes stuffed with Rice and Lamb

35

Grilled Steak with feta caper and olive spread and grilled red peppers

36

Ultimate Greek BLT

37 epikouria

5/15/12 4:45 PM

Founder Triaina Publishing – Kyriakos Korovilas Publisher Nikos Korovilas Editor-in-Chief Ellen Gooch Assistant Editor Diane Pappas Art Director Dimitris Koumpatis Photos George Drakopoulos Food Styling Tina Webb Publishing Advertising Manager Katerina Gitsi Distribution Manager Valia Fotiou Ektoras Chatzigeorgiou Information Technology Philippe Watel Accounting Niki Gavala Triaina Publishing Offices: 110, Syngrou Avenue 117 41 Athens (4th floor) Tel.: +30-210-9240748 Fax: +30-210-9242650 www.epikouria.com e-mail: info@epikouria.com

COPYRIGHT 2012 Triaina Publishing (ISSN 1790-5141), all rights reserved.

Epikouria is a trademark of Triaina Publishing.

Reproduction in part or in full is strictly prohibited without written consent. Epikouria assumes no liability for either the content or presentation of advertisements.

10_11_INDEX_ID.indd 11

5/14/12 5:30 PM

Small Business

Odyssey

By Katerina Mathioudaki 1 Photo: Geor ge Dr akopoulos 1 Food Styling: Tina Webb

12

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 12

epikouria

5/14/12 5:32 PM

With a focus on quality and diversity, three small companies impress with their increased activity. Applying business models that prevail even in this time of economic crisis, they are creating, innovating, organizing and expanding their business horizons, and growing – obstinately – in adverse conditions.

The people behind successful strategies explain their philosophy, talk about their targeted actions, analyze their next steps and reveal the secrets of a creative business, proving that the most powerful weapons in the battle for success are fresh ideas, innovations and insistence on quality.

epikouria

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 13

13

5/14/12 5:32 PM

Dirfis MushrooMs Lefteris Lachouvaris

A

iming at the creation of the first production unit for ready mushroom cultivation substrates, Lefteris Lachouvaris and Thanasis Mastroyiannis began an enterprising endeavor in 2003 that would soon yield spectacular results. The primary skills required to achieve cultivation of such a difficult and demanding nature included their deep scientific knowledge of the subject as well as their many years of experience, both in research and on a business level, in Greece and abroad. “With the help of highly technical knowledge and technology, and without much funding, we managed to create the first mushroom cultivating satellite system, first operated in March 2004.

Our objective was to implement a mushroom production system in Greece, such as those successfully applied and implemented for 30 years abroad. It involved both the expansion of mushroom cultivation through the sale of prepared cultivation substrates and technical advice on production,” explains Mr. Lachouvaris to “Epikouria.”

Until that time, only four Pleurotus 14

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 14

cultivating units existed in Greece, with a large portion of the country's demand met by imports from Poland and Italy. Nine years later, there are now more than 40 cultivating units, Pleurotus imports are minimal, and these mushrooms are widely known in Greece.

Dirfis soon expanded its product line to include high quality mushrooms as well as products comprised of both edible and medicinal mushrooms, advancing rapidly despite obstacles.“The very nature of the work itself is challenging. It is a very difficult and demanding job that requires knowledge of mycology, climatology, soil microbiology, great patience and insight.

Compound this with the additional difficulties from public officers of the State, who hinder us in whatever we do.They are especially suspicious and negative when they face an unknown topic, and mushrooms are unknown to them.”

In 2006, Dirfis launched its Pleurotus "Fillet 2Kg” product. This altered the status quo in bulk mushrooms, formerly supplied to the market

MiLestoNes: Working with Zhaowang Peng, renowned "inventor" of the commercial cultivation of the Lentinula (Shiitake) mushroom in 2006, Dirfis has achieved the first large-scale cultivation of this spicy mushroom in Greece, for domestic consumption as well as for expor t to a large Dutch company. activities iN ProGress: An immediate pr ior i ty is "Pleurotus slices for Pizza," with the objective of replacing imported white mushrooms used on pizzas.

ProDucts: Fresh mushrooms in different forms, including • baby mushrooms (tiny, just three days old), • fresh mushroom fillets (500gr and 2kg packages), • gourmet series with dried wild Greek mushrooms, in collaboration with collectors from Epirus and Macedonia, • truffle products, and • pasta made with semolina and Dirfis mushrooms.

epikouria

5/15/12 10:07 AM

in a plastic or wooden 4kg crate, without prior selection and with costly and time-consuming consequences for the professional cook.

“We first applied the term "fillet" in collaboration with Ms. Lena Pefanis.

It describes large and impressive mushrooms, each placed in luxury black paper crates. This product truly established us in the Greek market and made us recognizable outside our borders as well, since none of the countries currently exporting to Greece has managed to produce a product of similar quality,” explains Mr. Lachouvaris.

Dirfis’ founders consider their collaboration with Ms. Pefanis, and her distribution network, among their greatest assets. The mushrooms' short life (a mere 10 days from the date it’s picked) requires a finely tuned coordination between production and sales in order to provide the product in the quantities and at the quality demanded by the market.“With Ms. Pefanis’ profound passion and organization, we have managed to distribute our products the very same day or within 24 hours from harvest. It is a battle against time, or else a battle with the rapid growth of the mushroom, which we fight every day, 365 days a year. And this is one of the "secrets" of success that Greek production

failed to understand, or was unable to perform, all these years.”

Today, Dirfis’ annual production includes 350,000 kilos of fresh Pleurotus and 8,000 kilos of fresh Shiitake. Additionally, approximately 6,000-10,000 kilos of wild gourmet mushrooms (Porcini, Chanterelle, Black Trumpets, Morcella, etc.) are “hunted” (common parlance among the wild mushroom gatherers), many of which are intended for the European markets. Dirfis' executives work abroad as consultants on farming and new production methods, as well as in cooperation with transnational research programs. Through various par tnerships of this type, products are exported to selected companies in Italy, France and the Netherlands.

“Our main objective is to continuously improve the quality of our mushrooms, maximize the satisfaction of our customers, participate in rapid technological developments, and maintain a strong hygienic and nutritional value in our products. To this end, we cooperate with universities, NAGREF and other research bodies, as well as similar agencies abroad. Our innovations are based on the creation of mushroom products in collaboration with other notable Greek food producers. This is how the Dirfis pasta line was created (with Nikos Konstantoulis from Chian Cellar). We created original recipes in which his pasta is mixed with our mushrooms, and the results are products of high nutritional and culinary value.”

<<A<strong<knowledge<of<your<subject<is<your< aDvice for YouNG eNtrePreNeurs

greatest<asset.<Find<out<where<the<experts<are< located<and<try<to<work<there,<even<if<it’s<halfway< across<the<world.< >>

epikouria

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 15

15

5/15/12 10:07 AM

MM chrYsafis sa MichaeL aND MaKis chrYsafis

W

ith a trademark bearing the sea lily, a distinctive element of the flora of Lemnos, CHRYSAFIS SA promotes the traditional products and has revived traditional recipes of this Aegean island.

It utilizes exclusively local ingredients: sheep and goat milk, “Mavraganis” flour, and local eggs.

The company, a family business, was founded on Lemnos 28 years ago.

Its “soul” are Michael and Makis Chrysafis, cousins, who decided to promote the traditional, exquisite flavors they have grown up with, and they have unquestionably succeeded.

From its founding, the company has been on an ascent, harmoniously combining tradition, expertise and modernization. It is not an accident that one of their products, the "Basket of Lemnos," won the Golden Prize at the 2nd Milk and Cheese Festival in 2009, collecting one of the highest scores from among the 16

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 16

hundreds of cheeses submitted from all over Greece.

“Our biggest advantage is the organoleptic characteristics (color, aroma, flavor) of the products themselves, which are the direct result of the raw materials we use and directly linked to the uniqueness and peculiarity of both the soil and the climatic conditions of the island.The direct identification and recognition of our products in the difficult, demanding and highly competitive Athens market confirms this,” states Mr. [Michael] Chrysafis.

In the company's cheese factory, traditional techniques and modern methods of production and quality control are combined in order to produce a series of fine cheeses.

The company's flagship product is the PDO “Basket of Lemnos,” a cheese rich in flavor and exclusively from goat's milk. The animals are a native breed and graze freely in the

MiLestoNes: Gold Award in 2009, the conquest of the Athens market in 2011 activities iN ProGress: New product codes in the cheese and pasta categories are in preparation and will be launched by the end of 2012.

A new category of frozen products, hand-made Lemnos pies, will soon be released.

ProDucts: • Traditional Lemnos Flomaria noodles, • wheat and barley rusks, • Venizelika (walnut chocolate bites), • the PDO cheese “Basket of Lemnos, • feta cheeses, and • the traditional Melichloro and Kaskavali cheeses

epikouria

5/15/12 10:07 AM

<<The<economic<crisis<is<a<fact.<But<it<is<also< aDvice for YouNG eNtrePreNeurs

a<huge<opportunity.<The<keys<to<success<are< focusing<on<quality<and<individuality,<maintaining< faith<in<your<values,<perseverance,<and<patience.< >>

lush, green pastures of the island.

The name is derived from the shape the cheese gets when, in the production process, it is placed in knitted baskets to drain. Afterwards, it is dry salted and stored in brine at room temperature to ripen. Another goat's milk cheese is Melichloro, which initially acquires a texture between fresh and dry (melichloror).

When the dehydration proceeds, the cheese becomes hard. Another distinctive cheese, this one from sheep’s milk, is Kaskavali. One of the oldest cheeses of Lemnos, it has a strong, buttery flavor. It has been in produced by shepherds (kechagiades) here since the Middle Ages, but its precise origin has been lost over time.

In the next few months, they will create a new series of packages in accord with international standards, which will facilitate entry into markets abroad; this will be especially helpful for its dairy products. Additionally, it will participate in international exhibitions in Europe and America, in order to enhance the company’s immediate expansion plans.

“Expanding abroad is not easy, since competition is even tighter than in the domestic market. But with proper planning and strategic marketing, even a small company can seize the opportunities that arise and claim the place it deserves in the international market,” says Mr. [Michael] Chrysafis.

Speaking about the greatest difficulty

he has faced so far:“ It has always been, and continues to be, training and informing both the general public and the retail and catering professionals – making them aware of the specific characteristics of our products, so that the value proposition becomes clear to them and provides them with opportunities for diversification as well.”

Today, Chrysafis' products star in delicacy and traditional product shops in Athens and Thessaloniki; selected restaurants that feature local products; as well as fine wine shops and modern wine bars, which have realized that these distinctive local cheeses not only pair beautifully with wine, but also differentiate them from their peers.

In addition to its cheeses, the company’s traditional products category also includes wheat and barley rusks (in ancient times, Lemnos was the granary of the Aegean Sea), as well as “Venizelika”: delicious walnut chocolate bites originally created by Lemnos housewives to honor Eleftherios Venizelos’ visit to the island in 1912, after the island’s liberation.

Until recently, CHRYSAFIS was primarily focused on the local market of Lemnos itself. A year ago, however, it broadened its view to the rest of the Greek market and abroad.

Today, its products are exported to France and the United States. epikouria

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 17

17

5/15/12 10:07 AM

fereoiKos Gefsis Maria vLachou

I

t b e g a n i n 20 0 7 w i t h Fereoikos-Helix, the first company in Greece to impor t snails and establish open biological snail farming.

Fereikos Gefsis is a natural evolution of its sibling. Founded four years later, in April 2011, the company offers “prêt a porter” snails to the Greek consumer – without shells, precooked, and ready for recipes.

The word Fereoikos literary means “carrying my house” (as a snail does).

It is a smart idea from two sisters, Maria and Panayiota Vlachou who, being exemplary young entrepreneurs, took a risk and dared to innovate. Today, Panayiota Vlachou (29) remains the “soul” of FereoikosHelix, sharing her expertise in seminars and events on snail farming, while Maria Vlachou (31) holds the reins of Fereoikos Gefsis, the newly founded company that has already impressed.

“From the time of antiquity, the snail has held a special place in the human diet, and it is inextricably linked

18

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 18

to the traditional Greek diet. It is both a healthy and a traditional dish.

However, its preparation is particularly difficult and time-consuming, requiring a great deal of cleaning up prior to reaching the table.

Consumption was additionally restricted by the snail’s seasonal availability. In creating Fereoikos Gefsis, we dared to offer standardized snails to Greek consumers, providing them with the ability to cook snails effortlessly and year-round. This has dramatically increased the consumption of snails and expanded the menu of consumers and food service shops alike. Until now, the consumer could only find either fresh snails (mainly in spring and summer) or frozen snail ready-meals “a la Bourguignon” in the market,” Ms. [Maria]Vlachou explained to “Epikouria” She adds: “Our snails are sourced exclusively from Greek farms with integrated biological cycles and have the seal of confidence, assured quality, and careful selection of our sister company Fereoikos-Helix. They do not contain additives or preservatives.

They are cleaned, pre-cooked and

MiLestoNes: The “Golden Snail” award in 2009, as the best company for the development of this activity in Greece, by the International Institute of Snail Farming, and the recent distinction of the "Stelios Hadjiioannou Award – Business Start of the Year 2011." activities iN ProGress: The primary objective of the newly established company is to move “at a snail’s pace” (pun intended) – slowly and steadily consolidating existing product codes.

ProDucts: • Pre-cooked snails with shell, • pre-cooked snail fillets, • frozen snails with shell, • snails with shell in tomato sauce (ready-meal), and • fresh snails in net.

epikouria

5/15/12 10:07 AM

were able to proceed, but how many young entrepreneurs have seen their dreams lost due to a lack of personal resources? The lack of funding, we believe, is the biggest challenge faced by all young entrepreneurs when starting their business activities.”

ready for use. Essentially, within five to 10 minutes, they can be incorporated into any recipe the consumer dreams up.”

“The decision to create a company was a great risk, especially since it was so different from our literary studies [the sisters’ university degrees have nothing to do with agriculture]. Our ability to overcome our fears and doubts, spread our wings, and follow our dream, which

we believed in with all our heart, was our greatest achievement.” It should be noted that when Fereoikis-Helix was founded in Corinth’s Lechaio, the field was not even in its infancy, and snail farming in Greece was unheard of – a very different condition than exists today.

Ms. Vlachou continues: “Our greatest challenge initially was supporting our dream with our own funding.

Fortunately, we could afford it and

From their founding, the course of both companies has continued on solid foundations: courage for evolution, respect to tradition, product innovation, reliability, and responsibility towards both the consumers and the environment.“Our aim was to innovate and inspire our consumers with the certainty of tradition coupled with the boldness of innovation.” The first products were placed in delicacy and traditional product stores, mainly in Attica.“But every day, we have the pleasure of seeing the acceptance of our products by consumers and distributors alike, and the size of our clientele is constantly growing, with new outlets in Attica and the rest of Greece.

Abroad, the countries that attract our interest are those in which the snail is par t of the food culture, specifically France, Italy and Spain.

At the moment, our cooperation with these countries is mainly focused on fresh snails.”

<<The<secret<is<to<believe<in<yourself<and<your< aDvice for YouNG eNtrePreNeurs

vision,<and<to<advocate<it<with<short-<and<longterm<plans,<organization,<imagination<and< flexibility.< >> epikouria

12_19_COVER STORY.indd 19

19

5/15/12 10:08 AM

Wine Guide

Adventures in

New Greek

Reds Š Alex Bramwell | Dreamstime.com

By Eric Asimov

20

20_25_WINE THE NEW REDS.indd 20

epikouria

5/14/12 5:34 PM

< My impression

is almost exactly like I’m visiting Greece.

They’re open-minded and experimental, but within their traditions >>

M

AVROTRAGANO and mandelaria; limnio and vlahiko; and of course, agiorgtiko and xinomavro. I know: it’s all Greek.

That’s what is so exciting.

These indigenous red grapes represent a new wave of Greek wines now available in the United States. While whites remain the most familiar Greek wines (it’s wonderful this year to see more restaurants serving assyrtiko by the glass), Greece also offers a fascinating extension of the spectrum of world reds.

Not that these wines are radical departures from the familiar, as with retsina, the pungent, resinated Greek wine that is more often discussed than consumed, or the sad oxidized reds that years ago epitomized Greece’s efforts to enter the global market. These are up-to-date reds, familiar yet subtly different from other modern reds, with an herbal inflection here, an earthiness there.

It’s not just the names of the grapes that may seem daunting, but the geography. While the names of Greek islands have become more familiar on wine bottles as Greek whites have gained popularity, most of the reds come from northern and central Greece, even as you will also find a few reds from Santorini, Rhodes and Crete. More likely are wines from regions of Macedonia in the northeast (like Naoussa, Kavala, Epanomi and Côtes de Meliton), from Epirus in the northwest and from Nemea on the Peloponnese peninsula.

Adding to the confusion is that many labels are in Greek and English, and the transliteration of Greek into English is, shall we say, not yet codified.You will find Greek words with multiple English renderings, like xinomavro or xynomavro, and mandelaria or mantilaria. Sometimes multiple spellings are on the same label.

Nonetheless, these wines promise adventure.The payoff is not merely the pleasure of discovery, but the affirmation that even jaded palates can find something new. It’s epikouria

20_25_WINE THE NEW REDS.indd 21

the flip side of globalization: yes, when little-known wines are taken from their home territory and sent around the world, a danger exists that they will end up homogenized, airbrushed of their distinctive characteristics. But the joy of diversity beckons, and if the wines retain their moorings, then you have something exciting.

In search of excitement, the wine panel tasted 20 Greek reds from recent vintages, 2006 through 2010, but primarily 2008. For the tasting, Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Thomas Pastuszak, wine director at the NoMad, and Laura Maniec, proprietor of Corkbuzz Wine Studio.

The wines came from all ends of Greece, and included many different grapes. Not surprisingly, they were all over the map, ranging from light-bodied and fresh to dense and tannic. Some were sweetly fruity, though dry, while others were more savory. Some were lush and soft, others more focused. Happily, very few had the overly polished sheen that indeed signals a wine made with the international market in mind.

“My impression is almost exactly like I’m visiting Greece,” said Laura, who has made the trip.“They’re open-minded and experimental, but within their traditions.These wines are not plush-modern, but they are up to date.”

What made us think of Greece? Some of the wines, like the 2008 Kir-Yianni Ramnista from Naoussa in Macedonia, our No. 2 bottle, and the 2008 Thymiopoulos Uranos, also from Naoussa, our No. 5 bottle, offered intriguing and unusual aromas of red fruit and menthol that reminded us a bit of nebbiolo, though with herbal accents all their own.

Both of these wines were made of the xinomavro grape, which is generally translated as “acid black.” Indeed, they both offered good acidity, which provides liveliness, but they were also both quite tannic.They will benefit from a few years of aging.

21

5/14/12 5:34 PM

Wine Guide TasTing RepoRT

Best Value

Tasting Coordinator: Bernard Kirsch

1/2 Argyros Santorini Atlantis, 2008, $20 Unusual meaty, savor y aroma, focused and well structured with ear thy fruit flavors.

(Athenee Impor ter s, Hempstead, N.Y.)

Kir-Yianni Naoussa, Macedonia Ramnista 2008, $25 Well balanced with hightoned aromas of menthol, herbs and flowers and firm tannins.

(V.O.S. Selections, N.Y.)

Our No. 1 wine, the 2008 Atlantis from Argyros on Santorini, offered a very different sort of flavor profile.

It was focused, harmonious and well structured, with an unusually meaty, savory aroma and underlying fruit and mineral flavors. Is that typical of a wine that’s 90 percent mandelaria and the remainder mavrotragano? I confess, I don’t know. But I’m certainly eager to drink a few more similar wines to find out.

Our No. 4 wine, the 2009 Rossiu di Munte from Katogi Averoff, was completely different. It is from Epirus, near the vicinity of Ioannina, where the grape of choice is the vlahiko.

The wine was a bit paradoxical, with aromas of lush fruit, but dry and savory on the palate and refreshingly bitter.

In Macedonia, our No. 6 wine, the 2006 Avaton from Gerovassiliou in Epanomi, was the oldest and, at $48, the most expensive in our top 10. It was a blend of three grapes (limnio, mavrotragano and mavroudi) and, like the Katogi Averoff, managed to be both savory and lush, though the Avaton was much denser.The 2010 Porto Carras from the Côtes de Meliton, a Macedonian peninsula in the Aegean, was a completely different limnio: light, fresh and fruity, and immediately accessible.

The outlier among our favorites was our No. 3 bottle, the 2008 Biblia Chora Estate, from the Kavala region of 22

20_25_WINE THE NEW REDS.indd 22

Biblia Chora Kavala, Macedonia Estate 2008, $36 Almost Bordeaux-like; structured and precise with aromas and flavors of spicy red fruit, herbs a n d m i n e r a l s . ( C av a Spiliadis, Astoria, N.Y.)

Katogi Averoff Epirus, Rossiu di Munte 2009, $30 Dry, lively and compact, with savory, earthy flavors and a pleasing bitterness.

(Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York)

Macedonia. It was made roughly half of cabernet sauvignon and half of merlot. Indeed, while Greece has hundreds of indigenous grapes, it also has a few international varieties.

This wine was beautifully executed, with spicy fruit, herbal and mineral flavors.While I may prefer wines made of the less familiar grapes, it’s hard to argue with the quality of this bottle.

Part of what made the Biblia Chora interesting was its fine structure, a result of vineyards planted at a high enough elevation to offset the heat of the Mediterranean climate.

In northern Greece, elevation does seem to be a crucial factor in determining the character of wines.

Two of the remaining wines, the dry, refreshing 2009 Gai’a Estate and the bright, earthy 2007 Tsantali Reserve, are both agiorgtiko, the grape of Nemea in eastern Pelopponese. These wines seemed a little more accessible than the xinomavros, but perhaps not as complex.

Despite the variety of Greek reds available, it pays to be cautious when buying. With wines like these, which are gaining in popularity but haven’t truly caught on, storage issues are a concern. By all means, investigate recent vintages. But dusty bottles that look as if they’ve been on a warm shelf for too long? They may recall the oxidized reds of yore. Steer clear. epikouria

5/15/12 4:47 PM

Wine Guide

1/2 Thymiopoulos Naoussa, Macedonia Uranos Xinomavro 2008, $25 Tannic ye t balanced; pleasant combination of red fruit, herbal and floral flavors.

(Athenee Impor ter s, Hempstead, N.Y.)

Gerovassiliou Epanomi Avaton, 2006, $48 Dar k and dense with s avo r y f r u i t a r o m a s and lush texture. (Cava Spiliadis, Astoria, N.Y. Astoria, N.Y.)

Tsantali Nemea, Peloponnese Reserve Agiorgtiko 2007, $25 Minty, earthy fruit aromas with juicy flavors of bright fruit. (Fantis Imports, Carlstadt, N.J.)

20_25_WINE THE NEW REDS.indd 23

Porto Carras Côtes de Meliton, Limnio 2010 Fresh and fr uity with aromas of spicy, jammy fr uit and cinnamon.

(Athenee Importers)

Gai’a Estate Nemea, Peloponnese Agiorgtiko 2009, $19 Lively and refreshing with flavors of dark fruit and anise.

(Athenee Importers)

Dio Fili Macedonia, Xinomavro 2008, $20 Tannic yet juicy and deeply fruity.

(Nicholas Imports, Chantilly,Va.)

5/15/12 4:47 PM

Wine Guide

At lunchtime by the pool at La Mamounia, the lavish hotel in Marrakesh, the buffet is global. The grilled lobsters were tempting to be sure, but a highlight was fish boldly baked Moroccan-style, with spices, herbs, tomatoes and olives. I left Morocco a few weeks ago with the recipe in my notebook and thought of it for our Greek reds. Though the wines could accept a broad range of dishes, one might detect a Greek accent in the fish dish, with its garlic, lemon, parsley, peppers, tomatoes, olives and olive oil. It’s an easy all-in-one recipe that can be served at room temperature. Double or triple it and you have the anchor for a summer party menu, even on a buffet that is less copious than the one in Marrakesh.

Cool some Greek reds to pour alongside.

Baked Fish, Fez Style

Adapted from La Mamounia, Marrakesh

By Florence Fabricant Total time: 1 hour Serves: 4

Ingredients 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika, preferably hot 1 pinch saffron threads, crushed 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets (4 fillets): fluke, black sea bass, hake 1 pound large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, in 1/2-inch-thick slices 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Salt and black pepper 1 red bell pepper, cored and slivered 1 pint (1 pound) cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives.

Preparation Combine garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, paprika and saffron in a dish big enough for the fish. Mix vinegar, lemon juice and tomato paste in a small bowl. Add to dish and mix. Place fillets in the dish, turning to coat them, cover and set aside to marinate 2 hours at room temperature, if refrigerated.

Place potatoes in a saucepan, add water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Drain.

Brush a baking dish that can go to the table and will hold the fish in a single layer with a little of the oil. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread potatoes in dish, season with salt and pepper, and place fish fillets on top.

Scatter peppers and tomatoes over fish.Add a little more salt and pepper. Spoon any excess marinade over fish, strew with olives, drizzle with remaining oil and bake about 30 minutes, until fish is just cooked through.

“From The New York Times on the Web (c) The New York Times Company. Reprinted with Permission.”

24

20_25_WINE THE NEW REDS.indd 24

epikouria

5/14/12 5:34 PM

20_25_WINE THE NEW REDS.indd 25

5/14/12 5:34 PM

World

Recipes Greek ingredients, haute cuisine

26

26_37_RECIPES.indd 26

epikouria

5/14/12 5:36 PM

26_37_RECIPES.indd 27

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Photo: George Drakopoulos 1 Food Styling: Tina Webb

Appetizers

Cretan Pies stuffed with onions and cheese Yields 24 Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients For the dough: 1 kg all-purpose flour ½ cup (120ml) olive oil ¼ cup (60ml) Ouzo 1 egg 1 level tbsp salt Tepid water – enough to make a pliable dough

For the filling: 4 large onions cut into fine slices 6 cherry tomatoes quartered 3 cups (400 grams) Greek anthotiro cheese 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp sugar

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Preparation Put all the ingredients for the dough into a large bowl and slowly add tepid water to form a pliable dough.Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead well until smooth. Divide the dough into 24 balls, cover them with cling film and set aside to rest for 1 hour.

Sauté the onions in a skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to brown.

Add the sugar and tomatoes and tomato purée and stir until the liquid has been absorbed. Allow the mixture to cool and then add the cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

On a floured surface, roll out all the balls of dough into circles. Place the filling equally on the bottom half of each of the circles making sure to leave the bottom lip free. Fold the top half of the pastry circle over the filling, but without covering the bottom lip.With your thumb and index finger fold the bottom lip over the top edge and press. Go all the way round folding and pressing. Deep fry the pies in batches in Canola oil, 2 minutes on each side.

Drain and serve.

28

26_37_RECIPES.indd 28

epikouria

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Appetizers

Spiced Fig Cakes (Sykomaïtha) Sykomaïtha not sweets, but a snack to go with Ouzo

Serves 4 Total Time: 2 hour 30 minutes Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients: 2 1/4 pounds (1 kilogram) dried figs 3 1/2 ounces of masticha liqueur from Chios Island 31/2 ounces of Ouzo 7/8 cup (120 grams) grape must 7/8 cup (120 grams) crushed walnuts 1 bunch of fresh fennel leaves 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon aniseed 1 tablespoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon cinnamon fig leaves string epikouria

26_37_RECIPES.indd 29

Preparation: Form the mixture into small, round balls. Brush each ball with grape must and wrap it in fig leaves, tied with kitchen string.

Cook in a 125°F (50°C) oven for two hours. Serve with Ouzo. They will keep for 1 year.

Put the figs in a large bowl and knead until they become a smooth mixture.

Add all remaining ingredients: mastiha liqueur, remaining ouzo, walnuts, fennel, pepper, aniseed, cloves, and cinnamon. Knead all ingredients until well and evenly blended.Taste, and if too bitter, add a little sugar.

When the mixture is well kneaded, form into balls the size of large meatballs (the traditional shape is round, however they can be made in almost any shape). Brush each ball with grape must to make it more flexible and shiny.

Wrap each ball in fig leaves. Generally, one leaf on top and one on the bottom will be enough. Wrap edges of the leaves around the ball to cover, tie with string, knot, and cut off excess.

Cook in a slow oven 120-125°F (50°C) for two hours.

Serve with Ouzo.They will keep for 1 year.

29

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Appetizers

Warm Manouri Cheese with Fragrant Kalamata Olives Serves 4 as an hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvre Total time: 15 minutes Prep time: 2 minutes

Ingredients 20 Kalamata Olives 3 fresh thyme sprigs 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil Pinch grated lemon zest Pepper to taste (do not add salt as the olives are salty enough) 1 Scoop Manouri Cheese, or other goat cheese

Cook time: 4 minutes

Preparation Heat olives, thyme, oil, zest, and pepper in a small skillet or saucepan over low heat until fragrant (do not simmer).

Cool to room temperature.

Serve olive mixture over cheese. Cheese may also be warmed in the oven.

30

26_37_RECIPES.indd 30

epikouria

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Marinated Eggplant with Capers, Mint and Feta Total time: 15 minutes Prep time: 2 minutes Cook time: 4 minutes

Ingredients 1 large eggplant, sliced into rounds 5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red-wine vinegar Handful chopped mint 20 small Greek capers, rinsed Salt and pepper Crumbled Feta to taste

26_37_RECIPES.indd 31

Preparation Preheat broiler. Arrange eggplant in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Broil about 4 inches from heat, turning once, until golden, approximately ten minutes.

Stir together vinegar, mint, capers, salt, teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil and toss with warm eggplant. Marinate at least 20 minutes. Ser ve with crumbled Feta.

5/15/12 4:18 PM

Salads

Chicken Salad à la Grecque Serves 4 Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients For the chicken marinade: Juice of one lemon ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil Generous pinch of Greek oregano Salt and pepper 4 boneless chicken breasts For the dressing: ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil Juice of one lemon Pinch of oregano Dash of balsamic vinegar 2 cloves of garlic, minced Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad: 2 hearts of Romaine lettuce 30 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 hothouse cucumber, peeled and sliced into rounds 1 small red onion, sliced thinly 10 pitted Kalamata olives ¼ cup (32 grams) Greek Feta

Preparation: In a non-reactive dish, mix together marinade ingredients, add the chicken breasts, rubbing both sides in the marinade, cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it for 30 minutes to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

For the dressing, place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together to combine. Shred the lettuce and place it and the other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Cook the chicken over high heat until well-browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then slice it thinly. Pour the dressing on the salad, toss, and place the chicken slices on top.

32

26_37_RECIPES.indd 32

epikouria

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Salads

Warm Barley Salad with Aegina Pistachios and Pear Serves 2 as a side dish Total time: 40 minutes Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 1/3 cup pearl barley 3 tablespoons shelled Aegina pistachios Generous handful fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, coarsely chopped 1 celery rib 1/2 small head radicchio (about 1 1/2 ounces) 1/2 firm-ripe pear 1/4 cup crumbled Antithiro cheese, or Feta 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

Preparation: Boil barley until tender (takes about 30 minutes).

While barley is cooking, in a baking pan toast walnuts in middle of oven until golden, about 7 minutes. Dice celery and radicchio. Peel and core and dice pear. Drain barley in a sieve and transfer to a bowl. Add Anthotiro or Feta to barley and add pistachios, parsley, celery, radicchio, pear, lemon juice, oil, and salt and pepper to taste.Toss salad until combined. epikouria

26_37_RECIPES.indd 33

33

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Mains Spicy Meatballs Serves 4 Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients 1 pound lean ground beef, veal, lamb or pork or a combination 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 4-5 scallions (white plus most of the green parts), finely chopped 1/2 cup (64 grams) coarse bulgur 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Dash of olive oil, plus oil for sautéing 4 garlic cloves, finely minced Pinch of ground cumin Salt and pepper to taste 1 large sweet onion, sliced into rounds 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry red wine 1-2 boxes of Pomi chopped tomatoes 1 cinnamon stick

Preparation: In a large bowl, combine the meat, parsley, scallions, bulgur, egg, 2 tablespoons of the oil, half the minced garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Knead well, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Shape the meat mixture into small balls. Dust with flour and fry in a skillet until brown on all sides. Set aside. In a deep skillet, sauté the onion until translucent. Add the rest of the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the wine.

Stir in the tomatoes and cinnamon stick. Place the meatballs in the skillet and simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through. Remove the cinnamon stick and garnish with additional parsley.

34

26_37_RECIPES.indd 34

epikouria

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Mains

Tomatoes stuffed with Rice and Lamb Serves 4 Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients 8 large firm tomatoes (each 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter) Olive oil for sautéing 1 large onion, chopped 1 pound (450 gr) ground lamb 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry red wine Scant handful chopped fresh mint

Scant handful chopped fresh parsley Pinch ground cinnamon Pinch cumin 3/4 cup (100 gr) cooked long-grain white rice, such as Freshly grated Kasseri cheese

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut off top third of tomatoes; chop tops and reserve.

Scoop out seeds, juice, and pulp from tomatoes and discard. Sauté onion until tender and golden, about 8 minutes.Add lamb and sauté until browned, about 7 minutes. Add chopped tomato tops, wine, mint, half the parsley, cinnamon and cumin. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes. Stir in cooked white rice. Place tomatoes in glass baking dish. Spoon lamb mixture into tomatoes and sprinkle each with grated cheese. Bake until the cheese begins to turn golden, about 25 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining parsley. epikouria

26_37_RECIPES.indd 35

35

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Mains

Grilled Steak with feta, caper and olive spread and grilled red peppers Serves 4 Total Time: 1 hour Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes

36

26_37_RECIPES.indd 36

Preparation and Ingredients For the Spread In a bowl, Combine thoroughly : 8 oz. Greek feta cheese 4 tbls (60 ml) heavy cream Pinch coarse chopped Greek capers 12 finely chopped Kalamata olives 1 tbls finely chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste 1 clove garlic, finely chopped Mix to a soft paste and set aside (may be prepared ahead of time, chilled but returned to room temperature 30 minutes before use)

For the peppers Cook 4 peppers on grill turning to char all sides then place in a paper or plastic bag to steam.

Peel when cool enough to handle and discard tops and seeds.

Slice the soft peppers and set aside.

For the Steak 4 5-6 oz. r ib eye steaks approximately 2 inches (50 mm) thick Rub with Greek olive oil, salt and pepper Grill on High heat, 5 minutes per side for medium rare turning only once. *It is important to let the Steaks rest for 5 minutes lightly tented with foil.

To Serve: Plate each Steak and top with a dollop of Greek Feta Spread and lay 4-5 slices of red pepper on top. epikouria

5/14/12 5:37 PM

Mains

Ultimate Greek BLT Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients For the spread 4 oz. Katiki cheese 2 tbls. (30 ml) Greek yogurt 5 coarsely chopped Greek Green olives 5 caper berries coarsely chopped (optional) Dash Greek olive oil Salt and pepper to taste For the Sandwich ingredients: 12 slices of good bacon, cooked 4 lettuce leaves 8 slices of heirloom tomatoes Dash of sugar Olive oil for grilling 8 slices peasant style, crusty bread

epikouria

26_37_RECIPES.indd 37

Preparation: Brush and grill the 8 slices of crusty bread and spread each slice with the Katiki/yogurt spread. Top 4 of the slices with 3 slices of bacon, 2 slices of tomato and 1 lettuce leaf.

Top these 4 slices of bread with the remaining 4 slices of dressed bread.

37

5/14/12 5:37 PM

10+1 Sardines

1. Sardines are not a fish: they are dozens of different small fish sharing one name. In the Mediterranean, they are pilchards, in North America, herring and in Norway, sprats.

2. The term “sardines” comes from the Ancient Greek word Sardellos. Small fish have been a mainstay of the Greek diet for millennium, especially for the poorer classes.

3. Greek fisherman hunt for sardines in much the same way as their ancestors. Small sailing boats go out at night with nets and flaming torches to attract the fish. Today, however, the torches are electric.

4. The Greek historian Strabo (64/63 BC – ca. AD 24) recounted a tale about a musician defeated by fish. Every day in Athens at a proscribed time, the fish mongers were allowed to sell their wares. To announce this event to the public, a bell was rung. One day a musician was playing his lyre for a rapt audience when the fish bell rang. All but one of his listeners hurried off. The musician thanked his audience of one for staying. It turned out he was deaf.

38

38_39_10+1.indd 38

5. Sardines are high in nutrients, minerals and omerga-3 fatty acids, which helps prevent both cardiovascular disease and Alzhiermers.

6. Freshly grilled sardines are a treat, but when most people think of sardines, they think of them packed in a tin.

Canning technology made t he sardine a s tar.

Long before canning was invented, the peoples of the Mediterranean were packing the fish in earthenware containers and preserving them with olive oil.

7. The island of Mytilene in the North Aegean is famous for their Sardines. Each year, usually on the first weekend in August, the island hosts a Sardine Festival in the village square of Skala Kaloni. The sardines are free (and so is the ouzo).

8. These little fish maybe healthy in health, but they are low on the food chain, which means they contain fewer contaminants, like mercury, than their larger brethren.

9. The best sardines are always preserved fresh. Merely ordinary sardines are frozen, then fried and processed.

10. Some gourmands keep sardine cellars in much the same way oenophiles keep wine cellars. Vintage, or aged (sometimes for as long as 30 years), fine sardines are a rare delicacy. Sardine tins must be turned every 30 days to ensure consistent aging.

11. The close packing of sardines in a can inspired a children’s game in which one person hides and each successive person who finds the hider packs into the hiding spot until there is only one left out – whose punishment is to be the next hider.

epikouria

5/14/12 5:39 PM

38_39_10+1.indd 39

5/14/12 5:39 PM

sourcing info CHEESE AMARI S.A. www.amarisa.gr ARVANITIS S.A. www.cheese.gr

METSOVO S.A. www.metsovosa.gr

FILOTAS BELAS & SON S.A. www.belasfoods.com

MEVGAL S.A. www.mevgal.gr

FRIESLANDCAMPINA HELLAS S.A. www.nounou.gr

MINERVA S.A. www.minerva.com.gr

G.TROULIARIS & CO www.trouliaris.gr

AVIGAL S.A. www.avigal.gr

GALAKTKOMIKI TRIPOLIS S.A. www.galaktokomikitripolis.gr

BASDRAS S.A. www.basdras.gr

HELLENIC PROTEIN SA www.hellenicprotein.gr

BIOFARM S.A. www.biofarm.gr

HOTOS S.A. www.hotos.gr

BIOPGAL www.biopgal.gr

IRAKLIS KAIDANTZIS & CO www.kaidatzis.gr

BIZIOS S.A. www.bizios.gr

KARALIS S.A. www.karalis.gr

D. RODOS BROS S.A. www.lesvigal.gr

KL. KLEPKOS & CO www.klepkos.gr

DELFI S.A. www.delfisa.gr

KOLIOS S.A. www.kolios.gr

DODONI SA. www.dodonidairy.com

LEADER A.E. www.leaderfoods.gr

NEOGAL S.A. www.neogal.gr NIKAS S.A. www.nikas.gr OLIMPIAKI PARADOSI L.T.D. www.olpa.gr OLYMPOS S.A. www.olympos.gr PAPATHANASIOY S.A. www.papathanasiouabee.gr PARADOSI S.A. www.paradosi.gr PUREGREEK.COM LTD www.puregreek.com ROUSSAS S.A. www.roussas.gr S.H.M. HELLAS S.A. www.shm.gr TYRAS S.A. www.tyras.gr

E.THIMELIS SA www.thimelischeese.gr

LIMNOS DAIRY – G & S MARKAKIS S.A. www.kalathakilimnou.gr

U.A.C. OF RETHYMNO www.easreth.gr

EPIROS S.A. www.optima.gr

LYKAS & Co www.lykas.gr

VIOTROS S.A. www.viotros.gr

EVROFARMA S.A. www.evrofarma.gr

MATIS BROS S.A. www.matis.gr

VOULGARIS BROS S.A. www.voulgari.gr

40

40_47_SOUR.indd 40

FAGE S.A. www.fage.gr

epikouria

5/15/12 5:23 PM

SIOURAS S.A. www.siouras.gr TSAROUCHAS BROS S.A. www.tsarouchas.eu CAPER

40_47_SOUR.indd 41

LIQUER MASTIHA

ROYAL TSATSOULIS SA www.royal.gr

D’ ARTEMIS – FILIPPOPOULOS VLAS. & CO. www.dartemis.gr

SANTOWINES www.santowines.gr

SKINOS MASTIHA SPIRIT www.myskinos.com

epikouria

THE CHIOS GUM MASTIC GROWERS ASSOCIATION www.gummastic.gr TETTERIS DISTILLERY www.tetteris.gr

MAKEDONIKI – HALVATZIS V. & CO. www.makedoniki.gr OLYMPIA – XENIA S.A. www.olympia-oliveoil.com

STOUPAKIS CHIOS DISTILLERY S.A. www.stoupakis-distillery.gr

VOREAS DISTILLATES S.A. www.voreasdistillates.gr

41

5/15/12 5:23 PM

sourcing info ELEOURGIKI CENTRAL COOPERATIVE UNION www.eleourgiki.com ELGEA L.T.D www.elgea.com.gr NUTS

OLIVES

ANT. DELIPOULIOS S.A. www.dekanuts.gr

AGRICULTURE OF ROVIES www.roviesolives.gr

BALLY NUTS www.ballynuts.gr

AGROMET S.A www.banistradition.com

COSMOS DRIED FRUITS www.cosmosdf.com

AGROKAN HELLAS S.A www.agrocanfoods.com

NIKOS TZITZIS & CO niti@otenet.gr

ALEA S.A www.alea-sa.gr

G. BAKOURIS Ν. BAKOURIS CO www.bakouris.gr

THE NUT STORE – MENEXOPOULOS BROS CO. www.menexopoulos.gr

ARI S.A www.arifoods.gr

GAEA www.gaea.gr

BRETAS S.A. www.bretas.gr

GREEK LAND FOODS LTD www.esti.com.gr

CRETAN TASTE CO. www.cretantaste.gr

HELLENIC FINE OIL S.A. www.hfo.gr

D.E. GEORGOUDIS CO S.A www.olives.gr

ILIDA SA www.ilida.gr

DANCO S.A. www.danco.gr

I. M. STROFILIA LTD www.wermio.gr

DEAS S.A. www.deasolives.gr

INDIANA HELLAS LTD www.indianahellas.gr

ELEONES OF CHALKIDIKI S.A www.olive.gr

INTERCOMM FOODS S.A. www.intercomm.gr

VAMVALIS FOODS S.A. www.pellito.gr MAKIN DRY NUTS www.makin.gr NUTCO S.A www.kalatheri.gr OVAKIMIAN S.A. www.ovakimian.gr

42

40_47_SOUR.indd 42

ELKO OLIVES www.elko-olives.gr EN ALMI www.enalmi.com FRIEDRICH BLAUEL www.blauel.gr

epikouria

5/14/12 5:42 PM

SAMOS VIN DOUX AD 89x247.qxp

2/13/12

4:37 PM

Page 1

KALLONI S.A. www.kalloni.gr KANAKIS www.kanakis.com.gr KAPA OLIVE FARM www.kapaolivefarm.gr KEFALAS - SPARTA S.A www.organicvillage.gr KONSTANTOPOULOS S.A www.konstolymp.gr KOUKOUNARAS S.A www.koukounaras.gr LADAS FOODS S.A. www.ladasfoods.com.gr OLIVELLAS S.A www.olivellas.gr PANTELOPOULOU BROS – “PANPROD” www.panprod.com PELION BRAND – SAPOUNAS & CO www.olivefood.gr PURE GREEK www.puregreek.com ROI S.A. www.lelia.gr ROYAL TSATSOULIS www.royal.gr

40_47_SOUR.indd 43

5/14/12 5:42 PM

sourcing info SEACRETS OF GREECE www.seacrets.gr

AGROTIKH S.A. www.agrotiki-sa.gr

SIOURAS S.A. www.siouras.gr

ALEA S.A www.alea-sa.gr

THIN GREEN NATURAL GOODS www.thinkgreen.gr

AMALTHEA LTD www.amalthea.gr

U.A.C. OF MESSINIA www.messiniaunion.gr

ANDROULAKIS PAVLOS www.androulakisp.gr ASTRIKAS ESTATE – BIOLEA www.biolea.gr BOTZAKIS S.A. CRETA OIL www.creta-oil.gr

OLIVE OIL “NEW ERA” AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE OF GARGALIANI newera-gargaliani.com

CANDIAS OIL www.candiasoil.com COOPERATIVE OLIVE OIL INDUSTRY “ANATOLI”

ELAIS – UNILIVER S.A. www.elais.gr ELEA CRETA eleacreta.gr ELEOURGIKI CENTRAL COOPERATIVE UNION www.eleourgiki.com ELGEA L.T.D www.elgea.com.gr EVRIPIDIS S.A. www.evripidis.com FRIEDRICH BLAUEL www.blauel.gr G. BAKOURIS Ν. BAKOURIS CO www.bakouris.gr

AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE OF THRAPSANO cretan-olive-oil.gr

www.abea.gr CRETAN DELI TASTE www.cretandelitaste.gr

AGRO.VI.M. www.agrovim.gr

CRETAN MYTHOS www.cretanmythos.gr

AGROKAN HELLAS S.A www.agrocanfoods.com

CRETAN TASTE CO. www.cretantaste.gr

GREEK TASTE SUGGESTIONS – GTS www.gts.com.gr

AGROCRETA www.agrocreta.gr

CRITIDA S.A. www.critida.com

GREEKPOL www.greekpol.gr

44

40_47_SOUR.indd 44

BRAHIMO S.A. www.brahimo.gr

DIAMOND MESSINIAN E XTRA OLIVE OIL www.diamonolive.gr

GAEA www.gaea.gr GREEK LAND FOODS LTD www.esti.com.gr

epikouria

5/14/12 5:42 PM

HELLENIC FINE OIL S.A. www.hfo.gr KANAKIS HLIAS www.kanakis.com.gr KEFALAS - SPARTA S.A www.organicvillage.gr KOLUMPARI SA www.kolympari-sa.gr KORE SA www.kore.gr LATZIMAS S.A. www.latzimasoil.gr LIOKARPI PROTOGERAKIS www.oliveoil-kreta.com LYXNARAS VERGINA S.A. www.verginaolives.com MEDBEST SA www.medbest.gr MESSOLONGI FIELDS LTD. www.messolongifields.com MINERVA S.A. www.minerva.com.gr N.GERENTES SA www.gerentesbros.com NUTRIA S.A. www.nutria.gr

40_47_SOUR.indd 45

5/14/12 5:42 PM

sourcing info OLIO GRECO S.A. www.oliogreco.gr

SKRIVANOS KONSTANTINOS www.elaion.com

U.A.C. OF ZAKYNTHOS www.zantecoopunion.com

OLIVE OIL SELECTIONS “MOLEON” www.oliveoilselections.com

SEACRETS OF GREECE www.seacrets.gr

VASILAKIS ESTATE www.vassilakisestate.gr

SPEIRON www.speironoliveoil.com

VINOLIO CRETA (AGIA TRIADA) www.agiatriada-chania.gr

OLYMPIA – XENIA S.A. www.olympia-oliveoil.com “PANEGIALIOS”, U.A.C. OF EGIO www.pesunion.gr PANTELOPOULOU BROS – “PANPROD” www.panprod.com PELION BRAND – SAPOUNAS & CO www.olivefood.gr PEZA UNION www.pezaunion.gr PREMIUM QUALITY FOODS S.A. www.pqf-oliveoil.gr PSALTIRAS NICOS www.psaltiras.gr PURE GREEK www.puregreek.com RAFTELI – PROTOULI MARIA & CO protoulh@otenet.gr 46

40_47_SOUR.indd 46

TERRA CRETA S.A. www.terracreta.gr THEAKOS EXPORT LTD www.sofia-olive.com

ZYMVRAGOUDAKIS D. & TZITZILONIS I. CO. www.cretanearth.gr

U.A.C. OF ILIA & OLYMPIA www.easho.gr U.A.C. OF IRAKLIO www.agrunion.gr U.A.C. OF KORINTHOS www.eask.gr U.A.C. OF LESVOS www.lesel.gr U.A.C. OF MESSINIA www.messiniaunion.gr U.A.C. OF MESSARA www.easmessaras.gr U.A.C. OF MESSOLOGI www.easmn.gr U.A.C. OF SITIA www.sitiacoop.gr

OUZO AGRICULTURAL WINERY COOPERATIVE OF TIRNAVOS www.tirnavoswinery.gr ARGO WINE APOSTOLAKIS S.A. www.apostolakiswinery.gr B.G. SPILIOPOULOS S.A. www.spiliopoulos.gr BARBAYANNIS LIQUOR DISTILLERIES LTD www.barbayanni-ouzo.com D’ ARTEMIS – FILIPPOPOULOS VLAS. & CO. www.dartemis.gr epikouria

5/14/12 5:42 PM

DISTILLERY-WINERY OF THRACE S.A. www.greek-ouzo.com E.TSANTALIS S.A. www.tsantali.gr GREEK DISTILLATION COMPANY (E.V.A.) www.ouzodimino.gr IS. ARVANITIS S.A. www.ouzoplomari.gr KATSAROS NIKOLAOS & CO. www.ouzotirnavou.gr

TETTERIS DISTILLERY www.tetteris.gr

GAIA WINES www.gaia-wines.gr

THESSALIKI DISTILLERY S.A. www.ouzoharma.gr

KATOGI & STROFILIA SA www.katogi-strofilia.gr

THIN GREEN NATURAL GOODS www.thinkgreen.gr

KYR-YIANNI ESTATE www.kiryianni.gr

VANTANA DISTILLERY www.vantana.gr VOREAS DISTILLATES S.A. www.voreasdistillates.gr

PORTO CARRAS www.portocarraswines.gr THYMIOPOULOS VINEYARDS www.thymiopoulosvineyards.com

KOSTEAS DISTILLERY www.ouzokosteas.gr N. KALOYANNI BROS. S.A. www.ouzo12.com PERNOD RICARD HELLAS www.ouzomini.gr PILAVAS S.A. www.pilavas.gr SPANOS BROS CO. www.ouzomagia.gr STATHOPOULOS BROS www.ouzochris.gr STOUPAKIS CHIOS DISTILLERY S.A. www.stoupakis-distillery.gr epikouria

40_47_SOUR.indd 47

WINE ARGYROS ESTATE www.estate-argyros.com DIO FILI ESTATE www.diofili.gr DOMAINE BIBLIA CHORA www.bibliachora.gr DOMAINE GEROVASSILIOU www.gerovassiliou.gr E.TSANTALIS S.A. www.tsantali.gr 47

5/14/12 5:42 PM

Tall Boys They are called the Evzoni – the well gir ted ones – ina word found in Homer’s Iliad used to describe elite in fantry units. Formed in 1867, the Evzoni fought with spirit and distinction as elite shock troops in the Balkan Wars, WWI, The Asia Minor Campaign and the Greco-Italian War. During the German invasion of Athens, a young Evzoni was guarding the Greek flag atop the Acropolis.

The Germans ordered him to lower the Greek flag and replace it with the Swastika. He complied, but refused to hand the Greek flag over to the invaders. Instead, he wrapped the flag around his body and threw himself off the Acropolis hill to his death..

Today, the Evzoni’s duties are purely ceremonial – they act as the Presidential Guard. While they may not see combat duty, theirs’ is a tough job, demanding se serious stamina and fortitude. Each Evzoni must stand guard one hour three times every 48 hours. Like the Beefeaters at Buckingham Palace, they may not move a muscle, even if provoked by playful tourists. In 2001, during a demonstration in front of Parliament, a Molotov cocktail was hurled into an Evzoni guardhouse, setting it on fire. The Evzoni himself did not react. He stayed at his post until ordered by a superior to stand down.

One side of his uniform was scorched and smoking.

The uniform of the Evzoni is a reproduction of the outfit worn by the Klephts and other famous guerilla fighters of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. The key feature of the uniform is a skirt-like garment called a fustenella, itself a derivation of a classical Greek era tunic called a chitonium which was worn by ancient soldiers. Soldiers must be over 6’1” to qualify for consideration as an Evzoni. Tall boys look good in skirts.

48

48_LASTLOOK.indd 48

epikouria

5/14/12 5:43 PM

Project1_Layout 1 05/04/2012 11:55 π.μ. Page 1

EPIK_COVER(final).indd 2

5/11/12 4:59 PM

Issue14 Spring / Summer 2012

Issue14 Spring / Summer 2012 www.epikouria.com â&#x201A;Ź6.50

Small Business

ISSN 1790-5141

Small Business Odyssey

Odyssey

EPIK_COVER.indd 1

5/14/12 2:19 PM