For the love of food

There can be no doubt that the Cretans love their food and can be slightly obsessive about it. Sitting in our local café in Neapoli we are surrounded by Greek men drinking their coffee and having a chat. The talk is, amongst other things, politics or football, but it will always come around to food. They always want to know what you are cooking today and will let you know what they are having, and will even go so far as to tell you how best to cook it. They are very proud of their produce and we will very often be given gifts of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, mountain greens, grapes, and of course, home-made olive oil, wine and raki. The Cretan diet has remained almost unchanged for many centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that its popularity spread worldwide. At that time researchers from the US came to Crete to discover why the instances of cancer, diabetes and heart disease were so low and why people were living to 100 years old. Their good health and longevity was put down to their lifestyle and diet. They believe in the seasonality of produce and try to eat fresh every day. For example, strawberries, chestnuts, walnuts, plums, etc, will only be seen for sale for the couple of weeks that they are in season and there is great excitement when they arrive in the supermarket. The produce is sold loose, keeping packaging to a minimum, and some of it may be mis-shapen; they care about the taste not the looks!! Apart from eating a lot of vegetables and fruit, the Cretans also include pulses and cereals in their diet, with meat eaten in moderation. The Cretans love to go foraging for wild fruits and vegetables. Horta (wild greens) are very popular and the Cretans will show you how to prepare them for cooking. There is a wild chicory (stamnagathi), which grows on the island, and it has become a superfood because it is high in antioxidants. It therefore protects from heart and liver diseases; when it has been boiled the Cretans will often drink the water to detox and ease their stomachs. As you walk down the lanes of Neapoli your senses will be assaulted by the smell of marjoram, oregano, fennel, rosemary and thyme. These herbs are used instead of spices in Cretan cuisine; as well as giving flavour, they also help to boost your immune system. Apart from the variety of wild greens, Crete is known for its huge production of oranges, lemons, pomegranates and olives. The Lasithi Plateau produces the best potatoes, pears and apples. On the south coast, there are literally acres of greenhouses, where avocados, kiwis and bananas are grown. Cretan bananas are small but very tasty. There are fig trees, apricots, peaches, melons, grapes and all kinds of nuts. There are 60 million olive trees on Crete so it is no wonder that extra virgin olive oil is a staple of the Cretan diet. Crete is the second largest olive oil producer in Greece. It is used every day for cooking or as a dressing on salads and the Cretans hold the world record; 21 litres are consumed per person per year. They even pickle the very small olives in brine. No Cretan kitchen will be without honey and a speciality is thyme honey. It is considered a panacea for many ailments and is added to mountain tea or raki to relieve a sore throat. And then of course, there is cheese with everything. Cretan cheese is made from sheep or goat’s milk. You can hear the bells of these animals as they wander through the olive groves foraging on greens. The most well-known cheese is Feta; it wouldn’t be a Greek salad without a slab of feta on top sprinkled with oregano! There is an excellent Feta, produced in Neapoli and available from the Ariadne Supermarket. Cheese is produced all over the island of Crete and varies from region to region; you may like to try: Graviera - a firm-textured cheese with a light yellow colour, made from sheep’s milk or a mixture of sheep’s milk with 20% goat’s milk. It has been in production for many years using traditional methods and is made in Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and of course Lasithi. Myzithra - a soft cheese, akin to ricotta. This is one of the most popular cheeses made on Crete since the 17th century. It is made from whey and comes in three varieties; fresh, sour (both used in pastries and desserts) and aged, which is grated over pasta, soups and casseroles. There is a savoury type made in Chania and a sweet variety made in Lasithi. It is also produced in Rethymno and Heraklion. The fresh one is soft and unsalted, usually shaped into balls. The aged type is hard and very salty. Kefalotyri - has been produced on Crete for centuries and two very different varieties are made in Chania and the Lasithi Plateau. Malaka (also a swear word in Greek; look it up) - this cheese has a soft texture and is not unlike mozzarella. It is always cooked before being eaten and is often used as a filling for pies. Xygalos Siteias - a white, soft, spreadable cheese, which has been made in Siteia, Makrygialos, Itanos, and Lefki for over 50 years. The fat content of this cheese is below 46%. Pichogalo Chanion - this is a rindless, creamy cheese that is quite sour and slightly salty. It smells of yogurt. Read More

For the Love of Food

Anthogalo - this is a creamy, spreadable cheese, akin to mozzarella. Sheep’s milk is brought to the boil and then yogurt and rennet are added. It is strained and left to dry in a cool, dark place. After a few days the cheese is placed in a jar and refrigerated. Tyrozouli – this cheese is produced in the mountains of Western Crete. The milk is curdled with fig sap to make this cheese. It is usually eaten fresh, while the texture is very soft. However, it is also matured in olive oil, when the texture becomes hard. When you go for a meal, you will be given some mezedes. These are small dishes, to be shared, and in Crete they are usually served with a raki. They will include olives, rusks, stuffed vine leaves, tzatziki, giant beans and small meatballs. You will also see stuffed courgette flowers (nothing goes to waste on Crete). The filling is made from rice, herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. They are then fried in olive oil. Even though Crete is an island, more meat (mutton, lamb, pork, goat, wild hare, rabbit and village sausage) is eaten than fish. Pork is sometimes cured (apaki), and meat is cooked on the spit or made into a stew (stifado). Local pies will be on offer; there is a meat pie (kreatopita), a cheese pie (tiropita) and spinach pie (spanakopita). Marathopita is a local pie and is available all over the island. It contains spinach, sorrel, onion and fennel. Also popular are marinated small fish (gavros marinatos), which go well with raki or ouzo. The locals love to eat staka. This is a creamy, thick sauce which is eaten with fried eggs or French fries. Some more specialities of Crete include: Dakos - this is usually served as a “meze” and is made from rusks, smothered in chopped tomatoes, olives, crumbled feta and a sprinkling of oregano. Gamopilafo - this means “wedding rice” and is traditionally the main dish at a Cretan wedding. It is made from rice cooked in meat broth and is served with meat and poultry. In the 19th century having meat, poultry and rice indicated that the family was wealthy, so it was a way of showing off that wealth to the in-laws and the locals. Antikristo - this translates as over the fire. It is an old technique, which shepherds used as they had no modern equipment. The goat or lamb is put on a spit over a fire pit, 10 to 20 centimetres away from the flame and left to cook VERY SLOWLY. During the Easter celebrations this method of cooking is to be witnessed all over the island. Kleftiko - there are many versions of Kleftiko, but the Cretan dish is made of cooked pastry filled with meat, vegetables and potatoes. The word means stolen. Years ago, pirates would raid Greek villages to steal food, which they then cooked on board their ships. They called it Kleftiko and the name exists to this day. Patsas - this is not for the faint-hearted as it is made by boiling cows’ feet, tripe and intestines to make a soup, which apparently is a cure for a hangover! Boureki - a classic Cretan pie, available all over Crete, and made of potatoes, courgettes, cheese, flavoured with mint. Snails - after the rain, the snails appear and Cretans go snail picking. They are prepared over some time and then pan-fried in their shells in olive oil. Herbs can be added or they can be served with bulgar rice. Generally accompanied by a glass of raki or ouzo. Octopus - cooked with pasta, this is a popular Cretan meal, which is usually eaten during Lent. Lamb with Stamnagathi - this is boiled lamb, served with olive oil and lemon accompanied by stamnagathi, a local wild green, which can be slightly bitter. Tigariasto - this is original to Crete and is made from goat or lamb. The meat is cooked on a very low temperature for several hours, so nice and tender. During the Ottoman rule of the island, locals would use the Cretan wild goat, the Kri-Kri. However, the Kri-Kri is now a protected species. But Cretan meat is always of the best quality. Soupia - this dish is cuttlefish stuffed with local soft goat’s cheese. Sarikopitakias - these are small pastries, eaten for breakfast or a snack. They are sometimes served as a dessert topped with honey and cinnamon or savoury filled with cheese or spinach. The word is of Turkish origin; Sariki means turban. It also refers to the traditional headdress worn by Cretan men during celebrations. Bread - no Cretan meal is complete without bread and there is a huge variety of artisan bread baked on Crete. The bakeries in Neapoli make some of the best bread you will ever taste and a loaf can cost as little as one euro. Most Cretans have a sweet tooth and enjoy spoon sweets. These are preserved fruits in syrup (peach, orange, cherry), traditionally served on a spoon as a gesture of hospitality. At Easter, the locals eat Kalitsounia with their coffee. These are pastries made in the shape of a cup and filled with sweet cheese. Luckily local bakeries make these all year round, sprinkled with cinnamon or sesame seeds. Loukoumades are sweet dough balls, which go well with honey or ice cream. Unfortunately, the Cretan recipe is a well-kept secret.