093424 Greekgourmet Vol 03

SUMMER 2006

Ouzo / New York’s Greek Revival / Peaches to Love / Spoon Sweets /Santorini’s Volcanic Wines / Crete’s Cuisine / Greek Summer Kerasma Recipes

3 GREEKGOURMETRAVELER

ContentsISSUE 3 SUMMER 2006

Letter from the President of HEPO 4

Letter from the CEO of HEPO 5

Kerasma Faces-Kerasma Places 7

Letter from the Greek Finance Minister 8

Letter from the Editor 11

Eat a Peach! 13

By Orestes Davias

Big Apple Greek: In New York, Greek Restaurants are Hot 19

By Daphne Zepos

Great New Dishes From New York's Greek Restaurants 27

Ouzo 101: Greece’s National Drink is a Way of Life 37

By Konstantinos Lazarakis

Farming the Sea: Greek Mariculture Thrives 45

By Rachel Howard

Wines from a Volcano 53

By Constantine Stergides

Spoonfuls of Hospitality: Greek Spoon Sweets Return to the Plate 61

By Georgia Kofinas

Crete: Memories of a Cookbook Writer 68

By Diana Farr Louis

Crete on the Plate: Home Cooking and Restaurant Recipes 81

Kerasma Summer in the Kitchen: Menus and Recipes 93

from Greek Island Restaurants

Kerasma: Treat Your Taste with Great Recipes for Ouzo, 103

Assyrtico Wine, Farmed Fish, Spoon Sweets, and Peaches

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF HEPO

The first International KERASMA Conference in Athens this past March was a unique

and…delicious…experience! More than 100 retail buyers and food and wine journalists

joined us from around the world to experience and assess the campaign we began

here at HEPO as KERASMA-Greek Treats. They sampled dishes prepared from our

core of top Greek chefs, with the best, most unique regional Greek products. Each

meal was organized around a full range of accompanying Greek wines, unique in

themselves because of the vast spectrum of indigenous Greek grape varietals. Of

course, our “Kerasma”-treats-included ouzo, too, the national drink of Greece.

I wanted to take the opportunity to remind readers, yet again, of the enormous

range of Greek food products and spirits, all of them borne of the Greek earth, its

mountainous mainland and its myriad islands. Each of these products has its own

unique character and identity, among them: exceptional extra-virgin Greek olive

oil, honey—the most aromatic in the world—fresh and processed fruits, herbs,

spices such as mastiha and Greek saffron, feta cheese and more. Our wines, pro-

duced from truly unusual and unique local grapes, our cheeses, different in every

village, island, and mountain locale, and our fish, farmed in state-of-the-art facili-

ties all over the Aegean round out the palette of Greek gastronomic treasures.

Our guests in March also had the opportunity to learn more about something

extremely basic to the Greek table—its innate healthfulness. Greek cuisine is the

heart of Mediterranean cuisine, the soul of the Mediterranean Diet. In this issue,

we tout at least one aspect of the healthful Greek table, Crete. Crete was at the

very core of the Mediterranean Diet Studies. It is a land like no other, where the

riches of the table also happen to be extremely healthful: Olive oil, olives, whole-

grain breads and rusks, fruits, wild greens, and pulses, prepared with ingenuity

and variety, are at the core of the Cretan diet.

Our aim is to share the Greek table with the rest of the world. Until now, it has

been almost exclusively a local, familial pleasure. But the Kerasma Conference was

the catalyst to help us forge friendships and introduce our long-term plans for pro-

moting the delicious, healthful foods of Greece to a wide, international audience.

We would love to invite all of you who were not with us in March to savor the deli-

cacies of the Greek earth. We'll see you in September at SIAL in Paris. We'll do what

we do best there—run a great Greek restaurant in the heart of the show, where you

will be able to sample a gamut of dishes that are part of our unique Kerasma—

Treat Your Taste campaign.

Panagiotis I. Papastavrou

President

HEPO


LETTER FROM THE CEO OF HEPO

Much has happened in the world of Greek food and beverage promotions since the

last issue of the GreekGourmetraveler.

Way back in March, we at HEPO organized a successful 1st Quality Greek Food,

Wine and Spirits International Conference. The main events were held at the Athens

Concert Hall, where more than 100 buyers, food journalists and industry leaders

came together from eight countries and were treated to a grand array of Greek foods

and wines. Lectures on unique Greek foods and beverages, such as mastiha Chios,

saffron, and indigenous vinis vinifera grapes, live cooking demonstrations, excur-

sions to cheese, olive oil, and wine producers, and a day trip to Greece's quaint, his-

toric first capital, Nafplion, capped off the three-day event.

The efforts, of course, to reach out with a vast array of Greek treats under the

Kerasma campaign continues. HEPO has been on the road, organizing tastings,

informative events, dinners, and an all-around Greek presence in places as diverse as

Dusseldorf, Germany, at Prowein, and Dubai, one of the fastest-growing tourist des-

tinations in the world, where we organized a Greek Food Festival aimed at chefs,

food-and-beverage managers, buyers and journalists. HEPO was at the influential

London Wine & Spirits Fair in May, and, most recently and arguably most presti-

giously, at Roland Garros—The French Open—where we held a series of tastings and

product presentations for more than 250 French buyers, food and wine journalists,

and distributors at the Grand Chelem during the men's and women's finals.

Coinciding with this issue, of course, is the grand specialty food trade event, the

New York Fancy Food Show. HEPO has twice the presence this year than it did in

2005, with 20 Greek food and beverage companies participating. For us, the NASFT

Show marks the start of a long campaign to bring Greek food and beverages into

the consumer mainstream. We've enlisted New York's top Greek restaurants to par-

ticipate in cooking demonstrations, held on each of the show's three days. They

will work with key Greek ingredients, such as feta cheese, olive oil, olives, spices,

spoon sweets and more, to create dishes both traditional and modern, our mantra

for the promotion of Greek foods and spirits abroad.

But that is just the start. The Fall promises to be busy. Greek food and wine will be

in the limelight with events at the United Nations, a New York restaurant promo-

tion, enhanced retail activity, and a grand wine event in October.

Panagiotis Drossos

CEO

HEPO



Kerasma FacesKerasma Places1st Quality Greek Food, Wine & SpiritsInternational Conference


LETTER FROM THE MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE,

MR. GEORGE ALOGOSKOUFIS

The products of Greece are unique and rare. Even though Greece is a small coun-

try and its production capabilities relatively limited, the quality of our foods,

wines and spirits is unrivalled and incomparable.

Every region of Greece is unique; the character of each place shapes the character

of the products produced there. In certain parts of the country the climate is dry.

These are the areas where unique aromatic herbs grow, which in turn provide

bees with their nectar. These bees produce the best honey in the world. In other

areas the terrain is rocky. Upon those rocks the sacred olive tree flourishes. It is

from them that the finest olive oil in the world is produced, olive oil that not only

gives food a splendid taste, but is also beneficial to human health. Elsewhere,

the sea's humidity waters the vineyards at night. These vineyards yield limited

quantities of wine, but wine of an outstanding quality. From each island comes a

different wine, each wine has its own aroma, its own flavor, its own hue.

Many of these products have shaped our myths and formed the basis of our tra-

ditions. They are an integral part of our lives and are the heart and soul of this

country.

Socrates said that we do not live to eat, but eat to live. This is indeed true but in

Greece eating is also an important part of living well. The much heralded

Mediterranean diet is no place more prominent than in the Greek diet, and the

Greek diet is synonymous with good health and quality. It is also distinguished

for its rich variety.

The merits of our cuisine are one of the country's greatest assets. We have only

recently begun to recognize and explore the multifaceted ways in which our cui-

sine can be promoted abroad. For example, Greece, with its small-scale farming

and perfect climate, is ideal for organic farming, and we quickly are recognizing

the importance of cultivating ecologically sound food. For us, the significant

potential of organic products produced in Greece adds to the overall leap in qual-

ity the Greek food, wine, and spirits industry has realized over the last few years.

Greek products are universally acknowledged and distinguished for their quality,

and market research indicates that consumers abroad trust Greek products.


However, for many years our products were not widely available in foreign mar-

kets. In the past, there was little organized political support for Greek products. All

that has changed. The economic potential of Greek cuisine and products has possi-

bilities too vast to ignore.

HEPO has initiated an ambitious campaign to promote Greek products abroad.

This effort is part of a greater plan to expand the horizons of our economy. By

encouraging investment and entrepreneurship we aim to make the most of our

country's comparative advantages. One area we are addressing is the relatively

small size of most Greek companies, which is an obstacle to entering large mar-

kets. The Finance Ministry is giving HEPO more resources to upgrade its institu-

tional framework.

With ever increasing participation in both large and small international and local

exhibitions combined with the active promotion of our products through forums

and other events we can have a dynamic presence in foreign markets. Since we

have restructured our export promotion units we have managed to double our

presence abroad. HEPO has done an outstanding job over the last two years. Two

years ago, we participated in 18 international exhibitions in 2004; in 2005 HEPO

took part in 38.

During the period from 2003 to 2004 there were no business missions abroad. In

2005, 16 business missions abroad were established. For 2006, the main goal of

HEPO is to double its presence in relation to 2005 and within 2 years to triple its

foreign presence.

In Greece, there are many outstanding and reliable companies that produce prod-

ucts of outstanding quality. We motivate them to expand their horizons, to cooper-

ate with foreign firms in order to reach new markets and new heights. One such

program is the έ6 million promotion of Greek olive oil in the USA, Canada, and

Australia cosponsored by the Ministry of Finance and participating companies.

Our commitment is clear: To actively support Greek exports, with decisive plans

and commitment, with intense effort, with modern ideas and methods.

The results of our policy are particularly encouraging. In 2005, exports rose by

13.1% in relation to 2004. In January, they rose by 31.5% in relation to January 2005.

We will continue to strive towards the goals we set before us two years ago and I

am confident that the results will continue to vindicate our endeavors.

George Alogoskoufis

Minister of Economy and Finance


SUMMER 2006

GreekGourmetravelerGreek Food, Wine & Travel Magazine

Editor-in-ChiefDiane Kochilas

Art Director & Designerk2design

HEPO Liaison Anastasia Garyfallou

ContributorsOrestes Davias, Rachel Howard, Georgia Kofinas,

Konstantinos Lazarakis, Diana Farr Louis,

Constantine Stergides, Daphne Zepos

Contributing Chefs Yiannis Baxevannis, Jim Botsakos, Michael Dotson,

Jodi Elliott, Yiorgos Hatziyiannakis, Nena

Ismirnoglou, Lefteris Lazarou, Dimitris & Mihalis

Mavrikos, Babis Mastoridis, Stelios Parliaros,

Christoforos Peskias, Michael Psilakis, Jonathan

Sawyers, Dimitris Skarmoutsos, Michael Symon,

Christos Valtsoglou, Kostas Vassalos

PhotographyBattman, Yiorgos Dracopoulos, Paul Johnson, John

C. Lei, Constantine Pittas, Monica Ruzansky, Liz

Steger, Vassilis Stenos

Food StylingDawn Brown, Tina Webb

PrintingRed Line

G. Kossyfologos & Associates A.E.

87 Byzantiou Street, Nea Ionia 142 34

ISSN1790-5990

CoverVassilis Stenos

PublisherHellenic Foreign Trade Board

Legal representativePanagiotis Drossos, CEO

Marinou Antipa 86-88

Ilioupoli, 163 46 Athens, Greece

Tel: 00 30 210 998 2100

Fax: 00 30 210 996 9100

http://www.hepo.gr

http://www.kerasma.com

Information and subscriptionGreekGourmetraveler, a publication of the Hellenic

Foreign Trade Board, promotes Greek cuisine, wine,

travel, and culture. The magazine is distributed free

of charge to food-, beverage-, wine-, and travel-

industry professionals.

If you wish to subscribe, visit our website at

www.hepo.gr or www.kerasma.com

Reproduction of articles and photographs No articles, recipes, or photographs published in

the GreekGourmetraveler may be reprinted with-

out permission from the publisher. All rights

reserved. GreekGourmetraveler©Hellenic Foreign

Trade Board.


LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Greek summer is a very inviting time of the year: Languid, warm, bright days

inspire Greeks and visitors alike to enjoy all that summer in the heart of the

Mediterranean has to offer, from a little tipple of cool, milky ouzo to a savory island

meze to a luscious piece of summer preserved in the form of spoonfuls of fruit in

syrup.

In this, our third issue of the GreekGourmetraveler, we've lined up some great sum-

mer reads. The issue coincides with the New York Fancy Food Show, but also with

the sudden explosion of haute Greek restaurants in the Big Apple. Greek is hot in

New York right now; in the last three years more than 20 new Greek restaurants,

most of them incredibly designed meccas of much more than moussaka, have

opened their doors. Our intrepid New York correspondent Daphne Zepos peeks into

their pots and dining rooms to see what's cooking in the toughest restaurant city

in the world.

What would a Greek summer be without a Greek peach, plump, juicy, dripping

with honey-sweet nectar. Orestes Davias, our favorite plant guru, dives into the

peach and its lore in Greece, while Georgia Kofinas, a culinary instructor and cook-

book author, recalling the family kitchen rituals of her girlhood in North Carolina,

expounds on the virtues of other sorts of fruit, what the Greeks call glyka tou

koutaliou, a whole range of colorful, seasonal fruits preserved to perfection in

syrup.

Greece in the summer is also about its islands, landscapes as cosmpolitan as

Santorini, as complex as Crete, with a thousand more places in between. We sent

Diana Farr Louis on a journey of rediscovery through Crete, about which she has

written a cookbook; and we asked one of Greece top wine experts, Dino Stergides,

to delve into the unique vineyards of Santorini and write about its national grape,

the intriguing Assyrtico. Finally, we opted to offer up a toast of sorts, to ouzo.

Greece's first Master of Wine, Constantinos Lazarakis, pours forth on the liquorice-

scented aperitif that has become synonymous not only with Greek summer, but

with Greece itself.

All that and more, much more, in the way of recipes for our unique brand of Greek

treats, Kerasma, is what you will find in the summer 2006 issue of the

GreekGourmetraveler.

We hope you enjoy the summer, wherever you are.

Diane Kochilas

Editor-in-Chief

Eat aPeach!

By Orestes Davias

Photography: Vassilis Stenos

Food styling: Dawn Brown

Nothing conveys the seduction of a hot, Greek summer more

than a ripe, succulent Greek peach. The fruit has been endem-

ic to the Mediterranean since time immemorial; ancient

scribes waxed poetic about it. To this day, a juicy, plump Greek

peach—always seasonal, always delicious—is one of the great

pleasures of a Greek summer.


It's been proven on more than one

occasion that the names chosen by

botanists to christen plants aren't

always accurate. A case in point is

the peach, whose scientific name,

Prunus persica, implies that the

fruit arrived from Persia.

As often happens, the fruit's scien-

tific name, meant to corroborate

information declared by naturalists

of the long lost past, really just per-

petuates a fallacy. In the case of

the peach, Pliny the Elder mistak-

enly pointed to Persia as the

peach's original home. In fact, later

scientific evidence points to the

valleys of western China as the

peach's indigenous home, where it

has been cultivated for at least

5,000 years.

Pliny perhaps was misguided by

the fact that the peach did, indeed,

flourish grandly in the Persia of his

time, so much so that the armies

of Alexander the Great brought the

fruit back with them from their

campaigns. It spread quickly and

easily throughout Greece. Pliny

keenly documents the early trials

and tribulations of peach cultiva-

tion, namely that it failed miser-

ably to flourish both on Rhodes

and in Egypt. In both places it is

simply too hot; the peach tree

requires a few weeks of cold

weather each winter in order to

bloom abundantly. It cannot with-

stand extremes, of cold or heat,

and prolonged frost causes dam-

age.

Although peaches have flourished

in many parts of Greece for millen-

nia, one area in particular is espe-

cially suited to their production—

the northern Greek region of

Macedonia, with its temperate

summers, avid rainfall, and cool,

but not icy cold, winters. The areas

of Pella, Edessa and Pieria in cen-

tral Macedonia are especially well-

known for the quality of their


The many faces of a Greek peach: Delicious

canned and spooned over Greek yogurt;

excellent in baking; perfect for a composte

flavored with cinnamon and cloves.


peaches. Each spring, when the

trees flower, their pink and white

blossoms blanket the large stretch

of plain. By June, the first harvest

of Greek peaches begins to arrive in

the market. The fruit ripens slowly

but the harvest lasts all the way

through September, the fruit nour-

ished by the hot Greek summer

sun. Greek peaches are an experi-

ence—plump, juicy, fleshy, and

highly aromatic. They are a favorite

From the 1950s onwards,

peaches have been one of

the agricultural mainstays in

the area, cultivated system-

atically in Northern Greece.

Nectarines arrived later and

gained commercial impor-

tance among growers from

the 1970s onwards.

Most of the peaches grown

commercially in Greece are

yellow-fleshed, although

there are a few white-

fleshed varieties cultivated,

too. In order of commercial

importance, the main table-

fruit varieties cultivated in

Greece are: Red Haven,

Spring Crest, Spring Lady,

June Gold, Flavor Crest,

Maria Bianca, Sun Cloud,

Sun Crest, May Crest, J. H.

Hale, Fayette, and Flaminia.

Other varieties, such as Early

May Crest, Spring Belle,

Royal Glory, and O'Henry are

also cultivated. Among nec-

tarine varieties, the most

commercially important cul-

tivated in Greece are: Stark

Red Gold, Caltesse 2000,

May Grand, Spring Red,

Fantasia, Venus, Sun Free,

Aurelio Grand, Fire Bright,

Adriana, Early Gem, Tasty

Free, and Silver King.

Peaches are the third most

commercially important fruit

export from Greece. The

main variety exported is the

Red Haven. The most impor-

tant markets for fresh Greek

peaches are Holland,

England, Poland, Russia,

Belarus, the Czech Republic,

the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Italy,

Albania, Moldavia, FYROM,

Slovakia and Lithuania.


fruit among the throngs of tourists

used to the peaches from northern

countries, which crunch like a

cucumber when you bite into them

and have little or no taste. Greek

peaches spill their perfumed juices

into your mouth with the first bite,

and their aroma fills whole rooms.

It's not a coincidence that in Greek

art and poetry, the peach, with its

soft, downy skin and its firm but

succulent flesh, has long been a

symbol of joyous love.

There is, of course, a peach varietiy

that doesn't have a downy skin—the

nectarine, which takes its name

from the Greek word nectar, the

elixir of immortality imbibed by the

gods. Nectarines are one of the

most misunderstood fruits. Many

people think they are a hybrid,

either between peaches and prunes

or peaches and apricots, when, in

fact, they are just another species of

peach, Prunus persica var. nucipersica,

which emerged naturally several

centuries ago in the Mediterranean,

most likely in Italy. Even today,

some peach trees occasionally bear

nectarines, and some nectarine

trees occasionally produce peaches.

There are hundreds of peach vari-

eties worldwide; in Greece about

20 are cultivated, approximately 10

of which are commercially impor-

tant. Peaches can be broken down

as yellow-fleshed and white-

fleshed, that latter of which has an

aroma and flavor so intense they

are among the most sought-after

fruits of the Greek summer.

Peaches are also divided according

to their pips, which are either free-

stone and clingstone. Freestone

peaches are most valued by the

formidable Greek peach canning

industry because of the facility

with which they can be halved and

processed.

No matter the variety, peaches are

relatively fragile fruits that require

care and caution when handling,

packing, and shipping. Even a mat-

ter as seemingly simple as refrigera-

tion becomes decidedly more com-

plicated in the case of the peach.

The fruit absorbs ambient odors

easily and reacts to changes in tem-

perature, so if improperly stored its

own aroma will be compromised,

together with its juicy texture.

Greek peach processors are highly

experienced at treating their treas-

ured fruit properly. Greek peaches

have a revered place on the inter-

national market, both as a fresh

and processed mainly canned—

fruit. The speed with which the

fruit is transported from groves to

processing plants ensures that it is

canned at peak freshness; harvest-

ing techniques and equipment, as

well as processing technology, are

state of the art. Greek processed

peaches come in many forms:

frozen; as juice; halved, quartered,

or diced in syrup; sliced as a fruit

composte; as an ingredient for the

frozen dessert sector, namely in ice

creams and sorbets.

Peaches were once thought to

bestow youth and beauty on those

who savored them. While it would

be hard to verify that scientifically,

it's not at all hard to wax poetic

about the fleshy truth of a good

Greek peach: Full of vitamins and

minerals, succulent and perfumed,

whether fresh or canned, Greek

peaches are among the most deli-

cious fruits in the Mediterranean.

VITAL STATISTICS

437,524 number of square meters devoted to peach and nectarine cultiva-

tion in Greece

769,000 tons of peaches and nectarines produced in 2005

32 percentage consumed fresh

48 percentage processed

103,000 number of tons exported in 2005

28,000 number of tons consumed in 2005 by Russia, the foreign country

with largest consumption of Greek peaches

Orestes Davias is a biologist who loves to cook, eat, and write about all sorts of plants.

Big AppleGreek

In New York,Greek Restaurants are HotBy Daphne Zepos

Photography: Battman, Paul Johnson, John C. Lei,

Monica Ruzansky, Liz Steger, Vassilis Stenos

Parea, Ethos, Onera, Ammos, Thalassa, Pylos, Milos, Avra.

Scanning the list of Greek restaurants in the new 2006 Zagat

Survey, the bible for restaurant goers in New York City, a mul-

titude of names flashes and tugs at my heart. These are signifi-

cant words: Parea means group of friends; Onera, dreams; Ethos,

mores, customs; Ammos, sand; Thalassa, sea, Pylos, clay. All of

them are Freudian enough to appear in my dreams.


No matter what their names, one

fact stands out: Greek food has

arrived and is being reinterpreted

in the toughest restaurant city in

the world. In the shadow of New

York, other cities are also finding

themselves in the throes of a Greek

restaurant revolution. Boston, San

Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles,

Philadelphia, and Atlanta, among

other places, are the urban venues

in North America where new Greek

restaurants fast are taking root. In

most cases, the new restaurants

weave a tapestry of time-honored

classics with a twist. Greek food is

navigating itself out of the grilled

fish and taverna mode and into the

deeper waters of more adventure-

some dining. Some, like Pylos, have

carved a niche by presenting ele-

gant regional fare. Others, like

Barbouni, which means red mullet

and occupies a huge space in the

chic east 20s, marry Greek tradi-

tions with more international influ-

ences, pairing the hallowed grilled

octopus, for example, with crystal

ginger.

As of this writing, there are more

than 50 Greek restaurants in the

entire city, including the five bor-

oughs. According to Larry Cohen,

an editor at Zagat, at least 13 have

opened in Manhattan alone since

2003. The city's paper of record, The

New York Times, is on the trail. The

Times has awarded five Greek

restaurants with a coveted two

stars and another two with one

star, no small feat in this demand-

ing city of inveterate restaurant

goers.

Restaurants are theatre, and each

restaurant is a manifestation of its

owner's and/or chef 's vision. In the

last few years, the Greek restau-

rant renaissance has seen a resur-

gence of classicism, with tradition

going upscale, away from the tav-

erna mold, in places such as Milos,

Molyvos, and Avra, all tremendous-

ly successful midtown dining mec-

cas. Each has its own recipe for

success, of course, but they repre-

sent the classic mold recast for fine

dining: Milos as the standardbearer

for exquisite grilled fish, with

places like Trata, on the Upper East

Side, and Thalassa, a gorgeous

restaurant in TriBeCa, following

suite; Molyvos for its home-style

Greek fare; and Avra for its pot-

pourri of just about everything

everyone expects in a Greek restau-

rant in a location most operators

would envy, smack in the heart of

major hotels and office towers.

It was inevitable that Greek restau-

rateurs would eventually come to

realize that their native cuisine is

not about only fish, tomatoes,

feta, and lamb. Over the years, as

the restaurant scene heated up,

some sought advice from Greek

food experts of another ilk—cook-

book authors who have combed

the terrain with the scholarly preci-


sion of culinary anthropologists.

Several Greek restaurants in New

York City, among them Pylos and

Molyvos, have adapted recipes

from their books and tapped into

their considerable wealth of

knowledge of traditional and

regional fare. Molyvos, in mid-

town, broke the mold by building

upon the home-style cooking of

Greece in a warm and friendly set-

ting that looks a lot like a Greek

home, with photographs on every

surface, depicting fiestas and fami-

ly celebrations in Greece. Molyvos

serves Greek bourgeoise cuisine

with its classical and regional roots

still intact. Among my favorite

well-executed classics here is the

Vodino Krassato, a beef short rib

braised in Aghioritico wine, which

has a melt-in-your-mouth texture

and a rich, elusive spiciness.

Pylos, in the more hip East Village,

uses its downtown location and

the poetic license that affords to

build a menu of unusual regional

Greek fare, coupled with a signa-

ture design—the ceiling is covered

with inverted small clay

amphorae—which sparked Frank

Bruni, the New York Times' restau-

rant critic, to call it one of “the pret-

tiest restaurants in the city.”

According to Zagat, it is also among

the top restaurants in the city for

repeat customers. They come for

the unusual renditions of moussa-

ka, with artichokes in spring and

with pumpkin and sweet potato in

autumn; for the Greek-honey-and-

cumin-marinated Cornish game

hens; for the beets layered with

mint-infused feta; and for the

ouzo-spiked chocolate mousse,

playfully named mouzo, among

other signature dishes.

MODERN CLASSICS

The new Greek dining scene is

about both the classic and the

iconoclastic. The newest places,

such Ethos, Ammos, and Kellari,

combine a little of both. Ethos, for

example, opened by two veteran

Manhattan restaurant operators,

got a jolt of authenticity with the

help of another veteran restaura-

teur, Christos Avlonitis, of the clas-

sic Taverna Roumeli in Astoria. He

instructed them on the finer points

of traditional meze, charcoal-

grilled meats (a Taverna Roumeli

special), and grilled whole fish,

which was popular in Astoria long

before crossing the river into

Manhattan kitchens.

At Ammos, the décor aims to cre-

ate a decidedly Greek summer-at-

the-sea feel, a familiar theme han-

dled artfully with mosaics, umbrel-

las, and hand-blown glass. The

chef, Christos Christou, comes

from the Milos-Molyvos fishing

ground, having worked at both

and honed his skills as an expert

grill man for whole-on-the-bone

fish. But the yearning to reach


Opposite page: from left to right, the restau-

rants Barbounia and Thalassa: this page

Pylos restaurant.

beyond the classics appears in

dishes like his sea bass cooked in

clay and another called koupes, a

dish found in Crete and Cyprus

with Middle Eastern overtones

(like the Arabic kibbe). Here the

chef uses crabmeat and lobster in

his bulgur-wheat crust. At Kellari,

another recently opened place on

west 44th Street, the otherwise

classic menu also includes some

novel ideas, like a saganaki tasting

menu, raw tuna meze, melted

goat's cheese specked with

almonds and apricots, and a

braised kid in yogurt.

BREAKING WITH TRADITION

Most excitingly, at least to this

restaurant fan, a spate of places

that consciously break with time-

honored tradition has opened all

across the city. Snack, Parea,

Onera, and Dona lead the pack as

far as adventuresome Greek

and/or Grec-Med food goes.

Snack Taverna, for example, a snap-

py little place in Manhattan's West

Village, grew out of Snack, a hole-

in-the-wall casual Greek place, too

small to even be called a restaurant.

Snack Taverna, though, like Pylos,

reaps the benefits of being in one of

the most vibrant neighborhoods in

the city, a fact that enables it to be

more playful and less tethered to

glories of the past. It was one of the

first restaurants on the scene to

deconstruct the classics and rewrite

scenario of Greek menus. The

restaurant is owned by Greek-

American Elias Varkoutas and Adam

Greene. In the restaurant's Times

review, Eric Asimov wrote about its

“stylish dishes that are presented

with an almost French elegance. It

is not the elemental taverna food…it

is anything but rustic. But it cap-

tures the flavors and spirit that

makes [Greek] dishes so winning.”

Among Snack Taverna's signature

dishes are: grilled octopus with pep-

pers, olives, and radishes, served

with Cretan barley rusks; grilled

Greek sausage with pear and fennel;

and moussaka with ground prunes

instead of ground meat.

The openings continue apace with

Parea, one of the newest restau-

rants as of this writing. The place is

owned in part by Michael Symon, a

culinary wizard from Cleveland

who happens to be part Greek.

Meze is a big part of the menu at

Parea, but so are Symon's unusual

Greek-inspired creations, like


This page the from left to right: Dona,

Onera, and Thalassa: opposite page: Parea,

Molyvos.


CLASSIC GLORIES

While Greeks in the New

York restaurant business go

back to the earliest days of

immigration, for decade

upon decade most Greek

restaurants were either din-

ers or tavernas, with stan-

dard menus that seemed to

be the same everywhere.

Greeks branched out and

began opening other restau-

rants. At some point, the

tide began to turn and Greek

restaurateurs began to look

at their own cuisine differ-

ently, as a potentially high-

end cuisine perfectly fit for

fine dining.

No mention of recent Greek

restaurant history could be

made without paying hom-

age to Periyali and its owner,

veteran restaurateur Steve

Tzolis, who was a maverick

on the scene, opening in 1987

what was essentially the

first modern Greek fine din-

ing establishment, a restau-

rant that dared to serve rab-

bit stew and seared quail,

Greek-style with spinach and

feta, in a space that is Greek

by inference but sophisticat-

ed. In the 1980’s and 1990’s,

Periyali was the place to go

for excellent Greek food.

These days, the restaurant

hardly rests on its laurels.

Last year it was awarded

two stars in the New York

Times. Perhaps Periyali is the

best illustration of the time-

lessness-and timeliness—of

Greek cuisine.

As far as mavericks go,

Costas Spiliades owner of

estiatorio Milos certainly

belongs to the club, too.

Milos was the first Greek

restaurant to be housed in

an ultra-modern, sleek

space designed brilliantly

with marble, glass, and

wood to evoke Greek island

simplicity —and light—

without the least hint of

cliché motifs. If Periyali

made it ok to eat rabbit in a

Greek restaurant, Milos

made it sexy to eat fish, per-

fect fish, displayed stunning-

ly on a mountain of crushed

ice, sold whole, by the

pound. Ordering at Milos is

like a ritual: The patron

peruses the fish and makes a

selection. It is weighed, a

price is spoken, and the

patron returns to the table,

sure that he'll be served the

freshest fish in the city. The

restaurant is filled to the

brim at lunch and dinner,

and has a steady fan club of

New York powerbrokers

who pine after the kitchen's

perfect fried vegetables,

poetically simple but exqui-

site grilled fish, and the sig-

nature crabcakes, among

other things. Milos took a

Greek tradition —that of the

fish taverna— and high-

wired it for upscale audi-

ences. In the process, the

restaurant spawned more

than a few imitators. In the

years after it opened several

similar grilled fish places

opened, but none with quite

the same cache.

Daphne Zepos is a cheese importer, consultant, and chef in New York City.

seafood brined with dill, olives, and

red-wine vinegar and lobster dol-

mathes.

HAUTE AND HOT

Arguably, the one New York Greek

chef most ablaze with inspiration

is Michael Psilakis, the owner of

Onera Restaurant, and partner,

together with Donatella Arpaia in

the just-opened Dona. At Onera,

taking a cue from Aegean fisher-

men who long have held a fond-

ness for raw seafood, Psillakis pres-

ents a delicate raw-fish menu. He

offsets the sweetness of a raw scal-

lop, for example, by a yogurt

cucumber sauce and celery leaves;

sea urchin sits on a sliver of earthy

beet; a briny piece of tuna is

touched by a hint of cinnamon.

Psilakis's vision is to create Greek

Haute Cuisine. Haute Cuisine, to

him, is not only about perfection.

It's about references and connec-

tions.

At Dona, he casts his net over a

larger part of the Mediterranean.

Astoundingly, some dishes are

even more recognizable as Greek.

The sea urchin here is adorned

with a puree of fava beans, burata

cheese and caviar. Instead of

sweet, it is salty, with a Greek-cof-

fee note from the fava beans that

makes it magical. The cheese

course is served as a linear succes-

sion of four flavors: sheep's milk

manouri from Crete, toasted fennel

with praline, sour cherry granita,

and a sip of Mavrodaphne (a dark

sweet wine).

Without doubt, the blue-and-

white, cliché-clutching syndrome

is not representative of Greek

restaurants anymore. Today, Greek

restaurants are rich with a glorious

battalion of genuine delicacies that

have been deconstructed or rein-

terpreted. The recognition of a new

cuisine is born slowly, step by step.

Perhaps the only way to get to the

turning point is to be led by true

visionaries. Many of the most pro-

gressive chefs cooking Greek food

today are taking thoughtful risks

with the foods they grew up on.

Perhaps Psillakis put it best. Daily

he questions the nuances between

“Greek-inspired” and “Greek-influ-

enced.” How far, he asks, can you

push Greek cuisine and still be

Greek cuisine?


This page from left to right: Thalassa, and

Parea: opposite page: Parea.


1. In a large mixing bowl combine

lemon juice, garlic, mustard, oregano,

salt & pepper. Whisk until combined.

Slowly add olive oil in a stream,

whisking to emulsify.

Reserve about 4 tablespoons as a gar-

nish. Set aside.

2. Placing the scallop on its side, slice

thinly into round wheels. Transfer

slices to a deep container with a lid.

Layer the scallops in the container,

top with a bit of the marinade, and

continue to layer with the remaining

slices and marinade. Cover the scal-

lops with a layer of plastic wrap, place

the lid on the container, and refriger-

ate to marinate for 1/2 hour.

3. To serve, place one scallop on a

spoon. Top with a tad of reserved

lemon marinade, diced olives, and

greens and herbs to garnish. Place the

spoons on a rectangular serving tray,

lined with a cloth napkin to prevent

spoons from sliding. Serve immediately.

**Roasted Garlic Puree: Preheat oven

to 400F (200°C). Slice the top off the

garlic bulb so a bit of the cloves is

exposed. Place the bulb of garlic on a

sheet of tin foil, sprinkle with olive oil

(to moisten), salt, and pepper. Gather

the tin foil around the bulb and twist

at the top to enclose. Bake for 25-30

minutes.

Raw Scallops with Greek Olives and Oregano

Chef Michael Psilakis, Onera and Dona Restaurants, New York City

For 6 servings

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. roasted garlic puree ** see steps below

1 Tbsp. smooth Dijon mustard

1 tsp. Greek oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil

6 diver sea scallops, sushi grade quality

10-12 Thassos olives, pitted and finely diced

Microgreens, parsley, or dill chopped finely to garnish

Kerasma New York recipes

Cretan Barley Rusk and Seafood Salad

Chef Jim Botsacos, Molyvos Restaurant, New York City

For 6-8 servings.

1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. Greek extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 lbs. PEI (Prince Edward Island) mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 1/2 cups white wine

12 Gulf shrimp (21-25 per pound) peeled and deveined, cut lengthwise

1/2 lb. sea scallops, cut in quarters

1 lb. calamari, clean tubes and cut into 1/4 inch rounds,

tentacles halved

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup cracked green Greek olives, pitted and sliced

1 cup celery hearts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup scallions, sliced on the bias

1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. fresh mint

1 Tbsp. fresh dill

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 lb. lump crab meat, picked over

(may substitute pasteurized jumbo lump crab meat)

6 Cretan barley rusks

1. In a large, noncorrosive skillet, heat

1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-

high heat. Add the shallots and gar-

lic. Cook for 1 minute, add the mussels

and deglaze with the wine. Increase

heat to high, cover, and cook until all

the mussels have steamed open,

about 3-5 minutes.

2. Remove the skillet from the heat

and discard any mussels which did not

open. Transfer the opened mussels to

a baking sheet to cool. Reduce heat to

medium-low and return the skillet to

the stove. Bring the liquid to a simmer.

3. Add the shrimp, scallops, and cala-

mari. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until

translucent. Use a slotted spoon, and

add the seafood to the mussels to cool.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

4. Meanwhile, when the mussels are

cool enough to handle, remove the

meat from the shell and discard the

shells.

5. Combine the lemon juice, remaining

olive oil, olives, celery hearts, scallions,

reserved cooking liquid, sugar, and

herbs. Season with salt and pepper,

and lightly whisk to combine.

6. Combine all the seafood and dress-

ing in a large nonreactive bowl. Toss

gently to coat. Cover with plastic

wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 hours

before serving.

7. Set out 6 serving plates. Dip the

rusks in warm water and gently shake

to remove excess liquid. Place one

rusk in the center of each plate. Top

with a generous portion of seafood

salad mixture, allowing the juices to

baste the rusk. Drizzle with olive oil

and garnish with lemon slices if

desired.



1. Season red mullet with salt and oil.

Sear skin side down on the plati (flat

top) until cooked through.Plate with

tzatziki, torn mint tossed with blood

orange segments, and garnish fish

with sea salt

1. Chiogga Beet Tzatziki Combine all

ingredients, season to taste, and let

marinate overnight. Color of tzatziki

should be light red.


Red Mullet Plati with Beet Tzatziki and Orange

Chef Jonathan Sawyers, Parea Restaurant, New York City

For 1 serving

1 red mullet (scaled, gutted, filleted, pinnboned)

Pinch of Kosher salt

1 tsp. Greek olive oil

1 Tbsp. Chiogga Beet Tzatiki (see recipe below)

3 blood orange segments

1 mint leaf, torn

Sea salt for garnish

Chiogga Beet Tzatziki 1 Chiogga beet (roasted with salt and olive oil and then diced small)

4 cups Greek strained yogurt

Zest and juice from 1 blood orange

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 sprigs dill, minced

Salt and pepper


1. In a saucepan, dissolve the gelatin

in 1/4 cup cold water. Stir to soften

then heat gently for it to dissolve

completely.

2. Process the strained sour cherries,

sugar, and vanilla at high speed in a

food processor or blender. Add this

mixture to the gelatin and transfer to

a bowl. Mix in the yogurt.

3. Whip the cream with an electric

mixer until stiff and fold it into the

yogurt-cherry mixture. Cover with

plastic wrap and refrigerate for at

least four hours, until firm.

4. Prepare the phyllo: Preheat the oven

to 450 F (220°C). Place two phyllo

sheets on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Cut

into equal size rectangles. Place

another pan on top and bake for about

5-8 minutes, or until golden. Remove

the top sheet pan immediately and let

the phyllo rectangles cool. Repeat until

all the phyllo is used up. Set the pre-

baked phyllo rectangles between layers

of paper towels or parchment and

store in a cool, dry place.

5. To assemble the napoleon: Take

three double rectangles at a time.

Place a teaspoon of the mousse filling

in the center of a serving plate and

place the first phyllo rectangle on top.

Spread a dollop of the yogurt mousse

over it. Place another rectangle over

that, pressing down gently and dollop

some mousse over that, too. Cover

with a third double rectangle. Sift

confectioner's sugar over the top, driz-

zle with sour cherry syrup, and gar-

nish with mint. Serve.


Phyllo Napoleon with Greek Yogurt, and Sour Cherry Spoon Sweet

Chefs Christos Valtsoglou, Diane Kochilas, Pylos Restaurant, New York City

For 8 Servings

2 envelopes powdered unflavored gelatin

2 cups strained sour cherry Greek spoon sweets, syrup reserved

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups strained Greek yogurt

2 cups heavy cream, whipped

1 packet commercial phyllo, thawed

For garnish Confectioner's sugar

Fresh mint leaves

Sour cherry syrup


Lemon Sorbet 2 cups lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1. Put the sugar and water in a pot

and bring to a boil. Remove from heat

and add lemon juice and corn syrup.

Stir together then pour into a bowl to

cool. Freeze in an ice cream machine.

1. Brush a mini muffin pan with but-

ter. Take 12 sheets of phyllo dough and

cut them in half. Then take each half

sheet and brush with melted butter,

fold in half, brush with butter again,

then fold in half again, so you have a

small square.

2. Gently place the square inside one of

the muffin cups making sure it comes

up all the sides and has no holes.

Repeat this process until all the cups

are filled. Bake at 325F (165°C) for 10 to

15 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Bring the water and sugar to a boil.

Add the lemon and simmer for 20 - 30

minutes or until it's a syrup consistency.

Place everything into a bowl and

whisk until its all combined. Pour into

a pot and whisk constantly over low

heat until the mixture thickens.

Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool,

then pour into phyllo shells and bake

at 300F (160°C) just until set. Soak

with lemon syrup while still warm.


Milk Pie with Lemon Sorbet and Lemon Marmalade

Parea Restaurant, Pastry Chef Jodi Elliott

For the Phyllo Shells:2 sticks unsalted butter

12 commercial phyllo sheets, thawed

For the Lemon Syrup:1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1 lemon, quartered

For the filling: 6 cups milk

1/4 cup fine semolina

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

7 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Zest from 2 lemons

Juice from 1 lemon



Meyer Lemon Marmalade24 Meyer lemons

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. pectin

1. Zest 12 lemons with a large zester

(one that produces long, thin ribbons

of zest), then peel them and remove

all the seeds and chop the pulp.

2. Juice the other 12 lemons.

3. Put the zest, pulp, juice, and water

in a pot and simmer, covered for 30

minutes. Mix sugar and pectin togeth-

er. Add to the pot and bring to boil,

making sure all the pectin is dissolved.

Remove from heat and chill

Serve each piece of milk pie with a

dollop of lemon sorbet and a spoonful

of the marmalade.

Ouzo 101 Greece's National Drink is a Way of Life

By Konstantinos Lazarakis M.W.


Food styling: Dawn Brown

For us Greeks, ouzo is the elixir that makes all of life's caprices

a bit more pleasant to deal with. Our relief button is a phrase

we use often to confront challenges of every sort: Pame gia

ouzaki. Translation: Let's go for a little ouzo.


It's no secret that the anise-fla-

vored liqueur is our national drink,

but its place in Greek culture goes

far beyond mere potent tipple.

Ouzo runs through our DNA, part

and parcel of our lifestyle, of how

we socialize and share experiences

with friends and family. Greeks

have a relationship to their nation-

al drink most foreigners don't

grasp, at least upon first sip.

Ironically, however, our national

spirit has a complex history. While

Greeks have been making and

enjoying wine for millennia, the art

of distillation is much newer. For

years, in fact, it was the domain of

small numbers of Greeks,

Armenians, Turks, and others, who

lived side by side in the multiethnic

enclaves of Asia Minor (present day

Turkey), especially in regions along

the Aegean and Black Sea coasts.

Wine had always been made in

these regions, but sometime dur-

ing the 18th century some local

winemakers began to look to

wine's by-products—skins, pips,

stems, pommace, and must—as a

source for producing other bever-

ages. They used the residuals of

winemaking in the still, making

spirits that are with us to this day,

among them the Greek raki,

tsipouro, and tsikoudia. The Italian

grappa is a similar spirit, in other

words a grape marc distillate.

These are all drinks that evince the

innate sense of economy in

Mediterrranean households, where

nothing is ever wasted.

Ouzo evolved out of these early

distillations. Within the Greek com-

munities, people began to look

beyond the grape for the raw

ingredients that could be turned

into suitable distillations. They

began experimenting with other

fruits and grains. Then, politics and

war changed the course of ouzo's

early history. The political and


Ouzo is never served

alone, but always is

accompanied by

mezedes—small,

varied plates of food.

social upheavals of the early part of

the 20th century forced millions of

Greeks living in Turkey to flee. Most

settled en masse in specific areas

of Greece, and many of these

areas, such as Mytilene, the capital

of Lesvos, Tyrnavo, on the Greek

mainland, and Thessaloniki, the

capital of Macedonia, became cen-

ters for ouzo production.

The Asia Minor Greek refugees

brought with them minimum pos-

sessions, a rich, urbane cuisine,

and the knowledge of distillation.

One of the indispensable things

many refugees carried with them

into Greece was their copper, belly-

shaped still. Thanks to them,

moussaka, now the Greek national

dish, arrived on the Greek main-

land, and so did the country's

national drink, ouzo.

THE ART OF OUZO PRODUCTION

Ouzo production is far from simple,

and producers fiercely debate the

details necessary to make the best

possible spirit.

From a commercial and production

point of view, ouzo has a distinct

advantage over other grape distil-

lates because many of the raw

ingredients needed to prepare it

are available year round. By law

ouzo must be distilled from a mini-

mum of 30% grape residuals; the

rest can be distilled from other

fruits, grains, and potatoes. In the

case of tsipouro, tsikoudia, grappa,

raki, arak, and other purely grape

distillates, the production cycle is

restricted to within a few weeks

after the grape harvest because

that is when the raw material is

both at its prime and available.

Therefore, all stock has to be pro-

duced once a year and suffice for

the year's anticipated needs.

Supplies cannot be replenished

until the following harvest. That's

not so with ouzo.


The production process starts with

a high strength spirit —very pure

alcohol, obtained by the distillation

of agricultural products. The high

degree of alcoholic purity, however,

means that this pure spirit is neu-

tral. That is why it needs aromat-

ics, and therein lies the art of ouzo

production.

Once the pure alcohol has been

obtained, the producer selects a

range of aromatic seeds and grains

which he macerates in the alcohol

in order to extract all the aromas

and flavors that give ouzo its final

character. The main flavor compo-

nent is anise, which provides the

core of ouzo's aromatic expression.

Even choosing anise is not an easy

task, since there are a number of

different spices with similar aro-

mas, such as star anise, aniseed,

and fennel seed. Their flavor

nuances change not only according

to type but also according to the

spice's age, the degree to which

the spice is dried, the quantities

used, etc. The final taste is the

result of many details: at what

stage the spices are added;

whether everything is macerated

together or separately; and the

length of maceration.

While anise is the basis of ouzo's

flavor, a great deal of ouzo's distinc-

tiveness comes from the skill and

creativity the master distiller who

uses a range of other herbs and

spices. Coriander seeds, fennel

seeds, rosemary, even cloves, are

among some of the other spices in

a typical ouzo recipe. Each producer


Anise provides the

core of ouzo’s aro-

matic expression.

has his secret recipe, but there are

also regional schools of thought.

On the island of Chios, for example,

where the mastic tree flourishes,

ouzo producers spike their mixture

with the crystal resin, something

that adds a distinct, incense-like

aroma to the drink. It is another fla-

vor dimension altogether.

After the seeds and other flavoring

agents macerate in the alcohol,

which can take anywhere from 24

hours to a few days, producers each

have their own distillation tech-

niques. Some, for example, distill

just a portion of the flavored alco-

hol, in order to refine its character;

others opt for the costly process of

distilling the whole amount of

infused alcohol. Most top quality

producers go for 100% distilled

ouzo, which has great finesse. After

the production of ouzo is complet-

ed, the resulting distillate is too

high in alcohol to consume. For

that reason, the ouzo distillate is

broken down with water, which

must be demineralized.

The style of ouzo is purely a matter

of the producer's preferences. Some

ouzos are very sweet; these have

been flavored with an additional

sweetening agent, such as sugar

syrup. Typically, more commercial

brands tend to be sweeter, while

smaller, more artisanal producers

tend to make ouzo that is dry.

WHY OUZO TURNS WHITE

The bottling strength of ouzo,

which is essentially its alcoholic

content after water has been

added, is also very important. The

alcohol content not only affects the

taste but also the tax on the drink—

one reason why higher alcohol-con-

tent drinks are available in duty-

free shops. Most producers aim for

alcohol content close to the 40%

mark; most ouzo falls within a

range of 38% to 42%. There is a

niche market for ouzo with greater

alcoholic purity; some go as high as

46%. I have seen ouzo with a 59%

alcohol content. There are even a

few connoisseurs who seek out the

rare bottlings most distillers keep

for their private use, a spirit the

Greeks call ouzo apostagma, the

purest form of ouzo, very close to

cask-strength whiskey. These are

generally not for sale.

Alcoholic strength is a lot more

important in ouzo than in most

other alcoholic beverages for one

reason: The maceration of aniseed

produces an extract called anithol,

the chemical compounds of which

remain unaffected in any water-

alcohol solution higher than 38%.

But if the solution is diluted to less

than 38%, anithol causes the liquid

to turn white. That's how ouzo

gets its milky haze whenever ice or

water is added.

SERVING RITUALS

Appearance and color notwith-

standing, alcoholic strength influ-

ences the flavor profile of a spirit as

well as the ease with which it is

consumed. In the case of ouzo,

consumption is almost a ritual, like

the Japanese tea ceremony. But

with ouzo, it is the very potent

nature of the drink which directly

affects how it is served. Ouzo is

always served in a small carafe,

with ice and water on the side, so

that each person can do what he

likes with it. One never pours an

ouzo for someone else, for exam-

ple, because each individual prefers

to drink it a particular way. Some

like it straight up; others on the

rocks; others on the rocks and

watered down together; others

with just a few cubes of ice, which

affect the temperature but also

slow down the speed with which it

is imbibed. People relax as the ice

slowly melts and the spirit dilutes.

The diehard like ouzo in a shot

glass, the better to enjoy it in one

felt swoop; others want a tall

glass, in order to weaken it with

lots of water, which helps liberate

the aromatic nuances and implies

that the drink be sipped and

savored slowly.

THE OUZO-MEZE CONNECTION

Ouzo never is served alone, but

always is accompanied by food,

usually mezedes (small plates).

Matching ouzo with food is an art.

Typically, when serving ouzo, there

is usually some kind of succession,

a natural order from the lightest

flavors to the strongest, from dry

treats like olives or salted fish to

rich dishes with piquant sauces.

The easy, mild mezedes arrive first.

The array progresses with each

round, so that more robust flavors,

such as hot, salty, or brined foods,

are served later. With those first,

mild, dishes, most people enjoy a

cold and rather diluted ouzo, but


Wine consultant and writer Konstantinos Lazarakis became Greece's first Master of Wine in

2002. His book, The Wines of Greece, Mitchell Beazley, London, was short-listed for the

Andre Simon Memorial Award in 2006.

as the meal progresses the drink is

replenished and diluted less and

less. Intensity of flavors rather than

volume on the palate is more

important then.

By tradition, Greeks dine commu-

nally, from shared platters the con-

tents of which each person spoons

onto his plate. Individually plated

meals are new affectations on the

Greek table. Greeks like the ample

feeling that family-style dining cre-

ates; for the cook, the range is

meant to illustrate the care and

trouble he or she has taken to sat-

isfy and honor each guest. Around

a table, people are free to take

what they like instead of having a

rigorous course-by-course meal

imposed upon them.

Ouzo is meant to match with the

whole gamut of flavors presented

but also to cleanse the palate after

each robust mouthful. I like to

think of it as a palate rebooter!

One highly respected producer

explained the method to the mad-

ness. Everything that swims is an

easy match for ouzo, while every-

thing that walks or crawls is better

off with pure grape-based spirits.

The simplest meze usually suffice.

A few olives, some pickled vegeta-

bles, a lightly salted tomato wedge

or cucumber slice, a cube of sharp

cheese, or a strip of salted anchovy

on bread are among the simplest

accompaniments to ouzo. But I've

seen retired sea captains congre-

gate near the port of Piraeus and

savor their ouzo with a piece of

blue cheese, and I've been in small

cafeneia in the Mani, in the south-

ern Peloponnese, where the meze

of choice is nothing more than a

handful of roasted chickpeas. In

Kalamata, people slip a strip of

pastelli, a sweet sesame brittle,

into their ouzo. On the island of

Kalymnos, one finds something

called ouzohtapodo, a skewer of

grilled octopus dipped into a water

glass filled with the milky-white

drink.

As a general rule when matching

food to ouzo, the drink's high alco-

holic content acts the way acidity

works when pairing wine and food.

The drink can cut through the oili-

ness of many dishes, which is one

reason why many mezedes for

ouzo are fried. Fried small fish and

shellfish are especially popular.

Ouzo also complements foods that

have a high acidity content, such

as tomato-based dishes. It works

very well with salty foods, hence

the penchant for salted fish, olives,

and pickles. What it doesn't go well

with are starchy foods like pota-

toes, pasta, and rice, most meats,

mild cheeses, and sweets,

although in the last few years chefs

have been experimenting with

ouzo in syrups, especially with

poached fruits and mild cheeses.

To savor an ouzo, an array of

mezedes is necessary, but that isn't

the only component in the drink's

ritualistic imbibing. One needs first

and foremost to relax with it, to

take in the sunshine, literally and

figuratively. If you happen to be

near the sea on a typical Greek

summer day, and if you happen to

be with a group of people near and

dear, all the better. That way, with

one sip you're bound to see that

ouzo is more than a drink. It's a

whole experience.



Farmingthe Sea Greek Mariculture Thrives

Images of Greece inevitably bring to mind the sea. Leathery-

faced fishermen still ply the Aegean in their colorful caiques,

and rugged spearfishermen can still be seen with a freshly

caught octopus in hand, battering it to tenderize it along one

of the country's seemingly endless coastlines. Greeks have

always had a symbiotic relationship with the sea that sur-

rounds them. It is no surprise then that Greeks should also be

at the forefront of fish farming.

By Rachel Howard


Consumer demand for seafood

never seems to slow down, but

overfishing and other industrial

practices have depleted wild fish

supplies all over the world. The

United Nations Food and

Agriculture Organization predicts

that by 2030, global fish consump-

tion will rise 25% to 160 million tons

a year. Yet, for fishing to be sustain-

able, it should not exceed 100 mil-

lion tons annually. Consequently,

aquaculture is set to grow seven-

fold in the next 25 years.

In the European Union (EU) alone,

farmed fish has more than doubled

in the last 20 years. The EU sup-

ports sustainable aquaculture as a

means to replenish natural stocks

and supplement the struggling

fishing trade. Greece has been one

of the leading beneficiaries of this

policy. Thanks to generous EU sub-

sidies and visionary Greek entepre-

neurs, the number of fish farms in

Greece rose from 12 in 1985 to 290

in 2005. With annual production of

around 100,000 tons, according to

the Greek Mariculture Federation,

and sales turnover of 460 million

Euros, mariculture is now the

country's second biggest export

sector. Greece is the world's lead-

ing exporter of Mediterranean sea

bream and sea bass, whose short

production cycles are ideal for

farming in Greek waters.

Akis Ventiris, General Manager of

the Greek Mariculture Federation,

attributes this remarkable growth

to two factors: Greece's natural

environment and seafaring history.

“Greeks have always taken full

advantage of the sea,” Ventiris

explains. “With its long coastline,

strong currents, and sheltered

coves, the Aegean is ideal for fish

farming. And we don't have major


industrialization, so our seas aren't

polluted.”

Some 10,000 people are directly or

indirectly employed in the aquacul-

ture sector, which has boosted

outlying regions and barren islands

once threatened by depopulation

and unemployment. For example,

the staff at Cephalonia Fisheries,

one of Greece's first fish farms, are

all former fishermen, none of

whom were interested in seasonal

work in tourism, the other major

employer on the island. Since fish

farms require deep waters, rather

than the sandy beaches preferred

by tourists, the two industries are

compatible. And as Lara Barazi-

Yeroulanou, CEO of Cephalonia

Fisheries, points out: “Tourism has

a permanent impact on the coastal

environment. We can just pick up

our cages and go.”

Like Cephalonia Fisheries, most

Greek aquaculture companies

started as small, family-run busi-

nesses. Almost all produce was

sold to Italy. Now, with supermar-

kets demanding a steady supply of

large quantities at lower prices,

many small farmers cannot com-

pete in the global market. The

industry has stabilized and consoli-

dated through acquisitions and

mergers by conglomerates. Most

Greek farmed fish is sold in the

European Union, the United

States, and Canada. Other emerg-

ing markets are Eastern Europe

and Japan; the domestic market

accounts for about 25% of sales.

Greek entrepreneurs are also

exporting their expertise to the

Middle East and Eastern Asia.

Seven Greek aquaculture compa-

nies are listed on the Athens Stock

Exchange, including market lead-

ers Nireas and Selonda.


Greece is the world’s

leading exporter of

Mediterranean sea

bream and sea bass.

“Since I started working here in

1990, the sector has changed dras-

tically,” says Yannis Tsimiklis, man-

ager of the sea bass farm at

Selonda Bay, near ancient

Epidaurus in the Peloponnese,

which I visited recently. The farm

employs 110 staff, which is less

than most other operations,

because it is highly automated,

and produces around 3,000 tons of

fish a year. “Production units are

more sophisticated and automat-

ed, which makes our job less labor

intensive.

THE PROCESS

In Greece, because the marine

environment is so conducive to

farming, the aquaculture industry

works harmoniously with the nat-

ural life-cycles of the fish. Breeding

stock are genetically selected (but

never genetically modified) based

on their fertility, resistance to ill-

ness, and development rate.

Broodstock are left to mate natu-

rally, in darkened tanks filled with

filtered water. This is standard

practice in Greece.

In humid hatcheries, the larvae are

fed plankton, cultured in bubbling

green sacks, which give the water

a murky tinge. As we approach the

tanks, the tiny silver creatures

scramble to the surface, expecting

food. “We feed them as much as

they can eat,” says Tsimiklis. “They

grow fast, eight to nine percent a

day, so there's no need for hor-

mones.” All fish feed is highly regu-

lated to EU standards. Bigger fish

are fed powdered fish meal,

derived from fast-growing, short-

lived species, combined with vita-

mins and minerals. “You can't avoid

feeding fish to fish, because that's

their natural diet,” says John

Sweetman, an international aqua-

culture consultant based in Greece.

“But sustainability requires us to

look at incorporating vegetable

protein replacements like soya into

fish meal.”

Before the fish are transferred to

'ongrowing' tanks, they are vacci-

nated, one by one, manually,

against the most common diseases,

vibriosis and pasteurellosis.

“Stressed fish are more prone to ill-

ness and high mortality rates, so we

do everything we can not to stress

them out,” says Selonda's hatchery


manager, Andonis Kollis. (Stress can

be caused by sudden changes in the

temperature or salinity of water, by

changes in oxygen levels, or by noise

levels, so these factors are carefully

regulated when handling or trans-

porting the fish. The aim is to

ensure that the whole farming

process is as close as possible to the

fish’s natural environment.)

Next, the fish are screened by the

histopathology, bacteriology, and

parasitology laboratories, where

any 'faulty' specimens, such as fish

with twisted spines or other skeletal

abnormalities, are removed. The use

of medicines has been drastically

reduced in Greece, to less than

0.5%. In those rare instances, fish

are thoroughly tested to ensure all

active compounds have disappeared

before the fish are sold.

After about 120 days, the fish are

transferred to sea cages equipped

with remote control feeding sys-

tems. Workers in orange water-

proofs cruise the circular cages,

under the hopeful gaze of hungry

seagulls. After 16 to 18 months, the

fish are ready for consumption—

only a few months earlier than wild

fish would be. They are shocked in

near freezing water, then immedi-

ately packed in ice and shipped

abroad. In the packaging unit,

women in white rubber uniforms

work a clattering conveyer belt that

can pack 2.5 tons of fish per hour. It

works like a giant pinball machine:

Fish are slammed into slots accord-

ing to weight and packed in

Styrofoam crates that go straight

into refrigerated trucks, reaching

the table within 12-48 hours.

SUPERVISED FOR HEALTHFULNESS

“Farmed fish is the perfect food,”

Barazi-Yeroulanou maintains.

“Unlike wild fish, which are of

unknown provenance, our fish are

raised in a regulated environment,

under expert supervision, with the

strictest quality specifications. So

it's the safest fish you can eat, pro-

vided the farm is correctly run.”

From a nutritional perspective, fish

is an excellent source of protein and

unsaturated fatty acids, which help

the heart and immune system, and

selenium, a powerful antioxidant.

At about 4.5 euros a kilo, whole-

sale, at the time of this writing,

farmed fish is also cheap compared


Rachel Howard is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic

Traveler and other major British and American magazines.

to other quality food products. “A

kilo of sea bass is cheaper than an

espresso these days,” says Ventiris.

In the face of falling prices and

international competition, Greek

producers are developing new

species like turbot, blue-fin tuna,

and octopus, as well as improving

processing facilities for smoked,

canned, and filleted fish.

IN TUNE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

Aquaculturists have to contend

with environmental campaigners,

who call for stricter controls. Issues

include stock density, fish escapes,

and the sediment caused by accu-

mulated residues on the seabed.

However, since modern fish feed is

more digestible, such by-products

are becoming less and less of an

issue; rotating cages and leaving

them 'fallow' can also solve the

problem. “Studies have shown that

pollution caused by fish farms is

negligible in comparison to pollu-

tants in the sea from industrial

activities on land or even from the

use of the sea for swimming,”

Ventiris asserts. “Anyway, if cages

are moved, the marine environ-

ment is completely rehabilitated

within months.”

Environmentalists' reticence about

the ecological viability of fish farms

stems largely from the irresponsible

practices of the first salmon farmers

in Norway back in the 1960s. But

the industry has made radical

progress since then, and Sweetman

is keen to set the record straight:

“The fish farming industry is rela-

tively new, so from the start it has

been regulated much more strin-

gently than animal or crop farming.”

To further tighten up regulations,

avoid over-fishing, and stabilize

prices, the EU has stopped issuing

new licenses. Transparency, trace-

ability, quality, and sustainability are

major concerns for the future of the

industry. But as Barazi-Yeroulanou

concludes: “Farming the sea is much

better than killing it off.”



Wines froma Volcano Santorini's Assyrtico Wines Combine High Acidity with High Alcohol

If there were a vintage of Santorini sunlight it would be made with

the island's most famous grape, the Assyrtico. Assyrtico, the quin-

tessential Greek white wine grape, has always been identified with

Santorini, and Santorini has always been identified with wine.

By Constantine Stergides

Photography: Vassilis Stenos,

Constantine Pittas

The island is arguably one of the

strangest places on earth. A magi-

cal, earthquake-prone, active vol-

cano with sunsets made for

Hollywood, Santorini attracts hun-

dreds of thousands of tourists but

also is home to some of Greece's

most indelible gastronomic and

viticultural traditions. Some of

Greece's best tomatoes are grown

here; the yellow split pea reaches

extraordinary heights of flavor and

creaminess thanks to Santorini's

unique terrain; but it is the grape

that has mostly made its mark on

the chalk-earthed island slopes.

Although Santorini is host to a

number of indigenous Greek grape

varietals, including Athiri, Aidani,

and Mavrotragano, the Assyrtico

reigns supreme. It occupies about

70% of a total vineyard area of

1,400 hectares (3,459 acres). In the

spring and summer, the island is a

gorgeous juxtaposition of Aegean

postcard blue-and-white and the

green of all its vineyards.

The Greek summer is kind to

Assyrtico. The variety adores bright

sunshine, never scarce in this part

of the world; exposed to enough of

it, Assyrtico's alcohol content can

skyrocket well past 15 percent,

while at the same time its acidity

levels remain abnormally high.

Most grapes, of course, tend to lose

acidity as their sugar content

increases; Assyrtico is thus a viticul-

tural aberration. As a result, wines

made with Assyrtico are blessed

with a rather rare combination of

high natural acidity and high alco-

hol content. They possess excellent

aging capabilities in both oak casks

and bottles.

Before the advent of modern wine-

making techniques, islanders tradi-

tionally kept their hefty Assyrtico

wines for over a year in huge

2,000-liter casks called afoures,

which were stored underground in

cellars called canaves, dug into the

soft volcanic rock that makes up

most of the island's terroir. Wood-

aging, especially in such a tradi-

tional way, gave Santorini's

Assyrtico wines a certain rustic

quality. The wines traditionally

were heavy in alcohol, slightly oxi-

dized, almost like sherry, but they

lacked what in contemporary

winespeak is called “fruit.” For

decades they were shipped off to


Athens and used to fortify blends,

or sold off as nondescript bulk

wines in local tavernas.

That all began to change about 20

years ago. In the late 1980s and

early 1990s, a new generation of

French-educated oenologists

arrived on the scene to court revo-

lution in the Greek vineyard. In the

summer of 1990, the local

Santorini cooperative hired one

such young gun, an oenologist

freshly graduated from the

University of Bordeaux. He was full

of novel ideas, and it did not take

him long to convince the coopera-

tive's management, including the

leading grape growers of the

island, that the future of wine

belonged to fruit and acidity.

The first experimental harvest took

place in an isolated village in the

southern part of Santorini. The

growers were asked to harvest

their white grapes in the beginning

of August, a good 10 days earlier

than usual. The early harvest was

crucial to the success of the experi-

ment, for the customary over-

ripening of grapes made it impossi-

ble to vinify in an international

style, as all the primary aromas of

the Assyrtico were lost in favor of

alcoholic strength. The resulting

experimental wine was, indeed,

excellent: fresh and fruity, a defi-

nite departure from the conven-

tional tastes of the island. It was

duly saluted by the small —in those

days— circle of Athenian wine con-

noisseurs.

But the island's farmers had a dif-

ferent perspective after that first

harvest and the story is wrought

with more than a dose of irony. The

oenologist, brimming with pride,

went back after the vinification to

visit the villagers who had partici-

pated in the experiment. He want-

ed to thank them. But they were

livid. It has always been customary

on Santorini, right after the har-

vest, for shepherds to herd their

goats in the vineyards. So, having

seen the harvest take place, the

local goat-herders did just that,

without realizing that only the

white grapes had been harvested.

As a result, their animals feasted

on a few tons of late-ripening red

grapes, decimating about one third

of that year's vintage, and of

course the farmers' livelihood!


These days, however, goats, farm-

ers, and proud oenologists all exist

in harmony. Santorini is invariably

the region in Greece that harvests

earliest in the year. Ultimately sci-

ence triumphed over tradition, so

much so that the island's wine

industry has advanced by leaps and

bounds. The number of wineries

has doubled to 10 since 1990 and,

most importantly, Santorini wines

are winning critical accolades as

well as medals in international

wine competitions.

Assyrtico's rise is timely.

Sophisticated wine connoisseurs,

who once lauded fruit as the ulti-

mate measure of a wine's quality,

now tout minerality as the be-all

and end-all of a good wine. A few

years ago, wine gurus declared the

Riesling grape the world's most

interesting varietal, and since then

there has been a concerted effort

among global producers to emulate

Riesling's mineral taste. Assyrtico

achieves that effortlessly. Well,

almost. It possesses innate miner-

ality thanks to the soil from which

it grows, but also combines that

with lovely, juicy fruit. The

renowned British master of wine,

Jancis Robinson, has waxed poetic

about Santorini wines in more than

a few of the columns she writes

each week in the Financial Times.


HOMES AWAY FROM HOME

Assyrtico's success on its native

Santorini, and the exquisite wines

that began to evolve as a result,

sparked interest in the grape

among winemakers all over

Greece. Indeed, Santorini's

Assyrtico is poised to catch the

attention of international wine

makers sooner or later, predicts

Yiannis Koulelis, a respected oenol-

ogist who has worked on the

island with the Boutaris family and

is now marketing the Sigala Estate

wines. “Mark my words, in a few

years we'll be seeing plantings of

Assyrtico in the U.S. and Australia”,

he says.

The truth is Assyrtico is a grape

that easily adapts to different soils

and climates. Within the span of a

decade, as Greek winemakers saw

its potential in Santorini flourish,

the highly versatile grape found

new homes. It was planted in

Attica, outside of Athens, the tradi-

tional terrain for the Savatiano and

Roditis varietals, grapes notoriously

lacking in acidity. Assyrtico provid-

ed a much-needed balance in new

blends, and those first results out-

side its native soil were encourag-

ing, even memorable.

Next, winemakers in the northern

Peloponnese, who were looking for

a suitable white grape variety to

complement their Nemea red wine

production, began experimenting

with Assyrtico. There, the results

were even better; the Assyrtico pro-

duces elegant, highly aromatic

wines in the northern Peloponnese.

But it is in northern Greece where

the Assyrtico truly has found a sec-

ond home, almost on a par with

Santorini. Although it is seldom

bottled on its own, it is used in

numerous blends with Sauvignon

Blanc, Semillon, and the native

Greek Roditis, and Malagouzia, to

mention but a few, invariably with

excellent results. These are fruit-

driven wines with intense aromas,

meatiness, and fat mouth feel that

have been picking up prizes in

international wine competitions.

After more than 20 years of avid

experimentation with the

Assyrtico, most Greek winemakers

would probably agree that the vari-

etal is the premiere white vinis

vinifera grape in Greece. It has the

ability to combine warmth with

freshness (in other words, alcohol

with acidity) in a unique way, but

mainly it is one of those rare grapes

that is a perfect vector of its terroir.

An experienced taster can easily

identify Assyrtico wines from differ-

ent Greek regions because they are

all so unique. In the Pelponnese and

other areas of southern mainland

Greece, wines have a more

Mediterranean style, with a distinc-

tive freshly-cut-hay aroma on the

nose and a full body on the mouth

that can hold its own against some

of the cuisine's richest dishes, such

as moussaka. In northern Greece,

especially in the Halkidiki and

Drama areas, Assyrtico wines are

more flowery and almost citrus-fla-

vored, with a very high-brow, linear,

almost angular attitude in the

mouth. These are perfect with cer-

tain types of fish, especially the gilt-

head bream.


NATIVE GROUND

But for all its chameleon-like

adaptability, Assyrtico reaches the

full glories of its potential only on

Santorini, the grape's undisputed

natural home. To say that the

Assyrtico has adapted well to

Santorini's ecosystem is to under-

estimate millions of years of geolo-

gy and 3,000 years of wine-mak-

ing on the island. If there ever was

a place that illustrated the famous

French notion of terroir, certainly

Santorini is such a place.

The island is windswept and dry.

The soil is a combination of hard,

black volcanic rock and flaky white

chalk, allowing the vine's roots to

go deep into the earth in search of

moisture. However, contrary to

most other places on earth,

Santorini’s vines don't get their

water from currents deep under

the earth's surface. Instead, their

leaves absorb the moisture that

gathers on the ground during the

night as seawater from the Caldera

(the volcano's ring) evaporates. The

island's grape growers have coun-

tered the effects of wind and fleet-

ing moisture by developing a com-

pletely unique way to prune their

vines: Santorini's grapevines are

traditionally pruned low, almost to

the ground, and trained into bas-

ket-like cylinders so that the

grapes grow on the inside, protect-

ed. In the last few years, a few vint-

ners have started experimenting

with vertical plantings, too, but

tradition still runs deep for most.

Nowhere else in Greece does the

Assyrtico grape produce wines of

such extreme sensations. A well-

made Assyrtico from Santorini

manages to combine power with

finesse, fruit with dryness, fresh-

ness with complexity. Most of all,

there in the backround, lurks an

unmistakable minerality, as if

someone squeezed the essence out

of Santorini's black volcanic peb-

bles and poured it drop by drop

into the wine.

Such is the versatility of this

grape, that it can produce all sorts

of exciting wines: youthful, tank-

fermented whites, ideal as an

aperitif as one gazes into the sun-

set from the cliffs of Ia; full-bod-

ied, oak-fermented whites, with

excellent aging capabilities,

superb companions of many tradi-

tional island dishes, such as

creamy yellow split peas (fava),

salted fish, and eggplant; high-

alcohol, full-bodied, tank-fer-

mented and cask aged whites,

called Nychteri, in the traditional,


slightly oxidized style. Last but

not least there is the famous

Vinsanto, a luscious sweet wine,

made from sun-dried grapes and

aged by law for at least three

years. A good Vinsanto, however,

can easily age for more than 100

years. Vinsanto wines (the name

means “wine from Santorini” and

not “holy wine,” as in the case of

the similarly named vinosanto

from Italy) have a caramel- and

toffeelike aspect, with a dried-

fruit dimension that makes them

great partners to all sorts of

sweets, especially chocolate. But

what is really unique about

Vinsanto goes back to the individ-

uality of the Assyrtico grape to

begin with. In comparison to

other sweet Greek wines,

Santorini's Vinsanto wines have a

characteristic freshness, thanks to

all that natural Assyrtico acidity.

ENDANGERED SPECIES?

For many years now, wine experts

from Athens and wine growers on

Santorini itself have agonized over

the island's skyrocketing real

estate prices, which are putting

pressure on a lot of farmers to sell

or develop their land. Some vine-

yards have been transformed into

hotels and housing, and the

island's younger generation is loath

to work in the fields, preferring

cozier jobs in the tourist industry.

However despite widespread fears

that Santorini's vineyard might end

up a victim of the island's tourist

success, the truth is that both its

wines and its wine makers are

flourishing like never before. The

Assyrtico, together with other

Santorini wines, is gaining interna-

tional recognition and financial

success. The wine list at Alain

Ducasse in Paris, for example, lists

one Santorini label. The price per

kilo of grapes seems to be on a

never-ending upward spiral.

Its wineries have proven more than

capable of living up to the task that

success and recognition bring.

They are developing distinct styles,

and demand for the island's wines

has never been stronger, both in

Greece and abroad. The wines' suc-

cess story has also helped spawn a

vibrant regional food renaissance.

All of the island's top restaurants

now have dishes specially designed

to go with the whole range of

Santorini wines.

Great wine, great local food, and

great sunsets—Santorini has man-

aged to make its Assyrtico wines as

unique as the island itself.


Constantine Stergides is the president of the Circle of Greek Wine Writers and the publisher of

Ambelotopi, a monthly Greek newspaper for wine professionals.


Spoonfuls ofHospitality

Greek Spoon Sweets Return to the Plate

When I was growing up in North Carolina, there were count-

less times throughout the year when a seductive aroma would

beckon me to the kitchen. There, I'd find my mother and aunts

huddled over steaming pots of fruit sputtering in syrup. They

were making spoon sweets, the colorful preserves of fruits,

nuts, and some vegetables put up in sugar syrup, which to this

day are age-old hallmarks of Greek hospitality.

By Georgia Kofinas


Food Styling: Dawn Brown

If it was late winter, there'd be a

batch of orange peels on the

table—scraped, boiled, and rinsed

enough times to leech out their

bitterness. Someone would

inevitably be rolling the peels,

someone else securing the rolls

with light cotton thread to keep

them closed while they simmered

in the thick, sweet liquid. If it was

early summer, strawberries, apri-

cots, and cherries would be the

fruits of choice; later, watermelons

would be trimmed for their rind,

another popular Greek spoon

sweet; then it would be plums and

figs. Every time of year had—and

has—its specialties.

Throughout the year, my mother's

kitchen was overtaken by the

women in the family upholding this

age-old Greek tradition. Spoon

sweets were considered a must for

any proper Greek household. It was

a ritual exclusively administered by

experienced women; the younger

girls were only allowed to learn

through observation until we were

old enough to help. But the sweets

were something every good little

Greek girl had to know to be a suc-

cessful housewife. Their prepara-

tion is traditionally women's

domain; men were not allowed in.

Even my father, a chef, was banned!

In retrospect the whole process

was not only a way of passing on a

tradition but also of learning com-

munity spirit and sharing, a time

for mothers to bond with their

daughters and to impose upon

them the rituals hospitality and of

serving guests, so important to

Greek culture everywhere in the

world. To this day, for example,

special plates, usually small and of

clear glass, are the tableware of

choice for serving a spoon full of

fruit or nut preserves. A glass of

cold water is always served with

the sweets. The cutlery for spoon

sweets also is fine and delicate.

Among the Greek communities of

Asia Minor (present-day Turkey),

for example, each home had a spe-

cial glass serving set, from which

hung small silver spoons. The guest

would take a spoonful of the sweet

and place the used spoon in a spe-

cial tray.

These rituals became indelible

stamps upon my memory. Years

later, married and living in Greece, I

realized, ironically, that my rela-

tionship to spoon sweets wasn't

much appreciated by my urban

contemporaries. Friends teased me

for being old-fashioned whenever I

served my own homemade spoon


The variety of spoon sweets is impressive. From Left to right: sour cherry, orange rind, cherries,

green figs, golden raisins, and quince.

sweets. In Athens during the 1970s,

when I was a young housewife,

“modern,” sweets were more fash-

ionable. I'd be served American-

style cheesecake and laugh to

myself that I'd come all the way to

Greece for something I grew up on

in the South. My image, though, of

those traditional, beautifully col-

ored confections refused to be

thwarted; for me, spoon sweets

and Greek hospitality go together.

REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

Spoon sweets are made all over

Greece, but each region has its spe-

cialties basically depending on

what grows best from place to

place. The island of Chios, in the

eastern Aegean, is especially known

for its large variety of spoon

sweets, among them grapes, figs,

and citrus fruits. Their production,

in fact, has become a large com-

mercial enterprise on the island.

Other islands have their own spe-

cialties, too. Andros is known for its

unique lemon and orange blossom

preserves; in Santorini, a traditional

center for tomato cultivation,

home cooks put up the small,

whole pomodoro tomatoes in

syrup and season them with a little

cinnamon and whole blanched

almonds; on the remote island of

Ikaria, walnuts and sour cherries

are local specialties; in Crete, raisin

and grape spoon sweets prevail; in

Aegina, immature pistachios, are

preserved when their shells are still

soft; in the Peloponnese, citrus

peels and fruits—lemon peel,

orange and bitter orange peel, cit-

ron, and bergamot rind as well as

whole, unripe, green oranges and

whole bitter oranges—are the

regional specialties; Mt. Pelion in

Thessaly is known for its small

apple preserves, called firikia; west-

ern Macedonia specializes in water-

melon and winter squash rind.

In the 30 years that I have lived in

Greece, I've had wonderful experi-

ences sampling some truly unusual

spoon sweets, mainly in country-

side kitchens and in monasteries.

Once in Kos, I was treated to the

local island specialty, tomato spoon

sweets made with whole

pomodoro tomatoes. Just as I

learned the art from my mother, so

did the young girl I watched in that

island kitchen learn the skill from

her mother. Even the little ones

knew just how to poke their fingers

into the tiny slits to remove the

seeds just before soaking the toma-

toes in lime water, a technique

used for many of the softer fruits.


(The slaked lime mixture helps to

firm up the fruits' flesh, making

them more durable to withstand

the simmering heat of the syrup.)

MONASTERIES AND SPOON SWEETS

Without doubt, the most impor-

tant sanctuaries for the preserva-

tion of the spoon sweet tradition

are Greece's many monasteries. In

both men's monasteries and con-

vents, spoon sweets are the symbol

of hospitality, offered to visitors

immediately upon their arrival. In

men's monasteries, the sweets are

often, but not always, store-

bought. At least one men's

monastery, Taxiarchon, dedicated

the Holy Angels, in the northern

Peloponnese, is famous for its rose

petal spoon sweet, an exotic,

extremely aromatic confection that

the monks make each June from a

particular species of rose cultivated

on the monastery's grounds. It is, in

fact, an important source of

income to the monastery; they sell

kilos of it to upscale markets

around the country.

In convents, nuns usually prepare a

wide variety of spoon sweets each

season. One of the most unique

spoon sweets I have ever tasted

was at the Chrysopigi Monastery

in Chania, Crete. It was an ingen-

ious preparation of coarsely grated

potatoes laced with vanilla, one

more indication that the variety of

these sweets is endless.

NEW, UNIVERSAL USES

As a culinary instructor at a profes-

sional cooking school here in

Greece, where I teach Traditional

Greek Cuisine and Food Culture, I

have found myself on a personal

campaign to promote the versatili-

ty and delectability of spoon

sweets among my students. After

all, these are the country's future

chefs, and my hope is to see my

students not only uphold tradition

but learn to work with the basics

of their native cuisine in new and

unusual ways. Spoon sweets,

besides being more healthful than

other, cream- and butter-based

confections (at least there are

nutrients from the fruit), are visual-

ly appealing, unique, and extreme-

ly versatile.

In my own classes we experiment

with spoon sweets as an accom-



paniment to puddings, mousses,

and custards; as a garnish over

yogurt or ice cream; with halvah, a

semolina-based confection; as fill-

ings in phyllo and other pastries;

in tarts and tortes; and, most

delectably, over cheesecake,

American and other. There is, in

fact, at least one recipe for tradi-

tional Greek cheesecake enriched

with a luscious topping of spoon

sweets; sour cherry and citrus peel

sweets go quite well with cheese.

Some spoon sweets even lend

themselves to savory dishes.

Preserved sour cherries and their

syrup, for example, are an excel-

lent accompaniment to grilled

duck.

It does take time and patience to

make spoon sweets, so it is no sur-

prise that their preparation is usu-

ally women's work. But women

have gone professional, too. All

over Greece, there are dozens of

women's cooperatives that prepare

the sweets and sell them both

locally and nationally. On the

island of Lesvos alone there are 16

such coops.

Commercial food companies at

both the regional and national lev-

els have also developed a range of

spoon sweets, hoping to exploit

the potential these confections

have in both the modern Greek and

international kitchens. Quality

control and savvy marketing have

helped revive the sweets, but so

has the trend, in Greece and else-

where, toward real food, authen-

tic, traditional dishes that have a

point of reference but, even more

important, universal value. The

sweets that I recall so fondly as a

girl have come full circle. I have

never stopped making them, and I

will never stop serving them, tradi-

tionally, in delicate glass dishes

with dainty spoons and a cool

glass of water nearby.

Spoon sweets are

uniquely Greek, visu-

ally appealing, and

tremendously versa-

tile.


A LITTLE HISTORY

My own research into the

subject taught me that the

combination of nuts, fruits,

and a sweetening agent is

one that Greeks always seem

to have savored. The ancient

Greeks certainly had a fond-

ness for such combinations.

For them, honey and grape

molasses—petimezi—were

the sweeteners of necessity.

The ancient Greeks knew of

sugar; according to the 1st-

century physician

Dioscorides it was called

Indian salt, after its country-

of origin. Bt it was almost

priceless and used medicinal-

ly. Sugar slowly made its way

from India, via Persia, into

what is today the Middle

East. In the 4th century B.C.

the armies of Alexander the

Great brought sugar back

with them from their cam-

paigns in India. Of course,

sugar was rare and dear,

something only the rich

could contemplate; it wasn't

until the Moors introduced

sugarcane to Crete in the

10th century that sugar

started to make its way into

the prosaic kitchen. Even

that took centuries, though,

as sugar was still a very

expensive commodity. It

wasn't until the discovery of

the New World, when the

Europeans began planting

sugarcane in the colonies,

that we see its widespread

use. By the 16th century,

sugar consumption was

common throughout

Europe.

Greeks, proud and chauvinis-

tic when it comes to their

culinary heritage, like to

believe that spoon sweets

were first created in Greece

and are exclusively a Greek

tradition. Nobody really

knows just how or where the

idea of putting fruit up in

syrup first took root. The

practice of combining fruit

with sweet liquids like honey

or petimezi is something

mentioned in early Greek,

Roman, and Byzantine liter-

ature. Whatever the origins

of the confection might be,

however, spoon sweets

found their place in the

Greek kitchen. Certainly the

earliest modern Greek cook-

books expound on the sub-

ject with detailed recipes for

dozens of different such pre-

serves.

Georgia Kofinas is a cookbook author and culinary arts instructor at

Alpine Center, a private hotel and tourism management school in

Greece.


CreteMemories of a Cookbook Writer

The Island is Rich in Food Lore,Recipes, and Great Products

By Diana Farr Louis


I'd been to Crete often as a tourist.

I had driven from east coast to

west and up and down its moun-

tains. Along the way I'd stopped to

sunbathe on its beaches, investi-

gate Minoan ruins, trace the ram-

parts of its walled Venetian cities,

listen to mournful lyra players and

sip raki under a mulberry tree with

mustachioed old-timers wearing

floppy breeches and shiny black

boots. But it wasn't until I started

researching a cookbook and seek-

ing out little known recipes that I

realized I barely knew the place.

Crete, the Mediterranean's fifth

largest island, is roughly the same

size as New York's Long Island,

where I grew up. But with four lofty

mountain ranges and more than

4,000 years of history, it boasts a

continent's worth of diversity. Over

the long centuries, foreign invaders

like the Romans, Arabs, Byzantines,

Venetians, and Turks rarely pene-

trated beyond the north coast.

Today's tourists, following their

example, mostly cling to the resorts

and hotels that line the shore in an

almost unbroken chain of develop-

ment from Kastelli in the west to

Agios Nikolaos in the east. They

rarely suspect that behind this

façade of modernity lurks a wealth

of customs and traditions barely

touched by the 20th century.

My first glimmer of this other

world came when an acquaintance

in Heraklio sent me to her god-

mother in Arkalohori, a village hid-

den among olive groves and vine-

yards about an hour's drive to the

south. Well into her eighties but

more energetic than the average

teenager, this paragon of healthy

living filled my ears with unconven-

tional cooking techniques: “To

make tomato paste, you'll have to

strain the pulp through an old pil-

lowcase.” Eftyhia also inducted me

into the secrets of successful tra-

hana—xinohondro to the Cretans—a

rustic pasta made from crushed

wheat and buttermilk, that is a


Some typical Cretan delicacies (from left to right): Xerotygana, crisp, deep-fried dough twirls

drizzled with the island's legendary honey and nuts; xinohondros, a deliciously creamy and tart

pasta; paximadia, or rusks. Opposite page: Cretan olives and raki and wild artichokes, one of

the many vegetables islanders cook with skill.

staple in the Balkans, Turkey, and

Armenia. “Add the wheat and stir

with a pastry rolling pole until the

pole stands upright by itself. The

next day spread handfuls of the

thick porridge on sheets to dry in

the hot July sun. It lasts forever,

softens up in soups and gives them

a wonderful, tangy taste.” When I

took my leave, Eftyhia gave me a

jar of tomato paste and a sack full

of xinohondro, each piece about

the size of her small fist.

After that my quest pulled me fur-

ther and further off the beaten

path to villages that rarely merited

a line in a guidebook and could

often be found on only the most


THE CRETAN DIET

After World War II, when

US scientists “discovered”

the Mediterranean Diet,

they were surprised to

find that the “starving”

Cretans were almost 100

percent healthier than

the supposedly well-

nourished Americans.

They had subsisted on

greens gathered from

fields and mountains,

cooked with what

appeared to be extrava-

gant amounts of olive

oil; bread or rusks made

of unrefined wheat and

bran flour; snails; wal-

nuts; honey; goat or

sheep's cheese; practi-

cally no red meat but

daily doses of wine or

grappa-like raki. In fact,

apart from the cheese,

their diet resembled the

strict regime of the

Orthodox fasts that still

dictates what true

believers should eat for

about half the year.

Even in times of plenty,

Cretans were frugal but

imaginative. Not having

much meat, poultry, or

seafood to nourish their

large families, they

invented delicious stews

padded with garden veg-

etables or their beloved

spiny artichokes, greens,

and herbs, especially

mint. Vegetables used as

wraps or containers for

small amounts of meat

and rice or bulgur wheat

also appear in various

guises. As for sweets,

these are healthy too;

often consisting of pas-

tries made with olive oil

rather than butter, and

filled with nuts, raisins,

citrus peel, and honey,

and only rarely contain-

ing dairy products or

eggs.

detailed of maps. My travels fol-

lowed no predictable pattern, but

resembled more a treasure hunt

built on a few introductions to

friends of friends, chance conversa-

tions, and a string of coincidences.

I discovered that asking questions

about food seemed to open all

doors and that sitting in kitchens

could elicit hours of stories, not to

mention delicious and surprising

impromptu meals.

In the course of my month-long

visits to the island, conducted over

three years, I must have eaten my

weight in flour. This is because a

Cretan housewife, rather than

offering guests a spoonful of sweet

preserves and a cup of Greek coffee

like her mainland counterpart,

prefers to show off her pie-making

skills. Time and again, my hostess

would sit me down in the kitchen

while she reached into the freezer

and in minutes produced a frying

pan full of tiny pies hardly larger

than ravioli. She would ladle them

onto my plate and watch eagerly

as I bit through the crisp, paper-

thin wrapping into a luscious

cheese or delicate spinach filling

and smacked my lips approvingly.

But Cretan pies come in almost as

many shapes, types, and flavors as

there are Cretan cooks and one

evening, in the village of

Piskokefalo near Siteia, my tasting

capacity was sorely tested.

There, as a consequence of watch-

ing Georgia Vassilaki prepare

piroshki, sarikopittes (coiled like a

sultan's turban), pancake-like ner-

ates, baked cheese packets called

kaltsounia, and another phyllo

classic layered with greens, plus

walnut cake, I waddled away like a

fattened goose. It was hardly a bal-

anced meal, but as she cooked, she

told me about growing up with a

thousand sheep but no shoes and

about her father, who slept out-

doors with his flock for 40 years

and died at 100 without ever hav-

ing seen a doctor. Even today,

Georgia and her husband Iosif live

off the land, producing their own

olive oil, raisins, wine, and vegeta-

bles, while acquiring cheese from a

shepherd who rents their pastures.

At the other end of Crete, in the

mountain district of Sfakia, I met

another piemaker with stories. Sifis

Karkanis has a roadside taverna in

Askyfou, halfway between Hora

Sfakion and Vrysses. Most of the

traffic consists of busloads of

trekkers exhausted from hiking

down the Samaria Gorge. They

have no inkling that this smattering


From left to right: Hania, with one of the prettiest harbors in Greece; Greek Easter in a Cretan

church; the Monastery of Arkadiou.

of houses in the high plateau con-

ceals a few bakeries famed among

cognoscenti for the best paximadia

or rusks on the island. While rusks

are to be found all over Greece, they

reach the summit of flavor and vari-

ety in Crete. In fact, many Cretans

prefer them to fresh bread. Here in

Askyfou, you can sample rusks

kneaded with every conceivable

type of flour from white “luxury” to

barley laced with coarse strands of

bran. Sweet rusks, on the other

hand, come in dozens of tastes,

from aniseed and coriander to

orange juice and mastic.

But back to Sifis, who keeps a

ready supply of Sfakian pies in his

freezer. Hellishly difficult to repro-

duce, they resemble very thin,

almost crepe-like flat breads into

which cheese has been folded. The

dough is soft and malleable. The

pastries are fried like a pancake in a

dry pan, and drizzled with honey.

While we gobbled them up, the

former shepherd told of his early

experiments with cooking: of

roasting a piece of meat between

two hot stones, of simmering a

stew in a German soldier's helmet

for want of a pot, and of kouzina

ananghis — the cuisine of necessity

— when the only ingredients were

potatoes, rice, and a dollop of

cream saved from the milking.

To this day, the cuisine of necessity

crops up all over Crete. In

Margarites, one of the Rethymno

area's most charming villages, it

presented itself in the form of

pumpkin savoro or pumpkin fried

and seasoned with vinegar, rose-

mary, and black currants in a man-

ner usually reserved for leftover

fish. With its mingling of sweet and

sour, the original recipe harks back

to Byzantine times or even earlier

and also exists in Venice (as saor).

Many of Crete's small villages

would never merit a postcard. As if

not daring to compete with the

island's stunning landscapes, they

are often collections of architec-

turally plain buildings, their only

redeeming features the fiery gera-

niums and amaryllis trumpets that

blaze from rusty oil tins set on a

cement balcony. But Margarites

has doors and windows that glow

like sapphires and emeralds framed

by gentle stone arches and lintels,

partly camouflaged by thick green-

ery. It also boasts a venerable pot-

tery tradition, kept alive by two

men who still use a foot-propelled

potter's wheel and bring clay on

donkey back from the riverbed.

You never can tell what you might


find in these villages. Near Skotino,

inland from the beach resort at

Gournes not far from Heraklio, I

tunneled 230 steep meters below

the earth into a cave where

Minoans worshipped the Mother

Goddess long before Zeus was a

gleam in Cronos's eye. But in

October this bland hamlet swims

in a Dionysian haze. This is raki-

making season and all over Crete

villagers with the coveted permits

clean out their basements, polish

their stills and cauldrons, and

stoke the fires to distill the potent

eau de vie from the pips and skins

left from pressing September's

grapes into wine. “Cauldroning” as

it is called usually turns into a

party with classic dishes such as

roasted whole potatoes drizzled

with sea salt and olive oil and pork

chops roasted in embers, both

hearty enough fare to mitigate the

effects of imbibing phenomenal

amounts of fire water.

Mochlos is the exception to the

rule that an unspoiled village must

be inland. Yellow fishing nets

mounded on the rocks, small fish-

ing boats bobbing off a simple

jetty, a few tavernas jostling for

customers — Mochlos lies at the

bottom of a narrow road that hur-

tles down the cliffside between

Agios Nikolaos and Siteia. For

years it has sheltered teams of

archaeologists excavating a

Minoan cemetery on Louse islet

offshore, and for years Marika

Petraki has been feeding them at

the taverna named after her

daughter, Sophia. One day she

shared her recipes for stuffed veg-

etables using the typically eastern

Cretan seasonings of mint and

cumin and the special omelette

she bakes for the archaeologists

with 25 eggs and a kilo of zucchini,

potatoes, and tomatoes.

But it was in Zakros that I had my

fullest introduction to the inner life

of a Cretan village. I'd spent the

evening at Kato Zakros, a crescent


of tavernas and rooms on the black

pebbled beach near the ruins of the

easternmost Minoan palace.

Hearing of my search for recipes,

one of the taverna owners told me

to speak to his mother, Mary

Daskalaki, in the upper village the

next day.

Mary, a slim woman with a fund of

knowledge, obligingly rattled off

recipes and tales of life before the

1960s when the arrival of electricity

and automobiles disrupted the

close-knit community. But then

she showed me that it still existed

by taking me to a shed at the edge

of town. There a half dozen men

and women were preparing a feast

for a christening party that

evening. In the community

kitchen, a feature of many Cretan

villages, friends and relatives help

wedding and baptism hosts by

cooking for as many as 2,000

guests. The men were standing

over a vast cauldron in which three

yearling sheep were becoming

stock for the piece de resistance,

creamy, succulent plates full of

either macaroni if you are in

Eastern Crete, or rice in the West.

The rich, stock-infused pasta or rice

pilaffs are served at all Cretan fes-

tivities. The women, on the other

hand, were making salads, pies,

dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) and

omathies — a nubbly pork liver

sausage filled with rice, raisins,

walnuts, orange peel, cinnamon,

and sugar that has its origins in the

Byzantine era.

Mary had to join them but sent me

several houses away to where her

sister's family was baking bread in

an outdoor oven. I peeked into the

courtyard and was greeted like a

long-lost friend. Unfortunately, the

40 loaves had just gone into the

soot-blackened oven; kneading 30

kilos of flour into that much dough

sounded like a Herculean feat. But

Alexandra and her son's in-laws

invited me to wait with them until

they were done. They baked this



CRETAN CHEESES

All Cretan cheeses are made

from either sheep's or goat's

milk or a combination of

both. Here's a short list:

Graviera: Perhaps the most

famous of Crete's cheeses,

this local adaption of gruyere

is made of unpasteurized

sheep's milk. The wheels,

which range from one to 25

kilos (2 to 50 lbs.), no longer

taste anything like the Swiss

prototype. Cretan graviera

ranges from sweet, when

young, to nutty and reso-

nant, when aged.

Kefalograviera: Harder and

more piquant than graviera,

this is a table cheese that is

often also used in baked

dishes like pastitsio and

moussaka.

Myzithra: This is a fresh

whey cheese, relatively low

in fat, and similar to ricotta.

It is used as filling in all types

of Cretan pies, whether fried

or baked, sweet or savory.

Dried in large balls, it is pop-

ular grating cheese.

Xynomyzithra: A cheese

unique to Crete, this “sour”

whey cheese is salted, grainy

rather than creamy, and is

aged for two months before

eating. With its dry, tangy

taste, it is a favorite meze

with ouzo or raki, while

baked into a pie, it becomes

sweeter.

Staka: This cholesterol-rich

delicacy is found only in

western Crete. It is prepared

THE CRETAN LARDER

Paximadia (rusks):

Twice-baked breads have been

around since Roman times,

but in Crete they are both sta-

ple and luxury. Made of every

conceivable type of flour from

refined white to coarse wheat

and barley, they accompany

every meal, crumbled into sal-

ads or springing up in sauces.

Smaller sweet rusks flavored

with coriander, cloves, and

mastic were such a delicacy

they were served at wed-

dings until recently. Studded

with nuts or currants, sea-

soned with juices and spices,

they are still served with cof-

fee, herbal teas, or raki at

any time of day.

CRETAN OLIVES

Two favorite eating olives

are Neratzates — green olives

soaked in brine and then fla-

vored with bitter orange

juice and the tiny black

Psirolia or Psiloelia, hardly

bigger than a coffee bean.

Surprisingly, they also pro-

duce lots of oil.


from the cream skimmed off

the top of sheep's milk and

then simmered with a pinch

of salt and some flour until it

separates into clarified but-

ter (stakovoutiro) and a yel-

lowy substance that resem-

bles clotted cream or crème

fraiche. The former is used to

flavor festive dishes such as

wedding pilaf; the latter may

be spread on bread like a soft

cheese or used to fry eggs.

Snails: The Cretans probably

eat more snails than the

French (to whom they

export them). Plucked from

a bush or bought from the

market, they need to be

purged before cooking with

flour, dried pasta, or fresh

herbs. They are rich in bene-

ficial omega 3 fatty acids and

appear in dozens of recipes.

Among the most common

are boubouristous fried and

seasoned with rosemary and

vinegar, or stewed with

cracked wheat (hondros) or

trahana (xinohondros).

Hondros & Xinohondros:

Though trahana exists

throughout the Balkans and

Middle East, only in Crete is

it made with cracked wheat

(in lieu of flour or bulgur).

The slightly sour (xino), pun-

gent flavor comes from the

addition of buttermilk or

intentionally soured milk.

Possibly the oldest form of

pasta, it was an ingenious

way of combining wheat and

dairy into an easily trans-

portable food that never

spoils. Just boil it with a little

water and you have a nour-

ishing, tasty soup.

Olive oil: The Cretans con-

sume more olive oil than any

other people, including

mainland Greeks. The island

also produces more extra vir-

gin oil than anywhere else in

the country and much of it is

organic. At least 9 districts

have been awarded the cov-

eted POP (Protected

Appellation of Origin) desig-

nation by the European

Union.

Horta (wild greens): Even

though Cretans ate little else

during the Second World

War, they still have a passion

for wild greens. The island is

said to have as many as 300

edible weeds, which range

from the ordinary dandelion

to the exotic askrolymbros, a

thistly root in the salsify

family that commands a

higher price than filet

mignon in the market.

Cretan cooks bring enor-

mous imagination to their

greens dishes, balancing the

intensity of sweet and sour

or bitter, and combining

them with everything from

lamb and rabbit to fish and

octopus. Greens often turn

up in pies and even raw in

salads, a practice unusual in

the rest of Greece.

Meat: When Cretans want to

celebrate, they roast or boil a

young goat or sheep. The idea

of eating a sirloin steak rarely

if ever crosses their mind, and

few beef or dairy cattle are

raised on the island. On the

other hand, pork is wide-

spread, and in the old days

even the poorest rural house-

hold lived off sausages,

smoked filets, and other cuts

from the family pig.

Wine & Raki: Cretans love to

drink and many families

keep a barrel of homemade

amber-colored wine in their

storerooms. But commercial

wineries are beginning to

make a name for them-

selves, with crisp whites

from Siteia and deep reds

from Archanes/Peza the

most distinctive. But if you

go to Crete, no matter what

time of day or season, you'll

be just as likely to see small

groups of men sipping shot

glasses of clear, potent raki,

distilled from grape skins

and pips.


quantity every month, but most of

the loaves would be broken into

thick slices and returned to the

cooling oven for 24 hours until they

became rock-hard rusks, paximadia,

that are among the island's most

traditional foods.

We talked and joked for more than

an hour before Irini, a 70-some-

thing dynamo, split the loaves with

her strong hands and Alexandra

and Irini's husband, Yannis, shov-

eled them back into the oven's dark

mouth. I tried to say goodbye, but

Alexandra grasped my arm and

walked me to their house for

lunch. Over fresh bread, roast

chicken, salads, plenty of home-

made wine, and much laughter,

Yannis and Irini started to remi-

nisce — about the war, walking to

Siteia with loaded mules, and

about the time he kidnapped her.

Bride stealing is still a common

practice in Crete, usually a conspir-

acy of the willing whose eagerness

to marry may thwart their parents'

plans. Too poor to abduct her on

horseback, Yannis had carried Irini

piggyback across a river to a cave

where they spent the night. “We

came back the very next morning

but by then there was nothing to

argue about.”

It was evening before the party

ended and I departed, showered

with kisses and gifts of bread, raki,

and raisins. Glowing from a surfeit

of well-being, I thought how decep-

tive these Cretan villages are. As

long as I was intent on mere sight-

seeing, I'd passed through them

with barely a second glance. But by

welcoming me into their kitchens,

the men and women who lived in

them continually added unexpect-

ed dimensions to the notion of hos-

pitality. They also reminded me that

sitting around a table sharing food

and experiences is one of the bless-

ings life has to bestow.

Crete ona Plate Home Cooking andRestaurant Recipes



Food Styling: Dawn Brown


Cretan Barley Rusk Meze

Adapted from Feasting and Fasting in Crete, Delicious Mediterranean Recipes,

by Diana Farr Louis (Kedros, Athens, 2001).

For 1-2 servings

1 large barley or whole wheat rusk

2 Tbsp. Greek extra-virgin olive oil

1 large tomato (or 2 smaller ones), chopped

1 Tbsp. myzithra cheese or soft, mild feta

1 tsp. oregano or marjoram

Sprinkle the rusk on both sides with

water from the tap to soften it a bit.

Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil over it, then

add the chopped tomato and the

remaining oil, the cheese crumbled on

top, the herbs, and some salt and pep-

per. Serve immediately.

Kerasma Cretan recipes

Cretan Inspired Rusk Salad

Chef Dimitris Skarmoutsos, formerly of Nychterida, now at Alatsi in Athens

2 cups each of Romaine, lamb's lettuce and mâche

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2/3 cup mild, soft, unsalted sheep's milk cheese

4 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Greek extra-virgin olive oil to taste


2 Cretan barley rusks



1. Trim and coarsely tear the lettuces.

Toss with the cherry tomatoes. Add

the cheese in spoonfuls or cubes. Mix

all the ingredients in a serving bowl

together with the rusks.

2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon

juice, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over

salad and garnish with pomegranate.

Miniature Greens Pies



For 30 pieces

For the pastry:140 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour, sifted with 1/4 tsp. salt


1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

80 to 120 ml (1/3-1/2 cup) tepid water

Spinach filling: 1/2 kg. (1 lb.) spinach, washed and trimmed

250 gr. (8 oz.) chard, washed and trimmed

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped wild fennel leaves or bulb fennel tips

(or, if unavailable, dill)


1 tsp. cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste



1. Make a well in the flour, fill it with

the olive oil, lemon juice, and some of

the water. Stir with your hands,

adding water gradually, and knead

until you have a tough dough. Cover

with cellophane wrap and set aside

for 30 minutes or more.

2. Boil the spinach and chard in lots of

water until tender. Drain thoroughly

and when cool enough to handle,

squeeze out as much water as you

can.

3. Chop finely (do not process), includ-

ing stalks.

4. In the meantime, sauté the chopped

onion and fennel leaves in the olive oil

until the onions are soft and the fen-

nel wilted. Then mix all the vegetables

together in a bowl and season to taste

with salt, pepper, and cumin.

5. Roll out the dough as thin as you

can. Cut into rectangles about 5 x 10

cm 2 x 4 inches. Put a tablespoonful of

filling onto one half of the square, fold

over and pinch the sides to seal (mois-

tening your index finger with water

and running it around the edge will

help) or press with a fork. When you

have finished, you can either freeze

the pies or fry them in hot oil and

serve immediately.



1. Marinate the rabbit for a few hours

or overnight in the wine, bay leaves,

cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns.

2. Remove the meat from the mari-

nade, dry it, and reserve the liquid.

Strain the spices and set aside. Brown

the meat in a few tablespoons of hot

oil, along with the spices, bay leaves

and oregano. Reduce the heat to a

simmer and cook until the rabbit is

tender.

3. When the rabbit is cooked, remove

it from the pan, add 240 ml (1 cup) of

the marinade and, scraping up the

pan juices and bits and pieces, reduce

it until you have a thick syrupy sauce.

Pour it over the rabbit and serve.

Sfakian Fried Rabbit



For 4 servings

1 rabbit, cut in serving portions

480 ml (2 cups) red, white, or rose wine

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

3-4 cloves

5-6 whole black peppercorns

1 tsp. Greek dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Olive oil for frying

Raisin Cake



Makes 8 servings

300 grams (11 oz.) golden raisins

60 ml (1/4 cup) raki or brandy

About 420 grams (3 cups) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

220 ml (1 cup) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

200 grams (1 cup) sugar

110 ml (1/2 cup) fresh orange juice

1 Tbsp. baking soda, dissolved in the orange juice

Grated peel of one orange

110 ml (1/2 cup) Seltzer water

150 grams (1 cup) chopped walnuts (optional)



1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375 F).

2. Soak the raisins in the alcohol for

about 10 minutes and then process

the miature in the food processor.

3. Sift the flour and spices together

into a bowl. In a separate, larger

bowl, using an electric mixer, beat

together the olive oil and sugar until

creamy and slowly add the orange

juice along with the grated peel,

seltzer water, brandy-soaked raisins

and chopped walnuts. Stir in the flour,

a little at a time, until you have a

thick batter.

4. Slide it into a lightly oiled spring-

form cake pan (24 cm/ 9 1/2 inches in

diameter) and bake for about 1 hour.

Cool and serve.

Zuccini and Cretan Cheese Pie with Nigella Seeds

Nychterida Restaurant, Akrotiri, Crete, Chef-owner Babis Mastoridis

2 kg. (4 1/2 lbs.) zucchini

4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly slices

2 kg. (4 1/2 lbs.) soft goat or sheep's milk cheese

300 gr. (10 oz.) feta cheese

2 chopped tomatoes

2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

1 cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1 tsp. nigella seeds

Salt and pepper



1. Thinly slice the zucchini. Place in a

colander in layers, sprinkling each

layer with salt. Let drain for several

hours.

2. Mix the drained zucchini with the

thinly sliced potatoes in a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes.

3. Lightly oil a large baking dish.

Spread one layer of potatoes on bot-

tom of pan. Spread soft cheese on top.

Cover with a layer of zucchini. Sift a

thin layer of flour over the mixture

and spread a little of mint and cheese.

Repeat the procedure. Spread a final

layer of cheese. Sprinkle the sesame

on the top of the dish. Cook in a medi-

um oven at 350F (170°C) for one and a

half hours. Let cool slightly and serve.


Kerasma Summerin the Kitchen

Menus and Recipes from Greek Island Restaurants

In this issue, we've seen recipes

from both the home and profes-

sional kitchens of Crete and New

York restaurants. Greek regional

cooking has blossomed in the last

decade, with a resurgence of dish-

es but also a renaissance that looks

to tradition and transforms it into

modern food.

In our first summer issue of The

GreekGourmetraveler what better

place to look for these astounding

culinary transformations than in

the Greek islands most frequented

by foreign tourists. In this issue, we

highlight two Greek island restau-

rants, Selene, owned by Yiogos

Hatziyiannakis, in Fira on the

island of Santorini and Mavrikos,

owned by Dimitris and Mihalis

Mavrikos in Lindos, Rhodes.

In Santorini, the caper, the yellow

split pea, and the island's unique,

small, intensely flavored tomato

are among the main local ingredi-

ents chefs and home cooks alike

have always looked to for inspira-

tion. The island's cuisine is a cuisine

de pauvre filled with ingenious

recipes for making the most from

what was traditionally a limited

number of raw ingredients.

In lush, vast Rhodes, the cuisine is

quite different. There, the chick pea

prevails among pulses; seafood is

an important part of local culinary

lore; spices such as cumin and cin-

namon are found in many island

dishes.

Photography: Yiorgos Dracopoulos

Food Styling: Tina Webb


Kerasma Greek island recipes

1. Preheat the grill to high. Scoop out

the sea urchin flesh and juices and mix

together with one tablespoon olive oil

and a little lemon juice. Set aside.

2. Finely chop the scallion and process

it together with the yellow split peas

at high speed in a blender or food

processor. Add a little olive oil and

lemon juice as you process. Season to

taste with salt and pepper.

3. Open each artichoke so that it looks

almost like a rose. Grill for a few min-

utes to color slightly. Spread two

tablespoons of the split pea mixture

on a serving plate, spread the arti-

choke on top, open flowerlike, and add

a dollop of the sea urchin mixture.

Repeat with remaining artichokes,

fava, and sea urchin. Garnish with

dill.

Artichokes Filled with Sea Urchin and Yellow Split Pea Cream

Selene, Santorini, Yiorgos Hatziyannakis

Meze for 8

8 sea urchins


Lemon juice to taste

1/2 cup cooked Santorini yellow split peas

1 scallion

8 small artichokes preserved in olive oil


Fresh snipped dill, for garnish

Santorini Tomato-Lamb Torte with Greek Yogurt

For 4 servings

2 scallions

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin Greek olive oil

1/2 cup long-grain, parboiled rice

1 cup water

400 gr. (about 1 lb.) boneless lamb, cut into 1-inch strips

2 eggs, separated

1 garlic clove

3 cups Greek strained yogurt

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint

20 small cherry or Santorini tomatoes




1. Light the grill to high. Cut off the

tops of the scallions and julienne.

Submerge in ice water.

2. Finely chop the remaining scallions

and sauté in a little olive oil. Add the

rice and brown lightly. Add the water,

salt, and pepper and cook until the

rice absorbs most of the water.

Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Grill the meat to brown lightly.

Season with salt and pepper.

4. Whisk the egg yolks until stiff peaks

form. Combine the yogurt, mint, egg

yolks, salt, pepper, and meringue.

5. Lightly oil a sheet pan and 4 large

ring molds. Place a heaping table-

spoon of rice on the bottom of each

ring mold. Combine the remaining

cooked rice with the yogurt mixture.

Finely chop all but 4 tomatoes and

combine with the lightly grilled meat.

Place a little of the yogurt-rice mix-

ture inside the ring mold, then spread

a little of the meat-tomato mixture on

top. Repeat. Do the same for the

remaining three ring molds. Bake in a

preheated oven at about 375F (190°C)

for 15-20 minutes. In the meanwhile,

lightly sear the remaining four toma-

toes, either on the grill or in a non-

stick skillet. Remove the tortes from

the oven, transfer to 4 serving plates,

let cool slightly, remove the ring molds

and garnish with one charred tomato

and the julienne scallion leaves. Serve.



1. Mash the cheese with a fork or

potato masher.

2. Dampen the gelatin in a little cold

water to soften then heat over low

flame to dissolve. Combine with the

cheese and mix vigorously.

3. Whisk the egg whites to form a stiff

meringue. Fold the meringue into the

cheese mixture, together with the

sweet tomatoes and the candied

capers. Refrigerate for several hours.

Garnish with a little chopped sweet

tomato and serve.

• To make the candied capers: desalt

the capers by blanching them in plain

water and then leaving them to soak

for several days in ample water,

replenishing it every few hours.

Remove and blot dry. Make a syrup

with 1 cup sugar and 2/3 cup water

and simmer the capers in the syrup for

about 20 minutes. Remove with a

slotted spoon to use in the dessert.

Sweet Myzithra (Soft Cheese) Cream with Tomatoes and Candied Capers

For 4 servings

350 gr. (about 12 oz.) anthotyro or Santorini myzithra or any soft,

mild whey cheese

4 Tbsp. Greek thyme honey

3 gelatin sheets

3 egg whites

12 tomatoes drained from Greek tomato spoon sweet, chopped

2 Tbsp. candied capers*


Skorpion Fish Braised with Yellow Squash and Mint

Mavrikos, Lindos, Rhodes, Dimitris and Mihalis Mavrikos

For 4 servings

1.5 kg. (3 lbs.) skorpion fish or other tasty rock fish

400 gr. (1 lb.) yellow squash

1/2 cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers

Juice of 1 large lemon

1/3 cup sweet Muscat from Rhodes

Salt

Black peppercorns

1/2 large bunch fresh mint, leaves only, julienne


1. Clean and fillet the fish. Cut into

large strips or squares.

2. Clean the squash, remove the seeds,

and cut the flesh into large, thin

cubes.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large

saucepan and sauté the onion and

garlic. Add the squash and sauté.

Season with salt and pepper. Add the

fish. Pour in the lemon juice and wine.

Taste for salt and adjust seasoning.

Add the mint. Simmer until the

squash is tender and the fish flaky.



1. Mash the cheese together with the

sugar, herbs, and nutmeg. Place on a

double sheet of plastic wrap and

shape into a small log or cylinder.

Twist closed and refrigerate for two

hours to firm.

2. Sauté the peach slices in the butter.

Add the pepper and cinnamon sticks.

Stir gently. Add the wine and honey.

Simmer until the pan juices are thick

and syrupy.

To serve: Cut the cheese into rounds,

plate, and top with the syrup-poached

peaches.

Greek Peaches with Rhodes Muscat and Myzithra Cheese

For 4 servings

200 gr. (1/2 lb.) lightly salted, fresh soft myzithra, anthotyro

or other soft whey cheese

1 tsp. sugar

2-3 Tbsp. mixed chopped mint and lemon verbena

Pinch of nutmeg

2 large peaches, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp. butter

4 peppercorns

2 cinnamon sticks

1 cup sweet Rhodes muscat

2 tsp. Greek honey


Kerasma:Treat Your Tastewith Great Recipes for Ouzo,Assyrtico Wine, Greek FarmedFish, Spoon Sweets, and Peaches

Photography: Yiorgos Dracopoulos

Food styling: Tina Webb


Kerasma recipes for Ouzo

1. Mix the garlic together with the

olive paste and mint leaves.

2. Toast the bread.

3. Spread the paste onto each slice,

place one anchovy one pepper strip on

top. Serve.

Grilled Bread with Olive Paste, Marinated Anchovies and Red Florina Peppers

For 12 pieces

1 garlic clove, mashed

100 gr. (3 oz.) Kalamata olive paste

15 mint leaves, very finely chopped

12 thick slices stale bread, 4 x 2.5 cm (1 1/2 x 1 in.)

12 marinated anchovies

12 strips, 4 cm (1 1/2 in.) wide, of red Florina peppers, grilled

(you can buy them in brine or olive oil, too)

Grilled Bread with Spicy Cheese and Green Peppers

For 12 pieces

100 gr. (3 oz.) cream

1 Tbsp.boukovo, or red pepper flakes

1 1/2 Tbsp. Greek extra-virgin olive oil

250 gr. (9 oz.) feta

1 tsp. sweet paprika

2 green peppers, diced

1 Tbsp. Greek extra-virgin olive oil for the peppers

Salt and freshly ground pepper

12 slices stale bread, 6 x 2.5 cm (2 x 1 in.)



1. Warm the cream in a small

saucepan, taking care not to boil.

2. Sauté the boukovo in the olive oil

for 30 sec. over medium heat.

3. Process the feta, hot cream, bouko-

vo, and paprika at high speed until

creamy. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

4. Mix the peppers with the remaining

olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Toast the bread, spread a little of

the cheese spread on them and deco-

rate each with a few peppers. Serve.



1. Grill the peppers on both sides (about

4 - 5 minutes per side), place them

immediately in a bowl and cover with

cellophane, keeping the bowl covered

for 20 minutes. Skin the peppers and

remove the seeds. Dry them on paper

towels and cut them up.

2. Fry them together with the oil and

garlic in a frying pan on a low heat for

7 - 8 minutes until most of their juices

have evaporated. Process them at

medium speed until they become a

velvety cream. Season with salt and

pepper.

3. Grill the bread on both sides and

spread the pepper cream on each slice.

Place two slices of trout on each piece

of bread and decorate with the dill

leaves and lemon zest.

Grilled Bread with Creamed Florina Peppersand Smoked Trout

For 6 meze servings

12 thick slices stale bread, 6 x 2 1/2 cm (2 x 1 in.)

10 red Florina peppers

2 garlic cloves, finely cut

1 1/2 Tbsp. Greek extra-virgin olive oil

24 slices of smoked trout filet

Fresh snipped dill for garnish

Grated rind of 1 lemon


Potatoes Stuffed with Smoked Mackerel and Herbs

For 10 meze servings

10 new potatoes, 50 gr. (1 2/3 oz.) each

150 gr. (5 oz.) smoked mackerel, diced fine

1/2 bunch of tarragon, finely chopped

1/3 bunch chives, finely chopped

50 gr. (1 2/3 oz.) strained Greek yogurt

30 ml (1 oz) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

White pepper, freshly ground



1. Boil the potatoes until al dente.

Remove carefully with a slotted

spoon, cool slightly, and cut off a bit

of one tip so they can stand upright.

2. Using a melon baller, scoop out the

potato flesh, leaving a shell about 1/4-

inch (1 cm-) thick.

3. Mash the potato lightly with a fork.

Add the smoked mackerel, tarragon,

chives, yogurt and olive oil. Season

with pepper. Fill each potato with the

mixture and serve.



1. Salt the zucchini well and leave in a

bowl for about 45 minutes. Little by

little put some of the grated zucchini

into a kitchen towel and extract the

water by squeezing.

2. Combine the grated zucchini with

the rest of the ingredients except the

flour. Using a tablespoon, shape the

mixture into about 25 fritters (approx.

30 gr./1 oz. each).

3. Dredge the fritters lightly in the

flour and deep fry at 170°C (340F) for

3-4 minutes until golden and crisp.

Sauce: Heat the milk to warm and

process together with the feta, olive

oil, and oregano at high speed. Keep

warm. Serve the fritters with the

sauce.

Zucchini Fritters with Feta Sauce

For 6-8 servings:

For the Fritters:1.8 kg (4 lbs.) zucchini, grated

Salt and white pepper, freshly ground

400 gr. (1 lb.) fresh tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and diced

150 gr. (5 oz.) onion, finely chopped

1/2 bunch mint leaves, finely chopped

50 gr. (1 1/2 oz.) breadcrumbs

50 gr. (1 1/2 oz.) finely ground almonds

1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped

1/4 bunch parsley, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 eggs

Flour for dredging

For the Feta Sauce:200 ml milk

500 gr. (1 lb., 3 oz) Feta

50 ml (1 1/2 oz.) olive oil

1/2 bunch oregano leaves, fresh

Sardines in Grape Leaves with Green Olive Sauce

For 12 meze or six main-course servings

For the sauce:400 gr. (13 oz.) green olives

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 bunches coriander, leaves only

400 ml olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the wrapped fish:18 large sardines, boned and heads cut

18 large grape leaves

Salt and pepper, freshly ground

3-4 Tbsp. Greek extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon



1. Blend all the ingredients for the

sauce in a blender.

2. Wrap the sardines in the leaves,

leaving the tail out. Brush with oil

and season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill the sardines over high heat for

2 minutes per side. Sprinkle with

lemon juice.

4. Serve 3 or 6 sardines per portion,

with a little sauce per plate.



1. Process all the ingredients for the

pesto until coarsely chopped. Remove

and set aside.

2. Warm the cream and then blend it

in a food processor together with the

manouri cheese. Add the thyme and

season with pepper. Refrigerate to

chill.

3. Simmer the vinegar in a small

saucepan until it is reduced by at least

half and becomes syrupy and thick.

Let cool.

4. Cut the zucchini and eggplant

lengthwise into thin slices. Salt and

drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat

dry. Brush with oil and grill over a

high heat until the vegetables soften

and acquire grill marks (the eggplant

needs a little longer to cook).

5. Place a little of the cheese mixture

on each vegetable slice and roll up.

Before serving, heat the parcels or

rolls in a very hot oven for 2 minutes.

Place 2 each of the rolls or parcels on a

plate and drizzle with a little pesto

and balsamic syrup. Serve.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Packets Stuffed with Cheese

For about 10 servings:

For the Pesto: 100 gr. (3 1/2 oz.) sun-dried tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 bunches basil leaves

50 gr. (1 1/2 oz.) pine nuts

50 gr. ( 1 1/2 oz.) San Michali cheese from Syros

or other piquant, hard, yellow cow's milk cheese

150 ml (2/3 cup) Greek extra-virgin olive oil


3 large zucchini

3 medium sized, long eggplants

700 gr. (1 2/3 pounds) aged manouri cheese, freshly grated

100 ml (3 1/2 oz.) heavy cream

1/3 bunch thyme leaves

12 oz. good balsamic vinegar

Greek extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, freshly ground

Artichokes with Garlic and Potato Puree

For 4 servings

For the garlic and potato puree:2 potatoes (150 gr. / 5 oz.), boiled and cooled

5 garlic cloves

200 ml (7 oz.) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

Hot pepper to taste

7-8 Greek saffron threads

Vinegar as needed

8 medium globe artichokes

400 gr. (13 oz.) small onions

300 gr. (10 oz.) carrots

500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine

Juice of 1 - 2 lemons

150 gr. (5 oz) Feta, grated

1 celery stalk

3 Tbsp. fresh dill

Extra-virgin Greek olive oil as needed

Flour



1. Mash the potatoes, garlic cloves,

hot pepper, and saffron. Drizzle in the

olive oil and vinegar, mashing all the

while until smooth. Set aside.

2. Trim the artichokes, removing all

leaves and scraping the hairy chokes.

Submerge in acidulated water to keep

from discoloring.

3. Peel the onions, but keep whole.

Pare and slice the carrots.

4. Sautee the onions and carrots in

olive oil, add a little lemon juice and

wine, and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Place the artichokes in another

saucepan with stem side down.

Sprinkle with finely chopped celery

and dill and cover with the onion -

carrot mixture and its juices.

6. Add a little water and 1 tablespoon

of flour mixed with 4 tablespoons of

olive oil to the saucepan. Season with

salt and coarsely ground pepper and

cover with parchment paper. Serve.

Simmer over low heat for 25 - 30 min-

utes. When the artichokes are cooked,

let cool completely. Serve cold or at

room temperature on a pool of the

garlic - potato puree, sprinkled with

grated feta and chopped dill.


1. Clean and trim the anchovies,

removing heads and intestines. Wash

them well and place them in a large

skillet. Pour in the water or fish stock,

add the parsley and dill, and simmer

for 5 minutes.

2. Place the lemon and garlic on top of

each fish and season with salt and pep-

per. Add the olive oil and simmer for

another 7 - 8 minutes, or until tender.

3. Sprinkle with the fresh oregano

before serving.

Steamed Anchovies with Herbs and Garlic

For 8 servings

1 kg (2 pounds) fresh anchovies

125 ml (1/2 cup) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

125 ml (1/2 cup) water or if existing fish stock

1 lemon, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, cut into slivers

1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped

1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped

Fresh oregano

Salt and pepper


Calamari Packets with Sautéed Amaranth, Mussels, and Ouzo

For 4 servings:

1 kg (2 pounds) large, fresh squid, cleaned and minced

2 leeks, finely chopped

3 large onions, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, minced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

400 gr. mussels, shelled and rinsed

150 ml (4 oz) ouzo

1 large tomato, grated

Grated zest of 1 orange

Salt

Peppercorns crushed with a mallet

500 gr. pork caul

400 gr. (1 pound) amaranth leaves



1. Sauté 1/3 of the onion, celery, half of

the garlic, half the parsley, and leek in

olive oil. Add the mussels and ouzo.

Add the calamari. Remove from heat

and mix in 1/3 more of remaining raw

onion, orange zest, salt, and pepper-

corns. Strain, reserve the liquid, and

pass it through a fine mesh sieve to

strain further.

2. Cut the caul fat into 10-cm (4-in.)

squares and place a tablespoon of the

squid mixture in the middle. Fold the

sides toward the center, then roll into

little packages. Grill over high heat

until browned.

3. Sauté the amaranth in some olive

oil, adding the rest of the onion, gar-

lic, parsley, and ouzo-scented liquid

from the mussels. Remove from the

heat and add the grated tomato.

4. Serve the calamari packets on a

bed of the amaranth.


Kerasma recipes for Assyrtico

1. Cut the cucumber in half length-

wise. Using a mandolin, cut the

cucumbers into long spaghetti-like

strands. Season lightly with salt and

let drain in a colander.

2. Using a vegetable parer, shave the

asparagus into thin strands. Blanch

for a few seconds in salted water then

drain and shock in a bath of ice water.

3. Whisk together all the ingredients

for the vinaigrette.

4. Combine the zucchini, asparagus,

mint and 5 Tbsp. of the dressing in a

bowl and let stand for five minutes.

Place a small mound of the mixture in

the center of each serving plate, place

the trout fillets on top and drizzle

with the remaining dressing. Serve, if

desired, with small rusks spread with

mint cream.

For the Mint Cream

Combine 100 ml heavy cream with 50

gr. (3 1/2 oz.) anthotyro, 1 tsp. fresh

chopped mint, a pinch of grated lime

zest, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, salt and pep-

per. Process until smooth and spread

onto small rusks to accompany the

salad above.

Smoked Trout with Cucumber and Lime Vinaigrette

For 8-10 meze servings

2 medium cucumbers

Salt and freshly ground red and green peppercorns

100 gr. (3 oz.) asparagus

For the Lime Vinaigrette 50 ml. (3 1/2 Tbsp.) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

(1 1/2 Tbsp.) fresh lime juice

3 Greek saffron threads, diluted in 1 Tbsp. hot water

1 tsp. Greek honey

1/2 tsp. mustard

3 Tbsp. orange juice

1/2 tsp. grated lime zest

1/2 cucumber, peeled

Salt and freshly ground green peppercorns

4 smoked trout fillets

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped mint

1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Home-Cured Tuna with Citrus and Olive Oil

For 4-6 servings

2 small whole tunny fish, 400 gr. (1 lb.) each; or tuna filet

1 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea-salt


For the sauce:40 ml (1 1/3 oz.) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

10 ml (1/3 oz.) lemon juice

30 ml (1 oz.) orange juice

10 ml (1/3 oz.) grapefruit juice

3 gr. mustard powder

3 gr. grated orange rind

3 gr. grated lemon rind

1 tsp. mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt

Green peppercorns

For the garnish:1 orange, sliced, peeled, and cut into small pieces

1/2 grapefruit, sliced, peeled, and cut into small pieces

2 Tbsp. minced green apple (drizzled with lemon juice to keep from

discoloring)

1 Tbsp. lightly toasted pine nuts

2 Tbsp. parsley and basil leaves, coarsely chopped



1. Cut the tuna into very thin fillets.

Remove the skin. Salt the filets gener-

ously and place in a stainless steel

colander. Drain for at least 4 hours in

the refrigerator. Wash tuna well under

running water, pat dry, and leave in a

bowl. Pour olive oil over to cover the

tuna and refrigerate again.

2. Blend all ingredients for the sauce

in a food processor.

3. In another bowl stir together all

ingredients for the garnish.

4. Strain the tuna filets from the oil

and place them in the middle of a

large platter. Surround with the gar-

nish, pour the sauce over, and serve.



1. Remove the skin, eyes, mouth, and

cartilage from the cuttlefish and cut

lengthwise from the front to the back.

Keep the two ink sacs, tear the mem-

brane, and dissolve the ink into the

fish stock.

2. Sauté the onion lightly in the olive

oil, add half the stock and let simmer

for 10-12 minutes. Add the cuttlefish

and pour in the rest of the stock.

Simmer until the cuttlefish is almost

tender. Add the raisins, pine nuts, and

wine. As soon as the alcohol cooks off,

season to taste with salt and pepper

and serve.

Cuttlefish Braised with Assyrtiko Wine

For 2-4 servings

1 kg. (2 lbs.) small cuttlefish

500 ml (2 cups) fish stock

3 large onions, cut into rings

200 ml (3/4 cup) olive oil

200 ml (3/4 cup) red Assyrtiko wine

1 Tbsp. dark raisins

1 Tbsp. pine nuts

Salt and pepper

John Dory Fish Cooked in Assyrtico

For 4 servings

2 John Dory fish, about 800 gr. (approx. 2 lbs) each, filleted

2 cups of white Assyrtiko wine

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. allspice

2 cinnamon sticks

6 laurel leaves

500 ml Greek extra-virgin olive oil

500 ml fish stock

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 kg. (1 lb.) celery (leaves and tender stalks)

Salt, pepper



1. Place the four fish fillets in a

saucepan, add the wine and spices. As

soon as the wine simmers, add the

celery, lower the heat, then add the

olive oil and fish stock.

2. Simmer until the liquid is reduced

by half. Slowly add the lemon until

you get the desired acidity and season

with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Distribute the celery on four plates

and top with one fish fillet.

4. Process the remaining pot juices at

high speed in a food processor or blender

and pour over the fish and celery.


1. Sauté the leek and spring onions

until soft. Raise the heat and add the

spinach, cooking it until it exudes its

juices. Add the rice, cooking for 1

minute, then add the wine and water.

Close the lid, lower the heat, and cook

for 25 minutes.

2. When the rice is ready, remove from

heat, stir in the aromatic herbs and

lemon, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the fish stock together with

the other ingredients for the sauce.

Remove and process in a high-speed

blender. Keep warm.

4. Season the fish fillets with salt and

pepper and sauté them over high heat,

skin-side down, for 2 minutes. Remove

from heat and turn over in the pan.

5. Place some spinach rice in the mid-

dle of a plate, one gilthead fillet on

top and drizzle with yogurt sauce.

Gilthead Bream with Spinach-Rice Pilaf and Yogurt Sauce

For the spinach-rice pilaf

75 ml (2 ½ oz.) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

100 gr. (3 oz.) leeks, finely chopped

100 gr. 3 oz.) spring onions, finely chopped

350 gr. (10 oz) fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed

100 gr. (3 oz.) short grain rice

100 ml (3 oz.) dry white wine

100 ml (3 oz.) water

1 bunch dill, finely chopped

1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped

1 bunch chervil, finely chopped

1 bunch fennel, finely chopped

Juice of 1 ½ lemons


For the yogurt sauce:100 ml (3 oz.) fish stock

200 ml (6 oz.) strained Greek yogurt

15 mint leaves


For the gilthead bream:3 gilthead bream, 600 gr. (1 lb. 5 oz., each), filleted (boned, skin on)


Greek olive oil for cooking

Kerasma recipes for farmed fish

Sea Bass Skewers with Roasted Tomatoes and Caper-Olive Mayonnaise

For 12 skewers, 75 gr. (2 ½ oz.) each (6 servings)

9 plum or pomodoro tomatoes, skinned

and halved lengthwise, seeds removed

Salt

Freshly ground pepper


Thyme

1 garlic clove cut into slivers

900 gr. (2 lbs.) sea bass fillets, cut into cubes

and threaded onto 36-cm (12-inch) skewers

For the mayonnaise2 egg yolks

200 ml (6 oz.) Greek extra-virgin olive oil

50 gr. (1 1/2 oz.) tiny capers

50 gr. (1 1/2 oz.) pickled onions, finely chopped

25 gr. (3/4 oz.) throumbes (wrinkled) olives, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. tarragon, finely chopped

Lemon juice




1. Season the tomatoes with salt and

pepper, drizzle olive oil over them,

sprinkle with thyme, and top each

tomato with a sliver of garlic. Place

on parchment paper. Bake at 80°C

(200F) oven for 4 to 6 hours. Remove

and discard the garlic.

2. Whisk the egg yolks well, adding

the olive oil drop by drop to make the

mayonnaise. Once it is emulsified and

smooth, add the remaining ingredi-

ents. Add enough lemon juice to taste.

3. Thread the sea bass onto the skew-

ers evenly. Season with salt and pep-

per, brush them with olive oil and grill

over direct heat for about 2 minutes

per side, until done.

4. Place 3 baked tomatoes on each

plate, top with two sea bass skewers,

and serve the mayonnaise in a small

bowl next to it.


1. For the sauce sauté the garlic in 10

ml (1/3 oz.) olive oil for 30 secs. And

add the stock or wine. Boil for 5 min-

utes (10 minutes if you use wine

instead of stock) and add the milk.

2. Just before the milk comes to a boil,

add the pistachios. Simmer for 20

minutes, remove from heat and

process in a high-speed blender,

together with the basil leaves, for 2

minutes.

3. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh

sieve and season with salt and pepper.

4. Brush the fish with olive oil, season

with salt and pepper, and press on

both sides into the fennel seed.

5. Grill the fish over a high heat for 3

minutes on each side (2 minutes if the

fish is being pan-seared in a non-stick

skillet).

6. Pour a bed of sauce onto each plate

and serve the fish on top.

Sea Bass in a Fennel-Seed Crust, with Pistachios and Basil

For 6 servings

1 garlic clove finely chopped

20 ml Greek extra-virgin olive oil, divided

250 ml (1 cup) fish stock, or 200 ml (6 oz.) dry white wine

200 ml (6 ½ oz.) whole milk

200 gr. (6 1/2 oz.) Aegina pistachios (shelled and unsalted)

5 basil leaves


Few drops of lemon juice if needed

3 sea bass, 800 gr. (1 lb., 10 oz.) each, filleted and skinned

200 gr. (6 1/2 oz.) fennel seed


Gilthead Bream Phyllo Packets

For 6 servings

1 large leek (only the white part), julienned


1 carrot (200 gr./ 6 1/2 oz.) julienned

2 large zucchini (150 gr./ 5 oz.each) julienned

50 ml white wine

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

12 sheets of phyllo pastry, cut in 26 cm- (10-inch) circles

Melted butter for brushing the phyllo sheets

3 gilthead breams (600 gr. / 1 lb. 5 oz. each), filleted and skinned

6 thyme sprigs



1. Cook the leeks in olive oil for 5 min-

utes over low heat. Add the carrot,

cooking for another 3 minutes, then

add the zucchini, cooking for one more

minute. Pour in the wine and raise the

heat. Simmer until all the juices evap-

orate. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Place one phyllo circle on top of

another, brushing between each.

Brush the surface with butter. Repeat

with remaining sheets to make a total

of six double circles.

3. Season the fish fillets with salt and

pepper and place in the center of one

circle. Top with a little of the veg-

etable mixture and thyme sprig. Fold

in two sides of the circle to cover the

fish, then fold up the ends to make a

packet. Brush with a little butter.

4. Place the packages in a non-stick

baking pan and bake immediately in a

190°C (375 F) oven for 10 minutes.

Serve.


1. Sauté the leek and spring onions

until they soften. Raise the heat and

add the spinach, cooking it until it

exudes its juices. Add the rice, cooking

for 1 minute, then add the wine and

water. Close the lid, lower the heat

and cook for 25 minutes.

2. When the rice is ready, remove from

heat, stir in the aromatic herbs and

lemon, season with salt and pepper.

3. Cut the fish fillets into about 20

pieces, roughly to the size of the

spoons you will use to serve. Season

with salt and pepper and sauté for one

minute each on both sides in olive oil.

4. Place a little spinach rice on each

spoon. Place a piece of fish on top and

garnish, if desired, with fennel leaves.

Spinach and Rice on a Spoon with Gilthead Bream

For 6 servings

For the spinach-rice mixture

100 gr. (3 oz.) leek, finely chopped

100 gr. 3 oz.) spring onions, finely chopped


500 gr. (1 lb., 2 oz) spinach, cleaned and trimmed

150 gr. (5 oz.) short grain rice

100 gr. (3 oz.) white wine

100 gr. (3 oz.) water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch dill, finely chopped

1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped

1 bunch chervil, finely chopped

1 bunch fennel, finely chopped

Juice of 1 ½ lemons

For the gilthead bream

1 1/2 kg (3 lbs.) gilthead bream, filleted, skinned and deboned


Greek olive oil for cooking


Sea Bass Stuffed with Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Coconut

For 4 servings

4 medium, whole sea bass (350 - 400 gr./11 - 12 oz.),

each, scaled and cleaned

For the stuffing:250 gr. (1/2 oz.) onion, finely chopped


3 Tbsp. dark raisins

3 Tbsp. pine nuts

5 Tbsp. grated or shredded coconut

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Flour for dredging



1. Starting from the tail and ending

near the head, make an incision along

the stomach of each fish. Carefully

remove the backbone and return the

fish to the refrigerator to firm up the

flesh.

2. Sauté the onion in the olive oil, and

add all the other ingredients. Season

with salt and pepper and pour in the

lemon juice.

3. Pour the mixture into a sieve to

drain and cool.

4. Season the fish with salt, fill each

cavity with the stuffing and sew up

with kitchen thread. Place for another

hour in the fridge to firm up. Dredge

lightly in the flour, fry lightly in olive

oil, and serve.


1. Strain the peaches from their juices,

dry with paper towels, and cut each

into 6 slices.

2. Soak the gelatin in cold water. Heat

the water. Add the soaked gelatine

sheets and let cool slightly.

3. Add the sweet wine and stir.

4. Let the jelly stand at room tempera-

ture to cool and thicken, then pour

into a round mold, about 20 cm (8 in.)

in diameter. Sprinkle the verbena over

the jelly and distribute the peach

slices evenly.

5. Place in the freezer to set, then add

the rest of the jelly. Leave for several

hours in the refrigerator to set com-

pletely.

6. To serve, dip the mold into a basin

of hot water to loosen, then invert

onto a serving platter. Cut and serve

with yogurt.

Peach Gelée with Sweet Samos Muscat

For 6 servings

1 kg. (2.2 lbs) canned Greek peaches in syrup

6 sheets (30 gr / 1oz. total) gelatine

500 ml (2 cups) water

500 ml (2 cups) Samos Muscat wine

Lemon verbena, finely chopped

Strained Greek yogurt for serving

Kerasma recipes for Greek Peaches

Peach Jam with Oranges

For about 1 ½-2 kilos (3-4 lbs.) jam

15 medium-sized fresh Greek peaches

6 small thin-skinned oranges

1,250 gr. (2 pounds and 11 oz.) sugar

400 ml. water



1. Peel the peaches and cut them into

small pieces. Grate the zest off the

oranges. Peel the oranges and cut

them into small pieces, removing any

existing pips.

2. Mix the sugar, water, peaches,

oranges and grated rind in a saucepan

and simmer for about 40 minutes

until thickened. Remove and place

immediately into sterilized jars.

3. Place the jars in a pot with enough

water to come half way up. The lids

should be loosely screwed on. Bring to

a simmer; boil for 5 minutes, remove,

close the lids tightly and turn the jars

upside down. Let cool and store in a

cool, dry place.


1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350F).

2. Beat the butter and sugar with an

electric mixer until light and creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating

after each addition. Add the mastic oil.

3. Fold in the flour.

4. Butter and flour a 23-cm- (9-inch)

round pie pan. Press the dough into

the pan.

5. Wash and rub dry the peaches, cut

into halves to take out the pip and

then cut into thin slices. Distribute

evenly over the dough.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for

about 30 minutes, sprinkle with crys-

tal sugar and bake for another 10 - 15

minutes. Let cool and serve, either

warm or at room temperature.

Peach Pie with Mastic

160 gr. (5.5 oz.) unsalted butter

160 gr. (5.5 oz.) sugar

3 large eggs

200 gr. (6.5 oz.) flour

3 - 4 hard, fresh Greek peaches

Sugar for sprinkling

3 - 4 drops of mastic oil



1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350F).

2. Whip the butter and sugar at high

speed with an electric mixer until light

and creamy. Add the eggs one at a

time, beating after each addition.

3. Fold in the flour and the grated

zests.

4. Drain the spoon sweets and finely

chop. Save their syrup for another use.

5. Butter and flour a rectangular cake

pan 24 x 8 cm (10 x 4 inches), pour the

batter into it, and bake in the pre-

heated oven for 1 hour. Cool on a rack

and serve.

Cake with a Selection of Spoon Sweets

For 8 servings

150 gr. (5 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature

120 gr. (4 oz.) sugar

3 large eggs

600 gr. (1 pound, 5 oz.) selection of spoon sweets

(citrus peels, orange, figs, cherries)

225 gr. (7 1/2 oz.) flour

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Butter and flour for the cake pan

Kerasma recipes for Spoon Sweets


Yogurt Cream with Fig Spoon Sweet

For 6 servings

For the cream:1 vanilla bean

200 gr. (7 oz.) Greek thyme honey

150 gr. (5 oz.) heavy cream

2 leaves (10 gr. 3 oz.) gelatin

400 gr. (14 oz.) strained Greek yogurt

200 gr. (7 oz.) anthotyro

For the figs:500 gr. 2 lbs. fig spoon sweet

30 ml (1 oz.) brandy

Grated zest of ½ lemon

For the yogurt cream:

1. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in

half. Place the honey, heavy cream

and vanilla in a small saucepan and

heat slowly until the honey dissolves.

Do not let the cream boil. Remove

from heat and set aside. Strain and

discard the vanilla.

2. Soak the gelatine sheets in 2 cups of

water. Remove the softened sheets

and add to the cream-honey mixture,

stirring well to dissolve. Let cool

slightly.

3. Mix in the yogurt and anthotyro,

stirring vigorously with a wooden

spoon until smooth. Leave in the

refrigerator to cool and set, for about

2-3 hours.

For the figs:

1. Drain the figs well. Reserve the

syrup. Quarter the figs.

2. In a small bowl, combine the

brandy, syrup, and grated lemon zest.

Add the figs back to the syrup. Serve

the cold yogurt cream garnished with

the figs in the brandy-flavored syrup.

Kerasma recipes for Spoon Sweets


In the next issue…

Wine Country Nemea

Saffron from Kozani

The Greek Kitchen Down Under—Australia

Straight from the Source—Greece's Mineral

Waters Sparkle with Flavor

Kerasma Recipes

And more….

Kerasma is run under the aegisof the Hellenic Ministry of Economyand Finance and the Hellenic ForeignTrade Board (HEPO).

www.hepo.grwww.kerasma.com

www.mnec.gr

093424 Greekgourmet Vol 03

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Transcript of 093424 Greekgourmet Vol 03