6 minute read
TRAVEL
Experiencing the beauty and tastes of Greece | By Lisa Martin
Cruising on the new Celebrity Apex around Greece brought me to places I remember learning about in school. I did not want to blink while looking at the Parthenon lit up at night from the roof top restaurant of my hotel. I met a very friendly driver who showed me to the highlights of Athens, and he treated me to lunch with the best feta I had ever tasted. The sailing, which included visits to Santorini and Mykonos, was marvelous. I saw with my own eyes Santorini’s famous white buildings with blue roofs while Mykonos offered windmills and a beautiful of winding streets to walk through. My final destination on Mykonos was “Mykonos Farmers” and it made me feel that I was truly experiencing Greece.
I went with a group from the ship. We came to a building with outside tables with the sign “Mykonos Farmers” above the pergola and we were immediately welcomed by George, the owner. He offered Greek coffee, and everyone was interested. The coffee came, lightly swirled with a fine layer of foam. Now my tastebuds were up and awake with this morning elixir. Next, we were offered a delicious bowl of his own yogurt. Creamy with just the right amount of tang -- and before we could take our second spoonful, George came out with his own local cherry preserves to dollop on the yogurt if we wished. I wished and it was wonderfully flavorful and sweet!
Our group was then welcomed into the cheese shop where there was a spread of four trays with different cheeses. The cheese tasting had a wide range of flavors, each having its own place in recipes or pairings. There were refrigerators with cheese and a spotless kitchen where George’s daughter and wife assisted in our lesson. George’s cheese making classes and workshops feature traditional recipes from his family.
First, we learned about the cheeses he made, then he taught us how to make cheese, showing us three strainers that each generation in his family had used for that purpose.
There were four parts to the next lesson. George made phyllo and brought out his tirovolia – soft Mykonian cheese. With these two main ingredients he made a fresh cheese pie and fried cheese rafioli. With strips of the phyllo, he made fried dough sprinkled with sugar. Last were cookies filled with cheese, drizzled with honey, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. During this cooking lesson we were warmed by the story of how his family would have these treats to eat during the day.
After our lesson about cheese making and cooking with that cheese, we were sent off, but not before we were given another sample of cheese. I purchased a jar of George’s dark red cherry preserves and more cheese to enjoy on my trip. Included in the folder George gave us was the recipe we made during this class. (See page 37.)
Kremidopopita – Onion Pie
Makes 30-40 pieces.
Ingredients:
Filling
1 kg tirovolia unsalted cheese -You can also use ricotta cheese (approx. 24 ounces) 2 eggs ½ bunch dill 3-4 fresh medium-sized onions Salt and pepper 200 g spinach, finely chopped (precut not packed measure =6 cups)
Pastry
700 g self-rising flour (5.5 cups) 100 g olive oil (7.5 TBS) 1 tsp salt 3 tbs vinegar Lukewarm water, as much as needed
Directions:
To prepare the pastry, we mix all the ingredients for dough and knead thoroughly. Divide the dough into 2 buns. Put some flour on a surface, so that the dough will not stick and with the rolling pin roll out and stretch the dough shaping it as a sheet.
Mix all the ingredients for the filling. Brush lightly the oven pan with some olive oil and place the bottom sheet of dough. Add the filling with a spoon. Spread out top sheet of dough, place it on the pan to cover filling. Cut the pie with a knife into square pieces. Bake in a medium pre-heated oven for about 50 minutes (180C) (350 F) until the pastry becomes golden brown. n
Lisa Martin,Travel Advisor, Luxury Cruise Specialist, ACC, Cruise Planners; Land and Cruise 860.929.0708 lisa.martin@ cruiseplanners.com TotalTravelToday.com
Q: How did you became the 3rd generation cheese farmer in your family?
A: I was the youngest of my brothers and sisters and as tradition has it in Greece, the youngest of the family stays on with the eldest to take care of them. My grandmother became a widow at 47 years of age, and she had to raise 11 children, so it was upon me to help the grandmother for the cheese making and endeavors.
Q: What are the four types of cheese you create and what makes each of them special?
A: At Mykonos Farmers we are producing Xinotiro, which is a sour cheese and works as a Mykonian style of feta; Tirovolia , which is a work-in-process cheese used to make pies and sweet and sour appetizers; Kopanisti which is a DOP cheese [ which means Protected Designation of Origin] and very spicy. Because of its capacity not to need refrigeration it was very popular in the second part of the previous century and is still produced for its acute taste; and Gruyere which is mature cheese out of sheeps’ milk that gets assimilated by the human body very easily giving you enough energy to run all day.
Q: At what temperature do you recommend eating these cheeses?
A: The best temperature to eat cheese is room temperature.
Q: Are there cheeses that you only make during certain seasons?
A: Xinotiro and Tirovolia are made yearround. Kopanisti and Gruyere are made in the spring when the milk is the richest.
Q: Please tell me about the goats, sheep, and cows that provide the milk for your cheese.
A: All our animals are out in the open, close to nature and not confined in stables. Also, another important factor for the animals to produce good quality milk is for them to be "happy.” This is achieved when the animals are not confined and when they feel loved!
Q: What is your favorite way to eat cheese?
A: The best way to eat Kopanisti is on a rusk, with grapes or tomatoes. Tirovolia is at its best when it is mixed with honey in sweet plates. Xinotiro along with a tomato and some olive oil is a lightweight full-of-energy meal.
Q: What part of your job makes you happiest?
A: Communicating with people and trying to pass on to them the beauty of simplicity and best ingredients will always give you the best outcome is what makes me happiest. n
George, the owner of Mykonos Farmers and his daughter lead a cooking class featureing Greek cheese.
