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The National Herald

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NOVEMBER 20, 2010www.thenationalherald.com

GREEK FOOD&WINE2 THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 20, 2010

By Constantine S. SirigosTNH Staff Writer

Nicholas Mastorogian-nakis knows people.He earned his MA inPsychology at Boston

University working his waythrough school as a bartender.He also knows wines. He owneda liquor store for many yearsand has built Hellas Import LTD,the importing and distributingcompany he founded in 1997into the largest importer ofGreek beer, wines and liquor inAmerica.

His dream is to convey hisknowledge and appreciation ofGreek wines to his fellow Amer-icans – not just Greek Americansand their restaurants. Unlikemany dreams, his is built on areal foundation: he told TNH hehas built an impressive networkof representatives throughoutthe 50 states which has helpedhim capture almost 30% ofGreek import market in alco-holic beverages.

Mastorogiannakis was bornand raised in Greece, but hisfamily did not have a back-ground in winemaking but hesaw the potential for Greekwines in the American marketand the shortcomings of theother companies in the field atthe time.

This year his boldness andexpertise has move him to makea big splash this year with aproduct he named “My big fatGreek wine.” He believes thatthe unique Greek wines shouldinterest the American consumer.They are attractive, he says, be-cause the indigenous Greekgrapes are different from theusual suspects that are producedall over the world.

Mastorogiannakis’ aim is tomake it easer for Americans todiscover and enjoy Greek wineproducts given the confusion inthe States over the different va-rieties of grapes and regions andwineries in Greece. He told TNHthat part of the problems withselling Greek wines is that a lotof the wines have not even beenpresented with English namesor descriptions. They are diffi-cult for Americans to pronounceand he thought they needed aeasier and memorable name.

GREEK WINE INDUSTRY AMETAPHOR FOR GREECEClueless. That word came up

a number of times when TNHspoke to Mastorogiannakis. De-spite that fact that the Greekwine sector has been trans-formed in many ways over thepast 30 years, benefiting frominvestment in modern winemak-ing technology, Mastorogian-nakis is concerned that his ex-citement and optimism aboutGreek wines will not be realizeduntil the next generation ofGreek wine makers. “Presentlythere are only a few winemakersthat understand the dynamicsoff the American market. Themajority are trying to make theAmerican market adjust to theirspecifications instead of viceversa, ” a story many GreekAmerican businesspersons arefamiliar with in the “OldGreece”.

Asked about changes thatmight take place as a result ofthe reforms that have beenmade necessary by the Greekeconomic crisis and which havebeen announced and promotedby Greek officials visiting theU.S. from Prime Minister Papan-dreou on down, he said “ I haveheard of them but he has notseen much in the way of con-crete changes, though he wouldbe happy to speak to Greek offi-cials about new and new com-mercial and export initiatives.

The lack of sophistication is

shocking given the fact thatGreece has been an EU membersince 1982 but Mastorogian-nakis pointed out that the Eu-ropean and American marketsare very different. The errors hedescribed however, seem to beat the most basic business level.He said a lot of the Greek wine-makers are not taking into ac-count the economic situationthat has made consumers veryprice-conscious. They are alsoignoring the competition.

“Wine Spectator has over500 wines that score over 90points but sell for under 10 dol-lars,” Mastorogiannakis toldTNH, and he described Greekattempts to sell wines to restau-rants and liquor stores at wellabove what the market willbear. “They try to sell achardonay, but the Americanconsumer has many choicesfrom much more prestigiouswineries. They need to adjusttheir prices and their approachand be fully aware of the mar-kets.”

“I strongly believe that 90percent of the leading Greekwinemakers over the past 10years are clueless

about their field. Many ofthem were civil engineers, ar-chitects and hotel owners whohave started wineries simply be-cause they were able to take themoney given to them by the EU,but they don’t have the back-ground, education and theknow-how to enter such a hugemarket like the American mar-ket that everyone is trying topenetrate.”

He acknowledges the supe-rior operations of a number offirms, including Cambas, ownedby Butari winery, and Mythos,who “know what’s going on,”but he said the majority of themare amateurs.

There are new Greek govern-ment and EU initiatives, such asKOA, an EU funded programwith the specific aim to assistGreek winemakers in the U.S.export efforts, but Mastorogian-nakis reports that much of theEU funding is wasted or mis-used. He said K.O.A will help,“but its not going to happenovernight. This is its first yearand they must begin by educat-ing the winemakers in Greeceas to how they have to adaptand what they have to learn to

make it in the American mar-ket.”

He bemoans the fact that thewinemakers seem to be focusedon trying to penetrate the estab-lished Greek restaurants, butthey must look beyond the eth-nic markets, he said, becausehe does not expect to see muchgrowth in Greek gastronomy inthe U.S. despite the rise of theMediterranean diet. He de-scribed a situation were thereare six importers trying to sellto the top Greek restaurants in

Manhattan, saying “A restau-rant can only absorb x numberof cases.”

He travels to Greece fivetimes a year, which is necessarydue to the lack of know-howabout the American market. Hehas to meet frequently with hisGreek contacts to brief themabout American realities, espe-cially regarding marketing anddistribution.

Hellas Import’s relationshipwith the popular Mythos beerbegan as a distributor in 1997.They becaome the beers sole im-porter in 2002.

Mastorogiannakis credits thebeer maker’s owner Karlsbergwith aprt o the brand’s successin the U.S. bacause they under-stand the need for adequatemarketing and advertising bud-gets, requirements for successhe says are lost on most Greekproducers.

PRONOUNCE THISFor My big fat Greek wine,

Hellas Import is advertising inall the major wine publicationsand is providing stores with allthe necessary point of sale tools.“We are trying to market to thebest of our abilities,” Mastoro-giannakis told TNH.

Mastorogiannakis createdthe wine last year and it cameon the market in October 2010.His intention was to create ahigh quality, affordable Greekwine. Given the economic situ-ation in the U.S. it was deter-mined that it was best to intro-duce it at $9.99 per bottle. WineEnthusiast magazine is very en-thusiatic: “This elegant, aro-matic white combines pear andflowers with a crisp, citrusy lift.Good minerality and depth witha slightly creamy mouthfeel. Aunique, pretty white that is astandout as a solo sip or withlighter fare.,“ and gave it an 89rating out of 100.

Hellas Import Brings in the Goods But Greek Winemakers Drag Their Feet

The National HeraldA weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC.

(ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ),reporting the news and address-

ing the issues of paramountinterest to the Greek American

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GREEK FOOD&WINETHE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 20, 2010 3


By Sylvia KlimakiTNH Staff Writer

“Pepper is like thesun, hot. Mercury iscayenne, that’s hot,too. Venus is cinna-

mon, sweet and bitter, like awoman, and the earth, can youguess which spice the earth is?Salt. Everything comes to life un-der its influence,” Vasilis told hisgrandson. Vasilis, owner of aspice shop, related everything inthe world - and beyond - tospices. “Gastronomy rhymes withastronomy,’ he used to tell hisgrandson Fanis the main charac-ter of the Greek movie ‘A Touchof Spice released in 2003. Theoriginal Greek title is ΠολίτικηΚουζίνα (Politiki Kouzina,)which means Cuisine of the Cityand refers to the Cuisine of Con-stantinople, the now Turkish citythat was (and still is) the seat ofthe Greek Orthodox Church, es-tablished by Constantine after hisconversion to Christianity. Themovie has won dozens of awardsfor its depiction of the travails ofa family forcibly removed fromits roots in Constantinople dur-ing the build-up to the still-un-resolved conflict in Cyprus. Usinga flashback, the director struc-tures the film like a meal; thesegments are labeled Appetizers,Main Course, and Desserts. ATouch of Spice is about a youngman who is a very good cookand so lot of the dialogue re-volves around food, something,which most Americans knowabout given the plethora ofGreek restaurants, and churchfestivals that continually sellGreek food and show early eth-nic village customs.

TASTING HISTORYThe movie took its name from

the book A Touch of Spice, thefirst comprehensive, unique,book on the history of Constan-tinople’s cuisine, which was de-veloped in the cosmopolitan cityand includes dietary traditionsof 1,500 years. A complete jour-ney through the history and se-crets of local food, through thevivid descriptions of Soula Boziwho reveals 250 deliciousrecipes, accompanied by a tor-rent of historical and culinary in-formation. Readers wanderthrough Constantinople’s narrowstreets, the little cafes and thevibrant bazaars smelling the richaroma of spices. Bozi is an ac-complished folklore researcherand author who has participatedin symposia on the history oftaste in many universities aroundthe world. She was a special con-sultant to the movie, where sheworked closely with the directorand the actors.

Bozi, in an interview, said to-day her work “would not havebeen possible without thetremendous help of Asia Minorwomen who first settled inGreece, who would open theirhouses to me. I spent hours notonly exploring their culinary cus-toms and the philosophy of tasteof their homeland but also track-ing down recipes (…) Each onecame from different parts of Mi-nor Asia, so I remember theywould always prepare differentdishes to show me the diversetastes and the distinctive presen-tations and odor.” As Bozi’sbooks showcase, “The food ofAsia Minor is different than Con-stantinople’s.” Before writing ATouch of Spice, Bozi gatheredrecipes from different areas ofAsia Minor, Ionia, Pontus and shewrote the book ‘Tastes and Tra-ditions of the Greeks of Cappado-cia’ which depicted her extensiveresearch in Cappadocia. Despitethe long culinary and culturaltradition of these areas, Bozi said“Constantinople has been thecultural capital of the region foralmost 1,500 years, a vibrant citythat has survived throughout thecenturies.” It used to be Turkey’scapital city before that wasmoved to Ankara. But she saysConstantinople, which Turkeycalls Istanbul, “remains the cul-tural center of Turkey.” Due toits geographic location, the city

A Touch of Constantinople’s Spice Bites the Tongue

“Pepper is like the sun, hot. Mercury is cayenne, that’s hot, too. Venus is cinnamon, sweet and bitter, like a woman,

and the earth, can you guess which spice the earth is? Salt. Everything comes to life under its influence”

Continued on page 6

www.GreekKitchennyc.com


By Sylvia KlimakiStaff Writer

Thalia Tsihlaki is one ofGreece’s mostrenowned food andwine columnists. She

started her career back in the1980’s during a period when“being a food writer was an oddprofession to do,” she says to-day. “People in Greece wouldask me: you studied in Francefor so many years only to comeback and write about food?” sheconfesses smiling. “But I lovedit ever since I remember myself,a couple of other colleagues andI were pioneers on this industryat that time and now it has be-come one of the most fashion-able professions internationally.”Since her early teens, Tsihlakisays she “had the curiosity totry original recipes.” She recallsasking her parents to join themin restaurants. “They thought itwas a pretext for me beingaround them, but the reality isthat I wanted to taste differentrecipes, I had the curiosity.”

Her first exposure to foodwriting was when she wrote a

restaurant guide for interna-tional pilots visiting Greece. “Atthat time I wrote a small guideproposing the best restaurantsto eat in Athens,” she said.That was before leaving forParis where she did theatri-cal studies and masteredthe art of gastronomy. “Iwould take afternoonamateur cooking andwine tasting classes, itwas my hobby, I lovedit!” In the meantime,Tsihlaki found a job in anon-profit called theFriends of French Re-public, which aimed inbringing together distinguishedFrench personalities with for-eign diplomats. “I was a sec-retary for this organizationin charge for dinner plan-ning, so I would go torestaurants, organize the din-ners, find the best locations (…) I learned a lot about the culi-nary art in France,” she says.Upon her return inGreece, she chose to fo-cus on food writing, adaring profession during thelate 80s.

Being an analyst on Greek

gastronomy for more than twodecades, Tsihlaki said she is dis-appointed that “Greek food isnot recognized in the US as it

should be. It is not a matter

of quality buta matter of pro-motion andbranding.” Accord-

ing to Tsihlakit h e

I t a l i a n shave managed

to promote their products in amuch more effective and lucra-tive way, through exceptionalbranding, outstanding labelingand top quality Italian restau-rants. In comparison to theGreek, “Italian community wasmuch larger, so that made Ital-ian products easier to circulateand become popular to othercultures within the Americanmarket.” Furthermore, acrossthe Atlantic, “in Greece most ofthe touristic taverns back in the50’s, 60’s and even later onhad low quality food, sowhen tourists would visitGreece they would notsavor the food theyshould – a thingthat fortunately

changed tremendously in thelast decade.” Tsihlaki says pack-aging is also one of “the mostimportant things when promot-ing a food prod-

uct.” Nowa-days, even “if

you have a top-quality prod-uct, with a ter-

rible packagingnobody will pay atten-

tion to it, the consumerwill not buy it” and we can nowsay we have done great progresstowards this end having “reallygood Greek brands that havedone an extraordinary job pro-moting their products abroad”.It is also a matter of positioning,Tsihlaki explained. “We havelimited variety of products anddomestic production capacity”and that makes it difficult forany Greek product to get into“a big American retail chain.”Greece being a small country“has limited industrial capac-ity and this is a great dis-advantage against

Spain and

Italy,” itsmain competitors. “I ama strong believer that we canonly move forward by doing acollective effort, such as theAegean Cuisine” (www.aegean-cuisine.com) which aims at pro-moting the unique culinaryidentity of the Aegean Islandsboth nationally and internation-ally through a series of market-ing and business developmentactivities. Tsihlaki says she is“very optimistic about the futureof Greek cuisine in the US mar-ket,” as recent individual effortshave shown, “Greek food can beendorsed by American con-sumers.” In the last decade “ac-complished chefs like LefterisLazarou, Chrysanthos

Karamolengos and YannisBaxevanis have done a re-markable job promotingGreek cuisine abroad.”They all have presented

gourmet Greek dishes that“were easy-to-make and inno-

vative,” but chefs and restau-rant owners both in Greece

and abroad “need sup-port this is why I insiston a collective ef-fort,” she said. Mod-ern Greek cuisine

“exists and will con-tinue to exist as

long as there arepeople who ex-periment onfood, and weneed to be open-minded and re-alize that“Greekness” ofa certain recipederives from the

personal touch ofpeople and not

from specific prod-ucts.” She said that, “a

few years ago we were ashamed

of Greek cuisine, but now weare very proud and we owe it tothose people who showed Greekfood can be gourmet.” There isdefinitely a long way to go, butpeople “like Lazarou,Karamolengos and Baxevaniswho worked hard promoting theGreek cuisine, are the stepping-stone” to a prosperous expan-sion of Greece’s culinary art inthe US market.

EAT HEAlTHY, EAT GREEK -HERE IS WHY

Greek food “can be cookedeasily and fast, I don’t thinkGreek recipes demand morepreparation time than any othercuisine” Tsihlaki says. All thesefoods, “ can be found in anyAmerican grocery store andthere are easily to cook.” Ofcourse, there are foods hard tofind like “the great variety ofgreens that exist in Crete” –there are over 15 different typesof fresh greens- but people liv-ing outside Greece “can findhealthy Greek foods no matterwhere they are.” Greek diet is avery “balanced diet that in-cludes a great variety of pulses,poultry, steamed and cookedgreens, less red meat and verynutritious foods like tahini andpomegranate.” She set the tablefor why Greek food is healthy,and there are plenty of others.

GRAPE lEAVES Grape leaves are a popular

wrapper for rice and meat inGreek cuisine. Perhaps the mostpopular use is for dolmathes, anappetizer of grape leaves stuffedwith rice, onions and sometimesground beef. You can find grapeleaves canned or bottled, butfresh leaves can also be used af-ter they're steamed orblanched.Health Benefits: Asidefrom being incredibly low incalories (five leaves have onlyabout 14 calories), grape leavesare packed with nutrients in-cluding vitamins C, E, A, K andB6, niacin, iron, fiber, riboflavin,folate, calcium, magnesium,copper and manganese. If youuse the bottled variety, givethem a rinse before you usethem. This will remove some ofthe excess sodium in the brine.

SPINACHGreece is famous for its

spanakopita, spinach pie, butspinach is also a popular addi-

Promoting Greek Food is a Question of Marketing, Not Taste

Continued on page 11


By linda Stollings www.fitprescriptions.com

Itreally does not takemuch to make mehappy. A carton of goodorganic Greek yogurt

on my multi-grain waffle, and Iam good to go. Greek yogurt notonly tastes good, but it also hasfewer calories and less sugarthan traditional American yo-gurt (in most cases). Now thatis something to smile about.When I first heard about Greekyogurt, I must admit I was cer-tain that it must taste like sea-

weed or something, so it tookme a while to try it. I was soimpressed with the taste andtexture that I bought a refriger-ator full and immediate calledall three of my daughters andtold them to give it a try. Ofcourse, my husband had nochoice but to try it too, at myinsistence. We all love it andwould highly recommend it toyou. Greek yogurt is unique be-cause after the milk is heatedand cultured it sits in muslin orcheesecloth bags so the wheyfilters out of the yogurt. That iswhy Greek yogurt is thicker anddoes not have liquid on the topwhen you open it up. Greek yo-gurt’s live and active culturesare much higher than that ofregular yogurt as well (basicallydue to the fact that Greek yogurtis more concentrated), whichbrings me to the point of eatingyogurt of all types, because ofthe cultures that are found inyogurt. These cultures containprobotics. Probotics are poten-

tially beneficial bacteria oryeasts that assist the body’s nat-urally occurring gut flora. Theyalso help the gut to reestablishitself after a round of antibiotics,which can kill off a lot of goodbacteria in the gut. The loss ofthis good bacteria can lead to abad case of diarrhea. All yogurtswith live active cultures havegreat nutritional value. Let’slook at some of the nutritionthat yogurt, whether Greek orAmerican, can provide: As Imentioned, yogurt with live ac-tive cultures contains probotics.Probotics not only help with di-gestion but they can also helpwith elimination. In otherwords, yogurt can help keep youregular, especially the Activiabrand.

Yogurt contains protein, cal-cium, magnesium, riboflavin, vi-tamins B-6 and B-12 and more.It is as nutritious as skim milk.The active cultures in yogurthelp digest the naturally occur-ring sugar (lactose) in milk that

can cause bloating and diarrheain some people. So people whoare lactose intolerant may in-deed tolerate yogurt very well.Yogurt may indeed strengthenthe immune system by keepingthe digestive tract healthy.

So, which is better, Americanyogurt or Greek yogurt?

When it comes down to achoice between these greatfoods, both standard Americanyogurt and Greek yogurt aregreat for you, so make yourchoice based on the one thatgives you the most nutritionalbang for your buck. Read the la-bels to see how much sugar isin your favorite brand. You maychoose to eat the plain yogurtwith fresh fruit added. If youchoose the yogurt that is sweet-ened with artificial sweetener,then you must think twice abouttrading a few calories for artifi-cially, chemically enhancedsweetener.

Eat smart, stay healthy and Iwill see you in the gym.

Add some Greek yogurt to your diet

connects the Mediterranean Seato Pontus and was throughoutthe centuries abundant withfishes.” As Bozi explained: “Thisoversupply of fishes led to thefirst salt fish. Having no refrig-eration capabilities at that time,salted fish was the only way ofpreserving it.” The Greek namefor salt fish is lakerda and “comesfrom Byzantine era, the romanword lakernta.”

A lONG HISTORYScholars agree there is conti-

nuity on Constantinople’s cuisinefrom Byzantium until today.“Maybe in modern times wedon’t eat baklava with water-melon or goat with caviar as theyused to in Byzantium, but thereare manuscripts that show theyate dishes like salt fish, skordalia(garlic dip) which was theireveryday food, and of coursegoat and lamb, dishes that arestill very popular,” Bozi said.What is unique about this cuisineis that “it is a four seasons cui-sine, each season has differentvegetables, spices, fruits, fishes,and stuffed food,” Bozi ex-plained. What makes Constan-tinople’s cuisine so distinctive is

the variety “of nuts and spicesalong with a mix of traditionallyGreek dishes that incorporatePersian and Arab elements.” Shesaid nowadays “Constantinoplefood is recognized internation-ally,’ but she makes a clear dis-tinction between Turkish andConstantinople’s food. “When Irefer to Constantinople’s cuisineI refer to the recipes of Greekswho lived in the City, people con-sider it as Turkish, this is erro-neous,” she said. “Unfortunately,restaurants with Constantino-

ple’s cuisine do not exist abroad,its original and unique recipeshaven’t been promoted interna-tionally as they should.” Well ATouch of Spice, the award-win-ning movie, was a great way ofpromoting this unique gastro-nomic tradition; a breathtakingstory on multiple levels, a storyof loss and longing, a story of sa-vor and aroma. A concentratedadventure in culinary passion,one could say, like Bozi’s folkloreresearch on Asia Minor’s culinarytraditions.

A Touch of Spice Bites the TongueBy Soula Bozi

Striftari me Tahini (Swivel with Tahini)

Ingredients:3 pieces of traditional phyllo sheets 3 tbsp butter5 oz. tahini (sesame paste)1 cup chopped walnuts1 tsp cinnamon

For the syrup:2 cups water2 cups sugar1 tbsp lemon juiceWalnuts as a garnish

Preparation:Put in a pot water, sugar and lemon juice

and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heatand allow to cool. Melt the butter in a saucepan.Place walnuts, cinnamon and tahini and stir.

Butter a sheet, fold it, butter again the foldedpiece. Sprinkle with 1 / 3 of filling the surfaceof the sheet. Roll it up and place it on slightlybuttered baking pan. Bake on one side and thenturn to the other. Take it out on a platter, pourin 1 / 3 of the syrup.

Continue the same procedure with the re-maining sheets.

Serve warm.

Orange Mousse

Ingredients:4 oranges5 oz yogurt 4 sheets gelatin

1 tbsp honey4 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau7 oz. whipped creamjuice of ½ orange

Preparation:Peel the or-

anges, removethe thin mem-brane of theslices. Put theorange slicesinto 4 bowls.Whisk yogurtwith orangejuice. Placethe gelatin inbowl with 2tablespoonswarm water.As it melts add honey and liqueur. When it meltsremove from heat, add whipped cream, stir andpour the cream in the bowls covering the orangeslices. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the mousse tothicken as it chills in the refrigerator. Removefrom bowls before serving.

Aroma and Sweet from ConstantinopleContinued from page 4

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By Georgia KofinasSpecial to TNH

Iwas asked last year by thehotel and managementschool where I teach, to setup a course on Spa Cuisine.

This immediately conjured upimages of minute portions ofAsian food artfully presented onlarge plates and accompaniedby tall glasses of exotic naturaljuices! Quite intimidated by theidea of having to limit my culi-nary techniques to this presup-posed concept, I commenced myresearch into the topic. Most ofthe information focused on thespas of Asian countries likeJapan or Thailand with a spot-light on oriental ingredients andcooking styles. However, afterdelving into the subject moreclosely, I saw that most sparestaurants actually base theirmenus on their own regionalcuisines. Looking through the

myriad menu items and recipesof international spa destina-tions, I came to the conclusionthat the traditional Greek diethas much to offer to the philos-ophy and goals of today’s spacuisine.

The term spa cuisine, a newconcept in the spa culture, wasnot really structured or defineduntil after the 1980’s. Ratherthan just providing low-calorie,low-fat food that was a merestep up from hospital food, spamanagers began to focus on thebasic principles of offering highquality whole foods high in nu-tritive value with minimal pro-cessing and simple home-styleflavors. The goal of spa cuisineis to promote optimal healthand well being through life-longhealthy eating habits. The di-etary structure of the spa cuisineis based on whole grains, cerealsand legumes, colorful fresh fruitand vegetables, lean meat anddairy products, fresh herbs, mo-nounsaturated fats, omega-3sources, minimized saturatedand trans fats and limited sugarintake. These are the samehealth-promoting foods thatform the basis of the Mediter-ranean Diet which also em-braces traditional Greek cuisine.

Greece’s rich culinary tradi-tion, in addition to culinary tra-ditions of other countries in theMediterranean Basin, is oftenpraised as being one of thehealthiest in the world. In the1960’s a group of medical re-searchers examined the relation-ship between diet and chronicdisease patterns around theworld. They concluded that theMediterranean Diet proved tobe a major factor in thelongevity and good health of theinhabitants of Greece and theneighboring countries. More re-cently, in 1993, the HarvardSchool of Public Health and theOldways Preservation and Ex-change Trust held a conferencein Cambridge, Massachusettswhich revealed continuing evi-dence that the MediterraneanDiet is still at the top in offeringits healthful benefits.

IN THE SPA KITCHENHaving taught traditional

Greek cuisine for the past twelve

years, I organized my syllabusfor the spa cuisine class in notime. Of course, modificationshad to be made, especially infinding ways to lower the fatcontent of some of the richsauces like béchamel and av-golemono, bastions of Greekcuisine. This, of course, is not adifficult task since yogurt, a sta-ple food in the Greek diet, is ahealthy substitute for wholemilk or cream. Low-fat yogurtis indispensable in the spakitchen as we use it in soups,salad dressings, light fruitdesserts and even in beveragessuch as fruit smoothies. For theavgolemono, we use only thewhites of the eggs to get alighter, but just as tasteful, re-sult.

The most important changein organizing a spa kitchen isthe move to using olive oil ex-clusively instead of butter. Wecannot eliminate fat entirely

from our diet as it is needed forour body to function properly,but we can obtain the necessaryamount needed from olive oil.Even though olive oil has thesame calories as butter (120calories per tablespoon) andshould be used sparingly, it ishigh in monounsaturated fatsand an excellent source of Vita-min E, a powerful antioxidantneeded to combat the free radi-cals in our bodies. Olive oil alsoincreases the high-densitylipoproteins (HDL) “good cho-lesterol” in our bodies while re-ducing the low-density lipopro-

teins (LDL) “bad cholesterol”.Moreover, olive oil is a vitalsource of nutrition in the Greekdiet during periods of fastingwhen there is abstinence frommeat and dairy products.

When cooking with olive oilin the spa kitchen, we add it tothe food at the end of the cook-ing process in order to retain itsfull beneficial qualities as wellas to make the dish lighter. If arecipe calls for sautéing onionsand garlic in olive oil, a commontechnique in Greek cuisine, wesubstitute the oil with a few ta-blespoons of vegetable stock to“poach” the garlic and onionsuntil they are limp and have ab-sorbed all the liquid. By usingherb-infused olive oil for saladdressings, marinades or sauces,we can use half the amount wenormally would and still get theflavor we want. Baking witholive oil has excellent results asthe vitamin E in olive oil acts asan emulsifier to give a smoothtexture to batter. This way cakeshave a moister texture whereascookies are crispier and stayfresher longer. The slightestamount of olive oil also en-hances the flavor of herbs andspices in baked goods.

Spas offer a variety of healthprograms based mainly on pre-vention, treatment and well-ness. Many guests start with ade-tox program to rid the bodyof built-up toxins fromoverindulgence and pollutants.Guests are offered meals withfoods rich in antioxidants suchas onions, garlic, spinach, herbs,dandelion greens, artichokes,beans, nuts, winter squash,grapes, and pomegranates—allof which are mainstay ingredi-ents in Greek cuisine. Most ofthe oil dishes (lathera) madewith vegetables, eaten duringOrthodox fasting periods, caneasily be placed on a spa menuas long as the olive oil is usedsparingly. Greece’s abundanceof herbs offers a variety of nat-ural herbal teas which can read-ily be incorporated into a num-ber of dietary programs.

Fresh fish is most importantin spa cuisine as the nutritionalvalue of fish is vital to a wellnessprogram. Mediterranean fishsuch as tuna, mackerel, sardinesand anchovies provide theomega-3 fatty acids vital to re-ducing the risk of heart diseases.Traditional Greek cuisine hostsnumerous healthy recipes forpreparing fish. In the spa cuisineclass we combine fresh tuna fil-lets with summer vegetables,herbs and a drizzle of olive oilbefore baking them. Sardinesand anchovies can be simplygrilled and served with asqueeze of lemon and a sprinkleof oregano.

Since no healthy diet is com-plete without proteins, spa cui-sine offers various sources ofprotein with the least amountof fat. Lean red meat and skin-less chicken can easily be pre-pared Greek style using freshtomatoes and vegetables or alight lemon-herb sauce. Alterna-tive protein sources are manda-tory in spa cuisine for vegetari-ans or guests who want to avoidmeat. The best source islegumes such as chick peas,lentils, and various beans. Theselegumes have been in Greek cui-sine since antiquity and theirnutritional benefits are wellknown the world over. The mostversatile legume and a staple in

the Mediterranean Diet is chick-peas which can be served bothin refreshing salads garnishedwith lots of Greek herbs andspices or as a main course insoups and stews. Another sourceof protein is nuts and seedswhich forms the base of manyGreek sweets. Before sugar was

introduced to Greece in the 15thcentury, Greeks relied on honeyand the natural sugar found infruit. In keeping with this tech-nique we have made traditionalsweets such as karidopita (wal-nut cake) and koulourakia(cookies) using honey.

One of the goals of spa cui-

sine is to encourage guests tocontinue healthy eating habitsat home. This can easily be ac-complished by following theprinciples of the MediterraneanDiet and continuing to adhereto the traditional Greek cuisinehanded down from past gener-ations.


Traditional Greek Cuisine Finds a Niche in the Spa Kitchen


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• The word "krasi" (wine, κρασί) replaced the word "oinos"(οίνος) during the Byzantine period. The word “κρασί” origi-nates from the word “κράσις” which means mixing.

• The etymology of the word reflects the custom of the an-cient Greeks to drink their wine mixed with water.

• They drank their wine in different ways. The general rulewas mixing wine with water in a ratio of usually 1:3 (one partwine to three parts water), 1:2 or 2:3.

• The Greeks loved Dionysus and wine, they considereddrinking wine as a way to forget troubles of life.

• Ancient Greeks were never drunk, nor did they appreciatethe drunks.

• They had special utensils for both mixing (craters and ky-athos, ie long , deep spoon) and to cool the wine before con-sumption (freezers), although they often drunk warm wine.

• Drinking “aneroto oino”("pure wine") was considered bar-baric and they used to drink it only when they got sick or whentraveling.

• They often flavor their wine with herbs. The addition ofabsinthe in the wine (ie the production of vermouth) was aknown method -even attributed to Hippocrates and vermouthat the time called "Hippocratic Wine".

Dionysos in a ship, sailing among dolphins. Attic black-figure kylix, ca. 530 BC

Gold stemmed goblet with one handle. Mycenaean artwork,ca. 1500 BC (late Helladic II). Unknown provenance, con-temporary with the Shaft Graves at Mycenae

Kylix by the Euergides Painter (circa 500 BC) in the BritishMuseum, london

Krasi = Mixed Oinos

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tion to Greek casseroles, sidedishes, entrees, appetizers andsoups. Spinach also happenedto be a favorite food of Cather-ine de Medici, who lived in the16th century in Florence, Italy.She left home to marry the kingof France, and made sure tobring her cooks who could pre-pare her spinach dishes. This ishow foods served with spinachcame to be known as "a la Flo-rentine."

Health Benefits: Spinach isloaded with health benefits. Itcontains at least 13 differentflavonoid compounds that arepotent antioxidants and areknown to fight cancer. It alsocontains ample quantities of nu-trients that can help protect yourbones, heart, brain and eyes,and fight inflammation, asthma,osteoarthritis, and rheumatoidarthritis. Plus, it's a great energyfood. Spinach is a rich source ofvitamins K, C, B2, B6 and A,manganese, folate, magnesium,iron, calcium, potassium, tryp-tophan and dietary fiber (amongmany others).

lEMONSIn Greece, lemons are used

as a feature flavor in sauces, ap-petizers, entrées, salad dressingsand the popular avgolemono, orGreek egg-lemon soup.

Health Benefits: Lemons arean excellent source of vitaminB6, iron and potassium, and avery good source of dietary fiberand vitamin C. They also con-tain calcium, copper, folic acid,magnesium, manganese, phos-phorus and zinc.

Aside from their many nutri-ents, lemons are rich inbioflavonoids, which protectagainst damage from free radi-cals, act as natural antibioticsand may help prevent heart dis-ease and cancer. Lemons arealso anti-bacterial and anti-sep-tic, making them good formouth ulcers, canker sores andsore throats. Finally, lemon pulpand skin contains pectin, a com-pound that may lower choles-terol and blood sugar levels indiabetics.

GARBANzO BEANS(CHICKPEAS)

Garbanzo beans are a staplepart of Greek stews, entrees, ap-petizers and soups (a popularone is revithosoupa, chickpeasoup). They have been eaten bythe Egyptians, Greeks and Ro-mans since ancient times, andthey're still popular in all ofthese regions today.

Health Benefits: Garbanzobeans are extremely high infiber, which can help lower cho-

lesterol, fight heart disease andstabilize blood sugar levels.They're also a good source ofprotein, manganese, folate,tryptophan, copper, phosphorusand iron.

OlIVES AND OlIVE OIlOlive trees abound in Greece,

and the olives (a favorite is thekalamata olive) are used for oiland also for appetizers, stews,salads and sauces. Olive oil isused generously for cooking andsalad dressings and also as a dip

for crusty breads. Health Benefits: Olives con-

tain healthy monounsaturatedfatty acids that have been foundto reduce the risk of atheroscle-rosis and increase HDL (good)cholesterol. Olives and olive oilalso contain antioxidants,polyphenols, flavonoids and vi-tamin E. This combination hasbeen found to help fight coloncancer and heart disease, as wellas reduce inflammation.

Source: www.sixwise.com


Continued from page 5

Promoting Greek Food is a Question of Marketing, Not Taste

Greek StyleThanksgivingBy Thalia TsihlakiSpecial to TNH

Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Tahini sauceServes 6-8 people

Ingredients:½ chopped cabbage3 medium grated onions2 sticks chopped celery1 tsp fleur de sel1 tsp cumin powder1 tsp paprika powder1/2 tsp curryTahini sauce:3 tbsp. tahinijuice and zest of 1 lemon3 tbsp. cold water1 tbsp. pumpkin seeds, lightly roasted in a fry-ing pan (without added fat)2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Preparation:Place cabbage in a bowl mix it with fleur de

sel. When it becomes soft enough, add carrotand celery and stir. Sprinkle the salad withspices and let it aside while you prepare thetahini sauce. Put the tahini in a blender alongwith lemon juice and water and mix it until itbecomes a smooth and delicate sauce. If youwant to have a richer salad, add 1-2 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil.

Pour the sauce over salad and sprinkle withlemon zest and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serveimmediately.

Chicken stuffed with Bulgur and PrunesServes 6-8 people

Ingredients:1 large free-range chicken (about 98 oz)1 large onion, chopped7oz. ground beef (ground twice)1 chicken liver, chopped (optional)1.5 cups bulgur2 cups dry, white wine2-3 cups chicken broth15 pitted prunes

salt and pepper1 tbsp chopped spearmint1 tsp chopped parsley3-4 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:Put the bulgur in a bowl, let it soak with

warm water for 30 minutes or according topackage directions. Drain the bulgur. Heat theolive oil and sauté the onions. Add the beef andliver and sauté for another 6-7 minutes. Addone cup of wine. Add the bulgur and a cup ofbroth. Add salt and pepper, spearmint and pars-ley and 10 chopped prunes and cook on lowheat until it becomes dry. Let the filling cool.Wash and drain the chicken. Put salt and pepperinside and out. Fill the belly with the stuffingand sew it with a cotton, dark line. Let the restof the stuffing boil in a saucepan. Place thechicken in the center of the pan with the breastdown. Add the remaining wine and hot brothand bake in preheated oven 354 F, about 1 ½hours. While you cook you should check thefood doesn’t become dry. If necessary, add broth.Remove the chicken from the oven, turn it over,add the remaining prunes and put it back inthe oven for another half an hour.

You can serve it warm on a platter by puttingaround the rest of bulgur and whole prunes.

Pumpkin Pie Greek StyleServes 10-12 people

Ingredients:1 pumpkin around 35 oz1 package baklava sheet 14 oz coarse brown sugar1 tsp cinnamon powder1 cup butter

Preparation:Peel the pumpkin, take out the seeds and

fibers. Grate it and let it drain. Sprinkle cinna-mon. Melt the butter.

Take a baklava sheet, butter it and spreadtwo tablespoons of pumpkin in the middle ofthe sheet on a horizontal line from one side tothe other. Fold it up until it covers up the pump-kin. Add sugar and roll it out. Put butter on apan, place gently the sheets, on a horizontalrectangle starting from the edge of the pan to-ward the center.

Put all the rolls in the pan, pour the remain-ing butter and bake it in preheated oven 356Ffor about 1 hour. Remove from the oven, let itcool, sprinkle sugar.

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By Sylvia KlimakiStaff Writer

Dimitris Seitanidis is an in-dependent wine marketing con-sultant specializing in Greekwine exports. He has served asan Export Manager in some ofthe larger Greek wineries. Overthe last 15 years he has beenengaged in promotional activi-ties of Greek wine in NorthAmerica.

How long is the history ofGreek wine exports in the USmarket?

The history of Greek wine inthe U.S. market dates back tothe arrival of the first Greekswho settled in the country,bringing with them the habitsand culture of their homeland.The last 30 years, however, thepresence of Greek wine isstronger through a much moreorganized distribution networkthroughout the U.S. But thisdoes not necessarily mean thatits position is on the desiredlevel, at least in relation to thequality of Greek wine. Greece’swine industry now boastsworld-class wines in quality andstyle that compete with thewines of other countries, some-thing that should make us reallyproud.

What makes Greek Winedistinctive?

What really makes Greekwine so distinctive is the com-bination of many and uniquedomestic varieties, its long tra-dition and history on winemak-ing, along with the beauty oftraditional wine estates that alltogether form a colorful mosaicthat highlights the uniquenessof Greek wine giving an 'iden-tity' to it.

This uniqueness of Greek

wine perfectly fits the philoso-phy of American wine-enthusi-asts who like to explore and dis-cover new flavors, especiallywith Greek wine’s long historyand tradition. Through my ex-tensive traveling all over theworld, people have been askingme for “wines with a story totell” and I often end up tellingthe story behind the wine peo-ple taste. This should also be themainstay of Greek winemakersand exporters to promote winesthat have an aroma of history.We need to continuously updateconsumers on Greek winesthrough a more structured andorganized network.

What problems Greek ex-porters face when it comes toexporting Greek wine in theUS market?

The major problems Greekexporters face in the US, do notstem from the American market,but from domestic Greek prob-lems, both on a corporate andon a national level. Greeks ini-tially promoted wines that werecreated and labeled primarilyfor domestic consumption andnot for exports. The pride andlove of Greek Diaspora for any-thing “Greek” helped overcomethe initial lack of appropriatebranding and positioning in theUS market, which had no strate-gic expansion. While the major-ity of international competitivewines had burgeoning sales,Greek wines were left far behindbecoming “out of fashion.”

From your own experiencedo you think Americans wouldbe interested in consumingGreek wines?

It is certain that Americanconsumers have a positive atti-tude towards any product thatis of good value whether refer-

ring to the “real” value of aproduct, or the “perceived”value -its “image”. The realvalue of Greek wines hasevolved over the years. It is veryimportant to promote this prop-erly, through perseverance anda well-positioned strategy, sothat the “perceived” value willgo higher making Greek winesmore attractive in North Amer-ica.

Is the US a good market forGreek wine producers?

As I already mentioned, themarket structure of North Amer-ica, both in size and maturity,combined with the strong pres-ence of Greek communities in

the region can be the key factorsfor an impressive growth onGreek wine exports. From theGreek end it is very importantto establish a collective effort onbranding and promotion thatwill follow international mar-kets and leave behind the long-established "lethargy" that al-ways affects Greek products. Arecent example - and I hopemore will follow- is the creationof my “My Big Fat Greek Wine”intended primarily for the NorthAmerican market, is a carefullydesigned product that has aclever brand name, an eye -catching label, an excellent tasteand a perfect price/quality ratio.


With genuine respecttowards Nature and Man, we produce wines that reflectthe unique terroirs of ourprivate owned vineyards inAtalanti Valley, CentralGreece.

Hatzimichalis Estatewas founded by Dim-itris L. Hatzimichalisin 1973, in the region

of Atalanti, Central Greece, 90miles North of Athens. Accord-ing to numerous testimoniesand archaeological evidence,Atalanti Valley was a famousviticultural region in antiquity,with a multivarietal vineyardspreading on the slopes of themountains surrounding it.

The vineyard of Hatz-imichalis Estate was plantedwith a number of grape varieties

both native and internationalones. The initial 9 he (22 acres)of land were planted with theinternational red grape varietyCabernet Sauvignon and the na-tive white grape variety Robola.

In the mid ‘80s a new era for

Greek wine industry was aboutto begin; Hatzimichalis Estateintroduced the first single vari-etal Estate wines from interna-tional grape varieties startingwith Cabernet Sauvignon andcontinuing with Merlot and

Chardonnay.Since then the vineyard was

gradually increased by buyingselected plots on the slopes ofthe mountains surrounding Ata-lanti Valley, extending today to220 he (544 acres) of a complexas well as unique mosaic of mul-tivarietal vineyards.

The vineyards count fourblocks of terroirs, with differentinclination, altitude, soil, orien-tation and of average age. Eachof these blocks is divided intoindividual vineyards with theirown particular characteristics,ideally planted with the suitableindigenous or internationalgrape variety. These parcels arehandled separately or blendedtogether, giving wines that re-flect their unique terroirs.

Our vision is to promote theGreek originality through theexpression of international va-rieties and their blends with na-tive ones, on a Greek terroir.

The History Of Hatzimichalis Estate

Veriki Estate Hatzimichalis -Vineyard“Veriki”White Dry Regional Wine of Atalanti Valley

Varietal composition: Chardonnay, Robola Origin: From the selected vineyard “Veriki”, one of the oldest

vineyards of the private owned vineyard of Hatzimichalis Estatein Atalanti Valley, Central Greece.

Winemaking: Each variety is fermented separately in tem-perature-controlled stainless steel vats at 62°F.

Tasting notes: A unique blend of the Greek noble variety,Robola, with the world travelled Chardonnay. Bright aromasof fresh, ripe pears with appealing floral scents and distinctivemineral hints form a wine of rare elegance and finesse. Thecomplexity and exceptional balance makes a memorable impacton the palate.

Food pairing: Pair it with seafood, grilled fish, roast chickenand pork, dishes with lemon or creamy sauces and Chinesecuisine. Best served at 46-50 °F.

Alcohol: 12,5% Vol.

Chardonnay Estate HatzimichalisWhite Dry Regional Wine of Atalanti Valley

Varietal composition: 100% ChardonnayOrigin: From selected plots of the “Upper Vineyards”, part

of the Hatzimichalis Estate private owned vineyard in AtalantiValley, Central Greece.

Winemaking: Fermented in temperature – controlled Frenchoak vats. The wine matures on fine lees for 2-3 months

Tasting notes: This lightly oaked Chardonnay, offers a pleas-ing blend of citrus notes, white peach, tropical fruit along withthe subtle scent of honey and vanilla. Smooth with rich taste,silky texture and an enjoyable, refreshing long finish.

Food pairing: A wonderful accompaniment to salmon, grilledlobster, seafood pasta, grilled chicken or pork, cheese souffléand soft cheeses. Best served at 46-50°F.

Alcohol: 12% Vol.

Cabernet Sauvignon Estate HatzimichalisRed Dry Regional Wine of Atalanti Valley

Varietal composition: 100% Cabernet SauvignonOrigin: From selected vineyards of the Hatzimichalis Estate

private owned vineyard in Atalanti Valley, Central Greece.Winemaking: Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless

steel vinificator. Ages for 12 months in a mix of new and usedFrench oak barriques originated from 4 different forests of Cen-tral France.

Tasting notes: Deep, dense and concentrated with expressivearomas of blackberry, currants, black plum and a hint of freshlycured tobacco. An intense, sophisticated, and well-structuredwine with rich and mouth-filling tannins, complex flavors andpersistent finish.

Food pairing: Enjoy it with lamb, spare ribs, grilled steakand flavourful hard cheeses. Best served at 61-64 °F.

Alcohol: 13,5% Vol.

Merlot+Merlot Estate HatzimichalisRed Dry Regional Wine of Atalanti Valley

Varietal composition: 100% MerlotOrigin: The expression of Merlot grape variety from two

different vineyards, part of the private owned vineyard of theHatzimichalis Estate, with particular characteristics. The twovineyards differ in terms of age, altitude, gradient and orienta-tion.

Winemaking: The grapes from each vineyard are fermentedseparately in temperature-controlled stainless steel vinificator.Ages separately for 8 months in French oak barriques.

Tasting notes: A Merlot with vibrant fruit character. Bright,ripe black cherry, raspberry and plum aromas combined withsubtle notes of mocha. Pleasantly soft and juicy with balancedflavors, supple texture and well-rounded tannins.

Food pairing: It’s especially delicious with lasagne, pizza,roast duck or roasted spiced chicken, grilled pork chops, andwild mushroom risotto. Best served at 61 - 64 °F.

Alcohol: 14% Vol.

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By Martyn Shuttlewort

Greek Ouzo is, quite sim-ply, one of the finestdrinks on earth, a hid-den gem produced in

over 180 distilleries acrossGreece. Most people have heardof Greek Ouzo, and may evenhave tried it whilst on vacation,but few realise the subtle com-plexities and variations that de-fine the national drink of Greece.

Greek Ouzo is more than abeverage: To the Greeks it is asymbol of their national prideand fierce independence, muchlike the symbolism behind Scot-tish whisky or the French loveaffair with wine. Greek Ouzo,relatively speaking, is a fairlyyoung drink, but its predecessorTsiporou has existed for as longas the art of distilling.

THE HISTORYOF GREEK OUzO

The origins of this anise-flavoured spirit are unclear, butit is suspected that Greek Ouzois a descendent of Tsiporou, aspirit distilled from the left-overmash after winemaking. It iscommonly believed that thedrink evolved in Mount Athos,a peninsula of Greece that ishome to a large number ofGreek Orthodox monasteries.This peninsula was famed forthe quality of its Tsiporou, andthe variant flavoured with anisebecame known as Ouzo.

Whatever the origin, the arthas been refined over time, anda huge number of distilleriesacross Greece make their ownversion, each one subtly differ-ent from the rest. The recipesresponsible for this diversity oftastes are jealously guarded,passed down through the family

as valued heirlooms.The Ouzo making industry

exploded in the 19th century,after Greece threw off the shack-les of Ottoman rule and foughtfor independence. Greek Ouzobecame a symbol of Greece, andthe distillers refined their art,influenced by the strong Russianpresence in the region

WHAT GIVES GREEK OUzOITS FlAVOUR

The one component linkingall Greek Ouzo is anise, whichgives it the distinctive aniseedtaste. The oils extracted fromthe anise also emulsify in water,causing Ouzo to turn white andopaque when water is added.The variation in the flavoursacross the more than 400brands is due partly to the waterin the local area, but also theblend of herbs and spices used.Greece, whilst a small country,has a number of geographicallydistinct locations, each possess-ing its own discrete ecosystemand herbs. Some of the ingredi-ents that give Greek Ouzo itsdistinct flavour, apart from theanise, are; cloves, cinnamon, co-riander, mace, star anise, fennel,salt, mastic from the island ofChios (Cioς), mint, liquorice,fennel, wintergreen, hazelnut,angelica root, cinnamon, limeblossom and a host of other se-cret ingredients

GREEK OUzO PRODUCTIONWhatever the type of Ouzo,

it all begins life as 96% alcoholby volume (ABV) distillate froman agricultural source, usuallyfrom wine or raisins, distilled incopper stills. It must have atleast 0.05% of added antheole,a natural essential oil derivedfrom anise, giving it a uniqueflavour, and the other herbs,spices and flavourings areadded. This flavoured alcohol isknown as Ouzo yeast, (MagiaOuzou/Magia Ouzou),althoughthere is actually no yeast or fer-mentation of the product. Someproducers then add ethyl alcoholfrom other sources to this mix,and add water to ensure that theentire drink is at least 37.5%ABV. Greek law stipulates thatOuzo only needs to have 20%of the final alcohol derived fromthe Ouzo yeast, but the finestbrands do not add anythingother than a little sugar, and thedifference in taste is easily ap-parent, smooth and refined. Of

course, the purest Greek Ouzo’sare more expensive, but the ex-tra price is worth paying.

The beauty of Ouzo is that itdoes not require multiple distil-lations, although the best pro-ducers do use a process of dis-tillation and refining.

HOW TO DRINK GREEKOUzO

Ouzo can be drunk neat, al-though the Greeks believe thatthis is the height of insanity andthey always add water and ice.Likewise, some non-Greeks mayhave encountered the fashion ofmixing orange juice or cola intheir Ouzo, a huge faux-pas andbreach of Greek Ouzo etiquettein a Greek taverna. Ouzo is bestdrunk as an aperitif, slowlysipped with seafood mezedes orgrilled octopus. The idea is tokeep topping the Ouzo up withwater and savour over thecourse of a long and lazy after-noon in the sun. Of course, thebest part of the Ouzo experienceis the company, and the drinkloosens the tongue and acts asa catalyst for a relaxed conver-sation.

To enjoy the perfect GreekOuzo, pour two fingers into aglass and add a little water, be-fore plunking 3 ice cubes. Neveradd the ice before the water, be-cause this will make the Ouzocrystallize and look ‘stringy’

rather than opaque.

OUzO – TO FARMAKO – THE MEDICINE

For centuries, Greeks havebelieved that Greek Ouzo andits predecessor, Tsipouro; havesome distinct medicinal benefits.Ouzo has so many uses in Greekfolk medicine that they call it ToFarmako, the medicine. Cer-tainly, some of the properties at-tributed to the drink appear tomake sense, whereas others arepurely anecdotal. These reme-dies may help in some caseswhilst, in others, they may justbe the excuse given by Greekmen to avoid a scolding whenthey get home. Some of theseeffects, such as the diuretic andthe decongestant properties, areundoubtedly due to the alcohol,

but some of the others havebeen attributed to the variousherbs and spices used to flavourthis drink. Certainly, you havenothing to lose by trying it, al-though take it easy – Ouzo is notto be taken lightly!

1) Acclimatisation: For thoseunused to the hot and dry cli-mate in Greece, acclimatisationcan be a nightmare. For manypeople, the blood thickens asthe body attempts to cope withthe intense heat, and nosebleedsand swollen ankles are commonfor those unused to the Greeksummer. Drinking plenty of wa-ter is always good, but a glassor two of Ouzo thins the bloodand alleviates some of the worstsymptoms.

2) Insomnia: If you havetrouble sleeping, a couple of

Ouzos before you go to bed willhelp even the worst insomniacs.Greeks tend to sleep during thehottest part of the day, and aslug of Ouzo is better than anysleeping pill.

3) Liniment: Old Greek menand women rub Ouzo into tiredmuscles and aching joints,claiming that it relieves theworst symptoms of rheumatism.

4) Relaxation: Ouzo makesyou smile. For people feeling alittle nervous or suffering fromanxiety, an Ouzo will make yourelax and forget your worriesfor a while. Make sure that youdrink with company and goodconversation.

5) Toothache: Ouzo is usedto relieve the worst symptomsof toothache, and older Greeksswear by it as an anaesthetic.To be fair, most strong alcoholicdrinks have the same effect.

6) Decongestant: Ouzo cer-tainly clears the head, partly be-cause of the alcohol, but alsobecause of the herbs and spicesthat make up the uniqueflavour. A hot Tsipouro withcloves is even better, alleviatingthe worst symptoms of a heavycold.

7) Expectorant: For a chestycough, many older Greeks rubOuzo into their chest, claimingthat it clears the lungs.

8) Antiseptic: Greece has ahot climate, and untendedwounds can quickly turn septic.A little neat Ouzo is as good anantiseptic as anything.

OTHER USES FOR OUzOI accept no responsibility for

this one, so disclaim any liabil-ity, but I use Ouzo to clean thelens on my CD-ROM drives, andit works a treat. If the drive ishaving trouble reading discs,pour a little Ouzo onto a Q-Tipand gently clean the lens. I havea sneaking feeling that mostwarranties would not acceptOuzo as a cleaning fluid, so youhave been warned.

Is there anything that Ouzocannot do?

The Ouzo Effect, where theanise emulsifies in water andgives the opaque and milky ex-perience, is a poorly understoodmechanism. Scientists research-ing the effect believe that thiseffect could be of great benefitto the cosmetic and medical in-dustries.

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By Mary Johnson-Gerard Ph.D

Wine has been a partof the Greek culturefor at least 4,000years. Ancient

Greek wines are a bit of a mys-tery, although there is muchwritten about them. The ancientGreeks associated wines withmetaphysical or philosophicalbeliefs about the nature of theuniverse. This esoteric methodof labeling and describing winesis difficult to understand from amodern perspective. Historicalaccounts of Greek wines indicatethat sweet wines were highly re-garded, and that ancient Greeks

often added honey and spices totheir wines. They also liked tomix wine with both fresh andsea water. About 30 ancientGreek wines are known today.

RETSINARetsina wine was made in an-

cient Greece, and has survivedas one of the most commonGreek wines served today. An-cient Retsina was stored in ce-ramic or clay jugs that had theinsides sealed with the resinfrom pine trees. The flavor thatthe resin added to the wine be-came so popular that modernwinemakers continue to addresin to wine. The flavor that

resin adds to a white or a roséwine is very pungent and can bequite variable in quality. A poor-quality Retsina can taste like tur-pentine.

AROMATIC WINESThe Athiri grape, named for

the area in which it grows, isone of the oldest varieties ofGreek grapes. The island of San-torini, also called Thira, still pro-duces wines that have a slightaromatic sensibility, with a lowacidity and a moderate alcoholiccontent. The white white grapeMalagousia was also cultivatedin the Nafpaktos region of an-cient Greece. The winemakerGerovassiliou recently becameinterested in this ancient, al-most-extinct variety of grape.Malagousia grapes produce aparticularly fragrant and sweet-smelling wine with a full bodyand moderate acidity.

DENTHISThe ancient Greek poet Alk-

man made one of the earliestreferences to a named wine inone of his poems. In this poem,he sings the praises of a winecalled Denthis. The poem tellsthat Denthis was a wine indige-nous to the western hills ofMount Taygetus in Messinia, and

extols it as "anthosmias," mean-ing "smelling like flowers." Alk-man also eulogized five or sixother wines from Lakonia in thispoem, referring to them as

flower-scented, "unfired" wines,meaning that they had not beenboiled.

Source: ehow.com

Greek wines have beenmade for centuries andare respected and en-joyed all over the

world. There are over 300 dif-ferent cultivars of Greek winesincluding red, white, blanc degris, and grape varieties.

Agiorgitiko is quite possiblythe most important of the Greekred wines. It's name means St.George's. It is grown in the Pelo-ponnese area and has a spicy,cherry taste.

Xinomavro, "acid black" is ared wine produced in the Mace-donia area in the northern partof Greece. It is the region's ma-jor grape. This wine ages welland has a rich woodsy taste.

Retsina, known as the wineof Athens, used to be kept andserved from wine barrels. It isfound all over Greece in localtavernas. Restina is a white orrose wine with a distinct resinflavor.

REGIONAl WINESRegional Greek wines use

grapes from specific areas. Somepopular regional Greek winesare: Epanomie, Pangeon, Flo-

rina, Hemathia, Metsova,Epirus, Ioannina, Attica, Gera-nia, Anavyssos, Peloponnese,Slopes of Aegialia, Tegea, Arca-dia, and the Aegean Islands.

WHITESome of the better Greek

white wines are Assyrtikos (asweet wine); Moschofilero (afloral and spicy wine); MuscatBlanc (a sweet and aromaticwine) Sava-tiano (ag r a s s ya n dpeach fla-vored wine).

REDLimnio is

a robust redwine. Man-delaria is awoodsy fla-vored redand Mavro-dapne has asweet fla-vor.

S o u r c e :ehow.com

From the historic vine-yards of Maronia inThrace, TSANTALI fam-ily strives in quality wine

making. In its privately ownedestate, viticulture flourishes inthe same grounds that once pro-duced one of the most famouswines in ancient history.

Who hasn’t heard of the “di-vine” wine that Odysseus of-fered the Cyclops Polyphemusto help him escape from his cap-ture in the cave?

During his journey Odysseusstopped at the land of the Cy-clops. Upon discovering the is-land he came across a large cavesurrounded by sheep. Inside thecave was a large creature. Thiswas the Cyclops Polyphemus,son of Poseidon.

Odysseus wanted to explorethis cave, so he took alongtwelve of his worthiest men anda wineskin with this marvelouswine given to him by King

Maron. Upon arriving at thecave, the Cyclops did not noticethem, as he was outside busywith his sheep.

When returning to the cavethe Cyclops was not happy tofind Odysseus there, and toshow his anger, he ate two ofhis men. So the resourcefulOdysseus knew that he had todevise a plan to escape, and sohe started to take action: He of-fered the Cyclops this wonderfulsweet wine from Maronia.Polyphemus became enchantedby this divine wine and thenasked Odysseus to tell him hisname.

Odysseus offered him morewine, until he made sure thatthe Cyclops was drunk, and thenhe told him his name:

KANENAS (No- one). And then according to legend

he took a spear and blindedhim. Polyphemus started to yellin pain, giving Odysseus the

chance to escape. The other Cy-clops’s asked Polyphemus whatwas wrong and why he wascausing such a noise, and he an-swered that KANENAS (No-One) blinded him. The other Cy-clops’s burst in laughter, tellingPolyphemus to leave themalone, since KANENAS (No-One) was bothering him.

And the story goes on to-day…

Originating from this samehistoric territory, is the wine se-ries “KANENAS”.

The wine series “KANENAS”,consists out of three wines thatportray the wine culture andtradition of Maronia, but with amodern edge given by the de-sign of the packaging.

KANENAS white: Muscat ofAlexandria – Chardonnay. Freshand fruity with exotic fruit com-pounds unfolding on the nose,framed by the typical hints ofcitrus. Soft and creamy on the

palate, with an enchanting char-acter reminiscent of wild rosesand a harmonious acidity -fruitinterplay.

KANENAS rose: Mavroudi –Syrah. A fragrant bouquet offresh rose petals, confectionary,strawberry and black peppernotes dominate the nose. An in-tensely flavoured palate withlovely richness and a harmo-nious creamy finish.

KANENAS red: Mavroudi –Syrah. Deeply coloured with abouquet full of wild berries andripe dark cherries that are sup-ported by spicy notes. Upontasting it delivers the same in-tensity and complexity on thenose. Chewy and textured tan-nins hold it well for maturation.

KANENAS: In the tracks of Odysseus…

AncientThinkerson Wine

• Plant no tree soonerthan the vine.�Alcaeus,Greek poet, (c.620-c.580BC)

• When men drink, thenthey are rich and successfuland win lawsuits and arehappy and help theirfriends. Quickly, bring me abeaker of wine, so that Imay wet my mind and saysomething clever. �Aristo-phanes, Greek playwright,(c. 448-380 BC) in TheKnights

• On one occasion someone put a very little wineinto a [glass], and said thatit was sixteen years old. �'Itis very small for its age,' saidGnathaena.�Athenaeus,Greek writer, (c. 200 AD)

• I like best the winedrunk at the cost of oth-ers.�Diogenes the Cynic,Greek Philosopher, (c. 412-323 BC)

• Where there is no winethere is no love.�EuripidesGreek playwright, (c. 480-406 BC)

• Both to the rich andpoor, wine is the happy an-tidote for sorrow.�EuripidesGreek playwright, (c. 480-406 BC)

• It is better to hide ig-norance, but it is hard to dothis when we relax overwine.�Heraclitus, Greekphilosopher, (540-480 BC)

• No poem was everwritten by a drinker of wa-ter�Homer, Greek epic poet,(Eighth Century BC)

• Bacchus opens the gateof the heart. �Homer, Greekepic poet, (Eighth CenturyBC)

• Might to inspire newhopes and powerful Todrown the bitterness ofcares.Homer, Greek epicpoet, (Eighth Century BC)

• The wine urges me on,the bewitching wine, whichsets even a wise man tosinging and to laughing gen-tly and rouses him up todance and brings forthwords which were better un-spoken.�Homer, Greek epicpoet, (Eighth Century BC)

• Wine can of their witsthe wise beguile,�Make thesage frolic, and the serioussmile.�Homer, Greek epicpoet, (Eighth Century BC)

Source: www.theworld-widewine.com

An eroded sculpture ofOdysseus pushing wine on the(missing) Polyphemus.

Types of Modern Greek Wine - So many Fruits from the Vines

Types of Ancient Greek Wine

The grapes grown in ancient Greece made hearty, robust wines.

Rhodian Oenochos (wine jar). Second half of the 7th c. B.C.

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AROMA OF GREECE:TSIPOURO

Tsipouro (Greek: Τσίπουρο)is a distilled alcoholic beverage,more precisely a pomace brandy,from Greece and in particularThessaly (Tsipouro Tyrnavou),Epirus, Macedonia, Mani Penin-sula and the island of Crete,where the same spirit with astronger aroma is known as tsik-oudia. Tsipouro is a strong dis-tilled spirit containing approxi-mately 45 percent alcohol byvolume and is produced from thepomace (the residue of the winepress). In other areas of Greece,the name raki is used from whichthe term rakizio or rakario is de-

rived, used to refer to the drink'sdistillation process, often the oc-casion for a celebration amongfamily and friends. According tothe tradition, the first productionof tsipouro was the work of someGreek Orthodox monks. This oc-curred during the 14th centuryon Mount Athos in Macedonia,Greece. Gradually, this idea of us-ing the must left over from thewine-making process in order toproduce a distilled spirit waspassed to viticulturists in poorerregions of the whole country,which already used the distilla-tion process for other purposes.Thus, tsipouro was born. De-pending on the time of year,

tsipouro is used either as refresh-ment or as a hot beverage, anddepending on the time of day, itreplaces the drinking of coffee orwine. Tsipouro and tsikoudia, aswith all alcoholic beverages inGreece, always seem to coincidewith various social gatherings, astheir consumption had a festiveand symposium-like quality. It isusually served in shot glasses,very cold, often with meze, wal-nuts, almonds, raisins, fetacheese, olives, or accompanyinghalva or other desserts in restau-rants. In 2006, Greece filed a re-quest to recognise tsipouro as aPDO (Protected designation oforigin) product. Although nottypical, anise-flavored tsipouro isalso available, produced espe-cially in Central Macedonia,Chalkidiki, and Thessaly. Al-though it has a very different pro-duction method, and is usuallyof a higher quality (and price),this tsipouro is reminiscent of theflavor of the much more famousGreek liquor, ouzo. Anise-fla-vored tsipouro is the closest tasteto Turkish Rak� in Balkans, whichis different from Greek Raki de-spite the common name.

CRETAN TSIKOUDIATsikoudia (τσικουδιά) or raki

(ρακή) is a grape-based spiritfrom the island of Crete inGreece, very similar to tsipouro,made from the distillation of po-mace, i.e., the pieces of grapes(including the stems and seeds)that were pressed for the wine-making process. The pomace iskept for about six weeks after thegrapes have been pressed, in atightly-sealed barrel, and thenthe fermented mush is distilled.It is a pomace brandy comparableto an Italian grappa, SpanishAguardiente and PortugueseAguardente, or French marc. Al-though it carries a strong taste,its alcohol content usually runsat about 34 percent for namebrand. It is often home-producedby individuals in villagesthroughout Crete, and so the al-cohol content can range from 60–90 percent. Each village will haveone or two villagers who are li-censed to distill, and for two orthree weeks in late October andearly November, the village stillsproduce the raki.

This is commonly offered asan after dinner digestif. Indeedin many taverns it is usually of-fered, "on the house", free ofcharge in combination with fruits

and sweets after the meal. It canbe flavored using lemon rind,rosemary, or honey (rakomelo).

CYPRIOT zIVANIAZivania (also Zivana) (Greek:

Ζιβανία) is a traditional Cypriotbeverage, a distillate producedin the island of Cyprus from po-mace (or marcs), the residue ofgrapes that were pressed duringthe winemaking process (includ-ing the stems and seeds) mixedwith high-quality dry wines pro-duced from the local grape vari-eties of Cyprus. Thepomace/wine mixture is thendistilled in special traditional dis-tillation apparatus, producing zi-vania. Zivania is characterizedby its typical taste and aroma. Itis colorless and it is pleasantlyalcoholic with a light aroma ofraisins. The typical alcohol con-tent is 45% by volume. It con-tains no sugars and has no acid-ity. Zivania has been producedin Cyprus since the time the Re-public of Venice ruled the island,around the end of the 14th cen-tury. Evidence of its continuedproduction during the Ottomanand British occupation of the is-land comes from writers such asthe British writer Samuel Bakerwho in 1879 reports: "...therefuse of skins and stalks is laidupon one side to ferment for themanufacture of raki, or spirit, bydistillation...". Since 2004, ziva-nia has been protected under EUregulations as a product uniqueto Cyprus and as such cannot beproduced in any other countryand marketed under that name.

In order to produce zivaniaof the highest grade, mature

healthy grapes of the best qualityare used. The grape must usedfor its fermentation should be ofless than 13° Baumé, in order toget perfect fermentation. As soonas the fermentation process iscomplete (i.e. less or equal to 0°Baumé reading) the wine andpomace are transferred to themain container of the distillationapparatus, kazani (Greek: κα-ζάνι), and the distillation processbegins. The last zivania taken outof the apparatus is called porakos(Greek: πόρακος) and has a lowalcohol content. There aremainly three types of distillationprocesses: Only wine is used forthe distillation, wine and pomaceare used for the distillation andpomace with water and weak zi-vania (porakos) are used.

Depending upon the distilla-tion process, different qualitiesof zivania will be produced. Zi-vania is usually stored in cleanwooden or galvanised metal con-tainers that can be sealed in or-

der to contain evaporation. Dur-ing transportation good care istaken not to damage the contain-ers or allowing leakage or evap-oration of zivania.

Other than enjoying zivaniaas an alcoholic drink, it is usedin Cyprus for several other pur-poses. It is used to treat wounds,for massaging sore body parts,as a remedy for colds, toothachesor as a warming-up drink duringthe cold months of winter, espe-cially at villages on the Troodosmountains. In the old times, themain alcoholic drinks Cypriotsconsumed were wine and ziva-nia. In some villages of Cyprus,cinnamon was added to zivaniagiving it a nice red color and afine aroma and flavor. As zivaniaages it becomes better and more

aromatic. Aged zivania was val-ued very high and was kept forconsumption during special oc-casions or as a treat for visitors.Even nowadays at some villagesin Cyprus, visitors will be wel-comed to a home with zivaniaserved together with almonds,walnuts, loukoumi, soutzoukosor small appetizers likeloukaniko (traditional Cypriotsausage), or lountza (traditionalCypriot smoked pork loin). Toestablish the authenticity of zi-vania chemical studies were con-tacted to investigate which of themetals analyzed constitute diag-nostic parameters that establishauthenticity. The results of thestudies establish that zivania isrelated to the unique geologicaland climatic conditions existingon the island of Cyprus.

Zivania is served ice-cold withthe local meze, soutzoukos ordried fruit and nuts.

Source: Wikipedia

Spirited Dilemma: Tsipouro, Tsikoudia or Zivania?

www.pilaros.com • 1.888.pilAROs

Greek Tsipouro, Cretan Tsikoudia andCypriot Zivania, are sister liquorscommonly consumed in Greece andCyprus. Although, they have similaritiesboth in taste and production, for liquorconnoisseurs they are completely differentdrinks.


By Tobias Judmaier

Honey and cinnamonpuffs – Loukoumades Preparation Time: 40 Minutes+ 90 minutes of letting thedough sitFrying Time: 6-10 Minutes� Difficulty: EasyIngredients:• 7 ounces flour• 14 oz soft boiling potatoes• 1 pack of yeast• 1 tea spoon of sugar• a pinch of salt• 7 ounces honey• 1/2 tea spoon of cinnamon• light frying oil

Preparation:Disolve the yeast in 400 ml

of warm water. Stir a hand fullof the flour into the water. Addsugar and salt. Let the mixturerest for 30 minutes at a warmspot.

Meanwhile boil an puree thepotatoes.

Stir the remaining flour andthe puree into the water-yeastmix. Let it rest again for 90 min-utes.

For the syrup, heat the honeyin a pot and add the cinamon.If the sauce gets too thick addsome water.

Heat the oil. Plunge thedough with a teaspoon into theoil, using a second teaspoon asa scoop.

Let the puffs fry at mediumheat until they are golden. Makesure the oil is not too hot. Theyshould be baked throughout.

Drain them on kitchen paper,then transfer onto the servingplate. Pour the honey sauce overthem. Serve while still hot.

Upside down pearcakePreparation Time: 15 MinutesBaking Time: 30 MinutesDifficulty: EasyIngredients:• 3 pears• 5 ounces of brown sugar• 1/2 cup of water• 7 ounces of flour• 1 tbsp of baking powder• 3.5 ounces of butter• 2 eggs• 1 orange, organic• 1 lemon organicPreparation:

Dissolve the sugar withthe water in a small potand get it to boil. Let itsimmer on low heatuntil the sugar turnsbrown.

Meanwhile meltthe butter and let itcool off a bit. Mix it withthe eggs. Keep some butterto grease the baking tray.Add lemon and orange zest tothe eggs.

Peel the pears, cut in quartersand remove the pits.

Mix the flour and the bakingpowder into the egg mix untilyou have a soft dough.

Now pour the caramelizedsugar into the buttered bakingtray.

Place the pears in the trayand pour the dough over them.Spread the dough outevenly.�Bake in the preheatedoven at 400 F.

When readily baked removefrom the oven. Let it cool downa bit then flip the cake onto aplate.

Lemon jam – AuntBina’s recipePreparation Time For 1 Kilo OfLemons: 20 MinutesBoiling Time: 35 MinutesDifficulty:Easy

Ingredients:• 35 ounces of bio oranges• a pack of gellant• 10 ounces sugarPreparation:

Put the lemons into a big potwith cold water and bring toboil. Simmer for 30 minutes,then drain them. Let the lemonscool down, then cut them intohalves.

Spoon the pulp out of thefruit and put into a colander.Press the pulp with a woodenspoon through the colander andcollect all liquids dripping downin a bowl.

Spoon the white out of theskin (if existing) and throw it

away.Slice the skin very finely,

then put it into a pot. Add theliquid, the sugar and the gellantand bring to boil for 5 minutes.See the instructions on the packof the gellant in case that theydiffer. Fill the jam into glassesand close tight.

Rizogalo (Greek rice pudding)Cooking Time: 20 MinutesDifficulty: EasyIngredients:• 1 cup of Risotto rice• 3 ts sugar• 4 cups of milk• some butterPreparation:

Fry the rice lightly with somebutter in a small pot. Add thesugar and the milk and let itsimmer for 20 minutes. Keep thepot covered. Stir occasionally.

When the rice is done fill intobowls and serve with a piece of

butter, some sugar and cinna-mon on top.

You can also let the bowlswith the pudding cool down andserve them chilled. In this casedo not add the butter and sprin-kle the cinnamon and sugar overthe dish before you serve it.

Greek Yogurt WithFruitsPreparation Time: 10 MinutesDifficulty: EasyIngredients:• 5 ounces of Greek yogurt• 1/2 peach• a few grapes• 1 fig• 1 slice of melon• 1/2 pearPreparation:

Put the yogurt into a bowland let it get room temperature.Meanwhile cut the fruits in verysmall cubes, half of the size ofthe grapes. Put the fruits on topof the yogurt.

You can add walnuts or al-monds to it. It is also nice topour some honey over the fruitsand yogurt.

Tahini And HoneySpreadPreparation Time: 3 MinutesDifficutly:Very EasyIngredients:• 2 parts of Tahini• 1 part honey• Ground nuts (optional)Preparation:

Put all ingredients into abowl and mix with a spoon untilyou have created a thick paste.Add honey according to your in-dividual taste. You can also addground walnuts or almonds tothe paste. Can be stored in a jarfor several days outside of thefridge.

Strawberries CakePreparation Time: 10 MinutesBaking Time: 40 MinutesDifficulty: EasyIngredients:• 1 cup of flour• 1/2 cup of Greek yoghurt• 1/2 cup of soft butter• 3/4 cup of brown sugar• 2 eggs• 1 teaspoon of baking powder• 1 pinch of salt• a pack of vanilla• 1 cup of strawberries, slicedPreparation:

Pre heat the oven at 392 F.Put the butter in to a big bowland add the sugar. Whip thebutter with a whisk until itblends well with the sugar.

Add one egg after the otherwhile stirring well. While con-tinuous stirring the mixture ofthe bowl add the baking pow-der, the salt and the vanilla.Spoon by spoon add the yo-ghurt.

Now carefully add the flourwhile you continuously stir themixture.�Finally add the slicedstrawberries.

Pour the mixture into a but-tered baking form. Put into theoven and bake for 40 minutes.You may want to reduce theheat towards the end of the bak-ing time. Check the colour ofthe cake.

Let the cake cool down be-fore removing from the bakingform.

http://www.tobiascooks.com

Greek Sweets and Desserts - Linger on the Tongue

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Food for Cypriots meansa feast. Frequentlyused ingredients arefresh vegetables suchas courgettes, green

peppers, okra, tomatoes, cucum-bers, lettuce and grape leaves,and pulses such as beans, chick-peas and lentils. Pears, apples,grapes, oranges, mandarines,nectarines, mespila, walnut,hazelnut are some of the com-monest of the fruits and nuts.

The best-known spices andherbs include pepper, parsley,roka, celery, thyme, andoregano. Traditionally, artisha(cumin) and kolliandros (co-riander) seeds make up themain cooking aromas of the is-land. Mint is a very importantherb in Cyprus. It grows vora-ciously, and locals use it foreverything, particularly indishes containing ground meat.For example, the Cypriot versionof pastitsio (locally known asmacaronia tou fournou) con-tains very little tomato and gen-erous amounts of mint. Thesame is true of keftes or keftedes(meat balls,which are some-times laced with mint to providea contrast with the meat.

Cypriots grill over charcoal.The famous souvla. They grillhalloumi cheese, olives, mush-rooms, loukaniko (porksausages), and of course kebabs.These are souvlaki (shish ke-bab), sheftalia, or gyros. Gyrosis made from various cuts oflamb, pork, or occasionallychicken, and very rarely beef.They are typically served stuffedinto a pita pocket or wrappedin a thin flatbread, along with asalad of cabbage, parsley, andraw mild onions, tomatoes andsliced cucumber. Gyros is grilledmeat slices instead of chunks,and the taste is made differentby the salad or dressings added.

Pourgouri (bulgur, crackedwheat) is the traditional carbo-hydrate other than bread. It issteamed with tomato and onion;a few strands of vermicelli pastaare often added to provide a tex-ture contrast. Along with pour-gouri, natural yoghurt is a sta-ple. Wheat and yoghurt cometogether in the traditional peas-ants' breakfast of trahanas, aprimitive form of pasta, in whichthe cracked wheat is steamed,mixed with sour milk, dried, andstored. Small amounts reheated

in water or broth provide a verynourishing and tasty meal, es-pecially with added cubes ofwell-aged halloumi.

Pourgouri is also used tomake koupes where the pour-gouri is mixed with flour andwate to form a dough, which isformed into a cigar shape. A hol-low is made through the cigarand a mixture of minced meat,onions, parsley and cinnamon ispacked. After sealing the meatmixture inside the cigar they aredeep-fried before serving withlemon juice.

Cyprus produces some veryinteresting and tasty food, be-low you will find a quick guideto some of the more well knownitems. Give them try whilstyou're on holiday

Pita (Bread): Unleavenedbread, Oval shaped and flat,Warm it on a grill and it puffsup ready for a kebab to be in-serted. Also available in smallsizes.

Psoumi (Bread): Round flat-tened loaf, large and small ofheavier bread, delicious whenfresh, ok when 1 day old, besttoasted at 2 days.

lountza (Meat): Loin ofpork, smoked and marinated.Yummy with koulouri. For thebest ones, avoid the pre-slicedpre-packaged ones, (They aretoo moist, I think they add wa-ter to 'up' the weight) andchoose the delicatessen one cutvery thinly.

Chiromeri (Meat): AgainPork, Smoked, marinated andpressed. Leg this time, You usedto see whole ones hanging by astring. Very aromatic andstrong. Sliced wafer thin it canbe superb.

loukanika (Meat): Smokedand spicy sausage, These arenormally served in the mezeduring the first course with thegrilled halloumi, if its a goodone it can be brilliant, full ofgarlic, make sure your partnertries it too, if not its just asmoked, spicy, lumpy sausage.

Pastourma (Meat): Madewith beef or once upon a time,camel. Now just made withbeef. A very spicy meat, Full ofgarlic and coriander.

Tzadziki (Dip): A yoghurt,cucumber and mint dip that you

will find in most restaurants,served along with tahini, olivesand salad.

Tahini (Dip): A blend ofcrushed sesame seed paste,lemon juice, water, garlic andolive oil, sprinkled with pars-ley.Very difficult to find a goodone since the supermarketsstarted doing a pre-packagedversion. Try a granny, whomight remember how to makeit. Ask for ' tashi '. Improveswhen a day or 2 old, as the gar-lic seeps into it Anari CheeseCypriot white cheese, similar tocottage cheese, but not scram-bled, you buy it in blocks. Verybland.

Halloumi (Cheese): Thischeese is great either cooked or

raw, when grated it is used ex-tensively in au gratin dished,grilled or fried. (I always preferit lightly fried - keep your eyeon it, it burns quickly.) Wash itbefore cooking it at home, as itis kept in brine and can be verysalty.You can also use it very suc-cessfully as a cheese to currywith spinach or peas as it keepsits shape and texture whencubed, fried and then simmeredfor long periods of time.

Kappari (Vegetable): If youfind thorns in your salad, nothey did not make a mistake inthe kitchen, this is the thorn ofthe caper, usually pickled. Becareful!

Kolokassi (Vegetable): Thisis a strange but delicious veg-

etable. It looks like a dirty elon-gated swede-turnip-parsnip-sweet potato type root veg-etable. It has a magnificenttexture and the good ones havea fascinating taste. You cannotcut it with a knife, as it becomesslimy, you have to break it intopieces before cooking. It is oftenserved in a tomatoey sauce andis well worth trying to find.

lachana (Vegetable): Aspinach type leaf, but with athicker white stalk. Oftencooked with black eyed beansin a kind of stew/soup.

Koupepkia (Cooked dish):Stuffed vine leaves. (called Dol-mades in Greece) If they arewell made these little rolls ofmeat and rice cooked in a richoily sauce can be delightful. Thesupermarket ready made ver-sions are generally vile. Theyare prepared with either freshor pickled vine leaves, both havetheir own charm, popular at thetake away shops, during Lent,the vegetarian version is servedinstead.

Afelia (Cooked Dish): Thisis pork cubes, marinated andcooked in red wine with corian-der seeds (sometimes vinegar,or maybe just old or cheapwine). Cooked slowly, gentlyand long, this dish can be out-standing and very sustaining.

Tavas (Cooked Dish): Lamb(or sometimes pork) cookedwith potatoes, tomatoes andsometimes carrots and other inseason bits. Presumably in theoven, slowly. Can be deliciousbut is usually at least edible.Flaounes

Koupes (Cooked Dish):Cigar shaped savouries, contain-ing meat , onions and parsleysurrounded with a thin, crispy(when fresh & well made) layerof crushed bulgur wheat. Buythem in the bakers or periptero's(newsagent / corner shops) andeat them with a wedge oflemon, which you squeeze intothe top. There are big ones,small ones and in the fasting pe-riods, ones with a mushroomfilling instead of meat.

Mouchendra (CookedDish): Lentils, rice and friedonions, yum yum.

Source: Wikipedia

Cypriot CuisineGet Your Big Appetite Ready

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National Herald - ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ · 2017. 8. 16. · original Greek title is...

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Transcript of National Herald - ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ · 2017. 8. 16. · original Greek title is...